Upstart Pastry Chef ~Territory Management of a Genius Pâtisserie~ - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Count Fernande, the Border Baron

Returning from the main village to the frontier settlement, a night had passed.

I declared war to Jorg and felt relieved. There’s no turning back now. …In fact, part of the reason for declaring war was precisely that.

I was getting ready.

Normally, I would wear sturdy, unadorned clothes that could get dirty while pioneering, but today I chose formal attire because Count Fernande, the Border Baron, was coming for an inspection.

…As the village created by my brother Jorg.

Father and Jorg will be the ones to deal with the Baron. I’ll be accompanying them to answer various questions.

There are many questions that can only be answered by me, the one who built this village.

“Tina, I’m counting on you to stay behind today.”

“Understood, Kurt-sama.”

I’ve explained the situation to Tina. I can’t take her with me today.

“Here’s your lunch.”

Tina hands me a basket.

Inside are sandwiches made by Tina and cookies I prepared in advance.

In addition to cheese, the sandwiches also contain goat ham. It’s a luxury that can only be afforded occasionally.

It’s probably her way of showing support.

“Kurt-sama, do your best!”

“Yeah, I’ll do my best. Though I have mixed feelings about it.”

I chuckled wryly and left the house.

◇

After the altercation with Jorg, I was summoned by Father’s messenger. There, Father and I discussed the inspection by the Border Baron.

During the meeting, we agreed on several points.

First, it was acceptable to convey that the village was pioneered by Jorg. However, it was imperative to state that I assisted him. This way, after I become the Lord in the Selection Ceremony, I can proudly claim that I handled all the practical matters.

Both Father and Jorg had to concede to this. After all, Jorg knows nothing about managing the village. Relying solely on the reports I provided would expose inadequacies in his responses.

Second, we agreed not to let Jorg talk unnecessarily. Basic responses would be handled by Father, while I would address more complex questions. Father had to agree to this as well, as Jorg might inadvertently say something improper.

The Border Baron Fernande arrived at the main village last night, where Father and my brother welcomed him.

He should be arriving soon.

I spotted the carriage. Its opulence and crest unmistakably marked it as belonging to Baron Fernande.

Oddly, someone was riding alongside it. It was the Baron himself.

Come to think of it, Father mentioned this. Riding is his hobby, and occasionally, he takes the reins himself for stress relief.

The carriage and horse came to a halt before me.

“Hey there, it’s been a while, Kurt. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you. Much more than meeting Jorg.”

Baron Fernande greeted me with a volume audible only to me as he swiftly dismounted from his horse before Father and the others descended from the carriage.

He was in his late thirties, with a slender figure and an unmistakable air of nobility.

“It’s a pleasure, Baron Fernande. I’ve been looking forward to meeting you too. First, allow me to express my gratitude. Thanks to you, Baron Fernande, I was able to secure the manuscript job. I’m truly grateful, both for the knowledge gained and financially.”

I responded, acknowledging the manuscript job I obtained through Baron Fernande’s recommendation.

No amount of gratitude would suffice.

“No, it’s fine. I’m a fan of yours, you know. In fact, I’ve purchased about half of the manuscripts you’ve worked on. Your translation skills are excellent, and your accuracy in deciphering magical book codes is impressive. I even end up buying the originals just to have them. It’s a source of new discoveries for me. I’m looking forward to more in the future.”

Baron Fernande expressed, praising my work.

I felt grateful. Requests involving translation and code decryption were quite lucrative.

“I’ll continue to do my best.”

I replied humbly.

“It’s good to see your humility. And I’ve brought someone who’s even more eager to meet you than I am. A voracious reader, and quite the scholar too. She became so intrigued by your translations and the originals that she couldn’t resist meeting you.”

Baron Fernande explained.

“I’m looking forward to it. In a village like this, opportunities to converse with someone of such talent are rare.”

I responded. In a frontier village like ours, there were few opportunities for discussions on academia or literature. Occasionally, it’s nice to have such interactions.

“That’s good to hear. She’ll be here soon.”

The carriage opened. First, Father and Jorg stepped out, with Father helping a woman alight from the carriage.

The woman who emerged from the carriage was beautiful.

She appeared to be a few years younger than me, perhaps? With pale, fluffy peach-colored hair styled elegantly, she exuded a serene aura.

Jorg’s eyes lit up at the sight of her, and it was understandable. Such a beautiful girl was a rare sight indeed.

When our eyes met, Jorg seemed to recoil in fear before quickly averting his gaze.

“Father, is that Kurt Arnoldt?”

The girl approached with a bright, flowery smile.

“That’s Kurt Arnoldt. Farne, please, be a little more reserved.”

Father replied.

