"Your Excellency, the Elector."
Ryan bowed, both to the power in the south and to Elector Volvo appeared at the edge of the horizon and entered Zero Crossing City at sunset.
"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Ryan."
Volvo smiled at Ryan, his gentle tone making any nobleman instinctively trust this man of high status, who would at least become Marquis in the future.
It's even possible that the other party will become the next master of the empire.
His innate nobility and inherent power naturally made him the object of loyalty for the leaders of the nobility.
Ryan didn't seem to care. He looked at Volvo, wondering why this Elector had suddenly appeared here.
"I came to Northwind Province to rebuild the West Coast Fleet."
To rebuild the West Coast Fleet, we need to come to the Northwind Province.
It's like a lame joke, adding a touch of the Northlands's unique warmth to this winter.
"His Majesty His Majesty Emperor Flor, who is also my father, has ordered the Northwind Province to provide sufficient metal minerals for the reconstruction of the West Coast Fleet. I will work with Grand Duke Mayers to undertake the plan to rebuild the West Coast Fleet."
Ryan hesitated for a moment, then said:
" The Iron Ore in the Northwind Province are all owned; they are all located within the territories of nobles. Most of the Iron Ore produced by those mines is sold to merchant guilds."
"These are contracts and transactions between the nobles and those merchant guilds, and this matter may be somewhat troublesome."
Volvo listened attentively, nodding after hearing Ryan's words, and then smiled and said:
"That's why I came to Zero Crossing City, specifically to see you, Ryan."
"I need your help. You may not know, but my father only allocated me one million Gold Coin. One million Gold Coin to rebuild the West Coast Fleet is simply an impossible task."
"This is His Majesty the Emperor's test for you, Your Elector."
Ryan echoed this sentiment, then asked the other party what kind of help they needed.
"I have heard of your reputation on the West Coast, Ryan. You led the army of Northwind Province and defeated the Orcs once again. The poets of the West Coast have compared you to the Four Grand Dukes."
"The Empire repelled the Orcs invasion, the Four Grand Dukes led their armies to defeat the Orc Royal Court, and you, Ryan, have done the same."
"On the West Coast, many young people are no longer interested in becoming sailors, but instead want to come to the Northlands and become your followers, Ryan."
"You have already achieved a reputation that you can hardly imagine. I would like to invite you to become the vice commander of the West Coast Fleet."
So you invited me to be the fleet's vice commander, so I need to take the lead in getting the nobles of the Northwind Province to donate Iron Ore, right?
Ryan looked at the Volvo in front of him; this guy was no ordinary vehicle either.
With just a few words, he got rid of all his troubles.
The West Coast Fleet needs to be rebuilt, but the emperor only gave one million Gold Coin, and Volvo was also a victim.
The nobles would direct their grievances at His Majesty the Emperor.
Then the Mayers Family was brought in, along with the Grand Duke and the Elector. This was truly breathtaking news. All the nobles who heard this news understood that Grand Duke Mayers had become a supporter of Volvo.
Perhaps he is the first of the three Elector to have the support of a Grand Elector. If so, the probability of Volvo becoming emperor in the future is higher than that of the other two.
The first Elector to receive the Grand Duke's support, if we consider the other two, has already created a probability gap of about 4:3:3. Don't underestimate this 10%.
Finally, he tried to win over Ryan, but in return, Ryan had to do things for him, such as harvesting Iron Ore in the Northwind Province. In the most crucial part, he removed the trouble that Ryan himself would have to bear.
In short, he wants to have nothing, but also wants to possess everything.
A standard, excellent, and powerful successor.
This is how Ryan described Volvo.
However, at the same time, Ryan also understood the significance of this Imperial House test for Volvo.
He was born with incredibly favorable conditions and power. Hereditary authority made the Elector natural leaders. However, as nobles and leaders, they could not only enjoy power; they had to bear and shoulder the responsibilities of the empire.
