Chapter 71: Urban Planning

Bruno casually flipped through the records from the Idar Immigration Bureau while a cup of warm boiled water sat on the table beside him.

Although Idar had already established its distillery, Bruno wasn't planning to touch the first batch of newly brewed whiskey until it had undergone proper aging and maturation.

This was because freshly distilled spirits contained certain impurities, such as methanol, which were harmful if consumed directly.

For this reason, Bruno adjusted his subsequent brewing strategy.

The newly brewed liquor would be divided into two portions: one would be placed in wooden barrels to age and mature into whiskey, while the other would be diluted with distilled water to an alcohol content of 40-60% and then filtered through activated charcoal to produce vodka.

After undergoing this treatment, the vodka would be crystal clear, smooth, and free from bitterness, offering only a fiery, intense sensation.

Since the first batch of vodka had not yet been officially produced and Bruno had no interest in the dry taste of wine, he was left with no choice but to drink boiled water for now.

Bruno focused intently on the report submitted by Lister, and its contents left him quite satisfied.

As the situation in Soren Territory grew increasingly tense, nearly one thousand commoners had entered Idar through the Soren River estuary in less than a week.

This number was already close to one-tenth of Idar's original population.

According to Bruno's plan, these thousand refugees would be divided into two groups after passing the quarantine inspection: one group would be sent directly to cultivate land on the southern bank of the Soren River, while the other group would be assigned to Bruno's Idar City Renovation Project.

Although it was already late in the season to start farming, Bruno estimated that if they worked hard, they could still manage.

Besides, even if these refugees' crop yields weren't ideal, it didn't matter Bruno wasn't particularly interested in the grain they produced.

At the end of the day, Bruno originally had no intention of letting these refugees farm at all. With potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and large-scale fertilizer production, Idar could already support twice its current population.

However, for most refugees, having food at home meant having peace of mind.

If Bruno hadn't used land distribution as a lure, he doubted he could have attracted so many people in such a short time.

First, bring the people to Idar everything else can be dealt with later!

That was Bruno's most immediate thought.

Long-term change takes time. Only when these newcomers saw firsthand that those working on the construction of Namur Fortress and other projects were earning far more than farmers would they voluntarily switch occupations.

As for the Idar City Renovation Project Bruno had been planning it for quite some time.

Essentially, this project was a key part of Bruno's broader development blueprint for Idar.

Currently, Idar City's urban area was relatively small. Apart from the region around the lord's castle and the main roads connecting the city gates, most streets were so narrow that they could barely accommodate a single carriage. Some alleys were only accessible on foot.

Once the road connecting to Mann Fortress was completed, Idar's existing roads and buildings would undoubtedly become a major obstacle to trade and movement.

Thus, Bruno decided to expand and renovate parts of Idar City using the newly arrived refugees.

Of course, overhauling the entire city at once was unrealistic the amount of work required would rival that of building a grand wonder.

So, Bruno opted for a phased approach.

The first phase of the renovation would focus on widening Idar City's main north-south thoroughfare and redeveloping the area around the southern city gate.

According to Bruno's plan, the houses along the main road would be demolished, expanding the street to more than twice its current width. The newly widened road would be able to accommodate at least four carriages traveling side by side.

This road would also serve as Idar's commercial street, where taverns, inns, and other businesses would be established. Additionally, it would house exclusive shops selling sugar, salt, and other specialty Idar products.

Apart from urban planning for Idar City, Bruno also mapped out a broader territorial development plan for the entire Idar domain.

Going forward, Idar's primary focus would be development along five major roads.

According to Bruno's vision: The land west of Idar City, east of Armis Mountain, and the southern plains of the Idar River, as well as the southern bank of the Soren River, would form Idar's three main agricultural zones. The largest of these agricultural regions would be the vast plain stretching south of the Idar River toward Mann Fortress, an ideal area for large-scale grain cultivation.

Meanwhile, Grand Highlands and the area between Idar City and the fishing port would serve as two key industrial zones.

Although the iron mine in Grand Highlands had yet to be fully developed due to a lack of manpower, its abundant metal resources would be crucial to Idar's future progress.

As for the Idar City Fishing Port corridor, Bruno designated it as another priority industrial area, with long term strategic planning in mind.

In Bruno's opinion, Idar's fishing port was a deep water harbor, and using it solely for fishing vessels would be a waste.

At the same time, the Armis Mountain Range to the west of Idar was also a key strategic area in Bruno's plans.

For two reasons: The presence of magical crystal mines within the Armis Mountain Range. Bruno's growing interest in using the region for secret research.

Armis wasn't just a source of timber it could also serve as a hidden base for developing enchanted weapons and conducting classified experiments.

With increasing trade routes connecting Idar to the Kingdom of Basel, Idar would soon see a surge in passing merchant caravans.

While these traders would bring economic benefits, they would also pose a significant risk of technological leaks.

Thus, the remote Armis Mountain Range became Bruno's ideal location for secret military and industrial projects.

Besides, who knew? Armis Mountain might still be hiding undiscovered treasures...