Chapter 28

In the heart of Moheim Castle, 'Mariann Hall' is said to have been designed by the former Lord of Utrecht, 'Count Moheim,' for his wife, 'Countess Mariann Moheim.' Although the beautiful story of the devoted count and countess ended over a hundred years ago, traces of their presence can still be found throughout the castle. For example, there is a graffito on the kitchen wall that reads, "My beloved Mariann gave birth to her first child today."

The castle, which the devoted couple had cherished and maintained, had become somewhat desolate, but the kitchen remained warm thanks to the hearth that had been lit just a few moments ago. A plate with dried ham, Adel's special sausages, and bread was placed in front of the awkwardly seated Frida. Before she could even ask what it was, Frida, who was only staring wide-eyed, was handed a glass filled with something by Daniel.

"Have your meal first. Lady Adel was worried that you didn't have a proper dinner."

A few days ago, Daniel had visited the kitchen to drink mint-flavored alcohol and had to listen to the chef's disguised concerns about the lady for the past few minutes.

"If it weren't for the lady, this castle would have been covered in cobwebs. Oh, how can I express her hard work in words? Now that the lord has awakened, she should be able to live more comfortably. She is a delicate person, yet she still runs around so busily, what can I do?"

In simpler terms, it means stop making your wife suffer and you should do your part properly. Compared to most women who can't even speak in front of Daniel, the chef is quite bold. He's also quite good at making alcohol. Thirsty, Frida lifted the glass and took a few gulps, then looked at Daniel with a puzzled expression.

"This is...?"

"It's water. I thought I mentioned that. The lady should avoid alcohol."

Disappointment was evident in her eyes, and her lips pouted. Daniel, who had been looking at her lazily, turned his gaze to his own glass filled with alcohol.

"What brings you to the kitchen at this hour?"

Frida, who had been chewing the sausage in her mouth quickly, said:

"I, I was thirsty. I forgot to ask for water to be brought to my room. Cough, cough."

After gulping down the water quickly, Frida patted her chest with her fist and let out a burp. She turned her flushed face away and patted her chest even faster. Why did she have to come down to the kitchen at this time, today? It was embarrassing. Grumbling, Frida only opened her mouth slightly and frowned.

"Why did you build the hearth inside the castle?"

Startled by her husband's sudden question, Frida stopped patting her chest and turned to look at him. Daniel, with a calm expression, had turned to face her and was looking at her.

"The hearth?"

This one? Frida pointed to the hearth in the kitchen, but Daniel shook his head gracefully.

"No, I mean the communal hearth inside the castle walls. The residents of the duchy are allowed to use it freely."

"Oh, that one? Well... there are several purposes."

Frida slowed down her chest-patting and thought hard, her eyes darting around. The purple irises, which seemed even more mysterious in the light of the lantern on the table, rolled around on the white sclera. Daniel had no idea what she was thinking or how much knowledge was in that small head of hers. He had been amazed and impressed many times while riding his horse, Balzac, around the duchy. The duchy had changed completely since he left to suppress the rebellion in the north, and he had often doubted his eyes. Most impressively, the village outside the castle had also been well-organized. It was obvious who had done the work that he, the lord, had not done. If Frida had been a commoner, she might have been accused of being a witch and killed. Her achievements were that remarkable.

"While logging the hills inside the castle, I surveyed the population near the duchy. However, most of the people coming in and out of the castle were adult men and women, capable of labor, so it was difficult to fully grasp the entire family."

As she spoke faster, Frida's hand, which had been patting her chest, stopped.

"Besides adults, there were only children and the elderly. Given the limited manpower of Moheim Castle, it was impossible to go around the duchy to find out their numbers, so I thought about a way to make them come on their own. I wondered what kind of task would make them come to the castle. The answer was..."

Frida picked up a piece of bread from the plate and waved it in front of Daniel.

"Bread. Food."

Even now, it seems like a truly ingenious idea. When Lord Ricardo heard Frida's suggestion, he praised her as a genius and gave her two thumbs up.

"Utrecht was not a place where people grew crops, so there were almost no houses with hearths. Therefore, I installed a communal hearth inside the castle walls and decided to distribute bread made there. When I said I would give bread according to the number of people, everyone came on their own."

It took less than a fortnight to survey the population around Moheim Castle. The bigger gain was that people who heard the news naturally settled around the castle. As a village formed in the area, a market also opened. Some of those who made money from farming started trading with the nearby region of Weimar.

"Most importantly, being able to determine the number of children was a significant gain. When they reach a certain age, I plan to select talented children and send them to the university in Celino. If they study law or medicine and return here, they will be of great help to the duchy. If a theologian is produced, the royal court might establish a diocese here."

Her hesitant voice gradually became lively. Like a child excited by falling leaves, or a puppy encountering its first snow, she was clear. It made Daniel feel clear as well. Unconsciously, the corners of his mouth curved upward.

