Chapter 5

Section 2. Tricks are My Power! – Section 3

I could feel a burning passion from Haez, who spoke with determination.

Haez really was like a sunflower, looking only at me. She was the embodiment of 'devotion' in her special trait.

When there is devotion, the object of that devotion can receive everything, even to the point of being blind.

Life, or even heart.

Nothing was an exception.

'As soon as the estate survey is complete, I need to change Haez into clothes that suit her aptitude. A special trait like hers is not meant to be a mere maid.'

I wanted to find a position that matched her aptitude.

Although she was currently performing her duties as a maid perfectly, her potential was too great to keep her as just a maid.

In managing the estate, one talented person is more important than a single competent maid.

"Haez, when you bring the soybean meat, bring all the organized estate and vassal documents as well."

I asked Haez for an additional favor besides cooking.

As soon as the meal was over, I planned to delve into a thorough understanding of the internal information of the estate.

"Shall we start eating?"

Although it was a menu I didn't like, I lifted my fork with determination and scooped up as many vegetables and herbs as I could.

"Ugh, I hate the smell of cucumbers."

"Ha, there are eggplants too?"

"Carrots, this one is so bitter!"

"There are no murderers, only petty criminals. Oh, really! Do I have to eat like this to survive?"

I had made a firm resolution, but when it came to actually eating, it was nothing but vegetables and herbs I disliked.

"I really want to cry."

I almost sobbed as I forced the vegetables into my mouth and started chewing.

Then, a strange taste began to pour out with a pungent aroma.

It was still bearable while eating familiar vegetables and herbs.

But.

"Phew...! Wow, does this taste like I'm chewing on some rotten cheese that was thrown away?"

"This has a smell that you'd only get from armpits in the middle of summer..."

These peculiar plants, which only exist in the world of this story, had to be eaten to amplify the diet effect.

The taste was unbearable every time I ate them.

It was like chewing on a live larva that feeds on rotten tree bark.

A strange texture, as if I were chewing on a booger that had fallen out with my snot.

A nauseating feeling, as if I had mixed fermented soybean paste with spoiled milk and stuck my nose in it.

Even thinking that I was eating to survive, it was the worst taste that made my anger boil over.

"Phew!"

I couldn't hold it in and spat out everything in my mouth.

The taste was so bad that it was a relief I didn't vomit.

"No, I can't start like this. Again, I'll try to eat it again."

I slapped both cheeks hard and reaffirmed my resolve.

"Ugh. Ugh. Ugh."

For a long time,

the sound of my gagging echoed in the office.

* * *

"Wow, I lost weight again!"

As soon as I finished the meal, a system message appeared, and I lost weight.

It was worth the vegetarian diet.

The system had given me a clear reward in the form of weight loss.

Especially the Melin herbs and Aspa leaves, which tasted so bad that I cursed while eating them, were the top contributors to fat breakdown.

They say good medicine tastes bitter, and it was exactly like that.

Fortunately, the soybean meat that Haez prepared at the end of the meal was so delicious that the bad memory of the vegetarian diet was completely erased.

For a while, I plan to order Haez's special soybean meat stir-fry for every meal.

While savoring a cup of tea after the meal, Haez entered the office.

Her hands were full of file folders.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm small, and my hands are small..."

As she said, Haez was petite. Her hands were as small and delicate as a child's.

Well, not everything was small, but still!

"Give them to me. Just give them to me."

I casually took the files from her.

However, Haez looked startled.

"Lord! I'm sorry! I should be the one to do the work..."

"Why? If your hands are short, I can help. Don't worry about it."

"Well, the previous lord always..."

Haez trailed off.

I immediately understood what she meant because it was something I had done to her.

In the past, I was a spoiled brat who would fly into a rage over the slightest inconvenience, even if it was just a matter of moving a finger.

But that was the old me, not the current me. I will never do that again.

"You must have had a hard time. I'm sorry, Haez. I promise that won't happen again. If I did anything wrong to you in the past, I apologize again here."

I bowed my head sincerely to apologize to her. It wasn't just empty words.

It was an expression of gratitude to her, who had always been devoted and never complained, even when I was a spoiled brat.

"Lord... sniff. I'm sorry. I'm crying because I'm so moved."

"Many things will change from now on. You will have a lot of responsibilities, so always stay alert."

"Yes, Lord! Please call on me anytime!"

Haez was full of energy.

Seeing her overflowing with energy, I thought I could push her hard for a while.

Since I needed to understand the situation of the estate, I thought she would be a good assistant.

* * *

A few hours later.

Creak, creak.

"Damn, really."

I got up from my chair, where I had been reading documents, in a bad mood.

The chair was tight around my buttocks because of the weight I had gained.

So I sat on the floor and continued to read the documents.

These documents were a concise summary of information about the estate, which I had asked Haez to bring.

The more I read, the sterner my expression became.

And when I finally confirmed the location of the estate on the map,

"This estate, I remember it now. I think I'm in a lot of trouble. Sigh."

A sigh of despair escaped me.

The place where I am the lord, the Crevia Estate.

This is an F-class estate, one of the worst in the classification.

To give an easy analogy, it can be described with the following words:

Cold, barren, despair, monsters, poverty, plunder, attack, escape, nightmare.

Do you see any positive words?

If you don't, you've seen it correctly.

The Crevia Estate is located at the northernmost tip of the Nas continent.

