Chapter 15 - Finding a Place to Settle

Finding a Place to Call Home

In the days that followed, while adjusting to life in the castle, Wei Wei also began considering where she could settle down permanently.

From her two maids, she learned that there were three towns within Sardinson County. The nearest one was a two-hour carriage ride away, while the farthest required a full day's journey.

Among her two personal maids, Qin was from the closest town—Dingle Town.

According to Qin, Dingle had a population of around 5,000, making it the most populated settlement in all of Sardinson County.

As a border county with a mountainous barrier separating it from the neighboring country, Sardinson was neither prosperous nor wealthy—it was the very definition of a standard earldom.

The county spanned 86,000 acres, with approximately 10,000 households and a total population of around 35,000 people. Aside from the ruling Earl, Felix Williams, Sardinson had ten barons, and beneath them, 120 knights with fiefdoms of their own.

In such a sparsely populated region, a town with 5,000 residents was already considered large.

After hearing Qin's description, Wei Wei thought Dingle might be a good place to buy a house.

However, as an outsider, Wei Wei first needed to secure the right to reside in Sardinson.

And the fastest and most convenient way to do so was to obtain permission from the local lord—Earl Felix Williams.

Yet, since her arrival at the castle, Wei Wei hadn't seen Felix at all aside from their initial meetings. The maids informed her that the Earl had been out on a tour of his lands, attending to his duties.

With no other choice, she approached Steward Barton to ask whether she could purchase a house or land in the county.

The steward was delighted when he heard she wanted to settle in Sardinson.

"That won't be a problem at all, Miss Wei Wei." He assured her, "Everything in Sardinson is under the Earl's authority. As long as he agrees, you can immediately become a resident."

Noble privileges were no joke—a lord had absolute control over his lands. Since Wei Wei was not a serf or a slave tied to another noble's domain, but rather a noblewoman from a foreign land, she could be granted residency with Felix's approval.

Western governance was far less strict than its Eastern counterpart when it came to household registration. Aside from serfs and slaves, who were bound to their lords' lands, free citizens could move as they pleased, and most lords welcomed new settlers—after all, an extra resident meant extra tax revenue.

That said, most free citizens rarely moved away from their hometowns. They owned land and homes that couldn't be taken with them, and traveling without security was extremely dangerous.

"Don't worry, my lady," Barton smiled knowingly, "I believe the young master would be more than happy for you to stay."

In truth, it wasn't just the Earl—everyone in the castle wanted Wei Wei to stay.

Thanks to her, the castle's kitchen had been producing increasingly delicious meals. While the servants' food still wasn't as lavish as the nobles', the new cooking methods Bob had learned greatly improved their meals. Even the coarse black bread made from bran-heavy flour had been transformed into delicious noodles, and other dishes had become far more flavorful.

Beyond just good food, Wei Wei was unlike any noblewoman they had ever met—kind, easygoing, and approachable. Everyone in the castle adored her.

Even the usually shy Dolores had taken a liking to her, often inviting her for strolls in the garden after meals.

Hearing Barton's words, Wei Wei felt reassured.

She then shared her plan to visit Dingle Town with the steward.

Having received Felix's prior orders to accommodate all of Wei Wei's reasonable requests, Barton immediately arranged a carriage for her, letting her know she was free to leave whenever she wished.

Early the next morning, Wei Wei set off for Dingle.

Her travel party included her two maids, a coachman, and a knight attendant, the latter personally assigned by Barton for protection.

Inside the carriage, Wei Wei sat stiffly in her new tailored gown, wrapped in a cloak, as the rough ride jolted her mercilessly.

The roads were in terrible condition, and the carriage had no shock absorption whatsoever. With every bump, it felt like her bones were coming apart.

To distract herself, she turned her attention to the scenery outside.

However, there wasn't much to see—just endless fields stretching on either side of the road.

Since it was early spring, the newly planted crops were still in their infancy, and the land was only sparsely covered in green.

One thing Wei Wei immediately noticed was that, unlike the square-shaped fields of the East, the fields here were long and narrow, divided into sections, each dedicated to a single type of crop.

Her keen eyesight, combined with her farming knowledge from games, allowed her to identify the crops—oats, barley, and legumes.

However, some plots were completely barren.

