Chapter 543: War Council and the Six Departments

Ibn’s proactive proposal easily silenced the earlier disputes.

After all, when one of the strongest contenders for the throne himself advocated postponing the discussion on kingship, it made little sense for others to persist.

Thus, the focus of the gathering shifted from the crown to the leadership of the nobility.

Though Lord Rowan did not decline the role, he had his own intentions.

“Since everyone supports me so wholeheartedly, and the late king’s will also entrusted me with leading the nobles, I shall not refuse this position as commander.”

Rowan rose and bowed deeply to the assembly of nobles before him.

At once, thunderous applause filled the banquet hall. Ibn took a deep breath, smiling as he joined in the clapping.

Whether their support was genuine or born of fear made no difference—either way, the outcome remained the same.

Rowan waited patiently, but the applause continued unabated; finally, he raised both hands in a downward motion, gradually quieting the crowd.

“Though you place your trust in me, a vast kingdom requires more than military campaigns—internal stability and development are equally vital.”

This statement instantly captured everyone’s attention. They leaned forward, eager to hear what he would say next, for every word from him now carried weight, each one a potential turning point in the realm’s fate.

Rowan paused, then revealed his thoughts.

“Therefore, I propose that before the new king ascends, we establish two governing bodies: one, the ‘War Council,’ responsible for military operations; the other, the ‘Six Ministries,’ tasked with maintaining the kingdom’s stability and fostering its growth.”

Diminishing noble power—this had long been Rowan’s ambition.

Though not yet king, he could test the waters now. Any lessons learned here would guide him when building his own future dominion.

Much, after all, remained uncertain even to him.

And these words, indeed, lit up the eyes of those present.

Clearly, both the War Council and this newly named “Six Ministries” were centers of authority.

Unable to compete for the throne, the nobles now saw an opening—to align themselves with these new institutions.

Ibn leaned forward, voice steady. “Duke Rowan, please elaborate on your vision.”

Rowan nodded, about to speak—when suddenly, a knight strode briskly into the hall, bowing low beside Valgis to whisper urgently.

Valgis’s brow furrowed. He looked first at Rowan, then at the assembled nobles, and declared gravely: “My knight reports that Mos Grigor, son of Faelen, is already advancing upon Gistana’s border with his army. The Duchy of Faelenburg has clearly betrayed Auduin and surrendered to Trisia!”

The moment these words fell, the hall erupted into fervent debate.

Some cursed the Grigor family as traitors, others shouted for Faelen’s execution, while still more demanded immediate war against Faelenburg, calling for the complete annihilation of the rebels.

Amid the clamor, Caroline entered—bringing news from Vila.

Rulans sighed. “Vila has followed Faelenburg’s path. Rowan, I must leave the capital early and head to the border.”

With Andrei dead by Rowan’s hand, Vila’s rebellion had been inevitable.

But Faelenburg—Faelen still lived, yet his son Mos launched attack without negotiation, moving with surprising haste.

Fortunately, Valgis had already fortified defenses in recent days, avoiding total surprise.

“The war has begun,” Rowan said solemnly. “As supreme commander of the allied forces, I hereby appoint Valgis, Rulans, Ibn, and Gu Shan as members of the War Council, to serve alongside me in directing all military campaigns against our enemies!”

These four, together with Rowan, were the highest-ranking nobles in the realm—earls or above. Except for Gu Shan, each held vast fiefs and formidable strength.

When they heard their names called, all save Rulans regarded Rowan with curiosity—what exactly was this council?

“I intend for Duke Valgis to lead the western nobles against Faelenburg, Marquis Rulans to handle Vila, Counts Ibn and Gu Shan to command central forces against Blackthorn Duchy, while I myself shall lead the nobles of Goldenfeather and strike directly at the Kingdom of Trisia and the Duchy of Honor!”

In truth, the War Council would oversee these four fronts, reporting outcomes to Rowan, who would then issue unified commands.

The four lords voiced no objections—especially Ibn.

To him, this was Rowan indirectly fulfilling the terms he had proposed at Wushan Manor.

Even if sharing command with Gu Shan, the latter had always shown little interest in territorial matters.

Which meant, once Blackthorn was conquered, the land might well become the ancestral duchy of House Tolansi.

Ibn spoke first: “I have no objection to Duke Rowan’s arrangement. But may I ask which central nobles Count Gu Shan and I shall be commanding?”

Rowan smiled. “We can discuss specifics shortly. The list isn’t finalized. In principle, I respect each noble’s preference—they may choose whom to follow. Still, for balance, I may make adjustments.”

Ibn nodded. It seemed this meeting would not end anytime soon.

They debated military strategy for hours, then finally turned to the matter of the “Six Ministries”—a subject many found far more intriguing.

After all, the War Council had already been appointed by Rowan, offering little room for personal gain. But could they find influence within the Six Ministries?

In truth, Rowan had no intention of naming ministers himself.

“The Six Ministries I envision are: Ministry of Personnel, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Rites, Ministry of War, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Works.”

He then explained each ministry’s duties in turn.

The Ministry of Personnel would oversee the selection, evaluation, appointment, and promotion of officials.

The Ministry of Revenue would manage finances, taxation, household registries, land, and grain.

The Ministry of Rites would govern ceremonies, education, and foreign diplomacy.

The Ministry of War would direct military affairs, security, troop administration, and supply logistics.

