Opening the door halfway and peering inside, I saw a considerable number of women and children living communally.

Guinevere looked around inside with an expressionless face, then came back out before drawing too much attention.

“Quite a lot.”

“Once the houses are completed, we’ll register them all and accept them as official domain residents. But there are quite a few unmarried mothers without husbands… I’m not sure how to help them make a living.”

It was obvious. For a long time, this land had been called the witch’s land and treated as a forbidden area.

People driven to such places are usually either criminals or those who fled due to circumstances.

Unmarried mothers who became pregnant before marriage must have been forced to come here as well. William spoke worriedly.

“There’s not much they can do while caring for children.”

Guinevere said nonchalantly.

“They just need someone to look after the children.”

Guinevere, who had never raised a baby herself, spoke confidently. William sighed as if frustrated.

“Those poor people couldn’t possibly afford to hire wet nurses and nannies.”

“Can’t we have some take turns watching the children while others work nearby?”

“…Pardon?”

“Maybe not for newborns, but for older kids, we could gather them together and have a few people supervise. While the mothers work.”

William had a look of half-understanding. If you replaced the word ‘supervise’ with ‘care for’, it sounded somewhat reasonable.

“Then what kind of work would be good for them to do?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Guinevere, who had only pursued magic, had no idea how other people made a living.

“Why don’t you ask Larisa? She’s from the slums, so she might know something.”

“Ah, shall we?”

William’s face brightened a little.

*

After hearing William’s concerns, Larisa tilted her head and said.

“My mom was smart, she could copy books and do needlework.”

“Needlework?”

“Yeah. She drew pretty flowers with needlework too.”

Siod, listening to Larisa’s story, pondered with his chin in hand and said.

“It sounds like she means transcription and embroidery.”

“Ah, would that make money?”

“In big cities. But it would be useless in the Rodante domain, and not many could do it. You’d need to know how to write and embroider… Who would know how?”

William clutched his head.

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

“They worked in factories. Laundry factories or textile factories.”

“What about the kids while they worked in factories?”

“Babies waited at home, and older kids like me did odd jobs under a boss.”

William sighed.

“Are you saying babies were left alone at home while mom and dad worked in factories?”

“Yeah. That’s how it was for most.”

William’s jaw dropped. Siod smiled bitterly and said.

“That’s why many children in slums starve to death.”

“We can’t have that in our domain.”

William’s expression became resolute.

“Isn’t there work mothers can do without separating from their children?”

“Well…”

The four of them put their heads together, but couldn’t come up with a good solution. Even when they asked the butler Leonard and domain managers, everyone looked troubled.

“Country women do fieldwork while carrying their children, but we don’t have money to invest in agricultural development right now.”

“I see…”

William looked disheartened. Guinevere interjected.

“Why do we need money for agricultural development?”

“Pardon?”

“We already have designated farmland. Can’t we just farm there?”

William explained for Guinevere, who knew nothing.

“We need to build irrigation canals, facilities like mills… There’s a lot needed to make agriculture productive.”

“I see.”

Guinevere nodded, proud of her son who was studying hard even in areas she didn’t know about.

Though she didn’t understand why he was so eager to help the domain residents, William would surely become a great lord.

Thinking that made her proud of her son.

“I’ll help.”

“What?”

“Wait. Hedel.”

Guinevere summoned Hedel with her wristwatch.

“Gather the mages. Now.”

Guinevere teleported to the tower lobby and thought about what to say while waiting for the mages to gather.

Soon, mages began arriving one after another.

“Is everyone here?”

“Yes, I called them all,” Hedel answered.

“Then, I’ll give you a chance to earn next month’s research funds.”

“Pardon?”

The mages began to murmur. It was shocking news for mages who thought they could finally do research peacefully after barely building the magic tower.

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

“Pardon??”

Guinevere pressed her lips together as if reluctant to repeat herself. After a moment of silence, one mage cautiously raised his hand.

“Um, I know a bit about plants…”

“You’re… Margaret?”

“You remember! I’m Margaret’s father, Joseph Phyton!”

“Good. What can you do?”

Joseph Phyton furrowed his brow in thought and said.

“I’m good with carnivorous plants and poisonous herbs!”

“I see. I’ll appoint you in charge of crop cultivation. Next!”

