A wagon rattled along the northern thoroughfare. The exterior was luxurious, but it was worn out over the years and looked like it was half a wreck.
A small murmur leaked from inside the wagon pulled by the old coachman.
“Hey, I can’t figure it out at all.”
Viscount Thorburn blankly stared at the letter in front of him. I had already re-read the letter several times, but questions still arose.
“A platinum meeting. I would have thought that the lost tradition would come and be revived now.”
“Is the Marquis senile? Isn’t it a joke to check your authority before you die?”
Viscount Thorburn frowned at the radical remarks he had heard from before. It was the voice of the Viscount’s heir and only son, Kenneth.
“Watch your mouth. What if someone hears it?”
“What, how are you? In a place where there is no emperor, it is the law to curse the emperor.”
“Keep it!”
Seeing his son’s unflinching appearance, the Viscount held his head. Because of the half-fallen family, he was treated badly by those around him, so he had a slightly crooked side.
Whether his father sighed or not, Kenneth’s eyes lit up.
“To be honest, how do you see your father? I’m not entirely sure if this is the marquis’ joke, or if he’s seriously trying to hold a meeting.”
“You must be sincere.”
The viscount sighed and recalled the old memories. Even now, I vividly remembered the snake-like speech of the Marquis in my youth.
“He is cunning, but he is thorough when it comes to adorning himself. As far as I know, they don’t try to test their authority with pranks like this.”
Above all, the value of the name Platinum Conference is not light. Otherwise, it might look like the North alone is trying to become independent from the center.
“If the meeting was still held, it would not be half the intention.”
“Then whose intention is it?”
“I think it must be the warchief.”
The warchief who unified the barbarians always turned his eyes to the Empire. It was the same with Warchief Agrim. This warchief must have the same idea.
“Perhaps he wants to put the North under his feet as intact as possible without bloodshed.”
“Would that be?”
“Maybe.”
Kenneth looked at the viscount in horror.
“No, is there anyone who agrees to go under the barbarians?”
“If the empire were intact, it wouldn’t have existed. But look at the empire now. Aren’t you trying to thoroughly accept only what you need to receive without giving any support to the lords?”
East, West, South and North are all like that. The eastern and southern regions, which have nothing to regret, manage to do less, but the western and northern regions, which desperately need support, intervene extraordinarily severely.
In particular, in the northern part of the country where food is a lifeline, the imperial family is on a leash.
“Like a boiling kettle, dissatisfaction is on the verge of bursting. However, in this situation, a proposal was made to confront the Empire head-on. There will definitely be people who turn their backs.”
“Well, even if it were, wouldn’t it be a handful?”
“No, it seems like a lot.”
The fact that the Platinum Conference was held in itself is said to have secured the minimum number of supporters. Most of those who came out without knowing why would probably be surprised.
“Then what should we do?”
“Okay.”
The Viscount sighed deeply. Even now, that was a concern. There is land but little yield, reputation but no strength. If he called such a viscount, the Marquis had only one intention.
‘It’s probably telling me to become a fighter who takes his side.’
You look at me funny. A bitter smile formed on his lips. It’s not new, but I couldn’t help but feel my stomach twist every time I was beaten.
I thought about supporting the warchief, but shook my head. It was obvious that he would be ignored if he entered under his command with such power.
‘Is there no third alternative?’
A third candidate who is neither marquis nor warchief. Those who desperately need votes, not power. And the one who can give a reward later on standing on the same side.
If only there was such a person, I would like to change immediately. The Viscount sighed deeply and surrendered himself to the wagon’s shaking.
I think it’s just a dream anyway.
* * *
Before they could even make up their minds, the nobles arrived at the Marquis’ estate one by one.
“Huh, really.”
Viscount Thorburn opened his mouth as he looked at the nobles gathered around him. All of them were nobles who were more than viscounts with either power or prestige.
“Oh my God, everyone is really gathering.”
“Are you serious about holding a platinum meeting?”
“Heh heh, he wouldn’t be alone in the imperial family.”
Remarks mixed with anxiety, worry, and strange anticipation came from among the nobles. Guided by an attendant, they gathered in a hall that was used as a party hall.
In the hall, there were many chairs along with a huge round table that had been prepared for some time.
“Is everyone here?”
“Prince Serge.”
The nobles sent complicated and subtle gazes to the Marquis. Among them, some powerful nobles came forward and denounced the marquis.
“What the hell is this all about? A platinum meeting?”
“You mention a tradition that disappeared when the empire was founded. That’s not good.”
“Please withdraw now before news reaches the imperial family.”
look at these guys A small vein of blood formed on the marquis’ forehead. If you don’t know how things are going, you’ll stay calm.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that on my own. This is a meeting that stakes the fate of the North.”
“Did the Marquis, not the imperial family, have the right to make such a decision?”
The Marquis’ face was about to frown at someone’s sarcasm.
“Not a Marquis! Any son of the North should have it! Since when did the empire take control of the sons of the snow field!”
A booming voice echoed throughout the conference room. When the nobles looked around in fright, barbarians clad in thick leather appeared.
Leaving the dumbfounded nobles alone, Ragnar chuckled.
“Greetings, our old compatriots! Warchief Ragnar!”
“Great, Warchief!”
“Seriously, a second warchief has come out!”
Consternation spread among the nobles. Then this is usually not a big deal. If all the barbarians were united, the entire northern nobility would have to unite.
“What are you thinking… … !”
“stop!”
The mouths of the nobles who tried to denounce the Marquis again were blocked. The Marquis looked around at the nobles and knocked on the round table.
