Throne of the North.

Chapter 590 The Grand Duke's Fall (Part 3) Les Enrique and Columbus

Ryan still didn't understand why these nobles always wanted Earl Clayton to return to the capital. Could it be that there were a large number of executioners hiding inside the Grand Duke Freming's mansion?

He was lost in thought, but couldn't find an answer.

However, the area in front of Baron Ryan's mansion was always bustling with activity, as nobles came and went in an endless stream.

"Why does it seem like everyone cares about this?"

When Ryan left Grand Duke Freming, he looked back at the mansion that was frequented by many nobles every day, and then turned back to visit it.

This time, he visited His Excellency the First Duke.

With his graying hair and a generally haggard appearance, Grand Duke Freming lay in a chair basking in the sun, looking every bit the part of enjoying his twilight years. Beside him was Garona Freming, the Countess of the Blade Rose, who was taking care of him, along with the Grand Duke's other daughter.

Ellie Fleming, Countess of Clayton.

"Mother."

Ryan bowed respectfully. He was also surprised that this person was here, but it seemed quite reasonable. One of the Earl of Clayton's wives was from the Grand Duke of Fleming's family, and the other was from the Earl of Stirling's family.

No wonder the nobles all envy the dragon knights.

"Little Ryan."

Grand Duke Freming took a long time to regain his senses, and looked at Ryan with a smile, saying:

"What are you doing here? A young man full of youth is not suitable next to an old man who is about to die. You will make the old man jealous."

"However, your mother was just worried about when you would be able to produce an heir. She is very concerned that you keep running to the southern battlefields, just like your father, which is a cause for concern."

"Thank you for your concern, Mother, but I'm aiming to become a legend."

"Legendary? That's good too. A legend can bestow the same talent upon one's offspring as your father."

Ryan approached the Grand Duke, hesitated, and then asked:
"I wonder what you talked about with those nobles? They kept asking me strange questions."

Grand Duke Freming opened his eyes, his cloudy gaze looking at Ryan with a somewhat blurry expression.

"It's Ryan. Why do you suspect me? Shouldn't it be His Majesty the Emperor?"

Ryan said helplessly:
"Our Emperor never leaves his footprints."

"Hahaha, you're right, he always brings light."

After Grand Duke Freming finished laughing, the Countess beside him gave Ryan a reproachful look.

It's not a good thing that older people are starting to be happy.

“I just told them that the head of a cardinal can bring wealth and honor, but if anyone can take the head of the Pope, even the four of us grand dukes would have to bow down.”

Ryan was surprised, and finally understood the fear that those nobles were so terrified of.

Is Earl Clayton plotting to kill the Pope? That's incredibly audacious! No wonder the nobles all hope he'll return to the capital so they can discuss things together and not let greed cloud their judgment.

"It seems you don't know."

Grand Duke Freming shook his head regretfully, and Ryan suddenly came to his senses, looking at the elderly grand duke.

"Didn't my father intend to kill the Pope?"

He then realized that he had been tricked; Grand Duke Freming had said those things just to see his reaction.

"I don't know either, it's just a guess, and you don't know either, do you? Your mother doesn't want to say either."

Ryan glanced at Countess Clayton beside the Grand Duke, and even suspected that this mother was unaware of Clayton's plans.

Otherwise, Grand Duke Freming would have figured it out by now after his repeated probing.

“Ryan, you should know that many people in the Empire do not want to see the emergence of a fifth Grand Duke, because that would mean disaster.”

"why?"

Ryan asked, not quite understanding.

"Because if a fifth Grand Duke appears, it will not only change all the nobles of the empire, but also the royal family and the electorate, which will have to add one more person."

Ryan was surprised. Grand Dukes were one of the fundamental pillars of the Empire, and the number of electors and grand dukes was usually balanced.

So that's how it is. The emergence of the fifth Grand Duke will force the royal family to change its established system. However, if the royal family is forced to change, it will plunge the empire into serious chaos.

