If You're Going to Sell Yourself, Sell It to Me - Chapter 89

“What do you mean? You’re asking me to manage the estate?”

When Raymond summoned Georgiana to his office as her injuries were nearly healed, she thought she must have misheard. That was how absurd his request was.

However, Raymond’s response made it clear that he was not joking.

“Just as I said. I would like you to oversee the internal affairs of Anais Plantation, which currently lacks a lady of the house. Of course, your wages will be raised to match those of the former head maid.”

“T-that doesn’t make sense. How could I possibly take charge of this place? I’ve never done anything like this before. Managing even a small house would be overwhelming, let alone the entire estate…”

Even as she shook her head vigorously, Raymond did not waver.

“Do not worry. I am certain that you will do an excellent job.”

“Absolutely not. I don’t even trust myself—how can you be so sure?”

Georgiana was utterly dumbfounded. There had never been a more naive fool than this man.

What exactly was he trusting in to hand over the estate to someone whose background he hadn’t even verified?

Frantically, she glanced around the room. The one person who could possibly talk him out of this—Evan—was nowhere to be found at such a crucial moment.

“Just as you had faith in me, I hope you will believe in me as well. Try it first. If it doesn’t work out, then we’ll find someone else.”

“No, that’s a completely different matter. This is far too significant to just try and see! What if I make a huge mess in the meantime?”

As she protested, Raymond pursed his lips in disappointment.

“As you know, this place is too remote to easily hire reliable workers. With half the maids resigning recently, the estate will be in even greater disarray for a while. That much, I can accept. But I fear that any new hire might end up like the previous head maid. I have no one I can trust.”

Seeing his golden eyes drop with concern, Georgiana found herself unable to refuse outright.

It wasn’t her responsibility, but she had, to some extent, contributed to the sudden upheaval.

Besides, she agreed with him on one point—trustworthy people were hard to find. There were always those who could be easily bought with money.

Her mind grew more tangled.

“I’ve never done this before, so I don’t even know where to start.”

When she voiced her lack of confidence rather than outright rejecting him, Raymond’s eyes brightened.

“At first, Austin will assist you. He knows everything about the estate’s operations. I wasn’t born and raised here either, so I have relied on the butler’s help as well.”

“Wouldn’t that be too much of a burden on him?”

“He’d rather borrow a cat’s help than work alone. But you are far more capable than a cat.”

“I might not be.”

“What happened to the person who told me I would be fine? If you see her, let her know—I believe she’ll do fine too.”

After his persistent persuasion, Georgiana finally agreed to take on the role.

However, she made it clear—she would only do it until a suitable replacement was found.

Before she even realized it, a contract was prepared, and by the time she regained her senses, her signature was already at the bottom of the document.

“This is a general management list and a record of the household staff.”

After their conversation ended, Austin came to see her, handing her a notebook containing all the necessary details as if he had already anticipated this outcome.

Just like that, Georgiana suddenly found herself responsible for managing the vast estate.

It was a future she had never once imagined.

***

“Lady Leona—no, how is the estate manager doing these days?”

Evan, who had just returned from closing a major deal, asked, noting how much more at ease Raymond appeared. Since hiring the manager, it had only been a few weeks, yet even his attire had become noticeably more refined.

“What do you think? She’s doing just as well as I expected. Didn’t I tell you she would?”

Puffing out his chest, he spoke with an air of self-satisfaction.

Considering how adamantly Evan had opposed entrusting the estate to someone who had only recently arrived, it was clear that Raymond was itching to boast.

Still, just looking at how polished his appearance had become, it was obvious the estate was running smoothly.

“People always start off eager. The real question is how long that enthusiasm lasts.”

When Evan pointed out that even Catherine hadn’t been this way at first, Raymond immediately snapped back.

“It’s different. You’d understand if you saw how Leona works.”

“So, you’re calling her ‘Leona’ now?”

Evan narrowed his eyes at him.

“No, no! The servants all call each other by name, so it felt odd to keep adding ‘Lady’ only when addressing her. She told me not to, that’s all. It wasn’t my decision!”

Brushing it off casually would have been enough, but the way he waved his hands made him look even more suspicious.

