Chapter 96

Since no one was in the mood to enjoy a leisurely meal, a grand council was called immediately. The envoy from Fecernon entered the meeting room and explained the details of the situation.

“This happened so suddenly that everyone is feeling bewildered. The lord himself is out there shoveling mud. Given the geography, the water will drain away with time, but this year’s crops are completely ruined and the people are out on the streets.”

The envoy, who said he had lost his own home in the flood, looked desperate.

The people in the meeting room raised their voices with grave expressions. Fecernon’s side wanted help, and the others agreed that help should be given.

The problem was who would be in charge.

“So, what’s wrong with the idea that if you make specific requests, the lords can send aid according to their means? Of course Fecernon should take the lead. How are we supposed to know the exact situation over there?”

“The Lord of Fecernon is out there shoveling mud himself, isn’t he? So maybe Lord Hilbrin could…”

It seemed Hilbrin believed Fecernon should handle the relief efforts themselves, while Rex, who was well-liked, wanted Hilbrin to take charge. The envoy from Fecernon looked like he didn’t care who won as long as the fight ended quickly.

As Nerys listened, Hilbrin sharply questioned her.

“I’d like your opinion. Advisor, what do you think we should do?”

All eyes in the room turned to Nerys. Especially the lords under Maindulante, who had never worked with Nerys, wore icy expressions.

Some seemed to hope she’d blush with embarrassment. In that atmosphere, Nerys smiled.

She wore a black veil that covered only up to her eyes, so that smile was visible to everyone. Hilbrin, flushed with anger, spoke.

“Do you find this situation amusing?”

“You’re the one who’s amusing.”

Nerys deliberately spoke down to him. Hilbrin shot up from his seat.

“That’s rude!”

“I’ve been listening, and it seems you’re only interested in pushing responsibility onto the victims, who are already in chaos. If a lord is busy dodging responsibility, who will help you if something happens in your own land?”

The envoy from Fecernon nearly nodded enthusiastically, but stopped himself after noticing the others’ gazes. Nerys then turned her attention to Rex.

“If you force a hot-tempered authoritarian into a leadership position, what will you do when things get worse in a crisis like this? Right now, while people are suffering, those in power should be even more careful about who’s put in charge.”

Rex blinked. He glanced around the room and cleared his throat before speaking.

“But at the moment, there isn’t anyone else suitable to take responsibility.”

“I see. Everyone’s busy with their own work.”

“So it’s all just talk, then?”

Still annoyed, Hilbrin cut in abruptly. Though he sat back down, he looked ready to leave at any moment.

“That’s rude.”

This time, Karl frowned. Usually liked by everyone, he looked openly displeased, chilling the room’s mood.

He probably just couldn’t stand seeing his boss unfairly criticized, but that sparked things off. Hilbrin wasn’t the type to tolerate even a lower official talking back to him.

He shouted, unable to hold back.

“If you think so, why don’t you do it yourself! Since I’m hot-tempered and busy dodging responsibility, why don’t you take charge, Advisor! You southerners just don’t understand how serious this is!”

The mood in the meeting room stiffened with discomfort.

Now, everyone wondered what the new advisor would do. The administrators were displeased by Hilbrin’s open hostility to Nerys, whom they liked, while the lords under him felt somewhat satisfied.

Yes, how dare some administrator order around the descendant of a great ducal house? If she’s so capable, let her do it herself!

No one wanted to take on disaster relief with so many lives at stake and little chance of being praised even if things went well, especially in a strange new land.

It would require massive resources and constant reports—would the local lords even cooperate fully with a southern advisor?

So everyone assumed she would refuse, but the words that came from her small lips were unexpected.

“I agree. If your heads are frozen stiff from the northern wind, I’ll take charge myself and go dig with a shovel if I have to.”

The council fell silent.

You couldn’t have heard a pin drop. The young ‘advisor,’ just eighteen, who had never even made eye contact with most people here, had stunned them with her sharp words.

Her flawless aristocratic accent, which would normally make her seem even more out of place, instead cut through the air like a blade of ice.

Hilbrin rolled his eyes arrogantly, but no longer seemed to underestimate Nerys as much as before. He didn’t even realize he’d changed his attitude.

Nor did anyone else in the room.

At the very least, she had guts.

But in truth… it wasn’t just guts.

Leaning comfortably against her chair, Nerys had instantly become the master of the room. It was clear now that what happened at the last meeting wasn’t just luck.

With the others so openly hostile, Nerys had no choice. She spoke not only to Hilbrin, but to everyone.

“The situation is urgent, and it seems you’re more interested in avoiding responsibility than easing the people’s suffering, so it’s only right for the ducal castle to take charge this time. Since you asked my opinion. Does Fecernon’s side have anything more to say?”

“No, nothing.”

The envoy from Fecernon replied with a face that looked grateful simply to have things decided quickly.

A little later, the lords smiled with satisfaction, while the administrators wore strange expressions.

However, since no one could offer a clearer solution than Nerys had, the matter was settled as she proposed.

