Ch.7Population Support

When considering it generally, population growth brings about several benefits.

The most obvious advantage is that as the population increases, so does the available workforce.

If we assume there’s a year’s worth of work to be done, having 1,000 people handle it instead of 100 would make a tenfold difference in simple calculations.

The same applies to population. Since 1% of 100 cannot equal 1% of 1,000, barring exceptional circumstances, a larger population is generally better.

Next, there’s the increase in revenue that the state can generate.

This doesn’t just refer to the various taxes collected with enthusiasm.

When the population grows, industries naturally expand and become more complex to satisfy people’s basic needs like bread, meat, alcohol, clothing, and housing.

This process creates many jobs, and as people fill these positions, the overall economy expands.

Economic expansion attracts more transient population, and as this mobile population increases, various industries emerge to meet their needs.

Now that we’ve examined the virtuous cycle, let’s look at the vicious one.

First, population growth means more mouths to feed.

If agricultural production is sufficient or necessary food supplies can be secured through trade, there’s no problem. However, when there’s no way to secure additional food, large-scale population growth inevitably leads to catastrophe.

If 100 units of food were barely sustaining 100 people, and suddenly 100 more people arrive, then 200 people would have to survive in poverty on those same 100 units of food.

With inadequate nutrition, labor productivity gradually declines, and eventually, the community rapidly disintegrates as it loses the capacity to maintain even minimal infrastructure.

The scenario above is actually quite moderate.

If people carrying contagious diseases join the mix, bloodshed is almost certain to follow. Villages, already small, descend into chaos as people fight among themselves for food, clothing, and shelter, ultimately turning into ruins.

Sadly, this was the reality of this world. In fact, it wasn’t unique to this world alone.

Even on Earth, before the agricultural revolution brought chemical fertilizers, theories like the Malthusian trap were invoked to argue for reducing excess population. This was commonplace in pre-modern times.

Fortunately, my Amurtat was prepared to accept over 10,000 immigrants who, once the weather improved, would sow seeds in the prepared farmland, gather wood from the forests, and provide valuable labor at various construction sites.

*

Whoosh!!!

“Add more firewood. The wind is biting.”

“Yes, master.”

As Michaela placed firewood into the fireplace with her delicate hands, the goosebumps dominating my skin finally subsided.

Winter is generally cold, but Amurtat seemed particularly frigid due to its high latitude.

Otherwise, the lord’s castle couldn’t possibly be this cold.

It had been two months since the new year began, and we were already well into the double digits of February.

“Sigh…”

I pulled the thick cotton blanket up to my chin, trying my best to block the cold.

It helped somewhat, but the chilly wind still found its way through the window cracks, keeping my body at a temperature just warm enough to avoid freezing to death in my sleep.

“Damn it. I survived a cracked skull, but now I might freeze to death in my sleep.”

“This winter is especially cold.”

Cold waves came frequently, but this winter was particularly harsh.

If the castle, with its maximum heating, was this cold, the commoners’ snow-covered homes must be huddled around their fireplaces just to avoid freezing to death.

We’d already devoted an entire week to snow removal, but the snowfall showed no signs of stopping.

“We might die buried under snow while trying to clear it. I’ve never seen this much snow in my life…”

The armed soldiers currently engaged in snow removal would certainly agree with me unconditionally.

“Still, mother used to say heavy winter snow is a good sign.”

“I suppose so.”

Winter snow is commonly considered an auspicious sign.

Heavy snowfall means increased moisture, and when spring comes, the melted snow provides water resources necessary for spring farming.

“But too much of anything is as bad as too little.”

But we’re not even short on agricultural water! Stop falling already!

If I slip going down the castle and crack my head again, who will take responsibility?

Ah… if my head cracks one more time, will I really die?

Perhaps it was the cold penetrating to my bones, but I felt my thinking deteriorating.

*

A week later.

Ding!!!

“This is ridiculous…”

The snow that had been falling relentlessly suddenly stopped, and in response, the weather warmed up instantly.

How warm? Warm enough that farmers were already plowing their fields.

The temperature itself was still low, but it had become mild enough for rain instead of snow, and staying in the sunlight for long would make you sweat. Winter could now be considered over.

“How many died?”

“About 300 people, Your Majesty.”

“Well, 300 casualties from such heavy snowfall is actually not bad. Don’t you think?”

“Indeed, Your Majesty.”

Losing 300 out of 20,000 is barely a scratch. Moreover, many of them were likely the vulnerable—children and the elderly—meaning almost no effective workforce was lost.

It’s remarkable that farmers are already plowing fields—their determination is truly fearsome.

The ground hasn’t fully thawed yet, and a few hours of digging would surely result in frostbite.

Well, it’s all the same to me. Whatever they do, it all ends up in my hands eventually.

And while the farmers were plowing their fields, I had business to attend to.

“We will sweep the forest again. Inform the soldiers and knights.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

*

If you’re wondering why we’re conducting another sweep after winter when we already did one before winter, I can explain that the purposes differ.

The pre-winter sweep was to clear beasts threatening the roads after reports of monsters.

This current operation isn’t targeting beasts or monsters but aims to preemptively root out bandits and thieves who might target the reviving flow of goods as the cold subsides.

As a result, our storehouses were showing warning signs from consecutive military operations just months apart, but establishing order now would allow for easier trade with other caravans and cities this year. Think of it as taking bitter medicine early.

This expedition mobilized 300 soldiers, equipped with shields and arrows to counter projectile weapons and provide ranged attack capabilities, considering the nature of combat against humans.

This depleted our weapon reserves to dangerous levels, but it’s unlikely that other lords would move their armies recklessly at the beginning of the farming season.

“…Wait, why am I moving my army then?”

The realization suddenly hit me.

No, no, this is all for survival. If I just complain about having nothing left, we might not even reach a population of 100,000 before collapsing from disease.

Investments are always toughest at the beginning. If we endure, we’ll eventually recover all costs and reap rewards.

So now is the time to grit our teeth and persevere.

Arrows and shields could be remade, and if soldiers died, we could conscript more men from the villages.

As long as I remain the lord of Amurtat, every living being in this land should require my permission even to breathe.

“I command my knight, Ignatz von Jäger. My first chosen sword. I entrust you with 300 elite soldiers; you shall kill and eliminate all the wicked ones who have nested in my forest.”

“I will obey Your Majesty’s command.”

“Now go and execute my will.”

I handed Ignatz the sword as I spoke, and he received it while kneeling.

“All troops! March out!”

“For Amurtat!”

And so, the spring purge began.