I’m the Future Crazy Male Lead’s Mother Chapter 47

Sniff, sniff.

“Ugh, what a smell.”

I pinched my nose tightly and nodded.

The closer I got, the more overpowering the smell became, to the point where I could barely keep my head clear.

“Thankfully, it looks like it’s fermenting well.”

I briefly checked inside the pit before hurriedly backing away.

This was where we had stored the fertilizer that the Black Falcons and Cedric had worked so hard to procure the other day.

It was located not too far from the fields that would soon be plowed.

Winter here is much shorter than in Korea, so I should start preparing the soil and sorting the rice seeds soon.

According to the knowledge contained in this body, the seasons on this continent were somewhat unusual.

Winter was extremely short, while the other seasons lasted a little longer.

I think it has something to do with the barrier surrounding the continent.

I didn’t know exactly what effect the barrier protecting the entire continent had, but although winter was short, the cold was absolutely brutal.

A period of freezing weather severe enough to make traveling outside difficult would arrive soon.

So I need to finish the work beforehand.

People on the continent called this period the “Period of Rest.”

Just as animals stocked up on enough food in advance and hibernated through winter, the people of the Empire were expected to prepare enough food beforehand and spend the period getting plenty of rest.

But right now, we’re in a desperate situation because of the food shortage.

Dazar was developing a new food source through me, but it was still only in its early stages.

If the supply of Miar ran out, something serious could happen.

Come to think of it, did the Empire even have enough Miar to last until the food-development project was complete?

“Lady Cilia. A letter bearing the Imperial Seal has arrived at House Evanroar.”

“Hm?”

After returning from checking whether the fertilizer was fermenting properly, I blinked at Carl’s words.

I tilted my head as I took off my boots one by one.

A letter from the Imperial Family?

Then it must have been sent by Leticia.

I washed my hands before picking up Axion, who was playing on the sofa.

“Really? Then I suppose I’ll have to go, since Silvestain isn’t here.”

“Yes. It seems you’ll have to visit the viscount’s estate for a while.”

A letter bearing the Imperial Seal could only be personally handled by the head of the family.

Taking it outside the territory was also prohibited unless it was an emergency.

That was how secret and important an Imperial command was considered to be.

“I’ll go today, check what it’s about, and come back tomorrow.”

“Hmm. Then I’ll take care of Lord Axion in the meantime.”

Carl gave me a dependable butler’s smile as he looked at Axion in my arms.

It was certainly a trustworthy smile, but the dark circles under his eyes and the bag of eel extract peeking slightly out of his pocket completely ruined the effect.

……Taking care of a child was no easy task.

A surge of guilt toward Cal welled up inside me, but there was nothing I could do about this particular matter.

“Take good care of Axion while I’m gone.”

I gave Carl’s shoulder a few reassuring pats before immediately departing for House Evanroar.

I also left a note with Carl, just in case Dazar came looking for me.

[To all nobles of the Empire.]

Those were the first words of the Imperial letter I encountered as soon as I arrived at House Evanroar.

I had gotten out of the carriage and immediately taken the letter, but the next sentence made my eyes widen slightly.

[Before this year’s “Period of Rest,” each family shall distribute the Miar stored within their territory to their people.

Any family that fails to distribute at least 30% of this year’s Miar harvest, as reported to the Imperial Family, will face severe disciplinary action.]

Whoa.

Thirty percent or more?

That was an extremely bold order.

[The Empire’s food shortage has reached a critical point.

Therefore, we ask that each noble person personally put the principle of noblesse oblige into practice.]

……It seemed the food shortage was far more serious than I had thought.

I had been wondering whether the Empire even had enough Miar in the first place.

I wonder how many nobles will actually be willing to practice noblesse oblige.

I rested my chin on my hand and slowly opened and closed my eyes.

The nobles’ reactions are going to be brutal.

According to the memories of this body, there were quite a few nobles who didn’t care in the slightest whether their own people lived or died.

Let’s start by getting House Evanroar’s territory in order.

I had planned to return tomorrow as scheduled.

But with Silvestain away and me acting as the head of the family, I had no choice but to take care of everything before leaving.

“Anyway, I should start by making a plan for distributing the Miar.”

The Imperial Family had stated that all operating costs associated with the distribution would be covered by the Imperial treasury.

So at least I wouldn’t have to raid the already-empty coffers of the viscountcy.

 

***

 

By the time I realized how serious the food shortage was and finished organizing the Miar distribution plan for the estate, quite some time had passed.

Even though I did nothing but work here except when I was eating or sleeping.

