Chapter 189: Chapter 188: Respective Calculations

Inside a suite in Wushan Castle, a father and son of the Ironhoof Clan were speaking with each other.

“Have the arrangements been made to send word about Ronin?”

“Yes. I had someone send a Message Bird overnight to Pasture City. If all goes well, Mas should receive the news by tomorrow afternoon. I relayed your wishes, instructing him to have Tarren immediately lead two Knight Squads to blockade the Sain Territory as soon as he gets the message.”

Mas Ironhoof was Rogner’s older brother and the first in line to inherit the Ironhoof Clan.

Tarren Snow was a vassal of the Ironhoof Clan whose daughter, Krami, had once visited Mountain Forest Town.

Rogner added, “To prevent any mishaps with the Message Bird, I’ve arranged for them to send two more at first light tomorrow.”

Marvin nodded. He could always count on this son of his to be thorough.

“Ronin is now the Viscount of Wubei Territory. While the domain is large, it’s sparsely populated, full of rolling hills, and won’t be easy to develop.”

Even with the addition of the Sain Territory, it was previously just a new Baron’s Domain. It couldn’t compare to an established territory like Pasture City.

Everyone knew the challenges facing the Wubei Territory. But Marvin’s tone shifted. “However, we must also recognize that Ronin’s standing in the eyes of the Marquis has changed.”

“The Wubei Territory will be difficult to develop, but the Marquis is certain to provide significant aid. In a few years, or perhaps a decade, it’s entirely possible he could build a new city with a population of tens of thousands.”

A population of tens of thousands was already on par with that of a typical Viscount’s Domain. After all, a Viscount’s Domain like the Ironhoof Territory, with a population over one hundred thousand, was a rarity.

This was also why Ossen viewed Pasture City as an “unstable element” and constantly targeted it.

Marvin may have been short and plain-looking, but he understood his situation perfectly.

Siding with Ossen was out of the question. The memory of being brutally beaten despite showing weakness was still fresh in his mind. As for betraying the Wushan Clan, that was something he would never even consider.

Marvin asked, “Do you remember what I said to you that night?”

Rogner immediately understood. “Father, are you referring to when you suggested I follow Ronin?”

The night before they left for Wushan Castle, Marvin had recited the Ironhoof Clan’s motto inside Ironhoof Castle: choice is sometimes more important than strength.

At that time, he had asked if Rogner was willing to pledge his allegiance to Ronin.

In this era, it was common for the second son of a family, with no right of inheritance, to go and follow another Great Lord.

But Rogner had refused that night.

He had his reasons, of course.

For one, Rogner believed that Ronin’s victory over Reisen was entirely due to the Knight named Ridder. Ronin might have a good eye for people, but Rogner didn’t see much potential in the man himself.

For another, Rogner had his own plans for the future and wasn’t ready to give up on them.

But times had changed.

His experiences over the past few days in Wushan Castle had fundamentally changed Rogner’s perception of Ronin.

First, there was the matter of strength. In the Knight tournament, Rogner had been defeated quite easily by Jamie Mengsong from Black Python City, yet Ronin had defeated that same man with ease.

Second, at the Beast Fighting Arena in Wushan City, Ronin had managed to protect Princess Blanche while killing two assassins, and he had even successfully used a Magic Scroll to repel the Golden Level assassin.

These two incidents were enough to prove that Ronin’s practical combat skills were far superior to his own.

On top of that, Ronin had seized the opportunity to neutralize Reisen, take the Sain Territory, and become the Viscount of Wubei Territory in one fell swoop, all while winning the favor of Her Highness Princess…

If someone had told him this series of events would happen just five or six days ago, Rogner would never have believed them. Yet, they had all come to pass.

“Father, your judgment was spot on.”

Rogner said with genuine sincerity, “I am no match for you.”

“As long as you understand.”

Marvin smiled, pleased. “But you’re still young. Watch closely and learn.”

His smile slowly faded. “So, what is your choice now?”

“I am willing to follow Ronin!” Rogner said without a moment’s hesitation.

He had known his father would ask this question again soon, so he had already considered his answer.

Besides, the Ronin of today was truly a lord worth following.

Marvin nodded, gratified.

“The Marquis may not have held a public investiture ceremony for Ronin today, but after following him for so many years, I’ve come to understand him a little.”

“Ronin’s performance was outstanding. While it’s unlikely his inheritance rights as the eldest grandson will be restored anytime soon, Marquis Lurans will absolutely begin supporting him again. Moreover, I suspect Her Highness the Princess’s visit was about more than just celebrating his birthday.”

“None of us know what the future holds, but I remain very optimistic about Ronin’s prospects.”

In truth, it wasn’t only the Ironhoof Clan that reacted this way. Other noble families had also taken note of these developments.

However, most had simply changed their opinion of Ronin, thinking only of fostering better relations with him in the future. Few were like Marvin, who would go so far as to have his second son pledge fealty to Ronin.

After all, even when the Marquis was gone, the next Marquis of the Wushan Territory would be Wiggins.

A lot could happen in the long years to come, and none of them were in the same precarious position as Pasture City, which was always a target.

If their mentality could be summarized in two words, it would be “no rush.”

Around midnight, Dianey dragged her exhausted body back to her residence. She was surprised to find her son, Bretton, in the living room, reading a book.

“Why are you still up reading at this hour?” Dianey asked, surprised. Her son rarely read.

Bretton’s eyelids drooped. He shouldn’t have been this tired, but the moment he had opened the first page and read the first line, his eyelids had felt incredibly heavy.

Hearing his mother’s voice, he jolted awake and quickly snapped the book shut.

“Grandfather said I lack knowledge in other areas, so I thought I’d read some books on politics and try to learn.”

Bretton stood up. “How is Grandfather?”

Dianey sank onto the sofa, exhausted. “He’s awake, but I don’t know the details. It can’t be good. He plans to leave tomorrow. Remember to see him off.”

’She had been married into Wushan Castle for over a decade, but today was the first time she had witnessed Marquis Lurans’s terrifying power with her own eyes.’

’Her father was an arrogant, unyielding, and ambitious man, yet in less than a day, his spirit had been completely broken. After waking up, his mental state seemed… off.’

’According to Laurent, Ossen, much like Lurans, should not engage in combat from now on.’

’When Dianey heard that, it felt as if something inside her had crumbled. She was still in a daze.’

’She finally understood the utter powerlessness of ordinary people before a Transcendent.’

“Your grandfather is right. You need to broaden your knowledge, but you cannot give up on your Cultivation.”

Dianey rubbed her temples, fighting off her exhaustion. “Personal strength is what matters most, no matter the circumstances. Look at Ronin. Strength creates opportunities and possibilities.”

“Ronin is definitely a role model I should learn from.”

Bretton nodded in agreement without hesitation. “I’ll work hard to catch up to him.”

Dianey sighed, then rose and headed for her bedroom.

’This is how things are for now. Whether it’s Lurans or Ossen, she couldn’t persuade either of them. She was powerless to change the grand scheme of things.’

’Perhaps the only person she could sway was Wiggins, but what good would that do?’

’He was probably fast asleep right now, snoring his head off.’

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