The capital of Aldo shone brightly, and sunlight shone on the golden-domed palace, reflecting a long-lost sense of peace.
King Rodney XVIII sat at the head of the long table, an irrepressible smile on his face. He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time—in fact, it was the first time since his ascension to the throne that he truly felt at ease.
"Who could have imagined this?" he exclaimed at the cabinet meeting, his tone tinged with disbelief. "I originally thought this war would last at least two or three years, that the north would be locked in a stalemate, and that several cities might even fall."
He looked around at everyone, his eyes gleaming: "But what about now? The orcs have been driven back to the grasslands in less than half a year."
A burst of light laughter rang out in the hall, and several ministers nodded in agreement.
"Your Majesty is wise." Palace Attorney Rupert Walter spoke first, his tone respectful yet familiar. "You decisively dismissed redundant officials, reorganized the military, and personally selected generals and allocated supplies, which has led to high morale at the front and invincible victories."
"Yes," the Minister of Military Affairs echoed. "His Majesty demonstrated extraordinary decisiveness from the very beginning of his reign, and now it has been proven that you are Aldo's true pillar."
Rodney's smile deepened upon hearing this, but his tone remained humble:
"You flatter me." He waved his hand. "Of course I wish I could take credit, but to be honest, this victory is the result of the unity of the entire kingdom."
He paused, a hint of emotion in his eyes: "Especially Marquis Gleman, if it weren't for his training of the army and reform of the military system in the Northwest Bay, and his personal leadership of the troops to win several great victories... we wouldn't have been able to win so quickly."
He looked around at everyone and said sincerely, "I must admit that without him, the outcome of this war would probably not have been so smooth."
Rupert smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is too modest, but we all know that without your wise leadership, the Marquis would not have been able to fully display his talents."
Everyone agreed, and the atmosphere was relaxed and pleasant.
Rodney looked at the group of ministers, a warmth filling his heart. He recalled the fear he felt when he first ascended the throne; back then, the unruly Giles ruled the south, and the orcs lurked in the distance, the entire kingdom teetering on the brink of collapse.
But what about now?
Giles has been eliminated, the orcs have fled to the grasslands, and although finances are still strained, they are beginning to improve—with continued investment, the special economic zone around Westport has already generated positive feedback.
He couldn't help but feel secretly relieved: he was finally beginning to win the trust of the country and was finally beginning to take control of his throne.
Rodney XVIII leaned back in his chair, his gaze slowly sweeping over the assembled ministers, and continued in a calm tone:
"I intend to continue to leave the Narodane Corridor under the management of the Watchers. Its strategic location is crucial and must be directly controlled by the royal family. But what about the Yellow Earth Plains...?"
He paused, a hint of hesitation in his voice: "The Bradley family is no longer qualified to rule that land. But now, the Marquis of Gleman is the actual controller there."
Silence fell over the hall.
The ministers exchanged glances, their brows furrowed. They were well aware of the current state of the Loess Plateau—territory that Paul Gleman had reclaimed during the war.
In fact, Jingyao and Northwest Bay are currently in a complicated relationship. Most of the kingdom's high-ranking officials have gradually realized that the two are more like allies than ruler and subject.
Status stems from strength, and the performance of the Northwest Gulf in war far surpasses that of any traditional kingdom vassal.
If Paul Gleman defeated the orcs with the support of Crystal Radiance—his military supplies, manpower, and weapons all depended on the kingdom—then any action Crystal Radiance might take against the Yellow Earth Plains would be perfectly justified.
But Paul Gleman didn't ask the Kingdom's government for a single penny, and instead asked the Marquis to hand over his spoils of war. What would he think?
But if we don't take it back, how can we deal with the situation where a local lord possesses such a vast territory?
In the silence, Lord Merlin, the Minister of Intelligence, spoke slowly, his tone low and firm:
"Your Majesty, I believe that the Loess Plain should no longer be under the control of Marquis Gleman."
He looked around at the crowd, and seeing that no one objected, continued:
"We should send a highly respected nobleman with close ties to the royal family to take over. The geographical location of the Loess Plain is too crucial. If it is left to be arbitrarily controlled by a local lord for a long time, it will be a potential threat to the kingdom."
His tone turned serious: "Even if Marquis Gleyman himself is utterly loyal to the kingdom, we must consider his successor. You don't want a second Giles to appear in the North someday, do you?"
The atmosphere in the hall immediately tensed up after those words were spoken.
Several ministers lowered their heads in deep thought, and although Rupert Walter did not speak, a hint of agreement appeared between his brows.
Rodney didn't respond immediately after hearing this, but gently stroked the armrest of the chair, his gaze fixed on the streets of the capital outside the window.
He was certainly aware of Paul's contributions and knew that without him, Aldo's north would have already fallen, but he could not ignore Count Merlin's warning that an overly powerful vassal was ultimately a problem.
A moment of silence filled the meeting room until Lord Chancellor Rupert Walter slowly spoke:
"Your Majesty, I have a suggestion."
Everyone looked at him, even Rodney XVIII looked up and listened intently.
"The commander of the Watchers Legion—Earl Hal Duke," Rupert said slowly, his pace unhurried. "He distinguished himself in the war against the orcs. He not only personally led his army to recapture the Nerodan Corridor, but also demonstrated outstanding command abilities in many battles."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "If we entrust the management of the Loess Plains to him based on his merits, Marquis Gleyman will have no grounds for objection. As for the Watchers Legion, we can select another outstanding general from within it to lead it."
Upon hearing this, a thoughtful glint flashed in the eyes of several ministers.
"More importantly," Rupert continued, "Hal Duke comes from an old noble family, whose members have served the Aldor for generations, and his loyalty to the kingdom is beyond question."
He paused slightly, a hint of deeper meaning in his voice: "Perhaps it would be more beneficial for the kingdom to establish a... delicate balance between Marquis Gleman and Earl Duke."
"One controls the Northwest Bay, and the other controls the Loess Plateau. The two cooperate and check each other, and neither can dominate the country."
In the hall, several ministers nodded in approval, and Earl Merlin also showed a look of approval.
Rodney did not respond immediately after hearing the suggestion, but he had clearly taken it into consideration.
"A delicate balance…" he repeated softly, as if weighing the weight of the proposal.
Can it be balanced? Rupert has never been to the Northwest Bay, but he has.
But as Rupert said, power, if left unchecked, will sooner or later become a threat.
Hal Duke is indeed a suitable candidate.