The Doomed Fief’s Dying Lord (16)

You’re not joking with me, are you!

I threw back the covers and tried to dash out.

From here you can probably guess what will happen.

Because I felt déjà vu myself.

‘Ah.’

“…Waaagh!“

Thud—!

My limbs were still limp.

‘How far do you intend to push this frail body…’

Ronari helped me up, just like before.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Do you think I’m not overdoing it right now? The situation was bad enough and it’s getting weirder! I have to step in!”

“So… shall I carry you on my back?”

She turned around and pretended to hoist me up.

“…“

I strained to find the missing composure.

“…Tell someone to fetch a wheelchair.“

“Wheelchair?”

“A chair with wheels.”

“Oh.”

I headed at full speed for the castle’s main hall.

Actually, it wasn’t my sprint; it was Ronari’s.

Because she was pushing the wheelchair.

We arrived at the main hall at a blistering pace.

The first to notice our arrival was Izack.

“Just in time.”

“Shane.”

Alejandro also looked at me.

All eyes gathered in the hall focused on me.

Somehow I wasn’t nervous.

Maybe because I thought the officials gathered in the hall were all on my side.

‘They’re all the people who’ve helped me. Today, and always.’

“Father.”

I bowed my head while sitting in the wheelchair.

“What a life you’ve had.”

Alejandro said that unexpectedly.

“…What do you mean?“

“That the people you found to start a venture are Izack and Pietro.”

“I knew nothing of the relationship between you and them, Father. I still don’t really know.”

“So I’ve heard. I won’t pry into that. I trust you.”

“Thank you.”

I glanced once at Pietro and Izack.

They remained silent.

I asked Alejandro.

“Have you made a decision regarding the plan?”

“Heh… asking such a thing now.”

What was that?

What are you getting at?

“Haven’t you already beaten me?”

“Yes?”

“I thought about it. I spoke with my retainers. In the end, I had no choice but to admit it.”

He said.

“Denabi ultimately has no choice but to trust you.”

His voice sounded somewhat relieved.

“We fought for too long. Back and forth countless times, but we were always the ones forced to take the final step back. In the end, we were driven to the cliff’s edge.”

“Father…”

“I owe you an apology, Shane.”

“No, it’s not your fault, Father. The domain fell into this state because…”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

He shook his head.

“I didn’t trust you. From the beginning. I had vague expectations that you’d show something, but I didn’t firmly believe it. I thought you lacked the strong resolve and conviction your brothers had. I considered it mere youthful brashness to not be outdone by your father and brothers.”

He thought there was nothing to be done about that view.

Because Shane was that kind of person.

“But that wasn’t the case. You saw what I could not, and you found your own path. You showed that those who cannot go to the battlefield can still fight in their own ways, and that they have the will to fight.”

“I didn’t think it was that great. I just wanted to survive.”

“Hmm.”

He looked around at his retainers.

Then he said.

“Your ‘staff’ don’t seem to think that way.”

“‘Staff’…“

“I may not be a lucky Lord, but no one can deny I’m a lucky father. I have three fine sons. Shane. Your brothers should be wary. A new rival has appeared.”

Alejandro chuckled.

For me, there was nothing about that to laugh at.

‘He’s saying he might make me his heir!’

I can’t bear such a heavy burden.

Look at how utterly frail this body is!

But Alejandro’s attention had shifted elsewhere.

“Pietro, Izack. I will not hold you accountable for what you’ve done so far. Return to your frontlines. Go and assist my son. I know you intend to, even if I don’t have to say it.”

Izack bowed slightly and left the hall without a word.

“It was good seeing you after so long, my lord. I wish you luck.”

Pietro also bowed and followed Izack.

“Now, let the other courtiers hear. Here and now, Denabi’s Lord Alejandro Astrier appoints his son Shane Astrier as Denabi Castle’s Financial Advisor. The Financial Advisor will henceforth make priority decisions on all matters related to Denabi’s budget and report afterwards.”

“What?”

Alejandro continued speaking, unfazed by my stunned interjection.

“But I do not wish my son to die from overwork. Please, support him greatly.”

“We will. Your Grace.”

When the Steward bowed and paid respects, all the courtiers followed suit.

Ronari also stood beside my wheelchair and bowed.

While doing so, she whispered to me.

“Things turned out well, didn’t they?”

“…It’s thanks to everyone.“

I suppressed the swelling emotion.

Because I felt I couldn’t show it.

‘I can’t show emotions in a place like this.’

I hadn’t accomplished anything yet.

The business had just begun, and Denabi’s Dungeon count remained unchanged.

I clenched my fist tightly.

“Ronari.”

“Yes?”

“…Let’s sell liquor like crazy.“

“Of course.”

