Chapter 155: Avena Seeking Comfort for Grievances

Avena Seeking Comfort for Grievances

Great North Ansu Famine?

Hearing this, Ciel was slightly stunned.

Ciel had studied the history of this world and knew some things.

Both North Ansu and Ansu considered themselves the legitimate successors of the semi-lost empire “Old Ansu.” Moreover, North Ansu’s original name was Orlando, meaning “Holy Empire” in Old Ansu script.

However, Ansu’s development in the last two centuries had been extremely rapid. The growth in wealth and power allowed Ansu to completely overshadow Orlando, seizing a large number of Orlando’s parliamentary seats.

Decades ago, the country’s name was changed under the Queen’s auspices from the “United Kingdom of Ansu and Orlando” to the somewhat strange name “United Kingdom of Ansu and North Ansu.”

This change seemed like probing Orlando’s bottom line and indeed provoked numerous uprisings and resistance from Orlando, but all were suppressed by Ansu.

Presumably, once Orlando’s power weakened further, the name would have to be changed to “Kingdom of Ansu” or “Holy Kingdom of Ansu,” completely annexing Orlando.

Even now, from nobles down to commoners on both sides, there was strong hostility towards each other.

Ansu people called North Ansu people “lazy bums” and “barbarians,” while North Ansu people called Ansu people “vampires” and “greedy pigs.”

Some of this knowledge Ciel obtained from history books, some inadvertently learned through conversations. She herself rarely delved into these political issues, as these things were too distant from her.

For the past three years, she herself was still struggling with studies and livelihood, where would she find time to understand these things—she wasn’t taking civil service exams.

But the term “great famine” was somewhat sensitive.

And Isabella, seeing Ciel’s engrossed expression, knew she had bet correctly.

Saying too much about these things could lead to mistakes. She didn’t understand Ciel’s political stance, could only gamble. Thank heavens, Ciel clearly looked very interested.

“I know, I know,” Amy spoke up at this time, asking curiously, “Haven’t they been suffering from famine for over two years over there?”

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“It’s more serious this year,” Isabella shook her head, explaining, “This year, North Ansu’s potatoes and other crops yielded almost nothing.”

“My father said it’s because they are lazy, don’t work, and don’t grow grain.” Amy blinked and said.

“Indeed,” Isabella shrugged, saying, “They also wanted to use this to return to the Ansu Parliament, seeking greater political rights and resources, but they actually succeeded.”

“Succeeded?” Ciel blinked.

In her previous life, a certain country experienced something similar, but that one seemed unsuccessful.

“Yes, the Minister of the Interior went over precisely to handle this matter,” Isabella nodded, saying, “To oversee the construction of railways, factories, and soup kitchens, providing work for relief, spending a lot of Ansu taxpayers’ money.”

“And then?” Hearing this, Ciel’s own eyebrows couldn’t help but raise slightly. She thought inwardly, as expected.

“Then trouble occurred,” Isabella shook her head, saying, “Before I came, Ansu was still having demonstrations, protesting the Queen and Prime Minister’s policy, believing the government shouldn’t lend money to those barbarians.”

Ciel slowly took a breath.

These Ansu people, from top to bottom, are really something else. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Hearing this, Ciel roughly knew how things had progressed.

Work-for-relief? According to Isabella, the capital for building factories was borrowed by the local North Ansu government from the Ansu government?

Ciel secretly shook her head.

A few soup kitchens couldn’t possibly save the millions in North Ansu. Work-for-relief was even more laughable. After they finished working and received those few shillings, where could they buy grain?

Is this a joke?

However, Ciel couldn’t really say if the Prime Minister and Queen were divine figures or not; after all, Great Britain in her previous life did it too.

After hesitating for a moment, Ciel still asked, “Did they... also increase grain imports and ban North Ansu’s grain exports?”

Hearing this, Isabella looked at Ciel somewhat surprisedly, saying, “Indeed. Didn’t you say you weren’t familiar with these matters? This decree was issued not long ago...”