“Sorry, Father. But seeing him, I couldn’t contain my excitement. There are so many interpretations I’d like to ask him about regarding his translations.”

The girl apologized with an eager tone.

“Kurt, I apologize for this girl’s behavior.”

Baron Fernande expressed his apologies.

“No, please don’t worry about it.”

I reassured him.

“Farne, go ahead and greet him.”

Baron Fernande instructed.

“Yes, Father.”

The girl named Farne responded obediently.

Farne approached me and lightly bowed, holding the hem of her skirt. It was a refined gesture befitting a noble.

“I am Farne Fernande, the third daughter of the Fernande family. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

She introduced herself formally.

“I am Kurt Arnoldt, the eldest son of the Arnoldt Viscount family. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

I responded politely, reciprocating the gesture with a bow.

We both exchanged bows.

Farne gently extended her hand towards me, and I shook it in return.

Her hand was soft and warm.

“Yesterday, I was so disappointed that you weren’t able to join us for the reception. So, today, please indulge me with plenty of conversation.”

Farne expressed her eagerness.

“I would love to chat with you as well, but I have the duty of guiding Baron Fernande on his inspection today.”

I explained.

“Oh… What a shame, especially after finally getting to meet you.”

Farne expressed her disappointment. I smiled wryly and spoke up.

“Indeed. If Baron Fernande permits during the inspection, I would be delighted to have a conversation with you during the intervals.”

“I don’t mind at all. In fact, I would like to request it. Would you please entertain my daughter?”

Baron Fernande interjected.

At Baron Fernande’s words, Farne’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Well then, perhaps we can discuss the interpretations here, Kurt.”

Farne eagerly suggested.

Farne took out a thick book from her bag, which was the copy I had made. It was covered in sticky notes, and upon flipping through the pages, I noticed numerous annotations.

“Farne, I’ve permitted you to discuss this during breaks in our work. But I won’t allow anything more than that.”

Her father reminded her.

“Sorry, Father.”

Farne responded playfully, sticking out her tongue. She truly is an adorable girl.

Suddenly, I felt someone’s gaze on me. It was Jorg, looking at me with a twisted expression of jealousy. Honestly, why did he have to be so troublesome?

◇

“First, let me show you the fields where we have already completed cultivation. We’ve been able to sow wheat successfully since last year. Thanks to the efforts of my son Jorg, we’ve managed to create these fields in just three years.”

My father began explaining to the baron.

We first showed him the areas where cultivation was completed. Since it was autumn-sown wheat, the harvest would be soon. Wheat grew abundantly all around us.

“Oh, what splendid wheat fields. They look even healthier than the wheat in my own domain. Is there some secret behind this?”

The baron asked eagerly. The baron seemed genuinely interested.

My father gestured for me to answer the question with a look.

“I’ll answer that. If I were to say, it’s likely due to our unique fertilizer and the benefits of soybeans.”

I responded.

“Unique fertilizer? What do you mean?”

The baron inquired.

“The black soil piled up like mountains in the corners of the fields serves as that fertilizer.”

I explained.

“That black soil… how is it produced?”

The baron asked further.

“It’s likely produced by spreading livestock manure in the fields, a practice commonly done even in borderlands.”

I replied.

“Yes, that’s correct. We do indeed follow that practice.”

The baron confirmed.

“In this place, the concept of making fertilizer doesn’t exist. At most, they just scatter livestock manure.”

I explained.

“But there are various issues with that approach. Directly applying manure can sometimes damage crops and doesn’t necessarily provide the nutrients needed for the field. It can also become a breeding ground for diseases and pests.”

I continued.

“So, you found a solution to these problems.”

The baron deduced.

“Yes, we did. We created a deep pit called a ‘manure pit’ where we dispose of livestock manure. This naturally heats up, killing bacteria and insects, as well as releasing hot gases that can harm crops. Then, we mix the resulting manure with additional nutrients such as maple leaves collected in autumn, husks from threshing, and crushed shells, and let it ferment for about a month. This process creates the black soil you see. It’s rich in nutrients essential for crops and eliminates harmful substances.”

I elaborated.

“Wow, that’s impressive. I’d like to introduce this method to my domain. Would you mind?”

The baron inquired.

“Not at all. Let me write down detailed instructions for you. Also, please take some of the black soil with you in sacks. It has compatibility with the soil here. I suggest trying it out first on half of a small field, leaving the other half untreated, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the black soil before fully implementing it. That’s what we did as well.”

I proposed.

“We’ll take your advice. But are you sure about sharing this as it’s a secret of the Arnoldt family?”

The baron questioned.

“I believe that if the entire country prospers, it benefits everyone.”

I replied.

“That’s very noble of you.”

The baron acknowledged.

