Raising the Grand Duke of the North as a Farmer Behind Dad’s Back - Chapter 58

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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 58
Several days had passed since we opened the second pillar.
Thanks to the adults working hard to clean the river during that time, there were no major floods upstream.
The current, which had grown swift when the ley line suddenly opened, seemed to have returned to normal.
According to Felix, who had recently explored the lower reaches of the Veil River,
“Well… the downstream was an absolute mess, you know? The whole area’s flooded. Especially that western plain region……”
He’d shaken his head.
The image of it remained vivid in my mind.
And how did Basil and I react to hearing that?
Something like this.
“Wow, perfect for farming.”
“Damn perfect for farming, …ah.”
The look of self-reproach that crossed Basil’s face after he’d muttered those words without thinking… let’s just pretend I didn’t see that.
River floods can become disasters if conditions are wrong.
But when moderate, they deposit organic matter and sediment that enrich the soil.
Moreover, the downstream area was wider and flatter than upstream, so it really… seemed perfect for large-scale farming.
‘Well… it’s a dream for now!’
Besides, there were still occasional monsters in the downstream region.
That was because the entire area was surrounded by contaminated zones. It couldn’t help but be affected.
I walked along, pondering.
‘The range of direct influence from the Veil River’s ley line is roughly….’
“At this rate, in a straight radius… I’d say about seven or eight hundred meters wide. Enough to farm a bit with just a few houses,” Basil had said.
His words came back to me.
In short, it meant that within a certain distance of the river, the climate had warmed and the land had been purified enough to be livable.
For reference, seven to eight hundred meters would take about ten minutes to walk at an adult’s pace.
‘Hehe.’
The habitable area in the Northern Region kept expanding!
It was satisfying.
“Let’s catch some fish~ lots and lots of fish~”
I hummed the tune as I stepped out into the courtyard.
Now it was time to move to the next step.
‘Everyone’s given up on fishing this year, but there are ways!’
I was definitely going to catch fish and gain spiritual power.
And fill in the shortage of winter provisions!
And……
‘Now that I think about it, it feels like another opportunity for the Northern Region to develop is coming…?’
Because ‘that event’ would happen this winter!
Regardless, my immediate task was clear.
Bang!
I yanked open the small storage shed attached to the side of Basil’s mansion.
“There it is!”
Fishing net~ fish trap~ fishing rod~
I dragged out the fishing gear I’d prepared in advance and headed outside.
“What are you doing?”
That’s when a familiar voice suddenly cut in.
“Huh? Ruslan, hello! What brings you here?”
“It’s morning.”
The answer came back in a tenth of a second.
“…?”
“You didn’t show up at the Library without a word.”
I blinked, carefully parsing the subject-less sentence.
“Wait… did you come looking for me?”
“No?”
Another answer in a tenth of a second.
“…So you came looking, or didn’t?”
It was hard to tell.
“…..”
Ruslan’s lips twitched, then pressed shut.
“…This is driving me crazy, seriously.”
A quiet murmur.
“More-ra-guuuu?”
“……Sigh. No, never mind. So what are you trying to do? Why are you carrying something so dangerous?”
“Oh, I’m going to catch fish!”
“……?”
“Do you want to throw a trap too? I’ll attach a name tag for you!”
I held out one of the cylindrical traps that adults had modified from fish traps to catch salmon and trout.
Ruslan grumbled softly.
“No, everyone’s panicking saying there’s nothing in the river right now…… What fishing. Ah, just give it here. I’m dying of anxiety.”
Ruslan hoisted the fishing rod and trap up in my place.
The maids passing by caught sight of this and rushed over with alarm blazing in their eyes.
“My goodness! What are you doing letting children handle these things!”
“Fishing rods have hooks on them, which are extremely, extremely, extremely dangerous for children!”
Hearing that, my mind snapped back into focus.
‘Wait, hold on!’
What was I doing just now?
‘I’m mentally older than Ruslan!’
And I’d just handed the fishing rod and trap to a child!
I came to my senses and quickly tried to snatch the trap back from the little boy.
“……?”
“……?”
But Ruslan gripped it tight and wouldn’t let go……?
Instead, he pulled harder.
What erupted suddenly was a tug-of-war. I blinked. Ruslan looked a bit bewildered too.
“Why are you suddenly doing this?”
“No, I was just trying to hold it for you…….”
“So why?”
“Well, because I’m older than you…… But why are you?”
“Because I’m stronger than the Grand Lady…….”
“……?”
“……?”
Hmm?
“Now then, little children? This is when you call an adult~”
Our brief standoff ended when the maids swiftly snatched away the fishing implements.
