It was already a difficult situation, so this was a good thing. I quickly handed the basket of apples to Jacqueline.
“If you have nothing else to do, share this.”
Even on the way back to our room, we had to endure a few more showers of gifts.
When the door finally closed, there was a lovely wreath hanging over Jacqueline's head.
As soon as the knight put down all the gifts and left, I turned to Jacqueline.
“What happened to the thing you said you’d look into?”
Jacqueline handed me the thin papers he had been carrying at his side.
With the tacit approval of the maid and the butler, his sphere of activity expanded, and he began to actively gather information.
I glanced over the documents he handed me and whistled briefly.
“The level of information is very detailed?”
“It’s not like it usually takes a lot of effort to get that.”
Jacqueline said proudly.
It was as he said. The information related to the crops and income of the Castle for the past five years was clearly organized, showing where and how it had been obtained.
As I was reading from the beginning, I couldn't help but be bewildered by the unexpected facts.
“Did I read this correctly?”
“Have you found it?”
“There isn’t a single proper farmland in this city?”
Even if Vostok is a small city, how could this be? Jacqueline nodded in agreement with my words.
“They do grow crops to make a living on the farm, but it’s definitely different from other estates. They don’t grow any commercial crops for export.”
I asked in astonishment.
“Then what on earth do they eat to live? Where does their income come from?”
“Please read the rest of the pages.”
I quickly turned another page. After looking through it carefully, I was able to quickly reach one conclusion.
“It is said to be famous as a wolf hunting ground in winter...”
A laugh came out as I realized it.
“You believe in that one thing, and you don’t develop any special products or anything like that? Because it’s a seasonal business?”
“It’s not that famous, but it’s still quite crowded.”
I pointed at Jacqueline with my finger and raised an eyebrow.
Yes, I've heard that. The wolf of Vostok is famous for its exceptionally soft hide.
“Haven’t you ever thought of developing leather goods? Or gathering together artisans?”
“It must have been a stupid idea that if you do production activities within the territory, the taxes you have to pay will only increase. If your income exceeds a certain level, the National Tax Service will conduct regular inspections.”
“...”
It was a total mess. It was clear what needed to be done, but if the lord was that stupid.
I bit my lip and thought for a long time. After a long time, long enough for a candle to burn out, I opened my mouth again.
“What about the news from the treasurer from Ashkabad? When will it be?”
“I’ll probably arrive by carriage tomorrow morning.”
“There are things that you have to do, no matter how much money it costs.”
I motioned for him to put his ear close to mine. He smiled and said, hearing my plan.
“If that’s the case, leave it to me.”
Early the next morning, the treasurer sent by Laskan arrived. He seemed like a very capable man, but I just hope his skills are as good as his looks.
I shared my plans with my finance officer, received a rough budget, and left the extra money in Jacqueline's hands.
As soon as Jacqueline packed his purse, he rushed to Saxony, one of the largest cities in the North.
He said it was to carry out my orders as quickly as possible... But that was all just an excuse, and he was probably just trying to relieve the frustration that had built up over time.
And from lunchtime the very next day, the things Jacqueline had excitedly bought began to arrive.
The train of wagons from Saxony seemed to have no end, as if they had spent so much money. I thought they would only be able to fill one or two carriages, but I was naive.
Well, I should have expected that he would be extravagant since he was born a noble young master.
In addition, the merchants' expressions were bright as they wondered how much they had spent on dumping. It was fortunate that I had told them in advance to keep a ledger of the items they traded. They could look at them later and send back any items that were too expensive.
When all the carriages arrived, the servants rushed to unload their loads: seedlings and seedlings, spades, fertilizer, seeds...
Several workers opened each box carefully to check for any defective products.
“This doesn’t seem to be of good quality.”
“This shovel is fine.”
“Your Highness, what should we do about this?”
The most difficult situation was when I encountered seedlings or flower seeds that I had never heard of before.
I circled a few of the rarer items with a quill, intending to ask Irina to look up relevant records in the palace library when I write to her.
That was when.
“This, this is, all...”