This is the significance of this test for the Elector, to make them truly become nobles and emperors, rather than parasites who enjoy power.
Excellent methods for cultivating successors.
This is what is called aristocratic education, no, Imperial House education. They are not cultivating trash, but wise emperors.
This was not the wisdom of Columbus III, or even just the wisdom of the Imperial House, but rather the result of a long period of gradual change within the entire empire's ruling system.
The desire for Elector to be a wise ruler is not Imperial House or even the emperor truly needs, but rather something the system itself must have.
Only in this way can one stand in that Imperial Palace, overlooking the entire empire, without being deceived by the nobles, and without allowing the empire to decline.
Of course, this is the established system, and no one can say for sure what kind of leaders the Elector under this system will grow into.
Ryan sensed the power of this circle, but he was unwilling to get involved.
"Your Excellency, Elector, this matter may be somewhat difficult. The soldiers in my army have never seen the ocean before, and they will not be able to adapt."
Ryan rejected Volvo's offer to be the deputy commander of the West Coast Fleet. What a joke! He, the Northern Baron, went to the West Coast to become a naval captain.
Even dogs wouldn't go.
"However, I am willing to write to Thundercloud County to convey your purpose. I think the nobles there would be very pleased with your arrival."
As Ryan spoke, Volvo wanted to use him to harvest the Iron Ore resources of the Northwind Province, and Ryan also wanted to use the Elector Crown Prince to the other nobles in his name.
Perhaps this will once again surprise the nobles with Ryan.
Of course, these are all petty gains. The key point is that Volvo actually got involved in the internal power struggles of the Northwind Province at this time. He probably doesn't even know what kind of political struggle is taking place here.
It's normal for the Elector to be naive when he first encounters power, but that's also because there are no eyes belonging to Volvo in the Northwind Province.
Viscount Melendez could write to Ryan from the distant Calais Province, but no nobleman in the Northwind Province had previously written to His Prince Volvo.
He had no idea what was happening here, what was going to happen, or what was happening now.
What would you do? Ryan looked at Volvo, who was somewhat surprised that the nobles would be happy with his arrival.
He hadn't considered that Ryan would deceive him, and in fact, this wasn't deception.
Volvo Columbus thus remained in Zero Crossing City.
He did not go to Northwind City, nor did he visit Marquis of Northwind in Thundercloud County.
"That's just a child, and more importantly, it's that woman. Ryan, you probably don't know how difficult that woman is."
"If I go to Thundercloud County, the news will definitely spread Imperial Capital the next day that I slept with that woman."
Faced with Ryan's doubts, Volvo showed helplessness.
Shaya Meyers is a woman whose status is no less than that of a member of the Imperial House. Although the Elector of noble status, this nobility also forces them to pay attention to their words and actions in all aspects.
The reason Volvo has such concerns is twofold: firstly, he cannot deal with Shaya Meyers, who can act like a shrew without any restraint; secondly, Shaya has a child with another Elector, and although that person has not yet made any statement, Shaya is, strictly speaking, Volvo's sister-in-law.
Volvo had no desire to provoke that woman who gave the Grand Duke a headache, as she didn't care about her reputation at all.
Ryan remained silent and did not respond, but arranged for his mansion to be given to Volvo to live in.
Ryan's letter quickly reached Thundercloud County, and unsurprisingly, the nobles' eyes lit up with excitement upon hearing the news of Volvo's arrival.
Excited, thrilled.
It was natural to be happy, and then a large number of nobles rushed from Thundercloud County to Zero Crossing City.
To Ryan's surprise, the first nobleman to arrive was his own brother, Norton Clayton.
"Oh, I thought you didn't want to see me."
Norton blushed. He was surprised by Ryan's change. Ryan used to be similar to him, but now he was making fun of him.
"You want a piece of land too?"
Ryan looked at Norton with surprise and a strange expression.
"Whose noblewoman did you get pregnant? But Mother doesn't approve of this marriage?"
