Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 11: Growing Up

Chapter 11: Growing Up

Three years had passed since I used my money to save Liese, and now, the stage for the otome game was about to begin.

During those three years, I had been fully immersed in managing the Egrid territory.

To put it bluntly, the Egrid domain was in terrible shape. Arnaud’s earlier advice to impose heavy taxes had been to deter shady characters like corrupt merchants and thugs—the kind of people often labeled as criminals.

The idea was simple: scoundrels wouldn’t approach a lord as ruthless and unyielding as me.

But when I reincarnated and lowered the taxes, things started to change. Some good changes, yes, but also plenty of bad ones.

On the positive side, merchants were drawn to the Egrid territory, seeing the lower taxes as an opportunity to do business. That was a welcome development.

However, with merchants came trouble. Thieves started targeting the merchants, and even worse, some unscrupulous individuals posed as merchants to exploit the situation. Sorting out the good from the bad became a challenge.

Then there were the people already living in the territory. Lower taxes helped those struggling to get by, but it didn’t solve the problem for those without jobs.

To address that, I granted rights to cultivate and lease farmland, creating more work opportunities. This helped, but it also attracted bandits to these newly developed areas.

Distinguishing between good and bad people was an exhausting ordeal that I’ll spare the details of, but suffice it to say, the headaches piled up endlessly.

When you try to manage a territory seriously, the responsibilities are endless. With Arnaud and Faina providing their support and helping secure the necessary personnel, three years passed in the blink of an eye.

“Lord Cerios, Captain Kanon of the Knights has arrived.”

“Ah, let her in.”

“Excuse me. Lord Cerios, Knight Commander Kanon reporting.”

“Thanks for coming, Kanon. The recent efforts in maintaining order have been going very well. Is there anything troubling you, or any rewards or supplies you need?”

“Is that okay?”

Her name was Kanon, a tall, mature beauty. Though younger than Maria, she had a composed and calm demeanor.

Originally a mercenary, I scouted her and made her the captain of the Egrid family’s knight order. Her skill in combat was a major factor, but honestly, her being a woman also influenced my decision.

Previously, the territory didn’t have a formal knight order—only a poorly managed militia. The group consisted entirely of men, most of whom spent their time idling around. Requests to deal with bandits often ended in failure.

Some even had the audacity to make advances on Liese, who was becoming more beautiful by the day, or Maria, who was already stunning. I disbanded the militia and reorganized it under Kanon’s leadership.

People outside the territory jokingly called it my “harem knight order,” but I hadn’t laid a hand on anyone. Not a single one.

“Then, I’d like to request new weapons and uniforms for the knights.”

“All right. Arnaud, ensure they receive new weapons, armor, uniforms, and improvements to their living conditions. And finally, give each of them a bonus.”

“Understood.”

“That’s too much! You don’t have to go that far!”

“You’ve all done excellent work.”

In truth, many of the knights Kanon recruited were women. But they were skilled and diligent in their work, far more capable than their predecessors.

Even with bonuses, the expense was worthwhile. It was a far better use of money than the wasteful spending of the past.

“Thank you so much! I’m truly grateful to serve you, Lord Cerios.”

“No, I’m the one who’s grateful. Bandits are like cockroaches—they keep coming back. As a lord, I can’t allow that.”

At first, I thought about showing some mercy, believing they were just people like anyone else. But that didn’t work. If I had to choose, I’d rather protect the citizens than spare the lives of bandits.

I couldn’t count how many times bandits had harmed the people of this territory.

“Lord Cerios, considering your recent progress, would you join us on the field for some practical experience?”

“Ah, that sounds like a good idea.”

In this world, beyond bandits, there were also monsters and demons. Over the past three years, in addition to managing the territory, I had thrown myself into intense training, both in the practice grounds and in real combat.

Now, this wasn’t the body of a lazy, villainous noble anymore—it was the body of a man who had honed himself through relentless effort.

“I’m planning a large-scale operation to eradicate the bandits. Once that’s completed, I intend to enroll at the academy. I’ll need your help with the preparations for that, Kanon, so please be ready.”

“Understood.”

After Kanon left the study, I returned to my work with Arnaud.

“Lord Cerios, you’ve truly grown into an admirable leader.”

“Have I?”

“Yes. And it’s all thanks to Miss Liese and Miss Maria, isn’t it?”

I couldn’t exactly say it was because I had been reincarnated, so I let it stand that finding those two had changed me.

However, the fact remained that the heavy taxes I had imposed before had driven Liese and her mother to the brink of death. That truth hadn’t changed.

One day, if Liese realized this and bore resentment, the path to my condemnation might still be open.

That’s why I’ve resolved to support her, no matter who she chooses to be with, once the otome game storyline starts at the academy.

It might be underhanded, but with Maria by my side, I doubt Liese would turn against me outright.

“Lord Cerios.”

“Hm?”

“You haven’t… made any advances on MIss Liese or Miss Maria, have you?”

“Wha?!”

“Isn’t that why they’re here? Miss Maria is healthy now, and undeniably a beautiful woman. And in these three years, her daughter Miss Liese has grown into a wonderful young lady. Forgive me for saying so, but when they were first brought here, they were in a pitiful state. Now, however, I have no doubts about your foresight in taking them in.”

It seemed Arnaud wanted me to experience romance in some form.

For nobles, the issue of an heir is always significant. Even if I were to be condemned, having a child to inherit the family name would ensure the house’s continuity, especially with people like Arnaud around to support it.

“I’ve been giving it some thought.”

However, if I were to make any advances on Liese before the otome game begins and that led to my condemnation, it would be a disaster.

I’ve worked hard to get things to this point using the power of money—there’s no way I’m going to risk it all now.