1st Month, 286 AC. Summer.
Harrenhal, Greenhand Manor.
The only major event of 285 AC was Renly's investiture as Lord of Storm's End in the seventh month; everything else was trivial, making it a fairly unremarkable year.
Inside the manor, the greenery was lush and vibrant.
The world of Ice and Fire was a classic chaotic era, where a single season could last for years.
Months and years marked the passage of time, but they had no correlation to the predictable seasonal changes of a normal world.
Looking down from the sky at "Greenhand Manor," its area had expanded yet again, now enclosed by grey stone walls dotted with watchtowers and arrow slits.
The golden banner with the black bat flew from the manor's stone walls, signifying it as a direct holding of House Whent.
Such manors were common; for instance, in the opening of the original story, Eddard Stark executed the Night's Watch deserter at a similar holdfast.
In addition to the previous flagship crop of "sweet corn," many plots within the manor had now been switched to growing carrots.
Within "Greenhand Manor," Arthur possessed the ambition to shape everything.
The "Carefree Cottage" built on the small hill served as the central hub, surrounded by the initial renovations: warehouses, stables, irrigation canals, and four small lakes.
Arthur had also added a kitchen, a small quarry, and a small lumber yard within the manor.
Plus a stone mill and a water mill, along with a row of cottages on the outskirts for farmers or soldiers to rest.
The stables had been expanded, now including kennels and a mews for hawks.
"Long live Young Master Arthur!"
"Long live Young Master Arthur!"
The tenant farmers working the outer fields of Greenhand Manor labored with the joy of a bountiful harvest.
Greenhand Manor was developing exceptionally well, thanks to fertile soil and abundant water.
But even more so, it was due to Arthur's miraculous "Greenhand" power.
Most "supernatural professions" were like this, specializing in different areas.
Some focused on the spirit, dreams, and prophecy.
Like greenseers, dragon dreamers, skinchangers, and the Warlocks of the Undying.
Some focused on the elements.
Valyrian pyromancers, Rhoynar water wizards, and the White Walkers and the Night King could be considered a type of ice sorcerer.
Arthur speculated that the "Faceless Men" were likely related to ice magic as well.
After all, the House of Black and White contained massive corpse vaults and face repositories, and Braavos was essentially the northernmost of the Free Cities.
Other sorcerers focused on necromancy and charm.
In terms of comfort and defense, Greenhand Manor was impeccable.
Arthur's only concern was potential magical forces, especially the Old Gods.
Faith in the Old Gods was now mostly confined to the North, the Vale, and House Blackwood in the Riverlands.
But previously, the power of the Old Gods had spanned the entire Seven Kingdoms.
The Storm Kings, the Kings of the Reach, and the River Kings all had records of recruiting greenseers, Children of the Forest, and witches to fight against the Andals.
But the Andal tide eventually washed over most of Westeros; those Andal knights and septons painted the Seven-Pointed Star on their faces and shields, fearless of death in their religious fervor.
According to Arthur's research, the "Remnants of the Old Gods" in the Riverlands were mainly located at Raventree Hall, the Ghost of High Heart, and the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye.
In the near future, he might encounter followers of the Old Gods.
The stones of Greenhand Manor were different from those of Storm's End; the stones of Storm's End and the Wall were imbued with magical wards.
Although Arthur had the ability of a "Greenhand," others did not.
Besides recruiting brave warriors, he needed a specialized Defense Against the Dark Arts team.
Compared to the bustling outer perimeter of Greenhand Manor, the small hill where Carefree Cottage stood was a very secluded, quiet place in the inner circle.
Arthur's "experimental fields" were primarily located here.
Arthur and Ser Lucas Dayne sat at a long table, while Roote and Wode sparred outside.
On the desk in Carefree Cottage lay two plates of enhanced crops.
The first plate held delicious sweet corn; the second held beautiful carrots.
These two plates sat there, so simple, yet so heavy with implication.
Such premium crops were like cash cows, capable of generating a steady stream of gold dragons.
Sweet corn, carrots, plus the hopefully resurgent dairy and wine industries of Whitewalls.
