Chapter 127: A Choice of Territory

The Duke slowly ran his finger across the surface of the glowing map. The lines of energy responded to his movement, revealing the eastern region of the Duchy of Vesperion.

His finger stopped at a small dot blinking among the mountains.

The Duke’s gaze remained fixed on the map as his finger moved along the borders of the vast territory surrounding the point.

"The first option is the Barony of Ironreach."

The region expanded on the map, and its details appeared one after another; a mountain range stretching along its northern borders, interspersed with dense forests, while several glowing dots appeared, representing the buildings and towns scattered around it.

"Its area is approximately one thousand two hundred square kilometers, and about one hundred and eighty thousand people live there."

"Most of the population works in mining and metal smelting, which is why it is considered one of the most important sources of iron and silver in this region."

He ran his finger over several other dots.

"Its income is stable, and trade there is good due to the export of metals to neighboring cities. But the previous Baron was more concerned with maintaining the peace of his lands than asserting his authority."

His finger stopped over the largest city in the Barony.

"Over the years, the local noble families began to exploit that. They imposed illegal fees on merchants, fought over the mines, and even some of the Barony’s officials started pursuing their own interests."

"If you choose it, you will gain a stable source of income and lands rich in resources. But you will first need to remind those nobles who holds the final word."

He then moved his finger a few inches to the southeast. Another dot flashed with a distinct golden gleam, before the borders of a new region expanded on the map’s surface.

"As for the second option, it is the Barony of Goldenveil."

A network of mines and trade routes appeared, connecting to the towns and villages scattered around it.

"Its area is slightly larger, and it is populated by nearly two hundred thousand people. It is much richer than Ironreach. Most of its wealth comes from gold mines, alongside agriculture and trade."

His finger moved slightly away from the region, revealing the borders of the adjacent lands. "But its wealth is not its only advantage. Its location is also important."

Malrik stepped slightly closer to the map, examining the nearby borders. "Its location? How so?"

The Duke shifted the map slightly towards the northeastern part. "Look at its location. It sits between several major trade routes, and it also connects directly to your siblings’ lands, making it a crucial crossing point for trade and supplies in the region."

Malrik raised his gaze to the Duke. "My siblings? Who exactly?"

The Duke pointed his finger at a region that appeared to be about three times the size of Goldenveil, its borders extending a distance that seemed noticeably close to the lands of the Duchy of Stormhold.

"Look at what borders it. This is the Twinvale Viscountcy...these are the lands belonging to the twins."

Malrik’s eyes narrowed, and the question slipped past his lips before he could even think about it.

"Wait... the twins are ruling a Viscountcy now?"

The Duke’s hand stopped over the map, then he raised his eyes toward Malrik and answered simply.

"Yes. They initially received a Barony, like the rest of the family. But a few months ago, they entered a Territorial War with two border Barons under the Duchy of Stormhold."

He moved his finger over the map, tracing the borders of the adjacent lands.

"The war ended with their victory, and they claimed those lands. As a result, their territory was promoted to a Viscountcy."

Malrik kept his expression calm, but his mind was screaming.

Lunatics... those two are truly lunatics!

The twins, Darian and Daria, were only a year older than him. Yet in that single year, they had fought a Territorial War against two Barons, expanded their territories, and risen to the title of Viscount.

In the noble hierarchy, a Baron was the lowest official noble title, ruling over a small fief. Above the Baron came the Viscount, followed by the Count, and then the Marquis.

A Marquis was the highest noble title directly below a Duke, though still inferior in both power and status.

Earning that title was no easy feat. A Marquis needed to possess at least Saint-rank power to maintain their vast territories and status amid the endless conflicts and wars between nobles.

The Saint Marquis Ashmore, Ronan’s father, was a clear example of this. Had he not possessed sufficient strength, he would never have reached the title of Marquis in the first place, surrounded by the endless conflicts and wars between nobles.

If the twins had already risen to the title of Viscount... then what about Velrosa or Alex?

Malrik swallowed hard.

Their territories must have been promoted to a County... or maybe even a Marquisate. Damn it... I don’t even know what Rank either of them has reached!

