Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Grandfather's Dilemma
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For several days, I made a point of visiting Grandfather consistently.
He didn't exactly welcome me with open arms, but he didn't chase me away either.
'He doesn't seem to hate me.'
Judging by the way he prepared snacks for me in advance.
He was even doing the stretches I'd taught him with some degree of consistency.
Today's treat was baby shoe pastries stuffed full of custard cream.
They were baked so masterfully that they melted in my mouth with a soft pssht the instant I took a bite.
While I marveled at the flavor of the baby shoes, the adjutant was relentlessly reporting to Grandfather from the side.
"Marquis Schleman is scheduled to arrive within the week, Your Excellency."
"That arrogant prick. He's a full fortnight later than last year."
"That's not all. This year, they've been sounding out a proposal to cut the grain supply to seventy percent of last year's amount. They claim the southern harvest isn't looking good..."
"Nonsense!"
I nearly bit my tongue in shock.
Startled by the sound of Grandfather slamming his desk, I widened my eyes and stared at him.
Who was this Marquis Schleman to make Grandfather so furious?
"We've had years of war, and we've already missed the planting season in our barren borderlands! We're barely scraping by as it is— we need more grain, not less than last year?"
"My apologies. The treasury is trying to persuade them, but the marquis is being extremely stubborn."
"This is my North. You think we're going to roll over like the East or West and play lapdog to the South?"
Grandfather glared coldly at the adjutant.
"This was Dominique's responsibility up until now. What the hell has that fool been doing to let it get this far?"
"Y-Young Master Dominique..."
"Tell me straight. This isn't something we can just cover up."
"This year, with the South in such dire straits, he ordered us to accommodate their demands."
"And?"
The adjutant hesitated, lips pressed shut for a moment.
But when Grandfather didn't back down, he squeezed his eyes shut like a man marching to the gallows and forced the words out.
"H-He said that since the war's over anyway, we could just release the stockpiled military rations to the border regions..."
"Is that true? Did that idiot really say that?"
A menacing aura poured from Grandfather's entire body.
Was releasing military rations a problem?
In my past life, I'd learned in history class that during famines, our country would distribute stockpiled grain to the people.
"Yes."
"Without any compensation?"
"From what I hear, Lady Katrin is set to become Her Majesty's chief lady-in-waiting, and the South has agreed to pull strings for it."
"What the hell good is a spot as the empress's chief lady-in-waiting?"
"According to the young master, it would strengthen the North's political influence in the capital. He called it a profitable deal."
Aunt Katrin was going to become the empress's chief lady-in-waiting?
If that happened, the imperial palace would fall completely into the Southern Duke's hands.
It was already leaning that way, and Florian's position would only get narrower.
Grandfather ground his teeth and shot the adjutant a terrifying glare.
"You— go fetch that fool Dominique right—"
Grandfather looked ready to bellow for Uncle to be dragged in, but he cut himself off mid-sentence and clamped his mouth shut.
The adjutant broke into a sweat, furtively gauging Grandfather's mood.
"Shall I bring the young master?"
"...If I step in now and overturn Dominique's decision, it'll tarnish his authority."
"Grain contracts have traditionally been the heir's domain. Not that it's my place to say."
As he spoke, the adjutant glanced subtly my way.
I pretended to be an oblivious baby, chomping away at my baby shoe with an aang sound, and he cautiously continued.
"Sir Leopoldt, the eldest, has returned, after all. And besides..."
"I backed that boy. I even took internal appointment rights away from my daughter-in-law."
"You handed postwar administration to Sir Leopoldt as well. Rumors are swirling that Your Excellency is considering a successor change over that."
"Gossipy bastards."
"Perhaps it's best to sit on this matter for a bit longer?"
Grandfather fell silent for quite a while.
Then, with a single gesture, he dismissed the adjutant who'd been anxiously watching his every move.
Once the adjutant left the room, Grandfather let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair.
His right hand seemed to be tingling; he reached over with his other hand and began massaging it.
I wiped the custard cream from my fingers with a handkerchief and sidled up next to Grandfather.
Then I took his hand and helped knead it.
When I massaged it with my tiny hands—barely half the size of his—Grandfather opened his eyes.
"What can puny little hands like yours do? It doesn't even tickle."
"Not puny! Ate thiiiis much meat this morning. So got stwong!"
He gave a faint smile at my exaggerated baby talk.
"Gwandpa, hand better now?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Hate if it huwts. Exercise evewy day supew hawd!"
His posture had definitely improved compared to before.
As long as he didn't take on excessive stress, his headaches and hand tingles had lessened a lot too.
"Think that'll stop aging?"
Grandfather seemed oddly listless.
Even though he cut an imposing figure better than most knights.
This seemed less physical and more due to Uncle's handling of affairs.
'Grandfather wants to keep the Southern Duke in check.'
Last time with Mark, he'd taken my side after Mark started talking about allying with his fiancée's family, the Southern Duke.
But Uncle's thinking seemed different from Grandfather's?
I didn't know much about politics or economics. Or military matters.
"Gwandpa, what's miwitawy wations?"
With an innocent four-year-old expression, I asked, and Grandfather slowly began explaining.
"It's the grain stockpiled to feed the soldiers."
"Lotsa miwitawy wations?"
"The North is a land of frequent wars. So we stockpile long-lasting goods, enough to hold out for at least two years."
"Whoa, supew lots!"
After faking some awe, I brought up what I was really curious about.
"Can't give miwitawy wations to poow peopwe? Daddy said war's ovew."
"The holy war is over, but military rations must be guarded until the absolute last resort."
"Why?"
"Do you know the North is a cold land?"
I nodded at Grandfather's question. Even the central city of Kalena in the duchy was relatively mild.
I'd vaguely heard the northernmost areas had winter for over half the year.
Grandfather tilted his chin up, gesturing for me to look at the ceiling, so I craned my neck back as far as it would go.
The ceiling was covered in what looked like maps.
"That's a map of the entire North."
With a brief explanation, Grandfather raised his hand and traced a few lines in the air.
"The arable land in the North where we can be self-sufficient? That's it. All of it."
A portion of the southernmost land in the North.
The rest of the territory, then...
"Cut off external grain supplies for just a year or two, and you can let the people in non-farming regions starve to death."
That made sense.
There were ways to plunder or import from elsewhere, sure...
'But the problem is human lives can't hold out that long.'
The lowest would die first.
"Scary."
"It is scary. That's why we have to protect the military rations at all costs. Not just for war, but for emergencies."
I quietly gazed up at the map of the North on the ceiling.
Vast yet barren territory, with jewels embedded in key cities twinkling like stars in the night sky.
Looking at it, I could see why Grandfather's worries ran so deep.
"Gwandpa, can't buy gwain fwom othew pwaces besides South?"
"There are other suppliers. But distance makes quick delivery hard, and most spoils in transit."
In this era, preserving fresh ingredients long-term was tough.
No refrigerators, after all.
So that was why Grandfather hated the South so much yet tolerated Mark's engagement to them?