I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 12

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Inheriting a Beautiful Wife and Estate Episode 012

12. Slave Knight

Cliff’s target this time was Bellman’s assets.

But as expected, the situation didn’t unfold exactly as he had hoped.

‘Did he hide his assets somewhere else?’

He did collect gold and silver coins.

But there weren’t that many. To begin with, such currency didn’t hold much value in the Elimis Domain.

A domain cut off from the outside world.

As such, bartering was more common in the domain than monetary transactions. Bellman’s wealth was also the grain he possessed rather than currency.

However, he didn’t properly have all that grain.

‘He must have hidden it.’

Still, he was able to secure other things.

“…Are these the IOUs he received from the domain’s people?”

The problematic IOUs that had turned people into slaves.

The more he looked at them, the more appalled he became.

‘This really is a world where human lives are dirt cheap.’

They had sold their children or themselves for prices lower than he’d expected.

What was surprising was that women’s prices were lower than men’s. He had thought women, especially young women who could bear children, would be more expensive.

“Ah, when they’re sold, of course they are.”

“When they’re sold?”

“Well… women require more investment costs. They’re also physically weaker, so they sometimes die during long journeys.”

In other words, buy cheap and sell high.

This was what Aren was explaining.

Cliff looked away from the IOUs he was holding and stared at him.

“Bellman’s assets were less than expected. Do you think he might have hidden wealth somewhere?”

“As far as I know, there isn’t any.”

“…Is that so?”

Cliff nodded upon hearing those words.

He turned around.

“As I mentioned, all of the traitor Bellman’s assets belong to me. If anything else is discovered, make sure to report it to me without fail and hand it over.”

“I will do so.”

Aren replied to his words as if it were natural.

Cliff left the place as if he believed those words.

To be precise, he didn’t completely trust him either.

“…Keep a close watch on that guy. There’s a high chance he’ll move somewhere.”

He said he was Bellman’s bodyguard.

Since he was always by his side, Cliff thought he might guide them to Bellman’s secret storehouse.

He handed over the IOUs he had to Nigel.

“How should I handle these?”

“The fact that they owe debts is true. Release those who repay the principal, and take those who cannot as slaves according to the agreement. They will become property of the Elimis Family.”

“I will handle it as you command, Lord Deputy.”

He reduced the absurd level of interest.

Still, there would likely be those who couldn’t repay.

【Lord’s Authority】

Content: With your proof, the commoners now trust and expect from you. However, a ruler needs to make the people believe that you will protect them.

The domain still only has meager military forces.

Bandits don’t fear the domain’s guards, and the commoners don’t trust the guard.

Change their perception and raise an army that will demonstrate the lord’s authority

Conditions

-Train 50 private soldiers

-Eliminate criminal organizations

Rewards

-Lord Experience 50

-Domain Experience 100

The Quest still visible when he closed his eyes.

‘I suppose I haven’t fulfilled the Quest conditions yet.’

Cliff also believed he hadn’t met the conditions yet. Still, the domain’s atmosphere had changed considerably.

Bellman, who had perhaps been an even greater object of fear in the domain than him.

He had died and been displayed.

It was only one day, but that was enough. Now everyone in the domain knew who the true owner was.

Even Aren, who had newly taken control of Bellman’s organization, was busy groveling before Cliff.

“Now it’s really becoming a proper domain.”

“The new Lord Deputy is truly an amazing person.”

“Even the soldiers’ eyes look different.”

As originally planned, Cliff selected his 50 soldiers.

And he bestowed military uniforms and cloaks upon them. Just having such people patrol the domain made them objects of admiration for the commoners.

It was definitely different from the previous looks of disbelief.

Their attire made them look more like knights rather than simple soldiers.

‘At least they look impressive on the outside.’

They were competitive enough, and just having them patrol the domain created strong crime deterrence.

This was especially true right after Bellman’s death.

And one of the tasks they were assigned.

“How is Aren?”

“There haven’t been any particularly suspicious signs so far. Just in case, we observed not only Aren but also the executives he meets with, but they didn’t show any suspicious behavior either.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Perhaps he had been too sensitive.

‘No. The fact that the Quest still isn’t complete… there must be a good reason for that.’

Aside from Bellman’s gang, there were no other suspected criminal organizations.

But it had already been several days.

If they couldn’t find anything suspicious despite surveillance during that time, it would be wasteful to use more manpower.

“Good work. You don’t need to watch him anymore.”

“Yes, Lord Deputy.”

Cliff ordered the surveillance of Aren to be discontinued.

Two days after Cliff stopped the surveillance.

‘Damn. He really is a suspicious fellow.’

Aren frowned as he looked out the window.

He had always felt the gaze of someone watching him. They claimed to be somewhat hidden, but soldiers were always nearby.

