“If you hand over the land of Pagos, I will help you meet her.”
“...Hand over the land?”
As soon as he heard that, he furrowed his brows as an unmistakable sense of rejection surged over him. Looking at Kaian, Valquiterre began to talk nonsense as if nothing happened.
“The biggest problem right now is the Duke of Vermont.”
Why was that a problem?
Claudel was clearly Kaian’s wife. The moment a married daughter’s name was added to another family’s, the power of life and death was transferred from her father to her husband.
Therefore, it was absurd that Kaian could not meet Claudel when he wanted to, and it was a clear abuse of authority for the Duke of Vermont to come forward and oppose it.
“He’s creating public opinion among the nobles of the capital, saying that his daughter’s wounds are serious. Anyway, this old father. He used to live in hiding in the north and act like he had no interest in society, but at times like this, he couldn’t be more sly.”
“What does that have to do with Pagos?”
“Shouldn’t he be collecting the money?”
Valquiterre looked at him, leaning back in his chair leisurely.
“Do you know how difficult my situation is right now?”
“...”
Isn’t it because you tricked me and took my wife?
He couldn’t argue.
Kaian suppressed his humiliation and asked.
“So tell me what that has to do with it.”
“There’s a severe drought in the north.”
Valquiterre sat up, resting his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin on the back of his hands.
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult to feed the people living in the capital just by returning what comes from the center.”
“Is the Duke of Vermont after the land?”
How dare those cunning men of Vermont take Temnes's territory?
Kaian felt the resentment engraved in his bones by his family history burning anew.
“Not outright, but what do you think? The Pagos region is too far from Rowan anyway. There are two other territories in between.”
The Pagos region was the largest wheat-growing area on the Itha Continent.
The Shen River, which flowed leisurely across the vast plains, never dried up. Some countless poems and songs melted the spectacle. The promised land of abundance.
Even when the rain from the sky was dry, the Shen River, which started from a deep underground aquifer north of the capital, was the lifeblood of the kingdom. The Valmonde region, which was geographically located farther north than the water source, could not enjoy it.
Therefore, regardless of whether it rained or not, the waterway along the Shen River was unwavering, so there was no problem in sailing inland to the capital or farming south of the capital.
Kaian felt the resentment engraved in his bones by his family history burning anew.
“Not outright, but what do you think? The Pagos region is too far from Rowan anyway. There are two other territories in between.”
The Pagos region was the largest wheat-growing area on the Itha Continent.
The Shen River, which flowed leisurely across the vast plains, never dried up. Some countless poems and songs melted the spectacle. The promised land of abundance.
Even when the rain from the sky was dry, the Shen River, which started from a deep underground aquifer north of the capital, was the lifeblood of the kingdom. The Valmonde region, which was geographically located farther north than the water source, could not enjoy it.
Therefore, regardless of whether it rained or not, the waterway along the Shen River was unwavering, so there was no problem in sailing inland to the capital or farming south of the capital.
The Pagos region was originally land ruled by the royal family. Just thirty years ago, when Princess Elise married the Duke of Temnes, the previous King Hobert, who had ordered the state marriage, gave her land instead of his daughter's dowry.
The Princess who got married could no longer use the title of 'Princess'.
Nevertheless, the fact that the King was giving away the land he had ruled had a huge meaning. It was a way of making it known to the outside world that he especially favored his daughter.
Given the circumstances, Pagos was a land attached to the southwest of the capital city, and on the way there from Rowen, you had to pass through two other family territories.
‘Even though he knows that the land has changed hands.’
Kaian felt his heart grow louder and louder.
‘It’s already Temnes’ land.’
In this situation, it was understandable that Valquiterre would want to return the land to the kingdom.
While Kaian was being uncooperative, the kingdom’s food warehouses were almost empty because they had to return food to Vermont.
‘But how could Valquiterre do this to me?’
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of betrayal that was not resolved.
“If you promise Vermont some of Pagos’ harvest, you won’t have to bother sending food all the way from Rowen.”
“Do you think I’d fall for that?”
Kaian was taken aback by his words as if he was trying to ease his suffering by collecting and feeding people from far away places.
“It’s a bit much, even if you try hard. I thought you didn’t want to deal with the Duke of Vermont.”
There was no emotion in the walls where Valquiterre was looking at him.
“Even so, if she keeps insisting on divorce, there’s nothing we can do. You’ll be the one who’ll be at a disadvantage as time goes by, Kaian.”
“...I’ll think about it.”
Only then did Valquiterre nod with a faint smile at his words.
“Yes. If that’s enough, I’ll try to persuade the Duke of Vermont.”
The empty and desolate capital mansion was bustling for once.
This was because Baron Colon and several influential vassals of the family had arrived at the capital at the same time.
However, before they could even catch their breath, let alone unpack, they were shocked by the absurd words they heard.
“This is ridiculous!”
The first to shout was none other than Baron Colon, known as the real power of the lord. It was him.
“He wants us to give up the Pagos region!”
