Free Web NovelChapter 285: Slip Up
"I’m sorry, I think I misheard you just now, could you repeat that please?" Celestina, dressed up in fancy formalwear clothes she absolutely hated wearing, asked incredulously.
"I’m serious, Marquess Balfour," Viscount Victoria Moore declared firmly, "My Moore Family would like to formally request your permission to resettle in the South-East Province."
The banquet tonight in Iron Rock was indeed much grander than the small occasion Lucas had attended when he first arrived in the city. Not only was it held in a bigger, more opulent hall, it also had a more luxurious dinner menu, stronger wines, and more than twice as many attendees, many of whom came from powerful noble backgrounds.
It was expected that tonight, many important discussions would take place; deals would be arranged, requests would be made, agreements would be struck, and everything else in between.
Defence pacts, trade negotiations, even plain old-fashioned flattery, Celestina had anticipated having to deal with and deflect all of these, but when the young Viscount of Port Calden came up to her and made this shocking request, it took her completely by surprise.
During the meeting this morning, the Moore Family hadn’t objected to the South-West Province Revitalization Project, but they also didn’t show much enthusiasm for it either.
Celestina, Lucas, and Allina had all thought this was simply due to the fact that the Moores had lost their home-base in the province and would thus not be able to benefit much from this proposal in the short-term.
Now, however, it appeared Victoria and her associates’ indifference was for a completely different reason.
Setting down her wine glass on a nearby table, Celestina beckoned for Victoria to follow her.
Despite feeling quite uncomfortable in the constricting dress and shoes she was wearing, Celestina had long gotten used to wearing such things so she had no trouble moving swiftly yet gracefully through the banquet hall.
Collecting her adjutant and First Disciple along the way, Celestina led Viscount Moore to a side-room lined with sound and Soul Sense dampening materials where they could speak privately.
Only after the doors were closed and everyone had taken a seat did Marquess Balfour ask in a solemn tone, "Do you understand the consequences of what you are asking, Viscount Moore?"
Without hesitation, Victoria nodded, "I do, Marquess Balfour."
"Truly?" Celestina wasn’t convinced, her expression turning grim, "In order for an independent noble family like yours to move provinces, you must either petition the Royal Court or swear allegiance to the new province’s ruler. Given the damage already done to the South-West Province, the Royal Court would never give their consent, so your Moore Family’s only option would be to become a vassal of my Balfour Family."
"If you willingly become a vassal, your family’s rank will automatically be reduced to Baron and you would also lose the right to command any of your current subjects. Anyone who wishes to follow you may do so, but those who refuse cannot be forced to go."
"Then, there is the expenses. Even if you ignore the huge cost and loss of assets moving from the South-West to South-East Province will incur, according to the Kingdom’s Law, new vassals must offer at least 20% of their current assets as tribute to their new Lords."
"On top of all that, an additional tax will be applied to all your future revenue until you once again become independent. The vassal tax in my province is low, only 10%, but that is still 10% you would otherwise not need to pay if you just remained here."
Leaning forward in her chair, Celestina lowered her tone further, "Even if you were willing to accept all that, I do not have an appropriate town, much less city in my territory for you to assume governance of. Your Moore Family would either need to settle for being un-landed nobles, or try to start completely from scratch by pioneering a brand-new settlement, a process that could take many years to even begin."
Pausing for a moment to let her words sink in, Celestina asked once more, "I, personally, have no reason to refuse you. Your Moore Family becoming one of my Balfour Family’s vassals will greatly benefit me, but are you certain this is what you want, Victoria Moore?"
"In my opinion, even if your foundation in the South-West Province has been severely damaged, it is still better for you to remain here than to try to immigrate to the South-East."
Sitting here, in this room, Victoria couldn’t help feeling a bit pressured; after all, before her was the most powerful woman in the entire Rockwell Kingdom, a figure who, even when her Moore Family was at its peak, could have single-handedly crushed them. Still, the young Viscount didn’t back down and instead just nodded, "I am certain."
Glancing towards the nearby windows which looked out across the night-view of Iron Rock, Victoria Moore seemed to become a little nostalgic as she mused, "You are correct, Marquess Balfour, in saying that my Moore Family’s foundation has been uprooted."
