I Raised the Northern Grand Duke as a Farmer Behind My Father’s Back Chapter 26

Chapter 26

“What the hell happened here?”

At the Grand Duke’s ominous question, the people around him shrank back.

They were in the village square, which had only recently been repaired.

Two young men stood there shouting at each other, veins bulging in their necks.

“It’s because this bastard keeps butting in while I’m working!”

“No! Why do you keep digging the drainage ditch wider?! What, you want my field to turn into a swamp?!”

“Then are we supposed to leave the water sitting there?!”

“I’m saying dig it in moderation! If it rains, all that water’s going to overflow!”

“Haa……”

Basil pressed a hand to his forehead.

Barley roots rotted quickly if water pooled around them, so drainage was important.

But if everyone dug drainage channels however they pleased, rainwater could overflow into neighboring fields.

There was a reason farmers got sensitive about things like this.

But that wasn’t what was making Basil sensitive right now.

“Hm?”

Basil picked up Haniel, who had been sitting by herself on top of a sack of manure.

There was a huge bandage stuck across one knee.

F**…… There’s a scratch on my hippo’s knee…… What the hell is this?

“Why did you go running in there trying to stop those two from fighting?”

“But…… fighting is bad……”

“Well, I suppose it might’ve looked scary to you—”

“We’re about to sow the seeds! What if we lose valuable labor because they hurt each other?!”

“Do we look like human hoes to you?”

The wicked landlord(?) giggled.

Her knee was only lightly scraped, and she didn’t seem hurt anywhere else.

Only then did Basil finally relax.

“I’m telling you, I’m right!”

“No! I’m right!”

“What region are you even from?!”

“I’m from the Alpens potato fields!”

Meanwhile, the two men’s argument was rapidly regressing to the level of eight-year-olds.

“Enough! Both of you, stop!”

Someone who could no longer bear watching stepped in.

It was nice having more residents……

but lately, conflicts like this had started breaking out fairly often.

Perhaps because most of the newcomers had some experience with farming.

They kept arguing over little things—

My way is right.

No, mine is.

“Your Grace! I’m right, aren’t I?”

“No, my way is better! Right, Your Grace?”

Eventually, the arguing men came all the way to Basil.

As befitted a Grand Duke and territorial lord, Basil solemnly puffed out his chest.

“Fine. I’ll deliver judgment.”

“……!”

“Just punch each other once and—”

“You will not tell them to settle it that way, will you, Your Grace?”

Camilla quietly cut him off.

“……”

It had always worked wonderfully on mercenaries.

Then Haniel, still in his arms, quietly spoke.

“Um…… couldn’t you bend the ditch a little more that way? The area past Mister Colson’s field isn’t going to be cultivated this year…… If you dig it properly, I think all the water could drain straight toward the river.”

“Oh…… you’re right.”

“Why didn’t I think of using the uncultivated land…… I still have a long way to go. Sorry, Haniel.”

“It’s okay! So everyone…… you’re going back to work now, right?”

“……!”

“The earth is calling you……”

“W-we’re going! We’re going!”

Basil glanced down at the silver crown of her head.

She might actually be better at this than I am……

He watched Haniel cheerfully chatting with the villagers.

Maybe she really wouldn’t want someone like me as family.

Difficult.

So difficult……

Raising a child.

Developing a territory.

He’d thought that once the Mad Dragon’s contamination was dealt with, everything would be smooth sailing.

But apparently, life never went according to plan.

And Basil’s thought proved correct.

Because the very next day—

another unexpected incident occurred.

“Your Grace! We have a problem!”

Camilla came running.

Basil immediately threw down his shovel.

“Which bastards is it this time? Who touched our kid’s knee again—”

“It’s not that! Someone sent a messenger bird from the gate!”

Basil narrowed his eyes.

“What?”

A messenger bird from the gate meant……

“A visitor?”

My eyes darted around.

It’s true……

Something was coming.

Only then did I step out from behind Grand Duke Basil’s leg.

When I first heard there was a visitor, I had been really startled.

I was worried they might be from the Temple.

Fortunately, the crest on the carriage approaching in the distance was familiar.

“Why the hell is that coming here now?”

Grand Duke Basil muttered crookedly.

I stood beside him and watched the carriage come rattling toward us.

Rattle-rattle-rattle!

The road still hadn’t been completely repaired, so the carriage was shaking violently.

And judging by the—

“Ugh! Uwegh!”

—sounds coming from inside……

“They must be horribly motion-sick.”

“I agree.”

The visitor was a noble.

That crest on the side of the carriage…… I’m sure it belongs to……

Count Ledermeck of the East.

Wasn’t his territory one of the closest noble territories to the North?

But why had he come here?

