Throne of the North.

Chapter 744 Individual Power and Collective Interests

Torrey Columbus ultimately emerged victorious in this magnificent battle.

This royal descendant won the battle in a frustrating manner, because it was a battle that the Marquis of Hot Springs had insisted he fight so as not to disgrace Columbus. Moreover, that guy named Ashton was really trembling all over, unable to unleash even half of his full strength.

The other party remained hesitant, but he reacted with rage.

However, Ashton was not killed in the duel. Instead, he obtained the duties of a sword-wielding knight as mentioned by the Marquis of Hot Springs and successfully became the Marquis's personal guard.

I don't know if he was trying to win people over, or if Ryan's devilish questions were deliberately leading the other party to say that everything was a gift from the Marquis.

This banquet, originally intended as a grand welcome for Ryan by the Marquis of Hot Springs in exchange for Ryan's purchase of people, ended hastily. The Marquis dismissed everyone, leaving only two nobles.

"Do you know that I'm going to offend a lot of people by doing this!"

With his hand almost crushing the silver wine cup in his hand, Marquis Hot Spring suppressed his anger and said in a low voice.

"Even a marquis is afraid of offending people?"

Ryan smiled curiously.

The Marquis of Hot Springs remained silent; it was not a pleasant memory.

The former elector of emperors became a complete failure in this regard, thus losing his chance to become emperor, and his descendants also lost their chance. This was certainly a pain for the Marquis of Hot Springs. Perhaps it was the passage of time, or perhaps it was a sign of maturity. The Marquis of Hot Springs had lost his former sharpness, and he did not want to become an enemy of the nobility.

"How many knights are missing in the Armored Knight Legion?"

"At least seven... three hundred and fifty!"

Marquis Wenquan said, suppressing his emotions.

"Well, not that many, right? The Armored Knight Legion suffered such small losses? I was terrified just from the news from the capital city during that war."

"It's not small, but the Hot Spring Province wasn't reduced to ruins after all. There are still people in this land. The nobles' territories aren't completely empty."

"So that's how it is. I knew it. If all the men were dead, the nobles would have been furious, and Grand Duke Russell would have been targeted by everyone."

"What are you hiding for? To ask His Majesty for favors?"

Ryan winked and smiled as he spoke.

"almost."

Ryan understood, and the fact that things had come to this point meant that he and the Marquis of Hot Springs were no longer strangers.

"My lord, there's no need to worry too much. No one will find out. With three to five hundred people, it will take three to five years to settle the accounts. There won't be any problems."

"Do you think the nobles are all fools?"

"No, the nobles are very clever. In Zero Crossing City, I receive news from nobles almost every day questioning me about their dead subordinates. The nobles care about their deaths and whether their deaths can bring them enough benefits."

"However, these are not reasons."

Ryan thought for a moment and said:

"Does Your Excellency know about the first decree issued by His Majesty?"

"Of course I know that the nobles are required to contribute resources to stockpile in the south to defend against the Dawn Church."

"No, it's not that. It's a decree issued by our Emperor himself."

"You mean... a trade license from the Chamber of Commerce?"

"Yes."

"In the future, because of this trade license from the Chamber of Commerce, people from many parts of Norris will come to the Empire."

Ryan laughed.

"They came to the Empire because it was powerful enough to be compared with the Dawn Church, and also because of its prosperity. But no matter who they are, if they use a reason like 'I came to the Empire to take a look,' it is not only very alarming, but also full of danger."

"However, it is quite natural and reasonable to use the identity of a Northern adventurer."

Even if it's not natural or reasonable, we should still try to make the reason reasonable.

“In one province, it’s easy to find a ‘dead’ knight. But what about ten provinces? The entire empire? And this third of the southern lands of Norris?”

"Who cares whether those three or five hundred people died or became warriors whose faces were never seen under their black armor for the rest of their lives?"

Marquis Hot Springs was at a loss for words, his gaze toward Ryan filled with apprehension.

"You used this method..."

"This method might gain the loyalty of a few hundred people, but it's unrealistic for more than that."

Ryan interrupted the other person.

“Every citizen of my Baron Ryan’s Frozen Territory is a loyal and steadfast supporter of Ryan Clayton, and will never betray me for anything, whether it be faith in the gods or the fall into the abyss.”

"Besides, I am not as wealthy as you, Your Excellency Marquis."

The two spoke in hushed tones, as if discussing some unspeakable secret.

“You’re right, but you can’t recruit knights with just gold coins.”

"Knights need weapons, armor, warhorses, and even other things, women...you damned baron, have you seen all those widowed women in the province of Hot Springs?"

"No, all I know is that in a world like this, if there are no men in the family, their fate will be tragic."

"Maybe I just wanted to save them."

"I still need to recruit craftsmen to smelt the metals from the battlefield."

"The north wind is there, exquisite and efficient."

"Weapons and armor are not easy to come by."

"The North Wind has the most iron ore in the empire."

"Warhorses, the Armored Knight Legion also needs warhorses. It's difficult to raise horses in the current Hot Spring Province." "I have some too, as long as the Marquis can afford the price."

