Move 7: Field System

After they finished eating breakfast, Michael immediately called all the men like what Oli told him to do.

Oli didn't waste any more time as he immediately began to discuss the field system.

"I called you guys here because I just wanted to tell and ask something. What do you think about the current farming or technique you were using?"

Oli asked the question casually.

Some of the men looked at each other with confused expressions on their faces. It is not because Oli speaks casually to them as Oli was always talking to them like that.

They looked at each other because it was clear that they didn't understand what Oli meant. Except for the six men.

"I think it's a bit lacking, My Lord." The five young men in their twenties said in unison while slightly bowing their heads.

Oli smiled as he heard what the young men said. It's clear that these five young men were thinking both logically and rationally.

"Lacking? Why do you say it's lacking?"

Oli asked. But this time, the questions were meant for the five young men.

The young men didn't answer Oli, but they looked at Elder Zion.

Elder Zion cleared his throat before speaking.

"My Lord, these five young men were my grandchildren. Zack, the oldest, Zeck, Zick, Zock, and Zuck, the youngest. My daughter and son-in-law, their parents, died two years ago when the soldiers from the Credia Empire attacked our village."

As Elder Zion introduced the five young men, they kneeled and bowed their heads in respect for Oli.

"So, these five were your grandchildren, Elder Zion. Stand up." Oli said.

"What my grandchildren said was true. We think that the method we were using in farming was lacking in terms of crop production. And due to that, our livestock could only be bred once a year. Leaving us short on crops and meat. In short, we were experiencing a food shortage."

Elder Zion explained.

"And? Do you have any idea how to solve that issue?"

Oli asked.

"I-I think we should think of another method on how we could produce more crops and provide animal feed for the livestock at the same time. But…"

'Two field systems are what their parents teach them and what their ancestors have been using since ancient times. So basically, the two-field system is the only method they knew and believed was the most proper and appropriate field system they could use.

It is not that they were not thinking of different methods to use. They stopped thinking of another technique to use because, for them, it's like they deny what their parents and ancestors taught them.'

Oli thought as he looked at Elder Zion that was currently struggling to find his words.

"I'm about to tell you something. This information is from my home. A piece of important information that could be used in good and bad ways. And I–."

Oli stopped talking and looked at the men standing in front of him.

Aside from the different types of field systems and their disadvantages and advantages, Oli learned something very important.

Agriculture is one of the foundations of each country.

Agriculture is talking about cultivating crops. In layman's terms, farming.

A country that produces a lot of crops would surely have a surplus. A surplus could be sold to another country that has a crop shortage. That could affect the economic development of a said country.

But the most important thing is that a country that produces a lot of crops could be self-sustained. Meaning to say, they don't need to depend on other countries' exports because they were a self-sustained country.

Next, a well-fed citizen will increase their work productivity because they are consuming a healthy and proper amount of food which leads to healthful well-being.

But Oli was a bit hesitant to talk about the four-field system. If this information were to leak publicly, it would cause a problem.

Even though Oli came to the village for months now, and he is helping them, Oli is still an outsider.

Realizing that Oli was a bit hesitant, Michael stepped forward.

"This happened a month ago, but we–villagers have a meeting. A meeting about who's going to lead us.

Though we don't have the power to assign someone as the next Baron because only the King could do that and as our current King and the Nobles toss us aside, it only means one thing.

Having no King to lead and Nobles to protect the land and us, the Leefside village now falls on the right of conquest.

Though the Credia Empire attacked us, I don't believe they planned or wanted to conquer us. Those fuckers only want to pillage our village from time to time.

And whoever conquers our village would become our next ruler. So…"

Michael stopped talking, and after that, the men behind him began to kneel.

"We swear in our honor. We pledge allegiance to you, our Lord!"

They said in unison while kneeling.

"In the meeting, we discussed what we were going to submit to you. Please, Baron, Lord Oli. Lead us. Instruct us what we need to do."

Michael said.

Oli looked at them with a solemn expression. He knew that the time would come when the villagers would ask him to lead them.

Yes, Oli doesn't know how to lead people nor if he is capable of being a leader, but there's something inside him telling him that he should lead these people. He feels that he would achieve greater things if he led these people.

Oli sighed and smiled. He nodded then, "Okay, I'll do it."

***

"The method I was talking about is the four-field system," Oli said.

"Four fields… System?" They repeated.

"As the name implies, the four-field system is a farming method or technique that uses four for farming. Each field was planted by wheat, clover, oats, and turnips." Oli explained.

"AH! Four field systems! By using that method, we could harvest a huge amount of crops! And the clover will help the livestock to breed all year round!" Zuck, Zion's youngest grandchild, blurted out.

And the moment Zuck said that one after another, the men started to realize the advantages of the four-field system.

"Using that method, we could beat each of the Kingdoms and Empires."

"We could solve the food shortage with this method."

"Yes. Now, we can eat meat from time to time!"

"What a brilliant idea!"

"The Lord is surely a wise man!"

The men looked at Oli with revered eyes. They simply forgot what Oli said. They think that this was Oli's idea.

"But… Are we going to stop using the two-field system?"

Zion said out of nowhere. And it causes everyone to stop and nod slowly. simply

And Oli knew that the two field system is what they were using since the time of their ancestors. They merely couldn't throw away this teaching and embrace a new one.

But…

"You know. There's a saying from where I came from. 'the only thing that is constant is change.' Meaning change is to be an expected condition that each person could experience in their lives. And if we wanted to strive forward to achieve greater things, we needed to embrace the things that would help us to do so.

And it is not that you were going to forget the teachings of your parents or ancestors. We could use those teachings as the foundation to make and create new things that would help us.

And I'm sure your ancestors, parents, and family who are not with you anymore wanted to see you–their family living appropriately." Oli said.

The men shiver as they listen to Oli. This is not because they were angry at Oli but because what Oli said was all true.

"Y-you are right, My Lord. I was too short-sighted as I couldn't properly see the greater things we could achieve. Please, forgive this old man." Elder Zion said while bowing his head.

Oli pats Elder Zion's shoulder and smiles. Yes, they stopped thinking of ways to improve their lives, but it's commendable that they were not closed-minded and rejected new ideas. They were willing to cooperate.

"But before we proceed on doing the four-field system, there are some things that we need to address first. We all know that before we fully implement the four-field system, we need a few things.

First were the farming tools and seeds.

The second is the proper watering system.

But the most important is rebuilding the walls.

We needed to get ready as the soldiers from the Credia Empire were going to attack us again. As much as possible, I don't want to repeat what I saw the moment I came into the vicinity of the village.

We were going to show those soldiers that we were not the same as before. The villagers that they could easily rob. We were not going to sit idly and watch as they looked at the women with lewd eyes having indecent thoughts.

This time, we're going to fuck them up."

A couple of weeks from now, the first shot from one of humanity's deadliest weapons ever invented would echo in Chronos.