Rose Empire

Chapter 43 - Anna's Enthronement and Tariff Negotiations

After winter set in, the Lanwan region experienced a significant drop in temperature.

However, based on her own perception, Charlotte roughly estimated that while the weather had turned cold, it was still above freezing but below ten degrees Celsius. This temperature was not enough to hinder the construction workers' normal labor. She could still have her subjects work ten hours a day, seven days a week.

Due to frequent winds, the nights in Lanwan Viscountcy might feel much colder, but the thatched cottages with eel-skin insulation provided excellent windproofing and warmth, making them sufficient for nighttime protection against the cold.

After ensuring everyone was well-fed and clothed, a minor disturbance arose in the labor camp.

Rumors spread that a village had captured a witch, and the villagers had built a bonfire in the camp, intending to burn her at the stake.

Cecilia found this strange. Why would a witch, a creature of legend, appear in her jurisdiction, and how could a group of unarmed peasants capture her? She hurried to the scene, only to find that the person tied to the pyre was merely a thin, elderly woman.

Cecilia rescued the old woman and punished the village by assigning them several nights of extra work.

"This is absurd! They still insist that the old woman is a witch!" Cecilia complained to Charlotte in the top floor of Lanwan Viscount's castle.

Charlotte, looking at the Yalan book in front of her, smiled and said, "Witch hunts are a common custom in Orlan's rural areas, especially in poorer regions. The more scarce the food, the more eager villagers are to capture witches, believing that burning them will bring a bountiful harvest the following year. These 'witches' are usually elderly people or widowed women. Do you understand now?"

"You mean..." Cecilia's mouth opened slightly.

"Elderly people can no longer work, so burning them saves food," Charlotte continued. "Widowed women, once burned, not only save food but also allow the villagers to share her inheritance, helping some survive difficult times."

"But they already have enough to eat..." Cecilia started to say but stopped with a sigh.

Cecilia realized that the custom of "witch hunting" had been given a more "legitimate" meaning by the villagers praying for a good harvest. It wouldn't disappear just because the villagers were temporarily well-fed. On the contrary, it was likely because Charlotte had distributed land to the villagers, sparking their enthusiasm for next year's farming, that they remembered to pray for a good harvest by burning witches.

As the scattered lights faded, the girl kneeling in the center of the Yalan book grew a pair of gray light wings on her back. Anna Doran opened her eyes, her pretty face filled with joy. She stood up and ran over to Charlotte.

"Congratulations, Anna. You are now a supernatural being," Charlotte said with a smile.

"My lady, I, I..." Anna Doran was so excited that she stumbled over her words.

Charlotte didn't mind. She drew the short sword symbolizing her viscount status from her waist and said, "Since you have awakened, it's time for me to fulfill my promise."

Anna knelt before Charlotte, who placed the short sword on Anna's shoulder and said, "I, Charlotte Mellerfeld, Viscountess of Lanwan, hereby confer the title of knight upon Anna Doran. You are the first knight I have appointed since becoming viscountess. I hope you will pledge your loyalty to me."

"I will dedicate everything to you," Anna said, kissing Charlotte's fingers with near-fanatical fervor.

After Charlotte finished the ceremony, Lilith began rearranging the Yalan book.

Charlotte then turned to Cecilia and said, "It's your turn now."

Cecilia took a deep breath. During her time at the Great Banyan Academy, Cecilia had undergone several aptitude tests and knew she had little supernatural potential. But when the opportunity for an initiation ceremony presented itself, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope.

However, reality was cruel.

When the ceremony ended, Cecilia showed no signs of even forming a single wing.

"You... might not be suited for the Royal Knights faction," Lilith said, trying to comfort Cecilia as gently as possible. "Perhaps you could try the Candy faction?"

The Candy faction, also known as the Young Lady faction or the Empress faction, was said to have originated over a thousand years ago during the Wimbledon Empire. An empress, envious of the advantages supernatural beings had over ordinary people but unwilling to spend too much time and effort on unrefined activities, gathered scholars to design a supernatural faction specifically for her. This faction was initially called the "Empress faction."

This faction offered almost no combat abilities. Its effects were focused on body shaping, eliminating body odor and bad breath, tightening skin, maintaining youth, and preserving beauty. It was highly favored by noble ladies and matrons, hence the name "Young Lady faction."

Additionally, because the empress demanded a sweat-free approach, the faction was ingeniously designed to allow practitioners to replace daily training with eating candy, earning it the nickname "Candy faction."

Apart from substituting candy for training, the Candy faction had another advantage: its initiation ceremony had slightly lower aptitude requirements compared to most other factions.

However, it was only slightly lower...

"Miss Lilith, there's no need to comfort me. I know how poor my aptitude is," Cecilia said with a resigned smile. Perhaps because she had rationally anticipated the outcome, Cecilia wasn't overly heartbroken.

