Thalia, who had never once been the object of such favorable attention, did not know how to react, so she would just nod her head arrogantly or frown as if she were annoyed.
However, despite such a cold attitude, the gazes of people, mixed with curiosity and envy, showed no signs of subsiding.
She soon realized that the sight of herself and Khan reminded them of ancient Eastern legends. To their eyes, her appearance, accompanied by a giant wolf, seemed like the incarnation of Tiramer.
"This is the oldest weaving workshop in Kalmor. Artisans who have passed down their skills from generation to generation produce outstanding woolen fabrics here."
Guided by an attendant, Thalia entered a stone building located on the outskirts of the city and looked around the workshop. Not only were the weavers weaving cloth, but even the apprentices carrying skeins of thread had stopped what they were doing and were staring blankly at her and the Khan.
Ignoring the stares she had become accustomed to, she lifted up the layers of woolen fabrics stacked on one wall when an administrator who had approached her before she knew it spoke with a subtle sense of pride.
"This is a top-quality woolen fabric woven from wool shorn this spring. Its tight weave and excellent thermal insulation make it highly popular among the central nobility. It is also supplied to the Imperial Household."
Thalia unfolded the deep red cloth and slowly ran her fingertips over its surface. It appeared rough at first glance, but the thickness was uniform, and the grain was firm.
As she held the fabric up to the light, Thalia asked in an indifferent tone.
"How much do you produce in a year?"
"We produce about 2,000 bolts here alone. If you include the small workshops in nearby villages, the total textile production of Kalmor would be about three times that amount."
It amounted to one-third of all of Kalmor's textiles being produced at this single weaving plant.
She gauged the amount of woolen fabrics piled on the shelves, then turned her gaze toward the workshop from which regular noise was coming.
The weavers were weaving cloth with skillful hand movements. The sight of dozens of large looms moving in rhythm was a spectacle in itself. Although she had occasionally seen the castle maids weaving on looms a few times, this was the first time she had encountered a production site of such a large scale.
She watched in awe as the brightly dyed yarn was transformed into a colorful patterned woolen fabric with the regular movement of the loom, and then went out to the backyard guided by the administrator.
In the spacious backyard, rows of cast-iron cauldrons as tall as a person were lined up. Dyeers standing in front of them were inserting long sticks into the steaming cauldrons and ceaselessly stirring cloths and skeins of thread thoroughly soaked in dark red liquid, while other workers were drying finished fabrics on long wooden frames.
"The mixing of dyes and dyeing of the fabric takes place in this workshop."
"Where do you get the dye from?"
"40% is imported from Lakasim, and the rest is purchased from merchants across the continent."
The administrator, who had been answering without hesitation, suddenly let out a heavy sigh.
"However, supply and demand have been unfavorable recently. With many major trade routes blocked and the price of raw materials doubling, it has become difficult to supply the same volume as before."
Thalia furrowed her brows.
The textile industry was not the only sector hit by the civil war. With several trade routes leading north closed, the circulation of goods throughout the East was severely curtailed.
Fortunately, they were still holding out by receiving supplies through the distribution network in the southeastern region, but if the war continued for just a few more years, the prosperity Kalmor had accumulated would soon run dry.
She organized the various pieces of information she had learned while touring the city in her mind.
The main source of income for Kalmor was taxes from the sale of wool, livestock, and grain. In addition, tolls and market taxes collected from the thousands of merchants who visited Kalmor every year accounted for a significant portion of the estate's finances. If the war was not ended quickly, Kalmor's finances might suffer a severe blow.
"That's enough. Please guide me somewhere else."
After looking around the entire weaving workshop, Thalia turned toward the exit and spoke.
The administrator, who had been constantly glancing sideways at the huge wolf following her around, stiffened in shock and hurriedly led her out the door.
After leaving the weaving building, Thalia walked straight toward her next destination. Even though it was on the outskirts of the city, the streets were bustling with people. Perhaps because rumors had spread that the Grand Duchess had begun inspecting the various facilities of Kalmor, onlookers had started flocking to every place she went at some point.
Ignoring the hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at her as if she were a rare spectacle, she headed toward the large grain warehouse located at the entrance of the castle gate.
