Raising the Grand Duke of the North as a Farmer Behind Dad’s Back - Chapter 61

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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 61
Fortunately…….
“Who is this fellow Bark?”
Among the villagers this time, there didn’t seem to be anyone suspicious.
“Well, if I may…….”
“I’d like you to take a look at the mountain terrain right away.”
“Yes? Yes…….”
The Grand Duke disappeared with Bark.
The other villagers scattered in different directions, each hurrying to their tasks.
‘I need to greet everyone quickly and complete my errand!’
I ran off at once.
Toward a group of people unloading large cargo in the distance.
They’d apparently prepared for the move thoroughly—the luggage was truly enormous and plentiful.
“Hello!”
Poof!
“I’m Haniel!”
“Hey there, little one!”
I smiled brightly while my eyes darted toward the white text, staring at it intently.
…….
Poof!
[Congratulations! You have completed the errand!]
[Would you like to receive your reward?]
There we go!
‘It wasn’t broken after all!’
* * *
To sum it up…….
The moss collection was a success!
“There are no signs of trees falling abnormally, nor does water suddenly spring up from the slope…… so it seems safe to proceed gradually.”
“I see.”
“However, if monsters appear, it could cause significant damage to the ground. Let’s avoid combat and descend instead.”
Led by Bark, all the villagers gathered to read the mountain terrain and inspect the foundation.
Of course, the Grand Duke and his knights offered valuable insights as well. They had considerable experience in combat here in the Northern Region.
After various discussions, the Grand Duke made his judgment that ‘today should be fine,’ and the moss-gathering team was formed.
The members were, of course, His Grace the Grand Duke and his knights.
People waved their hands enthusiastically.
“Safe travels!”
“Please be careful~”
Tears of concern trickling down.
Poignant emotion flooding through.
Of course, I didn’t lose out either.
“May you all return in good health and safely!”
Bounce, bounce in place!
The Grand Duke’s expression faltered for a moment.
“The atmosphere certainly feels like a grand departure…… ”
“But in reality, we’re just going to scrape moss.”
Felix scratched the back of his head vigorously.
Either way, I waved my handkerchief with all my might.
And then, that afternoon.
“Phew…….”
“You really scraped the mountain clean.”
Scrape, scrape, scrape!
A massive sack of moss sat by the riverbank.
“We found a cave nearby and it was absolutely packed with moss~”
Felix laughed heartily as he spoke.
I carefully peeked inside the damp sack.
There, moss in deep green lay stacked like carpet remnants, thick and plentiful.
‘Yes.’
This is it!
“Paul!”
“Yes, yes.”
Spinning my head around, I grabbed the large pot Paul had prepared and dumped the moss into it.
Then I mixed it with water from the nearby stream and started mashing it earnestly.
I was making moss paste.
“If you spread that on rocks near the river, it really grows that fast?”
Aisha asked.
“Yes! This way we can spread the moss over a wider area, and the scent will spread faster too!”
“I see.”
“Of course, some of the moss can just be attached directly to the rocks as well!”
“Wow…….”
Aisha pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Found it—my living encyclopedia.”
“Ehehe…….”
Nuzzle, nuzzle.
While Aisha was temporarily holding me (?) like a treasure, Paul shouted that the moss paste was finished.
I slipped out of Aisha’s arms and rummaged through my bag.
‘Good.’
I wasn’t about to lose!
I was going to spread moss paste on the rocks too!
I scooped the moss paste into my bucket using a small spatula.
Then I smoothed it onto the rocks near the water’s edge.
Squelch, squelch, squelch. Smear, smear, smear.
It was rather fun.
‘I should apply two layers near my fish trap~’
That was when I lifted my head.
“What are you doing?”
“Goodness!”
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
A boy was crouching right beside me—I had no idea when he’d arrived. I almost toppled backward from the fright.
“Slan?!”
“Why are you so startled?”
Slan caught me as I stumbled and picked up the spatula I’d dropped.
“Oh, look who’s here—our little prince~”
The adults nearby chuckled and added their own remarks. Slan furrowed his brows and muttered under his breath.
“……I’m not a prince.”
The villagers called him that because Slan had a bright, handsome face like a prince, but oddly, the usually indifferent boy seemed bothered by that particular nickname.
‘Does he want to be called a princess instead?’
That was possible, I supposed.
“Slan!”
I snapped to attention and broke into a wide smile.
“I didn’t think you’d come!”
Slan was rather a homebody; he rarely ventured outside unless there was pressing business. These days he was absorbed in reading at the Library.
That’s why we had to drag him out for things like this.
I’d left a note at the Library for him today!
Slan: Looking for someone to play at the river with Slan!
Lan: Is it me?
—Written by Haniel—
“And who would leave such a note,” Slan murmured, turning his head away.
When I looked closer, I saw my note crumpled in his clenched fist.
The boy carefully tucked the note into his pocket, then peered at my spatula and bucket.
