I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 21

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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 021

21. Elf

Tom’s face darkened.

“How about it? It doesn’t seem like there would be any loss for you.”

His opponent, Barton, was right.

Even if he accepted that proposal, Tom wouldn’t suffer any losses. But it was strange.

Rather, it would be right to seize it.

However, it was truly strange.

‘Ellemis Baron…’

Cliff came to mind.

He was bothered by him.

Still, the answer Tom could give was already decided.

“…I will do as the young master commands.”

“Haha. Why are you even worrying about something so obvious? If your answer had been a little later, you would have missed the opportunity. Well, whatever. If you worried that much, you must have had deep trust with that fellow, so it’s rather good.”

Barton laughed pleasantly.

The estate was busy ahead of the sowing season.

A guest came to that estate.

“Merchants have come!”

“Support supplies from the Kingdom have arrived again!”

They weren’t support supplies.

They were all goods that Cliff had paid for. But the estate residents considered them as support supplies.

And regardless of how they thought about it, Cliff wasn’t particularly interested.

‘The problem is that gentleman’s expression.’

Tom’s complexion didn’t look good.

He clearly had a worried expression. Also, he strangely couldn’t meet his eyes.

It wasn’t simply because of the class system.

‘It’s the look of someone who has something weighing on their mind.’

Tom’s eyes were like that.

That Tom pretended to have a calm expression and opened his mouth.

“The atmosphere of the estate has changed a lot from when I came before. Also, you must have endured the winter, but rather the estate residents seem to have gained more weight.”

“Does it look that way to you too?”

Cliff made a proud expression at Tom’s admiration.

Seeing this, Tom felt even more regretful emotions.

‘Indeed, this person is a great vessel.’

It was truly regrettable.

Even when he had arrived before, the estate residents looked like they were dying.

They had hopes when they saw them, but that was the limit. Even if Tom brought supplies, there was no share for them.

‘But did this person use those supplies to feed the estate residents?’

The process of feeding and clothing the estate residents.

He spent a lot of money for that. But it didn’t seem like he simply gave everything unconditionally either.

“Would you take a look at this?”

“This is… charcoal, isn’t it?”

Before, there had been baskets and ropes.

This time, numerous pieces of charcoal were piled up in the storehouse. Even though they must have consumed it during winter, this much stockpile.

It meant this estate had that much charcoal production.

‘Hmm. Before, there was no merit in coming here except for the estate administrator… The value of the estate is rising in a short time.’

The more he confirmed this, the heavier his heart became.

Meanwhile, Cliff opened his mouth.

“Could you purchase 70% of the charcoal piled up here?”

“I will… do so.”

He had that much spare funds.

And if he had spare money, there was no reason not to take the charcoal.

Tom examined the condition of the charcoal and nodded.

‘This alone would be worth dozens of gold coins.’

He couldn’t believe this was an estate that had nothing but people as commodities until just recently.

Although the entire Yusta Peninsula was backward, it must have been one of the most hopeless estates even within that.

That estate had brightened. But conversely, Tom’s face was hardening.

‘Did I make the wrong choice? No. Certainly, if several generations had passed, I don’t know, but now…’

Still, this estate had more despair than hope.

At least for his generation, it was right to follow Barton rather than Cliff.

“Ah, and next time I’d like to increase the livestock.”

Cliff’s mouth kept moving.

It was talk about the estate’s next plans. The more Tom heard those words, the more certain he became of one thing.

‘As long as the estate administrator is here… this place will become the most livable place of any estate on the continent.’

It didn’t mean this estate would become the largest estate on the continent.

There were limits to its growth potential for that. But in terms of living conditions, there would be nowhere better than here.

While Tom was thinking that, Cliff continued with what he wanted to say.

“We slaughtered almost all the geese from last time. So we need to increase the goose population, and besides geese, we need additional livestock that can be raised here.”

Preferably something that could greatly increase in numbers.

Incidentally, the livestock Cliff had in mind was rabbits.

‘Rabbits are famous for their breeding ability.’

Rabbits could multiply to unmanageable numbers with just one pair.

Also, rabbits were easy to raise.

He could build livestock pens and raise them himself, but for rabbits, distributing them to each household would also be fine.

‘It would have been better if we could catch those guys in the nearby mountains… If there aren’t any, I’ll have to buy them from outside. The problem is that the person who should handle this has had that expression since earlier…’

Tom’s face grew darker as his words continued.

Looking at that expression, it seemed he shouldn’t continue talking.

He could roughly guess.

“It seems the business at the Duke’s Mansion wasn’t all good news. Don’t tell me it was the Duchess’s side?”

Even while asking, Cliff felt doubtful.

