I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 4

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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 004

4. Hope Written as Misunderstanding

Whisper whisper.

Murmur murmur.

“So why exactly did he tell us to gather people?”

“Well, I don’t know either.”

“Sigh. It would be nice if he at least reduced our taxes…”

Elimis Domain.

Most of the Yusta Peninsula was underdeveloped, but this place was considered the worst among them.

But even so, the lord of Elimis had steadily collected taxes every year.

‘I heard a new person became the lord…’

Please let him not be a greedy person.

The gathered residents prayed earnestly for just that one thing.

Thus, all the villagers from around the Lord’s Manor had gathered.

“There are quite a lot of people.”

Cliff, who had ordered them to be gathered, said as he looked at the bustling crowd.

300 residents.

And about 10 soldiers controlling them.

Naturally, the equipment of these so-called soldiers was also pitiful. This was quite a disappointing aspect.

It seemed difficult for them to display the dignity of a lord.

‘If I had known it would be like this, I should have paid more attention. Well, there’s another way, like using a phoenix instead of a pheasant.’

Cliff’s eyes sparkled.

And he extended his hand to the side.

“Shall we go, Lady?”

“Really… am I going with you too?”

Priscilla’s eyes widened.

From what she had heard, politics was men’s work. Standing before the people was the same.

Showing oneself before strange men was not proper etiquette for a noblewoman.

She had learned this from Nigel.

“Of course. Your place is beside me.”

Cliff showed an attitude different from her common sense today as well.

At his confirmation, Priscilla placed her hand on top of Cliff’s extended hand.

Holding a man’s hand like this was also unfamiliar to her.

‘Big. And warm.’

This was the impression she felt.

Cliff also made a strange expression once he actually held her hand.

‘It’s softer than I thought…’

So this is how soft a woman’s hand could be.

Though this wasn’t the first time holding hands with her, this moment was still awkward and made his heart flutter.

An unfamiliar but pleasant sensation.

Cliff began walking with her just like that.

“Huh?”

The voices of the murmuring people gradually diminished.

Everyone’s attention was focused on the couple, Cliff and Priscilla.

‘This is it.’

Cliff wore a pleased expression.

Today, Cliff had deliberately worn the most splendid clothes he had prepared.

It was natural that he stood out.

He had also dressed Priscilla in the most beautiful outfit she owned.

Even without that, Priscilla shone by herself.

‘Well, the Doll Princess is always pretty.’

So today he decided to use her appearance as well.

A trophy that made him shine.

Anyone could see that he was distinguished from them. The appearance of a splendid and successful noble.

“Gulp.”

People looked at him with various emotions.

Everything was as expected.

Indeed, in this era, one had to be appropriately splendid.

There was no need to hesitate about showing off while playing the role of a kind lord. After all, commoners couldn’t envy nobles.

Thoughts like “We’re living poorly, but that bastard is living luxuriously with taxes he extorted from us” could only be had by people who lived somewhat decently.

‘Even without that, the people of this world are fundamentally simple.’

If this were Earth, people would have been overflowing with venom.

Thus, Cliff climbed onto the prepared platform together with Priscilla.

“Ladies and gentlemen.”

He opened his mouth.

First, he really wanted to try saying this line once.

In other words, distinguished ladies and gentlemen.

“I have an important announcement to make to you all.”

Let’s endure up to the principal’s moral instruction speech.

“My name is Cliff. I am a direct descendant of the prestigious House of Aedren, one of the most renowned in the kingdom, and as the husband of Priscilla here, I am the man who will rule this domain.”

Self-introduction.

It was filled with boasting.

“The House of Aedren where I was born and raised has not only governed vast and prosperous domains for generations, but has also led the kingdom’s political circles. All nobles in the kingdom look up to us and eagerly await even a single glance from the main house. The family has countless knights and warhorses, and our storehouses are piled high with grain and gold coins.”

Boasting about the family.

I am a person from such a great family.

Naturally, wouldn’t the speaker himself feel embarrassed, and wouldn’t the listeners feel even more embarrassed?

However, Cliff believed that politicians should originally be like this.

‘Politicians must know how to be shameless.’

Agitation is essential for politics.

Also, to agitate, one had to have this level of shamelessness.

What good would it do if his family was great?

He was only telling the truth, but nothing from that family belonged to him. But so what? After all, the people here didn’t know such facts at all.

