"What price do I need to make you willingly... only accept the honor of a nobleman with a sword, and at the same time give up the power of a nobleman with a sword?"

Paul sat on the chair, stared at Bryce, shook the wine glass with his right hand, and said this sentence calmly.

What responded to him was silence, and the commander of the first battalion on the opposite side seemed to be frozen all over, his eyes were motionless.

Paul tilted his head and asked strangely, "Bryce?"

"My lord, I...I don't know what you mean?"

Bryce finally spoke, but his voice was so soft that it didn't match his big and thick image.

"literal meaning!"

Paul answered without hesitation.

The restaurant continued to be silent, and Bryce stared closely at the wine glass in Paul's hand, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Lord Earl!" Bryce finally said, "Is this how you treat your loyal subjects?"

There was a bit of anger in his voice!

blind! Did you mess it up yourself?

Countless thoughts flashed through Paul's mind in an instant, regret, worry, annoyance...

Do you still underestimate the traditional concepts of this era? Even people like Bryce Alder who don't care about personal interests are not exempt.

What remedial measures should be taken?

Paul held out his left hand, "Bryce, listen to me! I..."

"Lord Earl!" Unexpectedly, the other party clenched his fists and hammered the table, causing the cups and plates on the table to jingle. A mighty aura erupted from his whole body in full body armor.

Bryce almost yelled, "You actually think that I put my own interests above my loyalty to you, how disrespectful! What a 'price', how derogatory is this to our honor? "

ha? Paul's outstretched hand froze.

What did he say?

"Bryce, I... I don't know what you mean?"

Paul asked quietly.

"literal meaning!"

The commander of the first battalion answered without hesitation.

He continued: "You are the lord of Arda, and you are our lord. Whether you grant power depends entirely on your words. Why use 'what price' to test my loyalty? In your eyes, I am Are you the kind of person who values ​​profit?"

The tone was very serious, and there was still a sullen look on his face.

Paul was surprised, his face full of disbelief!

Hearing what Bryce said, that's it? Was the process so smooth?

On the contrary, it seems that I am worrying unnecessarily, so I will try my best to hold this Hongmen banquet... Ah bah, why are you holding this banquet?

Shouldn't the normal process be that the other party makes an offer, you counter-offer, the other party continues to offer, and you continue to counter-offer...until the two parties reach a compromise?

That's a nobleman with swords! In this age of supremacy of blood, the temptation is so great for non-nobles. With their own titles and territories, they can become kings behind closed doors, and no one can control them.

It's really... really... I really don't know what to say if I don't sell such things that can't be bought with gold at a good price.

"bump!"

The sound of shattering glass broke the tranquility of the restaurant, and Paul smashed the wine glass in his right hand to pieces.

"Bang Dang!" Bryce stood up suddenly, with grievance and resentment on his face, but he closed his eyes as if resigned to his fate.

There was the sound of the restaurant door opening, and sure enough, someone came in!

Alas... after all...

Ugh? Wait, I've already said what the earl wanted, it shouldn't be like this.

Thinking of this, he opened his eyes again and looked towards the door.

"Two, what happened?"

Oh, it's Mr Philip, the old housekeeper.

Mr. Butler lowered his head and saw the broken wine glass.

"Wait a minute, I'll get a new one right away."

He turned and went out, and another servant came in to clean up the debris.

"Really, I've watched too many dramas..."

Blaise looked embarrassed and said something self-deprecating.

He looked at his lord, only to see the count's expression of excitement. It turned out that he was too excited to throw the cup just now.

The count said apologetically, "I was wrong. I used a villain's mind to speculate on a noble knight...but what do you mean by drama?"

Bryce smiled and waved his hands in embarrassment: "Haha, it's nothing, as long as the Earl doesn't doubt my loyalty."

With a snap, Paul snapped his fingers crisply, "You must not let honest people suffer. Come! Get on the map!"

The unfinished dishes were quickly removed, and a huge map was placed on the dining table.

Bryce looked at the map, which was the first version of the map drawn based on the information brought back by the previous surveying and mapping teams.

