After dealing with Robert's situation, Ethan returned alone to the captain's quarters. He made himself a cup of coffee, found a comfortable position, and leaned back in his chair. Looking out the window at the raging snowstorm, the world outside was a vast expanse of white. He thought to himself, "With such heavy snow and freezing weather, there shouldn't be any more attacks, right?" With this thought, he gradually shifted his gaze from the window to the map on the table, contemplating how to develop his territory in the future.
Just then, Angelina entered. Seeing Ethan sitting energetically at his desk, she broke into a joyful smile. "Ethan, you're better!" she exclaimed, rushing to embrace him. Ethan caught Angelina, gently cupping her face, and said softly, "Yes, I'm fine now. You've worked hard these past few days."
"Of course, I'm your wife. Why even mention it? But I am curious—how did your skin grow back so quickly? You've only been awake for a day," she asked.
"Did my appearance scare you?" Ethan asked with a smile.
"Not at all!" Angelina replied, her face full of joy. "As long as you're okay, your appearance doesn't matter!"
Ethan laughed heartily. "Even if I turned into an ugly monster, it wouldn't matter?"
"You didn't mind my past, so why should I care if you're ugly? You treat me with genuine kindness, and I would do anything for you," Angelina said casually but with a determined look in her eyes.
Ethan felt touched. To say he didn't mind Angelina's past would be a lie. However, he valued inner beauty more than purity. Anyone who has had a girlfriend knows that if a woman's personality doesn't align with yours, the relationship can be exhausting. The only one who can accompany you to the end is someone whose soul truly connects with yours. Ethan considered himself lucky—Angelina matched him in every way and genuinely cared for him. During his recovery, when he couldn't take care of himself, Angelina, a noble lady, had set aside her dignity to take care of his every need.
"Enough of this talk about risking your life," Ethan said, gently pinching Angelina's cheek. "We've eliminated one enemy and probably won't face any danger for a while. We can finally enjoy some peaceful days. And I believe we'll have a happy future."
Angelina nodded obediently. "You've just recovered, so don't strain yourself. Let me handle everything."
Ethan shook his head. "There's nothing pressing right now. I was just thinking about how to develop our territory."
"Have you figured it out?" Angelina asked.
"I was thinking of building a castle here. It would defend against possible enemies and give us a place to live other than the ship," Ethan explained, looking at Angelina earnestly for her opinion.
Angelina looked surprised. "You want to build a castle?"
"That's the idea. But judging by your expression... is there a problem?"
"Of course there's a problem!" Angelina sat up straight and said seriously, "Building a castle isn't something you can just decide to do. Do you know how long it takes to build one?"
"Does it take a long time?"
"Of course!" Angelina nodded. "I'm not sure about everything, but take the Lawson family castle, for example. Even with ample funds, manpower, and materials, it took about 30 years to complete. Here, we have no people, no money, and no materials. Building a castle is impossible. Even the manor you saw in Marlow took nearly six years to complete under perfect conditions."
Ethan was dumbfounded. He had thought a castle would take a year or two, at most. Realizing it could take decades and the effort of multiple generations, he felt discouraged.
"What do you suggest? We can't just build another temporary wooden shelter when spring comes. If we're going to stay here long-term, we need a comfortable environment," Ethan said, frustrated.
Angelina shrugged. "I don't know what to suggest. But I have two ideas. First, if you really want to build a castle, we need to make money first. The family won't fund the construction, so we have to earn it ourselves. Only then can we hire professionals. Second, do you really want to stay here forever? Even if we build a castle, this place is desolate and uninhabited."
Ethan leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead, lost in thought. When he first came here, it was to escape Land's pursuit and perhaps find a new start. But as Angelina pointed out, this place was barren and lifeless. Even if they built a castle, what was the point? And with his current master's level skills, Land was no longer a threat. Land was insignificant.
"I want to go back and reclaim my territory," Ethan decided. "This desolate place can go to whoever wants it. But without the Lawson family's support, I can't just go back."
"Angelina, do you know any way for us to return legitimately? Land stole my land, which has thousands of hectares of fertile land, hundreds of peasants, and a grand manor. If I can reclaim it, we won't have to stay here."
Angelina thought for a moment. "Returning is easy, but reclaiming the land might be difficult."
"What do you mean?"
"We're here to guard this place, but there are no rules saying we can't leave. We just have to ensure this place is safe and stay here for a month each year. As long as it's secure, we're free to go. Right?" Angelina explained.
Ethan rubbed his forehead, smiling bitterly. "You're right. But how do I ensure this place is safe if I leave? Sophia won't agree to let me go."
"Why do you need my sister's permission?" Angelina said, her eyes wide. "The family just wants this place secure. If we can guarantee its safety, we can leave whenever. Ethan, you always try to do everything yourself. Don't you trust others?"
Ethan felt a revelation dawn upon him. Why did he always try to do everything himself? He used to accuse Angelina of relying on others, but he was just the opposite, refusing to rely on anyone. Maybe years of solitude had made him distrustful of others. But living in this world, how could one do everything alone?
Realizing this, Ethan knew he needed to delegate more. As a lord, even without resources, he had numerous responsibilities. Ensuring the security of the land was one of them. The Lawson family only wanted the territory secure. They didn't care how it was done. They weren't willing to invest resources, but he could find people. Hiring a few dozen knights to guard the place would solve the problem.
The key issue was finding knights willing to come here and the money to pay them. As Ethan pondered, he glanced at the bracelet on his wrist and suddenly had an idea.