The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 144

Chapter 144: The Pasture and the Foster Child

“This is quite impressive.”

Melfina mused, discreetly looking around the drawing-room.

The building itself was built by Ricardo and his carpenters, following the family’s request. Except for the fact that it was two stories, the basic structure was the same as other houses in Enkar, but the interior was vastly different.

First, the tapestries hanging on the walls greatly influenced the atmosphere of the room. While there were no paintings, they were simple, faded orange flat weaves. The custom of decorating walls was something I hadn’t seen in Enkar.

The rug laid in the drawing-room was not fur but a woven rug with fine stripes. The furniture was crafted by artisans. It was aged, but made with robust construction.

These were likely brought from their old house when they moved. Even though they were forced to split the family due to the famine, it was clear they were once a wealthy family.

“The relocation was a sudden decision, but it’s a very impressive pasture. Are you encountering any difficulties?”

“With four boys in our family, we can handle the maintenance of the fences and barns, which requires manpower. But we were surprised that raising pigs in the open is prohibited by law.”

“It’s often better to keep livestock together, especially when considering accidents or attacks by beasts. That’s why we do it in Enkar. And, we need the manure. Are you aware of that?”

“You mean cow and pig manure. The village head, Lutz, told us to sell it to the lord.”

Joana responded calmly, speaking without hesitation, even to Melfina. In Enkar, I often felt like people were too nervous and deferential, so it was refreshing.

Apparently, the livestock farmer’s family had previously operated a pasture with three families together in a neighboring village, but the number of livestock could no longer be sustained due to the famine, which began with the potato blight.

Pigs and chickens that were free-range frequently went missing, and if they were culled, their income to support three families would be cut off. But it was becoming increasingly difficult to buy feed to maintain their numbers. They decided that it was better to relocate than to decline as a family, so they moved to Enkar with their youngest son’s family and their children, and a few head of livestock, at the beginning of spring.

“There are many different customs here compared to other places, so you’ll probably be confused. If anything happens, consult with Lutz, the village head. He’ll relay it to me.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Joana is very polite, but I wonder if she came from a noble or merchant family.”

“Yes, my late husband’s family had business dealings with them, and they recommended us. My father-in-law wanted to expand the pasture and improve its management, but…”

“There’s nothing you can do about a famine, it’s like a natural disaster. So, Joana, you can keep records?”

“Yes, I can manage basic bookkeeping.”

Joana confirmed, and I exchanged glances with Helmut.

The barns I manage are heavily reliant on my funds and authority as the lord, in terms of feed and personnel, making it difficult to use as a business benchmark.

If Joana’s family’s income and expenses from feed purchases to livestock management are neatly summarized in records, it would be very helpful.

Apparently, Joana’s family was a merchant family from the west. Her father was a trader who owned a ship in the port city of Elban and made a fortune from various trades. Her mother managed the store in their hometown, and her in-laws were a wealthy livestock family that owned a large pasture and once employed many tenant farmers.

That explains their good taste in furniture and interior design.

Joana, who seemed cool but not averse to talking, and I had a pleasant conversation about life in Soarasonne and tips for managing the farm. But Helmut’s cough interrupted the conversation.

As the summer had arrived, Melfina and Helmut, the administrator, were both incredibly busy. If we spent too much time observing, it would cut into our other work.

“Well, would you mind if we took a look at the barn last? Oh, and can we meet the child you’re looking after? I was wondering how she’s doing.”

“She should have been in the backyard just now. Joseph, go get Judith.”

“Alright. …That kid wanders off, it’s hard to find her…”

“Joseph.”

Joana’s stern voice made the boy flinch. He quickly left the drawing-room.

The girl who Julius and Rena had rescued from the woods, the girl Julius had named Judith, was being cared for in this house.

I had heard the story of how they were looking for a foster family in Enkar Village, and this family, with four boys and a desire for a girl, offered to take her in. But I haven’t had time to visit her, so today’s inspection was a godsend.

“She didn’t say anything when we met her before, but I wonder if she’s doing okay?”

“She’s usually quiet, but she’s a good girl. She’s still young, so there’s only so much she can do, but she’s eager to help and very well-behaved. She never causes any trouble.”

Though Joana had a serene aura, her eyes softened slightly, and she smiled.

“It’s nice to have a daughter. We only had boys in my old house, so this is the first time taking care of a girl. She’s very quiet and cute.”

“Mother, you’re talking about her like she’s a kitten! …I apologize, Lady Melfina. She still seems to be getting used to the place and often disappears.”

“Children that age do that. Would you mind if we looked at the barn first?”

“Yes. But we only moved here recently, so the barn is small and we don’t have many animals yet, there isn’t much to see.”

She said this, and the freckled boy, Joseph, who was standing by, led us to the pasture.

