Translator: Cinder Translations
...
When Earl Merlin finished reading the king's decree, the anger of the gathered nobles erupted almost immediately.
"How can such an agreement be signed?"
"Such a large piece of land in the north is just handed over to the orcs and traitors?"
"What about the Watcher's Fortress?"
Amidst the noisy discussions, Catherine's face turned pale, her lips were devoid of color, and she trembled, trying to speak but unable to. Just moments ago, they were still debating the next steps to take.
Some suggested advancing eastward to quickly recover the kingdom's lost territories.
Others advocated for a more cautious approach, to continue to deplete the orcs' forces as they had done in the previous battle.
But when Earl Merlin, the king's emissary, arrived, he delivered a shocking announcement that stunned everyone.
Faced with the nobles' questions, Earl Merlin's expression was also grim.
"Gentlemen, up until now, I am just as shocked as you."
"At the royal council, the king suddenly declared this decision. His reason was that if the war with the orcs continues, Giles and Vibern will unite and attack Crystal Glare."
In fact, the Earl himself found this explanation hard to believe, as he, the kingdom's intelligence chief, had received no such information. Did the king have other sources of intelligence?
Naturally, this explanation didn't convince everyone.
"Though there is some risk, we can't just abandon such a vast piece of land!"
"If the orcs occupy the northern regions of the kingdom, our generation will be branded as traitors!"
"Gentlemen, please, quiet down." As the uproar continued, Earl Merlin took out a second scroll of parchment, with golden-edged patterns indicating it was another royal decree.
The Earl looked towards the noble sitting at the head of the table, Paul Grayman. Even after hearing such a shocking announcement, the young man remained silent.
"Marquis Grayman!"
The royal emissary called his name seriously, and Paul realized that this second decree concerned him. He slowly rose from his seat.
Earl Merlin read the decree aloud in a clear and solemn tone.
Once again, the room fell silent.
The contents of the decree were as shocking as the earlier one, in which the king ceded land to the orcs for peace. Paul Grayman had been elevated to the rank of Marquis.
In the noble culture of Aldor, the title of Marquis was more than just a noble rank; it carried a powerful connotation—military leader of the frontier.
In terms of prestige, a Marquis ranked slightly below a Duke, but in terms of influence, especially in military matters, it was not inferior, and theoretically, a Marquis even had the power to summon troops from a Duke's territory.
There had only been a few founding ministers who had been granted the title of Marquis, and after their deaths, no one else had been awarded it.
Now, this long-lost title reappeared on the stage of the kingdom's history.
The atmosphere in the room was explosive. Jealousy, envy, admiration, and expectations all flashed across the faces of the gathered lords.
In his shock, Paul didn't know how to respond until he felt someone tugging at his arm—Catherine pulled him back to reality.
Paul quickly organized his thoughts and spoke solemnly.
"I will humbly accept this heavy responsibility and swear to dedicate my shallow talents to Aldor for the rest of my life."
He extended his hands, respectfully receiving the decree from Earl Merlin.
"Marquis?" Everyone in the room began to ponder, what was the king's intention? The anger from the humiliating peace treaty with the orcs had faded somewhat.
Negotiating with the orcs for peace while appointing a powerful military leader, it seemed the king's actions suggested that the matter between Aldor and the orcs was far from over.
A simple banquet was held in the camp to celebrate the birth of a new Marquis.
After the banquet, Earl Merlin found Paul and Catherine, leading them to a quiet spot for a private conversation.
"Marquis Grayman, His Majesty needs your help," the Earl said, cutting straight to the point.
"Me?" Paul pointed at himself. "What kind of help does he need from me?"
Earl Merlin answered, "Help in many aspects! His Majesty has decided to use your Alden as a model to carry out a top-down, all-encompassing reform across the kingdom."
Paul's heart skipped a beat. His long-standing actions were finally going to have a huge impact on the kingdom.
A surge of thoughts flooded his mind.
What should he do? Help Rodney XVIII with reforms to make Aldor stronger and wealthier? Certainly, Rodney XVIII was a good man, but… wasn't he the one who had crossed over, the one who should lead the wave of change himself?
Perhaps, while the royal family was so weak, he could… rebel? March southward, directly attack Crystal Glare, and place the crown on his own head!
Ah, but what about Catherine?
...
"Paul! Paul!" Catherine called out, pulling her fiancé back from his wild thoughts.
"Cough! Apologies, I was shocked by the king's far-sightedness. Yes, Aldor can't remain unchanged, His Majesty is truly wise!"
The excessive flattery made the Earl uncomfortable, but he chose to ignore it.
"His Majesty needs you on the frontier, but he also needs you in Crystal Glare. He hopes you can first go to the capital to discuss the general outline of the reforms with him, and then return to raise a strong army."
"As many have predicted, the peace with the orcs is temporary. Sooner or later, we will have to drive them back to the plains to eat sand."
After delivering the king's message, Earl Merlin soon left, leaving Paul and Catherine alone.
"Congratulations!" Catherine could clearly feel that Paul was becoming more and more important to her. She was genuinely happy and proud when he was granted the title of Marquis.
Of course, it would have been even better if that disgraceful peace treaty didn't exist.
Had she still been the princess she once was, she would have immediately led an army back to Crystal Glare to confront those in the capital who made this shameful decision.
But now, she was different.
She didn't know exactly when, but Catherine's mindset had slowly started to change. The once-passionate optimism that filled her heart had begun to fade. The enthusiasm for the future had disappeared from within her.
She still swore an undying loyalty to the Kingdom of Aldor, but this loyalty had transformed into one of resignation, doing everything possible and leaving the rest to fate.
Perhaps, this change had started the day her father passed away.
"Thank you!" Paul smiled as he replied.
His calm tone surprised Catherine. In fact, she had long found it strange.
Whether it was the humiliating peace treaty or the glorious title, Paul had remained the most composed of everyone present.
What deep thoughts must be behind this calm demeanor!
TL/N: Probably about rebellion or something...
(End of the Chapter)
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