I Became the Wife of the Hero Who Killed Me - Chapter 19

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

#Episode 19

Unfortunately, it seems he didn’t understand at all.

I gazed at distant mountains like a wood pigeon, but regardless, Baron kept boasting arrogantly that Madam uses 4,000 gold coins like tissues for blowing her nose.

‘She doesn’t even throw away fermented milk lids without licking them clean…’

I thought that once you become rich, you’d at least stop licking lids before throwing them away.

This is why ingrained frugal habits are so frightening.

“Baron.”

“Yes, Madam who uses gold coins instead of perfumed oil in her bath water!”

“Shut up.”

Anyway, if I left this alone, my image would plummet to rock bottom, so I ultimately withdrew my plan to use Baron as a proxy and decided to step forward myself.

I sat without hesitation in the seat of honor that Bertol had yielded.

“According to Clayton Viscount, no one questioned the special relationship transactions?”

“I have no excuse…”

“Of course you shouldn’t.”

In truth, I wasn’t unaware of Bertol’s position.

The lords of Lombard had traditionally carried the duty of guarding the Northern Wall, often departing on campaigns and leaving the territory empty.

So it was customary for the duchess to handle domestic affairs entirely, but noble women with the learning and ability to govern territories inherited their own family estates rather than marrying into other houses.

In the first place, no sane noble would give away such talent to another family.

For various overlapping reasons, excessively powerful authority had fallen into the hands of the castle keep bureaucrats.

Like mice swarming when the cat disappears, their corruption had gradually eaten away at all of Lombard.

‘But I don’t understand. The Edwin I knew wouldn’t have neglected governance to this extent.’

In the past, Edwin had done his best to rebuild the domestic administration that had collapsed due to the Former Duke Lombard’s neglect.

He had extensively appointed capable young bureaucrats regardless of status, led administrative reforms, and dispatched direct inspectors throughout the ducal territory to prevent corrupt officials’ tyranny and focus on people’s welfare.

Though he faced fierce opposition from the castle keep, Edwin didn’t yield and continuously made efforts.

‘In contrast, the current duke…’

Had touched nothing.

Like the Former Duke Lombard, he acted as if territorial affairs didn’t matter to him at all.

So even Bertol and Ramon, who should have led changes in the castle keep, couldn’t exert any influence.

‘Rather than watching this mess and getting frustrated, I’ll just handle it myself.’

I couldn’t tolerate anything else, but I couldn’t stand corrupt officials getting fat off the people’s blood and sweat.

How many tears of blood I shed every time I paid taxes!

“Recruit trading companies through open bidding again. Since there’s no time to spare, hurry as much as possible.”

“Do you mean to nullify the contract with Alnor Trading Company?”

Ramon’s voice brightened upon hearing my order.

Meanwhile, Bertol interjected with a very cautious expression.

“I’m sorry, Madam, but there will be considerable backlash if you do so. Count Alnor won’t just accept it, so there’s a possibility it could lead to legal disputes.”

“Legal disputes? Let them try. I’m curious to see whose side the court will take.”

Of course, my answer was already decided.

No, more precisely, the court’s verdict was as good as already decided.

It was also something that had made my past self grind my teeth in frustration.

“I wonder if there’s any judge bold enough to rule against me—the only legitimate daughter of the Former Crown Prince, the only niece of Current Emperor, and also the niece of King Marsen?”

“Ma, Madam? Your eyes look quite frightening…”

Count Baron slowly backed away after seeing my gleaming eyes.

It was something I had always imagined.

If only I had power, if only I had that status and authority to silence enemies’ opposition with a single sharp glance!

‘I never thought it would actually come true.’

Now my father was Crown Prince of Baldin and my mother was Princess of Marsen.

Also, my maternal grandmother was a Baldin princess who married into Marsen and became queen, making her the great-aunt to both my father and the current Baldin Emperor.

My official name isn’t Elisia Marsen Baldin La Lombard for nothing.

“If Count Alnor has any brains, he won’t dare challenge me. So let’s wrap up this matter here—”

Even with just this much, Ramon was practically in festival mood.

He looked ready to adore Clayton Viscount for daring to present such pocket change(?) to Madam and escalating things.

He didn’t miss the opportunity and greedily added one more thing.

“Madam, with Lombard territory being so vast and so many territory residents starving during winter’s agricultural off-season, isn’t bringing workers from other territories a deception against you?”

