I Raised the Northern Grand Duke as a Farmer Behind My Father’s Back Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Land that had been heavily depleted by growing grain needed time to rest.

Even if dragon veins ran beneath it, the barley harvest had been unprecedentedly abundant, so next year we decided not to get greedy and would leave that land fallow.

Did that mean we would just leave it unused?

Nope!

The perfect things to plant in fallow fields were green-manure crops like clover and buckwheat!

They send their roots deep and loosen the soil…… basically, they’re soil-enriching plants!

In other words, they were plants that enriched the land simply by growing there.

And clover was also a favorite food of herbivores like cattle, so it was useful in more ways than one.

Next year, it’ll become a field full of snow-white buckwheat flowers!

I giggled to myself.

“If you’re done playing, come here. Duke Rowain says he’ll be leaving soon.”

“Yeees!”

The Grand Duke effortlessly lifted me into his arms.

“But, Hippo. You.”

“I’m not Hippo, I’m Haniel!”

“Who told you to wear such an adorable little handkerchief?”

“It’s not a handkerchief, it’s earmuffs!”

I saw myself reflected in his eyes.

I was wearing tiny red knitted earmuffs.

“Aunt Helen made them for me!”

They were winter accessories, but they weren’t very thick, so they were perfect for wearing already!

Grand Duke Basil chuckled.

“You said you lost the scarf you got in the square.”

“Hehe.”

“So you did that to squeeze something better out of her.”

“Th-that’s not it……! I apologized because I really did lose it.”

My eyes darted around.

“Anyway, I’m busy, so I’ll be going now!”

“Wait, where are you—”

Hop!

I jumped out of his arms and fled the stable.

Behind me, I heard him mutter,

“Why is a six-year-old always busy?”

I lightly ignored him.

Duke Rowain was looking out the window.

This place has a strangely calming effect.

Unlike the noisy chaos of the outside world, this village had a quaint, quiet charm.

What will become of this place……?

The North.

A mysterious land whose true potential no one knew.

If Grand Duke Basil truly managed to purify this vast territory in its entirety……

……Just imagining it sends a chill down my spine.

The balance of power within the Empire—

no, perhaps even across the entire continent—

might change.

I absolutely have to maintain a good relationship with the North.

He steadied his resolve.

Then—

Knock, knock.

A small knock came from the door.

“Who is it? Come in.”

“Duke Rowain!”

His expression brightened immediately.

“Grand Duchess!”

“Ah, I-I’m not really a Grand Duchess…… Anyway…… hello!”

Haniel bowed politely.

She was a tiny, adorable child.

Her clothes weren’t especially luxurious, but they looked perfectly comfortable for moving around.

The Grand Duke, who clearly cherished the child, had probably chosen them with great care.

That Grand Duke…… with a child.

He still couldn’t quite believe it.

From what he had heard, the Grand Duke had rescued a child who happened to wander into the North, and after living together, had grown deeply attached to her.

Every time she toddled forward on her tiny feet, the small fur pom-poms beneath her chin bounced.

Wearing a red knitted bonnet, Haniel looked even cuter than usual today.

The duke’s eyes softened helplessly.

“What brings you here? I’ll be leaving soon. Did you come to say goodbye?”

“Yeees!”

Duke Rowain bent his knees until he was at eye level with her.

He had developed a special fondness for the child.

Over the two days he had stayed here—

the girl had been especially friendly toward him, but that wasn’t the only reason.

“Duke Rowaaain. This mushroom actually tastes like meat if you roast it properly, you know?”

“Hm?”

“I heard from your aide that you avoid meat for your health! And you deliberately didn’t eat any during meals!”

“……Oh.”

“So why don’t you try this?”

She was far sharper and more considerate than he had expected.

And besides……

“If you like it, I’ll give you aaaall the mushrooms I gathered this year for free!”

“……Pardon?”

“His Grace said I can do whatever I want with the ones I picked……!”

“Wait. You’re giving me an entire sack of these expensive mushrooms for free?”

“Yup! They’re for you!”

And that wasn’t all.

“And I asked His Grace to make all the other mushrooms used for the treatment free too!!”

“What…… did you say?”

“Um, technically, I was the one who found these mushrooms first! So His Grace said I could decide what to do with them!”

