The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 267
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Part 2, Episode 72
Gillab finished speaking while wiping away tears, then blew his nose loudly into his handkerchief.
Jerdian, who had hurried after him, then asked a question.
“Why are you crying?”
Asking for a reason like that…
Since they hadn’t known each other long, he still didn’t understand Gillab well.
“Your father was injured, wasn’t he? But they said there’s no threat to his life, didn’t they? Your brother and mother will be going to prison? Isn’t that something you already expected? Isn’t it fortunate that by drawing the line clearly at this point, you don’t have to be investigated along with them?”
Gillab answered, his shoulders trembling as he sobbed.
“I-I-I’m scared…”
“Ah.”
Jerdian let out a long sigh.
This man of ambiguous character had let slip a hint of the good nature hidden beneath his victim complex.
“I see. It makes sense that becoming the heir of the Eastern Region came suddenly and is frightening for you.”
“No, that’s not it…”
Gillab shook his head.
“You pushed me just now and I fell, remember? I scraped myself pretty badly. And when I landed in the garlic field like that, I have no idea how it was managed, so what if some scary pathogen from among the garlic got into my body?”
A brief silence fell between us.
I gave Jerdian a command.
“Please record this in the history books. It’s the first words of the newly confirmed leader of the Eastern Region.”
And I added with a straight face,
“I also have credit for the heroic act of throwing my own body at a vampire to sprinkle garlic. It’s a sentence with quite a bit of embellishment, but that’s what the history of nobility is originally like.”
Then Jerdian shrugged once and spoke mockingly.
“Yes, Miss. Although not a single piece of garlic touched the vampire, we certainly should preserve that tremendous courage for eternity. The truth is, the only proper thing you did at this scene was simply ‘existing,’ right?”
He pointed at the puppy I was holding.
“Just like that foolish dog there.”
Baekgu growled at him.
And so Jerdian had made a poor impression on his superior’s intended husband.
Actually, according to plan, Baekgu had a role to play as well…
‘Well, at least I learned some crucial advance information, so he did contribute greatly. He protected me from Ethan.’
Ethan had lunged at me earlier and received a proper scolding. Though I hadn’t meant to be quite so harsh, the attack power Baekgu had displayed while temporarily grown into a wolf-dog was incredible.
It was clear his mood was extremely unsettled. His reaction was the kind that made me dread what would happen when he transformed back into human form later.
‘Well, given Leopold’s personality, he probably won’t show his displeasure to me.’
Meanwhile, Gillab whimpered.
“So what should grow on our land?”
“You need to grow first, don’t you? You need to receive heir education. Now the Duke has only you left as a son.”
Of course, Marcel wasn’t present here, but the Duke would never make him the heir.
He was a man who, despite his beloved mistress having complained all this time, remained irresolute and always watched others’ faces. There was no way he would consider Marcel an heir after things had come to this.
“Putting that aside, I’ll keep my promise.”
I pulled out a sheet of paper from within my garments. It was something I had prepared in advance before coming.
“Behila has one remarkable characteristic. The people of that territory are extremely meticulous and labor-intensive in their work.”
Behila was not a territory that ran on Gillab’s fussing alone.
The actual work was all done by the people under him. To be precise, Behila had only such people remaining—those specialized in detailed work and just as anxious as Gillab himself.
If garlic wilted even slightly, they replaced it with fresh stock. They constantly checked the count of Defense Scrolls lest they be blown away by wind, and they managed the territory more than necessary to prevent any risk at all from arising.
Anyone bold or seeking easy fortune couldn’t endure it and had left. Gillab’s territorial management was literally ‘Micro-managing for the sake of safety and hygiene.’
Gillab unfolded the paper in a flurry.
“What? A blueberry experience farm?”
Blueberries are extremely delicate and must be picked one by one with care. Moreover, only ripe fruit should be harvested, so repeated picking had to be done at intervals.
Naturally it was a labor-intensive crop. It was the opposite of the chestnut trees I had planted in Sears.
“Your territory is thorough with safety and hygiene management. Target wealthy young customers.”
I had learned this from the seaweed sales. Parents with money don’t spare expense for their children.
“Children love this kind of thing. If you charge an entrance fee and experience fee, you can earn quite a bit of money.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Why would noble children pick fruit and pay money on top of it?”
