CHAPTER 1277: CHAPTER 307: KAFNEY’S RECKONING

Annan’s style of handling matters, while perhaps not qualifying as swift and decisive, certainly had nothing to do with the phrase "dragging one’s feet."

After confirming his relationship with Kafney, Annan first stayed in Noah for a few days.

One reason was to confirm that the ritual of the Goddess of Cup was functioning properly. Another was... even with Annan’s level of freedom, he felt it would seem a bit inappropriate to immediately leave Kafney and return home at this time.

However, Annan’s presence in Noah was not hidden from anyone.

Thus, on the second day, the Three-Eyed Crow learned of this matter.

That very day, the Old Crow invited Grand Duke Annan to the Crow family for a banquet. The other nobles found out about Annan’s arrival in Noah through this same incident.

The news of the Crow family preparing to host guests was impossible to keep secret—because the servants in noble households actually had their own social circles.

They shared information and carved out their networks.

Invitations, investigations, surveillance, and inquiries between nobles were often carried out through these circles.

In fact, many noble households refrained from keeping large numbers of idle staff.

These agents working for the major nobles were often followers of the Silver Baron Church. The annual monetary offerings these nobles made to the Church, combined with taxes levied on their estates, marked them as the Church’s "senior believers."

As such, heirs of noble families underwent structured learning provided by the Church during their succession phase. Victors of inheritance wars were rarely fools.

They understood that if some servants were left too idle, only summoned during extraordinary circumstances, others might feel inequality due to idleness. Over time, when faced with tasks requiring "reserve resources," these staff might struggle to perform.

Thus, unlike the United Kingdom, Noah’s nobles only retained a small number of servants sufficient for daily maintenance.

When someone wanted to resign, new staff had to be recruited, trained, their duties transitioned, and only then was the resignation approved, along with a substantial severance package based on years of service.

Hosting banquets, however, was clearly not part of "daily maintenance" duties. Nobles preparing banquets often borrowed or drafted a portion of servants from trusted allies among other nobles to execute the banquet.

Servants were given supplemental daily wages several times higher than usual for banquet work, while the borrowing noble received small gifts to maintain friendly relations.

This strategy cost far less than hiring additional on-site staff—often barely a fraction of the expense.

Money wasn’t the issue for them; they simply preferred avoiding waste while ensuring smooth execution.

— Meanwhile, servant workloads were deliberately balanced—neither excessively idle nor overwhelmingly busy—aiding in maintaining their work ethic.

While serving as aides, these servants doubled as spies dispatched by their masters to gather information.

Of course, they’re not engaging in espionage like stealing classified documents or eavesdropping on key intelligence.

Rather, their focus is on observing maintenance of facilities, identifying invitees, tracking the heirs’ movements during banquets, monitoring conversations, identifying conflicts between heirs, uncovering potential family disputes...

These details, pieced together, can reveal significant intelligence.

Thus, only the sharpest, most astute, and exceptional servants are dispatched to secure firsthand information.

These trivial tasks certainly wouldn’t trouble the major nobles; instead, housekeepers and maids managed them.

Coupled with Noah’s proxy system, in the Royal Capital, an Earl’s housekeeper or head maid often wielded more practical power and influence than some local mayors or lords.

This intelligence was shared among "allies."

But the problem was... There were no obvious, deeply fragmented factions in Noah today—at least not at the "proxy" level in the Royal Capital.

So their allies inevitably had other allies as well.

Original intelligence only differed in speed; eventually, it would reach everyone.

—As for what insights each household derived from this information, that depended upon the quality of their servants and the analytical abilities of their advisors.

Previously, Noah’s fractured influence stemmed from the battle for succession—or more precisely, Philip’s machinations forcibly splitting the nation. Now, with the Eldest Princess voluntarily withdrawing from the core power circle and other heirs perishing, Noah’s old factions ceased to exist.

Ironically, those nobles who fiercely fought and spilled blood a year ago now sat together amicably, smiling and chatting about household trifles.

Thus, when the nobles learned that Grand Duke Annan planned to visit the Crow family, they also learned their young queen would accompany him.

To other nobles, this seemed entirely reasonable—after all, the head of intelligence and espionage of Noah inviting the highest leader of another nation to their home was notable.

With no possible means of surveilling the Crow family, it was logical for the queen herself to go.

Initially, they suspected the young queen was merely a puppet of the Winter Grand Duke.

But they quickly came to "gradually" learn of the major undertakings of the Grand Duke.

He was already unequivocally a True God.

In terms of rank, he stood equal to the Twelve True Gods. At this level, Annan was no longer "simply a neighboring nation’s supreme leader"... no one dared to oppose a genuine divine being.

Even False Gods or Evil Gods were beyond their means to provoke—let alone someone of Annan’s divine stature.

If currying favor with Annan meant forsaking power and relocating the entire family to Winter, they’d gladly do so!

They even hoped their young queen could forge stronger ties with Annan.

However, Kafney’s actions caused them to worry about her true intentions.

Not that she had any issues with handling state affairs...

Objectively, Kafney’s governance was nearly perfect. Were it not widely known that Kafney was a true "autocratic Tyrant," the nobles might suspect she had a top-tier advisory group exceeding thirty members.

Her only problem was her incredible severity and ruthlessness.

She bore no resemblance to a naïve fifteen-year-old girl. While other noble girls discussed pets, jewelry, and suitable young gentlemen or stylish ladies...

Her Majesty Kafney displayed a tenderness and even a slightly shy smile while gently and slowly discussing matters like hanging entire families of Viscounts or Earls.

Corrupt bishops, overreaching nobles, and their officials facilitating abuses under their orders... Kafney started clearing house one by one. Those who voluntarily confessed or provided testimony as witnesses received leniency; those who destroyed evidence or stubbornly denied faced triple penalties.

She remained unmoved by pleas for mercy or intercession, ignored astronomical bribes from the nobles, and dismissed threats of assassination by turning assassins into twisted scraps and hanging them outside.

Through these violent and direct tactics, Kafney effortlessly eliminated many entrenched issues plaguing Noah. While it inflicted some losses, she undoubtedly eradicated numerous roots of corruption, pushing her reputation among lower-ranking officials and commoners to unparalleled heights.

—If Kafney were merely a puppet, she wouldn’t have undertaken such actions or even been permitted to do so.

The Crow family itself provided the whistleblowing and evidence.

Breaking precedent, they were elevated to the status of Dukes, serving as the queen’s omnipresent eyes—the Crow perched atop the crown—beginning systematic retribution for past deeds—

Only then did people recall... the cry of the Crow heralded death.

The Old Crow’s apparent senility spanned a full thirty years.

Only now did everyone realize he wasn’t senile at all—he had seen everything, remembered it all, simply never spoken of it.

For such a figure, akin to an ancient monster, even sharing a faction with the queen warranted caution.

But the nobles quickly grasped... they still underestimated the Old Crow’s cunning and insight.

Upon meeting Grand Duke Annan and Queen Kafney, the Old Crow cheerfully congratulated them.

Then, in front of the whole crowd, in his immensely aged voice, he casually posed a question to Grand Duke Annan:

"When do you intend to marry our queen?"

These seemingly overreaching words stunned everyone present.

But unexpectedly, Annan responded with utmost seriousness, "On December 1st this year... on the sacred day of the Grandmother, I will wed Kafney.

"At that time, I will also announce an important piece of news."