The Ministry of Justice would handle judicial trials, prisons, and the creation or revision of laws.

The Ministry of Works would supervise construction projects, water conservancy, and transportation infrastructure.

Beyond these six, other departments like the Censorate could exist—but conditions were too limited now for finer divisions.

“Each ministry shall have one minister, two deputy ministers, and six directors. Ministers and deputies will be drawn from current royal ministers and capable nobles.”

“As for me, I shall coordinate between ministries, hear their reports and counsel, ensuring the kingdom’s stability.”

Rowan swept his gaze across the hall. “Now, I ask each of you to nominate suitable candidates for these six ministries.”

Though called a nomination, given the chaos and difficulty of implementation, former royal ministers would inevitably form the first cohort.

For instance, Justice Minister Dexter would surely become minister or deputy minister of Justice.

Likewise, Finance Minister Luther could serve in Revenue.

Of course, even if disorder arose, it mattered little.

Reform was bound to bring chaos. Once Rowan later restored order from this very chaos, people would accept it all the more readily.

This was one of his aims.

Moreover, he sought to use the Six Ministries to incite competition among the nobles, then later pair them with policies akin to the “Edict of Extended Grace,” strengthening royal authority while weakening noble power.

And now, elevated as commander, tasting real power and status—he had claimed the meat. Others, at least, should be allowed to sip the broth.

Military might swayed factions, but power touched every soul.

By releasing a portion of authority, he did not dilute his own supremacy—rather, he ensured that more people would defend his supremacy in their scramble for that very power.

When Rowan finished speaking, the nobles exchanged glances, bewildered. They had never seen such a system. Yet none had time to ponder why he would do this.

They only knew that Rohan’s proposal had offered them a new stage—a place beyond the battlefield where they could still display their talents and influence.

The nobles began quietly calculating how best to secure a seat within the framework Rohan had outlined.

The great lords would surely aim for minister or deputy minister, while the lesser nobles, having no hope for those posts, might at least manage to claim a directorship.

After hearing it all, Valgis remained puzzled in places, yet still nodded his approval.

“Lord Rohan’s Six Ministries system divides the kingdom’s affairs with greater precision. If fully implemented, the efficiency of our realm’s operations will undoubtedly improve dramatically.”

Iben pondered for a long moment before voicing his question:

“Lord Rohan, as a member of the War Council, may I also stand for election into one of the Six Ministries?”

“Of course!” Rohan replied. “Even if you’re too occupied, you may recommend a follower—or anyone else. However, each noble house may ultimately hold only one seat.”

A smile spread across Iben’s face. “I understand!”

Arseno frowned.

As Minister of State Affairs, he now found that much of his administrative and financial work had been consolidated into the Ministry of Revenue.

In the end, he and Lude had become rivals.

Then again, it made sense—they’d argued over countless matters even before this.

He couldn’t help but glance at Rohan. This young man was unmatched not only in combat strength, but also in governance—the balance of power inherent in this Six Ministries proposal revealed that clearly enough.

Inwardly, Arseno mused: *Though Rohan is not king today, I am certain that one day, there will be only one king upon the continent of Orlandt—and that king will be him.*

Others with sharper instincts noticed it too: though Rohan had not taken the crown, he already listened to reports from the ministries and coordinated among factions—tasks belonging solely to a king.

“I’ve suddenly introduced this system, so perhaps not everyone fully grasps it yet. I suggest you return and reflect on it. In two days’ time, come back with your desired positions, and we shall hold open elections by public vote.”

The nobles nodded in agreement.

Those two days would be crucial—for networking, rallying support, gathering votes.

Next, the discussion turned to how the noble contingents led by the five leaders of the War Council should be divided.

This decision needed to be made swiftly. After all, Felenzburg and the Duchy of Vela were already moving; unlike the ministries, this could not afford a gradual election.

Immediately, under Rohan’s guidance, the nobles in the hall were assigned one by one.

Except for a few who wished to follow familiar council members into battle, most raised no objections.

Such an arrangement kept every noble close to the frontlines, minimizing losses.

Time flew. Not until deep into the night did today’s noble assembly finally conclude.

Yet for the nobles, the real work had only just begun. The next two days would be their busiest.

Iben and Sheryl sat in their carriage, returning to their residence.

Sheryl sighed. “Though I presided over the assembly at first, in the end, it became entirely Rohan’s stage.”

Iben, emerging from his thoughts about the election, smiled and drew her close.

“Don’t dwell on it. We must remember—this world is ruled by strength. And Rohan isn’t just powerful; his other abilities are exceptional too.”

“Yes, you’re right,” she agreed.

“For Garret to challenge such a man… he truly picked the wrong opponent. Given how Rohan didn’t seize the throne today despite having every chance, he would never have taken Garret’s crown if Garret had simply remained loyal and peaceful.”

“Indeed. It’s just unfortunate that Garret’s nature was so extreme.”

Iben sighed. “Thankfully, at least he’s still alive. Though stripped of his powers and imprisoned, we can still care for him—ensure he lives the rest of his days without want.”

Sheryl slipped from his embrace and gazed out at the night sky, where only a few faint stars shimmered.

“Perhaps this is a blessing for him—and for the Kingdom of Auduin.”

“And even if Rohan becomes king one day, his descendants will still carry Auduin’s blood.” (End of Chapter)