Around the time Yuri and the others were locked in a fierce struggle at the Belclair Tailoring Workshop—
in the great hall of the Reberk Barony, the curtain was about to rise on a crucial battle that would decide the territory's future.
Celine stepped into the hall with calm dignity, accompanied by the Chancellor, who oversaw administration, the Commander of the Knights, who oversaw military affairs, and Kokuyou, the black-cat star spirit.
The sound of her footsteps echoed across the floor, only to be swallowed by the stillness of the chamber.
When she lifted her gaze, more than fifty representatives of the territory's settlements and guilds stood ready to receive her.
The sight of every one of them rising at once and bowing deeply settled on her heart with the full weight of responsibility.
The hall itself was magnificent.
Paintings and crests that told the history of the barony hung upon walls clad in sturdy timber, carrying with them the gravity of years.
The throne set upon the raised dais at the center seemed to embody the dignity of lordship itself.
Before it stood a semicircular council table, where ten representatives from the settlements and neighboring villages had already taken their seats.
Around them, close to forty guild officials sat in their appointed places, and every eye in the room was fixed on Celine.
So this is the weight of it... So many of my people's lives and livelihoods are bound up in this meeting.
Hiding the tension spreading through her chest, Celine turned her gaze toward the representatives before her.
Expectation and unease mingled on their faces.
She moved forward at an unhurried pace, and once she had seated herself upon the throne atop the dais, Celine opened her lips with composed grace.
"My apologies for keeping you waiting."
The Chancellor and the Commander of the Knights took their places to either side of her, while Kokuyou, the black-cat star spirit, lightly sprang up onto the desk at her feet.
The sight of him sitting up straight with his forepaws neatly aligned brought a subtle change to the room.
Countless beeswax candles burned in the great iron chandelier overhead, and their soft golden light wrapped the entire hall in a warm glow.
It made Celine's hair shine like flower petals touched by morning dew, and set the small blossoms woven into her braids aglow with even greater beauty.
Everyone is looking at me...
Celine swept her gaze across the hall and let a gentle smile bloom upon her lips.
The guildmasters caught their breath at the sight of that elegant, refined bearing.
"Lady Celine truly is something special..."
The low murmur from one of the guildmasters seated in the back blended into the air around them.
"No matter how many times I see her, that grace and beauty still steal my breath."
"It makes you look forward to the meeting, doesn't it?"
"Exactly! Just being able to behold Lady Celine here makes becoming a guildmaster feel worth it."
"Honestly, we should be grateful she became our ruler."
As those words reached Celine's ears, she lowered her eyes ever so slightly and released a small breath from deep within her chest.
Hehe... forgive me. I care for all of you as well, but the only one I would ever offer my heart, soul, and body to is my beloved lord husband.
As she softly pictured the face of the man she loved, Celine consciously tightened the smile that threatened to turn into a grin.
Then she bestowed a gentle smile upon the people assembled in the hall.
As though answering it, the murmur in the room began to swell.
Even as she felt the gazes of those entranced by her appearance, she could also feel the sharp, hostile stares of several guildmasters pricking at her skin.
That's only natural... There are those who stand to lose their vested interests if these reforms go through.
Celine murmured that to herself, but kept it from her face and maintained her smile.
The buzz of voices gradually spread, and just as a fine tension began to settle over the hall as a whole, the Chancellor let out a single, deliberate cough.
In that instant, the hall went silent as though cold water had been thrown over it.
H-he somehow has more of a ruler's presence than I do...
Following the Chancellor's movement with her eyes, Celine breathed that thought inwardly with a touch of admiration.
The Chancellor rose slowly from his seat and swept his gaze across the hall.
Then, in a crisp voice, he declared, "With that, we shall begin the domain council. As I trust you have all already been informed, the matter before us is the coordination of interests required to bring the Draft Reberk Barony Reform Plan into effect."
As the Chancellor's words rang through the hall and the explanation advanced, the expressions of the attendees began to change little by little.
Celine missed none of it.
That man is nodding... He truly is placing his hopes in these reforms.
Those expectant eyes stirred hope in her.
On the other hand, the eyes of those whose faces had twisted bitterly drifted uncertainly, as though they had lost their bearings in a maze.
Others sat with their mouths set in hard lines, their eyes lowered to the table, not moving an inch.
Their silence was heavy, as if it spoke for the feelings they would not voice.
After the Chancellor continued his explanation for a while longer, he concluded in quiet tones.
"...Those, then, are the concrete measures by which we intend to break the present deadlock and guide this domain toward prosperity."
