SFBLFD - Chapter 66

Henry was looking at the sacks of potatoes stacked tightly on one side of the barn.

"Where did all this come from? Why are there so many pan potatoes?"

Usually, tributes are rare items that are rarely seen within the empire and presented to the imperial family. And potatoes? Potatoes are strong and powerful.

After looking through various documents to answer Henry's question, the people in charge found the answer and answered it.

"Ah, it's a tribute from the north."

"North?"

"Yes. So, ah, it's a tribute from the Talamand estate. Ah, and there's also a document stating that the tribute is being offered."

The Northern Talamand Estate? That means...! Henry's face lit up as he read the letter. Something sparked, a connection forming in his mind, and Henry's heart sank.

"Take this to His Majesty's office right now!"

"Yes? No. These potatoes? I'd rather just send them to a restaurant."

"No, no, this isn't just any ordinary potato!"

Henry then ran to His Majesty the Emperor's office and knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

As the door opened, Henry suddenly thrust his familiar face in, and entered with a strangely happy expression.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the tribute has arrived."

"Yes, I'll check later."

Calix answered, his eyes still glued to the document. Tributes were always coming in, and they usually weren't particularly interesting.

But even after hearing his answer, Henry didn't seem to have any intention of leaving. Instead, he smiled and moved a little closer.

"Would you like to check it now, Your Majesty?"

“Is there a need to check now?”

Henry spoke to Calix, who was still answering indifferently, only slightly raising his eyebrows, with his nostrils slightly flaring and his voice tickling.

"No, I dare ask you to confirm it now, Your Majesty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Henry gestured to the door, and servants came in from outside carrying something.

With each step the servants took, dry dirt fell from the wooden box to the floor.

As Calix frowned, wondering what on earth he was doing, a wooden box filled with potatoes appeared.

It was a bit sloppy, but a potato was still a potato. Before any harsh words could escape Calix's mouth, Henry carefully handed over a piece of paper he was holding.

Calix accepted the letter with a disinterested expression. He assumed it would be a formal report, a few polite greetings as usual, but his fingers stopped as soon as his eyes brushed over the text.

[These are the first potatoes harvested this year.]

Single line.

Neat handwriting.

Although the name was nowhere to be found, Calix could tell at a glance who the writing belonged to.

He stared down at the writing for a moment, speechless, as the name, never fading, rose to the surface. Then, he took a deep breath.

A distant thought blossomed beyond his vision. He could vividly picture Odelia smiling, her face covered in dirt, as she said she would plant potatoes.

Even though she's not by his side, now in the northernmost part of the empire, in that most desolate land.

She was still alive. In her own way, very quietly.

Calix smiled very quietly. Very small, for the first time in a long time.

Then he rose from his seat and approached the wooden box containing the potatoes. He examined them carefully, covering each potato with dirt with his fingertips, and then quietly opened his mouth.

"Send everything except what's on this side to the dining room."

"Your Majesty... what are you going to use this box for?

Henry, who knew his master would be happy with the potatoes but hadn't expected him to leave one behind, asked in surprise. Calix smiled again, a small smile on his face.

“It’s a secret.”

That evening, the Emperor's attendant visited the Grand Duchess's residence. He politely presented her with a bowl of potatoes on a red silk cushion, saying the Emperor had bestowed a gift.

It was a rough potato, untouched by even the dirt. Why on earth? After all that work, what was the point of having a brain? The Grand Duchess, puzzled, picked up the potato and, without a word, carried it into her room. She couldn't treat it lightly, simply because it was from the Emperor.

Around the same time, the same potatoes arrived at Judith's mansion, where she was staying with Cedric.

As they looked at the potatoes with curious faces, the two looked at each other and asked.

"Why did His Majesty send this?"

“Really?”

The potato was silent.

However, it was just a fairly filling potato.

***

Fabiana, as usual, sat in front of the mirror, getting ready for dinner. She was determined to make Calix wait, and she was going to be a total rascal.

Because her stomach was so full, her mood fluctuated dozens of times a day, but today she felt strangely excited.

Then Henry knocked on the door.

"His Majesty is waiting at the banquet table."

Was that stubbornness finally giving in? Fabiana opened her eyes wide and quickly rose from her chair.

Fabiana entered the restaurant with an excited heart, smiling brightly and the corners of her mouth twitching.

"What a surprise, Your Majesty is here first."

Calix answered coolly.

"I thought it would be nice if you tasted it too."

Fabiana sat down in a slightly bewildered but cheerful mood, but soon froze when she saw the table in front of her.

Potatoes, potatoes, and more potatoes.

There were a considerable number of dishes, including kabocha stew, potato soup, potato gravies, steak with potatoes, and even French fries, but there was not a single dish that did not include potatoes.

"Are you kidding me right now?"

Fabiana asked with a suspicious face, but Calix answered calmly, picking up his fork and biting into a potato.

"Why would I tease you?"

With those words, Calix took another bite. He took a big bite of the potato. He was truly eating only potatoes. And he was eating them deliciously.

Fabiana, bewildered, quietly picked up her fork and took a bite of the meat next to the potatoes. Frankly, she had no appetite for potatoes. Calix looked up and caught a glimpse of her.

"How about trying it first?"

Fabiana looked at Calix with a dumbfounded expression, then suddenly realized that his gaze was sincere, so she picked up a potato with her fork and took a bite.

"It's delicious. The texture is just right and soft."

Calix nodded contentedly and continued eating his potatoes.

Was that the answer to the problem?

From that day on, Fabiana fell into potato hell. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes. Potato soup for breakfast, potato salad for lunch, potato stew for dinner. Potatoes dominated the table for a whole week.

It was so tiring that she had a dream where she was dragged to potato hell and forced to eat potatoes as punishment, and she jumped out of bed screaming, "Ah!"

"Potato hell, what a nightmare this is..."

As Fabiana sighed, brushing back her messy hair, the maids brought breakfast.

She laid out a table so that Fabiana could eat while half-reclining on the bed, and placed a tray with breakfast on it.

What was served for breakfast, as always, was potato soup.

Fabiana ended up throwing everything away, including the tray and the bowl.

“Fuck it!”

While the maids rushed in and scrambled to clean up the spilled soup, Fabiana jumped to her feet.

"I need to know why you're suddenly talking about potatoes!"

Fabiana walked briskly down the long hallway, flushing her cheeks.

An inexplicable anxiety and anger burned within her. She couldn't stand the daily diet of potatoes, potatoes, potatoes.

Is this some kind of new type of bullying? Even so, would the world's greatest Calix do something so childish?

'If you eat a lot of potatoes, won't you get poisoned?'

Unless there's some bigger plan, doesn't that make sense!

The moment she flung open the restaurant door and stepped inside, what caught her eye was the list of offerings that had just been organized. Fabiana grabbed the document as if she were rushing to grab it.

[This tribute list: Northern Talamand: Potatoes]

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