I Picked Up the Fallen Earth

Chapter 21. Winds Sweeping Through the Political Arena

In the heart of Atun Kingdom’s political district, a place revered by the people as the dwelling of the divine monarch, where all policies of the kingdom are proposed and deliberated upon.

While many believed that this was where distinguished politicians convened to thoroughly contemplate on policies, it was, in reality, more chaotic than a battlefield, a scene rampant with intense mind games. The situation remains unchanged even now.

While people were perishing on the frontlines daily, the nobles in the center were too preoccupied with safeguarding their own interests.

“We must deploy our troops at once to suppress the intensifying skirmishes with the Lapis Kingdom, Your Majesty. I implore you to expedite this matter!”

“Expedite, I implore!”

“No, Your Majesty. Sending reinforcements now would lead us straight into full-scale war. I urge caution!”

“Urge caution, indeed!”

“Have you no sense of patriotism? Are you not aware that our nation’s young soldiers are dying as we speak?”

“We must prevent greater sacrifices, that’s all!”

The room erupted in clamor as loud exclamations were exchanged from every side.

Having urgently returned to the capital upon receiving swift dispatch, Duke Langton was immediately swept into the political fray.

The power within the kingdom was divided, with the Crown Prince’s faction holding about 40% of the influence, while the factions supporting the Second and Fourth Princes each held around 30%.

It was unsurprising, given that the military command and chancellorship were both outwardly held together. Langton realized the imminent threat of war with the Lapis Kingdom but felt a headache return as factions opposed each other merely for the sake of opposition, excluding the Crown Prince’s faction.

“Damned fools. Do these central nobles of the kingdom even think? At this rate, our country will collapse within 30 years,” he thought, massaging his temples.

The stress was causing a resurgence in his migraines and tinnitus, an unfortunate addition to his aging and hearing difficulties. Many within the central political sphere suffered from similar conditions, considering them occupational hazards.

As Duke Langton’s subordinates visibly showed their frustration, Dukes supporting the Second and Fourth Princes joined forces, challenging the dominance of the Crown Prince’s faction.

“Have all my efforts been for naught, to witness such disgrace?” He lamented the irony of maintaining a dignified posture outside while internally despairing over the authority and privilege as a central noble.

Suddenly, an irritable frictional noise echoed from the throne, indicating the king’s inability to contain his anger any longer.

“Enough! Are you only capable of quarreling? If so, why even participate in politics? Instead of devising beneficial policies for this nation, what is this disgraceful display?”

“We deeply regret, Your Majesty!”

“Please take our lives!”

The king quivered with anger.

“He probably wants to kill us all,” Langton thought, sharing the king’s sentiment. After a decade of infighting among the princes, the king’s face appeared significantly aged beyond his years, his physical and mental exhaustion evident.

It wouldn’t be surprising if he were to suddenly collapse from acute distress. To substantiate this, the king’s voice cracked with fatigue.

“The issue of war cannot be ignored. Let the chancellor’s office review this matter thoroughly and gather the consensus of the Noble Assembly.”

“I heed the royal command.”

All the nobles bowed their heads. Eventually, the issue of dispatching troops was postponed yet again. Speaking of the Privy Council refers to the camp of the Crown Prince, while the Noble Assembly denotes the institutions representing the other two factions. It was evident that their opinions would diverge.

Considering that the various factions had to negotiate, the headache must have been substantial for even the king to pass the problem to Langton. A full-scale war with the Kingdom of Lapis was inevitable at any time.

However, the process of deliberating and negotiating this matter seemed extremely arduous. More bloodshed was on the horizon. As the major issue was deferred, a series of trivial petitions followed.

There were talks of ongoing famine, outbreaks of disease, and discussions on territorial disputes. Amidst this, the factions were sharply divided, but matters concerning the great war were resolved much more smoothly.

Finally, the item that Duke Langton had been waiting for was presented.

“…Next is a petition sent by Baron Farrow.”

“Baron Farrow?”

“A family located at the northernmost border of the kingdom, continually facing invasions by the Barbarians. Recently, the lord led troops into battle, lost an arm, and due to health issues, the eldest son has succeeded the family.”

“Ah, Baron Farrow.”

There were about thirty noble families in the region, and the Farrow household, not standing out much, was seldom the topic of conversation.

Still, Baron Farrow had traditionally been loyal to the king, and if one were to consider factions, they were closer to that of the Crown Prince.

The king motioned for Baron Harion to continue. Baron Harion proceeded to read the petition.

[Your humble servant, Jeron Farrow, respectfully greets His Majesty the King and the esteemed lords.

The reason for my taking up the pen to draft this petition is the unusual movements of the northerly Barbarians. What used to be small-scale pillaging has now turned into large groups descending and beginning to settle, growing into a formidable force.

