Raising the Grand Duke of the North as a Farmer Behind Dad’s Back - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 21
I’d worked up the courage to come this far, but face to face with the Duke, I was trembling.
A 0-Class Dangerous Person designated by the Temple.
The Sword Ghost who vanquished the Gwang Dragon.
The Northern Duke in hiding on contaminated land.
Every detail of his history was frightening enough on its own.
But Basilii himself simply radiated an aura that was extraordinary in every way.
Hair black as pitch. Eyes the color of pooled blood. A handsome face with strong, unbroken lines running through it. That characteristic sharp, languid blankness of expression.
God, look at those thick, rippling arm muscles…. They had obviously developed from him thrashing about wherever and whenever his nature compelled him.
Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.
“Yes! Of course you can live here!”
……unless you counted the child perched on my shoulder.
“There are thirty houses here! The land is vaaaaast! You’ve all won the lottery for priority settlement~! Let’s hear it!”
“So it seems.”
The Duke spoke quietly.
“Applause.”
Patter-patter-patter.
“……?”
The people looked a bit confused.
‘Is he being…… controlled?’
The Duke, suddenly grown warmer, smiled generously.
“Come now, all of you. Work hard from here on out, as befits the settlement’s first colonists.
That was when I noticed the Duke was holding a large spade in his other hand.
At his waist hung the Hoe and Mushroom Pouch he’d taken from Haniel.
The broad farmland stretched out behind him…….
People’s eyes blinked slowly.
Is this the Northern Duke I used to know?
Can this be right?
* * *
[Renown is my power! Greet 16 new neighbors! (8/16)
[Reward: 50 Clean, Pollution-Free Saint Power Stickers]
The Territory Residents have increased!
‘Uncle Paul, you’re the best, the absolute best!’
The four members of the Brad Squad who’d recently returned, and twelve people who’d immigrated from outside.
This was a tremendous harvest.
The farmland reclamation was finally gathering proper momentum!
“Whew, you don’t have oxen yet? In that case, with this group, it’ll be most efficient to cultivate only up to that point this year. We’re not strong like knights!”
“Come now, let’s each make whatever tools we can and put them to use.”
“We’ll need to repair the abandoned houses.”
“Where do we draw water from? There’s a stream over there! Hey! Let’s talk about this here!”
They were all seasoned people with experience doing various work while traveling.
Very different from me in my past life, who’d done nothing but read in bed, or the Duke, who’d spent his entire life hunting monsters, or any other knights.
Clack-clack-clack-
As the group grew, the village became rather lively.
People cleared farmland, repaired houses in spare moments, erected fences, and maintained the roads.
Uncle Paul was brimming with enthusiasm too. He chose a proper little hut, cleaned it thoroughly, and fixed the holes in the ceiling and walls.
Then he took my hand and asked me to live with him—keeping the promise he’d made on our journey to the Northern Region.
‘Adults said a six-year-old living alone was absolutely not allowed.’
But…….
Well, the conclusion is that I’m still stuck at the Duke’s residence.
Because outside, Uncle Paul hadn’t just made a friend—
He’d apparently also started courting someone new.
“Uncle Paaaaaul! I’m here…….”
Bang! The moment I opened the door and stepped inside.
“Ah, Helen, you. You did well to follow me.”
“Pooooaul~”
Smooooch.
“Gasp!”
I saw something I shouldn’t have.
“Ugh! My eyes!”
“H-Haniel!!”
“Good heavens!”
“My six-year-old eyes!”
I scrubbed my eyes frantically at the well, and eventually had to be fished out again by Basilii the Grand Duke.
A tragedy that unfolded a mere six hours after moving in.
In any case……
‘At this rate, I’ll be able to plant barley by March!’
It was late February now. Spring.
The Northern Region, with its Dragon Vein opened, possessed its own distinct seasons.
‘Spring comes earlier than elsewhere, while winter is short but brutal. Summer isn’t terribly hot.’
Perfect weather for farming, in other words.
Especially the early spring was a tremendous advantage.
We could sow seeds earlier than other territories. Shorter fallow periods meant higher yields if the land was managed well — that’s what it meant!
‘Next year is going to be even better!’
Grinning to myself, I opened my Sticker Book.
“Yep!”
[Haniel’s Sticker Book (Children’s Edition)]
Saint Power Stickers in Storage: 302
‘I’ve collected so many!’
All the result of gathering mushrooms and faithfully running daily errands whenever I had a spare moment!
So this morning.
I pestered the Grand Duke into letting me climb to the midslope where the Gwang Dragon Corpse lay.
[Your stored Saint Power has surpassed 300, granting you the new Detection function!]
[Saint Power required for Detection: 1]
As my Saint Power increased, I could now calculate the amount of Purification needed based on the Contamination.