So he could say such things.

“I, a descendant of the great and prestigious House of Aedren and son of the kingdom’s chancellor, have come here. I am very pleased to have come to this place.”

He didn’t tell them the truth about being driven out.

He also didn’t mention that his relationship with the chancellor couldn’t be that of father and son due to being an illegitimate child.

Seventy percent truth, thirty percent falsehood.

Hiding a few lies among various truths is basic etiquette for politicians, so I haven’t told a single lie yet.

“Because I have gained such a beautiful girl as my wife.”

And he was genuinely satisfied with this part.

“Since I, who will be your master along with her, am delighted and satisfied, you too should share in your master’s joy. My marriage is blessed by all spirits and gods…”

Endless self-praise.

And the main point was this moment.

“To commemorate this occasion, I will exempt this year’s harvest tax.”

Cliff declared there would be no taxes. The expressions of the residents changed upon hearing those words.

Cliff opened his mouth again.

“Would that be all? Some of you must have seen the knights who escorted me here. Why do you think they returned? I, the son of the kingdom’s chancellor, have become the lord of this domain. Do you think outsiders will continue to ignore us as they have until now?”

People’s expressions changed at Cliff’s pouring words.

When he first promised tax exemption, there was relief at being saved, and at Cliff’s continued words, there was some hope…

A powerful external ally!

Also, the delusion that the Kingdom might support them.

Yes, it was a delusion.

‘But this estate needs something like this.’

Hope disguised as delusion.

Cliff looked around at everyone with a smile.

“I promise you. During my rule, this estate will change.”

He wanted to give these people hope.

No, he had to.

Since they were people who had been in despair, this was necessary work to make use of them.

At Cliff’s promise, they too began to harbor hope.

‘Support promised by a high noble of the Kingdom.’

‘If we could just avoid this year’s taxes…’

They welcomed this.

Cliff frowned.

“Rejoice. You may express your joy. Cheer and be ecstatic. Pledge your loyalty to me. Bow before your new lord’s inauguration and celebrate and rejoice in the fact that your lord has obtained the most beautiful girl as his wife.”

“Waaaah!”

“Wow! Long live our new lord!”

“Long live our lady!”

We’re saved!

Such emotion spread in all directions.

Some even shed tears.

-Loyalty of 100+ citizens (39/100)

-Loyalty of 100+ citizens (57/100)

-Loyalty of 100+ citizens (88/100)

The gauge filled at a frightening pace.

And at some point…

-Loyalty of 100+ citizens (100/100)

All the numbers were filled.

The corners of Cliff’s mouth turned up.

‘Got it!’

The results of his cringe-worthy acting had finally paid off.

He had almost melted from his own cheesy, butter-smooth lines.

Still, it wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

At some point, he too had gotten carried away with them and poured out such words.

“Return to your daily lives. Soon I will call for you again. I will see if you are loyal to me, and I will reward those who prove their loyalty!”

Waaaah!

“Loyalty to our lord!”

The audience’s response was sufficient.

Cliff took Priscilla’s hand and came down from the platform.

Priscilla was looking at him with curious eyes.

She too was somewhat excited.

“How was it?”

“…You were wonderful.”

Praise from the most beautiful princess saying he was wonderful.

It was a sweeter reward than anything else. However, this overwhelming reward wasn’t the only one.

‘The real reward is the status window.’

He felt good.

Everything had gone according to plan.

Ah, someone who’s only seen up to this point might think: what if the lies are discovered later? To that, he would say:

‘As long as I don’t get caught, as long as I don’t get caught.’

He was confident.

He wouldn’t get caught. This show wasn’t a plan hastily made because of the Quest in the first place.

He had thought about it long ago. He had prepared accordingly.

-I’ll take responsibility for the escort and travel expenses on the way there.

When the Duke had said this.

‘Just like that.’

That was settled, and now he should collect the other rewards first.

He was too curious whether he had really obtained that famous status window from his previous life.

-You have obtained the Estate Status Window.

-You have obtained the Lord Status Window.

He had already confirmed the message that rewards had been given.

Returning to the manor and leaning back in his study chair, Cliff closed his eyes.

“…Status window.”

The moment he closed his eyes and blocked his vision, he could see it.

In his previously pitch-black vision, three windows appeared on both sides.

It was the perfect system he had only dreamed of in his imagination.

‘It’s really a status window!’

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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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