The Bestowal of Titles

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Haha! The old steward is indeed perceptive, Paul thought to himself, nodding in approval.

As expected of an experienced elder, he has probably seen through the little act Paul and Bryce were putting on.

By being the first to offer his land for feudal division, Bryce is essentially gambling to see if the others will also follow his example by giving up their administrative powers.

If the first person to be feudalized is already willingly relinquishing power, then the others will definitely have to think twice about it.

However, if the second person doesn't understand this implication, Bryce's "example" would lose its effectiveness, making it difficult to proceed with the others.

If that were the case, what could Paul do? He would have to grudgingly accept it and then spend several more years or even longer slowly reclaiming the power.

It was truly a gamble! Before the steward's declaration, the earl's heart was pounding with anxiety.

Now, however, the steward's statement further amplified Bryce's example. With his status and reputation, this was a magnified effect.

"Good!"

Paul said loudly, then realized he had been too enthusiastic. That won't do; he couldn't let people see that he didn't want to give away the power.

He tried to control his inner excitement and said in a calmer voice, "In that case, just as Bryce did, I will bestow the lands of the Red Rock Town region of the Grayman family to you."

Red Rock Town was in the Alden territory, and there were no lands under the jurisdiction of the Administrative Office's public treasury. Apart from some private lands, all other lands were under the lord's control.

"Thank you for your generosity, my lord!"

The old steward, Fort, thanked him and then calmly stepped aside.

"Owen Schroeder!"

Paul smiled as he called the third person's name. The chief of staff walked steadily down the steps and knelt on one knee.

"Schroeder, you were a knight of the Northeast Legion. After returning to Alden, you have achieved numerous merits. Now I formally ask you: from now on, are you willing to pledge allegiance to the Grayman family?"

Schroeder raised his right hand, "I swear by the Lord of Light, from now on, I will be loyal to you and your lawful successors."

Paul was very satisfied, "Very well, I hereby confer upon you the title of Baron of Valley Town!"

Schroeder placed his hand on his chest, "Thank you, Lord Earl. I also request to have my territory managed by the Administrative Office, just as Lord Bryce and Lord Fort did."

Damn! Again?

Everyone in the room thought with great frustration.

Paul himself couldn't help but shout inwardly, "It's a done deal!"

If it weren't for the crowd, he would have jumped up from the lord's seat on the spot.

"Then I will bestow the lands of Valley Town upon you as well!"

Now he didn't even need to ask the reason.

With the top three contributors having already surrendered their powers, it was up to the remaining minor figures to see if they had the insight.

The feudal division continued, and as Paul had anticipated, the minor figures also handed over their administrative powers without hesitation.

However, there were still some who were not keen. When Paul conferred the title to Quik, things almost went awry.

Quik was granted the title of "Hereditary Knight," which wasn't a true noble title but was a step towards it. From now on, he could be formally addressed as "Sir" by commoners, not the kind of "Sir" that local landlords might claim, but a legitimate lord with lawful administrative, judicial, and military powers over his territory. Although Quik's domain was only a sizable village.

To explain, while landlords and gentry without noble or knightly status in Alden officially lacked administrative and judicial powers, historically, due to weak administrative forces, these landlords effectively held such powers, especially the "tax farmers" who wielded considerable influence in their villages.

A hereditary knight—this was something Quik had never even dared to dream about before. Two years ago, he was making a living through piracy at sea, and now he had suddenly received a large estate and various powers. Overjoyed, he nearly lost himself in his excitement.

"Thank you for the grace of Lord Grayman!"

After receiving the title, Quik happily returned to his place in the ranks, not noticing that his superior Austin was giving him continuous signals.

The atmosphere in the hall grew cold, and everyone fell silent.

"Why aren't we continuing?" Quik wondered, somewhat puzzled.

The person sitting on the lord's seat spoke up, "Quik, since that's the case, you should resign from your military position and go to manage your domain."

What? What? What? What does the earl mean?

Quik was startled, as if Lord Grayman was about to kick him out of the navy.

He hurriedly ran down the steps and knelt, "My lord, I still wish to serve you! Please allow me to remain in the military."

Paul shook his head, "As Bryce's words reminded me, how can one excel at two tasks at once? I don't want your domain to be neglected. Go and manage it well; make it prosper, and your descendants will thank you."

"No, no, no! I can't leave the navy; I can't breathe a day without a warship."

Quik was almost on the verge of crying.

"Hmm!" Austin, who almost wanted to kick him, cleared his throat vigorously, dismayed at such a lack of insight from a naval officer.

He reminded Quik, "Quik, why don't you let the Administrative Office manage your domain? That way, you won't be neglecting either."

Quik's inner struggle was intense.

A real lord! How many commoners aspire to that goal?

But he also knew that after the pacification of the pirates, the former "knights" of the Grayman family, unable to adapt to the new military regulations, had left Alden Town. They still pledged allegiance to the Grayman family and swore to return if summoned, but in subsequent battles, the earl had never called them back.

In other words, if you don't hold a public office, you are essentially cut off from Alden's power structure.

Would he spend his days guarding that small piece of land?

No, he still wanted to command larger ships, lead bigger fleets, face greater storms, sail further seas, and gain higher honors.

Clearly, such things couldn't be achieved by being a lord of a village.

After much inner conflict, Quik finally made up his mind and requested Paul, "Please allow the Administrative Office to manage my domain."

Paul maintained his composure, though he was relieved inside.

"Alright, I accept your request. The lands in the domain will still be under your name."

"Thank you for your generous reward!"

Quik relaxed, at least his economic interests were not harmed. The yield from the land was still his, and collecting taxes from the poor villagers wasn't significant. Moreover, issuing commands in a village was far less thrilling than commanding a grand fleet.

Ah, a new ship is soon to be acquired! His thoughts returned to the three-masted warship promised by the earl.

After Quik's episode, everyone present more or less understood Paul's intention—if you want to remain in Alden's military and political system, you must relinquish your power. The lord would continue to treat you as one of his own. If you don't relinquish your power, you will be expelled from the system, becoming an "external subject," separated from the lord.

Having experienced the rising fortunes of Alden over the past two years, everyone realized that staying in this system would bring greater benefits.

Leaving Alden to become a minor lord was likely to mark the end of their careers. After all, they were not dukes, marquises, or earls; what use was a bit of power?

Those who had already been granted titles and surrendered their powers sighed in relief, glad they had made the right choice. Meanwhile, those who had yet to be conferred were also thinking about how they should respond.

(End of the Chapter)

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