Prime Originator

Outside of items of trade, lands, military service, and contributions to the empire can be used to reduce the debt.

Anything that hasn’t been included in the aforementioned can be negotiated with the royal family to settle the debt.

Outside of these terms, the empire will completely cover the costs of developing roads, ports, and other settlements in the Blizzardpaw Dukedom.

The empire might seem like they are losing out on this deal.

However, the Blizzardpaw Dukedom has officially and legally become a part of the empire. The rights of governance are simply given to Monarch Blizzardpaw.

Thus, the empire had to bear the cost of its development plans.

Nevertheless, these costs won’t come out of the royal family’s pockets. The reinstatement of tax allowed the royal family to have extra funds for the development and management of the empire.

Furthermore, the Blizzardpaw Dukedom was not excluded from paying taxes. They will simply pay tax in the form of Frostjades, which is extremely valuable in the empire.

More importantly, the development of the Blizzardpaw Dukedom was crucial to the Crawford Empire, whether it was for sea access, sea monster meat, or the Frostjades.

Those were the known benefits that would affect the empire.

Besides those benefits, the cold north was still a vast unexplored region. It was unknown what other precious resources and valuable treasures were hidden in this land.

…

Sometime later, Leon and the others returned to Elizabeth’s side, but it was clear that the talk was already over.

”Did you finish talking about the arrangements with Monarch Blizzardpaw already, Mother?” Leon asked, feeling taken aback.

”Yeah, we’ve settled everything while you were feeding the Winter Cats, son,” Elizabeth confirmed before adding, “And it’s Duke Blizzardpaw now. The entire north, the Blizzardpaw Dukedom is his to manage.”

Afterward, Elizabeth recounted the details to Leon and the others, stunning them. Leon and Aria did not expect Elizabeth to give Monarch Blizzardpaw the rank of Duke.

They have yet to explore all of the north.

Leon wondered if his mother was planning on assigning the Duke rank to every additional High-rank tribe they encounter in the north. If there were any more tribes beside the Winter Cat Tribe, that is.

Nevertheless, Leon could also understand why it had to be the Duke rank.

If Monarch Blizzardpaw were allowed to reign over such a large territory without the rank of Duke, there would be voices of dissents among the empire’s nobles.

After all, most of them didn’t have any territories to govern.

Of course, there must have been other reasons that his mother considered before granting Monarch Blizzardpaw peerage.

Nevertheless, Aria had concerns for a different reason.

”Is it alright to grant Monarch Blizzardpaw the Duke rank? Beasts and humans had been at war since the last Cataclysm. Many people will have concerns regarding the Winter Cats,” Aria mentioned.

”That shouldn’t be a big problem,” Leon stated.

”The wrath of the Cataclysm made the beasts out of control. However, the Winter Cat Tribe had been living in a land completely protected from the Wrathful Demonic Energy. It’s also why we can get along with Duke Blizzardpaw and the Winter Cat Tribe this smoothly.”

Of course, he wouldn’t deny the allure of the sea monster meat they provided also played a big part in their amicable relationship.

”Whatever concerns the people have, they will come to understand the Winter Cats when they interact with them. People have always been afraid of the unknown, but they don’t fear what they can understand.”

”That aside, business on this side is settled. Mother needs to return to New Capital and settle the matters on that side. The sooner we send people to work on the forest, the sooner we can establish a more stable food supply to the north,” Elizabeth stated.

”Right,” Leon nodded in agreement before saying, “Let Darlene send you back, Mother.”

”That will save some time,” Elizabeth agreed.

Since they were no longer searching for Lynne, there was no need to travel back on foot. Darlene could take them back to New Capital with her spatial ability.

That being said, Leon figured he would need to forge more Teleportation Arrays for the convenience of traveling.

Furthermore, he still needed to improve his runic knowledge, among other things that require his attention.

Meanwhile, Monarch Blizzardpaw had no complaints with everyone leaving so soon despite wanting to keep entertained in the tribe longer.

The welfare of the Winter Cats comes first.

It wouldn’t be too late for Monarch Blizzardpaw to provide a better reception once the situation in the Winter Cat Tribe improved and stabilized.

Nevertheless, Leon did not intend to follow Elizabeth and Darlene back to the New Capital.

”I won’t be going back with you, Mother. I plan to continue exploring the north,” Leon stated.

”Alright, Son. If that’s what you want to do,” Elizabeth nodded. Given her son’s present ability, she was convinced that he would be fine. Shortly after, she turned to Faelyn and Aria. “What about you two?”

Aria glanced between Leon and Faelyn before she smiled.

”I left on such short notice that I didn’t get to visit my family. I will follow Mother back to New Capital to spend time with them,” Aria replied. But then, she added, “Can I bring Snowhisker with me?”

”You’ll have to ask Snowhisker’s parents,” Monarch Blizzardpaw said.

Aria nodded.

”I want to follow Leon and explore the north with him…” Faelyn gave her answer before adding in a softer tone, “If it’s not too much to ask.”

”Not at all,” Leon shook his head with a smile.

Sometime later, Elizabeth, Aria, and Darlene left through Darlene’s Dark Passage and returned to the New Capital.

Leon and Faelyn didn’t stay for long either. They left the Winter Cat Tribe and headed east. However, they weren’t alone.

Monarch Blizzardpaw volunteered to tag along with them after settling some arrangements in the Winter Cat Tribe.