Lord of Caldera

Chapter 171

Reluctantly, the nobles took their seats, along with some of the barbarian leaders, including Ragnar. As soon as he sat down, Ragnar spoke.

"The purpose of convening this Platinum Council is simple: to elect a king of the North."

"What?!"@@@@

"This is madness!"

At the word "king," some nobles gasped in shock.

"A king! Are you out of your mind?"

"This is outright treason against the empire!"

"Treason, you say?" Ragnar scoffed, watching the nobles' intense opposition.

"So loyal, aren't you? While the Emperor controls the North's food supply, holding you all by the neck, you bow and grovel in submission."

"You scoundrel!" a noble growled.

"Silence!" Ragnar's roar made many nobles clutch their ears. It was as though a dragon had roared right in front of them.

"The children of the icy plains are starving! And yet, you continue to offer empty loyalty, thinking only of your own safety. If that's the case, then perhaps..." Ragnar rose to his feet, scanning those around him.

"I shall liberate the children of the North from your grip!"

The nobles' faces turned pale as they finally grasped his threat. If things went awry, he would unleash the unified barbarians upon the North.

As the nobles swallowed nervously, the Marquis stepped forward.

"So, the Great Chief is suggesting we elect a king who represents both imperial subjects and the people of the North and then present this to the Emperor?"

"Exactly!" Ragnar stomped his foot, and the entire hall shook.

"If the North unites, how could the Emperor toy with us as he pleases? Our axes alone would make him think twice!"

"And if he rejects this proposal?" a noble asked.

"I told you, if you abandon this cause, I will unite the North alone," Ragnar replied. The nobles' faces twisted in frustration, sensing his true intentions.

"Curse it. He just wants to be king himself," one whispered.

The nobles paused, realizing they had been so preoccupied with the council's explosive moments that they hadn't considered it.

"The idea of electing a king isn't a bad one. It means uniting the entire North under a single leader."

"Are you suggesting rebellion against the royal family?" one noble asked, shocked.

"Not necessarily," Bjorn replied. A king is a symbol of unity, and what policies they pursue depend on their individual abilities.

"Though the monarchy was abolished long ago, a king is still technically a title under the Emperor. If we unite and formally request the restoration of the monarchy, how would that be rebellion?"

"That's... true!" one noble exclaimed with a brightened expression, as though he had experienced a revelation.

"Yes, a formal request wouldn't be treason!"

"We could even leverage our unified strength to press the imperial family!"

"And we might integrate the barbarians as our subjects as well," some others mused, considering the unexpected possibilities. Realizing this, Ragnar's face darkened.

'Damn it. So they're going to twist this proposal of electing a king like that?'

This approach could even allow imperial nobles to present their own candidates. If an imperial candidate became king, Ragnar would be obliged to follow them, having just advocated for unity. The thought alone was infuriating.

'Not that it's likely,' he reassured himself, crossing his arms with a confident look. No one could stand against him.

"Very well. Do you have any candidates?" he challenged.

"I will be the first candidate!" boomed a voice from outside the hall. Ragnar turned and his eyes widened as he saw Sylas standing there with a grin.

"Why are you here?" Ragnar barked, glaring at the smiling Sylas.

Ragnar wasn't the only one stunned; the other nobles stared at Sylas in confusion.

"Who is this man? I've never seen him before."

"Did some territory's heir change recently?" they murmured.

Ragnar, the first to regain his composure, shot a sharp glare at the Marquis.

"Marquis! What is the meaning of this?"

"What do you mean?" the Marquis replied, feigning innocence.

"Don't play dumb! Why is someone from the East attending the Platinum Council?"