The Reincarnation System explained:

[Those are fallow fields. The West currently follows the three-field system, where farmland is divided into three equal parts—one left fallow, one planted in spring crops, and one in autumn (or winter) crops. Each plot is cultivated for two years before being left to rest for one.]

Wei Wei frowned. [Isn't that a huge waste? Leaving so much land unused means losing a significant portion of the harvest every year.]

[There's no other choice. Western farmers haven't developed fertilization techniques yet. If they don't let the land rest, the soil will become depleted and unusable.]

Wei Wei stared blankly at a large pile of uncollected cow dung on the roadside. [...Yeah, I can tell.]

Seeing Wei Wei gazing outside, Penny excitedly told her, "All the land we've passed so far belongs to Lord Felix."

Qin corrected her, "Actually, the entire county of Sardinson belongs to the Earl. Even the baron's and knights' lands are technically his. The land around the castle, however, is the Earl's estate and the Williams family's primary source of income."

As an ambitious maid hoping to become the next head housekeeper, Qin had been diligently improving her knowledge. She was one of the few literate servants in the castle and had a solid understanding of the Williams family's holdings.

However, Wei Wei wasn't interested in how wealthy the Williams family was. Instead, she asked Qin about Dingle Town.

Although Qin had been working at the castle for five years, unlike Penny—who had cut ties with her family—she maintained a close relationship with her parents. It was through her parents' connections that she had landed a job at the castle. Because of this, she visited Dingle every month on her days off, making her quite familiar with the town.

According to her, Dingle was not only the largest town in Sardinson but also the most beautiful.

Its name came from Lake Dingle, a picturesque lake surrounded by greenery. The lake was large and rich in fish, making Dingle's seafood particularly good.

The town was well-maintained, had many shops, and was the most bustling place in the county.

Hearing this, Wei Wei began looking forward to Dingle.

Unfortunately, she was sorely disappointed.

To Qin, Dingle was the best town she knew. But to Wei Wei, it was awful.

The streets were narrow and dimly lit, the unpaved roads were muddy and filthy, and passersby carelessly stepped through the filth. She even saw someone dumping waste from a second-story window into an alleyway.

The stench was worse than the castle.

Wei Wei mentally prepared herself before stepping out of the carriage, thankful that noblewomen were required to wear veils when going out. She discreetly lifted a corner of hers, using it as a makeshift face mask.

She muttered to the system, [If this is the best town in Sardinson, I might as well consider moving elsewhere.]

The system responded dryly, [Trust me, other places aren't necessarily better.]

A Disheartening Search for Property

Wei Wei's first stop in Dingle was the mayor's residence.

As soon as her carriage entered the town, its Williams family crest had been recognized, and someone had immediately rushed to inform the mayor. By the time she arrived, the mayor was already waiting to receive her.

Although he was surprised to see that the visitor was a young lady, he still greeted her respectfully.

Wei Wei had come mainly to inquire about the cost of houses and land.

The mayor, being well-informed about such matters, provided her with the details.

To Wei Wei, the housing prices were unbelievably cheap.

However, buying land was another story—especially the large plot she wanted.

Most of the people living in Dingle were free citizens. Aside from craftsmen and merchants, there were also many self-sufficient farmers who each owned small plots of land.

Because land was scarce, very few people were willing to sell—only those who were desperate for money.

Those who owned larger estates didn't lack wealth, so they had no reason to sell.

Of course, the largest landowner in the region was still the Earl.

If Wei Wei wanted to purchase a sizable plot, she would have to discuss it directly with Felix.

After learning this, Wei Wei left the mayor's house feeling disappointed.

A Brief Errand Before Returning

As they stepped outside, Penny eagerly asked, "Miss, would you like to take a walk around town?"

Qin remained silent. Unlike Penny, she could tell that Wei Wei didn't particularly like Dingle.

Considering how meticulous and clean Wei Wei had been during her stay at the castle, Qin quickly realized what was bothering her.

Wei Wei shook her head. "No, let's just visit the tailor and shoemaker, then head back."

Both artisans had worked quickly, and while they hadn't completed her full order, they had managed to finish a portion of it within the past few days.

Wei Wei carefully inspected the quality of their work. Satisfied, she paid the remaining balance and took the finished items back with her.

And with that, she left Dingle, still uncertain about where she would settle in the future.