I’m Going to Marry a Poor Count in the Middle of Nowhere and I’m Going to Work Hard to Reform My Territory - Chapter 18

Angelique wanted to write a letter to her sisters while she was in Vignoa, but she didn’t have time.

Time is running out, but she still has yet to put together what she wants to write about. Given the Count of Bourg’s current situation, she hesitated to use even an inexpensive carriage service to let them know she was doing well. And the owl mail service is out of the question.

Right now, it’s more important to save money.

Emire, the butler, servant and coachman, drove her to the farm in Vignoa. She didn’t sit on the coachman’s seat because she didn’t want to scare the Montans.

She packed four suitcases full of clothes, all of which were sold at a very high price.

“I can’t believe you’re giving away these fancy, high-end, elaborate dresses.”

The owner of the best dress store in town beamed with joy.

Even small towns like Vignoa have their own social events. Nobles who rule their lands and rich merchants who make their fortunes through trade gather here.

The provincial towns have their own “social circles.” The young daughters and wives dress and go out in the same way, though not as extravagantly as those in the royal capital.

Social gatherings are important and useful. For example, they can help strengthen family ties or give men and women of a certain age a place to meet.

They can be classified as a kind of culture.

Dresses are made everywhere, but those in the royal capital are made of different fabrics and yarns and with different craftsmanship. Therefore, the secondhand dresses of the central nobility were very popular in the provinces.

The nobles in the capital did not like to wear the same dress to parties, so the second-hand dresses were almost as good as new. This is most likely another reason for their popularity. And Angelique’s dresses stood out among them.

With enough money in her pocket, Angelique then went to one of the farms run by the Dukes of Montan.

Bernard, the farm manager in charge of everything here, including produce and owl services, was overjoyed to see Angelique and hurried over to her.

He said she could have as many seeds as she wanted when she asked him to share his. Angelique, on the other hand, laughed.

“I don’t sow them for fun; I need a lot of seeds to give away to the people in my territory.”

The farm primarily sows their own seeds, and any surplus is sold; they are a valuable source of income for the farm, so Angelique didn’t want to receive them for free.

“I would appreciate it if you could sell it at the same price as the other customers. The prices are very reasonable, after all.”

Bernard was confused, but he didn’t argue with the duke’s daughter, so he quickly listened to what she said.

Angelique was watching a farmhand and Emire load wagons with seeds and seedlings when Bernard, who had just returned, approached her.

“Just in time, I received a letter from Marlene-sama on the latest carriage service.”

“Oh, thank you very much!”

Angelique accepted the letter with a smile.

‘What perfect timing!’

She sat down on a bench outside and opened the envelope with the Montan family crest on it.

[Dear Onee-sama]

Angelique examines the letter, which is written in Marlene’s beautiful handwriting.

Then Angelique exclaimed, “Uh?” After reading the middle sentence.

Unexpected events have occurred in the royal capital over the past two weeks.

According to Marlene’s letter, Ernest and Charlotte had become engaged, and Viscount Barabou had been promoted to the rank of marquis.

There’s an unspoken agreement that states that the official marriage partner of the royal family should be a marquis or higher, but is the Barabou family strong enough to keep up appearances just by raising their status?

Charlotte’s father is the brother of Angelique’s father, so in addition to his status as viscount, he has been granted a portion of the Duke of Montan’s lands.

It is not a bad estate, but her uncle, unlike her father, is a very frivolous or, in other words, a lazy man; if he ruled properly, he would have enough income, but he was constantly begging her father for money.

‘In such a financial situation, I think it is improper to call oneself a marquis.’

“Well, that’s none of my business…”

She had many thoughts about Charlotte’s behavior, but she didn’t have time to think about it now. As she slowly read through her sister’s letter, she realized how nice it was to receive such a letter.

She wondered if she should write her a letter next time instead of just saving money, because the carriage service is not that expensive.

Then Angelique’s eyes widened as she read the last words of the letter.

Gradually, her ears began to burn.

[I hope you have a baby soon. I’m looking forward to it.]

‘Baby…’

Angelique and Serge haven’t done anything yet that could lead to a pregnancy.

‘Nothing as of yet…’

“Ah!”

Maybe that’s why Serge is acting so strange. The fact that he disappears in the morning, the fact that he doesn’t even sleep in the same bed these days, but on the couch in the library, means only one thing.

‘Does Serge hate me?’

In situations like this, she wishes Ms. Berean, an instructor in the field, was here.

‘What do you do when days go by without you having done it before? How do I bring it up now? Should I invite him? Can I do it?’

Angelique has a million ideas about how to manage her territory and her harvest, but she realizes she can’t do what comes naturally to most couples in the world.

The act of getting along well with one’s spouse.

The act of completing one’s night’s work without fail.

She is incapable.

“What should I do…?”

Angelique is at a loss as she gazes out over the idyllic landscape of the Dukes of Montan State.