Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 101

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 101

After visiting several houses like this, by the time Heidi had gathered enough satisfactory information, the sun was slowly setting.

Perhaps it was time for the Viscount’s Castle to finish preparing their meal, as the village was completely empty. The number of people walking the streets had noticeably decreased.

Heidi looked at Betty and said,

“How long would it take to get back to the Viscount’s Castle?”

“It would take about an hour on foot.”

“We’ve walked quite far.”

“It’s quick by carriage though! Should I quickly go rent one? Though all we could get right now would be a cargo wagon or cart…”

Heidi shook her head.

“Everyone’s gone to the Viscount’s Castle, so there won’t be anywhere to rent from. If it’s not too hard on you, I’m fine walking slowly.”

“I’m fine, Princess!”

“But what should we do about missing mealtime? It’ll be late if we return to the Viscount’s Castle. Is there anywhere nearby we could get something to eat?”

At Heidi’s words, Betty scratched her cheek and said,

“There is a restaurant not far from here… but it doesn’t serve food fine enough for you to eat, Princess.”

“Still, let’s eat something. Aren’t you hungry?”

Betty smiled broadly and nodded.

Heidi and the guards followed Betty toward the restaurant. It was a building with an inn on the second floor and a restaurant on the first. As they entered, a warm-looking owner welcomed the customers.

“Welcome! Please sit wherever you’re comfortable.”

The restaurant was completely empty. Since it was a day when Anastasia was distributing free food, it was natural enough, but seeing the dust settled here and there, it seemed they didn’t usually have many customers either.

Opening the menu, Heidi quickly understood why.

“Hic.”

Bean stew, sandwiches, roasted chicken.

These were typical dishes you’d find in such restaurants. But the prices were two to three times higher than restaurants in the Capital City Center.

Since the Dalton Couple had run a restaurant for quite a while, and she had often gone to the market while working as a maid, Heidi was quite knowledgeable about food prices.

Shocked by the prices that far exceeded her expectations, Heidi muttered,

“Why are the prices so…”

As if hearing Heidi’s murmur, the owner let out a deep sigh.

“Expensive. I know! I know it well.”

He plopped down on a chair at an empty table nearby and began his lament.

“Our restaurant wasn’t always priced like this. Rather, we used to serve delicious food in generous portions at affordable prices. So at times like this, it was hard to find an empty seat. In the old days, we had many guests looking for the inn too, so our shop did well thanks to that.”

Heidi asked,

“But why… Is it because of the drought after all?”

The restaurant owner nodded.

“At first, I went to distant places to get fresh ingredients. But once they found out I was from Hitchins Estate, they gradually started raising prices.”

“How terrible…!”

“Once a week, there’s a market in Hitchins Estate. Merchants from other regions come to sell their goods. Do you know how expensive that is?”

“The merchants must have colluded on prices.”

“There’s a limit to driving carriages for days to buy goods from even farther places. In the end, we have no choice but to buy them reluctantly.”

The restaurant owner raised his voice with a flushed face. As Heidi listened attentively, he poured out his frustrated feelings as if he’d been waiting for this.

“Eight or nine out of ten people used to make their living from farming, so they can’t earn money. But prices keep rising endlessly… Even though the Viscount generously reduced tenant fees, the estate residents can’t escape poverty. The longer the drought continues, the poorer they’ll become.”

Hearing the restaurant owner’s story, Heidi was finally able to properly understand the problems of Hitchins Estate.

Heidi’s eyes sparkled intelligently.

‘This wasn’t a problem that could be solved just by filling people’s stomachs and providing more support funds. More active intervention is needed.’

Heidi ordered various types of food for Betty and the guards. With sales after a long time, the restaurant owner’s expression brightened considerably.

Having found a clue to the solution, Heidi smiled with relief and said,

“Everyone eat plenty.”

“Thank you!”

And so a simple but warm evening was passing by.

* * *

Meanwhile, Deshion was tracking the whereabouts of coachman Norbert Albett.

It was an area adjacent to Hitchins Estate where Heidi was, with Heron Mountain between them.

“Amanda Rogue.”

He walked along the winding mountain path while looking at a rough map drawn by a village resident.

Do people really live in a place like this? Maybe he’d fallen for someone’s cruel prank. Just when he was starting to worry, Deshion spotted a small log cabin.

“Could that be it?”

Deshion looked around quickly. It seemed too small to be likely, but since he couldn’t see anything else resembling a house, it seemed he’d come to the right place.

Deshion slowly approached and knocked on the door.

“Is anyone there?”

After a moment, he heard movement inside.

“Who is it?”

A woman with graying hair and a gaunt frame came out and looked up at Deshion. Her face was filled with fatigue, as if life had been hard on her.

“Amanda Rogue?”

The woman nodded.

“Yes?”

“I’m investigating the residents actually living in this area. I’d appreciate your cooperation.”

Amanda’s gaze swept Deshion from head to toe.

His well-tailored jacket and wrinkle-free shirt, and though his shoe tips had gotten a bit dirty from walking the mountain path, they still gleamed.

Perhaps gaining trust from his proper appearance, Amanda’s expression softened somewhat.

“…How should I cooperate?”

“May I come in for a moment?”

“You can, but… there’s no room.”

“I just need to look around inside briefly.”

“Go ahead then.”

Amanda stepped aside slightly. That alone was enough for Deshion to achieve his purpose.

Inside the room were two small beds, one dresser, and one chair. The space was so cramped they seemed to be using the dresser as a table.

On the bed placed on the right, a small woman was sleeping while wheezing. Even at a glance, she didn’t look to be in good condition.

“Is that your daughter?”

“Yes, that’s my daughter Alice.”

“Your husband…”

“He died. Twenty years ago.”

After briefly expressing his condolences, Deshion asked,

“Are you two living alone? Don’t you have any relatives looking after you?”

“As you can see, it’s cramped enough that it’s tight for just the two of us.”

Amanda shrugged.

That was true. The cabin was so small that it was difficult for Deshion to even enter.

‘I don’t see any men’s belongings at all.’

Deshion made eye contact with Amanda and asked,

“Your daughter seems to be unwell.”

“Yes, she’s been bedridden for ten years. These days she can barely get up at all.”

“Treatment…”

Amanda let out a deep sigh.

“We’re fortunate if we don’t skip meals. We’re barely managing to use pain-relieving medicine. Even that has gotten more expensive lately, so who knows what will happen…”

Deshion politely bid farewell and turned away. Though he’d come a long way, there were no special gains.

‘I had to check anyway.’

Deshion headed to the only inn in this area. Though it was so old and shabby that even his servant would be disgusted, it was more convenient in many ways than spending the night at a nearby noble’s house.

Thud. Creak.

But the noise from the next room that he heard as soon as he lay on the bed irritated Deshion. The soundproofing was so poor that he could even hear the sighs of the person in the next room.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have decided to stay here. It might have been better to go directly to Hitchins Estate even if it took a bit longer.’

Since he’d be leaving this place tomorrow anyway, he just had to endure one day. Just as Deshion was trying to force himself to sleep by closing his eyes,

Knock knock knock.

It seemed like a visitor had come to the room next door, as the sound of someone urgently knocking on the door could be heard.

“Nova, it’s me. Amanda.”

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