“…?!”

I flinched my shoulders.

The man kneeling before me was wearing an elementalist’s robe rather than a knight’s attire.

“…Uncle!”

Felix was the intermediate elementalist from the Elementalist Association whom I had met in the artificial cave when I went for the Elementalist exam!

Parmes straightened up and declared to everyone with a cold expression.

“After the death of Grand Elementalist Marquis Mylar, Arinel Mylar’s father, we intend to revive the ‘Department of Elementalism’ that disappeared from the imperial palace.”

“…!”

“!!!”

People gasped in surprise at those words.

The Department of Elementalism. Though it wasn’t a department with massive personnel and budget like the Military or Economic departments, it had as much influence as major departments like Justice and Alchemy.

However, after the death of Grand Elementalist Marquis Mylar, the Department of Elementalism had long been vacant.

And now they’re reviving the Department of Elementalism!

This was a momentous and historic occasion for the empire’s elementalist community.

“Furthermore…”

Parmes’s gaze as he looked down at me contained warmth, unlike when he looked at others.

“As Arinel Mylar has contributed to detecting and establishing countermeasures for the empire’s crisis, I approve her succession to her father Marquis Mylar’s title. According to imperial law, Arinel Mylar will receive the title of Marquis upon coming of age, and until then will be treated as an Acting Marquis.”

“…gasp!”

“My goodness!”

Voices of surprise erupted.

Even Lady Alens behind me let out an exclamation of amazement.

Under imperial law, minors cannot inherit titles, and after a head of household’s death, imperial approval is required through a very complicated process.

According to Adam, it’s even more difficult for girls, and many cases end with relatives taking away their property and titles.

But today, Parmes declared me as the rightful heir to the Mylar marquessate, guaranteeing my rights as a noble.

“And.”

Parmes continued.

“As the requirements for the position of Head of the Department of Elementalism have been met with the Acting Marquis title, I hereby appoint Arinel Mylar as the Head of the Department of Elementalism.”

***

“Arinel Mylar, as Head of the Department of Elementalism, shall work together with the ministers to prepare for the predicted great famine.”

I looked up at Parmes with a dazed expression.

I’m… becoming the Head of the Department of Elementalism?

“Arinel, give your answer.”

Behind me came the gentle voice of Uncle Amrus, no, Duke Siegfried.

I placed my hand on my pounding heart.

I couldn’t gather my thoughts at this sudden appointment.

To work shoulder to shoulder with the most powerful people in the country…

“….”

I looked at Parmes with troubled eyes, but he nodded with a gentle smile.

His eyes seemed to say, ‘You’ve done well so far.’

I clenched my small fist and thought.

Yes. If I’m to participate in preparing for the great famine, my knowledge of the future will be helpful.

That must be why Dad sacrificed his soul to turn everything back and give me this power.

Standing there under everyone’s gaze, I opened my mouth to answer.

“I’ll do my best, Your Majesty!”

At my cheerful and clear response, Lady Alens burst out laughing.

Duke Guermont exhaled with a satisfied expression, and Duke Siegfried was looking at me with his typically dry but somewhat warm gaze.

Briton also gave me a smiling look.

‘Well done, my lady.’

I could almost hear his voice.

I envisioned how the original story had changed.

The Albreon Empire that would have, in two years’ time, witnessed its people dying from devastating famine, its lands lying desolate under the rule of a tyrant and his ruthless ministers.

That terrifying future was now shifting toward a brighter path.

The Hugo Brint Bank won’t go bankrupt, and I won’t lose Dad’s legacy or the future of the empire that Dad and Parmes dreamed of!

“You’ve accomplished something great, Arinel.”

My heart swelled at Lady Alens’s gentle pat on my shoulder from behind.

“Whatever you need, just tell me.”

Even Duke Guermont’s slightly scary but reassuring voice.

“Ho ho, now that the battle of support begins, this time I shall surely grasp victory.”

***

“If Uncle Amrus was also a Duke, then was Galnem village… a village of ministers?”

As I asked with raised eyebrows, Uncle Amrus, no, Duke Siegfried, answered with a smile.

“To be precise, there were children who weren’t ministers, but it was essentially that.”

By children… he must mean Aunt Annie and Uncle Burnel. Come to think of it, I can guess their true identities too.

Anyway, it’s shocking that even Uncle Amrus holds such a high position.

The Iron-Blooded Duke Siegfried.

What kind of person was he described as in the original work?