After all, the elector of the emperor... also represents the royal family, and it could even be said to be more serious.

Grand dukes and nobles support the elector, but only to a limited extent. The royal family, however, is different; they are choosing their masters and whose dogs they want to be.

For example, what interests of which members of the royal family would be represented by the emergence of a fourth elector?

Standing in the way of the Earl of Clayton were numerous nobles, four grand dukes, and the Emperor. In other words, the only possible supporters of the Earl of Clayton, besides the Earl of Stirling, were a very small group within the royal family.

The emergence of a fifth Grand Duke will shake the already established imperial aristocratic system.

The nobles did not want such a thing to happen.

“A similar thing happened more than a hundred years ago, and it was a disaster. So we all believe that the appearance of the fifth Grand Duke will bring a new disaster.”

Ryan sensed the historical fog surrounding this world. In a world without a clear historian, he had very few ways to learn about history.

Without an elder like Archduke Freming, the world of just one or two hundred years ago would probably have been buried.

What happened a hundred years ago?

The war between gods across different planes brought about tremendous changes to the world, that much is clear.

Grand Duke Freming did not hide this history from Ryan, who was now qualified to know the ancient secrets. Perhaps this was a benefit of Ryan's performance on the southern battlefield.

"The royal family of the Flor Empire, with the help of magic, launched three extraordinary wars against the Holy See. After the third war, His Highness Prince Rais Enrique of the royal family, along with the nobles of the empire, became blasphemers."

"This is also the origin of the imperial nobles' blasphemy. Because of his blasphemy, Lord Rice was forced to give up his right to inherit the empire, and the empire had no choice but to abandon him at that time."

"Another prince of the empire, His Highness Columbus Henry, inherited the vast empire and led its rise as Columbus I. He initiated the first confrontation with the Papacy, and the war was also started by His Highness Columbus Henry."

"His Majesty is the grandson of Columbus Henry."

The Florian Empire is ancient and long-standing, while Columbus III seems very new, and this is why.

They are of the same bloodline, just with different royal names.

"The changes in the Empire, including those of Ras Enrique and Columbus Enrique, were due to 'disaster'."

“Man-made disasters under royal power.”

"I did not want the war in the South to begin, and I tried my best to stop His Majesty, hoping that Columbus would not let the 'disaster' of a hundred years ago repeat itself, but obviously, I failed."

“I am old, my authority has faded away, and there is no place for me in this new era.”

"But the war still allowed this old man to see a future where the empire would be awash in blood and mountains of bones."

"I hope that Feredias can stop His Majesty's greed."

The Grand Duke was confident in his successor.

But how could the Grand Duke think that if the Earl of Clayton became the Grand Duke, it would cause such a serious incident?
The fact that Ryan knew nothing about the situation was clearly not what Grand Duke Freming wanted to see, so Ryan left the Grand Duke's residence.

Throughout the journey, Ryan pondered the empire's past.

First up is His Excellency Rais Enrique, who is actually a member of the Imperial Family and the Crown Prince.

He was the end of the old empire and the beginning of the new one. He was the empire's first blasphemer and a leader with immense prestige among the nobles. He told all the nobles about the power of blasphemy, making all the nobles of the empire blasphemers, but in doing so, they also gained extraordinary inheritances and extraordinary legions.

Next came Columbus I, the younger brother of Lord Rais, who became Emperor of the Empire, initiating the conflict between the Empire and the Papacy. Columbus I's achievements were not particularly great; he was merely one of many in the preceding extraordinary wars of magic and the Dawn Divine Arts. However, the title of 'initiator' makes him difficult to surpass.

Next came the second emperor, Christopher II, whose story is much more interesting. During his reign, the conflict between him and the Papacy remained the same as that of the first emperor, but the internal changes within the empire were the greatest during this period.

As the influence of the new era gradually arrived, during the reign of Columbus II, the empire no longer had so-called nobles and marquises, only royal marquises. The title of Grand Duke was unattainable, and the title of Earl was priceless. The royal prestige was reserved for only a few, and the rest were simply called members of the royal family.

