Chapter 10

The first destination of the trip was Baron Hanae.

“Well, this is an elderberry field. Then, that is a gooseberry field.”

Baron Hanae pointed to a berry tree, explaining in a trembling voice like a goat.

The pointing hand trembled so much that she couldn’t quite figure out where he was pointing, but she nodded her head roughly.

Because everything looked the same berry tree here and there.

Through the trees were spread all over, she could see the backs of the hardworking young people here.

“Uh, how was it, Duke Baloa?”

Asking in a strangled voice, the baron looked at her with a frightened face like a prisoner awaiting execution.

The baron, who was slightly shorter and younger than her, with light blonde hair and blue eyes, was like a rabbit caught in a trap.

“There are so many berries.”

She looked around the estate all morning, but in the end all she saw were berry trees. So she had nothing to say.

“Hik! I-I’m sorry!”

Like a greeting, the baron jumped.

“Eh? What?”

The baron even shed tears.

“Because there are a lot of berries.”

She realized once again what the reputation of the Duke of Baloa was.

She must be a particularly terrifying existence for those who are marginalized from politics, like a baron. Because the Duke of Baloa is nothing more than the right arm of the tyrant emperor.

But it was difficult in this way. The greater they fear her, the more the baron will be wary of her.

She’s come all the way here through hard work, but if she doesn’t get any useful information and go back, her butt hurts after she’s come a long way in a carriage.

And in order to get any more information, they have to become friends first.

She smiled as wide as she could and made up a gentle voice.

“It’s fine. I like berries.”

It reminded her of the things she had researched before arriving at the estate.

“You started berry farming five years ago, didn’t you?”

When the talk of farming came out, the baron’s eyes came to life a little. He has the eyes of a man who is a fan.

“Yes. I was very lucky. I was able to import trees that could grow on such a barren land from abroad.”

There is no other way to get to get close to a fan as quickly as being a fan together.

“Before berry farming, I heard that the acidity of the soil was very high, so it was difficult. Fortunately, the elderberries and gooseberries imported by the baron grew well in acidic soil, so they flourished like this.”

At this moment, she was nothing more than a reporter for a returning farm program.

“It is said that these days, every bakery in the capital is selling berry pie made from berries from the Hanae Baron Territory. It’s amazing. It’s not easy to turn the shortcomings of a territory into an advantage.”

The baron laughed shyly.

“It’s not that great. I just remember how delicious my mother made raspberry pie when I was little, so I was wondering how to eat it as much as possible.”

“You have a great eye for thinking of turning your childhood memories into a business.”

She kept her voice infinitely affectionate, but in reality it was nothing more than a soulless compliment pulled out like a machine.

But the baron dyed his cheeks even more red and was embarrassed.

“Actually, I’m also planning to grow a new berry species starting this year. It’s called blueberry, and I first encountered it when I traveled to the South Continent, and I thought it was very sweet and would be perfect for jam or pies.”

She pricked up her ears right away.

Blueberries. It was the food that appeared in the original work, where the scene where the female lead had a proper meal while filming scenes that looked like waste was selected.

That’s right, in the scene where the female leas had morning sickness!

For the female protagonist who wanted to eat blueberries, the emperor looked everywhere to get blueberries, but the only estate that grew blueberries was not able to find them because of poor harvest.

As a matter of course, the lord was beheaded and the land was burned down.

She looked at Baron Hanae with pitying eyes.

He seems like a pure girl in love who only knows berries and has a soft heart, but it was a real pity.

Looking around today, she would have never imagined that there would be a blueberry famine next year, but people really didn’t know about it.

“I hope that blueberry farming will prosper. I wish you a prosperous year every year….”

She grabbed the baron’s two hands. It was really sincere.

The baron, who did not even know that his neck was one step away from getting cut, looked at her with a deeply moved expression.

“Thank you very much, Duke. Everyone said that my dream was reckless, but it’s the first time I’ve ever met someone as supportive as you.”

And with tears in his eyes, he held her hand.

“Actually, I only heard rumors about the Duke and had prejudices. I’m sorry. You’re such a good person… I only believed rumors like an idiot for nothing.”

The Baron seemed film a youth drama by himself.

All of the rumors that he believed for nothing are true.

The Baron, whose eyes twinkled too much without knowing anything, was pitiful.

“No.”

I have decided to show the least amount of mercy for this poor soul.

