Chapter 87

At the height of summer, at the end of July, in the capital of the Arquvist barony, Noena, a regular meeting was being held.

Lord Noein, his adjutant Matilda, and Clara, who had become Noein’s wife, along with all the retainers, gathered in a room to hear reports from each department. This was the first meeting Clara had attended.

"---Next, I will report on the activities of the Arquvist Women's Association."

Mai stood up as her turn to report came around.

"As I mentioned last month, we have started holding regular advisory sessions for pregnant women, with the cooperation of Dr. Selphus and women who have experience giving birth. We also hold counseling sessions for women raising children. I believe this has significantly reduced the anxiety of the women."

Many of the refugees who had settled in the Arquvist barony had lost their families, so there was a need for an environment where they could seek advice on pregnancy and child-rearing from someone in place of their parents. Thanks to Mai's efforts as a mother herself, such an environment was being established.

"Also, I have set up a mutual aid society where women with infants can leave their children in the care of other households when they go to work. I can attend this meeting, leaving my son in someone else's care, thanks to this."

"That's great to hear that the women's association is functioning well... Ensuring the peace of mind of women in child-rearing is essential for the development of the territory. I'm grateful."

Noein responded with satisfaction to Mai's report.

"Alright, next person."

"Then, I will report on the agricultural front."

Edgar, who was in charge of the farmers, stood up to replace Mai.

"This summer's wheat harvest and threshing were completed much faster than last year. The significant improvement in the efficiency of the threshing process is a major factor. This is thanks to the thousand-toothed flail devised by Damian."

"Hehe, well, it's nice to hear that. It makes all the effort worth it."

Damian, who was listening to Edgar's report, smiled sheepishly.

The thousand-toothed flail that Damian had devised was a tool with thin iron rods embedded in a frame, arranged like a comb. By passing bundles of wheat through it, the ears of wheat would easily fall off, making the threshing process much more efficient compared to the traditional method.

The mechanism was simple, which made mass production easy, and it was effective for anyone to use. When Noein saw the prototype, he was impressed by Damian's ingenuity.

According to Kimberly, a maid, one day Damian, struggling to scoop up finely sliced potatoes and onions with a fork in the dining hall, suddenly stood up, exclaiming, "This is it!" and ran off to the workshop, leaving his meal untouched.

"Thanks to the early completion of the threshing, subsequent agricultural work can be carried out with more ease, and we have been able to advance further land reclamation with the extra time. The agricultural production for this autumn and beyond is expected to increase more than anticipated."

"Thank you, Edgar, and all the farmers. Good job, Damian."

Noein praised Edgar and then turned to Damian, who was blushing.

Next, Anna, the finance officer, stood up to report. She conveyed the financial status of the mine development, which was currently the most important project in the Arquvist barony.

"As already reported from the mining village, veins of iron ore, copper ore, and a second vein of lapis lazuli have been discovered. With the expansion of the mining village, the mining volume is expected to gradually increase, and we should be able to recoup our investment within a year at the latest."

The mine development, led by Victor, has been a great success so far.

Not only was a new vein of lapis lazuli found near the existing one, but the ability to produce iron and copper within the territory was a significant achievement.

"Being able to use as much iron and copper as we want, regardless of the kingdom's social conditions, is a big deal."

Noein said with relief. The rise in the price of iron and copper due to conflict would be a blow to those who import them, but it would be a benefit to those who export them.

"Finding such abundant resources is also thanks to the vastness of the Arquvist barony."

Yuri, the head retainer, nodded in agreement with Noein's words. The Arquvist barony, which was originally just a forest, was given a vast area by the royal family, and the area of the Ristio Mountains that borders it is also large.

The meeting continued, and when all the reports were finished, Noein, as usual, asked:

"---Alright, if anyone has any suggestions, please speak up."

Yuri responded to this.

"…Can I say one thing?"

"Yes, Yuri."

"This is based on personal observations from information I've heard from Bart, Philip, and Victor, who have frequent contact with the outside world..."

Yuri, pointed out by Noein, began to speak with a serious expression.

"To put it simply, war is coming."

"Is it... with the Kingdom of Lancer?"

The Kingdom of Roadberg has been in conflict with the Eastern Empire of Paros for a long time, and in recent years, it has also entered into conflict with the Kingdom of Lancer. The conflict has had a clear impact on security and the economy.

