Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor
Chapter 59

“Grula, you…”

His expression conveyed that he had much to say, but chose not to say it. Even if Ian was a commoner’s son, Grula was notorious for being so toxic that not even a passing dog would bother to bite.

Who would have thought he would audaciously exit through the front gate? It would have been better to propose a price negotiation with Count Merellof instead.

“But it’s true. Grula seeds are edible. You can roast them, boil them, or even eat them raw. Considering nutrients, satiety, and efficiency, it could even be called a divine blessing.”

“What nonsense.”

How could nobody have known about such a miraculous crop till now? It was a little shameful considering how the Bariel Empire had scholars working every day on solutions for famine.

And now, Grula, which is as common as dirt, is a divine blessing?

“I’ve been eating it recently.”

“You have?”

“Yes. The taste is quite good. I’m sure you, Sir Romandro, will also find it irresistible once you try it. The growing period is about a month, so there are no issues with food during the winter.”

Squeak.

The smoothly running carriage came to a stop midway. Once at the village square, then in the alley where the entertainment district is located, and again in the residential area. Each time the carriage stopped, the subordinates who had set off first climbed aboard.

But something seemed off about Beric. Not only did his face seem flushed, but there was also a smell of wine whenever he faintly smiled. Ian gave him a sidelong glance and lightly scolded him.

“Beric, you’re not doing what you’re supposed to.”

“Eh? No, no. The barkeeper kept insisting.”

Beric, who climbed in at the entertainment district, sniffled.

How much had he drunk in such a short time? Before Ian could frown, Beric quickly began reporting the situation.

“They said they’ll put up the notice. Dozens heard my announcement. It’s the most popular tavern around here.”

—’If you dig Grula, we will pay.’

This was what Ian meant by ‘hiring’ people. The peasants near Bratz will dig Grula in their forests, and those near Merellof will do the same.

“Did you specify the compensation and the time frame?”

“Of course. One copper coin for every three large bags. Only valid for one month.”

One copper coin was what a low-class laborer could earn in a month. Filling three bags with Grula wouldn’t be easy, but someone with good stamina could do it within half a month.

“Isn’t that too generous? One copper coin?”

“We need them to scour the forest with enthusiasm. If you think about the abundant winter that one bag of Grula will bring, it’s not that expensive.”

“And most importantly, the ‘time period’.

If they don’t set a time limit of a month, there will certainly be people who will cultivate and bring in more. Sorry, but that’s something that absolutely cannot happen. What Ian wants is not just the Grula itself, but also for all the shoots in the surrounding area to wither away.

“How is the Merellof farming situation this year?”

“It doesn’t seem that great. It’s originally not a place for farming, and didn’t the central army Bratz’s battle make the river dirty? They’re saying among themselves that it’s a poor harvest.”

“What usually happens in Merellof during a poor harvest?”

“In the winter, trade delegations from the Hawan Kingdom come in. That’s when economic activity starts thriving.”

“…Trade delegations.”

“Yes, those are groups that have almost everything. The really big ones even carry around several years’ worth of dried meat. The people of the Merellof territory provide them with lodging and convenience in exchange for buying food.”

“So even if there’s a poor harvest, it doesn’t have much of an impact.”

“Actually, it would probably be easier to find a year that’s not a poor harvest in Merellof.”

In response to Ian’s continued questioning, Romandro’s subordinate gave an excellent answer. He seems to have gathered information well before coming down.

In any case, it’s unknown how the harvest will turn out this autumn. If we can secure as much Grula as possible…

Did he perhaps already know?

Merellof might even propose a trade from their side. While Ian was mentally sorting out plans for the winter, Romandro was groaning while scratching his jawbone.

‘Grula? Grulaaa?’

He wanted to return to the territory immediately and verify if Ian’s claim was true. Otherwise, he’d give the boy a good piece of his mind, mage or not. And first thing when the day breaks, he would go look for Count Merellof again.

“Can’t you go any faster?”

“Is something urgent?”

“Ah, you talk too much!”

“Understood. It’ll be a bit bumpy. Let’s go!”

Zzak! Hiing!

Ian, whether he knew of Romandro’s worries or not, only firmly swatted away Beric’s hand that was reaching for the dried meat in the box.

“Ah, you’re being too much, my Lord.”

“Stop talking nonsense and wake up. Your speech has changed like you’re drunk.”

“My mouth is bitter. Just one? Huh? Just one.”

In the end, when they arrived at the mansion, only an empty box was left. The moment Romandro got off the carriage, all the servants, starting from the kitchen, were thrown into chaos.

“What did you just say? Make food with this?”

“This is Grula. Your jokes are really bad today.”

“No, it’s true. Sir Ian said to make food with Grula. Any weed-based recipes can be used, but make sure to check if there are seeds with pulp on the surface.”

The kitchen staff all crossed their arms and stared down at the box of Grula. No matter how they thought about it, this was a waste of ingredients, fuel, and manpower. Who in the world would cook with roadside weeds?

Having no choice, the head chef went up to Ian’s room to confirm the order.

“Sir Ian. About tonight’s dinner.”

“Ah, yes. You heard, right? I personally like to boil the Grula until it’s well-cooked and then use it. It’s nice when it’s cold, but it’s artistic when swallowed warm.”

“……”

It wasn’t a joke. It was real.

