A single sentence stunned the hall.
All the nobles in the hall turned to face the objector. It was none other than Ossen Hyde, the Border Count of Wushan Territory.
A murmur of discussion imdiately rippled through the crowd.
Marvin Viscount scoffed. "Ossen, your territory neither borders Wubei Territory nor has any business dealings or conflicts with it. What right do you have to object?"
"That’s right. If anyone’s going to object, it should be Marvin. After all, Ironhoof Territory is right next to Wubei Territory."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Marvin waved his hands dismissively. "Don’t be ridiculous, German. I have no objections whatsoever to the Marquis’s decision."
German shrugged. "Sa here."
The territories closest to Wubei belonged to Marvin and German. Since they had both voiced their approval, anyone else who wished to object would need a solid reason.
Lurans’s expression was unreadable. "Ossen, state your reason."
All eyes turned to Ossen.
"My Lord Marquis, as you said, Ronin’s role in rescuing Her Highness Princess was indeed ritorious. However, the key to repelling that Golden Level assassin wasn’t Ronin himself, but the Sixth-level Spell Scroll you gave him."
Ossen slowly stated his reason for objecting. "Ronin’s contribution is undeniable, but it isn’t significant enough to make him the lord of the entire Wubei Territory."
"Count Ossen is mistaken."
The speaker was Ronin’s brother-in-law, Kabil. "A Magic Scroll may be powerful, but its user still needs to find the right mont to activate it. There are plenty of people in this world who die clutching a powerful scroll, never having found the opportunity to use it."
"Kabil has a point."
Wiggin had his own take on the matter. "During the last attempt on my life, my opponent was so fast and decisive that I didn’t even have ti to use the defensive Magic Scroll I was carrying."
Ossen shot a glance at his son-in-law.
Had it been anyone else, Ossen might have assud they were siding with Ronin. Wiggin, however, was different. There was no need to read too deeply into his words; the man only ever spoke to the obvious.
However, Wiggin’s statent drew nods of agreent from the other nobles.
At the end of the day, a Magic Scroll was just a tool. Its effectiveness ultimately depended on the person wielding it.
Blanche watched as the nobles in the hall exchanged opinions. She wanted to speak up for Ronin, but since the discussion involved land and noble titles, it wasn’t her place to intervene.
Still, there was no harm in her stating a few facts from her own perspective.
"Everyone’s attention is focused on the Golden Level assassin, but before he made his move, two other assassins nearly killed . If it weren’t for Ronin, I would have been lying in a pool of my own blood before the Golden Level assassin even had a chance to strike."
She took a deep breath. She rarely attended such gatherings, and years of vicious rumors had made her sowhat timid. It was quite an achievent for her to speak so much without showing any fear.
Ossen gave a slight nod to the princess. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear. Ronin’s rit in rescuing Her Highness is beyond question, but it is still not enough for him to take control of the entire Wubei Territory."
He held firm to his opinion.
"Wushan Territory is currently under threat from the Black Gold Brotherhood and the Polante Thief Gang. To eliminate these two border factions, many nobles and knights have shed their blood and given their lives on the battlefield."
"The war rits of many knights and barons are not insignificant. In fact, when accumulated over several years, their accomplishnts are comparable to what Ronin has just achieved."
Ossen’s tone shifted. "Their accomplishnts have yet to be rewarded, yet we are bestowing such a grand reward upon Ronin. It seems... inappropriate."
"That’s not right, Ossen. As I recall, after every campaign against the Black Gold Brotherhood, the nobles who perford exceptionally well received land or other rewards."
Marvin Viscount’s tone grew hostile. "As far as I know, it’s your n who receive the most rewards every ti. The rest of us haven’t said a word, yet you’re the first one to raise an objection?"
Ossen sneered. "Should we not reward those with great accomplishnts? Or should we be rewarding soone like you, who never pulls his weight?"
"Bullshit! Who doesn’t pull their weight? When have the knights of my Ironhoof Territory ever not been charging at the very front?"
