Chapter : 145

The news brought by the envoy of the king of the Elang Kingdom, who had requested a secret meeting, was that he wanted my support at the upcoming Estates-General.

The agenda of the Estates-General was an interest rate cap.

The pretext was to protect people groaning under the Great Famine, but the reality was that he wanted to curry favor with the nobles, his main power base.

The [Pangea Universalis] era was an era where borrowing money was difficult.

What kind of credit or collateral would ordinary serfs or commoners have to borrow money? In the end, it was only possible for nobles who owned land and possessed jewels, artworks, and rights and such.

The justification was good, and he could buy favor with the nobles who supported him, so for the king, it was not really a loss.

There would, of course, be backlash from the merchants who lent money, but he probably thought he could just crush that level of resistance.

Of course, the real problem lay elsewhere.

“Is the king of the Elang Kingdom not thinking about the crusader knight order? Aren’t they the ones doing the money game in the Elang Kingdom? Hm…. Considering their power, it will not be easy to make such a decision.”

A powerful force deeply rooted in the Elang Kingdom, the crusader knight order.

It was a knightly order with tremendous power, the only group on the continent that could play the money game.

Their number of knights was not small, and their influence over the Holy See, as well as over each country and domain, was also not small.

That was why Magician Agpiel was puzzled by the king’s choice.

But having realized the inner workings, I only smiled faintly.

It was earlier than expected, but another event, [Expulsion of the Crusader Knight Order], had occurred.

It was originally an event that should have happened much later, but it seemed the event timeline had been tangled quite a bit by my appearance.

“It seems the Holy See has turned its back, Magician Agpiel.”

“The Holy See? Aren’t they part of the Holy See as well?”

“But aren’t they a force opposed to Cardinal Adriano, the leader currently holding power? Since they are a thorn in his side, it seems he intends to deal with them on this opportunity.”

“Hoh…. So those who follow God’s name engage in such power struggles. Tsk tsk. Things really do run well.”

Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue as if it were pathetic. Priests and magicians had never gotten along, and seeing that spectacle, he seemed to think even worse of them.

“Well, still, thanks to that, it is good for me, isn’t it, Magician Agpiel.”

“Yes. For our fox-like ruler, it must be a splendid opportunity. You will be able to scrape and use everything down to the bare floor from both the king and Cardinal Adriano, the ringleader of the Holy See. Hmm?”

“But I cannot let an opportunity go to waste.”

At my sulky tone, Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue again.

“A ruler needs two things, but recently, I have been worried because you only show fox tricks. It is time to show the heart of a lion as well.”

“Mm, I understand. I will try to do so from now on, Magician Agpiel. Thank you for the advice.”

He was right.

The heart of a lion. If I showed that kind of boldness, would I not receive more loyalty from my vassals?

Of course, after handling just this matter.

Only this time….

“Meheheheheh! Romulus. Romulus. Waittt. I go. Meheh heh.”

The one most excited by the news that we were going to the Holy See was our goat beastman Bishop Marco.

He said that during the last visit, things were urgent so he could not stay long, or something like that. It was pathetic, but since he was consistent, he was, in his own way, a fine talent(?).

With the Holy See now being a den of power struggles, I could only hope Bishop Marco would firmly do his share.

“When we leave the domain this time, we will have to travel for quite a long time. So we must coordinate everything in advance. Chamberlain Hamil, I will be counting on you again this time.”

“Understood, my lord.”

Of course, that did not mean we could depart immediately.

As I said earlier, I had too many things in motion.

Since it was a long journey where I also had to meet Baron Pierre in the middle, it was right to handle everything we could in advance.

Because of that, I had to spend a frantic stretch of time.

“The Canton Confederation says this subjugation is roughly being wrapped up, and they proposed that if you are interested, you could explore the mines together. How shall we handle it?”

Like this, I had to wrap up the Arhen Mountains subjugation matter with the Canton Confederation.

“We are receiving proposals asking whether the irrigation facilities and new farming method support is truly real, and if so, they want to join the customs union. Please approve it.”

I also had to handle the customs union proposals pouring in from small lords across each region. Since it was a foothold to effectively subordinate them to my domain later, it was sensitive and required weighing pros and cons. So I had to handle it personally.

And then.

-There was a murder case in the village of Bouchon. They say they have caught someone suspected to be the criminal. How shall we punish him?

-A fraud case occurred in the directly-managed land. They ask whether to punish the swindler according to local custom, or whether you will render a separate judgment.

As I turned regions into directly-managed land, matters that feudal lords who governed those areas would have handled at their discretion were now being escalated all the way to me.

Well, it would be difficult for the administrative officials dispatched there to render judgments without my opinion.

