I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 35

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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 035

35. Baron Ballard’s Family

Pottery.

In fact, these were items that had already existed in the estate.

But naturally, there had never been anything of this quality.

“…It’s magnificent?”

Sorry to Priscilla, but his eyes weren’t drawn to the cookies.

Priscilla felt this too.

“It’s really beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Ah, yes…”

Cliff nodded at her question.

The pottery that he examined more closely once again.

Cliff immediately called Jaide over to show him the pottery.

“…Was there a craftsman in the estate capable of making such items?”

Probably not before.

If there had been, the Elimis Family wouldn’t have been so poor.

‘Probably various skills combined to raise the technical level.’

For Trade 2.

He was beginning to see how to complete this Quest. Cliff opened his mouth with a smile.

“What do you think?”

“…If we could sell this to nobles, we could get at least dozens… no, even hundreds of gold coins.”

Jaide’s judgment was similar to his own.

Of course, this would be a premium product made with great difficulty even in the estate.

In reality, inferior items would be produced.

‘But even those could fetch dozens of gold coins, right?’

Cliff gave instructions to Jaide.

“I’ll give you authority. Talk to Nigel, gather craftsmen, and have them fire pottery.”

Jaide, who had been listening to his words, showed a thoughtful expression.

Then he spoke.

“If you would permit it, my lord… I’d like to go to Serfal first to find buyers for this pottery.”

Cliff smiled.

He had simply thought of distributing through Tom.

Tom had connections with the Prime Minister’s Family, the pinnacle of Central Nobility. Also, by joining hands with Barton, he had gained connections to his maternal and in-law families.

With that level of network, this pottery could be distributed.

‘But rather than that, he wants to try distributing this pottery himself?’

Whether that was it, or whether he was going to Serfal to communicate with Tom in advance, Jaide’s attitude wasn’t bad.

He could do what he was told, but that would dilute Jaide’s value.

“Right. If you’re the person in charge, it’s proper to move more proactively. Do as you think best.”

“Thank you. I will definitely secure good buyers.”

“Then the pottery production will have to be left to Nigel.”

Even as he spoke, Cliff showed a regretful expression.

‘We’re short on people.’

The estate’s businesses were gradually increasing.

People were needed to divide and handle each section.

‘The old man is getting on in years, so it’ll be difficult for him to help me indefinitely.’

Fortunately, Jaide was young.

Cliff assigned beastfolk to escort him.

“When you go to Serfal, tell Edan and Teobaldt to return to the estate.”

Jaide was definitely capable.

The task he had originally assigned him was to find products that could be sold outside the estate.

He thought it had fizzled out when pottery was discovered, but apparently Jaide didn’t think so. He only left after inspecting the estate for his investigation.

And some time later.

Edan and Teobaldt arrived.

They had purchased all the supplies worth a thousand gold as he had instructed.

“Excellent work?”

“You’re too kind.”

Edan bowed his head.

Cliff smiled.

‘With this, the supplies that had dwindled due to the festival are abundant again.’

Winter and the festival.

The estate’s overflowing supplies had decreased significantly during this time.

On top of that, Cliff hadn’t collected taxes last year either.

‘So it was precarious.’

Nigel’s wrinkles had increased considerably due to that precarious storehouse.

This seemed to be completely resolved by Tom’s second supply delivery and the current one.

“With this much, we’ll be fine not just this year but until next year!”

Those were Nigel’s words as he examined the carts.

He then led workers to the storehouse. Cliff, who had been watching his retreating figure, turned his gaze to Edan.

“Edan, from now on, continue assisting Jaide while delivering supplies to the estate.”

“Yes, master.”

“You don’t need to use such titles. Just call me Acting Lord.”

This was a declaration that he would treat him like a commoner rather than a slave.

That didn’t mean manumission though.

‘I can’t free someone I’ve entrusted with money.’

The role he was assigned was too important.

Cliff then turned his gaze to the side.

“Teobaldt.”

“Yes, master.”

“You too, from now on, don’t speak like that. Just call me Acting Lord, or my lord.”

Teobaldt immediately responded.

“I will obey your command, my lord.”

Changing his title had another meaning as well.

Cliff opened his mouth.

“And… from now on, you are the centurion of the Elimis Family.”

Centurion.

It meant a commander who leads 100 troops.

Since the estate had fewer than a hundred soldiers, it meant he was the minister of the estate’s military.

“I… do you mean it?”

“Yes. Anyway, the people of this estate won’t care that you were a slave.”

Being commanded by Teobaldt, who was a slave.

Strictly speaking, free people might feel their pride hurt, but there was none of that in this estate.

In this estate alone, there was no looking down on slaves. After all, everyone had lived as if they were slaves, or destined to become slaves.

It was an estate where overnight, one’s child or neighbor could become a slave.

‘Probably this atmosphere will change in the future too.’

Setting that aside, Cliff gave instructions to Teobaldt.

“From now on, you will handle the training and command of the estate’s military.”

He had delegated one task.

He didn’t know if he had received education as a mercenary or as a commander, but he delegated it.

Incidentally, there was still no one in this estate who had received knighthood or been appointed as a knight.

There was one reason.

‘I’d like to gradually secure the title and lordship position properly….’

He was still merely the Ellemis Baron’s deputy, or the lord’s deputy.

To appoint knights, he needed the actual title and lordship position, not just deputy status.

“…It’s impossible right now, but I’ll provide reinforcements later if needed, so please take care of managing the new recruits. There will definitely come times when we’ll need military force.”

When he was just staying within the domain, soldiers were unnecessary.

Even 50 men were excessive for the current domain situation.

If it weren’t for the Quest, he wouldn’t have gathered this many either.

