As Shirley and Basil both rejected the Viscount title, Cobham Viscountcy was gone in two days. It was handed to a newly rising Viscount named Addison Merton. Thus, Cobham Viscountcy was replaced with Merton Viscountcy.
Some of Nicholas' subordinates decided to change their lord, while some decided to stay, just like what always happened.
The same thing was also happening to Escher Viscountcy, which previously had belonged to the late Justin. As he had no alive successor, his assets became a prize pool. Every Viscounts under Earl Woster competed to win the assets he had left behind.
With Basil's help, Shirley had sold every assets Nicholas had had, which she was sure she couldn't ever manage, leaving her with an enormous amount of money. The only thing she kept with her was the manor, and surely the maids and the butlers.
She couldn't just free them of duty, lest they lose their life. Living outside as a commoner was not really safe after all.
