"The mansion’s bustling today. Sothing going on?"
The woodcutter, who’d co to sell his wares, looked around curiously. Romand’s subordinate, in the middle of counting out the paynt, glanced up at him.
"No. Just like any other day."
"Is that so? Haha..."
Liar. The woodcutter chuckled awkwardly, scratching his nose. Ever since the old Count had died, the number of servants had dwindled, leaving the mansion perpetually quiet. Even after the Advisor and his entourage had arrived, there had rarely been a night when all the lights were on.
But today was different.
"This one’s a bit damp, isn’t it?"
"It’s just the morning dew. It’ll dry up as soon as the sun’s out."
"Three copper coins for the lot."
"Thank you."
The subordinate scribbled sothing down, acting like he was writing a receipt, then pulled three copper coins from his pouch. The woodcutter was about to bow and leave when...
"Hold on a mont."
"Yes?"
"Got so ti? We’re doing so work in the garden, and there’s this tree right in the middle. If it’s old, we’ll leave it, but if not, we’re thinking of chopping it down."
"Ah, of course. Leave it to !"
"Follow ."
The woodcutter fiddled with his pouch. He’d been planning to head straight down for a drink, but... oh well. It wouldn’t hurt. He might even get a little extra for his trouble.
So that’s why the mansion’s so hectic.
No wonder. He’d been seeing servants scurrying around everywhere, sothing he rarely saw.
The woodcutter followed the subordinate around the side of the mansion. The ground changed from weeds to grass. He’d lived in Bratz his whole life, but this was the first ti he’d crossed this boundary.
"This way."
Gah!
The woodcutter gasped as soon as they turned the corner, taking in the sight of the garden. He’d expected a beautiful arrangent of flowers, bushes, and trees, but that image shattered instantly.
Rows and rows of plants, lined up like a farm.
The woodcutter, who’d made a tidy sum during the Gula craze, recognized it imdiately.
...They’re growing Gula? And they even built a greenhouse for it.
It was real. The rumors going around were true. The subordinate tapped him on the shoulder with a piece of paper.
"What are you doing?"
"Ah. S-sorry. Which tree is it?"
"This one."
The woodcutter answered the subordinate’s question in detail, but his mind was still on the Gula field behind him. anwhile, Ian, looking down at the scene from a window in the hallway, asked,
"How many?"
"Five rchants bringing in groceries, two woodcutters so far, and the tailor, and... sowhere else... Anyway, we’ve easily seen at least ten."
"What about the food supplies?"
"Reduced them, like you said. By half."
"Good work."
The supply thods Ian had ntioned at lunch were twofold.
Using rumors.
And setting up lax security.
The key was to stimulate the human desire for valuable things. Since they’d also reduced the supplies they’d been distributing, the craving for Gula would only intensify.
"So, do we just put so random guy on guard duty?"
"No. Tell Romand’s n to keep watch, taking turns throughout the night. Fully ard."
It was a slightly different order from what he’d said before. Beric, who’d been looking down at the garden, turned his head, but Ian just smiled, feeling his gaze.
"That thod might work in other territories or in the capital. But this is an empty territory, with no official ruler yet. If thievery and looting beco rampant, it will directly affect security and significantly lower their quality of life. That’s the sa as lowering the quality of the territory."
The first ti is hard, but the second ti is easy.
Especially if the mansion is robbed, they’ll think of theft as an easy task and start invading their neighbors’ houses as well.
"Then what should we do? Just let them look?"
"Beric. Worry about yourself. You’ll have to get up early for a while."
"Huh? ? Why?"
Ian just smiled and closed his mouth at Beric’s question. Then he tapped on the window and went up to his study.
"Is this the right way?"
"I told you, it is!"
"Keep your voice down. The guards will hear you!"
Two n approached the mansion under the cover of pre-dawn darkness.
With their food supplies cut off, they had nothing to eat, and rumors were circulating that the mansion was full of Gula. They had no choice but to sneak in under the cover of darkness to survive.
"Ugh."
"Damn, this is heavy."
"Hurry up and lift it."
The thieves barely managed to climb over the high mansion wall. They’d heard that the Gula field wasn’t inside the building, but in the outer garden. It was precious, so even if they only stole a few and took them to the capital, they could shake off this wretched poverty.
"Is this... is this it?"
The thieves peeked their heads out and looked towards the garden. It was completely dark, but they could definitely tell that sothing was planted all over the ground. They began their pilfering carefully, dreaming of a rosy future.
"Seriously, to think they were just handing this stuff over to the mansion, not knowing it was like gold. Tsk tsk."
"Shut up and start filling the bag."
"We should’ve brought another sack."
Whispering, the thieves giggled and pulled out the Gula, while Romand’s n watched them with sighs. They’d already caught one guy and thrown him in the underground prison, and now, when they ca out, there were more pests.
"Hey—!"
"Eek!"
"Aaaah!"
The subordinate lit a cigarette and shouted, and the thieves jumped in fright, turning over. They threw the Gula into the air and ran through the garden.
"Where do you think you’re going? You’ll wake everyone up."
"S-spare us! Please spare us!"
"Anyone would think I was the intruder."
But what could they do? The thieves, their necks soon caught, knelt and begged frantically. Two subordinates were tying the thieves’ arms with rope when...
"You’re all working hard."
"Ah. Lord Ian."
