Chapter 517 - 490: Duke of Conqueror
Chapter 517: Chapter 490: Duke of Conqueror
The study of the Lord of Mist Castle.
Count Ural had decorated the place lavishly, making it look nothing like a war fortress.
Bruno examined every statue and scroll in the hall as if handling a priceless collection, his mood improving with every passing moment.
When a knock sounded and a guard announced Ronin’s arrival, he finally put aside his admiration and sat on a sofa in the study’s sitting area.
"Your Majesty, it’s been a while!"
Ronin walked in and offered a polite greeting.
Bruno, in a rare gesture, rose to his feet. Smiling, he motioned for Ronin to sit beside him. "This isn’t the Golden Feather Palace, and we’re not in Oduin Hall. No need for such formality. Like Blanche, you can call me Father, or Father-in-law, whichever you prefer."
"Very well, Father-in-law," Ronin replied with a smile.
Bruno nodded in satisfaction. Even though Ronin was the most powerful man in the Oduin Kingdom, his attitude toward the king had always been respectful, a fact that pleased Bruno greatly.
"I only found out about Garrett’s foolish actions when the war broke out. By that time, it was already too late to stop him."
Bruno said earnestly, "Though you and he have had your disagreements, I hope you can let it go. You’re family, after all. I don’t want this unpleasantness to continue between you."
He didn’t immediately bring up the matter of the peerage, choosing instead to first try and smooth things over between Garrett and Ronin with an apologetic tone.
"I would hope for that as well."
Ronin stated frankly, "However, Your Majesty, the fault for this conflict does not lie with me. On the contrary, I have been exercising restraint for your sake and for Blanche’s."
Hearing this frank statement, Bruno sighed. ’Just as I thought. Ronin is still furious with Garrett.’
"After we returned, I sent him to the Brown Forest to help Ference fight against the Balton Duchy. I’ve also arranged several highly experienced tutors for him. I believe his attitude toward you will improve in time, so I ask for your patience."
’So, it was Bruno who sent Garrett away from the front lines.’
Ronin, however, was skeptical whether this arrangement would have any real effect on Garrett.
After all, Garrett wasn’t a child. He was a man in his thirties with a set personality and way of doing things. It would be incredibly difficult to change him in such a short time.
Next, Bruno spoke of Blanche, reminisced about the deeds of Grand General Aluba whom Ronin had killed, and so on. More than half an hour passed before the topic returned to the business at hand.
"Blanche told me you desire a ducal title. I had the same idea, and I’ve even come up with a few possible titles for you."
As Bruno spoke, he retrieved a sheet of paper from nearby and handed it to Ronin. "This mountain-and-forest paper is quite nice, though the yellow color is a bit unsightly. If you had a higher-quality, white version, you could perhaps sell a batch to the Golden Feather Palace."
"Haha, the white paper is still in development. The moment we perfect it, I’ll have a batch sent to you."
As he spoke, Ronin glanced at the titles on the paper:
Duke of Guardian and Pioneer, Duke of Kingdom’s Shield, Duke of Border Guard, Duke of the Sword of the Kingdom, Duke of Conqueror.
Ronin chuckled to himself. ’All of these titles are centered on the Kingdom: guarding it, expanding its territory.’
"Which one do you like?" Bruno asked, smiling.
Ronin stroked his chin, pondering. After a long moment, he said, "What about... ’Duke of Conqueror’?"
He explained, "I will carry this title as I tread through every city in the Tricia Kingdom."
"Hahaha, excellent!"
Bruno was extremely pleased. "If that day truly comes, when the Oduin Kingdom becomes an Empire on the Orland Continent, then I will grant you the title of King of the Wushan Clan!"
This was both a promise and a test from Bruno.
It was normal for an Empire to have vassal kingdoms.
And Bruno wanted to see if Ronin was willing to help him ascend to the Emperor’s Throne.
Ronin smiled and said, "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. I believe that day will come!"
Becoming a King was, of course, his goal.
As for becoming the Master of the Empire, that would depend on his future motivation.
The two of them shared a knowing smile.
Bruno continued, "Alright, Ronin, the matter of your title and reward is settled. Now, let’s discuss the distribution of the spoils."
He shrugged. "Blanche mentioned you want to incorporate Watchtower Castle into your domain?"
"Watchtower Castle and Mist City, to be precise, Your Majesty."
Ronin explained, "I intend to turn this area into a bridgehead for my conquest of the Tricia Kingdom."
"Agreed!"
Bruno agreed without hesitation. He had also wanted Ronin to become a Border Duke, which would help resist invasions from the south.
After all, while Ronin was powerful, the enemy kingdom was not weak. Intelligence reports indicated that the Holy Storm Organization was exceedingly formidable and capable of creating numerous powerful experts in a short period.
Conquering the Tricia Kingdom would be no simple task.
However, Bruno had his own demands. Here, his tone shifted:
"Watchtower Castle, Mist City, and even Gray Valley, which Melonika is in charge of—I can cede them all to your domain. But, Ronin, becoming a Duke carries responsibilities."
He stated, "You must conquer more vast lands for me. Until you have captured at least one of the enemy’s duchies, I will not grant you any more territory."
"And on the day you capture Giant Dragon City, I will grant you lands so vast that your domain will become the largest in the Oduin Kingdom!"
Ronin considered this for a moment.
For him, once he became a Duke and received his new lands, the groundwork would be laid for completing most of the tasks on his achievement panel.
Therefore, whether or not he gained new territory before conquering a duchy or capturing Giant Dragon City was not particularly important.
In comparison, the population was what mattered most.
Only with more people could industrialization proceed smoothly within his domain.
"Your Majesty, I can agree to your terms. However, I wish to be able to take a portion of the population with me after conquering a city."
"But of course. Captives, like any other items, are spoils of war. I grant you the right to take a portion."
Bruno was very pleased with Ronin’s answer.
What he wanted was to expand his borders, to see the map of Oduin grow and grow until it spanned the entire continent, north to south, just like the Orland Empire of old.
Naturally, he didn’t want to carve off a piece of every newly conquered territory to reward Ronin or other nobles.
Once this round of rewards was concluded, the next would likely be a long time coming—unless, of course, there were exceptionally significant military achievements.
Next, the two discussed whether to resume the war after the truce.
Ronin pointed out that the end of the truce would be followed by the new year’s festivities, then winter, then spring planting. He advised a conservative approach: as long as the enemy didn’t attack, they should not make a move.
They could continue their southern campaign next year, around May or June.
This would also give him the perfect opportunity to organize matters in Watchtower Castle and Mist City.
Bruno took this advice to heart.
He couldn’t help but sigh. "Ronin, I am overjoyed that the Kingdom suddenly has an expert as powerful as you. It’s just... you appeared so suddenly and rose so quickly. I always worry that one day, I might suddenly lose you."
Bruno warned him earnestly, "The leader of that Holy Storm Organization seems to be no weaker than you. You must be extremely careful."
Ronin gave the king a deep look. ’When he says "lose," he’s really worried I’ll betray him.’
"Rest assured, Your Majesty!"
Ronin said with a smile, "As long as the Kingdom supports me, it won’t be so easy to defeat me—whether it’s a Storm Divine Envoy or a Flame Divine."
Bruno nodded slowly. "Of course. The Oduin Kingdom will always support you!"