Chapter 544: Division of Power

During the ensuing two days, the nobles residing within the Golden Feather City were seized by a frenzy of movement. Even relative strangers, bound by no previous ties, sought out one another through the most tenuous and far-fetched relationships, all for the sake of securing a vote.

Yet, this grand selection was ultimately a test of a noble house's comprehensive strength. Connexions, wealth, and raw power remained the true arbiters of the day.

No matter how greedily certain minor lords eyed the prestigious offices of Chief Directors within the Six Ministries, their modest stature was an unalterable reality; no amount of social flattery could bridge the chasm.

Consequently, several bolder souls ventured to the Wushan Manor to wait upon Ronin, harboring the hope that he might establish additional departments, thereby allowing them to dedicate their services to the realm.

The visits of these petitioners were driven by self-interest, but they served as a tacit pledge of fealty to Ronin.

After all, in the near future, even if this formidable young lord did not ascend the throne of Alduin, he would assuredly forge a realm of his own.

The system of the Six Ministries that Ronin was now championing would undoubtedly be instituted within his future sovereign state.

Thus, by showing their countenances before him now, they secured an opportunity to contend for high office within Ronin’s future kingdom.

To remain idle now meant that when the hour finally struck, any attempt to curry favor would be entirely too late.

Ronin did not turn these callers away; to those he knew, he offered a few gracious words, while with the unfamiliar, he merely observed the necessary social pleasantries.

During this interval, he instructed Carolina to send word to McCain, commanding him to return to the Purple Thunder Territory to begin orchestrating the encirclement and annihilation of the Principality of Vera alongside Melonica and Petro.

Simultaneously, he dispatched Carlos and Elrond back to the Northern Wu Territory to launch an assault upon Screaming Island, co-ordinating with the navy trained by Rhys and Karada.

The geography of Screaming Island was vast, comprised of a myriad of scattered islets; though Ronin possessed an internal agent in Partridge, swallowing all these islands in one fell swoop presented a significant challenge in terms of time.

Therefore, he selected several viscounts and barons from his guest list to deploy their forces alongside his own toward Screaming Island.

Rulance, too, was far from idle.

The encirclement of the Principality of Vera by the Wushan Territory was bound to stir the entire realm, affecting every piece upon the board. Thus, while pondering the candidates for the Six Ministries, he had Wiggins issue a general levy, mobilizing every noble, great and small, within the Wushan Territory to wage an all-out assault until the enemy's lands were entirely subjugated.

The theater of war was by no means confined to a single front.

Along the borders of the Principality of Gistana and the Principality of Ferrensburg, several small-scale skirmishes had already erupted in rapid succession.

As the might of Ferrensburg naturally eclipsed that of Gistana, the latter invariably found itself at a disadvantage in these opening clashes.

Valgis had no leisure to concern himself with the affairs of the Six Ministries; after convening a grand assembly of the nobles assigned to him to establish the Western Front, he hurried back to his own domain.

The Western Front stood opposed not only to Ferrensburg but also to the Principality of Balaton beyond the Brown Forest to the southwest, placing a formidable weight of responsibility upon the shoulders of Duke Valgis.

Prior to their departure, the five members of the War Council had held a council, wherein it was determined that Ronin would provide highly mobile reinforcement, striking wherever the battlefields demanded.

In his current state, he was the equivalent of a devastating weapon of mass destruction, possessing an immense deterrent capability, ready to be deployed wherever the need was most dire.

Naturally, Ronin’s own frontal assault had to progress with steady resolve; after all, the sooner Dragon City fell, the sooner he could establish his own kingdom.

As for the territories that would comprise his sovereign realm, they would naturally encompass the lands bound by the three major cities of Moore City, Banks Forest, and Lakeside City—situated between Mist City and Dragon City—alongside five minor cities and over a dozen smaller towns.

And, of course, Dragon City itself; the capital of the Tricia Kingdom would inevitably be drawn within the borders of Ronin’s domain.

It was a certainty that none would dare voice an objection to such an arrangement.

Two days slipped away in a flash, and on the morning of the third day, the very same banquet hall grew far more clamorous than it had been three days prior.

The clamor of campaigns, the calling out of votes, and the bursts of applause echoed without surcease, and there were even scenes where the contention for Chief Director seats grew so fierce that men accused one another openly, their faces flushed with righteous fury.

A single day proved far too brief to determine the roster for these fifty-four official posts; consequently, the assembly dragged on for three consecutive days, only reaching a tenuous conclusion just before the fall of night.

Ronin looked down at the compiled ledger, noting many familiar names written upon the parchment.

For instance, the Minister of State Affairs, Arseno, had campaigned for the position of Minister of the Ministry of Officials and had secured the post precisely as anticipated.

