永斌 闫
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TLOBH-Chapter 92: Opportunity for Transformation
🕑 Added 2025-09-25 04:00:04 +0000 UTCHenwell wanders around the Phoenix family's castle, and it is truly luxurious! The corridors and rooms are filled with artworks and portraits of family members from generations past. The castle's guards are quite formidable, with seven or eight knights leading nearly a hundred elite protectors patrolling the entire fortress.
The Phoenix family has spent generations building this massive castle, which spans tens of thousands of square meters. That's because two generations having chosen the wrong side in the heir wars, causing the family to fall into obscurity for decades.
Otherwise, the castle would have been even grander in scale. Now, the Phoenix family has risen again, and over the past decade, the Phoenix Castle has begun expanding once more.
This fortress, located just a few dozen kilometers south of the capital, has witnessed the rise and fall of the Phoenix family's history.
Orak, the eldest son of Baron Jansen, finds Henwell in the hall, looking at the portraits of the family heads through the ages. "That was my grandfather. He passed away three years ago due to old wounds. He spent his life fighting for the duchy and suffered many injuries."
Henwell nods gently. "So, not just the old family head, but also the current baron and you, Sir Orak. The entire Phoenix family has been striving tirelessly. That's why the Phoenix family has such a magnificent castle. That's why the Phoenix family has been able to rise again!"
Orak smiles and pats Henwell on the shoulder.
"You're part of this too! You're fighting for the Phoenix family. One day, your portrait might hang here as well! The Flash! Maybe your former family was powerful, but I think there's no going back. Why not stay with the Phoenix family? We're not a harsh or exclusionary group. The reason the Phoenix family has risen again is because we value talent."
Henwell remains silent for a moment. "My future isn't mine to decide, at least not yet. I don't have the right to choose."
Orak shakes his head. "Perhaps you feel your status isn't suitable. But what you don't know is that it's been a long time since someone like you appeared in the duchy. Seize every opportunity; the duchy is in a period of transformation. You're a smart guy, you should understand what I mean."
"Why did I join the duchy's Blood Lion Knights? Why has the duchy engaged in several wars recently? And why is there so much noble opposition to the Path of Honor? Think carefully, and you'll make a wise choice!"
Henwell certainly understands what the transformation of the duchy entails. The duchy is already strong enough, capable of standing its ground against a kingdom, which speaks volumes about its power.
In terms of both population and territory, the Vorry Duchy has reached the minimum threshold for becoming a kingdom. Now, everyone in the duchy is seeking the right opportunity. Once it's seized, the duchy can immediately transform into the Kingdom of Vorry. At that point, many will find themselves with new futures.
All the nobles are invested in the duchy's strengthening and are willing to work towards that goal. However, they also want to find opportunities to elevate themselves during this transition. The royal faction aims to weaken the power of other nobles, or at least prevent them from gaining too much from this transformation.
Meanwhile, the noble alliance has formed because they believe that if the duchy has the chance to become a kingdom, their own titles should be elevated as well. Knights want to become barons, barons aspire to viscounts, viscounts to earls, and earls to dukes. That's what everyone desires!
No one wants the state to become stronger without their own status improving. If a baron remain the baron when the duchy becomes a kingdom, what is the point of the transformation?
The royal family certainly wants to limit the expansion of noble power while increasing the strength of the royal faction. In essence, it's a power struggle between central and local authorities. Everyone wants to become stronger themselves while weakening the other side.
Currently, the duchy has three powerful earls, each guarding a different direction. To the north is Earl Lowel, who is formidable and happens to be the current Grand Duke's uncle. After losing in the power struggle, he retreated to his northern fiefdom. Although he harbors dissatisfaction with the current Grand Duke, he remains part of the royal faction.
The conflict between Earl Lowel and Grand Duke Amir is essentially a family affair within the Rhine family. To limit Earl Lowel's influence, Amir has appointed his brother Obiken as an earl, strategically blocking the northern route southward.
Fabio's actions previously provoked a backlash from the noble alliance because he, too, is a noble within the royal faction. If Fabio were to establish a stronghold, the duchy's western region would have a powerful guarding earl.
Despite being only a knight in title, Fabio's power is equivalent to that of a true earl. Unfortunately for the noble alliance, their western forces were weak, and even combined, they were defeated by Fabio. Fabio's victory can be attributed to several factors.
Firstly, many of the noble private armies capable of fighting were engaged in external battles and hadn't fully returned. Those left at home were timid, suitable only for suppressing serf uprisings. They were no match for the Iron Wall Legion, forged in the blood and fire of battle.
Secondly, the core of the noble alliance is in the duchy's eastern region, and the powerful Marcus Earl's group hadn't mobilized. Had Marcus Earl's private army been deployed, Fabio's success would have been uncertain.
Lastly, and most importantly, the Grand Duke's guards were blocking the southern route. Earl Ogiro and Earl Lowel's forces were stationed in the north under the guise of a standoff, preventing the eastern elite of the noble alliance from bypassing them.
To appease the noble alliance, the Grand Duke had to forgo rewarding Fabio with a title, which led to Fabio becoming a renowned knight lord.
Fabio has indeed proven himself capable, managing to govern the western region effectively in just a few years. He has always adhered to the principle Henwell discussed with him: population is the foundation of a prosperous territory.
By liberating more productive forces, strength can be bolstered. The western region is the only place in the duchy, and even on the continent, where serfs are partially emancipated.
Although not officially banned, Fabio has implemented a system where serfs can buy their freedom. Everyone is required to pay working serfs, with the wages deposited directly into a fund established by the Iron Wall Legion. In principle, a diligent serf can earn their freedom in five to ten years.
The Iron Wall Legion also provides subsidies to the serf owners. While this policy has its flaws and shortcomings, it represents a significant step forward for a serfdom-based country and ensures ample labor in the western region. It has also garnered substantial support for the Iron Wall faction.
As a result, Fabio is effectively the master of the western region. This means the royal faction controls both the northern and western regions of the duchy. Combined with their hold on the central area, the noble alliance is significantly weakened.
Elevating Phoenix to a viscount is essentially paving the way for Arius. Given Peace Haven's potential, it won't be long before it becomes a powerful earl's domain in the southern region. This centralization of power is certainly not an outcome the noble alliance is keen to see.
