Raising the Grand Duke of the North as a Farmer Behind Dad’s Back - Chapter 45

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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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Episode 45
“She’s at the Children’s Library. It’s the place Duke Loweyn built for the village.”
The small, single-story library had become Haniel’s new hideout.
“So she lives there, does she.”
Basilii paused, something flickering across his mind, and his brow creased sharply.
“Sometimes I find myself at a loss for how to raise her.”
Camilla nodded slowly.
“I understand the feeling.”
When they’d toured the library together.
“You could smell the ink from a mile away, but Loweyn’s done a decent job with the place.”
Basilii spoke to Haniel, who stood in deep concentration before the bookshelves, choosing what to read.
“Hama, if you’re taking that book back to the manor, put it in this bag——”
Snap!
“Done reading it!”
“……?”
The child, who had merely been flipping through one book while standing, suddenly exclaimed.
Basilii naturally didn’t believe her.
“……That’s just bluffing. Come here. Page one thirty-six——”
“Understanding Silver Salmon! Silver salmon grow to adulthood in vast lakes, then swim hundreds of kilometers upstream, chasing the mossy scent of their birthplace! They have the characteristic of digging pools in the clear gravel beds of upper streams to spawn and breed!”
“……?”
The child…… had an ability to memorize an entire book as if photographing it into her mind.
“Good grief…… who could she have learned from to be that brilliant.”
This was driving him mad.
“Me?”
My baby hama wasn’t just a genius who devoured bread whole — she was swallowing books whole too.
“Well, from what I’ve observed, I suspect the father hama’s bloodline must be superior.”
“What’s that? Didn’t catch it.”
Basilii dismissed it lightly and hoisted an enormous bundle of straw onto his shoulder.
“Ah, but sire…… is it truly the case that our baby will open the Ley Line of the Veil River?”
“…….”
At Camilla’s whisper, his movement froze entirely.
“What…….”
Basilii answered with his brow furrowed as it was.
“That’s what they’re saying.”
Camilla tilted her head uncertainly.
“Sire, you seem troubled.”
“Troubled? What do you mean by that.”
Basilii let out a light scoff.
Camilla fell silent a moment, then sighed.
“Is it because of Haniel? Does it trouble you that the child must purify the pillar……?”
“Well, I do wonder if this is the right thing.”
His face clouded with something complicated, and he walked on steadily.
“I keep asking myself what I’m making that tiny thing do.”
There was even a hint of self-recrimination in his tone.
Camilla understood his torment.
She herself felt uneasy about burdening the child with so great a task — and the Duke must feel it all the more. With a sense of responsibility as strong as his, he might well believe himself utterly powerless.
“Well, everyone has their own role to play. Our baby’s role is rather large, perhaps…… but isn’t that precisely why you must protect her, sire?”
“…….”
“That seems to be the role for you and myself.”
“……I suppose.”
Yet his brow remained furrowed, unyielding.
After a moment.
Once the bundle of straw was stacked in the storehouse, Basilii wandered through the village in search of Haniel.
Then he found something, quite by accident.
An object cast carelessly into a waste bin.
“This is…….”
His eyes widened.
* * *
‘Ha, this is fun!’
I flipped through the pages eagerly.
My new hobby these days! Reading!
Half the books in the library I’d read in my past life, but the other half were entirely new to me.
‘The books Loweyn picked out have their own special flavor. True to an Eastern Duke, there are so many about agriculture and livestock—it’s wonderful!’
The Klein Dukedom’s collection was mostly theology.
That was enjoyable too, of course, but there was something even more satisfying about practical books so directly tied to daily life.
‘Now I need to open the Ley Line under the Veil River!’
I swung my legs back and forth as I thought.
“You see, I’ve finally gathered all the Holy Power needed to purify the next pillar!”
At last, I’d collected two thousand Holy Power.
Half of that I’d sent to Father, so now it was time to invest in the pillar!
[Haniel’s Sticker Book (Children’s Edition)]
Holy Power Stickers in Storage: 1,008
Hmm.
To be honest, when I told him, I thought the Duke would be a bit more pleased.
But his face fell slightly.
“I see.”
That was all he said.
‘Perhaps he was just keeping his feelings to himself?’
It was development for the Northern Territory! There was no way a lord wouldn’t be happy about that.
In any case, opening the Veil River would bring the following benefits.
1. Additional income from fish and freshwater clams!
2. Enormous help with farmland expansion next year!
3. Expansion of Holy Power Supply Points!!
Though of course, the last one is a benefit only I can see.
But regardless!
The first simply meant additional profit through harvesting from the river.
And the second meant being able to irrigate the farmland far more reliably!
