Free Web NovelGlimmers of light fell between thick maps, scrolls, and drafts, and the air carried a faint scent of ink.
Outside the window was the main road of Red Tide Territory, which was undergoing repairs, while inside were the three people who would decide Red Tide Territory's future.
Bradley stood by the window, silently flipping through pages of reports, his expression still the familiar old-fashioned rigor.
Near the bookshelf, Lanna, dressed in a simple dark blue robe, stood silently. Her fingertips unconsciously caressed the parchment folder in her hand, and a hint of tension appeared between her brows.
Lanna Verdy, once the esteemed daughter of the famous Verdy family in the northwestern frontier of the Empire, was known for her literary and historical talents from a young age.
If everything had been normal, her life would have been spent with poetry and books, followed by marriage to another noble, living a leisurely life.
But the gears of fate suddenly broke after her father, Viscount Verdy, openly opposed the land annexation proposal of the imperial capital's powerful nobles.
The Verdy family instantly became an outcast, their noble fiefdom was revoked, their private army was purged, her brother went missing, and her mother passed away from illness.
Lanna, dressed in commoner's cloth, was escorted by several family knights and eventually arrived at Red Tide Territory with a group of northern refugees from the Snow Oath War.
Because she knew how to read and write, she was assigned to teach children in a school. She originally thought her life would be nothing more than this.
Until Louis approached her, handing her only a draft of a bill: "You write a pilot education plan."
From then on, Lanna concealed the name Verdy, referring to herself only as "Lanna," and gradually took over the school affairs in various parts of Red Tide Territory.
Two years later, on the day the Auditing Department was officially established, she finally became one of the youngest core officials in the Red Tide Territory system as its director. But she always remembered Louis's calm words when he handed her the bill draft: "Do something meaningful."
There was no pity, no probing, only trust.
At that moment, Lanna suddenly understood that she was no longer a fugitive noble orphan, but a useful person.
In this rebuilt land, she found the dignity and meaning that had been stripped away for so long, and also found a Lord worth following.
Of course, Lanna did not disappoint Louis's expectations.
During the rapid construction of Red Tide Territory over the past two years, she gained Louis's trust and full support.
She led the creation of a network of primary schools covering the main city, with a cumulative total of twelve primary schools established, complemented by several adult literacy classes.
The curriculum she designed followed the principles of "practicality first, order as the Outline," systematically teaching the following three basic modules:
Elementary literacy, aligned with Red Tide Territory's official document system, covering everything from interpersonal skills to basic contract formats.
Practical arithmetic, coordinated with Red Tide Territory's food distribution system and market trading system, ensuring students could independently calculate allocations and conversions.
Legal education, featuring easy-to-understand articles selected from the "Red Tide Territory Basic Code," taught through stories to subtly spread awareness of the rule of law and public order.
As of now, nearly three thousand children aged 7 to 14 have entered school.
And in adult education, young people are continuously selected after becoming literate for Red Tide Territory's grassroots civilian positions such as town officials, food distribution assistants, and border outpost recorders.
More importantly, Lanna helped establish the "teacher assessment and employment" system, gradually integrating the teaching staff into the Red Tide Territory civil service system, enhancing the professional status of education.
All of this not only earned her the respectful title of "Lady Lanna" but also laid the first foundation for the inheritance of order in Red Tide Territory.
Today, she was here to report the Auditing Department's 5-year plan to Louis.
"This is the Auditing Department's five-year plan. Please review it," Lanna said softly.
She had never been so nervous.
Facing other officials, she could always handle herself with ease, but in front of Louis, she never dared to relax for a moment.
Louis took the manuscript but did not immediately read it.
He just looked up at her and smiled, "Lanna, don't be nervous. You're not here to be judged; you're here to report on something we both value greatly."
Indeed, for Louis, education was never just about "teaching people to read and write."
Coming from another world, he saw far, farther than anyone else.
To truly lead this land out of the shadow of war and famine, it would not rely on the knight's blade, nor on the strictness of decrees.
Rather, it would rely on ordinary people who could be self-reliant, think, and change their destinies.
The backward North had once been a discarded land repeatedly contested by barbarians and the Empire, not because the people were not brave enough, but because technology was not advanced enough, industry was not solid enough, and systems were not clear enough.
