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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

The Knight’s Seal is a Sign of Strength?!

Translated by: ME

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

*****

While working in the office, Servas came to visit. Though he occasionally asked about the progress of management and general operations, it was rare for him to ask about the specific mechanics of the work itself.

As someone under his care, Magnolia had no objection; he was more than welcome to make and sell fertilizer as he pleased.

「Yes, not a problem at all. Come to think of it, you mentioned the other day that you wanted to buy up the surplus fertilizer. What do you intend to do with it?」

Claude, also curious, looked up from his paperwork. Servas let out a small grunt while twisting his mustache.

「I’ve been concerned about the lives of the knights after they retire from the Order...」

Upon retirement, knights were paid a bounty. The reasons for leaving varied—injury, illness, family issues, or simply age. While they received enough to fund a second start in life, people often became reckless when handed a large sum of money. Not everyone went on to lead a comfortable life.

While most cases could be written off as their own fault, Servas had spent years wondering if things could be improved.

「Some make a living as adventurers, day laborers, or bodyguards, while others rely on their children or inherit a family business. However, not everyone has such options. I’ve been wondering if I couldn't create a job for them that is relatively easy to learn.」

「I see...」

「Furthermore, you mentioned that poor hygiene causes diseases to spread, didn't you? I thought this might improve that situation at least a little. Even if the Ascald Kingdom doesn't need it, other nations' agriculture requires fertilizer. One look at Azenda lately makes it obvious—harvest yields improve remarkably, don't they? Compared to compost, shell and bone fertilizer doesn't smell much, it's dry, and it's easy to transport. It can even be repurposed as animal feed. I thought it would be quite a good material for their business.」

(Whoa! Grandfather is amazing!)

「Grandfath-ew! Let'sh definitely do that!」

Claude, who had been listening to the conversation, seemed to have started some calculations, his pen sliding across the paper.

「...What kind of scale are you considering?」

「Hmm. For now, I'm thinking of all five districts excluding the capital. Since the local farmers near the capital showed results, we built fertilizer sheds in various places. I’m thinking of building simple structures near those...」

He likely wanted to support as many struggling former knights throughout the territory as possible. To sustain it as a job, they would need to collect more materials (shells and bones) efficiently.

「A garbage processing plant...」

「Hmm?」

Servas and Claude asked back at Magnolia's murmur.

「We’ll shet up plashesh to collect dishcarded itemsh in each shettlement. Shinshe shome people might shtill want to ushe them, we should announce it shtrictly ash 'unwanted itemsh.' We don't want anyone to mishtake it for coercion, right? ...That shaid, dealing with garbage ish a hash-shle, sho a lot should gather. We can make rulesh about collection daysh and not mixing itemsh, dividing it into thingsh like prodush-e, leaf shtrapsh, bonesh, shellsh, and othersh. Then we collect and proshesh it on fixed daysh.」

「That way, we can also manage giving the leaf scraps to the district fertilizer sheds.」

「Gai shtowed away the inshtructionsh on how to make it, sho I can give them to you right away. I think it would be good to gather a few people from each region at the farmlandsh around the capital for a demonshtration. Onshe it’sh running, we check on them a few timesh, and after that, we can help out whenever they have queshtionsh.」

Claude nodded as he confirmed the details.

「Is it better to be near water to grind it into powder...?」

「Yesh-. If a location ith difficult fow a watew wheel, there are alth-o windmilth.」

The discussion proceeded smoothly, as did the "hammering" construction by the carpentry units of the five regional knight orders. Before they knew it, fertilizer production by the former knights had begun.

The waste disposal was unexpectedly popular with the residents, making for a successful start. The active-duty knights on patrol also seemed to be looking out for them, providing warnings if any mistakes occurred. There were reportedly almost no instances of waste being put out on the wrong day or being mixed together.

(Even on Earth we should learn from this, but then again, the prestige of the Lord is looming over them. Maybe this is only possible because of the social hierarchy...)

