episode_0183

Harnier, who came to his senses, couldn’t help but be embarrassed as he saw Carcein sleeping in front of him.

An arm pillow.

It wasn’t just lying down, it was sleeping with his body on its back…!

That’s not all.

‘S-No way… did I sleep with this person in my arms?’

When I opened my eyes, my arms were giving me the same warmth as my head, so it must have been real.

My eyes adapted to the darkness, and I saw Carcein’s face right in front of me…

When I look back and forth between his sleeping face and his body pressed against my chest, my face turns red.

Isn’t this the look of a passionate lover?

Isn’t this the image of true lovers, who fall asleep while holding each other with love in their arms?

However, the two are fake lovers.

They were fake lovers who only had a contract and were only pretending to be lovers for each other’s own purposes.

For that reason, originally, he should have pushed Karssein away and screamed…

Harnier has no such thoughts right now.

She was clearly asleep, leaning against the headboard, but her body was lying on the bed.

They gave me the only bed so I could sleep comfortably, and as if that wasn’t enough, they even pushed the pillow to one side.

The blanket was the same, and the lights that were on were even turned off to make it easier to sleep.

And… the shoes were well off. In his hand, just like in the dream.

What is the scream? I can’t thank you enough for being so considerate.

Thanks to that, my heart is pounding.

‘I had a dream like that. And they do this to me as soon as I wake up…’

Bad people.

Even when I remembered it as a dream.

This time was like that too.

‘If this happens… I have no idea what to do.’

No matter how many times I take it, he gives me this feeling endlessly.

To the point where I can no longer endure just saying thank you.

Feeling like I didn’t know what to do, I placed my fingers on Karssein’s hand and felt a touch other than skin.

‘This…’

It was a ring from the Kingdom of Wederos that Harni was familiar with, which they received as a prize and shared with each other.

“…”

Currently, this ring is the perfect thing to pretend to be a lover. I happened to get it, but it is nothing more than a coupling ring to deceive others.

Watching that… strangely enough, I felt a little uncomfortable.

When the time comes, this ring must come off.

As much as you are bound by a false engagement, you will fall in love when you meet your real lover.

It’s a contractual relationship anyway.

They should help each other, and when the time comes when they have achieved their goals, they should separate.

Then, when that time comes, you can just let it go.

‘I… why are you doing this?’

Why does my heart feel tight when I think about that time?

Why don’t I want to take off my ring?

why. Why on earth do I feel like this?

“…”

Harnier was deep in thought, placing her hand on her beating heart.

As she searched for the reason by listening to her heartbeat, she came to an ambiguous conclusion.

Because this person is a waste.

I wonder if that’s why I feel such regret even though I want to be with them.

In reality, Carcein was a good person.

It’s too bad to miss it like this… no, it’s so bad that I don’t want to miss it.

So, I had the same thoughts as when I came here.

‘…Couldn’t we be together a little longer?’

Harnier’s escape plan is expected to be completed before winter arrives. When that time comes… it means that the time to break up has come.

How not to break up?

Maybe you can find it if you look for it.

Since he is leading the upper level of Plesia, he may be able to provide more help in many ways.

After completing the work of the marquis, there may be a way to help Karssein either directly or indirectly.

“No. Maybe…”

If you change direction significantly…

huh. That might be possible too.

-Kongdak, Kongdak.

White fingers gently brushed Carcein’s arm in time with the sound of his heart beating hard.

The distance we fell is narrowing again. Body temperature is transferred back from the warm and cozy embrace.

Harnier closes her eyes again, holding her pounding heart.

Dreams and reality.

It seemed like I would never forget these times.

So, for now, close your eyes and think about it some more. In Karssein’s arms.

***

When you wake up squinting from the light source of the morning sun instead of dawn. To my surprise, I realized that I had overslept and woke up very late.

and.

There was a handwritten letter from Harnier spread out on the table.

“Haha, indeed…”

I have nothing to say from the first sentence.

『Don’t make such strange excuses next time? Sleep well like that. I’m going to visit the territory for a while today, so I’ll be watching from your side from now on!』

I’m not here, but what can I say?

Whatever I said, it’s good right in front of my eyes.

I’m sure he said the same thing, with his hands on his hips, in a nagging tone as always. If I had said something wrong, the story about the Oath Jewel would have come out.

Fortunately, when I got out of bed, I thought I might have misunderstood because I was sleeping too deeply, but that wasn’t the case at all.

“Hmm. There seems to be no misunderstanding that they were hugging each other.”

『Well… thank you for putting me to bed. The blankets and pillows… Also, the arms… Ah, anyway! Thanks to you, I slept well!』

Of course, I had to feel awkward and embarrassed once again because the words of gratitude came back rather than getting angry.

“By the way, what does the arm mean…? Also, why is the writing so crooked here?”

Harnier’s handwriting is very pretty… but it wasn’t as usual?

Looking back, I think it’s just my mood that’s normal.

After this, there was written information about why we had to return to the territory briefly.

『I received a letter from Mina. A situation has come where an internal investigation has to take place in my territory, so I have to leave for a while. It looks like the Marquis is trying to keep a check on him─』

Although it may be due to internal inspection, this is actually a check on the Marquis.

He says that thanks to me, he got over the dangerous thing without any problems, so he will come back when the time is right, so there is no need to worry.

Instead, if I push myself too hard again before then, I’ll get angry.

The memo ended there.

“…If I secretly stay up all night again, I’ll be scolded.”

There was nothing I could do.

You haven’t said anything about when you’ll be back… so you should be as careful as possible now.

Next to Harnier’s handwritten letter, there was another note.

This page was written by Ferdi.

