The carriage rolled through the muddy path, making its way to the telegraph office near the train station.

Vincent’s expression was solemn as he listened to Anastasia’s explanation on what the telegraph he just read meant.

"The County’s South is a wide river basin and contains the most fertile lands. While over the years this has led to surplus grain production and increased exports, the past few months have been rough."

"Crops failed due to multiple reported reasons with pests being the major cause and..."

Vincent’s expression turned grave.

’This is... definitely not natural. Leona was right when she said...’

Vincent remembered the interaction he had with Leona during Duke Leurox’s masquerade ball.

Vincent and Leona were conversing in the courtyard while Agnes and Anastasia were busy searching.

Leona said, "...year-on-year, D’Arc County was a major exporter for grains. But over the last few months, imports for the same have increased tremendously."

Vincent just listened and nodded his head, trying to remember the information.

"My Lord, the County majorly imports grains from the Heinrich Duchy lying north. They might be close but the mountainous areas between the Duchy and the County are rumoured to be filled with bandits. It is not an ideal place to import food from."

Back to the present, Vincent’s expression soured further when he remembered the servant and Railguard mentioning the trade lines collapsing between the Duchy and the County in the north.

’Why did my family even approve of such a risky import? I might’ve been a wastrel but what about mom and my sister? How could they sign off such a decision?’

Vincent felt something wasn’t right but couldn’t exactly point at where things went wrong.

"...and the rains have been continuous for a week straight. The Nanteaux Dam does not have the capacity to withstand such tremendous water pressure."

Anastasia finished explaining.

Vincent heard it and closed his eyes, leaning back on the cushioned seats and massaging his forehead.

"The South has been flooded. The situation is bad. Am I supposed to send relief or will it be handled by my mother and sister?"

Vincent tried to take on a realistic approach. Surely his family did not place the entire county’s problems on him, right?

Anastasia thought about it and said, "The County’s administration is handled by the stewards who report directly to the young lady or Madam. However, since the young master decided to solve the County’s problems..."

She took a brief pause.

"...also the telegraph regarding the South arriving here instead of being sent to the Capital... it probably suggests that all responsibility is now on the young master."

"I only talked about the mines..." Vincent said with an awkward smile.

Anastasia shook her head and said, "I could be wrong. The young master can send a telegraph asking for clarification if needed."

"Remind me to do that." Vincent nodded. It was better to ask for clarification. He couldn’t possibly take on the entire responsibility of the County. The mines were enough stress as is.

[Reminder...]

’You’re alive?’ Vincent asked as he saw the system message and heard the voice in his head.

[If the host does not actively destabilize the anchors, the events will transpire as fated.]

’What?’ Vincent did not understand what the system meant.

[In simpler terms: Fate will follow the original timeline leading to the Collapse of D’Arc House if the anchored events are not changed.]

’There is an original timeline?’ Vincent frowned. ’Oh right, there should be an original timeline. Anastasia is living her fifth life right now...’

[Correct.]

[The reference timeline is Regressor Anastasia’s first iteration.]

While Vincent thought about this matter, the carriage soon reached the destination and stopped before the telegraph office at the train station.

"Young master, we’ve reached." Anastasia’s words broke Vincent’s thoughts.

He nodded and got out of the carriage.

The telegraph office was a small building beside a large wooden pole containing multiple wires.

People were lined up to send messages and the queue seemed like it would keep the office till dusk.

The knights escorting Vincent made the commoners move out from the telegraph office, and made space.

The commoners wondered who the short man being escorted by the knights was with a displeased expression on their faces.

While looking at them, Vincent didn’t feel apologetic. There was an ongoing crisis. Their personal matters could surely wait.

As Vincent entered the office, he saw multiple machines to send information, and people holding cups to receive signals.

Being the Young Count, Vincent was given a chair to sit and the entire process of sending a telegram went smoothly, taking only half an hour.

Once the message was sent, Vincent was back to travelling, heading back to the mines.

Along the way, Vincent turned to Leona and said, "Say... the house won’t have a problem negotiating a deal, right?"

Leona slowly glanced up. Her red eyes stared into Vincent’s.

"Are you projecting hope or genuinely asking, My Lord?"

Vincent’s smile stiffened.

Leona pointed out something which he himself wasn’t aware of.

’Shit. I’m too on the edge.’ Vincent thought and shook his head, looking outside the window to have a change of view.

The carriage was once again traveling through the forest.

The scenery was green and calming.

Vincent could see the trees sway lazily along the breeze. The birds were chirping and flying around while the animals like boars and deers fed on the shrubs.

Vincent sighed, wondering if being an animal meant an easy life or something.

A few moments passed as he continued to stare at them.

However, a split second later, he immediately fixed his gaze on the group of deers.

"Food!" Vincent explained and almost startled Anastasia seated beside.

Leona was calmer and looked at her fiancé with a neutral gaze, wondering what was up.

"Food, Leona, Food!" Vincent turned to Leona and said excitedly while pointing at the group of deers.

Leona looked at the animals, then back at Vincent and asked, "Are you perhaps suggesting hunting animals to solve the food crisis?"