And education was the foundation of all these things, the most hardcore investment.
For long-term development and the prosperity of the people, more alchemists, people who could draw engineering plans, people who could understand laws, formulate tax systems, and design irrigation canals were needed, and all of this required education.
There was also another point: education was the broadest path for upward mobility.
Whether a child was an orphan from a fishing village or an abandoned barbarian child, as long as he was willing to study and work hard to build Red Tide Territory, he could become an official managing a region, or a senior craftsman in charge of a workshop.
He wanted to leave a path for upward mobility for everyone in this land.
Moreover, education could enable people to distinguish right from wrong, respect rules, and know shame and honor.
When knowledge was sown, when generations of children learned to think independently and abide by the law, the true era of Red Tide Territory could finally arrive.
Louis leaned back in his chair, flipping through the five-year development blueprint drafted by the Auditing Department.
Lanna, standing by his side, could not hide her nervousness. Her hands were clasped in front of her abdomen, and she stood ramrod straight, her voice involuntarily trembling slightly:
"The Auditing Department's preliminary three-stage plan. Most of the content was gradually refined by our team after you proposed the core objectives."
"Mm," Louis nodded, his tone calm. "Continue."
Lanna continued to explain: "Plan one is basic compulsory education. We plan to establish one hundred town schools outside Red Tide Territory within five years, covering the entire jurisdiction, especially densely populated areas or areas with concentrated residents.
Each location will be equipped with at least one literacy teacher and several specialized subject teachers who will adapt their teaching to local conditions, for example, Wheat Wave Territory will mainly teach agricultural affairs, and 'itinerant lecturers' dispatched by headquarters will give a monthly lecture on law and order. Of course, particularly bright children can come to Red Tide Territory to study.
Teaching hours will be concentrated to avoid the busy periods of spring planting and autumn harvest, ensuring attendance."
Louis nodded slightly: "Have food subsidies been considered as well?"
"Yes," Lanna immediately replied. "Children enrolled in school will receive an additional ten percent food ration quota to ensure that families with students do not prevent their children from attending school.
Furthermore, all teachers will be officially integrated into the Red Tide Territory civil service system, enjoying the treatment of grassroots officials, which will help attract a stable teaching staff."
"Very good," Louis closed the document and looked directly at her. "Did you all draft these independently?"
Lanna lowered her head, a little nervous: "The general direction came from your initial arrangements; the rest was discussed and perfected by the Auditing Department."
"Very good," Louis repeated. "Next item."
Lanna turned to the next page, her tone no longer restrained, carrying a hint of imperceptible pride: "The second stage is the higher education pilot program, Red Tide Territory College.
This is a plan you personally proposed. We plan to establish a new campus in the old fort district on the western outskirts of Red Tide Territory city, named Red Tide Territory College."
"How many divisions?" Bradley interjected from the side.
"Four," Lanna answered concisely, then added, "The first is the Teacher's College, used to train the backbone of town school teachers; the second is the Administrative Department, to prepare for Red Tide Territory's future civil service system."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over Louis's expression, and continued: "The third is the Craft Workshop, for training alchemist apprentices, artisans, and other technical talents. Finally, there is the Basic Medical Department, which has a huge shortage after the war, and we must fill it as soon as possible."
"Admission standards?" Louis interjected, clearly listening attentively.
"The first intake is planned for two hundred students," Lanna replied. "They will be jointly recommended and selected by the various town chiefs and the Auditing Department, with a full scholarship plus a ten-year compulsory service system. Graduates will be required to serve within the Red Tide Territory system for ten years."
Upon hearing this, Louis nodded: "Very good."
Lanna also smiled, turning to the last page: "Finally, there is propaganda and supporting facilities construction.
We will form mobile teams, consisting of lecturers and performers, to tour various places, promoting educational concepts and benefits, and encouraging residents' children to attend school.
We will also establish the 'Red Tide Territory Talents List,' publicly listing outstanding students annually and prioritizing them for excellent job placements."
Louis closed the plan, gently tapped the cover, and leaned back in his chair.
"Well done," Louis's voice was affirmative. "You truly understand the meaning of education."
Lanna quickly stood up and bowed, her voice even trembling slightly: "Yes—yes! As per the Lord's command!"
At this moment, her eyes welled up, and she tried hard not to let her emotions get out of control.
