This story takes place the day before Shuri’s departure.
“Hmm hmm hmm…”
I’m walking through the castle corridors, humming to myself as I head toward Shuri’s room. Most of my work is done, so I’m planning to invite him to go into town with me tomorrow. It’ll be a date, yes, a date! I heard there’s a new sweets shop that opened up, so I want to invite him there. Though even if I invite him, Shuri will probably decline. But I have the perfect excuse… I mean, reason. “It’s for sweets-making research, you see, research!” When I get near Shuri’s room, I spot him standing right there in front of it. I instinctively hide around the corner and observe the situation. What perfect timing! This is ideal for inviting him!
But when I peek my face around the corner, I see that Shuri is together with Arius.
What… is this? Why is Arius alone with Shuri…? She should be head over heels for Gungrave… She’s even carrying his child… Come to think of it, I remember now. We found out about Arius’s pregnancy a month ago. She and Gungrave have been sharing a bed every night. Being a lord isn’t just about governing the territory properly. You also need to protect the land from external threats, and when necessary, you must be ready to go to war. But the most important job is producing an heir. Even if a lord is excellent and governs well during their time, it means nothing if the next generation is incompetent, and it’s completely out of the question if there is no next generation at all. The territory would fall into ruin. That’s why you need to have children of your own blood, educate them, and raise them until they’re capable enough to be entrusted with everything. They had been working on producing that heir, but one day Arius suddenly collapsed during a meal, overcome with nausea. Shuri panicked, thinking something bad had gotten into the food, and Gungrave’s face went pale as he rushed to tend to Arius.
In the end, the doctor diagnosed it as severe morning sickness.
Shuri was the first to understand what that meant. He jumped for joy and roughly slapped Gungrave on the shoulder. Seeing that, everyone else understood and celebrated too. Of course, I did as well. After all, new life is always sacred and precious. As I’m reminiscing about how joyous that occasion was, I hear their voices.
“So Shuri, are your preparations complete?” “Yes. Everything is ready for tomorrow. Please take care of yourself, Arius. In your condition, you shouldn’t overwork yourself.” “Of course. I’m only handling things because Gungrave is busy. I won’t strain myself. By the way, Shuri, please try to return before the baby is born.” “Of course. There’s still over half a year, but I should be back by then.”
Hm? This is a strange conversation. It’s almost as if Shuri is going somewhere…
“For this mission, we’re keeping it to a small elite group. We can’t gather too many people, as that would put pressure on the village we’re visiting.” “I understand. If we want cooperation rather than domination, unnecessary shows of force won’t help.” “The details are in the documents I gave you. As for personnel selection, we’re making adjustments until the last minute, so please wait until the day of departure.” “I’d prefer to discuss it beforehand…” “I’m sorry, but… there are still handover matters to deal with over there…”
Listening to their conversation, I understand. Shuri is going to leave the castle for work! And for a long time! It’s a business trip. A mission trip. Village, cooperation, no need for force… thinking about it, he must be going on a trip to villages that are resistant to Gungrave, trying to improve their opinion! I clench my right hand unconsciously. In that case, they should take me along. I’ve been traveling around villages for work since long ago, so I could be helpful. If they need to persuade people in resistant villages, I’m the most qualified person. If Shuri and I went together, things would surely be resolved easily! Then it hits me.
I could just tag along without permission.
If I can’t ask directly, I’ll just sneak into the luggage! This could be a chance to travel with Shuri! A great opportunity to deepen our relationship! Having decided this, I hurry back to my room to pack my bags. With my packed luggage, I head to the castle entrance. Good, there’s a carriage prepared. As I approach, I see it’s a covered wagon filled with luggage and boxes. This must be what they’re using for the trip. Hehehe, I can’t wait to see their surprised faces! Thinking this, I sneak into the carriage along with the luggage.
Looking back now, I’m amazed I wasn’t discovered.
And now… I’ve stopped the conflict between Shuri’s group and the people of Eere Village. After having lunch with Shuri, I attended a meeting with the village heads. But…
“Lady Aeclys! With us by your side, please give us your orders!” “If you command it, we’re prepared to rise up in all the villages!” “Stop it, all of you!”
