Lord of Caldera - Chapter 344

Chapter 344: Chapter 344 Chapter 344 The Nobles Loyalty
When Brahim died and Drakenfels fractured into chaos, Zikardt had been overjoyed. No longer would he have to contend with an insolent noble who relied solely on brute strength. Though signs of reunification had appeared over time, it seemed a distant concern, something that wouldn’t happen during his reign.

“I should never have sent him. I should never have sent that man to the south.”

He recalled Sylas’s confident smile when he was appointed Count of Drakenfels. At the time, Zikardt hadn’t understood the meaning behind that smile. Now, he realized it: Sylas had been certain he could unify Drakenfels and make it his stronghold.

“Dragon Slayer—no, Count Sylas—what is he doing now? Has he made any further moves since suppressing the rebellion?”

“He is reportedly in the midst of distributing rewards,” the courtier replied.

“Distributing rewards?”

“Yes. He received considerable assistance from other nobles during the campaign and is now allocating territories to those who contributed.”

“Is that so?”

The emperor’s previously tense expression relaxed, and his eyes lit up. This was welcome news. If Sylas was dividing his land, his personal power would naturally weaken.

“How much of his land is he giving away?”

“More than half of his territories, Your Majesty.”

“More than half!?”

Zikardt shot to his feet in shock, but soon, a broad smile spread across his face. Giving away more than half of his lands? This was perfect. Any fears of Sylas becoming as dangerous as Brahim vanished.

“Hahaha! The count is truly generous. To reward loyalty so thoroughly!”

“Indeed, Your Majesty,” the courtiers chimed in.

“With such fairness in rewards, he’ll be remembered as a loyal servant of the empire,” the emperor declared, laughing with his courtiers.

The cheerful atmosphere was abruptly interrupted.

“Your Majesty, I believe this is no time for celebration,” said Logier, a solemn advisor.

“What do you mean? Explain yourself,” the emperor demanded, his laughter fading.

Logier’s expression remained grave as he spoke.

“The land Count Sylas is distributing belongs to him alone. None of it was granted by Your Majesty.”

“Of course not. I never promised lands to anyone but Sylas.”

“Exactly, Your Majesty. This means the count retains the legal right to reclaim those lands at any time.”

“Reclaim them? But—”

“Count Sylas can evict those nobles and retake the land whenever he pleases. The legal ownership remains solely with him.”

Logier’s words silenced the room. Even if Sylas allowed others to administer his lands temporarily, the legal authority remained his. With both power and justification, he could repossess those lands whenever he wished.

“So, Your Majesty, do you believe those nobles will remain loyal to you or to Count Sylas?”

“…”

The imperial palace fell into a heavy silence. The nobles wore grim expressions as they stared at Logier, and the emperor’s eyebrows twitched in agitation. Logier’s words hinted at rebellion, the greatest taboo in the empire.

“Surely, you’re overthinking this,” one of the court nobles finally broke the silence.

“Even if those southern provincial lords pledge their loyalty to him, it’s still loyalty bought with their land. Ultimately, it’s just cannibalizing his own resources, isn’t it?”

Even if Sylas could reclaim the lands later, giving them away still meant losing their immediate benefits. Land handed over to others wouldn’t generate taxes or raise troops for him. The loyalty gained would be from minor nobles at best. Why would anyone cut off their own arm for such flimsy allegiance?

“It’s like trading steak for acorns. Even if the count intends something, what threat could it pose?”

“…When you put it that way, it does make sense.”

“Then there’s no issue, is there?”

The previously tense atmosphere began to ease, and sighs of relief escaped the nobles. Even the emperor’s expression started to relax—until Logier shook his head gravely.

“There is an issue, and it’s significant,” he said.

“What do you mean?” the emperor asked, his frown returning.

“First, the count distributed his lands generously. What message do you think this sends to other nobles?”

“That he doesn’t forget loyalty and is a benevolent leader, I suppose.”

“It tells them that siding with the count in a critical moment guarantees rewards. The more successful the count becomes, the more they believe they’ll gain by supporting him.”

The atmosphere froze once more as Logier continued his analysis.

“Second, Drakenfels is vast. If he had hoarded all the land himself, administrative inefficiencies would have inevitably cropped up in many areas.”

Central officials often govern such lands indifferently. After all, no matter how diligently they work, there’s little benefit to them, and the effort is exhausting. In places beyond the central government’s reach, bribed officials might offer special privileges to locals, creating losses for the lord but gains for the bureaucrat.

“But the count has distributed his lands equitably. Those who received these lands will now govern them with utmost effort, knowing they are their own.”

“They’ll extract maximum taxes and recruit troops efficiently,” another noble murmured.

“Exactly. And part of those taxes will flow back to the count. Despite distributing the lands, Count Sylas remains their official lord.”

Even though the territories had been handed over, Sylas’s status as the official ruler of Drakenfels meant his tax contributions to the imperial treasury wouldn’t decrease. The lords who received lands would be obligated to send part of their earnings back to Sylas, essentially creating a small kingdom within the empire.

“And if, by any chance, the count rebels, where do you think the wealth and troops amassed from these lands will go?” Logier asked.

“…!”

The nobles paled as they exchanged uneasy glances. They hadn’t considered this. The vast and resource-rich Drakenfels, efficiently governed by subordinate lords, could produce twice the resources and troops than if Sylas controlled it alone.

“And…”

“There’s more?”

“This is the last point,” Logier said in a softer tone, as if to reassure the horrified emperor. However, his next words were anything but comforting.

“If a single powerful lord revolts, it appears as a personal rebellion. But if multiple lords rise together, it could be seen as the collective will of the nobility.”

The power of a territory doesn’t change based on the number of rulers it has. But when many nobles band together, their cause can appear legitimate, even righteous. In the worst-case scenario, many nobles who are easily swayed might join the rebellion.