Episode 58. An Eye for an Eye, Land for Land
It was the morning we decided to tour the hot spring construction site to check on it. Martha stopped by the kitchen early. Helena, who was organizing the ingredients for the day, raised her eyebrows upon seeing Martha.
"Princess, what brings you here at this hour?"
"Do you have any honey?"
"Yes, I do."
"Could you make me some honey water? Sweet and refreshing. In a large container."
Helena looked at Martha and nodded.
"How much?"
Martha thought for a moment, then looked at Maxim, who was standing beside her.
"How many workers are there at the hot spring site?"
"I heard there are a little over twenty."
"Then make enough for thirty. Plenty."
Helena began to work with her hands. As Martha left the kitchen, she called out to Lucy.
"I'm going to the hot spring construction site today."
Lucy blinked.
"The site?"
"I need to see with my own eyes how the construction is progressing."
Lucy took out her notebook and took notes as she spoke.
"Is Lord Maxim coming along too?"
"Maxim has to attend to the mansion's affairs. It's just the two of us today."
"Just you and me, Princess?"
"We just need to take Karl and a few soldiers. What are you worried about?"
Lucy quietly wrote in her notebook. She didn't mention that there were more than a few things to worry about.
They arrived at the hot spring construction site on the outskirts of the Valois estate. As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, sounds greeted Martha first. The sound of hammers, shoveling, and the voices of the workers chatting. A low layer of dust hung in the air. The sunlight was scorching. It was already hot even before midday.
Martha looked around the site. About twenty workers were working. They were wearing vests emblazoned with the Golden Lion Merchant Guild's mark. People were digging the ground, people carrying materials, and people giving instructions while looking at blueprints. Everyone seemed busy. A makeshift tent was pitched on one side of the site. The site supervisor sat beneath it, reviewing documents.
Martha said to Karl.
"Lower the jar of honey water."
Karl lowered a large jar from the carriage. It was a wooden jar. It was filled with chilled honey water. Helena had prepared it early in the morning. Martha carried it herself and walked toward the construction site. The workers looked at Martha. The Princess herself had come. Everyone paused for a moment. Martha smiled brightly and said.
"You are all working hard in this heat. Take a short break and have a cup of this."
The workers exchanged glances. Martha was already scooping honey water with a ladle and handing it to the worker closest to her. The worker took it and took a sip. His eyes widened. It was sweet.
"It's delicious, isn't it? Please have plenty."
In an instant, the workers lined up. Martha. handed out the honey water to each person one by one. Personally. Lucy helped from the side. Lucy looked bewildered, but her hands moved busily. The workers' faces softened. Whether it was because they were fascinated that the Princess was personally handing out the honey water, or because the water was sweet and refreshing, the atmosphere had changed. Their guard was lowered, and laughter broke out.
Watching this change, Martha thought to herself, "Fine. Now, let's pick who it is." Martha naturally struck up a conversation while handing out honey water.
"Where are you from? It must be tough working in this weather. Please make sure you eat on time. Do you have a family?"
The people answered. Martha listened and watched. Her expressions, her gaze, and her manner of speaking. Most of the more than twenty laborers had not completely let their guard down. They responded only because the Princess was being friendly; they were not the type to reveal their true feelings.
However, one man was different. He was a man who appeared to be in his early forties. He was large in build with a heavily tanned face. He was the kind of person who repeatedly exclaimed, "Oh, this is delicious!" as he drank the honey water. Whenever his eyes met the person next to him, he would laugh heartily, as if finding something incredibly amusing. He had eyes that loved to talk. Martha took a seat next to him.
"It must be very hot, isn't it?"
"Oh, this is nothing. I usually get hot easily, but thanks to this honey water, I feel like I can survive today. Thank you, Princess."
Martha said with a smile.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Mike, Princess."
"Mr. Mike, how long have you been working at the Golden Lion Merchant Guild?"
"About three months, I think. I was at a different site at first, but I transferred here."
Marta nodded and filled Mike's glass with another ladle of honey water.
"Drink plenty. On days like this, sweat pours down like rain, so you need to drink a lot."
"You speak just like my mother, Princess."
Martha took out a handkerchief. It was a neatly folded cotton handkerchief. She handed it to Mike.
"Wipe your sweat; here it is for you."
Mike looked at the handkerchief, then at Martha.
"Princess, giving me something like this?"
"It's hot, so you need to wipe your sweat. Take it. Keep it a secret from everyone else."
Mike accepted the handkerchief, his face beaming with gratitude.
"Oh my, I didn't know you were such a good person, Princess. Our director is always just nagging me."
Martha said with a natural smile.
"Is there something difficult for you?"
Mike wiped his forehead with a handkerchief and looked around. The site supervisor was sitting under a tent, looking at documents. It was a bit of a distance away. Mike lowered his voice slightly.
"Well, it's not difficult. But this site is a bit strange."
Martha looked at Mike, holding a jar of honey water.
"Strange? What do you mean?"
