The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

Good news? Ryan frowned slightly, pondering what good news the Lady of the Lake could possibly have for him.

Sulia also looked at the Lady of the Lake. Having spent much time with the goddess, she could sense a complex mix of emotions in her, though she seemed generally happy.

The Lady of the Lake's joyous mood lasted only a short while before her expression shifted to one of slight melancholy. After filling the room with her iris fragrance and the afternoon light, she slowly said, "The Leonace side has agreed."

"Agreed?" Ryan repeated, gently pressing Sulia's shoulder to indicate she shouldn't get up.

As Duke of Mousillon, Ryan immediately grasped the significance.

With the air conditioning on, Ryan stood by the window, rubbing his chin. "Whose decision was this? Dalheide's?"

"It was Baron Adeheide. He is about to become the Duke of Leonace," the Lady of the Lake sighed. "After multiple searches, the House of Leonace decided they couldn't wait any longer. They chose to support Dalheide's nephew, Alderelde's cousin, Baron Adeheide, who will soon be recognized as the Duke of Leonace. He's a knight of around fifty years old. Recently, he held a meeting at Leonace Castle to discuss the issue of the former territories of Mousillon."

Ryan nodded, standing at the window, contemplating the series of events. The Duke of Mousillon looked up and suddenly laughed. "Ha, my Lady, Sulia, what do you think the kingdom's nobles will say about me once this decision is made? They'll see me as a despicable thief, feasting on the corpse of a recently deceased duke."

"Ryan, don't speak of yourself that way. You have legitimate reasons," Sulia said gently, unable to rise due to her condition. "Currently, you have rightful claims to the former territories of Mousillon, as does Leonace. As long as you follow the rules, Leonace will also act within the framework. No one will accuse you."

"Ha~" Ryan shook his head with a wry smile. "So, my Lady, what are Adeheide's conditions?"

"Assist in quelling rebellions, provide enough food for three months, take in some of the population, and offer a sum of money," the Lady of the Lake explained simply. "A substantial amount—fifteen thousand gold crowns."

Ryan had no issues with the first two conditions, but his expression changed upon hearing the demand for fifteen thousand gold crowns.

"Fifteen thousand gold crowns? Hmph!" Ryan's face turned cold, his tone thick with sarcasm. "Is Adeheide confident in his abilities? Does he think he can hold onto Mousillon's former territories if I don't pay? Does he believe he can restore Leonace to its former glory with nearly ten thousand knights?"

"Ryan!" Sulia laughed, her tone slightly chiding. "Don't be so sarcastic. You'll scare the child!"

"Sorry, my dear," Ryan quickly apologized, holding Sulia's hand gently, completely disarmed by his gentle and elegant wife.

The Lady of the Lake, sitting on the bed, felt a mix of happiness and irritation seeing the couple's affection. She pinched Ryan's cheek. "Adeheide is making a reasonable choice. It's not surprising. Am I right, my champion?"

"Reasonable, my foot!" Ryan retorted, standing up. "Adeheide knows that since he can't hold onto the land, he might as well use it to extort a large sum of money from me to fill his fiscal abyss. I understand his need for money, but fifteen thousand gold crowns?"

"...But this is Leonace, Ryan," the Lady of the Lake said, her expression melancholy as she recalled the past. "Leonace and Landoin, a tragic tale. You are the one who inherited Landoin's will and legacy, Ryan-Malcador."

Ryan's expression shifted from mockery to sadness. He sighed deeply. "Yes, I inherited Landoin's will. His final thoughts were of his and Leonace's affairs. For this reason alone, I can't push Leonace too hard."

Ryan then smiled. "In fact, Adeheide is very smart. At this time, a fool would loudly declare that Mousillon's former territories are a sacred and indivisible part of Leonace, refusing to cede or accept my claims. But Adeheide understands what he needs most as the new Duke of Leonace and what the key issues of the duchy are."

The room fell silent.

Ryan remained silent, while the Lady of the Lake seemed lost in her memories.

After a long while, someone finally spoke.

"It's a burden," Sulia said softly, gesturing to get up. The Lady of the Lake immediately helped her. "This is a heavy burden. In this era, everyone must bear their load. But Leonace's burden is too heavy. Adeheide knows his best option would be to refuse the dukedom."

"But he accepted," the Lady of the Lake said, her expression darkening. "No human is an emotionless stone. Personal interests are one thing, but the interests of the duchy are another. Adeheide knows he must carefully take on this fragile title. One small misstep, and Leonace would shatter before he even assumes power."

"Therefore, he must offload as much burden as possible," Sulia said, her face warm as she reached Ryan's side. "Mousillon's former territories are one such heavy burden. And if someone wants it, give it to them while seeing what else can be gained."

Ryan sighed and nodded. Even during her pregnancy and while staying in the Lady of the Lake's tower, Sulia's political wisdom and sensitivity were unmatched, making her one of the few duchesses in the kingdom with such acumen.

Why is Mousillon's former territory such a heavy burden that Adeheide must discard it? The answer is simple. Ryan considered three aspects.

Economically, given Leonace's current state, those territories would yield no tax revenue. Instead of aiding the struggling duchy, they would require substantial grain relief.