Ciel: “...”

She could almost predict how things would develop next.

This policy sounded quite humane, the logic also simple.

Since they lacked grain themselves, they should ban grain exports and increase grain imports to supplement supply, so North Ansu people could at least buy grain.

But these policies failed to consider one group of people—grain merchants.

Ciel reached out, rubbing her temples.

Fortunately, this world had transcendent powers, and many “Plague Doctors” like Adele. They would probably rush to North Ansu to solve the potato blight problem.

However...

Ciel couldn’t be sure if this time’s North Ansu potato blight was caused by transcendents like “Plaguebearers”...

Ciel even began to suspect if the Queen of Ansu was also digesting some potion.

Moreover, Ciel was also worried if her obtaining the “Uniqueness” trait would cause a butterfly effect, accelerating the progress of certain events.

“It should be nothing major... no need to worry too much,” Isabella looked at Ciel’s reaction, hesitated slightly, then said, “Forgive my presumption, Miss Ciel, are you from North Ansu?”

“Hm? No, why?” Ciel shook her head, looking somewhat curiously at Isabella.

Was it her slightly worried expression just now that caused the misunderstanding?

“No... Don’t you know? The upper nobility of Old Ansu has two relatively pure bloodline hair colors, one is black, the other is red,” Isabella said, “I remember the hearsay is, red hair indicates Orlando noble bloodline, black hair is from the Ansu side.”

“Look, isn’t Lady Avena’s hair black? This is considered relatively pure Old Ansu bloodline.”

Is there such a saying?

Ciel shook her head, didn’t reply.

From Ciel’s previous memories, this red hair brought her mostly painful memories.

Especially in Ansu, red hair was often associated with witches, immorality, and debauchery in dramas. The lower the social stratum, the deeper the prejudice against red hair.

According to Isabella’s statement, it could also be slander, degradation, and defamation spread by the Ansu government against Orlando nobles. Ciel was unfairly implicated.

Meanwhile, Avena, having mostly dealt with the nobles around her, breathed a slight sigh of relief, her gaze searching the surroundings for Ciel’s figure.

Soon, she found Ciel sitting with two other beautiful young women, her brow furrowed slightly.

Ciel... how come after just a dozen minutes apart, she already knows another pretty girl.

Unsure if it was out of possessiveness, or just simple curiosity about what they were chatting about, Avena walked towards their table. Others sat two seats apart; Avena directly sat beside Ciel.

-

“Phew...” Avena pretended to sigh in relief, then looked expressionlessly towards Isabella and Amy, saying, “You guys continue, I’ll rest here for a bit.”

“These nobles are really overly enthusiastic, Lady Avena.” Isabella smiled, seeming very understanding, “Like a cold, can’t even chase them away.”

Avena certainly wouldn’t dare say these words. Isabella spoke up to help Avena curse them out, perhaps hoping to leave a good impression on Avena.

After all, Avena currently looked annoyed by the conversation with those nobles.

“Yes.” Avena nodded. She deeply sympathized with this point.

“We were just chatting about hair color, I said Miss Ciel’s hair color might come from the upper nobility of Old Ansu.” Isabella, not wanting the topic to go cold, quickly continued the previous conversation to avoid awkward silence.

Simultaneously, through Avena’s seating position, she confirmed her judgment was correct.

That red-haired young girl was indeed Lady Avena’s good friend. Her move to approach Ciel just now was the right gamble; otherwise, she wouldn’t be sitting at the same table as Lady Avena now.

However, at this moment, a somewhat disharmonious voice sounded behind Avena.

A fat-headed, big-eared fat noble, almost bursting out of his formal attire, holding a champagne glass, sat directly in the seat one position away from Avena. After wiping the sweat from his face, he showed a slightly apologetic expression and said:

“Sorry for disturbing the ladies’ chat... Respected Lady Avena Roswell, please, you must consider my proposal just now... Let Lord William Winston lift the grain export ban.”