As Joana said, the barn wasn’t very big. The cows were basically free-range, except for being put into the barn at night. Inside, there was a cow and her calf, which was born recently.

“We separate the goats and cows once they reach a certain age. It’s easier to keep them from getting sick if they’re not too crowded.”

“What do you feed them?”

“The cows get pasture grass, and we also give them leftover vegetables. The goats eat dried grass from after the grass is cut, but we often tie a rope around their necks and take them to vacant lots or forests where there’s a lot of weeds.”

Goats are very indiscriminate eaters. They’ll eat almost any plant. They even peel the bark off trees and sometimes chew on wooden houses.

“If, just in case, one of the goats escapes into the woods, could you please let Joana and your father know immediately?”

I told Joseph, and he nodded, looking a little puzzled.

I hadn’t heard any stories about wild goats in Enkar, but if an escaped goat started breeding in the forest, it would quickly become unmanageable.

We’re already clearing out Moltre Forest for development, and we need to be careful about goats chewing on the young trees we planted.

Joseph answered my questions expertly about the water collection process, the number of times per day, milking the cows, and caring for the chickens. He truly was a child of a family that had been raising livestock for generations.

“Joseph, you know a lot about farm work. You’re very responsible, even though you’re still young.”

“Thank you. But my father always scolds me, saying I still have much to learn. Oh, but this pasture is close to the irrigation canal, making it easy to collect water. It’s easier to care for the livestock compared to our old house.”

He looked in the direction of his gaze, and I saw the irrigation canal just beyond the fence. I heard geese honking.

Next to the irrigation canal, I spotted a child with bluish-gray hair.

“Oh, he was there all along! I’ll get him right away!”

“It’s okay, I’ll go.”

I stopped Joseph from running, circled the fence, and headed towards the irrigation canal.

Children could easily climb over or crawl under the fence, but I couldn’t. I walked through the short, freshly cut grass and approached the small girl. Judith was drawing something on the bare ground near the irrigation canal with stones she had found.

It was probably a four-legged animal, maybe a cow. There were also a lot of people and something that looked like a bird flying in the sky.

“Hello, Judith. Are you drawing?”

I called out to her, and the girl looked up, then immediately lowered her gaze to the ground.

“Hey, Judith. It’s the lord. Be polite and greet her.”

Joseph said this impatiently, but I laughed and told him it was okay.

I didn’t sense any unnecessary roughness from him, as far as I could tell from our conversation. But for a boy just entering puberty, it must be stressful to have a sudden shift in his life, with the economic downturn, the move from a place he’s used to, and the arrival of a toddler sister.

“Judith, is this a cow?”

I knelt down, and Theodor behind me called out her name in surprise. Marie and Lloyd were already used to Melfina’s actions, but Theodor, who had only recently joined the guard, was more shocked.

Judith nodded when she saw me. Then she drew more circles with feet attached to the side of the cow, using a stone.

“Is this a duck? Or a chicken?”

“…..”

There was no answer, but she shook her head, so it must be wrong.

Judith had clear skin and beautiful, neatly combed hair. She was wearing a navy blue dress, which showed that she was being well cared for in this house.

But she’s probably old enough to understand what’s going on around her. She must have a vague understanding that she was abandoned by her parents.

If only she could forget about that.

“Lady Melfina, it’s time to return to the lord’s mansion.”

Helmut must have meant that we had seen everything we needed to see. I stood up.

“Yes. Joseph, thank you for today. Give my regards to your father.”

“Yes, please come again anytime, Lady Melfina.”

“Oh, right. The irrigation canal isn’t that deep, but if Judith falls in, she might be swept away. Try not to get too close…”

I turned around to look at Judith and my gaze was instantly fixed on her hand.

She was still scraping the ground with the stone, without paying attention to us. There was something near her hand, something that resembled letters, though crude.

Lake, village?

She was about to add another letter when she brutally erased what she had drawn on the ground, threw the stone away, and ran towards the barn.

“Hey, I told you not to go under the fence! Judith!”

Ignoring Joseph’s voice, she slipped through the gap in the fence and disappeared behind the building.

“I’m sorry, Lady Melfina. That kid is so impulsive.”

“Children that age get so absorbed in what they’re doing that they can’t hear anything around them. Joseph, it’s okay to call me Melfina.”

“What? But…”

“Everyone in Enkar calls me that. You’re a part of this place now.”

“…Yes, Lady Melfina.”

Joseph nodded shyly, and I smiled at him. Then we left the pasture.

Am I imagining things?

I was concerned about Judith, but maybe it was just the way she was randomly scraping the ground that made it look like letters.

Even if she’s a noble, it’s unlikely for a child that age to write.

Thinking this, I felt uneasy, but I continued to gaze out the window of the moving carriage.