A Dual Crest Summoner In Infinite Summoning World

Auren had just heard stories, but from what he could infer, there was no major restriction from the regional rulers or the Beast Sovereign about how one should manage the land given to an individual. It would indeed be beneficial for the regional lords if the animal summoners under their rule kept fighting and growing stronger, upgrading their ranks. It was good for them, but not good enough for the people trying to just live.

There were more widows and old women in the village with kids than men. The single men were either injured warriors living on the money they had made or drunkards and fools. Auren had even seen some of them getting married with somewhat aggressive matchmaking by the women of the village in these couple of years.

But then again, with increased population, food would be the biggest problem for any lord governing his or her land. Damian had even heard from the villagers about a five-year raid tradition—it was almost a religious thing for the people of this world to go attacking other lands nearby, to defeat them in active battle and demand resources in return. The main reason why each lord of the land and its people were so connected, almost like a tribe—a close-knit family. But when the higher-ranked noble called the banners, those bitter rivals fought on the same side like brothers born from the same mother.

Honor, pride, confidence in one's ability to fight—it was the main belief that connected the whole continent and all its regions. Only after learning it over the years did Auren realize just how big a thing it was that Dante and Sable were fine with him not showing any interest in swordsmanship; they were completely okay with him just being another common man doing a normal, simple job. As long as Dante was there in the family, he would never be forced to fight in the raid. One able man per family was what the common tradition was—the more, the better, but at least one. It wasn't a rule—neither was doing the raid—just an old tradition still allowed by the nobles.

The last raid had been conducted right after Dante arrived in this village and Auren was born and was nearly two years old. Dante had made a somewhat controversial decision at the time and had managed to convince the lord not to take him along on the raid—he did have to give some men though, and many of those had not returned. Even with the personality Dante had, Auren had sensed many people in Sunday meetings and on the streets who did not really show him the respect a knight in charge of a village deserved. They looked down on him for prioritizing his family over the raid, especially with the power he had.

Well, with low education and near to no news of the rest of the world—staying in just this limited land with barely any form of entertainment—this kind of society was expected. For any kind of progress to be had, more skilled people were needed, which could only be gained after a long time period or in a protected region where a man's basic necessities were taken care of.

The biggest problem that was the root of many other problems that Auren could see—and could somewhat change—was the food. He didn't have much knowledge of how to work a field, just what he had learned from basic school textbooks. Before preaching wrong knowledge, he needed to try farming himself.

There was enough land to do the farming; many were left untouched after the men responsible for them gave up halfway or got busy in other business or simply living a frivolous life. Getting the land was no issue. He was a kid, though, and in no way could do all the work—he didn't know anything. There were people for the right job available in the village though, and he just needed one reliable fellow.

Auren returned to his house around 2 p.m.—Sable had bathed him earlier this morning since he was going into the village. When he came back with all the treats his two small hands could carry, Sable and Granny bombarded him with questions about the small trip. Auren had enough sense not to mention anything too 'grown-up'; he had seen enough simple things that he talked about with them like a child would.

It wasn't acting—he was from a city, and the purpose of some things they had in the village seriously eluded him. Sable and Granny answered with all the patience and warmth in the world, a bit too glad that he had finally seen some things that his mind could not understand, and he had to ask them.

"What? Say it again.." Dante said, spitting the mouthful of water in a surprise of the year.

Auren sighed, "I want to hire someone to farm the land for me."

Sable walked near him, checking his forehead. They were outside their house—Dante and Granny seated on the wooden bench while Sable was busy cooking when he laid out his request. Dante was just drinking water after removing his armor—and he very rudely spat it all out hearing his 'request'.

"Are you feeling okay, Auren?" Sable asked in a tone that clearly stated—'You have to be out of your mind to ask this, kid.' He pushed her away with a slight effort and explained his reasoning.

"I am not starting a farm. There are some things I want to see how they work—so if there is something that we can change to make the process easier, it will benefit the whole village. Getting a good yield is not the goal, just understanding the process."

They were beyond getting surprised with things he did or said occasionally by now—still, the expressions of 'What was this now?' were something they showed him at times.

He wasn't hundred percent honest, but then again, Auren himself was not sure the things he remembered from all those boring lessons were even true or not. And if they were, would he be able to apply the knowledge—so saying arrogantly that he would end the food problem would be too much.