”Hmm…”
Even with the new year having arrived, winter remained in full force, and Noein spent most of his days holed up inside, reading through a mountain of papers in the living room.
The papers contained a compilation of knowledge Noein had accumulated throughout his life so far—essentially notes from the books he had read while living in the annex of the Kivileft Count’s mansion.
Anticipating that he would eventually be driven out of the count’s household, Noein had been thinking about how to survive after that.
He expected to be given some severance money and then cut off, so he had considered becoming a merchant or perhaps cultivating land and becoming a farmer. In any case, he knew he would have to live by his own strength.
Therefore, Noein read every book he could find in the count’s mansion, memorized the knowledge, and noted down the details he couldn’t retain in his memory. This was thanks to his father Maximilian, who, out of aristocratic pride, had filled the house with numerous books he never actually read.
And now, Noein was going over those notes.
“Noein-sama, are you okay?”
Anna, who was working on paperwork at the edge of the large table in the living room, asked in a slightly exasperated voice. She, too, was working in the living room for warmth, instead of the freezing cold office reserved for retainers.
“I might not be. I think I’ve overused my brain and gotten tired. I’m going to take a break.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
“I’ll make some tea. Anna, would you like some too?”
“Yes, thank you, Mathilda.”
Mathilda, who had been helping Anna with her paperwork, stood up and left the living room to prepare tea.
“So, have you finalized your plans for development after winter?”
“I’ve got a few candidates for things I want to try, but they either seem time-consuming or difficult to gather the necessary materials for. Each has its pros and cons.”
As he sifted through his large stack of notes, Noein was pondering his plans for developing the territory once winter passed.
The lapis lazuli vein still showed no signs of depletion. For the foreseeable future, it would generate a monthly income of 1.2 million Rebro, providing ample funds for development. Therefore, Noein was searching through his accumulated knowledge for ideas that could potentially seed new industries in the Arkvist territory.
He had found a few promising leads, but all of them seemed to require considerable effort.
“Why not take your time and start with something that catches your interest, without worrying too much about the effort? You’ve got plenty of time and money.”
“You’re right. There’s no need to rush.”
Noein agreed with Anna’s perspective.
After all, even when winter ends, it will only be the second year of development, and he himself is just turning 16 this year. There was no need or reason to rush. He had likely gotten mentally stuck from being cooped up inside and thinking too much.
While they were talking, Mathilda returned with the tea, and they all took a break.
…
In the dead of winter, most people spend their days indoors, but some must still venture outside to work.
One such person was Radley, a retainer serving the Arkvist barony. He was responsible for patrolling the area around the territory’s capital, Noeina, even during the harsh winter months.
Some monsters remain active even in winter, without hibernating. Though not as frequent as other seasons, Radley still had to patrol regularly to check for any signs of monsters or to hunt them if they appeared.
“Man, it’s still ridiculously cold as always.”
“It doesn’t feel that bad to me. This much is still bearable.”
“Well, that’s because you’re especially tough, Radley-san. For most people, this kind of cold is a lot harder to endure.”
With two strong young men from the survey team, Rick and Dant, as his assistants, Radley left the grounds of Noeina, chatting as they went.
Radley was practically in charge of all the patrols around Noeina, thanks to his extraordinary physical endurance.
He had been robust since birth. He had never gotten sick, and even when he was hit in fights, the pain wasn’t enough to slow him down, and his wounds would quickly heal. He was also resistant to both extreme heat and cold. Combined with his distinctive features, people often teased him by saying he might have orc blood in his veins.
In battles, he had survived situations that would have killed most people, saved by his sturdy body.
“Well, it’s thanks to this body that I’ve been able to rise to the rank of retainer.”
It was precisely because of his physical strength that Radley could excel in the physically demanding tasks among the Arkvist retainers, despite lacking much formal education or intelligence.
He considered himself lucky. He felt that he owed it to Noein, his lord, to repay him with his abilities. With this in mind, Radley braced himself for another grueling patrol through the winter forest.
…
“Ahh, it’s so cold.”
Muttering complaints, Bart, another retainer, trudged along the road to Retvik, wrapped in a thick fur coat. Behind him was a horse pulling a wagon loaded with raw lapis lazuli, accompanied by two townsmen who had been brought along to assist Bart.
Like Radley, Bart was another of those who had to work outdoors even in the dead of winter. However, his work during the winter months was only once a month.
Workshops in the city didn’t stop operating during the winter, so the raw lapis lazuli had to be delivered on schedule every month.
They hadn’t delivered everything in one go before winter because the transaction amounts were large, and Noein had decided it was safer to prevent trouble by making monthly deliveries. Additionally, having people from the Arkvist domain visit Retvik monthly was a way of proving they were alive and well.
In return, Noein provided a considerable special allowance to Bart and the others who made the journey to Retvik.
Although the northern part of the kingdom was colder than the southern part, it wasn’t so cold that the roads would be blocked by snow for long periods. On days when the snow wasn’t piling up and the sky was clear, travel between Noeina and Retvik was possible, although it wasn’t a job anyone was eager to do.
“Winter’s the one time I really don’t want to be a material transporter…”
“Someone’s got to do it, though. Besides, isn’t there a girl in Retvik waiting for you, Bart-sama?”
“Haha, yeah, I guess there is.”
Bart chuckled in response to the young man’s teasing reply.
Bart had been given the responsibility of overseeing the material transport between Arkvist and Retvik because of his good looks, friendly demeanor, and his past experience as a mercenary, making him capable of guarding the goods as well.
Many young women, including employees at the shops closely connected to the Arkvist domain and staff at the restaurant Bart frequented in Retvik, looked forward to his visits.
Because Bart was well-liked by people of all ages and genders, he was entrusted with this role.
And so, even in winter, Bart continued walking the road to Retvik.
