Chapter 410: The Great Lord (Not a Grand Duke) of the North (2)

The thirteen letters that started from the North and reached Wiridia were dreadful letters containing despair rather than fortune, but I couldn’t just ignore letters sent by great lords. And so, I checked each one personally.

And when you remove the greetings, flowery language, and ceremonial sentences, all thirteen letters contained the same proposal, or rather, request, without exception.

A straightforward request to become their wolf punch.

It’ll be hard to refuse.

I almost let out a bitter laugh. The northern great lords didn’t just write their business; they filled their letters with desperation, even thoroughly humbling themselves. It’s clear that we’ll all end up in an awkward situation if I refuse this request.

They even made an advance payment while hoping for my positive choice. A significant number of nomads have flowed into Wiridia, and Wiridia’s market is thriving through exchanges with the thirteen great lords. Even if it’s a voluntary advance payment, I’d be a scammer if I just took this and wiped my mouth clean.

What should I do?

It’s a dilemma. Objectively speaking, it’s not a bad proposal. No, it could even be seen as a good one.

As a great lord of a territory bordering the North, establishing friendly relations with northern forces, and having the northern consensus support me… No matter how I look at it, it’s a situation full of benefits without losses. The stability and development of the territory and my influence in the center would rapidly increase.

Of course, I’d take responsibility as the faction leader if my faction members cause trouble, but subordinates messing up and getting disciplined is a familiar scenario. There’s nothing new there.

Yes, it’s beneficial. It’s beneficial, but…

I don’t need it.

It’s beneficial, but unnecessary. I already have all sorts of titles like the Crown Princess’s godfather and Minister of Inspection, so what’s the point of increasing my influence further? I have a bastard of a superior above me, and my subordinates are overflowing with personality—the problem isn’t that I’m a weakling needing others’ help.

Territorial stability? Bluntly put, unless the northern great lords go crazy, they won’t cause disturbances near my territory, let alone in it. Those gentlemen are people with intelligence and awareness superior to ordinary folks.

That’s why it’s a dilemma. Refusing would make things awkward with the neighboring northern great lords, but accepting would increase unwanted rewards and responsibilities.

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

Ah.

Suddenly, I recalled what the Emperor had said.

The Emperor isn’t the type to just sit back and watch nomad-origin great lords contact mainland nobles. If he’s not interested when a new faction is about to appear in the political world, wouldn’t he fail as a leader? He might have personality issues, but he’s not stupid.

But knowing full well about the northern great lords’ moves, he only called it an interesting matter. He didn’t make any statements checking my connection with the North.

Then, the Emperor essentially wants me to become the leader of the northern faction.

…

I should accept.

I sighed softly. If the Emperor’s will is set, it’s easier to follow it as much as possible. Refusing unnecessarily would only stack up demerit points.

Moreover, the formation of a northern faction itself is an unavoidable future. Even if I reject the northern great lords, they will contact another mainland noble to form a faction.

It seems he judged that it’s better to entrust it to an imperial count (soon to be promoted) and the Crown Princess’s godfather than to an unknown figure if a faction is going to appear anyway.

“You must have waited long, so I should send a reply quickly.”

“Yes, I’ll prepare it right away.”

As I casually opened my mouth, the chief local officer who had been waiting quickly bowed his head and brought paper and pen.

From now on, I’m the Great Count Lord of the North who manages it.

It’s a name that sounds like a knockoff, but that’s how it is.

Thanks to the mage who delivered me to Wiridia also performing the role of courier, the reply was quickly delivered. I should probably mention to Beatrix that there’s a kind mage around.

And not long after the mage left, the communication crystal began to glow.

— It’s been a while, Count.

It was a call from Marquis Barandiga, the only marquis in the North.

“Yes, we saw each other at the abdication ceremony, but we couldn’t even exchange greetings then. Have you been well?”

— Thanks to the imperial family’s grace, I’ve been having the best of days.

Marquis Barandiga answered with a hearty laugh to my ceremonial greeting.

By the way, I’m a bit surprised. I did include in my reply that ‘we should discuss a more constructive future through the communication crystal,’ but I didn’t expect him to contact me right after receiving it.

…Don’t tell me I have to talk to all thirteen of them in succession?

— I’m glad to see you seem healthy too, Count.

“Haha, I’m still at an age where I should be sturdy. It would be troublesome if I were frail already.”

— Oh my, that’s true. I misspoke.

I felt uneasy, but I decided to focus on the conversation for now. Marquis Barandiga is nominally the leader of the northern great lords, so if I can end this conversation well, it’s half the battle won.

The problem is that this conversation is about transferring the leadership position.