"I heard you also distributed utensils for eating."

The stiffness in her voice had also subsided.

"That was based on what I heard from the Turc merchants. I think it was effective last summer. Anton said that after using spoons and forks, the number of infectious diseases decreased significantly."

Frida then showed a fork with ham on it.

"In Turc, both nobles and commoners use utensils, not their hands, when eating. It's safer to eat hot food and keeps hands clean, reducing the spread of diseases, so I distributed them. It's difficult for busy commoners to make and use them every day."

She then sighed, lowering her fork and shoulders.

"I wish there were more doctors in the duchy. Anton is teaching a few talented children and wants to send them to the university in Celino to study. Did you know that a university has also been established in Solz beyond Altas? They produce quite a few capable doctors."

Her non-stop chatter, the dynamic movements of her arms and head, and her bright eyes. Daniel's gaze, like the ivy that wraps around the wall, clung to every part of her.

"Do you remember the flower I mentioned last time? The one that resembles the turbans used by Turc merchants. It's guaranteed to make money if cultivated. But I was so frustrated due to lack of funds. If the duke hadn't given me the key to the treasury, I would have had to wait until the next herb harvest season to get any money."

Frida's face turned red, seemingly very happy. Despite not understanding the emotion, Daniel found it strangely convincing.

"By the way, I didn't get a chance to tell you this, my lord."

Frida suddenly leaned forward and smiled warmly, radiating warmth and brightness.

"Thank you so much. My lord, you are my benefactor who has made my dreams come true."

Feeling as if he had drunk several glasses of alcohol, Daniel couldn't think of any other way to describe his current emotion. Perhaps he was really drunk. Otherwise, he wouldn't have said such a thing.

"Do you like the me of today as well as the me of today?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Frida nodded her small head. Her white eyelashes fluttered in unison. Her two irises, like 'amethysts,' remained fixed on Daniel. His gaze slowly moved to her rosy lips. At the same time, his fingers, which had been holding the handle of the glass, gently slid into her soft hair.

"Then let this be a reward from the lady to her benefactor."

"Huh? What do you mean...?"

Daniel gently pulled on her hair, bringing her small, red lips closer. His gaze, which had been fixed on her, changed to a kiss, enveloping her.

***

The duchess has fallen ill again. Upon hearing the news, Adel hurriedly asked Muriel, who had just entered the kitchen, about Frida's condition.

"Sir, how is the lady? What's wrong with her?"

Matilda, a maid who was pushing dough into the hearth, also turned to look at Muriel.

"Did she eat the soup I brought? She didn't eat properly last night, which is worrying."

Muriel, who had just sat down and rested her chin on her hand, rubbed her cheek with her fingertips and frowned.

"She doesn't have a fever, but I don't know why she can't get up."

Adel, who had dusted off the flour from her apron, placed a plate with bread, cheese, and ham in front of Muriel and asked:

"What about the doctor? What did Anton say?"

"He said she's exhausted from decorating Skadi Hall."

"Come on, that's all she did? Hey, put that down and wash the dishes first. Be careful not to break them."

After assigning a task to the new maid, Adel sat across from Muriel.

"She checks documents every night, meets merchants every day, and manages the herb garden. Her body can't take it. It's for the best. This is a good opportunity for her to rest for a few days. You should guard her door to make sure she doesn't go anywhere."

"I already threatened her to stay put for at least four days. If not, I'll keep her in the castle for at least a week."

"You did well. If not, when would she ever rest, our lady?"

Muriel, trying to hide her unease, spread cheese on the bread and stuffed it into her mouth.

***

'Tap? Or not? Oh, what should I do?'

Frida, who had retracted her hand several times from the wall, bit her lip. There was only one way to leave the room without Muriel noticing, but that meant she had to ask for help from the person she least wanted to see right now.

"Pull yourself together, Frida. Think about what's most important. There's nothing more important than credit in this world."

Ugh... I know. I know... But how can I muster the courage to knock on this door? Frida held her head with both hands and slumped to the floor. She shouldn't have pretended to be sick. She needed to deliver the advance payment to the workers who were supposed to help with logging today. They were all people she had gathered with the help of mercenaries, so she couldn't break her promise. The problem was that this morning, when Muriel saw her not getting out of bed, she misunderstood and issued a no-outside-activities order. This tied Frida's hands, as she needed to go to Dominic to get the money she had to deliver.

"I'm fine. Muriel. I just... feel embarrassed."

Why is she embarrassed? It's because... Remembering the hot breath that had overlapped on her lips, Frida clutched her head and slumped to the floor. Losing her balance, she bumped her forehead on the wall. Her face felt hot and burning, as if she had been under the summer sun. At that moment, there was a knock on the opposite wall, making Frida's heart race.