"If we remain here in the South-West Province, it will undoubtedly be a struggle to rebuild, but there’s still a decent chance we will be able to return to our peak within a few decades," Victoria continued in an almost wistful tone before suddenly declaring, "But that is as far as we will ever go."
Turning back, Victoria met eyes with Celestina and asked, "Even if the Revitalization Project goes perfectly to plan, how long do you think it will be before the South-West Province is able to its previous level of prosperity?"
Raising her brow slightly, Celestina had a faint idea of what the young woman before her was thinking, but feeling intrigued, she decided to go along with her for the moment, "10 years. It will be at least 10 years before the South-West Province recovers from this disaster if nothing unexpected happens."
"And, do you think the project can be implemented perfectly, without the slightest of issues?" Victoria continued.
This time, Celestina was able to respond immediately, "No."
The plan that her First Disciple came up with was brilliant, revolutionary even, but it had a critical flaw, it mostly ignored the political situation in he South-West Province.
Lucas was a genius, and Celestina didn’t think there was a better plan than the one he had come up with in terms of repairing the damage to the South-West Province, but that didn’t mean things would go smoothly.
The biggest beneficiaries of Lucas’ plan were the Carlson and Patterson Families, both of whom stood to gain massive profits and prestige in the coming years thanks to the technological innovations he was providing them.
The Drax Family, as rulers of the South-West Province, would also become wealthier as a result of this, but their influence over their domain would also likely decrease.
What Lucas failed to realize was that, sometimes, power was more attractive than money, especially for those who were already wealthy and content with the status quo.
Unsurprised by Celestina’s answer, Victoria settled back into her chair and let out a sigh, "I may only have become Viscount a few years ago, but I’ve had enough dealings with the Drax Family to know how things will go once you and your troops leave the South-West Province, Lady Balfour."
"To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Draxs are already plotting how to confiscate the new machines and techniques young Lucas here developed so they can maintain control over the Carlson and Patterson Families," Victoria commented in an off-handed manner.
"What makes you think I was the one who..." Lucas started, before quickly stopping himself.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Feeling the accusing eyes of his big sister and Master fall on him, Lucas lowered his head sheepishly, knowing he had screwed up.
"So," Victoria directed her gaze towards the young boy and grinned, "You really are the source of all those new ideas and inventions, Young Master Lucas."
Glancing up at his Master, and seeing her gesture for him to go ahead, Lucas let out a sigh and nodded, "How did you figure it out, Lady Moore?"
"It was really just a coincidence," Victoria smiled and reached into her Space Bag before pulling out a small, off-white brick.
"When soap showed up in Port Calden, I immediately began looking into its origins," the Viscount explained, "The trail wasn’t easy to follow, but I eventually learned that this product was being manufactured in a small place called Redwood Town."
"A few months later, when this great disaster befell us, an unusual boy named Lucas, from Redwood Town, shows up in my city as the envoy of Marquess Celestina Balfour and proposes a next generation ship development project," Victoria continued in a somewhat amused tone, "It was too much of a coincidence to overlook, so I had my people do some quiet investigations."
"And then, today," Lucas followed up, "half-finished blueprints for 3 never-before-seen farming machines and a bunch of revolutionary economic theories are presented at a meeting that I happen to be co-hosting."
"Exactly," Victoria nodded, "I wasn’t certain it was really you, Young Master Lucas, so when I saw a chance to test my theory, I took it."
"Haa...." Lucas slumped into his chair and began rubbing his forehead. He thought he had been cautious enough when using his new knowledge, but it seemed he had still failed in the end. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
"I told you that speaking before you think things through was going to get you into trouble one day," Celestina chastised from the side, causing Lucas to slump even further into his chair.
"Now now, My Lady, let’s not be too hard on him," Allina came to her little brother’s defence, "After all, Lucas is still just a child. It’s only natural for him to make mistakes when up against veteran negotiators and politicians."
Shaking her head, Celestina let out a sigh, "Fair enough, but now..."
Turning back to Victoria, Celestina narrowed her eyes as a faint pressure began leaking from her body, "I suppose we, as his elders, have to clean up this mess..."
