"You're planning another trip to Ulthuan?" Sulia immediately realized what was happening, and with a hint of resentment, she said, "You're just going to leave the household to me again? How convenient for you."
"It's not an expedition this time, just a quick trip. It's not that complicated," Ryan replied softly, knowing full well that Sulia was unhappy about his constant absences for campaigns. "It'll be a short journey by fast ship, and besides, it's still in the planning stages—it won't happen anytime soon."
"...Just make sure to let me know when it's time," Sulia reluctantly agreed, pouting slightly. No matter how strong and intelligent the queen was, she still wanted to spend more time with her husband.
"Ryan, who are you planning to take with you?" Morgiana asked casually, though she was actually eager to sit closer to him.
"I'll decide when the time comes," Ryan replied, revealing no further details. "We'll need to figure things out once Brother Vulkan returns, and we'll discuss the plan together."
"Alright." With that, the topic was dropped. Both Sulia and Morgiana didn't press further, as the idea was still just a possibility for now.
"By the way, regarding the matter with Marienburg, High King Thorgrim said he would send an official letter to the Empire, pressuring them," Ryan continued with another topic. "We can't directly make trouble with Marienburg. After all, it's an imperial free city, under the sovereignty of the Empire. If we rashly position troops near the border, it would not only tear up the alliance but also cause major disruptions to trade."
Both Sulia and Morgiana nodded in agreement. Though Marienburg was controlled by merchant princes, its neutrality made it a vital trade hub for Bretonnia, the Empire, and even the southern nations and Kislev. Marienburg's unique status allowed it to function as a free-trade zone, which was crucial for the Old World's economy.
After all, both the Empire and Bretonnia were essentially militaristic nations. While soldiers excel at warfare, they aren't always good at commerce. Having soldiers engage in trade could easily lead to corruption, distracted military efforts, and societal unrest. Marienburg's customs duties and the "protection fees" it paid to the Emperor contributed significantly to the Empire's finances, which helped maintain a large and elite army.
Ryan himself agreed that there was merit to the idea that armies shouldn't engage in commerce. The long-term effects of such practices were well understood but better left unsaid here.
As for Belya, that situation was a special case, as he essentially positioned himself within the bureaucratic system. Kislev's unique situation, under the leadership of the Ice Queen, was another matter entirely, which was why Ryan had granted him monopolies on certain goods.
When Bellegar would be ready to send troops to trouble Marienburg was still uncertain, so that issue was set aside for now.
The three continued chatting for a while as the carriage neared Chalon Forest. Unlike before, the forest was now filled with outposts, lumberyards, and logging camps. Villages dotted the outskirts, and the area was under the firm control of the local lord. Silfan the unicorn seemed much happier in the forest, and even Morgiana's mood visibly lifted as the fresh air blew in through the windows.
Faint singing drifted in from outside, the voices of migrants from Mousillon. While many locals had moved to Mousillon seeking opportunity after the land's reclamation, some Mousillon natives chose to leave their painful past behind and settle in Count Glamorgan's domain. Many were swamp dwellers and so-called "waif-wives," people whose traditional ways had been uprooted as the swamps of Mousillon were drained.
"Ryan, what exactly are you going to discuss with Theresa and Lady Aurora? Why didn't you just tell me earlier?" Sulia asked as she leaned into Ryan, allowing his hands to roam over her black-stocking-clad legs and feet. "Did you really need to come all the way here?"
"Yes, Ryan," Morgiana added, "with so much going on, why are you dedicating a whole day to visit the Ice Wizard's Tower?"
"There are two main reasons," Ryan nodded, speaking softly. "The first is to see how the tower is operating. Some things need to be personally verified, like the number of people and the scale of things."
"Indeed, we need to ensure those witches aren't conducting forbidden research!" Morgiana suddenly became animated at the mention of this. She complained, "I've asked to inspect the tower before, but your spymaster told me she had the authority to deny my entry—an authority you granted her, Ryan. How could you give her such power?"
"I gave Veronica the same authority," Ryan countered, pulling Sulia closer. "Wizards need a quiet, focused environment to practice their craft. Morgiana, how would you react if someone interrupted your meditations?"
"That's different," Morgiana's tone softened, but she still held her ground. "Ryan, Aurora is still a high elder of the Garland Council, unlike Veronica, who has largely distanced herself from the council. We have every reason to doubt Aurora's loyalty. She cannot be trusted. I've said this before—intelligence matters should not be left in her hands."
