Lord Erwin shifted his gaze toward the horizon, where rows of carriages stretched like a procession. The golden insignias of House Wilson gleamed on their polished sides, catching the morning light as banners fluttered above them—symbols of power deeply rooted in history and even epochs, that echoed even to foreign lands.
"Other races wouldn't be so foolish," he thought. "Not without reason. They'll test him—yes. Probe him with words, perhaps, sharpen their tongues like knives.
But blood? No, not yet. The input won't match the output."
Matthew acknowledged the command as he knelt before the lady of the Wilson estate, followed by the other captains.
"I, Matthew Davis, swear upon my honour and the duty entrusted to me—no harm shall befall the young master while I still draw breath. So long as I stand, blade in hand and will unbroken, none shall touch him."
Aidan sighed as he watched the event unfold.
Before the escort began their journey, the rhythmic clatter of hooves echoing against the cobbled paths as they departed the towering gates of Wilson Castle. Nestled deep within a mountainous region, the estate stood not merely as a home, but as a fortress carved from the very bones of the land—a monument to generations of legacy and the quiet, iron-fisted dominance it had carved for itself over the centuries.
Most of the mountain's expanse belonged solely to the castle, its sprawling halls, stone courtyards, and vast training grounds consuming nearly every usable stretch of land like a beast that refused to yield. And beyond that—far beyond what Aidan had initially expected—lay the fiefdom of House Wilson, stretching out in all directions like the shadow of a sleeping giant.
In the lead carriage, Aidan sat on one side, his back straight, gaze calm, while Matthew occupied the other seat, already halfway into explaining the routine of their journey.
"We'll be entering the core region of the fiefdom in about an hour," Matthew said, his voice steady while looking at Aidan.
"We'll enter the core region of the fiefdom in about an hour," Matthew said, his tone calm but precise. "The pace will be slower there due to tighter patrols and settlements. Once we're past it, we can pick up speed."
As he spoke, Matthew leaned forward slightly, reaching into a leather satchel by his side. "Let me show you the distance and the route," he added, pulling out a folded map with practiced ease.
He spread it across the table between them—a foldable hardwood surface built into the carriage wall—and pinned it down with his gloved hand. The parchment was slightly weathered at the edges, clearly used many times indicating Matthew had used it many times before.
Then, glancing up, he asked before starting, "I presume you already know how the territory is divided, and the areas under our jurisdiction?"
Aidan gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable, but his mind wandered briefly to the moment he had first grasped the sheer scale of the world he had been reborn into.
The world of Maaya was vast—far vaster than Earth—and within the Human Empire, the land was divided into five major regions, each governed by one of the four great Dukes or the Royal Family itself.
This structure wasn't just traditional; it was necessary. Without such divisions, the realm would collapse into chaos.
Nobles held titles and managed their own lands, yes—but they answered to the Dukes, who were the true pillars of power and dukes answered to royal family, of Wilson was exception but it was only for their own territory not for others so even Wilson had pass the report given by nobles in there jurisdiction.
They dukes governed not only through strength, but through legacy, control, and unseen influence. Among them, the Wilsons stood tall, not just as one of the four great houses, but as the rulers of a domain so wide and intricate, it nearly defied reason. Their fiefdom wasn't just a swath of land—it was an empire within an empire, and Aidan was beginning to feel the weight of what it meant to inherit it.
Aidan let out a disbelieving chuckle, though it came out more like a dry scoff. His brow furrowed, and he leaned forward slightly, unable to hold back the question burning on his tongue.
"Teacher... do the Wilsons really rule over one hundred fifty-five million six hundred thousand seventy-six square kilometers?"
His voice faltered at the end, the sheer absurdity of the number catching in his throat. That couldn't be right. Even Earth—all of it—only had around one hundred forty-nine million seven hundred thirty-three thousand nine hundred twenty-six square kilometers of land.
That would mean... the Wilsons controlled over five million more than the entire surface of Earth.
Matthew blinked, his expression tightening just a touch. Then, with a slight frown, he nodded.
"Yes. Why?" he said, tilting his head. Matthew didn't understand why Aidan looked so bewildered.
"Oh, nothing." Aidan shook his head, forcing a half-smile as he gave up on expecting Matthew to share his sense of disbelief. Of course he wouldn't—this world was all he'd ever known. To someone like him, land that stretched beyond the scope of Earth's continents was normal. But to Aidan, born on a planet where every scrap of land was measured and claimed, the sheer scale Maaya left him speechless.
And he was supposed to inherit that? His head spun at the thought that one day he was going inherit this. He was basically a government like president for the noble of jurisdiction and kind for his territory which was Fifteen million thirty-six thousand one hundred ninety, this the fiefdom size he was basically a price of a country if look at it.
If he made it back alive from the Dark Forest, Aidan promised himself one thing—he'd seriously start learning about the geography of this world… and just how far his territory stretched.
Matthew clicked his tongue, his brows drawing together in quiet irritation. "Again?" he muttered, folding his arms. "You're drifting off in the middle of a tactical discussion, Aidan. This isn't the time to day dream Aidan."
Aidan's thoughts screeched to a halt as Matthew's voice cut through the haze. He blinked, then turned toward him with a faint nod.
"My apologies," Aidan said, brushing a hand through his hair. "Just lost in thought. Let's continue. How's the route?"
His gaze shifted to the map sprawled before them, the lines and markings now demanding focus.
Matthew let out a slow sigh.