Reincarnate as the Villainess's Husband - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: From the inside
After meticulously organizing everything related to the army and the magic center, Neonidas turned his attention to his next objective. For hours, he had been tirelessly working in his study without showing any signs of fatigue. On the contrary, he was beginning to enjoy the process, especially as he imagined how powerful he would become in the future with his new investments and reforms.

The matter he had to address now was agriculture, which was undoubtedly the easiest issue. The empire’s most fertile lands were located in the central region, where the capital itself stood. A large majority of this central region belonged to Neonidas. The lands of the Oreoned Duchy were unquestionably the most productive, a legacy that owed much to the late Duke Leonardo. With each passing day, Neonidas found himself respecting this deceased old wolf even more.

Returning to the duchy’s lands, while it wasn’t possible to grow every kind of fruit and vegetable, most crops thrived there. This region, which received sufficient rainfall annually, was composed almost entirely of flat terrain.

Neonidas realized that agricultural innovations infused with magic could significantly bolster his duchy’s strength. First, he tasked local magic users and alchemists with enhancing agricultural productivity. The idea of developing nature-compatible spells for fruits and vegetables that call for more barren lands flashed through his mind like a lightning bolt. Research into the use of enchanted stones capable of enriching soil and accelerating crop growth was promptly initiated.

He also planned to establish an agricultural magic guild called the “Guardians of Nature” by selecting talented individuals from his people who showed an affinity for magic. This guild would focus on protecting crops from diseases, controlling pests, and safeguarding agricultural lands from natural disasters.

Furthermore, Neonidas decided to construct magical channels to optimize water resource management. These channels would purify water drawn from rivers with magic and deliver it to farmers. Of course, this would require the establishment of a magic center and then the R&D process for magical items that function as purification.

Simultaneously, he began exploring a project related to the refinement of teleportation portals. However, he first realized the need to build well-equipped warehouses to store agricultural products.

Currently, the duchy’s agriculture comfortably fed its population and even produced a surplus. This surplus could be sold to less fertile regions in the south or north, not only to generate profit but also to increase influence over those areas.

Neonidas had already invested in vineyards in the past and now awaited the returns on this investment. He still had a certain amount of gold coins left from Marquess Alexsaz and decided to keep it in his treasury for now.

After all, he was well aware of his numerous enemies, and in such a situation, having an empty treasury would be a significant weakness. When reviewing the monthly financial reports submitted to him, he noticed that his most profitable business was, not surprisingly, the brothels, which gave him a new idea: perhaps he could open a few legal gambling establishments.

What Neonidas cares about most in financial reports, however, was that the duchy was finally operating at a surplus. Yes, it was still drowning in debt, but the treasury was gradually recovering.

This shouldn’t be misunderstood—while the duchy wasn’t earning a fortune, a portion of its income was allocated to paying off debts. Neonidas personally only received 100 gold coins monthly, which was an incredibly bad amount. This meant an annual income of only 1,200 gold coins. Because of this poor figure, Neonidas was arguably the lowest earner among the twelve duchies. But at least he was now officially making money, despite a certain amount of money being paid on debts.

So why did the other dukes continue to see Neonidas as a threat? The answer was simple: the Oreoned Duchy showed immense promise for the future. It also had some of the most powerful allies in the empire and possessed the most fertile lands—a remarkable asset in itself. Adding to the intrigue, rumors about a mana stone mine on his lands were circulating.

But a more critical question loomed: why did Neonidas still have so many enemies? The answer to this wasn’t as straightforward. To begin with, until a few months ago, nearly every duchy had their eyes on the Oreoned Duchy’s lands. In particular, the “Alliance of the Seven Families” had already divided Neonidas’ lands among themselves and allocated interests.

Additionally, the influence of Neonidas’ father, the late Duke Leonardo, couldn’t be overlooked.

During Leonardo’s reign, no duke, not even the Emperor, dared oppose him because of the fear of his power. However, with Leonardo’s death, the Oreoned Duchy had lost its strength, and fear had been replaced with hatred.

