Interior Minister Oldo Teja expressed his opposition, but the Minister of Foreign Affairs Aldor, however, believed that special cases could be handled on a case-by-case basis.
" The Free Men are no ordinary tribe—they are familiar with every trade route and oasis in the Redstone Desert, command a large cavalry force, and have extensive combat experience due to their long-standing dealings with orcs, Gabella, and other forces. If we can secure Ivanko's loyalty with a dukedom and ensure the Free Men's unwavering allegiance, it would be equivalent to building a natural barrier for the Redstone Desert, a value far greater than a mere title!"
Both sides held their own views, and the debate intensified. The ministers who supported the investiture argued that special times call for special measures, and that exchanging a title for the loyalty of the Free Men and the stability of the desert was an extremely worthwhile deal. The ministers who opposed it insisted that the noble hierarchy should not be easily broken, otherwise it would shake the dignity of the royal family and the entire noble class, leading to an overabundance of titles.
Rodney XVIII listened silently, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair, his gaze sweeping over the ministers arguing in the council chamber.
Just then, a royal attendant stumbled in, clutching a letter tightly in his hand.
"Your Majesty! Urgent battle report!" The attendant knelt on one knee and held the envelope high. " Marquis Glaeman has sent word from the plains that the Northwest Legion and the main orc force personally led by Abar fought a fierce battle and won a great victory!"
The council chamber fell into a deathly silence. The ministers' argumentative expressions froze, and even their breathing seemed to stop.
Rodney took the envelope, took out the letter, and quickly glanced at it. He took a deep breath and read out the key points: "In this battle, we killed more than 30,000 orcs. Abar led the remnants to the northeast, confirming that the Royal Tent forces have suffered heavy losses!"
A flicker of disbelief crossed the king's eyes. Even though he knew that Paul's Northwest Legion was well-equipped, he hadn't expected them to defeat Abar's main force so quickly—after all, unlike in Aldor, the northern grasslands were the orcs' homeland.
After a moment of silence, he slowly raised his hand: "Take a look, all of you."
Duke on the right side of the king Rupert strode forward, took the letter, and read it word by word. His brows gradually relaxed, but then quickly furrowed again. The more dazzling the Marquis Glaeman's military achievements, the higher his prestige, and the balance of power in the kingdom seemed to be tilting in an uncontrollable direction.
The letter was passed around among the courtiers in turn.
Rodney XVIII looked at Duke, " Rupert, write a congratulatory letter in my name and send it to the plains by the fastest messenger. Tell Paul that the kingdom remembers his merits and that his name will be engraved on the wall of heroes in the palace."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Rupert replied, bowing.
Prince Yuriko scoffed under his breath, "Over thirty thousand? I think he included the escaped orcs in his count. Maybe it was just a minor victory, and he's exaggerating his achievements."
Despite saying that, his eyes darted around. He had seen the Northwest Legion with his own eyes on Yellow Earth Plain and knew that Paul might not be exaggerating his achievements, but the prince just wouldn't admit that this knight who had married his cousin was now strong enough to shake the authority of the royal family.
The ministers, who had been arguing endlessly, now quietly exchanged glances.
The Kingdom Government had long been uneasy about the growing strength of Northwest Bay. After all, an army with considerable power, far from the capital, had always been a potential threat to the monarchy. Now that Paul had rendered such a great service, if they didn't quickly strengthen the power of the royal family's direct line, the balance of power in the court might be completely disrupted.
"Your Majesty," Oldo, the Minister of the Interior, broke the silence first, his tone much more conciliatory than before, "I think Ivanko should be granted a title, but the level of the title still needs to be discussed."
"I second that!" the Minister of Foreign Affairs immediately chimed in. "Perhaps we can compromise—grant him an earldom. This would show the royal family's sincerity without making other nobles think that the title is too worthless and would break with tradition."
The other ministers nodded in agreement, and the previous disagreements vanished instantly.
Rodney XVIII surveyed the scene before him, fully aware that the ministers shared his concerns. After a moment's thought, he tapped the table: "Do as you say. Confer upon Ivanko the title of 'Earl of Redstone,' acknowledging his rule over the Free Men tribe. Inform Lord Colin to help Ivanko consolidate the Free Men's forces and, together with the Sentinel Legion, defend the Redstone Desert, ensuring the safe passage of all its key routes."
With the decision to bestow the title upon Ivanko finalized, the ministers looked more relaxed. Half of the Redstone Desert had returned to the kingdom's control, and another great victory had been reported from the grasslands. In any case, Paul Greiman remained loyal to the kingdom, and Aldor seemed to have emerged from its slump and was moving in a favorable direction.
But the topic of discussion wasn't over yet. Rodney XVIII looked to his side and asked, "Father, how are the preparations for the campaign against the Veblen Family of Paradise Basin progressing?"
The ministers all turned their attention to Prince Jassim, who had been personally overseeing the deployment of the new army since last year and was the key figure driving the war.
Prince Jassim straightened his back and spoke in a steady, powerful voice: "Your Majesty, gentlemen, the Kingdom's new army has completed its deployment and set up defenses on the mountain roads surrounding Sword Fortress. Sword Fortress is the only pass into Paradise Basin, and its terrain is treacherous. Taking this fortress is equivalent to opening the gate. As soon as the order is given, we can launch an attack on Sword Fortress at any time."
Rodney XVIII nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Intelligence Minister Merlin. The lean middle-aged man stood up and bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, the wizard Dirk Doyle and his three companions infiltrated Paradise Basin ten days ago. They disguised themselves as merchants and blended into the town behind Sword Keep. They have now quietly hidden themselves."
"They also sent back some news that the Veblen Family has been expanding its army recently and has smuggled a batch of old crossbows from outside. However, there are many internal conflicts within the family. The patriarch Veblen is seriously ill, and his three sons are fighting each other for the right to inherit the family business, even secretly weakening each other's forces."
"This is good news for us; the Lord of Light is on our side!"
A burst of laughter erupted in the council chamber, quickly followed by silence as everyone turned to look at Rodney XVIII, awaiting the King's final decision.
Rodney XVIII stood up, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the council chamber with an air of authority, and announced in a booming voice: "Now that preparations are complete, let's officially begin the punitive expedition. Issue my order: the Kingdom's new army will attack Sword Fortress. Lord Merlin, you will continue to maintain contact with Doyle and ensure that the support within the city is foolproof."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Prince Jassim and Merlin replied in unison, bowing respectfully.