The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 52

 

* * *

 

The journey from Warp to Duke Nogen’s Residence was quite far.

 

This was because Warp was usually not located near noble residences.

 

“Dinner time is getting awkward.”

 

Baron Forman muttered while looking at his clock.

 

“Since we already sent word that the Eastern Region would host an evening banquet, how about we have dinner in the Commercial District instead?”

 

Since arriving in the Western Region, Baron Forman had been taking the lead in the situation.

 

Although Leopold was the heir to the Grand Duke’s house, Baron Forman was the eldest among them and also Leopold’s maternal grandfather, so it was only natural.

 

From our perspective, there was no reason to refuse.

 

“Yes, that sounds good!”

 

Alpheus nodded readily.

 

“I eat everything well. Brisa too, of course. Right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Our escape—or rather, not-quite-escape—from the Eastern Region felt like a distant dream.

 

Upon arriving in the Western Region, everything had become peaceful. Or at least, that’s what I believed until then.

 

“Now, make an urgent reservation at this restaurant.”

 

Baron Forman hastily gave orders to one of his servants, handing over a note.

 

The contents of the note were obvious.

 

‘It would be telling them that the siblings from House of Sears are visiting, so they should pay special attention.’

 

Since it was a restaurant personally chosen by Baron Forman, it was certainly going to be extremely high-class.

 

Leopold also didn’t voice any particular objections. That meant he agreed.

 

“Then we’ll see you at the restaurant.”

 

So Alpheus and I took the carriage sent from Sears Marquis Estate, while Leopold and Baron Forman took a Western Region carriage prepared near Warp.

 

After riding for quite a while, we arrived in front of the restaurant.

 

“Welcome, Young Duke, Baron Forman.”

 

Having received advance notice, the manager was waiting outside.

 

“And it’s an honor to meet the distinguished members of Sears.”

 

As expected, everyone knew of our arrival.

 

We were guided by the manager to a large table in the center of the topmost floor.

 

The restaurant staff began serving us skillfully.

 

“…Something feels a bit…”

 

In any case, everything was fine.

 

However, Alpheus frowned and looked around warily.

 

“The atmosphere is…”

 

Everyone treated us very politely, and the food was excellent.

 

Nevertheless, the atmosphere was strangely ominous.

 

“Why?”

 

When I asked quietly, Alpheus whispered.

 

“I can feel a strange hostility. I can’t explain it in words, but it’s just that kind of obvious hostility you can sense…”

 

As expected, his five senses seemed sharp from spending so long on the battlefield.

 

Leopold must have felt it too, as his expression was slightly hardened.

 

I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was. But all the customers in the restaurant were looking at us with hostile eyes.

 

As soon as we entered, some customers got up without even finishing their main course.

 

‘What’s going on? Even Leopold is with us?’

 

Moreover, we were direct descendants of Sears.

 

If they were going to stare, they would stare, but there was no reason to avoid us like this.

 

Baron Forman also seemed to notice by the time the main course was served, whispering something to a servant.

 

But since no actual incident had occurred, we couldn’t formally raise the issue.

 

However, when we all finished our meal and came out of the restaurant.

 

[Cursed Sears]

 

Someone had written large letters in blood on the back of the carriage bearing the crest of House of Sears.

 

[Get out of the Western Region]

 

The coachman who had been guarding the carriage was restlessly stamping his feet.

 

“I don’t know what happened! The horses suddenly started acting up. I saw there was a thorn stuck in their knee, so I was pulling it out… and in the meantime, someone…”

 

Since the writing was done on the back of the carriage, the coachman certainly couldn’t have seen who the culprit was.

 

Leopold gave orders with a hardened expression.

 

“Seal off the commercial district. Find the culprit.”

 

His eyes, which had always remained calm even in front of monsters, were chillingly sunken.

 

“I will not let anyone who dares insult Nogen’s guests go unpunished.”

 

“No.”

 

I shook my head toward Leopold.

 

“It’s useless.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Horses don’t see well directly in front of them or at their feet.”

 

“I know that too. They’re also highly wary of strangers. So someone must have secretly stuck a thorn in the front leg’s knee…”

 

“Right. One person stuck a thorn in the front leg’s knee to distract the coachman, and another wrote the letters on the back. With blood, no less.”