“This isn’t just my thought, but also the thought of other grain merchants. These huge losses are undeserved disasters for us...”

At this time, the fat man’s words were interrupted by Isabella. She said, “Mr. Balfour Huntington, if you have this request, why didn’t you speak directly with Lord William just now?”

“Now Lord William has already boarded the train and left. Even if Lady Avena sends a letter out, Lord William probably won’t receive it until half a month later.”

Her every word was helping Avena dissuade the fat noble. Actually, when chatting with Ciel just now, she also noticed that fat noble had been pestering Avena.

Having his words interrupted made the fat noble somewhat annoyed. He looked towards Isabella, his expression showing slight contempt.

A painting seller’s daughter dares to interrupt my words?

After just glancing contemptuously at Isabella, Balfour continued looking towards Avena.

Perhaps because he was interrupted midway, Balfour, who had already spoken a lot along the way, felt slightly irritated. His tone became less polite.

“Lady Avena, please, you must persuade Lord William to change his mind... How can grain exports be restricted?”

“Letting us lose money to save the lives of those lazy poor people? And banning Orlando’s grain exports? This is interfering with sacred free trade!”

The fat man’s finger tapped heavily on the table. He said, “Please be sure to help convey to Lord William, if the government continues to restrict exports, we will give up putting grain into the market.”

“Imported grain has also been docked at Orlando port for three days. If this export restriction isn’t lifted, we will refuse to receive this batch of grain, refuse unloading.”

“Even if all the grain in the granaries and on the ships rots, we absolutely will not put it into the market. Lift the ban! This is our bottom line!”

After speaking, the fat noble directly stood up, turned around, moved his body, called his attendant, preparing to leave.

“If you have any problems, you can go to Ansu anytime, express your views in the House of Commons, let them vote for you,” Avena said calmly, “Instead of venting your resentment on me here, it serves no purpose.”

“If you came to talk business, I welcome you very much. If you’re just looking for me to be a mouthpiece, sorry, please leave here.”

Avena remained expressionless. She seemed accustomed to facing such nobles and wealthy merchants. These people couldn’t reach the upper echelons of the Roswell family, and found it difficult to reach William, seemingly treating Avena as a mouthpiece, venting all their resentment on her.

Of course, their attitude was already quite good. If they were really allowed to speak in the House of Lords, they could directly curse at those great noble lords.

After all, this concerned their interests, and interests were their lives.

Just then, she felt a somewhat warm small hand touch her lower back, gently stroking it.

“Are you okay, Avena.” Ciel looked at the expressionless Avena, slightly worried.

Although Avena remained expressionless, Ciel could clearly see slight fatigue in Avena’s eyes. It seemed William’s arrival had invisibly steered this banquet in a direction Avena couldn’t quite control.

“I’m fine.” Avena shook her head, then directly stood up, nodded slightly at the others, saying, “Sorry for disturbing your chat.”

Avena seemed to notice her arrival disrupted the originally relaxed atmosphere here, stood up, and left this table.

Looking at Avena’s departing figure, Ciel had no particularly good way to comfort her for a moment.

After all, in these political and commercial domains, Ciel could be said to be completely ignorant, unable to help at all.

However, from the fat noble’s words just now, Ciel also understood some things roughly.

The development over in North Ansu... seemed somewhat beyond Ciel’s expectations.

She had a bad premonition in her heart.

Logically speaking, Berren City where she was located was still a long distance from North Ansu Orlando. No matter how much chaos occurred there, it shouldn’t affect her side.

Moreover, she had simulated over forty days later before. Although she didn’t interact much with Avena then, judging from the descriptions in the notes by her simulated self, the great famine incident had almost no impact on Berren City.

The biggest event in Berren City still focused on the factories in Berren City itself. Perhaps the worker demonstrations here were what Ciel needed to care about more.

Ciel’s power was limited; impossible to go around saving people everywhere—she could barely protect herself and those around her, where would she think about being some hero?

Seeking fortune and avoiding disaster was still Ciel’s core thought at this time.

