The Doomed Fief’s Dying Lord (17)

The first bad news came through Avenger.

“Yes, next is Mr. Izack’s problem report.”

“Tell me.”

I urged Avenger on while reviewing other documents.

“He said there might be a problem with ambient fermentation. The temperature swings have been quite strong this week, and that’s the cause.”

True, the weather had been a bit fickle for late spring.

It was almost like modern-day South Korea.

I never thought Denabi would face a weather anomaly.

‘This territory… really has the worst luck.’

“But it’s not even at the fermentation stage yet, right? You’re still making the malt. What exactly is the problem?”

“If the temperature can’t be maintained, the yeast won’t activate. If that happens…”

“If that happens…?”

“The fermentation period that should take two weeks could stretch to three or four weeks.”

It was devastating news.

“No, our work depends on time!”

I jumped up and shouted.

“…I’m ashamed.“

“No, it’s not that the Steward should be ashamed! If two weeks are delayed, we really don’t know what might happen!”

We don’t have any time left!

To be precise, we don’t even know how much time we have left!

“But Mr. Izack said delayed fermentation won’t hugely affect the final production. There’s no need to rush…”

“No need to rush? If even one more Dungeon forms right now…!”

At that moment I felt all the eyes in the office on me.

My voice had gotten too loud.

This wasn’t something to make such a fuss over.

“Sorry. Get back to work. Work. I’m sorry.”

I roughly calmed the commotion.

I called Avenger out of the office.

Even then I was troubled.

Should I really tell Avenger this?

How do I make him accept the original story information?

I watched Avenger’s face.

‘99… 99.’

It was two points higher than yesterday.

It was literally on the verge of a formal contract.

Among my staff, Avenger had the second-highest trust after Ronari.

Would someone like Avenger believe me?

I decided to set the tone.

“Ahem, Avenger… this is important and I haven’t told anyone yet.”

“I’ll listen. Please tell me.”

Right. He really believes me. Steward!

So please, trust me too!

I rolled up my sleeve for him.

There was erosion of a glowing blue Mana crystal there.

“You know about the Mana Plague, right?”

“…Of course, young master.“

“Dungeons raise the ambient mana concentration, and when it reaches a critical threshold the Mana Plague full-on breaks out. Correct?”

“That’s correct.”

Avenger nodded.

Then he asked.

“Do you, young master, happen to know when the Mana Plague will break out?”

“What! How did you know?”

I blurted it out reflexively.

I covered my mouth immediately after speaking.

Avenger looked surprised too.

I cautiously removed my hand from my mouth and asked.

“How did you really know…?”

“Well… I thought a clever young master might somehow know. The context of the conversation suggested it…”

“Ah.”

I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

What the— I thought he had found out I was possessed.

Turns out Avenger just understood hints well.

That makes it easier to explain.

“Ahem. Well, fine. The Steward’s guess is right. I don’t know the exact crystallization threshold, though.”

I continued.

“If even one more Dungeon forms from now on, this Domain will be destroyed.”

“…!“

That’s the prologue of the original story, and that’s Shane’s death.

“As I said, I don’t know the exact timing. But it will happen within a few months at most. It wouldn’t be strange if it were in a few weeks.”

“I knew it was urgent, but…”

“Yes. You probably didn’t expect it to be that bad. I understand.”

Avenger’s eyes wavered.

He seemed confused.

Of course.

I hadn’t revealed it until now because even calm Avenger would react like this.

‘An impending end’ and ‘an end that might be next week’ are completely different issues.

‘If I told everyone, they’d have been thrown into utter chaos.’

But Avenger said this.

“Then shouldn’t we inform the populace? We must issue an evacuation order to all residents within the domain…!”

“Shh!”

I quickly covered the Steward’s mouth.

“Avenger…! You must absolutely keep this secret! I told you because I trust you.”

“But…”

“Do you want to create 40,000 refugees right now!?”

I pressed Avenger.

About 40,000. Precisely 36,571.

That’s the number of Denabi’s people.

“Do you think all those people would survive if they abandoned their homes and fled outside the fief?”

I didn’t even give Avenger a chance to answer.

“Our people would starve to death outside Denabi. Even if a neighboring Domain took them in by luck, it would still be a problem. Once the Mana Plague starts, it will devour everything around Denabi!”

This world is harsh.

And unforgiving.

You can forget refugee aid or social welfare like in modern societies.

The Empire guarantees each domain’s autonomy, which means, conversely, fend for yourselves.

For people in this world, home is as good as life itself.

Avenger took a breath and regained his composure.

“I’m sorry. I was short-sighted.”

He looked me squarely in the eye.

“…Young master. Then what should I do?“

“We must execute the plan as quickly as possible. We cannot allow even a two-week delay. Understand?”

“Understood. I’ll look for ways with Mr. Izack to solve the fermentation issue.”

“Good. Let’s return.”

We walked back down the corridor toward the office.

I said to Avenger.

“We don’t have time, so give me the remaining reports as we go. What else is left?”