Finally, at long last.

The first project announced its commencement.

“The brewery is almost complete. The carpenters worked hard. I honestly dismissed the upper district fellows, but I have to admit their skill. Hitting the start date is impressive.”

I stepped onto the site guided by Izack.

‘Wow…’

I barely held back an exclamation.

At last the site took shape, and I could already smell the fermenting liquor.

The carpenters who’d finished were sitting on materials, wiping sweat.

I approached them first.

“Ah, young master.”

“Don’t stand up. Everyone… you’ve really worked hard.”

I bowed my head before them.

The workers didn’t know what to do.

“No… please raise your head, young master. People like us only worked because we were paid…”

“No. Finishing all these preparations in less than two weeks is a miracle. Without you, we’d still be twiddling our thumbs!”

I conveyed genuine gratitude to them.

I was genuinely surprised.

I had set a two-week plan, but I actually thought it would be difficult.

Filling this vast warehouse with brewing facilities in such a short time.

It was the most unrealistic part of my plan.

‘But these people pulled it off…’

“You are truly Denabi’s guardians. Without you, I would have…”

I took the hand of one worker and bowed.

She was a craftsman old enough to be a mother.

She said.

“I have a son about your age, young master. He wanted to become a soldier because he’s young. I thought then that I chose the wrong profession. If I had been a blacksmith, I could have made him at least a shield… but I’m a carpenter. All I could do was carve wood thinking of my son.”

She continued calmly.

“But you gave us work, young master. You showed us how. You said if we worked hard we’d be able to help the children… I’m truly grateful.”

I looked up at her.

She had the face of a parent.

I bowed my head deeply again.

I shouldn’t show them a face like this…

I couldn’t show them my face right now.

As I barely calmed myself, another voice reached me.

“I heard what you said at the infirmary yesterday.”

I managed to turn to him.

He was a young man.

His hand, clutching his hat, trembled.

“I regretted it too. I thought I should have become a soldier like my father. My father goes out to fight, and his son works in a safe place— I’m so sorry about that…”

He stopped speaking and swallowed his tears.

Fellow workers pulled him into an embrace.

“…I couldn’t bear the guilt. But now, if my father returns, I can raise my head and greet him. It’s all thanks to you, young master.“

I was thankful but embarrassed.

I only did it to save myself.

I had no reason to be thanked like this.

The staff all looked at me in the same way.

“No. Thank you all for supporting someone as lacking as me.”

It was still morning in Denabi.

But this place was enveloped in a solemn silence like dusk.

The silence was broken by Izack’s clap.

“Alright, alright. If everyone’s finished greeting, get back to work. Brewery team, prepare. Raw materials will arrive in an hour. Carpenters, the finishing touches are done, so go rest. You’ve earned it.”

“Yes, please. Everyone.”

As I echoed Izack, the site started moving again.

Workers pushing wheelchairs passed me one by one, offering greetings.

“Thank you for the opportunity.”

“Stay strong, young master. But don’t overdo it.”

I stood there dazed for a while.

It was Ronari’s voice that thawed me.

“You should go, young master.”

“Right… I should.”

Ronari put her hands behind her back, bowed, and looked up at me.

“Seems the workers like you a lot, young master?”

“Indeed.”

Even I thought that was the case.

The personal data of the site workers was feeding into my Status Window in real time.

But do I deserve such trust?

“I haven’t really done anything.”

“There you go saying that again.”

“It’s true, though.”

“Phew.”

Ronari sighed.

She suddenly asked.

“Young master, do you know something?”

“?“

“To be honest, I think I’m pretty smart.”

Chuckle—

I laughed reflexively.

It wasn’t a sneer.

‘When an S-rank says so, what can I even say?’

“I was confident in my studies since I was young. Maybe I took after my mother? Honestly, getting a job at Denabi Castle was easy.”

“That’s impressive.”

“The work was too easy, so I had to suffer more pretending to be an idiot.”

“So it was an act all along?”

“Ahaha… You knew? Well, of course you would.”

I expected as much.

An S-rank wouldn’t act so naive!

I glared at her in displeasure.

She just smiled innocently.

Saying this.

“But someone smart like me wouldn’t trust a fool, right?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on. You’re putting on an act of being a fool too, young master.”

Ronari said that and then darted toward the castle.

“Who said I was acting… come with me!”

How is she so fast on her feet?

My chance to persuade her was thoroughly lost thanks to my pathetic stamina.

Well, I can ask later, I thought.

But I thought…

‘There was no way I could do that…!’

After the business really started, we became twice as busy.

Is that an exaggeration?

No. We truly had to do twice the work.

Shane’s elder brother,

the original story’s protagonist,

and my death flag,

the news came that Jin Astrier was returning.