Gospel of Blood

Development… plan?

Hearing the young woman’s words, Baron Betel was stunned.

He had imagined the Countess of Castell might try to recruit him, or that she might haughtily await his declaration of loyalty like other noble lords. He even considered that she might first reprimand him, given his disruptive actions in the north, or subtly pressure him to relinquish his lands and title, becoming a landless noble due to other nobles’ influence…

But he never imagined that upon meeting, she would simply hand him a stack of documents.

A development plan?

For the Betel Barony?

Perplexed, Baron Betel took the parchment scroll and began to browse it in confusion. However, with just one glance, his eyes were glued to it.

The contents of this development plan were incredibly compelling.

The entire set of parchment roughly estimated to be eighty or ninety pages long, detailed a twenty-year construction period, divided into four phases, each spanning five years.

The document meticulously outlined the significance and necessity of developing Betel Barony, the current conditions and foundational aspects, and the various existing problems within the barony. The descriptions were so thorough that they even surpassed his own understanding as the lord of the land.

Following this comprehensive analysis, the plan detailed numerous measures and suggestions across several areas: infrastructure construction, fortification enhancements, security improvements, commercial trade development, agricultural improvements, and sustainable forest management. Each suggestion was interlinked, covering all bases and leaving no gaps.

Some suggestions and measures were so insightful that even he, the local lord, found them enlightening, or they resonated with his own long-held ideas. The analysis of the barony’s current developmental difficulties, in particular, offered solutions that enlightened him, solving many issues he had long fretted over.

Especially regarding the security improvements for undead purges and the road construction in infrastructure development. He had long thought about these issues.

Betel Barony, situated at the crossroads of Roman, Violet, and Castell territories, was a crucial trade route for all three regions.

However, despite this prime location, it had failed to develop over the decades and had instead declined. The main reasons were the residual undead from the Star-Moon War and the dilapidated roads, which led to population decline.

Moreover, to facilitate reader understanding, the parchment was inscribed with numerous magical illustrations and charts, making the content innovative and accessible.

After glancing at it, Baron Betel was entirely captivated by this development plan.

Unconsciously, he immersed himself in it, contemplating its feasibility. When he finally finished the entire scroll, he realized that nearly half a day had passed.

Baron Betel snapped out of his absorption, feeling a wave of embarrassment.

He quickly closed the parchment, ready to apologize, but then heard Charlotte’s slightly amused voice from behind the desk.

“So, Baron, what do you think of this development report?”

“Excellent! Absolutely excellent! Since I was granted my barony, I have never seen such a detailed, rich, clearly targeted, and well-organized plan! It is visionary and valuable!”

“Especially the yearly planning and the pioneering use of charts. Even those who know nothing about governance, as long as they are literate, can understand it at a glance!”

Baron Betel praised without hesitation.

He couldn’t help but add.

“Of course, perhaps because the authors did not have in-depth knowledge of Betel Barony, some suggestions still have flaws and difficulties. But overall, even achieving a third of these plans would completely transform the barony!”

He spoke with admiration, then asked.

“Countess, who wrote this development plan? Undoubtedly, the author is incredibly talented!”

Charlotte smiled.

“It was drafted by several ministers in the cabinet. Their names are listed at the end of the parchment.”

“The cabinet ministers?”

Baron Betel was surprised, then sighed.

“No wonder Castell is flourishing. With such a professional cabinet, surpassing those corrupt noble territories is only natural.”

Saying this, he turned to the last page of the parchment to see which Castell nobles had written this report, hoping to visit them in the future for advice.

However, when Baron Betel saw the first name at the top, he froze.

“Charlotte de Castell?”

He couldn’t help but look up at the young woman, who smiled and said,

“I only provided the framework and direction, and designed the outline and chart requirements. The details and suggestions were mostly drafted by the cabinet.”

“They were the main contributors. I merely did some minor work.”

Minor work?

No! The framework and direction are the most crucial parts!

Each suggestion could be thought of individually by experienced nobles based on actual conditions. But the hardest part is linking all these elements into a cohesive whole.

More precisely, being able to outline the entire framework, plan a twenty-year development strategy, and set a long-term direction is the most challenging and critical.

Not to mention the charts.

To Baron Betel, the most eye-catching part was these straightforward charts. He could already envision how this clear form of expression could be applied to any aspect of territorial governance.

These charts could concisely summarize problems, facilitating comparative analysis and helping to identify links between data and reality.

Just by comparing the charts, he could suddenly understand many previous confusions about the barony’s development, feeling a sense of enlightenment.

Thinking of this, Baron Betel couldn’t help but look at the young woman behind the desk, increasingly astonished.

A nearly seventeen-year-old genius with extraordinary power that even he, an experienced knight, found intimidating…

A young leader who, within a year of taking the reins, had consolidated her territory and defeated the coalition forces of two duchies…

A wise lord who could casually design such a clear and comprehensive development plan, considering every aspect and prioritizing territorial growth…

By the Gods, what kind of monster has the Castell family produced?

Baron Betel’s feelings were extremely complicated.

“Baron, you mentioned that this plan has some flaws. Could you elaborate on them?”

Charlotte asked again.

Baron Betel was momentarily taken aback, then pondered.

“Yes, some details need careful consideration. Some plans and measures, though theoretically feasible and excellent, are challenging to implement and not entirely practical…”

“For example, the undead. It’s not that Violet didn’t want to purge the undead in Betel, but the contamination is more severe than expected. Without the intervention of Blazing Sun, it’s almost impossible to resolve everything, and the costs are too high…”

Listening to Baron Betel, Charlotte nodded and smiled.

“Could you provide some modifications to this plan?”

“Of course.”

Baron Betel instinctively replied.

He then picked up the parchment again, discussing the various issues with the young countess.

For a moment, he completely forgot that he had been coerced into meeting his lord for “disposal”…