Partially opening the door and peeking inside, I could see quite a few women and children living together.

Greneviere looked around expressionlessly and quickly went back outside before drawing too much attention.

“There are quite a few.”

“Once the houses are completed, we’ll register everyone officially as residents and accept them as official residents of the territory. However, there are quite a few unmarried mothers without husbands… I don’t know how to support those people and make a living for them.”

It was expected. This land had long been called the land of witches and had been treated as an area not to be encroached upon.

People who come here generally either have reasons or are criminals fleeing. Unmarried mothers with children may have been chased here without any other choice. William expressed his concern.

“There won’t be many things they can do while taking care of the children.”

Greneviere said indifferently, “If there are people to take care of the children, then it’s fine.”

Greneviere, who had never raised a baby with her own hands, spoke confidently. William sighed as if frustrated.

“Poor people like that can’t afford to hire nurses or caretakers.”

“What if some take turns looking after the babies, and others work nearby?”

“…What?”

“For newborns, it might not work, but for slightly older children, gather them together and have a few people supervise. While mothers are working, you know.”
William had a face that seemed to know but wasn’t sure. If you replaced the word “supervision” with the word “work,” it could make quite a bit of sense.

“So, what kind of work should we give them?”

“I don’t know.”

Having only walked the path of magic, Grenevire had no idea what others did for a living.

“How about asking Lala? She comes from a poor background, so she might know something.”

“Oh, should I?”

William’s face brightened a bit.

After hearing William’s concerns, Larisa chuckled and said, “Our mom is smart; she could write and even did embroidery.”

“Embroidery?”

“Yeah, she embroidered pretty flowers.”

Hearing Larisa’s story, Siod tilted his chin and, after some contemplation, said, “It seems like calligraphy and embroidery.”

“Oh, could that make money?”

“In big cities, yes. But in the Rondante Territory, it’s not useful, and there probably aren’t many who can do it. You need to know how to write and embroider… Who would know how to do that?”

William scratched his head.

“Then what should we do? Lala, what did other people around here do to make a living?”

“They worked in factories. Laundering or weaving factories.”

“What about the kids while their parents worked in the factories?”

“The babies stayed at home while bigger kids, like me, worked under the boss.”

William sighed.

“So, the babies were left alone at home while mom and dad worked in the factories?”
“Yeah, that was mostly the case.”

William’s eyes widened. Siod said with a bitter smile,

“So, many children from poor families starve to death.”

“Not in our territory.”

William made a determined expression.

“Is there something mom can do without being separated from the child?”

“Well…”

Even after the four of them put their heads together and pondered, no sharp solutions emerged. Even when they asked butler Leonard and the estate managers, everyone had a troubled expression.

“Country women carry their children and work in the fields, but we don’t have the money to invest in agricultural development right away.”

“That’s right…”

William made a disappointed face. Grenavier intervened.

“Why do you need money for agricultural development?”

“What?”

“We already have designated land for farming. Can’t we just cultivate crops there?”

William explained for Grenavier, who knew nothing about it.

“We need to build facilities like irrigation canals and facilities like milling stations… There are a lot of things you need for agriculture to be productive.”

“I see.”

Grenavier nodded, impressed by his son’s hard work in studying even the parts he didn’t know.

Though he wasn’t sure why William was so dedicated to helping the residents, he was undoubtedly going to become a great lord.

Thinking that way made Grenavier proud of his son.

“I’ll help.”

“What?”

“Wait. Hédèle.”

Grenavier called Hédèle using his wristwatch.

“Gather the mages. Right away.”
Having teleported to the lobby of the Mage Tower, Grenavier thought about what to say while waiting for the mages to gather.

Before long, the mages began to gather one by one.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes, I’ve called everyone.”

Hédèle replied.

“Then I’ll give you the opportunity to collect the research budget for next month.”

“What?”

The mages began to murmur. For the mages who had barely built the Mage Tower and were now hoping to do their research or anything else peacefully, it sounded like a bolt from the blue.

“I want to develop farmland. Who can help me?”

“What??”

Grenavier pressed his lips as if he found it tiresome to say more. After a moment of silence, one mage cautiously raised his hand.

“I, I’m good with plants, but…”