Chapter 496

Chapter 496: Planning for the Future

At night, outside the market, in a small inn.

The deep blue stone walls were constructed with gaps filled by some kind of sand mixture, topped with a fine outer layer, making them both sturdy and beautiful. Since the establishment of Clancia, this style of architecture had become common, serving as an excellent transition between different areas.

Lolan Hill was at the second floor of the inn, sitting by the open window, looking out at the distant market.

As night fell, the border market would close. This was because in the past, there were often thefts and deceptions during the night. With poor visibility, people with ill intentions would take advantage. Later on, they simply decided to close the market at night to save on manpower and allow everyone to rest properly.

The tavern was brightly lit, with occasional loud conversations, the clinking of glasses, the pouring of liquids, and the sound of a wandering minstrel plucking strings, recounting beautiful and magical legends of the grasslands.

Most of these poets were human, with a few being beastmen.

“That day, the morning sun rose from the ground, and a girl in a fiery dress sang against the wind.”

“Oh, the ancient legend has returned to the world, like a celestial maiden descending.”

“She gently waved her hand, and the ash-covered earth sprouted green shoots; life turned green once more.”

“It was the bountiful wind, it was the song of miracles.”

“The girl born from the flames, the crimson songstress, Ailani.”

With her sharp hearing, Lolan could clearly hear the singing from over a hundred meters away and through the walls. The things she had done in the past had inadvertently become legends in the mouths of poets. A strange and complex emotion swirled in her heart.

Curiosity, shyness, pride, unease, and more.

“Miss,” said a rabbit-eared girl as she appeared on the second floor, her footsteps echoing on the wooden stairs. She held a plate with tonight’s dinner.

Warm bread slices, aromatic roasted meat, it all looked quite appetizing.

During the day, Lolan had scolded everyone, and Mira had become very cautious, fearing displeasing this young lady. It was the first time she had heard such stern tones from Lolan Hill, completely different from before.

In fact, Lolan’s image in her heart had changed several times.

Early on, she was the great hero who saved her and her mother. Later, she became the legendary wise ruler who transformed the entire race and nation. After spending more time together, she seemed like a gentle and kind sixteen-year-old girl. Today, she felt like a strict elder.

It was hard to imagine such diverse qualities blending so harmoniously in one person, without any sense of incongruity, as if it were natural.

Changeable yet pure, like light and wind.

Lolan turned her head, nodded at Mira, and noticed that this rabbit-eared girl had grown to be the same height as her.

“Have you eaten, Mira?”

“I’ve already eaten earlier.”

Mira placed the tray aside and then arranged the dishes on the table, tucking the tray under her white apron. Today, she wore a maid outfit, which suited her well.

Lolan slowly ate her dinner, motioning for Mira to sit in front of her.

“Have you ever been to the grasslands?”

“No, I grew up in the Tixilam Mountains. The farthest I’ve been is to the capital of Clancia, where I supported Lord Kanda’s knights as backup.”

“Afterwards, I studied in the capital for a while, and my Angel Sequence stabilized and improved greatly. By the way, Aliya also came to the capital with me, but later she went to Emanas to study.”

Aliya was Mira’s good friend, a black-eared girl whom Lolan had met in the Tixilam Mountains.

“Haven’t you ever wanted to go to Emanas?”

“Yes, but actually, I want to see the Holy Land more. I practice the Angel Sequence. As for Emanas, since Aliya went, I don’t need to go. She will tell me all the interesting and fun things when she returns.”

“How nice your relationship is.”

Lolan murmured in admiration. As they talked, Mira relaxed slightly, no longer as tense as before.

“What do you think about the beastmen on the grasslands?”

“Well, although we are all part of the same beastman clan, in fact, we haven’t had formal interactions for nearly a thousand years and have gone our separate ways.”

“There’s no hatred, nor any special fondness.”

“If Her Highness has any thoughts, just tell us directly. We don’t need to worry too much. Our clan will follow any decision you make.” Mira said, and Lolan sensed no hesitation in her words.

“Is this how all the rabbit-eared people think?” she asked, somewhat surprised.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Mira replied when Lolan inquired further.

“In fact, you don’t need to worry too much about our opinions. If you speak, many concepts will quickly spread.”

Is that so? Lolan thought to herself, realizing she still lacked the awareness of being a national leader.

She slowly reviewed the experiences recorded in historical books. Perhaps becoming a king or a leader inevitably meant making decisions and enduring various pressures to accomplish something.

Things don’t spontaneously become ideal; they require step-by-step changes.

After clarifying the source of her hesitation, Lolan no longer dwelled on it.

If others didn’t understand, she would widely promote and educate them, garnering more support.

If there were obstacles, she would tackle them one by one, paving the way forward.

She was no longer alone. Although she was placed in this position, she decided to take responsibility for the nation and make many changes.

She wanted to bring the beastmen of the Gufia Grassland into Clancia.

This way, Clancia could gain vast lands for livestock, farming, and other developments, acquiring a large number of excellent laborers. Meanwhile, the Gufia Grassland would receive support from Clancia in food, education, healthcare, daily necessities, and living improvements.

There were benefits for both sides.

But there were also resistances, such as racial differences, suspicions, distrust, and rejection, which needed to be addressed to prevent future civil unrest.

After making her decision, she no longer hesitated. After finishing dinner, she began listing her recent schedule and plans.

First, she would fly back to the capital to submit the five-year plan and documents to various departments. After discussion and agreement, implementation would begin nationwide. The first five years would focus on establishing cement and steel factories, the foundation of infrastructure. The next five years would involve chemical plants and machinery factories for producing fertilizers, machine tools, and vehicles. The following five years would see the construction of a railway network across the country, developing light industries and textiles.

Second, she would send envoys to the Gufia Grassland to launch various promotional activities between the two nations, persuading tribes to eventually merge. Though it might take considerable time and effort, she believed it would be valuable and meaningful.

Finally, she would plan large-scale national projects, such as connecting waterways, dredging canals, regulating water resources, and establishing hydroelectric power stations extending westward from the Sighing Mountains, aiding in steel smelting and power generation.

She aimed to transform Clancia from an agricultural country to an industrial one within twenty years, taking the first step towards industrialization.

Standing by the window, Lolan looked at the distant Milky Way, extending her wrist to feel the cool night breeze through her fingers.

Though the Fireseed Plan had long been forgotten, since she was reborn because of it, she had a mission to fulfill it, to restore the glory of Earth’s civilization and re-enter the vast expanse of space.

(End of Chapter)