Chapter 515: What a Huge Territory!

Gervas had not originally wanted to humour this fellow, but since he had come up to him, he obliged with a reluctant, "So it's Earl Katni, what a coincidence indeed!"

Gervas's perfunctory reply naturally left Katni feeling displeased.

Just a country bumpkin, that's all.

Even if he's become an earl, he's still a country bumpkin.

Of course, his face remained all smiles. "Earl Gervas, you're also waiting for your ennoblement decree, aren't you!"

"I wonder if Earl Gervas knows where the territory of his ennoblement is located?"

"Earl Katni, the ennoblement decree hasn't arrived yet, how could I possibly know! By the way, does Earl Katni happen to know?"

A smug smile curled at the corner of Katni's mouth. "Earl Gervas, I can't guarantee whether it's accurate or not, but I have indeed heard that the fief Earl Gervas received seems quite sizable, far exceeding a normal earl's domain. How envious that makes one!"

A cold glint flashed in Gervas's eyes — as expected, those fellows had a hand in this.

But he pretended to be curious and said, "Really? It seems Earl Katni truly does know? I wonder if Earl Katni could be a bit more detailed — for instance, the extent and location of my territory."

Seeing that he had piqued Gervas's curiosity, Katni immediately shook his head. "Viscount Gervas, I was only joking just now, don't take it seriously!"

Having said that, Katni paid Gervas no further attention and headed on his own toward the sofa on the other side of the hall.

He naturally knew which regions made up Gervas's new territory.

This territory had been arranged by the Second Prince and the Duke Lieshi family working together behind the scenes, having bribed several ministers in the cabinet.

Originally they had thought that when it was submitted to His Majesty the King, there might be some obstacles.

The Second Prince and the Duke Lieshi family had even prepared an excuse, saying it was to give the young Earl Gervas more drive, to prevent him from becoming complacent, and so on.

But unexpectedly, His Majesty the King did not object at all and approved it directly.

So Gervas's territory was indeed large — truly large — but it was also truly useless.

And what he had just said so much to Gervas was naturally to show off a sense of superiority.

Besides that, he also wanted to tease this Gervas a bit.

Pique his curiosity, then refuse to tell him, letting him feel he was being toyed with.

Only, when he reached the sofa and sat down, casting an amused glance toward Gervas —

He saw that Gervas was astonishingly calm.

"What's going on — is this fellow not angry at all?" A flicker of doubt crossed Katni's eyes.

"The Governor-General has arrived!"

And at that very moment, a shout came from outside the hall's doors.

Then a group of people was seen pouring in through the great doors, led by a middle-aged man of about fifty-odd years.

The man was dressed in luxurious clothes, his bearing far from ordinary.

Although he had never seen the Governor-General of the Southern Region in person, there was no need to think twice — the man before them must be him.

And it was said that the Governor-General of the Southern Region was the blood brother of King Henrick VII of the Griffins — that is, the ninth son of the previous king.

Because he had been on good terms with King Henrick since childhood, he enjoyed King Henrick's deep trust.

Although he held no fief, in the past he had always been in service at King Henrick's side.

It was only a few years ago that he was appointed to serve as Governor-General of the Southern Region.

"Earl Gervas! Earl Katni! This is the Governor-General, my lord!"

"Governor-General, my lord, having heard of your arrival, I decided to come and meet you in person!"

"Governor-General, my lord, this is Earl Gervas, and this is Earl Katni!"

The clerk who had gone to announce them earlier swiftly made the introductions between the two sides.

"Greetings to the Governor-General, my lord!"

Hearing this, Gervas and Katni naturally bowed and offered their respects.

At this moment, even Katni — a scion of a ducal house — became meek and mild-mannered.

Because the man before them was one of King Henrick's most trusted.

To put it bluntly, even the current First Prince probably did not enjoy as much of the King's trust as this man!

"Truly young heroes!" The Governor-General of the Southern Region sized up Gervas and Katni for a moment, then nodded and offered a word of praise.

Of course, his praise named no one in particular, as though he were addressing Gervas and Katni at the same time.

"Earl Gervas, Earl Katni! Originally this matter did not require me to come in person!"

"But the two of you will henceforth be among the few great nobles of our Southern Region, so I, as Governor-General of the Southern Region, felt it necessary to come and have a look!"

"Now I shall have someone hand over the ennoblement decrees for the two of you and the various viscounts at once!"

So saying, the Governor-General of the Southern Region gestured to the subordinate at his side.

Then seven or eight attendants entered the hall, each holding a scroll in his hands!

"Earl Gervas, this is your ennoblement decree!"

"Earl Katni, this is your ennoblement decree!"

"Viscount Mil, this is your ennoblement decree…"

The ennoblement decrees were handed to Gervas and the others by officials of the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Once the decrees were in hand, Mil and the others immediately could not wait to break the wax seals and examine them.

Only Gervas and Katni were unhurried, as though they were in no rush to see the contents of their decrees at all.

Katni in particular kept casting glances at Gervas from time to time, clearly eager to see the expression on Gervas's face after he read the contents of his decree.

"Why is this fellow so slow — is he not in a hurry? I already know the location of my own territory, which is why I'm not anxious, but what makes him so?" Watching Gervas's dawdling manner, Katni could not help cursing inwardly.

Fortunately, at that moment Gervas seemed to hear his thoughts, and finally broke the wax seal, then slowly unrolled the scroll.

And then…

There was no "then"!

"What's going on? This fellow, how does his expression not even change!"

"Could his territory be different from what I know? That's impossible—before I set out, His Majesty the King had already approved the proposal…"

Staring fixedly at Gervas for a long time, he noticed that after Gervas read the ennoblement decree, not a ripple crossed his face, which left Kartney both disappointed and puzzled.

However, unable to flare up for the moment, he could only rein in his temper, withdraw his gaze, and then pretend to examine his own ennoblement decree.

"Gentlemen, the ennoblement decrees have now been issued. I hope the territories are all what you expected. I won't linger any longer!"

"However, before I leave, I want to say to you all—I hope that from now on you will properly develop your territories and contribute to the stability of the kingdom's southern frontier."

"Especially Earl Gervas and Earl Kartney—your territories are both right on the border. If you can develop them well, it will mean the kingdom's southern frontier has nothing to worry about!"

"Very well! Everyone, I'll take my leave first!"

With that, the Governor-General of the Southern Frontier departed directly.

That could be called arriving quickly and leaving just as quickly.

"Earl Gervas! Might I ask which region your new territory is located in?"

"I heard your original territory was Storm Lands. My territory's eastern side isn't all that far from Storm Lands either—perhaps we might even end up as neighbors, Earl Gervas!"

The moment the Governor-General of the Southern Frontier left, Kartney immediately could not help turning to Gervas to ask.

And what his purpose was, Gervas knew perfectly well.

Including how this fellow had been watching his every move earlier—he was well aware of it all.

"Earl Kartney, you've actually hit the mark! His Majesty the King is generous—my territory is astonishingly vast!"

"If measured by area, my territory is at least equivalent to half a viscount's domain!"