The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke's Daughter - Chapter 87

 

The other ladies’ also rushed to speak.

 

“Please, me too.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Liriette held back her laughter while looking worried.

 

“Are you sure it’s fine?”

 

The ladies nodded with determined faces.

 

After a while, a purple cake was placed in front of the ladies one by one.

 

The ladies glared at the cakes with serious faces.

 

‘The color is definitely pretty. The scent is also good.’

 

Furthermore, the cakes made by the skilled chef had a very nice appearance.

 

The noble ladies glanced at Raphael. He had already added another cake and was munching on it.

 

With the happiest face in the world.

 

‘Yes. Even His Highness the Prince enjoys it so much. At least I won’t die after eating it!’

 

The ladies’ put the cakes in their mouths as if they were eating dead rats.

 

After a while, exclamations of “whoa!” leaked out.

 

‘D-Delicious!’

 

It was hard to believe that this was a cake made from Kukurk fruit.

 

Raphael smiled, his pink hair that resembled the cake fluttering.

 

“Is that what I said?”

 

The ladies nodded without any objection.

 

After the tea party, the ladies returned home as quickly as possible.

 

The ladies shouted at their husbands.

 

“Honey, buy the land of Kukurk right now.”

 

“W-What are you talking about eating Kukurk fruit? You’re not going to ruin the family just because you gambled a little…”

 

“Stop talking nonsense and buy it right now! That cursed land will make up for all the money you lost.”

 

***

 

The northern society was in an uproar.

 

“The Count of Penelope started buying the land of Kukurk.”

 

“Baron Asilla too.”

 

“Viscount Kreke too.”

 

At first, the nobles were confused and didn’t know what was going on. Why is everyone suddenly trying to buy the cursed land?

 

The nobles soon knew the answer.

 

“The Duke of Windsor-Ice made a cake made with Kukurk fruit.”

 

That horrible thing?! The nobles were shocked, yet their expressions soon changed.

 

“However, the cake isn’t only beautiful, but it’s also really unique and delicious.”

 

“His Highness Prince Raphael, who is staying in the castle, is crazy about the cake and eats it at every meal.”

 

The nobles whispered in small voices.

 

“His Highness Prince Raphael is thinking of purchasing Kukurk fruit and spreading it to the capital. He can’t keep such a delicious fruit to himself.”

 

A noble even came to Liriette to make a request.

 

“Young Princess. I would like to try the cake made with the famous Kukurk fruit.”

 

“Are you sure you don’t mind?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Liriette nodded after making a slightly bewildered expression.

 

The nobles who ate the cake all had the same reaction.

 

“D-Delicious!” 

 

Above all, the nobles who went to taste it saw.

 

Raphael eating purple cake with the happiest face in the world.

 

The beautiful scene, like a painting, was enough to blow away the prejudice that Kukurk fruit was ominous.

 

When the nobles met, they talked about Kukurk fruit.

 

“The superstition that eating Kukurk fruit will bring a curse is a groundless superstition.”

 

“People say that the reason people have problems after eating the fruit is because of the poison in the seeds. It’s safe to eat after its seeds are removed. It’s a fruit with excellent taste and aroma.”

 

“More than anything, this fruit is rare. It’s only found in the land of Kukurk in the entire continent.”

 

When an item with excellent performance is rare, its value increases hundreds of times.

 

Like diamonds or gold.

 

What if it spreads to the entire continent, including the capital, and becomes popular?

 

Word began to spread among the nobles that the Kukurk fruit would become a great treasure in the future.

 

Soon after, the story spread to the commoners. 

 

“I heard that the Kukurk fruit is so popular among the nobles these days.”

 

“Ugh, there must be so much to eat, why would they eat something like that?”

 

“Ah, they definitely eat it because there’s more to it. Aren’t nobles usually picky…?”

 

The commoners admired the nobles.

 

They were very curious about the fruit that the nobles were interested in. It was enough to blow away the aversion that had built up over a long time.

 

‘I’ll try eating it too.’

 

The commoners also began to look for Kukurk fruits.