The meeting hall is in chaos. The village head is trying to stop them, but the young folks seem to think I’ve been driven from my position as lord and fled here. That’s not it at all.
“That’s enough now.”
I say this quietly. My voice carries well, and the chaotic meeting hall falls silent. The influential villagers and representatives of the young people are gathered here. That’s probably why such dangerous opinions are coming out so easily. That’s why I need to say this now.
“I’ve said this many times, but I withdrew from the lordship dispute of my own accord. I can’t navigate these turbulent times. Neither can Gyngus. That’s why I took on the role of supporting Gungrave at the top. Because that gives us a better chance of survival.” “But! Lady Aeclys!”
One of the young villagers stands up and says.
“Lady Aeclys, you’ve always looked after the internal affairs of the territory! You’ve protected us down to the smallest detail! Thanks to you, life in the village has improved considerably! If someone like you can’t govern the territory, who can!?” “That would be Gungrave.”
When I answer this, the meeting hall falls silent. Everyone’s eyes go wide.
“It’s true that I’m good at internal affairs. But I’m not good at military matters. Conversely, Gyngus is good at military matters but poor at internal affairs. But Gungrave has the talent for both. More than that, he’s wicked.” “Wicked?” “Yes, he has the wickedness needed for these turbulent times.”
In this era, pure goodness will only get you crushed and squeezed dry. That’s why a lord needs wickedness. They need the kind of wickedness that can turn evil for the sake of their territory, the versatility to switch between justice and malice when needed, that kind of duplicity. Both Gyngus and I have some of that, but we can’t match Gungrave. That’s why, both in ability and wickedness, I chose to support him.
“Do you understand? If you do, won’t you please acknowledge them?”
When I make this request, the people in the meeting hall seem to accept it with solemn faces. See? Things don’t work unless I step in to persuade them.
“By the way, this is the season for the Harvest Festival, right?” “Yes, it’s tonight.”
At the village head’s answer, I’m celebrating inside. What perfect timing!
“Then, would you let me join?” “Of course.” “And I’d like them to join too.”
At my words, the village head makes a troubled face.
“But they…” “They… especially Shuri, will make the Harvest Festival even more lively.” “Make it more… lively?” “Yes. Delicious food and fun conversation. He’ll surely make the Harvest Festival wonderful.”
The villagers look half-doubtful, but it’s true. The Harvest Festival is a celebration where people serve various dishes and sake made from harvested ingredients, light a large bonfire in the village center, sing and dance, and finally perform a ritual to give thanks to the gods. That’s exactly why Shuri will be useful here. Nothing could be better. Hehehe, I can’t wait for that moment.
When night falls, the Harvest Festival begins. People bring their harvested ingredients, and dishes are prepared and served. A large bonfire—a truly massive bonfire—is lit in the center of the plaza, illuminating the surroundings evenly. Combined with the light of the crescent moon in the sky, it’s almost as bright as daytime. Yet the light in the sky is beautiful and never gets boring to look at. Villagers with instruments are playing music they practiced for this day, livening up the atmosphere. Now, as for what Shuri is doing…
“Hey, this is delicious! You’re so skilled for someone so young!” “So that’s how you cook it. I’ve never seen that before.” “A young man who’s good at cooking—how rare!”
He’s surrounded by village aunties while serving food. At first, the aunties were preparing the food with the provided ingredients, but I encouraged them to let Shuri cook too. The aunties looked displeased at first, but they quickly changed their tune when they saw Shuri’s technique and the finished dishes.
“This chijimi thing is especially delicious. How do you make it?” “Well, you do it like this…” “The other dishes are good too, but this chijimi is easy to make, which is nice.” “Yes, and you can change the ingredients so you won’t get tired of it.”
Shuri answers the aunties’ questions as they keep asking. Before anyone noticed, the aunties had stopped cooking and were gathered around Shuri, learning how to cook. Also, since Shuri’s cooking is delicious, it’s popular with the villagers.
“This is damn good.” “I never thought our crops could taste this good.” “This might even be better than my old lady’s cooking.” “Hey, I heard that!” “Ah, sorry!”