"Usually, hot spring construction is simple. Finding the water source, digging the tubs, connecting the waterways. But here, they keep doing things separately."
Martha nodded and stirred the honey water with a ladle. Slowly. It wasn't a pretense of interest, but just a pretense of listening.
"Are you doing it separately? Are you planning to be meticulous?"
Mike checked his surroundings again.
"Do you see that over there, Princess? The area is fenced off."
Martha naturally let her gaze drift. On one side of the site, there was an area fenced off with wooden planks. It was blocked off like an obstacle.
"Oh my, why is that area blocked off?"
"At first, they said it wasn't an area for hot spring development."
Mike lowered his voice further.
"They said something other than sulfur comes out there. Like phosphoric acid or things like that. The director told us to collect whatever comes out there separately. I just did as I was told."
Martha said nonchalantly, pretending to hand over a handkerchief.
"Phosphoric acid? What is that..."
"Yes. I don't really know what it's used for. They just told me to set it aside and put it in the warehouse. I heard the directors take turns doing it."
Martha pretended to stand up while holding the jar of honey water.
"Oh, you're working so hard. Please have plenty."
Mike held out his glass. As Martha refilled the honey water, she spoke naturally.
"Come to think of it, I saw they were doing waterway construction over there, too."
Mike nodded.
"Yes, a waterway. But it's not on the blueprints. They're building it separately."
Martha looked at Mike.
"A waterway not on the blueprints?"
Mike said, holding his glass.
"Well, I don't know the details. It looks like the director has two blueprints. One for the Princess, and one for us to look at amongst ourselves. But that's none of my business."
Mike finished the honey water and set the glass down.
"Oh, it was delicious. Thank you, Princess. If I had known you were such a good person, I would have greeted you sooner."
"You're welcome."
"Keep up the good work."
Martha thought as she left Mike's seat. Okay, Mike. Roll over. This time, Marta walked toward the tent where the site supervisor was, holding a jar of honey water. The supervisor was a man in his mid-forties with a broad forehead. He stood up from his seat upon seeing Martha approaching while looking at documents.
"My Lady, how did you come all the way here in person..."
"I wanted to see how the construction site was running."
Martha smiled brightly, filled a cup of honey water, and handed it to the supervisor.
"Have some. It's hot."
The supervisor took the cup. Martha took out another handkerchief and handed it to the supervisor. This time, it was a silk handkerchief. It was different from the plain cotton one she had given Mike.
"Wipe your sweat. I brought this."
The supervisor blinked once as he took the silk handkerchief. He had recognized it as silk.
"Thank you, My Lady."
"Is the construction going well?"
"Yes, it is proceeding smoothly."
Martha said, pretending to look around the site.
"What about that fenced-off area over there? Are you not developing it?"
The supervisor said naturally.
"Yes, the ground there is unstable. It is an area unsuitable for hot spring development."
"I see. Our land is a mess, so you must be having a hard time, Supervisor. I'm not very knowledgeable about this, but does that mean you can't turn that part into a hot spring?"
"Ah, we plan to build the other parts first, and then stabilize the ground to continue."
Good boy, so you're planning to start construction after draining all the phosphate and everything else.
"I see... I'm not very knowledgeable about this, but there aren't any issues on site, right? It should be easier if you talk to my father."
"For now, I am reporting to the Golden Lion Merchant Guild frequently. You don't need to worry, Princess."
The supervisor smiled as he drank the honey water. As Martha stepped out of the tent, she thought to herself: "Because the ground is unstable. Finish building the rest of the site, and report on the Valois land to the Golden Lion Merchant Guild first, not to Valois. Yes, supervisor. I know you're making duplicate blueprints for the waterway."
Martha walked out of the site with a natural gait. Lucy followed, asking in a low voice.
"Princess, is something going on?"
"Yeah, there's a trick here."
Confused by the word, Lucy followed Martha into the carriage. As soon as they boarded, Martha pulled out a notebook. It wasn't Lucy's. It was Martha's own notebook. It had a small, sturdy cover. She picked up a pen and began writing things down one by one.
First. Extraction of sulfur and phosphate-based substances in the fenced area. Stored separately in a warehouse. Workers are working in shifts.
Second. Two blueprints exist. One is for submission to the Duke of Valois, and another, for internal use by the Golden Lion Merchant Guild, is different. The internal blueprint includes a separate waterway.
Third. The waterway in question is presumed to be intended to obstruct the operation of the hot springs. If the Duke of Valois is displeased, it is possible to create a situation where the hot springs cannot operate by controlling the waterways.
Martha closed her notebook and looked out the window. A carriage sped by. Martha recalled what she had seen at the site today. The fenced area. Materials piled up quietly. Mike's words flowing effortlessly, oblivious to the situation. The director's natural lies. The director's gaze changing briefly as he accepted the silk handkerchief.
Martha thought to herself. On my land. With my money. No, with your money. They are siphoning off explosive materials while pretending to build my hot springs, and they have doubled the waterways, ready to ruin my hot springs at any moment.
