231: Chapter 122 Era of Disputes_2 231: Chapter 122 Era of Disputes_2 He hadn’t had time to make the girl understand the complex yet simple disputes among the Noble Lords.
Particularly taking into account her true Royal identity, Mr.
had always taken it for granted to indoctrinate the girl with “Orland,” the macro concept from the perspective of the Royal Family.
However, many Lords of the Northern Kingdom surely had a different opinion than the girl held now.
“…Olivia, in your view, the Kantadar people are the foreign enemies.
But for Baron Gunnar from ‘Farayel Domain,’ he probably views nearly all within ‘Gray Pine Valley Domain,’ except for the Royalist allies, as foreign enemies,” Leon explained, “The Lords of the Orland Kingdom are far from being as close as family.”
Having learned from lessons given by Mr.
and some “historical” figure, Leon now understood the history and current situation of Orland better than Olivia, who had long lived in Selva Village.
Klonia Kingdom Domain, Ostania, Loman, Garsom, Boraiden, Great Westra, Farayel, Gray Pine Valley—these domains of the Northern Kingdom today, although their range and divisions have significantly changed from ancient times.
But over six hundred years ago in history, there were several different Northern kingdoms outside Klonia Kingdom Domain.
Until the Drakemar Family, ruling Klonia, through the efforts of several generations of kings, employed strategies of alliance and aggressive diplomacy, subjugated the Northern nations under the Black Dragon Flag and established “Orland.”
And the establishment process of the Northern Kingdom was not a thorough unification like the historical unification in Leon’s ancestral home’s history in his memory—the sweeping Six Conflicts or the Han System.
Orland indeed dismantled those small kingdoms with strong military forces.
However, due to various political and practical reasons, the dismembered territories inevitably had to retain or bring forth new Great Lords.
Some were granted fiefs because they had helped Orland during the unification process.
Some, because they were too difficult to conquer completely, led to major costs, and Orland could only compromise by granting certain benefits in exchange for these powerful forces’ nominal submission.
Now, after six hundred years of change, inside Orland Kingdom, the “Duke of Tamorine and Duke of Bohemia,” the Duke Weststral, are the most formidable among the Great Nobles.
Additionally, in the western Farayel Domain and the extreme northern Boraiden Territory, various Lords big and small also maintain a nuanced relationship with the Orland Royal Family, adhering to their commands but not their proclamations.
“…To make all the Lords of the North unite as you wish, there seem to be only two methods in the current era,” Leon concluded after explaining the broader situation in the North and expressed his personal view, “Either there is a large enough benefit or threat to make all the Lords throughout the country realize that only unity can secure and maintain their interests and safety.
Or the kingdom sees several more wise and forceful sovereigns emerge, who figure out ways to eliminate those excessively independent Great Nobles.
Ideally resulting in no Great Lords within the country, allowing Orland’s royal authority to completely dominate everyone and establish an order that’s beyond question and violation.
In such a scenario, after a hundred years, the concept of Orland might truly be deeply rooted in the hearts of Lords and commoners, by then, the smaller nobility conforming to the sole order, internal conflicts should be far reduced…”
Of course, Leon didn’t elaborate further for the girl, speaking too much further seemed pointless in his view, as long as the feudal state structure remained unchanged and the era didn’t progress further, it was ultimately a fix that treated the symptoms but not the cause.
Once an era of disputes and declining royal power arises, minor Lords still have the chance to become more powerful amidst the chaos, and then history repeats itself.
Moreover, even a true grand unified Empire still had periods of internal strife falling into near-collapse during dark ages spanning hundreds of years, not to mention a feudal kingdom with numerous Lords.
Fortunately, on Orland’s lands, aside from the North People in the north, there aren’t too many complicated ethnic groups, which at least ensures a lower limit to any chaos.
Being just Felu people speaking the same language and using the same script, there was no need to ruthlessly exterminate each other, which probably was also an essential factor in why Orland could relatively easily dominate the North over six hundred years ago.
understand now, thank you, you still know so much…”
Olivia vaguely grasped it, silently digesting her lover’s words in her mind.
Leon responded with a smirk, merely reciting from historical examples he remembered.
But to be honest, he didn’t care much whether Orland could achieve substantial national unification in the future.
He wasn’t from Orland, nor Seryan, even less so Felu.
His soul came from beyond the realm, only wishing himself and his friends and companions, as well as the common folks he could protect, to live well without suffering—that would be absolutely wonderful.
Leon patted the young girl’s head in his arms and sighed internally.
In fact, there had indeed been someone ambitious who wanted to integrate and unify the kingdom’s regions into one cohesive entity to achieve substantial unification…
Olivia’s biological father.
He was a ruling monarch of Orland for a decade, gradually trying to centralize power, but misstepped, sparked a civil war, and was eventually overthrown by his cousin…
the current King, who led the rebel army into the Capital.
His reign not only ended in his death but he was also saddled with various charges and branded as a “tyrant” in the annals of history.
Leon felt some regret for his yet-unmet true father-in-law.