Chapter 305 - 300: Sea Race? We’re Fighting the Sea Race

Chapter 305: Chapter 300: Sea Race? We’re Fighting the Sea Race

Silence fell over the beach after Velin finished speaking.

Then, his tone shifted.

"But all of this requires one precondition."

He paused. "We must win the war against the Sea Race. Otherwise, every inch of land we stand on will be destroyed by the enemy."

’Trading blood for seeds?’

’It’s not an impossible proposition... but the risk is immense. Who knows how much grain can actually be grown on that saline coastal land?’

Just then, Baron Kroo spoke up. He was relatively wealthy, but money couldn’t necessarily buy a fief, so his focus was elsewhere.

"Your Lordship, what does the Sea Race... have to do with the land you mentioned?"

Velin looked at Diana, and the two exchanged a knowing glance.

"Here and now, Countess Diana and I jointly propose an entirely new model of cooperation."

"To any noble willing to dispatch troops and send their Knights to help the Grey Marsh Territory fight the Sea Race... your Knights will not only receive a generous reward of Golden Suns from me."

Velin paused, his gaze sweeping over the complex expressions on the faces before him. Then, he cast out the real bait.

"After the war, for every Knight who distinguishes themselves in battle, I will personally grant them a Knight’s fief on the Grey Marsh Territory’s future Newly Cultivated Land!"

A fief!

Every noble present, young and old, froze on the spot.

That was a hereditary fief, passed down in perpetuity!

The Duchy’s era of expansion had long since ended; it had been many years since its territory had seen any large-scale growth.

In a noble family, regardless of the number of sons, the laws of inheritance dictated that the title and the vast majority of the land could only be passed to the eldest. The best a second or third son could hope for was to join the church or serve as a retainer to a great lord.

A lucky one might earn his own fortune, but an unlucky one was doomed to spend his life as a destitute Knight, dependent on his elder brother.

This was the problem that hung over the head of every noble family.

What Velin was offering was an incredibly tempting solution.

Finally, a buzz of discussion erupted from the crowd.

Baron Kroo asked, his lips trembling.

"Lord Baron... are, are you talking about... the kind of fief... that can be passed down to one’s children and grandchildren?"

"A true fief."

Velin confirmed.

BOOM—!

The crowd erupted.

"Heavens above! My Alek has a future now!" Baron Kroo waved his fists excitedly, the fat on his face trembling.

"Fight the Sea Race! What’s there to be afraid of? My three sons and I will all go!" A baron, normally known for his stinginess, shouted, his face beet red and spittle flying.

"Lord Baron! My family has three sworn Knights! They’re all good lads, ready to serve you at a moment’s notice! No! I have two nephews as well! They can ride and fight too!"

The nobles who had just been terrified of the Sea Race were now rubbing their hands together, their eyes gleaming, eager to pack up their sons and private soldiers and send them to the battlefield immediately.

’Risk?’

’What was risk in the face of heritable land? Absolutely nothing!’

’This was an investment in the future!’

’And death?’

’What son would be so worthless as to choose a long, poor life?’

’If so, he’s no son of mine!’

Velin added another condition.

"Furthermore, to show my respect for the Dawn Territory and my friendship with Countess Diana."

He turned to Diana and gave a slight bow.

"I promise that if any conflict should arise between the Grey Marsh Territory and the Dawn Territory in the future, all enfeoffed Knights may freely choose to return to the Dawn Territory. I will not stand in their way. Their fiefs can be inherited by their descendants or bought back by the Grey Marsh Territory at market price."

When this clause was announced, even the most cautious of the nobles, old Baron Ansel, was visibly moved.

This was tantamount to giving all participants a double insurance policy.

They could gain the tangible benefit of land without having to worry about being branded as traitors to their liege lord.

Velin had thought of an escape route for everyone.

Diana watched it all unfold, her fingertips unconsciously picking at the metal rings of the chainmail at her side.

She knew this was the plan she and Velin had discussed, but to witness these normally arrogant and unruly vassals go mad for the bait Velin had thrown out still felt surreal.

’This man could always stir the desires of others so easily.’

"I am willing! My Lady Countess, Lord Baron Velin! I, Kroo Federer, am willing to dispatch my second son, Alek, to lead twenty of my family’s guards and fight for the Grey Marsh Territory!"

Baron Kroo was the first to drop to one knee. He did it with such force that his knee sank into the wet sand, splashing his face with muddy water, but he paid it no mind.

"I am willing too!"

"And I!"

The nobles scrambled over one another, each afraid of being a step behind.

The beach became a chaotic scene, filled with the sound of pledges of allegiance.

"Damn it! It’s just the Sea Race! I’ll fight the damn Sea Race!"

Someone bellowed this out, drawing a wave of coarse laughter and agreement.

A light sweat had broken out on the short-moustached Knight’s forehead.

’He cursed himself for his greed. If only he hadn’t taken those twenty Golden Suns from Philippe’s man last night...’

’But who could have guessed this Baron of Grey Marsh had such an incredible offer up his sleeve?’

Seeing more and more people siding with Velin, he knew the task Philippe had given him was now almost certainly impossible to complete.

But he didn’t dare deeply offend either side.

As he wracked his brain for a way out, his eyes inadvertently fell upon Lord Roland of the Sun Clan.

A flash of inspiration struck him, and he found his excuse.

"Please, wait a moment."

All eyes turned to him.

He first bowed to Velin and Diana before speaking.

"Lord Baron, My Lady Countess. Your proposal... is so good it’s hard to believe. But we are all vassals of the Dawn Territory, and furthermore, we are sworn to the Sun Clan."

He paused, raising a hand to point at Roland, who had been standing silently at the edge of the crowd.

"Knight Roland of the Sun Clan is also here. I think, before we make a final decision, shouldn’t we... hear Knight Roland’s opinion?"

His words were like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads, instantly cooling the nobles’ fervor.

’That’s right.’

They had almost forgotten that a truly important figure was present.

Roland Sun.

Heir to the Sun Clan, the most dazzling new star among the Knights of the Duchy’s southern territories.

His opinion was more important than all of theirs combined.

If he objected, who would dare to side with Velin?

Offending a fledgling baron of the swamps versus offending the powerful Sun Clan—anyone could do that math.

The focus of the entire beach shifted from Velin to Roland.

The barons stopped their discussions and watched him nervously.

They all knew Roland’s personality.

Proud, upright, and a strict adherent to the code of chivalry, he looked down on nothing more than plots and schemes.

In their eyes, Velin’s reputation had already been thoroughly blackened by Philippe and his ilk. It would be difficult, they thought, to get a man like Roland to approve of him.

Diana’s brow furrowed.

She knew her cousin.

If Roland, representing the Sun Clan, voiced his opposition, then all her and Velin’s efforts today would be for nothing.

The entire beach fell silent.

Only the sea wind whistled as it blew past the embankment, making a low moaning sound.

Under everyone’s watchful gaze, Roland moved.

He walked out from the edge of the crowd, one step at a time.

His gait was steady, his black knight’s coat swaying in the wind.

He didn’t stop until he was standing before Velin.

They were no more than three paces apart.

Diana watched nervously.

’Is he going to draw his sword?’

However, to everyone’s surprise, the icy lines of Roland’s face suddenly softened, replaced by a complex, yet heartfelt smile.

He opened his arms, took a step forward, and gave Velin a solid embrace.

His large, fan-like hands patted Velin heavily on the back twice.

THUD!

THUD!

The sound was clearly audible on the quiet beach.

Before anyone could react, Roland exclaimed loudly.

"Old friend, we meet again."