The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living - Chapter 7

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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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Chapter 7

“About the remaining roots.”

Brisa calmly gave instructions.

“They’re hard and dense, so if we sell them additionally, they’ll bring in some money. If you give us the rice bran or wheat bran remaining in the guild warehouse, we’ll let you harvest the roots as well.”

Anyway, to plant seed potatoes, the roots had to be pulled out.

Using the manpower the guild leader could mobilize would not only get us rice bran or wheat bran but also save our own labor.

‘There’s so much work to be done ahead. We need to conserve our workforce as much as possible.’

The guild leader asked with a face that couldn’t gauge whether all this could be trusted.

“Miss, where did you learn all these things?”

Then the maids chattered noisily again.

“Our miss is a genius!”

“She could read at three years old and spoke five languages at seven!”

“The Princess personally taught her history, culture, refinement, and etiquette! She was the top scorer on the Capital Academy entrance exam and graduated second in her class!”

Amidst those praises, Brisa spoke dryly.

“There’s a book called ‘Basic Understanding of Soil’ that contains a lot of knowledge about soil properties and agricultural methods. Volume 7 of ‘Types and Uses of Fruit Trees’ covers olive trees.”

The guild leader took out his notebook again as Brisa continued speaking.

“They’re books in the Capital Academy Library. However, both are originals written in the Sernin Kingdom language, so they’ll be difficult to read.”

The maids’ praises were useless, but they were sufficient to gain the guild leader’s trust.

“Old olive trees have particularly beautiful ring patterns, so they’re quite popular for decorative purposes.”

Brisa looked at the timber with her characteristic thoughtful expression as she spoke.

“But drying and processing aren’t easy, so when you take them to the Western Region, don’t ask for too high a price.”

“Is that so?”

The guild leader’s eyes sparkled with a trusting expression.

“These days, the Western Nogen Ducal House is purchasing various materials, so it would be perfect to sell to them. Thank you for the advice.”

“Then make sure to prepare plenty of rice bran and wheat bran.”

“That stuff isn’t even for human consumption, is it? It’s piled up in the warehouse, so of course I can give you plenty.”

“Really? Then just give us all of it.”

“Yes! That’s possible! But what are you planning to use that for…”

“For something that won’t make you money.”

Langsi quietly looked down at Brisa.

‘She’s a clever person.’

Knowledge and execution ability.

Though young in age, she had sufficient qualities of a lord.

But there was still a question.

‘But why does she keep such maids by her side?’

Originally, capable people tend to attract capable individuals, don’t they?

Why were only these unrealistic maids around her?

‘At the very least, she should discipline them for their useless chatter, so why doesn’t she?’

Langsi thought he should ask when a suitable opportunity arose.

* * *

Thanks to the knights’ Sword Aura, the logging was finished quickly.

I stayed at the site the entire time.

After carefully pulling out even the roots and turning over the soil, the afternoon was already over.

The Guild Leader left the Marquis Territory with a bright smile, loading up the timber.

“Let me see…”

I examined the seed potatoes that the Potato Squad had bought.

As expected from sending those who had experience with potato farming, all the seed potatoes were in good condition.

“Now, make furrows and plant the seed potatoes with the sprouts facing up. Philip, show them how it’s done.”

“Yes! Everyone watch carefully!”

Philip personally demonstrated how to plant the seed potatoes.

Just then, a snickering sound came from among the knights. It was a rough-looking Female Knight.

I looked at her quietly.

Then she spoke as if making an excuse.

“No, it’s just kind of funny.”

She was a woman with red hair tied in a ponytail.

“Of all things, doing this with potatoes…”

I sighed inwardly.

I had thought something like this might happen.

These were all Alpheus’s people.

They were already upset because of the maids, so it would have been stranger if no one objected.

“What’s your intention in making us, who roamed the battlefield, do such pointless work, Miss? Are you mocking us? If so, just ignore us like before. We’re busy enough with just training.”

Fortunately, only one maid remained by my side. The rest had returned to the Marquis Manor to prepare dinner.

