Chapter 43
Chapter 43
It would be better if Alpheus manifested the Sears family Special Ability, <Taming>. Then the controversy would disappear.
But nothing like that had happened in the original novel.
That wasn't Alpheus's fault. Except for the west and the east, the lineage of Special Abilities had been severed long ago in every house.
'Besides, we don't even really know what <Taming> is.'
There were no records of it ever being used to tame humans or Monsters, either.
For all anyone knew, its target could be some rare microorganism growing in a corner of some continent.
Even so, there was no information on how one would go about taming those things.
If that were the case, it would be an ability so subtle it was hard to notice and practically useless.
'Anyway, House Dibostan is definitely going to look down on Alpheus.'
Brisa sighed, then startled.
'Wait. Why am I worrying about Alpheus? What are we to each other, anyway?'
She still hadn't opened her heart to Alpheus. At least, that was what she thought.
'Alpheus does treat me well. But isn't he just intoxicated by the role of a good older brother who suddenly got a little sister?'
He was a literary youth, so it was entirely possible for him to live inside a fantasy.
Besides, objectively speaking, Brisa was a fairly decent little sister.
In fact, she had been deliberately acting that way.
For one thing, she never harbored anything like ambition. Rather, she helped him by giving him all sorts of lessons on noble conduct.
The fact that she was working hard to keep the territory fed and prosperous was another example.
But if something happened to her, and a crisis struck the territory just as in the original novel, and he learned that Sebon was targeting her...
"It wouldn't go that far, Brisa. I can't let everyone die because of you."
Or if he became more worldly, and began to be bothered by people saying, 'Brisa is more outstanding than you, isn't she?'.......
"It seems I'm looked down on even more because of your existence. That's a bit troublesome."
We hadn't known each other for long.
We had no shared memories or years together behind us.
It was peaceful, but precisely because it was peaceful, it was hard to trust.
'Right now there's no particular crisis and he doesn't know much about the ways of the world, so he's like that. But the moment any kind of problem arises, people can change.'
Brisa bit her nails in agitation.
"No, Brisa."
At that moment, Alpheus caught hold of her hand.
"If you keep doing that, those pretty white, crescent-moon nails of yours will be ruined. Hm? Bad, bad."
Brisa couldn't help but shudder.
"Ban that horrible phrase you tacked on the end. Lifetime ban on that baby-talk."
While the siblings were having that exchange.
Leopold quietly led Gilav behind a large tree.
"What, why are you doing this? What is it?"
At a fair distance from the others, Gilav grumbled.
They were the same age, but Leopold, who was a handspan taller than him, looked down at him and spoke.
"What's going on?"
Leopold's expression as he asked in a low voice was extremely serious. Moreover, it wasn't something like 'I'm curious,' but a direct question. In fact, it also meant he had lost his composure a little.
Especially toward Gilav, he had never once used this manner of speech.
"What?"
Gilav answered boldly at first, but he already seemed to know what Leopold was pressing him about.
His gaze drifted toward the ground.
"The singing monster."
Leopold whispered, as if pressing him.
"Monsters don't sing. Especially not sea monsters."
"But it seems the eastern monsters appear in the sea instead of the plains, don't they? I was startled because there was a monster singing there."
Just as the western monsters appeared not only in the mountains and hills but also on the plains, the eastern monsters appeared in the sea as well.
But they were all deep-sea monsters with the characteristics of fish species.
"Well, well...... I guess the monster cried a little. Your monsters cry too, don't they?"
"Do they? I didn't know octopuses or fish could cry."
Leopold said sharply.
"People from the central region don't know much about Monsters. But we do. Monsters can't imitate humans."
"Well, then maybe someone was singing behind the monster......."
"Gilav Dibostan!"
Leopold finally grabbed Gilav by the shoulders.
"This is important. There's no time, so I'll ask you directly. Has House Dibostan fallen under that curse spoken of in the ancient texts?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Why would we?"
Gilav glared.
Meeting Leopold's eyes, he snapped, breathing hard.
"It was House Nozen that rumors circulated about decades ago, saying they'd been cursed. Which house was it that desperately denied it? And now you're asking our house about a curse, instead?"
"That's......."
"We are sound. Dibostan is unblemished. The east is perfectly fine."