The butler came rushing out of the mansion at the commotion caused by the porters. Judging by his eyes widened to the size of saucers, he seemed quite surprised.
He watched the commotion and then spoke with a dead, dark look in his eyes.
“I will... report this to the lord immediately! Even if you are the Princess, you cannot handle matters of the estate without the lord’s permission...”
“Do whatever you want.”
I turned my back on the butler and walked towards the garden. If you want to tell him, tell him. If the Lord of Vostok comes running after me like a calf with its tail on fire, that would be even better.
The knights guarding my side clenched their swords tightly at the butler's impertinent attitude, but since I had told them several times, they did not act rashly.
At least for now, there was no time to worry about such things. The lord would be back in a few days... and he had to finish the work as quickly as possible before he got in his way.
"Your Highness."
Five gardeners who were frantically organizing seedlings, seeds, and fertilizers bowed down in panic when they saw me.
Thanks to the advance notice, the ground in the garden that had been left unattended was all gently plowed. It looked perfect for planting crops.
I fired off a barrage of questions at the old gardener who had brought me the tilbot a few days ago.
“How is the quality? Are the seedlings healthy? What about the seeds? Do you think they will sprout well even at this time of year?”
“Very good. Especially since the seedlings have already developed strong roots, I think they can be transplanted right away.”
“These flowers too?”
“Yes. Most ornamental flowers don’t grow well in the North, but this species here seems to be a variety that has been bred to grow in colder regions.”
He said, pointing to a few seedlings with his finger. I nodded and looked at them a little more closely.
The gardeners, who had finished preparing, began sowing seeds in the finely tilled soil and transplanting seedlings.
“When will the sprouts start to sprout?”
“The quick ones will sprout within this week. Then we will quickly determine which ones are strong enough to adapt to this land.”
Ben answered with a grin. He seemed happy to be able to maintain the garden, which had been neglected to some extent, in this way.
“If you have any good news, be sure to let me know first.”
“That's what you're saying."
I pulled my shawl tightly around my neck as I watched the busy gardeners with soft eyes.
Now it was time to prepare for my fight.
“What on earth is all this about?”
It was exactly two days later at lunchtime that the Lord of Vostok burst in.
I was having a quick lunch with the finance director in the reception room that I was using as an office.
I glanced at him as he growled, picked up a handkerchief, and elegantly wiped my mouth.
“It’s been a while. Have you eaten?”
“At my mansion, I asked what all this was about.”
He looked as if he could almost bite the back of my neck. I met his vicious gaze without wavering.
I wondered what power the country lord had to act so rudely towards the Princess... After doing some background research, I found out that he had close connections with the capital’s nobles. Six of the thirteen heads of the Privy Council were close to him.
I clicked my tongue and put the papers I had finished reading aside. I should have noticed this sooner.
There are so many nobles who want to be invited to the rare wolf hunting grounds.
“Let’s sit down and talk.”
“It is my city, and the land of my ancestors. I have nothing to talk about. And not with someone who is still not yet determined to be a member of the royal family.”
He looked at me and the papers with a cynical look. He was rude, as if he didn't even see the knights standing behind me.
“So, please stop doing things like this and go up and enjoy a bit of sightseeing.”
“...This kind of thing?”
My smiling face instantly hardened.
“How long must I endure you?”
“...”
The young master only spat out four sentences in front of me, but there were more than one or two annoying words. If this was talent, it was truly a great talent.
If someone doesn't respect me, I don't have to respect them. That was one of the first principles I learned from George.
Trying to show a good side to someone who hates you no matter what, is just a signal to look down on them as much as you want.
The calculation was quick, and the action to be taken was clear. I raised my lips slantingly and made a cold expression.
“Are you aware that your domain has been the least developed in the Empire for the past ten years?”
“...”
The Lord of Vostok, whose momentum had just disappeared, was now staring at me with his mouth frozen in an instant. It seemed as if he was greatly shocked by the slight he had received from me, whom he had taken for granted for a long time.
I didn't miss the momentum and fired one after another.
“That it was one of the poorest territories? That it didn’t even contribute to the empire, but instead just received subsidies every year?”
