Became the Owner of a Poor Estate
Chapter 11
It was still a staggering number, but compared to the beginning, she had raised her score by nearly 20,000 points.
“This might actually be doable.”
-Hidden Points of 1,000p have been awarded to the user for successfully raising Favorability by more than 10,000 points within 24 hours. Would you like to open the Hidden Shop?
“Yes. Open it.”
Donghee’s heart throbbed at the unexpected windfall of points.
Since she had obtained the lace gloves that strengthened her punches for only 60 points, her imagination ran wild—and her lips curled into a grin—at the thought of what 1,000 points could buy.
-These are the items and stats available for purchase with your remaining points. Would you like to check them now?
Donghee nodded quickly.
-List of products available for 1,000 points. Please select a sorting method.
▶ Price: Low to High
▶ Price: High to Low
▶ Newest Arrivals
▶ Best Sellers (Cumulative)
“What is this? Why is the sorting system exactly like an online shopping mall?”
Though dazed, Donghee habitually selected ‘Price: Low to High.’
She had never been the type to click on things like popularity, new arrivals, or best sellers, so there was no need to agonize over the choice. Habit was a terrifying thing.
- Attention-Grabbing Whistle / Can draw the attention of at least 200 people at once. -(60p)
sold out
- Thermal Cloak / Helps maintain body temperature in extreme cold. (Based on 1 person. Effect halved when used by 2 people.) (-60p)
.
.
Inventory Expansion Pack / Level 3 Storage. Base Capacity (0/200) (-200p)
Inventory Expansion Pack / Level 4 Storage. Base Capacity (0/400) (-400p)
Inventory Expansion Pack / Level 7 Storage. Base Capacity (0/800) (-800p)
.
.
Terrain Information / Level 1: Grace Territory Terrain Characteristics / (-300p)
Resource Information / Level 1: Grace Territory Underground Resources / (-400p)
Weather Information / Level 1: Weather Forecast near Grace Territory, within 24 hours / (-1000p)
Items she had already purchased were struck through and marked as sold.
“Jackpot!”
A long list of items followed, incomparable to things like lace gloves that just made her punches stronger.
There were a total of 30 items available for up to 1,000 points, and among them, what caught Donghee’s eye the most were the Inventory Expansion Packs and the information-related items.
“Let’s see. First! I’ll upgrade the Inventory to Level 4, and with the remaining points… Terrain Characteristics? Underground Resources? What should I buy?”
After agonizing for a long while, Donghee decided to purchase Terrain Information Level 1.
If she chose Resource Information and it turned out the Grace Territory had no resources at all, she would just be throwing points away.
[Status Window]
-User Name: Chloe Grace
-Occupation: Part-timer / Lord of the Grace Territory
-Abilities: 0.5 / Power-up Punch (When wearing gloves), Acquired Grace Terrain Information Level 1.
-Inventory Level 4 / Storage Base Capacity (0/400)
-Activity Radius: 2 / Basement Studio, Convenience Store.
-Traits: 0.01 / Dirt-poor territory. ★Tends to be obsessed with Chocolate Rolls.
-Resident Favorability: -171,010
-mp: 70 / 86,400
Her Inventory Level had risen to 4, and a new entry had been added to her abilities. The resident favorability had also increased significantly, and her traits, which had been at 0, rose slightly to 0.01.
She wasn’t sure what 0.01 meant, but the fact that it had gone up at all was what mattered.
“But what on earth is MP?”
The blue status window flickered faintly at her question, but Donghee, lost in thought, didn’t notice.
MP, an item she didn’t understand, had increased by 10 since last time.
She searched the status window further to see if there was any hidden information, but found nothing.
As Donghee stared at the status window with a serious expression, the text filling the blue screen flickered with static and vanished, replaced by a bold, flashing font.
-Revive the impoverished territory! Special Quest!
Please transform Morta Village into a livable place.
“I don’t think that’s something I can do.”
Donghee wore a worried expression as she recalled the desolate state of the village.
-No need to worry! If you change things one by one, you can revive the village as much as you want.
We believe in Lord Chloe Grace’s abilities! Tee-hee!
From that day on, Donghee didn’t miss a single day of transporting bread from the Convenience Store and food prepared in the castle to Morta Village.
The people now craned their necks waiting for the carriage from Grace Castle, and having regained their vitality, they began to repair the village themselves.
Then, on the morning that marked exactly one week.
-The current favorability of the Morta Village residents is 2.
Since you have successfully completed the special quest, we will designate one location of your choice as an activated area.
Finally, she could include the jewelry store in her activated areas.