The maid raised her hand high, foaming at the mouth, ready to slap the Female Knight’s cheek.

“How dare you talk back to the young lady like that…!”

I quickly stopped the maid.

If the two of them got into a fair fight, the maid’s life would be in danger.

Meanwhile, the Female Knight, Wendy, spun around and shouted to the knights.

“We are people who shared life and death with Lord Alpheus! This is making our lord a laughingstock! Don’t you really understand? Unless you’re out of your mind like your mother, why would you suddenly dig up the perfectly fine Olive Plains and plant innocent potatoes…”

Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent.

The maid collapsed with labored breathing. She had fainted from difficulty breathing.

Philip muttered.

“…That was harsh.”

The other Female Knights standing behind Wendy also clicked their tongues.

“She brought up her mother.”

“Look at that character…”

In the atmosphere that felt like cold water had been poured over it, Wendy flinched. She seemed to realize she had gone too far.

I asked calmly.

“What’s your name?”

“We, Wendy Haight.”

“Wendy, you don’t have to plant potatoes anymore. You can skip all future Knight Order duties. You can do personal training as you please.”

In the coldly frozen atmosphere, Wendy quietly rolled her eyes.

“However, I really didn’t want to go this far, but…”

I spoke solemnly and paused for a moment.

Before uttering the words, I inevitably hesitated.

Is it acceptable for a person to give such commands to another person?

Is it really okay to be this cruel?

But as a superior, one must be cruel when cruelty is needed.

“Since you didn’t plant potatoes, from now on…”

My voice trembled with conflict until the very end.

But I eventually delivered the punishment resolutely.

“You cannot eat potatoes anymore.”

At that moment, I could see everyone in the garden suppressing their laughter with deflated expressions.

Even Wendy did the same.

Wendy even seemed to forgive the young master inwardly.

‘Sigh, what am I doing having a power struggle with such a young child…’

I felt like I could hear the thoughts in her head.

Philip, who was holding seed potatoes, spoke quietly.

“That… a grown adult throwing a tantrum in front of a twelve-year-old miss… doesn’t look good. I only realized this as a third party.”

He looked genuinely distressed.

“I apologize once again for my disgraceful behavior at our first meeting. It’s truly shameful. I hope everyone can forget about it.”

“It’s fine.”

I nodded generously.

“I’ll record it in the history books.”

Of course, after some time passed.

Everyone came to realize that my punishment had been tremendously cruel.

* * *

After planting the seed potatoes and arriving at the Marquis Manor.

“Um, Miss. Would it be alright to have a private meeting once we arrive at the Marquis Manor?”

Langsi asked hesitantly.

“While reviewing the budget plan, there was something I wanted to ask you directly…”

“That’s fine.”

I followed Langsi into the office. It used to be Father’s space, and now it was the place Alpheus had inherited.

‘I naturally thought I would inherit it…’

I swept the room once with eyes full of lingering attachment, then pointed to the documents piled on the desk and asked.

“What’s all that?”

“I was organizing the Marquis House budget. It’s five years’ worth, and nothing was properly organized, so I had to check everything one by one…”

My lingering attachment immediately disappeared.

When I left the Marquis Manor, I was ten years old and didn’t know about detailed budgets and such.

But referring to the original story, this household had already become a disaster to inherit.

I sat down haughtily in the chair prepared in the office.

“So, you’re saying you’ve taken charge of the Marquis Manor’s household affairs?”

“In the mercenary company too, everything related to money and documents was my job.”

Langsi sighed and sat down in front of me. Then he spoke carefully.

“Um, Miss… Actually, I have one question to ask you, and one favor to request…”

“Ask the question first.”

“Yes. Actually, it’s about one of the budget plans from five years ago… There’s a budget allocated here under ‘Personal Confidential Matter – Brisa Related.’ It was worth two years’ budget of the entire Marquis Territory.”

Langsi flipped through the documents and pointed to one item as he asked.

“Such a large sum was spent, but there are no receipts, no detailed items whatsoever. What on earth this could be… The maids just keep saying ‘we don’t know’…”

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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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