Gawain was starting to find Viscount Andrew to be quite an interesting fellow.
He was more like a businessman than a nobleman.
But at the same time, he was not a very shrewd businessman, at least in Gawain's perspective.
A savvy businessman would not bring up things like transactions, bargaining chips, and debts at this juncture. It was beneath a nobleman to bring up such matters. Viscount Andrew's best course of action should be to remain poised as he continued to help Cecil Clan, but at the same time also allow his influence to be felt by the knights and soldiers under his protection. Then, using his status as a nobleman, he should ascertain his 'creditor's rights' legally pertaining to Cecil Clan's debt and bring up his creditor's rights before the king. After that… it would no longer matter whether Rebecca would be willing to pay her debts or not.
The kingdom's laws and the rules of the aristocracy would help him to fulfill the transaction.
Of course, Gawain could understand why Viscount Andrew would feel this way. After all, Cecil Clan's decline was a well-known fact. With the clan's territory completely destroyed, no one knew how much 'debt-paying ability' Rebecca had.
"The Cecil clan always pays our debts." Rebecca seemed a little unconvincing. "Rest assured that we can pay it back. Although we have lost our most prosperous areas, some mountainous forests at the edge of the Cecil territory still remain. And as long as I, the heir of the Cecil Clan, am still here, the Mithril Vault still holds some deposits from Cecil Clan, if worst comes to worst… "
Gawain coughed and interrupted Rebecca.
He had seen enough of this and had a rough idea of the situation. At the same time, he had also pretty much sorted out the memories, and he stood up. "Rebecca, calm down. Viscount Andrew, set your sights on the longer term."
Andrew gave Gawain a look. This supposed ancient hero still intimidated him no matter if he was the real thing or not. The viscount kept himself in check. "I apologize. I was indeed a little… greedy."
He actually admitted to saying he was greedy, and it surprised Gawain. He raised his eyebrow. "You're honest about it. But that's fine. Seeking benefit is not something to be shameful about, just that we need to understand the situation. A viscount's territory has been destroyed, a dragon appeared in the kingdom, and the monsters from the era of the Dark Wave have reappeared. With all these things before us, this is no time to be talking business."
Before letting Andrew speak, Gawain continued, "Of course, all this righteousness aside, we still have to consider the practical issue. You're worried that if you help Cecil Clan indefinitely, eventually you'll lose everything. Well, let me tell you clearly that not only is Cecil Clan able to pay the debt, but if you can make good use of opportunities, we can even bring you unlimited benefits."
Viscount Andrew looked at Gawain. "Please continue."
"I." Gawain pointed to himself. "I'm your biggest investment."
Andrew's expression froze for a few seconds, and then the corner of his mouth twitched awkwardly. "duke… Sire, I'll believe that you're the duke for now. But I have to remind you that you have been dead for 700 Years. Anzu is even in its second dynasty. Your title and your properties have been divided, conferred, inherited, spent or… taken back by the royal family. Of course, I have a deep respect for you, Sire. Every person in Anzu has deep respect for you. But I'm not just any ordinary person, I'm a feudal lord. I have to care for my territory and my people…"
Gawain shrugged. "Think bigger, Viscount. Are gold, silver, and territories the only worthy forms of investment?"
Andrew: "You mean…"
"I have the permanent right to develop new regions." Gawain raised the sword in his hand. "When Gawain Cecil holds the Sword of Pioneers, he has the right to develop lands which have yet to come under a territory, and that includes the undeveloped areas within Anzu, the wild areas outside of all nations, and the lawless areas of the Gondor wastelands. As long as we can maintain some control after these said areas have been developed, wherever the Sword of Pioneers go, will thus become Cecil territory, and Anzu's royal family will have to acknowledge and guarantee Gawain Cecil's rights as a feudal lord at all times."
As Gawain spoke, he watched as Viscount Andrew's eyes opened wider and wider. Then he slowed his cadence. "The right to develop new regions as mentioned was an agreement signed by Charlie the First. Also, the founder of Anzu, the western tribal country of Augari, eastern Typhon Empire, the southern Highmountain Kingdom, the elven Silver Empire, and all the countries in the north jointly recognized that this right will remain effective indefinitely. As long as the authorized pioneer, that is I, still live, it will remain permanently effective."
"Actually this decree wasn't signed only for me. All the pioneering leaders were similarly authorized. It's just that today… I'm the only one who can still exercise this right."