The struggle between the royal family and the nobility was evident during the reign of Columbus II. Of course, there were also numerous conflicts, both large and small, within and outside the empire, many of which can be recorded in history.

Columbus III, now the Emperor, has clearly taken a step further than before. The system of nobility, the Church of Light, and the war against the Papacy have intensified compared to the first emperor, marking a peak milestone in the empire's century-long development.

During the reign of Columbus II, a period marked by fierce infighting between the royal family and the nobility, the influence of Columbus I should still have been present.

"Brutal battle" is not an adjective, but a simple statement. For example, why did Ryan find that nobles were extremely sensitive to the death of nobles after his arrival? Viscount Miles almost lost his power after killing Viscount Dragon.

It was during this period that many nobles died.

Even... Columbus I died in this horrific chaos, and Columbus II was also severely injured. The bloodshed that occurred during that period was enough to terrify and unsettle the nobles.

Ryan always said that the empire's more than one hundred years of history can basically be divided into four parts, with Rice and the three Columbuses as the time points.

Grand Duke Freming called it a 'disaster,' and the nobles were terrified of it.

Just as people in a land that has been in turmoil for hundreds of years yearn for peace, the nobles are unwilling to see a new 'disaster' occur.

The Earl of Clayton's ambitions weren't enough for the nobles to associate them with 'disaster,' but the key was Archduke Fleming's words—the Pope's head.

What's the difference between that and killing Columbus I?!

Moreover, in the past, Columbus I died in the political struggles within the empire, and many popes also died in the struggles within the papacy. What if history were different, and the popes died at the hands of the imperial nobles...

The consequences are unimaginable.

Archduke Fleming's single sentence sent the nobles into a state of extreme tension, as if he were declaring to the world before his death that he still held the authority of the British Empire.

And he did indeed do it; before this, no one had ever been so eager to care about the Earl of Clayton's affairs.

"Grand Duke Freming is very dissatisfied with my dragon knight father."

……

"The Grand Duke is very dissatisfied with you."

Lord Stirling spoke to Lord Clayton beside him; they were at the edge of the battlefield, watching the bloody carnage unfold before them.

"There are many rumors in the capital that you want to place the Pope's head on the steps leading to the Grand Duke."

To be honest, when Earl Sterling said those words, he was looking at Earl Clayton with concern, while the other nobles on the battlefield were openly wary and vigilant towards Earl Clayton.

If necessary, they might intervene.

“He’s been unhappy with me for a long time. He stopped me when I went to the North to chase the Mammoth Peoples.”

"Besides, what do you mean by killing the Pope? Do the nobles of the capital think the Pope will appear on this battlefield? Or do they think I have the guts to charge towards the Holy Mountain?"

Earl Sterling realized what was happening and nodded, saying:
"Indeed, those people in the capital city don't even know what the war in the south looks like."

"It seems Brutus's guess was correct. Grand Duke Freming is old, but he is not resigned to it. Of the four grand dukes, only he does not have the powerful supernatural ability to extend his lifespan, but his authority as a grand duke is the highest. He wants his successor to inherit the power completely under his remaining influence."

"Hehe, is that so?"

Lord Clayton smiled and said:
“Grand Duke Freming is just old, not dead, my father-in-law. Remember this: he is not dead, so Grand Duke Freming cannot be Fredias.”

"The biggest rival of those young grand dukes is not other nobles, but their fathers."

"And that Grand Duke himself knew this well; if he truly cared for his successor, he should have died sooner."

"Since he is still alive, it means he is definitely not doing this for his successor."

"No extraordinary power? That's precisely why this Grand Duke has so many methods."

……

As Freming's prestige grew, more and more nobles arrived in the capital city.

This naturally includes the Earl of Clayton's family.

