Lian gazed at the map of Green Shade Territory hanging on the wall, thinking calmly for fifteen minutes.
"Anna, bring me my most magnificent formal attire. I'm going to wear it to meet the Empire Venerable."
"Annie, please ask Miss Sophie, the Witch, to come here. She will accompany me to see the envoys."
Anna brought out the formal attire Lian had worn the previous night. In truth, since he had only just returned to the Lord's Mansion, it was the only set he owned.
Annie quietly left the room to find Miss Sophie.
The three "Ministers of the Regency" looked at one another, wondering what solution this young Illegitimate Child from the countryside could possibly devise to resolve a situation that even the old Lord had been unable to handle.
"You three, accompany me to meet the Empire Venerable and the Bank Envoy as well."
The Empire Venerable was responsible for conveying the King's words, his primary purpose being to demand troops from Green Shade Territory.
The Bank Envoy was, in effect, a debt collector for the Empire Bank, tasked with recovering the enormous debt owed by Green Shade Territory.
With both parties arriving at the same time, the train from the Empire Capital to Green Shade Territory must have been packed to the gills.
Judging by their weary expressions, the standing-room-only tickets had not been kind.
Green Shade Territory, by contrast, presented a different picture. The young new Lord was dashing in his crisp suit, the three ministers were dressed to the nines, and the Lord's personal maids were a pair of beautiful twins, like two brilliant pearls.
Except for the Witch, who wore a Collar, bracelets, and anklets, and looked to be Bordering on Loss of Control, Green Shade Territory—the Empire Bank's biggest deadbeat—seemed more at ease than any other debtor.
The 49-year-old Bank Envoy, with 20 years of debt collection experience, had seen countless nobles and magnates tremble under the pressure of the Debt Collection Army. This was the first time he had ever seen such a composed debtor.
"This is our new Lord, Lord Lian."
Minister of Foreign Affairs Alex Pool introduced them.
"This is the Empire Venerable, Lord Oppa. And this is the Bank Envoy, Mr. Emran."
Oppa narrowed his eyes at the young Lian and asked in a slightly contemptuous tone,
"His Majesty the King asks Green Shade Territory: will you or will you not answer the call to send troops to aid the Empire's attack on the Azure Dragon Court?"
"Lord Oppa, please, calm yourself. You all must be weary from your journey. Please, follow us to the castle to rest. Green Shade Territory has arranged a banquet to welcome you and help you recover from your travels."
Alex Pool said with a smile.
"A banquet won't be necessary. We don't wish to waste anyone's valuable time. I'm sure the Lord is aware of the main purpose of my visit. If you do not repay the Empire Bank's loan, we will have no choice but to take compulsory measures."
The Bank Envoy, Emran, had a powerful escort from the Debt Collection Army behind him, which lent his words a confidence that was in no way inferior to the arrogant Lord Oppa's.
"Indeed. I am also in a hurry to report back to His Majesty the King."
Oppa said, lifting his chin.
Minister Alex Pool looked toward Lord Lian with a troubled expression.
Lian spoke with a sorrowful expression,
"Very well. Since Lord Oppa is in a hurry to return, I will be direct.
"As you can see, our Green Shade Territory is already buried in debt, owing the Empire Bank the exorbitant sum of 300 million gold coins. We are truly willing but unable. Even if we wanted to send troops to aid His Majesty the King, we simply do not have the resources.
"Sending troops requires weapons, equipment, and provisions, all of which cost money. Until we can repay our debt to the Empire Bank, we certainly cannot afford such an expense.
"Therefore, please return and inform His Majesty that once we have cleared our debt with the Empire Bank, we will certainly answer His Majesty the King's call."
If the King insisted on Green Shade Territory sending troops, he would have to cancel their debt. But canceling Green Shade Territory's debt would not only mean a huge loss for the Empire Bank, it would also encourage other lords to follow suit, creating a vicious cycle.
The King would absolutely never agree to that. And even if the King were willing, the Great Noble shareholders of the Empire Bank would not.
Oppa frowned. This was tantamount to a roundabout refusal of the King's summons for troops.
300 million gold coins was equivalent to three years of tax revenue for a prosperous territory. Green Shade Territory was currently in shambles, and the old Lord had absconded with the funds. When, or if, Green Shade Territory could ever repay the debt was a serious question.
He felt it was necessary to warn this new Lord, Lian.
"His Majesty the King can wait, but can Green Shade Territory? Your Guardian Witch looks like she's about to lose control, doesn't she?"
"Lord Oppa, are you referring to this?"
Lian produced a key and personally unlocked the Collar from Sophie's neck, along with the heavy shackles on her hands and feet. This act sent the Empire Venerable, the Bank Envoy, and the entire Debt Collection Army stumbling back in unison.
"This was all a disguise. In reality, Miss Sophie never acquired the 'Bordering on Loss of Control' status.
"You should know that my father, Lord Moria, has many sons. To select an heir, he came up with this method.
"He deceived everyone, making them all believe that Green Shade Territory's Guardian Witch was about to lose control. My brothers and sisters were all scared away, leaving only me.
"That is why he passed the position of Lord to me, telling me this was all just a test of courage. Someone without courage could not lead Green Shade Territory to glory, nor could they serve His Majesty the King's grand cause.
"Otherwise, how could an Illegitimate Child from the countryside like me be chosen to become the Lord?
"I apologize to you all for my father's deception."
Lian spewed utter nonsense with a perfectly straight face.
"Is what you're saying true?"
"Of course. I swear on my father's honor."
"Then why has Green Shade Territory been constantly urging the Guardian Bureau to dispatch a new Witch for you?"
Oppa demanded.
"Although our Witch is not out of control, it is tradition to replace a Witch every five years. Miss Sophie has already served Green Shade Territory for six years. Is there any problem with us requesting a new Witch?"
Lian retorted.
Oppa was momentarily speechless.
Lian had already thought it all through.
The huge debt, the impending loss of control of the Witch, and being coerced by the King to send troops on an expedition—these things seemed unrelated, but in fact, they were fundamentally connected.
The core of all the problems lay in resolving the hidden danger of the Witch losing control.
The Empire's Witches were its sharpest weapons, the vast majority of them under the King's control and allocated by the Empire's Guardian Bureau. The replacement and appointment of all Witches for the Empire's 22 territories were decided by the Guardian Bureau.
'If I'm not mistaken,' Lian thought, 'the Guardian Bureau hasn't just withheld the new Witch that should have been sent to Green Shade Territory; they've also withheld the Witches for the other territories being conscripted by the King.'
'Losing a Guardian Witch, or having one lose control, would cause irreparable damage to a territory.'
'Constrained by this threat, the Lords would have no choice but to send troops to help the King.'
'But the King probably never imagined that Green Shade Territory would not only delay sending troops, but would also rack up a massive debt of 300 million gold coins to the Empire Bank, becoming the Empire's number one malignant tumor.'
'And Moria just washed his hands of it all, running off with his wives, concubines, and jewels, leaving behind a young scapegoat.'
'Even if the King immediately sent a capable official to serve as the new Lord, they wouldn't be able to clean up Moria's filthy mess.'
'The King, all the way in the Royal Capital, is probably stamping his feet in fury over Moria's shamelessness. If I can't solve this problem properly, the King's monstrous rage will surely swallow me whole, and the only thing awaiting me will be the guillotine!'
'But if I can be the first to solve the Witch problem and save Green Shade Territory, I can buy time to resolve the debt crisis step by step. When that happens, His Majesty the King will have no excuse to move against Green Shade Territory.'