“Mm, for now, handle those matters according to local custom. However, bring a cleric along, have the disposition notarized as just or unjust, and report it.”

For now, I gave that order.

There was nothing I could do by stepping in myself at the moment.

Did I know their local customary law? Did I know anything? And even if I was a modern person, I only knew the values a modern person pursued.

I did not know how to build legal provisions and pass sentence. If I handled things emotionally without standards, it would only create chaos.

‘When I stop by the Holy See, I should invite jurists from Romulus.’

As the territory I ruled grew wider and I sent officials to directly-managed lands, these problems arose.

This time, I planned to set the laws applied within my domain and handle things uniformly.

Romulus, the former capital of the ancient empire, still held countless products of the ancient empire, and among them, jurisprudence, the foundation of the current legal system, still maintained its lineage.

‘Mm, while I am at it, I should just hire a few jurists as judges and create a local court system.’

There was a need to separate administration and judiciary.

I was already recruiting administrative officials through recommendations by influential families, and if I also handed them judicial authority, the nobles’ power would become too strong.

If I established separate local courts and concentrated all judicial authority there, another force would be born—one that could engage in a power struggle with noble houses.

‘Mm, it is a very good way to suppress internal factions and rebuild the administrative system. Heh heh heh.’

And if I also built a law university and established a system to train judges and lawyers, it would be perfect.

If I supported clever poor folk and commoners with scholarships and fostered them, I would also be raising a personal guard force for myself.

“Are you…. plotting something devious again?”

“Meeeeee. My lordi…. Scary.”

Oops. It seemed my thoughts had shown on my face. I hurriedly changed my expression and replied.

“C, cough. It is nothing.”

“It is nothing, my foot. It looked like you were stripping someone down to the bone and eating them.”

“Right. My lordi. Meeeee.”

“…….”

Just how far had my authority as a lord fallen?

I sighed inwardly and changed the subject while hiding my misery.

“…Stop saying pointless things, and are you fully prepared? We should be leaving soon.”

“Mm? What do I have to prepare. I can just go with my body. Hahaha.”

“Even so, since the trip will be longer than you think, please check your personal luggage one more time, Magician Agpiel.”

“Understood. You are quite meticulous for someone who does not look like it. Hahaha.”

At last, that day arrived.

“Waaaaah-! My lord, please travel safely!”

“I will see you on the day you return.”

-Doom doom doom!

“Advance! Everyone, move forward!”

With the grand cheers of the people, the beating of drums, and the commanders’ shouts mixed together, I left the city.

This escort force was a large-scale delegation with four hundred knights, six hundred soldiers, and about a hundred auxiliaries.

The continent’s situation was beginning to grow ominous, so this time, I put even more effort into safety.

Even within the Elang Kingdom, bandits were rampant, and in the southern region of the Holy Empire and the northern region of the Apennine Mountains, some nobles were even joining hands with bandit groups to raid traveling caravans.

Truly…. The world was rushing toward its end times.

Still, this situation was not only bad for me.

‘In times of chaos, it is best to build power.’

The more the center’s control was lost, the stronger the local powerholders became.

And as the balance of power collapsed, it also became a branching point that opened a new era.

For me, who had to create the greatest house on the continent to return to my original world, it was an excellent opportunity.

If I absorbed the fragmented small lords into the framework of the customs union, and crushed a few great lords by force, I could achieve that goal easily.

‘Still, what will Baron Pierre demand from me….’

That thought suddenly came to me.

The House of Viscount Bardi, which I would stop by on the way to the Holy See.

What would Baron Pierre demand of me? If he was reaching out to me, it seemed his competitors were quite powerful.

‘Well, it is the House of Viscount Bardi. It will not be easy to swallow.’

The House of Viscount Bardi was the one that controlled the Free City League of the Apennine Peninsula.

Since they were the successors of such an influential house, their abilities would naturally be outstanding.

“Whoa. Whoa.”

Thinking that, I slowly pulled the reins.

It was the tenth day since we left my domain and marched. Before long, a city appeared in the distance.

A city with enormous walls, located on the coast.

-It is the banner of the Margrave of Bellua!

-Prepare to welcome him! You idiots.

-Screeeech!

Then, with a burst of noisy sounds, the city gate opened, and a troop of about ten cavalry rode toward me.

“Welcome to the Free City of Genoa, Your Excellency the Margrave! I am the Consul garrison captain of the House of Viscount Bardi. I will escort Your Excellency.”

That’s right.

Before I knew it, I had arrived at the Free City of Genoa, ruled by the House of Viscount Bardi.

Into this tremendous den of vipers.

Just what kind of incidents and accidents would be waiting for me here?

‘Interesting.’

Suppressing the rising interest for no reason, I slowly followed the garrison captain leading my horse.

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