AWDC Chapter 10
by VolareA month had passed while the lord negotiated with Earl Milona.
“Now listen, pay close attention to what Roy says, and don’t be reckless.”
Ilse had said this countless times already.
Even after starting to work at the lord’s mansion, I continued to live at Ilse’s house, and we had been living together for over two years now.
Now that it was decided I would go to the capital, Ilse felt lonely again, and she fussed over me incessantly.
It was only natural that she was worried and repeated her concerns like a mantra. I listened in silence with a wry smile.
“You’re the one who should take care of yourself, Ilse.
I’ve asked Cathy and Tom to help out, so if anything happens, rely on them.”
“Oh, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me.”
I had finished planting the saplings of the Kozo trees, which would be used for paper.
Last year, we used naturally growing trees and the ones I planted, so we couldn’t produce much paper.
This year, we should be able to increase production threefold compared to last year.
Originally, paper production was planned for the winter, during the off-season when farming was impossible.
Now, the craftsmen have returned to working on their own fields.
Even if I go to the capital for a while, there shouldn’t be any problems with paper production.
If anything, it would be if villagers got sick, but I left plenty of medicine behind, and if necessary, the lord would arrange for the sick to be taken to town.
To leave Toriholi Village, you have to cross the Mulan River.
At the ferry, Ilse tried to hide her tearful face and gave me a cheerful farewell.
Before I knew it, my own eyes were brimming with tears.
(This is bad, just being separated from Ilse for a short time, and my heart already feels like it’s breaking.)
(Without realizing it, I had come to care deeply for Ilse.)
Such sentimentality continued until I crossed the river and entered the neighboring village.
The neighboring village, Shirabayu, has about three times the population of Toriholi Village.
It was lively, but we, aiming for the capital, didn’t even glance at the village and hurried towards Milona Town.
There were no more major obstacles, and we arrived in Milona Town in a day on horseback.
Milona Town is surrounded by castle gates, a large town with a population of nearly 30,000.
Naturally, gatekeepers stood at the entrance to the town, checking the people entering and exiting.
I had only come to the town a few times to shop, and I wasn’t familiar with it, so I became nervous in front of the gatekeepers.
But Roy led his horse to the front of the gatekeepers as if nothing was wrong.
“Well, if it isn’t Roy? It’s been a while.”
“Hello, I’ve come with three people today, my son and his friend.”
Roy was well-known even in this town, and the gatekeeper spoke to him familiarly.
“What’s the occasion this time?”
“These two have come of age, but they haven’t been to the capital yet.
I intend to take them to the capital as a celebration of their coming of age.”
“I see, the boy who was quietly standing behind Roy until recently has already become an adult.”
The gatekeeper, who was a little older than Roy, looked at Jim with nostalgia.
“It may be difficult this time, but please stay in town for a while on your way back.”
The gatekeeper let us through without much scrutiny.
After staying here for one night, we left the town early in the morning towards the capital.
On the way to the capital, Roy told us about the history of this country and the connection between the Robertson barony, the royal family, and the Minister of Finance.
The first King, Gregory, commanded a small group of soldiers and defeated the invading foreign army.
His strategy was ingenious, and the citizens, regaining their confidence from this victory, participated and achieved independence.
Then, as promised when he was enthroned as king, he greatly reduced the heavy taxes that had been in place.
The people rallied around the first King with complete trust, and they defeated several invasions by foreign armies.
Some of his subordinates even suggested that it was time to invade foreign countries and take revenge.
However, even though the King had enough power to fight foreign countries, he dared not invade them.
He avoided the foolishness of repeating battles with foreign countries, which would lead to the exhaustion of the people, and prioritized the country’s economic recovery.
(As expected of my predecessor who was reincarnated. I couldn’t help but be proud of a senior from my hometown.)
“The Robertson baronial family originated in the Midland Dukedom.
The previous head, Mill Robertson, was a commoner, but he was well-built and intelligent, so he became a retainer of the Duke and gained recognition for his abilities.
Around that time, the late King passed away. Not long before that, the Crown Prince had also passed away.
The second prince had also passed away two years before, leaving only the third son, Prince Charles, with the formal royal bloodline, but he was still 13 years old and not yet an adult.
On the other hand, Prince Frank, although illegitimate, was an adult and was seen as a person who would lead the country in the future, with his intelligence and exceptional athletic ability. And behind this prince was Duke Gregg.
Prince Frank’s mother was said to be a commoner, but it was rumored that she also had Gregg blood, and she was a strong supporter of the Prince.
Moreover, Duke Gregg came from a military background and had great power in the national army.”
“I’ve heard that Prince Frank is known for his intelligence, but what about Prince Charles?”
“Prince Charles had not received much attention since he was a child. I believe that was largely because he was the third son.
If he had a reputation for being too clever, he would have been feared by the eldest son, the Crown Prince, and the second prince. That’s why it’s said that he acted inconspicuously since he was a child.
Prince Frank was born out of wedlock, so he would be excluded from the inheritance. It can be said that he wanted to stand out and gain as high a position as possible by gaining a reputation from a young age.
People’s evaluations tend to focus on just one aspect of a person. Keep that in mind, both of you.”