Chapter 44

This was supposed to be a tin mine that generated at least some modest profit. Not as much as the copper mine, but it wasn’t running a deficit, so surely someone should be working here.

Yet, the surroundings were all gray and utterly desolate, with no sign of people anywhere. It felt less like a profitable mine and more like an abandoned one.

“What’s this? Is there really no one here?”

Lionel ordered the coachman to search the area and personally inspected every corner of the mine. There were faint traces of work here and there, but nowhere was there a single person.

After a while, Lionel finally managed to meet someone—the coachman brought over an old man who was gathering firewood in the nearby forest, not a miner.

“You’re the Duke of Valentin? What brings you to a place like this?”

“A place like this? Isn’t this the tin mine?”

“Ah, you’ve picked the wrong day. Mining operations are closed today. They only work about three days a week.”

“Just three days? Isn’t that practically neglecting the job?”

Lionel couldn’t help but comment on the absurdly few workdays. The old man scratched his head weakly.

“There’s nothing to be done, there aren’t enough workers. You know, there’s a big tin mine in the western part of the Empire now? Since there’s money to be made, all the miners left for there.”

Indeed, the income from this mine was unusually low. Lionel felt drained by the atmosphere of the tin mine, so different from the copper mine.

If the mine’s profits were declining and the workers had left, no one would want to buy it.

Seeing Lionel’s disappointed expression, Clarette’s heart grew heavy as well. She hoped he might find at least a glimmer of possibility and made a suggestion.

“Your Grace, would you like to visit a nearby village? It doesn’t seem like anyone will come here anyway.”

“Ah, sure. Someone must live around here.”

As he started back toward the carriage with her, the old man shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace. The village is practically empty too. Only old folks like me remain, and there are hardly any young people fit to work.”

“Then who’s working at the mine at all? You said they operate three days a week, right?”

“Well, there’s exactly one young man left….”

The old man hesitated, looking troubled. When Lionel didn’t back down and continued to wait for an answer, he finally muttered reluctantly.

“The truth is, there’s a crazy fellow in the village who thinks tin is the future, but he’s a bit….”

It wasn’t the kind of introduction anyone wanted to hear, but Lionel had no other choice.

“Where can I find this crazy fellow?”

***

The house the old man pointed out was striking, even from the outside. Lionel paused when he saw white dishes and ornaments coated in tin piled up like trash in one corner of the yard.

“He really might be out of his mind. Clarette, it could be dangerous, so maybe you should just wait outside?”

“It’s fine, Your Grace. Maybe he just likes making things out of tin?”

Clarette answered calmly as she examined the tin ornaments, which looked crude but seemed to be made with care. To Lionel, it looked like nothing but a madman’s house, but in the end, he followed her wishes and stood with her at the door.

“Doris Markrel, are you inside?”

Calling out the name he’d heard from the old man, Lionel knocked on the thick wooden door. After a moment, the door creaked open and a neat-looking young man with glasses poked his head out.

“I’m Doris, but who are you?”

“I’m the Duke of Valentin. Could you step out for a moment to talk about the mine—”

“What? The Duke of Valentin should be much older than you.”

Doris peered at him suspiciously, pushing up his glasses. Lionel was dumbfounded. Even if it was a remote village, shouldn’t they at least know the lord of the estate had changed?

“I’m the new Duke. My father passed away two months ago.”

“What? But Sir Victor has black hair, doesn’t he?”

“I’m the second son. My brother also passed away two months ago.”

“What? But I thought there was only one son in the Duchy?”

“That’s because I’m an illegitimate child and it’s been misreported… Anyway, just come out.”

Lionel, patient until now, finally lost his composure. He yanked the door that Doris was clutching.

“Ah!”

“Hey, don’t make a fuss, just stand up straight.”

Lionel dragged Doris outside, exasperated. Watching this, Clarette took a cautious step back, not wanting to get involved, as it reminded her of Lionel’s days in the military.

“Ugh, why are you doing this to me! Suddenly barging in and pretending to be the Duke!”

“Doris Markrel, just answer the question. Are you working at the tin mine?”

“Yes! By myself! Is that a problem?”

“Be reasonable, how can one person do all that work?”

“But it’s true! Sometimes the old folks help out!”

Doris finally freed himself from the Duke’s grip and stood his ground, though he was a head shorter than Lionel, he showed no sign of backing down now.

Lionel looked down at Doris’s suddenly assertive face and snorted, satisfied.

“Now we’re talking. So, you’re the only proper worker at the mine? You’ve been mining all that ore by yourself?”

“Yes, if I don’t work hard, the whole place will rust away! There’s no one else, so I have to do it!”

Clarette could hardly believe her ears. The mine they’d seen earlier, aside from being quiet, wasn’t much different from other mines. It wasn’t something one person could handle….

“That’s amazing, Mr. Markrel. How did you manage all that?”

Clarette couldn’t help but admire him, and Doris’s angry face softened a little. He mumbled, suddenly shy in front of a pretty woman he hadn’t seen in ages.

“Well, I just… like making things out of tin.”

Clarette looked at Lionel triumphantly, as if she’d guessed correctly. Lionel finally raised his hands in surrender.

“Alright, he’s not crazy, he’s a good… no, an impressive man.”

He changed his words, but Doris still eyed Lionel warily.

Lionel sighed and asked in a much more polite tone,

“So, what have you made out of the leftover tin? Those dishes?”

Lionel pointed to the yard, but Doris shook his head.

“Those are failures. The real works are kept safely inside the house.”

He hesitated, then shyly addressed Clarette.

“Um, would you like to come in and see?”

“Yes, I’d love to.”

Clarette readily accepted and followed Doris inside. Left alone, Lionel felt indescribably awkward as he trailed after them.

***

“Ouch.”

“Be careful, Your Grace.”

Lionel ducked as he kept bumping his head, feeling like he was exploring a cave. All over the ceiling of the small house, tin ornaments and crafts made by Doris hung down.

Meanwhile, Clarette genuinely enjoyed looking at Doris’s creations.

“Is this a mobile? It sparkles beautifully.”

“Yes, I made it for children. But since no children have been born in the village, I’ve kept it.”

“This cup is plated with tin, right? Did you do the engraving yourself too?”

“Yes, you seem to know a lot. Who are you, Miss?”

“I’m a painter.”

“Aha. Are you married?”

“Hey, Doris.”

Lionel quickly interrupted before Clarette could answer.

“I get that you make a lot of things, so just show us the one item you’re most proud of.”

Doris couldn’t take his eyes off Clarette, but slowly headed up to the attic. As he searched upstairs, Lionel muttered under his breath.

“Doesn’t it bother you how that man keeps flirting with you? It’s fine to show it, I’m right here.”

“What? Mr. Markrel was flirting with me?”

Clarette hadn’t found anything unpleasant in Doris’s behavior and just tilted her head. Lionel grumbled, looking annoyed.

“Come on, it’s obvious. He only talks to you, asks if you’re married. He barely knows you….”

“I was kinder to him than you were, and besides, I’m not wearing a ring. At my age, most women are already married.”

Lionel glanced at Clarette’s bare fingers. Now that he thought about it, a ring would look nice on those pretty fingers. Not that he could put one on her ring finger….

“Here it is!”

Just then, Doris came down from the attic carrying a long box. He looked confidently at Clarette and opened the box wide.

“This is going to make me rich one day!”

Inside the box was a slender, silver-gray rod. Lionel looked unimpressed, while Clarette examined it seriously, trying to guess what it was.

“What’s this, some kind of self-defense weapon?”

“Hmm, maybe a musical instrument, like a flute?”

Doris grinned and revealed the answer.