‘The population has already grown, and next year I’ll deploy cattle in earnest, so we’ll farm seven or eight times the current area!’
That would require far more water.
Currently we were drawing from a small stream flowing through Bedel Village.
But that wasn’t enough to reach the farmland farther from the center.
So it would be better to run an irrigation channel from the Veil River.
‘Opening the river is exactly what we need in every way!’
And when I catch fish by the handful, I’ll rake in Holy Power just as easily!
“Done!”
I snapped the book shut.
With a soft click, I stood from my chair, returned the book to its shelf, and selected another.
I wandered slowly between the shelves, thinking.
‘But I can’t just purify the pillar blindly like I did with Bedel Village.’
Because……
‘If a frozen river thaws all at once, it could be disastrous.’
A river flood, unexpected landslides—
things the Ley Line’s power might not be able to prevent. So first……
‘I want to survey the area around the river.’
Would that even be possible?
‘Hmm…… It’ll be brutally cold and heavily polluted, I’m sure.’
Lost in thought, I reached toward a book positioned slightly higher than my head.
Rising onto my toes, I tilted my head up to look—
“……Oh?”
My head spun and the world went white before my eyes.
As my body lurched dangerously to one side, it happened—
A hand shot out from nowhere and caught my shoulder.
“Why did you suddenly do that?”
A familiar voice.
“Are you hurt?”
I turned my head and saw Sloan, looking startled, his eyes wider than usual.
I blinked a few times to clear my vision and shook my head to steady myself.
“Wow, that scared me……”
“But why did you suddenly stumble like that?”
“Oh, I was reaching for a book and jerked my head up too fast, I think.”
I scratched my head.
“…….”
Sloan’s lips moved slightly before he reached for the book I’d been about to grab and handed it to me instead.
‘I really want to read all those books up there too…….’
I’ll have to finish all of these first!
“Thanks! But have you finished all your books?”
“Well…….”
His blue eyes rolled away.
The book in his hand, Types and Understanding of Magical Power, was promptly slid into an empty space on the shelf.
Every morning.
Lately, Sloan and I had been meeting at the library and reading together.
I came of my own accord, while he supposedly came under Noah’s orders whether he liked it or not.
“……Master says if you don’t study, your brain rots.”
A truly adorable reason, fitting for a nine-year-old Sloan.
‘But why did I stumble just now?’
As I returned to my seat, I absently touched my neck.
‘I think I’ve been pushing myself a bit too hard lately.’
There was the deal with Duke Loweyn.
And more than that, I’d been so focused on channeling Holy Power to Father that my body had grown tired without me noticing.
Well, a pastry should fix that right up!
Growwwwl.
Right on cue, my stomach rumbled loudly.
‘Oh, Sloan must be hungry too!’
I spoke to the boy sitting across from me.
“Sloan, want to go see the chicks? While we’re at it, let’s grab some bread at the manor! You’re hungry, right?”
“Not really.”
“Come on. There are baby piglets too! They’re really, really cute!”
I leaned half my body over the table, pleading earnestly.
“Huh?”
The boy pulled his body back sharply.
“Why are you so close…….”
He bit his lip hard, then suddenly stood up.
So he dislikes being that close? I could see Sloan was visibly flustered.
“Master has an errand for me, so I should go.”
“Aw…….”
How boring.
“…….”
Sloan’s footsteps faded away, but then just as quickly, he came clomping back.
“Read the books at the manor. Don’t stay here alone.”
A sudden command?
Then he glanced at me intently before turning toward the bookshelf.
Tap, tap, tap, tap!
“……?”
Sloan climbed the ladder and brought down all the books from the top shelf I’d been wanting to reach.
I never said anything, so how did he know I wanted these?
“There.”
Then, without waiting for my answer, he turned and left.
I watched his retreating figure with a puzzled expression.
‘Does he dislike me?’
He won’t even eat with me.
And yet…….
Looking at the pile of books stacked before me.
‘Maybe it’s not that bad?’
Really, I couldn’t tell. I sighed, resting my chin in my hand.
Knock, knock.
Then came a knock at the library window.
That distinct impatient knock could only be……!
“Your Grace!”
I hurried over and slid the window open.
“Lunch.”
“I was just heading out to eat!”
“Come here.”
He reached out suddenly, and in one fluid motion lifted me clean off my feet and drew me out through the window.
“Windows aren’t doors!”
“Who cares. If you can pass through it, it’s a door.”
“Ugh, you’re impossible…….”
“Now you know.”
He stared at me for a moment, then thrust something into my hands.
“By the way—what is this.”
“Huh?”
“Why was this thrown in the trash.”
My eyes went wide.
A crimson bundle of fur.
It was the Scarf he’d given me.

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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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