Wizard Farming Guide

Chapter 2 Northern Expedition

The concentration of magic in this world is very low, and the extraordinary is not apparent.

This is one of the reasons why most of Rhodes' experiments failed.

He looked at the high-grade black goji berries in the flowerpot with distress. The terrible magical environment made it difficult for him to grow the magical plants on a large scale because he had to spend a lot of time every day caring for them.

Without his magical care, even seeds would be difficult to grow.

But as the number of magical plants increases, he can't afford to waste all his time on them.

"It's not just the seeds; the land used for farming also needs to be transformed on a large scale."

This kind of wizarding knowledge is exactly what Rhodes has been focusing on during this period of study, but it's too much of a fuss to implement in Sword Fortress.

He had been considering asking his father, Duke Bert, for permission to stay at the estate outside the city for a while.

After organizing and packaging the materials and props, Rhodes walked out of the room and headed towards the award hall at the front.

As I passed through the garden, the summer breeze blew, and the lavender, in full bloom, created a swaying sea of ​​flowers that formed a purple ribbon, adorning the white castle.

The refreshing scent of lavender is delightful and uplifting.

This sea of ​​flowers was cultivated by Rod himself.

The Middle Ages were an era of ignorance and barbarity, where people did not yet clearly understand the direct link between disease and filth.

Discarded entrails, rotting fish and shrimp, and feces soaked in urine are common sights on city streets.

The filth flowed along the road into the river, polluting the entire body of water.

Beer was popular among ordinary people in this era because fermentation killed off a large number of bacteria.

People may not understand the connection, but that doesn't stop them from knowing that drinking alcohol is safer than drinking water.

Rod didn't want to collapse and die a miserable death one day from just drinking a sip of water.

Hygiene and safety were his primary focus, and the final result was this sea of ​​flowers.

Lavender contains volatile oils and monoterpenes, which have certain antibacterial and disinfectant properties and can be used for medicinal treatment.

Under Rhodes's modifications, its effectiveness was greatly enhanced.

[High-grade Lavender / Tier 1 Low-grade Magical Plant]

[Growth period: one month; life cycle: five years]

The aroma it emits can repel the spread of germs in the air, and when used in medicine, it can effectively kill bacteria and treat intestinal diseases.

Compared to high-grade black goji berries, its effects are much weaker, but even this weakness has its advantages.

High-grade lavender only needs to be nurtured with magic during planting, and Rhodes doesn't need to worry too much about its subsequent growth.

Therefore, a large-scale flower sea can be formed, which can carry out large-scale environmental purification.

It was precisely because he was busy planting this sea of ​​flowers surrounding the castle that the news spread after guests and servants saw it, which led to his current title of Gardener Knight.

Rhodes himself didn't care about the title; he didn't discriminate against gardeners, and he was indeed a knight.

But it seems that Duke Bert is very unhappy.

Rhodes could understand; after all, when the Duke introduced his eldest son, he proudly displayed a wall full of medals.

When they got to Rod's place, there was a pile of flowerpots.

Of course, this is not a big deal. He is only the second son in the family, and his reputation will not affect the family's honor.

He spent his time at home, which made his mother happy, his sister happy, and his brother Anthony happy.

On the contrary, if he has too good a reputation outside, his father may not be very happy, and the whole family will be unhappy.

Rhodes crossed the long corridor carved from pure white marble and entered the award hall.

The first thing that catches the eye is a huge oil painting, framed in nanmu wood, that occupies half of the wall and faces the main entrance.

The blond man in the painting holds a long sword, wears a nine-star crown, has a resolute face, and exudes a heroic and dashing air.

That was his grandfather in this life, the previous king of the Kingdom of Rosa, "The Ruler" William.

Its greatest achievement was during the Northern Expeditionary War thirty years ago, when it occupied the Frost Plateau, which belonged to the northern barbarians, and the Ironforge, which belonged to the dwarves, expanding its territory by a quarter.

