The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 54

Chapter 54: Development and Dangers

The moment the door closed, I realized my brows were furrowed deeply.

There’s no shortage of unpleasant things in this world, but as someone born into a family with the highest noble rank, I had grown used to not letting any trouble show on my face.

I never imagined I’d be so taken aback by anything else.

“Lady Melfina is, well, precarious in many ways.”

The bodyguard’s words hit the nail on the head, as he sat down heavily on the bed.

“The Enkar region has already achieved unprecedented success, but up until now, it could be dismissed as mere luck or coincidences aligning with her playful experiments. However, that ale will undoubtedly draw public attention.”

“The sauna as well. I initially thought it was something she made as a whim, but no northern noble would pass up having one.”

“If they plan to build one in the village too, it means even commoners will have access to it.”

Whether noble or commoner, severe cold causing illness in both body and mind is not uncommon in the northern regions.

Those in hot spring areas regularly bathe in the springs, and building a winter villa there is a sign of the northern nobility’s power and influence.

This can be resolved with just a small stone room and a kiln fired by coal. A sauna exclusively for the noble family goes without saying, and even wealthy nobles would not find it burdensome to provide one for their servants.

“The people here don’t seem to grasp the value of what they are introducing, which is rather dangerous. They regard the incredible things Lady Melfina creates as something to boast about, without any thought of hiding them from outsiders.”

“They seem more eager to show off and be praised for it.”

“If they were malicious, they’d steal both the products and the manufacturing methods and market them under their own name. Kidnapping the craftsmen who know the process would be child’s play.”

August’s words were by no means an exaggeration. Hence, those possessing such skills were protected under the guild’s umbrella, and lords took measures to ensure such knowledge did not leak outside.

There’s a story about a certain region in a southern country where a workshop producing exquisite glassware existed.

Its beauty was unmatched, and its delicate craftsmanship was desired by every noble and aristocrat.

The lord ruling over that region strictly forbade craftsmen trained in the workshop from leaving, gathering them on a remote island and imposing strict restrictions on their movements. Only a handful of approved merchants were allowed to trade goods and provisions, while craftsmen and their families faced lifelong confinement once they set foot on that island.

And this practice reportedly continues to this day.

The glassware trades at prices higher than jewels, enriching the lord immensely. Its rarity, combined with the difficulty of acquiring it, continues to endear it to nobles and aristocrats.

This is not simply greed on the lord’s part; enclosing the craftsmen is also a means of protecting them.

Those possessing such skills are coveted for their knowledge. A single new technique can determine the rise or fall of a region, territory, or even a country itself, illustrating the fierce competition for their talents.

“It’s odd to call it fortunate, but all the knowledge spreading in the Enkar region originates from Lady Melfina. As the daughter of a major noble in the south and the Duchess of the highest authority in the north, she rarely engages directly. Nevertheless, there are charlatans everywhere. We need not only to ensure her safety but also to find trustworthy advisors for the use of her knowledge.”

“That’s true…”

“Despite knowing that Lady Melfina understands that Marie and Cedric are watching over the Duke, she still keeps them close, so she might be insensitive even if a spy approaches. Well, the best solution would be for her to return to the Duke’s house with strict protection, leaving the application of that knowledge to someone else.”

“She wouldn’t agree to that.”

Alexis didn’t know much about Melfina, but it was clear she wasn’t the type to easily entrust her knowledge to others.

“If that’s the case, there’s no way the Crawford family would let her go. They would have kept her tightly guarded, ensuring her knowledge remains a golden goose that never lays eggs in public.”

“That’s the biggest challenge.”

After a playful sigh, August’s expression turned serious.

“By the way, shifting topics, I heard about Melto Village—formerly a village of serfs, a new settlement for serfs has been established separately. It seems there are about two hundred and thirty people in total.”

“Well, that’s quite a splurge. Even with the corn sales, it wouldn’t be an easy amount to come up with.”

Serfs are traded as “commodities” for about three gold coins per person. While it might have been bought from some lord to avoid letting them starve to death during the famine, it’s the lord’s duty to at least provide them with food once they’ve been taken in.

Adding all that up, it wouldn’t have been a cheap purchase.

“Well, it seems they recruited the peasants who raided the Enkar region for food as serfs. Since it hasn’t been reported to the Oldrand Duchy, they’re probably originally from Count Dantes’ territory.”

