In reality, the series of changes throughout human history cannot be separated from the relationship between man and land, which is the relationship between productivity and population. The nature of productivity naturally corresponds to the development of systems and population patterns.
Naturally, if productivity were limitless, society would naturally enter an ideal state of "universal harmony" with distribution based on needs. Unfortunately, this is impossible—at least for Ryan. Even the Emperor's human empire could not achieve this.
Similarly, the evolution of systems must follow the gradual progression of productivity, rather than being driven solely by ideology without any consideration for reality or the national context, which would be a dogmatic error.
In this world, is the conflict between nobles and serfs the fundamental contradiction? No, the fundamental contradiction faced by humans in this world is the struggle for survival. Under immense external pressure, both nobles and serfs know how to be tolerant. The knightly nobles understand that they cannot push the serfs to the point of starvation; there are relief measures and grain distributions during disasters. The serfs also know that without the knights, they would have no way to resist the evil invasions, so they show restraint in their difficult and exploited circumstances.
One could say that Bretonnia took a different path from the Empire. The Empire's origin was in the uprising of human tribes—a group of barbarians who established the Empire through blood and fire. Bretonnia, on the other hand, was founded by Bretonnian horse-rider tribes crossing the Gray Mountains. The twelve great battles at the founding of the nation, where the first Knight King and the twelve original Grail Knights were of noble birth, determined the fundamental differences in their systems.
Ryan understood that the Lady of the Lake's concerns were not without reason. Although the serf redemption system could allow nobles to receive significant compensation in the short term, it essentially tipped the scales in favor of the serfs, essentially seizing the assets of the knightly nobles.
Many of the knightly nobles were not truly foolish; they could see this.
However, Ryan also had his own considerations and advantages.
First, Ryan's reputation in the kingdom and even the Old World had reached its peak. Over the years, he had acted like a firefighter, helping the entire kingdom resolve internal and external crises. He was the kingdom's hero, and his immense prestige made it difficult for the dukes to openly oppose his decisions.
Second, as mentioned before, like the Empire, the Knight Kingdom was facing immense external pressure. The benefits of slaying Egil Red-Eye had long passed. From this year onwards, the northern coastal regions of Couronne, Le Angoulême, and Lionesse had begun to experience sporadic invasions by Norscan longships, and the frequency of these invasions was increasing.
In such circumstances, both the serfs and the nobles would be willing to make concessions. In this world, the most important thing is survival.
Lastly, there was the matter of the dwarven waterworks and the promotion of new farming tools. Over the past few years, Belegar and his Angrund clan had undertaken nearly all the waterworks projects and the promotion of new dwarven farming tools throughout Bretonnia. To put it simply, not as many serfs were needed in the fields anymore.
Thus, the calculation of the redemption amount would be crucial. If the amount was too high, the nobles would be willing, but the policy would have little impact because the serfs couldn't afford it. If the amount was too low, the nobles would refuse to comply.
The Lady of the Lake entered the bedroom. In late October, the climate of her high tower was gradually being enveloped by cold air. Today, the goddess was dressed in a simple yet noble manner, exuding an ethereal aura. She walked around the room in her milky white strappy high heels, furrowing her beautiful golden eyebrows as she tapped Ryan's forehead with her finger. "The serfs' redemption price must not be too low, or even I won't be able to help you."
"Exactly, Ryan. You must understand, the divine belongs to the divine, and the mortal belongs to the mortal," the Lake Witch Morgiana also said. "If this measure is met with collective opposition from all the dukes, even the Lady's divine decree won't be able to help you."
"The redemption price definitely cannot be too low." Ryan thought carefully before speaking. "My suggestion is that, first, it should not be achievable through just one or two years of effort. Second, the economic levels of different duchies vary, so there cannot be a uniform standard. In my territory, redeeming a serf's household registration should cost fifteen gold crowns for an individual, and if it includes the entire immediate family—parents, spouse, and children—then it should be fifty gold crowns per household. What do you think of this price?"
The Lady of the Lake considered this carefully before nodding. "If that's the price, it should be acceptable. Most of the serfs in your territory are relatively well-off; some people can afford this amount."
"Then, let's start with a pilot program in my territory and the Duchy of Winford, without rolling it out nationwide just yet." Seeing that the Lady of the Lake agreed, Ryan sighed in relief and continued. "My territory and François' territory are the most prosperous regions in the kingdom, followed by Bordeleaux. If everything goes well, we can then promote it nationwide."
