Chapter 142: Winnie's Ideas

The Blackwater River flowed silently as a caravan made its way south along its banks.

Inside the luxurious and spacious carriage, Viscount Thenis sat upright, gazing through the window at the York family cavalry, a contemplative look in his eyes.

"Thenis, didn't you say the Duke of York was a typical backwater noble? Why are you staring at his cavalry?"

The female knight, Vinnie, had a delicate nose, cherry-red lips, and skin like jade, framed by a cascade of golden wavy hair. As she stretched, her full chest and long, straight legs formed alluring curves under her form-fitting leather armor. Thenis felt his heart skip a beat and quickly pulled his gaze away, not daring to look further. Seeing Thenis unmoved, a flash of disappointment crossed Vinnie's eyes.

Thenis understood the intentions of his family's knight well, but he was determined to become the Grand Chamberlain. Beyond his own political achievements, his marriage would be a vital political asset. He had no choice but to let Vinnie’s affections go unrequited.

Noticing the awkward silence in the carriage, the middle-aged knight Romon interjected, "The York family are quintessential provincial nobles, very different from us nobles of the Royal Capital. For instance, their attendants and maids possess decent martial skills. To us, this seems inconceivable, but for provincial nobles, it is common practice. Look at that cavalryman; isn't he the same ceremonial guard from yesterday?"

"Really? I didn't even notice." Vinnie leaned forward to peer at the cavalry outside the window, surprised. "How could the Duke of York let actual warriors serve as ceremonial guards? Are they so destitute that they cannot even afford to hire ceremonial guards?"

"There is nothing strange about that," Viscount Thenis said. "A lord’s attendants are the second sons or daughters of his vassals. Although they lack the status of vassals themselves, they are raised with the education of vassals. They serve the lord, but they must eventually secure their own futures. Most of these attendants will become city garrison soldiers, constabulary officers, or tax officials. As for the maids, if they cannot become a noble's personal attendant, most will marry other vassals and must bear the burden of raising children, so learning martial skills is a necessity."

Vinnie knitted her willow brows, worriedly remarking, "In that case, the provincial lords are far stronger than us!"

"Quite the opposite," Thenis said, tilting his chin toward the window. "Vinnie, who do you think is stronger: the York family's cavalry or the ones we brought?"

Outside the carriage, the cavalry was clearly divided into two groups. Whether in equipment, mounts, physique, or horsemanship, the York cavalry was inferior to the soldiers brought by the Viscount.

"The York cavalry cannot compare to ours, but those are the Royal Capital’s Imperial Guard! They are not our family's soldiers," Vinnie sighed, shaking her head.

"That depends on how you look at it," Thenis laughed. "Our family doesn't even have cavalry, so how could we compare to the Yorks? However, we nobles of the Royal Capital and the Royal Family are one and the same; to be precise, we are all dependents of the Royal Family. Our etiquette, attendants, and maids all strictly imitate royal standards. Royal soldiers are soldiers, and attendants are attendants; they would never be like provincial lords, where the children of vassals serve as both attendants and soldiers. The York soldiers must not only hone their martial arts but also work their own fiefs during the harvest season. Therefore, their attendants are no match for ours, and their cavalry is no match for the Royal Capital's. A person who focuses on one thing is naturally stronger than one who tries to do everything."

"That is true," Vinnie nodded, then asked with confusion, "Then why don't the provincial lords do the same?"

"Because the lords are too poor," Thenis explained. "All the lords of the kingdom pay an annuity to the throne, which gives the Royal Family the wealth to cultivate specialized talent—artisans, soldiers, painters, attendants, horse trainers, and even us nobles of the Royal Capital are cultivated by the royal line. Take our House Pescico, for example: our scholars serve in the court, and our knights serve in the Imperial Guard. We serve the Royal Family, and they provide our stipends. Romon is a knight of the Imperial Guard with an annual salary of 8,000 gold sols, while a knight of the York family receives less than half that amount. The Royal Family pays a massive sum in stipends alone, while the lords struggle just to feed their own armies; where would they find the money to cultivate specialized talent?"

Thenis’s tone shifted. "However, the York family now has the foundation to change their situation. Although they suffered heavy losses this time, they gained vast territories and have enfeoffed all their high-ranking knights as vassal lords. Most importantly, for the next twenty years, the York family not only pays no annuity but receives financial support from the kingdom. They already have professional chefs and have even created unique dining etiquette... well, perhaps in a dozen years or so, the prototype of a new kingdom will emerge."

"Thenis, there is one thing I have never understood," interjected Knight Romon. "Those ant-men, while terrifying in number, are brainless insects with monotonous and rigid tactics. The kingdom is perfectly capable of sealing the entrance to the Great Swamp. Why hand over the Centaur Hills to the York family? Isn't this just cultivating a rival for the kingdom?"

Thenis glanced at Romon. His family knight’s thoughts represented the view of many Royal Capital nobles, all of whom coveted the Centaur Hills, yet failed to realize that for a Royal Capital noble to manage land and build a power base was a taboo against the Royal Family. He felt it necessary to clarify the gravity of the situation, lest Romon be used by others and drag down his own career.

"The kingdom's original strategic focus was expanding northward to annex the weakening Dodo Kingdom. Unfortunately, the situation changed too quickly; King Ryan died in battle, Emperor Lan rose to power, and the Sassan Empire stopped attacking Dodo. The kingdom's strategy shifted from offense to defense. Compared to the newly acquired Centaur Hills, the well-developed heartland is far more important.

