Chapter 2 Bishop, Emperor and Viscount
Renee's surname is Von der Lenn. The Von der Lenn family has been loyal servants of the Mellefield family for generations. Even the Von der Lenn surname was granted by Charlotte's grandfather. Renee's father, Ralph Von der Lenn, was Charlotte's father's, the Duke of Green Field, Jose Mellefield's, personal valet when he was young, and now he is the steward of the Green Field Duchy's palace.
Renee and Charlotte grew up together since they were little. It's not an exaggeration to say that they grew up with the same pacifier. In name, Renee is Charlotte's maid, but in reality, they are more like close friends who can talk about anything. Although they are not related by blood, they are closer than real sisters.
For example, real sisters would not casually exchange things about the bedchamber, but Charlotte never avoids Renee when looking for cute girls.
For example, Charlotte never told her relatives about her ambitions, but since she was little, she never hid anything from Renee.
Renee brought a gorgeous crimson satin low-cut dress and helped Charlotte put it on. The tight corset tightened the girl's already slender waist, highlighting the exquisite curves of her upper body.
The round and full curves, the pearl white color, give people a wonderful feeling of being soft and elastic, fragrant and soft just from the visual point of view. Although she has seen it many times, Renee unconsciously moved her throat.
"Do you really want to take a bite?"
Charlotte suddenly straightened her chest and asked.
Renee came back to her senses and saw that Charlotte was looking at her with a teasing smile, obviously noticing her swallowing action, and her pretty face flushed.
"This, this dress is not solemn enough, it is not suitable for meeting His Majesty, I will go change one!"
Renee hurriedly left the bedroom and took a deep blue court dress again.
Charlotte let Renee dress her up. The new dress was much more conservative. Her eye-catching hemispheres on her chest were completely covered, but Renee's taste in clothing was excellent, and she still dressed her young lady beautifully.
Just after washing and dressing up, a court attendant came to report that the emperor summoned Charlotte, the daughter of the Duke of Green Field.
Too late for lunch, or breakfast? Renee prepared some biscuits and milk to take on the carriage for Charlotte to fill her stomach.
Horses and giant eagles are common means of transportation in the Oran Empire. Giant eagles are fast and ignore the terrain, but for an elegant noble lady, the ride experience is really bad. The carefully made-up makeup, expensive and exquisite jewelry, and gorgeous and fragile silk dresses can't withstand the devastation of the strong wind. Therefore, it is more suitable for noble ladies to travel in a stable carriage, especially for short trips.
In the carriage, Charlotte was eating the biscuits that still had the warmth of the oven, while unpacking the parchment bag that Renee brought back.
The things in the parchment bag are very miscellaneous. There are seals, brooches, letters, books, notebooks... But they also have one thing in common, that is, they all bear a white leopard coat of arms. The coat of arms of the Duke of Green Field, the Mellefield family, is a purplish-red leopard. This white leopard coat of arms is almost exactly the same as the Mellefield family's coat of arms except for the color. It is very suspicious of plagiarism.
The reason why the previous owner of this coat of arms dared to blatantly plagiarize the Green Field Duke family's coat of arms was because he was the Viscount of Lanwan, Brazilic Mellefield.
The Lanwan Viscount family is a branch of the Green Field Duke family. Brazilic Mellefield's grandfather and Charlotte's great-grandfather were brothers. Charlotte maliciously guessed that after the first generation of Lanwan Viscount was conferred, he might have been too lazy to redesign the family coat of arms, so he scraped off the paint from the original Green Field Duke family's coat of arms and used it as his own family's coat of arms.
Although they had separated, after all, everyone was surnamed Mellefield, and the Duke of Green Field was too powerful to force his relatives to change the family coat of arms.
Now, Charlotte has recovered all these coats of arms. She did this not to enforce copyright law for her father, but because she was about to become the next generation of Lanwan Viscount.
