Chapter 002: A Letter from Afar
Once again, the familiar startup animation appears, and after a brief moment, the system finally loads successfully
Wait a moment
Come in
Perhaps it is better not to use it... Just prepare some more white bread... Forget it, I will personally go to the kitchen and take a look later
The noble lord has truly endured great hardships... At the tender age of seventeen or eighteen, he must shoulder the heavy responsibility of governing a territory... Old Fort suddenly felt a surge of emotion: "Shabi, instruct the kitchen to prepare extra servings of black pudding for the lord tonight; he must be well-nourished to restore his health"
Bruno's smile suddenly became stiff.
In the memories of the original body, the Regency Council of the Norman Empire can be regarded as the highest authority of the Norman Empire. Especially during times when the royal family was weak, the Regency Council, composed of five great nobles, could be said to hold absolute power.
As Bruno focused his consciousness on the task entry, a flash of golden light appeared, and a substantial introduction regarding the Hanging Gardens of Babylon emerged, imbued with the essence of Baidu Baike.
What should we say? Bruno asked with a smile
Bruno wanted to curse, feeling as if ten thousand alpacas were galloping through his mind
Bruno's father, Adam Stuart, was once a general of the Empire. He later distinguished himself in suppressing the rebellion in the province of Exeter, and was subsequently granted the title of hereditary Earl of Idar City by the Regency Council.
Old butler Ford can be considered one of the elders in the castle. In his early years, he was the personal servant of Bruno's father, accompanying him everywhere.
"My Lord Count, this is a letter from the Regency Council"
Starting off at hellish difficulty level
Population ... ... What does it mean? '' Old Ford is a bit confused
He felt a shift in his thoughts, and the familiar words once again emerged in Bruno's field of vision
As you wish, esteemed Count. Old Fort seemed to be in deep thought
Bruno got up and opened the door, seeing the old butler Ford standing hunched over at the door, followed by his personal servant Shabi.
Bruno received the letter, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion. The Regency Council seemed too distant for small nobles like them who resided in the peripheral regions, and they had hardly ever had any dealings with it. Yet, he was uncertain whether this sudden letter was a good or bad omen
The old butler Ford accompanied Bruno's father to the battlefield, where he defeated enemy chieftains, and can be said to be the person whom Bruno trusts and relies on the most today
"Yes, I understand," Shabir quickly replied
How can this be allowed, how can you go to the place where the servants stay
Glancing over the attribute panel on the left, Bruno eagerly reread the task regarding the construction of the sky garden
Archbishop Melchior dreams of entering the divine realm, reflecting on the teachings of the deities... Bruno read each word carefully, "Recruiting ten thousand civilians to construct the divine statue, in gratitude for the grace of the deities, to redeem sins..."
Since Bruno first opened the Wonder Construction System until now, every time he sees this task, he feels a faint sense of sadness
Bruno believes that his thoughts still hold some validity
Bruno exited the system interface, glancing at the two individuals who were whispering to each other.
But what is the use of this?" Old Ford asked in confusion
"Is it permissible to conscript serfs? If we forcibly recruit civilians, it seems we will have to resort to using private soldiers from our families," Old Fort said in a deep voice
The old butler Ford suddenly noticed Bruno's gaze becoming somewhat distracted, so he waved his hand and called softly.
For example, let's take this recruitment of the common people. If we have all the information about the civilians at our disposal, we can directly conduct a preliminary screening using our records, first eliminating those idle troublemakers and rascals. Similarly, talented individuals in various fields can also be roughly identified through the census. In short, although it may seem somewhat troublesome at present, it will prove to be of great use in the future
The census involves registering all civilians and serfs residing in Idar City, requiring not only names and ages but also a clear record of their occupations, addresses, relatives, and other relevant information
The elderly butler, who has passed the age of fifty, presented a letter.
So, is this actually an open-ended proposition
From the emergence of the first life forms underwater to the giant beasts of the Stone Age
Most people have at least some understanding of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, which is hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This miracle, whose very existence is still a matter of debate, truly leaves Bruno at a loss for how to approach it
The wax seal bears the double-headed eagle emblem exclusive to the Regency Council, surrounded by an aura of magic. This is a means specifically employed in this world to ensure the confidentiality of correspondence
Bruno seemed to have suddenly thought of something
As Bruno read the letter, the old butler Ford and the personal servant Shabi naturally stepped back to the door, waiting for the orders of the Count.
The Regency Council is to recruit tens of thousands of laborers nationwide to construct the statue, and even our earldom is required to provide fifty commoners of the Faith Church
Commoners differ from serfs in their personal dependency relationships; they are free individuals who possess their own land and are required to pay only a portion of their taxes to the lord each year
What kind of joke is this in ... ... ? ! !
As for the common people of the faith community, most of them have a bit of wealth at home; only a fool would willingly traverse mountains and rivers to toil for you
Before Old Ford could finish speaking, Bruno raised his hand and interrupted the old butler's words
Although it still seems very difficult, it at least leaves a bit of room for oneself
"Constructing a statue?" Old butler Ford furrowed his brow, "Isn't that the church's responsibility?"
Bruno spoke as he turned around and walked straight to his desk, taking a seat.
Swiftly skimming through the lengthy drivel, it can be summarized that the final sentence stands out as the essence: the true nature of the Hanging Gardens remains shrouded in the mists of history
You asked me to build a hammer without any reference or instructions
Constructing a statue
After reading the letter, Bruno said in a low voice
Lord Earl
Task 1: Construct an Aerial Garden
Bruno glanced at the letter again and shook his head with a sense of helplessness
It is merely a figment of the imagination conjured up by people in the world
It seems that the system does not require itself to be constructed according to any specific standards
It is important to understand that, for Bruno, this is not a game; the aerial garden cannot simply be constructed by planting a few trees or hammering a few nails.
While deep in thought, a series of knocking sounds echoed at the door
Is it ... ... like this? The old butler Ford was taken aback for a moment, then looked at Bruno again. Indeed, the count before him seemed to be deep in thought, strategizing meticulously
The person beside Shabir quickly whispered, "A few days ago, when you were not in the city, while I was serving Lord Count, he often fell into deep thought. You see... our Count is indeed a noble with great wisdom"
Ah! This damned system
After all, the original owner of this body was an exceedingly extravagant nobleman, who only knew how to indulge in pleasure all day long and was hardly concerned with the affairs of his territory
It is settled then..." Bruno changed the subject: "As for the recruitment of civilians, there is no need to rush, Old Fort, I will give you three days to conduct a population census in Idar City.
Bruno shook the envelope and said, "But it was issued in the name of the Regency Council"
In response to your lordship, the old butler has noticed your busy schedule and specifically instructed me to have the kitchen prepare more black pudding
Of course it is useful, Bruno said
But ... who in this world has truly seen the face of God
Census, this is a consideration that Bruno has thought through carefully. Although Idar City is now his own fief, he is almost completely unaware of all aspects of Idar, and he can only make a rough estimate of the population.
Moreover, not to mention the amount of manpower and resources required to build a wonder, Bruno does not even know what the Hanging Gardens look like now.
However, since this is the case... can I, based on my own imagination, construct a so-called sky garden?