The maids were dumbfounded.

“Not 10 sets, but 50 sets?”

“Don’t you know this much fabric isn’t nearly enough to make dresses? It’s not like the lady is wearing uniforms like us.”

The maids exchanged glances and shook their heads.

“That’s right, uniforms. She said to make 50 sets of uniforms.”

“Is the lady really going to wear uniforms? Are you joking?”

“No, the lady said she’s worried our clothes are too thin, so she ordered to make clothes.”

“She ordered… to make our clothes?”

“Do I have to say it twice for you to understand?”

As Bonisa took a big step forward, the maids stumbled backward.

“Since you don’t seem to understand, I’ll say it again. The lady you were badmouthing ordered to make your clothes first.”

“When did we ever badmouth…”

They seemed quite flustered, so this time they must have understood properly.

‘Why is the lady making clothes for us?’

‘Maid uniforms with this thick, good quality cotton?’

Bonisa picked up the cotton fabric that had fallen to the ground, her face looking much relieved.

The maids remained frozen as she left.

In truth, they felt shameless.

To openly gossip about the lady being selfish, then have the nerve to accept clothes from her.

Their gazes turned to the piles of cotton fabric. Clothes made from this thick, tightly woven cotton would make life in this cold grand duchy much easier.

But they couldn’t just…

Just then, Bonisa’s clear voice was heard from outside the door.

“If you don’t come now, I’ll make them without yours.”

Only then did the maids reluctantly pick up the bundles of fabric.

“How are you going to make all that by yourself!”

“Let’s go together!”

The promised date arrived. I headed to the border town with a cart full of tapestries.

As soon as the sound of the cart was heard, a woman who was carrying firewood in the yard approached.

“Oh my. What’s all this?”

It was the woman who had spoken cordially with the soldier on my first day here. As the commotion outside grew, one or two villagers came out to look at the cart.

“Take one for each house.”

“My goodness. I’ve never seen such thick tapestries before.”

The woman touched the tapestry with an expression of deep emotion.

“Thank you for telling them I’m the blacksmith’s daughter. Thanks to that, I think I’ll be able to handle the transaction safely.”

“No need to thank me! Of course we should help the Grand Duchess.”

I revealed my identity to them. In a village like this where no one comes up, the mere presence of a stranger would cause discomfort. My worry was brief; they welcomed me with open arms, thrilled that the Grand Duchess had come to their neglected village.

“Besides, how could we stand by when you’re going through all this trouble to save our families?”

“That’s right. If my daughter returns, I could even give you my house.”

Most of the people in this village had family members taken to Kursia. They settled here to wait for family members who cross the border once a year. Even those who were initially hostile towards Kursians now lived in a symbiotic relationship.

And I had greatly benefited from that.

“I don’t need a house, just take them quickly.”

“Thank you, Grand Duchess!”

“Shh. The soldiers might hear.”

This much I could do for them easily.

Next was the barracks beyond the fence.

“Did you look into it well? Commander?”

As I entered, the commander gestured to the chair across from him.

I placed the contract I had prepared on the table, as if I had been waiting for this.

That calm face.

I was certain he had properly gathered the information.

Sure enough.

His tightly closed lips opened.

“I’ll make the deal.”

Nice.

I smiled gladly and pushed the document to the other side.

“It’s a contract to trade 100 pounds of herbs for 2 billion. Please stamp the seal at the bottom.”

Given the large sum involved, he read the contract carefully.

Then he took out his seal without hesitation. Once the seal is stamped, 2 billion will be in my hands. At the thought of soon being able to repair the castle, I swallowed hard. Did he hear that? He stared at me intently.

“Do you have any questions about the contract?”

Then he looked me up and down as if sizing me up and asked.

“Who are you?”

It was an expected question.

Since I came with information even the Kursians didn’t know.

He must have realized I wasn’t simply the blacksmith’s daughter from a mountain village.

“If you stamp the seal first, I’ll tell you. Why I know that information.”

Before giving him the answer he wanted, I needed to get what I wanted first.

A few seconds of staring contest ensued. And I wasn’t the one who lost. He stamped the seal on the contract with a thud and handed it over. Now it was my turn to answer.

“I’m someone sent by the lady of Blandicea.”

I had no intention of revealing my identity to him.

The fact that the Grand Duchess personally dealt with Kursians could soon become a weakness.

“The Grand Duchess foresaw this and requested the deal.”

I explained the inside story, pretending to be the Grand Duchess’s proxy. From first coming here to proposing the deal. After hearing everything, he let out an empty laugh.

“I heard the lord of the territory started managing as soon as she returned. There was a reason for the rushed marriage.”

“She’s a very wise person.”

“But don’t you think buying just one year’s worth of herbs for 2 billion is getting ripped off?”

He complained. It seemed he was trying to negotiate even at this point.

“You could buy it for half the price from other empires.”

“Then try that. But the Kursians, who have always ignored herbs, will be suspicious if you start importing herbs in large quantities. Of course, they’ll look into what problems Kursia is having. After that, will you be able to buy herbs at this price?”

His mouth closed at my smooth response.

“Are we done?”

