Chapter 213 - Practicality

“22,350 people, plus two...”

Administrator Isabella murmured as she studied the figures in the document she had received, looking troubled.

“That is a rather difficult number. We are continuing to build as we speak, but even so, we cannot accommodate everyone on this scale.”

“I imagine not.”

“And they are women, children, and the elderly, at that... We may be running at a loss for some time.”

They had successfully taken in refugees before, but that was because those groups included people they could put to work. The people Ferda had brought were women, children, and the elderly.

“People live much the same way everywhere. We need only find a way.”

They did not have to ponder the matter for long. An elderly lady came to see them and offered a courteous greeting. Though dressed in commoners’ clothes, the dignity of her face clearly marked her as a noblewoman.

“It is an honor to meet you, Regent Ferda. My name is Esmeralda, formerly the lady of House Decalia.”

“The honor is mine, Lady Decalia. Decalia is a count’s house serving under Duke Yurei, if I recall. What brings you here?”

“Presumptuous though it may be, I have come on behalf of all the refugees. Might I speak with you, if it is no inconvenience?”

“Of course. The administrator and I were just discussing the refugees.”

“I see.”

They offered her a seat. In a measured voice, Lady Decalia expressed her gratitude to Ferda.

“I understand you brought us here to honor your promise to Duke Yurei. Taking in so many refugees without warning must present considerable difficulties.”

“Not at all.”

“There is no need to hide it. I once managed a domain myself, so I understand. My husband was never one to sit still, which left matters such as finances almost entirely to me. I know them well. That poor man...”

Tears welled in Lady Decalia’s eyes at the thought of her husband before she continued.

“In any case, they say guests and fish begin to stink after three days. As yet, we are unwelcome guests. Honoring your promise to Duke Yurei is all well and good, but to survive in the end, we must become self-sufficient members of this community rather than guests.”

“You are quite right.”

“Then would you please accept this?”

At Esmeralda’s gesture, other women came forward carrying four chests and set them down. When opened, they proved to be packed with precious treasures and gold coins.

“What is all this?”

“These are the valuables we brought when we left our domains. It is not much, but we would like you to use it to develop our refugee district.”

“Judging by the amount... it seems you ladies have pooled all your wealth. If you give this much away, what will you have left?”

“Our sense of duty as nobles to care for our people. That is enough.”

Lady Decalia smiled gently.

“Those who stand among the nobility must shoulder the responsibilities of their station. When everyone is struggling, indulging in needless luxury and greed only costs us what little we still possess. I wish to fulfill my duty, even if this is all I can do.”

Noble honor.

Duke Yurei and his followers had acted to preserve their honor as human beings. Even their wives did not hesitate to do their part. What a dazzling sight.

Ferda asked Lady Decalia, “What would you have me do?”

“First, it is important to distribute the refugees evenly. The far east may lie close to the Land of Demons, but there is farmland here, is there not?”

“There is.”

“I implore you to grant aid so that the women and children from farming families can settle there, and to request the cooperation of the local lords.”

“That can be arranged. But they have only just arrived. Would it not be too soon to start preparing them to move elsewhere?”

“If we do not act now, it will be too late. If they try to settle as autumn begins, they will have to overcome the locals’ hostility toward outsiders. We must disperse them now, while vegetation is abundant, and keep everyone busy sowing a little more and harvesting a little more while there are more hands to help.”

“I see.”

Her clear reasoning made a persuasive case for something Ferda and Isabella would have overlooked. Lady Decalia added with a smile,

“And please do not worry. I shall be giving the order, not you, so I shall bear all the blame as well. That way, you can keep your promise to the duke, Regent Ferda.”

“But would that not make you the target of their resentment?”

“When have nobles ever been strangers to resentment? Someone must play the villain. Who will do it, if not a venomous old woman?”

A venomous old woman? Where would he find a more dependable woman than her?

“How many would that move out?”

“Ten thousand would leave within two months at the latest.”

That still left another ten thousand. These were townspeople or nobles. Housing and the surrounding living conditions remained major issues.

“How about this?”

“Please, go ahead.”

“I will accept the valuables you have collected, but hold them as a deposit rather than a donation toward the domain’s development.”

“A deposit?”

“Some of the young ladies are already of marriageable age, are they not? I hear a woman sent off to marry without a proper dowry is often mistreated. Having made that promise to the duke, I cannot allow that.”

“But if we contribute nothing to Hestia village, we will hardly be able to hold our heads up...”

“You need only shoulder an equivalent responsibility.”

Ferda made her an offer.

“I shall designate one of the districts under development as the refugee district and entrust it to you, Lady Decalia. Please become its district head and oversee its management.”

