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n?In the realms of diplomacy and military affairs, Alonso seemed barely competent.

nHe was neither adept at scheming nor particularly inclined towards scholarly pursuits.

nAlonso appeared to be an average individual, ensnared between two more talented personas.

nHowever, Howard always harbored a belief in Resarite’s judgment, feeling that anyone recommended by Resarite must possess unique qualities.

nHe saw potential in Alonso.

nHoward shared these thoughts with Boshni, laughing as he said, “That young fellow Alonso always seems so at ease. While others are busy from dawn till dusk, he spends his days leisurely fishing and hunting. Yet, whenever there are rewards to be handed out, he is never left out.”

nBoshni responded with a smile, “He seems like a simple man, which I quite like.”

nHoward, puzzled, asked, “Oh? You like him?”

nBoshni admitted it, and upon Howard’s encouragement, Alonso and Boshni got married, sharing their territories after the union. .𝒎

nBoshni, far from being naive, quickly adapted to her new status as a noble.

nIn a few years, she transformed from a wide-eyed girl who spoke to Howard of fairy tales to a martial noble akin to Anna.

nThis transformation of Boshni led Howard to some reflections and considerations.

nWhile certain aspects of Boshni had changed, others remained constant.

nShe continued to be a staunch supporter of the cavalry, commanding the largest cavalry force among all the vassals, well-equipped and formidable.

nHoward inquired Vettel why Boshni suddenly became so affluent.

nVettel explained that apart from Yami Village, Boshni had been extracting considerable resources from her lands with remarkable intensity.

nHoward’s face stiffened slightly, expecting a more favorable response but instead encountering a mundane and heavy answer.

n“She’s a duchess now, isn’t she? Her lands are not insignificant. There must be quite a few within her domain who are discontented. What if they unite and rebel against her?” he questioned.

nVettel replied, “Boshni has elevated many villagers and their relatives from Yami Village to the nobility. Now, a significant number of villagers from Yami Village hold noble titles.”

nHoward, somewhat perplexed, asked, “What do you mean? Are you saying there’s a whole village of knighted nobility?”

n“Not to that extent,” Vettel explained.

n“It’s more along the lines of knight squires or various minor official positions. But she did confer an earldom on her father and three baronies on her brother. Essentially, the majority within her ducal territory are her people. Thus, any sporadic rebels are swiftly dealt with and pose no threat to her.”

nAfter a moment of contemplation, Howard realized the complexity of such a feat and said to Vettel, “What about the original earls, barons, and knights? There are only so many noble titles available in a given territory. Without vacancies, even if one wanted to, inserting new nobles would be impossible.”

nVettel elaborated further, and Howard listened intently.

nHoward then posed additional questions, to which Vettel responded.

nFinally, Howard, glancing at a vase illuminated by the setting sun, remarked, “Since she has a knack for governing, let her be.”

nWith that, Howard retired to his bedroom and soon fell asleep on the sofa.

nSeveral hours later, he was awakened by the head maid and proceeded to the dining room for dinner.

nCatherine inquired why Howard appeared so listless.

nHoward explained that the recent war with the Osland Kingdom had drained him, and now he yearned for a period of restful repose.

nAfter dinner, he played with his dog for a while, took a bath, and then retired to bed.

nThe next morning, Howard rose early while Catherine was still deep in slumber.

nHe dressed and prepared his gear, sword in hand, and headed to the cold weapons training ground.

nThere, he practiced with his sword for a while, gradually breaking into a sweat.

nAs the sun rose and the palace slowly filled with the sounds of life, Howard’s secretary approached and greeted him.

nHoward, feeling an inexplicable sense of gloom within the palace walls, shared this feeling with his secretary.

nThe secretary expressed contentment with the current state of affairs, to which Howard lamented the lack of vigor.

nThe secretary, smiling, challenged him, “Your Majesty, have you considered your current role?”

nThis prompted a slight ease in Howard’s worried expression as he acknowledged, “I am the king, with a kingdom in my hands.”

nThe secretary nodded affirmatively.

nHoward then speculated, “Does this mean I have nowhere to progress, no retreat, and therefore, whether it’s myself or everyone in the court, we should just live each day as it comes, settling into complacency?”