At this, several middle-aged men sitting around the table responded with serious faces.
“This is impossible.”
“In a way, doesn’t this mean that he will not recognize your bloodline in the future?”
Since Kaian was born of a Princess, he inherited the land after her death and had been managing it, so how could he ask for it back?
“You shameless bastard!”
“Watch your words.”
If it were in Rowen Castle, they could have ignored the words criticizing the King, but this was the capital, right next to the royal palace.
However, Kaian’s one polite remark was not enough to calm the excited man.
“Didn’t you go to war even though you had immunity in the first place? What on earth did the King do then?”
“That’s right. Hand over the land. Isn’t it true that you only lose your land when you lose a battle?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Baron Colon said gravely.
“It’s no different from asking for war.”
It was clearly a provocation and a declaration of war.
To a Lord, land and the people who belonged to the land were the source of his power.
Asking for it was like asking for an open fight.
"...It’s a reasonable proposal for mediation.”
“My Lord!”
The problem was that Kaian’s condition had become very strange.
“It’s a situation where many positions are intertwined. The King will be in a difficult position due to the Duke of Vermont’s threats.”
The Princess who got married could no longer use the title of 'Princess'.
Nevertheless, the fact that the King was giving away the land he had ruled had a huge meaning. It was a way of making it known to the outside world that he especially favored his daughter.
Given the circumstances, Pagos was a land attached to the southwest of the capital city, and on the way there from Rowen, you had to pass through two other family territories.
‘Even though he knows that the land has changed hands.’
Kaian felt his heart grow louder and louder.
‘It’s already Temnes’ land.’
In this situation, it was understandable that Valquiterre would want to return the land to the kingdom.
While Kaian was being uncooperative, the kingdom’s food warehouses were almost empty because they had to return food to Vermont.
‘But how could Valquiterre do this to me?’
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of betrayal that was not resolved.
“If you promise Vermont some of Pagos’ harvest, you won’t have to bother sending food all the way from Rowen.”
“Do you think I’d fall for that?”
Kaian was taken aback by his words as if he was trying to ease his suffering by collecting and feeding people from far away places.
“It’s a bit much, even if you try hard. I thought you didn’t want to deal with the Duke of Vermont.”
There was no emotion in the walls where Valquiterre was looking at him.
“Even so, if she keeps insisting on divorce, there’s nothing we can do. You’ll be the one who’ll be at a disadvantage as time goes by, Kaian.”
“...I’ll think about it.”
Only then did Valquiterre nod with a faint smile at his words.
“Yes. If that’s enough, I’ll try to persuade the Duke of Vermont.”
***
The empty and desolate capital mansion was bustling for once.
This was because Baron Colon and several influential vassals of the family had arrived at the capital at the same time.
However, before they could even catch their breath, let alone unpack, they were shocked by the absurd words they heard.
“This is ridiculous!”
The first to shout was none other than Baron Colon, known as the real power of the lord. It was him.
“He wants us to give up the Pagos region!”
At this, several middle-aged men sitting around the table responded with serious faces.
“This is impossible.”
“In a way, doesn’t this mean that he will not recognize your bloodline in the future?”
Since Kaian was born of a Princess, he inherited the land after her death and had been managing it, so how could he ask for it back?
“You shameless bastard!”
“Watch your words.”
If it were in Rowen Castle, they could have ignored the words criticizing the King, but this was the capital, right next to the royal palace.
However, Kaian’s one polite remark was not enough to calm the excited man.
“Didn’t you go to war even though you had immunity in the first place? What on earth did the King do then?”
“That’s right. Hand over the land. Isn’t it true that you only lose your land when you lose a battle?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
Baron Colon said gravely.
“It’s no different from asking for war.”
It was clearly a provocation and a declaration of war.
To a Lord, land and the people who belonged to the land were the source of his power.
Asking for it was like asking for an open fight.
"...It’s a reasonable proposal for mediation.”
“My Lord!”
The problem was that Kaian’s condition had become very strange.
“It’s a situation where many positions are intertwined. The King will be in a difficult position due to the Duke of Vermont’s threats.”
Baron Colon’s eyes darkened.
Kaian, who he had served his close friend’s son as his master for generations and had observed, was very cool-headed and had excellent judgment.
Objectively, it was most reasonable to use this situation as a way to discard Claudel.
It wouldn’t be right for a successor who had already lost his life to come back and grab the land.
“First, I have to talk to Claudel.”
“You’re giving him the land and just going to have a chat with your enemy’s daughter?”
Kaian glared at him with blatant eyes as he couldn’t hold back and responded crudely.
“I can get the land back later. It was the kingdom’s territory that I received and ruled for several years.”
Baron Colon realized that there was no answer as Kaian clenched his fist on the table.
The matter had already entered the realm of stubbornness that could not be argued with logic.
“You shouldn’t do that, my lord.”
The position of the grand butler of the lord’s castle, which was full of work, felt more comfortable than his current bed of thorns.
“If you give him one, he wants two, and three is the essence of an enemy.”
