Becoming a Countess in the Middle Ages

Theresa, a 28th-century agricultural graduate student with a wood-element supernatural ability, is transported into the fully immersive virtual reality game "Rights and Roses." Upon arrival, she finds herself inhabiting the body of Theresa Golden, a young woman who has just inherited the title of Countess of Golden after the sudden deaths of her uncle and cousin. The inheritance was made possible by a recent decree from the new Queen of the Atlan Empire, which allows female succession when no male heir exists. Theresa arrives at Golden Castle, a remote and seemingly impoverished estate, dressed in unconventional adventurer attire consisting of trousers, a leather vest, and a sword, which shocks the local servants and butler Greg.

Unlike typical players who rely on game mechanics, Theresa possesses real-world skills and physical strength due to her character backstory, which included training in Chinese martial arts, swordsmanship, and agriculture. Her innate strength allows her to crush gold ornaments with her bare hands, instilling immediate fear and respect among the castle staff. She quickly discovers that while the Golden family appears poor, their treasury holds over a hundred thousand gold coins, a significant fortune hidden from public view. However, the estate is plagued by corrupt stewards and managers who have been embezzling resources during the transition of power.

Theresa begins her tenure by auditing the estate's accounts, identifying numerous discrepancies and fraudulent entries with remarkable speed. She tours the three manors within the Golden territory, observing the inefficient agricultural practices of the serfs. Noticing the use of primitive Roman light plows and the lack of proper cattle control, she decides to introduce advanced farming techniques. She commissions the local carpenters and blacksmiths to produce curved-shaft iron plows, a technology far superior to what the locals use, and teaches them how to pierce oxen's noses with rings for better management.

Her reforms face resistance not from the serfs, who benefit from the increased efficiency, but from the entrenched local nobility and corrupt officials. The Golden Knight Order, a group of local knights, refuses to pay homage to the new female count, challenging her authority. Among them is Vincent, the son of a senior steward, who initially aligns with the rebellious knights. Theresa handles the internal corruption at Villa Manor by expelling the guilty managers rather than executing them, a decision that surprises her staff but solidifies her reputation as a just yet firm ruler.

As she continues to modernize the estate, introducing germination techniques for beans and improving soil fertility, Theresa attracts the attention of neighboring lords and the royal court. Her success in boosting agricultural output and her display of extraordinary strength and combat skill make her a notable figure in the region. The story follows her efforts to secure her position against political adversaries who seek to undermine her rule, while she navigates the complex social hierarchy of the game world. Her ultimate goal is to survive and thrive in this medieval setting, using her knowledge and abilities to transform Goldenburg into a prosperous and powerful territory.

The narrative explores the tension between Theresa's modern mindset and the feudal realities of the game world. She must balance the needs of her subjects with the demands of the nobility, all while keeping her true identity as a transmigrator a secret. The introduction of new technologies and agricultural methods serves as both a tool for economic growth and a means of establishing her authority. As the spring planting season progresses, Theresa faces the challenge of consolidating her power and dealing with the ongoing defiance of the local knights, setting the stage for further conflicts and political maneuvering in the Atlan Empire.