"Countess, we have arrived at your territory."
Jasmine, who had been shaken into a daze, heard a familiar low male voice echoing from outside the carriage; she knew it was the voice of the Holy Knight, Nigel Ackerman.
Ackerman had been arranged by Jasmine's father to escort Jasmine to the territory, but because the knight wanted to rush back to attend the coronation of the New King, Ackerman had traveled in haste throughout the journey, forcing a nearly month-long route into a mere ten days.
It was a miserable experience for Jasmine; sitting in a carriage without any shock absorption system, she was shaken until she was both dizzy and nauseous. Her entire body ached as if her bones were about to fall apart into pieces; every bounce of the wooden wheels on the rugged dirt road was a form of torture. If she had not been in a deep, lethargic sleep throughout the journey to escape reality, Jasmine felt she might have lost her life on the road.
The person outside the carriage seemed to say something more, then she heard the sound of horse hooves fading away. By the time Jasmine held her splitting headache and finally managed to push the carriage door open to look out, she could only see the backs of the knights disappearing behind a thick cloud of dust.
Jasmine was not surprised that Ackerman had abandoned her, because from the day they left the Capital, Ackerman had made the goal clear: after delivering Jasmine to the destination, Ackerman would return immediately and would not waste time helping her adapt to the work in the territory.
Amidst the silent wilderness, the sound of wind blowing through the rustling weeds replaced the noisy sound of horse hooves, returning the tranquility that originally belonged to this place. Should she feel lucky that Ackerman at least left the carriage for her? At least Ackerman did not leave her to wander alone in this vast wilderness without a single relative.
Jasmine took a deep breath of the fresh yet somewhat primal air, then looked around at the environment. This place was called a wilderness, but looking closely, it resembled fields that had been abandoned for a long time; within the dense thickets of grass, one could faintly see the silhouettes of pale green seedlings mingled with rampant weeds, though she did not know if they were planted by someone but lacked care or were a species of wild rice growing naturally in the wild.
An inconspicuous dirt path formed by people treading on it appeared and disappeared within the grass that was taller than one's knees; Jasmine could also hear the gurgling sound of flowing water echoing from the air, carrying a bit of cool moisture. There must be a small stream flowing nearby, ensuring a water source for this land.
At the edge of the distant forest, several thin and sickly figures were lying prostrate on the ground; they were motionless, seemingly saving their last bit of strength. If not for the tattered sackcloth they wore fluttering in the wind, Jasmine would have almost mistaken those figures for small mounds of earth.
Following the dirt path forward, further away, a grey castle could be seen standing tall in the wilderness; its stone walls were mottled with the marks of time, partially hidden by tangled weeds and vines, making it impossible to see the full appearance of the castle. However, the moment Jasmine saw that ancient structure, she still could not help but widen her eyes in joy.
No matter how old or dilapidated it was, it was a castle that belonged to her; it was her own fortress, and beneath her feet was the territory that completely belonged to her. If there was one thing that made Jasmine satisfied in this unexpected transmigration, without a doubt, it was the massive amount of assets she had inherited. Thus, on the very first day of transmigration, when Jasmine realized her situation, she had even happily agreed to be married off, even though her marriage partner was just a silent egg.
Jasmine still vividly remembered the events of that day; the atmosphere in the palace was suffocating and tense. The aging King, with trembling hands, held her hand, his cloudy eyes looking at Jasmine with expectation, asking if she was willing to marry the Ghost Dragon and become his bride. At the same time, the King pledged that after the marriage, Jasmine could take over all the assets, subjects, and the vast lands of the Ghost Dragon.
Upon hearing that question, Jasmine actually wanted to refuse because, having just transmigrated to a strange world, she understood nothing about this place; the fear of the unknown surrounded her, and a single mistake could bury the small life she had just regained. But when the Cardinal, with a solemn expression, carried a red velvet pillow upon which lay a pure white Dragon Egg toward her, Jasmine's body reacted faster than her brain.
The large egg with its smooth shell radiated a strange attraction; she gripped the old King's hand like a life-saving buoy and joyfully replied loudly: "I do."
It was not until the wedding ended and she was hurriedly sent away from the Capital by the old King that very night that Jasmine realized the level of danger and broke into a cold sweat. If she had not agreed to marry the Dragon Egg, she feared that after the old King passed away, her nominal half-brother—who always looked at her with cold, disgusted eyes—would have immediately dealt with Jasmine to eliminate any future troubles. Her brother was even too lazy to put on a show of granting her a title or a fief to deceive the public.
Jasmine could still feel the love and guilt hidden within the old King's coldness toward her at his deathbed, but the old King was powerless; he could not leave any significant inheritance for Jasmine in the Capital because she was an illegitimate child, and furthermore, a daughter born to a female slave, with a low status. The position of the next King could only be left for the eldest son of the old King's legal line to inherit.
However, the old King still used his final capabilities to scheme for Jasmine some practical things: a noble title of Count and a vast but mysterious Black Dragon Territory. Although the Black Dragon Territory was located on the border of the Kingdom of Winchester, adjacent to dangerous lands, it was independent and not entirely under the control of the Kingdom of Winchester.
Even though the giant dragon had disappeared for several hundred years, its terrifying prestige still hung over this continent like a protective curse; even the greediest mercenaries and the bravest adventurers did not dare to easily set foot in the Black Dragon Territory to cause trouble. Therefore, being able to become the Lord of this land was the safest thing for Jasmine; her brother who had just ascended the throne could not find a legitimate excuse or have enough courage to reach out his hand to deal with her here.