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The Ennoblement Ceremony concluded and everyone gradually left the church.

Most of the nobles wore smiles on their faces, after all, this was the largest ennoblement ceremony that the North Territory had seen in recent years.

Duke St. Hilde’s generosity had calmed the North Territory nobles who were unsettled by the recent turmoil.

They all firmly believed that the future of the North Territory would be even better!

Colin ignored his excited sister who wouldn’t stop chattering, and intentionally fell back to chat with Marquis Garcia, hoping to gauge the intentions of this influential figure.

Although Marquis Garcia did not make a scene on the spot, Colin knew that Duke St. Hilde’s breach of his promise to make Adams his primary heir had thoroughly infuriated Marquis Garcia.

If it could be said that the pair of brothers had been putting on a show before, the rift between them was now real and no longer easily healable.

Honestly, Colin found it hard to understand Duke St. Hilde’s act of breaking his promise.

Not because Colin felt the Duke should adhere to the virtues of a knight.

He wasn’t that naive.

Expecting a veteran politician who had ruled the North Territory for decades not to lie was like believing the Blood Clan wouldn’t need to drink blood.

What Colin couldn’t understand was why Duke St. Hilde chose this time to fall out with his own brother in such a manner.

It was too rash and lacked political wisdom.

If Colin found himself in the Duke’s position, even if he didn’t wish to pass down the title of Duke to Vera, he wouldn’t cut off his ties so quickly.

At least, he would first confer the title onto Vera, acknowledge her status as the primary heir, and pacify Marquis Garcia.

Then, whether it was gradually weakening the Dark Flag Army or fostering another military force that could compete, he would have had more maneuverability.

After all, Vera inheriting the Marquis was not the same as immediately becoming Northern Duke.

She could still be stripped of her title in the future.

So why the rush?

Of course, Colin didn’t think Marquis Garcia would dare rebel at this point in time.

After all, most of the lords of the North Territory had been eliminated, and those remaining had been placated by the Duke.

And Marquis Garcia’s earlier “defection” had already earned him the infamous title of “traitor”.

Even if he stood up against his own brother now, no Lords would respond to his call.

The Dark Cavalry, having already been divided and won over by the Duke with the tacit approval from Marquis Garcia himself.

Would the vassals who were once loyal to Marquis Garcia, such as Baron Dawson, after swearing loyalty to the Duke, still claim themselves as members of the Dark Cavalry?

Would they follow Marquis Garcia unhesitatingly, like they did before, at his command?

What’s more, only a few folks knew about Duke St. Hilde’s breach of promise.

The original deal between Duke St. Hilde and Marquis Garcia was a secret, if Marquis Garcia hadn’t considered Colin as a future son-in-law and let Colin know the specifics of the deal, Colin wouldn’t have known about Duke St.

Hilde’s betrayal to his own brother.

If Marquis Garcia chose to rebel now, would he be seen by the Northerners as betraying his own brother?

Would Marquis Garcia be willing to bear such an infamy again?

“Lord Marquis!” Colin approached Marquis Garcia and greeted him softly.

Marquis Garcia glanced at Colin but did not speak, he kept walking towards the outside.

Colin, aware of this powerful figure’s foul mood, dared not say more, and followed him out of the church.

When they got outside, Marquis Garcia immediately mounted his horse. He looked at Colin who had just come out and said in a detached tone: “Tell me, is your loyalty truly unconditional and without regard to right or wrong?”

Colin’s heart skipped a beat and he had a sinking feeling.

Previously, when facing Duke St. Hilde’s sudden attack, in order to curry favor with the Duke, Colin intentionally described loyalty as blind obedience.

Unexpectedly, this seemed to have been misunderstood by Marquis Garcia.

But there was nothing he could do about it. How could he have expected these two brothers to have a falling out then?

At that time, he thought that Duke St. Hilde, who had just eliminated threats from within and outside the North Territory, was undoubtedly the true ruler of the North Territory.

If Colin wanted to continue in the North Territory, and develop the Angler family, and even to marry Vera, he had to win the approval of Duke St. Hilde.

So, Colin chose to flatter him.

Moreover, when he saw his newly conferred territory, he had already realized the Duke’s plan. He had a grudge with the Sudor family and he was already prepared to be the blade in the Duke’s hand.

