NOVEL NEXT Chapter 92: That must be the powerful Earl Rosewood!
Prince Rian smiled warmly and waved to the gathered commoners in the streets, which surprised multiple people. He even disembarked from his floating carriage and walked on the street a few times!
The Angian commoners living in the Terra fief, far from the Angio capital, had never seen the Imperial Lūpiter family. Their impression of royalty was callousness and strictness, of overwhelmingly powerful mages who were near gods on earth.
Prince Rian, however, was there in front of them.
“Are princes all like this in Sedaveria? Do they all act like that?”
Some people looked down on Sedaverian Imperial family. The Sedaverian Imperial family had bad form to mingle on the streets.
Some others were purely excited. To think, they saw royalty just a few arm spans away!
The commoners gathered close together to chat and gossip.
“Prince Rian, isn’t he the one who donated food a while back?”
“Oh, you don’t know the latest news, Prince Rian was one of the people who captured all those bandits!”
“What, him??!!”
“I heard Earl Rosewood did most of the work! He captured the most bandits and scared them to piss in their pants!”
“Who is Earl Rosewood?”
“I think that’s him there!” Said person pointed to the tall and imposing man who rode a big white horse alongside the Sedaverian Imperial carriage. He had a recognisable lightning motif on his clothes, and no doubt was the most powerful mage there and thus had to be Earl Rosewood.
“Oh, I see!”
“Huh? Who is that who just stepped out of the carriage after Prince Rian?”
“He looks young…maybe he’s Prince Rian’s personal servant?”
“A squire boy?”
“A book boy?”
“One of those sounds right!”
That led some people to look down on Prince Rian. It was improper to ride in a carriage with a servant.
Some others simply thought that Sedaverians were just different. Look, if you crouched down, you could really see how those carriages were floating in the air!
The convoy returned to the Terra castle for lunch.
During the afternoon, a group of healers who worked in the Terra fief came to the castle to meet with the Sedaverian healers.
The Sedaverian healer mages were mostly researchers, while the Angio healer mages were medical practitioners. The two groups sat on either side of the meeting room. The back seats were filled with other members of the Sedaverian convoy and various interested/important Angians, such as the main town mayor.
Marquis Terra and Prince Rian stood at the front.
Marquis Terra opened the meeting. “Thank you for everyone’s time today. The purpose of the meeting is to exchange information and healing methods. As you know, within recent years, we have discovered the existence of microscopic pathogens.”
“This produced two new branches of research,” Prince Rian said. “We have researchers who are determining the relationships between pathogens and disease. We also have researchers developing tools and spells to protect against and kill these pathogens.”
“Our agenda today is as follows: we have a member from the visiting Sedaverian team, Healer Herwyg Schauss, who will first give a talk. Then, we have Healer Marilla Luna who will give a talk. Afterwards, we’ll open the floor to discussions.” Marquis Terra nodded towards the Sedaverian group. “Healer Schauss, if you may.”
Healer Schauss gave a talk touching on the different areas of research in Sedaveria and their current progress. He demonstrated a few new spells that had been made.
Then, Healer Luna gave a talk about the common diseases and ailments of the Terra fief and the limited available charitable resources.
Marquis Terra then had both Healer Schauss and Healer Luna sit at the front as a small panel. “Firstly, do you have questions to ask each other before we open it to the floor?”
“Yes,” Healer Luna said. She turned to Healer Schauss. “You say your new protective spell blocks any pathogens from passing through. Have you tested it for all pathogens? What are the magical requirements? I’m afraid it’s not feasible to be casting it again and again as we see different patients.”
“Well, as you know, it is technically impossible to test for all pathogens…”
“Did you test for X, Y, and Z pathogens?” Healer Luna asked, where X, Y and Z were common diseases in Angio.
“We didn’t test for all of them yet. However, based on our research, pathogens have a particular minimum size.”
“Are you sure?”
“At the very least, it should capture 90% of pathogens and is worth your time to cast it, unless you want to risk yourself or others getting some disease and become the epicentre of a new pandemic!”
“Are you insulting my integrity as a healer?!”
Marquis Terra stood up. “Please, Healer Luna, I deeply appreciate your work and I would never question your integrity.”
Healer Luna’s lips thinned.