It was necessary for my dream to come true. How could people enjoy sweets if others struggled to put food on the table? I wanted to increase food production across the entire country, creating a world where everyone could afford such luxuries.

So, I had included information about this fertilizer in my reports to my father and shared it with villages in my territory as well. Despite being dismissed as childish talk, it hadn’t been implemented yet…

“That’s a commendable mindset. And you mentioned soybeans.”

The baron remarked.

“Yes, growing soybeans rejuvenates the soil in the fields. Alternating between soybeans and wheat also enriches the soil, and soybeans serve as valuable food for the people.”

I explained.

“I see, let’s try that too. Also, about the unfamiliar irrigation channels.”

The baron continued.

“As for that…”

I elaborated on the various innovations implemented in these fields with meticulous detail. Before my reincarnation, I had some knowledge from working in my family’s orchard and beekeeping business in Yamanashi, as well as from part-time jobs at nearby farms. The agricultural techniques that had been developed and refined over thousands of years in Japan were partially implemented in my territory.

“Amazing, I didn’t expect so many innovations. Truly, Baron Arnoldt, your son is remarkable.”

The baron exclaimed.

“No, he’s an unknown son. However, he has been assisting Jorg quite effectively.”

My father humbly responded.

“Speaking of which, it’s mainly Jorg who’s in charge of this territory, with Kurt assisting him, right?”

The baron inquired.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

My father confirmed.

“Then Jorg, what is that unfamiliar tool over there? It looks quite peculiar.”

The baron suggested, pointing at the threshing implement.

“Oh, um, that’s, well, my brother made it without consulting me, so I’m not really sure.”

He stumbled over his words.

“I see. Then could you perhaps list the names of about ten villagers from this village?”

The baron requested.

“Well, you see, as a leader, I’m not really involved in… uh, individual names…”

He struggled to respond.

“That was a dull question. Baron Arnoldt, Kurt, it has been a very informative time. Thank you. Kurt, I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you prepare the documents? However, it wouldn’t be fair for me to solely benefit from this exchange. Let me offer you a reward.”

The Baron suggested, smiling at me.

“Baron Arnoldt, Kurt here seems to be the one who came up with many of today’s innovations and will be preparing the documents. Would it be acceptable to reward him directly?”

My father proposed.

“Of course.”

“Then, Kurt, what do you desire?”

“Well, if possible, I’d like hens that can lay eggs, and a few roosters as well.”

I blurted out without thinking.

My face turned red as soon as the words left my mouth. I had inadvertently spoken my heart’s desire as soon as I heard the word “reward.” Eggs were essential for making sweets, but chickens were expensive and not easily affordable. I had hoped to buy a few when I eventually went to town.

“Hahaha, you’re truly modest, aren’t you? Alright then, let’s gift some chickens to this village.”

The baron chuckled, holding his belly.

“I’ll conclude today’s inspection here. Baron Arnoldt, I’ll stay at your estate in the main village tonight, and tomorrow I’ll return to my territory. In the meantime, may I indulge in hunting on your land? Hunting is also one of my hobbies, you see. Seeing such fine forests makes my blood stir.”

“Of course. However, these forests are home to wild animals and are easy to get lost in, so someone familiar with the woods is necessary.”

My father interjected.

“Is that so? Then, Kurt, may I request your guidance for the hunt?”

The baron inquired.

As the baron spoke, Jorg spoke up.

“No, I will guide you.”

“No, you’re fine.”

The baron replied.

“Why? I’m the next Baron. I’m the most suitable.”

Jorg protested, his voice tinged with urgency, despite being closer to the next lord.

“I said it’s fine. I can’t entrust my life to you. It’s obvious at a glance. You don’t know the forest. Your skin isn’t tanned from the sun, and you have a slender frame. I’m not reckless enough to let an amateur guide me.”

The baron explained bluntly.

Jorg fell silent, unable to retort. He knew he couldn’t argue. Despite being next in line for the title, he had no knowledge of the forest. After a moment of hesitation, Jorg remained silent, unable to challenge the baron’s decision.

Ignoring Jorg, I spoke up.

“If you’re okay with me, I’d be happy to guide you.”

“I’ll trust you. You seem to know the good spots.”

The baron replied.

◇

With me, the baron, Farne, and two of the baron’s guards, we entered the forest.

The baron had his bow at the ready, which he had brought along in the carriage.

“What kind of game can we expect to find in this forest?”

The baron inquired.

“At this time of year, ducks and pheasants are prime targets.”

I replied.

“I see. Then today’s hunt promises to be a feast.”

The baron chuckled joyfully.

“Oh, and Kurt, there’s something I want to ask, or rather confirm.”

The baron continued with a smile.

“The village we visited today, it was introduced as being established by Jorg, but it’s actually the village you built, isn’t it?”