The people the Iron Duke sent had arrived in the afternoon, and once they did, Lucen immediately made them get to work. For now, the supplies they brought needed to be conserved for them to last a few days until the village's food situation could stabilize.
***
The following day, Lucen stood before a group of villagers, most of them weathered farmers with calloused hands and skeptical eyes.
The sun was high, and the scent of fresh soil lingered in the air. A few children lingered at the edge, curious. Lucen cleared his throat.
"Everyone here knows that if you plant the same thing in the same soil year after year… the harvest gets worse, right?"
The villagers nodded slowly.
"That's because the plants drink the same things from the ground until there's nothing left. The land gets tired. But what if we gave the land a chance to rest… and even fed it back?"
Some exchanged glances.
Lucen took a stick and drew in the dirt.
