Chapter 46: A Talk Between Father and Son (Part 2)

“So, Father, since you have a temporary solution for some of your problems, please tell me right away the specific reason why you were stuck in Karada this summer.”

After finishing his complaint, George immediately switched topics to the one he was interested in.

Viscount Bolerum: “The reason I was delayed this summer was because of the Court Nobility in Karada.”

“What kind of trouble did those guys who just love to talk and the Exiled Nobles cause again?”

George seemed to have seen this kind of thing many times and was not surprised.

However, he quickly snapped back to reality. “But if it was something that made you, Father, have to stay in Karada to coordinate and solve it, I guess those guys must have caused quite a big trouble.”

The Court Nobility are nobles without any territory, and it seems that every country on this Continent has such a group.

The composition of this group varies from country to country.

As for now, the main sources of the Court Nobility in the Duchy of Nohan are three channels.

The first part consists of Mages of the Black Lead Rank or Formal Knights without a Fief.

These people can become Court Nobility after pledging loyalty to the Duchy and signing official magical documents.

Of course, this part is often a minority, and most of them serve in the army.

The second part is the choice made by the children of nobles with Military Merit who have no right of inheritance when they cannot take the first path.

They choose to take the path of civil servants.

Some of them even get a title after making satisfactory achievements in this field.

However, after getting the title, things often split into two different paths.

Some of their descendants work hard and continue their fathers’ careers, and some even break through the limits of mortals to join the first source group.

But there is another part that does not strive for progress or even sinks into self-destruction.

After keeping their titles through their fathers’ arrangements or by managing their networks, they use their privileges without any care to gather wealth.

They even oppressed Commoners or colluded with underground organizations.

What is especially annoying is that they often make a fuss and demand better privileges and power, but they never think about the equal obligations they should fulfill.

The third part consists of Exiled Nobles from foreign countries.

Some of the neighboring countries are actually unstable, and wars and annexations between Lords are not uncommon.

After a war, families with Knight legacies can always find a new Lord as long as they are alive, even if they lose their Territory.

However, for some noble families that have lost their legacy or never had one, if they are lucky enough to escape the destruction of war and still have a certain amount of wealth, they usually choose to go to another country to become Exiled Nobles.

Even the newly established Duchy of Nohan has quite a few such exiles.

As long as they provide complete magical documents, family genealogy proofs, and heraldry proofs, and pay a certain donation to His Grace the Duke, they can keep their noble status.

This is a long-standing customary practice.

If they do not do this, they will often face discrimination in their interactions with other countries.

Some of these people actively integrate into the Duchy’s noble group, buy and try to run their own businesses, hoping to move up one day.

Of course, miracles do happen.

In the nearly 500 years of the Duchy, more than a hundred high-ranking professionals of the Black Lead Rank and above have emerged from among them.

There was even a newly established Knight family that successfully became Formal Knights for three consecutive generations, obtained a legacy, and received a Fief.

Of course, for every one who strives for progress, there is one who sinks into decay.

Some nobles spend all their time partying while running their businesses.

Some of them can at least balance their income and expenses, but most of them end up having to sell their properties.

Then, these guys who are unwilling to give up their life of luxury and pleasure turn to black market deals and fight for privileges.

Whether it is the latter part of the second group or the third group, just like most citizens with voting rights in the late Roman Empire, some of them even have the shadow of the privileged second-generation officials from the world before crossing over.

These are all sores on the body of the state, and only a few dare to scrape the bone to cure the poison.

Letting these guys make a fuss from time to time is sometimes really disgusting.

However, their direct negative impact on the Noble class or even the Citizen class is not very big.

Plus, their noble status and tangled relationships mean the higher-ups have never made up their minds to clean them up.

Viscount Bolerum seemed to recall his experience this summer, and his facial expression was a bit ugly.

After a while, he shook his head with a bitter smile and said, “They are all bastards who cannot control their belts, but this time they caused big trouble.”

George immediately thought of something and spoke directly: “Are you saying that a noble lady was among the victims?”

“Yes! Do you remember Knight Dardania? He is the son of the second son of the Tox family, who is a diplomat.

One of the victims is his daughter, and she is the same age as you.”

Viscount Bolerum’s face carried a sad expression, after all, Knight Dardania, who served in the garrison forces in Karada, had some connections with his father.