Such lively voices echo around the area. Besides Shuri, others are working too.
“So you see, if you want to protect yourself, first you need to train your body.” “But you’re so skinny!” “Fool. I’m not skinny, I’m lean. To move efficiently, you shouldn’t build unnecessary muscle.” “How do you do that?” “Practice swinging your weapon daily. Focus on your body, think about which direction and what kind of movement lets you move easily. Think about that while you move.”
Kuuga seems to be teaching some basic lessons to the young men who attacked him earlier while drinking sake. It appears to be well-received, as he’s popular among the strong men.
“Also, if you do this…”
Looking elsewhere, Lill is hanging magic lamps under the eaves of houses. Young village girls are gathered around her.
“Ahh, it’s so bright and nice.” “This will make nighttime sewing work easier.” “You work so well for someone so small.” “If it’s for sewing work, Lill will make sewing tools for the village. She was called here for that kind of work.” “Really!? Then make it big and high-performance and easy to use!” “You’re asking for too much.” “Understood. Easy for Lill to make.” “Really!? Please!”
It seems Lill is helping the girls with their side work. That’s why she’s installing magic lamps to maintain brightness and saying she’ll make sewing tools. From the flow of conversation, she’ll probably end up making leather tanning tools too. Everyone is doing what they can to try to get along with the villagers. And at the center of it all is undoubtedly Shuri.
“He really is amazing.”
I mutter while eating Shuri’s cooking near the bonfire. The deliciousness of his cooking has softened the hearts of the stubborn villagers. That’s why more people are talking to Kuuga and Lill now too. Thinking about this, I continue eating the chijimi Shuri made.
“Lady Aeclys.”
The village head comes to sit next to me. In his hands is Shuri’s cooking.
“His cooking is very delicious. When our harvest is cooked this deliciously, it makes us who harvested it happy too.” “Right? I thought so too, that’s why I told him to cook for the Harvest Festival.” “A wise decision. They’ve completely blended in now.” “Haven’t they?”
I put some chijimi in my mouth and eat it. Mmm, delicious. This chijimi thing is apparently a dish where various ingredients are mixed with flour dissolved in water and then grilled, with things like chives and pork inside. When you eat it, the umami of the vegetables and meat is trapped in the batter, spreading throughout your mouth with each bite. The texture is good too. The vegetables, meat, and batter each provide their own textural accent, making it interesting to chew and preventing palate fatigue. The sauce on top is sweet and sour with a bit of spice, making it refreshing and easy to eat.
“So, Lady Aeclys.” “What is it?” “Are you planning to visit other villages after this?”
When the village head asks, I answer with a serious face.
“Yes. I plan to visit Aluaca, Tempec, and Vola.”
I secretly checked the documents, and it seems we’ll be visiting the main villages, so we’ll probably visit these three.
“I see.”
The village head speaks with a worried expression.
“Eere Village currently doesn’t have any particular concerns. That’s why we could hold the Harvest Festival safely and accept them. Originally, if Lady Aeclys had a chance to persuade us, there was already a foundation of support.” “Is that so?”
Indeed, our activities in Eere Village concluded more smoothly than we could have hoped for. While I certainly hoped things would go this smoothly from here on out… I was only hoping. I was prepared for things not to be so simple.
“Yes. But the other villages are different. I’ve heard that various problems have arisen in each village during this civil unrest.” “Problems? What kind?” “Bandits… disasters… poor harvests… from what I hear, about that much.” “That’s… troublesome.”
Indeed, during this civil unrest, these problems might not have reached the castle. It’s my oversight. I bite my lip involuntarily. I was so focused on handing over work to Gungrave that I wasn’t thinking about the important matter of the people. The village head looks at me and says
“So, Lady Aeclys. If you’re going to visit other villages, could you please do something about these problems?” “Of course.”💬 1
I stare at the bonfire as I answer.
“Even if I’ve handed over the work and the territory’s name has changed. I won’t abandon the people who live in this land.”
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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Chapter 60
This story takes place the day before Shuri’s departure.
“Hmm hmm hmm…”
I’m walking through the castle corridors, humming to myself as I head toward Shuri’s room.