The discussion had started civilly enough, but the atmosphere had soured. Hot-tempered nobles like Marvin had resorted to outright cursing.
As the subject of the debate, Ronin offered no opinion. He simply watched the proceedings in silence.
In truth, most of the nobles acknowledged his accomplishnt, but they had reservations about the specifics of the reward.
For example, Baron Coren Hansen of Giant Stone City in the southwest felt that Ossen’s point wasn’t entirely without rit.
The nobles of the southwest had been fighting off the Polante Thief Gang for many years, yet few knights or nobles among them had received lands or rewards.
Even Coren Hansen himself was still just a baron.
"Enough."
The argunt had gone on long enough. Lurans finally spoke, his voice silencing the clamor in the hall. "I have heard your opinions, but I do not share your views."
"I have lived in seclusion these past few years and haven’t paid close attention to the territory’s affairs. However, I am well aware of both the Black Gold Brotherhood in the southeast and the Polante Thief Gang in the southwest."
Lurans’s gaze fell upon Baron Coren Hansen. "Coren, what were my instructions to you?"
Coren’s expression grew solemn. "You ordered to eliminate the Polante Thief Gang as quickly as possible, my lord."
"And have they been eliminated?"
"N-no."
Lurans chuckled dryly. "Over the years, Wushan Castle has supplied Giant Stone City and its neighboring nobles with no shortage of grain and horses. Not only have you failed to eliminate the enemy, you haven’t even managed to reclaim a single piece of territory. With a record like that, what rewards are there to discuss?"
Coren lowered his head. "You speak the truth, my lord."
"As for the Black Gold Brotherhood in the southeast."
Lurans turned to Ossen. "The sa logic applies. As long as the enemy remains, there can be no grand rewards. However, considering the nobles and knights have managed to reclaim so land, Wushan Castle has still rewarded those with significant accomplishnts. That is sufficient."
"Now, let us return to Ronin."
Lurans paused, recapturing everyone’s attention. "His accomplishnt was not rely saving Princess Blanche; he also averted a great catastrophe for Wushan Territory."
Had Blanche been killed, soone would have undoubtedly seized the opportunity to incite conflict between the Royal Family and Wushan Territory. The entire territory would have been plunged into turmoil, which would have benefited no one.
Therefore, Lurans was correct in saying that Ronin had averted a great catastrophe for Wushan Territory.
"Your words have rit."
Ossen conceded so of Lurans’s points. "But I still feel that naming Ronin a Viscount and granting him Sain Territory is reward enough."
He stressed, "Wubei Territory is too vast. Giving all of it to Ronin seems excessive."
Lurans shook his head. "Wubei Territory may be vast, but it is mostly barren and fraught with peril. Back when Mountain Forest Town was still unclaid, the Pioneer Knights would rather have taken a manor elsewhere than beco its lord."
"Very well."
A look of resignation crossed Ossen’s face. "The Marquis is the sa as ever. It is difficult for any of us to change your mind."
"Then why not settle it with a contest?"
Earl Jesus, who had been sitting silently beside Blanche since his arrival, unexpectedly chose this mont to speak.
A mischievous smile played on his lips, his eyes darting back and forth between Lurans and Ossen.
"Ossen, wasn’t it after you lost to Lurans in a sparring match that you decided to follow him? I’ve also heard that on the few occasions you’ve disagreed since, you’ve settled things with a contest—whoever wins, gets their way."
Jesus chuckled. "After so many years, you finally have a chance to do it again. Why not settle this with a contest? Besides, Ossen, I hear your power has advanced recently?"
A shock went through the crowd.
Ossen had been a Golden Level Knight for a long ti. If his power had advanced further, did that not an he had reached the teor Level?
Many of the nobles frowned. This was not good news.
Ronin’s expression also grew grim. This Earl Jesus was clearly trying to stir up trouble.
It was common knowledge that Lurans had lived in seclusion for many years and had not publicly used his martial abilities due to past injuries.
Asking him to spar with Ossen now was clearly intended to put him in an impossible position.
’He can’t agree to this match.’
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