Norton took a deep breath, stared at Ryan in shock, and then shook his head frantically.
"I have no children yet, and my mother is choosing a suitable marriage partner for me. I want to exchange land for this property."
Norton said that he did it not for anyone else, but for himself.
He is now Lordship Lordship Norton Clayton, Noble Title Lordship by the Clayton Family. Of course, that's not important. What is important is that the land Norton was initially allocated was just a small village with five or six hundred people, and the Iron Ore was jointly owned with another Lordship.
In the course of successive wars, Norton's population dwindled and his land area shrank. The land would not be able to fully recover from the destruction caused by the Orcs for at least several years.
Norton could only weep silently as his wealth dwindled, but now that he was independent, he had no right to complain to Count Clayton. In the end, he gritted his teeth and tried to find a way out through Ryan.
"I want the Glimmer Territory, the Baron territory of Thundercloud County."
Norton emphasized the term " Baron," expressing his desire to acquire a territory comparable in size to Baron's estate as Lordship.
"You have quite an appetite."
Ryan looked at Norton, who was even bolder than he had been back then. A Lordship was actually eyeing the Baron's territory.
However, there hasn't been a lord there for a long time, and in the future... it's highly likely there won't be one for a long time.
It was indeed a good opportunity, with nobles vying for land, but Ryan still shook his head.
"I can't help you acquire such vast wealth and land. The nobles are currently only eyeing the lands that have lost their nobles. The Glimmer Territory is a territory registered with the Emperor without nobles. What will you do if His Majesty the Emperor suddenly remembers and wants to crown a Baron of Glimmer?"
"Have you told our esteemed His Majesty the Emperor that land has become your territory?"
Norton's eyes widened, looking somewhat embarrassed. Ryan suddenly extended a finger, shoving Norton backward.
"He can't even stand up straight."
Ryan was a little angry. Norton's words reminded him that there were still some lands in Northwind Province that had never been lorded and might belong to him, Ryan, since the Mayers Family was currently in charge of Northwind Province.
"If you had said that if the emperor crowned Baron of the Glowing Light, you would have sent them back, I might have helped you."
"Real?"
Norton got up and asked excitedly.
"You really believe that?"
Norton became somewhat agitated; of course, he didn't believe it.
"What you can't have in the Glimmer Territory, you can get in another territory..."
Ryan was halfway through his sentence when Norton shook his head frantically.
"I'm not changing my name. I'm of the Clayton Family bloodline, how could I possibly change my name?"
Well, even the only way is not working. The nobles are trying every means to inherit those lands, but they all need their descendants to inherit the surname of the nobles who once ruled those lands.
"This is a bit troublesome. Why don't you take your people and go clear the land?"
Ryan thought about it and realized this was the only way.
"Clearing the land."
Norton was somewhat reluctant, but Ryan was unwilling to let the kid go. In this world, nothing is stronger than the bond of blood. Baronet Norton in the Northwind Province was Ryan's natural ally, just as Ryan was a nobleman who would inevitably stand on the side of the Clayton Family.
If Norton can develop successfully, it will greatly benefit Ryan's reputation in Thundercloud County.
"It's settled then. I'll arrange for you to join the land reclamation efforts in the Frozen Earth Territory. You'll be living in the Swamp for the time being."
"Don't worry, when the nobles are eating meat, I'll find a way to get you some manpower. Will three hundred households be enough?"
Norton was breathing heavily; three hundred households, at least two thousand people.
The little chick nodded its head like a chicken pecking at rice, and was then sent by Ryan to visit the Elector. What did it mean that the first thing a nobleman did upon arriving here was not to see His Elector? It was one thing if the other party didn't remember Norton, but if he did remember the name Baronet Norton, it was definitely not a good thing.
The Elector" has an upper limit of being the master of the empire and a lower limit of Marquis, who is even more noble than an earl. In between are nobles who are on equal footing with the emperor.