After checking the amount of food stored there and its management status, she returned to the castle and briefly summarized what she had gathered during that day's inspection.
Despite the civil war that had lasted for several years, the estate was surprisingly well-managed. However, a gradual economic downturn was inevitable. Was there no solution?
She laid out Kalmor's major products. Food products had limitations in transportation and storage. As trade routes were restricted, products that were easy to store for long periods had to be developed as the main source of income.
In the end, there was no choice but to increase the value of woolen fabrics, one of Kalmor's main sources of income.
Thalia pondered how to lower the supply price of dyes while simultaneously raising the value of woolen fabrics. However, there was no way a groundbreaking solution could come from the mind of someone who had never done anything productive in their life.
Thalia, who had been sitting at her desk wrestling for several hours, felt her head throbbing and stood up.
Then, suddenly, her vision blurred, and cold sweat began to form all over her body.
Thalia, gasping for breath while clutching the corner of the desk, hurriedly opened the dresser drawer. Just as she fumbled to pull out a medicine bottle, everything before her eyes turned white, and her body's center of gravity tilted rapidly.
Thalia, who had been flailing her arms blankly in the air, soon collapsed onto the carpet. She could vaguely sense Khan circling around and barking loudly at the sight. She didn't know how many minutes passed, but the door burst open, and hurried footsteps were heard.
They lifted her up and laid her on the bed, then wiped her face with a cold towel.
Not long after, her vision cleared, and she saw Tiuran and the maids looking at her with worried eyes.
“Are you okay?”
Thalia parted her parched lips.
"...It's okay. I just felt dizzy because I've been pushing myself too hard lately."
"It could be a side effect of the medication. Did you happen to increase the dosage?"
"All I drank was about half a bottle of the reagent you guys prepared for me after the meal."
Tiuran, observing her complexion with a pensive look, walked over to the fireplace and began to prepare the medicine.
"I will prepare some herbal tea to help relieve your dizziness. Please lie down and rest."
Thalia obediently rested her head on the pillow and rubbed her throbbing eyelids. Then, she spotted Khan standing close to the edge of the bed, staring at her with anxious eyes, and forced a smile.
"Sorry, you were startled because of me, weren't you?"
Khan nuzzled his head against her chest and growled softly. As she gently stroked the wolf, whose massive chest was heaving as if quite startled, Tiuran, who had approached her before she knew it, carefully handed her a cup of warm herbal tea.
"It's still hot, so please be careful when eating."
Thalia took the glass and carefully took sips. As the refreshing aroma filled her mouth, before long, her mind, which had felt dull as if she had drunk water, gradually cleared up.
She lightly gestured to the maids, who were checking her complexion with anxious expressions, as if to say they may leave now.
"I'm feeling better now. Go rest."
"Since the condition could worsen again, I will stay a little longer."
Tiuran pulled a chair over to the edge of the bed and sat down, pulling the blanket up over her chest as he spoke.
Thalia, who had been quietly gazing at that kind face, soon turned to the other side and spat out curtly.
“Do whatever you want.”
Then, she hugged Khan tightly with both arms and closed her eyes.
She wondered how long that had been going on. The cautious sounds of footsteps, as if someone were tidying up the room, continued for a while.
Thalia glanced up and stole a look at her face. Then, seeing that she was holding the ledger she had started recording in a few days in one hand, she blushed. For some reason, she felt as though her shameful secret had been exposed.
"What are you reading as you please?"
When questioned in a sharp tone, Tiuran hurriedly put down the ledger.
"I apologize. It caught my eye while I was tidying up Your Highness's desk..."
The healer, who had been awkwardly trailing off, cautiously asked a question.
"Are you planning to take direct control of the overall management of the estate?"
"I just scribbled this down to at least pretend to work. I have to do something for the retainers who treat me like a parasite, don't I?"
"It was actually quite well organized for that reason."
"What do you think you know just from seeing it briefly?"
Tiuran fell silent when she snapped at her somewhat harshly.
Thalia felt a strange sense of nervousness and pressed her dry lips together. Just then, Tiuran carefully cupped the back of her hand. As she looked down at their overlapping hands with a surprised expression, the healer's serious voice echoed in her ears.
"Your Highness, it is not shameful to honestly express what you want."
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