Chapter 54
The master’s decision set the household servants into busy motion.
The carriage was soon prepared, and the coachman drove the horses to the location I had requested.
“By the way, I heard that the wheat produced in the Duchy of Tellum accounts for more than a third of the Empire’s total wheat harvest!”
“That is so during a bountiful year.”
“What do you think it will be like this year? Ah! Let me guess! Hmm, the weather today is just too good! It will definitely be a bumper crop! Right? Amazing!”
I chattered on, deliberately talking to the Duke a lot—enough to tire him slightly, as he was naturally a man of few words.
For now, it was necessary that he see me as a talkative person.
As we spoke, the carriage soon came to a halt.
I took the Duke’s hand and stepped down, gazing at the scenery that spread out before us.
And I exclaimed in surprise:
“Wow!”
The sky was high and blue, a perfect early summer.
Across the vast fields stretched the green wheat, not yet ripe.
A sudden gust of wind blew.
The wheat swayed in unison, rustling in the direction of the wind.
Shhhh-.
Like waves on the ocean.
I looked around the green wheat fields, smiling broadly, and turned to the Duke.
“It’s truly magnificent!”
“I am glad Your Highness finds it pleasing.”
“I’ve always wanted to see a green wheat field like this!”
“Yes. Many consider the golden wheat fields of autumn spectacular, but even now, they are very charming.”
The Duke followed me as we walked through the fields.
In his eyes was pride and affection for his territory.
Indeed, the green wheat fields swaying in the wind were peaceful and refreshing.
Unfortunately, I don’t have the luxury to enjoy this scene with a purely innocent heart.
We strolled slowly through the fields, and I chatted incessantly while shielding myself from the sun with my parasol.
This gave me the opportunity to bring up a prepared topic naturally.
“Duke, have you heard? Strange things have been happening throughout our Empire lately.”
“I have heard that inexplicable illnesses are spreading in various regions.”
“That’s part of it.”
I gazed over the wheat fields beyond my parasol.
“Also, it seems signs of natural disasters are increasing in many areas.”
“Disasters, you say…”
“Suddenly, too many wild animals died, and the ponds’ water changed color. Oh! This spring, some fields couldn’t be planted because the ground smelled rotten!”
“I have heard of that as well.”
“Although these affected regions aren’t critical, the Emperor seems to dismiss them lightly… I am worried.”
When the Emperor was mentioned, the Duke’s expression stiffened slightly.
I casually placed a hand on my cheek, pretending to know nothing.
“Some places were suddenly engulfed in fires that destroyed all crops… Duke, what would you do if that happened?”
“Fires, you say?”
He answered my question without hesitation.
“Such a thing must never occur… Our lands are equipped with magical devices throughout the fields. Additionally, the vassal families under the Duchy manage their own lands meticulously. So, most accidents can be handled internally.”
“Wow! Magical devices throughout the entire territory? Not just near the ducal estate, but across the entire Duchy? Every single one?!”
“Yes. Every single one.”
Perhaps because I had talked so much in front of him that he had relaxed, the Duke spoke freely without much caution.
After he finished speaking, he paused slightly and looked at me.
Seems he just remembered my position.
Outwardly, I was the Emperor’s most cherished daughter.
But to the Duke, who also feared and guarded himself against the Emperor, I was not merely a niece.
And the question I just asked…
It was a sensitive one.
What if, for some reason, the wheat that the Duchy of Tellum supplied every year had a problem?
The House of Tellum could end just like that.
Like our conversation just now, the Empire has been plagued by strange phenomena recently: abnormal natural events and illnesses occurring in various regions.
If even this endless wheat field were affected, the Emperor would not remain passive.
He only spared my life on the condition that the House of Tellum bear no heirs, but he still keeps a watchful eye on them.
Disasters are beyond human control.
But the Emperor would undoubtedly blame the Duchy of Tellum for everything, for any reason.
The Duke must know this too, which is why he manages his fields so carefully.
The Duchy’s lands are vast, nearly the size of a principality.
Installing magical devices throughout such a massive territory was undoubtedly a major investment.
