Chapter 8 Loyalty

Although young Lord Rouchet was feeling perplexed, he still gathered all the nobles of the Gloucester's lordship together as John had instructed.

These nobles gathered on the grassy ground in front of the church, their heads swaying in the sunlight like a group of simpletons.

John didn't pay much attention to them but instead searched everywhere for a suitable place for himself to stand. The grassy ground in front of the church was indeed smooth enough, but there wasn't a high enough place for John to stand.

Guillaume, an old comrade-in-arms, took decisive action and brought out a small stool from somewhere, handing it to John. This simple action revealed a wealth of worldly experience.

After John stood on the small stool, all the nobles turned their gaze towards him.

These days, John had been attracting a lot of attention. First, he had defeated bandits under the walls of Gloucester, and then he had been knighted at a banquet. Now, with the death of the Earl of Gloucester, John was likely to inherit most of the old Earl's property.

All the attention of Gloucester's lordship was focused on John.

"Please, listen to me," John said, changing his usual lazy tone, and his strong voice revealed the demeanor of a king.

"The Earl of Gloucester has passed away, and now his lands need a qualified heir," John scanned the crowd. "According to the king's command, the lands and property of the Earl of Gloucester, William de Meron, will pass to his daughter, Isabella..."

When Isabella's name was mentioned, the entire audience suddenly became restless.

"Why should the Earl's little daughter inherit?"

"I remember the prince and the young lady are engaged, right...?"

"Shh... That can't be said!"

John heard all their words, but he didn't mind. He wanted to show his ambition plainly like this.

These nobles standing before John were all descendants of the Norman conquerors. They weren't a bunch of rule-following guys but rather a group of wolf-like plunderers. As long as your strength matched your ambition, no one would think what you did was presumptuous.

John gently pressed his hand to silence the chatter below and continued, "However, gentlemen, Isabella is only twelve years old and cannot manage the estates. Therefore, she needs a suitable guardian."

In a short time, John had laid bare his wolf-like ambition for all to see.

Although the people present were intimidated, the blood of the bandits outside the city had not been completely washed away, and the smell of wine left from the banquet still lingered in the castle.

During this time, John's reputation in Gloucester reached its peak, and no one dared to challenge him.

"I think His Highness the Prince is the most suitable candidate!" Hugo, the newly knighted Red Nose, jumped out, acting as John's vanguard.

"Prince John is Isabella's fiancé, and he is already a man capable of acting independently. Think about it, who eliminated those bandits? And who generously rewarded us?" Hugo spoke eloquently, taking a moral high ground.

Everyone watched in stunned silence. Even the royal guards who followed John straightened up under Guillaume's command.

It was a blatant threat, but these nobles were eating it up.

"I also support His Highness the Prince."

"Yes, the Prince is the most suitable."

A group of nobles hypocritically followed Hugo to the moral high ground. Those nobles with any small thoughts dared not utter a word.

John was pleased with this. He turned to the old knight and said, "Guillaume, bring me the Earl of Gloucester's ring."

Guillaume didn't hesitate. He hurried into the church. When he came out, he had a ring in his hand, the ring representing the highest authority in the Gloucester lordship.

He respectfully handed the ring to John, who calmly put it on. The Earl of Gloucester's ring was unusually heavy and uncomfortable to wear. But behind its weight, it symbolized the power that everyone desired.

As John put on the ring, ready to end this performance, Mabel rushed over with Isabella.

"John, you liar!"

Mabel's voice was hysterical, as if she had been greatly provoked.

"Didn't you promise to give me a piece of land? John! You devil, liar, cunning little man!" Each of Mabel's screams pierced the hearts of all the nobles present like needles.

Was this woman crazy to dare shout in front of His Highness the Prince? That was the basic thought of the nobles present.

"You deceitful little man, John! What about my land? What about my future?" Mabel didn't care and rushed up to John, reaching out to grab him.

