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chapter 13
A New Breeze
The Astel territory, soon to celebrate the harvest festival, was busier than ever, yet the faces of its residents shone with energy and joy.
“They all look so cheerful. The harvest festival must be a major celebration here.”
By now, the rumor that a wandering knight had arrived had already spread. Lucas and Cedric, hoodless, began riding through the territory to observe it firsthand.
“That kind of thing exists in other territories too,” Cedric said.
Lucas replied indifferently.
“The square right in front of the lord’s residence is usually lively. Just like in the capital. As the upper nobles reside near the imperial palace, here too, the lord’s longtime retainers or wealthy folk likely live nearby.”
Cedric nodded. Thinking of the shops lining the square as being frequented by the wealthiest in the territory, it wasn’t particularly impressive.
“First, let’s head to the far edge of the territory. The further from the lord, the more one can see the true character of the land.”
“Yes, M… sir,” Cedric stammered, having endured Lucas’s sharp gaze.
“Let’s go!”
Cedric muttered awkwardly before spurring his horse onward. According to the map given by the steward of the ducal residence, the Astel territory contained vast farmland, and the rest of the land was also extensive.
After riding for a while, Lucas stopped by a narrow flowing stream. The horses gratefully drank the cool water during their brief rest.
“The map of Astel,” he said.
“Yes, sir.”
Lucas studied the map of the Astel Duchy carefully. At first glance, it seemed ordinary, but after personally riding through the territory, he was astonished.
“How can a map match reality so perfectly?”
The map was simple, using straightforward symbols, coloring farmland and forests differently, and labeling villages within each plot.
“Even the map of the imperial capital isn’t this precise. And the roads we’ve passed…”
Cedric nodded, understanding what Lucas meant.
“Yes, every road matched exactly. It’s terrifying, really.”
The Astel map had every plot laid out as close to a perfect square as possible, and it detailed not only main roads but even small alleys.
“What about the roads themselves…”
Though they had been riding for quite some time, fatigue was minimal. The standard roads marked on the map were smooth and even, making travel effortless.
“This…”
Lucas squinted, inspecting the roads.
“They seem slightly wider than imperial standard wagons.”
“Ah… that’s why the spacing feels familiar. Just like the capital.”
Three generations ago, the emperor had invested heavily to rebuild the roads in the capital for smoother transport of goods. Though it caused resentment at the time, the roads later became praised for their efficiency.
“To have roads in a territory with vast farmland on the same scale as the capital… And anyone could navigate easily with just this map, even illiterate children.”
The map had almost no words. Forests were represented by tree symbols, farmland by sheaf icons, and major roads were numbered, with smaller connecting paths given subsidiary numbers.
“Hmm… the map is certainly organized, but a few symbols still elude me.”
Lucas pointed at symbols he did not yet understand.
“We can check at the ducal residence later…”
“No, let’s go now.”
Lucas remounted and pointed eastward with his finger.
“There.”
Cedric, letting out a sigh, had no choice but to follow.
To reach Lucas’s place of interest, they had to pass through farmland roads. The golden stalks swayed beautifully in the autumn wind, a truly spectacular sight.
“Amazing.”
As they rode, they saw not only wheat but also colorful fruit-bearing shrubs and large orchards in the distance.
He had seen territories larger than Astel, but none had been so systematically cultivated and productive.
“This one… literally looks prosperous.”
Pausing to admire the waving golden stalks, a hint of melancholy flickered in Lucas’s dark eyes. The fields rippled like waves of gold under the clear autumn breeze, captivating him.
“And this is only part of the farmland.”
Standing before the breathtaking sight, his curiosity about Serena, who directly governed this land, grew.
“Let’s go.”
Lucas spurred his horse, heading toward the unusual location marked on the map. It would take some time to get there.
Serena spent her day as usual. The morning’s scuffle with the Crown Prince had been bothersome, but once she began her official work, her intense focus erased all distracting thoughts.
“Miss, it’s time for tea.”
