A Foundation Laid
Countless nobles were gathered in the banquet hall.
The Emperor's envoy stood before me, unfurling a splendid scroll of appointment.
Even if the imperial authority had waned, the Emperor was still the Emperor. Opposing her directly was not a wise move. At least, not until I secured a level of authority that surpassed Valerian's.
The gathered nobles watched my investiture. From this day forward, they would naturally recognize me as the legitimate heir of Silverline and the rightful Lord of Arcteria.
Only by going through this process could I become a true lord. It was the essential step of gaining everyone's—or more precisely, the nobility's—recognition.
Toppling a lord who had already secured their fief required a mountain of justification. The ones holding the reins of power were the lords themselves, and they would never easily accept the precedent of one of their own being attacked and stripped of everything 'without cause.'
Even if they didn't offer direct aid when I fell into crisis, they would at least raise their voices in concern. That alone would make Arcteria much safer.
"I accept the imperial decree."
I knelt before the envoy. With this, I had officially become a noble of equal standing to the lords present, or the envoys representing them.
Serena, my maid, and Selen, the escort knight, looked at me with eyes full of deep admiration. My other vassals, too, regarded me with at least a modicum of respect.
Not bad.
Considering how few faces I recognized, most of them were likely brought in by Irene. The fact that even these people didn't harbor hatred toward me—and were willing to support me for now—carried immense weight.
Now... it's finally official.
I had become a lord. I was now the ruler of the vast territory of Arcteria, effectively no different from a king of this region.
This was a qualitative leap from the past, when I had to constantly worry about my identity being exposed. I was now a man who could choose his own destiny, and a man responsible for the fates of those around him.
This was just the first step.
Eleonor and Valerian had already been expanding their influence as lords for years. And it wasn't just those two; the other lords of the Empire were doing the same.
I had only just reached the starting line. To catch up to them, and eventually surpass them, I had to run much faster.
In my own castle, in my own banquet hall, I had truly become the lord of my domain.
The banquet began.
...
I couldn't afford to show any nervousness. Now was the time to project ease and wear a relaxed smile.
Trying to maintain an overly solemn atmosphere would only hint at potential weaknesses in my power and legitimacy.
Everything had to seem natural. I needed to become a presence whose role as the Lord of Arcteria, welcoming guests at such a gathering, was so unquestionable that no one would dare doubt it.
"Congratulations. You have truly become a lord whom no one can look down upon."
It was Eleonor's envoy. The name wasn't anyone memorable.
However, knowing who stood behind this man, I had no choice but to steel my resolve.
"Thank you. Please convey my gratitude to Countess Eleonor as well."
The envoy sent by Valerian watched me with sharp, calculating eyes.
"It pleases me to see the two of you so close. With a new lord so wise, the future of this fiefdom must be bright indeed."
The words themselves were pleasant, but one had to consider the source: Valerian's envoy.
He wasn't sincerely wishing well for Arcteria's future. Translated, it meant something like: You seem rather close with Eleonor's envoy. Are you really on our side?
"Thank you. Since His Grace Valerian has blessed my future, how could I possibly disappoint his expectations?"
"If that is the case, then to meet those expectations, you must act even more prudently—"
The envoy tried to press me further, clearly unsatisfied. Right on cue, Irene intervened.
"This is a banquet celebrating his investiture. Whomever Count Edrin chooses to welcome is entirely his own business, is it not?"
Nice look in her eyes.
Irene glared at Valerian's envoy as if she wanted to kill him, her eyes practically screaming that she despised his very presence at this sacred event.
There was likely a good deal of sincerity in that glare.
"Irene, watch your tongue. Do you intend to pick a fight with a guest who came to congratulate us?"
Naturally, I had to play the role of the one holding her back.
"Lady Irene is correct. I spoke out of turn."
Valerian's envoy took a step back, a smooth smile returning to his face.
He was concluding that the reality of Arcteria matched the reports I had sent.
He assumed that due to the pressure from the pro-Eleonor faction led by Irene, I was unable to take a hostile stance against Eleonor, whether I liked it or not.
"Hmm..."
With things turning out this way, it was actually Eleonor's envoy—the one I had warmly welcomed—whose expression stiffened.
