I’m Going to Marry a Poor Count in the Middle of Nowhere and I’m Going to Work Hard to Reform My Territory - Chapter 28

Serge returns on Lasse, supporting a dragon about two sizes smaller than Sari.

Erick and the three dragon wranglers who stayed in the stables assisted in removing the smaller dragon from Lasse’s back.

The beautiful little dragon, with almost white scales, hangs limp and breathes feebly.

The dragon’s wing was wounded.

The dragon was small and thin, exactly as John had described it as a child.

Serge stated that he was unaware of the circumstances, but that the child’s inability to fly may have isolated her from her pack.

Dragons typically live in packs and lay their eggs when a litter leaves the nest; they have a life expectancy more than twice that of humans and can live 150 to 200 years, but they reach adulthood in about two years.

Serge fostered Sari and Lasse as children and brought them to Bourg when they were one year old.

They’ve been adults for a year, and this is their first time laying eggs.

The white dragon was the same size it was when Sari and Lasse were brought here, and it was about a year old.

They attempted to feed her meat, but she refused.

The majority of the meat given to the dragons came from old livestock or animals killed in the forest, and it was tough and smelled strongly.

Angelique asked Doni to bring some soft meat for human consumption, and the little dragon finally took a few bites before falling limp again.

On horseback, John and the others returned and offered her some red iron ore they had collected in the mines along the way.

“We were in a hurry, so this is all we have for the time being.”

“I appreciate it.”

“Do you want us to go to the Azur mine and collect some crystals?”

“Please.”

Serge examined the dragon carefully and removed a ruby from the sword at his waist.

The largest sapphire in the golden ornament was already missing.

“I’m sorry, Angelique, but can I rely on your jewels in times of famine?”

“Of course, you are welcome to use as many of my rings, tiara, and brooch as you like if you don’t have enough to give to this child.”

The dragon closes her thinly opened eyes and swallows the red iron ore and rubies.

Her breathing gradually became more relaxed.

“It appears that the pain has subsided.”

Sari, who had been watching the little dragon with bated breath, approaches, leaving the eggs with Lasse. “Gururu,” she says, bringing the tip of her nose close to the white dragon.

They are relieved when the little dragon responds with “Gururu.”

Serge and the others stayed in the cold stables for three days and three nights, tending to the dragon.

Sari usually spent more time with the eggs than Lasse, but she left the eggs  to Lasse in favor of spending time with the little dragon.

The little dragon got up by herself on the third day and drank some water.

Meat had been placed in a tub for Sari and Lasse to eat, but the little dragon started eating it by sticking her nose into it from the side.

Sari and Lasse were not angry and watched the little dragon eat the meat with their eyes.

“She appears to be doing better.”

“It looks like everything seems to be fine now.”

Serge and the other eight exhausted dragon wranglers collapsed to the ground, their hearts pounding in their chests in relief.

Lest they catch cold, Emire woke them one by one and brought them back to the castle, where they drank the soup Doni had prepared and fell asleep on the carpet in the hall, lord and servant alike.

The dragon was a girl and was named Blanca.

By the end of a week, she was well enough to live in the stables, where Lasse and Sari felt at ease with her.

“There will be five dragons in total when the eggs hatch. It’s incredible if you ask me, considering Escola’s institute only has twenty dragons.”

“We’ll have to figure out how to feed them as well.”

“I suppose so; if they could fly free, they could catch their own food, but we have to be responsible for their food as long as we keep them.”

It’s pricey, Serge admits apologetically.

“We won’t harvest as much wheat this year, but we’ll have more fields and more tax revenue next year, so we’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve been thinking about the wheat.”

“What about the wheat?”

“Aside from what we’ll eat, I want to sow as much wheat as I can this fall.”

(Translation: What they harvested will be replanted again.)

“Does that mean it will reduce overall grain yield?”

Angelique gave a nod.

“The bread here is delicious.”

“What about the bread?”

“I thought because Doni was good at making it, but our other cook was also good.”

“Well, of course. The Duke of Montan’s cook cannot be a dud.”

“Yes, but the bread here is better, and I wasn’t that disappointed even when I couldn’t eat the meat.”

Serge seemed unsure, but decided not to worry.

“I mean, I think wheat might be a specialty here; perhaps the cold weather and the time it takes to grow make it sweeter. Good wheat would be popular in the Royal Capital if it was well advertised; it would probably sell for twice the price.”

“The royal capital?”

Wheat is the only way they can sell at a high price.

In the Royal Capital, bread is pure white bread baked with wheat.

“If we can build a road to Vignoa, the Montan wagons will bring it from Vignoa. The profit will be sufficient to cover the costs. We could use the money to buy more grains, resulting in more grains.”

“So, wheat is the answer,” Serge hugged Angelique.

“Angelique, you are truly incredible.”

“No, I’m not; it’s easy to think about it in your head; the hard part is doing it.”

Angelique is glad that Serge put trust in her.

The sunlight begins to mix with the glimmer of spring after the middle of February.

Angelique’s stomach has not yet swollen, but Sari and Lasse’s eggs will hatch in a few months.

‘By the summer, the baby will…’

The estate reform is moving along nicely.

Everything appeared to be perfect.

Because of that she was overjoyed.

Then, one day, a fast horse trotted out of the Montan farm in Vignoa to Bourg.

It was an owl’s delivery service.

An owl service is only used for emergencies.

Angelique quickly opened the letter.

Angelique reads the letter quickly and almost falls to the ground.

She becomes pale and clutches Serge’s arm, who is nearby.

“Angelique!”

Angelique was trembling, her forehead drenched in sweat.

“Oto-sama!”