Freemen can own their land, and as long as Maria becomes a resident of Andalus, she has the right to purchase land.
"Why? Do you think I can't manage the land properly?" Maria asked, somewhat annoyed.
In truth, Simon did think that most noble ladies wouldn't understand much about land management. Even if they hired someone to manage it, there was a high chance they would be taken advantage of. However, seeing Maria's reaction, he wisely chose not to voice his real thoughts.
"Not exactly. It's just that, as you mentioned, the attitude towards women here is not very friendly. If you own these properties, it might be very difficult to protect them."
Maria was aware of this. In an era where knights also played the role of robbers, a lone woman's property was the ideal target for plunderers.
Simon then added, "Moreover, the towns and villages in Andalus might not meet your expectations."
He had heard from the steward about Maria's recent activities and knew of her aversion to untidiness. Given her obsession with cleanliness, moving to other areas with less favorable conditions would likely drive her mad.
Having seen the state of Algaba, Maria could indeed relate to this.
She bit her lip, her expression revealing a hint of frustration. "So, Duke, do you have a better suggestion?"
Simon responded, "I'm not sure if you'd be open to taking on a job."
Maria asked, "A job?"
Simon cleared his throat and, with a hint of unease, straightened his posture to appear more credible.
"You've been here for a few days, and you should have noticed that the Andalusian central castle currently lacks a female head. There are too many affairs to manage, and I'm too busy to handle them all. So, if possible, I would like you to work for me and manage the castle's affairs."
Maria thought, are you kidding me? Do you think I'm naive enough not to see your ulterior motives? You want to hire me to manage the castle? Why not just propose to me directly?!
Maria stared at Simon's tan skin face, which had noticeably reddened. She was still trying to figure out how to respond to his suspicion when it became clear he might have romantic intentions.
Maria was overwhelmed with internal thinking and didn't know how to react. Her expression turned peculiar.
Simon, noticing her shock, understood that expressing his feelings might be too abrupt. He quickly added, "I want to offer you the position of castle housekeeper. However, if you find this role beneath you, I can present it to others as if I'm hiring you as Eleanor's tutor."
Simon was a bit flustered, making his explanation somewhat disjointed, but Maria understood. Being a tutor sounded much more respectable than being a housekeeper, which was usually a role for commoners, while tutors were typically women of higher standing.
Even though Maria wasn't familiar with Western customs, she knew that neither role was appropriate for an unmarried young lady. Moreover, Simon had previously questioned her ability to manage land, so why was he now considering her for the castle's management?
Maria declined without hesitation. "I'm only a few years older than Eleanor. I doubt I'd be suitable for this role."
Neither a housekeeper nor a tutor was something Maria had considered.
Simon focused on her response and asked, "Miss Maria, may I ask how old you are?"
"Huh?" Maria blinked in confusion. "I'm sixteen, almost seventeen." This was the age the system had assigned her and matched her new body's appearance.
"Sixteen? I thought you were at most fifteen."
Simon's assumption wasn't surprising, given that Maria did seem very close in age to Eleanor.
So, you think I'm fifteen and still have feelings for me?
At this point, Maria looked at Simon as if he were a pedophilia.
[To be fair, in this era, women married young, and fifteen was an acceptable age to be married, so it's not entirely unusual for him to be interested in you.]
Though that's reasonable, for now, Simon was bound to be labeled a pervert in Maria's eyes.
Noticing his slip, Simon quickly composed himself and adopted a serious tone, though it was evident he was pleased. "No, Miss Maria, while I do have other considerations in hiring you, I have seriously considered whether you are capable of handling the job."
Before meeting Maria, Simon had already planned to find a female housekeeper. Not a servant like Iris, but a woman of certain status who could help manage the castle and educate his younger sister and niece.
Before his grandmother passed away, the castle had such a housekeeper—a distant relative of the Gonzalez family, an elderly lady with strict manners who handled matters requiring a female presence and was also responsible for Eleanor's education.
However, that lady was very elderly and had to return to her hometown for retirement a few years ago. At that time, his sister-in-law had moved in, and the old duke had handed over the castle's affairs to her.
After that, the main family members passed away in quick succession, and there was no time to find a replacement.
"Eleanor is twelve this year. In two years, she'll be entering the social scene, and her education can't be delayed any longer."
"In that case, you shouldn't hire me," Maria frowned. "As you know, I come from a foreign land, and our cultures and etiquette are completely different. I'm not familiar with your noble customs."
How could she teach things she doesn't even know?
Simon cleared his throat. "Don't worry about that. Eleanor has a dedicated etiquette teacher. You can study alongside her, which I believe will help you integrate into the local customs."
Before Maria could respond, Simon continued, "I want you to help shape Eleanor into a graceful and confident young lady, like yourself. As you may have noticed, her personality is somewhat too timid."
Not just a little timid; she's practically a rabbit that gets scared at the slightest disturbance.
During the few days she lived in the castle, the owner Maria had the most contact with was Eleanor.
This young lady of the Duke's family developed a quiet character to put it nicely, but timid and cowardly because of the lack of care from her elders.
Eleanor's timidity was mainly manifested in her fear of strangers. Eleanor hardly communicated with other people except for the maid who cared for her, including her brother Simon.
This was very undesirable in Simon's opinion, and it was not like what a noble lady should be like.
At the same time, he was worried about whether Eleanor could smoothly enter the social circle in two years.