Potatoes falling from the sky, potatoes, and the potato that finally fell onto a hand, one in Calix's hand. One in her own hand.
'...What on earth?'
Of course, even though she told herself in her head that it was clearly just a trivial dream, she guessed she could say it strangely weighed on jer mind. However, everyone she could have discussed this worry with was currently away.
Damian had left for town for a while for Herse's school enrollment, and Judith and Cedric were also away briefly visiting the Herdel family with their newborn child.
Therefore, Philip was the only one who could share this absurd dilemma, but he was the kind of person who wouldn't be fooled by such a preposterous worry.
Odelia paused briefly while signing the documents. Then, she shook her head slightly as if trying to shake off her thoughts.
Philip might be right. A bad dream.
If not, there was no way to explain it.
However, strangely enough, the scenes from the dream did not easily fade from her mind. The scene of the potato falling, the forest path, and Calix standing beside it—everything was strangely vivid.
'...Potato.'
It was even stranger because the content of the dream was so trivial. She could have understood it if it had been something symbolic. Like blood, or gold, or a strange beast. If it had been those things, she could have at least attached a sense of foreboding to them.
But it was a potato.
Potatoes falling from the sky too.
The more she added explanations, the more absurd it became.
Odelia shook her head lightly once and turned the document again.
She wondered how many more documents were passed over like that.
At some point, Odelia's eyelids began to slowly droop.
"..."
Drowsiness suddenly washed over her. Jer head drooped as if someone were quietly pressing down on it from behind.
Under normal circumstances, something like this would rarely happen. Odelia was not a heavy sleeper by nature, and she rarely felt drowsy while handling state affairs. In fact, the more tired she was, the higher her concentration tended to be.
But today, her eyes felt strangely heavy. Just as her gaze paused over the documents, the letters became slightly blurry.
Odelia rubbed her eyes for a moment.
“Philip.”
"Yes."
"Let's wrap up the political affairs for today."
Philip looked at Odelia with a rather surprised expression. Of course, it was lunchtime, but Odelia was the type to put off eating until she finished work.
Thinking she might be hungry, Philip gestured to a servant to bring in a meal tray. Not long after, the servants came inside carrying the tray, and Odelia frowned.
"I'm sorry, but could you please move that?"
As soon as Odelia saw the temptingly cooked steak, she covered her nose and even waved her hands dismissively. Philip and the servants all looked at Odelia in bewilderment, asking, "What?!"
"I have no appetite, so let's stop getting sick of it for today."
"Yes? Didn't you skip dinner yesterday for that reason too?"
Philip's eyebrows moved very subtly. Odelia added as if it were no big deal.
"I feel a bit nauseous. I think it's because I didn't sleep well last night. I'll have lunch after I wake up from a nap."
Philip thought for a moment and nodded.
"All right."
He quietly dismissed the other aides.
The office quickly fell silent.
As the people left, the air in the room loosened considerably. A breeze mixed with the scent of the sea came in through the gap in the window, and the noise coming from the distant harbor was heard even more clearly.
Odelia went into the next room and lay down on the sofa. She intended to just get a quick nap, but she fell asleep much faster than she expected.
Her consciousness subsided very gently, as if someone had quietly pushed her from behind.
It was a forest again.
Odelia stood there for a moment with a blank expression on her face.
She looked around slowly.
It was the very forest where she had been walking with Calix earlier. Sunlight was breaking through the leaves, and dry fallen leaves were piled thickly on the ground. The air was strangely warm, and the distinctive earthy scent of the forest lingered faintly.
But this time, Calix was not there. The forest was the same, but the person who should have been by her side was gone.
Odelia blinked for a moment. Then she looked down at her hand.
She had two potatoes in her hand.
It was a round, fluffy-looking potato. It didn't appear to have been freshly dug up, as there was no dirt on it, yet it looked strangely warm. It was the kind of potato that would feel heavy if placed in the palm of your hand.
'That's strange. Is it possible to have a nonsensical dream twice in a row?'
Just as she was having that thought, the two potatoes in her hand suddenly started squirming. Two large potatoes, as if they had come to life. They squirmed and squirmed, then soon headed toward Odelia...
“Huh!”
Odelia opened her eyes.