A crying child would stop crying at the mere mention of Duke Siegfried’s name – that’s how ruthlessly tyrannical he was known to be.

“….”

But looking at him now, though his demeanor was cold, he just seemed like a handsome and gentlemanly man.

“By the way, Arinel, I heard you’re preparing for the red beetroot business.”

“Ah, yes, that. Thank you for your help at the tasting event!”

If it weren’t for the subordinates Duke Siegfried sent, my tasting event would have been overrun by Duke Guermont’s Military Department.

Back then, I thought he had sent those employees as just a researcher from the Economic Academy.

“I’m glad I could be of help. Someone who only uses brute force wouldn’t suit Arinel’s refinement.”

Duke Siegfried glanced at yellow-eyed Duke Guermont with a wary look before smiling at me again.

“It’s quite nostalgic seeing you after so long. You seem to have grown taller too.”

He placed his hand on top of my head to check.

“Yes, I am a growing child after all.”

“That boy is about this tall too…”

Duke Siegfried muttered something while lost in thought.

“You’d make a good match.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Well, that depends on that boy’s abilities anyway. At any rate, since we’ve met again after so long, I’d like to help you beyond just a birthday gift. Do you need any advice about the red beetroot business?”

Duke Siegfried, Minister of Economy who oversees the empire’s economy.

Since he could read the flow of money, I decided to ask for his advice.

“The opening day is coming soon… but I’m not sure how much stock I should prepare.”

The enthusiasm at the tasting event was incredible, and it was clear that many people would come.

“And I want to expand the sales of my red beetroot products not just in the capital but to the provinces as well.”

“To the provinces?”

“Yes. Though that’s for the future, I’m thinking about branch stores and delivery systems too. If people can reliably purchase red beetroot products even during the famine, it could help the empire’s citizens.”

“Hooh… I offered to give advice, but instead, I’m getting inspiration from you.”

Duke Siegfried listened to my words with interest.

“I’ve bought lots of farmland and planted red beetroot, securing my own supply chain, but I’m worried about the unpredictable aspects before opening.”

Having too much inventory would strain the business.

“You mean you need demand forecasting. While I agree with that in principle, I think you’re wrong about this particular case.”

I tilted my head at Duke Siegfried’s words.

“Why is that?”

“Because it will sell like wildfire, making demand forecasting unnecessary. The reason being, I’m going to announce the news about the famine tomorrow.”

I looked at Siegfried with surprised eyes.

“Really? Won’t that cause too much public unrest?”

“There will be chaos at first, but it’s better than suppressing the information and having it leak later.”

“Ah…”

“It might be hard for you to understand now, but this could also cause division among those who harbor dissatisfaction with His Majesty. We could even put up food as bounty.”

Siegfried’s eyes suddenly gleamed coldly.

“If we respond to a crisis too late, we might get consumed by it, but if we stay one step ahead, we can use the crisis to our advantage.”

It seemed he had made this decision after considering various aspects.

“Then there really might be more people than expected coming on opening day.”

“I think this could be a proper opportunity for you to make money. Your father, Marquis Mylar, wasn’t one to care much about profits, but…”

Uncle Amrus looked into my eyes, seeming to think about my Dad.

“You, Arinel, not only have your father’s qualities but also a natural talent for money. You can excellently read the flow of…”

“Arinel!”

Before Uncle Amrus could finish, Lady Alens’s voice rang out.

She came before me with quick steps like a dancing crane and linked her arm with mine.

Uncle Amrus protested.

“It’s customary to have exclusive rights on the first meeting day, how unmannerly of you.”

“The exclusive rights we agreed upon had a time limit. I believe the hour has already passed, hasn’t it, Duke Siegfried?”

At Lady Alens’s words, Duke Siegfried flinched and checked his watch.

“The Minister of Palace Affairs is correct. Ho ho ho.”

Thump- Thump- With footsteps like a dinosaur’s, Duke Guermont approached.

“Tch, it can’t be helped.”

Duke Siegfried pushed up his slightly fallen glasses with his middle finger, looking displeased.

“We’ll have to follow the ’17th Treaty for Peaceful Sharing of Arinel.'”

“That’s right. Let’s not forget the treaty from Galnem, hohoho!”

“If you have any complaints, bring them up at the 18th treaty meeting!”

Excuse me? Ministers?

What are you all talking about!

What’s this strangely named treaty, and what’s this about a 17th one?!