The Storm Blowing in Brancia (2)
By this point, Leila was starting to get confused.
Was the man smiling so brightly in front of her really Duke Langton?
Duke Langton was the current commander of the royal forces and a legendary swordsman who had dominated a bygone era.
Though his teeth had dulled with age, his achievements in the past securely maintained his position as the leader of the Crown Prince faction.
A man with such consolidated power should carry himself with a certain gravity, yet he had been waiting for Leila's arrival with palpable anticipation.
'I need to keep my composure.'
Regardless, this was not a bad thing.
To her eyes, the network of connections the Farrow family had built here was entirely forged through bribery, but that did not make the relationships any less potent.
If anything, a relationship built on mutual utility was far more secure.
After all, wasn't that the very nature of noble relationships?
"I am overwhelmed by your warm hospitality, Your Grace."
"Think nothing of it. I am Lord Farrow's official patron. His vassal is no different from my own."
Considering the status of women in this era, his hospitality was clearly excessive.
But what did it matter?
The fact that he treated even a mere vassal of a baron family with such care meant their alliance was incredibly tight.
She presented the gifts to Duke Langton.
Instantly, his eyes lit up.
As he aged and neared retirement, Duke Langton had lost much of his former sharp, intimidating aura. It was only natural for an old man to desire good food and fine drink.
In that sense, Baron Farrow's strategy was brilliant.
It meant he had accurately pierced the desires of most aging men of this era.
The gifts consisted of three bottles of wine, a fountain pen, a mechanical pencil, and a stack of A4 paper.
Recognizing their value, Duke Langton's mouth split into a wide grin.
The duke made no effort to hide his delight.
"Oh! Is this the rumored dwarven fountain pen?"
"The fountain pen presented to you, Your Grace, is of the highest quality. It even comes with its own specialized ink."
"Indeed, Baron Farrow never disappoints. He knows this old man's heart all too well."
"And this is a device called a mechanical pencil..."
She continued her explanation.
The duke expressed absolute satisfaction, especially when he saw how smoothly the mechanical pencil wrote on the high-quality paper.
This fine paper could even be reused by using an eraser.
But the gifts did not end there.
Before Leila had boarded the high-speed vessel from the count's territory, she had put her head together with Baron Farrow.
They had debated over a rather large, framed masterpiece, conflicted on whether to sell it at auction or present it as a gift.
"My Lord, no matter how good a gift it is, wouldn't it be more profitable to sell a masterpiece of this caliber through the auction?"
"If we only had one masterpiece, that would be the case. But we don't have just one, do we? We cannot sell the same piece we present to the King, but the one for the duke is different. It is simply a matter of explaining it well to him."
"So connections over money?"
"It is about placing them in our debt. That is the nature of the nobles of this era. When they receive something, they feel compelled to return the favor."
Jeron Farrow thoroughly analyzed and exploited the tendencies of the nobility.
Gifting the masterpiece might lower the potential monetary return on that specific piece. However, if it placed a high noble in their debt, it was a highly profitable transaction.
Even without the trade rights, they could secure various forms of political assistance.
In a sense, the support of a powerful figure was far more valuable than gold.
The same applied to relationships that were already established.
Jeron Farrow held a clear philosophy on this matter as well.
"There is nothing more foolish than neglecting a fish once it is caught. All relationships are the same. Neglecting a good relationship until it falls apart is the result of human selfishness and complacency."
It was a philosophy that cut straight to the core of human nature.
Leila had been deeply impressed when she heard those words.
Even if the duke was Jeron's patron, treating him with neglect could ruin the relationship.
Political relationships were no different from romantic ones.
When close, they flaunted their intimacy, but once the bond broke, they became worse than strangers.
Therefore, maintaining the relationship required careful effort.
"Our Lord has prepared another gift specifically for you, Your Grace."
"Another? This is already more than enough. I am starting to feel burdened."
Duke Langton made a show of complaining.
As if the most powerful man in the kingdom couldn't handle a mere baron.
The door opened, and members of the merchant group carried in a large frame.
The frame was carefully wrapped in paper, out of concern that dust might settle on it.
Wrapped in high-quality brown paper, the gift only heightened Duke Langton's anticipation.
The duke carefully peeled away the paper, terrified of damaging the frame.
'Is there really a need to be that cautious?' Leila thought.
Masterpieces were practically piling up in the Farrow territory.
She didn't know where he brought them from, but new masterpieces accumulated every few days. The one brought to Duke Langton was simply one of the larger frames among them.
As the paper fell away, the masterpiece was revealed.
"My word!"
Duke Langton's eyes trembled violently.
A massive tree filled with geometric patterns.
On the right side of the tree, a pair of lovers embraced, while on the left, a woman gazed at them with a wistful expression.
It was a concept and color palette that transcended the era.
The frame was coated in acrylic, making it incredibly vivid.
Even though Leila had seen the frame multiple times, she felt a shiver run down her spine once again.
To think such frames were piled up in the territory.
She was filled with awe at what kind of painting technique was used, and how anyone could have conceived such an idea.