Speaking of this, Gawain grinned happily. "Those old men who signed these documents back then must have never expected that I would one day open and rise from my coffin."
Before the stunned Viscount Andrew could say anything, Rebecca could not help but exclaim, "Lord… Lord Ancestor! Is… is this true?!"
"Who the heck is in charge of her history classes?" Gawain could not help but hold his head and glance at Heidi. "Or has this law been repealed? If it was repealed, then this would be embarrassing. Speaking of which, the leaders of every nation couldn't be so bored that after hundreds of years, they would suddenly assemble and announce the cancellation of a proposed law that has already been useless for a long time, could they?"
"Rebecca's history class… was actually taught by me, but her grades indeed were always bad," Heidi's face flushed as she explained, and she quickly answered Gawain's question. "Of course, this law you mentioned hasn't been repealed. When the pioneers were still alive, no one dared to repeal it, and after the last pioneer died, this law became part of the glory representing mankind's conviction in reshaping civilization. Thus, no one will go and abolish it."
Viscount Andrew added, "Not only has it not been abolished, but historians and scholars would even write volumes about it…"
Gawain shrugged, "So the sudden movement of my corpse will definitely come as a surprising good news to them. The law made 700 years ago will finally be of use again."
Viscount Andrew looked at Gawain, focusing especially at the Sword of Pioneers in his hand, "I admit that this was indeed… an idea I have never thought of… If you use the permanent right to develop regions, it is true that it would be possible for you to revive the Cecil Clan. But allow me to be frank, this is going to be a very long-term business. Do you know how much unclaimed land there is in the kingdom?
"I know a few. My descendants have already told me on the journey here." Gawain glanced at Heidi and Rebecca beside him. "Most of the livable places for humans have already been divided among the territories. The unclaimed lands are all those dense forests, poisonous marshes, or land at the border of the Gondor wastelands."
"So what do you plan to do?" Viscount Andrew spread open his hand. "Where do you want to rebuild your clan?"
"That's something for me to think about." Gawain smiled, but what came to mind was a view overlooking the earth from a high altitude. It was a satellite view of crazy precision and range that was absolutely inaccessible for humans of this era. The map, ingrained in Gawain's memory, was good enough to point Gawain in the path that he had to take though it might be an outdated record of years or decades ago (after all, Gawain had been disconnected from that bird's eye view). "You just need to think carefully… about how worthy would it be to invest in a founding father, who has participated in the Second Settlement and still currently holds the permanent right to develop regions."
Andrew looked down. For the first time, he carefully pondered over the matter.
After a long time, he broke the silence, "If your permanent right to develop regions can really be recognized by the royal family, then being a mere viscount, I'll be happy to help to the best of my ability."
The standard, sleek aristocrat-speak—no errors, never stepping over the line, and still able to show respect.
Rebecca's eyes widened. "Is it possible that the current king would not recognize the permanent right to developing new regions, that has been recognized by the founding fathers and ancestors of all countries?!"
Gawain smiled and glanced at the immature descendant. "Of course he doesn't want to recognize it. In fact, there is a high likelihood that he will not recognize my status. Even if Charlie the First popped out of his coffin to prove that I'm real, I'm afraid the king and his staff pray from the bottom of their hearts that I would die on the spot and be buried back in the ancient tombs in the kingdom's southern border."
"Why?!" Rebecca felt her values being challenged. "You are one of the founding fathers! You're enshrined in the temple! The king and nobles have to commemorate you every year. Don't they want you to come back and serve this kingdom?"
Just when Gawain was about to explain, Amber yelled across the table, "Because they would lose their three days of holidays!"
As the half-elf lady yelled out, she deliberately winked at Gawain, inciting an angry glare from Heidi.
"Don't listen to her nonsense. I was only joking with her about that." Gawain waved his hand. "The real reason… I'm sure Heidi and Viscount Andrew should understand, right?"
Heidi sighed. "The King will commemorate the hero because the hero's reputation can be used to strengthen his rule, but he will never want the hero to return. Once the hero returns, that reputation will no longer be his to control…"
As Andrew was there, Heidi held back some of the more politically incorrect ideas, especially when the king's title itself was questionable given that he was the descendant of a bastard child.
"So the problem that we have to concern ourselves with is very clear.." Gawain looked down at the Sword of Pioneers at his waist. "And that is… to bring my permanent right to develop regions into effect."