Mael watched his father as he was getting farther and farther; which was now nowhere to be seen from their sight. His new day of being the lord of the Golden valley starts this morning. He had a lot of work to do. With his knowledge and skills in the past, he will make Golden Valley a better place to live in.
He assembled the representatives of the different sectors to make plans in the coming future. He needed to secure the Land and the well being of his people.
First, the agriculture sector. He needs them to practice organic farming and crop rotation, as well as the pest and disease management, food preservation, and many more. Luckily, he studied agriculture in his past life.
Mael focused on food production. If his knowledge in animal production, fisheries, and plant production is right, then they will last throughout the winter without running out of food.
Then the laws of the land, the first topic is taxation. The citizens with a job had a twenty percent tax on their monthly income. The farmers are forty percent of their yield, and the industries are forty percent of annual sales. Although his father is a good person, the tax is quite high and the capital city is much worst. This kingdom was corrupted to the bones. Mael wondered where did the money that they collected go? Well fifty percent goes to the treasury of the kingdom and the other fifty percent goes to the treasury of the Golden Valley.
As he guessed, lowering the tax will also affect the total tax that will go to the kingdom's treasury. Low tax contributions will also lower the priority of the kingdom's backing. Even he knows it all, he still made an aggressive move. The kingdom's tradition in finding money for their coffers is primarily through taxation. They didn't know a secret that will make the kingdom prosper. It was through business. A high ranking individual has a monthly salary of twenty gold coins but it was just the daily income of the businessman. He planned to make income-generating projects like Breweries, animal productions, vegetable productions, food preservation like; fruit jams, fruit concentrates, canned goods, pickles, and meat preservation like salting and curing.
He then lowered the tax of the people. The tax of citizens who had a job was lowered to ten percent. The farmers were to twenty percent of their yield, industries were thirty percent of annual sales. This would make the golden valley sweet nectar to their smell and will be a migration hotspot. He thought that many will live here in the long term. The downside is lowering the contribution of the Golden Valley itself to the kingdom treasury, making it the last priority in defending in case of an invasion.
Next, the pension of the senior citizens, he made a law to make the senior citizens have a pension of at least ten silvers per month. At least, they will not die out of hunger. Then next was the beggars and street children, Mael decided to make a proper place for them to stay so he planned a vacant land from their territory to be their place. Next was the merchants, currently, they were giving rents per day for their occupancy in the market. Mael decided to sell them the goods of the income-generating projects and they will be the ones to deliver it to the entirety of the continent, of course, it is a win-win situation for them.
Next was the major projects.
Mining and steelworks, blacksmiths, and craftsmen.
Mael decided to increase the volume of the production of mining. There was an iron mine in the east, gold mine in the north, and a glass mine in the north-east. He will feed and make a place for them to stay and give jobs to those who were still capable. Of course, they have their salary to receive. Next, the steelworks. With the proper equipment and a larger factory, they can make thousands of stainless steel bars in one day. Then the blacksmiths, with the lower tax they will naturally migrate in Golden valley. Mael planned to make mass production of steel armors and weapons. They really needed it for the coming invasion to arm themselves. Now for the craftsmen, Mael will need them to make tin cans and glass jars en-masse for their local products.
Constructions and new buildings projects.
Mael wanted to create new buildings for the residence of the new migrators. As well as the factories of their income-generating projects. The steelworks factory, Larger blacksmithing station, wood cutters, and lumbering stations, charcoal stations, brewery, greenhouse, and research for health potions and mana potions.
Water systems, drainage, and, water supply.
Mael was planning on making a water pumping station from the mountain top of Golden mountains, from the small water brooks that have joined together; which consists the big river that encompasses the Golden Valley. If Mael can manipulate the waters from there, then they will have waters for their irrigations and water treatment facility. Mael plans on supplying everyone with drinking water and potable water for many uses. Then the only problem is the drainage. Drainage is useful for controlling floods and thus it is also a major project.
Primary school for kindergarten and kids.
Mael is an expert on different subjects and prepared to hand his teaching materials. Thus, the only problem was the teacher who will teach the kids. The kids need to at least to know how to read, write and do basic math. With the kids getting to school earlier, they will develop their self-confidence and socializing skills.
Watchtowers and walls as well as recruitment of the army for defense.
Mael confronted with the greatest issue about defending the borders of the Golden Valley. He needs to at least recruit a thousand soldiers to defend his realm. Thus, he recruited the youthful beggars and jobless citizens. Totaled about two hundred recruits, not much, but it was just the first recruitment typically the local residents. The next recruits will be the migrators. With this, Mael plans to expand his territory so he needs to spread the gossip throughout the kingdoms using agents. Then the greatest and most costly budget was for the walls and the watchtowers. Starting from the town's borders then the Watchtowers of Golden mountains. Golden valley was at the southernmost of the kingdom and was undeveloped. With a river in the side of town's location and Golden mountains that was encircling the valley, making watchtowers in the mountain tops will be a great strategy. If the budget is enough, then Mael will make walls in the borders like the great wall of china.
Ports for boats for fishing and trade, as well as making a naval fleet.
Mael had big dreams and aimed high, basically an idealist and a dreamer. He plans on making the first three ships and he made the designs in a thick paper and then assigned someone on the recruitment.
Mael finished preparing all plans and the meeting is finished. He prepared dinner beforehand and ate with his visitors. The meeting was adjourned and Mael talked with his mother in the night while in bed.
"I didn't know that you are capable to lord the golden valley. I'm surprised that you're even wiser than your father. I will miss the days of your youth when you are now the Lord of this land", Erza strokes his head as Mael is settled his head on her lap.
"Yeah, I know. I will take care of you from now on", he replied to her.
"Oh? So my thirteen-year-old son will take care of me? Just where did that come from? I wonder?", she said as she pinched his cheeks.
"Mom?", Mael felt annoyed.
"Let's just sleep now. We will be early tomorrow", she said as she kissed him in the head.
"Mom?! I'm not a kid anymore", he said as he said embarrassingly.
"Good. Then let's sleep", She said as she cuddles him.
"Mom it's suffocating", he said to her.
"Let me hug you just this time. I know you're tired", she said.
"It's alright mom. I promise to take care of you and my sibling so don't worry. Let's wait for dad's return for the meantime.", he said as he also hugged his mom.
They stayed like that until Erza fell asleep. Mael walks by the window side and watched the stars. He can hear the crickets and the sound of the frogs that are singing. It was a good feeling of peace and security that lasted until midnight. He watched the meteors fall in the night. Until one of the meteors came crashing in the mountains.