MTEF 25

Chapter 25

A few days later.

For the first time in a long while, the area in front of Castle Leofric was bustling with activity. A line of merchants arrived at the castle gates with wagons loaded with goods.

As everyone scrambled in confusion at the unprecedented sight, Ronin appeared and spoke.

“They’re the people I invited. Please let them inside.”

Though she held little real authority, those were the words of the Grand Duchess.

Besides, after everything that had happened recently, the servants’ wariness toward Ronin had eased considerably. The gatekeeper opened the gates and welcomed them in.

The merchants busily followed Ronin’s instructions. Their wagons were loaded with fine fabrics, quality timber, and other materials. In the hands of the craftsmen who had accompanied the merchants, those supplies were quickly transformed into carpets, window frames, and more.

By this point, even Lady Wyndham, who had been occupied with other duties, had no choice but to come out and see what was happening. Watching the dramatic transformation taking place throughout the castle, she approached the person responsible.

“Your Highness, just what is all this…?”

“A few days ago, I took a look around the castle and noticed there were quite a few places that needed attention.”

“Needed attention?”

“Ah, Lady Wyndham, please don’t misunderstand. Although I haven’t been here for long, I understand the North’s situation very well. That’s why I’ve decided to help in the way I can.”

“And what way would that be…?”

“By spending money. I brought a fair amount of it with me.”

Ronin smiled gently as she said that.

It was the first time Lady Wyndham had seen such a playful expression on her face, and it completely transformed the sorrowful impression Ronin usually gave. Caught off guard, Wyndham hesitated before speaking.

“But still… It must have cost an enormous amount to repair the castle on this scale. And that’s your personal money, isn’t it? You could have used the castle’s budget…”

Naturally, maintaining a castle required money.

A budget had been allocated for exactly that purpose, and Wyndham had carefully stretched those meager funds to keep the castle standing.

Since resources were scarce, she had always been forced to prioritize what was absolutely necessary.

Ronin nodded.

“You’re right. It wasn’t a small amount of money, and I certainly could have used the allocated budget. But, Lady Wyndham… this is how I wanted to do it.”

Her expression remained calm.

With that same composed face, Ronin firmly declared,

“I came here as the Grand Duchess. From now on, we’ll be seeing each other every day for the rest of our lives. I want the servants under my care to work in greater comfort and safety, even if only a little. That includes you as well, Lady Wyndham.”

As she spoke those words, Ronin resembled a saint willingly accepting hardship.

Stories of the holiest and noblest figures descending into the mortal world to shoulder suffering alongside others were all too familiar.

Lady Wyndham, a devout believer, found herself speechless.

Just then, the servants inspecting the wagons suddenly cried out.

“Wow! Apples that haven’t dried out! Not dried fruit—real fresh fruit! It’s been so long!”

“Hey, there’s hay too! And different kinds of feed! At this rate, we might actually get to eat plump chickens next week!”

“And look at this cloth! Honestly, my hands and feet were freezing to death. Amy even got frostbite, remember? You know that, don’t you?”

Their poverty was so openly displayed that it was almost embarrassing.

It was difficult to dismiss it as simple honesty.

At the same time, Lady Wyndham was overwhelmed with self-reproach.

I thought I’d been managing the castle fairly well…

But everyone had simply been enduring it in silence…

Only after Ronin Alistair arrived had she realized the truth.

Her own abilities were nowhere near enough to properly manage such a vast castle.

She could barely hold onto her own position, let alone care for the castle.

Yet Ronin Alistair reached out to her once again.

“So please… accept my selfishness.”

As though she had even taken Lady Wyndham’s pride into consideration.

Just as Lady Wyndham was deeply moved by Ronin’s thoughtfulness—

“Whoa! Be careful!”

One of the heavily loaded wagons suddenly tipped to one side.

The driver had let his guard down for only a moment.

The nearby servants rushed over and managed to steady the wagon before it overturned. They reacted so swiftly that neither the people nor the cargo suffered any damage.