“No. Do you think I have this much money in a mere frontier barracks?”

Playing the pity card, huh.

I wasn’t going to fall for emotional manipulation. How much money has left Blandicea because of Kursia!

“Of course not, if you were just a knight guarding a barracks. But if you’re the youngest prince of Kursia, it doesn’t seem impossible to pay that amount.”

The calm eyes wavered for a moment. It was the face of someone who had been hit right on the mark.

“How did you know? Did the Grand Duchess tell you that too?”

I shook my head with a smirk.

“I didn’t need to ask the Grand Duchess to know. The pattern on your scabbard. Isn’t that the Kursian royal family crest?”

A sword hanging on the barracks wall. The elaborate pattern on the hilt.

That was the first thing that caught my eye when I entered this barracks. With a sword so blatantly displaying the royal crest on display, how could I not know he was pretending to be a mere knight here?

“Even if it’s a sword bestowed by the Emperor, they wouldn’t place a knight like that in the frontier wastelands. Unless you’re a prince who came to the frontier to avoid the fierce fight for the throne after Kursia’s unification.”

And guessing he was the youngest prince was just a shot in the dark. Usually the youngest doesn’t get involved in power struggles.

“Heh. You knew everything.”

“I had to know my trading partner in advance to set an appropriate price.”

“Like mistress, like servant.”

He even praised me, the Grand Duchess’s proxy. It had been a while since I was acknowledged, so I felt a bit proud.

But this man. He’s not handing over the contract. His eyes clearly showed he wanted something.

“Is there something else you’re curious about?”

“I have one condition.”

I coldly refused.

“Additional conditions require additional deals.”

He promptly spread out a new piece of paper.

“You must come here for a month to pass on the treatment methods.”

“What? Me?”

When he pointed at me with his finger, he nodded.

“Were you planning to just throw some weeds at us and tell us to figure out the treatment ourselves?”

“No? I thought you might say that, so I brought a book with the treatment methods written out.”

I hurriedly pulled out the book I had brought and held it out to him. He flipped through it indifferently.

“I bet you’re planning to sell this for money too.”

Sharp guy.

Where in the world is anything free? Do you know how long I’ve spent researching?

“With just this, you can use the herbs in various ways. There are so many herbs that are harmful if eaten in large amounts.”

“So how much were you planning to ask for?”

I was hesitant to say the large amount, but this worked out well.

I should negotiate with him now.

“Five…”

“I’ll buy it for 1 billion. In exchange for you coming for a month.”

“I will serve you wholeheartedly.”

In the end, I crumbled in the face of money.

Even 500 million was intentionally high, but he’s offering double that!

“As expected of a prince, you’re quite generous.”

I grinned and gave a thumbs up.

“Don’t call me prince here. It makes the other soldiers uncomfortable.”

“Then… I’ll call you Sir Kantad.”

It was the name on the seal.

“Do as you like. But the money will be paid after a month.”

I wasn’t entirely satisfied, but I didn’t think he would eat and run.

“Alright. But no more adding conditions.”

“Understood.”

After getting confirmation, I gathered the contract and treatment book. As I did so, I noticed blood stains on the floor. At the end of the blood trail was Kantad’s leg.

“Are you hurt?”

I asked in surprise, and he covered his leg with his cloak.

“No need to worry about it.”

“Is that what someone who just paid 2 billion for herbs should say? Quickly roll up your pants. I’ll apply medicine right away.”

I approached Kantad and yanked his cloak aside. He pulled his foot back in surprise.

“What are you doing?”

“If you don’t treat a wound properly, the flesh could rot and you might have to cut off your leg. Do you want to live the rest of your life with one leg?”

I deliberately scared him. Kursians just don’t understand the fear of illness.

“It won’t rot.”

“Tsk!”

After a long struggle with the proud man, I won. When he rolled up his pants, his shin was covered in blood. The wound seemed to be a few days old, but it hadn’t been treated properly and reopened with even slight movement. I started by wiping away the blood.

“It’s a sword wound.”

And I spoke in a puzzled voice. There was no reason for fights to break out between people here. The reason soldiers get hurt is because of the monsters coming down the mountain ridges. And there’s no way he fought with the villagers and got cut.

“It was the only way to get accurate information.”

He answered dryly.

The information he meant was the information I had asked him to look into.

“Even though I, a royal, was cut by a sword, they didn’t treat me. Refusing to treat royalty was an exceptional case, separate from maintaining the temple. So I confirmed what you said.”

To think he would cut himself like that.

It wasn’t a slight cut, but a deep gash that caused pain just to look at.

“Are you always this reckless?”

“I just prefer certainty.”

He was really someone I didn’t like, acting all tough.

Meaning to warn him never to do this again, I firmly pressed the herbs onto the wound. His leg trembled slightly, apparently in pain.

“Is treatment always this painful?”

“Yes. Pain is a sign that you’re healing. Bear with it.”

“I suppose I have no choice.”

Seeing him close his eyes in resignation made me chuckle. Then I added one more thing for him who had carelessly injured his body.

“If you get hurt like this, your wife waiting at home will be heartbroken.”