"Morgiana…" Ryan thought to himself, I can't leave everything in your hands, can I? After all, you're both part of Lilith's faction. However, he couldn't say that aloud. He shook his head and replied, "Aurora's only real flaws are her love of luxury and a bit of vanity. She's powerful, skilled in unique magic outside the Eight Winds, and highly effective at gathering intelligence."
"Morgiana isn't wrong, Ryan. Aurora still refuses to fully integrate into our system. I can barely give her any orders," Sulia added, following Morgiana's lead. "Whenever I try to involve her, she just brings you up, saying it's your decision. Theresa is more cooperative, but ever since Aurora arrived, she's clearly taken control of the Ice Wizard's Tower."
"Exactly. That's the second reason I'm here," Ryan sighed. "Today, I need to have a direct conversation with Lady Aurora and get her to make a decision."
"A decision?" Morgiana raised an eyebrow, her beautiful face showing her annoyance. "It would be best to just throw her in prison and see how quickly she makes a decision."
"What kind of decision?" Sulia asked, following up.
"I need to know if she's made up her mind yet," Ryan explained, nodding toward Sulia. "Whether or not she plans to formally join my service. I've brought this up twice already, and she's been delaying it for years. I want to clarify her stance this time. If she's unwilling to commit, then Theresa will take charge. Aurora can't continue to occupy resources and receive funds while still holding an important position in the Garland Council."
"Good, that's the right approach. I support you," Sulia said, clearly pleased. She gave Ryan a passionate kiss, which he happily reciprocated.
After chatting for a while, Sulia brought up another matter, complaining about one of Ryan's recent decisions. "Ryan, the decree you issued to cancel the privileges of knightly nobles was a good move, but you should have discussed it with me first. Now I have to deal with all these former noble ladies and daughters begging for mercy. I can't just see them, nor can I ignore them—it's difficult."
Ryan chuckled.
His decree had stripped knightly families of their noble titles if they hadn't provided a knight for the kingdom for four generations. Their lands were confiscated, and they were reduced to freemen. They had one generation left to redeem themselves.
Since the decree, over 500 knightly families had been stripped of their titles, and about 100 of them had quickly sent their children to serve as squires, knights-in-training, or wandering knights to preserve their status. However, around 400 families couldn't provide a qualified knight or squire, and they lost their titles and lands, becoming freemen. Many of these were women and children who had banded together to petition the king for leniency.
Ryan refused to see them, and Morgiana declared it wasn't her concern, leaving Sulia to handle it. Faced with the tearful pleas of widows and orphaned children, Sulia found herself in a moral dilemma. As queen, she supported her husband's policy of eliminating weak and unproductive nobles, who contributed little to the kingdom. But the complex web of noble marriages and her own moral compass made things difficult, especially since many of these women were distant relatives of Sulia's family.
Hearing Sulia's frustrations, Ryan sighed. His decree had indeed struck at the core of the knightly class's interests. However, his unparalleled prestige from the Eight Peaks Mountain expedition, combined with his leadership in the kingdom's reforms, left the nobles with little room to oppose him. Moreover, Ryan, as the initiator of the reforms, led his troops from the front, earning countless military honors. The nobles couldn't just tell him, "You think you can do better?"
Without his string of victories, including defeating Egil, eliminating the undead archmage Heinrich Kemmler, reclaiming Mousillon, and leading the successful expedition to the Eight Peaks Mountains, it was uncertain whether this law would have passed or how long it could be enforced.
Taking away privileges from the entrenched noble class was never easy, especially when those nobles were the backbone of the kingdom. Ryan had succeeded in suppressing them but still needed to protect their interests.
Did anyone truly believe being king meant you could do whatever you wanted?
The eternal
truth returned again: Your Majesty, are you trying to start a rebellion?
Ryan knew this was a problem that needed solving. As he pondered what to do, Sulia and Morgiana shifted the conversation to lighter topics, such as fashion trends, clothing, jewelry, and palace gossip.
Encouraged by Sulia's invitation, Morgiana nervously slipped into Ryan's lap. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as they continued to chat. Morgiana, blushing, enjoyed the comfort of her Wolford stockings, relishing the soft, cool sensation against her skin.
She secretly regretted believing Veronica's teasing advice. The Garland witch had told her, "Ryan will definitely like it if you do this." Now Morgiana feared that if Sulia discovered her secret, she would lose all courage to live, forever unable to lift her head in Sulia's presence.
With two beautiful women by his side, the three-hour journey passed quickly.
As the road extended before them, the Ice Wizard's Tower came into view.
To Ryan's surprise, Theresa, who usually stayed locked away in the tower, was standing at the entrance, directing the apprentice witches as they moved various items.
"What's going on?"
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