Brazilic Mellefield has no children, at least not on the surface. He has a chaotic private life and hardly cares about his family. It would be strange if his wife could still have children. As for illegitimate children, this Viscount of Lanwan has one, but the mother of the illegitimate child is a snake woman.
In fact, even if the mother of that illegitimate child was a fairy, an elf, a succubus, or even a minotaur, Brazilic Mellefield could think of a way to get him a "legitimate illegitimate child" status and let him inherit the family business. Because these are all intelligent races recognized by the Oran Empire and can be on an equal footing with humans.
However, it happens to be a snake person.
In the Oran Empire's view, snake people are just bigger snakes. The emperor of the empire would never confer a snake as a viscount, because if he did, all the Oran nobles would feel that they were humiliated.
In fact, Charlotte sometimes thinks it's quite admirable for Viscount Brazilic, not because snake people look good or ugly, but because she heard that snake people have to mate for several hours at a time.
Even without children, the title of Viscount of Lanwan was originally difficult for Charlotte to inherit. The Mellefield family, as a famous family that has been passed down for thousands of years, has many branches, and Charlotte is still a girl. In the Oran Empire's inheritance law, women's inheritance priority is lower than men's.
Charlotte's inheritance right was bought with money.
Brazilic Mellefield was obsessed with pleasure and indulged in pleasure, but the Lanwan Viscount Territory was very remote, with narrow land and poor people. He was considered poor among the "rural nobles". In his later years, he almost squandered his family property, and even sold the Viscount Castle. He was living in poverty and almost starved to death. Charlotte then reached an agreement with this clan uncle. As long as Brazilic Mellefield wrote a will specifying that she would inherit the title of Viscount of Lanwan, she would support his extravagant life until his death.
Brazilic Mellefield agreed without even thinking about it. For him, what family honor and what aristocratic pride are not as important as his own enjoyment. If the title passed down from his father can be sold, then sell it. Anyway, he can't take it away after he dies.
Last month, Brazilic Mellefield, who was over seventy years old, was assassinated and died in his residence, the Lake Light Manor on the outskirts of Platinum City.
This incident was not taken seriously by the nobles in Platinum City, because Brazilic Mellefield was really unpopular in Platinum City, and he liked to abuse slaves. It was not surprising that he was assassinated, and he had no legitimate children. No one would avenge him, so the royal family symbolically sent people to investigate the murderer and then let it go.
After Brazilic Mellefield died, Charlotte naturally became his heir according to the will.
Today, when she meets the emperor, Charlotte is going to be canonized.
Charlotte's castle is also outside Platinum City, not far from Platinum City. The wealthy nobles in Platinum City like to live outside the city. This is too easy to understand - as soon as the carriage drove into the city gate, along with the noisy and clamorous human voices, a stench came over.
This world does not yet have the concept of urban planning. A large city with a population of one million has no sewers! Gods and supernatural powers have completely failed to help people solve the pain point of feces and urine flowing across the ground. As a result, Platinum City has a gorgeous name in vain, and most areas are stinky.
It was not until the carriage drove all the way to the imperial palace and the cathedral near the city center that the smell that had always lingered at the tip of the nose gradually faded away.
The style of the Oran Empire's imperial palace is very similar to the Royal Palace of Madrid in Charlotte's memory. The tall marble columns, the blue pointed roof, the pure white walls, and the sculptures with religious elements that can be seen everywhere are extremely decorative. The overall style is calm and solemn, heavy and solemn, emphasizing the majesty of the palace owner to every visitor.
Charlotte got out of the car in front of the palace gate, and happened to meet an acquaintance coming out of the palace gate - the Archbishop of the Liuen Diocese, Maitland Contao.
"Archbishop." Charlotte performed a skirt-lifting ceremony to Maitland Contao, her movements were standard and elegant, just like a most educated noble daughter.
"Miss Mellefield." Contao also bowed slightly and returned the salute to Charlotte.
The church forces in this world have a great influence. Although they can't just appoint a king, if they are determined to abolish a king, then no king in this world would dare to sit safely on his kingdom.
Because this world really has gods!
The church calls that god Yi Ge.
Yi Ge is the creator, the creator of mankind and all life, the master of all light and darkness, and the only god in this world.
All this is written in the church's "Canon".
The church and believers generally honor Yg as "God Lord".
Although mortals have almost no chance to see God and hear God, only the extremely devout saints in the church claim that they have heard the voice of God Lord, but the real existence of God Lord is the consensus of everyone in this world.
All the warlocks who have embarked on the extraordinary road can vaguely feel that there is a great existence across the end of this road. He is like the sky that envelopes the world. No matter how fast or strong a bird is, it can only fly under the dome.
Although God Lord never descends on the world, His existence alone is enough to keep the church in its transcendent position.
"What a coincidence, Archbishop, I am about to return to the Principality of Green Plains. I originally wanted to go to church to bid you farewell."
"Has Miss Mellerfield finished her studies at the Banyan Academy?"
"It's a paragraph."
"It seems that Miss Mellerfield has achieved academic success."
"The archbishop has passed the award,"
Charlotte remained humble and respectful, "I have lived in Platinum City for three years, and I have rarely returned home in three years. This time I want to bring some gifts to my family, especially my mother, she has always been a devout believer of God Lord..."
"Oh? Then what gift do you want to bring to the Duchess?" Archbishop Kong Tao smiled softly, like a devout preacher.
"I heard that the archbishop has a copy of the "Canon" that he personally annotated, which records your deep understanding of God's teachings.
If I can receive that book, my mother will be very happy." Charlotte looked at the old "Canon" that Archbishop Kong Tao was holding in his right hand, and said.
Archbishop Kong Tao also looked at the "Canon" in his hand, with a look of embarrassment on his face: "It is the duty of our servants of God Lord to give the "Canon" to believers, but this "Canon" was given to me by a priest when I first became a church apprentice. It has been with me for decades and it is really difficult to part with it."
"Actually, I have a good relationship with your nephew. Tomorrow is his birthday.
I have prepared a box of gifts from the goblins for him." Charlotte covered her mouth and chuckled.
"So Miss Charlotte is Kimi's friend? I just learned about this," Archbishop Kong Tao looked surprised, and the devout preacher's smile on his face turned into a kind smile of a elder, "Since he is Kimi's friend, he is considered my junior."
Miss Charlotte is leaving soon, as an elder, I really should prepare some gifts, but I am just a poor ascetic, I can only wish that our merciful Lord Yg will bless His children more..."
Kong Tao handed his old "Canon" to Charlotte.
The Oran Empire has three dioceses, the Ruen Diocese, the Campe Diocese, and the Isis Diocese, each with an archbishop.
In name, they are only responsible for spreading the faith for God Lord, but in fact, the status of every archbishop in the world is no less than that of the current Duke of Green Plains, Jose Mellerfield.
It stands to reason that it would be difficult for Charlotte to get along with Kong Tao simply by virtue of her status as the Duke's daughter, but since she witnessed the archbishop holding a head-sized emerald she dedicated to the cathedral three years ago and smiling from ear to ear, Charlotte knew that this was not the case.
The archbishop is willing to be on an equal footing with any believer, as long as you have enough money to prove your piety to God Lord.
However, the church has the dogma of "purification and penance", emeralds are dedicated to the church, and the archbishop himself does not accept gifts.
So, Charlotte had to make friends with Kimi Kong Tao.
Maitland Kong Tao and Kimi Kong Tao claim to be uncle and nephew, however, the nephew in the priest's mouth = illegitimate child, which is almost an open secret in the upper class.
No one knows how many illegitimate children are hidden under the robes of certain archbishops.
After spending three years and continuous silver bullet offensives, Charlotte finally became Kimi Kong Tao's "good friend".
I thought that three years of offerings in exchange for a tattered "Canon" should be enough, but in the end, I was blackmailed by the archbishop. Charlotte felt like eating flies as disgusting.
Goblins are another kind of intelligent creatures in this world. They are small in size and have fantastic wings. Like dragons, they like shiny things, but dragons prefer gems, while goblins prefer gold.
The goblin gift that Charlotte mentioned was a box of goldware forged by goblins. The goldware forged by goblins has unique magic power, which is difficult for other races to imitate. It is a luxury that is highly sought after by the nobles of Oran.
Disgusted with Maitlan Kong Tao's greed, Charlotte kept a respectful face, took the old "Canon" with both hands, and thanked him devoutly: "Thank you, God's blessing is the best gift."
Farewell to Kong Tao, Charlotte handed the "Canon" to Renee behind her without changing her face.
Renee put away the "Canon" with those coats of arms.
Entering the palace gate, two eunuchs led Charlotte to the Hall of Imperial Power.
The Hall of Imperial Power is the most magnificent room in the imperial palace, and it is usually only used to receive nobles.
It is covered with a red velvet carpet, and the walls are decorated with colorful glass. All the furnishings you can see are made of gold and silver. There is even a pure gold chair with a backrest of more than two meters high in the center of the hall. The chair is inlaid with pearls, corals and various gems.
The emperor of the empire, Leopold Holovin, was sitting on a pure gold throne, with his wife Mary Holovin on his right and his nephew Henry Holovin on his left.
This nephew is different from Kong Tao's nephew, this nephew is really a nephew.
Leopold Holovin had no sons, only one daughter. Henry Holovin was raised by Leopold Holovin as his son when he was ten years old.
Although he has not yet been established as the crown prince, the nobles of the empire all know that Leopold Holovin intends for Henry Holovin to be his heir.
Further down on the right, there is also a middle-aged man wearing a black gold-threaded dress, that is the court bartender of the Oran Empire, Earl Wolfheart, Gilmo Butler.
As the name suggests, the bartender is the one who pours wine for the emperor, but no one will underestimate this official position, because he also holds the intelligence and spy agency of the Oran Empire, "Claw".
This short, ordinary-looking, even somewhat ugly man is undoubtedly the emperor's absolute confidant.
"See Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Queen." Charlotte stood in the middle of the hall and saluted.
"We haven't seen each other for many years, little Charlotte." Leopold Holovin looked down at Charlotte and said, "I remember the last time I saw you, your father took you to the hunting meeting. You were younger than the little dwarf horse."
"Yes," Charlotte said, "However, during the Holy Grace Banquet this year, I also paid homage to His Majesty from afar, but I was not fortunate enough to be summoned by His Majesty."
Holy Grace Day is equivalent to the New Year in this world. Every year on Holy Grace Day, the royal family holds a grand feast in the palace to entertain the nobles in the entire Platinum City.
There are no less than ten thousand nobles, big and small, in Platinum City.
If Charlotte's father was there, he would definitely be able to sit next to Leopold and have dinner with the emperor, chatting and talking, but Charlotte is only the Duke's daughter, she can still come to eat, but she has no chance to talk to the emperor.
Now it seems that the emperor didn't even notice her existence.
Leopold Holovin didn't seem to feel embarrassed, he nodded and turned the page, and asked: "How is your father doing recently?"
"My father is fine, and the government affairs of the Principality are stable, but he recently wrote to say that he has a minor illness, and his health is not very good. He lamented that the friends who fought and hunted together when he was young have already dispersed, and he himself is getting old."
Charlotte's father, the Duke of Green Plains, is only in his fifties. In this extraordinary world where nobles live on average for more than one hundred years, fifty years old is far from the age of "the old man with a strong heart".
Jose Mellerfield has never written that kind of letter, those words were all made up by Charlotte herself, she just wanted to gently test the emperor's reaction, and it didn't matter if she was exposed.
"Yes," there was a sigh from the throne, "I once fought with your father against 300,000 Edisa people on the coast of Ruen Sea. Those days seemed like yesterday, but in a blink of an eye, more than 20 years have passed."
The temptation actually worked!
Charlotte's heart suddenly rippled.
This kind of sigh is really not something a middle-aged emperor should say to a foreign minister.
Over the years, there has been a rumor circulating in Platinum City - His Majesty Emperor Leopold is in poor health and may not live long.
However, the rumor that the emperor was going to die every year, but the emperor has not died, so those who believed these rumors were very embarrassed.
Charlotte has always been skeptical about this rumor.
On the one hand, she knows that Leopold Holovin is also an extraordinary person, and he is younger than her father, the Duke of Green Plains, so he is not so easy to die.
On the other hand, the emperor has not had any children for many years, and the only daughter was born thirty years ago. It is really strange that an emperor does not try his best to have a son.
Right now, Leopold Holovin's lamentation as if looking back on his life undoubtedly made Charlotte's psychology rapidly incline to believe the rumor.
An emperor will definitely not have too many melancholy emotions, at least not too much. Leopold just sighed and said about the business: "I already know that Viscount Basilik has no heir, but I am very surprised. In terms of legal inheritance rights, your brothers have priority over you, why is it your turn to inherit his title?"
"I have been close to Uncle Basilik since I was a child, and I have taken care of my uncle on behalf of my father in Platinum City these past few years. Maybe that's why he wanted to give me the title."
As Charlotte spoke, she took out the will of the former Viscount Lanwan.
Gilmo Butler, Earl Wolfheart, who was standing by, presented the will to the emperor.
"Since it is Viscount Basilik's will, then I will canonize you as the new Viscount Lanwan."
Emperor Leopold opened the will, scanned it briefly, and put it down.
In fact, some procedures and certificates for Charlotte to inherit Viscount Lanwan have been verified by officials and nobles a long time ago, and Charlotte presenting the will of the former Viscount Lanwan in person is just a formality.
The emperor stepped down from the throne, pulled out his sword and pressed it on Charlotte's shoulder. Charlotte swore allegiance to the emperor and officially became Viscount Lanwan.
Charlotte got up, and Gilmo Butler brought a tray with silk on it, which contained the emperor's reward for the newly enshrined minister.
Charlotte was about to take the reward, but when she looked at the tray, she stopped because there was something missing from the tray.
According to the tradition of the Oran Empire, when the emperor canonizes his direct vassal, he usually rewards three things, one is a sword, the other is a branch, and the third is a feather.
The sword symbolizes force, indicating that the emperor allows nobles to establish their own army and canonize their own knights.
The branch symbolizes the land, indicating that the emperor gave a certain piece of land to the nobles.
Feathers symbolize griffins. Griffins, like giant eagles, are unique species of Eagle Continent, but they are four or five times larger than giant eagles. Griffin knights have an overwhelming advantage over ground forces and even giant eagle knights.
The number of Griffin Knights owned by a country on the Continent of Eagles almost directly reflects the military strength of this country.
In order to show the emperor's trust in the enfeoffed nobles and to let the nobles help raise troops, every time a noble of the Oran Empire is canonized, the emperor will give a certain number of griffins according to the number and affluence of the knight leaders under the noble's fiefdom.
For example, Viscount Lanwan has 25 knight fiefdoms under his jurisdiction, and according to the usual practice, he can be given a maximum of 25 griffins, and at least 5 griffins should be given.
When Basilik Mellerfield was canonized, the emperor gave five feathers to symbolize five griffins.
Viscount Lanwan's fief is too poor, and raising griffins is very expensive, so it is reasonable to reward them according to the minimum standard.
However, there is not a single feather in the tray in front of Charlotte!
Charlotte raised her eyelids slightly, first seeing the back of His Majesty the Emperor walking towards the throne, then glancing at the Queen beside the throne, Her Majesty the Queen had a smile on her face, she couldn't see anything unusual, and finally looked at the Emperor's nephew on the other side of the throne.
Henry Holovin seemed to be waiting for this scene. He looked at Charlotte with his eyes, raised his chin slightly, and did not hide his complacency.
Charlotte almost understood why she was treated so harshly.
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