“Exactly right.”

Actually, it was what I wanted to say, but it was convenient that Ramon brought it up first.

As I readily nodded, cautious Bertol carefully interjected again.

“Ramon’s words are correct, but civil engineering isn’t under our jurisdiction…”

“Don’t give me headaches about jurisdiction. I am the law.”

“Absolutely right!”

So this is the appeal of dictatorship.

I had no reputation left to fall anyway.

So I decided to use the duchess’s authority to do everything I’d always wanted to do.

“I don’t intend to stop at simply nullifying contracts. Whether rewards or punishments, they must be clear for discipline to be properly established. Conduct a secret comprehensive investigation and recover the full amount of improper profits Clayton gained through private contracts.”

“However, the bureaucrats’ backlash to this matter won’t be insignificant.”

“Just eliminate the mouths that would object, right? The method is, hmm, should we smear honey on their lips and leave them in front of a beehive?”

“Unfortunately, it’s not the season for bee activity, so how about tying their limbs to wheels and throwing them in the plaza? We could leave the rest to the people… Ugh!”

Bertol jabbed Ramon’s ribs with his elbow.

The head butler’s veteran strength made the administrative chief twist his body and groan.

Not wanting to be caught in the crossfire, I decided to escape.

“Then you two discuss and decide on the punishment. For reference, I like Ramon’s proposal.”

“It’s, it’s an honor.”

Ramon, who barely survived, nodded his head.

Finally, I decided to add one thing that had been bothering me.

“I heard the former Clayton Viscount was also from the Civil Engineering Inspection Department.”

“That’s correct, but is there some problem…”

“Re-inspect the structural safety of all construction sites the Clayton father and son handled. Every single one without exception.”

“We receive Madam’s command.”

The two bureaucrats, sensing some premonition, bowed their heads.

Their eyes were like those who had discovered the legendary invincible demon sword.

* * *

After Elisia left, the broken door was roughly blocked with wooden planks.

In the office where cold wind seeped through, Bertol and Ramon were putting their heads together to continue discussions.

“Think about it carefully. Couldn’t this be a good opportunity to start reforms?”

“Hmm.”

In truth, Bertol and Ramon were disgusted with the hopelessly corrupt atmosphere of the castle keep.

However, they had neither the ability to handle the situation nor the authority to control it.

If Edwin, the master of Lombard, had stepped forward, the situation might have been completely different, but unfortunately, he had no motivation for governance.

This might sound inappropriate, but he seemed like someone who had given up on everything.

Ever since he was very young…

“Would it be possible? We might just end up poking a hornet’s nest.”

“Isn’t bringing in outside personnel the most standard method for breaking bad practices? Moreover, Madam has noble status, outstanding ability, and a nasty… I mean, free-spirited personality, making her perfect for this task. She’s even extremely wealthy, so she won’t bat an eye at most bribes.”

“Yes, no one is as qualified as Madam. But she has absolutely no interest in official duties.”

Bertol agreed with Ramon’s words. He also fully sympathized with the desperation.

However, Elisia’s unpredictable temperament was the problem.

Her stepping forward this time was also due to the rather absurd reason that Clayton Viscount had offended her by proposing such pocket change(?) to Madam, who was one of the Empire’s wealthiest people.

Living through all this, such craziness… no, never mind.

“Lastly, the most important problem remains. Even if by some chance Madam takes an interest in official duties—”

Bertol, who had paused to catch his breath, continued with a gloomy expression.

“Our faction is barely the size of a mouse dropping. I’m not even sure if it can be called a faction to begin with.”

“Ah.”

Ramon, who had been jumping up and down in frustration at Bertol’s excessive caution, also hung his head after being hit right in the mark.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t made efforts.

They really had tried their best, but…

‘Would a number you can count on one hand even qualify as a ‘faction’?’

Ramon, who had unconsciously been dabbing at his eyes with his handkerchief, suddenly shouted.

“But we can’t give up like this!”

Though they were extremely few in number, they had been waiting all along for Lombard’s transformation, bending low like reeds.

But now that a perfect person like Madam had appeared, possessing both ability and authority, how could they let this opportunity slip by?!

…Even while thinking this, neither a method to get Madam actively involved in official duties nor a way to gather comrades who shared their cause readily came to mind.

The two loyal retainers sadly hung their heads.

Outside the office windows filled with silence, a black cat was walking briskly through the air.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————