In her two years in Red Tide Territory, she had long learned to be restrained and calm.
But these words gave weight to the fatigue of daily preparations and nightly proofreading, causing her emotions to surge.
"This is all thanks to your excellent guidance," Lanna said, lowering her head, her words rapid and solemn. "If it weren't for your personal guidance and the establishment of the system, we would never have reached this point. Red Tide Territory taught me what mission is, and you—you made me find the meaning of life."
She wasn't someone who was good at expressing herself, but at this moment, all the gratitude accumulated in her heart transformed into sincere words.
Louis didn't respond immediately, but instead smiled gently: "I just did a few small things; mainly, you all did a good job. Keep up the hard work."
Lanna nodded vigorously, her eyes shining like stars.
"And these newly written children's textbooks, please take a look."
Then Lanna respectfully took out three newly bound textbooks from her leather document bag and handed them to Louis.
There was a hint of nervousness in her expression, but even more, unconcealed ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) pride.
Louis took them, lowering his eyes to look at the cover of the first page. Thick paper bore a bright red title:
"Our Great Lord Louis."
He softly read out the title, his mouth twitching, feeling himself radiating heat.
"It's a storybook. We tried to make it understandable for children," Lanna explained.
She added: "We selected three events as the main storyline: the defense of Red Tide Territory during the insect plague, the Red Tide Territory city restoration project, and the relief effort in Buried Bone Canyon. The core words are courage, protection, dedication, and order.
Each lesson has a concluding phrase, for example, this one."
She turned to the last page, pointing to the beautifully written subtitle and reading it aloud:
"When you encounter danger, remember what the Lord said: protect the people you love, and become someone others can rely on."
Louis looked down at the line of text, silent for a moment. Had he really said that?
If you're unsure who said a famous quote, just attribute it to the Great Lord?
Louis flipped through the illustration pages again. One page depicted his back, clad in a red cloak, galloping through wind and snow.
Another page showed him repairing the city wall with the common people, and yet another was a silhouette of him raising a long spear and charging towards the front lines in a misty canyon.
"How exaggerated," he silently complained to himself, even suspecting that if they continued drawing, it would be Louis ascending to godhood and slaying evil gods with his sword.
Louis then opened the second book: "Red Tide Territory Common Sense Little Textbook."
The content was more practical, covering territorial divisions, geographical knowledge, basic agricultural common sense, and key points for identifying cultists, etc.
Simplified legal articles were clearly marked, such as "No carrying weapons out at night" and "Household registration changes must be reported," which were easy to understand yet serious.
The third book, "Red Tide Territory Three Thousand Questions," adopted a relaxed, daily-question format to repeatedly instill certain knowledge:
"Do you know who dug the first well in Wheat Wave Territory?"
"Who was the one who led us out of the winter disaster?"
"Why are cultists terrifying?"
Louis closed the last book, his thumb gently pressing on the cover.
"Well done," he commented, placing the three textbooks on the side of the desk, his tone carrying his usual gentleness. "However—about the content concerning me, isn't it a bit too exaggerated?"
"No," Lanna replied almost immediately, her tone unwavering. "This is necessary education."
Her eyes were sincere and unwavering, as if she were explaining an absolute truth to him.
Bradley, standing nearby, also squinted at the illustrations and then nodded: "Hmm, it's quite impactful—I think it's very good."
"You too?" Louis looked at him with a slight headache. "I just said, maybe cut back a little, don't make it all about me charging on horseback and waving my hand to save people. Add some sections where ordinary residents, artisans, and children also made great contributions." fгeewebnovёl.com
He paused, then added: "Red Tide Territory wasn't built by me alone."
Lanna's eyes, however, lit up, as if some creative passion had been ignited: "Then I understand! I will write another section, telling the moving story of how the Lord led the people through the cold winter, rebuilt the ruins, and ignited the fire of hope!"
"No—that's not what I meant."
Louis opened his mouth, but ultimately failed to stop her from rapidly jotting down notes.
She seemed to have misunderstood something.
Louis looked at Lanna, her face flushed with excitement, furiously writing in her small notebook, and sighed.
Never mind, he would just revise it himself once the draft was ready.
"At least, don't draw me jumping into a fire with a spear again," he muttered softly.
