Chapter 004
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“Alright, the Potato Squad will assemble in the backyard.”
Brisa gave the knights, led by Philip, the name ‘Potato Squad.’
Philip felt a profound sense of humiliation. Giving knights a nickname like ‘Potato’ was a truly novel form of contempt.
‘Of course, I do look particularly like a potato, but isn’t this going too far?’
Surely she wasn’t going to tell them to go roll around like potatoes in the backyard?
‘So what if she’s a genius who mastered five languages by age seven? So what if she has the laws of the Empire memorized? So what if she was invited to the Empress Dowager’s banquets at age ten for her perfect mastery of social etiquette!’
Philip huffed as he recalled the maids’ past praises of her.
‘At the end of the day, she’s just a noble lady who would believe it if someone said potatoes grew on trees…’
Naturally, she was their superior. Before Alpheus left, he had instructed them: “In the estate while I am gone, Brisa is your master.”
Even so, was it right to make people such a laughingstock? He intended to protest properly once he faced Brisa in the backyard. However, when Brisa appeared a moment later, she gave a dead-serious order.
“Go to Jezel Street and buy as many seed potatoes as possible. Get the ones meant for early harvest.”
At those words, everyone blinked slowly, failing to grasp the situation.
Was this a joke? Or a new method of mockery? Since Philip already looked like a potato, he was suddenly seized by anxiety.
‘She isn’t going to buy seed potatoes and then order me to call them my sons from now on, is she?’
To the dazed Philip, the girl held out a fairly large box and spoke.
“Pick ones that are well-balanced ovals, without bruises or rotten spots. About the size of an egg.”
Hmm? Philip, who actually had experience with potato farming, was genuinely surprised. It was spring… while it was a tiny bit late, it wasn’t an impossible time to get seed potatoes and plant them.
“Choose the firm ones with well-dried skins that have a moderate number of eyes distributed evenly.”
This is the real deal.
“There is no one in the Marquisate right now who has farmed potatoes. So, put your heads together and pick out the good ones. As for the money… sell this.”
Brisa pushed the box toward Philip. Seeing this, the maids screamed.
“Aaaaah! You can’t, My Lady!”
“Those are My Lady’s jewels! If you sell these, My Lady will have to wear the same accessories twice in one week! Oh, how ghastly!”
Was wearing the same earrings twice a week truly such a desperate tragedy? The maids weren’t even young; they all looked to be in their late 30s or 40s. Philip took the box despite the absurdity of it all.
Then Brisa spoke to one of the maids.
“You go with them. Help them get a fair price.”
“I cannot, My Lady!” the maid refused vehemently. “I wouldn’t sell My Lady’s jewels even if a sword were at my throat!”
“I see,” Brisa respected her opinion generously. “I was actually struggling between practicality and curiosity anyway. I was wondering how much a jeweler would rip off the Potato Squad if they went in alone to sell these.”
She continued very seriously.
“Make sure to get a receipt, Philip. It will serve as a fine example of market rates and price gouging, so let’s include it in the history books of Sayers.”
The maid was utterly horrified.
“Gaaaah! No! I’ll go! I’ll go too!”
The master accepted that opinion generously as well. “Very well.”
With that, Brisa finished her instructions. The remaining maids began to collapse and sob as if they had lost the entire fief.
“We couldn’t even stop the late Marquis from selling off the Princess’s jewels…”
“How can we face the Princess in the afterlife… These were all meant to be passed down to Lady Brisa…”
Brisa stood among them with a transcendent expression. Was the journey to buy mere seed potatoes supposed to be this dramatic?
Philip, feeling the limits of his ability to judge the situation, spoke cautiously.
“Um, My Lady?”
“Yes.”
“Why… why are you ordering us to do this?”
“Because I am not in my right mind,” Brisa replied with total sincerity. “I spent the last three days trying to regain my senses, but I failed.”
Philip was momentarily flustered, though he realized he had been flustered for quite some time now. Still not knowing how to react, he asked carefully.
“Uh… is this, you know, one of those nonsensical things nobles say? That sort of thing?”