The economic potential of the Gods Eye region would be thoroughly excavated.
The only fly in the ointment was the lack of a sea port, which was a significant flaw.
"These cash crops are more profitable than grain. For pure grain production, House Rowan is the best, and they've already hit the ceiling," Ser Lucas said, looking at the table.
Westeros did not lack for large-scale grain producers.
The Reach and the Riverlands were particularly famous for it.
House Rowan of the Reach was the most famous farming magnate in the Seven Kingdoms.
Relying on vast grain-producing lands in the northern Reach, they held the status of one of the four great vassals of the Reach.
Arthur was using House Rowan as a reference.
Another was Volantis in Essos; Volantis also had fertile land, and one of their pillar industries was sugar beets.
The fief of Harrenhal was fertile, and the unit price of the cash crops Arthur produced would be higher.
Carrots were very popular among Westerosi people and could occasionally be used as horse feed.
A classic example was Jon Arryn; despite his age, he had been a model Knight of the Vale in his youth.
Old Arryn knew horses well and never overworked them.
He always brought apples and carrots for his horses, and the horses loved him for it.
"Let me taste it again." Ser Lucas picked up a carrot and chewed it; the flavor was indeed excellent.
Such carrots surpassed ordinary ones in size, juiciness, and sweetness.
"With this quality, selling them won't be a problem. They could even surpass the rose fields of Highgarden or the valley fruits of the Vale," Ser Lucas said seriously.
Arthur nodded. "Our biggest market right now is still King's Landing; the sales volume in those scattered ports and castles is too small."
Besides external sales, some were used entirely for building relationships.
If corn and carrots weren't so hard to preserve over long distances, Arthur could have sent some fresh ones to Starfall.
Ser Lucas nodded slightly, looking at the map tapestry of Westeros on the stone wall.
The Riverlands had many prosperous towns and small ports.
Lord Harroway's Town, the Fairmarket, Harrentown, Gods Eye Town, Saltpans, Seagard, Maidenpool.
But none of these places were truly top-tier, let alone cities.
"If both production and sales volume increase, then we can use the line of ports along the Trident's mouth on the Crackclaw Point side." Arthur looked at the winding coastline shaped like a bull's horn carved out by Crackclaw Point and the Vale.
Maidenpool, Saltpans, Lord Harroway's Town—this was a line of ports. Although the quality wasn't as high as King's Landing, it was safer.
Getting rich overnight was difficult for an ordinary lord, but Arthur's Greenhand power was slowly improving, and he would possess more resources.
Arthur looked at his Greenhand panel, a translucent metallic interface only he could see.
He was now considered a novice Greenhand.
[Name: Arthur Whent]
[Class: Greenhand, Lord, Warrior]
[Titles: Heir to Harrenhal, Earl of Whitewalls]
[Bloodline: Andal, First Men (Weak), Dragonblood (Weak).]
[Collection: None]
[Skills]
Greenhand Class:
[Thriving Growth: Novice. Unlock Range: 3m x 3m.]
[Youthful Vitality: Novice. Unlock Age: 11. (Vitality is the source fire of life, enhancing the Greenhand's strength, speed, stamina, perception, and recovery)]
[Seed Vault: Novice. Unlocked Seeds: Sweet Corn, Carrot.]
Lord Class:
[Way of the Lord: Novice. Unlocked: Languages, Etiquette, Mathematics, History, Music.]
Warrior Class:
[Weapon Master: Intermediate. Unlocked: Swordsmanship, Spearmanship, Hammer/Axe, Archery.]
Life Class:
[Animal Companion: Novice. Unlocked: Horsemanship, Hounds, Falcons.]
As long as he kept unlocking seeds and increasing his power, Arthur's cash flow and combat prowess would be limitless.
Especially the "Vitality" buff, which perfectly enhanced his physical constitution.
Previously, the most famous prodigies in the Seven Kingdoms were Maegor the Cruel, Daemon Blackfyre, and the Bloodraven.
They all achieved fame at a young age.
And now, Arthur also possessed the makings of a warrior.