Had rumors that the North had warmed up already spread?

“Judging by that face, he’s obviously here to spout some bullshit.”

Basil muttered coldly.

He seemed to have a vague idea why the count had come.

Creeeak!

The carriage stopped.

“What…… in the world……”

The count appeared.

Count Ledermeck was a well-fed, dignified-looking middle-aged nobleman.

His face was blue from motion sickness when he stepped down from the carriage—

but apparently, the warmth of Bethel Village surprised him even more.

“……So the tavern owner in Northon was telling the truth? They said immigrants had gone inside……”

He muttered to himself before spotting Grand Duke Basil.

“Ah! Your Grace! It has been quite some time.”

The count immediately approached with an exaggerated smile.

He erased his astonishment almost instantly.

As expected of a noble skilled at social maneuvering.

“I sincerely apologize for appearing without warning!”

“At least you know you should.”

“I simply could not suppress my concern for Your Grace, and so I came all this way. I hope you will forgive this sudden intrusion with your boundless generosity. Have you been well?”

“See?”

The Grand Duke looked down at me and pulled up one corner of his mouth.

“Woof, woof, woof. Told you.”

I smacked His Grace’s thigh.

That’s rude!

This was even the first official guest to visit the territory!

Fortunately, the count seemed too busy looking around to notice.

“My goodness. The village truly is…… as warm as spring. Ah, heavens above. Perhaps the North has finally received a blessing as well. What joyous news!”

Then the carriage door opened again.

“Ugh, it smells like poop!”

A young voice cut in.

What? He didn’t come alone?

Come to think of it, there were several escort knights with them, and the carriage had all sorts of protective magic devices attached.

A well-dressed boy stepped down while pinching his nose.

“Father, this territory smells like poop! And the roads are horrible…… I want to go home!”

Maybe around ten?

“Rister, behave with dignity.”

“But……!”

“Who was it who said he wanted to see Father at work?”

“Me……”

“Then behave. I told you that if you act like a spoiled child, you’ll grow up to become someone who does work like that, didn’t I?”

He pointed toward the people spreading manure over the fields.

How rude.

“More importantly, greet His Grace the Grand Duke.”

The boy looked toward Basil.

And instantly froze in terror.

“……Eek! H-hello! I’m Rister—no, Rister Lede—”

The boy named Rister couldn’t even properly introduce himself.

Apparently, the Grand Duke’s towering height and terrifying aura scared him senseless.

“A-ahem! Forgive him. My son is still young……”

“He looks exactly like you.”

Basil delivered the judgment coldly.

Rister, who had continued whining, eventually returned to the carriage with one of the attendants.

Then Basil and the count headed toward the manor.

The count didn’t spare me so much as a glance.

He apparently assumed I was just some village child wandering nearby.

Well……

he wasn’t exactly wrong.

“You go play.”

Basil told me just before entering the manor.

“Why? Can’t I come too?”

“From here on, the adults are going to have a long, boring conversation. Go to the fields and whip your little worker ants instead.”

“Okay.”

For now, I answered obediently.

But as I watched him walk away, I thought—

Count Ledermeck……

He was a vassal of the Rowain Ducal House in the East.

As expected from a region known as the Empire’s breadbasket, the count’s main agricultural product was wheat.

But his territory was even more famous for its enormous pastures and the dairy products made from cows, goats, and sheep.

Milk.

Cheese.

“Lucky…… I want to raise goats and sheep too.”

And cows, chickens, pigs, horses, chicks, puppies, cats, fish……

Hng.

But why did he suddenly come here? Before the regression, Count Ledermeck…… hmm……

At that moment—

something flashed through my mind.

Why he had come here.

And what was going to happen afterward.

I felt like I was almost remembering.

I need to find out!

I quietly crept toward the manor.

A maid carried in a tea set, then the reception-room door closed.

I crouched outside the door and pressed my ear close.

Most of the servants were out working in the fields at this hour, so there was almost no chance of being caught.

Voices murmured inside.

“Hmm. Ahem. I’m relieved to see Your Grace looking as strong as ever. But…… I truly never imagined you would be living somewhere like this. This place is worse than a commoner’s barn…… Good heavens, even the teacups are nameless mass-produced pieces.”

Count Ledermeck clicked his tongue repeatedly.

“How exactly are your servants attending to Your Grace? The moment I return to my estate, I’ll send over a proper tea set—”

“Get to the point.”

Basil lifted his teacup with a quiet clink.

“Ahem! Of course. I would never wish to waste Your Grace’s valuable time……”

Count Ledermeck cleared his throat.

“My apologies, but I came to request repayment of the remaining compensation debt.”

“……”

Huh?

Debt?

Meaning……

H-he owes money?!

My ears perked up even higher.