But there’s no way he would’ve known that the Duke would break the promise he made to Marquis Garcia at this time.

This inevitably stirred up unrest in the recently calmed North Territory.

So, Colin was again faced with the choice of allegiance.

This time, he truly didn’t know which side to choose.

Deep down though, he identified with Marquis Garcia more.

Not only because Marquis Garcia almost bestowed all he had to him during the Ice Plain War and gave retired veterans of the Dark Cavalry to him which helped the Angler family form a cavalry.

He truly treated Colin as his future son-in-law.

Moreover, ethically speaking, Duke St. Hilde had indeed wronged his own brother in this matter.

He had broken his promise!

However, at this moment, facing Marquis Garcia’s questioning, Colin was unsure of what to say.

Should he directly admit that everything he just said was nonsense?

If so, wouldn’t his “reputation” immediately collapse?

Who would trust a person who can casually abandon his vows?

While Colin was dumbfounded, Marquis Garcia had already ridden away.

Before leaving, he finally said, “Try to understand the origins of the Blade of

Judgement in your hand, and then reconsider what true loyalty is.”

Watching the back of Marquis Garcia as he disappeared into the distance, Colin stood blankly for a while, at a loss.

It wasn’t until his sister, Kaitlin, walked over with a puzzled look on her face and led Colin back to the inn.

In the next few days, Ice Rock City was peaceful.

Marquis Garcia also didn’t take any drastic actions, as if he had completely forgotten about his brother’s betrayal.

However, on the night of the ennoblement ceremony, Marquis Garcia left Ice Rock City.

Seemingly unwilling to stay in this city for one more second.

Marquis Garcia’s departure didn’t attract much attention because this marquis was used to being a loner.

Besides, the real master of the North Territory was still in the city.

However, Duke St. Hilde also didn’t stay in Ice Rock City for too long.

Three days after the ennoblement ceremony, he set off to return to Winterfell City.

As the new master of Ice Rock City, Colin of course had to see him off.

It was a sunny and clear morning, a large number of nobles from the North Territory had gathered outside the southern gate of Ice Rock City.

Duke St. Hilde naturally led the group.

By his side was the newly promoted Viscount Angler.

“Colin, are you satisfied with the new territory I have given you?”

“Your grace, I am absolutely satisfied!”

Colin’s words were not entirely flattery.

BBecause the current territory of the Angler family is indeed huge.

The previous territory of the Sudor family was Ice Rock City and the surrounding area of about thirty kilometers, but this territory did not directly border the original territory of the Angler family.

There were two baron territories in between.

However, these two Barons had been beheaded in the previous rebellion, so the Duke simply rewarded these two territories to Colin as well.

Therefore, counting the original Grey Castle Town, Colin’s current territory is the sum of the area of one viscount territory and three baron territories.

This definitely surpasses the territory of an average viscount.

If it wasn’t for the fact that there is too much land and too few landlords in the

North Territory at the moment, Duke St. Hilde wouldn’t be so generous.

“Hehe, so you’re satisfied?” Duke St. Hilde asked with a smile.

Colin blinked and also smiled: “Of course not. No lord will be satisfied with the area of their territory!”

Duke St. Hilde burst into laughter, seemingly very satisfied with Colin’s answer.

After laughing for a while, the Duke said: “Do you know? My grandfather also said similar words.”

He raised his riding whip and pointed to the east: “There’s nothing good going north to the ice plains, it’s too cold and too barren. However, if you want to expand your territory, you can try to the east.”

After speaking, he did not wait for Colin to respond, turned his horse, and left.

Colin remained in place, wondering what the Duke meant by his last words.

At this moment, a luxurious horse-drawn carriage passed Colin. The curtain of the carriage lifted, revealing a beautiful face.

“Colin. ”

“Miss Vera.”

“My coming-of-age ceremony will be in a month, will you come?”

“Of course, it would be my honor!”

Vera gave a charming smile and dropped the curtain.

The motorcade moved slowly, gradually disappearing over the horizon.

Colin stood outside the city gate for a long time, but he was not watching the Duke’s motorcade moving away, instead he was looking east – towards the direction Duke St. Hilde had pointed out.

That place is the eastern territory of the Empire.

And in between the North Territory and the Eastern territory exists a small country— the Half-Elf Kingdom..