A rumor had recently begun circulating in Weissenburg: the girl Young Master liked had run back home, and in his grief, he'd lost his mind a little and said he was going to grow vegetables.
Everyone who first heard the rumor looked at the autumn clothes they were wearing, then burst out laughing.
It was already October. The autumn sowing season was over, and vegetables planted now would only manage to grow a few leaves before winter arrived in November. It was too late.
People simply laughed it off, assuming Young Master was throwing a childish tantrum and would get over it soon enough.
One person also thought Frederick was acting up—until the headmaster actually brought him out to the fields.
At Weissenburg University, Diesel had first been responsible for tasks like assigning personnel, then had been busy with the research projects the headmaster had assigned him. He hadn't left campus to report on his progress until today, and hadn't expected to arrive at the estate only to be put to work in the vegetable fields.
Living in a stone castle during winter was just making life difficult for yourself, so every year, starting in October, everyone moved to an estate outside the city and stayed there until March.
"Blast out wells?" Diesel asked, pointing at the grass beside the stream.
"That's right," Frederick replied. "The rivers on this estate freeze over completely in winter, so we need to dig a few deep wells to use then."
Diesel glanced at the vegetable field nearby, where earthen walls were being built, and asked in confusion, "Headmaster, you're not really planning to grow vegetables in the middle of winter, are you?"
Frederick had heard that question so many times lately that he answered impatiently, "Just do as I say. If we manage