The Sentinel of the Sweet Potato Field
In the Empire, there exists a beautiful institution known as civilian support.
When citizens grow busy during harvest seasons or peak times and manpower runs short, this system allows them to legitimately request personnel from the state.
The Empire then reviews the request and dispatches idle workers from across the nation. The usual victims are soldiers, but this time, the unlucky ones were bureaucrats.
The reason was simple. During a council meeting, General Kedrick had grumbled that they were always overworking his men. In response, our department head had grandly declared that something so trivial could be handled by his own team.
And now, our department head was hounding his direct subordinate, asking if there were any officials available for civilian support duty. The subordinate immediately tossed the headache-inducing matter to the Section 1 chief.
Finally, Section 1 Chief Kane had dumped it onto Section 3, and so the final victims became us.
The Evaluation Department, Section 3, is hereby ordered to provide support at Baron Yorick's estate during the sweet potato harvest.
All personnel shall comply without complaint.
“It’s truly a pleasure to see your face, Section Chief Askal. Just as I heard, you really are quite handsome.”
Baron Yorick, who appeared to be somewhere between middle-aged and elderly, stroked his snowy beard and offered a warm smile.
At Baron Yorick’s age, the phrase “handsome” usually didn’t refer to actual physical attractiveness. It was more often code for “looks like he knows how to work.”
“It is an honor to meet you, my lord.”
Askal bowed with crisp precision.
“Now, now, stand up straight. A valuable servant of the state shouldn’t be bending at the waist like that!”
Even as he spoke, the corners of Baron Yorick’s mouth twitched with clear delight. Older folks always appreciated it when young people were polite and respectful.
“Though today, you’ll probably have to bow quite a bit more. There are an awful lot of sweet potatoes to dig up, you see.”
Baron Yorick handed over wide-brimmed hats meant to block the sun, then led the way toward the sweet potato field. Section 3 trailed after him like a line of ducklings.
“You work the fields yourself instead of hiring help?”
“Hm? It’s not particularly difficult work. I do it as a hobby. Besides, I can only confidently recommend food to others if I’ve seen it with my own eyes, wouldn’t you agree?”
Askal had heard that the Yorick family had originally come from a long line of wealthy farmers. Living near the imperial capital and tending fields for generations, Baron Yorick seemed far more like a kindly old farmer than a typical noble.
That impression would change the moment one learned that his estate contained some of the most fertile and expensive land in the entire Empire.
Baron Yorick was both a wealthy farmer and a real estate king.
Remember this well. If you make a good impression on Baron Yorick, your future will be paved with solid gold.
Askal recalled Chief Kane’s advice. It was well-meaning, but ultimately useless.
Because the moment Julia became Emperor, she would simply confiscate all of Baron Yorick’s fertile lands by force. Something about treason, probably.
The novel had described the baron’s anguished screams quite convincingly as he lost the land he had cultivated his entire life.
“Miss Lia, was it? Is this your first time working in the fields?”
“I helped my parents a little when I was young.”
“Hm. A beginner, then. Watch me closely.”
Treating her like an adorable granddaughter, Baron Yorick diligently taught Lia the ropes.
True to her status as a genius who could make even the God of Talent weep, Lia only needed to try it a few times before she quickly got the hang of fieldwork.
“My, how capable you are, Miss Lia. Would you consider marrying into our family? Hehe.”
“I’m sorry. I’m still not worthy of marriage.”
“What a shame. Ah, compared to our Miss Lia, my lazy son is worth less than the fertilizer we spread on the fields. He’s old enough to know better, but all he does is gamble.”
“I’m sure your son is simply going through a phase. He’ll find his way back soon enough.”
“You think so? Hahaha.”
Watching their warm and friendly conversation, a scene from the novel flashed through Askal’s mind.
Julia von Sterred! I will curse you from the depths of hell! I will wait for the day you come for me, eagerly anticipating the moment I tear you apart piece by piece!
Let’s pretend I didn’t remember that…
Askal busied himself digging up sweet potatoes to erase the memory. After spending every day behind a desk, the physical labor made his body sing with joy.
Crack.
“Aaaargh!”
It was screaming in actual pain.
“Section Chief, are you alright?”
Lia, who had been working in the field, came running. Her work clothes were covered in dirt, and her hands gripping the farming tools were stained with soil.
“I think I pulled something in my back. It’ll be fine if I rest a bit.”
It wasn’t actually a serious injury. Askal had been planning to use it as an excuse to rest, but the moment Lia approached, he reflexively took a step back.
“Would you like to lie down in a comfortable position for a moment?”
“Why?”
“I’ve learned some manual therapy. If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like to take a look.”
Seeing her serious expression, Askal lay down on the simple cot in the shade. With the sunlight blocked, it felt a little more bearable.
