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"Finally back!"

Looking out at the Mountain Territory ahead, Hudson couldn't help but sigh.

After the ship docked, Hudson, like the other nobles, was eager to return home and declined Count Pierce's offer to stay, heading straight for his territory without stopping.

Looking at the welcoming party led by Baron Redman ahead, Hudson's eyes couldn't help but well up with tears. Fortunately, he quickly composed himself.

As a regional ruler, one cannot afford to have excessive emotions. Even thoughts of "family" must be restrained, otherwise they will become a "weakness" exposed to others.

"You're back?"

"I'm back!"

The conversation between father and son was so simple and unadorned. All the emotional exchange was contained within those three simple words.

It's clear that Baron Redman has aged considerably. His head is covered in gray hair, but he seems to be in excellent spirits.

He had to worry about his son fighting far away, and he also had to worry about the development of the Mountain Territory. It can be said that he hadn't had a few days of peace in the past two years.

The happiest time is undoubtedly when good news arrives from the front lines. For a father, watching his son continuously achieve success is the greatest spiritual comfort.

"It's good that you're back. You should take over the affairs of the Mountain Territory yourself; I'm so worried about you!"

Baron Redman said with a troubled expression.

He had always thought that his failure to rise to prominence was mainly due to bad luck and a low social standing. However, after taking over the affairs of the Mountain Territory, Redman's illusions were quickly shattered.

Becoming a regional lord and governing a small town are two completely different concepts.

Even though Hudson had established the system beforehand, he was merely following the established rules, which still kept Baron Redman busy.

As for the assistants Hudson left behind, it's a great pity that Redman didn't trust them at all. In fact, Hudson initially defined those guys of dubious origin as—transitional figures.

If it weren't for this sudden war, these guys would have been replaced one after another over the past two or three years.

If there's no time to replace him, then he'll have to make do with what he has. As the acting lord, Redman has no choice but to keep a close eye on things during normal times.

Limited by his own abilities, Baron Redman has had a very tough time these past two years.

"Ha ha..."

A burst of laughter masked Hudson's embarrassment. Giving the territory to Baron Redman was indeed a bit of a forced move.

But there was nothing he could do; the only person he could completely trust was Baron Redman.

If it were someone else, who knows what would have happened after Mountain Territory for over two years? Hudson had no intention of coming back to clean up the mess.

As it turned out, his choice was absolutely correct. Baron Redman was a little tired, but the Mountain Territory had been functioning normally ever since.

After a long separation, Hudson found everything agreeable, including his adopted brothers. Of course, the troublesome Laisul was nowhere to be seen.

The better Hudson did, the more miserable the poor boy's life became. It had now reached the point where he dared not go home. The Baroness, fearing that Hudson would harm him, had long ago sent Laisul out of the Southeast Province.

It seemed like a very discreet operation, but in reality, it never escaped Hudson's notice. It wasn't that he deliberately paid attention; rather, the people responsible for the escort mission proactively reported the relevant information to him.

That's the benefit of power; you don't have to do anything, and people will proactively bring you intelligence.

If Hudson wanted to make a move against him, all he needed to do was give a hint, and someone would immediately cause an accident to happen to Laisul.

In fact, he initially intended to Laisul to embellish his image and demonstrate his magnanimity. However, out of respect for Baron Redman, he ultimately chose to let him go.

After all, appearances aren't something you can easily maintain. Once a tainted pawn is put forward and its value is lost, its fate is destined to be tragic.

After a token greeting to the crowd, Hudson led his large group on their way home.

Looking at the drastically changed Mountain Territory, Hudson felt a mix of joy and worry.

In the past few years, the Mountain Territory been desperately producing steel, but the price it has paid is environmental destruction.

The billowing smoke and the barren mountain peaks are the price of rapid development in the Mountain Territory.

Destroying the environment is easy; restoring it is difficult. Even in extraordinary worlds, restoring the original ecosystem requires a considerable price.

However, compared to the gains, it was all worthwhile. Just look at the changes in the Mountain Territory; the wide roads are large enough to accommodate four carriages, and they stretch all the way to the lord's manor at the top of the mountain.

What was originally just a rough outline of a castle has now become a city. Although some buildings are still under construction, the streets of the completed area are already showing signs of prosperity.

The newly added arable land amounted to millions of acres. Even with the most traditional rotation system, the territory's food self-sufficiency still increased dramatically.

All of this is a change that occurred during wartime. With the end of the war and the return of the economy to normalcy, the Mountain Territory will develop even more rapidly.

He let go so easily, as if throwing away a hot potato. Hudson had barely settled in when Baron Redman eagerly dumped a mountain of tasks on him.

