Throne of the North.

Chapter 427 Curse and Politics, Legend and Reality

At the banquet for nobles organized by Viscount Miles, Ryan once again confronted Kaan Mayes.

There was no way. What Kaan needed touched Ryan's interests. He couldn't retreat and hand over the right to speak that he had finally obtained after several years to Meyers who came here.

This is a political struggle among the nobles, in which power is born and interests are intertwined.

Although the threat from orcs was still there, the nobles were already fighting among themselves.

"Mr. Kaan, I have just said that the Northern Chamber of Commerce was established to enrich the nobles in the Northern Territory. Meyers is not a noble here."

"So, what about Lord North Wind?"

Kaan looked at Ryan and finally faced the baron in front of him. He didn't expect that this young man was his biggest obstacle in the North Wind Province.

However, he still holds a higher power.

The order from the Marquis of the North Wind was not an order to be precise, but a suggestion. He hoped to vigorously develop the mineral resources of the North Wind Province. The first thing to do was to help the Empire rebuild the West Sea Fleet, which brought in the Emperor Elector Volvo Columbra.

But then, Marquis Beifeng also said sincerely that the wealth gained from the empire's acquisition of minerals should not make the nobles truly wealthy, and the minerals should be sold to several southern kingdoms that are even more short of iron ore.

The Meyers family has such access.

Ryan smiled. It was amazing, wasn't it? The baby who was still in swaddling clothes had led the Northern Province to win several wars against the orcs and saved many nobles not long ago. And now, the baby had ordered to care about the people's livelihood and economic issues in the Northern Province.

Almost everyone who uses it says it is easy to use.

"Is this the handwriting of Marquis Beifeng?"

Ryan looked at Kaan with a smile, and the latter's mouth corners twitched, looking a little unnatural.

"The Marquis is still young, but his mother is a wise woman. She will give reasonable advice. As the Marquis' mother, she will not harm her child."

"I believe it."

Ryan nodded and continued:

"Then let the iron mines in the Northern Province grow two legs and run to the south to sell themselves."

Ryan took the delicate note and walked slowly to the candlelight. He watched the note turn into ashes. The whole banquet fell into deathly silence. All the nobles stared at Ryan's movements and at Kaan's face, which was so cold that it could drip water.

Ryan turned his back to many people and watched the flames burn on his palms. Of course, he was not afraid.

Turning around, with his palms open, Ryan blew gently, and the ashes fell in the air and landed on many delicious foods.

"You seem to have a problem with that?"

Ryan looked at Kaan calmly and said, at this moment, even the servants stood there with their heads down in fear, not daring to move, looking at the floor in front of them, and didn't even dare to bring the food forward.

Count Sauron looked at Ryan with his old and wise eyes. He was surprised that Ryan had exposed his ambitions and desires so quickly.

When the war started, the nobles were still discussing how good the relationship between Meyers and Baron Ryan was.

but now……

No one can judge between the two opposing parties.

"Baron Ryan, you'd better understand who you are against."

Kaan stared at Ryan. The other party's blatant hostility towards him had completely angered this noble who had held power within Meyers for many years.

"You'd better understand whose land you are on."

The Flor Empire, or even this strange world to Ryan, is not a world where imperial power is supreme. The lord has absolute power over his own territory, an absolute power that even the emperor cannot change.

This shows that the emperor is not that scary, and the nobles, like the emperor, are kings and rulers in a sense.

"If Meyers wants to obtain the wealth of the Northern Wind Province, it would be best to first ask us, the nobles of the Northern Wind, whether we are willing to give up our wealth and give it to you."

The Meyers family has enormous majority authority that Ryan cannot match, including wealth, prestige, power, military strength, etc., but there is only one thing that the Meyers cannot compare to Ryan.

That is, they are not the local bosses in the North Wind Province, and their families are not here.

There is only one way for the Meyers family to influence the North Wind Province, and that is to exert control over the North Wind Province by influencing the emperor's orders. However, the emperor's current policy is to turn a blind eye to the North Wind Province. Although it has been temporarily handed over to the Meyers family for superficial management, at least Meyers and Ryan have the same identity, that is, nobility.

They are not king and his subjects, they have different powers, strengths, wealth and prestige, but at least their identities are the same, the only difference is between great nobles and small nobles.

This difference is not important because of the distance.

The war with the orcs has ended, the Silvermoon Court has been defeated, and for at least the next ten or twenty years, the Borean Province will not need to worry about the threat of an all-out war from the orcs, so during this time Ryan can say that he no longer needs Meyers.

As for what will happen in twenty years? That is twenty years, an extremely long time, enough for the era of one generation of nobles to end and the era of a new generation of nobles to rise and shine.

“Who are you stealing from?”

Ryan looked at Kaan, who stared at Ryan and said word by word:

"I hope you can still speak like this when the Grand Duke's order arrives, Mr. Baron."

"It's really a waste."

Ryan sneered, and his sudden smile broke the stiff atmosphere of the banquet.