"It seems you've thought this through very well, my champion." The Lady of the Lake nodded approvingly. She gracefully moved to the window, gazing through the mist-shrouded distance beyond the tower. "I just want to remind you not to let the serfs think they can easily gain their freedom, nor let the knightly nobles feel that even if the serfs become freemen, they can still be exploited. You need to strike a balance here, and don't lose control like your Sun Knight almost did with his subordinates."
"Yes, indeed." Morgiana, who completely followed the Lady of the Lake's will, agreed.
Morgiana was referring to an incident that occurred while Ryan was away in Mousillon, in the Barony of Biocari under Baron Juan Carlos.
After becoming a baron, Juan naturally began to govern his territory. He invested all the spoils of war and rewards Ryan had given him into his territory, and, like Ryan, he recruited serfs to form infantry regiments. He also used his remarkable diplomatic skills to persuade the Wood Elves to join the war.
In the early days, things were tough. Mousillon was newly established, and Juan's territory had severe security issues. The persistent remnants of the vampire army, the Skaven under the Orphan Hills, and the Beastmen tribes in the Arden Forest frequently appeared. Even Biocari Castle, Juan's seat of power, couldn't completely escape the flames of war. Juan constantly launched security operations. Seeing how hard his serf infantry were working, he decided to improve their welfare, providing not only food and shelter but also extra pay.
However, Juan's goodwill did not earn the serfs' gratitude. On the contrary, the serf soldiers became lazy, unwilling to fight. After enjoying the benefits and extra pay in the barracks, they lost interest in battle and even dragged their feet when forced onto the battlefield.
Juan quickly noticed this problem. He realized that the high pay was causing the soldiers to slack off, leading to a decline in combat effectiveness. The young baron decisively ordered the disbandment of the current infantry regiment, which almost led to a mutiny. If the Wood Elves hadn't helped Juan suppress it, he might have been trapped in a tavern.
It was then that Juan realized why Ryan strictly controlled the welfare and pay of his serf infantry. The weekly pay of a few copper coins was just enough for each soldier to afford one drink at the bar on their day off.
Want to make more money? Want to rise in rank? Want to be able to go to the bar more often and improve your life?
Fight hard!
The situation was eventually resolved when Morgiana intervened, hanging over a dozen serfs. It was an outcome that neither Morgiana nor Juan and the people of Mousillon wanted to see, resulting in a lose-lose-lose situation. When Juan tried to recruit a new army, the serfs in his territory were no longer willing to trust the baron's sincerity or accept the cancellation of benefits, with rumors spreading that Juan, the baron from another land, was simply not up to the task.
When Ryan heard about this, he merely smiled. It was a growing pain, and he hoped Juan would learn from the experience.
"I understand, my Lady." Ryan stood up and joined the Lady of the Lake, gazing out at the mist beyond the tower. "I'm well aware. A brother of mine once said that any great reward, if it can be obtained without challenge, is meaningless."
"Very good." The Lady of the Lake took Ryan's arm. She opened her mouth slightly but then realized she had nothing left to teach him.
That was fine, too. He was growing quickly. When she first met Ryan, he was just a young knight in need of her help. Now, he had grown into a towering tree, supporting the entire kingdom and capable of protecting her.
The Lady of the Lake let her golden hair, which reached her ankles, fall to the ground. She pulled Ryan to sit by the fireplace on the sofa chair, and the two of them chatted by the fire. They discussed the details while Morgiana retired to rest after a while.
Ryan explained his thoughts to the Lady of the Lake. He believed that overly generous welfare benefits were detrimental to society.
Of course, Ryan didn't mean that people shouldn't have benefits. He wouldn't spout nonsense like "996 is a blessing from a past life, and if you're not working 996, you're
not my brother," which is a blatant capitalist intimidation and coercion against workers. Using terms like "passion," "blessing," "striving," and "social responsibility" to mask their ugly motives is just a way to mislead and deceive.
Ryan's point was that overly generous social welfare would have an extremely negative impact on people's work enthusiasm and labor efficiency.
For example, in a certain famous ancient country in his previous life.
How good were the benefits in that country?
Free healthcare, free education, fourteen months of salary per year, one month of paid vacation annually, and pension starting at age 40.
The result? No one worked hard anymore. Everyone was busy enjoying the benefits. After all, whether you worked hard or not, the treatment was the same, so why bother working hard?
Debt crisis, economic collapse.
People are inherently lazy.