“...”
“If you have nothing else to do, share this.”
Even on the way back to our room, we had to endure a few more showers of gifts.
When the door finally closed, there was a lovely wreath hanging over Jacqueline's head.
As soon as the knight put down all the gifts and left, I turned to Jacqueline.
“What happened to the thing you said you’d look into?”
Jacqueline handed me the thin papers he had been carrying at his side.
With the tacit approval of the maid and the butler, his sphere of activity expanded, and he began to actively gather information.
I glanced over the documents he handed me and whistled briefly.
“The level of information is very detailed?”
“It’s not like it usually takes a lot of effort to get that.”
Jacqueline said proudly.
It was as he said. The information related to the crops and income of the Castle for the past five years was clearly organized, showing where and how it had been obtained.
As I was reading from the beginning, I couldn't help but be bewildered by the unexpected facts.
“Did I read this correctly?”
“Have you found it?”
“There isn’t a single proper farmland in this city?”
Even if Vostok is a small city, how could this be? Jacqueline nodded in agreement with my words.
“They do grow crops to make a living on the farm, but it’s definitely different from other estates. They don’t grow any commercial crops for export.”
I asked in astonishment.
“Then what on earth do they eat to live? Where does their income come from?”
“Please read the rest of the pages.”
I quickly turned another page. After looking through it carefully, I was able to quickly reach one conclusion.
“It is said to be famous as a wolf hunting ground in winter...”
A laugh came out as I realized it.
“You believe in that one thing, and you don’t develop any special products or anything like that? Because it’s a seasonal business?”
“It’s not that famous, but it’s still quite crowded.”
I pointed at Jacqueline with my finger and raised an eyebrow.
Yes, I've heard that. The wolf of Vostok is famous for its exceptionally soft hide.
“Haven’t you ever thought of developing leather goods? Or gathering together artisans?”
“It must have been a stupid idea that if you do production activities within the territory, the taxes you have to pay will only increase. If your income exceeds a certain level, the National Tax Service will conduct regular inspections.”
“...”
It was a total mess. It was clear what needed to be done, but if the lord was that stupid.
I bit my lip and thought for a long time. After a long time, long enough for a candle to burn out, I opened my mouth again.
“What about the news from the treasurer from Ashkabad? When will it be?”
“I’ll probably arrive by carriage tomorrow morning.”
“There are things that you have to do, no matter how much money it costs.”
I motioned for him to put his ear close to mine. He smiled and said, hearing my plan.
“If that’s the case, leave it to me.”
***
Early the next morning, the treasurer sent by Laskan arrived. He seemed like a very capable man, but I just hope his skills are as good as his looks.
I shared my plans with my finance officer, received a rough budget, and left the extra money in Jacqueline's hands.
As soon as Jacqueline packed his purse, he rushed to Saxony, one of the largest cities in the North.
He said it was to carry out my orders as quickly as possible... But that was all just an excuse, and he was probably just trying to relieve the frustration that had built up over time.
And from lunchtime the very next day, the things Jacqueline had excitedly bought began to arrive.
The train of wagons from Saxony seemed to have no end, as if they had spent so much money. I thought they would only be able to fill one or two carriages, but I was naive.
Well, I should have expected that he would be extravagant since he was born a noble young master.
In addition, the merchants' expressions were bright as they wondered how much they had spent on dumping. It was fortunate that I had told them in advance to keep a ledger of the items they traded. They could look at them later and send back any items that were too expensive.
When all the carriages arrived, the servants rushed to unload their loads: seedlings and seedlings, spades, fertilizer, seeds...
Several workers opened each box carefully to check for any defective products.
“This doesn’t seem to be of good quality.”
“This shovel is fine.”
“Your Highness, what should we do about this?”
The most difficult situation was when I encountered seedlings or flower seeds that I had never heard of before.
I circled a few of the rarer items with a quill, intending to ask Irina to look up relevant records in the palace library when I write to her.
That was when.
“This, this is, all...”
The butler came rushing out of the mansion at the commotion caused by the porters. Judging by his eyes widened to the size of saucers, he seemed quite surprised.
