"Really, there's no problem. Sophia came out very quickly." Seeing Sophia emerge, Ed hurriedly asked:
"Sofia, what does Gisela want with you?"
"My lord, it's nothing. My teacher just needs me to prepare some things."
Sophia's words put Ed at ease. He didn't know what to do if something went wrong, and he had never had a child, so he couldn't really help.
Ed returned to the castle, for the recent cries of a newborn baby had told him that a new life had been born.
This seems to foreshadow a new beginning for the territory.
On the long table in the castle hall, Ed took out his "First Three-Year Plan for Grey Castle Territory." He had been there for almost two years and now he wanted to perfect it.
"With increased land productivity and land reclamation, food has been largely resolved; the main problem now is manpower shortage. The most important task is to increase the population, but waiting for the children in the territory to grow up is too slow. It would be best to buy some slaves, which would make management easier."
However, this also brought Ed some troubles. Buying slaves required too much food, and iron ore was too far away to transport. He also didn't know if those people would like gloves.
The territory still has no resources! There's no salt, only iron, but iron is too difficult for them to transport right now. What can they do?
There's nothing we can do but take it one step at a time.
"Adelaide, do you have any more honey flower tea?" Ed asked, noticing the cup Adelaide hadn't put down.
"Master, this is the last pot; there's no more honey." Adelaide seemed full of regret.
"Adelaide, I remember there was still some honey left after the exchange, but I didn't drink much of it before it was gone?"
"Ah! Master, there's not much. You're away every day, and I was afraid it would spoil, so I brewed a little bit every day, just in case you want to drink it when you come back!"
Ed did not object to Adelaide's words.
"Hmm, pour me a glass!" he said, handing the glass to Adelaide and watching the glass as Adelaide did.
Adelaide took the cup and placed it on the table. She then picked up the teapot next to her, but there wasn't much left in it. The teapot was dripping slowly, looking just like an old object that had been used for decades.
Ed shuddered as he looked at the spout of the teapot.
"Alright, alright, Adelaide, don't fall down." Ed looked uncomfortable.
"Yes, Master," Adelaide handed Ed half a glass of water.
After drinking half a glass of water that didn't quite satisfy him, Ed continued with his "First Three-Year Plan for Greyhold."
We need to build more and better ships to explore more distant lakes. Our current territory has too few resources, hindering development. Population and resources are key issues to address going forward.
Writing about resources reminded Ed of that gypsum mine. He wondered how it was doing now. Andrew and the others had been there for a while.
Gypsum mines are still very important to the territory, and cement is an excellent building material that can make the territory's future defenses more robust.
And I can rebuild the castle myself. The current earthen castle is too poor. I will build a beautiful and sturdy one in the future.
I need to come up with a really cool name. What should I call it? 'Dracula's Castle'? No way, that sounds like I'm some kind of immortal monster. 'Windsor Castle'? Not bad, but I wonder if the old lady will even want to chat with me.
Ed fantasized in his mind:
"If you really want to have tea with me, then we can only meet again in 'What? I actually died in Great Britain'."