The Male Lead Is Trying To Tame Me With Money - Chapter 166
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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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Extra Story 01. Rose tamed me in various ways.
After settling our affairs in the capital, the first place we headed to was the Clupea Border Barony.
It was partly due to my duty as a lord to care for my estate, but it was a decision made because even a short stay could easily resolve future operations.
It hadn’t been long since I last visited, and although the number of immigrants was increasing, the population was still small compared to the size of the land.
Most importantly, it was an estate being cared for by my faithful and diligent childhood friend, Paul Terodima, who had become an even greater workaholic than me, building up the foundation solidly from the ground up.
Of course, he must have heard that we were no longer affiliated with the Winter Palace, because as soon as I stepped out of the carriage, he couldn’t hold back and shouted:
“Don’t tell me I’m fired? Am I getting fired? We still have time left on our contract, right? You’re not planning to walk the path of being such an unscrupulous lord who doesn’t honor contracts, are you?!”
“It seems like just yesterday you were grumbling when I asked you to come here and take care of things, Young Master Paul?”
“Ugh, why are you using formal speech? Am I really fired? I had things I was planning to do as soon as the season changes! Really? Rose, you wouldn’t do that, right? You said that kind of superior is the worst in the world and should be thrown into a pit of fire!”
It seemed my childhood friend had become addicted to development.
Well, it is fun… There’s a reason why farm and estate management game enthusiasts existed in my previous life.
Both the Terodima estate and the Salice barony were in stable condition after being thoroughly managed following the famine and debt crisis, so the fun(?) aspect was somewhat diminished.
“Who’s taking away your project plans? I’m just trying to enjoy the simple pleasures of estate management instead of the glamorous imperial palace.”
“Rose!”
“But wouldn’t it be more difficult to rebuild a place that already has many tangled problems rather than creating a beautiful place from the beginning?”
“Huh?”
“I’m just saying I came to inspect. Sigh, I’ve gotten myself into incredibly complicated affairs because I was blinded by love.”
At that, Paul Terodima looked quite upset.
Meanwhile, Casian Artez showed a smile mixed with guilt and happiness, even though I had half-insulted him.
As expected, the Clupea Border Barony was running very well.
There wasn’t a trace of dirty dealings like double bookkeeping, corruption, or favoritism to be seen.
We stayed in the border barony for exactly two days.
When I said I would mainly be staying in Reardon Domain, Paul Terodima was happy while hugging a pile of documents.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to do new projects like this. I brought all kinds of crop seeds that were being researched in Terodima and Salice. I’m trying to find crops that can thrive well in Clupea’s climate, doing all sorts of experiments and writing reports so diligently.”
Paul Terodima had somewhat of an agricultural enthusiast side to him.
I decided to continue supporting his constructive hobby activities.
“Yes, the reports were good. Keep informing me faithfully in the future. What doesn’t work doesn’t work.”
“Wow, Rose praised me…”
Hmm…
Anyway, it seemed we wouldn’t lose the diligent worker of the Clupea Border Barony for quite some time.
The Terodima Count and Countess were also very healthy and passionate, so there were no problems in managing the estate, but they were especially pleased that their son was staying here and receiving distributed profits.
[Rose, I can’t tell you how fortunate it was that you told us in advance about leaving the imperial palace. Originally, I was planning to apply for academy establishment permission more leisurely.
But if you and the administrators you trained disappear, the imperial palace’s work processing speed will surely become very slow, so it would be difficult to promise anything if not now!]
Perhaps in about 10 years, the area around Terodima Domain, which was once evaluated as a remote estate in the eastern corner of the empire, might emerge as an academic city.
After completing the thorough inspection of the Clupea Border Barony, we headed to Reardon Domain.
Unlike my estate, which was developing steadily in balance with the growing population, Reardon was a place where various imbalances coexisted.
Still, the impression of the ducal palace I encountered again was quite hopeful, better than expected.
Compared to before, it was neatly organized.
It was all thanks to Mr. Parker, the former head butler of the Riorden Ducal Palace.
“I said we tidied up thanks to the people sent from the Clupea Border Barony in advance, but there are still many inadequate points, so I’m embarrassed.”
