Chapter 5: The Plan

"Ian-sama?"

The child called out, gauging Ian's mood. Though he didn't look particularly upset, there was a strange tension about him. Rumors had been circulating that Ian was different today, but no one expected it to this extent.

"Ah, yes. That's right."

Only then did Ian understand Chel's attitude.

Given that he had held the mother's life as collateral, such a cruel remark had easily slipped out. Ian smiled and expressed his gratitude to the child.

"It's fine. There's nothing to convey."

"Huh? But... "

The child's eyes widened in surprise, as this was unprecedented.

Ian, who usually filled the child with all sorts of small stories whenever he went out, was acting out of character. The servant, who couldn't write, would usually scribble down rough drawings to help him remember.

"Father is out."

"The Viscount?"

Today was a special day with a private luncheon with Molin. This meant the Viscount's schedule was different from usual. The servant, who usually went out at regular intervals, seemed to have overlooked this.

"It would be troublesome if we were to meet by chance. Besides, you are quite young, aren't you? Be careful with your steps."

The servant kept mentioning the red-light district, which was dangerous even in Ian's time. It would be even worse 100 years ago.

If you're unlucky, a healthy man could collapse due to drugs and have his pockets picked. Ian couldn't send a child to such a place.

"Will you be alright?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"Don't you cry every night until late...?"

Ian knew that he cried late into the night? Was there someone else sharing the room? If not, it meant there was someone outside his room at night.

'Seems like I'm being monitored as well.'

Fortunately, he found this out before making a mistake. Ian smiled and replied.

"I'm fine. I won't cry anymore."

"Then, the errand fee...?"

"Errand fee?"

The servant looked like he might cry. He fidgeted, looking troubled. Ian searched his pockets but found nothing.

"If I don't bring food today, my younger siblings might go hungry. I'm really fine, so please give me an errand. This time, I'll bring back the message without a single mistake."

The errand fee wasn't money, then. Of course. The child, born and raised in poverty, was now half-forced to live in the mansion. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't have a single coin.

"Please, Ian-sama."

Then, what was given to Ian in this mansion? It was the three square meals a day.

'So that's why he looked so thin.'

The Tianli people were a robust and fierce tribe. One could stand against dozens and still be unmatched. This made them a thorn in the side of the Bariel Empire.

Given that the standard for robustness was already sky-high, sending a skinny child like Ian would certainly invite criticism.

Thus, the meals were provided equally, without comparison to the Viscount's family. This was everything given to Ian, and it was his currency in the outside world.

"I have five younger siblings. If I don't bring the errand fee, they'll have to fill their stomachs with grass soup."

The servant pleaded, even bowing. The estate's situation was dire, but he didn't expect it to be this bad.

However, Ian couldn't guarantee his own safety, let alone the child's. After some thought, he nodded.

"Alright. But there's a condition. This time, it's on credit. I'll give you the errand fee first, and you'll do a favor for me later when I need it."

"Ah!"

It was a welcome proposal, and the child bowed repeatedly.

At least there was someone willing to help Ian. Though it was a transaction, it was still better than nothing.

"And I want to call you by a more familiar name."

Ian thought it would be good to know the child's name, as he would likely need to ask for more favors in the future.

The child, understanding his intention, smiled and replied.

"Call me Hana! Everyone in the mansion calls me that!"

Previously, Ian would call the child "over there" or "hey." Hana introduced himself eagerly, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

* * *

Ian's room was at the end of the third-floor corridor.

The moment he opened the door, a musty smell hit him. The small window seemed woefully inadequate for ventilation. It was clear this was a servant's room, not a guest room.

Creak.

The old chair creaked, but it didn't distract Ian. Fortunately, there were cheap paper and a pen in the corner. The child had practiced writing, leaving clear traces. The handwriting looked more like drawings than writing.

'It's the year 1100 of the Imperial Calendar.'

Ian learned the exact date from Hana.

Since he was from the year 1198, he had traveled back almost a century. His rough estimate of 100 years was correct. Ian sighed, running his fingers through his golden hair.

