Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 49

Sodomora, the capital of Wallachia.

The royal palace in the northwest of Sodomora.

Seven humans were sitting in the reception room.

They were nobles, each wearing robes embroidered with gold thread.

They paired off in twos and threes, whispering about various topics.

Among them, a young man opened his mouth with a dissatisfied expression.

“What are we going to do about the North?”

The conversation stopped abruptly, and the other six nobles looked at him.

“Hugo, are you bringing that up again? We decided to think about it a little more, didn’t we?”

The noble, called Hugo, scoffed at the fat man’s reply.

“How long is ‘a little’? It’s been months of just thinking about it. Enough time for him to completely take over the North!”

Even as he raised his voice, the fat man reacted indifferently.

His interest seemed less than that of the fruit on the plate.

He picked up a fruit, examining it this way and that, barely listening.

“Goodness, you’re so impatient.”

“Impatient…”

“Now, now, listen to me. What was the reason we decided to watch and wait? Isn’t it because we have many other things to do and no reason to be interested in such a backwater?”

The nobles, except for Hugo, nodded.

“The North has vast lands but is barren. You all know that. The population there is only about the same as here in Sodomora. What can you do in such a place?”

“Is there anything to do? How many soldiers can you gather from the North?”

“At most 10,000? And even those would be conscripts with low skill levels.”

The nobles murmured.

“They seem to have mobilized quite a lot recently, though. Well, that’s because they’re scraping the bottom of the barrel to hire mercenaries or something, so it’s an exception.”

“They can’t do that for long.”

“Exactly.”

The fat man grinned at the nobles’ agreement.

“Honestly, isn’t that right? It’s not like we left the North alone because we lacked the power. It’s because there’s no money to be made there. Wasn’t the idea to sell tax exemption privileges to that commoner, Pinto?”

“That’s right.”

“It’s just a place where beggars live.”

“What’s the point of taking such a place?”

When Hugo tried to say something, the fat man raised his hand to stop him.

“Besides, we were busy dealing with the aftermath of the rebellion. We decided to give that commoner who occupied the backwater time to realize his place and come to us on his own, right? Have you forgotten?”

“That’s right. But the situation has changed.”

“Changed?”

Hugo sighed deeply and replied in a low voice.

“That guy is Thurdlet.”

“Thurdlet?”

The nobles blinked.

Hugo looked around at the nobles and said clearly.

“The guy who occupied the North. He’s the eldest son of Thurdlet.”

“······.”

The atmosphere sank.

The nobles lost their smiles and looked at Hugo.

The fat man also put down the fruit and leaned forward.

“Is that true?”

“It’s certain. I’ve confirmed it several times.”

“Count, how did you find that out?”

“Do I have to explain even that?”

When Hugo glared at him, the fat man smacked his lips and backed down.

A silence echoed in the reception room.

“Thurdlet, huh… that changes things.”

“Are those Germania [ancient name for Germany] trash reaching out again?”

“It seems we gave them too much time.”

The relaxed atmosphere from just a moment ago was gone, replaced by seriousness.

It had been six years since the fierce battle with Germania.

Moreover, Wallachia had lost that battle.

The wounds that were barely healing were reopened.

“We need to strengthen the border.”

“Shouldn’t we deal with the North first?”

Hugo smiled as the atmosphere shifted in his favor.

“Therefore, I would like to propose again—”

“Wait a moment.”

The nobles closed their mouths and looked at the old man who raised his hand.

He had been silently watching until now.

The old man stroked his beard and continued.

“I also heard the story that the outsider Hugo mentioned is Thurdlet’s son. But taking strong action right away seems excessive.”

“Do you know something more?”

When the fat man asked, the old man nodded.

“From what I hear, he is Thurdlet’s eldest son, but he is a bastard [illegitimate child].”

“A bastard?”

The nobles perked up their ears.

“I heard he was even banished to the Great Plains.”

“Banished? To the Great Plains?”

“Interesting.”

“Thurdlet abandoned his bastard…”

The agitated atmosphere quickly subsided.

The nobles, having found something interesting, leaned back and murmured.

“So that’s how he appeared from the Great Plains. He was banished.”

“It seems like they were aiming for him to be killed by proxy rather than banished.”

The short man and the man with a lump on his head muttered.

“That’s probably it. The Great Plains are teeming with different races.”

The man with a large nose scratched his chin.

“That he fought against the North leading the Orcs means…?”

The skinny man asked.

“Didn’t that Pinto guy also have Orcs as his backers? It’s probably the same thing.”

“What a remarkable guy! I like him.”

The fat man laughed heartily.

“It would be great if his blood wasn’t that of Thurdlet.”

“I agree. Still, it would be interesting to meet him as Gong said, wouldn’t it? If he’s a discarded son, he must hate the blood flowing through his veins.”

“I’m a little worried, but I agree with that.”

The five nobles chattered excitedly.

Hugo’s expression twisted at the sight.

He thought the atmosphere was turning in his favor, but…

The old man’s few words ruined everything.

Hugo glared at the old man, his neck reddening.

The old man responded by raising only one corner of his lip.

Gritting his teeth…

“This is not a matter to laugh off!”

Hugo stood up abruptly from his seat and slammed the table.

The murmuring nobles stopped talking again and looked at him.

They frowned at his rude behavior.

“Goodness, we can hear you just fine without you shouting.”

“Does he have a mistress who ran away to the North? He’s all fired up.”

“Since Hugo is so eager, it seems we should make a decision soon.”

“Well… let’s do that.”

Although the atmosphere wasn’t very willing, the nobles agreed.

“The agenda?”

“Shouldn’t we first figure out whether that bastard of Thurdlet will fight us or join us?”

“I agree. I don’t want to have a pointless fight over that beggar-like land.”

“And he seems to be involved with Orcs.”

The fat man nodded.

“Then let’s send a summons and convene the assembly [formal meeting of nobles].”

“Anyone opposed to bringing this matter to the assembly now?”

The nobles looked at the fat man and closed their mouths.

The fat man nodded, acknowledging their silence.

“Good. It’s passed. The agenda is set, and Thurdlet’s bastard will be summoned in the name of His Majesty.”

“Ah! Now I can finally rest a bit. There’s just too much work.”