"It seems that what you are going to do in the Northern Wind Province is not something you are in charge of. Someone else must have taught you."

Ryan said with a smile, then shook his head.

"I thought I was fighting against Meyers' power, but I didn't expect to be targeting the wrong person."

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Caan."

Kaan was not a person who was easily irritated and angry. His greatest anger was not from yelling, but from staring at Ryan with murderous eyes.

"There are many owners of this land, including Winter, Solon, Landa, Ryan... There is no Meyers here, not thirty years ago and not thirty years later."

The banquet ended in a bad mood. Afterwards, even Viscount Hogg did not approach Ryan. He stood far away and only came over after a long time.

"Ryan, you're a little impulsive."

Viscount Hogg was somewhat afraid of this war without the smoke of gunpowder, but this war did not necessarily have to be without the smoke of gunpowder.

The relationship between the nobles was sometimes harmonious and sometimes tense. Even wars were not uncommon. For example, in the former North Wind Province, when the orcs did not threaten this place, wars often broke out between the nobles.

Although they are far apart, it doesn't mean that Meyers can't initiate a dispute of honor with Ryan.

"Do not worry."

Ryan smiled and said:

"Do you think I'm so impulsive? Just a few hours ago, I received a letter from Grand Duke Fleming."

"The Grand Duke used magic to make the words appear in front of me across more than a dozen provinces."

"He told me one thing."

Ryan looked at Viscount Hogg and asked:

"Do you know how heavy a price the Twilight Province paid during the Orc War?"

Ryan pointed to the ground beneath his feet.

"How many people have died in our Northern Wind Province in order to fight against the Silver Moon Royal Court? How much wealth has been destroyed?"

"There are no more or less Twilight Provinces. The six great orc royal courts, the bears, waves, tigers and leopards can be replaced, but the Behemoths and Ravens have never fallen out of the ranks of the royal family. Just their tribe has surpassed the entire power of a human kingdom."

"The Empire alone is fighting against the six orc kings."

"It's to show off one's muscles in the human world, but the price is extremely heavy."

"Northern Wind Province could no longer raise an army of 100,000 men. Twilight Province was attacked by the Behemoth Court and threatened by the Ravens. In the end, it was the Nightmare Knights of the Meyers family that repelled them."

"Grand Duke Fleming told me that after the war in Twilight Province ended, Grand Duke Meyers did not even clean up the mess, but led his extraordinary army back to the Grand Duke's territory. No one knew how terrible the losses they had suffered."

"The army passed through the border and plundered the passing geese, but the Nightmare Knights did not do this. Does this extraordinary army look down on the wealth of Twilight Province?"

"That's where the largest magical crops are produced."

Viscount Hogg was also shocked. He naturally understood what Ryan meant.

"The Nightmare Knights suffered unimaginable losses, so great that even the Grand Duke was unwilling to expose them."

But Viscount Hogg still hesitated.

"Even if the Nightmare Knights are completely wiped out, the power of the Meyers family is not something you can compare to."

One of the only four grand dukes in the empire, even if he died, his corpse could crush a group of minor nobles.

"You think I'm the only one?" Ryan pointed at himself.

"I am the son of the Dragon Knight Earl Clayton, the ally noble personally chosen by Grand Duke Fleming, and the only choice favored by the light."

Ryan suddenly laughed as he spoke. He saw that Viscount Hogg's eyes were filled with shock and he seemed to be thinking about the consequences of the war started by the two Grand Dukes of the Empire.

"Kidding."

"Grand Duke Fleming only told me this so that I wouldn't have to worry about the Nightmare Knights showing up in my castle one night and stealing all my gold coins."

"What really makes me fearless about Kaan is not Clayton or Fleming, but you guys."

Ryan said this meaningfully, making Viscount Hogg even more confused.

"I won't openly confront Meyers because of you. He invited us to establish a new Chamber of Commerce. I'm afraid it will bring me more wealth than the Northern Chamber of Commerce."

"There is such a thing, it's interesting."

Ryan was surprised, and then asked:
"Do you agree?"

"No, Ryan, you are right. After all, Meyers is not a noble from the Northern Wind Province. We can't choose to believe him just because he is the Grand Duke."

The interests are diverse. Ryan had helped Viscount Hogg before, so Viscount Hogg was willing to tell Ryan about this matter.

“But next quarter, the revenue of the Northern Chamber of Commerce will definitely be affected.”

In the clash with Meyers, Ryan couldn't win everything. He fell silent and thought, and finally came to a conclusion.

My charm is still not enough.

The nobles do not have any die-hard loyalty to Ryan. The benefits that Ryan brings can make many nobles reject Meyers, but the judgment of interests will also make some nobles choose to get close to this grand ducal family.

This is the back and forth between the nobles. Even Emperor Flor cannot fully control the entire empire, let alone others.

"Don't worry, there will be a way."