Gilav drew a sharp breath and snapped.
"That a cursed human becomes a monster, that kind of absurd, that kind of thing......."
His voice trembled precariously.
"It was clearly a baseless rumor that circulated even in ancient times."
"Gilav, calm down. And listen to me. We could cooperate. So if Nozen were to......."
Gilav quickly cut off Leopold's subdued voice.
"Fine. If, all right, if."
"......."
"Even if a problem does arise, we'll handle it ourselves. So don't suspect us, and don't ask."
"......."
A brief silence passed.
After confirming the anguish flickering in Leopold's eyes, Gilav added in a low voice.
"Because I won't ask about Nozen, either."
Then he twisted his shoulder out of Leopold's grip, turned around, and went back to the group.
* * *
Gilav said he had to prepare to receive guests and moved on ahead first.
We had to wait a little and then ride in the guest carriages.
While we waited for the guest carriages, Baron Forman asked me various questions.
"Is there still a lettuce garden on the roof of the Sears Marquis Residence?"
"Lettuce doesn't grow well in midsummer. I'm growing beans."
"There used to be chickens in the main garden and the rear garden."
"I sent them all to Beron Territory."
The perilla fields in Beron had all been plowed under. And I had sown 'that seed' I'd found on Jejel Street.
"I planted clover."
"......Clover? But that isn't even something people eat?"
Baron Forman asked in surprise.
In fact, I had also sown clover in the potato fields after the harvest.
I explained slowly.
"I'm planning to raise dairy cows. Clover is one of the most productive feeds for cattle, and it can be stored through winter without any trouble. Planting a legume like clover for a while in soil that's been depleted by potatoes also helps the autumn crops grow better. Oh, and I'm planting corn in the remaining fields too."
At that, Baron Forman's eyes went wide.
"D-dairy cows....... Good heavens....... I have bad memories involving dairy cows and corn......."
"Raising cattle isn't good for short-term survival, but they're good livestock to raise in the long term. As Baron Hawin said, milk is produced."
Unlike Baron Hawin, who knew nothing about cattle husbandry, I did.
I planned to raise cattle and chickens in Beron, and a little later, pigs as well. Livestock was the key to long-term self-sufficiency.
"We'll eat the corn ourselves, and feed the clover to the cattle. I do know that you shouldn't feed corn to cattle. They get acidosis. And cattle that die that way can't even be eaten."
"Heh heh, you're quite knowledgeable about livestock as well."
Baron Forman said. Then his eyes went wide.
"Could it be...... that the person who sent word to Hawin Barony that cattle with acidosis shouldn't be eaten was also you, my lady?"
He asked in a surprised tone.
"I thought it was strange. A doctor who hadn't even been able to predict the acidosis suddenly saying something like that......."
"We can't let innocent people die."
I said slowly.
"Even if it's someone else's territory, I couldn't just stand by and watch that happen."
"Ha."
Baron Forman marveled.
"Your heart, too... I suppose I should call it kind... good heavens."
Then Alpheus chimed in from beside me with a giggle.
"Is that all? Our Brisa speaks five languages, you know. She graduated second in her class from the academy. If I just quietly got rid of the one person above her, wouldn't she become the top graduate? Hahahahahaha!"
I sighed and said.
"That top graduate is standing right in front of you, brother. If you get sued for attempted murder, please be sure to publicly declare that I had nothing to do with it."
Leopold smiled gently and answered.
"If I do end up filing a lawsuit, I'll be sure to submit that threat you just made as reference material."
Alpheus was genuinely flustered.
"Oh, I'm sorry...... oh, my apologies...... oh, pardon me......."
Looking at Alpheus like that, Leopold spoke elegantly.
"I was too flustered to greet you properly earlier. I am Leopold Nozen, Marquess."
"Ahh!"
Alpheus replied cheerfully.
"I am Al— ack!"
I stomped hard on his foot from beside him.
Just because he spoke casually with me didn't mean Alpheus, who barely knew Leopold, could use informal speech with him.
Fortunately, Alpheus collected himself and spoke properly.
"I am Alpheus Sears."
It was then. Far off in the distance, the guest carriages came into view. There were two noble carriages.
Baron Forman glanced at Leopold and then said.
"You said you had something to ask Miss Brisa, Leo?"