A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (2.7)
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 Orks 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 Orks 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.
Mother Earth, O’Motherland
Mother Earth belongs to us.
Mother's bounty belongs to us.
This is a passage from the Orcsen national anthem, established about 70 years ago.
For the Orcs, who lack a formal religion, this verse is said to have been derived from a traditional expression of gratitude to the earth recited before meals—a rare semblance of spirituality for them. However, the original ancient wording appears to have been slightly different:
Mother Earth belongs to me.
Mother's bounty belongs to me.
The shift from "me" to "us," from singular to plural, marked a profound transformation for the Orcs.
This change—a sort of ideological reform—was what fundamentally altered the Orcish way of life.
Today, Orcsen has a total population of approximately 35 million. While not all are Orcs, they make up about 80% of this number. Without sharing the land and its bounty with both their kin and other species, starvation would ensue.
If they failed to do so, they would return to their former ways—invading other nations, consuming other species, and even resorting to cannibalism.
Such a past is a haunting specter they dare not repeat.
For Orcsen, agriculture is not merely a policy—it is the foundation of survival itself.
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Illustration (By Mitemin)
The agricultural experiment stations were established with this fundamental goal in mind and were scattered across the nation. Since each region's unique climate and soil conditions are best tested locally, these stations were tailored to their respective areas.
The experimental site granted to the Dark Elves was relatively small and among the earliest built, having essentially completed its administrative role and slated for sale.
"Small, you say," thought Dineluth, dumbfounded.
The experimental site's area was approximately 15 hectares. With its fertile soil, it could yield over 15 tons of rye annually—a volume sufficient to sustain around 80 individuals on a diet of staple grains alone for an entire year.
On rye alone!
Even a modest Dark Elf clan could live in abundance for a year on such land, yet it was dismissed as "small."
The surrounding grasslands and pastures, convertible into farmland, were vast, spanning about 600 hectares. If fully cultivated, the land could support about 3,000 people.
Again, on rye alone!
Factoring in summer barley, rotational vegetable crops, dairy production, and livestock farming, the land could sustain up to 60% of the remaining Dark Elf population, provided they lived modestly.
The allocation of such land initially sparked concern among them—it seemed so generous that it might arouse envy from others. However, these fears proved unwarranted.
Orcsen's total land area is 350,000 square kilometers, much larger than Elfynd, and only a fraction of it is cultivated.
The government actively encouraged the cultivation of unused arable land as a national policy.
Any citizen with the will could apply to the state or regional authorities to lease or purchase such land for agriculture. While some initial funds were necessary, payment could be deferred until the farm became profitable. There was even a system offering low-interest loans for initial operational costs.
"Please. Please, just grow something."
For them, the prospect of a food surplus was far less concerning than a shortage. Excess could be stored, or, if it truly exceeded capacity, exported. Famine, after all, could strike at any time.
The Dark Elves planned to sell most of their harvest to local agricultural cooperatives or merchants to sustain their livelihood as a community. With this arrangement, they were well-positioned to thrive.
All of this was thanks to Gustav. The irony was that they had become wealthier than they ever were in their homeland.
That said, unless they adopted and mastered Orcsen's agricultural methods, such prosperity would remain an unattainable dream—like the Elfynd proverb of "counting a fox's fur before catching it."
Still, Dineluth couldn’t help but feel a sense of incredulity.
What do you think about this chapter?