“But what are you really doing?”
“Oh, I’m trying to call the fish!”
“……Are you controlling fish now?”
“Huh?”
What was he talking about?
I explained everything that had happened so far to Slan.
“Ah…….”
He nodded in understanding, looking back and forth between the moss bucket and the rocks.
“Is this all I need to do?”
“Yep!”
Squelch, squelch. Smear, smear, smear.
Slan joined us at once.
“But before that… I heard something strange from Brad earlier.”
We crouched side by side, spreading moss over a large boulder, when Slan suddenly broached a new topic.
“What is it?”
I tapped the stone eagerly as I asked.
In my peripheral vision, Slan seemed to turn toward me.
“…A few days ago, he went out and came back crying, apparently.”
“Ah.”
“Is it true?”
I was surprised he’d heard the news so quickly.
“Did something happen outside?”
My hands slowed slightly. The memory of meeting my father rose unbidden.
“Nothing…really.”
In truth, it was quite something.
“…There’s someone I’m afraid of, and I happened to run into them outside.”
Even thinking about it now made my heart lurch.
“Who are you afraid of?”
“Ah, well…”
I hesitated briefly before whispering softly. It wasn’t as though I could hide it anyway.
“Holy Knights…?”
In that instant—thud.
The boy’s hands stilled.
“Holy Knights, you say.”
That was when something strange flickered across Slan’s blue eyes.
“Yeah. I’m just…I find the Holy Knights a little scary, for some reason. Weird, isn’t it?”
“…”
“…Slan?”
Slan muttered something while his brow furrowed.
“…Did I sense something wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Slan returned to spreading moss on the boulder.
I watched his profile for a moment.
‘Slan’s shadow just now…didn’t it seem a bit off?’
If I had to describe it, it trembled somewhat irregularly.
“We’re done here—where should we work next?”
My focus snapped back.
“Oh, near the water’s too dangerous, so the adults said they’d handle it!”
When I grinned widely, Slan rubbed the back of his neck and nodded with a quiet “Yes.”
‘I must have seen it wrong.’
Slan was supposed to have weak Mana, but what I’d just glimpsed looked like very strong magical power leaking out.
I made my way over to where my fish trap was set.
“Slan! Want to throw in a fish trap too? The spot right next to me is empty!”
“…How long would it take for fish to be caught if we threw it in now?”
“Hmm. Once the moss settles in, fish usually come pretty quickly—maybe about a week?”
“…”
Slan came over and selected a fish trap. He tried to look indifferent, but his eyes betrayed his hope for a catch.
Of course, all the other adults were equally occupied preparing fishing rods, nets, and dip nets.
Slan, glancing around suddenly, asked a question.
“By the way…where is the Grand Duke? I don’t see him.”
“Ah…”
My shoulders sagged at that moment.
“He’s at the Manor.”
That was right.
The Grand Duke had thrown himself into other work the moment we came down from the mountain.
Something just as important as catching fish—another matter concerning our lands.
Slan’s gaze asked what that could be.
“It seems…”
I pushed out my lips and muttered.
“…there’s a problem with our Rye Seeds.”
* * *
“Our Rye Seeds, what?”
“They were confiscated by Imperial Palace knights while we were crossing from the Eastern Region to the Northern Region.”
‘Oh, come on.’
My brow furrowed of its own accord.
‘Confiscated?’
My gut feeling twisted into something dark.
Alright. Crisis mode activated.
Snap-snap-snap-snap-snap-snap-snap!
My hands moved at a speed no human eye could follow—well, almost—in a blur of motion.
Applying Moss…
“Done!”
I shot to my feet in one motion.
‘I need to get home, fast!’
I waved my hands frantically at Slan, who was trying to rise and follow me.
“Slan, see you later!”
“Wait—”
No time, no time!
On my short legs, I pushed for maximum efficiency and scurried all the way back to the Grand Duke’s Estate.
Meanwhile, along the river where Haniel had gone.
Slan stood motionless, staring at the spot where Haniel had vanished.
‘…When did I ask for anything in return?’
And yet she just bolted like that.
Not that I particularly wanted to keep playing with Haniel, mind you.
And it’s not like I was going to suggest we go to the Library together after applying Moss, absolutely not.
And certainly—certainly—I had no intention whatsoever of asking hesitantly in the Library if she wanted to share some cookies later.
Yet somehow his heart sank.
‘As the senior here, I should understand.’
Slan gazed at his own Fish Trap, which sat submerged beside Haniel’s, then slowly got to his feet.
‘I wonder how much longer I can stay here.’
The thought came unbidden.
No matter how he looked at it, Haniel didn’t seem to be the girl from his dreams—and perhaps she couldn’t be.
If that was true, then he had no reason to remain in this place.
“…”
It was just as Slan bit down on his lip, caught in that uncertain feeling.
“…!”
He felt an unfamiliar presence.
Slan spun around sharply.

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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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