My Contract Husband Resembles the Male Protagonist - Chapter 29
“That garden is hardly worthy of the name, it’s embarrassingly barren. Beasts occasionally descend there, and the land is too dry and barren to grow anything. The pond has been dry for a long time, and no flowers bloom.”
“I just need a large piece of land. That’s the largest plot available here, right?”
“What do you intend to use it for, Miss Anne?”
“I’m going to cultivate herbs. They will be needed frequently in the future.”
Yurta looked moved at the mention of growing herbs and then made another offer.
“If you’re going to grow herbs, I’ll also give you the small kitchen garden next to it.”
“How much?”
“We’ll include it in the purchase of the forest garden at no extra cost. Since we can’t pay you the value of the holy water, think of it as a substitute.”
Eventually, I successfully purchased the massive, arid garden and the small but usable kitchen garden next to it from the lord’s castle at a bargain.
It was a better outcome than receiving a large sum of money.
“Dale? Why the long face?”
I suddenly noticed Dale sitting gloomily.
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not providing you with a sufficient living allowance.”
A sufficient living allowance? Looking at Dale made his expression darken further.
“Are you sure you’re not overexerting yourself?”
“Not at all.”
“Really?”
Dale’s expression softened in an instant. He sighed and looked at me with a gentle gaze.
“Are you really sure?”
“Yes. I decided to work at the Lord’s castle because I wanted to.”
“But from what I understand of Miss Enya’s position, frequent visits to the Lord’s castle might not be beneficial.”
Dale spoke cautiously, seemingly worried.
“If Miss Enya assists the Lord and this story gets out, the Emperor might take an interest in you. Are you okay with that?”
“Oh, that.”
“Miss Anne’s intentions seem to go beyond merely restoring the Lord’s health.”
Dale was surprisingly astute.
“Perhaps the domain will develop, and then everyone will wonder who suddenly revived a dying domain.”
“…..”
“It won’t be attributed to a Lord who has been ill for months. Then who could it be?”
“…..”
“Eventually, they’ll report the arrival of an outsider.”
“So, you mean it will pique the emperor’s curiosity?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Dale’s reasoning was plausible.
The Emperor was focused on strengthening the empire’s core.
He was known for building his support base by employing talents regardless of their origins.
He was also the one who legally abolished discrimination against non-human races and personally apologized and restored honor to families that had been unjustly executed as traitors by the previous emperor without solid evidence.
Moreover, he made the unprecedented move of choosing his advisors from those families, placing them closest to him.
In addition, he abolished the corrupt practice of hiring people based on connections and bribes at the imperial court and reinstated the examination system, implementing a strictly merit-based appointment system.
Thanks to these efforts, during the early days of his reign, the old nobility, who were waiting to lend their strength to an emperor without a solid base of support, were ousted from the center of power.
The Emperor firmly seized the reins of control.
Besides, the achievements he made after his accession to the throne were numerous.
However, there were still many remnants to be cleared, and the Emperor continued to have busy days long after his ascension, without a moment to rest.
“The Emperor is human too.”
As Dale said, this could indeed attract the Emperor’s attention.
It was a problem I had thought about a lot.
And finally.
I found the answer.
“Even if the Emperor has great stamina, as a human, there’s a limit to the amount of work he can handle.”
“…..”
“Work gets overshadowed by bigger and more critical issues.”
Dale looked at me, not quite understanding.
“It’s been three years since the Emperor issued the imperial decree for me to be the empress. I am a lady of a ducal house, and my father is Duke Lockheart, known as the right hand of the Emperor.”
“That’s correct.”
“If the empire’s only two ducal houses and the Emperor joined hands, they could easily find me. So why haven’t they found me yet?”
Dale began to ponder seriously.
He tapped the table with his hand as if trying to figure out the answer.
“It’s overwork.”
“…?”
“The Emperor is too overwhelmed with work.”
For a moment, Dale’s eyes widened.
He looked at me, bewildered.
“Overwork…”
Dale’s voice trailed off.
“I don’t quite understand.”
“Why do you think the Emperor is busy?”
“Because he must rectify the empire, which remains in chaos and disarray due to the sins of the previous emperor.”
“Right. There are many places that need attention.”
“That’s true.”
“But how could these misdeeds keep being uncovered?”
Dale squinted his eyes, looking at me.
He seemed not to fully grasp my point.
“The atrocities committed by the old nobility are vast. It would take decades just to uncover all their deeds, given the size of the empire.”
“…..”
“Under normal circumstances.”
Dale’s eyes gradually widened.
“But the Imperial Court has been quickly finding and punishing their crimes.”
“No way…….”
“That’s right.”
I proudly patted my chest.
“I kept prodding the Imperial Court.”
