Part 3: A New Oath Between the Moon and Stars I

Prologue: Ludwig...Soars!

After three days of rest and recuperation at the Greenmoons’ villa, Mia promptly took her leave of Ganudos Port Country. Though it seemed unlikely that Ganudos would make an overt attempt on her life, the principle of better safe than sorry still urged her to make a hasty exit.

“Aaah... Is it just me, or did the weather decide to get hot just as we’re about to leave the coast?”

Oddly, the day of their departure happened to be the one exceedingly hot day in a summer that had mostly been cool. Stuck in her poorly-ventilated carriage with only Ludwig and Anne—Sion and Abel had left early for their respective kingdoms—she languished in sweaty lethargy.

Ugh, it’s so hot... And we were literally just at a summer retreat that can beat the heat. I almost wish we could have spent another two or three days relaxing there... That reminds me, didn’t Chloe say something about how the northern nations are cool even in the summer? Hm...

In a heat-fueled half-stupor, she idly murmured, “Aaah... I want to go north...”

That immediately put a ruminative frown on Ludwig’s face. Following a span of contemplative silence, he nodded in comprehension and said, “I see... So that’s it... Brilliant.”

“...Eh?”

She managed to turn her head enough to give him a baffled look. He smiled reassuringly back at her.

“If the first emperor’s conspiracy is true...then it’s the older, more powerful houses that are most suspect. The longer the noble lineage, the less trustworthy they are. Conversely, newer noble families, the outcounts for example, are both more trusty and easier to persuade. I believe I’m correct in my understanding so far?”

The Tearmoon Empire had started with an initial cluster of noble domains surrounding Lunatear and had progressively expanded its borders northward and southward. An inevitable consequence of this growth was the existence of newly acquired land, which was referred to as the outlands. Since Outcount Rudolvon was in the south, they should look to the north for their next potential ally...

So explained Ludwig to confirm with her.

“Have I misconstrued any of your reasoning?”

Yes... Yes, he had. All of it, in fact, from the very first word to the very last.

“...N-No, that’s uh...pretty much what I was thinking. Good for you. You figured it out. I trusted you would, Ludwig.”

Wave rider Mia, however, wasn’t about to point that out. No matter how small the wave, she’d flop over and let it push her along. She’d finally mastered the ultimate technique—the back float. With this in her arsenal, it no longer mattered what kind of wave was coming, because she was impervious to drowning! So long as someone else took the lead, all she had to do was to go with the flow!

“In that case, I believe it’s best to bring along with us someone who is expert in these matters... Factoring in the correspondence time, could I have...about three days to prepare?”

“Certainly. I see no problem with that.”

So it was decided that Mia’s company would take an important detour.

“I must respectfully mention, Your Highness, that I would prefer to have advance notice before needing to make such arrangements.”

Within the capital of Gildan Outland County, which lay to the north of the empire, Balthazar sat in an inn, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. Three days, in fact. Ludwig, whose estimate had been spot on, simply looked his friend in the eye and said, “Get used to it.”

After mercilessly snuffing out Balthazar’s hopes for a less anxiety-ridden future, Ludwig promptly got down to business.

“So, let’s hear it. What do we need to know about beforehand?”

“Outcount Eerikki Gildan. Twenty-eight years old. He inherited the domain from his father and is trying to breathe some new life into it. Like most of his peers, he’s been indoctrinated into anti-agriculturalism by the central nobility.” After scratching his head, Balthazar added, “Apparently, he wants to use his farmland to build amphitheaters and playhouses and such. He’s thinking of throwing up a bunch of amusement facilities and turning his domain into a vacation spot for nobles. I’ve come here a few times trying to talk him out of it, but I don’t think I’m making much headway.”

That got Mia’s attention.

“Really now...”

This place is on the cooler side. It’s actually pretty good for a summer retreat. There’s no sea nearby, but it’s still a lot more comfortable than Lunatear. I like how this guy thinks...

The way Mia saw it, if there was a place where she could be safe from the heat while enjoying all sorts of entertainment, then she would be more than willing to spend her whole summer there.

