The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 51

Chapter 51: The Lord’s Anger and the Duke’s Request

The sound of galloping horses is rarely heard in the region around Enkar.

Typically, donkeys are used to pull carts, and the only one who rides is Cedric. Even then, Cedric only rides when he is guarding Melfina’s carriage, so there’s hardly any need to make the horse gallop.

“I hear the sound of horse hooves, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Marie and I exchange glances, and almost simultaneously, we both sigh.

Winter preparations are in their final stages, and the lord’s mansion is piled with work every day. Today too, Marie and I have been shut up in the office since morning.

Visitors at times like these usually bring trouble. Looking out the office window, I met the eyes of August, who was wearing a cape over his knight’s uniform. He waved at me.

“… I’ll be sure to administer punishment later for his rudeness.”

“You don’t have to do that. Besides, August seems like the type who would be delighted to be hit as a reward.”

“He might enjoy it if it’s from a beautiful woman, but I doubt he’d appreciate it coming from a man. Probably.”

So he says, though not very confidently. I glanced at Cedric, who didn’t look too sure about his own words.

After a while, there was a knock on the door, and Eli announced with a puzzled expression that we had a guest.

“That’s fine, let them in.”

“It’s been a while, Lady Melfina! You don’t seem to be in a very good mood.”

“I’m glad you can tell. It’s been a while, August.”

The desk is piled high with parchment and books. It’s evident from the atmosphere alone that we’re very busy.

“If possible, please be brief. What brings you here this time?”

“The Duke will be visiting here, so I’ve come to inform you in advance.”

“I refuse. If it’s a transaction or a request, please convey that he should bring it in writing.”

“Well, his carriage will arrive in an hour.”

“… Is it really acceptable to notify of a visit so close to the actual time? Or is it the custom of the Ordland family to treat the lord of a tiny, remote territory like this?”

Sensing the seriousness of my anger, August straightened his back and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.

“I apologize! It is an urgent matter, so please forgive us.”

“… Do you know what it’s about?”

“I cannot say, but it involves the royal family.”

I glared at August for a while, but history in my past life had proven that treating a messenger poorly never ends well. Moreover, with the royal family involved, it was clear that Melfina couldn’t simply refuse to listen.

“… Eli, please prepare for our guest. Marie, I’ll need you to supervise.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll continue working on these documents until the last minute. Let me know when the carriage arrives.”

“Will you be changing?”

“No need.”

Marie stood up and left quietly, taking Eli with her. I looked over the documents in my hand, confirmed there were no issues, and signed them.

In the now silent office, the only sound was the scratching of the pen on the parchment.

“August.”

“Yes.”

“I am currently making the final preparations for winter as the lord of the Enkar region. This area is especially harsh, even among the northern territories. Every year, not only the serfs but also the villagers lose several people to winter.”

Being “taken by winter” means they succumb to the cold, lack of food, or inability to recover from illnesses.

“What I am doing now is the kind of work that aims to reduce that as much as possible. This may seem like a trivial small territory to you, but I have a responsibility to this land. It’s really troublesome when things like this happen without proper scheduling in advance.”

“I apologize, Lady Melfina. I will inform my lord at an appropriate time.”

“As long as you understand. Please feel free to wait in the reception room until the Duke arrives.”

Without any jesting, August quietly excused himself and left the office.

“… Was I a bit harsh?”

“No, you handled it excellently.”

Even though Cedric said that, I didn’t feel any better.

“With things as they are now, Marie has a lot on her plate too. Maybe we should hire a steward after all.”

“Yes, I agree that increasing the number of retainers would be beneficial for stable governance.”

“I’ll need to think carefully about that as well.”

Although this is the peak of our busy period, we will likely have much less to do during the winter and will be bored. Whether hiring someone or promoting a retainer, it can be decided slowly over the winter.

I immersed myself in work for the next hour or so, to the point that I barely noticed when Marie came to inform me of the troublesome arrival.

“…Why me? As you can see, this is a pioneering village situated at the edge of the northern frontier. Surely, there are more suitable places, like the royal capital or some other major city.”

“When we received the request from the Kingdom of Luxen, that was indeed the plan. However, due to widespread famine, security has deteriorated everywhere, and even the royal palace is on edge. Since the northern territories are the only ones not facing food shortages, the request came to us.”

Alexis, Melfina’s husband on paper, hadn’t changed in the months since they last met. His impassive demeanor made talking to him feel like conversing with an ice sculpture, not helped by his handsome but expressionless face.

The crown prince of the neighboring kingdom was Serleine de Luxen. He was one of the capture targets in the “Maria of the Kingdom of Hearts” game.

A boy five years younger than Melfina, he fit the “shota” archetype.

He suffered from a debilitating illness that left him prone to coughing fits. Through contact with Maria, who possessed healing powers, his condition gradually improved, allowing him to regain his health. He developed feelings for Maria, who gently cared for him, and despite his youth, he eventually proposed to her, wishing for her to come with him to his kingdom.

