Chapter 512: The Restoration of the Earth

The next day, after completing our inspection, we set out for the capital of the domain.
Word of our departure must have spread quickly, for many of the villagers came to see us off. It must have been a busy morning for them, and I felt a bit guilty about that. Still, we all waved back to them in thanks.

A few days later, after passing through several large towns, we finally returned to the capital. Even in towns far from the city, I noticed goods from the Heine Trading Company being sold. From what I heard, they were doing quite well.

If things are going that smoothly, perhaps we could open branches in other towns too. But… that might make things a little too hectic, wouldn’t it? In the future, Alex-niisan will be the one governing this territory, after all, so we might not have enough hands to spare. He’ll need capable right and left hands to assist him. I wonder if there’s anyone like that out there.

“Please look, Oniisan! I can see the mansion!”

“We’re finally home. So, how was the trip for you two?”

“It was fun!”

“There were so many discoveries… and so many things I didn’t know,” Fabienne said, lowering her brows in mild embarrassment.

There’s no need to feel ashamed of that. I didn’t know a lot of things either. I think it was a truly valuable experience for all of us.

“I feel the same way,” I said. “We shouldn’t just stay cooped up in the mansion all the time. It’s good to go out like this once in a while and gain some firsthand experience.”

“You’re right about that.”

“I’d like to go again!”

Good, good—if they’re that enthusiastic, maybe we’ll get another chance to travel. Perhaps it’s time I started exploring this world a little more, instead of always staying indoors.

The mansion gates came into view, and beyond them stood our whole family, waiting to welcome us back.

“How was the inspection?”

“We learned a lot of things. Everything we saw was fascinating.”

Now we were seated in the salon. On the table before us were plates of dried fruits, cookies, and cakes. A lovely fragrance drifted up from the teacups in front of us. Beside me, Rosalia was already devouring her cake—no surprise there. We hadn’t had any during the journey.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Alex-niisan said with a gentle smile.

Maybe he felt bad for letting his little brother do the traveling. But there was no need for that. I knew he’d been busy managing the trading company on his own. When I told him that the Heine Company’s goods were selling well even in distant towns, his face lit up with joy.

“Julius, I’m sorry to ask this so soon after your return,” Father said, “but could you prepare a report of the inspection as soon as possible?”

“I don’t mind, but… Father, did something happen?”

It was unusual for him to ask me directly for a report. Normally, he’d just have Lionel handle it. That must mean it’s urgent—and that he probably suspects I’ve gotten involved in something already. Maybe Lionel’s told him something.

“I’ll explain,” said a familiar voice.

“Sister-in-law Daniella?”

My sister-in-law, Daniella-sama, had a slightly apologetic look on her face, her brows lowered. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem like good news. Could it be something involving another kingdom? A twinge of unease prickled in my chest.

“The truth is, we’ve received a request from the Kingdom of Raven,” she said.

“Don’t tell me… another Bone Dragon has appeared?”

“No, nothing like that. But you know the Kingdom of Raven suffered quite a bit of damage from the Bone Dragon’s rampage, don’t you?”

“Yes, of course.”

Now that she mentioned it, I’d heard rumors that the Bone Dragon had polluted the land itself. Sister-in-law Daniella said the kingdom’s lands were ‘considerably damaged,’ but it might be worse than she let on. They probably couldn’t afford to make the full extent public. The Kingdom of Raven must be in serious trouble.

“It seems they’re now focusing their efforts on restoring the polluted lands,” she continued. “They want to recover their lost national strength as quickly as possible. So, they’ve requested assistance from the Kingdom of Spencer.”

“I see. Responding to their request would strengthen the ties between our kingdoms.”

“Exactly. That’s why the Kingdom of Spencer has decided to accept. And… the Kingdom of Raven specifically asked for you, Julius.”

“Me?”

Why me? I wondered—until I remembered that Princess Sophia of the Raven Kingdom was close friends with Sister-in-law Daniella. That meant she’d likely heard about Fabienne’s development of the universal plant nutrient. They probably wanted my help in restoring the land using that.

I couldn’t refuse. This was both a matter of state and a personal request from my sister-in-law. I had no choice but to accept. The only question was—who would be going to the Raven Kingdom? If it were just me, fine. But if Fabienne came along, it might place too much strain on her.

“Um, that’s fine, but… will I be going alone?”

“No,” Sister-in-law Daniella replied. “Several Royal Court alchemists will accompany you. The Kingdom of Spencer will mainly provide support through potioncraft. It seems word has spread across the continent that our potions are the best.”

“…Is that so.”

When did that happen? There were still far more disgusting-tasting ones than successful ones, but I supposed that meant it would be easier to promote them in the future. Still, with the royal potion masters coming along, things should go smoothly enough. If anything went wrong, I could always blame them—they’d follow my lead anyway.

“Um… would it be all right if I went with Julius-sama?”

“Fabienne?”

“Of course!” Sister-in-law Daniella exclaimed with relief. “I’m so glad—you saved me the trouble of figuring out how to ask you.”

Sister-in-law Daniella’s expression softened visibly. So that was why she’d looked so tense—it wasn’t about me, but about asking Fabienne.

I was happy, of course, but… would this really be all right? The last thing I wanted was to give Fabienne’s parents any reason to worry.