Welcome folks,
No need to panic as I'm reuploading the novel in nocturne tl. As of now, up to ch-43 has been uploaded there. And I'll end at a point which can be said an intermission to the War Arc. So, it'll be a nice break for me where my exams are near.
So, enjoy the chapters~
(*^▽^*)
–Aninsar
"Your Majesty, I have come at your invitation."
"Duke of Ramslett, good, you're here."
The King replied in an arrogant manner when the Duke said so.
"Thank you for your efforts in the search for my daughter."
"What? I can't have a noblewoman kidnapped in my capital. I'm doing my best to find her."
"Thank you for your kindness."
What shouldn't have happened? Your son is the one who arranged it.
I'm currently watching the meeting between the Duke and the King safely using 【Concealment】. But from the first exchange, I'm stressed out to no end.
I wanted to punch this thick-skinned, shameless King in the face as hard as I could, but I held back.
By the way, these two are smiling at each other and checking each other out, even though neither of them is serious. The Duke may look like a gorilla, but what he does is like a raccoon.
"Well, Your Majesty. Allen, an adventurer of the Duke of Ramslett, has asked me, his patron, the Duke of Ramslett, to give him an appropriate reward."
"Hmm? What are you talking about? He's an adventurer under the protection of the royal family and dispatched on my order. There's no such thing, is there?"
No, no. I've heard that, but are you really saying that? Could it be that he already has degraded eyesight at that age?
No matter how much you try, I can't reason with it.
"…..But it's your Majesty who agreed to the transfer of his protection under the Duke of Ramslett's patronage, right? I have a copy of that document."
"Hmm? What are you talking about? Do you think I've broken my word?"
"Oh, Your Majesty. With all due respect, this is the man who represented my daughter Anastasia during the duel. Don't tell me you've forgotten that?"
"Duel? Huh? What are you talking about? Though I remember there was a trivial quarrel between children, isn't it?"
A trivial quarrel, is it? Are you sure that's what you want to call it?
"It's getting off-topic? Then let's move on to the prize."
Neither of them moved an eyebrow as they talked about what had happened so far, only smiling with their eyes.
As expected, it seems that even this guy doesn't lose his temper right away with the Duke.
"First of all, Allen, an adventurer of the Duke of Ramslett, was the first to destroy the enemy forces in the Bruseni region, and he has earned 50% of all the battlefield achievements, as well as many more. To reward him for this, I ask that he be granted the rank of Count."
The moment the Duke delivered his request straight away, the Great hall buzzed.
As expected, 50% of the total war effort is a bit of a stretch, but I'm pretty sure that if I hadn't bombed and overrun them, it would have been the Centraren Kingdom that would have lost Bruzeni.
"What are you talking about? Did Duke Ramslett lose his mind? There is no way that such a prize is possible. A mere commoner adventurer can't suddenly become a Count! A knighthood at best."
Make unexpected demands to upset the other party, and then find a compromise.
It's one of the basic tactics of negotiation, and I'm sure the people around me took it as such.
But this time, the Duke has no intention of giving in from here.
By the way, the titles in this country are, in order from top to bottom, where the king and his sons are at the top. Of these, the Duke is a title that is given only to a branch of the royal family, so no matter how I try, I cannot become a duke.
As a Count, you own a certain amount of land, and in some cases, you have a certain amount of political power, such as taking care of other lower nobles called Baronet.
A knighthood, on the other hand, is a one-time nobility that cannot be passed down from generation to generation. They are also called quasi-aristocrats, and they are not given territories, and in some cases, they can buy these titles with money.
Therefore, it does not matter how much the royal family distributes, it will not hurt or itch.
By the way, the title of the frontier count, which was used in some countries in my previous life, does not exist. If anything, the dukes play that role.
"No, not at all. I think that this level is appropriate considering his recent activities. After all, it's that Bruzeni. It's not an ordinary thing. Considering that it's possible to re-invade the Empire, I don't think it's too cheap of an achievement, isn't it?"
The duke is negotiating with a smile on his face, but the king's brow is wrinkled. The king seems to be making an effort to keep his composure, but it is easy to see that he is angry.
By the way, this is what the Duke is requesting.
Make Allen, the most meritorious count who rules the Bruzeni region that he has seized. And since Allen is under the patronage of the Dukes of Ramslett, he will naturally be made a subordinate of the Duke of Ramslett, so approve that as well.
Of course, the fertile land of the Bruseni region is something that the royal family would like to have at any cost.
They do not want the land to fall under the influence of the Duke of Ramslett, who is a thorn in their side.
However, if we think about it realistically, we can expect an invasion by the empire, so it would not be a wrong decision for the country to keep me there as protection.
However, when the king was confronted with this demand, he became furious and raised his voice, just as the duke had assumed in our prior discussions.