King
Chapter 188 - 188 121 Unexpected_1

188: Chapter 121: Unexpected_1 188: Chapter 121: Unexpected_1 After settling everyone down, Hudson began to wander in the back yard alone.

Kingdom’s control over Life Essence has always been strict.

For the entire Noble Consortium, this restriction is necessary.

If the number of Knights isn’t controlled, competition within the noble circle would intensify several times over.

The result of letting a group of armed individuals lose their livelihoods is easily imaginable.

Each noble house’s quota of Life Essence was limited, which was undoubtedly unfavorable for thriving clans.

Taking the Koslow Family as an example, if they have enough resources, the number of Knights born in each generation might multiply several times.

But reality is harsh, apart from family members with established foundations who could obtain Life Essence, the majority of the clan members were forced to leave the noble circle and become free people.

Supporting each other would be limited to raising these people to adulthood.

More resources are genuinely unaffordable.

Many of the freemen in big cities are descendants of nobles.

They descended due to various reasons.

Those who came this time, most likely have powerful close relatives.

At least they had been given basic Knight training and some cultural knowledge.

For distant relatives, they would barely provide food, let alone Knight training, or even knowledge of culture.

Not because of heartlessness, but because the more they know, the more troubles it may bring.

If the direct descendants aren’t taken care of, who would care for distant relatives?

Apart from a small number of nobles with a thin population, Life Essence overflowed.

In most noble families Life Essence would not leak out, even if there is surplus in their own homes, children in their relatives’ homes still needed it.

The Koslow Family belonged to those needy relatives.

Baron Redman spends a lot of money every year to maintain interpersonal relationships for this reason.

To purchase Life Essence, not only does it require money, but also indebting oneself with favors.

The most delicate issue for Hudson now was the issue of favors.

As the spokesperson of interests put forward by the native nobles, he must be mindful of his demeanor.

The most critical aspect was saving face.

“Tom, send an invitation to Baron Katelai, asking him to come over.”

Apart from the nobles’ own quota, they could also obtain Life Essence through battle achievements according to the kingdom’s laws.

Hudson’s battle achievements had all turned into fiefdoms, naturally, he was unable to exchange them for Life Essence again.

However, in the kingdom, there’s a group that never lacks battle achievements.

The Koslow Family originated from the Northern Border, but their connections tragically haven’t remained, instead, quite a few enemies remain.

Even if the Northern aristocracy wanted to exchange for Life Essence, they would have to consider the Koslow Family’s enemies’ reactions.

Of course, after so many years of no reaction, it is more likely that the Koslow Family has been forgotten by the Rocknard Family.

For the Five Great Houses of Northland who have enemies all over the kingdom, it is difficult to continuously concern themselves with the Koslow Family who can’t even maintain the face of intermediate aristocracy.

Bigshots may not care, but insignificant people can’t afford to ignore them.

Life in the Northland eventually depends on the mood of the Five Great Houses.

There’s always an exception to everything.

Not daring to trade openly doesn’t mean that no one dares to trade secretly.

If they dared to smuggle military supplies on a large scale, Hudson believed that the mysterious organization behind Katelai, would not fear trading Life Essence.

No matter how bold the Five Great Houses of the Northland are, there’s one thing they definitely wouldn’t do, and that’s smuggling arms to the Orcs.

The Northland Five Great Houses are even the front-runners in the crackdown on arms trafficking, prohibiting their nobles from smuggling any iron-made items to the Orc Empire.

It has nothing to do with nationalism, it’s purely because once the Orcs invade, they would be the first targets.

Selling the rope that strangles oneself, only capitalists could do such a thing, old-time nobles are not that shortsighted.

…

Maple Domain.

Since experiencing a societal slap, Baron Katelai became extra sensitive, seeing anyone as a potential traitor.

The consequence of severe lack of trust is – a small team full of trepidation.

Except for Knight Holman who could still talk a few words, the others were untrusted.

The reason is simple, before stepping into the pit, only Knight Holman had proposed an opposing opinion and reminded him to control risks during the process.

Being conspired against, without the opportunity to express his intrusion into the July Club, he didn’t dare to investigate the traitors.

All grievances, Katelai had to hold in his stomach.

“Katelai, ever since your return from the Mountain Domain, your mood hasn’t been right.

The path of life is bound to be full of ups and downs, learning to bear anger will make the journey go further.

Even if the slave traders have humiliated you, you have to bear it now.

This is the price for doing wrong.

Baron Hudson just invited you, you should go for a walk to relax.”

Holman tried to persuade him.

This time he came south with his nephew, apart from the subsidies given by the family, the main reason was that he saw potential in Katelai.

Sadly, plans change faster than actions, Katelai’s abilities are indeed good, but the opponents he faced were each one more deranged than the last.

The competition within the northern nobility began, Katelai, who was capable in all aspects, lost to Baron West, who had a good father.

Katelai was instantly killed by this alone, he attempted to struggle a few times, but ultimately, nothing changed.

The more unfortunate thing was that he had to make Hudson his neighbor.

The terrible geographical location forced Maple Domain to watch its neighbor’s face.