He watched the commotion and then spoke with a dead, dark look in his eyes.
“I will... report this to the lord immediately! Even if you are the Princess, you cannot handle matters of the estate without the lord’s permission...”
“Do whatever you want.”
I turned my back on the butler and walked towards the garden. If you want to tell him, tell him. If the Lord of Vostok comes running after me like a calf with its tail on fire, that would be even better.
The knights guarding my side clenched their swords tightly at the butler's impertinent attitude, but since I had told them several times, they did not act rashly.
At least for now, there was no time to worry about such things. The lord would be back in a few days... and he had to finish the work as quickly as possible before he got in his way.
"Your Highness."
Five gardeners who were frantically organizing seedlings, seeds, and fertilizers bowed down in panic when they saw me.
Thanks to the advance notice, the ground in the garden that had been left unattended was all gently plowed. It looked perfect for planting crops.
I fired off a barrage of questions at the old gardener who had brought me the tilbot a few days ago.
“How is the quality? Are the seedlings healthy? What about the seeds? Do you think they will sprout well even at this time of year?”
“Very good. Especially since the seedlings have already developed strong roots, I think they can be transplanted right away.”
“These flowers too?”
“Yes. Most ornamental flowers don’t grow well in the North, but this species here seems to be a variety that has been bred to grow in colder regions.”
He said, pointing to a few seedlings with his finger. I nodded and looked at them a little more closely.
The gardeners, who had finished preparing, began sowing seeds in the finely tilled soil and transplanting seedlings.
“When will the sprouts start to sprout?”
“The quick ones will sprout within this week. Then we will quickly determine which ones are strong enough to adapt to this land.”
Ben answered with a grin. He seemed happy to be able to maintain the garden, which had been neglected to some extent, in this way.
“If you have any good news, be sure to let me know first.”
“That's what you're saying."
I pulled my shawl tightly around my neck as I watched the busy gardeners with soft eyes.
Now it was time to prepare for my fight.
***
“What on earth is all this about?”
It was exactly two days later at lunchtime that the Lord of Vostok burst in.
I was having a quick lunch with the finance director in the reception room that I was using as an office.
I glanced at him as he growled, picked up a handkerchief, and elegantly wiped my mouth.
“It’s been a while. Have you eaten?”
“At my mansion, I asked what all this was about.”
He looked as if he could almost bite the back of my neck. I met his vicious gaze without wavering.
I wondered what power the country lord had to act so rudely towards the Princess... After doing some background research, I found out that he had close connections with the capital’s nobles. Six of the thirteen heads of the Privy Council were close to him.
I clicked my tongue and put the papers I had finished reading aside. I should have noticed this sooner.
There are so many nobles who want to be invited to the rare wolf hunting grounds.
“Let’s sit down and talk.”
“It is my city, and the land of my ancestors. I have nothing to talk about. And not with someone who is still not yet determined to be a member of the royal family.”
He looked at me and the papers with a cynical look. He was rude, as if he didn't even see the knights standing behind me.
“So, please stop doing things like this and go up and enjoy a bit of sightseeing.”
“...This kind of thing?”
My smiling face instantly hardened.
“How long must I endure you?”
“...”
The young master only spat out four sentences in front of me, but there were more than one or two annoying words. If this was talent, it was truly a great talent.
If someone doesn't respect me, I don't have to respect them. That was one of the first principles I learned from George.
Trying to show a good side to someone who hates you no matter what, is just a signal to look down on them as much as you want.
The calculation was quick, and the action to be taken was clear. I raised my lips slantingly and made a cold expression.
“Are you aware that your domain has been the least developed in the Empire for the past ten years?”
“...”
The Lord of Vostok, whose momentum had just disappeared, was now staring at me with his mouth frozen in an instant. It seemed as if he was greatly shocked by the slight he had received from me, whom he had taken for granted for a long time.
I didn't miss the momentum and fired one after another.
“That it was one of the poorest territories? That it didn’t even contribute to the empire, but instead just received subsidies every year?”
“...”
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