Chapter 163: A New Home
Dominic looked at Jude in shock.
"We have brought you your property. Since you left with nothing, we thought this would be necessary. It is only a part of it, but it should suffice for the time being."
When Dominic opened the mouth of one bag, he saw it was tightly packed with gold coins.
"When you was born, you was granted both gold and twenty percent of the revenues from the estate as your personal money. Every year the profits have been stored safely in the treasury. On top of that, your salary from serving in the Knight Order has grown to quite a considerable sum. All of this is your property. There is no need for restraint—you are free to use it as you wishes."
Jude explained it slowly, almost as if speaking to a small child.
Dominic could only stand there in a daze, listening.
Until now, he had never given much thought to wealth or money.
He knew that the salary of a Captain of the Knight Order was a respectable sum, but since he had little use for it, he had never paid attention.
Whenever he was paid, he would simply pocket a handful of gold coins for himself and leave the rest with Jude.
Originally, Dominic had meant for that money to be used for the expenses of the estate.
But it seemed Jude had saved it all just as it was.
"Lord Dominic, you cannot possibly live here forever, can you? I have already looked into several houses. Please go with Lambard to see them and settle down quickly. For Sir Dominic’s sake as well."
Jude’s gaze shifted toward Dominic.
Following his eyes, Dominic saw Shiao Yi, who was frozen in surprise.
Even in such a serious moment, Dominic couldn’t help but laugh at Shiao Yi’s rare shocked expression.
Shiao Yi quickly blushed.
"I’m eorry, but this just proves it. Dominic really is a noble. Who else would carelessly drop such a huge pile of money on the table like it was nothing?"
Lambard nodded in agreement.
"It is true, carrying around this much gold is not practical. Lord Dominic, you should deposit the extra coins with the Guild. There are other places too, like merchant companies, but since you are not looking to increase the money through investments, the Guild is the safest. Their reputation relies on trust, so mistakes are rare. Once you register, they will issue you a personal checkbook. And once your residence is decided, we will bring the rest of the gold to you."
"No, Lambard. Can’t you continue to manage it from the estate?" Dominic asked.
But Jude shook his head firmly.
"I have long known this day would come and I’ve prepared for it. I even looked into residences ahead of time with that in mind. Since you are now independent, it is proper that you take this step with clear boundaries."
As nobles had to manage estates, each household was expected to maintain their own financial independence.
Until now, Dominic had left everything to Jude and the others.
But leaving the family estate meant he could no longer rely on them.
He had to handle his own wealth from now on.
"Jude, thank you. I owe you for everything. I was ignorant and kept depending on you without a thought. I am truly grateful."
"Master..."
Jude’s eyes grew moist, as if he could not hold back his emotions, and he quickly turned his head to the side.
Lambard gently patted him on the back.
Lambard guided Dominic to several possible residences.
It became clear that Lambard had carefully inspected them in advance, even checking the surrounding areas before selecting these candidates.
In truth, this was something Dominic should have done for himself.
He felt ashamed of his own foolishness—leaving the estate so recklessly while having Shiao Yi, a partner he needed to protect, by his side.
His lack of preparation until now filled him not only with frustration at his stupidity but also with a deep sadness.
Once again, he was struck by the fact that he was nothing more than a man whose only skill was fighting.
He thought of the house he had loathed so much, the home of his father that he had rebelled against again and again.
And yet, without question, he had lived there comfortably all this time.
His stomach churned when he realized how shamelessly he had even planned to bring Shiao Yi into that same house.
No matter how rarely his father returned, that estate had still been his father’s home.
Since childhood, he had leaned on Jude, Eline, and the other household members who had always surrounded him.
But until he gained Shiao Yi, he had never even noticed their kindness or their warmth.
He had pushed everything away, rejected everyone, and deliberately closed his eyes to it all.
Now, he understood.
Shiao Yi was his heart—what a human heart should truly be.
Because Shiao Yi was with him, Dominic could still hold on to something human.
If he lost Shiao Yi, he would lose his humanity entirely.
What would remain would be nothing but endless despair.
A shiver ran through him as if he had brushed against the darkness he thought he had long forgotten.
At that moment, Shiao Yi slid his hand into Dominic’s and gripped it tightly.
The warmth of that hand told him that Shiao Yi was here with him, and Dominic felt a deep sense of relief.
"This place here, I would recommend as well," Lambard said.
Lambard led Dominic to a cluster of three modest two-story houses built in a U-shape around a shared courtyard.
The place seemed to belong to a newly developed district lying between the noble quarter and the commercial area, and the houses themselves were new.
These were not completely independent homes but rather ones that shared the central courtyard.
In the middle stood a well, a washing area, space for drying laundry, and even a small stable.