The Baddest Villainess Is Back - Chapter 190
“What exactly is that?”
“If I sprinkle this, it bestows the blessing of abundance, making the land fertile,” Roxelyn replied nonchalantly as she strolled leisurely around the duchy.
Even just sprinkling it in a few places would cause prosperity to spread throughout the territory over the next few years.
Roxelyn was usually at the townhouse in the capital. Since she was often ill, it was easier to obtain medicine or see doctors in the bustling capital. For this reason, it was rare for her to visit the duchy.
“Oh, Lady Roxelyn, are you out for a walk? And the Young Duke is here too!”
The engineers from Kaluta, who had come to the duchy with them, approached, sweating profusely. Whether they had been running or fighting, they looked quite disheveled.
“Yes, I was just taking a look around the estate.”
“Oh, we were just having a light morning exercise. Isn’t the morning air a bit chilly for you?”
“Exactly! You both look rather slender and frail. If you fall ill, it would be a big problem.”
“The morning air is colder than midday, so it might be better to walk around later in the day…”
“Especially the Young Duke, who often faints. You need to be careful. You look even more fragile than Lady Roxelyn…”
“That’s not true. Lady Roxelyn is the one who would collapse with a single touch. Didn’t you hear? She fell ill just from coming here last time.”
“Oh, it’s unfortunate that both father and daughter have such weak constitutions. Anyway, let us escort you back safely.”
Zerti Bellion frowned at the constant stream of chatter from the Kalutans.
While it was true that Roxelyn was fragile, Zerti himself had fairly average strength. In fact, he was rather skilled in swordsmanship.
Just because he didn’t have visible muscles didn’t mean he was weak.
“My daughter is indeed frail, but I am perfectly average.”
Zerti Bellion, feeling his pride as a man slightly bruised, responded.
“But the Duke of Bellion and the eldest son both have such robust physiques…”
“Indeed, the sparring sessions were quite enjoyable.”
Were they already sparring?
The Kalutans crossed their arms and nodded in satisfaction, smiling as they looked at Zerti with a hint of pity.
“Well, if you consider yourself weak, it tends to make you weaker. The Young Duke is strong! And I’m sure you’ll only grow stronger.”
“Indeed, you’ll certainly get stronger!”
They continued with their words of encouragement. Roxelyn couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, rubbing her temples in disbelief.
“Anyway, you must really love the duchy, walking around so early in the morning.”
“Do I? Well, Grandfather has been taking good care of the estate.”
“Yes, it seems like a lovely place to walk around. Though, the crop yields don’t seem particularly good.”
“…That’s true.”
Roxelyn didn’t deny it and nodded slightly, her eyelashes lowered. Sometimes, eliciting sympathy in negotiations or conversations was a useful tactic.
“Currently, the duchy’s crop yields are low, so we’ve been purchasing a significant amount of food from other territories.”
This was the problem Roxelyn wanted to solve. In her world, after Duke Bellion died and Aegis Bellion inherited the title, there were issues with food supply.
The duchy, which was falling into ruin, was struggling financially, and various circumstances only worsened the situation. Hardly anyone wanted to help because of Makruxa’s retaliation.
If the duchy had been self-sufficient, it might have been able to endure, but the land was barren, making self-sufficiency difficult.
She had once overheard that even minor disruptions in supply could lead to the territory being pressured by holding back food supplies. In addition, the duchy had been trading minerals and resources for food at near-cost prices.
While her grandfather couldn’t starve his people, it wasn’t as if he could simply cut off those trade deals, which made the trade agreements with Kaluta even more fortunate.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad idea to change all our trade partners to Kaluta.’