“Is there a merchant in Grace who deals in jewels?”
Inside the carriage returning to the fief, Donghee woke the dozing Thelma and asked.
“Are you going to buy jewelry?”
Thelma’s voice instantly shifted to one of horror. Her tone suggested it wouldn’t be strange if she smacked Donghee on the back of the head right then and there for still being out of her mind.
The woman who had been moved to tears just a week ago was nowhere to be found.
“No. I’m going to sell.”
“The necklaces? You only have three left!”
Thelma’s voice and expression shifted back to pity.
Assuming that Chloe had decided to sell her few remaining jewels after seeing the plight of the residents herself, Thelma felt a lump in her throat and her nose began to tingle with sympathy.
Donghee let out a chuckle at Thelma’s tone, which changed as busily as a chameleon.
“I have other things to sell besides those. Call someone who can buy a lot at once.”
“Do you have hidden jewels or something?”
This time, her expression was suspicious. The way she narrowed her eyes and scrutinized Donghee was worthy of a detective.
“I’ll tell you the details later. If we contact them now, when would they arrive at Grace Castle?”
Since transportation was poorly developed here, she asked, assuming it wouldn’t be immediately.
Perhaps sensing the urgency in Donghee’s voice, Thelma dropped her curious gaze and answered with a serious expression.
“Well… I think Scrooge the butler would know better.”
“Scrooge? That stingy old man?”
At the mention of another familiar name following Patrasche, Donghee’s voice spiked sharply.
Scrooge was a character Donghee had never named. Her eyes narrowed as she pondered.
Thelma had been given a name and provided a reward, but this other character had popped up as if he had always had that name.
‘Why?’
Wondering if there was a special reason hidden behind it, she looked closely at Thelma.
Suddenly, Thelma squeezed her eyes shut and whispered, “Shh, shh!”
“No matter how much you may dislike me, to call a man a miser to his face…”
It was the butler, who had been dozing beside Thelma, speaking with a heavy sigh.
Donghee’s mind raced.
Come to think of it, she had never asked what the butler’s name was.
‘So that man was Scrooge.’
A small frame, eyes that looked fastidious, a bald crown contrasting with a thick beard, a slightly hooked nose, and lips set in a permanent pout of dissatisfaction.
Perhaps it was because she had heard the name, but his face looked remarkably like the stingy old man she had seen in fairy tale books as a child.
While Donghee was marveling at how perfectly his appearance synchronized with his name, the butler let out another deep, resigned sigh.
“Sorry. Butler, could you contact a jeweler for me?”
Even if she hadn’t known, she felt bad for badmouthing him right in front of him.
Donghee smiled awkwardly and asked cautiously.
Scrooge frowned as if displeased but eventually nodded reluctantly.
“Surely, you aren’t planning to sell the late Madam’s keepsakes, are you?”
At Scrooge’s comment, Thelma, who had been watching silently, gasped and covered her mouth in shock. Facing the two pairs of eyes filled with distrust and horror, Donghee answered with a sigh.
“No.”
I’d have to know where those keepsakes are to sell them.
Of course, she didn’t say that last part out loud.
“Is that the truth?”
“Indeed. If you are selling the Madam’s keepsakes, we must stop you by any means necessary.”
“Of course. Let’s join forces.”
“Naturally. The Lord will understand.”
Despite Donghee’s firm answer, their anxiety didn’t seem to fade. Thelma and Scrooge whispered to each other for a long time, watching her closely as if trying to peer into Chloe’s heart.
“I can hear everything.”
Why were they pretending to whisper when they were talking so loudly?
Donghee chuckled as she watched the two of them flinch and feign innocence. She felt a nagging worry that she might actually grow fond of them.
‘Get it together. They’re not even real people.’
Regardless of the two, Donghee was itching to get back to the castle so she could visit the newly activated jewelry store.
As soon as the carriage came to a halt, Donghee dashed toward her room.
Seeing Chloe hike up the hem of her long, fluttering dress with both hands and sprint up the stairs, Thelma made a fuss as if the world were ending.
“My Looooord!”
Leaving Thelma’s long cry echoing behind her, Donghee reached her room. She immediately bolted the door and shouted at the top of her lungs.
“I’m going to sleep now! Nobody come in!”
She was out of breath just from that short run.
Donghee sat on the edge of the bed, panting, then took a slow, deep breath before calling for the status window. Her voice was more solemn and serious than ever before.
“Status window.”
Ding!
As if it had been waiting for her call, the blue status window floated up instantly. Today, even the notification sound of the status window sounded as refined as if it were plated in gold.