“My, my. How can someone whose job is hauling cargo be this weak? You’re not from the North, are you? I don’t recognize you. And your build is…”

“Y-Yes. They said they were short-handed… Thank you so much!”

“Tsk, tsk. With arms that skinny, you’ll be carrying those boxes all day. Hey! Give us a hand over here!”

The situation changed in an instant.

The servants took over for the laborers, pulling wagons and carrying cargo themselves.

Watching them move in perfect coordination, Ronin walked toward them.

Rustle…

Rustle…

Each step she took made her soft garments whisper against one another.

It was a sound rarely heard in the North, causing the servants to pause in their work and look toward her.

Ronin stopped in front of one servant.

“Y-Your Highness?”

He had been the first to rush toward the tilting wagon and the one who had called for the others to help.

He’s also the servant who gave me those wild raspberries before. It’s best if the first person I approach is someone already favorably disposed toward me.

Ronin reached into her pocket and took out a silver coin.

The coin, the same color as her hair, gleamed beneath the northern sunlight.

“Please take this. If you complete today’s work safely, I’ll give you one more silver coin.”

She looked around at the others before continuing.

“The same goes for everyone else. When the work is finished, come see me and receive two silver coins each.”

A single silver coin was worth nearly one hundred pennies.

Receiving two of them was almost unimaginable.

The servant frantically waved both hands.

“Y-You’re going to pay us? This much? Oh, no, no. You’ve already given us all these things. Taking money too would be…”

“Who said it was free?”

“Huh?”

“It seems everyone’s a little confused, so let me make this clear. You can help the merchants and craftsmen with their work. In return, you’ll receive fair compensation.”

The servant looked even more bewildered.

Two silver coins would cover his living expenses for an entire week.

If His Highness changed her mind because of what he said, it would be a tremendous loss.

Yet pretending not to know felt equally wrong.

After opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally spoke.

“C-Compensation…? I’m only doing my job…”

Ronin answered without hesitation.

“The same is true for me. Establishing order in this castle is my job.”

The servant fell silent.

The words sounded profound, yet he had no idea how to respond.

Sensing his confusion, Ronin smiled warmly.

“If someone receives help, they should pay what it’s worth. And if someone offers help, they deserve to receive its proper value. Isn’t that how order is maintained?”

This time, the explanation was simple enough for the servant to understand.

He nodded unconsciously.

Ronin placed the silver coin directly into his hand.

“Y-Your Highness!”

The elegant hand covered in a fine glove gently wrapped around his rough, work-worn hand.

Startled, the servant instinctively stepped back.

Only Ronin remained completely composed.

Meeting his trembling gaze directly, she said,

“So this silver coin truly belongs to you, Robert. More precisely… it’s the fair compensation for your labor.”

Robert looked down at the silver coin resting in his hand.

Fair compensation for my labor.

He had never lived thinking in those terms.

Leofric, the lord of the North, had always done everything he could for his people despite living in poverty himself.

Knowing that, Robert had simply wanted to help however he could.

It wasn’t only Leofric who carried a sense of indebtedness.

That made this silver coin different.

It wasn’t charity born of pity.

It wasn’t flesh and blood handed over out of sympathy.

It was something he had earned himself.

Carefully placing the coin into his pocket, Robert looked back at Ronin.

There was now a trace of reverence in his eyes.

Once someone had accepted the payment, the others no longer had any reason to refuse.

Every servant received one silver coin in advance and returned to work.

Their eyes now held a pride that had never been there before.

Watching them, Ronin quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness. This should make people feel that I’m someone worth listening to.

And now the servants of this castle have begun moving for my sake.

Not for Leofric… but for me.

Little by little, I’ll build my position.

Until then, I have to stay completely focused.

Ronin absentmindedly ran her fingers over the tips of her gloves several times before finally lowering her hand without taking them off.

The work had begun.

There was no turning back.