I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 3

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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 003

3. An Estate Impossible to Develop

Elimis Baron was not a good father, not even by empty words.

When he had only daughters without a son, he actually thought it worked out well.

‘This estate has no future anyway.’

That was what Elimis Baron thought.

Fortunately, Priscilla showed potential from a young age.

Elimis Baron immediately sought a tutor from the Capital City to educate her. That person was Nigel, whom Cliff called old man.

“I intend to make my daughter the daughter-in-law of a prestigious family. That’s the only way for our Elimis Family to survive. Teach her etiquette and refinement so she’ll be worthy of becoming a prestigious family’s daughter-in-law.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Nigel educated Priscilla according to those instructions.

The first thing he did was kill her emotions.

Emotions led to mistakes.

If one dreamed of debuting in the Central Aristocratic Circle, small mistakes could become big problems. So prestigious families didn’t want daughters-in-law who showed emotions.

“With one mistake, especially one wrong word, you can face the destruction of your entire family – that’s the life of central nobles.”

“You must never show emotions or agitation in any situation.”

“Your posture and attire must always be proper.”

“An ambitious noblewoman becomes an obstacle and source of trouble for her husband who does great things. A noblewoman’s only virtues are restraint and obedience.”

No emotions.

No preferences for likes or dislikes.

No dreams were allowed.

“The only thing a woman can wish for is her husband’s affection.”

Whenever her emotions showed.

Whenever her posture became sloppy.

Whenever she developed a liking for something, Nigel would raise his rod.

Of course, he didn’t directly strike Priscilla with it.

Instead of Priscilla, her maid would be beaten. Nigel’s guidance was so harsh that the beaten maid would suffer for days, enough to make Priscilla tremble with fear and guilt.

So when Cliff first mentioned ‘guidance,’ she was very frightened despite pretending to be calm.

“At times like this, you should say ‘Have a safe trip.'”

Her husband who woke up in the morning and again demanded a kiss.

Fortunately, Cliff wasn’t a frightening husband.

Smooch.

“…Have a safe trip.”

Since it wasn’t the first time, it was much easier this time.

Cliff left the bedroom with a grin.

The estate Cliff had received.

He had thought it was serious from the moment he first arrived.

But the results confirmed through detailed examination were even worse.

“Tsk tsk.”

Cliff clicked his tongue while reading the report.

He understood why his father-in-law, Elimis Baron, had neglected the estate.

“Absolutely miserable. At this level, only the lord’s family would barely manage to put food on the table.”

“Hmm.”

“Truly, escaping this estate would be in order of intelligence.”

An estate with no future.

That was Cliff’s assessment.

Nigel couldn’t deny Cliff’s harsh words either.

‘The lord said the same thing.’

But it felt strange. He understood Cliff and knew his words were right, but it left a bitter taste.

This estate had ultimately been abandoned even by its owner.

Then who would the people struggling to live here rely on?

His contemplation was interrupted by Cliff’s question.

“What about the people? Don’t they know that a new acting lord has arrived?”

It was an unfamiliar reaction from what Nigel considered typical noble behavior.

Nobles didn’t care about what commoners thought.

“Word has probably spread and they know about it. But there’s been no particular commotion…”

“The marriage of high-ranking people is none of their business?”

“If I had to put it that way, yes.”

Nigel answered while still looking at him with a doubtful expression.

Cliff seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Nigel’s response.

“Still, I’m getting married, so even if they can’t congratulate me…”

“…Then how about erecting a monument or statue to announce and commemorate the marriage between the acting lord and the young lady?”

It was Nigel’s own excellent answer.

But Cliff was rather shocked upon hearing those words.

“What nonsense are you spouting, old man? Are you trying to shame someone? What person would congratulate such an act? To people whose heads are about to burst from worrying about what to eat today and tomorrow.”

Nigel’s doubts grew.

If not that, then why had he just mentioned it?

Cliff seemed to think for a moment, then spoke.

“Rather, how many people can be gathered within a day? Excluding those who aren’t adults yet.”

“Including women, I’d say roughly 300 people.”

“300 people…”

Cliff repeated the number after hearing Nigel’s words.

He gave an order.

“Gather all 300 of them. If today is difficult, then tomorrow will do.”

“That’s not difficult. But may I ask the reason?”

“You said it was easy, didn’t you?”

When he asked, he got a counter-question instead.

Nigel acknowledged his mistake.

‘Oh no. How dare I question a noble…’

They were beings who gave orders.

Nigel bowed his head, realizing his mistake.

“I apologize. I will carry out the acting lord’s orders.”

“No, that’s not what I wanted to hear… Actually, I asked because I wondered if there was some problem with my instruction. Like if following my orders would prevent the people from doing their work that day, causing some kind of loss.”

Nigel was once again flustered by Cliff’s words.

Why would a noble consider such things? Still, he had learned something from earlier.

‘A retainer is not one who questions his lord.’

If asked, he would simply answer.

“It’s not planting or harvest season, so the people wouldn’t have any urgent work right now.”

“Then call them. Tell all the adults who can come to gather as much as possible.”

“I will do so.”

After hearing Nigel’s answer, Cliff examined the report again.