“Valquiterre is not my enemy.”
“What will you do if Madam doesn’t change her mind?”
He hoped that the proud man would return to how he used to be.
“What other excuse would be needed to get back the land that was taken as a kingdom territory with such a reason?”
But on the other hand, his heart ached.
Even when Claudel was sick and unconscious, didn’t Baron Colon watch what Kaian did more closely than anyone else?
Kaian, who he had served his close friend’s son as his master for generations and had observed, was very cool-headed and had excellent judgment.
Objectively, it was most reasonable to use this situation as a way to discard Claudel.
It wouldn’t be right for a successor who had already lost his life to come back and grab the land.
“First, I have to talk to Claudel.”
“You’re giving him the land and just going to have a chat with your enemy’s daughter?”
Kaian glared at him with blatant eyes as he couldn’t hold back and responded crudely.
“I can get the land back later. It was the kingdom’s territory that I received and ruled for several years.”
Baron Colon realized that there was no answer as Kaian clenched his fist on the table.
The matter had already entered the realm of stubbornness that could not be argued with logic.
“You shouldn’t do that, my lord.”
The position of the grand butler of the lord’s castle, which was full of work, felt more comfortable than his current bed of thorns.
“If you give him one, he wants two, and three is the essence of an enemy.”
“Valquiterre is not my enemy.”
“What will you do if Madam doesn’t change her mind?”
He hoped that the proud man would return to how he used to be.
“What other excuse would be needed to get back the land that was taken as a kingdom territory with such a reason?”
But on the other hand, his heart ached.
Even when Claudel was sick and unconscious, didn’t Baron Colon watch what Kaian did more closely than anyone else?
The man who hated her as the daughter of Vermont and insisted on getting medicine to save her, and sometimes gave her gifts to try to win the favor of the mistress, watching Claudel’s mood.
They were a couple and their marriage had already been arranged.
The fact that they lost their child and ended up in such a complicated and messy situation made him think that they were no longer destined to be together. Kaian, who had become eccentric because he had carried more burdens than ordinary people, felt the happiness that ordinary people enjoy smoothly and amicably and just wanted to feel stable.
The power of true love that he was unaware of turned the man who was thought to be as strong as steel into a lump of rusted scrap metal.
The lives of countless people in the territory depended on the lord’s choice.
His master was at a crossroads where he made the wrong choice.
“What are you going to do with the serfs of Pagos?”
What was even more troubling was that because it had been a huge granary for generations, the proportion of people living there were serfs much greater than in other regions.
“It was only a few months ago that I sent money to the peasant association in Pagos.”
That was long before Claudel went missing. The master, who was anxious to stay with his pregnant wife, took the time to go to the Duchess’s bedroom, and when he saw the woman sleeping, he couldn’t come out of the room and asked him to bring him work. Baron Colon has such vivid memories.
“If they were to be released as free men soon, returning to the kingdom’s territory would be a mistake.”
No lord would be willing to release serfs tied to the land to freely move to other fiefs.
He had made a reasonable judgment and offered to grant them freedom.
“The search party and the lake dam construction during the busy farming season have already caused chaos within the fief. This is absolutely not possible.”
Even if he didn’t say such things out loud, Kaian would know better.
He had to, but the one sitting at the head of the family wasn’t the same as before.
Everyone lost their energy at Kaian’s words as they listened to everyone else talking.
“Claudel’s return is a priority. Then we’ll find another way.”
They were a couple and their marriage had already been arranged.
The fact that they lost their child and ended up in such a complicated and messy situation made him think that they were no longer destined to be together. Kaian, who had become eccentric because he had carried more burdens than ordinary people, felt the happiness that ordinary people enjoy smoothly and amicably and just wanted to feel stable.
The power of true love that he was unaware of turned the man who was thought to be as strong as steel into a lump of rusted scrap metal.
The lives of countless people in the territory depended on the lord’s choice.
His master was at a crossroads where he made the wrong choice.
“What are you going to do with the serfs of Pagos?”
What was even more troubling was that because it had been a huge granary for generations, the proportion of people living there were serfs much greater than in other regions.
“It was only a few months ago that I sent money to the peasant association in Pagos.”
That was long before Claudel went missing. The master, who was anxious to stay with his pregnant wife, took the time to go to the Duchess’s bedroom, and when he saw the woman sleeping, he couldn’t come out of the room and asked him to bring him work. Baron Colon has such vivid memories.
“If they were to be released as free men soon, returning to the kingdom’s territory would be a mistake.”
No lord would be willing to release serfs tied to the land to freely move to other fiefs.
He had made a reasonable judgment and offered to grant them freedom.
“The search party and the lake dam construction during the busy farming season have already caused chaos within the fief. This is absolutely not possible.”
Even if he didn’t say such things out loud, Kaian would know better.
He had to, but the one sitting at the head of the family wasn’t the same as before.
Everyone lost their energy at Kaian’s words as they listened to everyone else talking.
“Claudel’s return is a priority. Then we’ll find another way.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment