''Ciaphas, it is time for me to take my leave,'' said Julius while adjusting his clothes in a failed attempt to hide his nervousness.'' I have already ordered Nathan to help you with the affairs concerning our Barony. He has done a great job all these years, assisting me in ruling this land of ours. I am confident he will be of great value to you. All the necessary papers regarding our taxes, expenses, and even our rights as rulers here, are kept on my desk. I had Nathan organize them for you so you may get a clearer picture of our current circumstances. As far as the citizens that live here, I can only trust your judgment.''
Julius boarded the only luxurious carriage we got, or to be more precise, our finances could afford. It wasn't the large cliche carriage most nobles used to flaunt, but it was more than enough to at least travel with some dignity to the capital. Sporting a round shield with a crest depicting a wolf eating the moon on its back windows and sides and the Royal Crest of the Eagle on its front, it signalled to all that crossed its path that a noble was inside so you better show some concern and don't cause disruptions.
The crime of attacking a noble while being of no nobility status is death.
If you got caught harassing or straight up attacking a noble loyal to the Kingdom, your immediate execution along with that of your family was a given. It is a known secret that Royalty rarely cares about its people. As long as they pay their tax that is. If you attacked one of their own, that was a different story.
There are a lot of examples leading to whole village exterminations, just because some disgruntled families, decided that throwing rocks at passing nobles, was a good idea for venting their problems.
Bandits and swindlers knew best not to mess with nobility for these exact reasons. Nobody wanted the imperial guard breathing on their neck just for a quick coin.
The only instances where the imperial guard was not deployed was when there was some war or dispute between opposing members, usually low-ranking ones, for either land or grudge. This served as exterminating the weak while allowing the strong to get stronger so the Royalty usually looked the other way.
As to why our barony was never a target? Our land was useless.
The investment needed to turn this land into a somewhat livable one was at best enormous, coupled with the fact that you also were responsible for feeding over eight hundred mouths, it was only a nightmare for your treasury.
Watching the carriage slowly fade away, I tried to recollect myself and get my act together. I barely had time to think as to what exactly happened to me and the next thing I know, I am a baron.
''couldn't he at least wait a week before leaving?'' I whispered, attracting Nathan's watchful eye.
'' Your esteemed father is old, sir. He doesn't have the strength to persist with his duties anymore. Watching his father die honourless, tasked to rule a barren land, with no prospects of bettering himself or his lands, strained him deeply. He doesn't wish to burden you with the same thing, so now everything regarding the barony is up to you. in a sense, it is cathartic for him'' said Nathan evenly, not having a care in the world if his words were appropriate or not. Being as old as Nathan, allowed him to have some experience regarding the aches of man.
''Then Nathan, I guess it's you and me now. My father told me that, regarding the barony, you were the best man to help guide me. I have no idea ruling this place and to be honest, I haven't even visited our lands, apart from our manor, in a very, very long time. I will be counting on you to bring me up to speed and see what we can do. The last thing I want is to mess this up even more, right?'' I joked, trying to lighten up the mood and mostly my worries.
Not even a day has passed since my sudden death and I found myself in a different realm, a different body, and becoming a baron nonetheless. I still have no clue what is going on but I sure as hell know what I need to do now.
''Nathan, prepare my chambers. I need a day's worth of sleep.''I said heading towards the mansion.
''Gladly master Curze''.