The discussion became a little heated and lively. Both sides brought up multiple good points, and after arguing, some points were quietly conceded and new points were brought up to argue about instead.
Ren Xiyang watched and listened in a nostalgic silence. It reminded him of the scientific workshops and conferences he had attended before the apocalypse, where particularly opinionated academics dominated the discussion.
Prince Rian pulled the meeting to a close. “That’s the conclusion of the time allocated for discussion. Everyone’s reminders were very timely and we have written them all down. Before we close, I’d like to mention that the Royal Healers’ Service in Sedaveria will establish a twice-yearly exchange, in spring and in autumn, where healers from Sedaveria will visit and work in Angio for a month and healers from Angio will visit and work in Sedaveria for a month. If you are interested, come to the front to talk with us after this meeting. Thank you to everyone who attended, I hope that the conversations will continue into the future.”
“Thank you all for attending, refreshments will now be served,” Marquis Terra said.
The talks and panel were important formal parts of the event. However, the part afterwards was just as important. In the following casual setting, individuals could mingle and network. This was a good time for true scientific advancement to happen. And now that people had been loosened up after arguing with each other, they more readily approached each other to talk—if nothing else, then to continue their arguments.
A few Angian healers came to the front to ask Marquis Terra and Prince Rian whether they could fund Angian healers in Angio to analyse the Sedaverian spells and make new ones that were more appropriate for Angio.
“We can speak about this more after considering the available funds. But if you have time outside your clinical work, I highly encourage you to research this,” Marquis Terra said. Unfortunately, he was quite tight on funds at the moment.
“As you may understand, I’m a prince of Sedaveria, so I would like to welcome you to work and research in Sedaveria,” Prince Rian said with an apologetic smile.
“We understand.” Money was always tight, and Prince Rian’s request was very mild compared to what an Angio royal would ask for. Maybe visiting Sedaveria to work for a short while wasn’t that bad anyhow…
The mingling lasted up til dinner, to which the Angian healers were also invited. This made the Terra castle’s dining hall very noisy that night.
The next day, Marquis Terra and Hadrian Terra took Ren Xiyang, Florence and Rian to look around the surrounding farms. Ren Xiyang had been looking forward to this.
“The seeds you sent us have been very successful,” Marquis Terra said, pointing to the filled granaries near the castle. “We’ve replanted them again this year.” He smiled faintly. “However, due to various reasons, my fief needs to increase its crop yield. I wonder if Earl Rosewood or Lady Sage has any tips?”
Ren Xiyang glanced at Rian. Last night, Rian had learnt about Marquis Terra’s ‘gift’ to the Angio court, which meant they both knew why Marquis Terra suddenly needed to increase his crop yields.
Florence glanced at Ayden before speaking first, “The quickest method to increase crop yield is to use spells. There are spells that can increase crop yield, spells to create rain, and spells to shorten growth cycles. You could harvest a round of crops every month.”
Hadrian frowned. “We’re not plant mages…”
“The penalty for earth mages is not as large as the penalty for fire mages,” Florence said. “Earl Rosewood used those spells successfully during the past winters, correct?”
Hadrian’s face noticeably fell. He forgot he wasn’t even half as powerful as Earl Rosewood. He wished Earl Rosewood was taller and bigger and older, then at least the comparison wouldn’t be as soul-crushing.
Ren Xiyang nodded. “To prevent an unexpected food shortage, I speed up the crop cycle. Lady Sage taught me the plant growing spells.”
“There are dangers with nutrient depletion though,” Florence said seriously. “As such, weaker growth spells can actually be better in the long-term.”
“What can I offer Lady Sage to teach Hadrian and others these plant spells?” Marquis Terra asked.
“My consultant fee is 300 Sedaverian gold,” Florence said.
Rian inwardly smiled as he recalled how Ren Xiyang had said something similar to him many years ago.
“Given the time constraints, will you be able to teach my children this afternoon?” Marquis Terra asked.
“I can.”
“Then we’ve agreed.”
And so, in the afternoon, Marquis Terra corralled his four adult children to learn plant spells with Lady Florence Sage out in the fields.
After he made sure they were listening, he then led Earl Rosewood (and hence Prince Rian) back towards the castle.
The various servants and guards followed behind them.