“…About half a month ago, it was reported that small villages and settlements were almost completely destroyed.”

“Even if it’s a neighboring region, Enkar is quite a distance away, making it almost impossible for people from other areas to reach this landlocked island. However, it’s hardly imaginable that two hundred and thirty people attacked the village.”

“Get to the point.”

“Some of them turned into thieves, but the rest are likely to be implicated. When I inspected Enkar Village before coming to the lord’s mansion, there were no signs of deaths or trampled fields. Considering the number of people involved without setting fire to the fields, it’s hard to imagine anyone other than someone significant in Enkar, apart from Lady Melfina or Lady Marie.”

“…”

“The problem is, everyone around here stays quiet. People are creatures who want to talk when they have secrets. At least there’s always someone who can’t keep it to themselves, but they never talk.”

“And this knight is particularly good at teasing out such human desires. If he hadn’t been born as the eldest son of a knight’s family, he might have become a fraudster, maneuvering adeptly.”

“August couldn’t get the simple peasants to talk. There must be a strong deterrent at play.”

“It would be faster to ask Count Dantes.”

“I hope Lady Melfina doesn’t mind such probing. It’s also a matter of the Duke’s reputation.”

Investigating the movements of neighboring lords isn’t necessarily frowned upon. However, it’s not ideal for a husband to inquire about what his wife is up to.

“From what I saw today, they seemed fine. Lady Marie and Cedric didn’t show any unusual behavior, so in the end, it wasn’t much of an issue. But the Enkar region’s reputation will only grow from here on out. That toast alone assures me of that. As for how long Lady Melfina will remain safe, honestly, I don’t know.”

“If anyone could consider that, it would be the lady.”

“True, but Lady Melfina, sharp as she is, sometimes lacks a sense of urgency, wouldn’t you say?”

“…”

“Really, why would anyone try to push Lady Melfina away? She matches our family status, brings a substantial dowry, is clever, courageous, young, and beautiful. Finding faults would be more difficult.”

“Beautiful poison flowers are not uncommon. Besides, I didn’t push her away. I simply said she could live wherever she liked.”

“It would have been perfect if you had asked her not to leave my side.”

Giving a glare, the servant who knows well when to withdraw gracefully bowed and politely excused himself. They had a long association, and his behavior showed a well-practiced understanding of how to handle situations.

“Anyway, shall we prepare for dinner? Also, there’s room for negotiation to sell her knowledge as a specialty of the Duke’s house and promote it extensively. Since she also sold corn with recipes.”

“It was an outrageous profit equivalent to wheat.”

“In return, it’s two-thirds next year and half thereafter, with adjustments in quantity as needed. The Duke’s house avoided opening its stores, and it was recognized as the least affected domestically by the royal family. Well, that led to this troublesome incident, but the stock of Lord Aldorand has risen. Truly, such a clever person is rare.”

“I understand.”

“This time, we need to secure the technology before it’s sold off to other lords and nobles. Good luck with the negotiations, Your Excellency.”

Although it’s called a dinner, given the sudden visit, Alexis muttered whether casual attire would suffice as he slipped into the dress shirt laid out for him. Despite some time passing since he came out of the bath, his body remained warm.

“…We should definitely incorporate the sauna sooner rather than later.”

“Oh, the stones used are also quite special. If you sprinkle water on improperly heated stones, they can crack or burst dangerously.”

It seemed August had gleaned various details from the servants while enjoying the sauna. To August, it seemed as easy as twisting a child’s hand.

“It means imitating the form alone could lead to serious injury. Truly vexing how well-made it is.”

Apparently, August hadn’t managed to find out where exactly those stones were mined from.

“Personally, I can’t imagine her being outmaneuvered by other nobles in a deal. They might think they got a good deal at first, only to realize later they’ve been tricked and end up stamping their feet.”

“Yeah, I can totally imagine that.”

With her pale gold hair and clear emerald eyes, she had the typical colors of royalty. Despite her delicate appearance, typical of a carefully nurtured noble daughter, there was no sign of any vulnerability or weakness in her.

Facing such a woman, tasked with negotiations involving both the sauna and the ale, at least two transactions, Alexis couldn’t help but feel something that wasn’t just about the inconvenience or the weight of the matter, which he found a bit strange about himself.