Money Troubles
A few days after Edrick tamed the Frost Phoenix, Privia, as his familiar, alongside Lily and Karina.
The people of the Northern Grand Duchy were starting to notice the changes.
"Something's off. Hasn't the weather felt kinda mild since the day before yesterday?"
"The wind's died down too. I can just bundle up in the house and use way less firewood now."
Of course, even if the weather had warmed up, this was still the northernmost part of the empire—the Northern Grand Duchy.
The folks from the warm South, where summers dragged on forever, or the capital with its distinct four seasons, would freak out hearing this.
But for the locals who'd lived their whole lives in the North, it felt practically like spring.
Then came the messengers.
Dispatched from Eisenburg, the capital of the Northern Grand Duchy and home to Heiden Grand Duke's Castle, they galloped through the territory.
Clop-clop! Clop-clop!
In the squares of every key city, in front of the massive posted notices,
the messengers bellowed the urgent decree from the Grand Duke's Castle in booming voices.
As of this moment, all outpost city administrators, merchant guild leaders, and influential figures across the Northern Grand Duchy must assemble immediately at Heiden Grand Duke's Castle in Eisenburg—without exception!
Any who ignore this decree and fail to arrive on time will be deemed traitors to the territory, regardless of reason, and the Heiden Knights will be dispatched at once!
The air grew tense among the hushed locals as the ruthless edict rang out.
The Heiden Knights.
Even across the entire empire, no one matched their individual prowess or organization.
In other words, when they said jump, you jumped.
'What the hell is going on?'
'Even the late Grand Duke Bernhardt only called assemblies like this once every few years...'
'And why the Deputy? Isn't Cedric the current Grand Duke?'
Three days later.
Even the distant influencers came racing in, switching horses nonstop, converging on Eisenburg's central square.
The gathered elites were stunned by the prepared stage.
"What... is that stage?"
"Sculpted from ice?"
Flanking the ice stage were statues of the Frost Phoenix, legendary in Northern lore.
Sure, ice was plentiful up North, and ice sculpting was a developed art,
but no one had the resources for craftsmanship this refined lately—that much everyone knew.
Besides, the late Grand Duke Bernhardt von Heiden had despised such extravagance.
What was about to unfold? The territory's powers-that-be watched anxiously.
Then a tall young man with unmistakable white hair strode confidently onto the stage.
"That white hair..."
"Just like Bernhardt."
"Yeah, I heard the second son, Edrick, inherited the Heiden white hair..."
Right then.
Something flapped its wings in the distance, slowly approaching Edrick on stage.
"Huh?!"
"What's that coming in?!"
"Wait, is that a Frost Phoenix?? It looks just like the statues!!"
"W-what the hell is happening?!"
Regardless of the crowd's shock,
the majestic Frost Phoenix soared onto the stage, circling grandly over Edrick's head three times.
And then...
"It's landing!!"
"Right in front of Edrick!! Wait, look at that bird's posture!!"
"One wing folded, head bowed low??"
Instinctively, everyone knew.
This mighty being from Northern legend
was submitting to the Grand Duke Deputy standing proudly on stage—Edrick von Heiden.
Perfectly timed, Knight Commander Karl of the Heiden Knights stepped forward and bellowed,
The beast bowing its head before you is none other than the legendary monster that has shrouded the North in extreme cold for centuries—the Frost Phoenix!
And our young master, Edrick von Heiden, ventured deep into the mountains himself and subdued it with overwhelming might, collaring its neck!
Do you not feel the warm winds blowing through the North these past few days? The curse binding our land is finally broken!
At that declaration, hundreds in the crowd gasped in unison.
Karl swept his unyielding gaze over the masses below and drove the point home.
Shing!
He drew his sword from his waist, pressing it to his chest in the most formal knight's salute to Edrick.
"All, pay homage to Edrick, blood of the great Heiden Grand Ducal line!!"
Still confused but obedient, the elites bowed their heads to Edrick.
Edrick stepped forward slowly and spoke.
"Raise your heads."
Hundreds of eyes snapped up to the stage.
"As Knight Commander Karl said. For centuries, this thing—the Frost Phoenix—froze the North solid. And when I took its leash, I seized all the magic it used to control the climate."
To the murmuring elites, Edrick stated the facts plainly.
"Can't you feel it on your skin? Early March, and the wind doesn't bite. The frozen earth is thawing, the eternal mountain snows are melting. Know what that means?"
The influencers swallowed hard.
