The Viscountess is Clever [Romance/Kingdom Building]

“We have successfully finished the primary foundations. Currently, the local volunteers are evaluating the exact numbers of chickens to be transferred into the completed units,” Gino, the head local builder, reported as they walked through the rough dirt clearing near the chapel where the construction was underway.

“I see,” Francesca replied, walking steadily beside him with the support of her cane, while Stella kept pace right on her other side. “What about the ongoing disputes regarding compensation for the different breeds of poultry? What are the current operational plans for handling that?”

“The local church is handling those negotiations completely... exactly as you suggested, your Ladyship. We decided it was best to minimize our overall reliance on the territory's administration,” Gino replied with a nod.

“Hmm... I see. At this steady pace, we should be able to start operating the community coop in just a few weeks' time, correct?” Francesca asked, her eyes scanning the busy construction workers.

“That is definitely the hope,” Gino nodded with a warm smile. “We already have a solid initial chicken count and several units are completely built. It is truly only a matter of time now.”

Francesca offered a satisfied nod and began returning toward their waiting carriage, climbing up inside with Stella’s careful assistance.

The moment the carriage doors closed and the wheels started to rattle against the road, a deep, heavy sigh escaped Francesca's lips. She pressed her hands against her forehead, closing her eyes.

“You should really try to relax a bit, your Ladyship... I am sure everything will turn out alright, even if the current times feel a bit chaotic right now...” Stella reassured her softly, looking at her with genuine concern.

“Thanks, Stella...” Francesca forced a faint smile, turning her gaze out the frosty window.

I completely overestimated my own ability to handle Father and Ivan. If only I had properly anticipated what is befalling us right now... I constantly told myself that even if the timeline's events have been drastically changing because of my choices, I still maintained the advantage.

“I could have prevented all of this...” Francesca mumbled out loud, still staring blankly outside.

Stella raised an eyebrow in confusion at the sudden statement. “What exactly are you talking about, my Lady? I don’t think there is a single thing that you could have possibly done to stop a sudden—”

Before she could even finish her thought, Francesca sharply cut her off.

“You see, Stella, I know my father and my brother inside and out. Of course I could have prevented them,” Francesca replied with sudden, confidence. “I have known that my brother never does a single thing in his life without a personal incentive. I should have easily seen this trap coming from a mile away...”

“W-what exactly are you talking about, your Ladyship? I can completely understand that you are stressed because of the restrictive mutual trade policy being discussed in the neighboring territories, but...” As Stella was speaking, Francesca interjected once again.

“That’s not it at all. The mutual trade economic trap isn't Ivan's doing. That is a macro-economic strategy my father planned out months ago, maybe even a year ago, even before he ever decided to marry me off to Miller. Ivan was deployed here strictly to execute it... But the murder of the squire in our dungeons? That... that is entirely Ivan.” She finished the statement with a long, tired sigh.

“What?! Are you saying it wasn’t the vassal, Lord Jeckson Libert, who did it?” Stella asked, completely taken aback. “I get that he doesn’t seem to have a logical motive, but just going off that alone to declare him completely innocent is a bit...”

Stella hesitated as Francesca quietly countered, “Lord Libert was actually a secret mole set up undercover by Kenny and Miller. He is our inside man within the council.”

Tak... tak...

A heavy silence instantly fell over the carriage, broken only by the continuous rattling of the wheels against the stone road.

Stella processed the shocking revelation for a few minutes before asking quietly, “If... if that is truly the case, then why would Lord Ivan stage a horrific murder like this? Just to damage the Ironwood Viscounty’s public reputation regarding noble safety? To earn a few good points with your father? Is that really a big enough personal incentive for him?”

Letting out a dry chuckle, Francesca shook her head, turning around to look Stella dead in the eyes.

“I have a very good idea of exactly what his true incentive could be... I know it clearly now. He will certainly come forward to negotiate for dropping the criminal charges against us very soon.”

Francesca's gaze drifted back to the window as the final pieces of the puzzle locked perfectly into place.

His lifelong, grand dream of building the ultimate artifact library won’t ever be complete without high-grade magical artifacts after all... Ivan wasn't after the council, and he wasn't after the viscounty. He was hunting the Azure Tear right from the very start…

The Castle Dungeons, Ironwood Viscounty

“I... I am so deeply sorry, Jeckson... I never intended for things to turn out this way,” Miller apologized quietly, sitting on a wooden stool directly opposite the iron bars of the secure cell.

From inside the cell, Jeckson shook his head in agitation, gripping the cold iron tightly. “You have nothing to apologize for, my Lord! It was entirely my own fault. I was far too careless during that scuffle in the hall, allowing either Ivan or his knight to slip the murder weapon straight into my uniform!”

“No...! This failure rests entirely on me!” Miller countered heavily, standing up to his full height and looking his loyal subordinate dead in the eye. “A year ago, you explicitly asked me to protect those vulnerable orphan children who were about to be sold into slavery... and yet, I didn’t even take care of them properly. I let my own family, Aunt Maria, use their sanctuary to embezzling funds right under my nose.”

His voice dropped, filled with a raw, agonizing guilt. “I couldn’t even keep my basic promise to ensure the safety of that little girl you risked everything to save! I truly do not deserve your understanding right now. This is a massive sin I have to repent for!”

A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the dark subterranean cell as a small, freezing draft blew in through the high, barred window, rustling the straw on the floor.

Jeckson finally broke the quiet, his expression softening as he looked at his commander. “But... what about the present, my Lord? The news of my sudden arrest for murder should have spread into the town by now. Can you at least personally reassure her that everything will ultimately be fine?”

He held onto the iron bars, a small, genuine smile forming on his face. “I think... knowing she is safe should be more than enough for me for now, my Lord.”

Miller tightly clenched his fists at his sides, his red eyes burning with determination. “Yes... I will handle that immediately. And not just that, Jeckson-I swear to you on my title, I will find a way to get you out of this cell cleanly!”

Turning around to head back up the stone steps, Miller fiercely mumbled to himself under his breath, “Just you see... I will tear this plot apart.”

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