The mages who had been eyeing each other quickly began raising their hands.

“Lady Guinevere! Farming needs water! I’m the one who made the swamp in your garden!”

“You’re… Rosalyn?”

“Yes! I’m Carl Schmidt who raised Rosalyn!”

“Good. You’re in charge of irrigation facilities.”

At that, a few made disappointed sounds. Mages who knew nothing about farming didn’t know how to appeal.

Then the domain manager who had been dragged to Guinevere’s side cleared his throat and mumbled cautiously.

“Um… about how to build a mill…”

“Me! I’ve become quite skilled in construction now!”

Now the mages allocated tasks from the domain manager without Guinevere’s intervention. Guinevere smiled with satisfaction.

“William will be pleased, won’t he?”

Hedel chuckled and replied.

“William might be pleased, but the mages won’t like having their research time taken away repeatedly.”

“Tell them to leave if they don’t like it.”

“That might work, but Master. How about you take a look at the mages’ research?”

“Me?”

Hedel answered with a serious face.

“They all gathered hoping to learn even one thing from you, Master. But you’ve shown no interest until now. Isn’t it admirable that they’re helping with your work like this?”

“Hmm.”

Guinevere stroked her chin.

“I don’t think I’ll be much help with their research.”

“Still, please take a look and show some interest occasionally. You’re a genius, Master. I’m sure you’ll be helpful.”

“It’s troublesome.”

Despite her words, Guinevere nodded.

*

The agricultural development progressed quickly. The mages wanted to finish soon and get back to their own research. The domain manager exclaimed excitedly.

“Young lord, at this rate it might not even take a week!”

“Really?”

“It’s all thanks to the mages. Truly, truly, I’m honored to work in the Rodante domain.”

William smiled awkwardly. Things were going smoothly thanks to his mother’s influence.

“What about the blacksmith issue?”

They needed a blacksmith to make farming tools, but the problem was they couldn’t find a blacksmith willing to work there.

Skilled workers are important personnel. No matter how good the conditions offered, no one was willing to come work in this wasteland.

“That’s still…”

“We’ll need a budget to purchase farming tools then.”

“Yes. Indeed, how wise of you.”

Though they still had money left, the problem was that there would be countless more expenses in the future.

Siod patted William’s shoulder and said.

“Take it slow, William. You’ll get indigestion if you rush.”

“I know we can’t do everything at once. But it’s not me who’s uncomfortable in the meantime, it’s the domain residents.”

“Those people are grateful enough just that you’ve accepted them.”

Abandoned people. William felt uncomfortable every time he passed by people bowing with expectant looks.

Even if they didn’t know before, he and his mother had neglected them. Yet it was burdensome that they were grateful rather than resentful.

As they walked alone on the dirt road, Siod asked William.

“But I’m curious. Guinevere says it’s the first time you’ve been so proactive in helping people. Why the change of heart?”

William scratched his head and answered.

“I don’t know either. Originally, I never even dreamed of becoming a lord…”

“Is it because Guinevere suddenly told you to become a duke?”

“That’s part of it, but.”

William wanted to become an alchemist. So he wanted to change people’s perception of alchemy. He thought that way because of Larisa.

Larisa had told him that if she became an alchemist who helps people, the perception of alchemy would change. Maybe he wanted to be recognized by others that way.

At first, he thought he clung to alchemy because of feelings of inferiority for not being able to do magic, but that feeling hadn’t changed even now that he could do magic with spellsong.

William cautiously revealed his true wish.

“I want to make magic accessible to everyone through alchemy.”

“What?”

“Magic is convenient, isn’t it? It’s unfair that only a chosen few enjoy that convenience.”

That’s why he obsessed over science in the past when he couldn’t do magic. He might have thought he could surpass magic by combining science and alchemy.

But now, whatever he became, William wanted to be recognized by people. He wanted to become an excellent lord, duke, and alchemist and change the world.

“And Professor, you said so yourself. That there’s no better way to change the perception of alchemy than for a noble to practice it.”

“Honestly, I just went along with Guinevere’s wishes. I didn’t really want you to become a duke.”

“Then what did you want me to do?”

“I just wanted you to do what you wanted to do.”

For the first time, William thought it fortunate that a dragon like Siod was his birth father.