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An ideal spring dawned upon the farm and the Cardis territory.
The lingering chill dissipated, and the woods and fields were enveloped in a warm and inviting ambiance.
The territory’s inhabitants, who had huddled together throughout winter, now eagerly resumed their activities in earnest.
They tackled the tasks they couldn’t complete during winter, one by one, readying themselves for a new beginning.
Raccoon grandpa, in particular, had been concerned about the honey shortage for the honey beer over the winter months. But now, the bees buzzed about and worked diligently, much to the grandpa’s delight.
As the territory bustled with life,
The residents’ faces lit up with anticipation.
The cause of their excitement was the imminent completion of the new lord’s mansion in the Cardis territory.
Construction of the lord’s mansion had begun long ago and made significant progress before winter’s onset, only to face challenges due to the harsh weather.
The construction supervisor and workers had endeavored to press on under these trying conditions, fueled by their passion for seeing the project completed.
I, however, argued that the workers’ safety was paramount, and persuaded them to slow down.
Consequently, progress on the mansion’s construction lagged for a time.
After the long winter had passed, the weather grew warmer, and construction work resumed. The supervisor and workers labored with renewed vigor, determined to compensate for lost time during winter.
And at last!
The long-awaited day of the lord’s mansion completion ceremony finally arrived, bringing joy and celebration to the people of Cardis estate.
“Papa, come on, let’s go!”
Speranza, wearing a lovely beige dress, tugged on my hand. I could feel her excitement through our joined hands, and a swishing fox tail.
I laughed and attempted to soothe Speranza.
“Let’s take it slow, dear. If your new dress gets dirty, what will you do? You told me you really liked it.”
“But I wanna see it quickly.”
“I’ll let you explore as much as you want once we’re there. Can we just walk a bit slower, alright?”
I gently patted her head and tried to calm her down. Luckily, Speranza’s excitement settled rather quickly.
However, I could still see her fidgeting with every step, clearly looking forward to the lord’s mansion.
Seeing her like this, Lia chuckled softly.
“Speranza seems super excited about it.”
“Yeah, she is. She asked me multiple times during winter when it’d be finished. When she found out the work was almost done, she got really pumped…”
“Are you excited too, Sihyeon?”
“Well, I can’t say I’m not excited… That’d be lying.”
Honestly, when I first heard about building a mansion, I was a bit doubtful.
Even though it’d be my mansion, I planned to live on the farm in the future because of the farm work.
And, I wasn’t too interested in fancy mansions for nobles.
Instead, I suggested using the budget and manpower for building necessary facilities in the territory, which caused immediate disagreement and was disregarded.
“My lord! It’s ridiculous not to have a place for you to stay in the territory.”
“But the budget and manpower are important…”
“The Barbatos and Schnarpe families have agreed to fully support the budget and manpower.”
“If there’s any shortage in the mansion construction, not only me but all the residents of the territory will help, so you don’t need to worry at all.”
Lagos, who usually didn’t challenge what I said, stood firm on this issue.
So, the construction of the lord’s mansion began.
At first, I thought it was unnecessary, but I couldn’t help getting excited as the completion ceremony drew near.
That’s why I dressed up nicely for the event.
Hand-in-hand with Speranza and walking alongside Lia, I could see the lord’s mansion in the distance. Many locals had already gathered to await the completion ceremony.
“Welcome, Sihyeon.”
“Hi there, Senior.”
Andras and Alfred, who had arrived earlier, came over to us.
A bunch of familiar demon faces trailed behind the pair. These were the supervisors who had played a big part in building the lord’s mansion.
“Greetings, my lord.”
“Greetings, my lord.”
“Hello, you’ve worked really hard.”
“Hehe, it’s no big deal. Thanks to your support, the construction went smoothly.”
“We did our best. I hope it’s to your liking.”
Many people contributed to building the lord’s mansion. I wanted to thank everyone personally, but given the situation, I expressed my gratitude personally to the supervisors instead.
As I finished exchanging greetings with the supervisors, Lagos and Locus joined us, both dressed nicely and with care.
On the other side, Captain Reville and Kroc managed the crowd. They were so busy that I could only exchange quick glances with the two.
The completion ceremony was kept simple.