She stared at the ceiling for a moment with a blank expression. The ceiling decorations slowly came into view. It was truly a ridiculous, nonsensical dream. A dream in which an inanimate potato squirmed and then greeted Odelia.
'Have I been pushing myself a bit too hard lately?'
There were many political affairs to attend to, and there were also many things to worry about regarding the port construction. Since taking charge of the territory of Talamand, there had been almost no time to rest, so her body might have been reacting first.
“My lord?”
Turning her head at the sound of a familiar voice, she saw Philip standing at the door. He was holding a potato in his hand. It was a freshly squeezed potato. For a moment, Odelia wondered if this, too, was an extension of her dream, and she stared at Philip with a blank expression.
A very faint steam was rising from the potato in Philip's hand, and the skin was slightly cracked, revealing the white inside. Just by looking at it, it seemed as warm as if it had just been taken out of a steamer.
Philip spoke without knowing anything.
"Ah. You just woke up at the right time."
He held up what he was holding in his hand.
"These are freshly steamed, piping hot potatoes. It seems you have been feeling uncomfortable whenever you see meat for the past few days."
And added as if it were nothing.
“Would you like one?”
"...Have I fallen into potato hell?"
"Yes?"
"No. Never mind. Give me one. It looks delicious."
The potato Philip handed her was warm. Odelia split it in half. White steam rose from the fluffy flesh.
She took a bite.
"..."
It was delicious.
Much better than she expected.
It was fluffy, sweet, and warm.
The flesh of the potato crumbled softly on her tongue. Strangely, she felt as though the nausea she had been feeling just moments ago was subsiding a little. Odelia ate a few more bites without even realizing it.
And just as she was almost finished eating, she suddenly felt a gaze. Philip was staring intently at Odelia.
"...Why?"
Philip blinked briefly.
"No, not at all."
Philip quietly closed the door and stepped out, then stroked his chin once with a subtle expression. It's strange.
The Lord hasn't been acting like herself these past few days. Not only has she slept for three hours straight, but she, who never used to be picky about food, suddenly frowns at the sight of meat, and her sense of smell has become so acute that she feels nauseous.
'...Surely not.'
But he soon shook his head slightly.
There was nothing he could be certain of yet.
Her body might have been temporarily worn out, or it could simply be accumulated fatigue.
Philip decided not to think about it any further. There were more things to do right now.
***
At the same time.
The harbor of Talamand presented a scene no different from usual.
The sea was calm. The waves were lightly tapping against the stone walls of the pier, and the sunlight shimmered in fine particles on the water's surface, gleaming with silver. As it was transitioning into daylight, the air was warm, and the sea breeze carried a mixture of salt and the scent of wet wood.
Several merchant ships were anchored at the pier.
The sails were lowered, and thick ropes were tied to stakes to hold the ship in place. Workers bustled back and forth between the ship and the dock, moving cargo. A dull thud echoed every time a wooden box was lowered, and sacks of grain were piled onto carts.
"Be careful!"
"Not there, it's this way!"
The workers' shouts erupted from here and there.
A few seagulls sat on the mast and cried loudly.
Since Odelia became the lord of this place, the port of Talamand became very lively. It was a place where trading ships frequently came and went. Wheat, salt, timber, and stone were traded, and spices and textiles from distant lands also entered through here.
So the soldier standing in the watchtower also had no particular thoughts at first.
He was just leaning against the railing and gazing at the sea.
Then, a small dot came into view at the edge of his field of vision. The soldier leaned slightly forward and lifted the telescope hanging on the watchtower.
As he brought the lens to his eye, the horizon came closer.
Soon, a sail came into view. It was a white sail.
"...Ship."
The soldier muttered.
It was not surprising. Several ships entered Talamand Port every day.
The soldier moved the telescope slightly to the side.
At that moment, another sail came into view.
And one next to it.
"...Is it a diplomatic ship?"
As the ship gradually drew closer, the hull became clearly visible. It was not a three-ship. It was a warship.
The soldier's body leaned further over the railing. Masts were appearing one by one on the horizon. There was not just one ship.
Two ships.
Three ships.
Four ships.
It continued even further. The soldier was speechless for a moment. Beyond the telescope, the sails were slowly turning. The movement was clear.
They were heading toward Talamand Port.
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