Raising the Grand Duke of the North as a Farmer Behind Dad’s Back - Chapter 64

Basil sighed as he watched the pink-haired dopamine addict greeting them with a wave.
A flutter, a laughing face waving him off.
<^O^/>
Noah swept all manner of experimental tools into a large sack and turned to Ruslan.
<Little one, pack our things right now…>
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Just then, Basil, who had been gazing out the window, cut in.
“Don’t come to the Grand Duke’s Residence until a day after I leave.”
<???>
<A day after I leave? Not the day itself?>
Noah tilted her head in confusion.
<What’s with this vague timeline?>
* * *
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“The lord is going to Jedo!”
“What, really? When?”
“Tomorrow morning!”
“So suddenly?”
The people in the plaza began to whisper among themselves.
“I heard it was because of the rye seed negotiation.”
“Really? I heard he was invited to the founding banquet? Maybe it’s for both reasons.”
“Whatever it is, something serious must be happening.”
“Besides… wasn’t he designated Grade 0 Danger? Isn’t that why society has been avoiding him all this time?”
Someone spoke carefully.
“You know, because the risk of him going berserk is so high that high society has practically shunned him…”
“But if it’s an order from His Majesty the Emperor…”
A sigh escaped from among the whispering crowd.
“Oh dear. I’m afraid something dreadful might happen to him there.”
“That’s why most of the knights are accompanying him. Let’s not worry too much.”
“Yes, you’re right.”
The people who had been chattering fell silent for a moment, then smiled awkwardly at one another.
“I never thought we’d find ourselves worrying about the Northern Region’s Grand Duke.”
The people gazed toward that distant sky with wistful eyes.
“After all, he’s precious to us…”
“Our fellow bondsman…”
They were one.
And one man who had been listening to their conversation’s eyes suddenly gleamed.
‘The Grand Duke is leaving his post?’
He barely suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising.
‘Unexpectedly, the opportunity comes quickly.’
He hurried back to his temporary lodging.
On one side, unpacked luggage lay in untidy heaps.
Until now, encountering that Basil, the Grand Duke, had been the most bothersome thing.
Clearly, heaven is favoring him.
Indeed.
No matter how extraordinary an achievement he has, no matter how powerful a warrior he is.
How could anyone see into another’s heart? Only a god could do that.
He recalled the order.
“Infiltrate the Northern Region and await further command. With this identity and name, you will never be discovered.”
Redermic, was it? Some count?
That noble who had given him the order had afterward rushed off to Jedo in haste.
‘Wait for orders, my ass.’
The man had been given a clean identity, even advance payment.
‘Wait for command? Nobles are all idiots, anyway.’
The man chuckled to himself.
‘I’ve only just been released and didn’t know how to survive, but now that I’ve got the advance? I’m golden.’
Everyone in the world was a fool but him.
And the biggest fools were the people living here.
‘In a place where holy relics are scattered about, and they just naively till the soil like peasants.’
The Grand Duke’s holy relic.
The man had been after it from the start.
If he sold it, the Holy Temple would pay him an enormous sum.
Of course, he couldn’t sell stolen goods directly to the Temple, but once he slipped out of the country and converted it to cash at the right moment, no one would be able to trace him.
‘Once the Grand Duke leaves his estate.’
He’d spring into action…….
Clang!
Just then, a loud noise rang out.
“…….”
The man glanced at his pile of belongings, then shifted his gaze toward the door.
Knock-knock-knock!
“—! Are you there? We’re short-handed and need help splitting firewood!!”
“Ah, coming.”
‘A bit tedious, but…….’
While he waited for the time to come.
The man pulled on his mask of a humble villager once more.
And the next morning at dawn.
Basil of Bertus departed his estate as planned.
“Safe travels, Your Highness!!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
He rode off trailing a line of knights, dust rising in his wake.
The man watching his departure twisted his lips into a smile.
* * *
Morning.
“Ahhh-rgh-rgh, ptooey!”
Teeth brushed!
[Divine quest complete! (Requester: the God of Fate)]
[Reward: 1 pure non-polluted holy power sticker]
‘Heh.’
Another small batch of holy power earned!
I hopped down from the step stool and scrubbed my face vigorously with a soft towel.
[Haniel’s Sticker Book (Children’s Edition)]
Holy power stickers in storage: 13
‘Hmm. I’m collecting holy power little by little, but there’s no quest that would let me rake it in all at once.’
Well, it didn’t worry me too much.
The Grand Duke had gone to Jedo, so the rye seeds would arrive soon, and as for the fish, I just had to wait.
‘Soon I’ll be able to make a big haul again!’
So for now, patience was the name of the game!
I cheerfully combed my hair, put on my shoes, slung my bag over my shoulder, and left the room.
Peek——
I stole a glance up the stairs leading to the Grand Duke’s second-floor bedroom.
Silence…… stillness…….
‘He’s really gone.’
I felt a small pang of loneliness and pressed my lips together.
“Haniel! Good morning! You should have a bowl of soup for breakfast~”
“Soup!!!”
At the maids’ call, I went bounding toward the kitchen.
‘I can manage just fine on my own! Let’s do this!’
Another happy day!!
After a cheerful breakfast, I got a bit of grain flour and headed for the village.
Patter-patter, as I walked, my vantage point suddenly rose.
“Where are you off to, little one?”
“Uncle Felix!”
Felix had lifted me onto his shoulders and was grinning. He was the only knight left behind to guard the village.
“To the communal oven! I’m going to bake bread!”
“Okie-dokie~”
Our pace toward the village quickened with long strides.
‘Hmm, come to think of it.’
It seemed about time to make a move.
‘When will it be, I wonder?’

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