On the other hand, the Volvo staff were indifferent to the nobles they were receiving, completely disregarding their status.
He hadn't expected there to be so much trouble here.
" Ryan is more intelligent than I thought. No wonder he has become a rising power in the Northwind Province."
Volvo didn't know if Ryan did it on purpose, because logically and emotionally, Ryan couldn't keep Volvo's arrival a secret. But the current situation wasn't so optimistic; he had somehow gotten involved in the conflict between nobles who were plundering the lands of dead nobles.
Volvo would rather sleep at the Marquis's mansion in Thundercloud County than do such a thing.
He came to the Northwind Province for the Iron Ore, not only to rebuild the Iron Ore of the West Coast Fleet, but also to own his own Iron Ore mines to continuously supply his knights with weapons and equipment.
But now, he was immobilized, and faced with the nobles' requests, he had to smile but could not give an answer.
bother!
"Annoying?"
Ryan looked at the brightly lit mansion. The arrival of the nobles had boosted the economy of Zero Crossing City. He couldn't help but smile. Volvo should be restrained now, right?
In this way, there won't be time to recruit people; as for Iron Ore and such, we can discuss it with those nobles.
In the end, it all comes down to compromise and exchange. Volvo gets the Iron Ore, the nobles get the land, Volvo gains a group of supporters, and its competitors effortlessly gain a group of supporters as well. It's that simple.
Once you're involved, regardless of the outcome, you'll gain something for both friends and enemies.
Your Elector will surely gain a great deal from this journey.
To Ryan's surprise, Viscount Hogg didn't get involved; instead, he knocked on Ryan's door in the middle of the night.
" Viscount Hogg, your sneaky behavior will only lead to misunderstandings."
In the banquet hall, Ryan looked at Viscount Hogg, who were sneaking around, and said helplessly that he was thinking about how to get the Northern Kingdom's Braveheart Guild to make contact with the large number of nobles who had arrived.
His thoughts were interrupted by Viscount Hogg, who stared at the man, wondering what he was up to.
"I do not want to receive land from His Prince Volvo."
Viscount Hogg got straight to the point, saying this.
Why would he have such a thought? Ryan looked at Viscountess Hogg beside Viscount Hogg.
With Imperial House blood, they're all bound to be good-looking. Even by Ryan's standards, she's a great beauty. No wonder Viscount Hogg would decorate his castle with so many things just to entice this woman.
The Viscountess smiled and nodded at Ryan, then pulled Avril to sit down a short distance away, leaving Viscount Hogg behind, who said slyly:
" Ryan, you may not understand the struggles within the Imperial House; it's not something a minor noble like us can get involved in."
"If His Prince Volvo Prince Volvo Emperor Flor in the future, then it will be fine. But if not, it will leave a deep hidden danger. Those nobles will have to pay a huge price to keep their unreasonable land rights, and they may even be stripped of His Majesty the Emperor."
"You absolutely mustn't tell anyone!"
Questioning Prince Volvo could become emperor might not necessarily incur the hostility of the imperial nobles, but it would certainly be remembered by Volvo, which naturally made Viscount Hogg extremely nervous.
"My wife told me that this had happened in the Imperial House before. After a new emperor was crowned, he directly stripped a group of noble titles that were not properly qualified and used them to trade to powerful nobles who were close to him."
"There's no other way; there's too little land in the South Northern Lands, and too many nobles."
Ryan looked at Viscount Hogg.
"If you don't want to trade the land with him, then why are you coming to me?"
"I had no choice but to come to you."
Viscount Hogg said helplessly, "Things were fine before, but now that the Elector has arrived, the nobles are like defendants in court, frantically proclaiming their innocence and demanding a trial."
There were no plaintiffs in this court; they were all dead, their entire families trampled by the Orcs.
There was only one judge, His Highness Elector Volvo, but two jurors: Meyers and Ryan.