In particular, the conflict with the Kingdom of Lancer has been intensifying, and it is said among the nobles of the northwestern faction that it will soon escalate into a full-scale war.

"Yes. Although this is just my intuition as a former mercenary, based on the information I've heard from various sources."

"…Even so, I'd like to hear more."

Noein encouraged him to continue.

"…First, according to Bart and Philip, the price of wheat outside the territory continues to rise. And according to Victor, who was in Retvik until recently, the rise and flow of iron are similar to those just before a war. When prices move like this, a war usually follows."

Yuri's sense as a mercenary who had traveled throughout the kingdom and Victor's perspective as a long-lived dwarf who had experienced past wartime conditions were both things that Noein, who was young and lacked such intuition, could not ignore.

"The war will start next year or the year after... If it does, the kingdom's economy and security will become even more unstable. Depending on the duration and scale of the war, the post-war chaos could last a long time. This chaos is likely to affect the Arquvist barony as well. I think we should start preparing for it now."

It was just a hunch, but the words of Yuri, who had seen many societies fall into chaos and order collapse as a mercenary, carried weight.

"…Understood. As the lord, I accept the suggestion of Head Retainer Yuri. I will start taking various measures to prepare for the war and the accompanying chaos. I may need your cooperation in this, so please be ready."

With that, Noein concluded the regular meeting for the day.

...

After the meeting, as the retainers stood up and bowed, Noein and Clara left the room, with Matilda following as their attendant.

Some of the retainers left the room quickly to return to their work, while others lingered to chat.

"…In the end, Lord Noein and Lady Clara seem to get along well."

Pence muttered this among the chatters.

"When I first heard that Lord Noein was going to take a wife, I wondered how it would turn out, but it seems to have settled nicely with Matilda as well."

Bart, who was standing next to him, responded to Pence's comment.

"Lady Clara and Matilda have different positions and personalities, so they don't clash and manage to harmonize well, I think."

Ladley, who didn't look like he would say such a delicate observation, added.

Matilda, as Noein's long-term lover, always clung to him and supported him. Clara, as his wife, shared his burdens and supported him devotedly.

Because their personalities, positions, and types as women didn't overlap, they were able to build a good relationship despite sharing the same man... This was what everyone around them thought.

"…You guys shouldn't be spreading rumors about your lord's romantic relationships."

"But the stability of the lord's family life is linked to the stability of the territory. This is also an important discussion."

Yuri gently reprimanded them, but Bart smoothly brushed it off. His argument had a point, and Yuri was at a loss for a counterargument.

"Besides, even the head retainer must be a little curious, right?"

"Well, yeah, a little."

Yuri had been worried when he heard that Noein was getting married. It would be a lie to say he wasn't interested in this topic.

"…I wonder how it is at night."

"Maybe they take turns?"

"Ba, you guys, that's... a bit disrespectful."

Yuri hurriedly tried to stop the conversation from turning to such mundane topics, but...

"Ah, basically, Matilda and Lady Clara take turns every other night. Sometimes they're both together... They're really close."

When Pence said this, even Yuri, who had been trying to stop the conversation, was shocked.

"Both together!? That's... quite a luxurious situation."

"Doesn't Lord Noein get tired with such treatment...?"

"Idiot, Lord Noein is seventeen. At that age, he's inexhaustible... But that's not the point."

While getting caught up in the conversation, Yuri interjected.

"Pence, how do you know about this?"

"Well, when I go in and out of Lord Noein's residence to report, I often chat with the maid Rosetta. She told me... For some reason, I keep running into Rosetta lately."

"..."

Yuri, Ladley, and Bart remained silent. They probably knew that Mary and Kimberly were arranging for Pence to run into Rosetta. However, they didn't say anything.

They had heard from their wives that the female staff were implementing a "Pence and Rosetta matchmaking plan." Pence was the only one who still didn't know.

"Pence, it would be good if you could get married soon."

"Huh? What do you mean all of a sudden? I don't have a partner, so there's nothing I can do."

Pence, confused by Yuri's words, responded. He seemed unaware of Rosetta's feelings.

As Pence left the room, ending the chat, Yuri and the others watched him go with a look of pity.