I Inherited a Beautiful Wife and a Territory - Chapter 8

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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 008

8. It Wasn’t That I Didn’t Believe, I Believed

Additional reward provided.

-You have acquired an Estate Skill Level Increase Ticket.

He could now raise one more skill.

And as the estate’s level increased, he could also raise one more category level.

[Ellemis Domain (Lv. 2)]

[Economy (Lv. 1)] [Military (Lv. 0)]

[Culture (Lv. 0)] [Environment (Lv. 0)]

[Mana (Lv. 0)] [Special (Lv. 0)]

[Diplomacy (Lv. 0)] [Education (Lv. 0)]

[Remaining Points: 1]

‘What I should do next here is…’

The food situation for 5 years would be somewhat resolved.

Since there weren’t many commoners to begin with, he had raised the economy sufficiently.

So Cliff turned his attention elsewhere.

[Military (Lv. 1)]

From now on, he needed to build up the estate’s military power.

There was a reason for this choice.

Until now, the Ellemis Domain had nothing. Since everyone lived poorly anyway, there were no thieves.

But now the estate warehouse contained enormous wealth.

‘It’s about time to think about security. Especially since people have been barely surviving on poor food all this time, making the situation precarious.’

The estate needed a security force.

As the category level increased, 3 skill points were given.

Cliff examined the skills.

-Physical Training (Lv. 0): Increases the efficiency of soldiers’ physical training

-Morale Maintenance (Lv. 0): Soldiers don’t lose hope even in difficult and dangerous environments

-Fighting Spirit (Lv. 0): Soldiers don’t fear or avoid combat

-Guardian Spirit (Lv. 0): Soldiers feel greater responsibility in guard and escort duties.

He examined them one by one.

‘It’s not like we’re going to war with other estates right away…’

Also, having soldiers didn’t mean preparing for grand battles.

So what he chose this time was Guardian Spirit.

Though expressed as Guardian Spirit, looking at the content made it clear. This was related to loyalty and sense of belonging to the estate.

‘Right now, I need this more than anything.’

-Physical Training (Lv. 0)

-Morale Maintenance (Lv. 1)

-Fighting Spirit (Lv. 0)

-Guardian Spirit (Lv. 2)

This was the final result of his choices.

Responsibility and a hopeful mindset.

If one’s situation becomes precarious, even the most responsible person could change their mind. So morale maintenance was also an essential part.

Having used them one by one, the last remaining item was 1 skill increase ticket.

‘Let’s use this here.’

-Seeds of Life (Lv. 1): Increases the probability of seeds sprouting and improves survival rate even in harsh environments.

The results of this would probably only be visible next year.

So he had planned to raise it later anyway.

‘There’s no guarantee I’ll be able to level up again right away.’

Just as he finished making all his skill selections.

Nigel came looking for Cliff.

“…Lord Deputy, Tom’s Trading Guild just finished putting all their goods in the storehouse and headed to their lodgings. They say they’ll return tomorrow morning.”

“Good work, old man.”

“How on earth… did you manage to get those goods from them?”

At first, Nigel had simply been surprised and impressed by Cliff.

But now he was actually worried.

‘What if the lord, who still lacks experience, forcibly took the goods from the merchants…’

And if this news spread outside the estate.

‘Our estate would no longer receive anything and would inevitably collapse.’

Nigel’s heart was heavy.

Cliff’s simple answer only increased his worry.

“They gave them as gifts. To celebrate my marriage to Priscilla and my acquisition of the estate.”

To bring such a quantity from outside as a congratulatory gift.

Naturally, Nigel didn’t believe those words at face value. Nigel’s expression hardened.

“Lord Deputy. You must return those goods even now!”

“Return them? Our estate isn’t prosperous enough to return gifts we’ve received. And the commoners firmly believe the merchants who came this time were aid sent from Central – what do you think would happen if they found out that wasn’t true?”

“Lord Deputy, this old man acknowledges that we need those supplies right now. But goods received without paying a fair price will inevitably cause trouble later.”

Cliff listened to what Nigel said and fell into thought.

‘The old man’s disease has struck.’

The “but my lord” had begun.

Of course, this was Nigel’s misunderstanding.

So he was troubled.

‘Should I correct this here or not?’

The deliberation was brief.

“I won’t be returning the goods. Rather, old man. Now that we have provisions in the storehouse to use as currency, we should use them to train soldiers for the estate.”

“Lord Deputy!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. No problems will arise. They’ll come to our estate next year too, and the year after that.”

Listening to Cliff’s words, Nigel felt despair.

Roughly, he had the same thoughts Tom had when meeting Cliff.

‘The Lord Deputy has put a noose around him. But that noose can easily be removed soon enough.’

Without power in the estate, that noose wouldn’t be secure.

Cliff surely didn’t know this due to his lack of experience. Above all, Cliff would have originally grown up and learned in the Duke’s Mansion.

So he learned schemes using authoritative nooses. But that was something only possible because it was the Duke’s Mansion.

‘Our Ellemis Domain doesn’t have that kind of power.’

The lord, knowing this, spoke of building up military forces.

This was indeed necessary work. Nigel gave him a perfunctory response and came outside.

A sigh escaped him.

“…The Lord Deputy is certainly wise, but he still lacks experience and makes big mistakes.”

A lament from Nigel’s lips.

It was regrettable.

Cliff was a challenging and clever lord.

It was true he was using this to reform the Ellemis Domain right now. The direction seemed positive too.

‘But it’s too precarious. You’re building a sandcastle that could collapse at any moment.’

