Chapter 6: Livestock

Livestock or Domesticated Animals were important in doing Norfolk Four-Course Method.

The advantage of Norfolk Four Course was that you can raise the domesticated animal during winter.

In addition, clover would be not enough to recover soil fertility. If you let the livestock graze on the field where the clover grows, their feces will become fertilizer. This was necessary.

“Therefore, I think we need to bring in some livestock.”

I said so in front of the children.

The children’s expression shows they were pondering. Perhaps they almost understand it.

“But you know, because of the famine will it not be hard to trade for livestock?”

“We will have to negotiate with King Rosaith’s country on the east. They don’t have enough iron ware there, right? It will probably take ten iron swords for a single cattle, we need at least two cattle.”

It will be easier to plow if we have a cattle.

Right now what I want was to break the current labor situation of only just children with at least one cattle.

“Will they trade their valuable food?”

“If I am the village chief, I would trade the cattle for iron wares, then I could get tax exemption if I present the iron wares to the country.”

Wasting a cattle or two will cut the amount of people who would be supported.

And there are those who steal iron during a war to fill their belly. So, there are many people who decided to steal.

“There is only one problem.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t know how to handle a cattle.”

The children fell down in unison.

“Umm…… I can handle it somewhat. Because my parents raised livestock.”

“Really, then I’ll leave it in your care.”

Keeping a livestock was expensive but using it as a reason to cut the number of mouths to feed was a bit of a mystery to me, perhaps there are other ways to solve it you know. But I can’t probe her too deep

“I want one more to join us.”

“Then I’ll come with you.”

Ron-kun approached my candidly.

I can guess the reason. Because Ron-kun and Soyon-chan are always one set.

“Then let’s go. Tetora-chan!”

“So why me again……?”

“Don’t you agree that you’re the most knowledgeable? What if someone deceive me?”

By the way, Ron-kun and Soyon-chan came from a village that had traded farming tools for ironware before. So I feel confident.

Also, we are actually going to the village Roswald-kun came from.

I don’t know yet where was Tetora-chan’s home village.

Because she won’t tell me herself. The only thing I know was that she was incredibly knowledgeable.

“So…… Will it only be a cattle?”

“Honestly, just one cattle is enough. But to make up for the cattle’s rations, we need to buy goats.”

The goat’s meat and milk are not that tasty, but it’s low maintenance. I want to buy a male-female set if possible.

“How many iron swords are we going to take?”

“We still have 15 to spare. Don’t you think it’s enough?”

I think 10 was enough to trade, but I’ll bring it all just to be safe. Coming back would be a hassle.

“Then, let’s go!”

When I said so, Tetora-chan awkwardly smiled. Do you hate it that much?

“With that said, will you trade it?”

“Hmm, this place really doesn’t have food to spare……”

The village chief was hesitating, and quite rightly so.

I just kept my smile.

“Wouldn’t you get tax exemption if you give the country some iron swords? Don’t you think it’s quite unbearable that the people of this great nation wanted weapons made of iron?”

The country of King Rosaith didn’t have the technology for wrought iron.

Therefore, they import their iron via trading with northern countries. Iron was a required resource for both agriculture and war. Of course, they force unreasonable terms in order to prevent the country of King Rosaith from becoming stronger, like putting restrictions.

Besides, there was also a means of trading food with countries at war.

These brave heroes thought that they can instantly beat the Griffon by bringing these iron swords since it used high-quality iron. If this was peacetime, this trade would have already been approved.

“Fuu…… Perhaps, this is okay……”

The village chief began to stretch his neck in all directions while looking troubled. We have waited long enough, hurry up already.

“I don’t particularly mind if you think this is unreasonable. I’ll just strike a deal with another village.”

When I said so and pretend to stand up, the village chief began to panic.

“I have decided! We will trade. What do you want?”

“I want a cattle and five goats. How about it?”