'Where do I even start...?'

Whether it was a spell or not, he was clearly caught in someone's time-space magic. If not, it was a hallucination he saw at the moment of death.

'For now, the only thing I know is that the possessed person and I have the same name.'

It was hard to attribute much significance to this, as the name "Ian" wasn't particularly rare or special.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Ian tried to clear his mind by jotting down significant events on the paper. If this was a hallucination or a different world, things would unfold differently from his expectations.

"Hmm."

Ian smoothly wrote down the historical timeline of Bariel. There were gaps, but it didn't matter. The absence of memorable events meant peace.

"Still, why are there so few papers in a child's study?"

The clean paper quickly filled with dense writing. The remaining papers were filled with the child's curly handwriting, which Ian struggled to read.

'Is this writing? The patterns suggest something was written, but... not in Bariel language?'

Knock, knock.

At that moment, a sound came from outside. Ian discreetly put the paper in a drawer and turned around. If it was someone who could read, it could be problematic.

"Come in."

"I've brought your dinner, Ian-sama."

Ah, it's Hana.

He smoothed out the crumpled paper in the drawer and looked out the window. The sun had already set. The evening sky still bore the traces of winter. The phosphorescent stones on the ceiling began to glow.

"Hana."

"Yes?"

Phosphorescent stones were a much cheaper form of lighting than candles, emitting a faint light that barely allowed one to make out shapes in the dark.

"Could you get me a candlestick?"

"That, Ian-sama, everything that goes into your room needs the Viscountess's permission."

The child's troubled voice came from the other side of the door. Given the meager state of the room, it was unlikely they would provide one. After all, the child was a result of the Viscount's "mistake" outside, and a thorn in the side.

'Should I be grateful just for not being starved?'

"Should I ask?"

The probability of getting a half-used candle and the probability of being scolded for asking.

Which was higher? Especially on the day Chel made a mistake in the parlor.

"No. It's fine. You can go."

"I'll take my leave then."

The sound of Hana's footsteps fading away reached Ian's ears.

He picked up the pen again. He tried to write more, but it was too dark to even see the inkwell. He leaned back in the chair and looked towards the door.

Creak.

A small tray was placed in front of the door. Two pieces of rye bread, a slice of cheap ham, and water.

"Wow?"

This was the minimum meal left after Hana took his share as an errand fee. No wonder he was weak. Ian clicked his tongue and brought the tray inside.

A hungry stomach doesn't argue with a full plate.

He soaked the bread in water and chewed it. Come to think of it, even orphans on the battlefield didn't eat like this. At least they had goulash soup...

"Ah!"

A breeze seemed to clear the fog in his mind. Everything became vivid, scratching the itchy spots.

Yes, he had noticed something was off about the kitchen.

The meal was abundant but felt lacking.

'There was no goulash.'

Goulash was a vegetable rich in nutrients, often used as a meal substitute. Its taste was unparalleled, and it could be used in various dishes, making it a staple for Bariel citizens.

The discovery of goulash was a turning point in the empire, reducing the annual death toll from famine by nearly 85%. Economically and socially, Bariel was divided into the pre- and post-discovery of goulash.

'Originally, goulash was discovered about 50 years later.'

It was a discovery, not an invention.

Not creating something new but finding something that already existed. Goulash, which came from the East, was toxic except for its seeds, so it was never considered edible and was left to grow wild in the mountains and fields.

'No one knew how to eat this strange Eastern food for 50 years.'

But Ian knew how to prepare goulash. This meant that if he "discovered" goulash, he could erase the great famine from Bariel's history.

"Wow."

Ian suddenly wished this was all real.

Not a magical illusion, but a genuine journey to the past Bariel. So he could change history.

'Ian-sama, it's fine. There's always, always a chance. God doesn't give us unsolvable problems.'

Nau's last words echoed in his ears. He didn't know the details yet, but he felt he could find the answer, whatever it was.

'First, I need to survive somehow.'

And then, go to the palace and find traces of Nau.

This was Ian's first answer.