"The York family's high-end combat power is formidable, but their overall strength is nowhere near that of the Royal Family. Fighting the ant-men relies on comprehensive strength, not just high-end combat power. Since the York family is willing to hold the Centaur Hills, what reason does the Royal Family have to refuse? Heh, even if the Yorks seal the three entrances, what will they use to build other castles? Without enough castles, the Centaur Hills are undefended as far as the kingdom is concerned.

"Of course, as long as Lady Rose is alive, the Royal Family will not take aggressive measures against the York family. If they were to lose Lady Rose, wouldn't they have to submit to the throne obediently? Although Lady Rose is powerful, everyone knows her issues. And the House of Augustus has an endless supply of Golden Knights; in the end, noble blood is the foundation of the Royal Family.

"I must remind you: we nobles of the Royal Capital must keep pace with the Royal Family. Only when the kingdom is strong do our families have the opportunity to grow. Romon, do not be misled by others; focus on doing your job well. When the Royal Family needs us, they will naturally grant us land, just as they did for Viscount Solon."

Romon straightened his expression and said sternly, "I understand!"

Vinnie gasped, "Lady Sylvia actually forced the Royal Family to back down single-handedly? Just how strong is she?"

"Eight years ago, the Sassan Empire launched the Battle of Whitewater Fortress, intending to open the gates to the Dodo Kingdom in one stroke. The battle ended in the Sassan Empire's defeat. No Golden Knights participated in the entire campaign. Do you know why?" Thenis asked Vinnie.

"Why?"

Fights between human kingdoms rarely involve Golden Knights, but the Battle of Whitewater was a matter of survival for the three kingdoms; it was impossible for both sides not to deploy them. Yet, in that brutal battle, five Silver Knights fell, but no Golden Knights were seen. Vinnie had not been a knight for long and found this truly baffling.

Romon said in a low voice, "At the Battle of Whitewater, the Sassan Empire deployed nine Golden Knights, and our three kingdoms sent seven. Our Gumbis kingdom sent Marquis Goron and Lady Rose. The Golden Knights of both sides held a duel under the witness of the Church. Lady Rose fought first, and she defeated three Sassan Golden Knights in a row, shocking everyone."

"And then?" Vinnie asked, her eyes shining.

"And then, there was nothing left to say. The Sassan Golden Knights admitted defeat and ceased participating in the battle. Thus, the intensity of the combat was limited to the Silver rank. After the war, the King of Dodo dubbed Sylvia the 'Rose Queen' and gifted her a viscounty. Lady Sylvia is now hailed as the First Golden Knight," Romon sighed, shaking his head.

"That is truly amazing! The Rose Queen is the model for us female knights."

Although there were many women among the knights, most had an affinity for the water element, while male knights generally had an advantage in defense and strength due to their affinity for the earth element. Because of this difference in elemental affinity, female knights had always been the relatively weaker side. That Sylvia could suppress all the heroes of her time and stand as the pinnacle of the era made Vinnie yearn for her life, yet she felt indignant. "With such a powerhouse, why did King Ryan choose to suppress her instead of winning her over? Could he have fallen for the Dodo King's scheme?"

Thenis smiled bitterly. "King Ryan was wise and martial; how could he not see through the Dodo King's petty tricks? Sylvia is the Duchess of York and a rare Fire-attribute Golden Knight—how could she be won over? That battle at Whitewater gave the lords of the eastern kingdom many ideas, and the will of the lords is influenced by their dependents and vassals; it wasn't a matter of whether the York family wanted to grow or not. The late King had to reintegrate the eastern lords. At the time, the Interior Ministry’s strategy was to suppress the York family first and then appease them, dismantle their restless vassal lords, and then find a way to soothe Lady Sylvia. The Royal Family once sent secret envoys to communicate with the Yorks and make promises. Though the York family was dissatisfied, they had no choice but to accept, as the Royal Family had three Golden Knights at the time.

"Just as they were on the verge of success, King Ryan was assassinated by the Niovists. There are countless mysteries surrounding this, and the Royal Family is still investigating it to this day. Let us just talk about this in private; never discuss it with people from other families, lest we be targeted by the Night Owls and cause unnecessary misunderstandings."

Thinking of how the kingdom's promising situation had been inexplicably buried, Thenis sighed repeatedly. For a court noble like him, the stronger the kingdom, the greater his power.

Seeing her beloved in low spirits, Vinnie rolled her eyes and giggled, "I heard that the Viscount Victor we are going to invest this time is Lady Sylvia’s lover?"

Gossip about big figures is always enjoyable, regardless of gender. Viscount Thenis laughed, "Viscount Victor Wimbleton is a very fine young man; when he was in the Royal Capital, he was very popular among the noble ladies and misses."

"Thenis, have you seen him? Is he as beautiful as the elves in the legends?" Vinnie asked excitedly.

Thenis mused, "Noble youths who awaken the Moon Elf bloodline have a difficult fate; they have exquisite beauty but lack the strength to protect themselves. Women are somewhat better off, but a boy like Victor, born to a fallen family, inevitably gets sold by his parents to become a collector's item for some great noble. However, Victor had good luck; he gained Lady Sylvia’s favor and became a lord, even if only in name."

Vinnie whispered, "In that case, can we make use of Viscount Victor? Perhaps there will be unexpected gains."

"Don't be so naive. The will of a Golden Knight is unyielding! The Rose Queen will not be swayed by her lover," Romon said coldly.

"I know that, of course," Vinnie glared at Romon with dissatisfaction. "I mean, maintaining a connection with Viscount Victor and trying to gain his favor—it's that simple."

Thenis pondered for a long time, then smiled. "That is an interesting idea."