It was only natural. According to the information the envoy had received, the situation should have been that I was struggling to fully cooperate with Eleonor due to internal opposition. But the reality unfolding before him must have felt quite different.
"Thank you for your generous understanding."
In the end, I couldn't walk the tightrope between Eleonor and Valerian forever. The solution was simple.
"I am merely deeply grateful for Duke Valerian's benevolence."
I would let go of Eleonor.
She was the type to trust people deeply. Even if her envoy brought back negative reports about me, she wouldn't easily change her mind.
She wouldn't simply write off the conversation we had shared, the moment we had connected, as if it never happened. She wouldn't believe I had betrayed her.
If it were her, she would understand that even if I showed a bit of 'bias' toward Valerian, it was an unavoidable political necessity. I was sure of it.
Besides, the main characters of this event were not the two envoys. I had no intention of paying them more attention than necessary.
In the first place, I had secured non-interference agreements from both Valerian and Eleonor. A few words from their envoys now wasn't going to break those promises.
Valerian or Eleonor might harbor some doubts, but the grand framework would not collapse. Therefore, I needed to spend my time on more efficient matters.
"Congratulations! The wine of Arcteria is truly of exquisite quality! Even in the capital, one cannot easily find—"
"It is the pride of my homeland. I am simply glad you enjoy it."
I mingled through the banquet hall. Nobles of slightly lower standing than the two envoys were wandering about, enjoying the festivities.
Unfortunately, no one particularly caught my eye. I knew well that not every gamble could pay off, but I couldn't help feeling a tinge of disappointment.
Just then, a hesitant young noblewoman caught my attention.
Her presence was faint. She didn't seem like someone who had received much hospitality in places like this, nor did she look confident or tactically brilliant.
Yet, I knew her. It was impossible for me to forget that face.
Roselyn...
In this game, there were characters whom players referred to as 'bombs.'
They were anomalies that defied the game's basic premise of gathering superior talent, building a stronger military and a robust economy, and using them to integrate other territories to unify the empire.
There was no guarantee they would show their true worth, but if their potential awakened in an NPC's territory, they could render all the player's careful build-ups and military enhancements completely meaningless.
They were natural disasters. No matter how much a player wailed, Why did I lose to this? the only answer they would get was, You were just unlucky. That was what a 'bomb' was.
But when they fell into the player's hands and their potential was unlocked, they displayed mind-boggling abilities and achieved staggering results.
And one of them was standing right there.
So this trip wasn't entirely fruitless.
Wearing a faint smile, I went back to enjoying the banquet. I didn't approach Roselyn just yet.
She was someone who hated conversing in such public settings. There was a specific approach tailored for her.
And I knew exactly what it was.
"How did I do? Nothing seemed out of place, right?"
As soon as the banquet ended, I dragged my exhausted body back to my chambers.
"Of course not! It was so... so moving! To think I would witness the birth of a new lord with my own eyes..."
"It's not that grand of an event. Surely you didn't expect Wilhelm to remain the Lord of Arcteria until the day you died."
"W-Well, when you put it that way, it does sound kind of ordinary... But still, it was perfect! The absolute best!"
Serena bounced on her heels, showering me with praise.
"I'm glad it wasn't a waste of effort."
Since returning to the fief, I had shut myself in my chambers, handling only the bare minimum of administrative duties. And Serena was always by my side.
I was well aware of the scandalous rumors circulating among the maids, but this was a matter I couldn't compromise on.
Whether rumors spread that I was a lustful lord or that Serena was a maid who had climbed into my bed, I couldn't afford to give up this time with her.
"I had a rough time learning all that etiquette, after all."
"You really worked hard!"
As the lord and decision-maker of the fief, I possessed the confidence of a noble with the authority to pass judgment.
Even if it was based on game knowledge and choices I would have made in-game, the answer sheet was already laid out in my mind.
However, I lacked the confidence of a ruling lord who actually lived among others, or the confidence of a noble who could naturally mingle and enjoy banquets in high society.
That wasn't something that could be done with a few clicks of a keyboard or mouse; it required me to move my own body and act with my own eyes.