The former lord took up the sword to subdue them but was defeated and seriously injured, leading to his retirement and my succession of the family.

…Omitted…

Upon reflection, I believe that the issue with the Barbarians cannot be resolved with our local forces alone and requires a significant campaign that only central forces can address.

Another method could be through trade, aiming for conciliation. If this approach is approved, we could import potion ingredients, iron, leather, etc., from them. Thus, what is needed is the right to trade, for which I humbly ask for approval.

I, a humble servant, can only hope for your generous understanding in presenting these two proposals.]

“What?!”

“Trade rights?!”

The faces of the nobles, previously serious as they listened to the petition, changed drastically. The nobles of this era did not desire significant change.

Postponing war itself was due to the fear of the subsequent impact it would entail. War could bring about a seismic shift in power, and if mishandled, could result in chaos as power consolidates to one side.

Not to mention the issue of trade rights. It was a given that the family holding trade rights would grow rapidly, eventually emerging as a prominent noble family, if not immediately.

The nobles considered trade rights as something that would enrich that family, causing a stir among them. Starting with the leader of the Second Prince’s faction, Duke Lion, everyone reacted.

“Does this young, inexperienced noble not see the implications? How dare he mention trade rights that could undermine all security checks?”

“A mere Baron from a remote village, so bold!”

“Absolutely unacceptable.”

An uproar ensued. This was all expected, and it seemed unlikely anyone would support Baron Farrow, including those from the Crown Prince’s faction.However, it was then that Duke Langton stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, I, Langton Faren, request the right to speak.”

“…!”

“Granted.”

“Why would the Duke…”

Normally, the issue would have been buried immediately. It would have been fortunate enough if the Farrow household did not suffer harm for the Baron’s audacious mention of trading rights.

But things were different when the Prime Minister, the leader of those supporting the powerful prime candidate for the next king and the supreme commander of the kingdom’s army, stepped in.

“Not long ago, upon hearing that the Barbarians to the north were becoming rampant and that Baron Farrow had suffered severe injuries leading to retirement, I was deeply concerned and thus inspected the said domain.”

“Is that so? Is the current situation in Farrow’s domain so grave?”

“Constant battles rage at the frontlines, and they are barely holding on. Seeing the situation firsthand, the devastation was beyond words, and with the drought compounding the issue, corpses continually emerge from Farrow’s domain. The Barbarians have been constantly demanding trade, but without the royal family’s consent, it cannot be done. Until now, the Farrow household has fought these wars, serving as the kingdom’s shield. However, it seems they’ve reached their limit.”

“That’s serious.”

“Was it that severe?”

At this point, the nobles began their complex calculations. They needed to either dispatch troops from each territory or allow trading, but neither option was feasible.

A great war was inevitable, and mobilizing troops to subdue the Barbarians would result in significant losses. Even gathering a few hundred troops from each household would cost a fortune, and there was no guarantee that a single mobilization would end it.

The enemy’s base was located in the vast snowfield. Duke Langton had lived his life on the battlefield. If Langton spoke to this extent, the situation in the north was indeed grave.

The king massaged his temples, evidently troubled. Running a kingdom meant encountering all manner of issues, and lately, the news from every region had been consistently bad. The king sighed and asked.

“What are your thoughts?”

“I believe Baron Farrow’s proposal is appropriate. It’s an opportunity to acquire a large quantity of potion ingredients and, if we could import iron and leather from there, it would lay the foundation for the impending great war, however long it may take. In my opinion, granting trading rights to Baron Farrow until we subdue the Barbarians, thereby preventing military losses and allowing them to profit, seems to be the best course.”

Murmurs filled the air. Duke Langton’s statement led the nobles to various interpretations. Though whispered, anyone with keen ears could grasp the nature of the conversations among the nobles.

“An appropriate reason, situation, and solution, but why would Duke Langton go this far to support the young Baron?”

“Could it be that Duke Langton has decided to foster the Baron deliberately?”

“For what reason?”

“We don’t know. Perhaps he met Baron Farrow and decided to become his guardian after being impressed with his character.”

A myriad of speculations circulated. Despite these, Duke Langton showed no particular reaction, lending credibility to the rumors. Rumors began to spread that Duke Langton might have become a supporter and guardian of Baron Farrow.

Duke Langton had kept his promise to Jeron Farrow. Since they had an agreement, it was only natural. Langton raised his voice even more.

“Your Majesty, it is imperative to either dispatch troops to Farrow’s domain or immediately establish a market to negotiate peace and pursue diplomacy with them. I beseech you to decide swiftly!”

The stone thrown by Duke Langton caused ripples that spread far and wide. The nobles showed more interest in the fact that Langton could have become someone’s guardian than in the issue of the borderlands’ peril.