The Lord Of Blood Hill

After finishing his talks with the Duchy of Lumir, Henwell immediately heads to the noble faction of the Kingdom of Vorry.

Several powerful grand dukes of the kingdom personally attend.

The Grand Duke of the South Regions, Quinns, and the Grand Duke of the Western Regions, Obiken, both make appearances.

Marcus, Grand Duke of the Eastern Territory, and Jansen, Grand Duke of the Southwest, as seniors among the newcomers, naturally host the event.

Marquis Descartes, neighbor to the Phoenix family, arrives early at Peace Haven.

Duke Reyes, one of the first high-ranking nobles to support Henwell, later receives generous returns from him.

So naturally, he won’t miss Henwell’s wedding day.

Except for the Northern Grand Duke Lowel, all the kingdom’s influential dukes are present.

Though Lowel doesn’t come himself, he sends his heir, Ronald, to offer congratulations.

Henwell’s two close brothers, Western Regions Commander Fabio and Prince Arius, also come to back him up.

Around each grand noble, many mid- and high-ranking nobles gather, while lesser nobles naturally don’t have access to this circle.

When Henwell arrives, everyone except a few grand dukes stands to greet him.

Henwell politely greets the crowd. After some small talk, Simon and other guards push several tables together.

Everyone realizes it’s time to clear the floor. Each big player sits at their own table, flanked by their closest confidants.

For example, Duke Reyes sits with Count Holdsworth.

Marquis Descartes sits beside Viscount Hornes.

These are the trusted lieutenants of the major nobles. Henwell himself has few people around him.

The nobles watching from afar can’t help but show looks of longing.

Everyone knows those few tables hold the true power deciding the kingdom’s direction.

To sit there is clearly a sign of status.

Like many nobles, Pacino stands on tiptoe, looking eagerly at those tables.

But unlike others, he’s not yearning for the power of those big shots.

He’s simply curious about the exciting topics those nobles are discussing.

Just then, everyone notices Henwell’s chief steward, Simon, approaching.

Simon stops beside Pacino and bows respectfully. “Lord Pacino, my master requests your presence.”

Still dazed, Pacino is nudged by those around him, urged to hurry over.

Simon then moves toward another noble. “Count Doyle, the lords also invite you to join the conversation.”

This catches the crowd’s attention. Many have already heard the story of the lucky Doyle.

Doyle was once part of the Gilbert family because of Henwell’s Path of Honor.

Then, thanks to Henwell’s backing, he coincidentally became head of the Gilbert countship.

Most thought he was just a puppet, but now, at a private meeting like this, he’s invited to join the discussion.

This changes how those nearby look at him quite a bit.

Doyle takes a deep breath and walks toward the kingdom’s center of power.

He sits beside Duke Marcus, since the Gilberts are part of the noble alliance.

Pacino takes a seat next to Henwell. The little chubby man whispers, “Henwell, why’d you call me here? This is a meeting of the kingdom’s big shots!”

Henwell smiles, “It’s not that grand. Just a quick chat. I saw you were itching with curiosity, so I called you over to listen in. But don’t share anything you hear here outside. There’s no trouble, but if you spill it, I won’t let you sit in next time.”

Pacino laughs awkwardly and promises he definitely won’t blab.

At that moment, the Fourth Prince Jonathan grows impatient. “If there’s something to say, just say it. Don’t waste everyone’s time.”

Henwell replies calmly, “Your Highness, it’s already remarkable you’re allowed to sit here. You don’t represent the king, and you have no authority to make promises.”

Jonathan’s face flushes with anger. “Henwell, how dare you! You’re just a knight lord. I’m a prince, you owe me respect. Besides, today’s your wedding. You should pledge your loyalty to the royal family and kneel before me to accept my blessing!”

Before Henwell can respond, Arius cuts in coldly, “You’re not qualified for that.”

Duke Jansen scoffs, “Even Amir wouldn’t say that. Who gave you the courage? Are you saying I, Henwell’s senior, should kneel and thank you?”

Because of Jonathan’s unauthorized retreat in the last war, which nearly caused Fabio’s troops to lose, Fabio has long been annoyed with him and shows no mercy. “Jonathan, you’ve got some nerve! What if Henwell refuses to bow? What are you going to do? What can you do?”

Henwell raises his hand, signaling everyone to quiet down. “Your Highness, do you know why the king sent you here? Your only role is to provoke me into killing you, giving His Majesty a reason to weaken my power. “

”I don’t want to weaken my forces, and I’m guessing you don’t want to die either. So it’s best you keep quiet and not let the king’s scheme succeed.”

Cronin frowns. “Henwell, you haven’t had much to drink, and you’re already talking nonsense.”

Henwell laughs. “Thank you for the advice, sir. I may have been a bit rash. Let’s get down to business. I have several projects I want you all to hear about. After the Harvest Festival, Peace Haven will launch the first phase of a public infrastructure plan to benefit the kingdom. “

”I plan to build canals and irrigation channels to boost agriculture. As you all know, water is vital for farming. Grain production is the foundation of our rule.”

Marcus, the elder statesman, speaks first. “That will require a lot of investment, with limited returns and no quick results.”

Marquis Descartes adds, “Henwell, no offense, but parts of my land are a bit high. Irrigation channels won’t reach there.”

Henwell replies, “Tomorrow I’ll show you a small invention at Peace Haven I call the Water Hammer Pump. It can lift water from low to high ground. As for funds, it won’t cost as much as you think. I can personally finance a demonstration area. “

”You can compare grain yields and decide whether to continue cooperating. All I ask is a small plot of land for my people to cultivate and manage. I won’t deploy armed forces; you’ll assist with the demonstration area’s security. I’ll take only a small portion of the harvest as samples for improvement. The rest is yours.”

Duke Reyes asks, “Henwell, why are you doing this? Everyone is wary of you. Unless you give us a convincing reason, no one will agree.”

Fabio says confidently, “I’m willing.”

Arius adds, “I trust Henwell too.”

The others think these two brothers are just talking nonsense but keep their eyes on Henwell, waiting for his explanation.