The first version of the map includes the three earldoms of Arda, Bairding, and Emden. There are still many incomplete and blank areas, but several important towns and the roads between them have been drawn.

Due to the use of advanced measurement methods, the accuracy has risen by more than one step compared to the old-fashioned maps drawn by people's feelings and estimates.

I saw the earl drawing circles on the map with a pencil.

Speaking of the pencil, this is also Earl's "great invention", using graphite and clay mixed in a certain proportion to make a refill, and then wrapping it in wood, it becomes a pen that can write and draw on paper. A quill that uses ink, the beauty of a pencil is that its marks are not permanent but can be wiped off with crumbs.

Once the pencil was launched, it was welcomed by all kinds of people, such as school teachers and students, and military officers. They can finally draw without any scruples when their brains are open on the map.

Paul stopped the pencil in his hand and said loudly: "I have decided, and I will grant you the title of Baron of Fort Byram! During the War of the Usher, you commanded the army to trap Fort Byran, and you deserve this title. !"

Fort Byram, isn't that where the Earl of Kent stayed?

Knight yourself with the residence of an earl? Bryce was excited.

"In addition," Paul pointed on the map, "the five villages in the Fort Bairam area, as long as they are public farmlands under the management of the Government Affairs Council, they all belong to you."

Emden’s so-called public arable land under the management of the Government Council was actually the arable land under the name of the Kent family. After the War of the Usher, the output of the arable land under the name of the Kent family was collected into the public treasury.

"Really? Lord Earl?" Bryce asked excitedly. He was familiar with the area around Fort Byram. It was a large piece of land, and he would be a big landlord in the future!

Paul confirms: "Of course it's true! But...don't forget what I said earlier."

Bryce nodded like pounding garlic: "Yes! My lord, of course I remember."

Although I have obtained the property rights of the land, I still have to pay the taxes that should be paid and obey the laws and regulations that should be obeyed. In a word, leaving aside the noble title of Earl of Byramburg, he has just become a big landlord from a small landlord, and he is still a subject under the government affairs council.

He knelt down on one knee with a grateful face, "Thank you Earl for your reward, my descendants and I will remain loyal to you as always."

Paul helped him up with a smile, "Keep working hard! You will get more in the future."

The two returned to the table and sat down again. Paul said, "I think you must understand my 'excessive' request."

He was talking about not granting rulership to the nobility of the sword.

Thinking of the school and talent that he just talked about, Bryce nodded heavily.

"An independent kingdom must not appear in my territory!" Paul clenched his fists and said, "To tell you the truth, I think the current feudal system—that is, layers of lords—is too inefficient in doing things... "

"Shh!" Bryce made a silent gesture, "My lord, don't say this publicly."

Paul snorted, "Let's talk in private!"

Bryce asked with some concern: "My lord~ lightnovelpub.net~ I think of a question - I can accept this myself, but it's hard for others. If everyone is dissatisfied, what should I do? "

Paul smiled, and said with some malicious intent: "That's the second reason why I invited you over tonight."

Seeing the mysterious smile on the earl's face, Bryce felt a chill in his heart.

Paul moved closer to Bryce, whispering in his ear, so-and-so...so-and-so...

Bryce's expression got worse the more he heard it.

Before Paul could finish speaking, he yelled, "No way! My lord, absolutely no way! You should find someone else."

Paul said seriously: "I can't find anyone more suitable than you! You have to do this job!"

Bryce said aggrievedly: "Why don't you give the title of Baron Byram Castle and the cultivated land there to others, I... I really can't bear it!"

There was a cry in the voice.

"Shut up!" Paul was a little annoyed, "How can I go back on what my majestic lord said, you must accept the reward, and you must do the job well!"

After some carrots and sticks from Paul, Bryce finally reluctantly accepted the order.

…

The commander of the first battalion staggered through the corridor with his weak legs. He carefully recalled the scene after Paul threw the cup. It seemed that he was really worrying too much.

Really shouldn't, how can the Earl be such a mean and ungracious person?

Baron Byram Castle, and those patches of arable land, Bryce's heart became hot. His social status and family property can be said to have skyrocketed tonight.

But when he thought of the mission assigned to him by the Earl, he cried out in pain again.