The news came very suddenly, forcing Sean to return to Taylemian and wait... summoning everyone close to him, including Danti, Luke, the Esmeralda siblings, and of course, Ignia.
These were the people with whom he had the highest rapport during this period, aside from those in the Sky-Wing Organization and Freya. As for the Sky-Wing Organization, it was mainly because of Freya that the entire group held a 【Friendly】 attitude toward him.
But if the members of the Sky-Wing Organization discovered that his relationship with Freya had crossed a certain line, it was hard to say whether their attitude might suddenly shift... For now, though, the people he trusted most were the ones before him.
"I think you all know what's happened. It's sudden, but since we're here, we need to rethink our future plans and policies..." Sean said.
Whether his title was baron or the soon-to-be earl, he needed advisors and helpers around him. Many decisions couldn't be made by one person alone.
"The whole town's residents have heard about it, but opinions vary."
"Oh, tell me more..."
He looked at Luke, who actually had more say than him when it came to governing the town.
"Some of the younger folks are naturally excited, hoping to follow you to the new place. They've heard about some recent events in the southeastern part of the Empire, but the overall environment is worth developing. In the years to come, there's a more promising future ahead."
In short, it meant more money.
Sean's imperial subsidy had yet to come through, and it probably never would.
The Tacoma region might be even larger than Koga City, with foreseeable growth in both population and economy. As a gateway to another continent, border trade alone could sustain the area, so that ten-thousand-gold subsidy might be gone for good.
"But some of the town's elders are pessimistic. They might not want to leave this place!"
"Then can't they just stay and live here?" Claude chimed in with his opinion.
"Don't talk nonsense. Taylemian won't have any lord for a long time, and it's still your territory. The residents will have to follow you." Before he could finish, Esmeralda cut him off.
Indeed.
Under Basharan Empire's policies, it wasn't a system of congressional appointments and assignments. If he left Taylemian, it might be a century before another noble came to govern it.
Because the Vigil family had developed here for generations, no noble would want to take over such a place.
And theoretically, this land was permanently owned by the Vigil family... unless he gave it up.
For instance, if he became lord of the Tacoma region, this place would still belong to the Vigil family. Even if all the residents moved away, no one could occupy it. Probably no one would want to, unless many years or generations later, his descendants forgot about it, and the Earl of Koga City at that time wanted to expand and take it over.
And before taking it, they'd negotiate with the current lord, offering gifts or strengthening trade and exchanges to buy the rights.
It was somewhat like a transaction...
Similarly, other local nobles could use the same method to acquire Taylemian. Even if the Empire's ruler wanted to assign it to a new noble, they'd need to discuss it with him.
In short, Basharan's national policies were very unique, a way to encourage nobles to earn merits for more land and higher titles.
Of course, the reality was more complicated...
Often, the future ownership of Taylemian would depend on the situation at the time. For example, if the Empire insisted on redistributing the land, as a border lord, you couldn't refuse—that would be disrespecting the royal family.
But no matter what happened, Taylemian would be a power vacuum for a long time, easily becoming a haven for bandits and mountain thieves. So it was best to persuade the residents to follow him to the new territory.
The young and the old!
Sean thought for a moment...
"There's no rush. We can slowly communicate with the residents. It takes time for them to accept... Just say that I, Sean Vigil, grew up in this town, and no matter where I go, I won't abandon them. If we settle in a new city, all residents will receive special care."
Actually, that wasn't the best way to put it.
As a lord, if he gave VIP treatment to one group, it might create a divide between first-class and second-class citizens, even sparking minor racial discrimination. But without saying it, it would be hard to get the residents to leave.
Deep down, Sean didn't want to abandon them. Once he left, this place would have no protection, and who knows what might come in... And he could somewhat understand the residents' concerns. Though unspoken, they were easy to guess.
Most townsfolk had little education. In a big city, they'd feel like country bumpkins, their pride and lifestyle might suffer. So they needed an identity, one closer to the lord.
But that kind of identity...
Sigh, he wouldn't dwell on it for now.
As a lord, he shouldn't burden himself with too many problems but delegate them to others. He only needed to set the direction and maintain diplomatic relations—that was the lesson Sean had learned as a manager over the past year.
No matter what decision you make...
There was never an optimal choice.
"I understand, my lord." Luke seemed to grasp Sean's meaning and nodded.
"Lord Vigil, if you go to the Tacoma region, you'll be stepping into the center of power!" Esmeralda said.
"I've always felt you should rise to a higher position."
Danti, usually quiet, suddenly spoke up.
It was clear that his promotion had excited them all...
After all, when the tide rises, all boats float.
From now on, they could say they were part of an earl's household—a status that held weight anywhere.
But they'd known the news for a while, and Sean still couldn't figure out how he'd landed such a good position. Honestly, he was quite pleased. Taylemian had always been constrained by the Earl of Koga City. No matter how hard he tried, the gap between the two places was huge.
But now, things were different. His status had fundamentally changed.
...
While Sean was busy discussing future plans, the Empire's herald had already entered Koga City's airspace.