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I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women Chapter 224

Securing Water Resources (3)

“Wh-What!? Brother! What on earth happened here? Is this truly the landscape of Vermont County I once knew?”
“Hahaha…”

 

I invited Count Arient to Vermont Territory for various contract renewals.

 

Count Ariente had been invited to Vermont County to renegotiate various contracts.

 

Due to his recent busyness with numerous construction projects, they hadn’t met in a while.

But the moment he set foot in Vermont County, his eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“I thought nothing could surprise me anymore… Good heavens, you’ve created an entire river in the meantime?”
“We didn’t create it; we merely reopened a dammed-up waterway from before.”
“But that was just a stagnant pool filled with sludge!”

 

It was a reasonable reaction. Even though Count Ariente, who had grown used to seeing undead soldiers casually marching through the streets or Dirt-Dirt waving its massive arms across the horizon, was rarely fazed anymore, the emergence of a completely new river that transformed the entire cityscape was undoubtedly astonishing.

 

Even I hadn’t fully processed it yet, so his reaction was understandable.

Previously, Vermont County had been a grim, dismal place reminiscent of a medieval dark-fantasy town.

 

Yet, the addition of a river had brightened the overall atmosphere considerably.

 

I supposed the creation of riverside parks and the transplantation of street trees played a significant role in the transformation.

 

“Does this mean Vermont County is now fully self-sufficient?”
“Yes, precisely. With a large supply of water for agriculture, we expect a significant boost in farmland productivity. In light of this, I have a proposal to make.”
“A proposal? What might that be?”
“I suggest eliminating trade tariffs on agricultural goods between Vermont and Ariente Counties and granting each other priority import rights for surplus produce.”

 

Although Vermont and Ariente Counties were now connected by a highway and felt like close neighbors, in reality, they were separated by a significant mountain range, making their geography and climate quite different.

 

Seasonal weather variations often caused one region to experience abundant rainfall while the other suffered drought, and vice versa.

 

With Vermont County now fully self-sufficient and producing surplus crops, the two regions could export agricultural goods to each other during times of need, preventing famine on either side.

Removing tariffs and establishing mutual priority rights for imports would ensure that neither side faced starvation.

 

“So, so what you’re saying is…! Vermont County is declaring its eternal solidarity and unbreakable bond with Ariente County? Brother! I’m so moved I can’t stop crying! Excuse me for a moment!”
“It’s not quite that grandiose…”

 

Count Ariente pulled out a handkerchief and loudly blew his nose, overcome with emotion.

“An eternal bond,” he said. That was a bit much.

All I wanted was for my loyal customer—excuse me, partner—not to default on their debt so I could maintain our highway and pay off interest on loans.

 

Still, it wouldn’t hurt if Count Ariente felt indebted to me, so I decided to leave it be.

 

“I’ll arrange accommodations at a hotel with a hot spring. Please stay the night before returning.”
“A hot spring, you say!?”

 

Once again, Count Ariente’s eyes lit up. When I guided him to the rear mountain, his mouth fell open in shock.

 

What was once a barren, stinking wasteland had been transformed into a picturesque peak adorned with vibrant autumn foliage.

 

The hot springs now boasted multiple hotels, turning the area into a potential tourist attraction.

 

The construction was just completed, and the site hadn’t opened for business yet.

 

I thought it wise to let Count Ariente be the first to—how should I put it—”test” the facilities and provide feedback for improvement.

 

“In the past, one had to travel far to the north for a proper natural hot spring! But now there’s one so close by! I’m sure the residents of Ariente County will visit frequently, Brother!”
“That’s excellent. I’m also considering issuing regular discount coupons for Ariente residents.”
“Hahaha! Wonderful! But there’s just one minor concern…”
“Please, feel free to share.”

 

Count Ariente’s overall feedback after using the hot spring was positive. However, he suddenly lowered his voice and leaned closer to me, glancing around nervously.

 

“Well… It’s just that… Even though they’re undead soldiers, they wander around completely unclothed… It’s a bit awkward to look at…”
“Understood. I’ll take care of it.”

 

[The Evil God ‘Kali’ strongly demands that the Necromancer take measures to uphold the reputation of our undead army by addressing their lack of etiquette.]

 

It seemed the sight of skeletal soldiers walking around stark naked had been unsettling.

That was understandable. Henceforth, we would establish a policy requiring all guests, including skeletal soldiers, to cover themselves with towels.

No exceptions.

 

“Now, please rest well. We’ll discuss the remaining contracts tomorrow at your convenience.”
“Whatever works for you, Brother!”

 

Based on Count Ariente’s feedback, the outlook was promising.

With a few final adjustments, the tourism business could begin immediately.

 

Not only would the hot springs and hotels benefit Vermont County’s prosperity, but they would also boost consumer spending in Ariente County, as visitors would have to pass through it.

