I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 125

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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 125

125. The Refugee Problem

A rumor that spread throughout the entire duchy.

If you go to the public road, there’s food.

They even hold festivals there in winter.

These words were the problem.

“…People are really flocking here.”

“Yes. Still, last year it was mainly nobles who wanted to establish a foundation on the public road…”

Ballard County.

It was a place that served as a gateway before entering Gongdo Elimis.

This was a conversation between Anton and Adolf, who were responsible for this area.

Both men felt a sense of responsibility for this situation.

“As you know, we absolutely cannot send these people to the public road.”

“That’s right.”

These people harbor fantasies about the public road.

They don’t know about the cold of the public road. A region that’s colder in winter and even hotter in summer.

Not knowing that this is Gongdo Elimis, they want to enter there this winter.

‘We can’t turn the public road into a den of corpses.’

This was the situation of the public road.

If those who are already at their physical limits and have no foundation go there, they’ll only die. However, it was troubling.

“Still, it’s a problem. Stopping them from going to the public road isn’t difficult, but… they’ll die here anyway.”

Adolf spoke with a pitiful expression.

But Anton was firm.

“Even so, we cannot send them to the public road. Orders have come down from His Grace the Duke. Even if we have to clean up corpses, we’ll do it here, but we cannot turn the public road into a den of corpses.”

Though cold, Adolf also nodded at those words.

“That’s right.”

The matter of corpses being found in the capital.

Such a situation must not occur. It was just worrying and pitiful.

‘People dying in winter is natural, but…’

He really wished a warm winter would come, like in the Santa Claus stories.

Adolf looked outside with a bitter expression, thinking this.

“How did it go?”

“Everything was resolved well. I obtained items made of the finest materials and bearing symbols.”

The corners of Cliff’s mouth twitched.

Jaide had returned. And at the news he brought, Cliff’s lips curved into an arc.

‘Finally, success.’

The expression mixed in Jaide’s words.

“You’re saying you obtained items bearing the highest symbols?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then shall we take a look at them?”

At Cliff’s words, Jaide immediately showed the scroll he had brought.

It was a kind of quality certificate.

However, it wasn’t really a quality certificate.

‘…This works!’

A personal letter sent by the lord of Bellast.

“I received a promise from the Bellast lord. From now on, our trading guild can freely enter port without inspection.”

If possible here, it would have been good to receive tax exemption as well.

‘But that would still be an unreasonable request.’

Still, this much was good enough.

With this, it was certain.

“With this much, anyone who sees it will consider Bellast an ally of the main house.”

“That’s correct.”

Precisely this aspect.

This was huge.

Jaide said the same thing.

“That’s right. With this level of content… even if Bellast hasn’t become territory of the duchy, it’s a clear sign that they’ve joined hands with us.”

Their allies had increased.

‘The situation has improved.’

Cliff nodded his head.

Politically, he was very pleased. And there was more to be happy about.

“The Bellast lord also asked me to convey his congratulations for the duchess’s birthday.”

Naturally, Bellast had also sent gifts.

It seemed he hadn’t just spent money and returned empty-handed.

“If he’s willing to give them, I’m grateful.”

Of course, these would be gifts that would need to be repaid later,

‘But with this, the relationship between us and Bellast will definitely solidify.’

At least that meaning was worth celebrating.

Knock knock.

Meanwhile, someone knocked on the door.

“Was someone else supposed to come?”

“Yeah. It’s probably the old man. Come in.”

Cliff was right.

Nigel, who was entering, flinched when he saw Jaide.

Jaide bowed silently toward Nigel as they exchanged courtesies.

“I have completed the task Your Highness instructed.”

“How was the reaction?”

“Of course, everyone was pleased.”

At Nigel’s answer, the corners of Cliff’s mouth twitched.

“That’s good.”

He was looking forward to this winter.

Meanwhile, there was definitely a problem.

“What will you do about the people who have flocked to Ballard?”

Even though they had flocked there, the number wasn’t large yet.

But it couldn’t just be ignored.

A solution was needed.

“I do have something in mind…”

Cliff muttered as he spoke.

It would be difficult for him to work anyway. And if everyone wanted to enter the public road, there were ways.

Cliff explained this to Nigel and Jaide.

Both men nodded as they listened to Cliff’s insight.

“Certainly… it seems possible.”

Cliff grinned.

“So now I should gradually start meeting with the nobles.”

He would meet with the nobles.

He would meet them and solve this refugee problem. After all, refugees didn’t mean thousands or tens of thousands of people.

‘If it’s that number.’

That number might be possible to accept into the public road.

But he didn’t.

Even if the current numbers were manageable, rumors would spread and more shouldn’t flock here.

‘It would be troublesome if they came flocking in winter too.’

This was Cliff’s position.

He had no immediate way to feed all of them.

But it wasn’t as if there were no methods at all.

“In that sense, I’d appreciate it if Jaide could work hard again this time…”

“You mean me, sir?”

“Yes. There are many nobles who want to meet Jaide anyway, aren’t there?”

All he had to do was spread rumors in the central nobility.

Jaide, who had been thinking roughly, nodded his head.

“I will do so.”

“You must have brought things from Bellast anyway, right?”