 

I said calmly.

 

“This is the main street and there’s no way there were no witnesses. But no one told the coachman. That means everyone was emotionally sympathetic to this act. Catching the culprits would be useless, and if interrogation is the goal…”

 

Then I turned around and looked at the restaurant manager.

 

“We can just ask this person.”

 

“Yes, yes?”

 

“It was strange from the beginning. Outsiders are usually given window seats. That’s the basics of tourism.”

 

But the manager guided us to the central table.

 

“This is especially true for restaurants at high positions where you can see the night view of the Commercial District well.”

 

Our seats were even on the top floor.

 

“In other words, he was being careful to prevent us from seeing the streets during our meal.”

 

At my words, the manager indeed turned pale on the spot.

 

“Th, th, that!”

 

Leopold quietly glared at the manager.

 

Then the manager knelt down on the spot.

 

“I, I, I, I, I did nothing wrong!”

 

He gasped for breath and bowed his head.

 

“I, I, I just… I was, wo, wo, worried that the meal might not end sa, safely, so I paid sp, special attention, nothing more than that…”

 

“Calm down.”

 

Leopold said coldly.

 

“Brisa didn’t say you were the culprit. She said you would know the circumstances of this matter.”

 

His golden eyes looked straight at the manager.

 

Until now, he had only followed Baron Forman’s guidance without stepping forward, but now his will to take direct action seemed strong.

 

“Something I couldn’t even imagine happened between when I left for the Eastern Region this morning.”

 

He commanded coldly.

 

“Explain.”

 

* * *

 

The Seldoche Plains were the largest land in the Western Region, situated along the river.

 

Wheat was grown in these plains.

 

The wheat produced in the Western Region was largely of two types: spring wheat and summer wheat.

 

Usually wheat is planted from late spring to early summer, but in the Western Region there were types of wheat that could be planted in early spring and midsummer respectively, making two harvests per year possible.

 

Summer wheat was a unique variety that only grew in the Western Region’s soil, and because of this summer wheat, the Western Region always produced several times the amount of wheat needed for the territory.

 

After Leopold dealt with the monster wave, the farmers of the Seldoche Plains planted summer wheat.

 

Even though the spring wheat farming failed due to monsters, they could survive on the grains accumulated in storage until then.

 

Moreover, summer wheat could be harvested in about three months, so it was fine.

 

They thought this winter would be prosperous again.

 

“But as Young Duke knows, the summer wheat hasn’t sprouted at all even until now.”

 

The manager sighed and explained.

 

“If wheat isn’t produced in the Seldoche Plains, the Western Region will also be in danger. Our granaries aren’t always full, are they? Moreover, now that warp has been activated, people are buying grains from here and there. More than usual.”

 

Indeed, we weren’t the only territory that experienced isolation and starvation.

 

Even if they managed to survive somehow, they must be scared that such things might happen again in the future.

 

If another monster wave like this spring’s hit in winter and warp was cut off, then everyone would truly starve to death.

 

We survived because it was early spring, but if it had been winter, the story would have been different.

 

“It’s natural for people to be anxious. I understand that Grand Duke Nogen has also set foot in Seldoche now.”

 

Leopold, who had been listening to the story, tilted his head and said.

 

“I understand it’s a serious situation. But why should Sears’ guests have to hear such talk?”

 

“That, that’s…”

 

The manager glanced at Alpheus. Then he continued his explanation in a shrinking voice.

 

“Today, a mage finally came from the Magic Tower, and they said the land has lost its function as land. The exact reason is unknown, but they said no crops will be able to grow on this land anymore… After the Magic Tower’s announcement, everyone is honestly in a panic.”

 

Indeed…

 

Just as in the original story, the situation where the Western Region’s productivity rapidly declined had occurred.

 

Leopold asked coldly.

 

“I’m sure they are. So what?”

 

“You know there are stories that the ‘Oath of the First Five Families’ was made on the Seldoche Plains, don’t you? People think that ‘oath’ was broken and a curse has been cast.”

 

I narrowed my eyes.

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