‘The reason I was made to gather this many back then was… probably because we’d need at least this much to fight Bellman, right?’

But now that Bellman was gone from the situation.

With no internal enemies, he didn’t really need to maintain this many soldiers. But there was one reason for maintaining them.

The Elimis Family’s external activities had increased.

“Then there’s something I’d like to report to my lord and receive permission for.”

“What is it?”

“…Leon has talent. I’d like to take him as a squire and teach him before it’s too late.”

“Leon?”

Cliff questioned the unfamiliar name.

The answer came from Edan, who was still beside them.

“He’s my son.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, Edan had a family.

Besides his wife, he had one son and one daughter under his care.

‘That son has talent?’

His interest immediately peaked.

“How old is your son?”

“He just turned twelve.”

“Oh my. Isn’t that a bit late to start training?”

Cliff’s expression changed upon hearing the answer.

A sense of regret showed on his face.

“That’s true, but… still, his talent is worth using, so I think there’d be no loss in teaching him once.”

Though still a child, Leon’s status was also that of a slave.

And his master was Cliff.

Similarly, Teobaldt was also a slave. For him to teach Leon skills, he needed permission from Cliff, the master.

Cliff turned his head toward Edan.

“What do you think, Edan?”

“If my son could receive such an opportunity, it would be an honor.”

“Good. Then let’s give it a try.”

He didn’t know how much talent the boy named Leon possessed.

But as Teobaldt said, there was no loss in teaching him. After all, the one doing the teaching would be him, not Cliff himself.

‘Since Teobaldt has gained the position of centurion, it wouldn’t be bad for him to have a squire or so.’

He hoped it would work out well.

“May God bless the efforts of Teobaldt and his disciple.”

Cliff uttered words that had now become habitual.

Perhaps because of that, the results came faster than expected.

“Leon has… succeeded in physical enhancement through aura.”

“Already?”

Teobaldt’s report came in less than a month.

It was truly cause for celebration.

-Achievement Desire (Lv. 1): Increases domain residents’ desire for achievement

-Intellectual (Lv. 1): Increases domain residents’ intelligence quotient

-Sacred Ground of Education (Lv. 1): Increases domain residents’ learning efficiency in all fields

-Aura Processing (Lv. 1): Increases the efficiency of processing mana into aura within the domain

The skills Cliff possessed.

And the effects of the blessing he had given.

Leon had thoroughly benefited from those effects.

‘I didn’t know the effects would be this significant….’

There was more good news in the meantime.

The geese, whose numbers had greatly decreased due to the festival.

After going through breeding season, their population had increased. The geese that were only 6 in number had now become 15 including the chicks.

The rabbits went without saying.

They now easily exceeded several hundred. Perhaps they had already surpassed a thousand.

‘No, they definitely must have exceeded that.’

This was despite occasional slaughtering.

The rabbits had reached a level where their numbers were difficult to count.

Soon he’d have to worry about feed for the rabbits too.

‘I should probably hold another festival soon to reduce the rabbit population.’

Population control was needed before they increased further.

This time, unlike the last festival, he could feed people to their heart’s content.

Cliff wore a satisfied expression.

Good things certainly came all at once.

Just when they were short on people, someone came looking for them.

“I thought the Elimis Domain was a domain of death, but achieving such development must be because there’s an excellent leader.”

A person named Anton had come.

A bald man in his late fifties.

He was a junior colleague that Nigel knew.

“If the lord’s deputy would permit it, I’d like to work as an administrator for this domain.”

“Anton has sufficient knowledge in arithmetic and administration, and is well-versed in theology. Above all, he’s a trustworthy fellow, so please try giving him work.”

Listening to the introduction, Cliff nodded repeatedly.

‘The domain does need people right now.’

It wasn’t that there was a lot of work in the domain.

Still, people were needed.

Every time he looked at Nigel’s face, that thought grew stronger.

“We should gradually hire new people. Have the old man take him around, inform him about our domain, and assign him tasks.”

“I shall do so.”

Relief was visible on Nigel’s face as he answered.

‘The old man should be thinking about a successor too.’

The wrinkles that had definitely increased compared to before.

It wasn’t simply due to worry. Rather, the domain’s atmosphere had been good recently, and the better it got, the more energetic Nigel became.

But even that was gradually reaching its limits.

Lately, Nigel’s energy was rapidly declining.

‘If I have them work together, Anton could naturally take over as Nigel’s successor.’

Little by little, the domain was establishing its systems one by one.

The number of people had also increased.

And Jaide also sent welcome news.

Actually, he knew before his news arrived.

-Quest has been completed.

Jaide had sold the pottery.

If things increased one by one like this, reputation would follow later, and then brand value would rise too.

Even with the same pottery, customers would appear who’d pay more if it were Elimis goods.

But that was the problem.

“…I hope nothing happens.”

In the midst of all this, news came from the Central.

That the Ellemis Baron had died.

Ballard Barony.

An estate located to the north of the Ellemis Domain.

The estate that blocked the only trade route of the Ellemis Domain, which was surrounded by mountains.

So this place knew the news of the Ellemis Domain better than anyone.

“…You’re saying the Ellemis Baron is dead?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“Didn’t the Ellemis Baron only have one daughter?”

“He recently gained a son-in-law.”

That son-in-law would inherit the estate.

Previously, he hadn’t cared at all whether that happened or not.

‘Recently, the supplies going into that place have increased.’

The atmosphere was changing.

He might not know about other places, but from the Ballard family’s position, he couldn’t help but know.

That place was no longer a worthless estate.

“…That new Ellemis Baron doesn’t have a child yet, does he? Then, if that bastard just disappears, wouldn’t whoever takes the woman become the owner of that estate?”

Ballard Baron’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

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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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