『It was just as my brother said. People bought food with the money they had, saying that they had to plant chatelaine strawberries and grapes on all the remaining land.』

▶Information was obtained from the agent.◀

[The residents of the Chattren Territory, whose land size was reduced, turned all the land they had planted to other crops into Chattren Strawberry Fields and Chattren Vineyards. ]

“What. I was expecting this.”

In the past, when the authority over the land was taken, the Shatrene side did not give in to their wishes. So this time, we looked at the level of land ownership… but it wasn’t much different. They are only focusing on producing strawberries and grapes consistently.

So, a window like this pops up.

▶From now on, crop management becomes possible.◀

▶When you enter the field, a UI will appear, and if you have management rights, you can plant crops.◀

▶Please specify which crops to plant for each map.◀

From the point when crop management becomes possible in your territory, you can directly plant and change the crops you want.

This means that direct interference has become possible, and if there is a negative impact, it will cause my grades to drop.

From now on, we must resolve the problems that arise in Chatren one by one.

For example, what residents will soon experience is a second food shortage. Because they recklessly expanded their strawberry fields and vineyards, they purchase grain with the subsidies they received from Duke Vagrand, but in the process, they pass by a place with a trap.

Those traps are traps of hordes of thieves and hordes of demonic beasts that are spread all over Chatelaine. As a result, there is a partial loss of grain, resulting in food shortage.

There were so many of these that I couldn’t even get rid of them. It was the same in games, and it was the same when solving problems with my own hands.

“So, at this time, you can secure a certain level of intimacy by planting crops.”

In other words, the task today was to go to a field that could be managed and order the residents to grow agricultural products to be eaten in the Chatelaine estate.

but. There is something that bothers me.

“A sub-episode in which Dyke is accepted as an agent. The main episode progresses only when all agents are hired. Field UI, report card window… everything else is running fine…? But, why isn’t it showing up?”

The window that hasn’t opened yet.

It’s not that it’s that useful, but it was quite annoying that there wasn’t a window that I saw every time.

…Should I wait a little longer?

-smart.

“Carsein! People came to visit!”

▶Residents from manageable territories came to visit.◀

I came to my senses when I heard Ferdi’s voice and then a system message pop up.

this. I overslept.

At this time, the residents of the territory I need to manage come to visit. Because I came to ask what should be planted in the estate.

I guess I’ll have to settle this first.

“I’ll be out soon.”

***

Several days have passed.

This season, chatelaine strawberries will soon be harvested in other fields.

Since we had entered the peak season, Dyke had no doubt that chatelaine strawberries would be available by now.

The sound of the footsteps of my colleagues coming closer as they entered the business office to purchase chatelaine strawberries and chatelaine grapes.

Dyke instinctively stood up and desperately looked forward to it.

-gulp.

‘please. please…!’

I gulped and hoped that this time they would have strawberries in their hands.

“Look at that!”

“You’re holding something in your hand?!”

“It’s a strawberry. Chatelaine strawberries!!”

When the seal is revealed.

My colleague had a strawberry in his hand. The purchase was successful.

‘at las!’

Finally, my sister’s illness can be cured.

Dyke, who had stayed in this Chatelaine for a long time, had no doubt that his turn had come.

however…

Dyke’s complexion hardened as soon as he saw the strawberry.

“Uh… wait a minute. Isn’t it a bit small?”

“If it is small, what? Where did you get it?”

“Okay. First of all, I have to give it to the Dyke guys first! Now, take it!”

“Your sister, I can finally fix it!”

no. These were low-grade strawberries.

It cannot be used as medicine for Helqueta I disease.

“…frict.”

“Huh?”

“You were the one who waited the longest after me in this territory, right?”

“Yes, but… why?”

Dyke held out a strawberry in front of Freakt.

“Hey. What’s wrong?”

“…I can’t use this. Helqueta I bottle… Even if you can’t do it, you need strawberries of grade D or higher.”

“What? How could that…!”

“You write it. I heard that someone in my family is showing early symptoms. If that’s the case, even this E-grade will be effective.”

Dyke handed the strawberry to Frikt and turned around helplessly.

“Hey, Dyke! Try this at least.”

“Yes! You never know!”

“This is the money we all saved by saving…! You will have the most money!”

“If it doesn’t work out. They said there were still strawberries to be harvested two days later. I don’t know the grade of those strawberries, but…! You never know if you use more than one. Isn’t that right?”

Still, Dyke shakes his head.

Knowing full well that this wouldn’t work, it was best to give these strawberries to someone who needed them.

And as of today, another letter arrived.

We need to make medicine urgently.

It was a letter saying that strawberries of a higher grade than before were needed.

It’s true that I felt like I didn’t know, but if that’s true, I might need D+ grade strawberries.

But I heard the price has gone up.

The price of strawberries, which was expected to fall, has risen again.

‘Fuck…! How did you get that money! The guards barely saved every single penny!! Well, that’s barely E-grade…!’

Despair has come to Dyke.

Do I really have to lose my younger brother like this?

at that time. Suddenly, a man’s voice passed by.

-I’ll give you a few days. You can check with your own eyes whether the price is rising or not. but. If you change your mind, come to the location listed there at any time.

“…”

Come to think of it.

There was nothing wrong with his remarks.

Unlike himself, who had no doubt that the price of strawberries would fall, he was confident that the price of strawberries would rise, and he also said that the time it took to purchase them would decrease. There were traces of detailed statistics in the notebook by drawing tables and graphs. That was also solid evidence consistent with the claim.

The fact that we were able to get the results of this case accurately through that much research…

-gulp.

okay. Maybe, just maybe, there is a way.

Karssein Bagland.

I had to go see him.