Half the year is winter, and the other half is barely warm enough to avoid the cold, making it a barren estate.

Farming? Of course not.

Seeds freeze as soon as they are planted, and even if they sprout, they die quickly due to pests.

Therefore, the main source of income for the estate is not agricultural or commercial activities but external economic activities.

The list is as follows:

First, collecting taxes and tolls from monster hunters who come to the 'Nightmare Forest' in the northeast of the Crevia Estate to catch monsters.

Second, receiving taxes and a portion of the profits from the estate's own trading company.

This was the entire income of the estate.

I looked at the sky outside the window and said resentfully,

'Oh God, did you reincarnate me to die twice?'

The sky of the cursed estate was cloudy and eerie.

It's said that there are only a few days in a year when the sun shines properly.

'If time goes on like this, I'm 100% dead. No, I might die twice. I'll die of natural causes, and the estate citizens will revolt and dismember my body!'

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Unable to contain my anger, I pounded the floor with my fists.

From my body to the estate,

there was nothing I liked.

'No, no. Thinking about it, there was some trick related to a peripheral estate like Crevia.'

At first, I couldn't remember it well, but as I thought about it, a few memories came back.

There is a trick that can be used in a different form for an estate like Crevia, located at the northernmost tip of the continent, even though it is barren.

For example, a subterranean resource event, where you preemptively acquire special minerals that others haven't discovered!

Then, the minerals can be sold at a high price, making a huge profit.

However,

'Damn level, the level is the problem. At level 1, I can't even start such a trick.'

I sighed.

There are many tricks I remember, and many good things for the estate!

But I can't use them in my current state.

I need to level up, and for that, dungeon exploration is essential.

However, except for magic and wisdom, my stats were at the lowest level.

To put it in a historical strategy simulation game, my stats were so bad that I would be forgotten and left in a corner of the map.

'Really, it's a perfectly extra position.'

I laughed bitterly.

I've always thought that I am the main character of my life, but in the world of this story, I am a perfect extra.

It's fortunate that I have a name, 'Jared,' instead of a number like 'Extra 69.'

'Let's set a broad plan. There's no time to complain. If I don't adapt to this world quickly, I'll be eliminated.'

In my previous life, I died from overwork in a meaningless way, being used up like a company's expendable resource.

I don't want to meet such a ridiculous death in this life either.

I don't want to be consumed and disappear as one of the many extras in this world.

I don't want to be captured as a prisoner by another region's lord, who would laugh and order my execution in a humiliating way!

'First, I need to solve the extreme obesity. A lord with a charm of 0 is the worst. No one will want to work under me.'

I thought, looking at the warning message in the stat window.

To remove the charm 0 curse, I need to resolve the extreme obesity.

In my current state, anyone would frown, and I would be completely unappealing both personally and sexually.

I can't be treated like a human. I can't allow that.

'First, solving extreme obesity is the top priority. I'm already using the acupuncture trick for weight loss, so I'll definitely add exercise to it.'

Goal one, weight loss.

It's the biggest challenge I must solve now.

'If I can't solve this problem, I'm trash. Perfectly trash!'

I whipped myself with a strong rebuke.

'Second, I need to get stronger by actively using the bug list and tricks I know. The diet and mind's eye trick are just the beginning. I won't hesitate to use any means to get stronger!'

Goal two, stat growth.

I need to grow my stats, which are almost at the bottom, to at least a decent level.

If the lord, who is supposed to command, is found to be weak, rebellions often occur in small estates in the regions.

In this world, I heard about rebellions and coups in small regional estates almost every day.

Each time, I would click my tongue at the rapid changes in the names of the lords.

I wondered how badly they managed their estates to lose their lives so easily to their subordinates.

But now, I'm in no position to criticize others.

I'm in a situation where that could easily happen to me.

'Third, I need many talents to support me. In the current state of the estate... if a war breaks out, the butler will have to go out and command.'

Goal three, talent recruitment.

The talent pool of the current estate is as desolate as the barren estate.

Due to the 'him' who mismanaged the estate before my awakening, there are no competent talents around.

I need to recruit talents regardless of whether they are F-class or S-class.

Even if they are not fully developed, I can nurture them.

In fact, I have a lot of experience in recruiting and nurturing hidden gem NPC talents in this world.

I have the most satisfying memory of growing a talent that others called F-class to A-class.

Growing a person is a complex and difficult process.

But I have various verified methods and routes from this world, so I can definitely achieve this.

'Fourth, once I complete the talent recruitment, I'll focus on strengthening the estate. The so-called national strengthening project!'

Goal four, estate growth.

Actually, this is the most challenging part right now.

Climate, population, location.

Transforming an estate with all these disadvantages is a very difficult challenge.

Of course, there are tricks, but they are not possible at my current level.

'If I steadily follow these four major steps, I should be able to withstand the demon attack at least by the time the main story starts in ten years. Then, the protagonist will take care of the rest, right? After all, he's the protagonist.'

I concluded my thoughts this way.

I can't be overly confident like I'm the protagonist because the situation is so bad that I need to worry about immediate survival.

Some might criticize me for leaving all the hard work to the protagonist and thinking comfortably.

But this is the best plan for now.

Because I am thoroughly an extra in this world.

'Good. Let's start! Jared, you need to be reborn first! That's the priority!'

That's how my ambitious plan to adapt to this life began.