Maybe next time I should ask Velrosa.

Without paying any mind to his son’s shock, the Duke returned his attention to the map, pointing to a third dot deeper towards the east.

"The third option... Dreadmoor."

The region expanded on the map, revealing dense forests stretching over a vast area near the eastern borders of the Duchy.

"Its territory covers nearly one thousand five hundred square kilometers, with a population of around one hundred and twenty thousand."

The Duke moved his finger deeper into the forested region, and several small settlements appeared across the glowing map, scattered between vast stretches of green. Near the eastern edge of the territory, a large fortress rose from the map, its walls glowing faintly against the surrounding forest.

"Most of the region is covered by dense forests, so the settlements are spread out rather than concentrated in a single area. The people there rely heavily on logging, hunting, and gathering natural resources for their livelihoods."

His finger passed over several marked areas, highlighting forests, hunting grounds, and resource sites before stopping over the fortress.

"But the most important landmark in the territory is Dreadmoor Castle. It stands near the eastern border and serves as the region’s main defensive stronghold."

The Duke tapped the fortress once, causing its walls to glow more brightly on the map.

"The forests provide a steady supply of timber, herbs, and other valuable materials. It may not have the population or trade of Goldenveil, but with Dreadmoor Castle guarding its eastern border, the territory holds considerably more strategic value than its numbers suggest."

The Duke moved his finger over the region, stopping at the border separating it from the adjacent lands.

"But it is not a peaceful land. Its border location makes it vulnerable to Morvyth attacks year-round, while its dense forests provide a perfect haven for bandits and thieves. This makes maintaining security there a difficult task."

The Duke paused for a moment, letting Malrik absorb his words before continuing.

"It is not an easy land to rule. Whoever chooses it needs enough strength to protect it, and enough firmness to control the recurring chaos within it and prepare to enter numerous Territorial Wars due to its border location."

The Duke’s gaze drifted slowly to a fourth dot, not far from Dreadmoor. Its light was faint and leaned towards gray, different from the rest of the lands that the map illuminated clearly.

"As for the fourth... Moongrave."

The Duke’s finger moved over the region’s borders, but it stopped at the dividing line between it and the Duchy’s lands, as if precisely pinpointing where Vesperion’s borders ended and where the land no longer under his control began.

"It was previously part of the Duchy, but the Baron who ruled it entered a Territorial War a while ago with one of the daughters of the Duke of Stormhold. The war ended with her victory, and so Moongrave fell under her control."

His finger remained over the region for a moment before he slowly lifted it.

"You cannot obtain it now. The laws stipulate that you must own land first, and that you have a legitimate reason to launch a Territorial War in order to seize land owned by another noble."

Silence fell for a moment, while the gray region remained separate from the rest of the Duchy’s lands on the map.

Then the Duke said calmly:

"Unfortunately, it would have been an excellent choice, as its location is strategic... and it contains a unique castle."

Malrik felt a prickle at the back of his neck.

He glanced toward the Duke. The man seemed almost too focused on Moongrave, as though deliberately avoiding Malrik’s eyes.

The Duke didn’t seem this interested in any of the other territories... so why did he specifically tell me how the daughter of the Duke of Stormhold seized Moongrave?

Why tell me about it in such detail if I can’t even choose it like the other three?

Was he trying to indirectly push me into thinking about acquiring it? Or is there something personal behind this?

Then one word made him pause.

A unique castle? What does that mean?

Malrik recalled the Duke’s earlier words about the reason for Shaye’s visit to Blackthorn.

The castle.

He said she had come there for it, and now, for the second time, the Duke is talking about another castle of equal importance.

Why do castles seem to be this important... even to someone at the level of a Duke, or even the Pope?

What makes these castles different from any other castle? Do they contain something special? Or do they serve another function?

I’ll have to interrogate Lilith later. I just hope she isn’t too upset that I forced her back into my soul space.

Malrik shook those thoughts from his head.

Moongrave is currently out of the question. I don’t own any land, nor do I have a valid reason—or even enough information about my opponent—to justify entering a Territorial War against them.

That leaves me with only three viable options.