After composing herself, Cecilia bowed slightly to Charlotte and Lilith in thanks, then went downstairs to continue her work for Charlotte's territory.

Lilith packed up the tools and remaining supernatural materials from the initiation ceremony, then said to Charlotte, "I'm leaving."

"Huh?" Charlotte clasped her hands over her chest, looking heartbroken. "Is Lilith abandoning me?"

Lilith rolled her eyes and explained, "The rubbings you brought back last time have too few characters. I can't determine if they're Luyang script or another similar script. I plan to visit the Socia Peninsula to look for more evidence."

"Can you go alone?" Charlotte asked worriedly. "The Socia Peninsula isn't exactly a peaceful place. Why not wait for me a little longer? Once I've secured Ambratu, we can explore the city-states on the Socia Peninsula together."

Lilith waved her hand dismissively. "No need. When have you ever been any help in my adventures? I'll go alone..."

Suddenly, Charlotte's light wings appeared behind her, and an indescribable force radiated from her...

Lilith's expression changed drastically. She quickly raised her hands in surrender and spoke rapidly, "I'm just going to scout ahead! If I find anything, I'll come back immediately and inform Charlotte so we can adventure together! I swear! I swear by that damned Igg!"

The light wings dissipated, and everything returned to normal.

Lilith let out a sigh of relief.

Charlotte, however, was startled. The power she had just felt was so immense, so overwhelming, that it seemed impossible for a one-winged sorcerer to possess.

She turned to see Renee, who also looked frightened, her fingers already on the silver chain sword at her waist.

In that moment, Charlotte and Renee had countless thoughts, including killing Lilith, imprisoning her...

Charlotte immediately realized that the force was preventing Lilith from breaking the contract. If only Charlotte had been affected, it would have been understandable since she was a party to the contract. But Renee was also influenced, as if the contract could mobilize any available factor to ensure the breacher of contract was punished.

This terrifying power completely changed Charlotte's impression of contract sorcerers. She had always thought Lilith's contract faction was somewhat of a joke.

"Alright, as the leader of the adventuring team, I entrust Miss Lilith with the task of scouting the Socia Peninsula for clues about ancient civilizations," Charlotte said with a smile.

Although she valued Lilith's vast knowledge and wanted to keep her by her side, Charlotte knew that after all these years, Lilith had her own pursuits.

As a friend, Lilith would offer Charlotte much help, but she would not become Charlotte's subordinate, making Charlotte's dreams her own.

Thus, Lilith's sudden decision to leave Lanwan Viscountcy didn't surprise Charlotte at all.

As Cecilia descended from the top floor of the castle, she encountered Charlotte's two young slave girls.

When they were first purchased, the two girls had no names. Charlotte named the older one Nina and the younger one Sophia.

Nina was gentle and charming, while Sophia was lively and adorable, each with her own unique qualities.

"Teacher," Sophia greeted Cecilia warmly upon seeing her.

Nina followed suit, softly calling out, "Teacher."

These greetings made Cecilia blush.

Last night, while sharing a bed with Charlotte, Charlotte insisted on sharing her two young slave girls with Cecilia. Cecilia had to admit that the two girls were quite skilled in the bedroom, providing her with an unprecedented experience.

Then, this morning, Charlotte assigned the two girls to Cecilia to teach them basic literacy and arithmetic.

Last night, they were intimate; today, she became their teacher.

Although the two girls didn't seem to mind, Cecilia felt her ears burn at the thought.

"Teacher," Sophia called again, seeing Cecilia's lack of response, "is the mistress upstairs?"

The "mistress" Sophia referred to was, of course, Charlotte. Originally, the two girls addressed Charlotte as "my lady," but for some reason, Charlotte insisted they call her "mistress" and made them wear black lace collars.

Cecilia nodded and asked, "Do you need something?"

Sophia thought for a moment, then decided it was fine to inform Cecilia. "There's a carriage outside the castle. Sir Jarrod Garcia said it's the mistress's cousin and guests from Ambratu, requesting an audience with the mistress."

Cecilia immediately thought of Charlotte's plans and instructed, "Take the guests to the reception room first. I'll inform Lady Charlotte."

The two girls nodded and went downstairs to receive the guests.

Soon, Charlotte learned of the visitors' arrival.

In fact, Charlotte had already known the previous night that the Ambratu Senate had decided to negotiate with her. She even knew why they wanted to negotiate, thanks to a message delivered overnight by Sir Robin Mancini.

The Ambratu Senate's decision-making style made it impossible for them to keep such information confidential.

Charlotte didn't delay. She quickly changed into a suitable dress and headed to the castle's reception room.

Martin Kramer and Harvey Sherwin were growing anxious in the reception room.

The former was uneasy because of the changes he had witnessed upon entering Lanwan Viscountcy from the Lanwan Isthmus. The territory had indeed undergone significant changes. Martin Kramer had initially planned to visit several southern knights he had previously interacted with, only to find their residences gone. This indicated that the new Lanwan Viscount was indeed different from her predecessor, making Martin Kramer feel uneasy.