❖ ❖ ❖

As Nerys sat at her desk, Dora rolled her eyes and asked, “Why did you agree to take on this job? The Fecernon region is nothing but trouble. It’s far away, and the newly appointed lord has poor relations with the neighboring lords. No matter how well we do here, something is bound to go wrong along the way.”

“Newly appointed? When did that happen?”

“Just before His Grace the Duke’s ascension.”

Nerys thought she understood why Ellen—and perhaps Cledwyn—had assigned Dora to her.

Dora was quick to grasp the situation and understood both the land and its people well. Above all, she was swift with news.

“That explains it.”

Knock, knock. There was a loud knock at the door.

“Come in.”

Soon, Karl Sidney and Hughin entered. Hughin brought only a single rolled sheet of paper, while Karl carried a thick stack of documents.

“These are the current statistics on the flood damage and records of previous relief efforts,” Karl said with a bright smile. Hughin set the large sheet he brought onto Nerys’s desk.

When unfolded, it turned out to be a map.

“This isn’t for me to look at—it’s for you, Advisor.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Without hesitation, Hughin pointed to a region in the northwest of Maindulante, quite far from Penmewick, at the confluence of a wide river and the sea.

“This is about where Fecernon is. Have you ever been in charge of flood relief?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Tsk. Hughin clicked his tongue loudly enough for everyone to hear. Karl looked aghast.

“Sir Hughin, that’s rude!”

Dora’s expression turned menacing. But Nerys simply smiled calmly.

“That’s why you’re all here, isn’t it? Let’s start with an explanation.”

“I—I’ll explain,” Karl stammered, nervously rifling through his documents, as if afraid Hughin would say something even more inappropriate. He pulled out a few sheets and handed them to Nerys.

“A flood of this scale, like this recent tidal wave, is practically unprecedented. Fecernon does get typhoons every summer, but they’re usually well-prepared, so the western region has always managed on its own.”

“I see.”

It meant there had been little or no discussion of relief at the ducal level before. That explained why everyone in the council room was so eager not to be in charge.

The documents Karl offered were, indeed, of little help. As expected, before Cledwyn’s ascension, the central authority’s involvement in the west amounted to little more than sending money.

Karl smiled awkwardly. “There aren’t really any guidelines… but if we do well this time, won’t His Grace’s reputation reach even that far?”

“Yes, you’re right. First, Karl, let me have all the documents you brought.”

“If you need anything, I can pull it out for you.”

“I need to review everything that’s here. Is there nothing else related to this?”

“No, Advisor.”

“All right. Thank you.”

Karl obeyed and set all the documents on top of Hughin’s map. Nerys skimmed through them rapidly, then let out a light laugh.

Even through the veil, those close by could easily see her expression. Karl looked puzzled, while Hughin spoke coldly.

“Making such a big decision while His Grace is away—whatever criticism you receive when he returns, it’s not on us. Don’t overstep.”

Dora, already displeased with Hughin’s rudeness, scowled. Nerys raised her eyebrows slightly.

Through the loosely woven silk veil, her well-shaped Jeweled Eyes were visible. Though the room’s lighting and the shadow of the veil made the color hard to see, something in Nerys’s gaze made Hughin fall silent.

‘A little.’

It almost looked as if her eyes sparkled differently than most. For a moment, the thought crossed his mind, though it was impossible—she wasn’t royalty.

Nerys asked Karl, “When there’s a flood, there’s usually no clean water left in the area. Are they getting safe drinking water?”

Karl looked uncertain. “Isn’t water the one thing Fecernon has enough of right now?”

“If the lord has to go out and shovel mud himself, there’s probably still a lot of water in the villages. Since it was a major tidal wave, seawater might have flowed upstream, and Fecernon could be turning into a giant, rotting swamp right now.”

Nerys spoke from experience.

Her claim that she had never managed flood relief applied only to this life. In her previous life as crown princess, she had once been responsible for sending humanitarian aid after a southern nation in the empire suffered severe typhoon damage.

At that time, she’d known nothing. Bistor was a vast continent, and Nerys had lived only inland; it was hard to even imagine what life was like for people scattered across hundreds of islands.

She’d had much to learn, but good teachers had been by her side. She spent many days and nights learning as much as she could.

For example, that wells in areas hit by tidal waves might be contaminated by sewage, so they had to be handled with care. Or that waterborne diseases were a major risk, and oil-soaked gloves were needed to avoid touching floodwater directly.

Thanks to that, she’d managed to send the right support, and the royal family of that country had come to regard Nerys favorably, later doing favors for Bistor in diplomatic meetings.

Looking back, all the benefits had gone to Abelus in the end.

Nerys finished seriously, “This isn’t something we can decide among ourselves. We should bring the envoy as soon as possible and discuss the details. They might have a more specific plan. We also need to find out how the flood victims are being housed.”

“Yes!”

Hughin looked like he wanted to say something more, but Karl quickly left the office to call an attendant, leaving him no chance.

Nerys skimmed through Karl’s documents again and smiled once more.