Please Be A Traitor - Chapter 38

Karpel’s father, the former Emperor, allowed scholars from other races to do study on improving product varieties at the Imperial Palace.

The current emperor, on the other hand, ascends to the throne and dismisses scholars from the research team.

When I first read it in the book, I assumed that all of the scholars had been killed.

However, I assume this meant that the research team was disbanded.

That’s a possibility, I suppose.

It was unnecessary for him to kill people who were studying grass.

I felt an unexpected connection with Salik, probably because I sympathized with extra individuals whose names only appeared briefly in the story.

‘Extra comrade!’

I asked, grabbing Salik’s hand that was placed on the book.

“Have you kept researching varieties even while you weren’t in the Imperial Palace?”

Salik’s eyes widened as he gazed down at his hand.

I belatedly realized that touch in elves was meant for betrothal when I saw his surprised expression.

I saw the hand I was holding and thought it seemed awkward for the person sitting across from me, but it turned out to be Karpel’s hand, not Salik’s.

Before I could grab Salik’s hand, Karpel prevented me.

Salik startled himself by looking at Karpel next to me and picking up the vocabulary book.

A scary cold air was emitted from the side where Karpel sat, as if the freezer was open.

I trembled, let go of Karpel’s hand, and stared at the vocabulary book that Salik was looking at.

I imagined that if I locked eyes with Karpel, something would happen.

Karpel, to be honest, looked terrible today, including his voice.

I don’t know why the hell he is in such a bad condition, but I wondered if something would happen.

Furthermore, his patience appeared to be coming to a close because I was simply conversing with the teacher I was calling for study guidance.

Salik combed through my vocabulary as I was persuaded by myself.

Salik’s smile had vanished from his face as I was examining what I had done wrong.

Salik examined everything till the very end and then said.

“Are you interested in diplomacy with Elysium?”

‘Oops.’

My vocabulary book wasn’t just a random collection of words.

Of course, I learned Elvish in the botanic encyclopedia and noted it in my vocabulary book, but there are many other terms and notes I made while reading Elysium’s diplomacy report.

Because that’s what I’ve been studying for the most part.

I felt like I showed all the cards I had from the beginning.

Even if I spent a hundred days studying the Elvis language from the botanic encyclopedia, diplomatic negotiations were impossible.

Even if I put Krenberia’s diplomat in front of me, mastering the Elvish language was preferable for the sake of establishing a trustworthy relationship.

So I thought it would be better to let Salik, who is currently the only connection with Elysium, know that I am positive about it.

“Diplomacy…,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I hadn’t considered it in that perspective. It’s only that I’m fascinated by crops, but the Imperial Palace has stopped the research. Furthermore, an agreement in relation to the study was reached in Elysium, a neighboring country close to Krenberia, but the agreement has already been broken and exchanges have been cut off, right? So I was just thinking about how things would be in Elysium.”

Salik squinted at the vocabulary book.

“You looked up a few direct words out of pure curiosity. Inaila. From the population and crop production of Elysium to the grain trading units.”

Oh, really?

I studied too hard!

I paused for a time, unable to come up with an excuse.

Salik gave a bitter smile.

I asked without realizing it because his expression was just so sorrowful.

“Is Elysium all right?”

“Unfortunately, the current situation is the worst. Originally, the Empire supplied Elysium with 80 percent of its wheat needs. However, the present imperial family has forbidden the export of wheat to Elysium.”

“The Empire didn’t only block all the exchange scholars, but also the export of wheat?”

“Yes. We traveled around the continent before the empire was formed, assisting other races in exchange for food. Following the establishment of the empire, the imperial family unilaterally accepted Elysium’s crafts and people in exchange for wheat from the Empire. The Empire continues to import Elysium’s crafts and magical artifacts. Paying in gold doesn’t signify much. Gold is not only mined in Elysium, but it cannot be used to purchase wheat.”

“The production of other grains in our Empire is not much.”

“Yes, as Inaila said, the Empire does not produce much crops other than wheat. Within the Empire, the Empire produces only the quantity it consumes.”

Wheat made up the majority of the Empire’s grain.

