The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 423 Conflicts won't disappear, but they can be shifted.
Campbell Castle, the Grand Duke's study, the air was so quiet you could hear the slight rustling of pages turning.

Young Edward Campbell sat behind a large oak table, his eyes deep and steady, intently staring at the crumpled newspaper in his hands.

His demeanor has changed considerably since he first took office two years ago.

Clearly, it wasn't just Thunder City that grew with the passage of time; the once ambitious reformer also transformed from an inexperienced wader into a seasoned captain.

Under his command, the small boat of the Principality of Campbell sailed upstream and created an incredible miracle on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea!
Today, half of the city-states along the Whirlpool Sea regard Thunder City, under his rule, as a land of dreams, bringing countless goods and treasures to his duchy!

However, things are not always so satisfactory.

For example, the news in the newspaper he's holding right now is just a small ripple that his small boat is encountering.

Standing before the oak table, a baron dressed in magnificent attire cleared his throat and began to speak in a tone as if reciting hymns.

"Your Majesty Edward Campbell, we all know that Thundershire's prosperity today is due to your wise reforms and your combination of kindness and severity. Now, the entire city of Thunder is cheering for your wisdom, and your benevolence and generosity are known to all..."

Edward turned the page of the newspaper in his hand.

He knew very well that this flattery was just a prelude; people are always good at hiding their true intentions in the last sentence of a long speech.

as predicted.

Just as he had expected, after the compliments, the baron changed the subject and subtly voiced the complaint that had been brewing in his mind for a long time.

"...However, we all know that building a dam requires persistent effort, but destroying it only takes a moment."

“Baron Richard, there’s no need for formalities. Given our relationship, you can tell me your troubles directly,” Edward said gently, as if addressing an old friend.

He said the same thing to every supporter who stood by him, whether that person was important or insignificant.

Seeing that His Majesty the Grand Duke valued him so much, the Baron was overjoyed and quickly skipped the beating around the bush, getting straight to the point.

"It has something to do with your sister! I dare not comment on your family affairs, but... you really should restrain your sister a little. She is behaving like a child who has just received a new toy and is poking at your fireplace with it."

Come on.

This is indeed what happened.

Edward sighed, looking troubled, and rubbed his sore temples.

"What did she do now?"

The Baron continued speaking without stopping.

"Act Six! Or rather... the Labor Law, that's what everyone calls it! Forgive my bluntness, but this is utter nonsense! The Principality of Campbell has never had such a precedent, where employers cannot arbitrarily dismiss employees? To levy an additional 'tithing' on top of legal taxes in the name of the Royal Family? This is neither legal nor reasonable! No matter what high-sounding excuse she uses!"

His voice grew increasingly agitated, and his spittle even flew onto the Grand Duke's desk.

Only after seeing Archduke Edward frown did the baron soften his tone and apologize for his rudeness.

Edward had heard too much criticism of Eileen, and he himself was full of complaints.

He coughed lightly and got straight to the point.

What is your demand?

"Repeal Bill Six!" the Baron declared without hesitation.

Edward pondered for a moment, then tapped his index finger lightly on the table, expressing his concerns.

“She did do something inappropriate, but she has already made an announcement in the name of the royal family, so I can’t just take it back immediately.”

and--

That sounds like he's being asked to be the bad guy.

Seeing through His Majesty's concerns at a glance, the Baron chuckled and immediately offered a suggestion.

“Your Majesty, this is easy to handle! You can announce your support for Princess Eileen's decision, but Plan 6 is of great importance, and the relevant details still need to be discussed. The Royal Family must fully listen to the opinions of every citizen. After all, this involves not only the factories in the new industrial zone, but also the bakeries and markets in the city. It's not just my factory that has employees... cough, I mean our factories! In short, the small shop owners in Thunder City also have employees, as do apprentices and child laborers!”

Edward glanced at the Baron in surprise, a look of amused admiration on his face.

This guy's got a pretty good brain.

No wonder he was able to make such a large sum of money in just two years.

Of course, he had already thought of this idea, but he just needed someone of status to say it for him.

Seeing that the Grand Duke seemed "moved", the Baron immediately pressed his advantage and continued speaking.

"In this way, you don't even need to lift a finger. As long as you submit this bill to the city council, those mascots you keep will argue for five or six years without any results! Those farmers will hate those weak citizens, and they will never hate you."

"And this way you can also convince your sister that her Bill Six isn't going to be rejected, but rather that it will be delayed and passed cautiously!"

Edward finally smiled, pondered for a moment, and then nodded.

"I think your idea is good and worth a try."

"It is my honor to serve you!"

Seeing that the Grand Duke had truly heeded his advice, the Baron bowed excitedly.