Ian appeared with Beric, both wearing hoods. The thieves looked up at him, hiccuping. What was that golden eye that couldn’t be hidden even in the darkness?
"Did you co to steal?"
"Ah, well, that’s..."
"We’re sorry! It’s just... it’s so hard to beg for food, that’s..."
Ian clicked his tongue softly at the sight of the thieves.
"You should have waited a little longer. Why did you do this?"
"Huh?"
"Lock them up in the underground prison."
"Yes, my lord. Are you going out without an escort again today?"
"Yes. Beric is enough."
Ian and the mansion’s subordinates were having a conversation that made absolutely no sense. While the bewildered thieves were being dragged to the underground prison, Ian and Beric left through the mansion’s front gate.
It was their second day in a row going out.
"Yaaawn."
"I told you to take a nap."
Instead of answering, Beric tapped the sack of Gula on his back. He was showing that he was just as busy as Ian.
A short ti later, the two arrived at a house on the outskirts.
"I heard that house over there has a lot of children."
"Oh? Then let’s go there first."
It was a dark hour, so the lights were off. Ian entered the yard and carefully knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
"Is anyone there?"
There was no response, so he knocked again.
Knock, knock.
"Please co out for a mont."
Then, a faint light appeared in the window. Soon, a man’s voice, thick with sleep, asked,
"Who is it?"
"It’s Ian."
"...Who?"
"Ian."
Creak.
He must have been half-asleep, because he was slow to grasp the situation. The door opened very slowly. Blinking, the man looked at Ian, then his eyes widened and he flinched.
"Lord Ian?"
"Shhh. You’ll wake the children."
"W-what brings you here?"
He knew Ian, but he never imagined that Ian would know him. And that was understandable, since the man was just an ordinary resident of the territory. It was only natural that he would be surprised by a stranger ntioning his children.
"I... have I done sothing wrong...?"
So it’s natural that he would be anxious. As a flicker of fear crossed the man’s face, Ian silently rummaged through Beric’s sack.
Swish.
"W-what is it?"
"It’s Gula."
"Huh?"
It was a sack of Gula seeds.
"It’s not a miracle cure, as the rumors say, but it’s true that the Advisor enjoys it, and it’s true that it’s tasty and nutritious. For now, it’s strictly controlled at the mansion, but I will soon release it freely in the territory. I’m constantly suggesting it to the Advisor. Until then, hold on, and if your neighbors want so, share generously."
"L-Lord Ian!"
"I’m giving it to you first because you have many children. I have a lot of houses to visit, so I can’t stay long. You know you only eat the seeds, right?"
"Of-of course. Everyone in the territory knows that by now."
"Just taste a little and plant the rest. One seed yields more than ten Gula."
What kind of late-night gift was this! The man was so moved that he just kept nodding his head. As Ian tapped him on the shoulder and left the yard, he followed him out and bowed repeatedly.
"Thank you!"
"You’ll wake the whole neighborhood."
Hiss! At Ian’s words, the man clapped his hand over his mouth. And when Ian disappeared into the darkness, he carefully returned to his house. The dim light beca bright.
"...Ian. I really can’t figure you out."
"I can figure you out just fine. You look like you want to lie down this instant."
Beric rubbed his eyes, looking tired. To distribute Gula like this in the middle of the night, and personally at that...! Ian understood what Beric couldn’t.
"While the Imperial envoys are monopolizing and cultivating Gula, supplies are dwindling, and they must be worried about the harshness of winter. But if I give them Gula like this, how will they see ?"
They would feel it as a blessing sent by God. Then they would feel gratitude, and that would soon lead to support for Ian.
"Aaaah. I’m tired."
"Hurry up. Next are the places with children. Rumors spread quickly among kids, you know."
Like the house with many children, there were also single-family hos, but the boundaries were blurred in the densely populated red-light district where Ian’s mother, Phillia, had lived.
"What’s going on? Are you not even sleeping at night?"
"Mom, Mom. They say Lord Ian is here!"
"What? Why is Ian here?"
"He’s giving out Gula! Gula!"
Since many people had their days and nights reversed, it was much more boisterous than other places. Ian handed out the Gula he’d brought and whispered to the children, warning them.
"There’s not even enough for the people of Bratz to eat, so you absolutely must not give it to outsiders. Got it?"
"Yes! Can I eat it now?"
"I want to eat it too!"
"Alright. Line up. I’ll give you more."
Ian ruffled the hair of the children who received the Gula and exchanged greetings.
A man was secretly following Ian and Beric.
Swish.
The man confird that they returned to the mansion when the dawn moon set. And after a ti lag, he also entered the mansion, but he arrived at Molin’s group’s room in the annex.
Creak.
"You’re back?"
"Yeah."
The man was Degor. He threw his hood onto the bed and let out a ridiculous laugh. Mac, who hadn’t slept a wink all night, urged him on.
"What was he doing out at night?"
"He was handing out Gula. Very openly, too."
"What?"
At Degor’s words, Mac sipped his wine. Molin, who was sitting by the window, also let out a laugh.
"That guy... he’s got so nerve."
Romand would surely have included Ian’s na in the discovery of Gula. He’s taking all the credit from the Imperial Palace and also securing the support of the territory’s residents.
"It seems like he’ll be going out alone with Beric at dawn for the ti being."
At Degor’s words, Molin turned his sunken eyes. It was a perfect opportunity to take Ian’s life under the cover of darkness.
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