Warhammer Divine Throne

Teresa and Aurora, mother and daughter, were discussing something; Laine was completely unaware. The Count himself returned to the study in the winery and sat down to organize some documents.

The wide desk was piled with various materials. Laine exhaled softly; he had drunk quite a bit today. After the banquet ended, everyone went back to their rooms to rest, but as the Count, he still had to organize the documents. He had agreed with the Lake Fairy to meet at midnight on Lily Flower Island in Charon Forest.

Preparations for the attack on Musillon were in full swing. Laine, as the Count himself, had to personally review many documents. Having had a few more drinks, he felt somewhat irritable, but he had to attend to things himself, because Brittania was different from the Empire. In the Empire, each Prince-Elector had a mature bureaucratic system to maintain their rule; whenever needed, the bureaucrats would quickly resolve matters.

In Brittania, however, the nobles had to handle these troublesome chores themselves. Laine often felt fortunate to have a wife like Surya, who was skilled in internal affairs and gentle and considerate. She always managed things well.

Reviewing the documents, Laine thought the bureaucratic system was indeed quite tedious, but it was extremely necessary. It ensured efficient administrative capabilities, efficient handling of daily matters, and efficient allocation of resources, which the relatively backward vassal system of Brittania couldn’t compete with.

To paint a picture, if Emperor Carl Franz, sitting in Brunswick, wanted a box of oranges, he only needed to give an order, and an hour later, the appointed bureaucrats would deliver a box of oranges to the Imperial Palace. The Emperor needn’t concern himself with the matter once the order was given.

But in Brittania? If King Richard wanted a box of oranges, he would have to send someone to check the warehouse. If there were none, Richard would have to order attendants to search the market. Still none? He’d have to sign a requisition order to collect from the orchards.

Perhaps a few days would have passed in this process, and Richard would need to personally issue orders at each step.

That’s the difference between the two systems.

With his own bureaucratic system, Emperor Carl Franz could turn his attention to major military and political affairs, or personally lead troops to war, without worrying about the Imperial Court descending into chaos during his absence. The simple yet cumbersome tasks would naturally be handled by others, allowing the Emperor to focus on important matters.

Brittania’s lords weren’t so fortunate. They were often bogged down in many tedious daily affairs. If they left their lands, they had to appoint a regent or deputy.

But Brittania’s system wasn’t without advantages. Precisely because of this vassal system, military expenses and various supply materials were distributed by the Master Knights themselves, who wouldn’t embezzle their own money.

It wasn’t the same in the Empire. The larger the army, the longer the supply lines, and funds and materials were distributed through layers, naturally providing opportunities for bureaucrats to manipulate things. When Richard’s attendant brought a box of oranges into the Royal Palace, the attendant genuinely had only collected one box of oranges from his domain. But when Emperor Carl Franz savored oranges in the Imperial Palace, it was very likely that his subordinates had already requisitioned two boxes, or even four boxes of fruit, in the Emperor’s name.

In the process of upward submission, three boxes of fruit disappeared. Where did these things go?

No one knows, yet everyone knows.

Moreover, over time, the bureaucratic system grows ever more vast, increasingly decaying and corrupt. It’s like a precisely functioning gear; today, it operates to maintain control, tomorrow, it will continue to function seamlessly, with the entire system gradually developing inertia.

After a moment of random thoughts, as Laine continued to revise the documents, the door of the study was pushed open.

Surya, wearing a white fox fur low-neck seductive pale pink pleated satin gown, and draped with a brown coat, entered with a silver tray. Her golden long curls shimmered with water light, her face full of endless gentleness. She approached Laine, placing the tray on the desk: "My husband, you’ve worked hard. This is a midnight snack."

On the silver tray was a cup of hot milk and a mille-feuille, made of three layers of brown multi-layer pastries and two layers of sweet cheese sauce. While the ingredients were simple, the baking process was extremely intricate. The maker must repeatedly fold the pastries to ensure they are sufficiently delicious.

Laine lifted his head from the numerous scrolls, instantly noticing the exquisite craftsmanship in the pastries: "You made this yourself?"

"The Lady taught me to make it." Surya smiled. Next, the Countess exclaimed, as she was lifted and placed on her husband’s lap. The lady knight was startled: "Laine! You rascal!"

"My dear wife~" Laine buried his head into Surya’s ample bosom, enjoying the soft sensation: "You’re always the best to me!"

"Of course, I am your wife!" Surya extended her finger to gently tap Laine’s forehead, her breathtakingly beautiful face filled with happiness: "Alright, eat while it’s hot. Are you still heading to Lily Flower Island tonight?"

"Yes, the Lady’s Oracle; the preparation will soon bear fruit." Laine nodded, though he wasn’t planning to let Surya go, holding his wife’s body on his lap: "Surya, are there no other matters? Accompany me for a chat, will you?"