At that thought, her teeth clenched involuntarily. Martha muttered while looking out the window.
"Scheming on my land..."
Lucy looked at Martha as she picked up her notebook. Martha said.
"How shall I pay you back?"
Lucy thought as she looked at that look. When the Princess makes that look in her eyes, she is already thinking about something. Lucy took out her notebook.
Martha looked out the window alone, recalling Mike's words again. Two maps. And the supervisor's words. The ground is unstable.
Martha let out a snicker. It is not the ground that is unstable; it is your future, you brats.
When they returned to the mansion, Maxim was waiting at the entrance.
"My Lady, a letter has arrived from the Empress's chambers."
Martha looked at Maxim. Maxim handed her an envelope. It was an envelope stamped with the Empress's seal. Martha tore open the envelope. It was a short letter
I would like to hold a small tea time at the Empress's chambers within this week. A few noble ladies are also scheduled to join. Please come comfortably.
Empress Isadora Kreuz.
As Martha set the letter down, she said.
"You have come."
Just those words. Hearing those words, Lucy took out her notebook. She felt as though she should write something down. Maxim spoke.
"Shouldn't we send a reply?"
"Say I will attend. The date will be as Her Majesty the Empress decides."
Maxim nodded and left. Martha entered the study and took a seat. She opened the notebook she had taken notes from the field today. She organized her thoughts as she read through it line by line.
Double blueprints. Separate waterways. Digging out materials from the fenced area. It had become evidence. The second piece of evidence to present to His Majesty the Emperor. However, separate from that, what if the other side had already seized control of the waterways before my hot springs were completed? Even if it were finished, it might not be mine.
At that thought, her teeth clenched involuntarily. Just as Martha was about to close her notebook, the study door opened quietly. It was Helena. She was holding a tray. On the tray were a teacup and a small jar.
"Princess, we ran out of honey this morning, so I bought some fresh acacia honey at the market today. I brewed a cup of honey water."
Martha looked at Helena. Helena spoke as she placed the tray down on the table.
"You worked hard visiting the site today. Please drink it warm."
Martha picked up her teacup. The scent of acacia honey wafted up. It was sweet and subtle. Helena spoke as she tidied the tray.
"Oh, Princess."
"What is it?"
"I heard something at the market today."
Helena hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"You know that Owl Bookstore in the alley south of the Imperial Palace? I heard the building's owner has changed. The new owner started construction, saying they would tear it down and rebuild."
Martha looked at Helena while holding her teacup.
"But they say ancient artifacts were discovered inside during the construction. They say quite old ones came out, so they say they can't proceed with construction until all the artifacts are excavated. I heard the new owner is in a very difficult position."
Martha put down her teacup. Construction can't proceed until all the artifacts are excavated. Martha paused for a moment. Then the hot spring construction site came to mind.
Double blueprints. Separate waterways. Materials being siphoned off from the fenced area. Because they were tampering with my land.
"Should I try pulling a few strings with the land too?"
Martha looked at Helena.
"Helena."
"Yes."
"The honey is delicious. You bought it well."
Helena said with a bright smile.
"That's a relief. I heard the acacia did well this year."
"And..."
Helena looked at Martha.
"Did you happen to hear the name of the landowner?"
Helena thought for a moment before speaking.
"What was it again? I only overheard it briefly at the market, so I'm not entirely sure, but I think it was something like Becker."
Martha nodded.
"I'll have Lucy look into it. Good job, Helena."
Helena picked up the tray and left. The door closed. Martha picked up her teacup again and thought. Mr. Becker. I really should ask to meet him. This is why you really have to live long enough to see everything.
They say a crisis creates an opportunity, don't they? That's exactly it. Just as
Martha was burning with a mysterious fighting spirit. Lucy opened the study door and entered.
"Princess, did you call for me?"
"Lucy, do you know the Owl Bookstore in the alley south of the Imperial Palace?"
Lucy blinked.
"Yes, I've been there."
"It seems the new owner of the land there is someone named Mr. Becker. Could you look into who he is?"
Lucy said, taking out a notebook.
"What should I give you once I've found out?"
Martha said, holding her teacup.
"Ask to meet me."
As Martha's eyes glared, Lucy felt a chill rise from her back. Lucy stopped before writing it down in her notebook.
When the Princess gives that look. Lucy thought, clutching her notebook. She had another plan in place.
[Lucy's Secret Shock Journal - Episode 58]
I went to the hot spring construction site today. The Princess stepped forward to do work that didn't necessarily have to be done personally. While doing so, she specifically stopped one worker to talk to her; when I asked why, she replied, "Because it looks easy."
I said, "Princess, do I look easy to you? You're always holding onto me to talk."
And when Helena brought the acacia honey tea and mentioned the Owl Bookstore's land, the Princess's eyes lit up. She said she wanted to meet the owner of that land.
Helena had only gone to buy honey, but it seems she brought back the most important information for the Princess today.
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