Brisa’s expression turned solemn.
“Listen well, Philip. Since we don’t know each other well yet, let me tell you in advance: I do not say nonsensical things.”
Philip flinched at the girl’s grave declaration. Come to think of it, since he had known Alpheus as a commoner, this was his first real order from a ‘true noble.’ It was much more bizarre than he had imagined.
“My Lady, may I ask just one thing?” After a moment’s hesitation, Philip let out the question that had been lingering on the tip of his tongue. “Do you… actually view us as human beings?”
Only a few hours ago, he had been certain she didn’t see them as people. But after facing her directly, it felt like… well, things were strange, but it didn’t seem that way. Had they been misunderstanding something all along?
Brisa’s answer was nonchalant but unhesitating.
“I clearly recognize that you are humans just like me.”
Everyone in the knight order, including Philip, was surprised at that moment. They hadn’t expected the phrase ‘just like me’ to be attached. Brisa added with a quite serious face:
“You have to eat three meals a day, after all.”
Wait… was that the point of the conversation?
It was then. The gatekeeper came running in a hurry.
“My Lady, My Lady! T-t-terrible news!” He panted as if he were about to pass out. “The, the, the Head of the Western Grain Merchants Union has arrived! He’s demanding we r-repay the debt immediately… saying he’s already been very patient!”
Philip didn’t understand the full weight of those words. However, the maids who had been collapsed and wailing behind Brisa let out a small chuckle.
“The rookie must have made a mistake. We’ve always been late with the debt repayments.”
“It’s true we’ve missed the contract dates every year, but it’s customary for them to look the other way.”
“Calm down. The Marang fish harvest in our fief is in early winter. There must be some misunderstanding.”
The Marang fish, a type of freshwater fish, was the primary source of income for the Sayers fief. The few profitable pieces of land the fief possessed were situated along the river.
Having reassured the gatekeeper, the maids began wailing again.
Brisa didn’t seem particularly flustered either. However, after muttering, “I suppose it was a good thing I went crazy,” she replied:
“For now, I will meet the Union Head in the drawing room immediately.”
After her short reply, she turned her head back to Philip. Then, with great elegance, she placed her hand firmly on Philip’s forearm.
“Leave this place to the others… and you, Sir, depart at once.”
Her voice was incredibly solemn.
“The lives of our people depend on the Potato Squad.”
…So suddenly?
Philip felt like he was being sent off to a battlefield. The look in Brisa’s eyes as she watched him was intensely serious.
“The situation is difficult, but do your best in your assigned mission.”
The small hand gripping his forearm tightened.
“The future created by the struggles of the Potato Squad will surely return as glory.”
Having spoken with such dignity, she stepped back.
“Go now. I trust you with the seed potatoes.”
Philip felt the illusion that he was receiving a life-or-death marching order. The fact that the maids were sobbing in the background only added to the feeling.
Is this what it’s always like to receive orders from a ‘true noble’?
Philip took a deep breath and bowed his head.
“Yes, My Lady. Leave it to us. And… I am truly sorry for earlier.”
It was undoubtedly a mistake to think she had been ignoring them. She was even giving orders in such a solemn, noble manner. A sense of pride swelled within him.
“I am honored to receive such a refined order. It’s my first time, so I’m quite overwhelmed…”
Wait. Saying that made him sound a bit pathetic. Realizing he was rambling, he lowered his voice and whispered hurriedly.
“P-please keep it a secret from others that I said this.”
“I refuse,” Brisa replied instantly. “I’m going to record it in the history books.”
After that, she turned back and spoke to the gatekeeper.
“Lead the way.”
Then, she declared with a cold gaze:
“I am heading to another battlefield.”
The girl walked away with a rigid, upright posture.
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Brisa’s Agricultural Knowledge (1)
Planting Seed Potatoes
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It is best for the potato to be about the size of an egg.
Roughly equivalent to half the palm of a twelve-year-old child.
It should have approximately three to five eyes.
If the potato is too large, cut it so that each piece contains two to three eyes.
Place the potato with the sprouts facing upward.