“Rice and barley were only grown in a few regions, while other grains were grown according to the landowner’s preferences, but only in small portions. ” Furthermore, all of the Elves who had previously worked in the empire have been sent back to Elysium, resulting in an increase in the Elysium’s resident population. I’m telling you this because I believe the two of you are inadequate in conveying this to His Majesty, but I believe His Majesty is particularly harsh on Elysium.”

Push the elves back to Elysium and cut off their food source from the Empire. They look to be trapped in a small space with limited food.

It sounded like death.

The emperor was determined to drive Elysium to the edge of the cliff.

There was a moment of silence.

I used to assume that the situation in Elysium, as described by Salik, was like a tale from another world. But now it’s time to face the truth.

What are the elves doing to stay alive when their food source is suddenly cut off?

“It’s been ten years already.”

“It’s been 12 years.”

“How does Elysium manage to stay alive?”

“Generations change……”

Karpel slammed his hand on his desk after cutting off Salik’s speech.

I was taken aback and cast a glance towards Karpel.

Karpel was expressionless as he glanced at Salik.”

“Yet, they’re still alive, aren’t they?”

Salik smiled as he closed his mouth.

“Yes. It’s the worst, but we’re holding out somehow. We also made transactions with the Kingdom of Timidis or other places beyond the mountain range.”

Wheat was a major export for the Empire.

There is, however, no country that sells wheat to Elysium that was imported from the Empire.

In that case, the emperor even blocked the trade there.

“But it’s still difficult, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

As a result, Radiev broke the moment at that time. When Radiev is requested to reach an agreement, he does it without difficulty.

“Is that why you want to appease me, Salik-nim? Do you want to plant other crops in Krenberia that can be exported to Elysium instead of wheat? That’s why you came as my tutor and didn’t show any signs of discomfort even after not showing up for an hour.”

Salik paused before agreeing to my naive words.

“……That’s correct.”

Perhaps this is why his marriage talk wasn’t even a joke.

Perhaps that’s why he was upset when I didn’t touch him.

He was going to lie down to take responsibility for the dirty route, but I didn’t fall for it.…

Suddenly, I thought of myself a while ago when I drank and begged Karpel to hug me.

I felt sympathy for Salik once more.

Salik, who is almost a century old, has decided to devote himself to a 13-year-old human child in order to feed the people of his kingdom.

My father took a long time to find me an elf teacher.

There was no one who could teach me the Elvish language, and as time passed, my father had no choice but to contact Salik, who he didn’t believe would court me.

There’s also an age difference. Quite a lot.

I’ve been pondering many aspects of Elysium.

Krenberia is a prosperous area.

In terms of statistics, sending the amount of grain that Elysium required to Krenberia was not unreasonable.

If Krenberia’s average grain production is 100 sacks, the estate’s consumption was around 10 sacks.

Because there was no need to actively cultivate, there were always enough fields to play in.

The amount of Elysium needed was only about 5 sacks.

If the emperor prevented the remaining wheat from being sent, I could grow something else and send it.

As I was thinking about it, Carpel said.

“The emperor’s ban on exports must have been aimed at, so you cannot move hastily.”

That is exactly what occurred.

If I start growing crops other than wheat in earnest to give them to Elves, the emperor will not let me go.

A feeling of incompatibility washed over me at the time. As if feeling like they’re not going to let me go?

‘Oh, right, I’m already engaged to Karpel.’

In my head, the storyline of Krenberia’s ruin passed by.

If the Emperor wanted Elysium to invade Krenberia, then my engagement had nothing to do with it.

‘Is the Emperor merely after our family?’

Drought and the invasion of Elysium peoples wreaked havoc on Krenberia.

Radiev only succeeded in negotiating with Elysium too easily after that.

‘……The forest elves retreated and the remaining Krenberia territory was acquired as Radiev succeeded in negotiating, but was taken away by Karpel again.’

I shifted my gaze to Karpel.

‘Karpel, like Krenberia, must be in desperate need of Krenberia.’

In order to protect what I have, the answer was to develop my own strength.

“Okay. Let’s use the empty field to grow crops other than wheat.”