"The North is no longer a shit-frozen wasteland year-round. It means we've got land for spring planting and fall harvests again!"
Edrick snapped his fingers.
Snap!
"Show them."
"Kruuuk—!"
The moment his fingers snapped, the Frost Phoenix spread its massive wings wide.
Then it opened its beak toward the huge ice statues flanking the stage.
Rooooar—!
Instantly, it sucked the chill from the statues at terrifying speed.
"Wh-what?!"
"The ice...!"
The steel-hard ice sculptures lost form in seconds, crumbling away.
With cracks and splits, they melted into splashes, pouring off the stage.
Faster, more unreal than ice left in midsummer sun.
This performance proved the Frost Phoenix perfectly controlled climate and ice.
And that Edrick von Heiden had utterly subdued the legendary monster.
"Eek...!"
"It's real... a climate-changing beast submitting...!"
"Does that mean real spring's coming to the North?!"
Astoundment, joy, blind awe.
As the elites' faces lit up variably,
Edrick took one more step forward and sealed it.
"Weather's warming—can't let the land sit idle, right? Starting tomorrow, we'll sow spring wheat across the entire North!"
For the first time in centuries, warm spring winds began blowing through the North.
***
"Ughhh... To think this lady is being worked like this..."
In the Northern Grand Duke's office.
Privia sprawled on the sofa, groaning.
"What, you did a little and now you're dying?"
"It wasn't just one or two things!!"
I mean, making ice stages, carving Frost Phoenix statues, then the grand polymorph show.
...Okay, maybe I overworked her a bit?
Karina, giving the brat a lap pillow, took her side.
"Privia's still a baby bird, young master."
"That's a baby bird...? And you're spoiling her rotten."
"It's fine! Not heavy at all."
Lap pillow from the lewd knight lady.
Couldn't she give that to me instead of the ill-mannered kid?
I've been too busy to rest lately—who's gonna reward me?
"Get to work, young master."
"Ow. Let me rest a bit!"
"Even if you say that, there's a mountain of urgent issues needing your seal right now."
Lily slammed the documents she'd brought onto the desk.
Mommy, scary. Look at that stack.
Wait, did I just see something weird?
"Lily, what's with the outfit?"
"Did you prefer the maid dress? I can change right now if you want."
No, not exactly.
For reference, Lily wasn't in her usual maid outfit—she wore a tight office look with glasses.
Looked every bit the secretary, but... office wear? In this pseudo-medieval world?
Romance fantasy settings always hit me with cognitive dissonance like this.
Anyway, office look with glasses? Hot as hell. Ngh...
Did she scan my brain for tastes? How'd she nail every point?
Then Karina, lap-pillowling the brat, asked cautiously.
"Um, young master... is this really okay?"
"What?"
"This is Prince Cedric's office, right? Us just taking it over like this..."
"Watch your words—this isn't that guy's room. It's the Northern Grand Duke's."
Yeah.
I was pissed at Cedric bailing to the capital, tempted to trash the place,
but realistically, I couldn't just become Grand Duke myself.
Too much red tape.
Needed the emperor's approval, and Cedric—the actual Grand Duke—was still kicking.
That's why I gathered all the Northern influencers for the epic Frost Phoenix polymorph show.
'In the North, the strongest guy rules as Grand Duke—that's the custom.'
The official title?
Didn't matter if I had it or not.
Sorry, but I don't even want it. Can't just ditch it later.
But to avert the North's doom, I needed Grand Duke-level authority to develop it.
Hence the show.
Bluntly: 'I beat the Frost Phoenix into submission—who disobeys gets wrecked.'
Yeah, up to there was fine.
"Not stamping?"
"Stamping alone won't fix this mess."
I sighed at the piled reports.
Not just from Eisenburg—progress on spring wheat sowing from other cities too.
All screaming: "No seeds, no budget. Waaah."
"It's all about money. Money drives people mad."
Dad. How'd you endure this crap daily?
"Eisenburg's out of wheat too, right Lily?"
"Report on that here."
Er... she's competent.
Wait, she compiled all this too?
"I told you I was capable."
"Yeah. Suits you well."
"Then have some tea."
Ah, secretary fit still means tea service.
Obviously, she'll glare till I drink.
I sipped the perfectly warm tea.
Knock knock.
Knight Commander Karl-ajusshi entered, face grave, and reported.
"Young master Edrick. We've got a problem."
"Problem?"
"It's... a long story. Financial issues."
Money?
Then let's hear it out.