The Duchess of the Attic

The story of the Duchess helping mow the grass quickly spread.

No one believed it at first, but few doubted it whenever Opal in a straw hat appeared on land in need of mowing.

He simply believed that the Great Sickle would be paid even on land where Opal could not travel directly.

And everyone rejoiced in the Great Sickle, which could mow grass twice as fast as the traditional sickle, and Opal was happy to welcome him wherever he went.

Quite different from when Opal first came to the Duke's territory, the fright disappears from everyone's face and I can see a smile.

Opal was letting the dog take a walk on Claude, thinking about the next thing he should hit his hand.

"- You seem to have successfully persuaded Duncan, right?

"Yes. Thank you, Connally. It's so rare that you're out there."

"Because it is my role to keep an eye on the entire territory as well as the Mansion. At least we have to actually walk around the grounds of this palace."

"Then you send a replacement when you can't actually walk. Like Julian?

Connally's words were favorable, but you can tell by the look on his face that it wasn't sincere.

The nostalgic Claude didn't like Connally either, hiding his tail between his crotches.

"Looks like your wife is actually going out, but are you seriously going to be in Pasma Harbor?

"Yeah, that's right. I'm leaving tomorrow. That's what you told him, isn't it?

"But don't you need your wife to go out on purpose?

"Why?"

"Pasma is not a very secure place. Those who work in the harbor are rough and many doors are broken. So I think it would be better if I left it to my surrogate."

"... I'm not alone. And of course the escort."

When Opal answered that, Connally glanced lightly at her shoulder, then bowed her head deeply.

"I offered you something."

"I don't mind."

Opal, with all due respect, reconsidered the future as he took Claude back to the mansion.

The port of Pasma will soon receive a farming machine from the Kingdom of Société.

Opal was scheduled to make an inspection of the northern region from the port at the same time as he was present at its packing.

Most of the ore, the primary source of revenue for this Duke's territory, is transported to and exported from the port of Pasma using the river, but only one railway was laid to a station near this consulate.

The water volume of the river is not constant and the basin is limited, so it was unstable as a means of transport to such an extent that it could be used more than by road.

For this reason, the railway connection of each mine and the development of the port of Pasma are the objectives listed with Claude at the same time as the agricultural reform.

Claude knows better about railway business, but there's something Opal can do.

I wanted Claude to clean up his current job and get ready to work on it as soon as he came.

(Plus I'd like to close the lead mine in the north if I could...)

It is barely black now, given the volume of output and the risks associated with mining, but will be in deficit in the near future.

Claude and I are also in agreement that the mountain will close.

But given the lives of miners and neighbors, we can't do it right now.

We have to figure out if they can still live on the land after the mountain closes or if they have to emigrate.

Opal doesn't make much of an appearance because he has Omer's personal men seconded when it comes to handling farm machines.

Duncan and I had attached a promise to accept a new farming machine, and Opal intended to brief the dispatchers lightly on the situation at the port before heading to the mine.

Thanks to the railway it doesn't take much time to reach the port of Pasma.

The problem is the journey from there to the mine.

It's faster by carriage than going back to the river, but at least two days is all it takes.

(Transport of supplies to major cities is important, but inefficient)

Opal, who entered the study, thought looking at the map.

The only railway that leads to the port of Pasma was laid before the plague spread.

Then for a while the land was in turmoil, but nothing had been started in the four years since the civil war had healed, probably because it had no funds.

There are countless lands to be developed as a nation, and we can also see that this rebellious land has been left behind.

Then again, four years ago, it wasn't if we were sending technicians to man-test. - Normally.

(You sold me a favor...)

King Alessandro's authorization to send technicians abroad was also an investment in the future.

Now that man-test development has been successful and has generated significant revenues, the investors should have considered investing in the Duke of Botzeri territory as a new investment destination.

At least that's what Alessandro should have decided at the time that Hubert would feel grateful to invest.

Because I would have noticed Hubert's sweetness by meeting him in person.

Perhaps Claude helped me with everything knowingly.

(Well, it's true that no matter what thoughts I had, I couldn't thank you enough)

But what neither Claude nor Alessandro could have predicted could be the divorce between Opal and Hubert.

Nevertheless, I feel like even that has been successfully used.

Opal has enough luxurious money to invest in the development of the Duke of Botzelli's territory.

(... well, you don't have a choice)

Even if Opal doesn't have a sentence, I can believe Claude proposed to me.

If Opal says he doesn't like this land, he'll accept it.

But I don't test Claude's affection for that.

I use something, all I have to do is do what I can.

Without thinking extra, Opal regained consciousness to the map again.

Lead mines thinking of closing - Lead mines can be seen as not profitable even if they are deliberately transported to the port of Pasma.

Rather, I think you've been in black a lot before.

Then it would have been less expensive to build a port closer than the port of Pasma and carry it out of there.

The terrain is only visible on the map, but it is also nearby where it is suitable for the port.

"Could it be a problem with the current..."

One shrugged Opal once again looked seriously at the map and marked the mines everywhere.

And frowns.

"This is a little..."

Though I didn't think so, I put my finger on the map and moved it slowly.

Different thoughts came to mind and disappeared, but it's all just speculation.

When Opal suddenly rose, he took the aristocratic register of the kingdom of Tysey from the bookshelf and glanced at the column of the Duke of Botzeli.

As expected, the predecessor Duke is related to the nobility of the Kingdom of Société - the Marquis de Saimes.

But there were also connections that I didn't expect.

(No, I'm sure His Majesty knows this too)

Opal, who has been married from another country, is still studying, but there is no way that Alessandro, the king, does not know the kinship of his own nobility.

I still thought so, and Opal hastily wrote a letter.

One to Claude, one to Omer, and the other.

Just when I sealed everything, Julian knocked and came into the study.

"I went to turn the lights on"

"Thank you. I'll be back in my room, please."

"Yes, I did. I will now take care of your letter."

"- Yeah. Please."

In answer to Julian, who noticed the letter he had placed on his desk, Opal stood up.

Julian bows her head as she steps back to make it easier for Opal to leave.

Opal left the study with a glimpse of Julian.