Chapter 409: The Great Lord (Not a Grand Duke) of the North (1)

Wiridia County, a territory in the northern frontier that was an imperial direct territory until just a few months ago.

Due to its northern frontier characteristics, it serves as a market for barter trade with nomads during peacetime and transforms into a military gathering point when the Emperor decides to suppress nomads—a miraculous place.

The reason why I forgot about such a region despite receiving it as my territory is simple.

I didn’t have the capacity to remember.

Thinking about it carefully, the events that unfolded since I was granted Wiridia as my territory were each intense.

The empire, just recovering from its wounds, mobilized a large army for the northern expedition. We won a large-scale campaign, and the Emperor became Khan. He then personally held a grand triumph ceremony.

And then, a Crown Princess with maximum legitimacy was born. I also became that Crown Princess’s godfather. After that, the establishment of the Ministry of Inspection was decided, as well as the transfer of Tailglehen’s Count title. Lastly, the first abdication ceremony in imperial history happened.

All these happened within just half a year. And this is just picking the official events; if we include private events, it’s too much to count.

It’s understandable that I forgot.

Gradually, my embarrassment faded and confidence took its place. With such events happening, who would remember a mere county? Honestly, even the Emperor probably mistook Wiridia for a direct territory until recently.

“I will visit the territory as soon as possible to normalize the situation.”

Of course, I didn’t express my confidence outwardly. Even though both the Emperor and I forgot about it, the fact remains that imperial assets were used to manage a noble’s territory.

And the Emperor seemed to understand my dynamic half-year, just nodding and moving on—

“Come to think of it, Minister. While there’s no problem with the territory, I hear something quite interesting has happened.”

“Pardon?”

What’s this now? There’s no problem, but something interesting happened?

Can those two things coexist?

It feels like hearing, ‘I drank, but I didn’t drive drunk.’ If the Emperor finds it interesting, it means something really, really big has happened.

“You’ll hear the details from the local chief officer on site. I only know about it from written reports, so I can’t explain as thoroughly as the chief officer.”

However, I couldn’t refute his implication that I should go see for myself.

If I think of it as karma for neglecting my territory until now, it’s not too bad a price to pay.

Thanks to the Emperor’s implicit order, I immediately headed to Wiridia. It was a suggestion and not an order on the surface, but mentioning territory management and interesting happenings is as good as telling me to go right away.

It’s strange. He made me a capital-bound spirit on the pretext of overseeing the Ministry of Inspection’s establishment, but now he’s kicking me out at light speed. What’s he playing at?

The problem is that I provided the cause for being kicked out this time, 100%.

“I greet Your Lordship, Count of Wiridia. I am Alfred Gelbain, who was the chief local official of Wiridia region.”

Upon arriving at the center of Wiridia County, the chief local official welcomed me. Meanwhile, why does the word ‘was’ sound so poignant?

“You’ve worked hard managing Wiridia on my behalf. It should have been my duty, and I’m terribly embarrassed.”

“How can you say such things when we know Your Lordship has been dedicating yourself to the empire? Rather, I’m moved that I could help Your Lordship even a little.”

As soon as I apologized, the chief local official bowed deeply and politely responded.

Please don’t. That makes me even more embarrassed.

“Besides, I’ve grown quite attached to this region, so I’m glad I had time to sort out my lingering feelings.”

As if noticing my emotions, the chief local official continued with a faint smile.

“That’s fortunate.”

Although I was still embarrassed, I smiled back, feeling his warm consideration. Thank you for at least saying that…

“Ah, let’s go inside first. I have much to tell Your Lordship.”

“Yes, let’s do that.”

I flinched momentarily at the mention of having much to tell, but obediently followed the chief local official to the lord’s office.

Surprisingly, as the Emperor assured, it seems no problem has arisen in the territory. If there were a problem, the chief local official’s expression couldn’t be this calm.

We’ve avoided the worst.

I inwardly sighed with relief. Fortunately, I’ve avoided the title of ‘great lord who caused an accident by neglecting his territory.’ That alone is an encouraging achievement.

…Now I just need to find out what this interesting thing is that the Emperor acknowledged.

Is it an authority issue?

I suddenly made such a guess. Could there have been some incident due to local officials holding out in a territory that has a rightful owner? It’s a reasonable speculation.

The possibility is quite high. Although the owner forgot he received the territory, and the local officials are veterans who have managed Wiridia since it was a direct territory, if it changed from a direct territory to a noble’s territory, it would be difficult for local officials to administer actively. After all, the territory has a separate owner.

Yes, if it’s something like that, it’s fine. I can handle it right away as the rightful owner of the territory.

“The number of nomads within Wiridia has increased dramatically.”