‘The Duke maybe, but among the Duchess or her children, there shouldn’t be anyone who would pay attention to me…’

He had never acted to provoke them.

Also, he was already a person of the Elimis Family who had left the Duke’s house.

This time he had sent Tom to the Duke’s house, but that was the limit. It would be difficult to trade on the Duke’s name anymore or be associated with them.

The Duke’s successors couldn’t be unaware of that either.

So it was strange.

‘Looking at that expression now, he got an earful there. For example, not to associate with me.’

Tom’s face showed conflict upon receiving his direct question.

Indeed, something had happened.

“Whew.”

He sighed.

“When I met His Grace and came out, there was no problem at all. Thanks to the good items the estate administrator provided, we were able to gain great profits in a good atmosphere. Regarding this, I and my trading guild owe a great debt to the estate administrator.”

Cliff nodded.

That would be the case.

‘But then why does his expression look so bad?’

It wasn’t the face of someone delivering good news.

“The problem was what came next. Lord Barton summoned me before leaving the Capital City.”

“Barton? His Grace’s third son?”

“Yes, estate administrator.”

Cliff clicked his tongue upon hearing those words.

“Of all people, why did it have to be him?”

Barton.

Among the legitimate wife’s four sons, he was the furthest from succession.

He was more suited to his maternal family’s side. Even at his best, he was just a skilled fighter and troublemaker.

Perhaps knowing this fact, he gave up on the succession early rather than fighting with his other brothers.

‘Instead, he just likes women.’

Naturally, Barton was already married.

But there were many other women besides his wife.

He probably had five concubines by now. He was someone who practiced what the Duke had once told him – if you don’t like your bride, marry her anyway and get a concubine.

That was Barton.

‘Why would such a man show interest in me?’

They had never had any dealings before.

As Cliff wore a puzzled expression, Tom spoke with a bitter look.

“He brought 6,000 gold coins.”

Cliff’s expression hardened upon hearing his words.

6,000 gold coins.

The 2,000 gold coins he had already received from him.

And since this shipment would be worth about 2,000 gold, combining these prices made a total of 10,000 gold.

And what this meant was clear.

‘My dealings with him end with just this one time.’

Cliff couldn’t respond to Tom’s words for a while.

This was the worst-case scenario he had imagined.

Of course, this would bring 8,000 gold coins to the estate. But even so, it didn’t mean much.

‘What we need is not cash but actual goods.’

The Elimis Domain was isolated.

Having many gold coins was meaningless if you couldn’t spend them. The merchants willing to come to this remote place were limited.

‘This is troublesome…’

Cliff’s expression hardened.

Now he might really have to go out and do business directly. But the problem was whether there was anyone he could entrust this to.

Trading inevitably required entrusting someone with his gold coins.

Would there really be anyone who wouldn’t lose their mind at the sight of those gold coins?

‘Though things have gotten better compared to before.’

Because Teobaldt was here.

Another reason he couldn’t trade before was the absence of military force.

Running a trading guild required the power to protect it. Even Tom’s guild had fought bandits who attacked them on their way here.

Because it was a poor area, moving with so many supplies made them a target.

“…I apologize. Lord Barton said he wishes to trade with himself instead of the Estate Administrator.”

“Then there’s nothing I can do. Tom was a capable partner, so it’s quite regrettable. I’ve lost my partner to Lord Barton.”

The person he could assign work to had disappeared.

Still, he couldn’t understand it.

‘Why did that Barton step forward this time?’

If it were someone else, maybe, but why Barton of all people?

The reason was soon revealed.

“And… His Grace the Duke said he received your gift well and sent a return gift.”

The Duke’s return gift.

‘What?’

This was also beyond Cliff’s expectations.

But now he understood.

Especially when that return gift came before him, he definitely understood.

Rustle.

The figure who had been listening to their conversation from behind.

He, no, she removed the hood she was wearing on her head.

“Ah.”

What appeared from within was a woman’s face.

Someone Barton would covet.

Above all, the ears protruding between those golden locks of hair.

‘An elf!’

An elf had appeared.

She knelt on one knee before Cliff and bowed her head.

“I received orders from my previous master to serve the head of the Elimis Family. My name is Leticia.”

“Here it is.”

Tom handed him a document.

He had received such a document before. From Teobaldt.

That’s right.

The return gift the Duke sent was her.

The Duke’s words came to mind again.

-If she doesn’t suit your taste, then take a concubine.

‘No, but still, how can you send a woman to a newly married man, Father.’

No wonder Barton, who was crazy about women, held a grudge against him.

Still, the gift itself was very appreciated.

Elves were a forest race.

In an estate surrounded by mountains and forests, she might be of considerable help.

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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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