Leaf scraps were donated to the fertilizer sheds in each district's farmland, while raw waste was incinerated. Having been taught the method for shells and bones, production had begun immediately.

They were unsure what to do with broken glass bottles, but since they didn't want children getting hurt if they were left lying around, the issue was temporarily shelved as a future task.

Gai, Servas, and the workshop’s representative for the farming unit went on several inspection tours to verify the operations. Magnolia was relieved to hear that the work was simple and proceeding without confusion.

***

With Servas away on an inspection, today Magnolia was working in the office alone with Claude.

It was sweltering hot outside. She faced her documents while feeling somewhat lethargic. ...Even so, it wasn't as hot as Japan used to be. Furthermore, they luxuriously had an indoor cooling magic tool (a pseudo-air conditioner) modified from a refrigeration tool, so the interior wasn't too bad.

Since they had granted more discretionary power to the department heads as they transitioned into a trading company, they spent less time on-site than before. It was human nature to reflexively ask for help when a supervisor was present, so they were currently holding back on helping to ensure the staff could manage on their own for practice. Occasionally, they would head out for a change of pace or to check on the work and the people, but it was no longer a daily occurrence.

Anything that caused anxiety or was misunderstood was confirmed with them, but otherwise, they received reports and gave instructions at regularly held meetings. Furthermore, while the Commercial Guildmaster's guidance was strict, it was accurate, and everyone was rapidly gaining competence. Soon, she would only need to provide product ideas. Then, she would be able to start on other things.

「About the fertilizer bushinessh in foreign countriesh... have the parshesh been decided?」

「The eastern part borders Ascald, so the items produced there are structured to replenish other districts. Do you remember each district?」

Magnolia replied while picturing the map of Azenda in her head.

「...The northern part bordering the Monteorona Theocracy, the eash-tern part bordering the Ash-cald Kingdom. The shoutheash-tern part bordering two mhall countriesh, and the southern part bordering the Marinashe Empire. And the wesh-tern part facing the shea, right?」

「That’s right. At each border, there are places where commoner merchants and adventurers come and go, forming towns. It seems he intends to sell them there.」

Claude replied while nodding. Including the capital managed directly by the Margrave’s house, Azenda was divided into six districts. Sales at the borders would take place in the northern, southeastern, and southern parts. From the western part, they would export to countries via ship.

「Dealing with foreign countriesh sheemsh like it'll be quite a lot of work, doshn't it?」

「The sales will be handled by those who have long guarded the borders and can speak the languages of the neighboring countries. There shouldn't be any major trouble. He’s also had scouts from the Margrave’s house slip into the border areas. We can respond immediately if anything happens.」

(Whoa... are people like Gai lurking all over the place?)

「I wondew if they'll sh-ell...」

「I think they’ll sell reasonably well. Unlike Ascald, other countries have quite a lot of variation in their harvests and are unstable. Since it can also be sold as feed, the adjustments for that will likely depend on how things look over time.」

Claude let out a small sigh. It seemed Servas had begun the preparations to hand over the territory's administration to Claude in earnest, as his workload was increasing.

(...Thinking about it that way, my old man, who was handling the territory's administration since he was even younger, was a pretty capable guy. Though you can't compare them exactly because the Margraviate has border defense and relations with foreign countries.)

At the same age as Claude, he had stood on his own as the Marquis of Gilmore (by force).

While she was thinking that, Claude handed her a prototype for Servas’s fertilizer and feed packaging—a draft.

Printed on a tightly woven bag was a "Knight Mark" of a muscular silhouette striking a victory pose...

「...That'sh a bag of fertilizer and feed that looksh like it'll make you very shtrong....」

「...Indeed...」

Claude, Magnolia, and the attending Lily all glanced at the bag and wore conflicted expressions.

Associating the muscular image with plants and livestock that could repel disease, a dry laugh escaped them.

*****

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