Marquis Terra stopped walking upon seeing the peasant farmers in the fields in the distance.
“The people have started to use your new seed varieties and your new ploughs,” Marquis Terra said. He turned to Earl Rosewood. “You must have new technologies and seeds in development. Things that the common farmer can use.”
“Seeds, yes. But new accessible technologies, no,” Ren Xiyang said. “It takes time and money for technological development. Once the Rosewood Group income is more stable, I’ll be able to hire farmers or specific researchers to develop better tools and materials.”
Ren Xiyang could make an improved plough shape because he knew what it looked like, but he didn’t have the technical ability to make a tractor. As for fertiliser, there were too many missing steps they needed to (re)discover before fertilisers could be synthesised and formulated to the ratios that Ren Xiyang knew were good, and it would take a lot of subsidy to make those fertilisers available to the common farmer.
“If something new is created, do tell me,” Marquis Terra said.
Ren Xiyang nodded.
Marquis Terra continued walking. “I also won’t be able to accompany you to the Capital. We have many captured bandits under our watch and I cannot leave the fief.”
“Your fief should come first,” Rian agreed.
“Instead, my two eldest children will accompany you. Hadrian and Julia are both accomplished mages and know your route. They will take you safely and smoothly to our Capital.”
“It will be a good opportunity for us to get to know them,” Rian said.
Marquis Terra gave a smile. “I suppose you young people will get along much better than with old me.”
“We’re old at heart,” Ren Xiyang said.
Marquis Terra’s smile widened. “And I’m young at heart, how convenient.”
“Perhaps that’s why I’ve traded with you the most, in terms of monetary volume,” Ren Xiyang said seriously.
Rian couldn’t suppress a smile. Marquis Terra was joking and yet Ren Xiyang was so serious! Serious Ren Xiyang was so cute!
Marquis Terra chuckled. “Then let’s talk more about trading. Your previous orders have all been delivered…”
It was in Marquis Terra’s best interest to sell more things to Earl Rosewood and Prince Rian. Yes, those two would get a discount, but that discount could only be ‘cashed’ if they sent him the 95% of the money.
He took them to various places around the castle, to various storage rooms and display rooms with different raw materials and processed materials that he could sell. He even introduced various processed foods, such as dried fruit. While the fief had a food shortage, it was more profitable to sell these more expensive food products and use that to buy cheaper grains.
Ren Xiyang thought about all income from the floating carriages and decided to double his old order for glass and building materials. There were many constructions works back in the Rosewood fief and he wouldn’t mind a another greenhouse. He could use a bit (half) of a new greenhouse and allocate the rest of future researchers…
Count Aegean was sitting in one of the drawing rooms with Duke Mauveine when he spotted certain persons through the window. Why was Marquis Terra so friendly with Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood?
“Prince Rian seems to know Marquis Terra quite well,” he said. Had Prince Rian been in secret contact with Marquis Terra too? Count Aegean wouldn’t be surprised.
“This might be due to Earl Rosewood,” Duke Mauveine said. “He buys a fair amount of goods from here.”
“Surely he could get it from Sedaveria too,” Count Aegean said with a frown.
“I won’t speak for Earl Rosewood,” Duke Mauveine said. “Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood have also recently aided Marquis Terra.”
Count Aegean nodded, but internally, he wasn’t fully reconciled. He didn’t think it was that friendliness was only related to that bandit issue that Earl Rosewood and Prince Rian helped solve. If it were, Marquis Terra should be more grateful than friendly.
He had heard that Earl Rosewood traded with the Angians, but he dismissed it because Earl Rosewood traded with almost everyone (including himself).
But how much did Earl Rosewood trade to gain that level of friendliness? And why?
Sometimes, he felt he had started to understand Earl Rosewood’s thought process. And then something would happen and he would realise he didn’t understand at all, like when Earl Rosewood suddenly provided free education to the masses regardless of character.
He wished Solicitor Carmine or Master Silvercharm were here, they must have better insight into Earl Rosewood’s character, and thus also how Earl Rosewood influenced Prince Rian. They would be better conversation than Duke Mauveine!
Duke Mauveine: … I didn’t come here to get attacked like this.
_(:3」∠)_
This chapter was hard to write.