System: Build My Own Territory Chapter 853 - 268: Literacy Campaign (10,000 Words) (Part 4)

To expand production, a substantial workforce of average-skilled laborers is essential.

A territory or nation's progress can't depend merely on one person scaling the tech ladder; it's doomed to falter!

That's precisely why.

Lynn offers one hundred military merits—one acre of barren wasteland—as the incentive for this initiative.

However.

Lynn realizes this fully.

Teaching the townsfolk to read and write might require months or even a full year.

Yet elevating their overall cultural knowledge substantially,

proves far from simple.

It can even be called immensely challenging.

Such feats demand years, decades, or multiple generations.

The teaching staff remains severely scarce.

Scarce resources for education are tightly gripped by the Noble Lords.

Added to the belief that 'ordinary folk don't deserve learning.'

Commoners scarcely know education is even possible for them.

Most vitally,

educational content fixates on religious and ancient scholarly lore.

Totally detached from farming, crafts, and daily necessities for regular people,

rendering it useless in practice, much less able to better their lives!

Sensing the townsmen's stares, he bowed in respect.

Lynn gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.

Right as he prepared to depart Lord's Square toward the breeding farm for more experience,

a familiar female voice called out from behind.

"Master Lynn."

Lynn turned around and traced the voice's origin.

There stood Erin in her long robe, hurrying over swiftly.

Maybe due to her haste, she overlooked the bouncy motion up front from her run.

At five or six meters away from Lynn, Erin halted her dash, drawing several deep breaths.

This helped steady her breath and composure.

Lynn remarked, "No rush."

Gratitude filled Erin's face.

After about a dozen seconds of catching her breath, Erin's breathing normalized.

She dipped in a slight bow to Lynn and spoke deferentially, "Sorry, Lord, Erin was impolite."

Lynn replied, "The Territory Court building—wasn't it settled?"

"I assigned you and Clive to plan and design it."

"Construction starts once the Red Brick House area expands."

Erin shook her head quickly upon hearing this and clarified.

"Master, you've got it wrong; it's not the Territory Court."

"I spotted the announcement on the bulletin board..."

"Does that mean all seven of us scholars begin instructing the townsfolk starting today?"

Lynn affirmed with a nod, "Yes."

Erin paused before saying, "Master, for me it's okay since the Territory Court isn't built or operational yet."

"But take Tate—he teaches kids in school by day, then handles adult literacy at night."

"Isn't that overly..."

Lynn continued her thought, "Exhausting?"

Erin's face showed reluctance, but she nodded in agreement.

Lynn showed no astonishment, gazing straight at Erin instead.

"Scholar Erin, which is more exhausting: the townsfolk's daily toil or the scholars' daily lessons?"

Erin wrinkled her brow, pondering deeply.

Meeting Lynn's eyes, she ventured, "The townsfolk suffer more fatigue?"

"Scholars work in comfortable classrooms after all."

"Townsfolk do hard physical work, braving weather every day."

Lynn countered, "Not quite right!"

Erin's eyes widened in bewilderment.

As a scholar, she saw no flaw in her reasoning.

Lynn pressed on, "You're just pitting scholars against townsfolk."

"Making it one or the other."

"But to me, their fatigue matches perfectly!"

Erin's frame went rigid at Lynn's concluding remark.

Lynn didn't break stride.

"As Lord, whether scholars' work is mental or townsfolk's is manual makes no difference—it's all equal!"

"The Lord seeks only output and efficiency!"

"Scholars form one labor pool, townsfolk another, just with varied tasks."

"Thus, the Lord pushes labor within tolerance bounds."

"Compensation for extra effort? Irrelevant."

"With food, shelter from the Lord, plus a strong military, resistance is futile."

"The Lord may force task completion."

"Or opt for rewards to inspire willing effort."

Lynn fixed his gaze on Erin, declaring, "And I select the latter."

Erin went quiet.

Just as Lynn mentioned, she had only begun to assume the roles of scholar and townsman.

However, this point had escaped her notice.

To the Lord, such details mattered little.

Territory expansion comes first!

All at once, a realization dawned on Erin.

Master Lynn, as the Lord, had no need to offer her such lengthy explanations!

Yet Master Lynn halted to clarify everything for her.

Could Master Lynn be... guiding her to escape rigid mindsets?

Observing Erin's quiet demeanor, Lynn questioned, "Scholar Erin, do you have any questions now?"

Lynn's question pulled Erin back to reality in an instant.

"No, Master Lynn," she answered promptly.