The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Reasoning Behind the Pioneer Village and the Escort Knights

“Looks like we’re almost there… Are you really going through with this, milady?”

Cedric, riding alongside the carriage, inquired.

“Cedric, we didn’t come all this way just to turn back now.”

She replied.

“Still, a village of serfs isn’t a place where you should be setting foot, milady. It’s unsanitary and lacks proper manners.”

Cedric persisted.

“Expecting serfs to adhere to courtly etiquette is unreasonable. We’re here to ask for their assistance, not to impose our customs on them.”

She retorted.

Cedric’s demeanor conveyed a mixture of anxiety and discontent. As a dutiful knight, he believed in faithfully carrying out orders, with the lord being the one to issue commands. There seemed to be no room for ambiguous or equal terms.

From Cedric’s silence, it was evident that he harbored distrust towards Melfina. A noble lady who, on the day after her wedding, fled her marital home to play at being a lord in this remote corner of the kingdom. What kind of upbringing had she received? It was lamentable and exasperating. Yet, due to their respective positions, he had no choice but to comply—such was the feeling.

Ignoring the subdued Cedric, the carriage driven by Ladd approached the entrance of the settlement. A simple fence, dotted with makeshift barriers, encircled the area. There was no gate, just a part where the fence had been opened, forming a rudimentary path that had been trodden down.

Presumably, stakes would be driven into this opening to erect a basic barrier come nightfall.

As they disembarked from the carriage, several children observed them with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Stooping down and beckoning them over, Melfina caught the attention of an older boy who appeared to be their leader.

Adjusting his ill-fitting clothes by tying a makeshift belt around his waist, the boy cautiously approached. His garments were frayed and worn, with sleeves and hems so threadbare they looked like they could tear at the slightest tug. The other children were dressed similarly.

“Milady, please stand.”

Cedric urged.

“Hello, I’m Melfina. Can you tell me your name?”

“Rod!”

“Yes, Rod. Could you bring one of the village adults, preferably a leader? Even if they’re busy, the lady over there will do.”

“Got it!”

Rod, as he introduced himself, cheerfully replied and ran off. The children who had been watching from a distance quickly followed him.

“Lady, you shouldn’t kneel before the serfs.”

“It’s better to make eye contact and talk with the children.”

“But they’re not children, they’re serfs.”

“We can discuss that later, Cedric.”

Cedric’s words were not wrong.

Nobles are responsible for managing the common folk, and there is indeed a certain aspect of nobility that is preserved by acting haughty and maintaining a strict hierarchy. In a society where social status is paramount, the idea of democracy and equality under the law, as in the previous life, would be considered absurd.

For someone like Cedric, born into nobility and bearing the title of a knight, violating that principle would seem to be on Melfina’s part.

The clash between Melfina’s worldview, informed by memories of a previous life, and Cedric’s upbringing in a society where social hierarchy is the norm, was inevitable. Cedric may reluctantly comply because Melfina’s status is higher, but it’s clear that he harbors discontent.

At some point, they would need to come to a mutual understanding.

In the original story, Duchess Melfina von Oldrand would have likely dismissed any interference from a mere escort knight and might have even resorted to striking him with her fan.

While Cedric would likely fall silent if Melfina were to assert her authority, Melfina herself couldn’t bring herself to do it, nor did she want to.

As she pondered this, she was approached by Rod and an adult male, accompanied by a growing number of children, prompting a warm smile from her as she noticed the increased number of children compared to before.

“Um, sorry to keep you waiting, and, um, excuse me.”

“No, I’m sorry for dropping by so suddenly. I’m Melfina von Oldrand. The wife of Duke Oldrand and the newly appointed lord of the entire Enkar region. Pleased to meet you.”

“Um, I’m Nid. I’m sort of the leader of this village.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Is the settlement going well?”