The hall fell silent once more.
Celine let her gaze pass quietly over the gathered attendees.
In that taut stillness, even she could see them darting looks at one another, as though waiting to see who would move first.
Who will be the first to speak, I wonder...
As that thought crossed her mind, a man seated at the far end of the semicircular table slowly raised his hand.
There was no hesitation in the motion, and something about the confidence of it drew Celine's eyes to him at once.
"The chief of Est Village. You may speak."
At the Chancellor's calm prompt, the man rose quietly to his feet and cleared his throat once before speaking.
"I serve as the chief of Est Village. There is something I would ask of Your Ladyship."
The eyes in the hall turned toward him all at once.
Unshaken by the attention, the village chief continued.
"My question concerns the bulk-purchase system for agricultural produce. Does that system include the portion we sell directly within our own village? In other words, even when we sell our crops in the village ourselves, must they first be submitted through Your Ladyship?"
The question broke the silence, and murmurs spread through the hall.
The representatives exchanged looks and began conferring in low voices.
Watching them, Celine immediately understood why the village chief's words had stirred the room.
If free sales within the village are restricted, it will strike directly at the villagers' lives... Of course a village chief would worry about that. And I'm sure the other villages must have the same concern.
Even as that understanding settled in her mind, the village chief continued in a measured tone.
"There is one more matter I would ask regarding the Agricultural Cooperative Guild. I have heard that its warehouse is to be established in the baronial capital, but if the harvest must be transported there every time, it will be a heavy burden on the villagers. And the cost of escorts is by no means small. I would be grateful if you could explain the practical details of how this will be handled."
As the hall stirred again, Celine smiled quietly and answered in a calm, even voice.
"Please set your mind at ease. As for storage, you may continue using the warehouses in your villages, just as you always have. We do not intend to force repeated journeys to and from the baronial capital. As for crops harvested in the villages, you may continue local sales on site as before, but on the books, all of it will be managed under my name. We will collect any surplus, and if there is any shortfall, we will arrange transport accordingly, so we shall do all we can to ensure that no undue burden falls upon the people of your villages."
As Celine's words spread quietly through the hall, the murmur gradually began to subside.
Several of the village chiefs met one another's eyes and exchanged small nods.
Seeing that, Celine felt a quiet sense of relief.
"Under this reform, the produce you have until now delivered as tax, as well as the portion each of you has sold on your own, will all be purchased under my name. By then selling it through designated retailers, the heart of this plan is to improve the farmers' lives while securing a stable food supply throughout the barony."
The village chiefs in the hall listened to Celine's explanation with close attention.
Some still wore traces of doubt on their faces, but others looked upon her with something like expectation.
"This will not only guarantee that all of you can sell what you harvest, it will also free you from the burdens of transport and sales. By allowing you to concentrate on your farming, agricultural output will rise, and in turn your lives should become more prosperous."
Just as it felt as though the atmosphere in the hall was beginning to soften, another village chief seated beside the chief of Est Village raised his hand and spoke quietly.
"How will the price be determined when crops harvested in a village are sold within that same village?"
Tension returned to the hall at once.
A subtle strain passed between the village chiefs; several fixed their eyes upon the questioner, as though holding their breath for Celine's answer.
Celine kept her natural smile and responded in a gentle voice.
"The setting and adjustment of prices will be entrusted to the village chiefs and the Agricultural Cooperative Guild. However, in order to ensure fair administration, we will ask for regular reports. We will also dispatch auditors to prevent abuses and guarantee transparency. These reforms are meant to ensure that all of you may live in peace. If there is anything that troubles you, or any question you may have, I ask that you bring it forward without hesitation."
As Celine's words rang quietly through the hall, a few small nods were exchanged.
Some of the village chiefs looked visibly relieved, while others rested a hand at their mouths as though deep in thought.
Then, amid them, another village chief raised his hand with careful reserve.
"You say that all harvested produce will be purchased, but in the event of a poor harvest or a disaster, what becomes of that guarantee?"
Once more, tension spread through the hall.
Celine smiled as though to envelop the air itself, straightened her posture slightly, and answered with perfect clarity.
"You need not worry. Even in the event of a poor harvest or disaster, we will purchase the full amount at the usual price, using the acreage planted and past yields as our guide. However, in order to preserve fairness, we will need to inspect cultivation conditions regularly."
At those words, voices of relief spilled from the village chiefs seated around the table, and the tension in the hall began to ease.
But then, as if to slice clean through that softened air, one of the guildmasters spoke in a low, resonant voice.