Chapter 181 Why Estate Matters



During the early times in Barkaley, the nobles developed an estate system with the intention of providing employment opportunities to the peasants. The main objective was to ease the burden of royal taxes that they had to pay. Under this system, common people were granted access to lands for cultivation. They were required to pay the nobles half of the produce harvested from the land.

After the discovery of dungeons in the Barkaley region, the tax burden was slowly reduced, and the Barkaley region was on the road to betterment.

Even so, that doesn't mean that farming on the estate isn't important. During the water month, when the city's waterways froze and the snow posed a challenge for merchants to travel in and out, the estate played a vital role in providing sustenance for the city's locals. However, the once bountiful plantation now breaks, with someone having caused the crops to fail miserably. Consequently, Barkaley found itself grappling with an acute food shortage, leaving its populace partially deprived of sustenance in the future.

"This plantation is the only place that produces food for the entire town of Barkaley. If the plantation is damaged or destroyed, then people cannot buy food even if they have money. In this month of water, food is more important than money.

We still don't know how much is damaged and edible, but if each farm loses half of its crop, we can only last until the middle of the month. Everyone will be hungry and cold for several weeks," Peter explains.

"There's no food, so there's not enough nutrition for everyone, everyone will starve, and Iva's child could die from lack of nutrition," Allen concluded.

"Yeah, something like that. But the barony must be planning something to deal with it, so it's better not to panic for now."

"Oh? I saw the nobles' carriage when I was going here. Probably they already did something to solve this problem?"

"Of course the Lord has worked," said the soldier, "Once we told him about this matter, he asked us to investigate further while he was going to the Herrwade to buy some food."

To solve this problem, Lord Barkaley brought five horse-drawn carriages to Herrwade territory to purchase some food, such as plants and livestock. He also invited the merchants who were staying in Herrwade to come to his territory. That way, there would be enough food to sell.

The culprit was found to be a small orphan boy named Jack. The citizens beat him up for his actions, but he was forgiven soon after. At that time, Jack told Peter why he did it,

"We... We were ordered by Mr. Wyncall..."

"Mr. Wyncall?! Who is he?"

"Isn't he the soldier who played with Pascoe?" asked Allen.

"Oh that's right! That guy... I haven't really seen his face."

Not just Peter, everyone had also heard of Wyncall.

"My son played with him too. He said he was a Barkaley soldier."

"Right, my son too. He taught my son many things, so I let him."

"Hey Mr soldier, do you know this Wyncall man?"

The soldier confusedly replied, "I've never heard that name before. Where is he assigned?"

"Since he's always playing with children, of course he's assigned to the estate.

"That's impossible! There is no estate guard soldier named Wyncall!" the soldier shouted.

'If I'm not mistaken, Pascoe once said that the soldier promised to teach him the sword and gave him a sword,' Allen thought.

Allen then came forward and asked Jack.

"Did he promise you anything?"

Jack nodded; He started crying again and explained.

"Yes, Mr. Wyncall said he would put me in the Barkaley army and make me a strong boy.

At first, it was just practice swinging.

Then he made me kill insects.

Then he made me kill dogs.

And now he's asking us to destroy fields. I did feel something was wrong when he asked that, since it had nothing to do with swordplay. But since he's my teacher, I can't refuse. I'm afraid Mr. Wyncall won't teach me anymore."

"No wonder so many stray dogs have died lately."

"You said 'we,' or are all the kids who talked to him involved in tonight's events?" Peter asked.

Jack nodded.

Just then a roar of voices rang out from the crowd. They couldn't believe that their son might also be involved in the act.

Jack explained, "Mr. Wyncall said that we were told to sneak around at night to damage the garden. Afterward, we were told to take a bath so we wouldn't get caught.

Since I don't have a house, I usually bathe in the river. But the river was very cold and icy now, so I didn't dare go in. I was just hiding, but someone found me.

I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Jack cried.

Another rumble could be heard in the crowd; they were talking while making their own assumptions about the story.

Some of them had angry faces and went straight home to see if their children were involved in with this incident.

"Everyone calm down already! We'll investigate this matter further. That Wyncall guy might still be around! For now, don't panic about the food. As I said before, Lord Barkaley had to go to Herrwade City to buy some supplies," shouted one of the soldiers.

Everyone finally dispersed; they went home and wanted to ask their children about the incident.

The residents also chose to keep quiet about Jack's problem because this problem may not just be the fault of one person but the fault of all the children. This means each damaged garden is the responsibility of the children who have destroyed it. They all just hoped that they would not be punished for this incident by the barony.

"Umm… Why Herrwade?" asked Allen to the soldier once everyone dispersed.

"Why did you ask? That doesn't matter where it was."

'Oh shoot, I forgot Miss Lavinia told us to keep quiet about her matter in Herrwade.'

"Nothing, I'm just curious."

Even so, the soldier still answered.

"Herrwade is the closest region to Barkaley, and they are close to the sea. Probably they will have enough food for the water month because of it."

"Okay, thank you."

Allen thought, 'That is so understandable but also weird, like everyone walked off from this region. First, Miss Lavinia and Birawa go to Herrwade, and then the barony brings many soldiers with him.

I have to tell Master Rodion about this.'