"Yes!" Vincent nodded fervently. "Aren’t we fully surrounded by forests? Can’t we just hunt animals and eat temporarily?"

Seated beside, Anastasia thought about Vincent’s suggestion and felt it made sense.

She turned to Leona to see what this lady had for an answer.

Leona did not display any change of expression as she replied, "A deer can feed a family for a while. Sure. But do you know how many families there are in Copper Town?"

Vincent blinked with a blank expression.

Leona stared right at him and continued, "Not just Copper Town, but Bronze Town, Silver Town, Gold Town and many other small villages and settlements of the Northern Region."

She shook her head.

"It’s not just the Northern Region, but the Central and Southern regions too that are in a food crisis. You haven’t forgotten how it was the Central Region that asked for an additional month’s food reserve, right?"

Vincent frowned and clutched his forehead.

From the side, Anastasia nodded her in agreement.

"Animals available for hunting are in forests, away from towns. Hunting them is neither easy nor quick. Not to mention, transporting them—"

"Alight, alright. I get it." Vincent raised his hand and stopped the ladies from speaking further.

He rubbed his face.

It was slow and gentle at first, but then rubbed it aggressively and thought:

’Goddamn!’

Vincent looked out of the window through the gaps of fingers, at the boars and deers.

’Such vast forest area but still not enough.’

Vincent rubbed his face again, multiple thoughts surfacing his mind.

His hair was disheveled while his complexion turned paler. The aggressive rubbing also turned his cheeks red.

Vincent stopped after a few seconds and looked outside again.

In his vision were the deers, but his attention turned to something else entirely.

’It all started with the South. Crops failed there which led to a food pressure on everybody. Food exports flipped to imports.’

’Everyone had a standard emergency stock, but then the Central Region demanded for an extra month’s supply three weeks ago. This led to the Northern Region’s emergency stock depletion and then the rains caused pest infestation which made these people burn the remaining stock...’

In Vincent’s vision, a boar fell into a net and began squealing.

He still stared absentmindedly at it.

’An emergency request was made to Heinrich Duchy. They accepted but denied a week later. Help was sent to the Capital but they did not respond, possibly due to engagement, and then the mines collapsed...’

A few hunters emerged from the shadows and began stabbing at the squealing boar, trying to slowly bleed it.

Focus returned to Vincent’s eyes as he noticed this scene.

’Goddamn!’ He exclaimed internally.

’There is no way this isn’t a conspiracy! And what’s worse, despite knowing that... I can’t do shit about it for now.’

Vincent clicked his tongue.

’Hunger does not wait for anyone. If the food crisis is not solved, I’m not sure what these commoners would do. We might possibly not have anything to feed the knights or guards either. So what if money is paid to them? Money is worthless if it can’t even buy food!’

Vincent leaned at the edge of his seat and feverishly tapped his foot while absentmindedly staring at Leona’s knees.

’How exactly am I supposed to solve this? From the get go...’

The rapping of Vincent’s foot intensified.

’I transmigrated into a house that is doomed to collapse.’

He plucked a few strands of his hair.

’How am I supposed to save it when even money is worthless?’

’I am not a genius. I don’t even know how this world works. How can I even possibly think of saving everything!?’

Vincent’s thoughts were taking a dangerous turn as his restlessness increased.

’Shit. Shit. If everyone turns against me again, I might not be able to save myself or my loved ones. It’ll be pathetic, miserable, and a death worse than a dog’s. I’ll only be able to helplessly watch as—’

As he was about to descend into total panic, a hand on his shoulder broke him out of his stupor.

Looking up, he saw Leona’s bright crimson eyes staring at him calmly.

"...I said, we’ve arrived, My Lord."

Vincent stared at Leona for a second, something clicking inside his head.

’...helpless?’

He blinked repeatedly.

Leona was still there, staring at him.

Finding his reaction odd, the silver-haired said, "If you wish to admire me, My Lord, then there’s a time and place for it. I don’t suppose it should be now."

Her voice fell on deaf ears as Vincent continued to think,

’...this is a powerhouse. How am I helpless? Not only her...’

Vincent just realized...

The cheat was never the system.

He turned to the blonde-haired maid seated beside.

’A regressor and a strategist... such powerhouses by my side and I’m still unable to overturn the situation? Tsk. Tsk. Shame on me!’

Clarity returned to Vincent’s eyes as he thought of a few things of note.

As he stared intently at Anastasia, it made her wonder what was with such a gaze.

A second later, Vincent unknowingly placed both his hands on Anastasia’s shoulders as he leaned close to her face.

"Anastasia," he said with a piercing gaze. "I have a question and I want you to answer it honestly."

"Yes?" Anastasia shifted in her place.

"What will happen if the problem goes unresolved? Tell me everything you can think of. Even an irrelevant thought that might cross your mind."

Vincent slightly shook her shoulders as he leaned closer.

"Tell me everything!"

Anastasia and Leona both stared at Vincent with a baffled gaze. But being a maid, the former could do nothing but part her lips and say in a low tone,

"Riots. Extreme riots which could be unnatural due to involvement of other noble houses and possibly even..."

Anastasia hesitated for a second.

"Possibly even?"

Anastasia closed her eyes and continued, "...even the Royal House."