It seems he relies on these devices a bit excessively…
But considering that only transcendental powers like magic could prevent disasters, it’s understandable.
In any case, in the original story, this fire was not a direct event for the main characters.
Thus, the process wasn’t fully described, leaving many details ambiguous.
So I chattered away, making the Duke’s guard drop a little.
It yielded some results.
Unlike me, whose curiosity was satisfied, the Duke’s expression darkened slightly.
He’s probably regretting that he spoke too freely in front of the Emperor’s bloodline.
I smiled innocently at him.
“How reassuring! Truly, the great lands that supply the Empire’s food are something else! Hah, but managing them must be complicated…”
This time, I lowered my voice and whispered to the Duke.
“Do the magical devices get managed by the Mage Tower? Not that I’m boasting, but I’m somewhat acquainted with the Tower Master! Maybe I could ask for his help?”
When I seriously offered such an odd suggestion, the Duke blinked and then smiled wryly.
“Do not worry. I have already requested the Tower’s assistance.”
“Hehe, but if you ever need my help, just let me know! I also love this scenery, so I’ll always lend a hand!”
“Your thoughtfulness warms me.”
Though he said so, his eyes indicated that it would never be necessary.
I calmly recalled the original story.
Don’t be so sure. You’ll definitely need my help someday.
At that moment, the wind blew again.
Modeway appeared and perched on my shoulder.
[That wind, Master. A very strange wind.]
The original sequence of events has no chance of changing now.
The unaware victim smiled at me as if in admiration.
I, too, smiled innocently at the Duke.
And my help always comes with a price.
The walk with the Duke ended, and we returned to the castle.
That night, when everyone should have been asleep, a crimson fire and black smoke erupted beyond the windows.
As expected, it was the wheat field where the Duke and I had been.
“Madam, I believe I must go in person.”
“Then I—”
“It’s dangerous. You must stay here.”
Dressed hastily, the Duke rushed out of the castle.
Even after he left, my aunt could not easily return to her room.
She lingered by the entrance, gripping the sleeves of her robe over her nightgown.
Morren and I observed her from the second floor connected to the foyer.
“Sis.”
Morren spoke softly.
“How did you know this would happen?”
He watched me intently with sharp eyes.
“My teacher said the task given to me was far too difficult for a beginner to grasp at once.”
“…”
“But since you specially requested it, he taught me clumsily. He knew from the start this would happen, didn’t he?”
“Were you very curious?”
Morren paused, then shook his head, leaving behind the sharpness in his eyes.
“I don’t necessarily want an answer. What matters is not how you knew, but how you’ll use it.”
I smiled slightly at Morren’s quick assessment.
He moved closer and whispered,
“Then… was there a way to stop this in advance?”
This time, I paused.
I averted my eyes from my aunt and met Morren’s gaze.
“If I said there was, would you be disappointed in me?”
The spirits who had been listening simultaneously protested.
[No! You couldn’t have stopped it!]
[Right~, even for the Master, it was impossible~]
[Master’s little brother! Just tell him how disappointed you are!]
I chuckled inwardly.
They were right.
This fire wasn’t normal to begin with.
A disaster that would go down in history.
For thirteen long days, all the wheat fields in the Duchy were reduced to ashes by a hellish blaze.
The enormous flames, unstoppable, consumed everything before finally vanishing.
Of course, I wanted to stop it if I could.
I sent Modeway and Marin multiple times to scout the surroundings after leaving the capital, but it was useless.
It was said that the twisted magic undetectable by humans was caught in every wind across the Duchy.
Even Nesgal, the fire spirit, could not control the fire caused by that twisted magic.
An abnormal phenomenon that even the spirits deemed strange.
In the original story, no one discovered the cause of this fire or other strange phenomena across the Empire.
Without knowing the reason, no fundamental solution could be devised.
Hence, during last night’s dinner, after the final report from Modeway and Marin, I resolved:
If I cannot stop it completely, I must at least use it strategically.
Naturally, minimizing the damage.
I thought this while watching Morren, who quietly observed me in return.