nThe secretary urged, “Your Majesty, don’t think like that. Isn’t it good to live well? We have repelled Osland Kingdom’s cavalry and even reclaimed much of our lost territory, reaching a peak in our power. Now is the time to rest.”

nHoward exhaled deeply, his breath forming a mist in the cold air, a reminder of the deep winter they were in.

nReflecting on his secretary’s words, Howard realized they echoed his own thoughts from dinner the previous evening.

nFinding no grounds for rebuttal, he simply requested that his breakfast be brought to the training ground, where he wished to dine.

nSome time later, Howard, sitting on a bench and leaning against the granite walls of the castle, allowed himself a brief respite, gazing upwards. .𝒎

nServants soon arrived with his breakfast, a simple yet hearty fare of oatmeal, white bread, honey gathered from the forests of Oungria Kingdom, and cheese, either imported from Iliar Kingdom or locally produced in Oungria.

nHoward spent the morning at the training ground.

nNeplon, leading a troop of soldiers in exercises, captured Howard’s attention.

nFor over a week, this routine continued, with Howard immersing himself in the martial activities of the grounds.

nThen came a visit from Charles, the King of Fran Kingdom.

nCharles had crafted numerous sleds for their entertainment.

nTogether, they rode the sleds, pulled by robust, lively animals, reveling in the thrill of the ride.

nHoward remarked to Charles, “You always manage to come up with something new to amuse me.”

nCharles responded with pride, “The people of my Fran Kingdom are indeed very ingenious!”

nThis diversion lasted a few days.

nDuring this period, Howard appointed Neplon as the Minister of War, a decision met with stark opposition from Bosiden and Vettel.

nRelying on their seniority and distinguished service, they expressed vehement dissatisfaction with Neplon’s appointment.

nHoward suggested that Neplon share his military strategies with them, but they found his tactics implausible and left the discussion midway, unconvinced.

nThe situation further complicated when Flandre approached Howard, hinting at the desire for her husband Kaido to be appointed as the Minister of War.

nThis suggestion only fueled the discontent of Bosiden and Vettel.

nA feudal structure, whether small or large, often resembles the ecological system of a forest, be it modest or vast.

nJust as in nature, where the absence of a predator like a lion leads to an overpopulation of sheep, which then results in overgrazing and eventually a barren land, lacking new grass in the following seasons, the same delicate balance holds true in feudal societies.

nThe departure of Anna, Resarite, and Margaret, who were among the oldest and most seasoned vassals, created a power vacuum.

nThis shift propelled Bosiden and Vettel to the forefront as the most senior vassals and influential figures under Howard.

nShould these two disagree, Howard’s unilateral decisions would likely yield unsatisfactory results.

nWhile Howard could assert his authority and appoint Neplon as the Minister of War, doing so risked creating fissures in his reign.

nTherefore, Howard convened a voting session where dukes had two votes each and earls one, allowing nobles of earl status and above to cast their votes.

nThe outcome was Kaido’s appointment as the Minister of War.

nNeplon, expressing his dissatisfaction to Portia, went as far as to bluntly criticize Howard’s decision.

nHowever, Kaido and Flandre were pleased, and the domestic factions quieted down, showing contentment with Howard’s leadership.

nUpon handing over the insignia of the Minister of War to Kaido, the newly appointed minister, buoyed with enthusiasm, admitted, “I always thought you were prejudiced against me, looking down on me. But now, I realize I was mistaken. Rest assured, I will train the troops diligently and won’t let you down!”

nHoward, without imposing any specific demands, simply responded with a smile.

nKaido then respectfully took his leave.

nSeated to the side and listening intently, the King of Fran Kingdom, Charles, smiled at Howard and asked, “How about it, Howard? Are you getting used to it?”

nHoward retorted, “Used to what? This feeling of being manipulated by powerful vassals?”

nCharles’s expression softened considerably, as if he had found a kindred spirit in Howard.

nHe confided, “You’re right. It might be uncomfortable, but to be frank with you, I face similar struggles in my own kingdom. Take Duke Bretany, for instance. His provinces are along the coastal regions, boasting high trade volumes. He often flouts my laws under the guise of these trade activities. Every time I issue an order to him, he threatens me with matters related to trade nodes.”

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