I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 16

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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 016

16. Those Eyes Are Evidence of That Curse?

Mobilize everyone who can be mobilized.

It was a plan he had established. He even called upon the women to put them in charge of kiln management.

Meanwhile, he continuously increased the number of kilns.

“…If we keep increasing the kilns like this, all the commoners will have to dedicate themselves only to charcoal kilns afterward.”

Nigel came to him with a worried expression.

He had been wondering when he would come.

‘There’s no way the old man would just stand by and watch this happen.’

Even now, he was having the women operate the charcoal kilns.

What were the men doing?

In the midst of all this, they were building new kilns.

So Nigel would be worried. This would dramatically increase charcoal production, but it meant the estate would be overflowing with people who only knew how to work the kilns afterward.

Cliff answered.

“I know.”

“Then… are you planning to transform this into an estate that specializes in industry?”

Charcoal was a sufficient commodity even outside.

Just like making ropes and baskets to sell to Tom’s trading guild, it meant they could sell and make money.

It was an estate where farming didn’t work anyway. It wouldn’t be strange for Cliff to abandon agriculture and choose industry.

‘But that shouldn’t happen. I must prevent that at all costs.’

Nigel was desperate.

Cliff chuckled.

“That would be nice if this estate’s transportation was open in all directions.”

Nigel’s frowning expression relaxed.

Cliff understood exactly what he had been worried about.

The estate was difficult to sustain through trade. Unless Cliff’s canal plan had succeeded, but now that it was blocked.

The estate only had the northern side path.

‘We must somehow succeed in food self-sufficiency.’

Suppose the estate had enemies.

If they just blocked the northern path, this estate would have no choice but to starve to death.

“The harvest is finished anyway. We need to operate the kilns, make winter supplies, and repair houses. We just need to prepare to spend the winter warmly. After all… we have sufficient food.”

There had never been a time when the estate was as abundant in provisions as now.

The supplies received from Tom’s trading guild and the provisions Bellman had stockpiled.

All of it had come to the estate warehouse. Moreover, he had signed a five-year supply contract with Tom.

‘Unless the trading guild goes bankrupt, they surely won’t betray us.’

It was a deal with nobility.

He wouldn’t be someone bold enough to betray first.

So now was the time to freely distribute provisions.

Instead, he had to secure other things.

“Then…?”

“Some of the kilns we’re eagerly building now will have to be abandoned later. But it won’t be too regrettable. Maintaining them won’t require much manpower. Then… whether through the trading guild or by going outside the estate directly, we can buy people.”

Just as estate people were sold as slaves, this time they would buy them.

Until then, they would partially rest the charcoal factory operations and focus on farming.

When farming was finished, they would operate the factories again.

It was simple work.

Nigel nodded at Cliff’s plan.

“I understand the Lord’s representative’s intentions well. For now… we just need to survive the harsh cold season?”

“That’s right. Tell the estate residents that too. The payment for factory work will be given in charcoal, so take that charcoal and survive the winter.”

Probably all the commoners were having a very hard time right now.

But they could overcome it.

Because they knew all of this was ultimately for them. They had to suffer now to survive the harsh cold season as Nigel said.

“There’s a lot to do besides charcoal. Houses need to be repaired and winter supplies need to be prepared.”

The work he had been doing while persuading even Nigel.

It definitely had results.

-Estate experience 50 gained

-Lord experience 50 gained

He was able to finish the Quest early.

There were still Quests remaining.

【Winter Preparation 2】

Content: A harsh winter is approaching. As a lord, you must prepare so that the commoners can spend the winter warmly and safely.

Secure sufficient heating resources and food, and prepare means to deal with any possible accidents.

Give the commoners a warm winter!

Conditions

-Secure blackwood charcoal (100.185/150.000t)

-Secure winter stockpiled food (231/150.000t)

-Produce winter clothing (618/800 sets)

Rewards

-Estate experience 75

-Lord experience 75

-Environment category ‘Climate Immunity’ skill +1

“…This will succeed easily.”

The number of kilns had already increased to overflowing.

Before snow fell, they would achieve the desired charcoal production. Moreover, the estate had excellent handicraft skills.

Even without him saying anything, they were making winter clothing on their own.

