Plan to Expose
As the carriage departed from the imperial capital and galloped along the road into the distance, the towering structures outside the window gradually gave way to modest wooden huts, eventually replaced by an unobstructed expanse of blue sky.
An hour later, Lucas arrived at an abandoned farmland on the outskirts.
The man lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out, his ornately decorated pointed-toe shoes stamping on the ground, sending fine dust into the air.
Seeing this, several servants hurried forward and spoke respectfully.
"Your Highness Lucas, the situation in the field has deteriorated."
Hearing this, Lucas raised his eyebrows, his fingers gently caressing the metal cufflinks on his wrist, his expression one of arrogance.
"What's going on?"
The seeds were fine a few days ago, but why are they failing now?
The servant replied in a low voice, "According to Magnus Velrik, these seeds are losing their vitality little by little and will likely die completely by tomorrow night."
At the mention of his name, a curly-haired man in mage robes with a grim expression stepped forward.
Velrik, the Magnus level mage took over the conversation.
"Your Highness Lucas, I have already conducted experiments using Elemental Vision and the Plant Birth Technique. The seeds are indeed in poor condition."
"As before, the problem lies primarily in the soil. I cannot detect any significant vitality in it. It's as if the land is devoid of life, no ants, no worms, nothing."
As a Magus, Velrik had never encountered such a situation.
The land before him seemed cursed, as if no living creature could survive in it for long. It was utterly bizarre.
After listening to Velrik's assessment, Lucas frowned, his impatience evident.
"Then bring more living creatures. What happened to the previous batch of livestock?"
"It's all been used up. While the livestock can temporarily suppress this strange deactivation, they deteriorate quickly. We need a new live sheep every two days."
Prince Lucas had already gone through more than a dozen sheep.
If this inefficiency continued, the land might as well be abandoned.
Although the fields near the imperial capital typically yield a considerable amount of coarse wheat for brewing each year, the cost of consuming a live sheep every two days made the endeavor seem futile.
The losses far outweighed the gains.
Lucas was well aware of the pros and cons, but what he truly valued was not the superficial benefits.
His concern was Emperor Hibbort's perception of him.
He had to resolve this issue within the remaining three days, no matter what.
"I'll have the men bring another sheep before sunset. Use it to buy us some time," Lucas said coldly.
But continuing like this was unsustainable.
If he couldn't find a permanent solution, he would be forced to keep sacrificing livestock for the sake of the civilians' land.
Perhaps there was something else that could replace the live sheep...
Lucas stood still, his gaze shifting to a group of farmers resting under the trees in the distance.
His eyes flickered with contemplation.
After a long silence, he turned to his trusted henchman, Magnus Velrik Thalric.
"Velrik, I'm giving you one month to uncover the truth and fix this," Lucas said firmly.
"Make sure I see results."
....
In the palace, Astrid, who had vaguely guessed the subsequent plot developments, was not at ease.
It would have been simpler if she had remained oblivious, but since she had already foreseen what might happen, she could not ignore it.
For the sake of his own selfish desires, Lucas had sacrificed his own kind to the monster beneath the earth as sustenance for their recovery, ultimately causing a catastrophe.
His actions could only be described as inhumane.
Astrid had always been disgusted by such people and was determined to use this opportunity to sever ties with Lucas.
But how to proceed? What would be the best course of action?
Astrid carefully recalled the plot, searching for useful details in the minutes.
In the related storyline, Lyra only became aware of the relevant information midway through the formation of the monster.
Before that, there had been no leaks or rumors.
It was worth noting that the Elizabeth Academy of Magic, the empire's premier institution of magical learning located in the imperial capital, had not detected anything, neither its teachers nor professors.
The creation of that monstrous entity had been shrouded in secrecy.
It was likely that even Lucas himself did not fully understand the nature of the abomination he had nurtured.
With her fingertips tapping rhythmically on the table, Astrid crossed her legs and leaned gracefully against the back of her chair.
If she could alert Emperor Hibbort to the potential threat to the land through Charlotte, her status might lend her words enough weight to be taken seriously.
Perhaps this could prevent the plot from spiraling into uncontrollable chaos.
The crux of the matter now was how to make Charlotte understand the gravity of the land's deterioration.
Astrid leaned back, revealing her slender, smooth neck, and sighed.
The status of a princess had its advantages and disadvantages.
While it afforded her many conveniences, it also constrained her in numerous ways.
For instance, as a delicate princess confined to the palace, how could she possibly know about the life cycle of wheat in the fields?
After a moment of contemplation, a new plan began to form in Astrid's mind.
Since Princess Astrid in the original plot was also entangled in this affair, it suggested that Lucas had intended to involve her from the very beginning.
She might as well propose a field trip with Charlotte under the guise of sharing the emperor's burdens and solving problems for the royal family.
This would not only demonstrate her support as a devoted royal sister but also create the impression that Charlotte was aligning herself with the emperor's faction, seeking to prove her loyalty.
As for Charlotte, Astrid would explain it simply: her actions were solely aimed at helping the commoners resume farming as soon as possible and ensuring the stability of the imperial capital's outskirts.
It can be regarded as in line with the repentant character she deliberately showed last night.
"If this continues, I'll get schizophrenia sooner or later..." Astrid rubbed her eyes.
Not only does she have to be a sensible and obedient baby in Charlotte's eyes, but she also has to play an accomplice in front of Lucas, and she has to accompany the Protagonist, Lyra, to pretend to be a vicious princess all day long.
Astrid is really tired.
When everything is more or less settled, she has to give herself a vacation and find a place to be alone for a few days, so that her tense spirit, which has been strained since the crossing, can be relieved.
Knock...
Suddenly, there was a crisp knock at the door. Astrid lowered her folded legs and said, "Please come in."
Elise walked into the bedroom with a cup of milk tea and placed it gently in front of Astrid.
Every day at this time, Princess Astrid drinks a cup of milk tea.
Elise delivered it after mixing it according to the proper proportions, and today was no exception.