‘Unless someone embezzled funds along the way, the estate’s situation is truly desperate.’

Just as he had expected.

Seeds planted in the fields didn’t grow well

And the isolated terrain was a problem for going out to trade.

If only there were some other specialty products.

‘Let’s see.’

Cliff examined the information piece by piece.

Fortunately, there was the water source.

The estate had a river, and there was also a lake connected to the river.

“Is fishing possible?”

“We do fish, but the river water is shallow so there are few fish.”

“What about in the lake?”

“There might be fish there, but it’s not just fish that live there, so fishing is out of the question.”

If it’s not just fish, does that mean sharks or crocodiles roam around there?

Nigel provided additional explanation.

“That place is the habitat of Serpents.”

“Serpents… live there?”

“Yes.”

We’re doomed.

The Elimis Domain is surrounded by mountains.

Various rivers flowing down from those mountains gather to the south, forming the lake.

It’s also possible to travel outside by following the river that starts from the lake.

If we could use the Northern Shortcut and this canal, we’d gain two routes including the Northern Shortcut.

‘But there just happen to be Serpents there.’

If there are Serpents in the lake, we shouldn’t even think about putting boats there.

Serpents are, simply put, dragons.

They’re giant sea snakes. They appear not only in the sea but also in lakes like this.

“If it’s a lake large enough for Serpents to live in, it would be tempting…”

But it’s still impossible.

Along with Krakens, Serpents are representative sea monsters.

In water, their home ground, even Sword Masters would be in danger.

“It seems some of the previous lords had similar thoughts. But there was no way to subjugate or drive away the Serpents…”

“Well, we’ll figure something out somehow. Then what about the surrounding mountains? Isn’t there any mineral deposits or anything?”

“As you can see from the reports…”

I could tell without hearing it.

“Tsk.”

Cliff clicked his tongue.

The mountains didn’t produce rare medicinal herbs, and the types of trees weren’t suitable as timber either.

Full of trees that were no good for building houses or using as firewood.

‘If they were at least stone mountains, we could have used them for stone materials.’

But that wasn’t the case either.

Naturally, no iron ore, copper, or any precious metal deposits had been discovered.

“…If there are Serpents in the lake, surely there aren’t scary creatures living in the mountains too?”

“Why wouldn’t there be? There have been Cyclops sightings in the Eastern Mountains, and Shadow Wolf packs have established territory in the Western Mountains.”

“Sigh.”

The more I heard, the more dismal it became.

‘Of all things, it had to be those two?’

Cyclops.

One-eyed giants, also called Cyclopes.

They’re as strong as Ogres, but the problem is there’s nothing to gain even if you hunt them.

Their meat is obviously inedible, and while Ogres’ hide and tendons sell for high prices, these creatures’ parts are considered unusable.

‘And these Shadow Wolves…’

They were also called half-spirits.

They have physical form while alive, but when they die, that form disappears.

They truly leave nothing behind.

“So the only one worth hunting and selling for a high price would be the Serpents.”

“You’re not thinking of subjugating the Serpents, are you?”

“I don’t want to see the inside of a Serpent’s belly.”

I replied weakly to Nigel’s surprised question.

If I could subjugate Serpents, I wouldn’t have been banished to this estate.

‘The more I hear, the more this estate has nothing to offer. Now I understand why my father-in-law abandoned this place and went to the capital.’

Clean abandonment of the estate!

Even I thought this estate was impossible to develop.

“Unless someone who brings miracles comes along, it would be impossible to develop this estate, wouldn’t it?”

“…I suppose so.”

Self-development impossible.

Nigel was even more certain of this than Cliff.

Nigel’s face became complicated as he answered.

But Cliff was different.

“If there’s someone who could develop this estate, they’d truly be a protagonist from mythology. Because it would require a miracle.”

He repeated his words.

Cliff grinned and said.

“How fortunate. This estate has just met its protagonist – me.”

“…?”

“I can cause miracles, you see.”

“Pardon?”

Nigel asked back stupidly.

Cliff put down all the reports he had been reading on the desk and closed his eyes.

“I’m the protagonist, you see.”

He spoke with a mischievous expression.

In his closed eyes, he could see it.

Something that had been visible since last night.

【Recognition as Lord】

Content: You have married Priscilla of the Elimis Family and become the owner of her, the Elimis Family, and the estate that the Elimis Family ruled.

However, the people have not yet accepted you as their master.

Gain recognition from them as their lord.

Then the estate will also recognize and accept you as its master.

Conditions

-Loyalty from 100 or more residents (0/100)

-Non-adults are not counted.

-Outsiders who are not residents are not counted.

-Insincere loyalty is not counted.

Rewards

-Estate Status Window unlocked

-Lord Status Window unlocked

‘So they’re giving me two status windows.’

Perhaps hope lies here.

With his eyes still closed, Cliff said.

“…Just because.”

“Ah, yes.”

Naturally, Nigel didn’t seem to believe him.

Cliff smiled thinking about that reaction.

‘This is my answer to the question you asked earlier, old man.’

The reason for gathering estate residents.

It was simple.

I need to clear the Quest.

To obtain the status windows, that is.

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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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