I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 75

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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 075

75. The Greatest Masterpiece

Paper and porcelain.

Both were expensive items for the upper class.

So for their distribution, connections with the upper class and nobility were necessary.

‘Fortunately, Tom has such connections and networks.’

He even has ties to the Duke’s house, which is at the pinnacle of the kingdom.

Initially, it was a connection through himself, but now it had become purely Tom’s connection.

What made this possible was Barton.

Through Barton, Tom gained connections that could reach even the Duke. Cliff gestured toward him.

Tom approached.

Cliff quietly shared his thoughts.

“Meeting the Baron is truly the greatest fortune of my later years.”

Tom now knew Barton well too.

With just his brief advice, the experienced man could paint the entire picture.

Cliff gave him one final piece of advice.

“Don’t be too greedy. We can just pick up the crumbs that fall.”

“Of course. I will engrave those words deep in my heart, Baron.”

The conversation with Tom ended there.

Having said what he needed to say, it was time to return.

He couldn’t stay in Ospal forever.

‘This Ospal needs to develop much more in the future…’

Other goods were fine.

At the very least, he hoped a lot of grain would come in. In the Yusta Peninsula, grain was more precious than currency anyway.

So the news Tom brought was very welcome to him.

“I’ve spoken to several grain merchants I know. Those already established would be difficult, but those who aren’t will visit this place to secure shops or conduct business.”

This was a gift from Tom.

What Cliff, who wished for Ospal’s growth, desired most.

“That’s welcome news. I’ll tell the acting lord of the Platys Family. To give benefits to the merchants who come on your recommendation.”

Perhaps gathering merchants like this was like Cliff owing Tom a debt.

But Cliff didn’t say such things.

“Hehe. Thank you very much.”

Tom chuckled while his eyes gleamed.

‘Indeed, though young, he’s a person of deep schemes. I thought he would at least say he owed me or express gratitude, even as empty words.’

Cliff did nothing of the sort.

Not “thank you” but “welcome news.”

And saying he would tell the Platys Family about benefits for ‘merchants Tom recommended’ meant.

‘Am I the one who received help from the Baron once again?’

Tom acted for Cliff’s sake, but this was an action that put the Platys Family in debt.

He was saying it had nothing to do with Cliff himself. This attitude differed from Barton, whom he’d been associating with recently.

Even though Barton rarely said things like “thank you,” he often said similar things.

-Since you worked hard for me, I’ll give you a reward. What do you desire?

This was Barton’s way of speaking.

So Tom could easily obtain what he wanted from Barton. This would probably be the case with the distribution of paper and porcelain too.

‘Preparing a gift for the Prime Minister’s birthday on behalf of the Duke’s son will be another opportunity to win his favor.’

So Tom had no complaints about Cliff.

As he said, the Platys Family would help the merchants Tom brought in various ways so they could establish their foundation in Ospal.

‘And if those merchants establish a solid foundation through this, they’ll become trading partners for our Tom’s Shop.’

It was a story with no losses for Tom whatsoever.

The same went for Cliff.

He grinned.

‘Serpal must be sweating bullets.’

A crude expression from his previous life came to mind in this situation.

Serpal Baron.

Someone said to be among the top five in the Yusta Peninsula, or the richest in the vicinity.

But he too was ultimately a noble of the Yusta Peninsula.

‘Without resources coming from the homeland, there’s really nothing that impressive.’

The more merchants came to Ospal rather than Serpal, the more his power would inevitably shrink.

Then Serpal could no longer be mentioned as a rival to the Platys Family. Objectively, Serpal didn’t even reach half of the Platys Count’s territory in land or population.

So strike while the iron is hot.

‘Shall I go meet him?’

Cliff moved his steps.

He needed to return to his own estate soon.

So before that, he scheduled a meeting with Keren under the pretext of paying respects.

“…I heard that a great merchant from the homeland visited Ospal.”

Keren was already waiting for Cliff.

A long-cherished wish since the previous Platys Count’s time.

Making Ospal into a trading city comparable to Serpal.

‘Perhaps… this man might succeed in what no one has accomplished until now.’

A benefactor.

Both the current Platys Count’s wish for central advancement and the previous Platys Count’s cherished dream of Ospal’s development – Cliff could resolve them all.

“Baron.”

Keren called Cliff and bowed his head first.

“…Lord Keren. Why are you doing this?”

“I heard that the great merchant’s visit was because of you, Baron.”

He could guess what he was going to say.

‘Right now, trade isn’t happening in Ospal because there are no merchants coming to sell goods in Ospal.’

But a merchant had just come.

“Could you help ensure that merchants… come to Ospal regularly?”

This was necessary work to surpass Serpal, whom the Platys Family hated as much as goblins.

‘If grain comes into Ospal at a level similar to Serpal… other estates might buy grain from our territory instead of going all the way to Serpal.’

While he was thinking this, Cliff also brought up what he had been considering.

Cliff mainly thought of ways where both he and others could benefit.

It was an idealistic project, but it was certainly possible.