I was slightly aggressive trying to negotiate. Frankly, three or four goats were enough. They will become anxious if I raised it to five.

“Five goats…… That’s a bit pricey…… How about two?”

“Well then I’ll add two more iron swords, and instead, make it four goats, please.”

The village chief deeply nodded. He seemed convinced.

With this, we have obtained some labor and high nutrition milk.

I was relieved.

“Great, looks okay to me.”

I went inside the fenced area to see the cattle and goats.

Since I made the fence haphazardly, it was not that strong. I will have to reinforce it later.

Since it would be bad if they are able to escape, I will request the Griffon to intimidate them. By insinuating that if they escape, they will be eaten.

As for the Griffon, it said it won’t bully the innocent animals even though it was raring to go at it.

It’s not that they looked particularly appetizing.

The cow and goats can directly get some food. I don’t think they will complain

Eh!? All the grass can simply grow naturally? Well, yeah of course. Would there be a risk they will be eaten by a wolf or other carnivorous animals? Probably.

“Was there a need to keep goats immediately? It’s only a hassle.”

Tetora-chan said so.

Well, I can understand her feelings. If the cattle would be the main workforce, there was no need for a goat. Even though we must be planting barley now, taking care of the goats will just add to the burden.

But there was a reason that I need it immediately.

“It’s for the goat’s milk, although it’s not tasty, it’s nutritious.”

“……”

Tetora-chan looks puzzled.

“Didn’t the Griffon only brought you guys fruits and meat? There’s no calcium in your diet. If there was no calcium, the bones become fragile. I think that in this world, that would be fatal. So having goats is only a bit irrational.”

“Hmm.”

“Did you understand it?”

“You were only thinking for our well-being.”

After saying it, Tetora-chan smiled.

By the way, that was the first time I saw Tetora-chan smiled.

“So, have you thought for a name?”

Ron-kun asked me while stroking the goat. He seems to really like it.

“For the goats, starting from the right will be No. 1, No.2, No. 3, and No. 4. The cattle will be No. 1 too.”

“Eh…… That’s too simple! Poor animals.”

Soyon-chan pouted while protesting.

“I feel sorry…… For these animals. They are not a friend or family or even a pet. There would probably come a time that we will eat them. If you give them a proper name, they won’t be a livestock anymore and will be a pet. It will only be heart-breaking later on.”

In Japan, if you hit your pet, like a dog, it will be considered animal abuse.

However, slaughtering pigs and cows are not crimes.

It’s only natural, but pets and livestock are different.

A livestock was a human tool. You must not be affected by emotion.

If you give a proper name to a livestock, they will become a pet.

It may be impossible for the children to take care of them without affection, but I, at least, want to avoid properly naming them.

“Is that so…… We will have to eat them someday……”

The children looked at the goats and the cattle with sorrowful faces.

The mood became something like it was a funeral.

But it didn’t mean that it has been decided we have to eat them particularly……

“Because the meat of the goat is not that tasty, we won’t eat them except for extreme situations. And the cattle was an important workforce. Let’s work hard on farming so it doesn’t have to come to that.”

In order to change the mood of the children, I told them in a loud voice,

“For now, I want to do something about the weed that had overgrown on the field…… Rather than weeding, it will be much faster for the goats and the ox to eat it. So let us move these guys to the field.”

We guided the cattle and goats to the field.

Whether the Griffon’s threat would work or if Soyon-chan’s guidance was excellent, would they want to eat the grass? Either way, the cattle and goats entered the field obediently.

The field we are facing was not that wide.

Previously, this was a small village that probably have around 100 villagers based on the number of pit-houses.

Once they finish eating the grass, we will immediately start plowing.

I think the soil was relatively soft because it was a farming field in the first place, but with the strength of a child……

For now, we need to get a pickaxe, but will it be enough……

Well at least for the next six months, I won’t expect a crop harvest.

The Griffon assured to feed us for another year.

So being impatient was a big no-no.