Saint Sis above!
Fortunately, their emperor was a reasonable person and did not indulge his good-for-nothing sister's reckless behavior.

She always talks about putting power in a cage, but she doesn't realize that she is the one who should be put in a cage the most.

Today, she can destroy the commercial freedom of Thunder City with a single sentence; tomorrow, she will put a noose around the future of the entire duchy!

Perhaps he was getting a little carried away, because when he got into the conversation and saw that the Duke was so easy to talk to, he couldn't help but add another comment.

“Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness… While we, as your subjects, are happy to see harmony within the royal family, aren’t you being a little too indulgent with Princess Irene? She seems to have been somewhat disregarding your opinions.”

The moment the words were spoken, the air in the study suddenly became quiet, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

Noticing that Edward was staring at him with a sharp gaze, the baron felt a chill run down his spine.

Whether the problem exists or not, the Duke's family affairs are not something he can meddle in at will.

He realized that he had overstepped his bounds...

However, as a wise monarch, Edward Campbell did not make things difficult for him.

“Baron Richard, I have heard your advice, and I will speak with my sister about this.”

The baron breathed a sigh of relief and quickly went down the steps.

"I praise your enlightenment, Your Majesty. Please believe that I have no ill intentions... I am only concerned for our duchy."

After saying that, he hurriedly took his leave.

……

After the Baron left.

The aide who had been standing silently to the side finally spoke, letting out a soft sigh.

"Your Majesty, these nouveau riche are becoming increasingly disrespectful. While kindness can sometimes win over wavering supporters, you should also occasionally display your authority appropriately."

"We can't blame them; after all, they've only recently become wealthy, and it takes time for them to adapt to the etiquette of high society."

Edward put the newspaper aside and continued speaking expressionlessly.

“We need their strength. Only by allowing the emerging class to grow can we use them to counterbalance the conservative forces within us.”

Feudal kingdoms were not monolithic, and the same was true for smaller duchies.

Although he was the nominal king of the country, his vassals did not follow his lead and occasionally disagreed with him.

Just like now.

Those nobles who already owned a lot of land were extremely averse to the movement taking place in the duchy.

In their view, those minor nobles were like starving wild dogs, encroaching on public land, arbitrarily altering family genealogies and traditional laws like graffiti, desperately trying to exploit every loophole they could, and then driving all the peasants on their land to neighboring territories.

The farmers driven away by these guys either became refugees or bandits and robbers, causing them enormous trouble.

A population exceeding the territory's carrying capacity is never a good thing for nobles. They would much rather have fewer people, maintaining a just-right number so they can live a life that is neither rich nor poor.

This is the easiest to manage.

In addition, he had significant disagreements with the great nobles regarding the grain import bill.

That was another of Edward's policy initiatives.

To avoid famine caused by declining grain production, he vigorously developed industry while also promoting legislation to subsidize grain imports using industrial taxes.

This was originally a good thing; the cheap bread benefited the citizens of Thunder City.

However, for the three earls who relied on grain income, this bill undoubtedly destroyed their coffers.

Of course, the conservative nobles would find a plausible reason. For example, the Duchy of Campbell produces just enough grain to feed the people of Campbell, and using industrial taxes to subsidize agricultural imports would be tantamount to hanging the peasants who are protected by the castle.

Edward naturally scoffed at this; he had never seen an earl even glance at the farmers on his own land, yet these fellows were now worrying about them.

In fact, there are countless reasons for this, but ultimately it comes down to the industrialization wave in the Kingdom of Ryan affecting their finances.

To be honest, Edward really wanted the great nobles to participate in the wave of industrialization, but the reality was far more complicated than he had imagined.

The Duchy of Campbell has only one Thunder City, and there can only be one Thunder City.

All other lands were governed by the most traditional feudal laws, with all rights granted down the hierarchy, which was fundamentally incompatible with complex production relations.

This is why the same person can work as a laborer in Thunder City, but back in the Earl's territory of North Creek Valley, he can only lie on a haystack basking in the sun. It has nothing to do with laziness, nor with intelligence. Every time Edward thought of this, a wave of irritation washed over him.

The rise of the Duchy of Campbell was inseparable from the support of the emerging nobles and merchants, but Eileen's actions unknowingly sided with the conservative nobles.

Even though he knew his sister had no ambition to usurp power, he couldn't help but worry that her unrealistic kindness would become a tool in the hands of those with ulterior motives.

Edward rubbed his sore temples again, then turned to his aide standing to the side and said wearily.

What are your thoughts on Bill 6?

The aide pondered for a moment, then gave a seemingly irrelevant answer.

“Your Majesty, I do not wish to comment on where this bill will lead our duchy, but I think Princess Eileen is indeed somewhat inappropriate; she seems to be treating the sword at her waist as a crown.”