Initially, Lagos explained the purpose and process behind building the lord’s mansion and described it with grand words, calling it the new focal point of the Cardis territory.
Although it felt a bit awkward to me, the residents listening seemed thrilled.
I also read a brief commemorative speech I had prepared the night before.
Some older residents shed tears, which made me feel both embarrassed and moved.
After the completion ceremony, which was grander than expected, was over, two guards opened the mansion’s main gates.
“Please enter, my lord.”
Following the construction supervisor’s lead, my companions and I walked through the gates.
The residents who had been watching cheered sincerely.
“Wow!”
“Amazing!”
I grinned awkwardly at the cheering crowd and headed inside the gates. Speranza, holding my hand, and the others followed suit.
The path from the gate to the mansion was neatly paved with white bricks.
It was wide enough for a large carriage to pass.
Beautifully arranged blue grass and landscaping materials lined the path.
Among them, the most eye-catching feature was…
“Is that… a statue…?”
“Ah! You’ve noticed it.”
The construction supervisor, wearing an excited expression, looked at the statue and replied.
“It’s a statue made to look like you!”
“We got a very famous sculptor in the Demon world to make it. It was quite a challenge. Do you like it?”
“Uh…?”
I never expected to see a statue of myself in my lifetime…
One hand stretches out, and the other hand supports the back. A serious gaze staring far away. An overall atmosphere of dignity.
Looking at the slightly chubby and curiously handsome statue made them feel a bit odd.
“Hehehe…”
“Wow! Sihyeon, it’s really cool, huh.”
The farm members, who knew me well, struggled to hold back laughter.
“Wow! Papa, you look amazing.”
“It’s truly impressive. The lord’s dignity is vividly captured in the statue.”
Speranza and Lagos sincerely admired it. Thanks to that, the construction supervisor’s expression grew even more proud.
Andras patted my shoulder, offering comforting words as I tried to figure out how to react.
“At least Mr. Kaneff isn’t here.”
“…That’s true.”
If that mischievous boss had been here, how much more would he have teased me…? Ugh! Just thinking about it made me shudder.
Despite the shocking statue that caught my attention, I tried to push it out of my mind and approached the mansion’s entrance.
The construction supervisor stepped forward and swung open the doors, revealing the mansion’s interior beyond.
“Wow…”
As soon as we walked in, a vast expanse opened up before us. The carefully arranged lighting and sense of space created an impressive atmosphere.
Although I had requested a less ostentatious and extravagant setting, the mansion still managed to exude a sense of refined elegance.
The construction supervisor observed our reactions and smiled contentedly.
“Allow me to show you the rooms on the first floor. Please follow me.”
We followed the supervisor and toured each room on the ground floor one by one.
The first floor boasted a reception area for entertaining guests, a temporary bedroom, a spacious dining hall, and a well-equipped kitchen.
The amenities were excellent, comparable to those of the farm. Even Lia, who had a keen eye for these things, nodded in approval.
The highlight of the first floor, however, was the offices designated for Lagos and Locus.
The administrative and financial officers, who had previously worked without separate workspaces, were now each given their own offices in the new mansion.
“This is the office of Lagos, our administrative officer.”
As the supervisor opened the door, a tranquil office ambiance greeted us.
While it wasn’t a particularly spacious office, all necessary supplies and furniture were tastefully arranged. The office equipment and chairs I had personally brought from Earth were no less impressive than modern office desks.
I spoke to Lagos, who seemed speechless.
“Are you pleased with it, Lagos?”
“Can I really… work in a place like this…?”
“What are you talking about? You deserve nothing less. I always felt sorry for you when I saw your desk piled high with documents.”
“My lord…”
Lagos’s eyes brimmed with emotion as he gazed at the nameplate on his desk. His name and title as an administrative officer were elegantly engraved upon it.
It seemed Lagos couldn’t believe this was his office, and he gently touched the nameplate several times.
The office of Locus, which we visited next, was similarly well-decorated.
“Hmm… Not bad.”
Locus tried to maintain his composure, but the corners of his mouth kept curling up, revealing his delight at the office.
I felt proud to have been able to properly reward the two individuals who had worked so tirelessly for the estate.