Baron's Son with -9,999,999 Reputation Point-Chapter 131: Seeds and Silence

"I want to establish a Farmers’ Guild," Lucas said firmly.

The Baron frowned, the fingers that had been tapping the desk coming to a halt.

"A Farmers’ Guild? Lucas, we already have labor associations in this territory, even if their condition is... pitiful. But why create a guild specifically for farmers? Guilds are usually for merchants or adventurers. Farmers are... well, they just plant crops."

"That’s exactly the problem," Lucas leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with calculation.

"They only plant because they don’t have access to better resources. Here’s the plan—I intend to distribute my high-quality tomato seeds to the people. The ones you’ve already seen growing firsthand."

The Baron fell silent, trying to process the logic.

"Distribute your seeds? Those are valuable assets, Lucas. Why not monopolize them on your own land?"

"If it’s just my land, production is limited," Lucas explained calmly.

"But if the entire Voss territory grows them, we’re talking about industrial-scale output. My estate already has an exclusive contract with the Merchants’ Guild. If the populace produces goods of the same quality, I can draw those merchants into conducting large-scale transactions here. This is the fastest way to revive an economy that’s currently suffocating."

The Baron remained silent for a long moment. His gaze drifted to the heir’s seal on the desk, then back to Lucas. The hesitation in his eyes was unmistakable.

"I understand your logic. It’s clever. But..." The Baron let out a heavy sigh, leaning back against the hard wooden chair.

"This is too sudden. Changing the working structure of commoners and involving them in large-scale trade contracts will attract the attention of other nobles already watching us. If this fails, they’ll have yet another excuse to tighten the noose around our necks."

He shook his head slowly.

"I can’t agree to this immediately. I need time to think it through. There are legal and security implications I must consider."

Lucas didn’t look disappointed or offended. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face—one far more mature than his body’s age suggested.

"You’re right," Lucas said calmly.

"This should be thought through carefully. It’s a big step, and I never expected you to approve it within a minute."

Lucas stood, straightening his slightly wrinkled clothes.

"Just think about it, Baron. But remember—we’re being strangled right now. And sometimes, the only way to escape a chokehold is to kick the strangler’s shin as hard as you can. Those seeds are my kick."

[ OHO? DISSOLVE MODE: COOL BUSINESSMAN (⌐■_■) ]

[ KING, SHALL WE BEGIN PREPARING THE DOCUMENTS? ☆ ]

Lucas ignored the system panel for the moment.

"Excuse me," he said. "Let me know once you’ve reached a decision."

Lucas rose from his chair, giving a brief but respectful nod, then stepped out of the study. The heavy wooden door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving a deep silence in its wake.

The Baron remained seated, unmoving. His eyes were fixed on the door Lucas had just passed through. He let out a long breath—a burden he had carried for years lifting ever so slightly, only to be replaced by a different kind of tightness in his chest.

"A strange boy," the Baron murmured quietly.

There had been a light in Lucas’s eyes—something sharp, ambitious, and vividly alive. Something he had never seen in the real Lucian. For a brief moment during their conversation, the crushing weight on his shoulders as the ruler of this dying territory had felt lighter. He had felt... relieved.

And that relief left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The faint smile that had appeared on the Baron’s lips faded, replaced by deep lines of sorrow. He lowered his gaze, staring at his calloused hands, roughened by the scars of countless battles.

Why do I feel relieved? he thought. My own son is no longer here, and yet... I can smile with a stranger wearing his body?

Guilt stabbed into his heart. To find comfort in Lucas’s presence felt like a betrayal of his late son.

The Baron leaned his head into his hand, squeezing his eyes shut as the image of a frail, frightened young Lucian surfaced in his mind.

"Lucian..." His voice broke, trembling in the cold silence of the library.

"Forgive me. Forgive me for being a terrible father... even until the very end."

He felt like a failure. A failure at raising his son—and now, a failure even in mourning him properly, because the presence of "Lucas," who was far more capable of saving their family, made his grief falter.

The Baron remained seated in his chair, his gaze unfocused for a few seconds before finally dropping to the desk.

The heir’s seal was still there.

Intact. Not moved even an inch.

The Baron frowned.

"...Hm?"