George cried out in surprise: “What? There is not just one.

Don’t noble ladies go out in groups without bodyguards and servants now?”

Viscount Bolerum explained: “They definitely had bodyguards and servants, but Miss Tox and her friend Miss Amastasha were kidnapped while measuring clothes in a clothing store.

Because there was a curtain blocking the view, people outside found out too late.”

“What about the personal maids? They must not have been equipped?”

While George raised his question, something suddenly flashed in his mind. “Did you say Amastasha? Isn’t that the meaning of ‘Star Flower’ in Elf language?”

“What else would you think? This time those bastards really almost caused a huge disaster.

When the bodyguards realized something was wrong and went in to check, wow! Both the young ladies and their maids were gone.

I mean, the Tox family is one thing, but why didn’t the Amastasha family equip their young lady with some Magic Items for self-defense?”

It seemed that Viscount Bolerum was complaining about the Amastasha family, who had added so much work for him that he couldn’t even take a vacation.

Seeing Viscount Bolerum like this, George quickly said: “Father, saying such words is too irresponsible towards the victims.

This is not what a true Noble should do.

Let’s quickly talk about the handling of the situation afterwards.”

Seeing that his son’s evaluation of him seemed to have dropped, Viscount Bolerum quickly explained: “I am just complaining in front of you.

You should think about it like this: of course, if there were suitable Magic Items, the two young ladies would not have suffered so much.

So what happened afterwards? As soon as we received the news, we sent out the City Guard, after all, Knight Dardania has quite a few connections there.

But as you know, although Karada is not considered a very large city on the Continent, it is actually quite big.

Finally, with the help of Mages, we found the two of them, but it was too late.”

“It seems there will be a lot of heads rolling this time.”

George said while making a sword-swinging motion.

He was very dissatisfied with those guys who abused their privileges both before and after crossing over.

Now that he finally had a chance, of course, he wanted to stir up some trouble.

Although Viscount Bolerum was a bit confused by George’s sudden excitement, he still poured a bucket of cold water on George’s enthusiasm: “The matter involves the dignity of the Nobles to some extent.

Beheading is not allowed; they were all executed by hanging, and their bodies were buried peacefully.”

“In that case, the Amastasha family will probably not let this go easily, right?”

George remembered that the Elf Race is very sensitive about such matters.

“How could they not let it go! The final result of this matter was that the three Court Nobles directly involved were executed immediately.

Their families were stripped of their titles, and all their property was used to compensate the victims.

Then, the four other Court Nobles involved were also stripped of their titles.

Most importantly, we managed to define this case as a simple rape case through our own efforts, rather than the slave raiding that is most sensitive to the Elves.

Finally, we finally obtained their forgiveness.”

Viscount Bolerum spoke as if it were a light and easy matter, but the actual confrontation was far from being so calm and carefree.

From Viscount Bolerum’s expression, George could fully understand the hardship and exhaustion involved.

For some reason, perhaps due to a surge of blood in his heart, George stood up and bowed 90 degrees to Viscount Bolerum, saying: “You have worked very hard! Father.”

Viscount Bolerum stayed silent for a while before speaking: “It is not hard, really not hard.

I just used this chance to give a good lesson to the pests in the Court Nobility.

At least in the coming years, we will be much more relaxed, it’s just a pity for those two girls.”

“What will happen to them in the future?”

Perhaps out of sympathy, George could not help but ask this question.

Viscount Bolerum sighed and said: “We have no way to interfere in this; it is their family’s own business.

But I think they will probably have to marry someone they usually do not look up to.

After all, after such an incident, they can only lower their original requirements.”

Hearing the previous words, George suddenly thought of something and asked: “This time it was a noble lady that was encountered, so the crime was punished.

But I think they have done this more than once or twice.

There must have been more Commoner women who suffered before, so what about them?

And I think the people who did these things are probably not just those who were punished this time; we cannot guarantee that there will not be victims in the future.

With this lesson, they will definitely be more careful and then specifically target Commoners.”

Viscount Bolerum waved his hand to indicate that George should sit down, then said: “This is the rules of the game.

If they are Citizens, they still have some connections to some extent.

With good luck, they might get some compensation while saving the person.

But for that group of poor people in the Lower District, we are indeed powerless.

This is reality, my child.

However, since this matter has caused such a big fuss, they should restrain themselves for a few months.”