Hudson had originally intended to discuss with him and ask about his thoughts on the future development of the territory, but to his surprise, Baron Redman directly stated that he had no ideas.

You could tell from his eyes that Baron Redman genuinely had no ideas, rather than resorting to so-called tricks.

It is clear that the incomplete aristocratic education of the Coslo Family directly constrained the thinking of the previous generation.

They have plenty of experience governing a small town. But planning the future development of an earldom is far too difficult.

Before the rise of the Hudson family, the Coslo Family's greatest dream was to return to the ranks of middle-class nobles. To leap into the ranks of the kingdom's great nobles was something they never even dared to dream of.

Seeing Hudson's meteoric rise to where he is today, Baron Redman's only thought now is to lie down and give up!

All his life goals had been achieved by his son, so there was really no need for him to continue striving. Rather than being busy and rushing around all day, he might as well enjoy life.

The only thing he still cares about now is the ancestral land. However, given Hudson's competence, this thorny issue was handed over to the new patriarch Hudson, long ago.

Frankly speaking, Hudson's position as patriarch does not conform to traditional succession customs. Whether from the perspective of blood ties or clan seniority, Hudson is not in a position to assume.

The agreement among the various branches stipulated that whoever reclaimed the ancestral land would become the clan leader, but Hudson was unable to accomplish this.

The main reason why the Coslo Family is united can they go further in this world.

Prior to this, the various branches were prepared to compromise, but some were too proud to admit it. They dragged it out until Hudson joined the ranks of the great nobility, at which point everyone could no longer resist.

The Coslo Family's foundation was already shallow. If the various branches did not seize the time to unite, how could they uphold the reputation of a great noble family?

It's important to understand that the beneficiaries of this upward social mobility weren't just Hudson, but the entire Coslo Family.

Taking this step transforms everyone into scions of a noble family. Regardless of the distance of this relationship, such a background significantly raises the ceiling of everyone's potential for advancement.

In theory, any member of the Coslo Family could potentially rise to a high-ranking official position in the court if they entered government; and if they joined the military, they could have the opportunity to become a commander.

This is a privilege reserved for the great nobility; the kingdom's high-ranking officials are either members of the royal family or come from noble families.

No matter how well the lower-ranking nobles excelled in court, they could never become high-ranking officials. Even the King could not break this unspoken rule of officialdom and forcibly promote someone.

Similar hierarchical distinctions are reflected in many other aspects of life. On the Aslant Continent, those of noble birth tend to fare better. In the face of birth, ability becomes a secondary factor.

Shared interests broke down all restrictions. The original rules of patriarchal succession were also changed because of Hudson's arrival.

Looking at the pile of documents in front of him, Hudson felt a chill run down his spine. Clearly, these were specific matters that had accumulated over the years in the territory and required his personal attention or understanding.

"Tom, notify the territory managers to come to a meeting."

Hudson said with a helpless expression.

He would toss the things in front of him and then make an excuse that he wasn't feeling well and leave. Hudson was powerless to stop his father's willful behavior.

The person in charge has left. If you want to know the details of major events that have happened in the territory in the past, you can only find out from the territory's management.

Hudson vaguely sensed that Baron Redman seemed to be implying that it was time to remove those in the management whose loyalty could not be determined.

However, this kind of thing must be done beautifully. In any case, these people have made outstanding contributions to the development of the Mountain Territory.

Taking people down without any evidence of their betrayal could easily cause widespread panic.

Upon entering the city lord's mansion in Beda City, Count Pierce decisively called off the celebratory banquet. There were no distinguished guests; continuing the banquet would only be a waste of time.

Having just returned from the battlefield, and having spent the journey battling wits and courage with a group of provincial nobles, the exhausted Count Pierce just wanted to get a good night's sleep.

Looking back on his performance in this war, he couldn't help but want to slap himself twice.

First, he released Hudson, that dragon, creating a rival for his own family; then he squandered the family's hard-earned wealth and offended a number of nobles within the province.

Before he could recover, he fell into the trap of reselling military supplies and almost lost his life.

Connecting these events, Count Pierce helplessly realized that the situation was deteriorating all along, entirely due to his own actions.

Hudson's meteoric rise meant that even the nouveau riche Coslo Family couldn't be contained by him.

Even if he wanted to take restrictive measures, he didn't know where to begin. After all, the Coslo Family's most important strategy at present was land reclamation.

Everyone else is holed up in their territory, focused on farming, and it's impossible to know where to begin when trying to make a strategic move.

Unlike the Northern Nobles who were outsiders, the lower nobles spontaneously imposed a blockade on them after only one round of encouragement.