Fortunately, Serena was well-versed in noble etiquette. Thanks to her, I was able to take a crash course in manners without exposing the fact that I was ignorant of basic etiquette that even a noble child would know.
"Things should get a bit easier now..."
As long as I was the lord, failing to observe strict noble etiquette with my subordinates wouldn't be seen as a major flaw.
But it would become a problem if I stood among other nobles—especially those I couldn't simply suppress with the authority of 'Count Edrin Silverline.'
In any case, the immediate problem was solved.
"Find out where Lady Roselyn is and what she's doing right now among the guests who arrived."
"...Pardon?"
Serena's face, which had been bright and smiling just a moment ago, instantly turned serious.
"Young Mas... Lord Edrin? I know you are a man and that you have... always had a strong interest in those matters, but right now... isn't it a bit inappropriate to be pursuing romance?"
Serena avoided my gaze, fidgeting.
"I-I know this is incredibly rude of me to say as a maid! But Lord Edrin, you said you came from another world. So I thought, perhaps, you might be a bit less sensitive to how these things look..."
I couldn't help but admire her determination to stubbornly push her point while trying her absolute best not to offend me.
"I'm not trying to start a romance. I just want to meet her briefly and have a chat."
"If that's the case, couldn't you have done that in the banquet hall?"
"It's not a conversation suitable for a public setting."
"A-A private conversation? That's even worse! Lady Roselyn is the daughter of a very high-ranking noble, despite how she looks. If you associate with her lightly, it could lead to a massive disaster!"
"I told you, it's not like that."
"Pardon?"
Serena looked into my eyes.
I was still exhausted. After all, I was meeting Roselyn to get some work done.
Granted, Lady Roselyn was a beauty. Even among the envoys who had gathered, she possessed a delicate, feminine charm that stood out.
Back on Earth, meeting someone like her would never be considered exhausting or difficult.
But when it came to work, things were different. No matter how physically attractive someone was, it was hard to look forward to meeting them if they were a business partner or a boss.
"A-All right! Please wait a moment. I will go ask if she can spare some time to meet with you."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
After Serena left the room, I calmly organized my plans for the future.
I have to make the absolute most of this investiture.
Of course, the primary purpose of the ceremony was to establish my authority and announce to the world that Edrin Silverline was the Lord of Arcteria.
But I couldn't be satisfied with just that.
Although very few lords had visited in person, the attendees were high-ranking officials fitting the status of Arcteria.
If I were to try and meet them individually under normal circumstances, I would have to go through a grueling process of building connections, or risk raising deep suspicions from their respective lords.
My investiture was a rare moment where I could meet such high-level talent without any restrictions. I had to exploit it.
Though, it is a bit of a shame...
Eleonor and Valerian were rulers. They possessed overwhelming stats worthy of their roles as 'bosses' in this game. Naturally, persuading them would require an immense amount of effort.
But the people who had gathered here, even if they were high-ranking officials, lacked the caution of Eleonor or Valerian.
Considering my Charm stat, this was practically an all-you-can-eat buffet of talent.
A buffet where I could attempt recruitment freely, without the need to build spy networks or establish complex connections.
However, it wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped.
The people sent as envoys... are quite underwhelming.
Perhaps because they were wary of me, Eleonor and Valerian had sent rather formidable envoys. Wise, capable individuals.
If Irene hadn't stepped in and backed off at the right moments, trouble might have brewed during the banquet.
But I couldn't seduce them. Even if I went through the trouble of recruiting them to my territory, there would be no future. I couldn't sacrifice the peace I had barely secured just to gain a single talent.
As for the others, they unfortunately fell short of my standards.
Given the current state of Arcteria, they were talents I should have been grateful to accept, but they weren't worth causing friction with their lords over. They were merely early-to-mid-game fodder.
But Roselyn is different.
I knew how to persuade her. And I was confident I could pull it off.
From outside the door, a small, timid voice drifted in.
"D-Did you... call for me?"
Roselyn had arrived. I hadn't expected her to come so quickly, but she seemed to view a meeting with me quite favorably.
"Yes, please come in."
I called out to her, wearing a soft smile.
No matter how exhausted I was, now was the time to mask my face with an air of relaxed confidence.
I had work to do.