Chapter 36: The Banquet

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

The Dark Range.

Everyone was stunned when they saw the place which Gawain had pointed out.

The first person to break the silence was the Grand Duke of the West, Baldwin Franklin. His eyes were wide open and he said, “Are… are you sure?”

“Is anything wrong with it?” Gawain laughed and said. “Don’t tell me that place is owned by someone.”

“That’s not what I meant…” Francis II shook his head and added, “The entire Dark Range and the southern areas are not owned by anyone and they fulfill the requirement for expansion but that place is near the Typhon Empire and on its south connects directly to the Gondor wastelands, so…”

The Dark Range was part of the southern border of the Anzu Kingdom and the eastern part extended all the way to the Typhon Empire. The western part of the mountain range ran for a few hundred kilometres and curved gently towards the south to blend into the decomposed land of the Gondor wastelands. Technically, the plains in the southern parts of the Dark Range belonged to the Anzu Kingdom. However, the area which could be controlled by the kingdom stopped at the northern parts of the mountain range and the control there was relatively limited too.

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One of the most important reasons behind this was the existence of the Gondor wastelands.

That piece of land remained shrouded by the chaotic elemental and dark powers. The surging decomposing power made the land barren and it was filled with deadly toxins.

Although the affected parts no longer spread, the waves of toxin storms at the borders of the wastelands and the monsters that appeared every now and then were deadly threats.

Throughout its history, the Anzu Kingdom attempted to expand into the southern parts after the situation in the country had stabilized. They even wanted to get back the Gondor wastelands but all their efforts were futile. The purification process of the wastelands was exceptionally challenging and repetitive, the effort put in far exceeded the returns. The expansion points built painstakingly in the early days would be destroyed by the toxin storms and monsters before they could take effect. Therefore, the Anzu royals retreated all the expansion teams and stopped their mission at the northern part of the Dark Range.

Subsequently, due to the development of the northern parts and the diplomatic relations established between the kingdom and the Violet Kingdom, the kingdom’s focus was placed on the northern parts instead. In addition, the “Fog Month Civil War” which happened a century ago caused the the Cecil Clan in the southern parts to be torn apart overnight. The situation in the southern parts worsened and deteriorated and till today, there was not much difference between the entire Dark Range and most of its surroundings and the wastelands.

The fumes from the wastelands came across the mountain ranges and decomposed the plains of the northern parts.

However, Gawain merely smiled at this. “In those days, I saw much worse. When it comes to political and internal conflicts, I may not be as good as you juniors but I’m much better than all of you when it comes to countering the terrifying forces of nature.”

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Since Gawain was so confident, the rest at the scene did not worry about him anymore. To the king and the other nobles, their top concern was when the problematic Gawain would leave and not whether he could survive in the south. What more could they say since Gawain volunteered to go to that deserted place?

Time to send that great ancestor away!

If it was not because of some details which needed more consideration, Francis II would have gotten the carriage ready for Gawain and his people long ago.

After confirming the most important decision about the expansion, Gawain made Francis II admit a few “insignificant matters” as well.

First, Gawain Cecil’s status as the Grand Duke had to remain but it would be his own title and non-transferrable to his descendents. Only when the Cecil Clan has blazed new trails in the south or made some contribution when Gawain passed away again (correct), will the descendents receive their title according to their contributions.

This was an illogical proposal and it was proposed due to the conflict of interest between Gawain Cecil’s status as a Grand Duke and what happened a century ago. Nobody dared to take away the title of a pioneering Grand Duke but they could not allow a viscount clan to rise in rank and become a grand duke, therefore this idea was proposed. Honestly speaking, this did not abide by any law of the Anzu kingdom, but how could you talk about logic when it came to someone who jumped out of a coffin?

What logic was there when basic science was non-existent!?

Anyone with discerning eyes would know that the so-called “cannot inherit temporarily” was merely dragging time so as to answer to the system of the nobles.

Apart from this, the Anzu royals had to completely recognise the Cecil Clan’s rights to govern the newly expanded territory. Just like how the founding king of the country acknowledged the ruling rights of anyone who blazed new trails.

Together with some minor agreements, Gawain got what he wanted in the end.

An undisturbed country within a country.

In fact all these details had been decided long ago. Gawain had some connections with the king when Prince Edmund visited him, all they were doing now in the Oak Hall was for the sake of formality.

