Reborn as the Failed Lord with my Resource Gathering System.

A Few Days Later…

(Aurelian Barony)

Ishtar was lying down on Dorian's bed, fully dressed in her noble attire.

She was turning and moaning, sniffing the blanket as though her life depended on it.

It had been quite a couple of days since Dorian had made his way to the capital, and he still had not returned.

To prove that he was missed and also give him reassurance, Ishtar would often write to him a couple of times a day, each letter detailing what she did that day, including how she ran the barony in his stead.

Still, that didn't stop her from occasionally coming to his room to sniff his blanket where his scent still lingered.

Hell, she forbade anyone from cleaning the room, just so the scent would not go away.

After getting her daily sniff of Dorian, she stood up from the bed and straightened her dress.

"Now then, time to write another letter."

Ishtar was about to walk out of the room when she heard a knock on the door.

"Do come in," her response was quick.

The doorknob turned, and Yelena walked in, along with Ishtar's knight, Killa.

"Ohhh~ little sister, you came to greet me. See, I knew you liked me." Ishtar smiled brightly, taking a small step forward.

"Don't call me that; I am not your sister. And why is this creepy person following me everywhere? I told you to tell them to stop; they are making me uncomfortable."

Though Yelena didn't raise her voice, the frustration in her tone could still be heard.

Ishtar paused then leaned forward.

"Oh don't be like that, Killa is nice and cute; she doesn't mean any harm. My husband told me to make sure you were protected at all times. I am doing just that."

"My brother is not your husband, and I told you I don't need protecting!" Flames whooshed from Yelena's body for a brief moment before dying down.

"S-sorry, don't tell my brother I lashed out," Yelena uttered with red cheeks, then she looked to the side. "I came here to give you this."

Ishtar had a teasing smile on her face as she moved her gaze to the white letter Yelena was stretching out to her.

"Awwn, aren't you such a cutie? You came here just to give me this?~"

Yelena had a slightly annoyed expression on her face, but she tried her best to maintain her calmness.

"It's a message from my brother; it arrived this morning. I got one and the other was specially for you, so I am helping him, not you."

"My husband wrote back? Wow, that's shocking." Ishtar took the paper from Yelena and walked towards the bed to sit down.

Yelena, with a sigh, used the opportunity to walk out of the room so she could read her own letter in private. But Killa refused to follow.

"Killa darling, why are you still here? Shouldn't you be with her right now? My orders were clear," Ishtar uttered, and not once did she raise her head; instead, she kept looking at the paper.

"I understand, but I am your guard above all else. Besides, right now there are a couple of Aurelian soldiers guarding her in the shadows. It's not a big deal."

"Are they now? Don't tell me you are missing me already; it hasn't even been that long. Keep up your clinginess, and you may never have the chance to be my husband's fourth wife."

Though Killa's face was hidden behind the black mask, her body movement hinted that she was flustered by her lady's comment. "Lady Ishtar, please refrain from saying things that you don't mean."

"Are~ am I mistaken? The first day you saw him, you went on and on about how you wanted to-"

"Stop!" Killa yelled, both her arms stretched forward. "Y-you should read the letter; it might be urgent."

"Right?" Ishtar gave her a teasing smile and then proceeded to open the letter so she could read what was written there.

As she opened it, the first word she saw was, "Ishtar." This caused Ishtar to puff her cheeks in an upset manner since she was expecting to see him call her "wife" or something sweet.

Those concerns quickly shattered after her eyes picked up on the next paragraph.

In the letter, Dorian spoke about how he was close to getting the Duke title from the King and it would be finalized once all the paperwork was done.

In the meantime, he needed her to help scout the land and check which areas needed to be ruled and were still untouched. If he was going to be handed a duchy, he would probably be given those sides of the land.

Also, he mentioned how she should make a plan with the Count discussing how matters would be from now on and establish a close, contract-based relationship with the guy that would keep him benefiting from the Aurelian success.

After she was done reading it all, Ishtar smiled silently but proudly, then gently tossed the paper to the side of the bed.

"A Duke, huh? I knew I would hear something shocking from your attendance at the royal capital, but this is something else. Not that I expect any less of my husband after all; the baron's miracle works wonders."

She then slowly stood up from where she was seated.

"Well then, Killa darling, I will be needing your help with this. Get the maps of the barony and send for the Count. We have much to discuss."

Killa, still a bit flustered, gave a slight bow.

"Understood, Lady Ishtar. I shall see to it immediately." With that, she quickly exited the room, leaving Ishtar alone with her thoughts and a triumphant smile.

Ishtar walked over to the window, gazing out at the familiar landscape of the Aurelian barony. A Duke, she mused. Dorian was truly exceptional.

The prospect of expanding their influence, of building an even greater future for Aurelian, filled her with a profound sense of purpose.

She had always prided herself on her administrative skills, and now she would have an even larger canvas to work with.

Her mind immediately began to churn with ideas.

The untapped lands Dorian mentioned, the strategic alliances to be formed with the Count, the logistical challenges of integrating new territories – it was all a thrilling puzzle to solve.

She knew this would require careful planning, diplomacy, and perhaps a touch of her own unique charm. Now was a greater chance than ever to prove she had better planning skills than Seraphina.

In terms of leadership, Seraphina had her beat, but when it came to this, Ishtar considered herself second to none.

"Oh dear husband," she whispered to herself, a warmth spreading through her chest, "you truly never cease to amaze me." She turned from the window, her eyes gleaming with determination. "And I shall ensure that when you return, you will find a duchy ready to flourish under your hand."