TOYLCG 24🍒

Chapter — 24

Dinner passed in a warm, cheerful mood, just like always, as the three of them sat facing each other.

The count was satisfied to see that Daniel looked better than before. Holding the young lady back with various excuses had clearly been the right decision.

“I think it’s time for me to return to the ducal estate,” Rosabelle said.

“Yes?” the count replied.

“I’ve stayed longer than I expected, and I also need to look after the orchard. As you know, once the flowers are thinned out, things get much busier.”

“Ah… that’s true.”

“The apple harvest needs to go smoothly if we’re going to hold a harvest festival in autumn.”

“A harvest festival.”

As if struck by a good idea, the count clapped his hands.

“Then how about holding it together with our territory?”

Rosabelle’s eyes widened at the unexpected suggestion. Her heart began to race.

A collaboration.

It wasn’t a bad idea at all. In her past life, collaborations between companies were common. They often opened pop-up stores to promote each other’s products.

She had already been planning to sell blemished apples at a lower price, so this fit perfectly.

“Then how about collaborating by making bread with apples as the main ingredient?” she suggested.

“That sounds good as well. We could make apple pies using apples from the Efrian Ducal Estate and bread from our territory.”

“That’s a really great idea. If we make them bite-sized and easy to eat while walking, it would be good for both sides.”

Watching her respond so quickly, the count was impressed. He could tell she was smart just from talking to her—but actually putting ideas into action was a different matter.

If the two territories truly worked together as she suggested, even people’s perception of farming could change.

“If this collaboration goes well, I think views on farming might improve a little,” the count said.

“It’s a problem caused by people who look down on farming. If the harvest festival succeeds, your territory could become famous for bread, and the Efrian Ducal Estate could solve the issue of blemished apples. It’s good for both of us.”

“So the ducal estate also had trouble dealing with damaged apples.”

“Yes. But when you mentioned collaboration, apples and bread came to mind, so I suggested apple pie on the spot.”

Rosabelle smiled gently and shifted her gaze toward Daniel.

He was staring at her with his mouth slightly open, clearly shocked.

“Sir Daniel? Is something wrong?”

“Oh—no. I was just surprised. I never thought of a method like that.”

“Desserts may be common among nobles, but not among commoners. But are you really okay with my suggestion?”

“All of a sudden?”

“We’d be using blemished apples, but flour isn’t like that.”

“Then couldn’t we adjust the profit distribution to account for that?”

At the count’s words, Rosabelle nodded. And if the harvest festival were held at the ducal estate, even more people would gather.

“That’s not a bad idea. If we hold the festival at the ducal estate, more people will come, and naturally the reputation of the Demetra territory will spread as well.”

“Reputation… you even thought that far ahead.”

“Making money only through farming is fine, but creating additional sources of income isn’t bad either.”

Rosabelle remembered how, in her past life, some regions held bread festivals. They sometimes became a trend, turning the place into a ‘city of bread,’ with one brand representing the entire city.

“If a wheat-producing territory held a festival with freshly baked bread, wouldn’t that be nice?”

At her words, the count’s eyes sparkled. He had never once thought of holding a festival centered on bread.

“You really are remarkable, Lady Rosabelle.”

“Me?” she asked, looking confused.

Of course, to her, these ideas felt natural—perhaps because she had lived in a modern world before.

“If it’s bread, selling jam alongside it would be good too. Preparing spreads that go well with bread and letting people choose wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

“That’s a good idea too, Count.”

The count called the butler and had him note down everything Rosabelle had said.

“Fruit jam is expensive for commoners, so it would be better to sell it in small portions at reasonable prices.”

“I was thinking the same. But we don’t have to target only commoners. We could also create a premium line to appeal to nobles.”

In an instant, the scale of the plan grew much larger. Daniel’s heart raced, wondering if this was really okay.

She showed no hesitation in trying new things. Watching her, he thought he should learn from this.

“Appealing to nobles… If we preserve expensive fruits in honey and use luxurious bottles, nobles who crave luxury will definitely show interest. They hate falling behind, so I think it’s possible.”

He had thought about selling to nobles before, but he never knew how to approach it.

Flour was a staple and traded actively—but that was all.

Through this conversation with the young lady, the Count of Demetra realized many things. Perhaps he had never thought this way simply because he had spent his entire life growing wheat.

“It seems we’ve roughly organized things. For the details, please discuss them further with the duke.”

“There aren’t many days left for us to dine together like this,” Rosabelle said.

“It’s unfortunate, but I can’t leave the ducal estate for too long either.”

Daniel was relieved that this wouldn’t be the end of their connection. He had originally thought he might never see her again.

The thought that this cooperation would bring him closer to her made him smile.

“Sir Daniel, you should smile more. You smile so much more now than when we first met—it’s really nice to see.”

“That’s thanks to your consideration, my lady.”

The count, too, was surprised by Daniel’s change since her visit. He had heard rumors that Daniel’s personality had changed, and now he truly felt he was a talent worth wanting.

‘He is the child who will succeed the ducal house after me.’

When the Duke of Efrian had said that, the count had found it absurd, feeling as though the duke subtly wanted an engagement.

But after meeting her in person, he understood the unspoken line the duke had drawn. Anyone who saw her true nature would want to arrange an engagement.

“Sir Daniel, please come visit sometime. Tomatoes mixed with honey are really delicious.”

“I will. Definitely.”

Listening to them, the count couldn’t understand why tomatoes of all things—but he was satisfied that his son could now talk so freely with others.

He was even willing to accept an invitation instead of putting farming first.

Was her visit really bringing about such a big change? The future felt promising.

“May I ask what you plan to use the wheat stalks and bran for?” the count asked.

“For the orchard!” Rosabelle answered without hesitation.

“The orchard?”

“In winter, I plan to tie the wheat stalks together and wrap them around the trees. I also heard that burning wheat bran and spreading the ash is good for the fields.”

She took a sip of water and reached for more bread. She hadn’t brought up the bread festival idea lightly.

The bread here was truly delicious. The nutty aroma of the bread and the rich butter scent stimulated her appetite.

“I’ll discuss the exact amount of wheat bran and stalks with the duke,” the count said.

“Please do. By the way, the bread is really good. I wish the bread festival would come sooner.”

After replying, Rosabelle tore open another piece of bread. Daniel had never seen a woman—or rather, a person—eat so heartily.

To him, bread was nothing special. He ate it every day. But from the start, Rosabelle had given all kinds of comments about the bread.

“Fresh, good ingredients really do make delicious bread!”
“Is the baker especially skilled? The bread at the ducal estate is good too, but this has so much variety!”

She wasn’t forcing compliments. He could tell she truly meant it, which made him like her even more.

If only I could get a little closer to her…

“Rosabelle…”

“…Yes?”

Daniel panicked, and Rosabelle responded to hearing her name. Watching this, the count’s hair practically stood on end.

“Th—that is…”

“Sir Daniel, are we the same age?”

“…Yes.”

Daniel’s face turned bright red, as if it might burst. Rosabelle thought it shouldn’t matter if they were friends.

“Then call me Rosabelle. I’ll call you Daniel too.”

Telling them to use first names so casually—both the count and Daniel were flustered. But the person herself was completely absorbed in her bread.