A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (2.6)
The weight of such doubts in Dineluth Andariel's daily life was not particularly significant. At this point, it could be dismissed as a trivial matter—a concern that merely lingered at the back of her mind.
First and foremost, the assembly of the brigade had to be prioritized.
Ensuring the future of the Dark Elf tribe was imperative.
No longer merely the leader of her clan within her homeland, she had now become the representative of the remaining Dark Elf population as a whole. This role brought with it a plethora of decisions and guidance she needed to provide.
It was, frankly,
“Overwhelming.”
Most of her days were spent in Walderberg, the garrison and communal living space for her people. There, she had to strive to elevate herself and her kin to a point where they could fulfill their duties as vassals of Gustav Falkenhayn.
Otherwise, failing not only as individuals but as a tribe integrated into the kingdom of Orcsen would mean betraying Gustav's decision to accept the Dark Elf race.
There were additional reasons why results had to be achieved.
While it hadn’t surfaced overtly, psychological friction had emerged between her people and members of other races, especially those within the military.
Although the Dark Elves were being accepted under Gustav’s royal decree, historical contexts had made such tensions inevitable. After all, state policies could not control personal feelings. Additionally, the Dark Elves themselves did not regard themselves as completely righteous or faultless.
They, too, held reservations: they had yet to fully trust the Orcs, found the Dwarves’ pronunciation grating, feared the Great Wolves’ jaws, envied the Kobolds’ knack for trade, and harbored guilt when facing the Great Eagles.
Of course, they understood that while such feelings were unavoidable, they were far from desirable.
Gustav, foreseeing such challenges, had used the royal prerogative of issuing an edict. He had declared that once the brigade was fully formed, it would fall under his direct command, thereby placing the Dark Elf tribe under strong protection.
Dineluth and her kin were sincerely grateful to the king for this, but it also imposed an unparalleled weight upon them.
Having been saved from the brink of extinction and offered such protection, they felt an unshakable obligation to deliver results. Failure would brand the Dark Elves as incompetent, disloyal, and unworthy—a shame no proud tribe could endure.
And so, there was an overwhelming amount to learn.
First, the language.
The Lowland Orcish language, established as Orcsen’s interspecies common tongue by royal decree some 70 years prior, was linguistically classified in the same group as Aerlb, the language used by Elven species. As such, it wasn’t entirely foreign. Much of its grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation were similar, minimizing the sense of unfamiliarity.
For the Dark Elves, the Classical Aerlb sometimes used by the Light Elves in playful word games felt far more alien. Classical Aerlb incorporated rhyme, syllabic patterns, and even musical aesthetics into its structure, adding layers of meaning to conversations that were mentally exhausting.
However, as a constructed interspecies language, Lowland Orcish inevitably included words, phrases, pronunciations, and accents borrowed from other races such as the Dwarves and Kobolds. It was particularly rich in onomatopoeic expressions used in daily life, which the Dark Elves needed to familiarize themselves with.
The national language instructor Gustav had thoughtfully sent to them commented:
“It’s as though you’re starting from scratch, just as we did seventy years ago.”
Indeed, translation dictionaries were outdated to the point of being nearly useless, as diplomatic ties had been severed for so long. Identifying unfamiliar words and expressions, sharing them among everyone, and gradually putting them into practice required tedious and persistent effort.
“To nurture a silver tree is not an overnight endeavor,” the old Elven proverb said. If the saying resonated with others, it implied: “The more challenging a task, the longer it takes to accomplish.”
Next, agricultural methods.
The agricultural techniques employed in Orcsen had gradually evolved since the late Astral Age. Over the past 50 years, these methods had been systematized and made highly modern through agricultural science.
The Dark Elves, traditionally residing in mountainous regions, excelled in livestock farming but struggled with crop cultivation.
The Sylvan River basin, where they now lived, was climatically and geographically unsuitable for large-scale farming or certain grains.
Their staple foods had been oats, rye, barley, and some buckwheat, which they prepared into bread or porridge.
They had employed the three-field system, which divided arable land into three parts: one for winter rye, another for summer oats or barley, and a third left fallow for grazing. This method prevented soil exhaustion, as continuous cultivation would deplete nutrients.
Or so they thought.