Speaking of this, Ryan asked the Lady of the Lake, "Lilith, is it the same in Ulthuan? Do people enjoy high welfare and high income? Is there no distinction between nobles and commoners?"
"Why? Ryan, my champion, are you thinking of visiting Ulthuan?" The Lady of the Lake smiled brightly. She thoroughly enjoyed this time alone with Ryan. Hearing his question, she playfully swung her black-stockinged legs and held Ryan's hand, lightly tapping his palm with her delicate fingers. "The society of the High Elves is not something humans can emulate, Ryan."
"If I had the chance to visit Ulthuan, why not?" Ryan said with great interest. "It's said that the capital of the High Elves, Lothern, is the most magnificent and greatest city in the world, where the Phoenix Court and the Asurya Temple are built."
"Nobles and commoners? You're overthinking it. The High Elves care more about bloodlines and family lineage than any other race. To the High Elves, bloodline is everything. Lothern now has more outsiders than locals… The Asurya Temple is built on a small island outside Lothern, not within the city itself." The Lady of the Lake thought for a moment and shook her head repeatedly. "But I can assure you, Asurya won't welcome you. He won't even let you into his temple, and he might even have Captain Kadroin of the Phoenix Guard expel you."
"Why?" Ryan was puzzled.
"Your current power already threatens him, and Asurya certainly won't like you. He only allows those he favors to enter his temple to see the series of murals and prophetic scrolls he has left behind." The Lady of the Lake seemed to harbor deep resentment towards Asurya. "You yearn for change, to prevent tragedies and destruction, while Asurya believes that the fate of the world is already predetermined. He hates anyone trying to interfere with the predetermined path. Do you understand?"
"So, just sit and wait to die?" Ryan, after hearing the Lady of the Lake's words, recalled the actions of this High Elf god of heaven and was left speechless.
"Asurya believes that everything in the world, from birth to destruction, has its predetermined laws, and the gods should not interfere," the Lady of the Lake nodded. "Asurya has already prophesied that the Chaos Gods will destroy all of creation, that the End Times will bring the world to an end. Ten thousand years ago, he carved the entire history of the Elves into murals, even including Malekith's betrayal. However, all High Elves who have seen these murals and prophetic scrolls must swear to serve Asurya for life and remain silent. It's more like a curse because no Elf can escape it. They become Phoenix Guards, guarding Asurya's temple for life."
"Indeed, we can only rely on ourselves," Ryan nodded, understanding the Lady of the Lake's meaning.
"If you only want to visit Lothern for sightseeing, that's fine. But if you hope to be welcomed, respected, and discuss ways to fight Chaos together, don't even think about it." The Lady of the Lake coldly told Ryan a harsh truth. "Your proud achievements mean nothing to the High Elves. Warlord Tyrion won't listen to you—not a single word. You can forget about meeting Alarielle. 'Lowly' humans will never set foot in Avelorn, the palace of the Everqueen, unless by invasion. The Cold One, Eltharion, and Prince Imrik of Caledor won't listen to you either. Rather than focusing on the High Elves, you might as well hope your Dark Elf maid can command the Pale Queen's undead army and elite executioners."
"Hahaha!" Ryan couldn't help but laugh. "I understand, Lilith, I was overthinking it."
"If Asurya were willing to listen to me, many tragedies wouldn't have happened. If the Elven gods could set aside their pride and prejudice and unite, the mortal world would at least have a better chance. But I've been disappointed time and again, which is why I eventually came to Bretonnia. From the Moon Goddess Lilith, I became the Lady of the Lake for the sake of the New World Plan." The Lady of the Lake sighed. "Now, with your and your father's arrival, the New World Plan has burst like a bubble, just like a beautiful dream."
"Escaping won't solve the problem, Lilith." Ryan gripped the armrest of the sofa, staring at the flames in the fireplace. "What do you plan to do next? Do you need my support?"
"I don't have a plan yet, but I have an idea." The Lady of the Lake gently adjusted her skirt, kicked off her strappy high heels, and curled up on the sofa chair, hugging her knees. "Ryan, you will fully support me, won't you?"
"Tell me your idea first," Ryan teased. "Otherwise, I can't help but feel a bit uneasy, my Lady. You always have lots of ideas."
"I'm thinking, maybe we can find a way to steal Asurya's divine fire!" The Lady of the Lake's beautiful oval face revealed a hint of mischief. "Since Asurya doesn't want to act, doesn't want to give his all, then we'll figure out how to replace him!"
"Ryan, you and I will create a new Asurya!"
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