Lia wiped her hands on a clean part of her apron, then gently pressed on Askal’s back. Her fingertips moved with delicate precision, searching for the painful spot.
“Ugh.”
“Here it is.”
A warm energy flowed from the tips of Lia’s fingers. She seemed to be channeling mana into him.
As the startled muscles relaxed, the pain in Askal’s back gradually faded.
“How do you feel now?”
When he moved, the improvement was astonishing.
“Hm. It seems much better.”
“Then please rest and don’t overdo it.”
After finishing the manual therapy, Lia picked up her tools and returned to the field. Transparent beads of sweat trickled down the back of her neck as she moved busily.
Baron Yorick had given each of them a basket. Lia’s was visibly overflowing, while Askal’s contained only three or four measly potatoes.
Damn it, Baron Yorick. You’re pulling dirty tricks like this?
It would be humiliating if the baron laughed at the number of sweet potatoes he’d harvested when the day’s work ended.
You’ve forced me to bring out this tool.
Askal approached his backpack. From it, he pulled out his secret weapon—a homi, a farming implement so revolutionary it could shake the very foundations of the era.
It was one of the tools he planned to sell once he escaped the Empire. A high-end custom piece he had commissioned from a blacksmith at great expense.
The moment he was about to use the homi—
“Ugh, I can’t do this anymore.”
Susie’s voice rang out.
“I don’t even know why I’m doing this right now. It’s not even my field. Why should I be burning under this scorching sun doing this kind of work?”
Susie, who had grown used to slacking off at the office, clearly couldn’t accept this level of labor.
“Susie. Where are you going?”
“I’m quitting the civil service. I’m going home.”
And with that, Susie left the sweet potato field. Wait, is she allowed to do that? Isn’t she scared of the hunting dogs?
Anyway, those who left had left. Askal gripped his homi and began digging in earnest. Every time the edge of the tool touched the soft soil, it dug in cleanly. The sensation was incredibly satisfying.
With this, I can turn things around! I can do it!
Once he immersed himself in the work, time flew by.
By the time the sun began to set, his basket was filled to the brim with sweet potatoes. The moment Askal felt confident that he wouldn’t lose to Lia, he went looking for her.
The wind blew.
Above the sweet potato field, flowing platinum blonde hair caught the eye. The last rays of sunlight before the clouds rolled in illuminated the princess’s face one final time.
What could she be thinking?
Born into the noble station of a princess, only to be checked and despised by her own blood relatives until she had fallen this far. What must she have felt, silently digging up sweet potatoes and staring at the dirt caught in the creases of her hands?
Askal approached Lia without a word. Sensing his presence, she turned around.
“Section Chief.”
And then Lia smiled brightly.
“Look at this. The sweet potatoes are this big.”
Lia held up a sweet potato larger than her own face. It looked far more impressive than any of the ones he had dug up.
“Should we secretly eat this one ourselves?”
It was a playful whisper.
“That doesn’t sound bad at all.”
The sun had set.
“Everyone worked hard today,” Baron Yorick said, sounding genuinely moved.
“Truthfully, it was just the whim of a lonely old man, but thank you for humoring me. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. With officials like you, the future of the Empire may not be so dark after all.”
Having said that, Baron Yorick suddenly grew serious.
“I, Yorick Tesron—loyal subject of the Empire and descendant of the first sentinel—swear that I will uphold my faith toward Askal Devre no matter what difficulties may arise. This oath shall be kept in the name of my ancestors.”
“My lord?”
Askal was taken aback by the baron’s words.
“The Empire these days is full of rotten people. Lazy and greedy, the lot of them. Did you know, Askal? In all the time you’ve been here, you never once complained. And for a farmer, that is more than enough to earn my trust.”
Baron Yorick took Askal’s hands in both of his own.
“It may be a little early to say this, but please protect the Empire. The Empire needs you.”
“……”
Askal couldn’t easily bring himself to answer with a simple “I will.” Instead, his lips moved silently. After leaving the estate, he couldn’t even remember what he had said.
“Today’s snack is sweet potatoes.”
“We had sweet potatoes yesterday. And the day before.”
“We still have plenty of sweet potatoes we received from the baron. I’ll make them into a stew tomorrow, so please eat them all. Waste is unacceptable.”
Askal chewed the sweet potato with a fed-up expression. No matter how delicious they were, eating them every single day would make anyone sick of them.
“Cough, cough.”
His throat blocked, Askal flailed his hands.
“Here, drink some water.”
Only after drinking the water Lia offered did Askal regain his senses. At that moment, the office door opened.
“Susie. Didn’t you say you were quitting?”
“After thinking it over, I realized there’s no better workplace than this. I’m sorry, but could you please accept me as your colleague once more?”
Susie smiled awkwardly.
“Fine. But go clean the bathroom first.”
“…Understood.”
With puffed-up cheeks, Susie left the office. Lia let out a small laugh.