‘Even though they must be busy with the work I assigned.’

Winter clothing production was mainly handled by those entering old age.

They had lived in this estate for decades. They had seen countless people die when winter came.

Even without being told, they knew that what Cliff was doing now was necessary.

The estate that had been bustling for a while.

And the charcoal kilns that spewed smoke without rest.

The elderly who brought children and sewed non-stop inside houses.

Even the men who built kilns and carried charcoal, or repaired each house and blocked wind gaps.

All those movements stopped.

-Secure blackwood charcoal (152.375/150.000t)

-Secure winter stockpiled food (229.751/150.000t)

-Produce winter clothing (800/800 sets)

The Winter Preparation Quest was completed.

And as if it had been waiting, snow began to flutter outside.

“…I was always scared when winter came.”

Priscilla came beside him and subtly leaned her head against his shoulder.

She had changed a lot too.

She hadn’t been a woman who naturally engaged in such skinship before.

‘Indeed, people need to receive good education.’

A pleasant scent came from her.

While enjoying it, he recalled her words.

Her words about being scared of winter.

“Why? Because it’s cold?”

“That too, but… colder than the weather were the people. When winter approached, things would become dark, and it was always serious until winter passed.”

“…”

At her words, Cliff also nodded.

I understood.

This was the same at Duke Aidren’s house, not just here. Rather, because I was a bastard, I felt it less, but when winter came, even the Duke’s house would grow tense.

And they were always on edge about news of various accidents.

‘So it was the same in this domain.’

How many more people would die this winter?

They couldn’t eat well, so they lacked nutrition. Also, since I had been preparing for winter myself, I knew.

The winter clothes made in the domain had their limits.

People who couldn’t eat properly and had to huddle together, enduring the cold with body heat. Sometimes there were accidents where they died from suffocating on fire smoke.

Then that entire household would be wiped out.

‘Even so, the ancestors of the Elimis family who monopolized charcoal or only gave it to important people were quite something.’

So many people had died like that.

Roads were blocked too.

And sometimes people died buried in snow on the roads.

‘It’s really snowing a lot.’

Snow pouring down without stopping.

There were still some people wandering around outside.

Looking at them, snow had already piled up to their ankles.

“I used to hear stories from the maids sometimes. Today someone died, yesterday an entire family was wiped out at some house, things like that. When winter came, there were many stories of people selling their children.”

They must have all done that to survive.

At least it was fortunate there were no stories of people eating each other.

“There were many disappearances too. Those who vanished like that would sometimes be found as corpses in the snow after winter passed…”

Her eyes looked sad as she spoke.

The Ellemis Domain where she was born and raised.

And this domain that her family had been entrusted to rule.

“Sometimes I thought this. Isn’t this land forsaken by God? And isn’t a curse cast upon the domain once a year to kill everyone living here?”

“And the evidence of that curse is that snow?”

“Yes.”

I never knew she regarded snow as God’s curse.

I felt strange.

Words truly have power. When I hear negative stories like now, I end up being influenced by those emotions too.

The reason she was so talkative today.

And the reason she was so caught up in emotions.

‘She drank too much.’

I could smell the pleasant scent of wine from her.

She had been drinking today.

Incidentally, today was her eighteenth birthday.

‘A woman born in winter who thinks of winter as a curse…’

Winter was the day she was born.

Perhaps she regarded her own birth as a curse?

Cliff gently stroked her head.

Whether it was because of the alcohol, she was showing more of her inner self than usual. I liked that part, but I didn’t listen to any more of her lonely stories.

Smooch.

Indeed, her lips carried the sweet fragrance of wine.

The true first night with her, now that she had become an adult, was even sweeter.

So I made a resolution.

‘The day you were born is not a curse.’

I made a decision in my heart.

I should try holding a winter festival.

I wanted the domain’s people to perceive this winter differently, at least.

‘What should I do it with?’

There were many such festivals in my previous life.

But I actually had no interest in festivals.

‘If it’s a festival we could hold in winter…’

Indeed, wouldn’t the snow falling on the world right now be the best?

Snow is evidence of a curse?

What nonsense!

Snow is a gift from heaven for her birth.

I intend to prove that myself.

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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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