CH 41

“Fortunately, I think I can relieve Count Zealot’s worries.”

“…And so with pure concern, yes?”

“I said that you do not have to worry about it.”

Smile.

Putting up a cool smile, Beatty opened her mouth with a confident voice.

“First of all, the free cafeteria is not a place to give food for nothing.”

“Then…?”

“How many local people know about the Tuberosum dish now?”

At Beatty’s question, curiosity also arose in other people’s faces.

“Wouldn’t a lot of people know about it? The combination of fries and sauce is especially amazing, and our members say that they like it.”

“That’s right. I also ate the sample product that was brought from the kitchen last time, and I wanted to know if there was a store in front of my house that sold it.”

The vassals who resided in the Duke’s Castle and tasted several Tuberosum dishes first answered pleasantly.

However, despite their reactions, Beatty’s eyes, which had been quietly watching them without being excited, turned to the aide.

Becoming sullen at Beatty’s gaze which was asking him to tell the truth, the aide opened his mouth while sweating hard in awkwardness.

“Actually… It won’t be that much.”

“How much is it numerically?”

“Taking a good look, perhaps one-eight…? That’s how much I saw.”

“What? Are you saying that’s all?”

At the aide’s answer, the others jumped up in surprise, even more than Beatty.

Beatty calmly accepted the low numbers, then nodded and thought to herself.

‘It must’ve been like that.’

With the system of delivering orders from above while all living in one place, the familiar military and the local people were completely different groups.

Furthermore, considering the vast territory of the Duchy, the speed of information delivery was inevitably slow.

That one-eight may also be thanks to the soldiers who returned home and spread it.

‘Even originally, the speed of spreading word through those who consumed Tuberosum was slow.’

Beatty spoke, as she had estimated what the current situation would be, through things before her regression.

“It’s because it originally had a strong impression as a poisonous herb. No matter how many people hear there is a way to eat it, it surely won’t be easy to acquire their attention.”

“Uhmm. I see.”

“No, this good thing…”

At the sight of the vassals who were disappointed as if it were their own business, Beatty slightly smiled and said.

“The free cafeteria will solve this problem.”

“Yes? Ah!”

“Yes. The free cafeteria will be at the forefront of the distribution of Tuberosum consumption methods.”

“I see! So, if we distribute Tuberosum dishes through a cafeteria, it’ll be delivered much better than the ones that are posted on the bulletin board of the room, like now.”

“And we’ll also get paid.”

“Isn’t it… free?

“Of course, although we don’t receive money. Instead, we’ll receive a mouth.”

“A… mouth?”

People’s expressions became puzzled.

“I’m talking about the information that is delivered through the people’s mouth.”

This was also a useful ability of the cafeteria before the regression.

They could collect local information from those who came to the cafeteria, and they could also use those people’s mouths to spread the information they wanted.

It was why political scientists praised it as an effective way to manage public opinion.

“We are not giving food for nothing. Information is exchanged as the price.”

“That kind of thinking! It’s not only relief measures but even efficient territory management!”

Upon hearing Beatty’s explanation, the aide shouted in admiration first.

“To think that you’re thinking of catching two things at the same time with one instrument, the free cafeteria, you’re amazing!”

“As expected, our Young Miss! I already recognized you since you solved the military food problem clearly!”

At the reactions of those who praised her repeatedly, saying, “Genius Young Miss! There’s no Princess who thinks as deeply as our Young Miss,” Beatty’s face was dyed red.

“S-such praises…”

“Ah. Right.”

‘Phew.’

“This kind of thing cannot be done just by word. We have to make a proper commemorative statue.”

“YES?!”

Crouching down at the unbearable pouring compliments, Beatty jumped.

“Hm.”

However, due to the Duke who looked interested before she could even oppose it, the plan to build the ‘Outstanding Young Miss Commemorative Statue’ had been materialized.

‘This isn’t it!’

Beatty hurriedly opened her mouth.

“Uh! So, about the budget for setting up the free cafeteria.”

“Ah. Turns out, we haven’t talked about the budget.”

People reacted as if they had just remembered ‘Ah, right’. Beatty, who thought she had barely turned the conversation around, wiped off the sweat on her forehead.

‘Actually, the budget is probably the biggest problem.’

Let’s prepare hard for the winter preparations and invest our budget on the tools which have only been heard for the first time, to prepare for the big trouble, the Great Famine, even though we don’t know if it will come or not yet!

It was easy to say it, however considering the huge budget here, it wasn’t a matter that could be done by simply saying ‘I understand’.