Unfortunately, he passed away ten years ago, and Rod even attended his funeral with his father.

The family's coat of arms hangs in front of the painting, with a fierce griffin in the center of the white shield, which is the symbol of the royal family of Rosa.

As a duke who had broken away from the royal family, the griffin was adorned with an extra ribbon and a golden longsword to distinguish between master and servant, signifying the Duke of Sword Tomb's status.

The golden longsword bears the family motto: "Swing estoc forward."

Duke Bert was standing below the family crest when he saw Rhodes arrive and gestured for him to come forward.

After bowing to the painting, Rod looked at his father.

"The king is preparing to launch another war of expansion to the north."

Duke Bert looked down at him, gazing at this good-for-nothing child, and spoke slowly.

Only then did Rod learn the reason why his father and brother had been summoned to the royal capital, Fuxing City, a month ago.

He was not surprised by this. After thirty years of recuperation, the kingdom had developed and prospered, and its army was strong and well-equipped.

The current king is in his prime and clearly has the determination to achieve great things and rival his ancestors.

The Kingdom of Rosa is adjacent to the East Sea, which is bordered by turbulent waters and hordes of pirates, making conquests largely unprofitable.

To the south lies the land of the Holy Kingdom, sacred and inviolable.

To the west are friendly nations with whom the kingdom has deep trade ties via the Wheat River; war would be a losing proposition.

Naturally, the only option was to expand northward. The northern border was vast and boundless, rich in resources, and the territory occupied by the Kingdom of Rosa was merely a drop in the ocean.

But why bring up this topic in the awarding hall? Rhodes was puzzled.

"Embark on your journey to the North. War will teach you, and the baptism of blood and fire will give every warrior a new lease on life." Duke Bert pointed north, his voice resolute.

After hearing his father's words, Rod understood and fell silent.

According to the normal trajectory, he should have gone to the capital city of Fuxing after he came of age to interact with the royal family and nobles.

After their father's death, while his brother Antony succeeded him as Duke of Swordhill, Rhodes would receive the title of Court Earl, serving as a link between Antony and the King in the court.

But when he learned that the king was preparing to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor and expand into the north again, Duke Bert's thoughts changed.

It seems he intends to throw himself directly into the North and follow in his footsteps.

The price of being reborn is an endless pile of bones beneath one's feet. Rhodes, whose wizarding knowledge has just begun, does not want to go there; he is still vulnerable.

But he knew that when his father made the decision, he had no choice.

"As you command." Rhodes clenched his fist against his chest and knelt on one knee.

A slender sword blade, gleaming with a cold light, rested against his shoulder.

That was the sword that first accompanied Duke Bert on his campaigns in the North.

Now it has been pulled out again by this duke.

"The King has issued royal decrees for the expansion of the North to all regions. You may join the royal knightly order or form your own force; I will not interfere."

Duke Bert gently patted Rhodes' shoulder with his longsword. "Death is not frightening. Face it, kill it, or be killed by it—that is the glory of a warrior!"

Rod responded by loudly reciting the family motto.

After the ceremony concluded, Duke Bert sheathed his sword and handed it over along with a scroll.

Rhodes got up, took the document, and began reading.

Real wars are not fought overnight, but rather are long processes that last for several years or even more than a decade.

The same applies to the king's expansion northward; before the main force of the army truly sets out, it is necessary to establish certain strongholds in the north.

This was precisely the mission of these pioneering knights: to lead their troops across the northern fortresses, establish outposts for the kingdom, and gather intelligence on the barbarian kings.

The North was fraught with danger, and Duke Bert had no intention of throwing his second son into it to his death.

Judging from this, they probably hope he will join a pioneering knightly order and grow through military training.

But Rhodes had his own ideas.

Since we're determined to go to the North, this might be an opportunity.

He decided to form his own army and establish his own territory!

(End of this chapter)