‘As long as we’re not greedy, everyone can benefit.’

If one tries to monopolize profits, win-win situations cannot exist.

For this, what benefits each party would gain needed to be clear.

‘The Platys Family gets a market comparable to the trading city Serpal.’

The best scenario for the Platys Family, who hated Serpal.

Also, through this, the Platys Family could gain strong influence in the northern Yusta Peninsula.

‘However, for that to happen, they need to give up profits.’

Profits belong to the merchants.

Cliff opened his mouth.

“If you give up the tax revenue from Ospal, it’s not impossible.”

“From Ospal… you mean?”

“That’s right.”

Merchants would come to Ospal anyway.

“To make Ospal into a trading city, we first need to nurture merchants who use Ospal as their base.”

“Merchants based in Ospal… what should we do?”

“Give benefits to merchants who make Ospal their base.”

Free trade activities in the Platice Count’s territory and exemption from tolls for such activities.

Above all, tax exemption for commerce occurring in Ospal.

“This level of benefits must be provided for merchants to come to Ospal. And they’ll conduct business throughout the Platice Count’s territory, including Ospal.”

Many merchants gathering and traveling throughout the Platice domain.

Naturally, there would be more mercenaries to escort the merchants.

Also, if such wandering merchants increased within the count’s territory, there was a possibility that the goblin population would decrease.

‘The military force each merchant commands would also serve as a patrol function for the domain.’

Of course, this could potentially foster spies.

But that possibility was low.

“So we can’t just give shops in Ospal to anyone, can we?”

Keren nodded after hearing Cliff’s words.

They couldn’t give shops to just anyone. And merchants with shops would receive various forms of support.

“I wonder if we’re giving too many benefits.”

Keren expressed his concern.

“Without that level of profit, merchants would have no reason to establish a base in Ospal.”

Cliff’s words were also firm.

Keren couldn’t deny those words.

‘Baron Elimis is right.’

Ospal wasn’t an attractive market for merchants.

Maybe later, but for now they needed to let merchants profit.

Also, when merchants could freely travel the domain, the goblin population would decrease from current levels.

“I’ll do it.”

“Since Lord Keren has made the decision, as the one who proposed this idea, I should share the responsibility.”

“…?”

“Our Elimis domain is thinking of creating an auction house in Ospal.”

Auction house.

At those words, Keren’s expression hardened.

There was an auction house in Serpal too. And what was sold at auctions in Serpal were slaves.

“…The main house doesn’t prohibit slave trading, but we’ve prevented the outflow of Yusta people outside the Yusta Peninsula until now.”

They had quarreled with Serpal for that reason.

Cliff, who had spoken with Count Platice, knew this better than anyone.

“Don’t worry. The goods to be auctioned will never be slaves.”

“Then…?”

“Pottery.”

Pottery.

“Pottery of incomparable quality to other goods.”

Cliff’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.

“Only merchants with bases in Ospal will be invited to the auction house.”

Yusta pottery had already gained some fame.

Count Platice had also used it to make connections with central nobles.

‘Count Platice was the first to show pottery to central high society. And pottery appearing at auction houses held in his domain.’

In Cliff’s eyes, no craft really seemed worth that much.

But he knew one thing.

Just having purchased from this auction house would make that pottery a ‘luxury item.’

‘Actually, only the finest pottery produced in our domain should go there.’

All pottery made in the Elimis workshop was high-grade.

Among those, the even more beautiful ones.

Those would be offered at low prices(?) at the auction house. Later, when competition arose, prices would rise, but recalling Tom’s words, the merchants coming soon weren’t those with abundant economic power.

‘Buying pottery at low prices and selling it at higher prices to nobles or their agents.’

This was the benefit Ospal merchants would enjoy.

Merchants or nobles from the homeland might visit to obtain that pottery from Ospal merchants.

And while this was just pottery for now.

“Later, I’m thinking of auctioning other artworks and well-made weapons too.”

His domain residents were skilled with their hands.

They had to be.

Until now, he had completed various quests. The current domain status window created through this.

[Elimis Domain (Lv. 12)]

[Economy (Lv. 4)] [Military (Lv. 5)]

[Culture (Lv. 3)] [Environment (Lv. 2)]

[Diplomacy (Lv. 3)] [Education (Lv. 3)]

[Mana (Lv. 3)] [Special (Lv. 3)]

[Remaining Points: ]

The level had risen two stages from before.

In that process, he had chosen economy and culture.

In culture, he had raised artistic sense.

And finally, the ‘Artisan’s Touch’ level had reached Max.

The skill born from that.

-Masterpiece Creation (Lv. 1)

This had appeared.

“Phew. Finally complete.”

Dark Elf Elder Marun.

He was the one who had received the Serpent’s corpse from Cliff.

He looked at the work he had created.

‘I felt like work was going better than usual. Thanks to that, the greatest masterpiece was born.’

The greatest artifact of his life.

“Hehehe.”

Marun laughed sinisterly.

He was excited.

What reaction would the lord they had come to follow show when he received this masterpiece!

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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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