The set up of the free cafeteria which was proposed today, and the stockpile of food for several years, were all budget-consuming matters.

‘That’s why I had prepared something in advance.’

Ahem.

In preparation for the oppositions, saying that there was no budget for that even if the intent was good, Beatty, who had already prepared items for the budget, cleared her throat to hide her proud heart.

“Since it’s a matter that takes a lot of budget, I understand even if you oppose it—”

“Ah, it’s alright.”

Due to the unexpected willingness, Beatty, who had prepared various persuasion materials in anticipation of a strong opposition, was a little spaced out.

“Uh, if the budget isn’t enough—”

Before she could even continue presenting the plan she had prepared, the administrators in charge shook their heads and hands.

“Eyy, Young Miss. We are not to that point.”

“Yes?”

“Do we even have to get help from the Young Miss for this sort of matter? Please let us, too, help with the budgeting!”

“No, uh. It’s just in case it’s not enough…”

“I have a business item that I prepared in case you don’t have enough money though.”

At Beatty’s mumbling from being overwhelmed, the Duke reacted.

“Financier.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“Is our budget not enough?”

It was the eyes of a man who was having a hard time, especially after hearing the matter of lacking money on the thing that Baby was doing.

Fortunately, the financier, who knew the Duke Household’s financial status well, was able to answer with confidence.

“There is no way! There is no longer any need to go out for mass purchases of military supplies, and considering the future war participation funds, we are running out of storage space right now.”

Unlike before the regression, perhaps because the war ended early, even the Duke Household’s storage seemed to be full of money. The financier, who said that the storage was tightly full, looked happy.

You heard it, right, Baby?

The Duke gave Beatty a sparkling look as if he was boasting.

“….”

‘Oh, if it becomes like this, then the item that I prepared to fill in the budget… I don’t need to take it out now?’

With a slightly awkward face, Beatty quietly put back the documents she was trying to take out back into her bag.

***

“Hoamm.”

A yawn came out without realizing it herself. Maybe it was because the nervousness she had while preparing had been relieved.

After the meeting, Beatty, who was taking a walk in the garden to get rid of her full stomach, which was full from the snacks that Father and other old vassals gave her, stretched out.

‘I’m sleepy…’

Staying up all night was fatal for the young body, she could feel her dozing eyelids closing as she walked.

‘It’s a bit early, but should I go in and take a nap?’

Beatty, who was contemplating, turned her head when she heard a sound from behind that was not normally heard in the garden.

Tacatac. Tacatac. Tacatac. 

‘Huh? What sound is this….’

“Tail Fur!”

Beatty’s eyes became round when she found her older brother on a horse’s back.

“Stand still!”

Immediately after, a huge shock hit her body.

“!!!”

Riding a running horse, Carlitos didn’t stop and snatched Beatty’s waist, picking her up in front of him.

Beatty couldn’t adapt to the sudden change in vision, and was only aware of reality a little later.

“Chuu—”

Surprised, an instinctive scream burst out of Beatty’s mouth, with her squirrel ears and tail popping out.

“—Chuuuuut!”

How he interpreted the desperate squirrel’s words was unknown. Carl asked back in a calm voice.

“Huh? Did you ask to run faster?”

‘It’s not that!’

An unrefined squirrel curse was spoken abruptly out of Beatty’s mouth, who bounced on the horse without any particular safety devices.

“Chuu! Chuuub chuu chuuuuup!”

‘This **** and completely **** thing!’

“Okay. Heeya!”

Seeing his younger sister making a rare lively sound recently, the corner of Carl’s mouth raised as he felt proud and accelerated the horse’s speed.

‘Crazy! Crazy! Crazy!’

Of course, Beatty’s inner thoughts were very different from Carl’s estimation.

Her back hurt when she was snatched at the same speed as the horse came running.

She was also not familiar with the high vision that she had never experienced before.

The horse was running fast and whenever its hoof kicked trying to avoid obstacles on the uneven road, the sensation of her body floating up and down could not be more frightening.

‘What’s thiiiis!!’

She blamed herself, but unfortunately, the only thing she could rely on on top of the unstable horse was Older Brother’s strong arm.

“J-just a little—”

“A little faster?”

‘No!’

Afraid of biting her tongue, she couldn’t understand even a single human word that she barely uttered, and it was the innocent Older Brother who only raised the speed of the horse. However…

“Heeya!”

At the speed that was getting even faster, she couldn’t open her eyes and just held onto Older Brother’s body.

‘I don’t like scary horse riding like this!’

As she swallowed her tears, Beatty vowed that she would never ride a horse instead of a safe carriage again.