"So you're just trying to make money off me? Damn it, I'm old enough to be your grandfather, why would I be discussing these things with you!"

“I’ve already said it, I’m here for your wealth, Marquis.”

boom!
It's clear that this former chosen one was destined to fail; decades of experience have not changed his status as a former member of the imperial family.

“You should learn to respect nobles, Your Highness. Besides, you can’t beat me, the Marquis of Gold Knights who is the same age as my grandfather.”

Do you believe in the abyss or the light?

"I believe in the great Lord."

Between Ryan's brows lies a divine gift from the Lord of Dawn, the God of Light, a gift that no one can question.

Thank you, Archbishop Adriana.

Ryan's suggestion was insidious, but Ryan himself wouldn't use it.

Even the Marquis of Hot Springs knew that this would offend many nobles, because it was tantamount to humiliating them.

This is not a good thing for the Marquis, but it is a very good thing for Ryan.

Like Earl Ferguson, Ryan and Marquis of Hot Springs became allies with shared interests, giving Ryan another valuable bargaining chip on the political table of the Empire.

Furthermore, the fact that these two nobles are in competition with each other, and that the vitality of the Hot Spring Province is being contested between them, effectively resolves the potential threat of the two uniting to eliminate Ryan.

In politics, the role of allies is to support them, and the distinction between superior and inferior factions among allies should be based on the rank of their titles.

But... Ryan now has leverage over her.

He is a legend, a powerful legend, and he has legends under his command, so it is impossible to eliminate these incriminating evidence through extreme means.

Therefore, within this political faction, Ryan undoubtedly wields more influence.

Marquis of Hot Springs, of course, could avoid falling into the trap and prevent Ryan from gaining any leverage over him.

But thirty years and three years... that's always the case for ambitious power holders.

This marquis is so similar to the Grand Duke of Gelan of the Kingdom of Coran—ambitious and full of dreams.

It's good to have dreams.

The alignment of interests extends beyond this; the weaponry of the Northwind Province, the warhorses of the Frozen Territory, and the Northwind Road that connects to many territories will all add an unbreakable shackle to the interests of Ryan and the Marquis of Hot Springs.

Ryan once faced a difficult problem.

Whether it is the platform that creates elites or the strong who never complain about their environment, Ryan believes that both are indispensable.

This is obviously a pointless statement, but you can only have a different feeling when you are there in person.

The Flor Empire, as a massive platform, undoubtedly offers tremendous convenience, but how can one gain more benefits from this platform?

For the politics of the empire, it all boils down to a few words: forming cliques and factions.

Thanks to the death of Columbus III, and thanks to the new emperor for not being a war-mongering madman, the political environment of the empire has changed, giving Ryan an opportunity.

Thinking about it this way, it's inevitable that Volvo will become the emperor.

"So, becoming emperor really doesn't have to be based on one's own abilities."

This is the interest of a collective interest group; Volvo becoming the emperor's interest involves 90% of the empire's nobility.

The play depicts the crown prince beating up the princes and kicking the rebels, and even has him playing the role of a loving father and son. But in reality, this is what it's really like.

"If an individual's power cannot supersede the interests of the group, perhaps... then the individual's power is not great enough?"

Greatness—this word is used to describe gods in this extraordinary world. Thinking of this, Ryan suddenly thought of Lord Rice.

His Excellency Rais Enrique of the Empire, everyone knows that Columbus's throne was bestowed upon him by His Excellency Rais. Even if time were to turn back, no one believes that His Excellency Rais would have allowed the throne to fall into other hands if he needed it.

That was the limit of personal power, the crown prince of a demigod.

It seems that even the term "competition for the crown" can pale in comparison.

Stepping out of the Marquis's castle, Ryan took a deep breath, feeling refreshed and much brighter.

Turning back, Ryan gazed intently at the magnificent marquis's castle.

"So this castle is not simple after all. Well, as the chosen one of that era, the concentration of blasphemy was the deepest, so it is normal for him to have some divine essence in his hands."

"How much use can the method of capturing the inner thoughts of those who enter the castle using divine essence really have against legends?"

Ryan smiled, unconcerned about the Marquis of Hot Springs' little tricks.

His wild and unrestrained thoughts were a mystery; it was unclear how much of them the Marquis of Hot Springs could grasp.

now.

The Marquis Governor's heart was far from calm; he felt as if he were adrift on an endless ocean, searching for just one drop of those countless pheromones.

"Those without faith".

“A born heretic, Baron Ryan. If this were a hundred years ago, he wouldn’t have been dead a hundred times over; his soul would have been eternally burned by the holy fire.”

"They actually tried to approach a great being with a mortal body without their soul and flesh becoming alienated."

"The title of blasphemer or god-devourer is not as good as the title of heretic."

"The Lord of Dawn, the God of Light... how could he be blessed?"

The marquis was puzzled, but he hadn't found what he wanted either. In this exchange and compromise of interests, he had clearly lost.

(End of this chapter)