The Princess’ Territory Development Technique
After completing the various procedures at the guild, the sun was already starting to set. That took quite some time. I managed to persuade the guild leaders. Next, before heading home, I needed to visit the inn where Marza was staying.
"Is that so? Craftsmen from the royal capital... But even though it’s not that far from the capital, will transportation be okay?"
"There’s no problem. Tomorrow, I’ll set up a teleportation marker there and personally take them."
"And what will you do until it’s done? It should take about two months, right?"
"I’ve been arranged to study territory management. It seems I’ll be able to learn directly from many nobles."
I see. Two months won’t be enough to finish learning, though. Most likely, bureaucrats will be sent to provide guidance for a year or two on-site.
"We’re becoming adventurers!"
"Why?"
Marza’s guards suddenly said something strange. Not that I’m one to talk.
"It seems even the Village Chief will be given a guard. It looks like the country can be trusted. While we’ll leave a few behind, the rest of us will go make some money. I want to dress my wife and daughter in nice clothes."
"Didn’t I tell you I’d cover that? We’ve already received plenty of money."
"If the Village Chief is going to be a lord, there’s no such thing as too much money. We’ll earn our own keep. You use it to feed Lyrica well."
Well, considering that interactions with other nobles will begin soon and that we’ll need to furnish the new lord’s mansion and hire cooks and servants, I’ll leave that to the royal palace.
"Well, they’re strong, so why not?"
I don’t see any issue with them becoming adventurers. Their weapons are brass knuckles, and they don’t have armor, but they fought monsters just fine. If they get proper armor, there shouldn’t be any problems. Their teamwork wasn’t bad either.
"But..."
"As a gift, here’s a few storage pouches. Each can hold up to 500 kilograms."
"This is amazing! Let’s hunt down all the monsters!"
"Alright, I’ll buy my wife some fancy clothes!"
"I’ll get something that can rival Lyrica’s outfit!"
When I handed them storage pouches enchanted with storage magic, they were grateful. These are the most popular magic tools made by magicians. They have uses across all professions and cost about 400 gold coins apiece, but since I can make as many as I want, it’s no big deal.
"Not knowing the value of things can be a kind of happiness, can’t it?"
Alicia, the only one who understood their value, looked somewhat distant. It’s fine. Considering the production cost, these prices are a total rip-off anyway.
"However, sell magic stones directly to me."
If they’re going to become adventurers, they’ll probably specialize in monster hunting. I can’t imagine these muscleheads gathering herbs in the forest.
"Got it. We’ll sell all those magic gem thingies to you."
The stock of magic stones keeps dwindling. The more I have, the more I use. It takes hundreds, if not thousands, to create a single magic furnace.
Well, for something on the level of Helios, I could make it with just one... Maybe I should’ve sold him instead of keeping him as a familiar? It feels cruel to kill him now. That ancient dragon is far less useful than I’d imagined, more a gluttonous beast than a noble creature like my Mr. Coote.
They’ll eventually realize that magic stones fetch the highest price.
By the time all the preparations were complete, it was already night. I rode Mr. Coote back to the castle, where...
"Princess, about this matter..."
"Princess! Please grant us access to the new magic!"
Waiting at the castle gates were bureaucrats and magicians with bright smiles. Additionally, the Prime Minister was there, beaming as he held a mountain of paperwork. "Now, it’s time to work," he said. Reluctantly, I headed to the office I shared with my Father and Big brother, only to find the two of them collapsed, utterly burned out.
"This is terrible."
"The terrible one is you, Alice. Please, help us out too."
"It’s already night, though."
How rude. I was working while out, you know. Ever since Mother withdrew from official duties due to her pregnancy, each of us has had more work. With the air force and Marza’s matters on top of that, the workload is endless. I’m amazed they haven’t run away.
That day, I ended up working late into the night. Recently, the Prime Minister has been quite energetic. He truly seems to love his job, which made me keenly aware of my Father and Big brothers’ struggles. Incidentally, Alicia dragged me off to bed at midnight. Those two were left as sacrificial lambs.
The next day, I departed for my two-month business trip. To my tearful family, who begged me not to run away, I promised to send over some paperwork and quickly left.
Using an aircraft, I arrived at the site in about an hour. I laid out a cloth inscribed with a magic circle on the ground. Then, after storing the aircraft, I teleported back to the royal capital. The craftsmen had already gathered—about 2,500 of them. Isn’t that too many?
“This is a lot."
