Our Family Has Fallen

Meanwhile, Lance noticed that they didn’t seem to have the custom of wearing underwear. Some of those with a bit of status would pay attention to it, but common people completely lacked this concept.

The clothing of the commoners was so rudimentary it was essentially just a sack with a few holes cut into it, then simply pulled over the body.

Though saying this might seem exaggerated, the reality was not much different; at most, there might be sleeves.

The difference lay in the slightly finer linen fabric used. Such an item of clothing was typically patched repeatedly and could be worn for several years.

Better quality clothing was made from leather, such as the outfit Lance had destroyed, which had cost him three silver coins in the city and was considered rather decent.

But three silver coins represented nearly a month’s salary for a regular worker in the city with a stable job.

What about these peasants? It was simply beyond their means.

Therefore, the reason for their simple attire was just as straightforward: affordability and ease of mending.

But this did not mean that clothing in this world, in this era, was so simplistic.

On the contrary, the attire of the Nobility was very ornate and luxurious, even extravagant, but all this was far removed from the lives of ordinary people.

To create jobs, Lance had started some workshops, which included cloth making and tailoring.

He then redesigned garments using common clothing materials, focusing particularly on underpants and chest wraps. Although these could only be fastened with cloth strips, the emergence of such undergarments greatly propelled the cultural advancement of Hamlet.

What is civilization?

It’s actually a sense of shame.

When a person feels shame about certain things, it means they are distinguished from animals.

Those who lack a sense of shame are no different from beasts and are even farther from civilization.

This was not about feudalism, but rather a concept that extended from a sense of self-protection. For the vulnerable and unsupported common folk, it offered a sense of security. (Social stability +1)

Softer, fine linen was used for undergarments, while coarser linen was used for shirts and trousers. Leather was also employed in some cases. This simple combination of materials prioritized lightness and comfort.

Lance called this ”Workwear.”

Men and women alike, those engaged in work would readily discard cumbersome long skirts.

Unfortunately, Hamlet still had much to rebuild and lacked a foundation in light industry. Nor did it yet possess the capability for advanced wool processing.

As a result, most of the wool could only be made into semi-finished goods before being sold to Totnes, and then the finished products would be bought back for further processing.

This was a reluctant choice, as everything in Hamlet was still in its initial stages, lacking both infrastructure and talent.

This was not something that could be improved quickly; it required long-term development to change the status quo.

As for cotton, it was not a local plant, and silk was something they could not afford; that had to be imported from abroad, and silk further symbolized the power of the Nobility.

Lance did not force the common people to change their attire; he primarily introduced these new clothes in the army for ease of management. Additionally, the new military uniforms revitalized the appearance of the armed forces.

Furthermore, he provided everyone who joined Hamlet with a set, considering that the money for it would ultimately come out of their own pockets.

The Lord himself frequently wore these new clothes while walking around town. Not only did he not prohibit others from wearing them, but he even encouraged it.

Under his leadership, whether the townspeople bought them out of ’faith’ or for other reasons, the clothing of Hamlet Town’s residents increasingly incorporated these new styles. This trend grew over time.

The only reason they hadn’t switched entirely was because they would not casually discard their old clothes before they wore out.

Lance’s reasoning for this was simple: he aimed to stimulate the development of Hamlet’s weaving and clothing industries. Orders from the military and municipal authorities alone were not enough for growth. The real driving demand came from ordinary people.

He couldn’t be the only one spending. The residents also needed to spend their earnings to ensure the circulation of currency. Only then would the economy be healthy. Hoarding without spending would only lead to the devaluation of Coins.

Feeling refreshed after washing up, Lance had no intention of resting.

It was not yet dark. At this time, at his age, how could he possibly feel sleepy?

Having resumed management of the town’s affairs, there were some matters he needed to personally review before he could feel at ease.

It wasn’t that he distrusted Grendel, but she tended to be very conservative in her decision-making and was not prone to initiating change.

In Hamlet’s current state, to eradicate feudal corruption, it was necessary to make bold moves.

Radicalism that wasn’t absolute was, in fact, not radicalism at all.

Lance would definitely not allow for regression.

Meanwhile, Grendel did not involve herself in military affairs, and the key to planning the next operation was troop deployment.

How to squeeze out enough soldiers to execute the plan while ensuring defense security was a matter Lance had to deal with.

「In reality, a war had begun from this point...」

His group had left the Beast Lair early in the morning, followed by a long stretch of hurried travel.

In fact, by the time they returned to Hamlet from the outpost, it was already late morning.

Lance was busy treating Boudica and helping out at the healing center.

By the time he finished dealing with some matters at hand, it was already evening.

”My lord, it’s time for dinner,” Susan said, interrupting Lance’s thoughts. He wasn’t annoyed by the interruption.

After all, there was nothing to get upset about. Wasn’t it normal to eat when it was time?