A melancholic-looking man, dressed in an extremely luxurious Elector's ceremonial robe adorned with numerous gold and silver ornaments and a hat with colorful plumes, stood before Ryan. He appeared to be around forty years old, with an expression full of arrogance and severity. The silk garment he wore was embroidered with the golden sun and the Golden Fleece emblem, clearly marking the family crest of the Tuscan Elector family. Two swords hung at his waist—one was the Imperial Elector's sacred sword, and the other a dwarf rune-engraved silver shortsword. He was handsome, but his melancholy expression and stern poker face marred his features.
"Allow me to introduce you. This is Marius Leitdorf, the new Elector of Tuscany, Grand Duke of Ivey, and Grand Count of Iveyheim," the Emperor said, patting Marius on the shoulder with a smile. "The previous Elector, Umberto Corleone, decided to retire after serving as the Elector of Tuscany for over two hundred years. Marius is his fifth-generation descendant, a powerful legendary warrior. During the competition for the Electorate within the family, he emerged victorious by defeating all his rivals with his dual swords. I believe you will have much to discuss. The Leitdorf family has always been one of our most steadfast political allies and military partners. The friendly relations between Reikland and Iveyland date back over two thousand years, to the noble friendship between Charlemagne and Sigurd, the first Elector of Tuscany."
"It's an honor to meet you, Sir Ryan Malcador," Marius forced a smile. "If there's an opportunity, I'd like to spar with you in swordsmanship."
"You're welcome anytime," Ryan replied, shaking Marius's hand. The Crown Prince of Bretonnia hesitated slightly. "Mad... Count?"
"Hahaha!" The Emperor couldn't help but laugh upon hearing the term "Mad Count," but Marius remained indifferent, responding stiffly, "They brought it upon themselves."
Ryan was, of course, familiar with Marius. He had been keeping an eye on the changes among the Imperial Electors. After Marius Leitdorf was chosen as the first in line for the Electorate, the first thing he did was announce that Mutland was no longer allowed to impose the exorbitant "shin tax" on merchants from Iveyland.
What is the shin tax?
In the homeland of the Halflings, Mutland, to protect the Halflings' interests and prevent humans from excessively occupying their land, the Halflings imposed a "shin tax" on humans entering Mutland. Any human over 1.3 meters tall had to pay a hefty tax to enter Halfling towns. This tax was initially intended to protect Mutland, the Empire's largest granary, from being reclaimed by humans.
However, as everyone knows, regardless of the original good intentions behind a tax, without proper follow-up and oversight, it eventually becomes a tool for the ruling class to amass wealth. As the Halflings continually raised the shin tax, even the grain-producing province of Iveyland, one of the wealthiest provinces in the Empire, couldn't bear it anymore. Marius, upon becoming the heir, led the Order of the Golden Fleece, the Order of the Black Bear, and Iveyland's unique Exiles' Legion to declare war on the Halflings of Mutland, demanding a reduction in the shin tax.
The Halflings, however, managed to acquire a scrap steam tank, attached a trailer to the back, and placed their famous Halfling cauldron on it. Using this steam tank, the Halflings and Marius fought a fierce battle on the border. Eventually, Emperor Karl Franz intervened to mediate, leading to an agreement where the Halflings lowered the shin tax, and Marius withdrew his troops.
Through his unexpected behavior on the battlefield—his mad shouting and personal charges, along with his rough manners and crude sense of humor—Marius Leitdorf earned the nickname "Mad Count."
By the way, Marius Leitdorf's brother, Hans Leitdorf, is the Grand Master of the Templar Order and Alfred's superior, as mentioned earlier.
As for where that scrap steam tank came from... Ryan thought it must have something to do with Emilia.
There was no way around it. During the recent Tamurkhan invasion, Iveyland's army was busy defending Blackfire Pass and did not participate. The Emperor was also engaged in battle with Chaos forces in Hawkland and Brass Keep, leading to great dissatisfaction from Nuln toward these two provinces. The friction between them had been significant recently, resulting in mutual hostility and declining relations.
After Marius's introduction, another very strong, bear-like middle-aged man stepped forward to stand before Ryan. He was dressed in a bearskin coat and a sea-green cloak with a ship and waves emblazoned on the back. The man stood next to the Emperor, his brown hair and beard streaked with gray, and his eyes showing deep wrinkles. He wore a long goatee that reached down to his belly. He looked like a true Northern warrior—stubborn, tough, battle-hardened, and fierce.
"This man, I believe you may have met before, is Theodoric Gaeser, the current Grand Duke of Nordland, the holder of Nordland's electoral rights, the Baron of Sesenmond, and the Fear of Norsca. You both earned great honors in the fight against the Norscan invasions and may have much to discuss," the Emperor said, raising his glass.
"We've met," Theodoric Gaeser (hereafter referred to as Gaeser to avoid confusion with Duke Theodoric of Lyonesse) spoke in a deep, rough voice. He was no longer young. "Ryan was just a wandering knight at the time, wandering across Nordland in search of opportunities for advancement."
"How is King Harald doing?" Ryan asked, raising his glass to toast with Gaeser. If King Harald were also failing, the Empire would lose yet another powerful protector of the realm.
"My great-grandfather is getting old and is no longer able to handle internal affairs. He's nearly three hundred years old this year," Gaeser replied impatiently. "He's retired, and now it's time for us younger ones to take over."
Ryan thought to himself, "You're already in your fifties, aren't you? How is that still young?"
However, in this world, powerful individuals do tend to have longer lifespans. Moreover, both Imperial Electors and Bretonnian Dukes prioritize strength when choosing their successors. After all, a successor must be long-lived enough to ensure the stability of the territory.