“M-me?”

“You helped your husband manage his domain, and since you have come as the refugees’ representative, I assume you enjoy their trust and respect. They will listen more closely to you, even if we say the same thing.”

Ferda saw potential in Lady Decalia. She would actively help the refugees adapt to life in Hestia while also helping it develop.

“Anything you need will receive top priority. Please tell me at any time.”

Overwhelmed by Ferda’s consideration, Lady Decalia burst into tears. Her fear of dying miserably with nowhere to go vanished altogether, releasing a flood of relief and grief over the loss of her husband.

Once she had calmed somewhat, Lady Decalia humbly placed a hand over her heart.

“Since you have granted me this opportunity, Regent Ferda, I shall endeavor to lead the refugees in a manner worthy of House Decalia’s name.”

* * *

The Hestia refugee district officially came under Lady Decalia’s management. Her first act was to teach the other noblewomen the fundamentals of management. Having received advanced educations, they were quick to understand, which also made it easy to establish an orderly system.

The most capable of the noblewomen she trained were selected to manage orphanages and centers for the elderly. Those with little aptitude for management learned Lady Decalia’s teaching methods and became teachers, teaching commoner women and children to read and write.

It was their noble duty to do everything they could to help these people find new opportunities in a new land. And so the refugee district devoted its efforts to education.

The middle classes strongly opposed this. They took a dim view of literacy, the preserve of the educated, being taught not only to women but even to the poor. Whenever objections arose, however, Ferda gave the same answer.

“Hestia is a land of opportunity built from the bare earth. That opportunity is equal for everyone.”

This was a chance to remedy the perpetual shortage of skilled workers, so Ferda spared no support. He also used the occasion to give others from refugee backgrounds an equal opportunity to learn basic literacy.

“Regent Ferdaaaa!”

Ferda scowled the instant he heard that irritating, high-pitched voice. A moment later, a certain devil who treated the place as her own home came running in, looking ready to cry.

“You know the refugee district?”

“Yes.”

“I went there with absooolutely no ulterior motives, with the charitable heart of a saintess, and do you know what the signs said?”

-No entry for men without official business.

-No entry for Penelope under any circumstances.

One of the first measures taken to stabilize the refugee district had been to minimize contact with outsiders. Men other than authorized guards and construction workers were barred from entry. To further ensure stability, they had taken the hard line of expelling anyone caught pestering the women, no excuses accepted.

“They’re treating me just like all those horny men! Can you believe how ridiculous that is?!”

“Ridiculous indeed.”

She was worse than them. Ferda gave her a look of contempt.

“Then could you have the sign taken down?”

“No.”

“Why not?!”

“You are barred precisely because any business you claim to have is bound to be something pathetic.”

“W-what! How can you say that?! I’ll have you know I develop products! Can’t you see? Penelope, Head of Product Planning!”

“What could someone developing products possibly need in the refugee district?”

“Lingerie, duh.”

“Lingerie?”

What was she talking about? As though she had been waiting for this, Penelope produced an item.

“This!”

The thing she showed him was exceedingly peculiar.

“What is that scrap of cloth?”

“It’s clothing, not a scrap of cloth.”

“That covers so little, and you call it clothing?”

“Isn’t that the best part?”

“...?”

“You don’t seem to understand, so think of it this way. For example...”

She leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper.

“Imagine Her Highness Valdrova wearing this.”

“...”

“How would you feel seeing all that pale skin laid bare, with this little string sitting on her hips? With juuust enough showing to tease you. Hehehe...”

“...”

“Still having trouble picturing it? If you like, I could turn into Lady Valdrova and model it my—”

“The instant you do, I will give you the most miserable death imaginable, you bitch.”

Ferda delivered the warning with murderous intent pouring off him, leaving no room for doubt.

“J-just kidding! How could I dare imitate Her Highness? Ahahaha!”

Penelope laughed, her face pale, trying to smooth things over.

“At any rate, that settles it.”

“Right? Now, if you could just give me that refugee district pass...”

“You are barred for life, you bitch.”

“What?!”

“And resign as head of product planning before you leave.”

“Why?!”

“Apart from making vulgar, useless things like this, all you do is loaf around and eat. Why should I keep you in that position?”

“That’s not true! I have other products besides my sexy, elegant lingerie!”

“Prove it right now. Demonstrate your ability, and I will approve your lingerie and whatever else.”

“Ha! I wasn’t going to bring this out... Behold the true power of the head of product planning!”

With an air of solemn resolve, she produced an unusual object with a triangular body.

“What is that?”

“I call it a fidget spinner.”

