Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 100

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 100

‘I’m so mad!’

Heidi, lying on her bed, couldn’t contain her anger and flailed her arms and legs.

A complete defeat.

It had been a day of being dragged around by Anastasia all day long.

A few days ago, what happened in the rose garden had already gotten her worked up, making it feel even more infuriating.

‘I absolutely didn’t want to lose…’

Even from Heidi’s perspective, today’s Anastasia had been perfect. Her prepared speech was moving, and she instantly won the favor of the estate’s people.

The appropriate jokes she threw in here and there completely lightened the mood, while she never lost her dignity and elegance until the very end.

Was it wisdom gained from experience? Or was it natural ability?

Heidi began to understand why Anastasia had been so confident. For Heidi to catch up to the experience Anastasia had accumulated throughout her life as a princess dealing with the public, it would probably take quite a while.

But Heidi also had her own weapons.

‘If Anastasia has experience dealing with the people as a princess, then I have the experience of living as one of those people.’

Heidi fell into deep thought.

‘If I were one of the people of this estate, what would I have wanted?’

But from the perspective of a commoner, not a princess.

If they provided food to eat their fill right away as Anastasia had suggested, they would naturally be happy. For the few days the princess stayed, their bellies would be full, and they could set aside their worries and enjoy themselves for the first time in a while.

‘But a few days later, after the princess returns, it’ll be the same as before.’

Hunger would quickly return, and the relief food sent from the royal palace would run out in a few days too.

Heidi wanted a more fundamental solution than that. She hoped to help the people here even after she left.

‘Drought isn’t something that can be solved overnight. I can’t make it rain either…’

What should I do?

But no matter how much she racked her brain, no clever solution immediately came to mind.

‘For now, tomorrow I should walk around the village and talk with people. I need more information.’

Heidi thought as she pulled the rustling blanket up to her chin. She felt that she needed to see things with her own eyes to make any judgments.

‘There must be a way I can help.’

* * *

The Viscount’s Castle was busy from morning.

This was because Anastasia had ordered them to prepare enough food for all the estate’s people by evening.

All the servants of the Viscount’s Castle had been mobilized to help prepare food, so the only person Heidi could freely call upon was a single maid named Betty.

Of course, there were attendants who had followed from the royal palace, but Heidi needed help from those who knew this region well.

‘Maybe this worked out better. Rather than going around with a whole crowd, it would be less conspicuous to go with just the two of us.’

Heidi began touring the village with Betty. She wanted to visit farms directly and hear their honest stories.

But why was it that…

“If there are any particular difficulties, please feel free to tell me.”

“We are living very contentedly and well. We are always grateful for the royal family’s grace.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Just having you visit us like this is a great honor and comfort.”

All the people Heidi met were kind and friendly to her, but for some reason, none of them readily opened up about their honest feelings. They clearly found her intimidating.

Heidi turned her head to look at the guards standing with stiff expressions and their hands clasped behind their backs.

“…”

Was it because of those scary-looking people?

These were the ones Duke Delern had insisted on assigning. He had said it was absolutely unacceptable for her to go around with just a maid, insisting she must take at least eight people, which she had begged and pleaded to reduce to half that number – four.

Heidi stared intently at her reflection in the mirror.

Her hair was neatly pinned up without a single strand out of place, and her dress, while not overly decorative, clearly looked expensive to anyone who saw it. It was obvious she wasn’t from this village.

‘So of course they’d feel uncomfortable.’

Heidi’s eyes fell on the maid Betty, who was standing quietly beside her.

Betty was wearing a navy dress that the Viscount’s Castle maids wore when going out. It had small buttons densely arranged from neck to waist, and was designed about half a span shorter than the dresses nobles wore, maximizing practicality.

Just then, a brilliant idea flashed in Heidi’s mind. She spoke up.

“Betty.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“There’s something I’d like to ask of you. Can you do it for me?”

* * *

“Princess, I don’t think this is a good idea…”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Princess…”

Betty drew out her words as if troubled and stamped her feet. In contrast, a satisfied smile appeared on Heidi’s face.

“All done. Let me see.”

Heidi looked Betty up and down and exclaimed in admiration.

“It fits perfectly like your own clothes! I think it suits you better than me. You look so pretty.”

Heidi had switched clothes with Betty. Since both had similar height and build, the dress fit perfectly as if it had been tailored.

After neatly arranging Betty’s hair, Heidi examined her own appearance in the mirror. Wearing the plain maid’s uniform without even a single frill decoration, she instantly became ordinary. Heidi quite liked how she looked.

Betty spoke as if still suspicious.

“Will people’s reactions really change just from this?”

“That’s exactly what we’re about to find out. While I’m talking, you stay nearby for a moment.”

“I really don’t know if this is a good idea…”

But Heidi’s thinking proved correct. People began to gradually and honestly share their circumstances with Heidi.

As they entered a farm on the village outskirts, a man in clothes dirty with soil approached her.

“The lord asked about such things? How unusual?”

Heidi nodded.

“I heard all the nearby streams have dried up, so where do you get water from?”

The farmer pointed toward a nearby mountain with his finger.

“There’s a small stream trickling down from the mountain peak. But it’s not enough for farming. It’s barely sufficient for drinking water, if that. Actually, the water level in our wells has noticeably dropped lately, so we don’t know when even that might dry up.”

The farmer let out a deep sigh.

“This kind of disaster is really a first. Originally, Hitchens Domain was famous for having abundant water. Several streams flowed through, and it rained quite frequently.”

“On my way here, I saw that not only the crops but all the wild grass had withered and died.”

“Only the trees with deep roots are barely hanging on.”

Just then, Heidi noticed the basket the farmer was carrying under his arm. Suddenly curious, Heidi asked.

“What’s in that basket?”

“A few potatoes.”

The farmer showed her the inside of the basket as he spoke.

“All the wheat died, but the potatoes I planted on the mountainside survived somewhat. The tubers are small and the harvest is poor due to lack of water, but they seem to endure quite well even in barren land.”

Heidi’s eyes sparkled as she listened to the farmer’s story.

“Potatoes endure barren land well?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The farmer let out a deep sigh.

“We can’t fill every meal with just these, but it’s fortunate nonetheless.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————