He leaned forward, checking again. He hadn’t misseen it.

Lucas hadn’t taken it.

The Baron let out a quiet breath.

"Was that boy too eager and simply forgot to take the seal?" he muttered.

A brief pause passed, and his brow furrowed again.

The Baron leaned back in his chair.

"Or... was it intentional," he said quietly.

He stared at the seal for a few more seconds.

Lucas had already stated his idea. He had already pushed the direction. But the final decision, he had left here.

In the Baron’s hands.

The Baron exhaled once more.

"...Troublesome boy."

This time, there was no irritation in his voice.

Only understanding.

---

Lucas closed the door to his room and immediately dropped into the chair.

A few seconds later, his brow furrowed.

"...Damn."

He lightly smacked his forehead.

"I forgot to take the seal."

Lucas stared at the ceiling for a moment, then let out a breath.

"Whatever."

Before he could even stand up, the System panel popped up.

[ ...... ]

[ KING, SERIOUSLY ]

[ HOW CAN YOU BE THIS DENSE (╥﹏╥) ]

Lucas glanced at the panel lazily. "What now?"

[ THAT GUY JUST REALIZED HIS BIOLOGICAL SON IS GONE, YOU KNOW ]

[ GIVE HIM SOME TIME ]

[ SHOW A LITTLE CONDOLENCE, GEEZ (;＿;) ]

Lucas went quiet for a moment.

"Oh."

"...Yeah, fair point."

He gave a small nod. He didn’t look sad, but he clearly understood.

"Yeah... I wasn’t planning to push him anyway."

His stomach suddenly growled.

Lucas looked down.

"...I’m hungry."

He glanced at the window. The sky was already dark.

"It’s late, too."

Knock. Knock.

Lucas turned his head. "Come in."

The door opened, and Liona stood there.

"Lucas," she said. "I came to—"

Lucas cut her off immediately. "Where’s dinner?"

Liona blinked, then hesitated slightly.

"The Baron and Baroness have requested that you have dinner with them tonight."

Lucas froze.

"...Oh."

He nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Okay."

Liona gave a small bow and left.

The door closed.

Lucas sat there in silence for a few seconds.

"...Damn," he muttered.

He scratched his cheek.

"How awkward is this family going to be?"

-----

On the other side of the Voss territory, the clinic’s lights were still on.

Mae stood alone, tidying medicine bottles and bandages onto the wooden shelves. Her movements were automatic; her mind wasn’t fully there.

Lately... the Young Master had been truly strange.

Her hands paused for a moment.

Her thoughts jumped—to the bandit attack. Young Master Voss had been there. He hadn’t hidden. He hadn’t run. He shouldn’t have been there at all.

Mae let out a quiet breath.

"...Strange," she murmured.

The old Young Master Lucian hadn’t been like that.

But her thoughts soon settled on an explanation that felt reasonable.

Ah.

Lady Silvara.

Mae gave a faint smile as she resumed folding the cloth.

"If it’s because of Lady Silvara..." she said softly, as if everything had just fallen into place.

"That makes sense."

She gave a small nod.

"Then the Young Master truly wants to change. To become better."

Mae stepped into the corner of the clinic and began tidying up a few worn books that had been stacked carelessly. They were books Lina had been reading.

A small smile appeared on her face without her realizing it.

That girl was much more cheerful now than before.

"Thank goodness..." Mae murmured softly.

Her hands paused as something came to mind.

Lina had once said that her father died for the sake of the Voss Territory.

Mae stared at the book in her hand, her thoughts turning.

"When... was that?" she wondered.

Her mind drifted to another incident—the bandit attack.

But she quickly shook her head.

"That’s impossible," she said quietly.

The Baron and Baroness were too strong. Too—

She stopped for a moment.

"...I only recently learned that they can even fight," she added softly.

The realization felt strange. Until now, she had seen them only as rulers of the territory—not as people who would step directly into danger.

Mae let out a slow breath.

There were too many things about this territory she was only beginning to realize now.

Knock. Knock.

Mae froze.

Her brows furrowed. The clinic should have been closed at this hour.

"...Who could it be?" she murmured.

She walked to the door and opened it slowly.

Her breath caught.

A pair of sharp eyes stared straight back at her.