Most of my work is done, so I’m planning to invite him to go into town with me tomorrow. It’ll be a date, yes, a date!
I heard there’s a new sweets shop that opened up, so I want to invite him there.
Though even if I invite him, Shuri will probably decline. But I have the perfect excuse… I mean, reason. “It’s for sweets-making research, you see, research!”
When I get near Shuri’s room, I spot him standing right there in front of it.
I instinctively hide around the corner and observe the situation. What perfect timing! This is ideal for inviting him!
But when I peek my face around the corner, I see that Shuri is together with Arius.
What… is this? Why is Arius alone with Shuri…?
She should be head over heels for Gungrave… She’s even carrying his child…
Come to think of it, I remember now.
We found out about Arius’s pregnancy a month ago. She and Gungrave have been sharing a bed every night.
Being a lord isn’t just about governing the territory properly. You also need to protect the land from external threats, and when necessary, you must be ready to go to war.
But the most important job is producing an heir.
Even if a lord is excellent and governs well during their time, it means nothing if the next generation is incompetent, and it’s completely out of the question if there is no next generation at all. The territory would fall into ruin.
That’s why you need to have children of your own blood, educate them, and raise them until they’re capable enough to be entrusted with everything.
They had been working on producing that heir, but one day Arius suddenly collapsed during a meal, overcome with nausea.
Shuri panicked, thinking something bad had gotten into the food, and Gungrave’s face went pale as he rushed to tend to Arius.
In the end, the doctor diagnosed it as severe morning sickness.
Shuri was the first to understand what that meant. He jumped for joy and roughly slapped Gungrave on the shoulder.
Seeing that, everyone else understood and celebrated too. Of course, I did as well. After all, new life is always sacred and precious.
As I’m reminiscing about how joyous that occasion was, I hear their voices.
“So Shuri, are your preparations complete?”
“Yes. Everything is ready for tomorrow. Please take care of yourself, Arius. In your condition, you shouldn’t overwork yourself.”
“Of course. I’m only handling things because Gungrave is busy. I won’t strain myself. By the way, Shuri, please try to return before the baby is born.”
“Of course. There’s still over half a year, but I should be back by then.”
Hm? This is a strange conversation. It’s almost as if Shuri is going somewhere…
“For this mission, we’re keeping it to a small elite group. We can’t gather too many people, as that would put pressure on the village we’re visiting.”
“I understand. If we want cooperation rather than domination, unnecessary shows of force won’t help.”
“The details are in the documents I gave you. As for personnel selection, we’re making adjustments until the last minute, so please wait until the day of departure.”
“I’d prefer to discuss it beforehand…”
“I’m sorry, but… there are still handover matters to deal with over there…”
Listening to their conversation, I understand.
Shuri is going to leave the castle for work! And for a long time!
It’s a business trip. A mission trip. Village, cooperation, no need for force… thinking about it, he must be going on a trip to villages that are resistant to Gungrave, trying to improve their opinion!
I clench my right hand unconsciously.
In that case, they should take me along. I’ve been traveling around villages for work since long ago, so I could be helpful.
If they need to persuade people in resistant villages, I’m the most qualified person.
If Shuri and I went together, things would surely be resolved easily!
Then it hits me.
I could just tag along without permission.
If I can’t ask directly, I’ll just sneak into the luggage!
This could be a chance to travel with Shuri! A great opportunity to deepen our relationship!
Having decided this, I hurry back to my room to pack my bags.
With my packed luggage, I head to the castle entrance.
Good, there’s a carriage prepared.
As I approach, I see it’s a covered wagon filled with luggage and boxes. This must be what they’re using for the trip.
Hehehe, I can’t wait to see their surprised faces!
Thinking this, I sneak into the carriage along with the luggage.
Looking back now, I’m amazed I wasn’t discovered.
And now…
I’ve stopped the conflict between Shuri’s group and the people of Eere Village.
After having lunch with Shuri, I attended a meeting with the village heads.
But…
“Lady Aeclys! With us by your side, please give us your orders!”
“If you command it, we’re prepared to rise up in all the villages!”
“Stop it, all of you!”
The meeting hall is in chaos.