The head chef, in bewilderment, took off his hat and bowed. The kitchen staff gathered around and bombarded him with questions.

“So we’re really cooking with Grula?”

“Yes, everyone turn on the stoves.”

“I don’t get it, really. Ah! I get it! Maybe it’s to poison that official Molrin and his group.”

“Don’t be foolish. Have you ever seen someone die from eating Grula?”

“Of course not! Who would eat such a thing?”

“No, if you have a weak body, you might ingest the poison and die. Remember the old man who used to shine shoes? He got sick and died after eating Grula.”

*Cha-ah-ak!*

When had the kitchen ever been so noisy? The head chef couldn’t even bring himself to quell the uproar, instead busily stirring pans. It felt like all the sauces and spices being sprinkled over were going down the drain. For the first time in his life, he felt guilty while cooking.

And then, a few hours later.

Romandro donned a napkin around his neck with a face full of tension. Then, the dining room door opened, and the servants lined up, pulling in trolleys. The smell was both familiar and strange. One thing was certain; it stimulated the salivary glands.

“Is, is all of this made from Grula?”

“Head Chef, please introduce.”

“…Specifically, these are Grula seeds. This is a dessert made by frying Grula seeds and soaking them in honey. And this is stewed. When cooked, it grows in size. I can’t give you a name since there isn’t one.”

Even Ian didn’t know the specifics of the recipes. He had never set foot in a kitchen; he was an emperor and was served, not the one cooking.

But touché. These were people who had spent their lives in front of fire; their cooking stimulated the visual and olfactory senses even if it was made on a whim.

Clink-clank

“Hmm.”

Ian didn’t hesitate in tasting the food. He sampled this and that, and thoroughly enjoyed the Grula. Romandro cautiously prodded at the Grula.

“…Is the doctor waiting outside?”

“No, it’s the middle of the night, so he’s probably at home?”

“Tell him to be on standby!”

“Hahaha. Just kidding. Don’t worry and try some.”

As Ian let out a hearty laugh, Romandro sighed deeply and closed his eyes. Then, he took a spoonful of ‘Grula’ and put it into his mouth.

“Heeek!”

Romandro made an unexpected sound, surprising even himself. Ian couldn’t help but laugh as he saw Romandro’s eyes slowly widen. Instead of speaking, he took another spoonful of the stew and fed it to him.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“This, this….”

Why is it so delicious? Romandro seemed utterly captivated by the new taste. Ian gestured to the servants standing at the back of the dining room.

“You all come over here too.”

“Us, you mean?”

“Don’t just stand there, come and try the food. Aren’t you curious?”

The servants hesitated, glancing cautiously at Romandro. He was so engrossed in the food that he lifted the soup bowl to drink directly from it. The servants felt awkward due to the informal behavior at the owner’s table and the prejudices about ‘wild weeds’.

“Thank you.”

“What would you like to eat?”

“I’ll have something honey-glazed.”

The first among them to step forward was Hannah. Hannah took some food with a cheerful disposition and soon seemed surprised as she covered her mouth.

“It’s delicious.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Hannah, is it really good?”

“Sis, you should try it too.”

“Then, if you’ll excuse me, Ian-nim…”

Seeing both the owner and the royal advisor eating like this, the servants thought there shouldn’t be any problem. Encouraged by Hannah, they gathered around one by one and took bites of the ‘grula’ dish.

“Eh?”

“Um… is this what ‘Grula’ is?”

“This is unbelievable. It’s really delicious.”

Ian watched his family with a faint smile. While it might be due to their basic needs being met, it was the farmers who connected Ian and the people of the estate.

They were the starting point for the distribution of gulla. One person leads to two, and two to four. As with all great endeavors, the beginning is always modest.

“Ha, this is amazing. How did you even find this?”

Romandro seemed to have finally regained his composure, wiping the corner of his mouth. The bowl in front of him was completely empty.

“It was by chance.”

“Did Dergha not feed you at all?”

“That’s not it. Anyway, we should rely on Grula for this winter. We’ll build a greenhouse in the garden starting tomorrow. It roots well in both dry sand and water but is weak to cold.”

While constructing the greenhouse, they could mobilize the people from Merellof and Bratz’s estates to collect all the Grula in the area. As long as the demand is certain, controlling the supply in the area would give them an advantageous position in the market.

“What about when it snows? Ah, true, it’s hard to come by in winter.”

Romandro, forgetting all formalities, licked his spoon clean and mumbled. Then, he casually asked Ian.

“After observing for a few days and seeing that there are no adverse effects, I should include this in my report to the imperial palace. Is that alright?”

“Of course. You must also include how it was discovered.”

The implication was not to leave out Ian’s name. After all, it was implausible to say that Romandro, who had recently come to the estate, had unilaterally discovered the edibility of Grula. Romandro gestured as if to say, don’t worry about it.

“I’ll only write the truth in the report, even if a knife is on my throat. By the way, can we eat more of this?”

“You can’t. We still have a limited amount. Remember, one seed yields more than ten Grula.”

As Ian refused with a smile, Romandro put down his spoon, licking his lips. If he knew it would come to this, he would have stopped the servants from taking the Grula.

“And everyone, maintain strict silence until we’ve gathered enough Grula seeds.”

At Ian’s command, the servants, including Hannah, made a show of sealing their lips solemnly.