Chapter 32: Preparing the inn. And the second winter comes
Friedrich, who was looking for a candidate location for an inn, found a dilapidated house just right for rebuilding along the roadside.
“Liddellina, I found some documents in the library, and it seems that there were two inns along this region’s roadside in the past.”
He is diligent in his studies and often stays in the library after work. He is desperately trying to remember something he has forgotten.
“Oh, so that’s it.”
“Probably there were times when it was more prosperous than now. It completely declined in the war, but I’m going to buy and rebuild this dilapidated house from now on.”
Friedrich is full of enthusiasm.
“Well then, let me help you with something.”
“Liddellina, you should stop. I heard that you were suffering from carriage sickness on the way here.”
It seems he heard from the servants. He speaks worriedly.
“Yes, that’s true…”
That was tough. The road was desolate and bumpy. If she feels sick along the way, she’ll trouble everyone and cause inconvenience. Liddellina gave up this time.
“If we’re going to build an inn, we have to fix the road as well.”
“It will be a big construction project.”
She’s looking forward to the inn being built.
“Yes. Let’s hurry and fix the road so you can go with peace of mind. First, we have to gather people. Let’s try to get the inn open for business next summer as soon as possible, and in the meantime, let’s proceed as much as we can. Then we’ll decide on the interior together, making it easy for female customers to use as well.”
Liddellina was happy to hear Friedrich’s words.
After that, he energetically went to the construction work with his able soldiers, while Liddellina took charge of the castle’s affairs.
◇
Today was the first time in five days that her husband returned to the castle.
Recently, Friedrich has been out a lot for road maintenance and inn renovations. The two of them had dinner together for the first time in a long while.
Before she knew it, she had gotten used to being with him and felt incomplete when he wasn’t there.
“Liddellina, I went around the distant silver mine this time.”
The silver mine’s mining plan had been stalled due to the overlapping wars with neighboring countries. Currently, only those in the vicinity of the capital are being mined.
“Well, do you plan to dig it up?”
“There is a sufficient amount of buried silver. Liddellina, the silverware in our house was made of silver mined in this territory.”
“Oh, was that so?”
“Yes, I found some documents from that time, so I’m thinking of producing silverware again.”
Friedrich speaks lively. He must have managed the territory during the intervals of war for the past few years, and he is ready to roll up his sleeves from now on.
Liddellina listened to his territory development plan with a smile.
She hopes this peaceful time will continue forever, she thinks without realizing it.
***
While the two of them were busy, the season passed in a flash and a long winter began.
Fortunately, this year they had enough firewood and, with the war over and bonuses paid, their budget was much more abundant than last year, so they didn’t have much trouble preparing for winter.
Even though there were instructions from Friedrich, they were able to divide up the work she did alone last year.
Sometimes she just had to answer Friedrich’s questions that he couldn’t remember, and Howard would follow up on everything else. There wasn’t anything that particularly burdened Liddellina.
In fact, in the afternoon she even had the leisure to drink tea and chat with Dorothy while embroidering.
Liddellina was able to relax and spend the winter in the castle without going to the annex. And, as last year, she enjoyed the castle’s large bathhouse.
There is a separate bathhouse for the castle’s servants. As the number of female servants in the castle increased, Liddellina and Dorothy improved and arranged the facilities together, which was popular among the women.
After that, Liddellina was able to make a small inn that could be stayed at before winter in the hot spring by the river that she had set her eyes on. As a result, the number of female guests increased, and the territory’s residents came in the winter season, and the reputation was excellent.
This was all thanks to Friedrich’s generous investment. If it had been just Liddellina, it would have taken more time and hit a wall somewhere.
If the improvement of the roadside and the creation of the inn proceed, tourists can also be expected. Tourists who come from the capital for the hot springs may increase.
Although Friedrich has lost his past memories, he has not caused any problems in the territory management. On the contrary, he is reliable. He was originally suitable for it.
Looking at his physique, he is much larger than standard and has rough hands. He’s a warrior afterall, but when she sees his emotional self after losing his memories, she almost forgot who he was a year ago.
Although he was once a person who was so scary and hard to approach, now and then the two of them played games in the recreation room and talked about the future of the territory.
He laughed a lot, listened to people’s stories, and didn’t reject Liddellina. Most of all, he was kind. She hopes this is his true self.
Something must have happened that made him become a cold person like ice.
(Which is his true nature…?)
Liddellina wishes he would stay this way, but for him, not having memories must be unsettling and anxiety-provoking.
Liddellina put that problem aside and decided to enjoy this life, which might end at any time.
