Plot

Riz has been stuck in the room for three days now as he has been busy with his proposal on agriculture in Bideford.

He had the servant send the food to his room and entrusted James with handling the company. James has grown capable enough to handle the company for him without Charlotte's assistance.

Finally, on the fourth day, he completed writing his plan and promptly proceeded to his father's office.

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

"Come in," Richard responded to the knock on his door.

"Father, I want you to see this," Riz said as he handed over his proposal to Richard.

Richard carefully looked at Riz's plan. The only thing that impressed him is probably the machinery that increases efficiency. He has no doubt about it as he already sees Riz's workshop full of this kind of thing. It was a magnificent sight to behold.

In regards to the four-field system, since there is no supporting data provided, Richard remains unconvinced.

To be frank, the proposal itself is not impressive. If Riz had submitted such a proposal to his professor back on Earth, it would likely go straight to the trash can.

It's a complete garbage proposal. There is no preliminary data whatsoever, only some introduction, hypothesis, thoughts and expected outcome.

What Riz has been diligently working on for the past three days was refining his proposal, aiming to present it with well-structured sentences and persuasive language in order to make it more convincing to the reader.

"Riz, if someone else were to give me a proposal like this, I would simply burn it," Richard remarked.

Riz couldn't help but think, 'Damn, he's even harsher than my supervisor.'

"However," Richard continues, "Since you have proven your capability with that paper company, I'm willing to believe in your plan. I will give you the portion of the field northeast of the town so you can experiment with it. If the results obtained are as you wrote in this proposal, I will implement them in the fief. As for this machinery...you can just find a blacksmith to make it for you. But, have you ever thought about the manpower that has been liberated?".

"We can order the adults to open more land and we can send the children to the school," he suggested.

"School? Are you suggesting we educate them? Do you know what the lords fear the most?" Richard questioned.

"...," Riz fell silent, waiting for Richard to continue.

"It's when their subject possesses both book and sword," Richard explained.

"I don't believe they will rebel if we govern them fairly. Furthermore, we will require a multitude of skilled individuals for the future," Riz countered.

Sighing, Richard responded, "We can discuss this matter of public schools at a later time. For now, focus on demonstrating the validity of your assumptions."

"Thank you, Father," Riz acknowledged, promptly leaving the office.

....

Tegrot City,

It is a city with a population of thirty-six thousand people. It is located in the west of the Bagyarosia Kingdom bordering the Bishopric of Turtevekesia.

"Is what you said true?" asks an old man in his late fifties. He looks slightly overweight, with a bald head. Despite his age, he is still strong enough to carry out the responsibilities of a lord.

"Yes, milord, the timing was right," said the knight.

"I see. You may leave now," replied the old man.

After the knight left, the old man sat down on the chair in his office, deep in thought.

He contemplated for a while, realizing that the obstacle he needed to eliminate was larger than he had initially anticipated. Previously, he thought that he'd already succeeded but that has been proven wrong.

He reached out for the paper on his desk, but as he glanced at it, he couldn't help but scoff at himself. He might be old but he is not stubborn.

By now, the parchment industry has basically collapsed. His investment all these years is wasted now. He didn't make any preparation and lost a lot of money in this unanticipated storm.

"One move and it shakes an entire industry," he murmured, realizing the magnitude of the impact one boy had caused.

He began to write a letter addressed to his daughter, Maria Gyalcakes. She needs to prove her usefulness or else she will be eliminated.

Initially, he believed that he could simply wait for Robert to assume the mantle of responsibility. However, the unexpected arrival of Riz, who bore a striking resemblance to Richard, disrupted his plans.

Therefore, he decided to eliminate the threat early on. The opportunity presented itself when Riz went out to the forest. However, since then, it has been challenging to find another chance to strike him.

"Send this letter to Maria," ordered the count.

After the servant left, he pondered for a while before deciding to write another letter.

....

"No... no way this can be true!" Maria exclaimed as she read the letter sent by her father. The news conveyed in the letter was not confirmed yet; it was merely a suspicion. However, the reasoning her father presented seemed convincing enough.

"I need to kill him," Maria resolved firmly. She couldn't allow him to grow and overshadow her son. Thankfully, she had already taken steps in that direction.

Maria called her servant, "Did you do as I asked you to do?"

"Yes, milady." the servant replied.

....

In a room that was typically kept locked away, Richard found himself gazing at a portrait of a woman.  The woman depicted in the painting wore a graceful smile, evoking a sense of warmth and joy.

Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as he reminisced about the presence of this beloved lady. He really misses that cheerful lady. Despite the chaos she had endured, she remained resilient, her smile unwavering. It was as if the problems that beset her had no power to disturb her inner peace.

She was strong and kind to her allies and ruthless to her enemy.

Richard had personally witnessed the ruthless manner in which she dispatched the enemies who pursued her. It was an image that seemed incongruous for someone who bore the title of 'princess'.

For the past two years, Richard had carried the weight of guilt on his shoulders, blaming himself for her untimely demise. He firmly believed that he was responsible for her death.

The woman portrayed in the portrait was none other than Richard's late wife and Riz's mother, Princess Evelynn Cerdeaux. There are two portraits of her in Ryntum's mansion, one adorned the room he currently stood in and the other was kept hidden away.

Richard had made the decision to conceal the portrait of Princess Evelynn due to her true identity. Even during her lifetime, she rarely made public appearances.

"My lord, there is something I need to report," Edward spoke up, addressing Richard with respect.

"What is it?" Richard inquired

"Maria is making a move against Young Master Riz," Edward revealed, his tone filled with concern. He referred to Maria by her name, disregarding the traditional title of the lady of the house. Edward knew that Richard did not view Maria as the true matriarch of the family.

Richard only treasures Josephine and Eve. Ever since Eve's death, he would often remind Josephine, during their private moments, not to interfere with Maria's affairs. Josephine is smart enough to understand Richard's underlying meaning.

Therefore, Josephine began treating Riz with indifference, and she instructed her children to do the same.

Russell followed his mother's order as he himself is not interested in power. He rather spends his time doing art. However, Reina, known for her stubborn nature, defiantly disregarded her mother's directive and continued to interact with Riz.

"It seems that she is becoming restless. Could it be because Riz has started demonstrating his potential?" Richard pondered aloud

Everybody knows about Riz and his paper. Everybody knows about the strange machine that he designs. The complexity of that alone makes the nobles awe.

Richard knows just how much Riz obtained by selling his blueprint and technical knowledge.

"I believe so too, milord! It seems she is attempting to employ the same strategy once again," Edward responded, affirming Richard's suspicions.

"You have taken the necessary precautions, right?" Richard inquired.

"Yes, milord. I have. I have also identified all the rats in the mansion." Edward confirmed.

"Good, you may leave now. Just continue to keep an eye on them. We will deal with them when the time comes," Richard instructed.

"Yes, milord," Edward acknowledged before taking his leave.

After Edward leaves, Richard stares at Eve's portrait with calculating eyes. He then muttered, "Did she really thinks I wouldn't notice? They look down on me too much".