But it wasn’t that. The happy circuit I had carefully constructed burst as soon as we arrived at the lord’s office.

“The number of nomads?”

“Yes, Your Lordship.”

I opened my mouth as I calmly sat in the main seat. Actually, it’s not surprising that my happy circuit misfired; it happens all the time.

I’m just puzzled that nomads incorporated into the empire, nomads who have become legitimate imperial subjects, have flowed into my territory.

The great lords should be controlling them, shouldn’t they?

It’s strange. Currently, the nomads are under the control of thirteen great lords who received titles from the Retired Emperor. They’re not incompetent individuals, having received titles through their wit and political maneuvering.

Moreover, as new nobles and lords, they would want to increase their influence somehow. They should be trying to incorporate even wandering tribes and clans without affiliations to create as many subjects as possible. So under normal circumstances, nomads shouldn’t come to a territory in the mainland.

They certainly shouldn’t.

Are they fighting among themselves?

I even had such a thought. If the great lords of the North were at each other’s throats, the nomads might migrate south to the mainland to avoid the conflict.

But I haven’t heard any such news. In the first place, if imperial lords engaged in unauthorized armed conflicts, the empire would behead all involved parties. Lords fighting each other would be civil war—

“Also, the number of nomads visiting the market has surged. It seems most of the crowds heading to nearby territorys are converging on Wiridia.”

“……”

Hearing this, I sensed something ominous.

“Chief Local Official.”

“Yes, Your Lordship.”

“By any chance, while I was absent, did any letters come from other nobles?”

The Chief Local Official nodded firmly, as if he had been waiting for this question.

“All thirteen great lords in the North sent letters.”

Damn it.

Just as the happy circuit always misfires, the despair circuit always hits the mark.

I’ve been chosen.

It’s not a phrase to use for humans, but there’s no more appropriate expression.

I’ve been chosen by the great lords of the North.

For nobles, titles are symbols of wealth, honor, and power. Also, the territorys attached to titles are an easy standard to measure a noble’s status.

Then, are titles and territorys everything for nobles? Not quite. In noble society, there exists the social circle, a melting pot of connections, and true power comes from the center, not the provinces. No matter how high a title or how prosperous a territory a noble has, if they stay in their territory like a hikikomori, their influence will diminish.

Of course, three of the current dukes stay only in their territorys, but dukes already have connections built up by their families over 300 years, numerous blood relatives, and factions. Even if the duke himself just breathes in his territory, his influence doesn’t diminish.

But new nobles don’t have that history, blood ties, or factions.

So they must have wanted to make contact with the center somehow.

And I became their stepping stone to contact the center.

I understand. Having the name of great lord and becoming representatives of the North, it’s natural they want to exert influence in the center. It’s also natural they want to contact mainland nobles instead of being isolated in the North.

But I didn’t know it would be me. There’s the Invincible Duke’s territory right in the North. If they were to use a connection, I thought they’d use the experienced Invincible Duke’s line, who is also the Emperor’s father-in-law. Who would have imagined they’d use the line of a noble in his 20s?

This means they want me to look after them.

I almost sighed. The increase of nomads in Wiridia means, ‘We won’t stop those who want to become subjects of the Count of Wiridia.’ Lords have given up subjects who would pay taxes to them.

The reason nomads are flocking to the market in Wiridia is similar. It’s a voluntary economic submission saying, ‘We will only trade through the Count of Wiridia.’

It’s certain. One marquis and twelve counts located in the North have reached out to me. Thirteen great lords and powerful nomad forces will support you, so become our leader and guide us — that’s the hand they’ve extended.

Are they really of tribal chief origin?

I’m confused. This looks like the political acumen of 100% pure settled nobles, not tribal chiefs.

Or is the politicking of nomads no different from that of civilized people?

“…Let’s look at the letters first.”

“Yes, I’ll bring them right away.”

I finally opened my mouth after a moment of silence. I’ve unknowingly become a faction member, but I should at least check what they’ve said.

This is driving me crazy.

I just came to take care of my territory a bit, and I’ve ended up becoming the leader of an unimaginable faction. A small but solid faction composed entirely of great lords.

No, with a marquis involved, I can’t even call it small. If a faction with a marquis participating is called small, what faction could claim to be large?

Is this divine punishment?

Suddenly, a past memory came to mind. While returning to the capital after the northern expedition, I thought the Emperor would have a hard time if a faction of northern great lords emerged.

But I didn’t know I’d end up belonging to that faction. If I had known, I wouldn’t have laughed at the Emperor and moved on.

It really is divine punishment.

When you mock others, that suffering comes back to you.

What a chilling example of poetic justice.