Three days had already passed since I arrived at the viscount’s estate.

“For now, we’ll proceed according to this plan. I’ll return on the day of the distribution, so make sure everything is ready.”

Hael, the deputy butler, nodded with his usual impassive expression.

He had been in charge of the estate while Carl and I were away, and he was extremely capable.

Since he had assisted me while I knew virtually nothing about managing a territory, he had been a tremendous help.

“Thank you. If it weren’t for you, Hael, I probably would have had to stay here another week.”

“Not at all. It is thanks to your excellent ability to handle your duties, my lady.”

Hael shook his head with the same expressionless face.

Because his expression never changed, his compliment didn’t really sound like a compliment.

That was a compliment…… right?

I nodded awkwardly, and Hael continued.

“You demonstrated greater aptitude for managing the territory than Sir Silvestain even from a young age. The former head of the family had privately selected you as his successor.”

At his serious words, I lightly scratched my cheek with my index finger.

According to Cilia’s memories, astonishingly enough, it was true.

From a young age, she had been so intelligent that none of her peers could keep up with her.

In other words, she was a child who truly deserved to be called a genius.

But what good did that do?

Perhaps the old saying that all geniuses were crazy really was true, because as Cilia grew older, she began taking an interest in increasingly strange fields.

Eventually, she became such an agriculture nerd that people would shake their heads and avoid her.

Well, at least it meant less work for me.

If I had possessed this body and inherited the position of head of the family, I would have had far too much work to deal with.

So I supposed things had worked out for the best.

Though there was still a faintly bittersweet feeling about it.

“Then, I’ll come again next time. Hael.”

“Yes. I will make sure everything is prepared without a single mistake by then.”

Hael bowed his head deeply.

I left him behind and climbed into the carriage.

The place I headed to next was not the Siastor ducal estate, but the capital.

I planned to pass through the capital before heading to the ducal estate.

I don’t think I should keep this with me forever.

The thing I had brought with me when I left the ducal estate……

Morocanil’s stone.

I lightly touched the stone tucked inside my coat and gazed out the window.

The carriage, which had been traveling without stopping, had just reached the outskirts of the capital.

He won’t put some strange mark on me again like last time, right?

I quickly got out of the carriage.

The carriage stopped right in front of the alley where the shop “We Can Poison You in Three Seconds” was located.

It was bright outside, and there were no suspicious-looking people around.

“Hello.”

Jingle.

I quickly walked to the shop, which was just as deserted as always.

The owner was nowhere to be seen, but based on my previous experience, I knew he was somewhere behind that door.

I carefully spoke toward the door.

“Um, I’m sorry, but could I ask you for a favor? I have something to give to a customer who comes here often.”

“…….”

I lingered awkwardly in front of the door, but there was no response.

Hmm.

“I don’t know where he lives, and I can’t ask anyone else to deliver it. Ah, he helped me make some agricultural pesticides here. That’s why I really want to give this to him……”

At that moment, rustle—

A piece of paper slid out from underneath the door and dropped onto the floor.

—Pesticides?

“Yes. They’re…… medicine that gets rid of pests and helps plants grow well……”

The moment I finished speaking, another piece of paper dropped out.

—So you really were the customer who placed the order. I knew something seemed strange. Leave it here. He’s the only one who will come anyway, so he’ll take it himself.

The fairly long message was written so neatly that the letters looked almost printed.

I nodded vigorously, forgetting for a moment that he couldn’t see me.

“Thank you.”

I wrote a note for Morocanil as well and placed it on the counter.

Just then—

Rumble.

I heard something rolling from the ceiling.

Then the wall right beside the counter suddenly opened with a click, as though it were a door.

Something rolled through the opening and came to a stop on the counter.

It seemed the owner had placed something there for me.

A moment later, another piece of paper dropped down.

—I just happened to finish it, so take it with you.

What was sitting on the counter was a small glass bottle filled with green liquid.

“Oh, yes. Thank you!”

—I was excited about making something new after making the same thing over and over every day. So I used a little too much of the ingredients. It’s quite concentrated, so make sure to dilute it as much as possible before using it.

He had gotten excited about making something new.

I thought the owner was the sort of person who found happiness in surprisingly small things.

I quickly picked up the glass bottle and headed outside.

I feel a little lighter now.

Perhaps it was because I had finally dealt with Morocanil’s stone.

My heart felt considerably lighter.

“I wonder if our Axion and Vanilla are doing well at home?”

I climbed into the carriage without bothering to hide the motherly smile that naturally spread across my face.

My two little cuties must be waiting for me, right?