episode_0009

Episode 9 – Banish the Lowborn at Once!

It’s uncomfortable.

For nearly a month, I’ve been keeping our fox by my side constantly.

Even during meals with the daughters of House Grace, who would accompany me in conquering the world.

Even when I was reviewing documents.

Even during breaks or days off, I watched him work in his workshop.

Like a child’s cherished doll, carried around endlessly, never discarded even in adulthood—comforting the heart and soothing the soul.

To me, Cain was exactly that.

But at times like this, seated in such an awkward position…

Not being able to bring him along during meetings with minor nobles—truly frustrating.

“Countess Erika Grace. We shall now begin the assembly.”

“You have my permission.”

And so, the tedious and dreadful meeting commenced.

Stubborn old men and arrogant nobles.

Each was inflexible and frustrating, yet they were still prestigious nobles.

Quick-witted and politically adept—exactly what I needed right now.

Among them, a rather young and extravagance-loving man—

A baron with a sharp mind—raised a topic.

“The most important, our top priority, is naturally the unification of the ducal territories.”

“I concur.”

The Frontier Empire was vast and expansive.

Excluding the Emperor’s domains, it was divided into 24 regions, each governed by renowned nobles.

Larger regions sometimes had subordinate nobles ruling parts of the land.

And that applied to my territory—Redmain.

Even as a duke, managing such a vast land alone was impossible.

Thus, under the duke’s name, obedient nobles were granted territories and castles as vassals.

Then, were all the nobles living within the Grace Ducal Lands and Redmain my subordinates?

“Especially for you, Countess Erika Grace, this is all the more crucial.”

The answer was NO.

Though some, like the gathered minor nobles, followed me, many did not.

Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but soon the empire would collapse, ushering in an era of warlords.

Now was the time to clearly determine allies and enemies.

Moreover, my authority had diminished further after being demoted from duke to count.

To secure more forces and solidify my lands, unifying the ducal territories was necessary.

That was the first step—my top priority—in taking over the empire.

Of course, it was preparation for the empire’s inevitable downfall in a few years…

“So, have the letters been sent?”

“Heh. Maximus Hauser, the eldest son of House Hauser—known for leading the charge against enemies—has already sent them to lords across Redmain, even the farthest reaches.”

His tongue was annoyingly long.

Still, smarter and more capable than the old fogey nobles, so I swallowed my irritation.

With a narcissistic flick of his hair, he flashed a smug smile and presented a refined sheet of paper.

“Presently, including the nobles gathered here, ten have responded favorably.”

“One is missing.”

“The territory ruled by the Penrose barons in the north.”

The Penrose Barons.

Like the narcissist before me, theirs was a family that rose from knighthood.

They secured their lands by bribing their way through the corrupt empire.

Though father and sons alike were competent, they were seen as flawed in some aspects.

But the problem lay in their battlefield prowess—quite formidable despite their shortcomings.

Frowning, I drummed my fingers on the table.

“Of all people, the Penroses…”

“Troublesome that they remain silent.”

An elderly marquis replied.

At a glance, these were men built on bribes—marked for execution someday.

But those who bribed heavily had wealth, and wealth meant military strength.

On top of that, as descendants of a knightly house, their combat abilities and leadership were commendable.

Moreover, the northern lands ruled by the Penrose brothers boasted a formidable fortress…

Taking them would be troublesome; betraying worse.

The nobles here knew this well and began to deliberate.

“Left unchecked, they’ll stab me in the back someday.”

Either win them over or wage war and crush them.

Thus, the meeting reached a tentative conclusion.

The Penrose matter was deferred.

It was decided to beat them into submission by force when the opportunity arose.

Meanwhile, other lords and nobles who pledged allegiance would undergo ideological vetting.

As I stood to leave, the elderly marquis spoke.

Though outranking me, he still deferred due to my former ducal status.

“My liege, we all share the same opinion.”

“Do not call me ‘liege.’ While the imperial title still holds meaning, refrain from reckless words.”

Were they oblivious?

Even if a 14-year-old puppet now sat on the throne, the imperial house remained the imperial house.

Until the era of warlords fully arrived, we had to avoid provocation.

Of course, our fox was an exception.

Somehow, his obedience gave me pleasure.

Regardless, I signaled for them to speak quickly with a flick of my fingers.

“You must banish that lowborn.”

“Hah?”

I had expected this.

But to openly challenge me, knowing how favored he was? Unexpected.

Eyebrows furrowed, I glared down at the bowing marquis.

“Now is the time to gather forces—nobles, naturally.

Yet the former duke, once great, now shelters a lowborn within the Grace estate….”

“We’ll discuss this another time.”

“No, we cannot delay.

A month has passed since this topic first arose—now is the time to unite our factions.

How will other nobles perceive you, harboring filth within your halls?”

Simply put, the old man meant this:

Elevating a lowborn tarnished their prestige—implying they were no better than commoners.

He begged—discard him to maintain noble superiority.

Scowling, I replied.

“What lies ahead is an era of warlords—conquer or be conquered.

No longer will battles be fought by knights alone.

Cain symbolizes hope—proof that talent, even among commoners, can rise.

He is also a means to placate resentful conscripts.”

This was no longer an age where knights dueled under a stable empire.

Now, commoners would be conscripted—large-scale wars fought with ordinary soldiers.

Even deposing a lord wouldn’t secure loyalty if the people revolted.

Every move was calculated, I argued.

Of course, he was simply someone I favored…

But even after my explanation, the marquis pressed further.

“A reasonable argument. However….”

“However?”

“Lowborns are mere stepping stones for nobles.

In the coming wars—will we need the people’s support? Or the nobles’?”

I fell silent.

Without the people, nobles and emperors wouldn’t exist—yet nobles moved the world.

Those gathered here were Redmain’s nobility.

In a way, they demanded a choice—our fox? Or themselves?

As Redmain’s rightful ruler and former duke—

As one who would rise as warlord—I now faced defiance from a marquis.

Yet no noble behind him intervened.

They simply forced a choice upon me.

Clearly, Cain’s favored status rankled deeply.

Most nobles would’ve submitted already.

“Vivian, bring it here.”

“Yes.”

Maintaining decorum in this formal setting, Vivian bowed and handed me crisp white papers.

“Former Duke… what is that?”

“Ledger.”

I raised the stack toward the nobles.

Profits from our fox’s stoves, pencils… and mass-produced books via printing.

Facing their bewilderment, I spoke.

“I cherish talent.”

“Every soul here… and even ants across the empire know this.”

How could they not?

In this era of corruption—

I had purged those near the capital, leveraging lingering influence.

Those nobles siding with me were competent.

Flipping through the papers, I declared:

“And this means I love that lowborn more than all of you combined.”

Instantly, veins bulged on noble foreheads.

Born noble, raised noble—proud, educated, and experienced—

Now deemed inferior to a lowborn.

Decorum shattered—outrage erupted.

“How *dare* you utter such madness…!”

“To compare us to a lowborn—this is too much!”

“Reconsider!”

As expected—they snapped.

Beside me, Vivian—my guard-secretary—watched with mixed satisfaction and concern.

But worry was unnecessary.

Slowly, emphatically, I read aloud the ledger of our fox’s earnings.

One by one, the nobles turned pale.