Top Tier Perversion: Dual Cultivate Secretly

Next morning.

Train station, the Capital.

The workers, the station masters, the merchants... all sat on chairs and the platform, staring at the unmoving trains filled with cargo.

-

-

-

In a bakery that was eight hours by train from the Capital.

A baker sat outside his shop, staring in the distance with a cigarette in his mouth.

A customer with an empty basket walked toward his shop and noticed the closed sign immediately.

Frowning, he asked, "Everything’s sold out here as well?"

The baker glanced at him.

Pulling the cigarette away, he exhaled a decent amount of smoke.

"Sold? I haven’t baked a single loaf of bread since this morning."

"No flour?"

"No."

The baker and the customer both sighed.

-

-

-

Inside a foundry.

A sizzling sound resounded throughout followed by a strong ashy smell as the furnaces were extinguished.

Workers dusted their hands and put on their hats, staring at each other.

"Since there’s no work for a while, whatcha got in yer mind?" A middle-aged worker asked his colleague.

The colleague with gray sideburns stared at the extinguished furnace.

"I’m going back to my village."

The middle-aged worker smiled.

"Back to farming, eh?"

The man did not comment and kept staring at the furnace, as if it represented his future.

-

-

-

At a station, a freight train full of coal arrived.

A fat merchant stared at a small crowd of men in suits before him.

"The goods have arrived but I’m afraid we need to revise the prices."

"We’ve already paid. You need to uphold the sanctity of the trade."

The crowd burst into complaints.

The merchant shook his head.

"My apologies but this might possibly be the only train bringing coal in a while. Prices throughout the kingdom have gone up. I am helpless."

"If you wish for a refund, I’ll do it immediately and even reimburse you with a little interest as a token of apology."

The crowd fell silent.

A man in brown suit among them knitted his brows.

He was about to argue on this but stopped himself.

If the merchant was going as far as paying interest and taking a major loss... then it might not really be a loss to him.

He would make even more profit by selling it to someone else than them.

The man gritted his teeth.

"State your price."

-

-

-

Inside the Royal Palace in the Capital, within the Crown Princess’s study...

A maid wrinkled her nose and breathed through her mouth as she placed a cup of coffee on the desk.

She retreated a few steps while looking at the coffee emitting a burnt aroma.

Agnes put her pen down and held the cup, taking a sip.

The maid watched her reaction.

She put the cup down and picked the pen again, continuing to write.

The lack of reaction made the maid lower her eyes on the cup.

There was a dark stain where the princess’s lips touched.

The maid sighed, not understanding how the Crown Princess’s palate worked.

After a while, Agnes signed at the bottom of the paper and picked the ink stamp nearby.

Thump!

She stamped on her signature.

She picked the paper to give it a final read.

It was titled: "Provincial Logistics Assessment" — the essence of which was to have every provincial commander submit a logistics report within the next two days.

Agnes put the paper behind her and grabbed her coffee.

"Grissell..."

A word was enough to make the maid move.

She grabbed the paper and left.

No bowing, no speech, just execution and efficiency.

Agnes took another sip and reached for the pile labeled "Emergency Provincial Inventory Order"

She had issued this emergency order right after the court session, requiring every provincial governor to report their grain reserves, coal reserves, metal reserves, and medical supplies.

She read through them one after another while continuing to sip on her coffee.

The first report stated the Southern Province only had two weeks worth of coal reserves. Not a single train carrying coal arrived from afternoon till night.

This was expected. D’Arc would only trade with a handful of houses and none lay within the Southern Province.

Their monopoly over rail lines ensured not a single train would move without permission.

Majority of merchants affiliated with disputed noble houses along with the nobles themselves had to move cargo via roads.

Regarding grain, metal, and medical supplies, this province had less than a month’s reserve.

The second and third report stated something similar, but the fourth report was optimistic due to the presence of House Hall and Blaise Viscounty in the province.

All in all, these reports gave a clear conclusion of what was happening.

Agnes noted it down on a blank paper and continued with another stack.

"Multiple carriages were seen outside Duke Brunelle’s estate..."

Agnes wrote a line about this, but then stopped and pondered over the matter.

’A few days ago, the Royal Hounds were wiped out and thrown on the streets for everyone to see. Coupled with yesterday’s court session, many would think His Majesty’s authority is diminishing.’

She picked her cup of coffee and took a sip.

’This might result in many of them developing ambitions beyond their capabilities, but...’

She put the cup down.

’...it’s not something I need to concern myself with. His Majesty is surely aware of it and knows what has to be done.’

Agnes crossed the line she wrote and put the report in the lowest priority pile.

She read a few more reports and one of them grabbed her attention.

It was about a few civilians witnessing the Royal Hounds mysteriously getting their necks severed.

"Insufficient information."

She muttered but still placed the report in the highest priority pile.

She went through some more.

Trade.

Coal.

Railways.

Wedding invites.

Tax frauds.

Food.

Industry.

Bandit sightings.

Aldorp’s invasion.

Military logistics.

The reports were sorted into multiple piles depending on their priorities.

Wedding invites were formalities and not a priority.

Tax frauds, bandit sightings, and Aldorp’s invasion was low priority as it was the matter of the governors or the military or the King.

Her job was to ensure order was intact and the systems kept running, not solve every single problem.

As she finished her coffee and went through the pile of highest priority once again, her maid came back and stood behind her, awaiting further instructions.

From these reports, every issue was pointing towards one thing — transport.

Cargo movement was slow everywhere and reserves weren’t being replenished fast enough, resulting in losses.

If this continued, instability and chaos was inevitable.

’Yesterday, the Countess did not say a single word. I agree that the houses acted selfishly and D’Arc was wronged, but... neither the court nor them made any decisions for the interests of the kingdom.’

Agnes wrote a few things in rough on the blank paper.

’Regardless, House D’Arc can afford to have these choices.’

She wrote a few more things.

’They do not need the kingdom. The kingdom needs them.’

’The bigger question is... with resentment at an all time high, why will they help anyone?’

Agnes did not write new words. Instead, her gaze glossed over the lines already written.

Her pen stopped at the first line she wrote.

’The Countess did not speak. Maybe if I talk to her...’

Agnes pondered deeply over this matter.

The Countess liked competence. She was fair in her judgment and made life difficult for only those who actively sought trouble with her.

’Can I resolve the transportation issue without her?’

Agnes wrote a few lines.

She stared at them for a minute, then stood up and began tying her hair in a neat bun.

"Grissell, prepare the carriage."

...

D’Arc Manor.

It was a few hours after dawn when Vincent woke up.

For five minutes, he just lay in bed, reflecting over everything that happened yesterday followed by mustering a bit of courage to face the awkwardness that was to come.

’She did say nothing would happen, but is that really the case?’

Only after getting out of bed could he find out.

’Get your shit together, dawg.’

Vincent lightly patted his face and got up.

Immediately after,

"Good morning, young master."

Anastasia’s melodic voice reached his ear.

He turned to the side.

She was in her maid uniform standing with a wooden cart and staring at him.

"Good morning."

Vincent’s voice was slightly hoarse.

"The bath is prepared and breakfast is ready. Which would you like to have first?"

Her voice contained absolute professionalism and the interaction felt normal.

This made him wonder, ’Was it all a dream?’

Vincent stared at her.

Anastasia stared back.

"..."

"..."

After a few seconds.

"Young master, the Crown Princess is about to visit the manor. Madam has asked you to be prepared for the meeting."

Anastasia suddenly said.

"..."

"...what?"

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