"This world is not just about the Empire. Myers' purpose in this land is unknown, but it is impossible that no one is unaware of Myers' pursuit. Since everyone knows, there are two options: want to see it or not."

"No matter what the result is, I have appeared in their sight, right?"

Viscount Hogg was bewildered. This political struggle seemed to involve more than just the land of North Wind Province.

"What on earth do you want to do?"

Ryan looked at Viscount Hogg and said with a smile:

"I plan to follow the example of that McReynolds and let you support me as the king of this land, how about it?"

"Then there will be no need for the Nightmare Knights. Your father, the Dragon Knight, will burn your frozen land the next day."

"It makes sense."

Ryan stretched and asked curiously.

"Why aren't you afraid of what I said?"

This time, it was Viscount Hogg who was confused by Ryan.

"Do you know where this land is?"

"Northern Province."

"There are many nobles in this land, including but not limited to the Duke of Beifeng thirty years ago. They all wanted to establish a kingdom here and become the king here, but without exception, they all failed."

"This also includes a William. You know, my bloodline comes from the once famous William."

"Some people say that this is the curse of Northern Garr. All nobles who want to establish a kingdom will be destroyed. After all, there is only one ruler of a kingdom in this land."

"If it were anywhere else, I would definitely report your ambition to the emperor, but here, I think the emperor would be surprised by your courage."

"Is there such a thing?"

Ryan was surprised, and then asked:

"Is there really a curse here? Or is it the politics of the nobles that make it difficult for a kingdom to form here?"

Viscount Hogg thought for a long time, then shook his head and said:

"I don't know. Perhaps you can ask Earl Solon. His family has been in this land for hundreds of years."

Viscount Hogg did not expect that Ryan actually went to find Count Sauron.

"The Curse of Beigal?"

Count Sauron looked at Ryan in surprise.

"How do you know this?"

"Every land has stories and wine that the bards dream of, I'm curious."

Count Sauron thought about it and answered Ryan.

“The curse is real, and the politics are real.”

"Oh, yes, it has something to do with your frozen land."

"Regarding the curse of Beigal, it is said that it was because a prince of Beigal was framed and failed to inherit the kingdom. He resisted and failed. Facing death, he cursed the entire land as the true heir, and the thief would surely perish."

"This is the curse, but it has no supernatural power involved, and the gods have never paid attention to it. It is just the anger of a prince in despair."

"But this kind of thing is getting more and more weird. The Duke of Beifeng thirty years ago and the Earl of Weiss who we defeated with our own hands a few years ago, they all want to become the king of this land."

"However, the reason why this incident did not cause panic is that we nobles are all participants, right? We know the reason."

"Thirty years ago, Meyers entered the North Wind Province because the Duke of North Wind's extraordinary army suffered heavy losses when fighting against the orcs."

"A few years ago, it was because we nobles did not want to see Earl Weiss succeed, and we were unwilling to let him become our king."

“This is politics, so the curse is real and the politics are real.”

"Why does it have anything to do with me?"

Ryan asked, and Earl Sauron recalled and said:

"There should be a river in your frozen land, right?"

"A river? Yes, it's frozen. Even below the northern border, that river can't flow."

"That river is called the North Gard River, a very beautiful name. The prince I mentioned earlier was defeated because his army could not cross that river."

"And its political importance is because the end point of the river is to the east of Norris Continent."

east.

An unfamiliar word, Ryan looked at Count Sauron. The Sauron family had an ancient heritage, and the noble in front of him was also an old noble and knew many secrets.

"West Coast, East Coast, the West Coast belongs to humans and is also the most prosperous place in the empire."

"But if you go east from the Kingdom of Andara, after passing two or three noble territories, you will enter the territory of foreign races. Orcs, elves, dwarves, etc. all live in that land. They cannot get close to the west coast, but they have their own east coast."

"Beigar's prosperity in the past was due to that river."

"After the arrival of the North, the river was also frozen, and all the prosperity disappeared."

"After the Pan-Plane War of the Gods, when the North first descended, some people in this land were still afraid. They said that the ghost of the prince had come back for revenge. They said that his soul was trapped in the stone and turned into a gargoyle that ate the sun in the sky, covering the entire kingdom with cold. But they didn't know that the North was not targeting them, but the entire world."

"Gargoyle?"

Lion caught Lord Sauron's words.

"Well, this is a legend. Foolish civilians are always willing to believe in such bizarre legends, which adds a lot of beautiful colors to the prince's revenge."

Lord Sauron looked at Ryan.

"Don't think this matter has anything to do with Count Pascal. Caan expelled the gargoyle guards of the Church of Light. This must be a political conflict."

Count Sauron didn't believe there was any connection here.

"A soul trapped in a stone won't turn into a gargoyle, otherwise there wouldn't be only one Count Pascal in the world."

"But gargoyles are surely better at sensing the souls in stone than humans, aren't they?"

Ryan said he always suspected Meyers had a purpose for the land that went beyond money.

(End of this chapter)