Although destined not to live a peaceful life, Ciel could try her best not to cause trouble, leading herself and those around her to live peacefully for a lifetime.

Peace, tranquility is most important.

Find some time tonight... simulate the follow-up.

Ciel opened the simulation interface, looked at the simulation time that had already timed out and refreshed.

【Future Days: 30 Days (Holy Year 741, July 31st, 23:59) (Cost: 100 Fate Points)】

【Past Days: 1 Day (Holy Year 741, July 1st, 23:59) (Cost: 10 Fate Points)】

【Old Days: ***, *** Days (???) (Cost: 10000 Fate Points)】

The time happened to be stuck at 30 days, requiring 100 Fate Points... If simulated after midnight, it would become 29 days, within 30 days, only requiring 10 Fate Points.

And this Past Days simulation...

Is it asking me to return to this morning and do it again with Avena?

Ciel felt the system setting this time was definitely intentional, because it surely knew Ciel wouldn’t choose Past Days simulation and refresh the needed Future Days simulation away.

Ciel withdrew her gaze, looking at Amy and Isabella before her.

Amy made faces towards the direction the noble left, while Isabella, who was ignored earlier, seemed to show no major emotional fluctuations, seemingly unaffected by that noble at all.

Such strong mental fortitude.

However, they seemed not to notice Ciel’s small action of stroking Avena’s lower back.

For the remaining time, Ciel consulted the knowledgeable Isabella on many questions. Isabella seemed happy to answer, while Amy, who only half-understood many things, occasionally chimed in.

The atmosphere disrupted by the fat noble just now finally slowly recovered.

However, Ciel’s gaze almost constantly searched for Avena’s direction. She was still somewhat worried about Avena’s current situation.

But this time, the banquet’s dinner wasn’t held in Avena’s manor, but chosen to be held in another wealthy merchant’s manor located at No. 5, Sir’s Bridge District, providing a place for other nobles who hadn’t chatted enough to continue talking freely.

Situations like one banquet following another were very common in noble circles—or rather, the time they didn’t attend banquets in a year was countable.

Because Amy’s father was also invited over, Amy could only follow her father. Isabella chose to go home.

Avena naturally didn’t go to the next event either, but returned to her room. Ciel also had no need to go; she didn’t know anyone, nor wanted to be talked to by anyone.

The sky had already slightly darkened, only a round red sun and dusk remained in the distance. Maids and other servants had already begun cleaning the manor.

Ciel, after asking Avena’s location, also walked towards Avena’s room.

Just entering the room, Ciel saw Avena, already washed up and wearing pajamas, lying face down on the bed. Even the sound of Ciel opening and closing the door couldn’t make her lift her head.

“Are you alright? Avena?”

Ciel walked beside Avena, asked, but Avena still didn’t lift her head, just muffled her face in the pillow, emitting a muffled sound: “Bathe.”

“What?”

Ciel didn’t quite hear clearly, asking puzzledly.

“Bathe, sleep.”

Avena’s voice came again. This time Ciel heard clearly.

Is she telling me to go bathe and sleep?

Ciel walked into the bathroom, saw the new light pink nightgown prepared for her hanging on the rack. After washing up, she changed into the silk nightgown and walked to the bedside.

Just lying down beside Avena, Avena, who had been keeping her face muffled in the pillow, directly turned half her body, leaned against Ciel, directly hugged Ciel’s slender waist, burying her face in Ciel’s chest.

“Avena?”

Ciel asked, but was held tightly, unable to move. Could only gently place her hand on Avena’s not-yet-dry hair, gently rubbing it.

Slowly, Ciel felt her chest seemed to be getting wet.

Avena... cried?

The situation from the early morning seemed reversed tonight. This time it was Avena burying herself in Ciel’s chest, freely venting the grievances in her heart.

It seemed only before Ciel would Avena show such a weak posture.

Ciel didn’t speak, just gently rubbed Avena’s head, slightly lowered her head, and lightly kissed the top of her head.