I tilted my head, then simply broke into a wide smile.
“Hehe, thank you so much!”
The large fishing rods were lined up neatly against the storage shed wall, and the slightly tangled nets and traps were carefully separated and laid out to dry in the yard.
I conducted my own tournament and selected the two traps that looked most sturdy.
“Perfect.”
I rummaged through my chest and pulled out a name tag.
The Grand Lady (currently working in the Rye Field) had carved my name onto a spare leather scrap last night.
Haniel’s Trap
-Touch and Meet Your Doom-
Hmm…… It’s rather an eccentric name tag, but.
At any rate, with this.
‘Any fish caught in this trap will be recognized as my catch!’
[Catch Blue-Spined Trout (0/3)]
[Catch Giant Silver Salmon (0/5)]
Needless to say, I didn’t believe I could hold a fishing rod and fish like the adults do.
So to complete these errands, throwing out traps like this was my best option!
‘I need to gather spiritual power diligently again!’
Because.
[(Empty) The Sticker Book is Empty (Empty)]
“Kiii-eeeek…….”
I’d gone broke again.
After squandering 2,000 spiritual power.
I’d secretly added a little of my remaining spiritual power to the village fence repairs a while ago, and this was the result.
So I had to work hard to catch fish and tend the rye crop as well.
[An errand from the Goddess of Earth has arrived!]
[Challenge! Harvest Steel Rye! (0/5)]
[“Crisis nurtures all things.”]
[Reward: 500 Pure Uncontaminated Spiritual Power Stickers]
And look, an errand came in at just the right time. Let’s do our best!
‘I haven’t decided which pillar to purify next, but the more spiritual power I can send to Father, the better!’
I stuffed the fish trap into my enormous hippopotamus bag with a crinkle-crinkle sound. Of course, it was too large to fit entirely—more than half of it stuck out—but if I just ran to the river quickly, it should be fine!
“Ruslan, do you want to come to the river with me?”
“Oh, that’s all right for me, thank you.”
“Why not!”
“The Master asked me to bring some of the Rye Seeds he brought in this time.”
Ruslan held up a small pouch.
It was part of the Rye Seeds that Brad had received in Nostein Village.
“Ah…… He asked you to check whether they’ve caught any crop disease, didn’t he?”
“Yes. So I’m going to the river with the servants instead.”
“I see…….”
I muttered dejectedly.
I wanted to play together…… but I suppose it can’t be helped.
‘When will the additional Rye Seeds arrive anyway?’
Resolving to ask if there was any news, I left the Mansion.
After parting with Ruslan, I met Felix and Aisha on the path leading to the river.
“Little squirt!”
“Felix!”
“Where are you off to?”
“I’m going to the Veil River!”
At that, Aisha’s expression turned grave at once.
“Hmm, it could be dangerous, so we should go together. What if a shark appears and eats you? Lucy, we’ll take her from here.”
At Aisha’s words, Lucy—the servant who had been accompanying me—smiled brightly and stepped back. So correcting Aisha’s poor grasp of facts fell to me.
“Hehe, Aisha…… sharks don’t live in rivers.”
“They don’t? Blast it, when are you going to buy me a common sense dictionary!”
Meanwhile, Felix, who had been peeking at my bag, asked.
“Say, what’s all this stuff in a girl’s bag? A fishing net, string, …… and is that a worm?”
“I rather like that it’s so girlish.”
“We’re getting ready to catch fish!”
At those words, the eyes of the two knights met.
A moment later.
Splash!
Splash!
My two fish traps, each marked with my name tag, glubbed down into the river.
The Veil River, which the villagers had worked hard to clean of debris, was clear and beautiful.
I peered carefully into the water.
‘……Hmm.’
There’s nothing at all, truly.
The fierce current had swept everything away at once, leaving the river empty.
But thanks to the purified magical power flowing along the ley line, the climate had changed and the contamination had largely subsided. Surely the fish would return to these waters.
I recalled the map of the Northern Region posted on one side of the village notice board.
It had once been used as a military map, but the Duke had hung it up with characteristic generosity.
MAP OF BERTUS
MAP OF BERTUS
According to that map…….
‘This Veil River flows away toward the Great Gorge in the southwest.’
That waterway connected to the Radgail Great Lake in the Empire’s Western Region.
Of course, the Western Region feared that the water flowing down from the north would contaminate their lake, so they periodically purified it through the Western Holy Temple.
‘And in that lake…….’
I called out vibrantly to the two people watching me from beside me.
“Needle fish and silver trout live there in abundance!”

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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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