As a family that has been rooted in the Southeast Province for many years, the Coslo Family is still considered one of their own by the provincial nobles.

Because of the large population, they had marital ties with many nobles in the province. With these relationships as bonds, no one would be foolish enough to easily sever them.

Especially when they encountered trouble before, Hudson really helped them out.

Whether it was the care they provided when arranging tasks or the help they gave in purchasing supplies to fill the gaps later, it truly made everyone realize the importance of having a good relative.

If nothing unexpected happens, the frequency of intermarriages among nobles within the same province as the Coslo Family will continue to increase.

These are things the Dalton Family cannot emulate. After all, the Alpha Kingdom practices monogamy, and to engage in large-scale intermarriages, one must first have many children.

In fact, even with many children, Count Pierce could not afford to engage in extensive marriage alliances with nobles within the province.

The Coslo Family does this because they haven't truly integrated into the elite aristocratic circles. Apart from Hudson himself, the other members of the Coslo Family aren't yet considered important.

The existing network of connections determines that the Coslo Family is best suited to marry into the smaller noble families within the province.

The Dalton Family is an old and prestigious aristocratic family, and its network of connections is clearly much more sophisticated than that of the Coslo Family.

Political marriages among the younger generation naturally took place within the circles of the great nobility. It was impossible for them to lower themselves to compete with the Coslo Family for positions among the minor and middle nobility in the province.

Looking at his son and nephew, Count Pierce could only console himself: competition among nobles is not only about quantity, but also about quality.

It's no exaggeration to say that these two could easily defeat all the other members of the Coslo Family, except for Hudson.

"The situation is changing rather quickly. The rapid rise of the Coslo Family has already affected the family's status in the province."

However, this impact is long-term and will not have a significant effect on us in the short term.

The main reason is that I made a mistake on the battlefield, which caused a lot of unnecessary casualties to the family and offended a group of provincial nobles. You should learn from this.

In future competition, if the Coslo Family comes into contact, military means should be avoided as much as possible. Since his debut, Hudson has experienced countless battles and has never been defeated, no matter what kind of enemy he has encountered.

His military prowess is unparalleled; few on the entire continent could rival him. Now that he's become the fourth Dragon Knight on the continent, he's even more formidable.

When facing this kind of enemy, unless you can kill them with one blow, it's best to bring them into the circle of rules.

The rivalry between the great nobles is always a long-term affair; there's no need to worry about temporary gains or losses. You must adjust your mindset.

The Coslo Family prospered because of Hudson, and they will also decline because of him. His overwhelming power, with everyone living in his shadow, inevitably hinders the growth of other members.

You don't need to directly confront Hudson; just wait for him to make a mistake. Generally speaking, these nouveau riche don't last long.

If you can't wait, then just wait it out. As long as you outlive Hudson, you'll see the Coslo Family decline.

If you can't outlast him, then let your sons endure it. This is a test of patience; whoever perseveres longer will win in the end.

Count Pierce was powerless to stop such cowardly words.

Young people are bound to be hot-blooded. If they are not given psychological guidance in advance, and their younger generation is instigated by others to confront Hudson, they are likely to suffer a great loss.

The so-called forbearance is pure nonsense. If a core conflict of interest were to occur, they would turn on each other in no time.

If there were no core conflict of interest, and people aren't crazy, why would two major powers clash for no reason?

Neighbors are never a reason to become enemies. What truly turns two families into enemies is hatred and self-interest.

The relationship between the Coslo Family and Dalton Family is clearly not that serious. Firstly, there is no deep-seated hatred between the two families, and secondly, their conflict of interest has not yet escalated.

This means that everyone can wait until the other party makes a mistake, and then seize the opportunity to finish them off.

"Uncle, don't worry! We won't do anything we're not sure we can handle."

Viscount Cayou answered cautiously.

These are all honest words. Having been through the harsh realities of society, he genuinely lacks the courage to confront Hudson now.

Count Pierce nodded slightly. As long as his nephew didn't cause any trouble, there would basically be no problems.

As for his own son, he's still just a little kid. He can't even leave Beda City, so he'll never have any dealings with the Coslo Family, making it difficult for him to cause any trouble.

"You two should prepare yourselves well, my Flame Lion is about to give birth. Although it can't compare to Hudson's Giant Dragon and Earth Bear, it's still a rare and high-quality mount."

"If you can form a contract with the cub, it will definitely be of great benefit to your future development!"

As he spoke, Count Pierce couldn't help but reveal his envy and jealousy. He really didn't know how to comment on Hudson's affinity for monsters.