“A fidget spinner?”

“Hold the middle between your thumb and index finger, and spin this bit like so...!”

WHIRRR!

“It spins so smoothly!”

“It does spin well.”

“Doesn’t it?!”

“And?”

“Huh?”

“What else does it do?”

“Nothing else, silly!”

“Then what is the point of it?”

“Doesn’t it just feel good to spin it? What more do you need?”

WHIRRR.

Ferda stared at the spinner turning in Penelope’s hand, then asked, “Who appointed you head of product planning?”

If he could not take this woman’s head, he ought to take her superior’s at least.

“The lovely, sexy Lady Garnet Swallow, with her bombshell body!”

Of all people, someone he could not get rid of. Ferda wondered if there was any way to screw her over. Then an idea struck him.

“Are you confident this product will succeed?”

“Of course!”

“Then you would be willing to stake the fate of your lingerie business on it?”

“When you put it that way, I’m a little hesitant...”

“If you have so little confidence, why not give it up and stick to lazing around?”

“You keep underestimating this devil! I’m confident!”

Excellent. She had taken the bait.

“I will remember that. If this fails, you get nothing.”

“Yessir!”

“Good. Off you go.”

“I will, but...”

Penelope slyly held out a hand.

“Pay me.”

“For what?”

“Product development.”

“I am selling this rubbish for you, and I have to pay you as well?”

“Rubbish?! I thought and thought and thought, and then thought some more to create this utterly impractical product that I think people will go crazy for! Besides, it’s going to have a huge impact on my next business venture. Shouldn’t you pay me?!”

“... How much?”

“One hundred golden. It’s in the contract, you know?”

“...”

“Oh, what a bargain! A hundred golden is practically giving it away!”

In disgust, Ferda flung a purse at her feet. Penelope snatched it up like a dog, her eyes sparkling.

“Oh yeah! Tonight we feast! All you beauties of Hestia! Your girl is on her way!”

They said public funds were ripe for the taking, but to be fleeced by the likes of her!

Brimming with righteous indignation, Ferda contacted Stephan to seal Penelope’s death sentence. He explained this thing called a fidget spinner.

“I would say it might make money.”

The reply was a reprieve.

“... This rubbish?”

“Yes.”

“It looks utterly useless. What good could it possibly do?”

“More things in this world sell well for no reason than sell because they are useful. Isn’t that precisely what luxury goods are? Noble ladies drape themselves in them out of vanity, uncomfortable though they may be.”

“Hmm...”

“How much did you agree to pay in royalties?”

“No royalties. Just a hundred golden for development.”

“A hundred golden? Surely that leaves a handsome profit? I imagine you could make several dozen times that back.”

“That much?”

“With a little refinement, it could prove popular among the middle classes as well. Try putting it on sale for thirty shillings apiece. I’ll give it a proper push. I’ll also prepare related secondary ventures in advance.”

“... Thank you for the advice.”

Ferda could not bring himself to accept it. Something made by a third-rate lesser devil, becoming popular?

‘And at thirty shillings apiece?’

Even from a noble’s perspective, that was hardly a reasonable price for something so useless. He might as well throw the money on the ground.

WHIRRR!

It defied all common sense. Of course, the most absurd part was that Penelope was right.

‘This rubbish must not become a hit.’

WHIRRR!

Spinning the fidget spinner, Ferda made his decision and wrote something down.

Fidget Spinner Price: 6 golden.

He had raised Stephan’s proposed price twentyfold.

‘It will never succeed now.’

There would be a small loss, but what did that matter if it let him get rid of Penelope? Having devised his own wicked plan, Ferda sent the paperwork to the Hestia trading company.

* * *

“Have you heard? About that curious new thing at the Hestia trading company?”

“The fidget spinner? My son’s been beside himself begging me for one. What could he possibly like about such a useless thing...?”

“Actually, it’s more worth buying than you’d think. My son was spinning his, and I found it strangely addictive, so I bought one myself. There’s a reason even the noble lords carry them around these days.”

“It didn’t look like much to me. They carry those around?”

“Theirs are several times fancier than the ones sold in shops! If they commission the trading company, the nobles can have theirs studded with jewels and properly decorated! I hear professional jewelers are making a tidy sum from them lately.”

“Really? In that case, I ought to get one myself.”

“My good man, they’re sold out. You can’t get one now. You’d have to go to the Hestia trading company and wait at least a week just to bring one home!”

“Ugh... Still, I don’t want to be a father who’s behind the times... I suppose I’ll have to send a servant to find one.”

“Fashion is a frightening thing, isn’t it? Haha!”

WHIRRR!