Despite appearing older due to his thick beard, his voice still had a youthful vigor. He seemed to be trying his best to respond politely, but he wasn’t accustomed to such formalities, occasionally stumbling over his words.

“Now that winter’s over, we’ve reduced the risk of children going hungry. As for the settlement, we’ve managed to clear some of the forest and create a bit of flat land, but producing enough crops to pay taxes is still difficult…”

Nid spoke hesitantly, carefully choosing his words, but his responses were firm. His language wasn’t too rough, and he didn’t seem overly intimidated by Melfina, unlike Lutz, the village chief of Enkar.

“No, I didn’t come here to discuss taxes. I won’t make any unreasonable requests, so could you show me around the area where you’ve been developing?”

“Understood. Shall we travel by carriage?”

“If you’re planning to walk, then so am I. Rod.”

The boy, who seemed to be Nid’s son, trotted over when called.

“Young knight, could you guide me around the village?”

“Yeah! Are you a princess, miss?”

“I’m not a princess, I’m a lord.”

“Lord, then! Follow me!”

Seemingly accustomed to caring for younger children, Rod naturally took Melfina’s hand with a smile. But then, a sharp sound cut through the air, lifting Melfina’s long golden hair lightly, and in the next moment, Rod’s small body was sent flying.

“Ngh… Cedric!”

“You insolent fool. This lady is the Duchess. It’s not proper for serfs to lay hands on her.”

Melfina thrust her hands forward, pushing her chest out, but before she could say another word, Cedric’s mouth snapped shut.

To a knight trained in combat, it might not have been much of a shock for an aristocratic lady who had never lifted anything heavier than tableware to shove him, but Cedric didn’t stagger. Instead, his eyes widened in astonishment.

“That’s enough, Cedric. No more words.”

“But, milady—”

“Silence! If you can’t obey my orders, then return to the capital immediately!”

She hated shouting emotionally, but she couldn’t remain silent. Rebuking Cedric, she dashed towards Rod. He was holding his stomach, so he had probably been kicked. The scrawny boy collapsed to the ground, clutching his abdomen.

“Rod, Rod! Are you okay?”

“Ow… I’m fine. I managed to roll with it.”

“Did you hit your head? Getting kicked in the stomach is dangerous. Even if you don’t feel anything, you should rest today.”

“I’m fine! The other day, I fell off the top of the big rock in the west, but nothing happened!”

Though he said it with a grin, Rod’s small body trembled. It was only natural. Suddenly being attacked by a much larger adult male who was a complete stranger would be terrifying.

Supporting him to sit up, Melfina checked to see if his complexion was okay and if he had any other injuries.

His face and arms were lightly covered in dirt, as if he’d been dusted with soil. Being so thin, his bones were visible at his joints. His clothes were shabby, made of coarse, tattered fabric. Despite it being spring, it must still be chilly. In this region, where winters were particularly harsh, had he been able to stay warm?

His life couldn’t have been easy. He must have had many moments of despair. Yet, he was the boy who smiled and led Melfina around the village, holding her hand.

“I’m sorry. Really, I’m so sorry.”

“It wasn’t you who did it, Lord, so you don’t have to apologize.”

“No, what the knight does is the same as if the Lord did it. So, I’m truly sorry.”

Rod seemed unable to fully accept it at first, but eventually, he gave a small nod.

“I forgive you, I do. I don’t mind, so don’t apologize, milady.”

“Thank you. You’re a kind child.”

Melfina rose, holding Rod’s hand. She checked again to make sure he wasn’t unsteady and didn’t feel unwell, then turned to face the still-standing Nid.

“We’ll leave now. I’m truly sorry for what happened to your son.”

“No, no! The Lord shouldn’t apologize! My son was rude and touched you without permission, so…”

“It’s okay. I asked for his guidance, so Rod did nothing wrong. If he feels unwell, please send for us immediately.”

After reassuring them, she returned to the carriage.

Cedric had a stony expression, but now was not the time to engage him in conversation.