As if entranced, the duke had asked,

“You found these mushrooms……? No, more importantly…… why?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you giving them to me for free……?”

“Because I heard they’re an important ingredient in the eastern treatment. I know it’s supposed to be secret for now too!”

Haniel fidgeted with her fingers and spoke softly.

“I hate being hungry. I want to eat at least one piece of bread every single day! But…… people in the East might not be able to eat bread this year……”

“……”

“So I’m just doing what I can! These days I eat three pieces of bread a day!”

He would never forget the warmth that had flooded his heart when he heard that.

The North has helped me in more ways than one.

And just like that—

the child had become another benefactor of his.

Duke Rowain gently took Haniel’s tiny hand.

“So, Grand Duchess. Have you thought of what you want?”

He had already confirmed that the earlier request involving construction timber and the like had actually been Basil’s wish.

The amount wasn’t especially large, so he had decided to provide it anyway as a gesture of friendship.

“Yes! I want……”

Haniel swallowed nervously.

What could she want?

New clothes?

A doll?

Come to think of it, there didn’t seem to be many opportunities for studying here.

Perhaps I should build her a small library.

Just then, Haniel held out a box she had been hiding behind her back.

“I want you to deliver this!”

“……Hm?”

“To a holy knight from the……”

Her fingertips seemed to tremble slightly.

“—Temple.”

A holy knight?

The duke looked puzzled as he clicked the box open.

This is……

A neatly folded red scarf caught his eye.

“Hahaha!”

The duke burst into hearty laughter.

“So you admire holy knights!”

I quickly hid my trembling hands behind my back and smiled.

“Y-yes! Because they’re…… cool!”

He vigorously ruffled my hair.

“And our North is going to hold a harvest festival soon too!”

“Ah-ha?”

Only then did the duke seem to notice the single barley stalk neatly placed beside the scarf.

“Come to think of it…… the North still doesn’t have a Temple where you can offer a harvest-festival prayer.”

“Right…… so I wanted them to receive this and offer the prayer on our behalf……”

“Haha! I see.”

I swallowed.

I was pretending to be completely calm, but my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might explode.

I didn’t look suspicious…… right?

In the Empire, holy knights were practically objects of admiration.

Knights who protected the light.

Guardians of the Goddess.

Strong bodies.

Beautiful appearances.

A mysterious atmosphere……

And unlike priests, they were allowed to marry, so apparently noble young ladies especially adored them.

Hmm……

I didn’t really understand why that part was so important!

Anyway, since holy knights were loved by basically everyone, receiving gifts like this wasn’t unusual.

Of course, normally the Temple blocks them at the entrance.

But if someone like Duke Rowain delivered it personally—

that was different.

More importantly, I have a proper excuse.

The harvest festival.

Normally, around harvest-festival season, the lord offered part of the year’s harvest at a Temple altar.

Then a priest would offer prayers on their behalf.

Of course, high-ranking holy knights also possessed extremely pure divine power, so if a lord was close to one, they sometimes asked that knight instead.

So this wasn’t strange.

Pretending to be a little kid who admires holy knights and asking him to deliver a gift!

Of course, a simple present alone might still be awkward to pass along……

But if I also ask for a harvest prayer, they can’t exactly refuse!

“Well, very well. It isn’t difficult.”

Just as expected, the duke smiled.

“Th-thank you!”

I hurriedly added,

“But please keep it a total secret from both His Grace and the holy knight that I’m the one who sent it!”

“Why?”

“As you know…… His Grace really doesn’t have good feelings toward the imperial family or the Temple…… especially the Temple.”

“……Ah.”

“So if he finds out I asked for something like this, he might throw me out…… Honestly, I’m only staying here because he lets me. H-he said he might adopt me, but…… you never know.”

“Hmm.”

“So please keep this a secret between just you and me! Okay?”

The duke smiled kindly and stroked my head.

“Understood. If that’s what the Grand Duchess wants, I’ll do so.”

Thank goodness……!

“Then I’ll ask a holy knight I know particularly well.”

I calmed my pounding heart and opened my mouth.

“A holy knight you know……?”

“Hmm. I believe the commander of the Second Holy Knight Order is currently in the East.”

“……!”

“Ah, perhaps that title doesn’t mean much to you.”

He smiled.

“I mean Sir Dantelion Klein.”

To Be Continued…