By the way, Gaeser's daughter, Anny-Taïlis, is the wife of Elector Boris Todbringer.
Gaeser, like his great-grandfather Harald Frank, is obsessed with expanding his territory and particularly enjoys making dubious claims to various lands. After becoming Elector, he publicly declared that he had inherited the title of Prince of Marienburg from his great-grandfather. Unsurprisingly, the Marienburg City Council immediately issued a statement, declaring Gaeser persona non grata in Marienburg.
"It seems you all know each other quite well," the Emperor remarked, somewhat surprised. He laughed heartily. "Have I been too presumptuous?"
"No, it's an honor, Karl. You've brought quite the entourage this time," Ryan remarked, feeling the chill of the night air against his body. His attitude was friendly. "I expected you to come, but I didn't expect... you've brought half the Empire with you."
"No, it's the entire Empire," Marius interjected, raising a finger and pointing at the Emperor. "He is the Empire."
This ill-timed joke made Ryan twitch his mouth in response, instantly creating an awkward atmosphere. Karl Franz chuckled dryly, unsure of what to say, while Gaeser snorted from deep within his nose, muttering "boring Southerners" under his breath as he walked away with his cup.
The awkward silence lasted for ten long seconds. Karl Franz and Ryan looked at each other, not knowing how to continue the conversation. Marius, completely oblivious to the inappropriateness of his humor, made no effort to ease the tension.
"Alright, Ryan, I heard you've hired a group of Erengrad Sea Guard through your connection with the Estalian Merchant Alliance and Chairman Amancio. Tell me, how did you manage that?" After a moment of thought, the Emperor decided to change the subject. He shrugged, pretending to
be casual. "Can you share your secret?"
"Come with me, and I'll show you something," Ryan gestured for the Emperor to follow him. Karl and Marius exchanged glances and quickly followed.
The three of them entered a small room inside the palace. Ryan carefully opened a large golden chest, revealing five golden eggs with a white enamel coating. "Look, Karl."
"These are... Fabergé eggs?!" Karl Franz and Marius gasped in astonishment, their mouths agape. "Aren't these the national treasures of Kislev? My goodness, Ryan, how did you get these?!"
Ryan smiled as he opened the first egg, revealing a small golden hen inside. The hen contained a miniature crown made of diamonds and a tiny egg made of rubies. The exquisite craftsmanship left everyone in awe. Only Karl Franz's royal treasury held similar eggs, gifts from the Kingdom of Kislev to the Emperor as symbols of friendship. Each Fabergé egg was unique and contained a powerful protective enchantment that could be recharged and used repeatedly.
"How did I get them? Some people need money, some need things, and some have connections—that's how it was done," Ryan said, looking contentedly at the five Fabergé eggs. "Amancio has a way. As long as you have enough money, Kislev is in desperate need of funds to pay pensions and rebuild their heavily damaged army. Queen Katarin's magical research also requires a lot of funds, and the kingdom can't provide enough through taxes alone. Their finances are in deficit and need money to fill the gap. That's how I got the eggs, and that's how I got the Sea Guard. Some things can't be done openly, but behind the scenes, the Tsarina's royal family is willing to sell their national treasures for the right price. Amancio has a list."
"Oh! By Charlemagne, Helena will love this," Karl Franz realized, grinning even wider. "Helena will love this. I'll have to tell Amancio to get me one as well."
"I want one too—no, two!" Marius's eyes sparkled with excitement, the "Mad Count" now completely fixated on the five eggs. Ryan thought to himself, "These are gifts for the Lady and Sulia. What does this have to do with you?" So he quickly closed the chest again. The three men left the room, and after some thought, the Emperor tentatively asked, "So, your expedition to Mount Eight Peaks was also for the endless wealth hidden there?"
"Knights always need a reason for their expeditions," Ryan replied without directly answering Karl Franz's question. "King Belegar has a valid reason and has helped us greatly."
"Was Blackheart Leip supported by you as the Border Prince?" Marius asked rather bluntly. "I've heard his name more than once in Iveyland. He seems to have a steady supply of troops and is always able to procure large quantities of goods from Seagate. That mercenary leader couldn't have done it without someone's support. He now controls three towns and more than ten villages, with over three thousand swords at his command."
"Leitbord? Maybe, who knows?" Ryan responded ambiguously. "He might come to the coronation. You can ask him then."
At this point, both the Emperor and Marius understood. Karl Franz thought for a moment and realized that the Empire didn't have the energy to deal with the affairs of the Border Princes. He chuckled a few times and then caught sight of a Middenlander dressed in a fur coat and wearing a felt hat. Turning to Ryan, he said, "By the way, Ryan, I almost forgot. I also want to introduce you to a hero of the Empire, my right-hand man."
"Empire's Hunt Marshal, Markus Wulfhart!"
While a lively banquet and party were underway in the palace of Couronne, under the pitch-black night sky, another group of visitors was approaching the capital of the Knightly Kingdom along the ancient road.
The Grand Duke of Marienburg, Schultz, led his personal guard and the elite "Pathfinder" vanguard knights of Marienburg along the Couronne Road, arriving at the outskirts of the city.
The passage of over a decade seemed to have left no mark on Van der Copper Schultz. He stood with a few particularly tall individuals on a small hill overlooking the magnificent city. Due to the Emperor's visit today, Couronne was brightly lit, like a beacon of civilization illuminating the surrounding dark plains.
"Your Majesty, gentlemen, we have arrived."
"Good."
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!]
[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]
[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter] [+5 Reviews = +1 Chapter]