“So he’s trying to sustain the local economy by turning the domain into a tourist resort. For a place without deposits of natural resources such as ores, it’s arguably the correct course of action, but...” Contemplative creases appeared across Ludwig’s brow for a few seconds before he shook his head. “In any case, let’s meet the man first and see what he has to say.”

Upon arriving, Mia was led into the reception room of Outcount Gildan’s manor. Some time later, Eerikki Gildan appeared. Mia studied him.

Hm, first impression isn’t bad. Nothing about him is particularly grating...

He didn’t flaunt his wealth through overadornment like the nouveau riche were wont to do, nor did he wear the alien garb of pagan tribes. Rather, his appearance was so utterly normal that it bordered on boring.

Of course, this should hardly come as a surprise. Though the region still bore the outland name, it had been incorporated into the empire before Mia had been born. It would be ridiculous to expect the people here to still be running around in furs and pelts.

I suppose the connotations of the word “outland” make you expect certain things...

“Your Highness, it is an honor to be graced by your presence. I am Eerikki Gildan, and I have had the privilege of governing this land as an Outland Count of the empire.”

“I’m pleased to meet you, Outcount Gildan. Thank you for receiving us on such short notice.”

Mia put on her best princess smile and curtsied.

“It is our rightful duty as vassals to comply with Your Highness’s requests, as well as our greatest honor. We Gildans are glad to serve. But I must ask... How exactly may I be of service?” asked the outcount in a puzzled tone.

“I heard you’re thinking of reducing your farmland to make space for all sorts of new facilities,” said Mia, cutting straight to the point. “I’m here to inquire about that.”

“Ah...” Gildan stole a glance at the figure of Balthazar standing behind Mia and smiled in comprehension. “I thought it might be related to that.”

He straightened, held his hands together before him, and looked directly at Mia.

“I am unsure if Your Highness is already aware, but due to my domain resting along the northern edge of the empire, the climate here is cold, making it difficult to grow crops. Therefore I’m planning to repurpose all the unusable farmland and build vacation villas there, at least use the land to establish some new industries. I’m currently in the process of persuading the local residents.”

Hmm... I’d say it’s about half truth and half pretext.

Mia calmly analyzed his answer. The part about it being difficult to grow crops was likely true. Chances are, he honestly didn’t think the land here was suitable for farming. However, the influence of anti-agriculturalist beliefs from other nobles probably played a larger part in his reasoning.

“Mmm. I understand your intention. But I must say, shouldn’t you preserve such a unique trait of your domain? You’ve been gifted so much farmland. It seems a waste not to use it.”

Her suggestion drew a chilly response.

“What an odd thought. What use is having vast swathes of farmland when it’s worthless in the eyes of the empire?”

And there it is. I was expecting it to rear its ugly head. Ugh...

She resisted the urge to hold her head in frustration. The seeds of anti-agriculturalism had sprouted throughout the empire, and the sheer tenacity of their roots was astonishing. This was not going to be an easy problem to solve. Nevertheless, she plowed on.

“A fair point. But worth can be a fickle thing. How much are large, extravagant buildings worth if no one gathers inside them? Certainly not any more than the dirt of the farmlands sacrificed to build them. Even if you put up all these big stone structures like amphitheatres and playhouses, are you sure people would come? If they don’t, you’ll have ruined all your farmland and lost your agricultural productivity with nothing to show for it but a bunch of useless piles of rocks. That would be a tragedy I do not wish to witness.”

She could tell that Gildan had not begun this project on a whim. He’d done his research and possessed proper knowledge about how to attract people to his domain and make them spend money. However, his idea was nothing new. There were plenty of other people doing similar things. Even if he spent a fortune building a tourist spot out here at the northern extreme of the empire, would people show up? Come all the way to what was basically the middle of nowhere just to see some sights? That was the line of logic Mia had employed to try to shake him up a little.

Granted, it was somewhat of a devil’s-advocate approach, because if there existed a place that could beat the heat and offered amphitheaters and playhouses, you can bet Mia would be making a beeline there every summer.

A nice, cool place with lots of fun things to do? That sounds marvelous! If I can find some ice candies there as well, then it’d literally be the best place on earth!

Despite her own burning desire to lounge in Gildan’s planned resort, she forced herself to take the opposite side in this debate. Like a true leader, she valiantly sacrificed her personal feelings for the greater good.

