In the study deep within the palace, crystal chandeliers cast soft light onto a dark, long table. King Rodney XVIII sat in a high-backed chair, holding a letter from Laketown in his hand.
The letter was written by Paul Gleman himself, with strong and powerful handwriting. After Rodney read it word by word, his brow gradually relaxed from its furrowed brow.
Paul approved of the king's decision to grant the Loess Plain to Hal Duque, saying it was in line with national policy.
There was no questioning, no opposition, and not even a trace of hesitation in the text.
The king slowly put down the letter, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long breath, as if a huge boulder had been lifted from his shoulders.
He knew that Paul held considerable military power and was stationed in the North, serving as the kingdom's first line of defense against the orcs. If he harbored any dissatisfaction with the granting of fiefs, even if he only secretly obstructed the process, it could trigger border unrest and even spark a chain reaction among the nobles.
Paul's explicit support now means that the north of the kingdom will become more stable and the power of the royal family will be consolidated.
But Rodney XVIII's gaze quickly returned to the end of the letter.
While agreeing, Paul made a request: given that Abar had retreated to the grasslands but his threat had not been eliminated, he implored the king to grant him the authority to conscript troops in the northeastern lands of Aldor in order to deal with a possible Orcish counterattack.
The king tapped his fingers lightly twice on the table, lost in thought.
The right to conscript soldiers is no small matter.
In fact, an army can recruit soldiers at any time, as long as it has enough pay.
But what Paul was actually requesting in his letter was military service, the kind that was mandatory and required all levels of lords and officials to participate in the conscription.
After Paul Gleman was promoted to Marquis, he actually had the right to conscript soldiers in the Northwest Bay.
If the Marquis of Greman were to grant his request in the letter, he would be able to directly conscript able-bodied men from the northern territories and build a large army, effectively surpassing all the lords of Aldor.
If it were anyone else, Rodney Eighteen would never have agreed so easily.
But now Abar's shadow still lingers on the grasslands, and Paul is the only one who can stop the orcs' iron hooves. If he is stingy with power and causes them to harbor resentment...
From Gleman's perspective, was supporting the enfeoffment plan for the Loess Plain also a concession to the royal family?
The flickering candlelight reflected the struggle and deliberation on the king's face.
After a long while, he finally made up his mind.
He picked up his quill pen, dipped it in ink, and slowly wrote the text of the order on a sheet of gold-embossed imperial decree paper. His pen strokes were steady, and each character was clear:
"As requested by Marquis Paul Gleman, he is hereby granted permission to conscript soldiers in accordance with wartime laws within the northeastern counties of the Kingdom of Aldor. All lords and officials within his jurisdiction must fully cooperate and must not delay or obstruct this. This order shall take effect immediately and shall remain in effect until the war with the orcs is over."
He signed his name and affixed the royal seal.
The order was written, but he did not immediately summon the messenger. He simply sat quietly, gazing at the seal that gleamed in the candlelight.
"Let's discuss it at the meeting."
...
In the suburbs of Jingyao, the manor hidden in the woods is lit up.
The heavy wooden door opened silently in the hands of a servant, and Prince Jassim stepped in slowly, his dark robes brushing against the threshold, followed closely by his second son, Yurico, and Earl Walsh McKee, among other close associates.
A banquet had already been prepared in the hall, with crystal chandeliers casting a soft glow on the silver wine glasses.
Everyone took their seats, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Prince Jassim raised his glass and said, "A toast to Yuriko's achievements in the North! He has repeatedly performed great feats in the battles against the orcs, winning glory for the royal family."
Yurico bowed slightly, but his eyes could not hide his pride: "It is all thanks to your guidance, Father, and the great help of everyone."
As glasses clinked and wine swayed gently, the group chatted about everything under the sun, creating a lively atmosphere.
Before they knew it, the topic had shifted to the situation in the north of the kingdom, and the atmosphere at the banquet began to turn somber.
"Speaking of which…" Earl Walsh McKee put down his wine glass, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, and glanced at everyone present. "I have no objection to His Majesty's decision to grant the Loess Plains to Hal Duke. The Watchers have always been loyal to the royal family, and granting it to Hal is a wise move."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Although Earl Duke was not royalty, he was known for his loyalty and was indeed a pillar of support.
But Walsh changed the subject, his brow furrowing slightly: "But I find it hard to agree to the King's proposal to grant Gleyman the power to conscript soldiers in the northeastern territories."
His voice was not loud, but very clear: "The power to conscript soldiers is no small matter. Once this power is relinquished, Gleyman can bypass the local lords and conscript young men to form his own private army. He already controls the military and political affairs of the Northwest Bay, but the population of the northeastern territories of the kingdom is much larger than that of the Northwest Bay. If his manpower is increased several times over, who can guarantee that he won't have any ulterior motives in the future?"
Yurico snorted coldly: "Paul Gleman has always been an arrogant and conceited man. Now that the orcs are gone, he is still demanding the right to conscript soldiers. He clearly has ill intentions."
Prince Jassim listened silently, his fingers tracing the surface of his wine glass. He neither objected nor agreed, but his gaze grew increasingly profound.
"The Royal Council has already discussed this matter," Walsh continued. "The King has not yet issued a formal decree, only saying that he needs to consider it further. This is our opportunity. If we can unite with a few ministers and persuade the King on the grounds of 'preventing the emergence of a second Giles,' we may be able to sway his mind."
He looked around at the crowd: "Greyman can be a shield, but not a sword—especially when the sword's edge might be turned around."
Prince Jassim finally spoke, "Marquis Gleiman has indeed made great contributions, but such people are often prone to losing control. Gerd is still young and may only see the immediate threat from the orcs, but has not considered the hidden dangers behind him."
He raised his eyes, revealing a gaze as sharp as a blade: "Walsh, go and contact a few ministers with their own opinions, and explain this matter in detail."
He gently put down his wine glass, the bottom of which made a soft sound as it touched the table.
"We do not oppose the King's decision, but we hope that he will be extremely cautious."
"His Highness is right," a middle-aged nobleman sitting on the other side of the long table said slowly.
His face was stern, and his jawline was sharply defined. He was Earl Edgar Clanton, who now commanded the Crystal City garrison and was one of Prince Jassim's most trusted lieutenants.
"The King's trust in Gleyman is far too hasty."
He picked up his glass and stared at the dark red liquid inside.
"We have learned a lesson, and a very heavy one at that. Weren't Giles' ancestors once lords of the sword whom the royal family relied on?"