As Henwell rides through the snow-covered Peace Haven, he feels a deep sense of tranquility. Before the Winter Festival, Henwell customarily tours the entire Peace Haven with a few companions. Peace Town and the new city aren't his main focus; they have their own officers and administrators, ensuring everything runs smoothly.
Henwell's attention is on the scattered villages and towns, making sure the residents have enough food and warm clothing to survive the winter. If they lack these necessities, Henwell arranges for supplies to be loaned to them in his capacity as lord, helping them through tough tis. The interest is kept low, within their ability to pay.
Henwell's compassion goes beyond not wanting people to die from cold and hunger; he values them as precious human resources. Raising a person from birth to adulthood consus a lot of resources. If he die for nothing, it's a unforgivable waste.
In addition to food, Henwell establishes clinics in every village and town. They aren't free, but paynt can be deferred. If soone can't repay, they can work for Henwell to settle their debt. These doctors are people Henwell has recruited and trained with great effort.
One can't expect a well-organized healthcare system in this world; the variety of dical practices is vast. There's everything from rural shamans, witch doctors relying on guesswork, and those treating headaches with foot redies, to so traditional dicinal formulas handed down through generations.
In just a year, Henwell's dical team begins analyzing and simplifying the principles behind various potions. They strip down the noble's secret elixirs, removing unnecessary ingredients and substituting them with affordable yet effective plant and animal components.
Ultimately, the team develops several potions that can be produced cheaply and on a large scale, addressing common ailnts like colds, reducing inflammation, and providing pain relief and hemostatic effects. These basic yet widely needed potions are now available thanks to Henwell's efforts.
Testing these potions isn't magic; it requires human trials, and Henwell adopts a rather dark approach in this regard. Many people die during these trials, most of whom Henwell considers obstacles to be removed, though so are unfortunate serfs.
Henwell doesn't feign remorse: he believes that sotis sacrifices are necessary for human progress. He acknowledges that these potions will save many lives, yet he doesn't shy away from the sins he's committed. Henwell is no saint and understands that not everyone can be saved; everything cos at a price.
Henwell relocates the potion factory to a secret industrial zone, guarded by reliable sentinels selected from the serfs. In case of trouble, the high walls provide defense, allowing them to hold out for so ti. Once an alarm is raised, Henwell's cavalry can arrive within half an hour. However, with Peace Haven under Henwell's control, no one dares to stir trouble under his watchful eye.
Henwell places great importance on healthcare to ensure the continuity of his population resources. The infant mortality rate here is alarmingly high, nearly one in three newborns doesn't survive.
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Furthermore, of those who make it past infancy, another third don't reach the age of ten. Even from ten to adulthood, which is considered sixteen here, there’s a 20% chance of death. This ans that from conception to adulthood, a child has a 50% chance of not making it. While not all of these deaths are due to illness—famine, cold, and accidents also play a role—improving dical care can significantly boost infant survival rates.
A skilled midwife who understands the science of childbirth can greatly increase a newborn's chances of survival. The widespread availability of basic potions also helps prevent many childhood diseases. Henwell distributes growth rations monthly to families with children under ten. Whether or not it's the tastiest or finest grain, the important thing is that it keeps them from starving.
Henwell also provides high-nutrition foods like at, eggs, and milk to families with newborns for the first three months. So families try to hoard, share, or sell these provisions, but Henwell deals with such behavior harshly. If reported, the n of these families are publicly whipped and paraded as a warning. Whistleblowers receive a reward, usually a month's supply of high-nutrition food for one person. This rough justice ensures mothers get enough nutrition to recover quickly.
Through initiatives like food loan stations, nutritional subsidies for new mothers, potion research and distribution, doctor training, and professional midwife programs…… Henwell aims to ensure more people survive to adulthood. After all, the more people who reach adulthood, the more hands there are to work and serve his domain.
Henwell's efforts earn him a reputation for kindness. The young knightly lord's fa spreads beyond Peace Haven, reaching the southwestern borders of the duchy and even into neighboring countries. Many are curious about this benevolent lord, and nobles begin to see him as a harmless do-gooder.
It seems everyone forgets that this young man, always with a smile and busy with various endeavors, also commands a formidable private army of over a thousand soldiers.
Those who encounter Henwell's darker side grow increasingly wary of him. A straightforwardly ruthless person is one thing, but a seemingly harmless young man with a fierce heart and ruthless thods is far more intimidating. Henwell graciously accepts the praises of kindness and relishes the fearful glances he receives.
After a year of hard work, Peace Haven is now entering a period of rapid developnt. Though Henwell's domain, Blood Hill, spans only a few dozen square kiloters, as long as Peace Haven remains unpartitioned, he is its de facto ruler. Even if it were to be divided, Henwell is confident in his ability to control this nearly three thousand square kiloter territory.
If a noble were to be granted this land and chose to cooperate, Henwell promises a comfortable existence for them. However, should they fail to recognize his authority, Henwell is prepared to show them who truly rules here.
Currently, the Duke and the Phoenix family are avoiding any actions that might provoke the noble alliance and cause further internal strife within the duchy. This ans Peace Haven is unlikely to be parceled out anyti soon, certainly not for at least three years.
But even if Henwell were given just one more year, not even the Phoenix family could shake his foundation here. Over the past year, his army has beco battle-ready, and the next step is to develop these soldiers into officers. Henwell isn't just aiming for an elite army; he wants an elite corps of officers. Otherwise, there'd be no need for his infantry to practice cavalry skills.
Co next spring, Henwell is sure that Peace Haven will release a significant amount of untapped human resources. From this pool, he plans to select the soldiers for his army.
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