Reincarnate as Prince: Change Magical World with Industry

39 Next Phase

The next week, production started picking up steam. They had collected enough food for the winter with a stock of around thirty barrels of food. Adduk completed the construction of their water purifying stations. They now had large buildings that could serve as storage and shelter for the whole population. A total of five large halls were erected and were now used as multi-purpose buildings.

As the chores died down and their basic needs were covered for winter, assignments started getting lighter for the workers.

Now Janus was confident enough for the second phase of development.

It was time for an expansion.

Janus chose the land that Astrid found by the lake as the central base of operations.

They built a road from the initial base (which people started calling New Gracewood) leading up to the lake and started building another gathering hall. Reclaiming the land slowly as they went. After the roads were established, the journey to and from both locations amounted to one hour via horses and ox-driven wagons.

Here the council would congregate for meetings and planning. This was to be the center of government for this settlement and where Janus and the leaders would report to every morning.

Around that place, up to twenty-thousand acres of land was up for grabs, and Janus painstakingly assigned these lands for people to own.

That kept him busy for almost every night of the past few weeks. He met with every family and started distributing them, the size of the plot was proportional to the population of each household.

They had to sign a contract, and this was what it entailed.

The land was raw and untamed, so any land that was assigned to you would have to be reclaimed. Everyone is obligated to help with the reclamation process, whether they owned the land or not. They had to start from the central location by the lake (which everyone started to call the Lakeside) and would gradually reclaim outwards in a spiral until everyone had land on their own. Roads would have to be built and guards had to be stationed per every expansion.

Everyone had responsibility for their lands and what to produce in it. With the complete guidance of the Lakeside council and the in compliance with the manuals that Janus was giving out. They needed to pay 30% as a tax each year in the form of produce. After five years of cultivation, the land would be owned by the individual completely and the council would collect only 10% of the annual harvest as tax thereafter.

The council and the leaders would be situated closest to Lakeside, as they were considered as essential workers.

For the goblins, Hakkar and his men chose the area close by the mountains. He claimed most of the north of New Gracewood as they were much more interested in the ore. They started working on the veins that Makkie had discovered.

People were already complaining about the amount of work they were doing on a daily basis. There was some concern that they were overworking their men to the bone and that they wouldn't accept the news of the second phase easily.

After this declaration, however, it was as if people stopped idling and they worked from sun-up until sundown. Kazzuk even assigned a quarter of his goblins to help with the reclamation process. With some help assigned solely in building materials.

Adduk had started a brick-making operation. They started crafting a workshop just for bricks alone.

Janus marveled at the goblin's ingenuity. Adduk had created a huge stone oven from limestone that was quarried at New Gracewood. He crafted molds of iron from melted tools and the first bits of ore collected from the mountain. Workers simply had to put mixed mud and dirt into the molds and placed them in the oven. Around twenty bricks were created per each batch, with potential for more workshops to be built in the future.

Master Ringo came beside him as he marveled at the working goblins.

"Impressive isn't it sire?" The old man said.

"Yes, Adduk continues to astound me at every turn. I wonder what they can come up with next."

"Indeed. If not for them we wouldn't have half the skill needed for this whole colony."

"Agreed. Do you need anything for me, Master?"

"Ahh yes, just one concern. You keep thinking of your workers' welfare. But you haven't built anything for yourself."

Master Ringo pointed at his tent. Which looked like a small wooden shack beside the gathering hall. Filled with books and tables and a single hammock erected on posts.

"They need it more than I do," Janus said.

"Oh, but you'd be surprised at how elevating your own situation can help them in turn."

"How so?"

"Symbols are important. It is the greater ideal that citizens long for, it is not only something for them to dream but it is also a way for them to be inspired into something greater. This is why Galedon has many statues, this is why the Grand Cathedral is displayed in all its grandeur, it is for the people as much as it is for the rulers. A lot of people here look up to you, and they care about you. At the very least you need to have your own house. Even a simple one would do wonders for your reputation and for the people's morale in turn. I advise you to build the first brick house and declare it as your own. It should stand out from all the wooden buildings, and your books and papers would have a safer storage area for the weather. Don't you think that would be nice?"

Janus pondered this for a moment.

"Very well then, but I want something that's similar to the great hall. A multi-purpose house should suffice so that we can use it for whatever needs that may arise. Especially now that our colony is young."

"It shall be done then. We already had volunteers step forward to build it for you. They came to me to suggest the idea, as thanks for all your hard work. They suspected that you would reject the idea, so they asked me to tell you personally."

"Whose idea was it?"

"The whole council." The steward smiled.

And so the first non-wooden structure was erected.

This served as the new meeting hall for the council. A cozy building that wasn't too shabby at all. It was a long brick structure with dried leaves as thatching from the outside - just around the same size as the Viking-looking great halls. There were two rooms inside that can be used for whatever purpose with large living space at the center for gatherings and such. Janus loved every bit of it. It was where he ate and slept and wrote and planned, and in the mornings he held every meeting in the stone tables outside.

Father Galvan came to him one morning after the meetings to express his concerns.

Janus suddenly broke in a cold sweat, he had totally forgotten about him. Although the priest would constantly do his rites on every new structure as well as provide weekly services to the faithful, Janus kept himself busy to avoid being in the same room with him as much as he can. He never even thought to include him in meetings.

"Your highness, I apologize for coming to you abruptly. I know that you are busy with planning this whole colony. I have been praying to the Herald Almighty every day during this arduous exile-- I mean expedition."

"No need to apologize Father Galvan. It is I who has wronged you, I had been too busy that I had completely forgotten the matters of the church."

"Yes indeed, that is the reason why I'm coming to you right now. I've gone over your plans for the past three weeks, and I am concerned as to why there hasn't been a plan to build a church."

Janus gulped. He had feared that the construction of a church would entail a closer relationship to the Holy See. Someone he didn't want to get involved with at all.

"The faithful are in need of a place where they can worship. Space where they can pray without the sun in their faces, without the wind blowing away and the sound of the outside world distracting them from their faith. I am aware that preparations for the basic needs in winter are now in order. Surely, we have more resources to build a church have we not?"

Janus pondered for a bit. Resources were getting tight, especially with the reclamation process.

"I'll think about it. Sorry for neglecting this responsibility. I will rearrange the workforce for this purpose."

"Thank you, your highness. That is all I ask. I would also like to inform you that I have skills in the holy arts and in medicine and if there's anything you need from me in that field. I am at your service."

"Yes Father, I would certainly find a space for a church and an infirmary as soon as I can."

As soon as Galvan left Yvaine came in asked.

"Janus, I need to talk to you about something."

"Great, 'cause I need to talk to you too."