A Villain's Way of Taming Heroines

Beyond the borders of Pelican City, one could witness a scene almost hyperbolically encircled by a golden sea, a result of the city lord's adherence to the directives of Count Watson—or rather, Ansel —who allotted a generous ten acres of farmland to each peasant.

Upon the twenty acres toiled by James and Laurel, a staggering fifty tons of wheat were harvested in just seven days!

On the most fertile lands of the southern territories, a single acre typically yields about five hundred kilograms of wheat per harvest. However, the same measure of land, when enhanced by soil enhancement potions, can produce a quintuple yield, reaching an impressive two and a half tons.

To conceptualize fifty tons of wheat: the population of Pelican City barely exceeds ten thousand, and the output of these seven days, even after accounting for the losses incurred in milling wheat into flour and then flour into food, would afford each individual three to four kilograms of sustenance.

For an individual, three to four kilograms of food could signify affluence for half a month.

In a mere week, two people managed to cultivate enough to feed the entire city for over a fortnight with surplus to spare.
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This transcends mere farming; it is akin to casting spells—in a theoretical sense, it is indeed spellcasting.

Thus, on the eighth day, the day following the completion of the harvest, the granaries of Pelican City were bursting at the seams.

The city's agricultural industry was in an uproar as grain merchants purchased vast quantities of wheat, swiftly transporting it to the sole flour mill and other wheat-processing facilities within the city. The mill's output was then immediately distributed to all manner of shops, bakeries, confectioneries, and general stores...

This once-impoverished city was now a frenzy of activity, displaying an unprecedented level of economic vigor.

After all, the yield and quality of the wheat were astonishingly high, and the more astute merchants of Pelican City sensed an opportunity for immense wealth.

— That field was destined to draw the gaze of the entire Watson territory, perhaps even the Empire itself.

However, despite the collective efforts of the city's merchants, the first batch of wheat could not be entirely consumed—there was simply too much for the population of Pelican City to absorb.

Nevertheless, the amount that was eventually put into circulation was still quite formidable.

The substantial cash in the hands of the merchants flowed into Pelican City, becoming the remuneration for the farmers, wages for the workers, and revenue for the flour mill and food stores... The entire city was infused with vitality. In this climate, copious amounts of food graced the tables of the common folk.

During these days, every resident of Pelican City wore a smile of contentment, occasionally casting hopeful and expectant glances beyond the city gates, towards the horizon.

The bountiful harvest brought not only food to the commoners but also a plethora of job opportunities. New flour mills were hastily constructed, numerous shops expanded to sell more grain, and a significant demand for labor emerged. On the technical front, there was a dire need for skilled hands in wheat processing and flour-based food production, offering numerous employment positions.

All was unfolding in the most splendid of directions.

As Pelican City was immersed in a sea of celebration, fifty tons of wheat, harvested just the day before, were quietly transported out of the city.

This quantity, though formidable when considered in isolation, represented but a small fraction of the total yield. Yet, it silently claimed a modest share of the food market in the heart of Watson's domain.

"Exquisite work, Mr. Morlamo," Reginald exclaimed, clinking glasses with Laurel.

"Your wheat was snapped up by the grain merchants in Greenridge City the very day it arrived. Within three days, all the food products made from that wheat were sold out! The merchants were frantic, pestering me about where I had sourced such fine wheat... They'll likely trace it back here soon, but alas, they are too late."

The man licked his lips, "After our initial market exploration, there's no need to hand over such treasures to these fellows. I plan to establish a complete, independent food production chain in Greenridge City... My goodness, to think we can produce so much food in just seven days."

The voice of Pelican City's wealthiest was somewhat hoarse; he took a sip of wine to moisten his throat and mused,

"I've been in business for over thirty years and never have I encountered such a staggering gold mine. This efficiency will tear Greenridge City's food industry to shreds; they won't even have time to react before we destroy them!"

Facing the fervent Reginald, James, sitting beside Laurel, felt a mix of intimidation and suppressed glee, a contradiction.

He couldn't grasp what Reginald meant by "tear" and "destroy," but it sounded ominous... yet, the offer was too generous to refuse.

That day, when Laurel requested an advance payment, James was terrified. Never before had he, always the one squeezed by merchants, dared to ask for prepayment from such a magnate.

But Reginald, after a brief moment of surprise, agreed cleanly and then produced an amount of money James had never seen before, enough to dazzle him.

It was gold coins! James had never seen a gold coin in his life!

Although Laurel quickly spent the money, and in ways James couldn't understand, it didn't stop him from being astounded by the sum.

Nor did it prevent him… from feeling exhilarated about the future Laurel had described to him.

"However..."

Reginald's smile suddenly faded a bit.

Just the slight downturn of his lips was enough to make Jame's heart stop for two seconds.

"Just the two of you, while sufficient to dominate Greenridge City's food market over time, expanding to the entirety of Watson's domain will prove… challenging."

"You could seek out other farmers," Laurel suggested, his stubby fingers awkwardly holding the wine glass, a somewhat comical sight. Yet, his stance in confronting Reginald was something James believed he could never achieve.

"Of course, I've tried," Reginald said, squinting slightly, "I believe, during this period, many merchants have as well, but..."

"They all refused, they all told me, told the other merchants..."

"To come to you."

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