I immediately affixed one Saint Power Sticker to myself.
And then I focused on one of the Sealing Pillars.
[Massive Contamination detected!]
[Location: Directly ahead]
[Calculating required Purification amount…… Complete!]
[Saint Power Required: 1,000]
‘One thousand Saint Power? Hmm, that’s a lot, but…… actually it’s not that much, is it?’
I wiped my nose proudly.
‘With my incredible abilities, I’m going to purify this pillar completely, aren’t I?’
And then I caught sight of another pillar—
[Saint Power Required: 200,000]
[Saint Power Required: 66,666,666]
“Huh?”
My pride deflated in an instant.
I couldn’t forget the strange look Basilii the Grand Duke had given me.
‘Still…… the other pillars are completely out of reach, but the one corresponding to the Beil River region might be possible. It only needs one thousand Saint Power!’
A long river cutting cleanly across the Northern Region. Now it was filled with Contamination and drifting ice.
‘If I clean up the river, other villages could spring up along its banks.’
Then expansion into new territories would be possible.
And at the same time, I’d have plenty of errands to gather more Saint Power!
‘Right, I also need to think about how to send half the Saint Power to Father.’
My eyes gleamed.
To make all of this happen smoothly……
“I definitely need to get closer to them!”
The knights who’d returned today.
The Brad Squad, in other words!
‘I was already looking forward to it so much!’
Sir Brad!
I ran off in a hurry.
* * *
“Is this really…… real?”
Aisha murmured.
Felix looked enchanted.
“How did it get this warm? Am I dreaming…… Ow!”
“You’re hurt, so it’s not a dream……”
Felix twisted like a squid roasted over flame.
“Hey! Damn it, why are you hitting my back!”
“Then should I hit your back instead?”
“Quiet, both of you. The Duke is here—keep it down.”
Camilla finally spoke up.
The reception room of the Basilii Residence.
The Northern Region’s knights had assembled. The finest of the fine, fighting together since their mercenary days.
Once they’d each commanded tens, hundreds of soldiers, but all of that had fallen away now.
“But Lord Ruden… even the supply company knights. Why do you look so pale?”
Felix crept toward Ruden and asked quietly.
“Cough, cough!”
“I heard something happened… but good heavens. How much punishment did you take?”
“Cough cough cough—the Duke isn’t—cough! A baby—cough cough!”
“What? The Duke’s a baby? Lord Ruden! Even so, that’s too much! How can you say such a thing? Calling the Duke a brat!”
“Much obliged.”
“Eek!”
A pair of scarlet eyes appeared behind Felix’s back.
“The brat has arrived.”
“Squeeee~!”
Felix dropped into a bow.
“Long time no see! Ha ha ha!”
Basilii let out a soft snort, then settled into his chair at an angle.
“Thank you all for your efforts. And as you can see…”
His smooth jaw gestured vaguely toward the window.
“That’s how things stand.”
He’d already heard the general situation from Camilla.
Still, it was striking.
The change in the Northern Region.
And…
‘The Duke seems different too.’
Something about his energy felt gentler.
That tense, unsettling air—as though he always stood at a cliff’s edge—seemed to have been rounded and softened.
“So… since things have come to this, I’m thinking of opening the Northern Region’s gates again.”
As always, Basilii spoke lightly, almost carelessly, yet his eyes held weight.
“I intend to actively accept newcomers and settlers, and to make this land into something worth living in.”
“…”
The knights recalled Basilii the mercenary.
The man who charged like a tank toward his goals, never knowing surrender, grinding relentlessly forward.
They’d followed him here, drawn by that brilliance.
On the battlefield, he’d been a living sword.
But the war had ended. And with it, something in Basilii’s life seemed to have ended forever.
Passion, will, fervor for life.
But was that really true?
Had he found something that could set him ablaze anew?
‘If that’s the case, I’m grateful for it.’
Felix felt emotion rise in his chest and clenched his fists.
But Your Grace.
‘The object of that passion is…’
Farming, right?
‘Surely you’re not talking about child-rearing?’
Felix swallowed hard, tension creeping up his throat.
What even is that.
His eyes twitched uncontrollably.
That small creature sitting astride the Duke’s neck this whole time, eyes gleaming so brightly… what in the world was that thing, so impossibly adorable?
The little one had both fists wrapped tightly around the Duke’s black hair… wait. Was it controlling him? Was it really that?
“I will do… my very best!”
“I will… devote my life entire!”

Thump, thump!
The knights knelt with solemn resolve.
‘Wait, is it just me who thinks something’s off?’
Why does everyone else look so dazed?
Tell me I’m not the only one who sees something wrong with that kid!

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