“Therefore, if you’d like to develop your domain into a resort and make it more attractive to tourists, I’d prefer for you to do so while maintaining your current level of agriculture.”

“...And how exactly would I go about doing that?” he asked, the look in his eyes adding an implicit all right, if you’re so smart, let’s hear your plan.

“Good question. Let’s see... For example...”

A vision of Saint-Noel’s garden suddenly flashed through Mia’s mind. The flowers there, all grown under Rafina’s meticulous care, were a wonder to behold. It occurred to her that when it came to activities involving soil, Tearmoon nobility was a little hypocritical... If she could convince Gildan to plant fields of flowers, it would at least preserve the land’s potential for agriculture.

Ultimately, Mia’s goal was to stall for time. She just needed to keep the land farmable until the famine struck next year. Once people got a taste of that, they’d stop tripping over themselves to reduce their farmland. With that in mind, she proposed, “How about planting some flowers?”

“...Huh? Flowers, you say?”

She nodded vigorously at the wide-eyed Gildan, clearly caught off guard by her suggestion.

“Saint-Noel Academy is home to a beautiful garden. It’s absolutely worth a trip there just to see it. I often have to stop myself from pestering everyone I meet telling them about it. What if you created an equally spectacular garden here? One that everyone would want their friends and family to see? That way, you wouldn’t have to ruin the land.”

“But...would that really be enough to draw tourists to the domain?”

“It would depend on the beauty of the flowers you plant, I suppose... I’m reminded that according to the teachings of the Central Orthodoxy Church, the heaven to which we go after our deaths is filled with beautiful flowers as far as the eye can see. If you advertised this domain as a summer retreat for those who wish to experience heaven on earth, I suspect people might be interested.”

Gildan fell into a pensive silence. Then he abruptly looked up at her.

“I’d like to ask one thing, Your Highness. Why are you going to such lengths to preserve the farmland here?”

For a brief moment, Mia struggled for an answer. I can’t possibly just tell him I know a famine is coming so I don’t want to lose any farmland...

While she’d previously confided her premonition to people like Ludwig, Outcount Gildan was another matter. He couldn’t be expected to believe such an outlandish claim. That left her with only one option. Wrangling the muscles of her face into the most arrogant smile she could muster, she declared, “Because I want a garden as beautiful as Miss Rafina’s, of course! What other reason do I need?”

She played the “selfish princess” card! Being the first thing to come to mind whenever most people thought of her, the card remained effective.

Hah, muscling a demand like this through is a piece of cake. When the princess wants something, the princess gets it! Bow before the power of her title!

Gildan watched as Mia puffed out her chest at him in haughty confidence.

“...I see.”

He nodded with the slow rhythm of a man who’d just gained new insight.

Mia had made just one miscalculation, and it was her assumption that the man before her, Gildan, was just another garden-variety noble. He was actually an incredibly capable person. Having ravenously sought out information regarding Mia, he’d already learned that there were some who referred to her as the Great Sage of the Empire.

So he read between every last line. Armed with foreknowledge of her epithet, he arrived at the meeting ready to match wits with a honed mind and converse in the careful, predictive approach of opponents across a chess board. He chewed over her every word, trying to pick through layer upon layer of superficial connotations to perceive the true meaning hidden within. He dug deeper and deeper until he struck gold. Or hit rock bottom. But at least he believed he’d struck gold.

I see. I heard that Princess Mia is very benevolent toward us outland nobles. After learning about the miserable state of my domain, she’s come to urge me to find a solution that minimizes the burden on my people...

Gildan had, as a matter of fact, been working his rear end off to keep things running. Despite his efforts, there were still farmers who held him in contempt, and the slightest misstep could irreversibly shake their faith in him. Furthermore, the construction cost of massive structures such as amphitheaters was astronomical, and he didn’t have nearly enough money to foot the bill. Consequently, going ahead with the plan would result in enormous debt, effectively pushing his back against the wall, and a paper-thin wall at that, with disaster waiting on the other side if he failed. If I instead went with some sort of project similar to her proposal...the expenditures would be relatively minimal, and I wouldn’t have to borrow money. Moreover...