Nobody at the scene had any objection because the Cecil Clan was going to a barren land and they would not jeopardize the interest of anyone here no matter how much land they opened up. It would be easy to resolve the conflict if there were no conflicts at all.

Francis II signed the documents to blaze new trails and announced the ancient laws. The Cecil Clan would own the rights to open the land centred at the heart of the Dark Range and its surroundings. He also announced the help given to this mission: a hundred-men team of craftsmen and apprentices and the rations and cloth needed for the first year.

The craftsmen and apprentices would work for three years and afterwards they could choose to stay or find other jobs. If anyone stayed, the Cecil Clan had to pay 30 gold coins to the royal family to “purchase” each of them.

Although that was not a lot of support, Gawain was content because it addressed the urgent needs of the impoverished Cecil Clan.

The gold, silver and coal in the mountains could neither be transformed into food directly nor turned into skilled craftsmen. Therefore, in this peaceful era, “trailblazer” or pioneer had become a historical word and nobody was willing to leave their peaceful hometown and go and open up a piece of land next to the Gondor wastelands. The 100 craftsmen and apprentices would be the most precious asset.

This could be considered as Francis II’s kindness towards Gawain on behalf of the Anzu royals. It was to appreciate this pioneer and his descendents.

The deal ended and everyone was satisfied. At the end of every satisfactory agreement was a feast.

The oak hall was sealed again and there was a great feast at the second level of the castle. Good wine and delicious food were served and the King celebrated the return of a legendary hero together with his most trusted nobles. Many unknown nobles appeared out of nowhere and the banquet hall was bustling.

Those who appeared later did not qualify to enter the Oak Hall but the nobles who had the right to know about the outcome of the meeting had been waiting in the different lounges in the Silver Castle for half a day. They waited till the chamberlain ran into the banquet hall and rang the ceremonial bell and appeared with a smile.

It was Rebecca’s first time attending such ceremonies. This young feudal lord was in a dire state and she had never seen such a luxurious place before. Due to the rejection of the Cecil Clan by the other nobles, she rarely had the chance to attend grand banquets. She attended her most extravagant banquet when she was 16 years old, her father hosted a bustling banquet but there was only a long table filled with food.

It was incomparable to the feast in the Silver Castle.

The entire hall was filled with long tables and on the table was sumptuous food which anyone could take. The centre of the hall was meant for gentlemen and ladies to dance and a well dressed band played music on the stage at the side of the hall. The mages were casting magics at the four corners of the hall and they created all types of beautiful lights and falling snow in the air. Getting the precious mages to enliven the atmosphere was incredible to Rebecca.

His Majesty the King… is so rich.

At the start, Rebecca wanted to keep a straight face and pretend to be mature and calm. However, very quickly, the little girl side of her defeated the calm side of her, she held Gawain’s hand and asked him many questions. Gawain smiled and he boasted based on his memory and imagination as someone who had transmigrated.

The nobles noticed Rebecca’s hillbilly manner but they did not reveal their contempt even if they felt it in their hearts. Gawain Cecil was beside Rebecca all along and this “parent” pressured them to restrain their emotions and smile at Rebecca.

Afterwards, a few youngsters approached Rebecca to invite her for a dance. It was probably because they thought that the Cecil Clan had an ancestor now and there was potential benefit to build rapport with them. However, all those people were blocked off by Gawain.

What a joke, as someone who was so gullible and stubborn, Rebecca could not even survive in the southern parts of the Kingdom, how was she going to deal with the shrewd fellows from the capital.

“Overprotecting your child will hinder her from growing.” A gentle voice of a man came from the back of Gawain. “Viscount Rebecca has reached maturity and you should let her interact with the upper class.”

Gawain turned around and saw the Grand Duke of the West, Baldwin Franklin and next to him was the Grand Duke of the North, Victoria Wilder.

“I died too early in the past and I don’t have much experience bringing up children.” Gawain shrugged and said carelessly.

Baldwin: “…”

Victoria:”…”

“I feel that Rebecca won’t have time to entertain others even if I didn’t stop her from doing so.”

Gawain pointed to his (N+1)th granddaughter while he was talking. That Viscount was lying on a nearby table and gorging herself on the food…

“She’s really… enjoying herself.” Grand Duke Baldwin said dryly.

Gawain laughed and looked at Victoria Wilder who was indifferent and silent. “Rather than talking about educating my descendent, I have some questions for this lady from the Wilder family.”