“Inadequate? It looks clean and nice to live in.”
Mr. Parker was relieved but couldn’t hide his lingering regret.
He was someone who remembered what the ducal palace was originally like.
But he quickly shook off his expression and conveyed words of concern to us.
“…But are you really sure it’s okay to have no servants right away?”
Mr. Parker couldn’t return to his position as the Reardon family’s butler because he had a hotel to run.
Instead, he recommended people who originally worked at the Riorden Ducal Palace, their families, and promising individuals among the estate residents who had received education diligently as servant candidates for us.
It was consideration that living without servants in Reardon Duchy would be inconvenient. But we declined his kindness.
People from various fields who had worked together with us in the capital were scheduled to come anyway, and since we would be doing the work directly, we judged it would be better to check personally.
“It’s fine. Really having no one is only for about a week, and we’re both capable of doing most things ourselves.”
“If you say so, I understand… But if any inconveniences arise, please contact us anytime.”
After that, Mr. Parker gave us various guidance and left the manor with a happy face.
“I’m truly happy to welcome the real master of Reardon again. Please take care of us in the future.”
After seeing him off, only Casian and I remained in the spacious ducal palace.
Normally, since we had just arrived, we would have said something like let’s rest leisurely today—
“Then should we process the documents we classified as urgent on the way here?”
But we weren’t like that.
“Yes, we need to process what we need to send to the capital today. The deadline is tight.”
“While our administrators are held up for another couple of weeks.”
Casian’s lips twisted wryly.
His Tyrannical Majesty the Emperor, unable to interfere with our departure date, had detained the administrators with various excuses to make them work overtime for a month.
‘It would be better for us to stay a little longer! There must be a lot of things that incompetent Jaemoti messed up, and if we wait for His Majesty’s work processing speed, won’t the Advisor come to turn the Sun Palace upside down this time?’
‘Besides, since we’re working past our desired resignation date, getting holiday pay as salary isn’t a bad condition. We’ll escape for sure next time without being detained, so you don’t need to look so sorry, Advisor!’
Those reliable faces of the administrators who spoke calmly when I felt sorry.
Even thinking about it again made my eyes feel like they might redden a little.
For that reason, in the duchy’s office were only Casian, myself, and the chaotic documents.
Just like when I first came to the Winter Palace as an advisor.
“This brings back old memories.”
“When you first came to the Winter Palace?”
“It was chaotic then too. You were doing your best alone, but there was physically insufficient manpower.”
“Sorry.”
“I wasn’t telling you to apologize.”
“I should, since I made you face a similar situation again.”
I had just recalled old memories, but seeing Casian’s face turn serious, I put down the documents and approached him. A slight dejection lingered over his handsome face.
When I became his advisor, I couldn’t see this kind of expression.
He tried to show the appearance of an annoying yet thorough superior.
When I reached out to stroke his cheek, he leaned into it readily, making me smile involuntarily. Really, what am I going to do with my life when this man is so cute?
“It’s similar, not the same, and you know I’m secretly enjoying it.”
“That’s true too.”
“Now we have people who work well with us coming soon, and most importantly, no one is threatening my salary.”
Thinking of that time made me feel strangely resolute.
I was busy adapting to palace life, thinking about the original story, being nervous and trembling, but the work environment was a mess and they even played games with my salary!
I was working to earn money, so how could they torture people with hope using their salary?
Because of that, I actually had the feeling that it was like that back then, but I couldn’t remember the details well.
That must mean it was that difficult and busy.
When I made a slightly sullen face, Casian laughed in a low voice.
“Well, unlike then, I’m now completely tamed by you.”
“Why are you slandering me again? I never did that.”
When I protested in a comfortable tone due to my sense of injustice, Casian’s eyes curved round with amusement.
Pulling me into his arms, he kissed my cheek and said:
“Will you listen seriously, Rose? You tamed me and the imperial palace itself from the moment you came to the Winter Palace.”
What on earth is this person talking about?
When I felt wronged, Casian became serious and began telling the story of that time.
“I’m serious. Rose tamed me, no, everyone around me in various ways.”
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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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