It would allow him to advertise the project as something Mia commissioned to compete with Rafina. If he could go around billing his resort as “Recommended by Princess Mia,” it would drum up a great deal of interest. The Emperor himself might even pop by. The central nobility would be forced to change their dismissive attitude toward this domain.

Just planting flowers during the summer would indeed minimize the burden on my people. If that’s enough to turn this place into a resort that brings in foreign revenue...

Numbers and equations quickly formed and reformed in his head as his mind whirred with calculations.

Meanwhile, Balthazar, who stood beside Ludwig, had been watching the exchange with increasing astonishment. When it finished, he struggled for a few speechless seconds before speaking in a trembling voice.

“Use the time when they’re not growing wheat...to plant flowers and keep the soil healthy... Is that what she’s suggesting?”

“Hm? What do you mean, Balthazar?” asked Ludwig, puzzled by the comment.

Balthazar, fists clenched like he was trying to get his emotions under control, looked at him with wide, excited eyes.

“I don’t blame you for not knowing. I only recently learned about this myself...but apparently, if you keep planting the same crop in the same place over and over, the soil degrades, and the crops get sick. It’s called monocropping, and it’s a hazardous practice.” He lowered his voice to a whisper before continuing. “I heard that’s why in Perujin Agricultural Country, they always plant two different types of crop on the same patch of land. It prevents that kind of damage from occurring to the soil.”

“What the... Are you serious? How come we’re not promoting this practice in the empire then?”

“Unfortunately, farmers are a conservative lot, and they don’t like tinkering with their farmland. And then there’s our old friend anti-agriculturalism, which robbed all the noble lords of their interest in agricultural reform. God, I hate that stupid belief.”

Balthazar shook his head, bitterly mumbling about how normally, this would be the exact kind of situation where a bit of heavy-handedness from the ruling class could actually do a lot of good.

“But then along comes Her Highness and this genius proposal of hers,” he said, brightening again. “The farmers in this domain have already swallowed the bitter pill of giving up their farmland. They’ve managed to stomach the idea, but you can bet they’re not happy about it. If you tell them you’ve figured out a way for them to keep their land, and all they have to do instead is plant a bunch of flowers during the off-seasons between wheat harvests, they’ll sing your praises for days on end. There’ll be close to zero pushback.”

And what about their lord? Gildan himself shouldn’t oppose the idea either. So long as the proposed “heaven on earth” garden made his domain a sufficiently attractive destination for nobles looking to beat the summer heat, he’d have no reason to complain. Being able to publicize the domain as having Mia’s official seal of approval would only sweeten the deal. At this point, the chances of him continuing to insist on throwing away his farmland were very low.

“Which means all that remains is to find the right flower to simultaneously act as the second crop and lure in all the nobles...” said the nodding Ludwig, who now shared Balthazar’s awe.

“It makes you wonder... Could Her Highness have planned this out in such detail that she even has a certain species of flower in mind already?” said Balthazar in a soft, ruminative tone before dismissing the thought with a grimace. “No. She has shown us the way and even led us to the water. We can’t possibly ask her to help us drink. It’s time to make ourselves useful. Leave the flower selection to me then. I’ll handle it.”

With a sidelong glance, Ludwig studied Balthazar, who was visibly brimming with fresh motivation.

With that said, thought Ludwig, it’s an undeniable fact that these northern lands are unsuited to farming...and yet she still made a point of coming all the way here. I can only assume she’s sending a message to the nobility that farmland is not to be reduced, no exceptions, even if it’s in the bleak north...

In speculating on Mia’s actions and figuring he’d deduced her true intentions, Ludwig had inadvertently set himself up for another jaw-dropping realization down the line when this northern land eventually birthed a breakthrough, and a pair of brilliant researchers from Saint Mia Academy, Arshia and Cyril, succeeded in growing a new, cold-resistant strain of wheat in its harsh soil. Utterly flabbergasted, he’d almost fall over from sheer shock upon learning of this discovery.

“How far...” he’d mutter through the astonishment-induced vertigo, “just how far does she see? Are you telling me...that even this had been a part of her plan all along?”

So would he spread his wings of delusion and soar, flying higher and higher into the limitless sky of his own misconceptions.