Episode 13

It was completely crazy to build a building on a wasteland.

At least, that’s what the Southerners thought.

The nobles of the South would gather in groups of three or five to gossip about Eileen.

He said that he had to be crazy to waste money so recklessly, and that he was too ignorant of the ways of the world.

“I don’t know what the point of building a building in that wasteland is.”

“So, what’s the point of having a salon that big?”

“I thought it would be similar to the capital, but I guess I don’t know much about the world.”

It wasn’t just because the southern aristocrats were being territorial.

His aide, Dalton, also somewhat agreed with him.

“Your Majesty, shouldn’t you stop the Archduchess? What on earth are you doing in that wasteland?… The southern nobles are quite dissatisfied.”

The meaning was that if you open up that land and attract attention for no reason, and then fail to meet those expectations, you will only become an even bigger laughing stock.

The aristocrats of the South were well aware that the people of the capital considered them unsophisticated and out of fashion, calling them country bumpkins, country bumpkins, and country bumpkins.

In this case, it is divided into two types.

There were those who were fiery angry, and those who were very relaxed, like, “Oh, I guess so.”

Many of those who are angry like fire are those who have already left their hometowns, fed up with the undeveloped South for a long time.

The mainstream thinking in the South right now is, ‘Yeah, that’s how it is. Let’s live happily among ourselves without standing out.’

So it was natural that Eileen’s singularity was more concerning than expected when it came to her actions.

Floran, who had been quietly listening to his aide, leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table, as if lost in thought.

“Is that what the southern nobles think?”

At Floran’s words, Dalton quickly nodded.

In fact, the nobles’ opinions were like that, and so was my opinion.

It was true that I was concerned about the Grand Duchess of the South’s uncontrollable passion, and I was also certain that whatever I did in the wasteland would not live up to the expectations of the people of the capital.

Well, hasn’t that been the case until now?

There was no expectation that the South would be transformed in the blink of an eye just because one Archduchess appeared.

“I can’t just ignore the nobles’ opinions, I understand. I’ll have a direct conversation with Eileen—don’t worry too much.”

And that evening.

Floran spoke affectionately to Eileen, who was sitting at her vanity, undoing her braided hair.

“ma’am.”

I haven’t even brought up the main topic yet, I just called.

Eileen, who was combing her hair, flinched and then turned around with a rather dissatisfied look on her face.

“It’s against the rules to call me that softly.”

What is the foul?

Although he had no idea why, she turned her entire body to look at him as if asking why he had called her.

“They say they’re building a salon on a wasteland.”

“It’s a ‘cafe,’ to be exact. It’s a bit different from a salon. We’ve already decided on a name: Cafe Kawa. The breathtaking view of the forest from the rooftop looks just like a garden—that’s why I named it that.”

I don’t know exactly what she was planning to do, but it was clear that it was igniting her passion.

As she spoke with shining eyes, Floran made a very pitiful expression as if he was sorry for saying such things.

Of course, it wasn’t really a pity, nor was it sad.

He originally had no great difficulty in hiding his true feelings and telling lies.

“Eileen.”

“Why are you calling my name so anxiously?”

“It seems the nobles of the South are distrustful of your plans.”

“Why? Are you saying I’m not attractive?”

“This is a region that has long failed to revive, so they probably think it will be the same this time. Or—”

“Or?”

“Maybe you’re just playing house with the South.”

“……Children’s play! Surely you’re not thinking that way, are you? We have a contract.”

“Of course I trust you, Madam. We made a contract, as you said. But don’t others know about our contract?”

Eileen nodded without denying his words.

I guess I tend to admit things more quickly than I thought.

Is it because I am the type of person who is not easily affected by this level of crisis?

Or is this kind of distrust just a confidence that doesn’t matter?

It’s not that I don’t trust Eileen.

I didn’t think she was the kind of person who would brag or anything.

Aren’t there things you can tell just by looking at a person’s eyes?

I didn’t know exactly what she was thinking or what her plan was for coming here, but I knew she was a person who would keep her word.

A straight and confident gaze.

Where on earth did that confidence come from? Floran was so curious about what was inside those deep eyes.

“So, how about you try to persuade the nobles yourself?”

“…….”

“If it’s burdensome—”

“No! I’ll convince you. I’m confident.”

You’re not the kind of person who would mess things up because you’re proud or emotional.

At Eileen’s words, the corners of Floran’s mouth rose in a smile.

I think I know a little bit about how to make Eileen move.

* * *

From early in the morning, the southern nobles got out of their carriages and began to gather in groups of three or four with bewildered faces.

The place they arrived at was called a plain, but to be honest, it was just a barren wasteland.

In that empty field, there are chairs arranged in five rows of ten each.

Since name tags were kindly placed on each chair, they began to sit down with still bewildered expressions on their faces.

When people started to sit in the empty chairs one by one, the seats were all filled.

Eileen, now the Grand Duchess of the South, walked out with great courage.

An outfit featuring trousers and long leather boots.

“What on earth is that outfit? A woman wearing trousers? This isn’t some street rascal, but Her Royal Highness the Southern Grand Duchess…!”

People started gossiping about her unconventional outfit.

Funnily enough, if you ask if people in the South are conservative, the answer is no.

The weather was so hot that the clothing was thin, and although men wore their chests bare and women exposed their shoulders, there had never been an instance in the history of the empire where a woman appeared wearing trousers.

No, even if you say pants, they’re just underwear under a petticoat.

Anyway, Eileen, who appeared in such a bizarre outfit, opened her mouth in a very polite and dignified tone.

“Thank you all for accepting my unexpected invitation. The reason I invited you here today is none other than to suggest the direction the South should take in the future.”

“…….”

“…….”

The southern nobles had no particular comment.

I just stared at the Southern Grand Duchess’s peculiar attire and the sight of the laborers behind her in a strange way.

Some sharp-eyed people might have noticed that the Southern Grand Duchess was planning to start a “Ka-something” a few days ago, so perhaps today’s event is related to that “Ka-something.”

“What are you talking about, Ka?”

One of the nobles raised his hand and asked.

Eileen smiled and nodded.

When the nobles made their suggestions to their advisor Dalton, didn’t they hear the following reply: ‘His Majesty the Grand Duke assured the Grand Duchess that she would not do anything amiss’?

The nobles’ gaze turned to Floan, who had approached Eileen.

Although the Archduke had not shown himself to them for a long time and was quite unfamiliar, their expressions seemed to indicate that they could not understand Eileen’s strange behavior, which was as unfamiliar as the Southern Archduke’s beauty.

But despite their yearning gazes, Floran shrugs his shoulders leisurely, as if watching a fire across the river.

“Today, this is the day for the Archduchess to express her passion for the revival of the South. Instead of giving up so easily and asserting that it can’t be done, how about we listen carefully to the Archduchess’s opinion?”