They had changed their attire and surveilled him, but he was the head of the domain’s only organization. How could he not know the soldiers’ faces?

“But now it’s fine.”

He felt relieved.

All the soldiers who had been watching had disappeared.

He stayed quiet for another day, then got up.

But now that he had confirmed the surveillance was completely gone, there was no need to delay further. He began moving with his trusted companions.

“Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve taken this path.”

“Be quiet. Even though those watching us are gone, it wouldn’t be good to get caught by night patrol soldiers.”

“Hehe. Don’t worry. I already know all the patrol routes of the domain guards.”

This was the first thing they did while groveling before the lord.

Confirming the soldiers’ patrol routes.

That way they could avoid their gaze and leave the village like now. The fact that the village had no fence was truly fortunate in this situation.

‘Well then, shall we move?’

Aren began moving busily.

A mountain lodge that appeared after traveling northwest from the village for about 2 hours and climbing the mountain.

This was his destination.

“Phew.”

Aren, with a tense face, let out a sigh.

People thought Bellman’s swords were themselves.

The swordsmen hired from outside.

And this wasn’t entirely wrong either.

‘But the real deal is separate.’

Bellman was someone who valued his wealth more than his own life.

Perhaps because of this, he built a lodge in this place where shadow wolves could appear at any time. And he saved one man and made him guard this place.

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

The closer they approached, the more they could hear the sound of air being cut.

And it gradually became visible.

A man swinging his sword shirtless in the clearing in front of the mountain lodge.

A long-haired man with a body covered in scars and muscles. Someone who concentrated on swinging his sword even though he must have been aware of their presence.

“I came to inform you that you have a new master.”

Stop.

Only then did the man cease his movements.

The man turned around and looked at Aren.

Those gray-like eyes showed no emotion whatsoever.

‘I can never get used to those eyes no matter how many times I meet them.’

Eyes like an abyss.

Those eyes looked at him.

That man was Bellman’s greatest asset. If this man had protected Bellman instead of the mountain lodge, he wouldn’t have died so futilely.

Because this man would be much stronger than just a few hired mercenaries.

“…What happened to the previous master?”

“He was executed for committing treason against the lord.”

Aren didn’t specifically mention that he had killed Bellman himself.

Although the relationship between Bellman and this man wasn’t good, you never knew.

The man might refuse to submit to his master’s enemy. Of course, the man’s will was no longer important in their master-servant relationship.

Once a man had the slave’s mark carved on him, he couldn’t escape from his master.

‘I already secured his slave document and dropped my blood on it. From now on, that man is also my slave. And… I don’t know for sure, but that man is probably stronger than the lord.’

A fact he could know because he had faced both Cliff and him.

Aren was certain that the man was stronger than Cliff. He might be weaker than outside knights, but there was no one in this estate who could defeat this man right now.

The man raised the corners of his mouth in a grin.

“…I see. So you’re saying my master is dead.”

“Didn’t you hear me? Your master is me…”

“Do you happen to know this?”

The man who interrupted Aren’s words suddenly threw out a question.

Their eyes met.

And Aren became flustered. Somehow the man’s eyes were different from when they had met before.

“People think that when a new master spills blood on a scroll, that is, a slave document, the contract changes. But that’s not the case. If it were that easy, the ownership of a slave with a carved mark could be stolen too easily.”

“What…?”

Aren’s expression hardened.

The man continued speaking.

“So it’s like this. I still haven’t finished my contract with my previous master, Bellman. And…”

The man’s eyes looking at Aren changed.

“I never liked you from the beginning.”

That was the end of it.

Aren could no longer think of anything. He just felt a strange sensation.

A sensation difficult to describe.

The experience of his upper and lower body separating from each other was something he had never experienced before.

Splash.

A fountain of blood erupted.

Before he knew it, the man was standing where Aren had been standing. Getting splattered with Aren’s blood there, he thought.

“Hmm. It’s been a while since I felt the sensation of cutting a person. More than that, now that my previous master is dead, what should I do?”

He had instantly become a masterless body.

But it was truly unfortunate.

Even so, a slave’s mark once carved couldn’t be erased at will.

‘If it were up to me, just living here for the rest of my life wouldn’t be too bad…’

The problem was there was no food to eat in the mountains.

This mountain lodge did have quite a bit of food, but even so, it would run out after some time.

Then his eyes gazed in one direction.

‘That person over there… is he this foolish guy’s watcher? Probably someone the lord assigned.’

The man soon let out a chuckle.

“If the master was executed for treason, all the master’s property belongs to the lord. My new master will apparently be the lord of this place.”

One who possessed the qualifications of a knight but became a slave.

Or one who became a slave but learned the skills of a knight.

They were called Slave Knights.

The man, Teobaldt, was also a Slave Knight.

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