RPAGF Chapter 54 The Twin Crown City
Chapter 54 The Twin Crown City
Chapter 54 The Twin Crown City
Using magic to force crops to ripen can cause soil brittleness.
It resembles compacted soil, but is more severe, and is presented with a visual effect that is half sand and half glass.
Brittle soil requires a lot of time to maintain in order to restore its depleted vitality.
The Forest Spirits, who resonate with the elements of plants, only possess the talent to minimize the damage to the land caused by "helping seedlings grow".
During the Gray Star era, mages dedicated to solving the problems of famine and food have been researching how to increase production through magic.
Even in the era when magicians were researching the path to godhood, no one had yet solved the related problems, which speaks volumes about the difficulty involved.
The appearance of the potato-corn hybrid was enough to send chills down the spines of farmers and magicians in the Gray Star era.
What does it mean to achieve two harvests a year and a dramatic increase in yield per acre without the need for magical ripening methods?
What does it mean to say that you don't need composting or soil conditioning, and you can have a bumper harvest just by throwing in the seeds, watering normally, and preventing pests?
They seem to draw nourishment directly from magic, enough to cover the entire mountainside with a single breath.
Potatoes and corn were first discovered by farmers in the wild in the year 237 of the Black Fog Calendar.
The impressive figures shocked the entire Nora leadership.
No one wanted to believe it, let alone dared to promote its cultivation, fearing that it was a poisonous gift from the depths of the black fog.
It wasn't until 277, after repeated planting and verification, that it began to be promoted on a large scale.
Now, 374 years later, potatoes and corn have replaced the original staple foods of various ethnic groups, accounting for more than 7% of the Nora people's meals.
For 100 years, before the Black Mist mutation, Nora was peaceful and there were no years of famine or turmoil, all thanks to the blessings of potatoes and corn.
Single-handedly, they created a scene unimaginable even in the Gray Star era: a world free from famine, allowing the remaining Nora to maintain a high population index and preventing them from being wiped out by the pressure of the Black Mist.
Compared to the fabricated and nonsensical gods of tacky religions, potatoes and corn are the true deities.
Coralina spoke with a testing tone: "At some point very close to 277 years ago, can you recall?"
"283, I think. The [Limited Learning of High-Level Magic Act] was enacted that year." Nan An asked疑惑地, "Is there a connection between the two?"
Clara pushed the windows open wide in one go, letting the refreshing summer breeze rush into the carriage, making the curtains flutter and highlighting her flushed face.
"Didn't Elru's onboarding manual tell you that Nora only won against the Black Mist once and a half?"
Nan An honestly replied, "It's true, it wasn't written down."
Corella put the orange peel in her mouth and used the astringent taste to dispel the dizziness in her head—the aftereffects of the chestnut wine were starting to kick in.
"The only time we won was probably in 282."
"Probably?" Nan'an and Suiyue asked in unison.
"Related information was strictly controlled. Even people at the time only knew that starting in early 281, Angze and Solitz mobilized a large number of elite troops. At the end of 282, they suddenly announced a historic victory against the Black Mist invasion—and indeed, since then, the Black Mist has mutated, and the ever-shrinking darkness has remained dormant for nearly a century." Coralina smacked her lips. "As for whether this was directly related to the victory back then, we don't know."
Suiyue asked, puzzled, "What does this have to do with golden sprouts and gray beans?"
Corella emphasized, "The defense of Gransor Fortress was fought with the remnants of the Gray Star era. You should know that, right?"
Following the crushing defeat, there was a prevailing pessimistic sentiment that people should have enjoyed themselves while they could.
"Although Nora's leaders hate the Black Mist, resistance requires food. If they weren't well-fed, Nora would have been in chaos long ago, and there would be no need for the Black Mist; the existing races would have eliminated each other on their own."
"At that turbulent time, the appearance of the Golden Sprout Gray Bean prevented Nora from descending into complete chaos."
As she spoke, Coralina lowered her voice, "What a coincidence, isn't it?"
"The year the crop was discovered was also the year Gransor fell, as if the gods, unwilling to see their children perish, bestowed this hope upon them."
"The massive increase in production led to the first major victory in the war that followed, and the situation has not deteriorated since. This is truly a divine sign."
Nan An rubbed his temples: "Don't tell me there really are sects that worship these two crops?"
Clara snapped her fingers lightly: "Brilliant. My tone just now was that of the Dawn Church and some other religions in their missionary style."
