Chapter 205: Choose a Side

Charlotte moved swiftly.After summoning the Leon-Castell family, she announced her audit plan for the entire county, officially appointing Viscount Leon-Castell as the examiner and starting the audit from her own domain.

Overnight, chaos erupted in the Northport City. Nice led the Castell guards in raids based on the list provided by Madoc’s confession. Many governing officers and low-ranking nobles from the direct domains were arrested along with their families and taken to prison.

This large-scale audit naturally caused an uproar among the nobility. Those still in Northport after the Count's banquet swarmed to the Count’s estate, seeking to persuade, oppose, berate, or test her intentions.

Despite the seemingly cordial atmosphere of the banquet, where nobles maintained at least a superficial respect, they now revealed their true stance as Charlotte began her crackdown to reclaim the Castell family's waning authority over the past decade.

Opposition.

Unified opposition.

Charlotte realized she had underestimated the deeply rooted nobles of her domain. The day after the audit plan was announced, the nobles still in Northport drafted a petition against it.

They demanded Charlotte retract the audit plan, citing numerous downsides and harshly criticized the Leon-Castell family.

“The property and privacy of nobles are sacred and inviolable. Even their lord has no right to conduct such a strict audit, let alone property verification!”

“This is contempt for the Sacred Code! It undermines the foundation of our rule! It is the act of a tyrant!”

“While the assassination at the banquet warrants investigation, it should not be an excuse to vent anger on vassals!”

“She is a naive child who will ultimately ruin Castell…”

“A woman of the Starfall bloodline. No matter how well the Castell family hides it, they cannot hide the truth. Her heart may not even belong to the North, but to herself alone!”

Public opinion was overwhelmingly against her.

Overnight, Charlotte transformed from a promising young lord into a tyrant in the eyes of all her subjects.

Holding the nobles’ petition and listening to reports of their criticisms from the guards, Charlotte’s expression darkened.

Although she had anticipated some resistance from the nobles, the blatant disregard and sexist remarks were particularly infuriating.

Despite her anger and the urge to punish those insolent nobles, Charlotte remained calm.

She knew the uproar was largely fueled by the nobles whose interests were threatened. The general populace had not yet reacted to the audit plan, which did not target them directly.

However, she understood the need for swift action.

“Who are the main instigators?”

Charlotte asked calmly.

“Mostly new nobles who rose through workshops and trade caravans, along with some low-ranking nobles from the direct domains.”

Nice replied.

“New nobles from workshops and trade caravans? No other viscounts or barons involved?”

Charlotte was surprised.

“No, none.”

Charlotte frowned.

After a moment of thought, she understood.

“A bunch of fools being used as pawns…”

The new nobles, despite their wealth, lacked significant influence and could not have rallied so many nobles overnight. They were likely being used by the old nobles to pressure her and test her limits.

These new nobles feared the financial audits more than the bloodborne checks, having likely evaded taxes extensively.

“Nice, investigate and arrest the leading agitators based on the provided evidence and confessions.”

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Charlotte ordered after some thought.

“Aren’t you afraid of rebellion?”

Nice asked.

“Even if there is a rebellion, the direct domains won’t orchestrate it. Only those with private armies can truly rebel.”

Charlotte replied.

“And your reputation? Doing this might label you as a tyrant.”

Nice continued.

“Don’t worry, someone else will handle that.”

Charlotte said.

She turned to her maid, Sherry, and instructed.

“Sherry, send word to the Leon-Castell family’s residence. Tell them it’s time to show their influence among the nobles.” Sᴇaʀᴄh the NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

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Specialized tasks require specialized people.

While the nobles’ protests were loud, it was unclear how many were firmly against Charlotte, how many were opportunists, or mere spectators.

But one thing was certain: appointing the Leon-Castell family to audit the nobles was the right choice.

Following Charlotte’s orders, the Castell family’s guards moved out, suppressing the rebellious direct domain nobles.

As the rulers of the North, the Castell family maintained a standing guard of three thousand. While not enough to rival the combined private armies of the nobles, it was more than sufficient to quell minor uprisings in the direct domains.

Simultaneously, the Leon-Castell family publicly supported Charlotte.

The elderly viscount personally condemned the rebellious nobles, asserting the audit's legitimacy for territorial security.

Notably, the viscount focused not on the nobles’ crimes but on the threat posed by the bloodborne infiltrations, invoking historical fears of bloodborne rule.

Public opinion swiftly shifted, especially among commoners who saw the audits as a form of justice against the nobles. Charlotte’s previously tarnished image as a tyrant was transformed into that of a righteous new lord.

The Castell family’s head skillfully manipulated public sentiment, rallying some traditional loyalist families and allies of Leon-Castell to support the audits, including four baronial families.

Surprisingly, even the rival Griss family’s viscountess hinted at supporting the audits, though she demanded that her family be audited directly by Charlotte and sought to replace Leon-Castell as the executor of the audit plan.

Charlotte rejected this, adhering to her principle of trust once decided. Granting power to the Griss family would only fuel their ambitions, given their already substantial military strength.

Charlotte intended to deal with the Griss family later, possibly by leveraging her knowledge of their bloodline status.

Meanwhile, the Roman-Four family maintained silence, departing Northport quietly after the banquet. Charlotte suspected they harbored secrets, especially regarding their maritime power.

The Castell family’s actions caused a clear divide among the nobles. While supporters were few, the Griss family’s tentative support and the departure of other nobles indicated a refusal to support Charlotte openly.

Charlotte sighed, understanding she could only choose one major noble ally for now.

The Castell family’s actions muddied the political waters, and Charlotte’s deployment of family guards quickly suppressed the rebellious nobles in the direct domains.

However, the departing nobles signaled their dissatisfaction and potential future conflicts.

Charlotte knew this was just the beginning.

Although the immediate unrest was quelled, she anticipated possible conflicts and prepared for potential battles.

Shortly after, the communication crystal seized from Agnes activated, indicating an incoming message from the Nez bloodborne.

Charlotte felt a surge of anticipation.

It seemed the Nez clan was initiating the meeting earlier than expected.