Edward chuckled through his nose.

"That's a very harsh criticism."

“But I don’t intend to take that back,” the aide nodded slightly, enduring the monarch’s sharp gaze. “Your Majesty, if it were a foolish ruler, I would say nothing. But if it is you, you know that Richard didn’t tell you the truth. The citizens of Thunder City are cheering for the Campbell family, but the one they are truly praising is your sister, the one who truly inherited the glory of legend—”

"That's enough! I understand."

Seeing the Grand Duke suddenly become enraged, the aide paused for a moment, then lowered his head.

"...Perhaps it would be a good choice to let her get married, so that she would return the sword to you according to the law."

After leaving behind his last words, the aide respectfully nodded and took his leave, gently closing the study door behind him, leaving His Majesty alone at his desk, deep in thought.

He was all alone in the room.

Edward felt his mood had calmed down a bit, but the complexity in his eyes had not faded.

To this day, he still doesn't understand why his father did that before he died.

He was not afraid of sacrifice.

To die for honor is a mission passed down through generations of the Campbell family, and the destiny of every Grand Duke.

If one day he is required to pull out that legendary sword, he will not hesitate to fulfill his sacred duty and will live out his remaining years like lightning, then pass the duchy to his children, just as his father had done.

If his father had handed him that sword, none of the problems he faces today would be so intractable!

And it wasn't just him—

And Eileen too!

Without inheriting the light of legend, she wouldn't have had to force herself to become strong, nor would she have needed to bear burdens that weren't hers. She could have lived a carefree life like her peers, fallen in love with someone she loved, and started a family, while those ill-intentioned flies wouldn't have bothered with her at all…

Having inherited both the sword and the crown, he will transform the Duchy of Campbell into an incomparably powerful nation.

Hell will no longer be a threat to them!

Edward's fists clenched involuntarily, and a shadow of gloom appeared in his complicated eyes.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the study, followed by a knock on the door.

"Your Majesty! A letter from the Province of Twilight! It's from the Governor-General of the province!"

The sudden sound interrupted Edward's thoughts, and he immediately looked up and spoke.

"Come in!"

The door opened quickly, and a servant hurried to his desk, presenting him with a letter bearing a wax seal.

That is the coat of arms of Baron Eralic Valerius.

Although the gentleman's title was only that of a baron, the position of provincial governor granted him power and status no less than that of a duke.

Edward was no stranger to Governor Ellarick.

On the one hand, his father had a good personal relationship with this person, and on the other hand, the vast Twilight Province was the main "neighboring country" of the Duchy of Campbell, and the stability there directly affected the Duchy's geopolitical environment.

After dismissing the servants, Edward calmly opened the letter and read it from the beginning.

"...Your Excellency Duke Campbell, it has been two years since we last met. I wonder how you have been? I apologize for missing your banquet last time. You may have heard about our situation; life in Duskwood is getting worse and worse..."

At the beginning of the letter, Ellarik first expressed his condolences to the newly enthroned governor, and then earnestly described the current dire situation in the Twilight Province.

The escalating famine, the rebellion, and the supply pressure from Copper Pass... these were all old problems, and Edward already knew about the situation there.

Although Ellarick blamed all the problems on Chaos, Edward scoffed at this.

The problem in the Twilight Province wasn't that complicated at all. To put it bluntly, King Theodore, sitting in the palace, simply couldn't manage so many directly controlled territories.

So the old man who wanted both could only hand over a large tract of land to a nominal governor to manage it on his behalf, and then collect a token amount of tax to prove that he did indeed rule a large territory.

Interestingly, however, this vast land did not belong entirely to the king. It was still inhabited by nobles of all sizes and their castles. As the king's direct vassals, they would occasionally fight each other over land disputes.

The Kingdom of Ryan is, after all, the land of knights, where castles are as numerous as windmills. These nobles, who command armies and are self-reliant, don't even pay much attention to the king, let alone submit to the rule of a baron.

As for why a person with a higher title was not chosen as governor?

That's because they're afraid that if the governor takes office, he'll incorporate the royal lands into his own title, or it might even become another "Duchy of Twilight".

In a sense, the chaos there was intentional on the part of those in power.

If it's not messy, it belongs to someone else; only when it's a little messy can the place truly be yours.

Edward remained completely detached, reading Ella's sob story with a blank expression.

However, just as he was wondering if the other party was going to ask for money, the words that came into view made him pause involuntarily, almost doubting that he was seeing things.

"...Your Majesty, Your Majesty of the Duchy of Campbell, please allow me to address you as such, for in my eyes you are a truly compassionate ruler who cares deeply for his subjects. You have perfectly inherited the legacy of Grand Duke Aaron and governed the Duchy of Campbell with great efficiency."

