Common Sense of a Duke’s Daughter 188

Countermeasure

…Still, I could not allow myself to faint.

“Someone! Call Ryle and Dida!”

Because of my voice, the servants of the mansion must have assumed that something serious had happened, and they moved frantically.

“Princess, what has happened?”

“What is it, my lady?”

Both of them looked a little pale as they ran to me.

Tanya also entered the room at the same time.

She carried documents in her hands. …It was likely a stock summary.

“Tanya, thank you.”

I said as I stretched out a hand.

She immediately handed it over to me.

I accepted it and then related the issue of the flood damage to the other two.

And also of the effects that Divan’s handiwork would have.

“There will likely be an increase in immigrants from other territories. But the Armenia lands and supplies were not unlimited. …And so, I want you to tighten security around the borders.”

The Armenia lands had enough supplies to last for a certain period.

It was a result of saving up until now.

But of course, it was not unlimited.

These lands were luckily far away from the disaster, and if people found out that we had enough supplies…many of them would travel to us.

Things would be chaotic at the checkpoint, as we were currently not ready to accept new people. The overall chaos within my lands would be great.

“Yes, certainly.”

“Also, you three. I trust you all from the bottom of my heart. And so I will tell you…”

For a moment, I hesitated over what I was about to tell them.

But we would not get anywhere if I didn’t tell them.

“We will take the population into account and gather food supplies that will last several months…and bury it.”

“Bury it?”

The three of them looked puzzled.

“Of course, burying it is a metaphor. What I mean is, we will keep it in a different location from our other stores. Somewhere in this house perhaps. …For an emergency. We will even rewrite the books.”

“Why must you do such a thing?”

“The country may demand that we offer them something. As long as I am here, I do not know what kinds of ridiculous demands they will make. They may come here to investigate. And so I mean to be prepared.”

“I see…”

“…It is not the most honorable thing.”

I muttered with self-scorn.

But the other three did not seem to hear me.

“…Well then, we should begin.”

I gave each of them detailed orders.

They immediately started to act on them.

I watched their backs as they left the room and continued to berate myself.

…Don’t think about the rest. I am in no way, God.

I am but a small human. And I have to make decisions.

I have to protect those who are close to me rather than the voices coming from far away.

I was weak and wanted to take the easy way out.

I can’t run. I can’t lose. I can’t throw it all out.

I have to take responsibility for my choices.

I told myself this and faced the documents in front of me.