As a transmigrator, Guinevere ranked among the least prepared. She had no System, and her own knowledge reserves were limited.
In terms of governing a territory, she lacked any prior experience from her previous life. She could only rely on broad principles gleaned from history books: appointing capable officials, implementing light taxation, promoting agriculture and sericulture, investing in irrigation projects, improving transportation infrastructure, and so on.
As a knight, Guinevere always charged at the forefront of battle.
Yet even with just this, she had earned the knights' unwavering loyalty, the adoration of the people in her territory, and despite never venturing far from King Leodegrance's realm, her reputation for kindness and martial prowess had spread across half of Great Britain.
"Your Highness, Princess, after this battle, now that you've personally slain King Rience, will his territory be annexed into the Kingdom?"
"Your Highness? My ewe just gave birth. Shall I slaughter a lamb and send it to you as a gift?"
"Your Highness? I heard you've become betrothed to the King of Knights? Is he worthy of you?"
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Nomadic herders traditionally follow water and pasture, but this requires vast, safe grazing lands to support large herds.
King Leodegrance's territory, though sizable, did not meet these conditions.
As a result, herders only established pastures around the oxbows of the Thames River within the Kingdom of Cameliard, grazing livestock within the carrying capacity of these pastures.
During spring and summer, when the livestock couldn't consume all the fresh grass, the herders would harvest and dry the surplus to stockpile for winter. These herders did, in fact, have settled encampments.
As Guinevere and her entourage rode toward the Farmstead, the sparse distribution of herders and livestock gradually gave way to denser concentrations. Because Guinevere never whipped the herders, many dared to approach and greet her, offering what they considered precious gifts.
Smiling and occasionally nodding, she signaled her accompanying knights to offer fair compensation for each offering.
By the time Guinevere's party reached the Farmstead's high fences and were greeted by an even larger crowd, the knights' horses were laden with two lambs, several wolf pelts, a number of rabbits, and some coarse flatbread.
The knights accompanying Guinevere had devoured the biscuits. The wolf pelts were distributed, while the lambs and rabbits were handed over to Captain Allen, the Guard Captain who had received the message and was waiting at the Farmstead's entrance.
Today's lunch, as expected, would be roasted lamb and rabbit.
"Your Highness, I never expected you would visit today. I..."
Dressed in simple coarse cloth, with only a short sword at his waist, Captain Allen stood before a group of twenty-odd soldiers in similar rough clothing, each armed with a short spear.
"Captain Allen, I have no time for idle chatter. I'm here to inform you that you must prepare thirty oxen, three hundred warhorses, and three thousand sheep within six months. This is part of my return gift to the King of Knights.
Since the warhorses are the Kingdom's property and their upkeep is part of the labor service required of pastoralists, I won't be paying for them.
As for the cattle and sheep, you know we've just won the war against King Rience."
Guinevere cut straight to the point, explaining the purpose of her visit to the Farmstead. For a vast agricultural estate with over ten thousand inhabitants, procuring such livestock posed no challenge.
Initially stunned by Guinevere's sudden inspection and filled with trepidation, the Guard Captain listened intently to her demands. His face lit up with relief as he replied:
"Your Highness? Is your betrothal to the King of Knights true?"
"Captain Allen, that's not what you should be concerned about."
"Your Highness, of course that's what I should be concerned about! This farmstead is your territory, and we are all your subjects. Even if you don't give us a single coin, we will prepare cattle, sheep, and horses for you."
"We've never forgotten that it was you who gave us homes, reduced our taxes, and granted us the status of free citizens."
"It was you who secured us three meals a day, livestock, and seedlings, personally overseeing our development to this day."
"And... and you even established a Knight School within the farmstead, forcing all children of suitable age to enroll."
Though called a farmstead, over the past two years, it had already begun to resemble a small town.
Due to its vast expanse of land, the farmstead covered nearly five square kilometers. Its location along the Thames River also allowed for a small wharf at one end, facilitating trade with the Royal Capital of Cameliard upstream.
This not only ensured a plentiful supply of fish but also led many idle farm women to open shops, selling various small goods imported from the Royal Capital.
Because Guinevere was particular about hygiene, the herders themselves collected livestock manure for various uses, making her decree to establish public toilets and prohibit public urination and defecation run particularly smoothly.
The non-combustible human waste, once accumulated in sufficient quantities, was taken by the people to irrigate the still-small wheat fields developed along the riverbank.
This very land—this farmstead—was what Guinevere had come to claim as her territory. It had been gradually built by the displaced people she had recruited through policies like food rations and land grants.
The Knight School the Guard Captain mentioned... she had established it by winning duels against the opposition of numerous knights and nobles, silencing them with the era's most effective form of negotiation.
As a transmigrator, Guinevere understood the paramount importance of education.
Moreover, after gaining approval for the Knight Academy, she personally funded its establishment with her own money, even when her father refused to allocate any funds.
Now, the Knight Academy, located at the very heart of the Farmstead, bore her name as Honorary Headmaster. In addition to teaching the traditional skills expected of knights, she had also mandated foundational cultural courses that she insisted on establishing.
In this era, literacy rates among nobles and knights were low.
Captain Allen's sons and daughters were all students at the Knight School.
"Enough, Captain Allen," Guinevere said. "I've long taught you not to drain the pond dry. You are the fish I've carefully nurtured in my pond—how could I possibly harm you? You will receive every penny you're owed.
As for my betrothal... forget it, Captain Allen. Tell everyone to rest assured that even if I marry into Camelot, everything here will continue as it always has, and will only improve. I'll return often to check on things.
Don't forget, I've always said this place is the foundation upon which I'll build my ideal future."
Though Guinevere spoke these reassuring words, Captain Allen's worry remained undiminished. At forty years old, he had witnessed too much war, famine, and death before coming here, and even survived several plagues.
That's why he understood how rare a ruler like Guinevere was, and why he felt more joy than resentment that she viewed them as her own fishpond.
In this era, the Church thrived, and there was a saying: "So-and-so shepherds God's 'lambs.'"
Captain Allen, a devout believer, would thank God for Guinevere's guidance, considering her a divine treasure bestowed upon the world.
However, due to Guinevere's aversion to the Church, they dared only offer such praise in private after she repeatedly rebuked them.
"Your Highness, I will relay your words to everyone. Would you like to visit the Knight Academy now?"
"Yes, I've come all this way already."