Anna entered the office promptly. The rich aroma of tea filled the room, yet Serena’s gaze remained buried in her documents.
“Just a moment, I need to finish this.”
“No. You promised me at tea time to rest for at least ten minutes.”
The strict Anna placed the tea set on the table, and Serena reluctantly rose, moving to sit on the sofa.
“The aroma is wonderful.”
“This tea was harvested and aged this spring,” Anna said.
Serena took a sip with a pleased expression and nodded.
“If the supply stabilizes, this could be an Astel export product.”
“Miss, no talking about work during tea time,” Anna said, smiling gently. Even spirited Serena could not match this soft authority, which could overcome strength with elegance.
“Then how about discussing the troublesome matter facing our territory instead?”
Anna wisely chose to remain silent rather than comment on the Crown Prince.
“What about Peter?”
“He’s in the residence. He’s cleaned and prepared all the guesthouses for His Highness the Crown Prince, as you ordered this morning.”
“Good work.”
The Astel ducal residence originally had a large main house and two annexes, but with fewer staff and the current duke away, only the main house was in use.
“They’ve tidied the first floor enough to barely accommodate the Crown Prince.”
“That’s sufficient, since he won’t stay long.”
Serena set down her teacup.
“Shall we call Peter?”
Acknowledging Anna’s hint, Serena nodded.
“My lady, are you looking for me?”
Soon Peter appeared, bowing with impeccable courtesy. Despite their long association, his loyalty and professionalism inspired trust.
“You worked hard to ready the annex so suddenly.”
“Not at all. Managing this residence is my duty.”
Peter, standing, observed Serena. He knew she had something specific on her mind.
“His Highness the Crown Prince has not returned yet. Though the steward gave him a map, it seems he truly intends to explore the territory. Rumors have already reached the square.”
“What did you say?”
“A noble knight visited the square and observed the merchants. And….”
Peter unusually trailed off. Serena tilted her head, curious.
“Why? It’s alright, tell me.”
“The residents near the square… are in a state of excitement because of the Crown Prince.”
Bang! Serena slammed the table, standing abruptly.
“You should have told me immediately if something happened!”
“No, it’s not negative. Probably.”
“Probably? What on earth happened near the square?”
“His Highness posed as a knight, toured the square, and spoke with several residents directly.”
“That was mentioned earlier. So why are they behaving strangely?”
Peter hesitated, eyebrows furrowed.
“They… are overly excited. Perhaps… too enthusiastic?”
“About what?”
“His Highness, of course.”
Serena raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
“…Why?”
“I’m not sure, but men and women of all ages are captivated by the new knight. Especially the women—from girls to married ladies—the square is in chaos today.”
“So… why?”
Today, Lucas had discarded his humble hood, letting his black hair flow in the autumn breeze, revealing his handsome features.
“Perhaps because they’ve never seen another noble like him?”
Anna said casually.
“When you first came here, everyone was captivated by your beauty, weren’t they?”
“Is… that so?”
In fact, the stir Lucas caused now was slightly different from Serena’s impact back then.
“Hmm, I suppose the lady is correct. Seeing such a tall, imposing man for the first time must have been astonishing.”
Was that really all? Anna alone kept a subtle smile, as if knowing more.
The tall, sturdy knight with aristocratic features and piercing dark eyes was a fresh shock for the people of Astel.
“Ah, regarding the square…”
“Why? More to say?”
Wherever Lucas went, women gasped, and Cedric’s handsome companion drew attention as well. Two striking men from afar naturally attracted notice.
“Yes. His Highness has left the square, but the crowd remains. Almost like the harvest festival—especially the women.”
Serena asked once again, genuinely puzzled.
“Why?”
“I don’t know, my lady. I’ll check whether they are still gathered.”
“Alright.”
After Peter left, Serena tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Anna, do you understand why?”
Anna smiled gracefully, remaining silent. The answer was something Serena had to discover for herself. And when that day came, a spring breeze would blow through her own youth.