“I’ve heard that people are lining up to transfer to our estate for work. Other plantations are overflowing with complaints because of it.”

“Complaints? Nonsense. They need to change, too. How long do they plan to keep playing at being old-fashioned nobles?”

“That’s true.”

Raymond and Evan both sensed that everything would change once the war ended.

Even if the independence army won and a new nation was established, there would still be many issues to resolve, including slavery and the longstanding conflicts with the native people.

Throughout that process, plantation owners and nobles who had ruled like monarchs would face a dramatic shift in their circumstances.

Lady Leona seemed to understand this societal change instinctively, leading the way in transforming the estate. Word of this had spread, drawing more and more workers looking for employment.

This was a rare occurrence in the South.

Though she had unexpectedly taken on a significant role, she showed no intention of acting like an aristocrat lording over others.

Instead, she remained as composed as she had been at the start, steadily learning her responsibilities and interacting with people just enough to avoid unnecessary trouble.

As she got to know the workers individually, she was able to assign them to positions where they could be most effective.

Just as she had suggested, reorganizing the maids’ tasks had improved laundry and housekeeping efficiency.

Tasks were now rotated weekly rather than daily, reducing exhaustion. A reserve workforce had also been arranged to handle unexpected situations.

As a result, everyone could now perform at their full capacity.

“She’s truly remarkable.”

Raymond relayed what the butler had told him to Evan.

Even Evan, who had visited many noble households, was left speechless upon hearing it.

“She came up with all of this on her own?”

“That’s what I’m saying. She’s not just an ordinary person.”

But after hearing about everything Leona had implemented, Evan became even more suspicious of her background.

“Actually, I was planning to have Lady Leona properly investigated on my next trip out.”

“Don’t do it. What’s the point of finding out now?”

Raymond’s gaze turned sharp.

“Still, just leaving things as they are…”

“No. There’s no way she’s a bad person. I trust that she will tell me why she came here when the time is right. Until then, I don’t want to stir things up unnecessarily.”

Raymond was confident that, given time, even Evan would come to understand Leona’s sincerity.

After all, many who had initially been skeptical of her methods were now satisfied with them.

“Anyway, how’s the war?”

Raymond smoothly changed the subject.

“Things are turning in favor of the independence army. Other countries are gradually withdrawing their support, and some politicians are suggesting ending the war with favorable terms before they suffer greater losses. Of course, Senator Edmund remains determined to fight to the end.”

“Of course. After taking a bullet, he’s probably even more reckless now.”

Rumors that Edmund, whom many had assumed dead, had miraculously survived had spread across the New World.

And it was well known that he had become even more of a madman, pushing the war forward recklessly.

He had even begun offering up New World territory at bargain prices in a desperate bid for foreign aid.

If the war dragged on, the land could end up entirely in foreign hands.

Still, despite these dire conditions, the independence army had yet to suffer a major defeat, which was a relief.

Evan deliberately withheld one piece of information—

That Lockwood, much like Edmund, had become a demon on the battlefield.

Telling Raymond would only make him worry.

According to reports from a nearby regiment, Lockwood was on the verge of being promoted to lieutenant colonel. There was even a good chance he could reach colonel by the war’s end.

Apparently, he had led the charge in nearly every battle.

What had fueled his rage so intensely?

Since Evan had no way of meeting him in person, he could only speculate.

Both Evan and Raymond supported the independence army however they could, hoping the war would end soon.

Over the following months, numerous battles, both large and small, took place.

Countless soldiers lost their lives on the battlefield.

Every time obituaries appeared in the newspapers, people held their breath in anxious anticipation.

Even Georgiana, despite being consumed with managing the estate, made sure to read those articles first thing in the morning.

She didn’t even know Lockwood’s real name, yet on days when similar names appeared, she felt uneasy the entire day.

Her hatred for him hadn’t faded, but she still longed for the war to end as soon as possible, more than anyone else.

Perhaps her wishes had been answered.

Despite the heavy sacrifices, the independence army finally achieved the long-sought victory.

Soldiers began returning home one by one.

The entire New World was in turmoil.