LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 97: The Rights and Duties of Nobility, and the Cleansing Mission
Chapter 97: The Rights and Duties of Nobility, and the Cleansing Mission
The ancient enfeoffment ceremony concluded.
Thor and his companions were now officially the lowest-ranking nobles of the kingdom. From today onward, he would be a baron, a baron under the blessing of the Goddess of Life.
The land he had developed would forever belong to him, protected by the laws of the kingdom.
Their status was not limited to the Northern Province alone; even within the entire kingdom, they would wield noble authority.
This development stirred a wave of excitement throughout Loren City.
For the first time in three years, a pioneer lord had been enfeoffed as a baron, rekindling the passions of many dormant noble lords.
Some nobles, especially pioneer lords who believed in their own strength, were particularly motivated.
Building a town of 5,000 people and possessing the power to protect it was no easy feat, but earning 100 merit points didn't seem as challenging, especially in the turbulent Northern Province.
Of course, while many were excited, most pioneer lords had no intention of taking action. Anyone who had survived in the Northern Province for a while understood the might of the orc tribes.
A hundred merit points might not seem like much, but they were by no means easy to obtain. A second-tier minotaur was worth only ten points, and not everyone was confident in taking one down. Many pioneer lords struggled even with second-tier goblins.
Nevertheless, the prices of weapons in Loren City began to soar.
However, this was not something Thor needed to worry about. No matter how high weapon prices climbed in Loren City, he had no means of transporting them there for sale—unless he had a death wish.
As night fell, Thor gently closed the holy scriptures. He now had a much deeper understanding of the entire noble class, and he was clearer on the rights and obligations of nobility.
As a noble, he would enjoy true privileges, as explicitly recorded in the holy scriptures and enshrined in the kingdom's laws.
Moreover, the kingdom granted him the right to conquer and govern, but he was also obliged to fight for the kingdom.
If previously, as a pioneer lord, he could choose to abandon his territory and avoid participation in wars, such as the kingdom's wars or those against the orcs, now, as a noble, he no longer had a choice. His territory must participate in the kingdom's wars, which occurred every century.
As a baron, he wasn't required to pay taxes, but he had to ensure that at least one knight and five knights-at-arms were drawn from his domain to participate in the kingdom's wars. This was a duty that no noble could escape. Even if he abandoned his territory, he would still have to fight.
"Kingdom Wars!"
Thor whispered, his gaze heavy. He had some knowledge of the kingdom's wars before, but the detailed descriptions in the holy scriptures gave him a clearer understanding of what these wars entailed.
These wars were battles for territory, contests between nobles. Although the continent only had two empires, there were countless kingdoms. Beneath the two great empires, territory and resources were limited, leading to inevitable conflicts.
Thus, every hundred years, with the tacit approval of the two empires, the kingdoms under them would engage in wars to redivide land, interests, and wealth.
For lower-ranking nobles, every kingdom war was undoubtedly an opportunity. If they seized it, they could rise to greatness. However, it could also be a disaster, as lower-ranking nobles often lacked the means to withstand significant risks.
A baron might only have one knight, and it was uncertain if he could even muster five knights-at-arms. If he fell, his family would inevitably decline.
However, this did not concern Thor much. He was fully capable of assembling enough forces to participate in the kingdom's wars. Even if there were losses, he could withstand them. Moreover, with his daily information system, he could ensure his safety even in the kingdom's wars and might even gain significant merit from it.
His eyes sparkled for a moment before he suppressed his thoughts. There were still two years until the kingdom's wars, so there was no need to think about it yet. For now, the development of his territory and the enhancement of his strength were his primary concerns.
As he pondered these matters, his mind returned to the two others who had been enfeoffed as barons alongside him.
"Cleansing!"
Thor whispered, feeling a surge of excitement. The orc tribes were rich in wealth and merit, enough to support the two new barons and allow him to expand his gains further.
More importantly, he could use the cleansing mission to extend his trade routes further north. Currently, his trade routes only spread around the Maine Valley, and his profits had reached a saturation point. To earn more, he needed to expand further, and this was undoubtedly an opportunity.
As thoughts intertwined in his mind, time passed slowly, and night fell. The familiar system notification sound rang out once again.
"Ding, the information system has been updated!"
"Would you like to open it?"
The mechanical voice echoed as it always did.
"Open!" Thor spoke instinctively, suppressing his inner anxiety.
As his words fell, a hum followed.
[Daily Information Updated]
1. A herd of boar beasts will pass 1,000 miles north of Loren City...
2. To the west of your territory, Lord Saatchi has discovered a small iron mine within his domain, but it is occupied by a timid group of goblins. He is preparing to launch a frontier war...
3. Fifteen days from now, a group of kobolds will attack a pioneer lord's domain in the northwest of the Maine Valley. The kobolds possess extremely valuable life grass seeds...
4. To the north of Eagle Ridge, a school of tilapia will swim through the Maine River...
5. ...
6. Thirty miles north of the Maine Valley, near the southern glaciers of the Northern Province...
7. Three hundred miles west of Autumn Leaf Territory, a group of tigermen will be pursuing a group of fox women...
Line after line of new information appeared. The situation was just as Thor had anticipated—the entire Northern Province was in a state of relative chaos. Even the daily information reports were filled with information about various orc tribe incursions.
Even the northern regions, which had been cleansed once before, were not immune.
Given the current situation, it seemed likely that the Maine Valley would soon be affected again.
Upon seeing this information, Thor finally made up his mind.
At dawn, as the morning sun rose, the light of the Goddess of Life once again illuminated the earth.
Thor used his annual opportunity to meet with Marquis Raymond.
As a baron of the Northern Province, each baron was entitled to one audience with Marquis Raymond per year—just one.
After much deliberation, Thor decided to use this opportunity.