Militarily, the situation is similar. How many registered knights does Leonace have? Less than eight hundred! These knights can barely defend Leonace Castle and its surroundings. With widespread rebellion and occasional Norscan pirate raids, the duchy lacks soldiers and food. By discarding the southern burden, the knights can focus on northern defenses, and Ryan's assistance would reduce military pressure by at least sixty percent.

As for the nobility, it's even clearer. After the battle of Couronne, the nobles in the southern parts of Leonace, formerly part of Mousillon, had already sworn allegiance to Ryan, the rightful claimant and restorer of Mousillon. Whom else could they pledge loyalty to?

The castles now proudly displayed the yellow-and-black fleur-de-lis of Mousillon.

What else could Adeheide do?

"This is public opinion! This is popular support!" Sulia said proudly. "Ryan, Adeheide knows that even if he keeps the former territories of Mousillon, he wouldn't get a single grain or coin, nor command a single knight. So what's the point of keeping it?"

This is her man, now standing proudly atop the Knight Kingdom!

"So... fifteen thousand gold crowns," Ryan nodded, smiling wryly. "This is the math of addition and subtraction. Offloading this burden means he reduces his load. But I have to pay the price, including sending troops, supplying grain, and a large sum of money. Adeheide is a smart man, and I have to agree because I want this land, which has proven to be incredibly fertile time and again."

"Mousillon was known as the Land of a Thousand Lakes before the Great Depression," the Lady of the Lake smiled. "It's the most fertile land. Manage it well for a few years, and you'll recover more than your investment."

"Alright, let Adeheide send someone," Ryan finally agreed. "Everything needs to be discussed. The money won't be handed over easily!"

It's essential to have proper compensation for taking nearly half of Leonace's land. Negotiations are a must.

Ryan pulled up a chair, gently lifting Sulia to sit with him. He wrapped his arm around her waist, smiling. "Dear, you don't need to worry about these things. Your most important task now is to take care of yourself."

"Ryan~ what are you doing! The Lady is here!" Sulia blushed as she was pulled onto his lap. "Stop it."

"Sulia is pregnant, Ryan. Be mindful!" The Lady of the Lake also seized the opportunity to admonish Ryan, playfully hitting his shoulder. "Don't do anything bad!"

"Hahaha~" Ryan smiled wryly, holding Sulia gently as she leaned against him, lost in thought about his territory.

Now, as Duke of Mousillon, he controlled an entire duchy. In a few years, he would become king.

Achieving this in ten years was closely tied to his political marriage with Sulia.

Before their marriage, Ryan was always seen as an outsider.

Marrying Sulia allowed his rule to become localized. Now, no Bretonnian saw him as an outsider.

An heir would solidify his rule further. Even if something happened to Ryan, the knights would rally around Sulia and their child as the next leader.

This ensured the stability and continuity of his rule.

Ryan recalled reading the story of the Yong'an Regency and being deeply moved.

But now, as a duke with his own power, he knew the reality. Given the premise of having legitimate heirs, regency was impossible.

He couldn't divorce Sulia even if he wanted to. His knights, subjects, nobles, the Lady of the Lake, his brothers, and even the Emperor himself wouldn't allow it.

This was another strategic move by his

 father. The Emperor had foreseen this, personally meeting Sulia and bestowing her the title of "Imperial Princess," effectively telling Ryan that divorce was never an option.

"Ryan?"

Luckily, Sulia was the perfect match for him, complementing him in every way. They shared a deep bond and had a child on the way. Ryan had no thoughts of divorce.

But this didn't mean there was no need for change.

Holding his pregnant wife, Ryan quietly thought about the future. With the acquisition of Mousillon, he planned to develop and rebuild the land.

"Sulia? Ryan?" Sulia sensed his shift in mood, asking softly, "What's on your mind?"

"I'm thinking about how to develop and rebuild Mousillon," Ryan replied, smiling at her. "What do you think about transforming the outskirts into a commercial and industrial zone?"

"That sounds great!" Sulia agreed enthusiastically. "It's a blank slate now, a perfect opportunity to innovate and develop!"

"Thanks, Sulia," Ryan said warmly, holding her close. "I don't think I could ever be without you."

"Ryan~" Sulia's eyes sparkled with wisdom as she leaned on his shoulder, feeling content.

Their affectionate display finally became too much for the onlookers. The Lady of the Lake stood up with a sigh. "Alright, that's enough. It's time for afternoon tea. Let's go to the garden and enjoy some tea together. Sulia needs to get some exercise!"

"Okay!"

Meanwhile, in the Old World, at the Imperial Palace in Altdorf, Reikland.

Emperor Karl Franz, Reiksmarshal Kurt Helborg, Imperial Standard Bearer Ludwig Schwarzhelm, Grand Theogonist Volkmar the Grim, High Alchemist Balthasar Gelt, Griffon Duke Ivan Ferdinand, and Elector Count of Middenland, Boris Todbringer, were in a meeting.

Their topic of discussion was Ryan-Malcador, the newly appointed Duke of Mousillon and future King of Bretonnia, who had just completed the mission to reclaim Mousillon!

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