Chapter 58 - The Inspection
"Marchioness Rousel, you will be coming back again, won't you?!"
"Thank you, Marchioness!"
"Please, be sure to return!"
"My lord Marquis, this is your hometown!"
Amidst the large crowd of Mantest citizens, Opal and Claude smiled and waved as they boarded the carriage. From here, they would travel to a train station a short distance away, then transfer to a locomotive and head to the port. At last, they were returning to Taisey Kingdom.
Opal, sitting beside Claude, let out a sigh of relief as the carriage began to move. Ever since that newspaper article was published, she and Claude had been welcomed everywhere they went. She had acted to meet those expectations, but it felt as if she were deceiving everyone, which made her uncomfortable.
"It seems the labor shortage really is the problem."
"To put it another way, besides the labor shortage, things are going fairly well."
After safely escorting Beth to the facility in the Royal Capital, Opal received a visit from Hubert the next morning. He had come to apologize and express his gratitude regarding Beth, prompted by the series of news reports. Hubert also reported that, after discussions with Lady Marienne and her parents, Count and Countess Lefond, he had decided to postpone their engagement. It seemed Stella had also taken this opportunity to move to a land quite far from the Royal Capital. Opal had things she wanted to say, but she felt it was not her place to interfere and simply listened. After that, the three of them discussed Mantest.
And now, Opal and Claude had just finished their inspection of Mantest. They had received reports that while the land was developing smoothly with no issues regarding ore reserves, supply could not keep up with demand, they were suffering from a labor shortage. Of course, there were other minor issues, but those would have to be dealt with one by one. However, Opal already had an idea for a solution to the labor shortage.
"Have the arrangements been made?"
"Yes. That's why I went to the trouble of having Alan accompany us. He said he doesn't want to write false articles."
"A false article..."
"Regarding my name, he said he didn't write a lie, he just didn't write the whole truth."
"It's all in how you say it, I suppose."
Opal was Marchioness Rousel, but she was also the former Duchess of McLeod. Neither was incorrect, so while some might use only the higher title, others might use both at all times. She simply did not feel like using Hubert's title, so she stuck to Claude's alone.
"You don't need to see the draft?"
"No, it's fine. Alan's articles can be a bit exaggerated at times, but they are very easy to read and understand. If Alan writes something negative about the work in Mantest, it means that's the impression he received. That's something we might have missed, and that's what I want to read."
"But what if you can't attract the workers you need because of it?"
"Then we just have to work hard to attract them. Until then, we'll have to limit production. ...That said, this is just my opinion. If you, my father, or Duke McLeod are against it, I will follow your lead."
"You sound rather confrontational for someone who says that."
Claude said this with a laugh. To resolve Mantest's labor shortage, they had decided to place a recruitment ad in the most widely read newspaper. However, it was Opal who suggested that having a reporter actually cover the story would be more effective than a simple ad. A normal ad was commonplace, but a feature article would make the work easier to understand and pique the readers' interest. She had told Alan he was free to interview the miners, so long as it did not interfere with their work. Of course, Opal and Claude had also promised to listen directly to the grievances of not just the miners but all the workers in Mantest and strive to make improvements.
"You're being so negative, it makes me wonder if you've changed your mind and are against it now."
"I am in favor of it. Count Holloway and McLeod have both entrusted this matter to us. It's just that there are all sorts of people in the world. So there will be those who view this negatively, and I can't say for sure that it won't become a hindrance in the future."
"I know. I've experienced people's malice more times than I can count. That's precisely why I can stand up to it, and why I know that the world is not just filled with malice."
"But by stepping into the spotlight this time, Opal, you'll be the one in the line of fire if something happens."
Opal, who had sensed that Claude was in a somewhat bad mood since their arrival in Mantest, understood the reason and could not help but smile. Since she had become famous anyway, she had decided to widely publicize her role as one of the managers of the Mantest land development project and act as its public face. It seemed he was worried about her. But the reason he had not opposed it was because he recognized its effectiveness and respected her own opinion.
"...If I hadn't stepped forward and some problem arose in Mantest, you might be the one in the line of fire, Claude. Or it might be my father, or the Duke. In any case, we would all work together to solve the problem. That wouldn't change."
"But between us and you..."
Claude started to speak, but he looked at Opal and his face fell, as if he had misspoken. Claude did not fail to acknowledge her, but the world did. Regretting her hurt expression, Opal forced a smile.
"I think I'll be hearing the words, 'That's just like a woman...' a lot from now on. When I hear that, I'll get angry, I'll cry from frustration, but I'll still keep fighting. So when that happens, I want you to be by my side, Claude. If you tell me it's okay, just like you always do, then it really will be okay."
"You can count on me. That's my area of expertise."
Claude replied with a laugh, but his eyes were very serious. Opal pressed a hand to her warming chest and looked into those eyes without wavering.
"Thank you, Claude."
"I haven't done anything."
"You've done everything for me."
Claude stared back at Opal and placed a hand on her soft cheek. ...He's going to kiss me. Just as Opal thought this and was about to close her eyes, her cheek was pinched.
"Hey!"
"Still as pinchable as ever."
"Th, that doesn't make any sense! My cheeks aren't pinchable!"
Even when she swatted his hand away in protest, Claude just grinned. For as long as she could remember, Claude would suddenly pinch her cheek for no reason.
"Come on, now. If you don't smile, Marchioness Rousel's reputation will be ruined."
"Marchioness Rousel doesn't care about her reputation."
With that, Opal stomped on Claude's foot with all her might. As he groaned in pain and doubled over, Opal spoke in a prim voice.
"Come on, now. If you don't smile, Marquis Rousel's reputation will be ruined."
"Opal..."
Claude's complaint was cut off by a knock on the carriage door. Opal answered with a cheerful voice, and the door was opened.
"Let's solidify the reputation of the Marquis and Marchioness Rousel."
"As stubborn sore losers?"
"I don't mind that at all."
"I'm kidding."
The two exchanged light banter as they stepped out of the carriage with smiles on their faces. They waved to the crowd gathered at the station before boarding the special passenger car. It was a short trip to the port from here, so they would likely arrive in Taisey Kingdom by evening.
"Well, are you ready to return to Taisey Kingdom?"
"I don't need to be ready."
"Then let's depart."
Nodding at Opal's dependable reply, Claude signaled to the stationmaster waiting outside. A whistle blew loudly, and their seats jolted as the train began to move. Together, Opal and Claude smiled out the window, waving to the people who had come to see them off.