“If I had seen Your Lordship more often, I could have shown off my health. Weren’t there quite a few opportunities for us neighbors to interact? It’s truly regrettable.”

At those words, Marquis Barandiga’s smile deepened. Following the reply about discussing a constructive future, saying it’s regrettable that we couldn’t interact despite being neighbors. Anyone would see this as a positive reception to the northern great lords’ request.

— Please don’t say that. Aren’t you busy with administrative affairs?

“I can step down from the administration at any time, but the fact that I’m neighbors with Marquis Barandiga won’t change.”

Actually, it’s a lie. Passing on the Wiridia County to my child might be faster than stepping down from the administration.

But Marquis Barandiga doesn’t yet know how the imperial family uses its civil servants. Not knowing this cruel truth, he just smiled gladly at the white lie.

You shouldn’t become a civil servant.

About 5 hours after the Minister left for Wiridia, I received a contact from him.

— Long live Emperor. Your Majesty’s humble servant, Carl Krasius, greets the sun of the empire.

I was satisfied with the earlier-than-expected contact. It seems he noticed what I wanted and quickly pushed forward with the work.

“Yes, Minister. Seeing that you’ve contacted me already, it seems the matter is settled.”

— …Yes, Your Majesty. I’ve handled it safely.

Indeed, I’m satisfied. Originally, it would be a clean finish if the Minister was prepared to embrace the nomad-origin great lords, but it’s praiseworthy that he made that preparation so quickly.

“Well done. Didn’t I tell you that there was no problem with the territory?”

I saw the Minister’s eyes tremble at those words, but I ignored it.

It’s not like I lied. It’s true that there was no problem with the territory. Just that something interesting happened to the Minister as the lord.

Now, there’s no need to worry about the North.

The corners of my mouth rose slightly. The North is a difficult region to manage smoothly due to its distance from the capital and harsh land, but there’s no need to worry if the Minister with a territory in the North becomes their leader.

The Minister participated in two wars and played a decisive role in killing the enemy’s leader twice. It’s natural for the nomads, who value military prowess, to respect and revere such a Minister. Even non-nomad nobles will follow the Minister, who is the Crown Princess’s godfather and an imperial count.

It might seem like giving the Minister personally too much honor and authority, but it’s better for the Minister to take control if someone has to unite with the North.

There’s a safety measure too.

If the Minister goes out of control, my father-in-law’s faction spread across the North would oppose the Minister’s northern faction. We can avoid the bizarre situation of tens of thousands of nomads rushing to the capital.

Of course, I can’t imagine a future where the Minister goes out of control and clashes with my father-in-law.

— Your Majesty.

Just as I was about to smile, thinking of the strengthened northern security, the Minister spoke.

— I apologize, but there’s something I dare to ask Your Majesty.

“Me?”

— Yes, Your Majesty.

It’s unexpected. It’s extremely rare for the Minister to ask me something. Perhaps thinking that opening his mouth unnecessarily might result in more work, the Minister tends to be as sparing with his words as possible.

Eventually, curiosity began to rise instead of puzzlement. For such a Minister to ask a question directly, I’m quite interested in what it could be about. At least from his expression, it doesn’t seem to be an urgent matter.

“Speak.”

— Long live Your Majesty. I’m grateful for your grace.

At my brief acceptance, the Minister bowed his head and continued.

— What will happen to the local officers who were managing the Wiridia region?

“The general local officers will go to other regions as there are many direct territories, but the chief local officer will be in a standby state for a while. There’s no vacant chief local officer position, so it can’t be helped.”

— Then, Your Majesty. May I take the chief local officer as my vassal?

My already rising interest began to surge even faster.

“The chief local officer?”

— Yes, Your Majesty. There’s no one as proficient in the Wiridia region as the chief local officer. Therefore, I wish to give him a viscount title and make him my steward.

Viscount…

I felt my cheeks twitching. I almost burst into laughter at the audacity of trying to appoint a mere local officer as a viscount simply because he’s an expert.

Certainly, no one would be as knowledgeable about that region as the chief local officer. There’s a reason for the ‘chief’ in his title. But if you want to use that ability, simple employment would be enough, yet he wants to make him a vassal—and not just any vassal but a viscount, the second-in-command of the county, and his steward.

“The distribution of titles within a territory is the lord’s right. If the chief local officer accepts the Minister’s offer, we will revoke his position, so do as you wish.”

I managed to suppress my laughter and gave my answer.

Even if the chief local officer receives a viscount title, there are still several baron titles left in Wiridia. If rumors spread that he suddenly gave a viscount title to a chief local officer he just met, ambitious talents would flock to the Minister.

I can’t help but imagine the Minister suffering under their pressure.