Though he looked like a frail and delicate beauty, the scenes of him earnestly courting Maria while trying to act mature were popular among players.

In the game, which starts next year when Maria arrives at the royal palace, he was said to be studying abroad from the neighboring kingdom, but in truth, it was likely for convalescence.

“In that case, he should stay in the capital city.”

“I will be away from the castle most of the winter, dealing with monster exterminations and maintaining order in troubled areas. Besides, there is no suitable lady of status at my castle who can attend to the prince.”

Marie could have taken on that role, but she had already been reassigned. Naturally, there was no intention of sending her back.

“The crown prince’s illness is common among children in the Kingdom of Luxen. It worsens particularly in winter, causing his throat to tear and bleed uncontrollably. Cold air aggravates the wounds in his throat and lungs, often leading to the death of many afflicted children. Until his body matures, the only treatment is to relocate for convalescence; otherwise, there’s a risk he might not survive until spring.”

The calm tone only made the weight of the plight faced by this eleven-year-old boy more palpable.

It would be so much easier if I could tell him, “Don’t worry, in a year and a half, the saintess will arrive at the palace, and she will cure the illness.”

Other than Melfina, who knew the game’s storyline, everyone around Serleine believed his life was short. It would feel wrong to dismiss this matter so callously, knowing what I did.

Given that the royal palace’s request was practically an order, rejecting it wasn’t an option. It wouldn’t take long to find out that the local lord was the eldest daughter of the Crawford family. If that happened, my family might get involved next.

Truly, a headache-inducing situation.

“… The royal palace initially wanted to entrust the prince to the ‘northern region’. Assigning him to Enkar Village specifically was the Duke’s idea, right?”

“Correct.”

“Then consider this a favor.”

“Understood. I appreciate it.”

“Save your appreciation. Just add it to the debt.”

Alexis’s gratitude was worth less than a copper coin. The subtle message was evidently received, as his perfectly shaped eyebrows knit together slightly.

After that, August handed me several documents detailing Serleine’s basic medical condition, the treatment methods, and dietary requirements. The schedule for his arrival was also clearly listed.

“Is that all for the discussion? You may leave through that door.”

“The sun is about to set.”

“It can’t be helped; it’s winter.”

“There are no inns in the village.”

“If you hurry, you can reach the neighboring town before dark. There should be a fairly large inn there.”

“Oh, I checked before coming, but it’s fully booked. During winter, migrants settle in inns in various towns, so they’re all full.”

Migrants, unlike residents who settle in a specific town or village and pay taxes, are people who continuously move without a fixed abode. This category includes traveling poets, adventurers, writers or artists who gather stories from various places, and itinerant circus troupes.

Not having fixed residences, they [migrants] travel from place to place. During winter, when movement is restricted, they secure rooms in inns in larger towns or villages, where they perform odd jobs or entertain to get through the season. As a result, finding a room in winter is exceptionally difficult.

While it would be possible to dismiss this issue as not my problem, doing so would likely lead the Duke’s household to demand a room at the inn, pushing someone else out in the process.

And the manor does have recently renovated guest rooms.

“… I understand. As you know, we only have day workers, so we can’t provide much hospitality. But we can offer you a place to sleep; please accept that as the best we can do.”

We could prepare a room for both Alexis and August, and if Alexis wanted to stay close to his charge, we could move a bed into his room.

“I have work to do, so if you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course. Would it be alright if we looked around the village until sunset?”

“Feel free.”

“I’d like someone to show me around.”

“I have to sign these documents, so please take Marie or Cedric instead.”

Both looked reluctant, each clearly hoping the other would volunteer. Even Alexis seemed to pick up on the mood.

“We’ll do the tour tomorrow, before we leave.”

“That would be best. While it might seem discourteous to the Duke, I’ll assign one of the day workers to attend to you within the manor, so please make yourselves comfortable.”

I stood and bowed courteously. Just as I was about to exit through the door Cedric had opened for me, I heard a faint remark.

“Seems you’ve completely got them both wrapped around your finger.”

I considered a sharp retort, but it wasn’t worth prolonging the conversation. As the door closed and I headed to the office, I snorted softly.

“Really, what an insufferable man!”
“Lady Melfina…”

“I understand how you feel, but please keep your voice down a bit.”

Though it didn’t matter if he heard, he was still the head of the Duke’s house. I didn’t want to jeopardize their positions.

“We’ll have to accompany him tomorrow, and we can’t neglect the dinner either. Let’s finish our work quickly!”

“Yes, I’ll help.”

“If it’s simple calculations, I can assist as well.”

Encouraged by the words of my two aides, I clenched my hands into fists.

A true lord must skillfully navigate unexpected situations. Though whether such skills are essential for a lord is debatable, thinking otherwise would make this too overwhelming to handle.