 

Among the nobles who had the money, many even tried to purchase Kukurk land where they could cultivate the fruit.

 

This was the beginning of the Kukurk fruit craze.

 

***

 

Simon said.

 

“Not only has the perception of Kukurk fruits changed, but the demand for the fruit is rapidly increasing. In response, villages in Kukurk, including Achita Village, have begun to cultivate the fruit.”

 

Kukurk fruits grew well in land contaminated with Kukuruk poison. It wasn’t weak to germs and didn’t change with the seasons.

 

It was the perfect plant for farming.

 

“The residents of Kukurk, who had naturally left their hometown, are returning. The village of Kukurk is expected to prosper as much as before, if not more.”

 

It was such an amazing change that it made one wonder how this could have been possible in such a short period of time.

 

Simon looked at Liriette with an excited look and continued.

 

“That’s not all. A while ago, Miss Liriette asked the Duke to buy the land of Kukurk.”

 

It was groundwork to gain the attention of the nobles and make them judge that the land of Kukurk was valuable.

 

“The price of the land you bought back then has increased tenfold!”

 

It was possible because she bought the land at a low price.

 

“Plus, when you start harvesting Kukurk fruits, you will reap enormous profits. The value of the land will increase even more as time goes by.”

 

It was truly a successful investment.

 

He spoke with a voice full of emotion. 

 

“This is truly an incredible achievement, Miss Liriette!”

 

And Simon wasn’t the only one who thought so.

 

Until a few months ago, this was how Liriette had been evaluated.

 

A girl born to a commoner and spent her childhood in a temple. Despite not showing the spirit of a noble or outstanding intelligence, her heart is warm.

 

However, this incident changed Liriette’s evaluation completely.

 

“A change of thinking to eat the Kukurk fruit! An inquisitive mind that studied the fruit! A sophisticated strategy to change the perception of the fruit!”

 

Simon clenched his fist and shouted.

 

“The Princess of Windsor=Ice is terrifyingly intelligent. This is the public’s recent evaluation of Miss Liriette.”

 

The evaluation was cold.

 

No matter how good her origins or how much money she had, in order to receive a high evaluation, she had to have truly outstanding skills.

 

Simon was so happy that she had done that. 

 

“The nobles, they may have thought that Miss Liriette was kind and warm, but they probably thought that you were a commoner and not worth much. Yet now they can’t do that anymore.”

 

Liriette’s face in front of Simon turned bright red as if it would burst at any moment.

 

Although it was true that she had achieved something, it was embarrassing to hear such enthusiastic praise.

 

Liriette glanced at the Duke sitting across from her.

 

The Duke, who was sitting quietly, had a blank expression, yet she could tell.

 

The corners of the Duke’s lips were up (so slightly that others couldn’t tell) more than usual.

 

Liriette asked, wiggling her fingers.

 

“Are you happy too, Duke?”

 

He nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

 

It wasn’t due to Liriette having made money or received good reviews from others.

 

“Didn’t you try hard to help the people of Kukurk? I’m glad that you got the results you wanted as much as you tried.”

 

“…”

 

“Well done.” 

 

He reached out, stroking Liriette’s round head.

 

She smiled brightly under the Duke’s large hand.

 

Like a bee that finally tasted sweet honey after a long flight.

 

***

 

As the Kukurk fruit began to gain popularity, Liriette became just as busy as the Duke.

 

She had to go to Kukurk Village to tell them about the fruit and meet the nobles to promote the fruit.

 

Looking at Liriette, who was wearing a dress and boots that were comfortable to move in, the Duke in silver armor said.

 

“I’m going to a far place to defeat monsters, so I will be home in ten days at the earliest.”

 

Liriette’s heart was always heavy on the days when the Duke went out to defeat monsters.

 

However, instead of showing her worries, she smiled brightly.

 

“I will be back a few days earlier.”

 

She was planning to go to Achita Village.

 

It would take about a week to go back and forth, so she would return to the castle earlier than the Duke.

 

He frowned slightly. At times like this, he really wanted to throw away all the monsters and go with Liriette. 

 

—It was a feeling he couldn’t show to anyone.