Hearing Cliff’s words, Jaide made an expression of defeat.

‘I can’t fool His Grace.’

Cliff was amazing.

Even though he couldn’t have seen or heard anything, he already knew what he had done in Bellast.

“That’s right. Then… may I handle those items at my own discretion?”

“Of course.”

He also received approval from Cliff.

Jaide immediately met with nobles who wanted to meet him. He also appropriately pocketed the gifts that nobles gave him in the process.

A situation where nobles were being mindful of a merchant and even giving him bribes.

‘If this were outside, I really couldn’t trust anyone.’

Jaide smiled bitterly.

It sounded like boasting. But here and now, it was also an actual event taking place.

And what they wanted to achieve by giving bribes to Jaide.

‘Please speak well of us to His Royal Highness the Duke.’

They had finally entered Gongdo.

Naturally, catching Cliff’s eye was their purpose. Knowing their purpose made them easy to use.

Jaide’s mouth opened.

The words they would be expecting.

“Ahem. What use would it be for a mere merchant like me to say anything to His Grace the Duke? However, since I do get to go near His Grace…”

Gulp.

He could see several of them swallowing in anticipation of his words.

Jaide swallowed the laughter that came from this situation inwardly.

‘Compared to my last mission, this is very easy indeed.’

So this was like a kind of reward. A prize given to him for completing one mission.

That’s why Jaide pocketed the bribes the nobles gave him.

This was rightful compensation.

“His Grace the Duke seems to have some worries lately.”

“Worries… what are you talking about? Speak clearly for once.”

“Huh. What would someone as dull and uneducated as me know? However…”

“Could it be Her Royal Highness the Duchess’s birthday?”

“That’s right. Her Royal Highness the Duchess’s birthday is approaching soon…”

Nobles speaking as if they had caught on.

But Jaide shook his head.

“Would it simply be such a matter? It’s not that… no, it’s not entirely unrelated either.”

Jaide dragged out his words and finally revealed it.

The refugees coming to Gongdo.

“Why on earth would that be his worry?”

“They are all people who are naked, hungry, and weak in stamina. Could such people survive this cold winter?”

To Jaide’s counter-question, the nobles answered firmly.

“They couldn’t.”

Even while answering thus, the nobles couldn’t empathize with the refugees’ problem.

That’s just how they were originally.

This was the same whether they were nobles from the homeland or nobles from the peninsula.

‘To nobles, refugees are just that kind of existence.’

People who can’t pay taxes anyway.

That’s probably how they perceived them.

“What if such people come to Gongdo and freeze to death during the Duchess’s birthday?”

“Hmm. That wouldn’t do. Could there be frozen corpses at a festival held in Gongdo to commemorate the Duchess’s birth? Don’t worry. I’ll send people in advance to prevent the refugees from coming here…”

“Lord Adolf is already doing that.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Wait. Then there’s no problem, is there?”

These foolish nobles.

Jaide cursed them inwardly. But right now he couldn’t show this on his face.

Hiding one’s true feelings was a basic quality of a merchant to begin with.

“Anyone could simply block roads. The problem is that Her Royal Highness the Duchess, who has a soft heart, found out about this.”

Jaide spoke.

“Even if they’re out of sight, Her Royal Highness the Duchess’s heart isn’t cold enough to turn away from those pleading for help.”

While speaking, Jaide thought of Cliff and Priscilla.

It was true that Priscilla had a soft heart. However, there was a high possibility that Priscilla didn’t know about the refugee incident yet.

‘He would only tell her after it’s resolved.’

That was Cliff’s style.

“You mean Her Royal Highness the Duchess actually cares about such lowly people?”

“That’s right.”

Jaide answered firmly.

“So not only the Duchess, but His Grace the Duke also seems uncomfortable while blocking those refugees.”

By this point, the quick-witted ones would have caught on.

‘We need to step forward.’

‘Hmm. Are you saying we should rescue them?’

Nobles opening their storehouses.

It wasn’t an easy matter. So Jaide didn’t say it that way.

“Sigh. But even if they come, there aren’t enough houses to live in and no work, so how could we call them to Gongdo?”

Jaide spoke while watching the nobles’ reactions.

By this point, they understood too.

“It’s hard to save everyone, but we did happen to need people to work at our manor.”

“Hehe. Same here. Also, I needed a woman to keep me warm during the cold season.”

“Hmm. The people of Gongdo already have their own jobs, and wages have risen too much because everyone is looking for workers.”

Cheap and easily obtainable labor.

This is what the nobles needed.

Jaide’s eyes lit up.

“That’s a good idea. Hiring mainlanders now would be a big loss. Rather than that, when there’s labor nearby that will work just for food and shelter, why hesitate to hire them?”

And he added.

“If there are nobles who help with this refugee problem, the Duke’s House will surely remember and think favorably of them.”

There was no news more welcome to the nobles than that.

Nobles came before Cliff.

“You lords want to employ the refugees?”

“That’s right. We happen to need people for odd jobs.”

Cliff smiled.

“If you do that, it would be very good. I was just wondering how to solve this problem… You lords have eased my worries. I will surely remember you lords.”

Yes, I’ll just remember you.

Successfully passing the buck.

Now I really only need to worry about Priscilla’s birthday and the festival.

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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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