There was also the former Minister of Commerce, Luther, who now presided as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

The Minister of the Ministry of Rites was Randall, the great-grandson of Belora.

The Minister of the Ministry of War was Broll, formerly the Vice-Commander of the Gryphon Knights.

The Minister of the Ministry of Justice was Texas, who had once served as the Kingdom's Minister of Justice.

The sole individual unknown to Ronin was Cobain, the Minister of the Ministry of Works, an official from the Twin Peaks Territory who enjoyed the staunch backing of Earl Ibn.

Looking further down at the Vice-Ministers, almost all possessed backgrounds tied to comital houses; it was only at the rank of Chief Director that the names of viscounts and barons of the realm began to appear.

Though Ronin had not permitted his followers to contest the ministerial seats, he had successfully secured the position of Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Officials for Wilson.

Beyond this, the Ministry of Revenue had Albert serving as Vice-Minister under the recommendation of Rulance, while the Ministry of War was joined by Bavi Snyder, supported by Duke Valgis before his hurried departure.

The selection of these offices within the Six Ministries was, in truth, a magnificent division of the spoils of power.

What remained to be seen was how these officials would set the machinery of the kingdom back into motion.

Ronin intended to use this occasion to observe the process closely, so that when the day came to establish his own realm, he might continually refine the structure of his departments; he also needed to contemplate the formulation of rules and responsibilities for other ministries.

In addition to this, another monumental task lay before him: he required the Ministry of Rites to meticulously plan the realm's educational framework, to be deployed just as the fires of war began to recede.

After all, he had no desire for the selection of talent to rely entirely upon the recommendations of nobles, followed by public campaign speeches.

To be sure, the education he intended to introduce was not a pure imperial examination system, but rather a curriculum oriented toward modern disciplines—such as language, mathematics, and engineering—with selection determined through rigorous testing.

Consequently, the Ministry of Rites would need to standardize examination rules across the land and unify the textbooks; Minister Randall, as the supreme overseer of the Silva Magic Energy Chamber of Commerce, had effectively taken a massive burden upon his own shoulders.

Late into the night, after Ronin had escorted Broll from his presence, he collapsed onto the sofa, a profound weariness washing over him.

Blanche stepped forward, her fingers gently kneading his shoulders and massaging his scalp as she inquired, "How is it? Do you feel terribly exhausted?"

"Aye, more exhausted than the day I fought Selyndil and the others."

Broll, as the Vice-Commander of the Gryphon Knights and an honorary earl of the realm, possessed decent social standing, yet his credentials were still somewhat lacking to claim the mantle of Minister of War.

That he had succeeded was primarily due to the glowing, definitive praise Ronin had bestowed upon him during his speech, allowing him to edge out Bavi by a razor-thin margin of votes.

The Ministry of War was charged with the realm's military affairs, security, army management, and the supply of military provisions.

For the moment, Broll did not need to concern himself with military strategy or army management, and while he excelled in matters of security, he was less versed in the complexities of supply chains, which was precisely why he had sought out Ronin for counsel.

The kingdom's resources were exceedingly vast, and with war raging across multiple fronts, supporting all quarters with adequate provisions was a matter of paramount gravity.

Ronin intended to call a joint assembly of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue to deliberate upon this matter with utmost gravity.

"Tomorrow, bid Carolina assist me by penning a dispatch to the Northern Wu Territory, instructing Rogner to prepare himself to take up an office under Broll’s command."

Though each noble house was permitted but a single official seat within the Six Ministries, Ronin being no exception to the rule, this restriction did not prevent him from placing a few of his own people within the ranks.

Of course, they would not occupy the stations of Minister or Chief Director; they would merely serve alongside them to acquire knowledge.

Rogner had long been responsible for coordinating and supplying provisions between the Northern Wu Territory, Moonlight Valley, and the frontline at Mist City, making him thoroughly experienced in these affairs.

By having Rogner assist Broll, Ronin was not only aiding the latter but also allowing Rogner to gain broader exposure to the affairs of the realm, thereby cultivating a trustworthy steward for his future kingdom.

"Then who shall oversee the provisions of our own territory?"

Blanche inquired softly, her hands never ceasing their rhythmic massage against his temples.

"That is indeed a conundrum."

Ronin pondered for a moment before replying, "Let David take up the mantle. He has followed me for an age, and by the end of last year, his capabilities had matured significantly; moreover, he worked under Rogner not long ago. With Pearson to assist him, there should be no cause for concern."

Blanche nodded in gentle agreement.

David was well-acquainted with Wilson, Chahar, and the rest; employing an old hand to mobilize provisions from various quarters would naturally prove less fraught with difficulty.

"Very well, I shall have Carolina send out the notices together on the morrow."