"We'll use manpower to get it done quickly."
Given the sheer number of people involved, transporting everyone at once was the only option. Even with my immense mana, it pushed me to the limit, so I had to drink a mana recovery potion. It was intensely bitter, with a faint orange-like taste that I didn’t enjoy. Clearly, the formula still needed improvement. The path to developing fruity-flavored potions seemed long.
"There’s nothing here."
The relocation point was an open grassland. Most of the territory was like this, with just a few recently constructed roads. I summoned some pre-prepared clones from my Treasury to handle the farmland clearing, waterworks, sewer system, and irrigation development. Thanks to the library in Ostland, I’d already studied relevant magic for this.
At the planned development site, I cast Levitation to lift and separate any obstructive rocks and grass. The grass could be turned into fertilizer, and the stones would also find use. Next, I used earth magic to lay solid foundations for buildings—built sturdy enough to last. Items like water pipes could be embedded later, so I left that to the craftsmen.
"What’s wrong?"
I turned to delegate further tasks, only to find everyone frozen in place.
"Well, it’s just… work that would’ve taken us days was finished in mere minutes..."
"Enough gawking. Get started. More materials will arrive soon via airship. For now, use this."
From my Treasury, I provided wood, iron, and other resources. A clone remained behind to manufacture nails and tools on-site as needed.
"Create Golem: Rock Golem."
I also summoned dozens of rock golems from the surplus stone excavated for docks. Embedding specially processed mana crystals in their chests allowed even non-magician operators to control them using enchanted armlets called "Stone Puppeteer." I instructed the craftsmen how to use them as assistants, as I wouldn’t be staying to oversee everything.
"Alright, I’ll leave the rest to you."
I departed the planned manor and residential areas, leaving the workers to their tasks.
"How many of her are there?"
"Don’t think about it. The more you dwell on it, the worse it gets."
I had a feeling I heard something rude as I walked away.
Next, I turned to the farmland. Using magic, I separated grass and small stones. The stones would be used for asphalt, as I’d decided to pave all roads. The more, the better. As for rubber, I’d mix in synthetic variants. My clones were likely busy processing petroleum within the Treasury—unless they were slacking off.
"Let’s see… that should do it."
I began by Analyzing the soil samples I’d procured in advance. Then, with large-scale earth magic and help from an Earth Spirit, I altered the composition of the soil across the agricultural zones. Now, it only needed tilling. Since the tractors weren’t ready yet, that part would come later.
One by one, I created farmlands.
"Princess, isn’t this a bit excessive? At this scale, every villager would become a wealthy landowner. Can we even maintain all this?"
"Tasks like weeding can be handled by golems, and I’ll distribute magic tools for harvesting. Large-scale agriculture is the plan. Fertilizer development is urgent, though I admit I’m not knowledgeable about it."
To prepare for the upcoming era of mass consumption, large-scale agriculture was a must. Small-scale farming wouldn’t be efficient enough. Those who produced in bulk and at low cost would come out on top. This approach would not only improve food security for the capital but also enrich Marza’s villagers.
For me, a prosperous citizenry meant higher demand for sweets and the creation of new confections. That alone justified transforming Arland into a nation rivaling America. Investments were worthwhile when the returns were sweet.
I continued constructing farmlands and laying out efficient village layouts with roads. Day by day, structures rose: two-story houses with spacious barns, water systems providing every home with plumbing, and bathrooms with showers. Asphalt roads, complete with sidewalks and four-lane divisions (two lanes each way), were built. My clones burned through mana at a staggering rate, disappearing one after another. Yet, the only real concern was that my mana reserves hovered at about 1% most of the time. The cycle of using and replenishing mana steadily increased my capacity. How far could my mana grow? There had to be a limit… right?
"This is what happens when you let the princess run wild. Someone, stop her!"
"No one can chain me down."
After two months, the agricultural zones were pristine. The downside was that with such thorough development, there wasn’t much room for future growth. Thankfully, some beneficial fertilizers were sourced from incoming outsiders. With the Earth Spirit's aid, the farmland was in top-notch condition. Though the timing was off for planting this year, it would be ready for immediate use come spring.
Meanwhile, the craftsmen worked tirelessly to construct residences. Occasionally, monsters attempted attacks, but summoning about 30 wolf companions for extermination operations ensured even goblins were eradicated. Monster cores were steadily collected as well.
Eventually, as the craftsmen continued their work, Father and Big brother arrived for an inspection.
What do you think about this chapter?