In Orcsen, however, the prevailing practice was rotational farming—a method that, in crude terms, eliminated the need for the troublesome division and fallow rotation.
On large unified fields, winter wheat or rye was planted. After harvesting, the same land was used to grow turnips, potatoes, or sugar beets, followed by barley or oats in the summer. Finally, clover or alfalfa was sown to support grazing, repeating the cycle year-round.
"When it comes to this area, for winter grains, we recommend wheat or rye, and for summer grains, barley. As for intermediate root crops, turnips or potatoes are encouraged. If the land becomes overly fertile, asparagus serves as a delicious and satisfactory adjustment."
When they received this explanation, the Dark Elves were astounded, wondering what on earth it all meant.
The scholars and technicians from the agricultural experiment station, who served as their instructors, explained that certain crops could restore the land's fertility, preventing issues from repeated planting. By rotating these crops, they said, they could avert soil depletion and sustain farming. (In reality, some crops had overlapping planting and harvesting seasons, and while fallowing wasn't entirely absent, specialized farms growing particular vegetables for commercial purposes also existed, making the system somewhat more complex.)
Moreover, the farmland assigned to the Dark Elves had been irrigated using water sources from nearby lakes and rivers, resulting in far more fertile soil than non-irrigated areas, with significantly higher yields per unit area.
This method of farming wasn't exclusive to the Dark Elves; Orcsen employed such techniques across its agricultural lands.
As of the year 876 in the Star Calendar, Orcsen had achieved an irrigation rate of 37% across its farmland, focusing mainly in the southern regions of the country.
The farming tools were also highly advanced.
For instance, fields used for grazing were plowed using an implement called a "plow," resembling a massive claw. Though the plow itself was an ancient invention and similar tools existed in Elfynd as well, Orcsen's plows were made of steel rather than mere iron. Naturally, steel was sturdier than iron, allowing for deeper and more efficient plowing.
The tools themselves were also significantly larger.
These were known as heavy-duty plows.
Due to their size, human labor alone was insufficient to operate them; instead, they were pulled by horses or oxen. The Orcs exclusively used draft horses, which proved advantageous in this context.
These heavy-duty plows, developed around 40 years ago, became widespread as the cost of steel decreased with increased production, making them commercially viable.
Improvements had also been made: parts of the plows were intentionally crafted from iron, which, being softer than steel, reduced the risk of breakage.
Other farming tools, such as scythes and rakes, were equally advanced compared to those in Elfynd.
Agricultural research extended into fertilizers, dairy farming, and even crop variety improvements, all of which significantly boosted agricultural productivity and enhanced the citizens' quality of life.
The disparity with Elfynd was stark.
Shortly after their escape, the Dark Elves, while dining in the temporary barracks at Walderberg, were served an item they considered a luxury—white bread made entirely of wheat flour.
This led to a cascade of misunderstandings:
"Surely, trusting the Orcs was a mistake."
"This must be a last indulgence before they kill or assault us."
"We'll definitely be executed tomorrow."
Some even burst into tears.
For Orcsen, white bread was no longer a luxury item.
While many Orcs still preferred the taste of traditional rye bread, influenced by the fact that about two-thirds of the country's land was more suited for rye cultivation than wheat, white bread or mixed wheat-and-rye bread were common on ordinary tables without any difficulty.
Furthermore, the advent of inscribed magic for preservation had revolutionized food storage. It enabled long-term stockpiling and long-distance transportation from production areas to markets. Wheat, already more flavorful than rye, improved further when stored at low temperatures, enhancing its taste during aging.
Orcsen's passion for food production was so intense that it seemed almost obsessive to the Dark Elves.
It was a national effort.
What struck them as most peculiar was the absence of large-scale landowners or aristocratic landlords in Orcsen.
While there were agricultural workers, tenant farmers were almost nonexistent.
Much of the farmland was owned by the state or regional governments, with most farmers leasing land under contracts. They paid rent in kind or cash, essentially as taxes.
Grain collected by the government was not only stored as a famine reserve but also used to regulate market supply. This system stabilized prices, preventing excessive drops during weather-related overproduction and ensuring farmers' livelihoods.
However, the Orcsen mindset didn't view this as the state engaging in agriculture. Instead, their perspective seemed slightly different.
What do you think about this chapter?