Nigel took a step.

Where he headed was Tom’s lodging.

Just then, inside, the merchant official who had spoken with Nigel was having a conversation with Tom about this matter.

“What on earth did that young noble do to make you just hand over the goods?”

The merchant official’s voice could be heard.

His tone was clearly filled with anger.

Startled.

Nigel was shocked.

‘Complaints are already arising.’

The seeds of trouble had grown.

Nigel made his presence known inside with a heavy heart.

At that sound, the interior that had seemed like a battleground just moments before fell quiet.

And Nigel was able to enter the room where Tom and the merchant official were.

“I truly have no words for what happened this time, guild master.”

Nigel bowed his head with a dark expression.

When he bowed, the merchant official became even more emboldened.

“Can something like this be resolved with mere words? The cost alone of the grain and 50 geese we brought amounts to hundreds of gold. And what about the distribution costs of securing such quantities and bringing them all the way here? We visited this domain out of goodwill, only to be repaid so cruelly?”

“I have nothing to say. I’m sorry.”

Even with ten mouths, Nigel couldn’t find words to speak.

But Tom tilted his head at Nigel’s attitude instead.

“Did Sir Nigel not receive any word from the Lord Regent?”

“…Haha. I heard roughly what happened. I understand what the Lord Regent was thinking. That’s why I’m even more sorry. While other things are difficult for me, I have a few nobles in the capital who owe me favors. I’ll write letters to them, so couldn’t you overlook this matter with that?”

He had to prevent bad rumors about the Ellemis Domain from spreading at all costs.

Tom showed interest in Nigel’s words.

“Oh. You mean the nobles in the capital?”

“They’re not particularly great people, even if I call them central nobles. Still, they should be able to protect the main family’s name at least. You won’t suffer any additional losses…”

“Hahaha. Sir Nigel, you haven’t heard the truth from the Lord Regent.”

Tom, who had seemed puzzled at first.

He soon caught on to Nigel’s misunderstanding.

‘Come to think of it, I had the same misunderstanding when I first faced the Lord Regent…’

So he easily guessed Nigel’s misconception.

“You’re all mistaken, Sir Nigel. The Lord Regent has already paid in full for the gifts.”

“…?”

“We received a letter of introduction to visit the Duke’s house.”

To be precise, it wasn’t a letter of introduction but Cliff’s personal letter of regards.

But the fact that Tom and his group would visit the Duke’s house with this – that itself was already like a letter of introduction.

“And we also received a very precious gift.”

Cliff had also entrusted them with a gift.

He didn’t know if Cliff’s words were true, but if this gift really reached the Duke’s hands as he said…

‘It’s an opportunity to meet with His Grace the Duke himself.’

That value couldn’t be measured by mere hundreds or thousands of gold.

For some it might be worth less, but for those with ability, it could earn them much more.

Tom intended to be the latter.

“A letter of introduction to the Duke’s house…?”

At Tom’s words, Nigel looked like he’d been struck in the back of the head.

‘Of course. Why didn’t I think of that?’

He knew Cliff was from the Duke’s house.

He could have written a letter of introduction or two. Just like he had just offered to write letters of introduction to central nobles for Tom.

Even if Cliff had severed ties with the Duke’s house, it would be the same.

At least one retainer from the Duke’s house would come out. Since it was a letter written directly by a noble, even if not the Duke himself, someone would have to come out and receive it.

‘If it’s that much, it could certainly… cover the cost of the grain that came this time.’

Nigel gulped.

He had been completely mistaken.

“Haha…”

A hollow laugh escaped from him.

Tom chuckled as he watched him and said.

“Your Lord Regent is a truly remarkable and excellent person. Surely by the next generation, his name will be widely known throughout the kingdom. Perhaps sooner than expected.”

Young but respectable.

That’s how Tom felt about Cliff.

That respect was conveyed to Nigel as well.

‘Lord Regent…’

A person who sometimes continued actions that shattered his common sense.

But Tom’s words made him think differently. This feeling intensified when he went to find Cliff again.

“This old man misunderstood the Lord Regent. Please punish me.”

“Originally, the wisdom of high people cannot be measured by low people. Not knowing something isn’t a sin, old man.”

Words that might scratch Nigel’s pride.

But Nigel’s pride wasn’t hurt at all by those words.

Because it was true.

At least for now, Cliff was a much wiser person than him.

However, he did resent another aspect.

“Why didn’t you clear up my misunderstanding when this old man was mistaken? Do you perhaps not trust this old man?”

“Hmm.”

At those words, Cliff leaned back against his chair and crossed his legs.

Rather than seeming arrogant, it looked like he was contemplating for a moment. Cliff’s mouth opened.

“If I had said it was a misunderstanding, would you have believed me then?”

“Eh?”

“Of course, if I explained calmly and well, the misunderstanding would eventually be cleared. But people whose suspicions have already hardened don’t easily remove those colored glasses. Having a third party clear up misunderstandings works much faster than when the person involved tries to explain. See? Even now you came straight to apologize, didn’t you?”

Cliff spoke matter-of-factly.

His eyes lit up as he continued.

“I didn’t distrust you – I trusted you. I thought someone like you would seek out the merchant for the sake of me and the domain. And I thought that once the misunderstanding was resolved, you’d swallow your embarrassment and come apologize to me right away. That’s difficult to do, but you’re someone who would do the right thing even if it’s hard.”

Not distrust, but trust.

Nigel’s eyes widened.

A feeling he’d never experienced before was filling his inner being.

Why was his nose tingling so much?

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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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