Ryan also felt it was amazing. He hadn't felt that Clayton was far away from the capital city all these days, but only today did he truly know that the Earl of Clayton's family had arrived.

With the transfer of power at the Grand Duke of Freming, Clayton, as the second-in-command of the faction, naturally could not be absent. The Earl of Dragon Knights, on the southern battlefield, was represented by his successor.

Aatrox Clayton.

What Ryan found interesting was that after he returned to the capital, many nobles invited him to inquire about matters, but after Aatrox arrived, those nobles remained silent.

They did not invite Aatrox, the heir, who should have been the one who understood the Earl of Clayton's thoughts best.

As for the reason...

Ryan got the answer from Count Pascal.

"Your brother, Aatrox Clayton, was favored by the power of the abyss. Evil forces accompanied his growth, allowing him to quickly become a legend. Faced with this pain, Aatrox invited the Holy Son of the Holy See to purify the evil forces within him."

"The Holy Son agreed, and then he died at the hands of Aatrox. After that, the Holy See lost all its Holy Sons."

"However, a few years ago, the Vatican said that a new Holy Son had been born, but we have never seen him."

"Aatrox blamed everything on the power of the abyss, saying that the demonic power had gone out of control and killed the Holy Son. He asked the Holy See to send another cardinal to help him purify the abyss. As expected, the Dawn Church angrily refused, and the threat of war forced the Empire to imprison him."

Therefore, the nobles were somewhat afraid of the power of the abyss within Aatrox.

Ryan laughed. Not every nobleman is a dragon knight with legendary power. If Aatrox were to make a move within five steps of them, even the gods couldn't save him.

Whether Grand Duke Freming got an answer from Aatrox or not, Ryan didn't know, anyway, the man only stayed at the Grand Duke's residence for a short time before leaving.

In the capital city, more and more nobles naturally gathered together from time to time, for example, in the Senate Palace, to demonstrate their political talents and ideological views. After listening for a few days, Ryan felt that several nobles could be removed from the ranks of good-for-nothings.

Not all nobles are bloated with fat and gluttonous food; no wonder the empire is more prosperous than the papacy.

There are benefits to pooling ideas. For example, Ryan lost some trade, and the Cathedral of Light decided to reduce its orders of birch bark doctrinal books from the Frozen Territory and began to widely expand the faith in Light.

Mr. Ryan said that there was no need to attend such meetings so often.

The hotspots in the capital city are always short-lived. Even with the change of power of Grand Duke Freming, the hotspot could only last for a little longer before he truly died, and was interrupted by the arrival of the urgent 800-li messenger from the south.

"The army of the Dawn Church has broken through the Empire's defenses, and more than 100,000 Imperial soldiers have been captured and pushed toward the royal city of Carlos."

"It's... inside that bottomless pit."

"No one can fall and survive; the Vatican calls it a trial of the blasphemers."

"Hundreds of thousands of fanatics..."

When the nobles received the news from the front lines, it was obviously not in real time. Only after 100,000 troops were massacred did the nobles learn that the red-clad purification power on the southern battlefield had created hundreds of thousands of fanatical believers. The originally vulnerable noble coalition was suddenly usurped by the faith of the Dawn, and they no longer belonged to the lord behind them.

And so the sky over the capital city was once again filled with gloom.

However, this gloom dissipated as the nobles discussed the matter hastily.

"His Highness Freud dispatched a large number of mages to kill the priests and missionaries of the Holy See. Even the cardinal was seriously injured. More than half of the clergy died, which enraged hundreds of thousands of fanatics and also led them into the trap of the supernatural legion. 150,000 fanatic soldiers were killed, and the Empire regained its defensive line!"

"But the people in that land are filled with fear and unease."

In this moment of relief from tension and excitement, Archduke Freming began to assert his newly acquired authority as he proceeded to the Emperor's Palace.

The Grand Duke and the Emperor discussed the lands of the Kingdom of Carlos, while outside the palace, thousands of wandering nobles eagerly awaited their arrival.

(End of this chapter)