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102 Lilith and
Laura
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Translator : PolterGlast
I was summoned to the
castle three days after my meeting with the Duke.
The dark circles under
the Princess's eyes were still there. If she doesn't get enough sleep and rest,
she'd ruin her health.
The Duke was also
present, and the three of us sat on cushioned sofas.
"The promotion
ceremony will be held in one month. At that time, we will also announce the
territory to be granted to Baron Footscythel—no, Viscount
Footscythel—Triange."
"Triange?"
I've never heard of
it. Though, the place names I know are quite limited.
"Triange is a
small town near Zawalifi. There's a dungeon in Zawalifi. We'll prepare a
mansion for Viscount Footscythel's family there."
Hmm? Does that mean
they're giving me a mansion in a place that's not my territory?
"Her Highness
said that she would arrange an environment to make it easier for Viscount
Footscythel's family to enter the Zawalifi dungeon."
Ah, I see. Normally,
you'd arrange your own mansion, but they're giving it to me for free to use as
a base for dungeon exploration. Okay, I understand.
"Triange is a
small city with a population of about 20,000. Additionally, there are three
villages, with a combined population of about 1,500."
So, I'm getting a
territory with a population of 21,500.
"Currently, it's
a direct royal domain, governed by a magistrate. After Viscount Footscythel
arrives in Triange, you will handle the handover from that magistrate."
To summarize the
territory information I heard from the Princess:
·
The territory consists of 1 town and 3 villages, with
a total population of 21,500.
·
It's small for a viscountcy but has a typical
population for one.
·
Agricultural crops don't grow very well, but it's a
coastal area with thriving salt production and fishing, so tax revenue isn't
bad. However, tax revenue from salt will be split with the Royal Family. Even
with that, the tax revenue isn't bad.
·
The current magistrate is apparently a baron. If I
like him and he agrees, I can make him a retainer.
·
Triange is a port town 13 days by carriage from the
capital and 23 days by carriage from Kerniff, located southwest of the capital.
There's a sea!
Seafood! Sushi! Ya-hoo!
I got a little excited
when I heard "sea."
The sea holds infinite
possibilities.
"I'm gonna be King1 of the pirates!" (1 tln: he used English word)
"I don't know
what a 'King1' is, but
piracy is prohibited!"
"Yes, piracy is prohibited,
Viscount Footscythel."
"...It was a
joke. Hahaha. Just a joke, I swear."
Don't look at me like
that. I just wanted to say it.
Ahem.
Well, when I asked if
I could engage in trade, I was told there was no such port, but it was fine. Of
course, piracy and illegal trade are forbidden. I won't do it, I promise!
I can't form a clear
vision until I go there, but having a sea is a huge plus.
I'm looking forward to
it, as there seem to be many things that could be sushi ingredients.
Ah! No wasabi! Wasabi
is essential for sashimi!
Also, I don't think
the poor crop growth will be a negative. After all, I have Rose. I can grow any
plant I like all year round, through spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
Whether I can feed 20,000 people, though, I won't know until I try.
A mountain of
documents was placed with a thud. Expecting me to memorize all of this, the
Princess is even more evil than Zaigen!
I quickly bit into a
firm peach and began to read through the documents. Thanks to Rose, I can eat
delicious peaches even in early spring. Fruit is an affordable way to consume
sugar. After all, sugar in this world is ridiculously expensive.
Now that I think about
it, I could probably make money selling Rose's fruit.
"Mmmph."
That groan came from
Gandarvan. Since he advised me to become a lord, I'll have to get Gandarvan to
help me with territory management.
"I will go
anywhere for battle, but I am terrible with paperwork."
"You're the one
who told me to get territory, aren't you? Take responsibility and go through
these documents and learn them."
"Damn it..."
Territory management
is nothing but a pain. Seriously...
Among all this, Laura
and Lilith, mother and daughter, are proving helpful. Laura, being a former
Viscountess, understands these matters, and Lilith is naturally intelligent, so
she learns quickly.
"Mom, are you
feeling okay?"
"Yes, thanks to
the Baron and you, I'm not feeling unwell."
Lilith seems to be
staying with her mother out of concern, but Laura told me she wanted to be
useful in any way she could when she heard I was getting territory.
"Don't overdo it.
If you feel unwell, you can rest."
"Yes. Thank you,
Baron."
Lilith regularly heals
her, and she's eating nutritious food, so her condition is improving. Her
pneumonia is cured now, leaving only asthma. She just needs to avoid
overexertion.
Her asthma can be
completely cured if Lilith levels up and improves her skill proficiency, but
that will take a little more time.
Now, I returned my
gaze to the documents. Military and public order, industrial structure, and tax
revenue. Sigh, there's so much to learn.
I take breaks, but I'm
buried in documents from morning until evening.
My enjoyment at night
is taking a bath with Annelise and being intimate.
After the bath, I
relax in the living room and drink 100% fruit juice. If I could get milk, I'd
make fruit milk, but...
"Um, I have
something to talk about..."
"Hmm, Lilith.
What is it?"
Annelise and I
exchanged glances, wondering why Lilith, who usually goes to bed early with
Laura, was still up.
"Could you take
me to the dungeon too?"
"To the dungeon?
But has Laura said it's okay?"
I don't intend to
force everyone into the dungeon for training. While dungeons offer faster
leveling, some people aren't good at combat. Hiring them as soldiers or the
soldier-class slaves who chose combat professions are out of the question, of
course.
"I've only
received favors from Sir Toi and haven't been able to repay them. So—"
"You can repay me
later. There's no need to push yourself. Besides, Lilith, you're taking care of
the children and handling things. I think you're working hard enough."
Even then, Lilith
tried to say something but swallowed her words.
Could it be that
repaying me is just an excuse, and she has another reason for wanting to level
up?
Annelise placed her
hand on top of mine. Her eyes told me to leave it to her, so I did.
"Do you want to
enter the dungeon that much?"
"...Yes."
"Alright. I'll
take you."
"Really!?"
Is that okay? I don't
know what Laura will say.
In the end, Laura said
okay.
"Work hard to
repay the Baron's kindness."
"Yes! I'm off,
Mom!"
Lilith headed to the
dungeon with Annelise, Rosalina, Patricia, and also the transporter Sasha, the
explorer Jonaminus, and Sodon.
Sodon is in high
demand as a scout and frequently joins dungeon parties. His scouting abilities
are high, and he's highly valued, I hear.
"Are you sure
about this? I don't think Lilith has a personality suited for combat."
"She wants to do
it, so I want to let her. I apologize for the trouble, Baron, but please
forgive us."
"It's not
trouble, so it's fine, but Lilith might come back injured, you know."
"In that case,
I'll heal her myself. Hohoho."
Are parents and
children in this world quite detached? I thought Lilith and Laura's
parent-child relationship wasn't bad, and I believed Lilith was devoted to her
mother and Laura to her child.
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