"They like to use two crops as a starting point to reveal that everything we endure is a test from the gods. They tell you that while the gods bestow trials, they also give humanity hope. He appreciates the courage of humanity's struggle; as long as hope is not given up, on the day the black fog dissipates, one can be transformed into a pure person in the eyes of the gods," and travel to the blessed land of eternity to enjoy the bliss that the black fog brought, a bliss three times more painful than the previous experience."
"Triple bliss, and three cups of chicken too?" Nan An didn't care whether the other two could understand him or not, and spoke his mind: "Then such a god should just die. If I have the ability, I will definitely cut off his head and hang it in the church."
Corella continued pouring wine into her glass, but Nanan stopped her.
She was already slightly tipsy but didn't realize it, and Nan'an didn't want her to pester Suiyue and cause a drunken scene later.
"I guessed you weren't religious, so I'm giving you this heads-up," Coralina said, still sucking on an orange peel. "Once you reach the Double Crown level, don't casually debate religious matters with strange people, okay? Be careful, those you've offended might use it against you."
We set off from Keren in the morning, and around noon the next day, a huge river came into view in Nan'an, reflecting the shimmering sunlight.
It winds its way out from the mountains and stretches across the plain in front, its waters gentle yet vast.
On both sides of the river are large areas of carefully cultivated farmland, with crisscrossing paths connecting the fields and villages.
The gray-white stone and wooden houses are arranged in an orderly manner, and there is often a large, eye-catching building in the center of the village used for grain storage or gatherings.
Along the riverbank and both sides of the main road, rows of low-rise workshops begin to appear, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys; most of them are located near the market.
"Oh, we can see the Twin Crown River, we're almost there." Coralina also came over for a look, and seeing Nan'an Suiyue's bewildered look as if she were a country bumpkin in the city, she couldn't help but laugh, "This is only the outskirts of Twin Crown City."
Suiyue asked, puzzled, "But I feel like the Pegasus's altitude is decreasing."
"No-fly zone! Unless the Senate grants permission, flying mounts cannot reach Twin Crowns directly. We'll have to switch to land travel in this area."
Solize and Onze, as Nora's only two kingdoms, have bloated, massive, and bustling capitals.
The sense of urgency created by the black fog has forced all those who seek security over the past 100 years to desperately settle in the areas where elites and talents from both countries congregate.
Looking down from the air, the rows of houses in Nan'an begin to show some modern features as the altitude decreases.
The stone houses below them were about 10 stories high.
In the Gray Star era, high-rise buildings were mostly represented by towers. In an era of surplus land and insufficient settlers, it was hard to imagine that high-rise buildings would be needed to support a population explosion.
Coralela couldn't say for sure how many people were in the Twin Crowns; the statistics were only in the hands of the Senate and some scholars.
From as far back as she can remember, Shuangmian was a prime piece of real estate, where every inch of land was incredibly valuable.
A hundred years ago, those who entered the Black Mist and distinguished themselves in the fight against the gods and demons were granted titles and fiefdoms. At that time, there was still a lot of fertile land near Twin Crown City that could be granted fiefdoms.
Currently, the fiefdoms can no longer be chosen around the Twin Crowns unless they are willing to wait for the families holding the lands to be expelled.
Of course, if the merit is great, some valuable lands that have been sealed by the Senate will be unsealed and granted with the highest honors—at least Corella has not yet seen anyone do this.
"What counts as a great achievement?" Suiyue asked.
"At least we should be like the Windgrass Adventurers of yesteryear, making a major discovery in the black fog."
Nan An thought for a moment and concluded that, given Erlu's status, it would probably be possible to capture a god or demon that was similar to or even more useful than cat food, without having to pay too high a price.
Looking down at the bustling scene below, and considering that this wasn't even the Twin Crown City, he couldn't help but admire Pirion's abilities.
Behind Rostarek, a megacity with a population of over a million was built, and its internal affairs were well managed, ensuring a stable livelihood.
Suddenly, Coralina suggested, "How about I be your guide and we get off the bus and take a look around?"
On his first visit to Shuangmian, Nan'an was inevitably tempted by the proposal.
"Aren't you going with them?" He pointed to the carriage following closely behind.
Coralina said seriously, "We're all home now. Here, we're all good kids."
That's true. If you act recklessly here and get caught by your parents, you never know what kind of Chinese horror story might unfold.
Not far from the Shuangmian River, in a specially designated open area, Pegasus pulled carriages to the ground one after another.