“Baron.”

“Yes?”

The big eyes looking up at her twitched. Yeah, I’ll give you a favor for the poor rabbit.

“If you plan to go to the South Continent to buy blueberry seedlings next year, stay a little longer.”

Until the female lead gets over her morning sickness.

It would be better if he leaves forever once the empire was completely destroyed.

“Yes? Why?”

Seeing the baron asking innocently, it was obvious that he was going to die while running around in the berry field to find blueberry seedlings.

She sighed a little.

The big eyes looking at her made her heart weak.

This terrible habit of becoming especially weak with an innocent and pretty face, seemed to remain the same even after transmigrating.

“I’m also planning to go on a trip next year, so would you like to go together?”

How nice it would be if people with the death flag becomes friends and avoid the execution table.

Besides, the baron must have a lot of money, so it might be a good source of money if they exile together.

“A trip with the Duke?”

But for some reason, the baron’s face turned bright red.

It looked just like a rabbit’s nose twitching, so without realizing it, she placed her hand on the fluffy blonde hair of the baron.

“Yes. Sure. You must be ready to travel whenever I call.”

If the preparations for asylum were completed, it seemed that the capability to raise at least one pet rabbit abroad would be sufficient.

“Because I’ll take responsibility for the rest.”

The rabbit’s neck looked like it was going to explode, and to leave it unattended would be animal cruelty.

“Take responsibilty?”

The baron’s face, which had already been red enough, reddened even more as if it was about to explode.

But soon the baron nodded his head broadly and spoke in a stern voice.

“Yes. The Duke must take care of me!”

“Sure.”

Unknowingly, she rubbed the baron’s head a few more times at a softer touch than expected.

With how much crime did the Duke commit, and it didn’t seem bad for her to live by giving like this from time to time.

As she moved, a terrible stench stung her nostrils.

“Ugh. What is this smell?”

The rotting berry trees on both sides caught her eye as she blocked her nose.

Unlike the green bushes she’s been through so far, the trees here were dying black.

Even the crows flew around it as they cried ominously. It looked like real dead land.

“I’m sorry.”

The baron apologized again, as usual.

“Once we cross this river, it’ll be a little better.”

As the baron said, a small river could be seen over the bushes.

She hurried to the bridge, wondering if the smell would get better if it was near a river, but for some reason the smell only got worse.

“The river’s condition…”

She was astonished to see the river’s water through the railing of the bridge.

The water, covered in mysterious mucus, looked more filthy than muddy water. Because of the slime, the river barely flowed and was stagnant.

“As long as you cross this bridge, you’ll be fine.”

The baron repeated it, but his expression didn’t look right.

“How did the river become like this?”

Even with her question, the baron just avoided her gaze.

“Somehow, it’s my negligence. Haha.”

But no matter how much you think about it, it seems that the baron, whose love for the berry tree was extraordinary, would not have polluted the river so much.

“You are welcome to say anything you want. I’m here to look into the problems of each territory.”

The baron averted his gaze again.

“What do you mean help? That’s fine. There’s no need to waste precious time on a small estate like this.”

The baron’s stuttering words lowered himself to the point of being submissive, but for some reason she thought that he had something to hide.

It felt like some kind of resignation.

The resignation that said anyway, nothing would change.

She raised her voice one tone higher to create a more mellow voice than the weathercaster.

“It’s not a waste of time at all, so feel free to say anything.”

“Ah.”

The young baron hesitated.

She’s met a lot of real customers in her past life, and she’s seen a lot of customers like this.

Those customers who carefully ask questions with a trembling voice as if it is awkward to talk on the phone, double or triple respectful words, and start every sentence with ‘I’m sorry’.

There was something about such a customer that, as an agent, should never be overlooked.

The point is that this customer must have made a difficult call because of some inconvenience.

“Actually”

“Yes.”

She waited patiently for the baron’s words.

“Of course, it’s a problem that can be solved enough if I try to solve it, even if the Duke doesn’t pay attention to it.”

“I want to think about it even if it’s a problem that the Baron can solve enough.”

As she induced a conversation by repeating the baron’s words, his expression softened a little.

“Since the Marquis of Sherrington’s estate keeps throwing waste into the river, it flows into our territory.”

The baron, who poured out the truth, glanced at her.

“Haha, it’s such a trivial matter, isn’t it?”