Chapter 68

After eating a bit, I took a moment to relax.

I thought there would be quite a lot, but I ended up eating more than I expected.

Is it just me, or does food taste better when you eat it outside? No, it’s definitely not just me!

After all, even my husband, despite the early hour, was eating heartily.

Honestly, I thought this amount was quite a lot, but it seems it wasn’t.

As I was feeling a bit relaxed, my husband, while refilling his empty glass, started to talk a bit more seriously.

"About last night’s conversation—"

"Y-You mean last night?"

My voice rose slightly, and I averted my gaze.

Even though he knew I was acting suspiciously, my husband didn’t mention it and continued.

"It’s about the quality of the meat. It’s good to do it in the north, but the specifics are what we need to figure out."

Ah, that’s what it was about.

I thought he was going to bring up last night’s conversation, but it was a different matter.

Or rather, to talk about work even here...

It might be that the coal mine issue in the north is really bad.

"Well, we have to start from scratch, don’t we? It will take a few years to get to the point where it can be commercialized, and we need to think about compensation and such..."

"If we build it in the north, it will lead to employment for the current miners, but the question is whether we can trust them. Even when my grandfather introduced them to other jobs, they didn’t settle down."

"I haven’t actually been there, so I don’t really know the situation, but could it be that the older generation is stubborn, while the younger generation might be different? According to the documents, there are young people there too..."

"I don’t think they are that stubborn... Honestly, I don’t understand why they would stick to the dangerous mines when there are safer jobs available. They might have been incited, but the mines were already abandoned once. They were even introduced to other jobs and worked in them."

Hmm, I want to know what they are dissatisfied with after the lord has done so much for them.

Is the mine, which yields money the more you dig, better, or a stable job with a guaranteed minimum wage?

I would choose the latter.

If the mine stops producing, it won’t yield any money, and the danger is known from the start.

The previous lord knew that the deeper layers couldn’t be mined, so he only mined the surface layers.

In other words, there was no future.

There must have been an explanation, but since most of that generation is probably gone, more people don’t understand.

It’s possible, but...

I’m not quite sure about the current situation.

Was the situation already complicated when the mines were abandoned, or did it get worse afterward?

They were forced to dig the mines to get some cash, and when it came to compensation, the lord provided it.

It’s hard to say they are not well-off.

If a lord-led business fails, it’s rare for a lord to go this far.

There are quite a few unscrupulous lords, like my father.

"Negotiation is essential. No matter what we start, if we don’t have the residents’ understanding, it will fail immediately."

If they are doing something illegal, there’s no need to help them.

In fact, it might be necessary to arrest those doing illegal things to maintain order.

However, since the former chief steward might have been involved in inciting them, I don’t want to make it public.

It’s true that the person who couldn’t control the situation is also at fault, but my husband thinks so.

"Anyway, I would like to see the place. The environment is crucial for raising livestock."

"We plan to go in a few days. There’s a possibility it might be delayed."

"Isn’t that a quick decision?"

"Time is limited. Could you write down the research you were thinking about? A rough draft is fine, and even the plan you thought of at the Verdigo family is okay."

More work! But I guess there’s no choice.

If the territory prospers, money will come in, and I will surely have an easier future—...!

But my hope isn’t just for the future!

Still, this is something I wanted to think about and do, and since my husband is interested, I’ll submit it to him as a patron.

It doesn’t have to be a formal document.

A bullet point list would be fine too.

If I write down the general idea, my husband’s excellent mind will surely shape it!

"By the way, is it far?"

"No, it’s not. It’s less than a day by carriage from here, and about half a day by horse."

Ah, that might be just right.

As a project planner, I will occasionally come to check on the progress, but if it’s far, the frequency will likely decrease.

If it’s close, I can come more often, and I can also play with the two of them.

Running around on flat ground is good, but a place with a similar living environment would be better.

Leutzel, who had returned without me noticing, seemed a bit unsatisfied.

"By the way, are you really meeting Rosalimonde today?"

My husband suddenly asked.

I do plan to meet her, though?

"…Just to be sure, did something happen with Rosalimonde?"

I won’t say that you had a relationship that can’t be spoken of... I wouldn’t go that far.

"There’s nothing to worry about. If I have to say, she’s my nemesis."

My husband’s face twisted in disgust.

A nemesis?

I didn’t think my husband had a nemesis.

"Don’t take what he says at face value."

With that helpful advice, the picnic came to an end.

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