73 Jayde Dilemma

Arriving at the cleared land, Jayde noticed that about four hectares had been cleared, the soil was dark and still slightly damp from the early morning dew. What really surprised Jayde was just how primitive the tools that the villagers were using. Most of the young men were equipped with simple digging sticks, while a few had something that looked like a simple hoe.

Looking around Jayde couldn't see any farming animals, it seemed as though all the plowing was done using human manual labor. No wonder they could only cultivate such a small piece of land Jayde thought.

All the women and children went over to a pile of wooden digging sticks and picked up one, equipped with their digging sticks they joined the men plowing the field. Mrs. Ryunzo came over to Jayde and offered her one of hoes, excitedly explaining that as a guest of the village Jayde had been allocated one of the best tools.

Taking the hoe from Mrs. Ryunzo, Jayde thanked her politely — looking at the primitive tool in her hand Jayde was dubious about the 'honor' that had just been bestowed upon her. Examining the blade of the hoe, Jayde was very surprised to find out that the blade has made from steel. How can the people of Telia produce such advanced metals, but their tools were so primitive? Jayde thought.

Thinking that maybe it was due to the villagers being so poor, she made a note to bring up the matter with Elder Ryunzo later.

Jayde joined the villagers, plowing the field — after hours of back-breaking work, everyone stopped for lunch. Jayde had new found respect for the villagers of Tardide, everyone had worked hard, with no one complaining.

While everyone was eating, Jayde took her plate and walked over to Elder Ryunzo. Seeing Jayde approaching Elder Ryunzo smiled at her, motioning her to take a seat. After sitting down Jayde bought up the tools that the villagers were using.

"Elder Ryunzo, I have been meaning to ask you, do all the farmers use these tools for plowing their fields," Jayde asked pointing to the hoe on the ground.

Elder Ryunzo was not surprised by Jayde question, as most Mages on Telia had little knowledge of common folk. He was actually surprised that Jayde had lasted as long as she had plowing the field, no other Mage would have lowered themselves doing such menial labor.

"Oh no," Elder Ryunzo said.

Ah just as I thought, must be because the villagers are so poor Jayde thought.

"We are lucky that our blacksmith is skilled, and has been able to manufacture these hoes for us — most farmers are stuck using digging sticks" Elder Ryunzo went on to explain.

Jayde was flabbergasted.

"It is wasn't for those greedy bastards, and their high taxes we would have more hoes, Master Whitestone our blacksmith spends most of his time making weapons so that the village can pay the high taxes the warlord demands."

Sadly shaking his head, Elder Ryunzo looked over at the field, where only a third had been plowed.

"If we had more hoes we could increase the size of our fields, currently this is all we can manage," he said indicating the field.

"We will use three quarters to plant vegetables and grain for the village, the other quarter will be used to plant Afeaso, which we can sell to Oldstrand, Afeaso generates enough gold coins for the village to buys necessary goods like salt, oils, and linen."

Sighing wistfully Elder Ryunzo said, "If only we could plant this field full of Afeaso, we would be able to earn enough gold coins to pay our taxes and buy everything the village needed, we would even have enough coins left over to hire a teacher for the young ones."

"Oh well," Elder Ryunzo said standing up.

"Time to get back to work."

Picking up his hoe Elder Ryunzo joined the rest of the villagers who were walking back to the field. Collecting her own hoe Jayde joined the villagers.

The afternoon passed quickly, and by the time it was home time Jayde was exhausted. Many of the villagers offered one of their rooms for Jayde to spend the night, but Jayde declined. With a couple of sweet tarts in her arms, Jayde returned to the forest.

Jayde, went to the river first to have a bath, as she was hot and sweaty from the hard day's work under the sun. Feeling refreshed after she had bathed and changed into a clean set of clothes, Jayde returned to the cave.

After a tasty dinner of roasted meat and vegetables, Jayde served Yinxin and Reiko the delicious tarts she had received from the villagers.

Yinxin noticed that Jayde was unusually quiet that evening.

[Jayde is anything wrong?] Yinxin asked, her mind voice laced with concern.

Jayde was quiet for a moment, she then decided to share her experience with the villagers during the day with Yinxin.

"Yinxin, what I don't understand is how could they have such advance metal work, but their tools are still so primitive?"

[War, my dear child] Yinxin answered.

"War?"

"Why would war prevent their technology from advancing?" Jayde asked confused, from what she understood from reading old Earth history, is that wars actually promoted technologically advances.

[Because the warlords on this planet allocate all resources to fuelling their war efforts, leaving nothing for the common people. Majority of the common people can't read or write, their lives are based solely on the need to survive. They live in abject poverty] Yinxin explained.

"If their lives are so difficult, then why don't they rebel?" Jayde asked.

[They did try little one, but the warlords stamped out their rebellion ruthlessly. For years if even one villager rebelled, the whole village was wiped out] Yinxin said sadly.

[How can any normal person fight against a Mage wielding magic? One spell from a high-class Mage can destroy hundreds if not thousands of normal warriors, after many years the common people had no choice but to submit and live their lives under the cruel yoke of the warlords]

With Yinxin explanation Jayde had a much clearer understanding of what the people of Telia lived with.

"Yinxin, I am really conflicted, I have the knowledge to help the villagers of Tardide, to help them create better tools which would give them a better life, but I am not sure if I should," Jayde said softly.

Yinxin wasn't surprised at Jayde comment, she had come to realize that although Jayde came across as offish, it was mainly due to her lack of social skills and her distrust of people. She kept people at arm's length, afraid of being hurt — but she was a compassionate person who felt a great need to help those in need, she especially felt compelled to protect those weaker than her.

[What would the repercussions be if you did help the villagers?]

"I'm am not sure"

[Then dear child, you need to ask yourself, what can you live with, leaving the villagers of Tardide as they are or paying the price for helping them?]

Jayde was happy that she had bought up her concerns with Yinxin, talking with her had helped clear her mind.

First, she needed to find out if she could help the villagers of Tardide, would mission control allow her to interfere, and if it did — what would be the ramifications.

After interrogating mission control, Jayde was surprised to find out that there was a loophole in the system. Nothing prevented Jayde from helping the native people of a planet to increase their technology, even if that technology eventually led to the people rebelling in the future, changing the political landscape of the planet. As long as Jayde herself didn't go around organizing a rebellion, then she wasn't breaking any of the rules.

Happy knowing that at least she wouldn't face any penalization from the Protoss Divine System, Jayde thought deeply about how upgrading Tardide technology would affect the villagers and the people of Telia itself.

As long as Elder Ryunzo and the villagers didn't challenge the warlords' power, Jayde couldn't see how they could be at risk. If they were smart and bided their time, until such time as they had sufficient wealth to hire Mages to protect them, they would be fine.

With her doubts sorted, Jayde withdrew some parchment and charcoal from her spatial ring. Thinking about the drawing and images she had seen in the past, she drew up plans for a plow that could be attached to the farm beasts that she had seen in the village.

While Jayde was busy with her drawings, Yinxin looked on and smiling deep in her heart she curled her long serpentine neck around her wyrmlings.

Looks like Telia was about to experience some major changes she thought.

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