But John wasn't a weak scholar without strength. At least dealing with a woman was enough for him. He raised his hand to block Mabel's arm and then grabbed her hand, directly restraining her.

Isabella looked a bit frightened on the side, but seeing her sister being restrained, she didn't react at all.

"I heard that the old Earl's family relationships weren't that good, looks like it's true," several knights whispered to each other.

After all, with the huge inheritance issue right in front of them, even siblings couldn't maintain good relationships.

Mabel's eyes were bloodshot, and without any regard for etiquette, she said, "John, even if I die here today, I want an explanation from you. You've stolen my father's property, that belongs to my father!"

John was a bit helpless and sighed.

"First of all, I won't let you die here." John signaled to Guillaume with a glance. "I'll have my knights take you to the convent. From now on, you'll be a nun, completely disconnected from worldly affairs."

Listening to John's words, Mabel seemed even more angry and unsettled.

"And, your father's land and property were not stolen by me."

Two knights approached and held Mabel, freeing up John. The ring on his left ring finger was particularly prominent, almost as if it was flaunting its power over Mabel.

"I obtained these lands through legal means, Mabel. I don't know why you weren't present during the guardian election, it's a shame."

"John!"

Mabel's eyes were full of hatred, her teeth clenched, as if she wanted to tear John apart and swallow him whole.

But John ignored her. He waved his hand gently, and the two knights took the former lady away, leaving silence in front of the church doors.

Isabella, left behind, was a bit at a loss. She didn't know what to do now that she was alone.

"Isabella."

John softly called the girl's name, reminding Isabella that she hadn't yet curtsied.

"Your Highness, Prince."

Isabella slightly bent her knees. "Is there anything you command?"

It seems she's learned her etiquette well.

"Isabella, you will be the future Countess of Gloucester," John bent down and patted the girl's head.

The girl, startled by John's approach, took a step back, surprising John. He withdrew his hand and sighed softly. This girl, just twelve years old, was his fiancée, which felt quite bizarre.

"Everyone."

John turned around, facing the knights and nobles from all over Gloucester.

"As the new guardian of the Countess Isabella of Gloucester, I am here to witness your loyalty to her. Please swear allegiance to the new Countess and the king."

These words left the knights below momentarily stunned.

Normally, the knights should approach and kiss the hand of the Countess wearing the ring, but now the ring was on John's hand.

However, John was also unfamiliar with such aristocratic etiquette. He watched the knights standing there dumbfounded and found himself equally perplexed.

Where did it go wrong?

Usually, loyal henchmen should come to the rescue at this point. Once again, Red-Nosed Hugo charged forward, ready to pay homage to John.

But this guy suddenly tripped, stumbled, and ended up kneeling in front of John.

Everyone was shocked, including John.

"Hugo, there's no need for such a grand gesture."

John almost blurted out this sentence, but his body refused such an overly humble attitude.

In the eyes of the onlookers, John naturally extended the hand with the ring to Hugo. Red-Nosed Hugo, who was already kneeling, found himself in a dilemma and could only reluctantly kiss it.

The whole ceremony, gone slightly awry, made John feel as if he finally understood something. And the other nobles present had no choice but to follow Red-Nosed Hugo's example, one by one, kissing the ring on John's finger to pledge their loyalty.

But to old Roches, an outsider, this was simply terrifying.

"Has the prince already gained such strong control here?" Old Roches asked Guillaume quietly, "How did he manage it?"

As John's close bodyguard, Guillaume certainly knew it was a facade. But he also knew there were things one couldn't say.

"I don't know," Guillaume replied solemnly, making up an excuse.

Old Roches could only continue to be kept in the dark, watching the dramatic scenes unfold before him. He began to seriously consider which prince his son should follow.

King Henry II still had three sons, each seeming competitive. Although John, currently without an official fief, displayed surprising abilities, which astonished old Roches.

Meanwhile, John focused on the ceremony, the knights obediently pledging allegiance to him, leaving him feeling satisfied.

The County of Gloucester was bowing down to him.