“Look, Gillab.”
I sighed and explained.
“In winter, Sears-grown greenhouse strawberries are in season and many guests come, but sometimes when you have little children try picking strawberries, they’re absolutely delighted.”
Actually, I had considered running an experience farm in Sears. But since Sears strawberries were so expensive, operating a children’s experience farm wouldn’t be financially viable.
“However, your point that noble children wouldn’t pay money to do labor does make sense. So first, the experience fee would have to be exorbitantly expensive.”
I continued coldly.
“Can’t you imagine noble children starting social visits saying, ‘Our house’s head chef made a cake with the blueberries I picked myself’? After they show initial interest and hear the price, they’ll realize it’s something ‘not just anyone can do.’ They’ll never think of it as ‘lowly work’—instead it’ll become a fashion.”
Especially if that experience farm is immaculately clean and well-maintained…
“How many blueberries will those kids pick? Maybe a basket’s worth, then they’ll stop. The rest you can all harvest yourselves.”
I raised my eyebrows as I spoke.
“And picking well-maintained fruit is truly a delightful experience. Everyone will enjoy it.”
Gillab rolled his eyes carefully. He was being persuaded.
“You can start preparing the land in early spring. If you operate starting mid-June next year, keep that in mind. Soon guests will start coming to Sears for greenhouse strawberries, and I’ll do the promotion.”
And I pulled out another sheet of paper.
“When the land lies fallow, grow saffron. The season barely overlaps with blueberries, so you can keep using your labor force.”
Saffron was a spice with extremely limited production and a very high price. Only three stigmas per flower were harvested, and all of it required delicate handwork.
“Both crops suit your territory’s environment well. Saffron flowers bloom around October, so if you develop that well as a tourist attraction too, you’ll have decent tourism income year-round.”
Gillab’s eyes shone.
“You have to come and teach me directly. Understood?”
I simply shrugged once to express my agreement. Written instructions had their limits anyway, and I was already planning to go in person and oversee things.
Maximus, who had been quietly listening to our conversation, tilted his head.
“Then Miss Brisa, isn’t this a terrible deal for you? What exactly are you gaining from this?”
“Ah.”
I answered indifferently.
“I think I might acquire a worker.”
Audrey would definitely stand trial for attempted murder. Once the verdict came, it was likely to be a prison sentence of at least ten years. And I was planning to sue the Cardipol Guild.
They came claiming to be witnesses to the Will, but it was all lies, and because of that I lost an enormous contract related to greenhouse strawberries and suffered tremendous damages, or so the lawsuit would say.
Leopold was also planning to report Cardipol.
‘Clearly, Audrey doesn’t seem like someone who’s conducted business honestly.’
In that case, using the Western Region’s intelligence network, we should be able to uncover several of their fraudulent schemes from the past.
‘Then Cardipol will naturally collapse. Marcel doesn’t have the ability to control the guild anyway.’
And by putting financial pressure on the Eastern Region, I intended to exploit the chaos in the guild to lure away talented people from within.
Now that the Russell Count House was overflowing with money, spinning off small guilds was child’s play. There were methods like declaring they wouldn’t trade pepper with Cardipol, or providing funding to new guilds.
If that happened, eventually Marcel would have nowhere to go…
“I originally promised to use him only for seaweed labor service, but once he’s in a position where he needs to earn money too, he’ll end up begging me for work.”
Without my command, Marcel couldn’t display any ability whatsoever. So there was no way he could find employment elsewhere.
“I already have plenty of work to give him anyway. I plan to pay good wages. In that sense, could I use the coastline of Russell Count Territory?”
Of course, I planned to treat him as a fair laborer, not a slave, but given the new seafood I was planning to cultivate, the work would definitely be quite grueling.
I raised my eyebrows at Jerdian.
“Maybe one day he’ll drag his tired body to a visit and manage to say something like, ‘Mom, I hate you’?”
Jerdian broke into a beaming smile.
“Of course! Our coastline is all yours, Miss—use it freely!”
My adjutant expressed his emotion with an expression of pure delight.
“You remembered my small wish and ultimately granted it—Miss, you are truly the best employer!”
Baekgu in my arms growled with a displeased expression.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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