The village head is trying to stop them, but the young folks seem to think I’ve been driven from my position as lord and fled here.
That’s not it at all.
“That’s enough now.”
I say this quietly.
My voice carries well, and the chaotic meeting hall falls silent.
The influential villagers and representatives of the young people are gathered here. That’s probably why such dangerous opinions are coming out so easily.
That’s why I need to say this now.
“I’ve said this many times, but I withdrew from the lordship dispute of my own accord.
I can’t navigate these turbulent times. Neither can Gyngus. That’s why I took on the role of supporting Gungrave at the top. Because that gives us a better chance of survival.”
“But! Lady Aeclys!”
One of the young villagers stands up and says.
“Lady Aeclys, you’ve always looked after the internal affairs of the territory! You’ve protected us down to the smallest detail! Thanks to you, life in the village has improved considerably!
If someone like you can’t govern the territory, who can!?”
“That would be Gungrave.”
When I answer this, the meeting hall falls silent. Everyone’s eyes go wide.
“It’s true that I’m good at internal affairs. But I’m not good at military matters. Conversely, Gyngus is good at military matters but poor at internal affairs.
But Gungrave has the talent for both. More than that, he’s wicked.”
“Wicked?”
“Yes, he has the wickedness needed for these turbulent times.”
In this era, pure goodness will only get you crushed and squeezed dry.
That’s why a lord needs wickedness. They need the kind of wickedness that can turn evil for the sake of their territory, the versatility to switch between justice and malice when needed, that kind of duplicity.
Both Gyngus and I have some of that, but we can’t match Gungrave.
That’s why, both in ability and wickedness, I chose to support him.
“Do you understand? If you do, won’t you please acknowledge them?”
When I make this request, the people in the meeting hall seem to accept it with solemn faces.
See? Things don’t work unless I step in to persuade them.
“By the way, this is the season for the Harvest Festival, right?”
“Yes, it’s tonight.”
At the village head’s answer, I’m celebrating inside. What perfect timing!
“Then, would you let me join?”
“Of course.”
“And I’d like them to join too.”
At my words, the village head makes a troubled face.
“But they…”
“They… especially Shuri, will make the Harvest Festival even more lively.”
“Make it more… lively?”
“Yes. Delicious food and fun conversation. He’ll surely make the Harvest Festival wonderful.”
The villagers look half-doubtful, but it’s true.
The Harvest Festival is a celebration where people serve various dishes and sake made from harvested ingredients, light a large bonfire in the village center, sing and dance, and finally perform a ritual to give thanks to the gods.
That’s exactly why Shuri will be useful here. Nothing could be better.
Hehehe, I can’t wait for that moment.
When night falls, the Harvest Festival begins.
People bring their harvested ingredients, and dishes are prepared and served.
A large bonfire—a truly massive bonfire—is lit in the center of the plaza, illuminating the surroundings evenly.
Combined with the light of the crescent moon in the sky, it’s almost as bright as daytime.
Yet the light in the sky is beautiful and never gets boring to look at.
Villagers with instruments are playing music they practiced for this day, livening up the atmosphere.
Now, as for what Shuri is doing…
“Hey, this is delicious! You’re so skilled for someone so young!”
“So that’s how you cook it. I’ve never seen that before.”
“A young man who’s good at cooking—how rare!”
He’s surrounded by village aunties while serving food.
At first, the aunties were preparing the food with the provided ingredients, but I encouraged them to let Shuri cook too.
The aunties looked displeased at first, but they quickly changed their tune when they saw Shuri’s technique and the finished dishes.
“This chijimi thing is especially delicious. How do you make it?”
“Well, you do it like this…”
“The other dishes are good too, but this chijimi is easy to make, which is nice.”
“Yes, and you can change the ingredients so you won’t get tired of it.”
Shuri answers the aunties’ questions as they keep asking.
Before anyone noticed, the aunties had stopped cooking and were gathered around Shuri, learning how to cook.
Also, since Shuri’s cooking is delicious, it’s popular with the villagers.
“This is damn good.”
“I never thought our crops could taste this good.”
“This might even be better than my old lady’s cooking.”
“Hey, I heard that!”