The latter was worried that his boasts had fallen flat. Throughout the journey, Harvey Sherwin had bragged about his influence in Lanwan Viscountcy, only to find that no one paid him any attention upon entering the territory. Even the knights from the eighteen-man squad who had once followed him ignored him, including the three-winged knight, Jarrod Garcia, whom Lady Rosie had personally instructed to obey him.

Harvey Sherwin had no idea how much his personal prestige had suffered after abandoning all his actual followers to go enjoy himself.

Even with Rosie Mellerfeld's backing, the knights, who were nominally guards bestowed upon her daughter by the Duke of Greenfield, no longer wanted to follow a pig.

If even the knights ignored him, would Lady Charlotte still give him face?

Just as the two were growing anxious, the reception room door was opened by a servant, and a beautiful girl in a blue velvet gown entered.

Harvey Sherwin quickly stood up and bowed. "Lady Charlotte."

Seeing Harvey Sherwin's respectful demeanor, Martin Kramer guessed the girl's identity and also stood up to bow.

"Sir Harvey Sherwin, it's been a long time," Charlotte said with a smile.

Harvey Sherwin felt slightly embarrassed by Charlotte's words. According to Rosie, his original mission was to assist Charlotte in governing Lanwan Viscountcy, but he had done nothing of the sort during this time. For a moment, Harvey Sherwin wondered if Charlotte was mocking him.

Fortunately, Lady Charlotte didn't seem to harbor any ill will. She even personally poured Harvey Sherwin a cup of black tea.

Harvey Sherwin accepted the teacup with flattered gratitude.

Seeing this, Martin Kramer felt half of his anxiety dissipate. The better Harvey Sherwin's relationship with the Lanwan Viscount, the easier his task would be.

"This is Martin Kramer, a senator from the Ambratu Senate," Harvey Sherwin introduced.

"It's an honor to meet you, Senator Kramer," Charlotte said politely.

"No, no, with your noble surname, I should be the one feeling honored," Martin Kramer quickly replied with a smile. "I had heard that Lanwan Viscountcy had a new ruler, but I didn't expect it to be such a beautiful lady."

"You flatter me," Charlotte said, covering her mouth with a light laugh.

After a few pleasantries, Charlotte said, "I assume, as I thought, that Senator Kramer is here regarding the tariffs?"

"Indeed," Martin Kramer nodded. "It is reasonable and lawful for the Viscount to collect tolls within her territory. The merchants of our city-state are willing to abide by your rules. However, demanding compensation for all tariffs from the past five years before your enfeoffment seems a bit unreasonable, doesn't it?"

"Why is it unreasonable?" Charlotte said confidently. "My title of Viscountess was bequeathed to me by the will of Viscount Basilic, and the tariffs of Lanwan Viscountcy were established during the reign of Viscount Basilic's father. For at least forty years, you haven't paid a single tariff. I'm only asking for five years' worth. Is that too much?"

"Well..." Martin Kramer was momentarily speechless. Legally, Charlotte's reasoning seemed valid.

"But how should these five years of tariffs be calculated? I assume your territory doesn't have records of the people and goods passing through the Lanwan Isthmus over the past five years, does it?" Martin Kramer countered from another angle.

"It's simple," Charlotte had clearly thought this through. "Over the next five years, I will have people record all goods and their values coming from Ambratu. The tariff rate set by the previous Lanwan Viscount was one-tenth. At the end of each year, you will pay me one-tenth of the total value of that year's goods in Fuso."

Hearing this proposal, Martin Kramer's eyes lit up. Since this plan didn't require immediate payment, it gave Ambratu significant room to maneuver. Ambratu could set up another checkpoint at the other end of the Lanwan Isthmus and collect taxes there, then hand over the checkpoint taxes to Charlotte at the end of the year. The city-state's treasury wouldn't bear a heavy burden.

However, after some thought, Martin Kramer frowned slightly and said, "Your proposal doesn't sound too difficult to accept, but a one-tenth tariff rate is still a bit high."

"But it's certainly less than the losses you'd incur from a prolonged blockade of the Lanwan Isthmus," Charlotte said.

Hearing this, Martin Kramer gave a bitter smile and spread his hands. "Such a threat is undoubtedly effective against a democratic senator like me. The blockade of the Lanwan Isthmus has caused me much trouble, and I personally lean toward paying your tariffs. But you must understand that the ultimate decision-making power in our city-state lies with the Citizen Assembly, and most citizens don't feel the same troubles I do."

Charlotte suddenly showed a sly smile. She took a sip of black tea and slowly said, "So, Mr. Kramer, you should first try to make all the citizens of Ambratu feel your troubles, or perhaps go further... pain?"

Sitting nearby, silently recording the negotiation like an ordinary scribe, Cecilia inexplicably felt as if she saw the smile of a legendary demon on Charlotte's face.