CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 46: THE LORDSHIP SYSTEM

In the end, Ryan’s expectations went unfulfilled.

The newly discovered mountain terrain after the thaw of spring, even under the most optimistic estimates, could yield no more than a thousand acres of arable land. For the current population of the Frozen Territory, this was nowhere near enough.

"We still need to search—and find ways to reclaim more farmland. Announce this to everyone in the territory:

Anyone who clears wasteland and successfully cultivates good farmland—for every ten acres, I’ll reward their family with one acre. The remaining nine acres will earn one gold coin per acre, and they will be tax-exempt for three years."

Ryan made a bold, generous offer. Nothing stimulated growth more than tangible incentives—and even slaves had needs and desires.

If someone really could pull it off, then the value of that person would far exceed any reward Ryan offered.

He hoped his territory would produce true talents, rather than lazy wastrels who spent their days muddling through life—eating, sleeping, and doing nothing useful.

In this era, technology meant nothing. Talent and power—those were the true drivers of development.

Ryan spent nearly every day inspecting the expanding areas of his domain. But soon came a summons from the Northwind Province, reminding him:

He was not a solitary noble playing a solo game.

...

"As expected... trouble.

And not small trouble."

Ryan stared at the letter sent by the Governor of Northwind Province to all local nobles. It contained just two points—but they were enough to shake the realm.

First, the Empire was deliberating punishment for the Northwind Province. Punishment, not just a response.

Clearly, the orc invasion that ravaged the region during last winter—resulting in countless noble deaths—had infuriated the high nobles of the Empire.

Responsibility, of course, fell on the local aristocracy—especially the Count-Governor himself.

But from the tone of the letter, it was obvious: the Count didn’t intend to shoulder the blame alone. The pressure was going to be shared downward.

Second—and far more frightening:

"The Lordship System."

Ryan’s fingers gripped the letter so tightly they turned pale, but he didn’t even notice.

Just a few vague lines of explanation were enough for Ryan to picture political and military upheaval erupting across the Empire—no, across the entire continent.

"Prepare the carriage!"

Ryan shouted, and soon a lavishly decorated coach pulled by two magical beasts—a gift from the Clayton family—appeared before the castle gates. Ryan didn’t even pause for lunch before boarding with over a hundred knightly retainers and setting out for Northwind Province.

...

Snap!

A whip made of woven bark cracked down on an orc’s back, leaving a bloody welt.

"You damn beasts, move it! If you don’t finish today’s work, none of you get to eat!"

The overseer’s booming voice rang out across the bustling worksite. He deliberately shouted louder than the stonecutters so that the noble lord inside the approaching carriage would notice him.

"Get those stones off the road! Don’t you see the lord’s carriage is coming through?! If you spook those carriage beasts, I’ll cut your heads off!"

"You—yes, you—kneel! Who told you to raise your eyes?!"

Inside the carriage, thanks to an array of magic formations, Ryan couldn’t even feel the road’s unevenness. Even in the lingering northern chill, the interior was as warm as a blanket.

Just a few months ago, Ryan had to climb over mountains on foot to reach other parts of Northwind Province. But now, he rode in a noble’s enchanted coach, accompanied by troops on highland-bred warhorses.

Compared to before, his presence and power were undeniable.

The frozen marshes that once felt like solid ground during winter were now a soggy nightmare in early spring. The road had become muddy, and the procession had to stop for rest and maintenance.

The nearest place to do so was Baron Hatton’s domain.

"Ryan, my friend!"

Baron Hatton’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Ryan’s ornate carriage and his hundred uniformed soldiers. His jaw practically dropped.

"This—this—this..."

He could hardly believe it. Just a few months ago, Ryan had looked like a backwater boy in peasant clothes—a penniless baron who didn’t even compare to him. And now...

This formation—this scale—made Hatton feel utterly outclassed.

"Ryan, you’re headed to Northwind City too, right?"

Hatton asked ingratiatingly, his pudgy face squeezing into an obsequious grin.

Ryan saw the hesitation on Hatton’s face and smiled.

"Baron Hatton is my friend. I stopped here specifically to invite you to travel to Northwind City with me."

"Great! It’s settled, then."

Without another word, Hatton moved to board Ryan’s magical carriage—bringing with him two catgirl slaves he had plundered from Knight Watt’s territory.

Ryan extended a hand to block him, eyeing the two visibly overused catgirls.

"Baron Hatton, you do know what’s happening in Northwind City, don’t you?

This is not the time to seek pleasure."

Hatton gave one last longing look at the two slaves and finally gave in.

"Fine, fine. I’ll travel light—no maids this time."

Light, indeed—twenty tons of wrought iron and two thousand gold coins.

"Why are you bringing so much iron?" Ryan asked, puzzled.

Lounging on soft deerskin inside the carriage, Hatton’s expression turned bitter at the question.

"The orcs invaded. My barony suffered heavy losses—more than half the grain is gone. If I hadn’t hidden some underground, I’d have starved."

"Those damned orcs looted everything... except the iron ore. They didn’t care for it."

"With the orcs gone, life must go on. I’ve no choice but to rely on trade. Iron is all my barony can offer."

Hatton looked a little dejected—but quickly bounced back to his usual cheer.

"Still, I’m better off than most. Many barons in Northwind lost everything—some had their castles sacked, their wealth stolen clean out. Hahaha!"

Indeed, tragedy and triumph are always relative. Compared to most nobles in Northwind, Hatton had gotten off light.

But Ryan had little to say in response to that kind of comparison.

So, he changed the subject:

"What do you think, Baron Hatton, about the Lordship System jointly proposed by the Empire, the Church, and the southern kingdoms?"

The proposal was simple: the high nobles planned to introduce a new title—one that would fall between baron and knight:

A title that was not technically a peerage—but was still noble in status.

Lord.