“Ah, sorry!”
Such lively voices echo around the area.
Besides Shuri, others are working too.
“So you see, if you want to protect yourself, first you need to train your body.”
“But you’re so skinny!”
“Fool. I’m not skinny, I’m lean. To move efficiently, you shouldn’t build unnecessary muscle.”
“How do you do that?”
“Practice swinging your weapon daily. Focus on your body, think about which direction and what kind of movement lets you move easily. Think about that while you move.”
Kuuga seems to be teaching some basic lessons to the young men who attacked him earlier while drinking sake.
It appears to be well-received, as he’s popular among the strong men.
“Also, if you do this…”
Looking elsewhere, Lill is hanging magic lamps under the eaves of houses.
Young village girls are gathered around her.
“Ahh, it’s so bright and nice.”
“This will make nighttime sewing work easier.”
“You work so well for someone so small.”
“If it’s for sewing work, Lill will make sewing tools for the village. She was called here for that kind of work.”
“Really!? Then make it big and high-performance and easy to use!”
“You’re asking for too much.”
“Understood. Easy for Lill to make.”
“Really!? Please!”
It seems Lill is helping the girls with their side work. That’s why she’s installing magic lamps to maintain brightness and saying she’ll make sewing tools. From the flow of conversation, she’ll probably end up making leather tanning tools too.
Everyone is doing what they can to try to get along with the villagers.
And at the center of it all is undoubtedly Shuri.
“He really is amazing.”
I mutter while eating Shuri’s cooking near the bonfire.
The deliciousness of his cooking has softened the hearts of the stubborn villagers. That’s why more people are talking to Kuuga and Lill now too.
Thinking about this, I continue eating the chijimi Shuri made.
“Lady Aeclys.”
The village head comes to sit next to me.
In his hands is Shuri’s cooking.
“His cooking is very delicious. When our harvest is cooked this deliciously, it makes us who harvested it happy too.”
“Right? I thought so too, that’s why I told him to cook for the Harvest Festival.”
“A wise decision. They’ve completely blended in now.”
“Haven’t they?”
I put some chijimi in my mouth and eat it.
Mmm, delicious.
This chijimi thing is apparently a dish where various ingredients are mixed with flour dissolved in water and then grilled, with things like chives and pork inside.
When you eat it, the umami of the vegetables and meat is trapped in the batter, spreading throughout your mouth with each bite. The texture is good too.
The vegetables, meat, and batter each provide their own textural accent, making it interesting to chew and preventing palate fatigue.
The sauce on top is sweet and sour with a bit of spice, making it refreshing and easy to eat.
“So, Lady Aeclys.”
“What is it?”
“Are you planning to visit other villages after this?”
When the village head asks, I answer with a serious face.
“Yes. I plan to visit Aluaca, Tempec, and Vola.”
I secretly checked the documents, and it seems we’ll be visiting the main villages, so we’ll probably visit these three.
“I see.”
The village head speaks with a worried expression.
“Eere Village currently doesn’t have any particular concerns. That’s why we could hold the Harvest Festival safely and accept them. Originally, if Lady Aeclys had a chance to persuade us, there was already a foundation of support.”
“Is that so?”
Indeed, our activities in Eere Village concluded more smoothly than we could have hoped for.
While I certainly hoped things would go this smoothly from here on out… I was only hoping. I was prepared for things not to be so simple.
“Yes. But the other villages are different. I’ve heard that various problems have arisen in each village during this civil unrest.”
“Problems? What kind?”
“Bandits… disasters… poor harvests… from what I hear, about that much.”
“That’s… troublesome.”
Indeed, during this civil unrest, these problems might not have reached the castle.
It’s my oversight. I bite my lip involuntarily.
I was so focused on handing over work to Gungrave that I wasn’t thinking about the important matter of the people.
The village head looks at me and says
“So, Lady Aeclys. If you’re going to visit other villages, could you please do something about these problems?”
“Of course.”💬 1
I stare at the bonfire as I answer.
“Even if I’ve handed over the work and the territory’s name has changed. I won’t abandon the people who live in this land.”
Check out my Patreon for early access to upcoming updates. Patreon Link
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