“Ah, I’ve reported the issues. What’s left is a message from the battlefield. The lord asked that it be delivered personally.”

“What is it?”

“The eldest young master says he’ll return within ten days.”

“What!”

I froze on the spot.

‘Please… let it be a dream.’

“Yo… young master?”

Wait just a moment!

You have just witnessed a textbook example of the five stages of grief.

Let’s take a brief look.

Stage 1: Denial

“Ten days? That’s a lie, right? Right. It has to be a lie. There’s no way only ten days are left, is there?”

Stage 2: Anger

“Why didn’t you tell me that first! Aaaah!”

Stage 3: Barg…

“Damn it! This is not the time to be going through all five stages!”

“Young master! Please calm down!”

“No, what Steward could possibly stay calm in this situation…?”

I barely held back my anger.

“…I have to. Yes. I have to calm down. Getting upset won’t change anything.“

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter with the eldest young master?”

There certainly was something going on.

There would be.

‘How do I explain this?’

…I didn’t even have time to ponder that.

‘Damn it. Let whatever will happen, happen.’

“I received an oracle from Denabi’s guardian deity.”

“Yes?”

“When my big brother returns, I will die.”

“Could it be…”

Avenger asked.

“…Did you break something belonging to the eldest young master?“

I wiped my face in utter despair.

It’s lonely.

I gave up explaining the situation to Avenger.

At the point I was being treated like ‘the little brother who broke his big brother’s things and is nervously waiting to be scolded when he returns,’ I gave up hope.

“…“

Even while being swamped with work, I thought to myself in loneliness.

What can I do to change something within ten days?

“Ten days? Hehehe*…”*

I couldn’t help but laugh at that unreal number.

Worried voices came from around me.

“…Why are you laughing?…“

“…Finally the young master has broken down…“

“…No wonder, you’ve been working non-stop…“

In the end, a special task force was formed among the Administrators.

It was to deal with my breakdown.

A member of that special unit approached me.

Needless to say, it was Ronari.

“…Young master?“

Indeed, my first formal contract talent.

She said she’d help of her own accord.

Would you have any plan?

“Is something wrong?”

“What will you do if the world ends in ten days?”

“Well… shall we plant an apple tree together?”

“Wrong. We must think about how to avoid destruction in ten days. Therefore I’m busy, so go do your work.”

Faced with my firm refusal, Ronari had no choice.

She returned to her seat.

The office staff’s morale noticeably dropped after witnessing the task force’s failure.

‘Sorry to dampen spirits, but I don’t have time to worry about that now!’

Life in a lousy domain, starting from zero.

We somehow climbed from zero to here.

Actually, we started not at zero but in the negatives.

I grabbed my head.

‘What do I do? So many ideas, but what can I do in ten days…?’

Okay, let’s think.

We have ten days left.

If luck is on our side, Jin Astrier will return and we’ll have a few days’ leeway.

So let’s generously say two weeks.

Alcohol put into fermentation vats takes at least two weeks to mature.

But considering distribution, sales, raising cash, and time to clear Dungeons?

‘We need at least six weeks?!’

And that’s an unrealistically fast estimate.

The plan to sell alcohol, honestly earn money, hire mercenaries, and clear Dungeons is scrapped.

Then…

Ding—

Just as I thought up to that point, that guy who never reads the room appeared again.

‘Aren’t you really tiresome!?’

Status Window! You get out for a moment—

“Huh?”

What the—

A blossoming at this timing?

Suddenly?

‘Well, trust has been gradually rising since that incident, so it’s not weird…’

What was really strange wasn’t the timing but this.

That’s my title, isn’t it?

Why is it listed as his aptitude?

“Coup…?”

A truly foolish remark slipped out of my mouth.

But at that moment the door flung open.

It was Avenger.

‘Is it really a coup…!’

Looking back on this moment, I realized something.

My true talent is not blurting nonsense at crucial moments.

“Young master…!”

Avenger strode up to me and shouted.

“W-what is it?!”

“We can just spend it and pay it back later!”

What?

What do you mean, Steward?

Are you saying we should go to a casino and make money?

‘Is there such a thing in this world…?’

As I tilted my head, Avenger pressed his face forward.

“!?“

Sweat beaded on his face, but it was lit with excitement.

He spoke in a delighted voice.

“Young master, you are Denabi’s Financial Advisor!”

“Y-You are… ?”

“The Financial Advisor has the authority to make priority decisions on all matters related to Denabi’s treasury and report afterward!”

“That… so what?”

“What do you mean, ‘so what’! You know this, young master! Snap out of it!”

Avenger shook me awake from my daze.

Only then did I barely grasp what Avenger meant.

Avenger put my realization into words.

“The money in Denabi Castle’s treasury! We can use it first and replenish it afterward!”

It was, frankly, a legendary moment.

Because at this moment it finally began.

A double time-attack, payback-then-chicken-race that would double our work.

That solemn race finally sounded its start.