Moreover, your subjects have not let you down. They are hardworking, brave, loyal, and kind, and under your rule they have created enviable wealth and achievements.

In contrast, the nobles of the Twilight Province were chilling. Faced with the crisis, those vassals who had sworn allegiance to the king and vowed to protect their lands and people abandoned their sacred duties as if their oaths had never existed. They fled their territories to the capital, or to your lands, leaving their people to suffer and indulging in the riches they had plundered.

Those few who remained were not entirely innocent either; they didn't flee simply because they had too much to take. So they looted everything they could, and with their soldiers, huddled inside the castle, leaving the floodwaters outside to rage and the people to fend for themselves.

I have repeatedly reported this critical situation to the capital and implored Your Majesty to send the Knights to provide support. However, our Emperor has been misled by treacherous officials, and all my letters have been lost without a trace.

I fear that distant waters cannot quench a nearby fire, and the people of Dusk Province can no longer wait for the capital's mercy. Therefore, I humbly make a request: I earnestly request that you dispatch your mighty army, with thunderous force, to help us quell the rebels and restore order!
In return for your kindness, I am willing to entrust those lands abandoned by the nobles to you with the power of governorship granted by the kingdom!
Those cowards have abandoned their feudal obligations and are unworthy of the territory bestowed upon them by His Majesty.

As you and I are both His Majesty's vassals, we should naturally share His Majesty's burdens and solve his problems in times of crisis.

】

Edward was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to breathe, and the fingertips holding the letter trembled slightly.

Hosting...

The word sounded so wonderful that it swept away all the dark clouds that had been weighing on his heart.

Those nobles who fled with their tails between their legs in the face of the rebels were no different from widows who inherited enormous wealth but were powerless to even kill a chicken.

They'd better not come back to claim ownership of the land!

At that time, without even needing to give any hints, those Campbellians who are starving for the land will naturally find a million ways to make them disappear on the road, because they don't deserve to come back at all!

Over time, the hardworking and brave Campbell people naturally came to have a legal claim to those lands!
King Theodore?
How can a king who can't even quell a peasant uprising be worthy of calling himself a king?

Just as Ellaric had feared, Grand Duke Campbell's respect for the Lane royal family plummeted to rock bottom in an instant.

He no longer respects the king at all!

They really aren't worth taking seriously.

"By Saint Sith!"

Edward muttered something to himself, then excitedly rose from his oak table and paced back and forth in the room.

What a God-sent opportunity!

On the one hand, he could use the noble cause of helping his neighbor to legally infiltrate the influence of the Principality of Campbell into the royal domain.

On the other hand, he could also divert internal conflicts within the duchy by having newly promoted nobles who were eager to acquire more land lead peasants who had lost their land due to the enclosure movement to the Twilight Province under the guise of suppressing a rebellion, thus expanding the duchy's territory!
While having more farmers isn't necessarily a bad thing, the problem now is that there are simply too many of them, and their growth rate far exceeds the growth of jobs. As a result, the massive unemployment has affected the security of Thunder City, and even the smallest things can make them furious.

Edward had never heard of such a thing before, losing an arm and people gathering to make a fuss.

Adventurers used to lose their heads every now and then, but they never caused this much trouble.

Bill 6 must not pass, but this matter must be resolved!

Besides these visible benefits, he also found a perfect place for Eileen, this "trouble"!

He could legitimately send her to the neighboring province, away from Thunder City and the merchants who were creating wealth for the duchy, so that she could channel her boundless energy into the war!
Without further hesitation, Edward immediately went to his desk and rang the summons bell to call his servants.

A moment later, a servant rushed into the study and respectfully addressed the Grand Duke.

"Your Majesty, what do you want?"

"Issue my order: Dusk Province is in imminent danger. In the name of the Royal Family, I authorize my sister, Eileen Campbell, to mobilize 50,000 militiamen from Thunder County to quell the rebellion in Dusk Province!"

After a pause, Edward continued, his spirits high.

"Furthermore, notify all the major newspapers in Thunder City and tell our citizens that there are large tracts of land in Twilight Province that are unmanaged. Anyone who can make a name for themselves in the suppression of the rebellion, whether noble or commoner, will have the opportunity to obtain a piece of land of their own!"

"Under the guise of trusteeship!"

Although he hadn't seen tomorrow's newspaper yet, he could already imagine how crazy Thunder City would be tomorrow!
　The voice input has been getting increasingly unreliable lately, severely slowing down my typing speed. It used to make mistakes with long sentences, but it could always recognize idioms correctly. Now, it even identifies "拥兵自重" as "佣兵自重" (meaning "mercenary soldiers are self-reliant"). I laugh at myself when I check for typos… ==
　　
　
(End of this chapter)