I sighed in my heart that my troublesome opponent had laid eyes on me.
Nordstelm is the family of the leading aristocracy of the North, and our Lord has a Marquis. Three generations ago, there was a descendant from the royal family, and there was a one-off connection with the Wang capital.
There are many aristocrats whose reputation is rather poor due to the fact that they retain their financial power by lending gold, but that is why they cannot resist it.
Furthermore, the leading aristocrats of the North, in retrospect, are mostly branches of the Nordstelm family, and their influence in the North is greater than that of the Royal Family.
Once the more northern lands have been treated as the least important in Arksia.
Next to other countries lies the Black Mountains (Amon Noir), and to the north lies the rough waters of the sea, both of which take the north as a natural fortress.
It is also poorly positioned to go into maritime trade. If you go east, there are other countries, but most of the north was under the control of the Duchy of Denzel for a long time, or because it was the territory of the opposing Kingdom of Lindar. There is no sailing technique that passes their portion.
There is also a lot of frozen soil, and even if not, the land is lean, making it an overall poor area.
For those reasons, it was the only Nordstelm family that ruled the North until the time of the founding of the Kingdom of Arksia. As a result of prioritizing the land that needed to be ruled in detail, the North was not sent a single nobleman until the end.
It is impossible to rule vast tracts of land on their own, and the Nordstelm family began to rule by dividing the land independently under the Lord, until now, about one hundred and twenty years ago, when its governing mechanism was embedded intact in the kingdom's system of priesthood.
It is simply a financial factor that the Nordstellum family, which governs such land, entered into a relationship with the royal family.
First, in the north, gold is collected in Nordstelm. Because the most flourishing city is the castle city of the Marquis, where people and things gather.
Next, defense aids, which were not even used in the north, were offered annually. Based on the long build-up, he now began lending money to the surrounding territories, earning so much money that it was rumored that the interest alone covered the necessary portion of the territory's management.
I recall the Earl of Teresia saying that the descent from the royal family was a painful measure to bring back to the centre the property of the Nordstelm family, which is not in the Kingdom's interest.
Arxian royalty consists of two houses, which prevent the right to inherit the throne from leaving the royal hand.
On the other hand, he was not royal among them, and in exchange for one daughter of the Merriat family, he entered the treasury about one-third of the assets of the Nordstelm family.
If the Earl of Teresia says that this is what he heard from the Marquis Riedelgau, who was in "the palace" where he decided to do it at the time, there would be no mistake.
Assets have diminished, but nobles connected to the royal family gather their surroundings and hit their enemies. Can't you help but think that you want me to give you a break?
In the first place, the reason for this was that the House of Lords decided to distribute half of the defense costs it had put out to the north to the three territories of Cardia Yugfena Junas. There is no mistake in the House of Lords, which has turned to a place where unused expenses will be reliably spent.
Isn't it like saying that the only enemies the Northern nobles have in sight are the Cardians, that is, me, and that it is merely a rebellion, or an eight-win, not to try to move against King Einschvark and Uncle Junas Borderline, who rule the Yugfena kingdom?
"You don't have to look so depressed."
In a gatagotto and rocking carriage, Count Teresia, sitting in the seat across the street, snorted hun. Claudia, who sits next to him, also nods and gives her consent.
"I'll have a piece soon anyway. Even for Junus and Yugfena, Cardia needs to get her territory ready quickly, and until then, the Count Teresia has decided on her policy. Nordstelm, who has only assets and no weapons, has no interest in moving against three houses: Theresia, Junus, and Einschvark."
"Nordstelm will know that from the beginning. Do you know that there are other forces that work together?
My concern is with forces other than that Nordstelm.
Nordstelm has nothing but gold and surrounding northern nobles. I don't feel any threat from that alone. Depending on who the cooperative relationship is, however, it could be scratched. It seems to me that the question is how Nordstelm's wealth of money will be spent.
"Do you think Nordstelm is connected to something that could turn the state upside down?"
Count Teresia raises a single eyebrow to confirm my concerns.
It was in the ordinary assembly of the House of Lords that we decided to give expenses to the southwestern territories from the north, and what was decided there was decided by all the nobles in the country. I mean, national policy.
Incidentally, the House of Lords consists of lord nobles above the Viscount and court nobles above the Count. Being less than or equal to that, nobles are indirectly associated with participating nobles as proxies. I usually don't attend the House of Lords because I can stand for Count Teresia on my behalf.
"But otherwise, would you imitate a conservative northern nobleman putting a cross spear in a House of Lords decision?
It turned out to be a counterword return, but the Count nodded, Hmm. The conservative northern aristocrats, unlike the court aristocrats of Wangdu, try to be careful against the risk of their own diminishing influence.
Shouldn't we assume that such a gathering of them in one around the Nordstelm family would definitely have something damaging to do here? I've never been more vigilant.
Count Teresia moved his gaze out the window to the lid.
Looking at the flowing scenery, I guess you're thinking of something.
I also took my gaze off the Count that this would be the end of the story. Since the concern would have been conveyed, both of them would have paid attention to the Northern nobility on the basis of it.
But.
"... Nordstelm is about to be replaced."
After a while the Earl of Teresia groaned so pompously.
Around that being the prophecy, this Count reiterated that he was still terrified.