Duchies that Duke Leonardo had once suppressed or humiliated now harbored deep resentment. The lion was dead, replaced by a mere kitten, and the hyenas’ mouths began to water.

This was why Neonidas had virtually no margin for error. He had to plan everything meticulously and think not just one step ahead, but five or even ten.

But if we are talking about the real world and not a fantasy novel, it was absolutely impossible for a human being to think and plan twenty steps ahead on more than one subject. Make no mistake—this wasn’t “nearly impossible”; it was outright impossible. The human brain had its limits, after all.

To overcome such a challenging situation, Neonidas needed a strong team. Thus, he decided to use the knowledge he remembered from the original novel to recruit more capable individuals to his side.

At that moment, a sound came from the corner of the room. Neonidas raised his gaze from his desk and told the steward to take a break. He then stood up and walked toward the source of the noise. Bending down, he pressed into a specific spot, revealing a small door. The compartment was roughly a meter long and forty centimeters wide.

Two little girls emerged from the hidden compartment, both with broad smiles on their faces. The younger one, four-year-old Erylia, ran straight into Neonidas’ arms, hugging him tightly. The older girl, Cirenna, stood behind her sister, silently watching with a hint of jealousy. Neonidas, noticing her hesitation, pulled her into his embrace as well, hugging them both warmly.

“Uncle Neo, we just found out you were back!” said six-year-old Cirenna, her excitement clear in her voice.

These two girls had once lived with an elderly vendor at the capital fair before Neonidas took them under his care. Since that day, he had never failed to show them affection. He had even read them bedtime stories a few times. Having grown up without parents and experiencing only limited love from an old man, the two girls quickly became deeply attached to Neonidas.

“Did anything happen while I was gone?” Neonidas asked, looking down at them.

The mansion had many secret tunnels, though their small size made them far from comfortable. Still, they were expertly designed for hiding or escaping.

These tunnels allowed access to every room in the mansion, making it possible to eavesdrop on conversations. Neonidas had shown these tunnels to the girls, intending to use them to maintain a complete awareness of what went on in his estate.

If his enemies had secretly planted spies within the mansion, it would have been incredibly difficult for Neonidas to discover them otherwise.

He could also use this system to learn what his staff talked about behind closed doors. However, he hadn’t brought the two girls into this situation as permanent helpers—it was more of a temporary task given to them. Of course, the girls saw it as a game and, finding it quite fun, enthusiastically decided to help Neonidas.

Cirenna grinned at Neonidas and said, “Uncle Neo, we noticed something strange a few days ago. One of the servants was acting weird.”

“There was a maid,” Cirenna continued. “She kept leaving the kitchen without saying anything to anyone. So Erylia and I followed her. We took a peek, and we caught that strange woman!”

Erylia, still hugging Neonidas with her small hands, chimed in excitedly, “Yes, Uncle! She tried to sneak out the back door without looking at us, but we hid right away. Then we caught her!”

Neonidas narrowed his eyes slightly, listening intently to their words. “A maid, you say… How did you catch her?”

Cirenna thought for a moment before answering, “It was so easy! She took a few steps and then went into your room. She started messing with something but ran off when she heard a noise!”

Neonidas’s eyes glinted dangerously, and a wide smile spread across his face. “Did you see her face? Could you recognize her now if you saw her again?”

The two girls exchanged glances and nodded eagerly. Cirenna, her tone still cheerful but now tinged with pride, added, “Yes, Uncle! We saw her face very clearly. She’s young, with short black hair and striking eyes. She looked really scared.”

Erylia, still clutching Neonidas tightly, added in a small voice, “And she had a minor wound on her arm, like she bumped into something. We noticed it right away!”

Neonidas gently patted their heads and kissed both of their cheeks. “Well done, both of you. I’ll reward you later. Your uncle is proud of you. But now,” he said, standing up, “come with me and show me this maid.”

The little girls nodded, and each took one of Neonidas’s hands, leading him out of the room. As Neonidas thought about what he would do to the spy, a savage smile spread across his face. If anyone else had witnessed this scene, they would have undoubtedly felt pity for the spy disguised as a maid, knowing the horrifying fate that awaited her.