This would decrease the likelihood of our dear debtor—excuse me, partner—going bankrupt.

 

All in all, it was a highly advantageous endeavor.

 

‘Although… I can’t help but feel like I’m tightening my own noose. Still, I can’t neglect my territory either…’

 

It was true.

The more Vermont County thrived, the more complicated things became…

 

Ever since the thought crossed my mind that all of this might be part of Empress Sister’s grand scheme, I haven’t been able to shake off a lingering unease.

 

What if, one day, I’m suddenly forced to ascend to a duchy, and before I even realize it, I’m standing at the altar, marrying Empress Sister?

The mere imagination of it made cold sweat drip down my back.

 

In that case, rather than living in constant anxiety every day, wouldn’t it be better to strike first and propose to the Empress myself?

A preemptive strategy to resolve this potential crisis.

 

‘Wait a moment. Could this be part of her plan too!?’

 

No, I needed to calm down.
What if my descent into despair, leading to a rash decision to willingly become her subordinate, was all foreseen by her?

If Empress Sister had planned that far ahead… Is this the true power of the Spirit’s Eye?
A shiver ran down my spine, and I swallowed hard.

 

I couldn’t give up now.

Giving up meant abandoning any hope of a future where I could live happily with Charlotte, Julia, and Yuri, seeing them grow alongside me.

 

It meant resigning myself to a life as a public servant, tirelessly working for the Empire until I turned into a gray-haired old man.

 

“This is giving me a massive headache…”

 

It’s strange.
My territory and family are flourishing and stabilizing day by day.

Yet my thoughts are growing increasingly complicated, and my responsibilities seem to keep piling up.
It was an inexplicable mystery.

 

“Hey, Mister! Delivery, delivery!”
“Thanks.”
Sniff, Sniff… Huh? Did your sister send this?”
“…?”

 

Charlotte dashed into the office the moment I arrived, her arms full of letters. Then, suddenly sniffing the air, she picked out one envelope in particular.

It was plain and unmarked.
Opening it, I found it was indeed an investment performance report sent by Irene.

 

“How did you know?”
“Uh? It had this distinct smell? Like, a unique scent or something… Honestly, I’m not sure! Hehe!”
“…?”

 

Mumbling some nonsense, Charlotte scurried away.
Sylvia had mentioned something similar. Did Irene have a unique scent?

I wasn’t particularly sensitive to smells, so I hadn’t noticed.
For now, I decided to open the envelope and read through the investment performance report.

 

– Vermont Investment Corporation Q4 Performance Report

– Overview of monthly returns, performance by asset, transaction details, Q1 target yields, and trade reports

– You keep ignoring my extra notes, so I’m adding them directly this time.

– September monthly return: +8%, October monthly return: +4%

– These days, whenever I try to sleep, I keep thinking of you. Your face used to irritate me so much… but now, it’s strange. It doesn’t bother me anymore.

– Performance by asset this month is …

 

“What the… Are my eyes playing tricks on me?”

 

Why were there odd sentences scattered throughout the report?

At first, I thought I was seeing things, but after carefully inspecting it, I realized Irene had deliberately inserted personal comments amidst the perfectly normal investment report.

 

This was maddening.

I had ignored her unnecessary notes in previous reports, but now she had found a way to ensure I couldn’t overlook them.

 

“Ever since she found out about the possession, she’s suddenly been so much more affectionate…”

 

She was someone who wouldn’t write a letter even if her life depended on it, yet now she was pouring effort into sending updates and personal musings.

 

When reading these notes, she seemed kind, caring, and full of warmth.

But remembering the usual cold and aloof Irene made the whole thing feel unnerving.

Wasn’t this level of obsession a bit too much…?

 

[The Evil God ‘Kali’ declares that you, who made our Irene spend her entire childhood waiting for you, must take responsibility!]

 

Kali’s reprimand snapped me back to reality.

Memories of Irene’s childhood resurfaced vividly, and I recalled whispering words of hope into her ears.
The sense of responsibility I had long suppressed began to resurface uncontrollably.

 

“Hah. Maybe I should take a look at the Empire’s marriage laws.”

 

Just for reference…
I’ll just check what restrictions exist under the Empire’s marriage laws.

Only for research purposes…

 

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I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

I Kidnapped the Hero’s Women

용사의 여자들을 납치했다, 저 빌런 아닙니다
Score 7.4
Status: Ongoing Type: , Author: Released: 2024 Native Language: Korean
I’ve possessed the mid-boss who tortures the protagonist and receives true education. Am I crazy? How dare I do such a thing to the person who is supposed to be the protagonist? I even planned to treat all the protagonist’s friends hospitably…   “Everyone, wait for me! I will definitely become stronger and come to save you!”   Oh. Running away.

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