Just as Coralina waved goodbye to her companions, two Pegasus horses took off on their own from Southampton.
"Don't worry, they know the beans here aren't good, so they've returned to El Deer Estate first."
The quality of El Deer's logistical support is something even monsters can deeply appreciate.
Suiyue suddenly realized something: "Why are you being so attentive all of a sudden? Could you be trying to harm us?"
Before Suiyue could correct "harm" to "teasing," Coralina was already getting impatient.
"You are the Elu, and if I do this, my family should be regarded as a colluder and expelled from the Senate. Those who are queuing up for double crown fiefdoms will be laughing their heads off."
"You actually have a fiefdom?" Nan'an was somewhat surprised. "I thought it was just a small manor."
Clara grinned: "Good luck to our ancestors~~"
It can be said that Coralela's ancestors made a good investment back then, accidentally buying a small piece of land in Shuangmian before the relocation of the capital caused by the black fog was finalized.
Although Corella's family is declining in fortunes, as a legitimate noble family that has paid the blood tax, they can still enjoy this blessing in a leisurely manner.
It's unknown how the ancestors of the Corella family viewed this disgraceful descendant.
As she strolled along the main path leading to the market, she asked, "What would you like to know?"
Nan'an blurted out: "The black market."
"Tsk, it's broad daylight now, it'd be better to wait until tonight—by the way, come find me tonight."
Nanan's intuition told him that Corella wanted to use them for something, but he readily agreed nonetheless.
He glanced at Suiyue: "Then take us to get some Golden Sprout snacks."
The market in Shuangmian Village gave me the feeling of visiting large markets and streets when I was a child in Nan'an. The crowds were huge, and the vendors on both sides of the road were lined up one after another. The place was noisy and bustling.
In the Gray Star era, most of the most common animal fats had become expensive and rare items that could only be seen on the tables of the nobility.
Today, Nora's oil refining mainly focuses on corn oil and soybean oil.
Street vendors selling deep-fried snacks are very generous with their oil; the oil is bright and clear, clearly fresh.
With corn becoming a staple food, corn-related snacks inevitably include "Golden Sprout Dumplings"—which are essentially popcorn.
One serving of boiled corn and one serving of popcorn, totaling 5 copper kroner.
Considering that a workshop worker's daily wage is around 45 copper kels, the price is considered cheap and reasonable.
Faced with the stall owner's urging gaze as he waited to pay, Nan'an looked at Corella.
"You don't even have four copper kel?"
"If there is any, you should be the one paying." Nan'an whispered in his ear, "I saw you take two bottles of chestnut wine from the carriage."
There were two bottles of chestnut peach on the bus, and Coralina also had one of those two bottles, so Nan'an didn't say anything at the time.
""
Feeling guilty, Coralina quickly paid the bill, her fingers constantly rubbing her cheek: "To be honest—I was planning to sell the bottle that was still full, and the half-full one we drank was for my family to try."
Nan'an wasn't interested in questioning the authenticity of the information for the time being; as long as Corella obediently acted as his wallet, he didn't care.
The boiled corn was soft, sticky, and slightly fragrant, with a sweet aftertaste, similar to what I had before crossing over to Nan'an.
It's hard to make popcorn taste bad.
Corn kernels fried in corn oil and drizzled with corn syrup—a high-sugar, high-calorie product where corn offers up all its best qualities. Holding it in your hand and taking a big bite, your happiness and blood sugar soar together.
Although the world is different, the idea that sweetness can bring happiness is universal.
Suiyue was eating popcorn, her eyes were practically closed.
Having lived like a wild woman since leaving Dawn, she had long missed the taste of popcorn.
Nan'an saw the combination of JK uniforms and over-the-knee socks again, only the style was slightly different from Lei Huo's—they were white stockings.
"Are those people from the academy too?"
Clara looked in the direction Nan'an was pointing: "Those are students from Hexing Academy. They are very famous for their restorative alchemy, puppet magic circle inscription, and extraction of medicinal properties from potion residue."
"I mean their clothing style, this JK—um, this uniform, is it standard at all the academies in Shuangmian?"
Coralla nodded: "Not only Solitz, but Onze is the same way — you seem to have never seen it before, even though it was popular during the Gray Star era."
Nan'an understood; ever since the JK uniform appeared, it had been labeled as a school uniform.
I initially thought it was an isolated case among a few academies, but it turns out that all existing magic academies are like this, and they directly define it as "academic style".
In a sense, it wasn't wrong to define it.
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