CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48: ARRIVAL AT NORTHWIND CITY

Hatton and Ryan understood the implications of the Lordship system differently, yet they arrived at the same conclusion:

The emergence of the Lord title would indeed increase the number of nobles—but it would also elevate the status and influence of those who held the traditional five-tier noble ranks.

As for wealth? That was another matter altogether.

The imperial letter made it very clear:

Every noble had the right to confer the title of Lord, though with limitations on the number. Even a baron could, at their discretion, appoint up to five individuals as Imperial Lords.

Since Lords existed by virtue of these higher-ranking nobles, naturally, if the noble who conferred the title fell, the Lord’s title would no longer be recognized.

However, once someone became a noble, a Lord did gain certain autonomous rights. They were no longer the property or subjects of the five-tier nobles, but their supporters—with the power to oppose them, and even the right to hold their own territory... if they could obtain it.

So when the Empire stated its hope that nobles confined to one-third of the continent would bravely push for new frontiers—it wasn’t empty rhetoric.

The Lordship system’s main purpose was born of too many nobles, too little land, and universal frustration over shrinking fiefs.

Its secondary purpose was indeed to stimulate expansion.

But... while the intention was admirable, reality told a different story.

Even a desolate place like the Frozen Territory had no volunteers.

And expecting Lords to march into the Eternal Winter to fight orcs and worse, battling for land?

Unrealistic.

This political maneuver might simply turn into a boomerang, returning as political strife once again.

This visit to Northwind City was, in truth, part of that strife.

After such a long delay, the Empire finally seemed to remember that the Northwind Province was home to many pioneering nobles and frontier knights

. A member of the Imperial Family would soon arrive.

Originally, such matters were under the Church’s jurisdiction, but in recent years, imperial authority had been replacing divine authority at a rapid pace.

At this thought, Ryan suddenly remembered something.

"If that’s the case... doesn’t it mean that all of Grand Duke Meyers’ old frontier charters have become worthless?"

His expression twisted slightly. Beside him, Hatton’s face also became... complicated.

Grand Duke Meyers had once secured the entire Northwind Province for the Empire, easing immense pressure—an extraordinary achievement.

But all that merit had been repackaged into land grants, and now even those land grants seemed obsolete.

Which meant Grand Duke Meyers had fought, bled, and built Northwind Province—only to receive nothing in the end?

There wasn’t a single member of the Meyers family still living in Northwind.

"Tsk... I better not think too hard about it."

...

Northwind City.

When Ryan and Hatton finally arrived at the provincial capital, most of the nobles from the entire Northwind Province had already gathered.

Both Shénmǎ Barony and the Frozen Territory were too far away from the city.

The streets were filled with soldiers and slaves. With so many nobles now arriving, the local commoners hardly dared step outside.

Especially since rumors were already spreading from the southern trade caravans—secrets that were openly acknowledged down south.

Ryan and Hatton took up temporary residence at a fellow baron’s estate.

Soon after, a representative from Viscount Miles came to find them.

"Before the formal council in three days, all nobles from Lingdu County must first align their positions. The county’s interests come first."

When Ryan arrived at Viscount Miles’ mansion, the elderly viscount appeared full of vigor—quite unexpected.

Who would have thought that the once-weakest Lingdu County had now become one of the three most influential factions?

By contrast, Viscount Dragon, sitting nearby, looked deeply displeased.

He stared at the old man with barely disguised venom.

Wasn’t this guy supposed to be on the verge of death after expending his magical scroll? Why isn’t he dead yet?

How did he survive the winter?

Ryan noticed too. His best guess was that the Miles family’s deep foundations had yielded some rare or powerful resource.

But what concerned Ryan more was how the Empire would handle Northwind Province.

He glanced at Baron Hatton, who coughed twice, then asked with forced dignity:

"Lord Viscount Miles... has the Empire truly decided to abandon Northwind Province?"

At that, the room tensed. Nobles exchanged hushed whispers and turned to watch Viscount Miles’ expression.

The old man seemed to age several years in that instant, his spirit momentarily dimming.

At last, he spoke, voice tinged with regret:

"The Empire has decided to cancel the annual one-million-gold subsidy to Northwind Province.

This news comes from the Senate, though it won’t be officially announced until three days from now."

"Only the subsidy? Then surely the ones hit hardest will be Governor Winter and the two count-level territories?" Hatton asked, confused. His political instincts, while sharp, had limits.

"Hatton, has all your brain sunk into your belly fat?"

A nearby noble, richly dressed, sneered:

"The Empire stopped caring about Northwind Province thirty years ago.

That million-gold subsidy was the only reason the great houses even remembered this place existed."

"Now, without that money, no future policy reports will even mention Northwind.

You seriously think our Governor will pay from his own pocket to maintain the strongholds on the Xiangshan Plain?"

That was absurd. The millions in imperial subsidies had long since been divvied up and devoured.

Expecting anyone to now use their own money to fix a fortress?

Absolutely impossible.

"In short, without that annual gold, it means the Empire has given up on extracting value from Northwind Province."

"On the contrary—they’ll probably start collecting taxes now."

Northwind Province had long been exempt from many imperial taxes.

Even when its nobles pocketed tax revenues and sent nothing to the capital, the Empire had turned a blind eye—largely because internal politics had made the province more of a nuisance than an asset.

But now that spending had ceased, and Northwind was essentially semi-abandoned, the Empire would surely move to recover the thirty-three million gold it had invested over the past 33 years—and demand even more.

"Pay them?" Hatton bellowed.

"I’m not paying a single coin! How could Shénmǎ Barony possibly afford it?!"

Hatton immediately launched into complaints about how orcs had looted his lands and broken into his castle.

"Hatton, we’re your neighbors. You really think we don’t know your castle’s still intact?"

"And by the way—Shénmǎ? What kind of awful name is that?"

Finally, Baron Rochi couldn’t hold back his disdain.

"And you think your ’Raven Barony’ sounds any better?" Hatton snapped.

As the meeting dissolved into shouting and insults, Ryan realized:

No decisions were going to come out of this mess.