Chapter 9: Battle
Charging at the shaman, Alex threw his javelin.
The shaman noticed Alex and immediately dodge the javelin. The shaman can't cast his spell while dodging, resulting in Alex closing his distance.
"Amazing" the princess amazed at Alex performance
"He seems experienced with battles" The captain comment his performance too while battling the orc leader.
When the distance of him and orc shaman remain 2 meters. The orc shaman cast his spell. The fireball appeared in front of the shaman and charged to Alex. Noticing this Alex immediately dodge to the sideways and swinging his sword to the orc shaman. Orc shaman put his staff to block Alex's sword.
"Princess!" Alex shouted
"Yes, Ice Spear" Alicia cast her spell to the shaman. Looking at the spell, the shaman casting another spell to block magic. Alex took the chance while the shaman casting his spells. Alex got to the shaman back and slice his sword.
The shaman got sliced but still not dead. "Tch, too shallow" The shaman reaction was fast when Alex swing his sword, the shaman fast enough to move away a bit. Alex tried to swing his sword again, but he didn't notice the orc leader are at his side. The leader kicked him away resulting him to be blown away a few meters and coughing blood.
"Bastard" The captain angrily roar to orc leader swinging his broadsword and slicing the orc into two. He immediately throws another strike, killing the orc shaman. After the two leaders dead, the orcs turn to disarray and the soldier easily killed the remaining orc.
The knight captain immediately go to Alex checking his injury
"I'm alright" wiping his bloodied lips, he assured the captain. "I only need to rest a bit".
"Thank you, young man, I don't know how our casualties if there are no you":
"It's alright knight captain. What are you going to do now?"
"We are going to check our casualties first and rest a bit"
The princess got closer two them "Are you alright Mr...uhm.."
"Alexander... Alexander Sirius, I'm sorry with my manner Princess"
"No no no, It's alright I too don't really like too many formalities. What are you going to do now Mr. Alexander" She said
"Hmm... I'm planning to leave this kingdom and go to the Acacia Kingdom"
"That's great, how about you travel with us. We too want to go home to the Acacia Kingdom after visiting the Zircodina Kingdom."
"Princess" The captain worriedly rebuked the princess
"It's alright uncle, he doesn't seem a bad guy and he helps us too and got injured at the process" She explained. Even though he called the captain 'uncle' but they don't have any blood relationship. It's because the captain always near around the princess and more familiar with each other.
"But..."
"Say no more uncle, I already decided" The captain can only sigh.
Looking at their conversation, Alex said "Then I thank you, Princess"
"Don't call me princess. My name is Alicia Van Rizertia. Just call me Alicia" she smiled.
"Rizertia ?" He thought since she is a princess, then her name must have another kingdom name
"Ah..., the current king is my uncle and my father is a grand duke. So I follow my House"
"Oh I see, then please call me Alex too, since Alexander is a bit too long"
"Then, hopefully, a nice journey Mr. Al...ex.." with a bit red on her face
"Yes Princess"
She frowned "It's Alicia".
"but..." looking at the knight captain who only sighs, he surrendered
"Yes Ms. Alicia"
The return journey to the Acacia Kingdom was 4 months, at first, Alex and Alicia were unfamiliar with each other, the atmosphere always awkward in the caravan. After one month, they started calling each other with their first name, Alex started to not minding with her status. In the second month, they started quarreling with each other, starting from a small problem like favorite color, etc to a bigger problem, like how he viewed the kingdom. With Alex's past, he always saw from a negative point of view, while Alicia loves her kingdom very much, so they quarreled.
After the third month, Alicia started telling her past. Though her past just like another noble daughter who can't succeed in their household. When she asked about Alex's past, Alex's mood immediately plummeted. Looking at Alex's expression, she knows there's something bad about his past so she keeps silent and never asked again.
Near the Acacia Kingdom,
"Princess, we will see the Acacia Kingdom after climbing this hill." Asmus Inform them. Asmus is the knight captain.
"Uncle, what do you think about our agriculture ?" Asked Alicia
"I'm not familiar with the topic so I can't say so much. But I think our agriculture is the best of the three kingdoms" Asmus told her.
"So-so" Alex rebuked Asmus
"What do you mean so-so? Don't you hear what uncle said? We are the best! The best!" Alicia started quarreled again with Alex
"Looking at the present situation, The crops were a bit small and the land a bit exhausted." Alex calmly explain
"What do you mean by that? Uncle Asmus hurry told him again that we are the best" Looking at Asmus who can only shake his head. He thought 'Haiz, they started again'. After two weeks they started bickering at each other, him and the knights already used to it.
"Do you use four-field rotation?" Alex asked
"Huh? What is that? Don't you just plant wheat every time and watered it?" Confused with the new term, She asked.
"Let me explain, crop rotation is the practice of growing a series of dissimilar or different types of crops in the same area in sequenced seasons. It is done so that the soil of farms is not used for only one set of nutrients. It helps in reducing soil erosion and increases soil fertility and crop yield" Alex explained. Though Alex has poor performance in the school. Actually, he has many interests in Auxiliary thing such as agriculture, sea, etc, well everything that not connect directly with a school lesson
"This.. this.." Alicia shocked by what Alex shocked. Captain Asmus started listening to him too with great interest.
"Now for the four-field rotation. The sequence of four crops were wheat, turnips, barley, and clover. Apply the rotation to each field over a four-year cycle. In summer, pigs and sheep can eat the clover. Putting them to pasture here means fertilizer raises the soil quality and in winter, we feed the pigs turnips. This method keeps the fields in use without depleting them and it provides more meat, as well." He explained. Since this world was similar to Earth including the plant and animal, he explains this.
"This...this...." Alicia and Asmus were speechless with Alex's explanation. Even Asmus not familiar with agriculture, he knew if this plan used agriculture in the kingdom will get better.
"Alex...Alex...Let's go... with your plan. Can I Publicize this?" Still fl.u.s.tered, Alicia grabs Alex's shoulder keeping him for running away.
"Up to you" Alex just shrugged his shoulder.
"Up to you? What with you. What you just said just know is a brilliant idea, with it we can improve the qualities for our farmer and kingdom and you just casually saying 'up to you' ..." She started to quarrel angrily with Alex again
"Hahaha.... keep it up young man" Satisfied Asmus just running away from the scene while laughing
Looking at Asmus, Alex thought 'you traitor', Alex sigh "Alicia just do what you want with it. Even I'm keeping it with me, I don't really have any use with it. It's better for the people to use it"
"Hehehehe....." Satisfied with Alex's response she let go of her hands.
After a while, Asmus come again
"Princess, Alex we can see the kingdom now. Since it's already dark we set up the camp and continue tomorrow"
"Alright" Shouted the two.