"Do you like it?"
"Like it? I have never seen such a magnificent piece in my entire life!"
It was high praise indeed.
Most people who saw the Tree of Life for the first time reacted similarly.
While one felt drawn into the geometric tree, looking at the lovers in the love triangle evoked a deeply melancholic feeling.
Duke Langton stood dazed, admiring the artwork for a full thirty minutes.
High nobles always had a hobby of collecting something, and masterpieces were one of them.
Compared to the Tree of Life, all the famous paintings of the continent suddenly looked like trash.
Langton barely managed to snap out of his trance.
He had completely forgotten he had a guest while admiring the painting.
"Forgive my rudeness."
"Not at all. It is entirely understandable."
"It is truly a shocking piece. I feel as though I am receiving something far too grand."
"Actually, we have a few more of those pieces. We are presenting the largest and most vivid one to you, Your Grace, so please do not feel too indebted."
"Hahaha! So you gave the best piece to me?"
"You might be slightly disappointed, but we have presented an even better piece to His Majesty the King."
"You sent a gift to His Majesty as well?"
"Our Lord said it is only natural as a subject."
Duke Langton nodded slowly.
They were bribing the nobles, but the ultimate target was the King.
Though the power of the nobility was strong in this era, the King was still the ruler of the nation.
No agenda could pass without the King's approval.
Furthermore, the King's power was by no means weak. The Crown Prince faction was loyal to him, and the power originating from the royal demesne was not to be underestimated.
Thus, if one wished to exert political influence, it was only right to send a gift to the King.
"If His Majesty received a better gift than this, it will be approved soon."
Written as 'gift,' read as 'bribe.'
The duke omitted the subject, but he was referring to the 'trade rights.'
Of course, the effect of the bribe did not end there.
Everyone who received a gift would think the same.
"Is there something you desire?"
"It is nothing grand, but we have some items we wish to sell through the auction hosted by the royal family."
"You wish to use the royal auction?"
"Yes."
"Hahaha! That is not difficult at all. His Majesty will gladly permit it. I do not know what items will appear, but I wish to participate myself!"
Duke Langton expressed his strong intent.
Undoubtedly, various relics would be sold at the auction.
From beautiful and ornate crafts to weapons that surpassed masterpieces.
It was bound to drive people wild.
Leila recalled her conversation with Jeron.
"If too many items are released at once, the value is bound to drop. Therefore, we will only sell five pieces this time."
"Isn't that too few?"
"Even if we have an abundance of goods, selling them all at once is foolish. It is better to sell the remaining stock abroad rather than domestically. That is how you control the price."
"Then we look forward to your assistance."
"Leave it to me. Do not worry. You will be able to use the auction within a week."
The day after Leila completed her bribery operations, the state council convened.
The atmosphere in the audience chamber was strangely warmer than it had been a few days ago.
The nobles had always deliberated on agendas in a tense atmosphere, but today, their words carried a hint of softness.
Unexpectedly, the bribes distributed by Baron Farrow, a noble of the Crown Prince faction, had created a temporary mood of reconciliation.
Of course, this would not last long.
It was merely a temporary atmosphere, and they would return to clawing at each other's throats by the next council meeting.
After the minor agendas were dealt with, the topic of the trade rights was brought up.
The one who raised the agenda was the King.
"We have received news that the barbarians are becoming more active in the north. With the Great War intensifying and the need to raise a large army next year, this is highly unfavorable."
"..."
Everyone understood the subtext.
Every noble attending the council had received a bribe from Baron Farrow.
Even the King had received one, so it was only natural to exert some influence this once.
"As Duke Langton reported previously, the barbarians possess high-quality iron and potion ingredients. For the kingdom facing war, trade is an absolute necessity. If we grant the trade rights to the baron as he requested and have him manage the barbarians, there is no better alternative."
Not a single person from the Crown Prince faction opposed.
Last time, each faction had opposed vehemently, and even some within the Crown Prince faction had objected.
But today, even the opposition from the Second and Fourth Prince factions was half-hearted.
Duke Lyon spoke up.
"If we grant the trade rights to the baron, it may disrupt the existing economy."
"Therefore, the baron will bear the responsibility."
"Pardon?"
"Sending an army north will only create tension with the barbarians, so the baron will resolve it through trade. If the trade fails, the baron will bear all responsibility."
Duke Lyon did not object further.
Since the King had spoken to this extent, there was no justification to oppose, and they felt they had to let it slide this once due to the bribes distributed by the Farrow family.
Of course, Duke Langton, who was listening to the entire conversation, could only chuckle inwardly.
The movement of the northern barbarians was something Duke Langton had significantly exaggerated.
While it was true that those living in the Great Snowfield had begun to migrate south and settle, it would take a long time before they formed a force large enough to threaten the territory.
The King then made his declaration.
"We shall bestow the kingdom's sixth trade rights upon the Farrow family. Take action immediately."
"We receive your royal command!"
With a practically meaningless condition attached, the trade rights were officially approved.