“Everyone please sit down. Don’t be ashamed of yourself in front of the guests.”
“Mmm.”
A guest means a savage. In a word, it was said that it should not be seen as funny by showing the division in front of the enemy’s eyes.
The nobles were seated one by one, and some of the chiefs, including the great chieftain, were also seated. Scared to sit down, Ragnar opened his mouth.
“The purpose of this platinum meeting is simple. It is to elect the king of the north.”
“What!?”
“Nonsense!”
At the sound of the king, some nobles made their flagships.
“A king! Are you insane now!”
“Treason against the Empire!”
“Treason.”
Ragnar snorted as he saw the fierce resistance of the nobles.
“You are truly loyal. The emperor of the empire controls the food supply in the north and shakes you, but it’s like kneeling down and bowing your head.”
“Hey, man!”
“Shut up!”
“Ouch!”
Many of the nobles grabbed their ears at Ragnar’s roar. It felt like a dragon was roaring right in front of me.
“The children of the snow fields are starving! But do you bastards continue to give that vain loyalty and only seek personal comfort! Rather than that!”
Ragnar jumped up and looked around.
“I will free the children of the snowfield from your hands!”
“… … !”
Only then did the nobles’ faces turn blue. This was a warning. A warning that if the situation arises, he will take all of the united barbarians and sweep the north.
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While the nobles swallowed dry spit, the Marquis opened his mouth this time.
“In other words, is the warchief talking like this? Let’s elect a king who represents everyone, regardless of who is the people of the empire and the people of the snowfield, and make a complaint to the emperor.”
“Yes!”
Thump, Ragnar stamped his foot. That alone shook the entire hall.
“If the North joins forces, how can the emperor play with us like this? Even if we are afraid of our axe, we will not treat it carelessly!”
“What if I reject the offer?”
“Didn’t I tell you? If you give up, I alone will achieve unity.”
The nobles crumpled their faces mercilessly. The words are grandiose, but the inside is too obvious.
‘sh*t. After all, he’s saying he wants to be king.’
‘If the king fails, he will come with an army, but it’s actually a threat.’
unconditional opposition. It was a time when nobles had such an opinion. A man among the nobles rose from his seat and shouted.
“The Yeering family supports the Warchief’s statement!”
“… … !?”
The conference hall froze. The Yeling family is one of the seven frontier families that keep barbarians at bay. They must have fought each other the most, but to stick to the warchief’s side?
While everyone was shocked by the shocking results, others also stood up.
“The Glad family will also support the Warchief!”
“The Svenborg family will also support the warchief!”
“The Bergens will support the warchief too!”
As six of the seven families rose up one after another to stand on the side of the warchief, the meeting hall fell into shock and horror.
“Gee, are you all crazy now?”
“Shut up! What do those who used to trade comfortably inland know?”
The head of the Glad family cried out in one voice.
“During our bloody fight, no one gave us proper support! Military power was controlled in the center, and the periphery was just using it like a breakwater! I won’t put up with it any longer!”
The other lords also nodded their heads in sympathy. The nobles looked at the Marquis with a shocked expression.
Right now, Ragnar’s only opponent is the Marquis. The Marquis looked around and sighed inwardly.
‘It’s perfectly according to the plan up to this point.’
Originally, the Marquis firmly replied that this could not be the case, and wanted a development that stood tall as an antipode to Ragnar.
If so, the marquis would have been able to become the overlord dividing the north. However, plans have changed since yesterday.
The Marquis calmly recited the words that had been decided in the script.
“Six lords of the border joined in, but there is still one left.”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on Bjorn at the Marquis’ one word. Bjorn had his arms crossed and did not react.
“What do you think? We know the devotion of the seven families to the north, so we want to hear from you.”
“To agree.”
The warchief also nodded at the marquis’ words. With everyone’s attention, Bjorn opened his mouth.
“It is strange.”
“weird?”
“You said you were going to elect a king, but you’re not saying it as if there was only one candidate.”
“… … !?”
It was something everyone hadn’t thought of. It was because attention was focused on one side as the extension bomb exploded at the meeting.
“Electing a king is a fine thing in itself. It means that everyone in the north will unite as one.”
“So, do you intend to rebel against the imperial family?”
“There is no need to view it as treason.”
The king is a symbol of unity. The king’s policy depends on his individual skills.
“In the old days, the royal title was abolished, but the king is still a title under the emperor. If we unite and ask Your Majesty to restore the Crown, how would that be treason?”
“Yeah, that’s right!”
shouted with the bright face of an aristocrat. It was a truly pitying feeling.
‘Yes, if it’s an official request, it’s not treason!’
‘Rather, it is possible to put pressure on the imperial family based on the power of the north.’
‘Besides, can’t we bring in the barbarians as our territories?’
The calculator ran quickly in the nobles’ heads. Come to think of it, it’s a surprisingly good plan. Conversely, Ragnar’s face crumpled.
‘Damn it, I never thought I’d lead the proposal to elect a king like this.’
In this way, even among the imperial nobility, a candidate for the king could emerge. And if a person of imperial origin becomes king, Ragnar must be under his command.
Because the person himself cried out for integration a while ago. It was a bad feeling just thinking about it.
‘Though that won’t happen.’
Ragnar crossed his arms with a confident face. Whoever came out could not be his opponent.
“good night. Do you have any candidates for you?”
“I will be the first to be nominated!”
A loud voice rang out from outside the conference room. Ragnar looked back and widened his eyes.
“Why are you!”
What was reflected in Ragnar’s eyes was the smiling face of Luke.