Can you really fix it?

Seeing the man obediently step aside, Astrid snorted coldly and strode forward on her black silk-clad legs, heading deeper into the farm.

In broad daylight, the man had prevented idlers from entering, clearly indicating that there was something to hide.

Though he claimed there were no "three hundred golds" here, it was obvious that Lucas's plan was well underway.

To conserve her mental energy, Astrid deactivated her elemental vision and quietly instructed Lyra to stay alert and report any new findings.

"Understood, Your Highness Astrid,"

Having worked closely with Elise for so long, Lyra had picked up some of her habits.

For instance, when Princess Astrid gave an order, it was to be obeyed without question, no explanations were necessary.

As they followed Astrid across the ridges, a faint green light suddenly caught Lyra's attention.

She focused her gaze and spotted several figures dressed in servant attire, similar to the man they had encountered earlier.

Among them was a figure clad in a brownish-gray mage robe, emanating faint magical fluctuations.

Velrik Thalric knelt beside a black sack that had been dragged before him.

He placed his palm against the rough fabric and gently rubbed it.

Inside, something stirred, a living creature, struggling against the touch.

A low, pained groan escaped the sack as the rough skin within scraped against the fabric.

"Let's begin," Velrik said, brushing the dirt off his robes as he stood and issued the command.

The servants nearby tightened their grips on their shovels and began digging with practiced ease.

This was not their first time performing such a task.

Some time ago, Lucas had discovered that burying large livestock in contaminated soil could significantly reduce the absorption of seeds by the land.

Since then, the servants had been burying a lamb or calf alive every few days.

The brownish-yellow soil was soon shoveled away, revealing tattered plant roots and decaying insect carcasses beneath.

Velrik frowned deeply as he examined the scene.

There were no dark spots of death on the surface of the dead matter, which was unusual.

This situation resembled a high-level curse, but if the land had been cursed, there should have been faint magical fluctuations in the air.

Yet, he sensed nothing, an abnormality that troubled him.

Could it be that the person who cast the curse was far more powerful than him?

As a Magnus Level Mage, Velrik was considered upper-middle class in the Valeria Empire.

With a bit of talent, he could even secure a position at the Elizabeth Academy of Magic.

It was precisely because of his abilities that he had become Lucas's guest and was involved in various secret plans.

Could it be... the work of an Arcanist necromancer?

As they dug deeper, more black sacks emerged from the soil, alongside the roots and insect shells.

Velrik instinctively touched his nose, his expression growing colder.

One of the servants, digging too forcefully, struck a sack with his shovel, producing a sharp, bone-cracking sound.

Velrik opened the sack and examined its contents.

All the flesh and blood had vanished, leaving only skeletal remains.

In just four or five days, the lamb had been completely consumed by the land, no maggots, no flies, just clean bones.

"Be careful. Don't make too much noise," Velrik warned in a low, hoarse voice.

Lucas had emphasized the need for caution. They couldn't afford to draw any attention.

At this moment, Velrik heard several discordant footsteps behind him, turned around, and a noble lady with silver hair and a black dress, holding a parasol, walked towards him.

Astrid looked at the sack at the man's feet.

The slightly bulging part was twitching, and the contents tried their best to break free but could not tear the sack.

A trace of coldness unconsciously crossed her eyes, and Astrid spoke lightly.

"What are you doing?"

Astrid deliberately lowered her voice, and the dazzling sunlight fell on her bright red pupils, adding a bit of deterrence to the woman's already powerful aura.

Velrik had seen Astrid and knew that she was very close to Lucas, so he did not stop her, as the servants had done before, but smiled at her with great gentleness.

"Greetings, Princess Astrid. We have just begun addressing the loss of the land in accordance with His Highness Lucas's wishes."

Astrid's expression remained unchanged when she heard this.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she stared at the sack and said softly, "What's in there?"

It didn't look like a human being, but it didn't rule out the possibility of someone malnourished and curled up in the sack.

"Back to Her Highness Astrid, it's a lamb."

"Open it and let me see."

Seeing the other party's suspicious expression, Velrik waved his hand and motioned for the servant to untie the bag.

Standing behind, Lyra heard the conversation between the two, and the curiosity in her eyes was even greater than Astrid's.

Her gaze fell lightly on the pure black sack on the ground.

The servant untied the rope and opened the mouth of the sack.

A little lamb with sparse hair curled up inside.

Its four hooves were tightly bound by thick hemp rope, and its mouth was also firmly tied with wattles.

The skin rubbed against the thick strip, leaving faint red marks, evidence of previous friction and blood.

Seeing that the contents of the sack were not what she had imagined, Astrid secretly breathed a sigh of relief, though her voice trembled slightly.

"You... Are you going to bury it alive?"

Looking at Astrid's feigned shock, Velrik nodded.

"Indeed, Your Highness."

In the eyes of the public, a delicate princess like her had likely never so much as killed a chicken.

Witnessing such a scene would undoubtedly leave her paralyzed with fear, so she needed to put on an even better act.

As if trying to soothe the turmoil in her stomach, Astrid gently traced her lips with one hand before speaking again.

"... Is this also a process for dealing with land deactivation?"

Burying a live sheep seemed strange, and with Astrid's character, she had to ask more.

"That's right."

After that, Velrik briefly recounted the recent discovery, euphemistically stating that this was a last resort for Prince Lucas.

"His Highness Lucas... It's been a lot of work to do this..."

The stakes are high.

Astrid does not doubt that Lucas has taken remedial measures after realizing that the situation is not good.

However, judging by the results, the other party's approach clearly cannot solve the problem at its root.

Lucas also knows that this matter is beyond his ability, but to please Emperor Hibbort, he has no choice but to suppress it forcefully, hoping to wait for other opportunities.

For Lucas, if the sacrifices of some commoners could secure his place on the supreme throne, then everything they had given would be worthwhile.

Otherwise, their lives would be nothing more than a mess of dead wood and rotting grass, not worth mentioning.

After listening to Velrik's words, Astrid once again demonstrated her excellent expression management skills.

Her snow-white, pretty face showed not the slightest hint of mockery.

Instead, she frowned slightly, her pink lips pursed, as if deeply troubled by Lucas's struggles.

Seeing Astrid's melancholy expression, Velrik spoke at the right moment, "Princess Astrid, you need not worry too much. In another month or so, I will be able to solve the problem of land."

Can you really fix it?

Thinking of the time bomb that had exploded unexpectedly a few years later, Astrid nodded on the surface, pretending to believe him.

However, inwardly, she was amused by Velrik's arrogance. Just as she was about to offer a polite response, a familiar male voice suddenly came from behind.

"Imperial Sister, you are in high spirits today. What brings you here so suddenly?"

Lucas's eyes flickered as his gaze swept over Lyra before landing on the dignified and elegant Astrid standing directly in front of him.