In the feudal era, after the nobility’s line had ended, there were generally two scenarios for the inheritance of their domains.
One scenario was the domain being directly reclaid by the lord, becoming a directly administered domain or being distributed to other nobles.
This scenario was not particularly common and often occurred when the lord was powerful, or the family with no descendants had no intermarriages or collateral branches.
The other scenario, which constituted the vast majority of cases, involved a struggle both open and covert, after which the domain would be inherited by a family related through marriage or a collateral branch that had so claim to inheritance.
This was also the case in the world of Mireya.
Furthermore, because Mireya’s world possessed transcendent powers, and marriages between Transcendents could increase the likelihood of their descendants awakening transcendent powers, noble marriages were even more frequent in this world.
Taking the Castel family as an example, if one were to truly trace the relationships, nearly the entire Bold Duchy, and even other noble families outside the Bold Duchy in the New Moon Kingdom, were related through marriage to the Castels, making them either distant or close relatives.
In other words, if Charlotte were to die, there would be a plethora of families within and outside the Duchy with a weak claim to the Count Castel Domain.
Of course, with claims ca a hierarchy.
And in all the hierarchies of succession, the Bold family, who were both the lord, the head family, and had previous intermarriages, undoubtedly ranked first.
Others might have a weak claim, but the Bold family had a strong claim, even being directly seen as the inheritors.
That is to say, should anything happen to Charlotte, the Count Castel Domain would almost certainly revert to the Duke Mansion.
Charlotte, who had quickly educated herself on the nobility of this world, soon understood all these ins and outs.
"How was the assassin’s weapon brought in?"
She pondered and then asked.
This ti, Casimodo looked toward Black Cat Nisi, who chuckled and said,
"It was an attachnt of space magic done on the spot, and it’s quite an advanced technique. Your servant isn’t a Transcendent, understandably he couldn’t notice it."
"An attachnt on the spot? Does he have a Transcendent backing him?"
Charlotte felt a stir in her heart.
"Yes, ow. But he won’t say, or rather, he can’t say. He’s likely under a spiritual series Forget Curse, only rembering that he had a weapon that could be concealed."
"His words, even if he’s been used by others, as long as he could avenge his family, he’s willing to do it."
Nisi licked its paws and spoke.
"But if we track it down, it could still be traced back to the Duke Mansion, right?"
Charlotte lightly sipped her milk, slightly narrowing her eyes.
Nisi chuckled twice, conceding the point, clearly having discovered so "evidence."
"This is a fool who overestimates his strength and is being used by others!"
Charlotte’s gaze turned cold, giving the assassin a new label.
Clearly, this was yet another fra-up.
Indeed, from the perspective of inheritance, if anyone wanted Charlotte dead the most, ostensibly it would be the Bold Duke.
Such framing would also be more believable to the public.
But Charlotte did not think the Bold Duke was that foolish.
Nobles had their codes, and adhering to these regulations was sothing all Mireya nobles valued highly.
In the ga of power, much filth could be concealed in darkness, but could not be placed outright in the open.
If the Bold Duke truly assassinated her and it ca to light, he would bear the stigma of murder.
This was no ordinary murder.
As beneficiaries under the Transcendent Governance System, the Mireya nobles had privileges.
The Holy Royal Court and the founding emperor of the Yonette Empire, Charlemagne I, had signed the Holy Code, which clearly stipulated the various rights and obligations of nobles.
And the murder of a noble, even a lower noble, was not permitted in the political circles of the Mireya world.
Even the Holy Royal Court viewed this as a sin and might punish the murderer severely, even excommunicating him!
Divine right of kings, royal authority ca from divine right, and so did the nobility’s control over their lands.
It would certainly be problematic by then.
Once excommunicated, even the Bold Duke’s control over and legitimacy to his domains could be weakened.
At that ti, securing the inheritance rights to the Count Castel Domain would definitely fail, and the vassal nobles might take the opportunity to cause trouble.
Everyone was no fool; all eyes were on the Duke Mansion.
It wasn’t easy being the head under the feudal system; every vassal noble was cunning, fishing in troubled waters, cheating, and deceiving... utterly slick in their maneuvers.
Even the Castel family, praised by the Bold Duke as the backbone of the Duchy, customarily doctored their accounts to reduce the apparent inco of their domains, thereby reducing the tax dues.
Not to ntion other families.
Most of the vassal nobles high and low in the Bold would love nothing more than to see the Duke Mansion weaken imdiately to reduce their own vassal contract tax and conscripts rates.
When that ti ca, even other lords and the royal family of the New Moon Kingdom might beco restless.
Surely the New Moon King wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity and would most likely use it as a pretext to weaken the Bold family, or even reclaim so of the directly administered domains.
Centralization of power has always been every feudal monarch’s dream.
So... as long as the Bold Duke wasn’t foolish, he wouldn’t attempt to assassinate Charlotte.
At least he wouldn’t dirty his own hands; if it had to be done, it would be done secretly without leaving a trace.
Not to ntion, this was the most inferior thod.
Putting herself in the Bold Duke’s shoes, if Charlotte were him, wouldn’t an accident like falling off a horse be more desirable?
Even without an accident, any child born would bear the Bold na!
"Duke Mansion is not without..." Damn!
Seemingly reminded of sothing, Charlotte suddenly shivered and her complexion turned a bit unsightly.
At that mont, she suddenly thought of the ti she spent at the Church Hospital and the rampant rumors spread by those blabbermouth believers.
"Casimodo, Duke invited to a banquet one week from now and specifically ntioned that it relates to the future of the Castel family, what does that really an?" she asked after taking a deep breath.
"Related to the family’s future?"
Casimodo paused, looking completely baffled.
Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Charlotte knew that her loyal old servant had almost zero political acun.
"Could it be... Duke Mansion is thinking of arranging a marriage with ?" Charlotte voiced her suspicion.
Casimodo frowned:
"An arranged marriage? But the Duke doesn’t have a male heir... Wait! That illegitimate child?!"
His eyes suddenly widened.
Right then, Charlotte saw her old servant get as angry as a hen protecting her chicks, his beard practically quivering with rage:
"Ridiculous! Dreaming!"
"To think they’d try to arrange a marriage with their dirty bastard to our noble Castel family, even if he is a Duke, he can’t insult our master like this!"
Charlotte was taken aback by Casimodo’s reaction.
Her normally gentle servant was now like a lit keg of gunpowder, cursing the Duke’s family terribly, even though it was just a conjecture from Charlotte.
And listening to that noble-etiquette-lacking, filthy tirade, Charlotte gradually caught on.
Just like on Blue Star, no, even worse.
In this world, nobles hold illegitimate children in very low status.
Not only do they lack inheritance rights, but they are also at the bottom of the nobility pecking order.
No wonder Casimodo was so angry. Even as a Duke’s son, an illegitimate status ant Laino ranked even lower than the lowest Baron among the nobles.
At most, relying on extraordinary power, he’s comparable to a knight, albeit a tainted one.
However, Casimodo’s reaction also relieved Charlotte.
If even her servant could be this angry, then if the Duke really proposed an arranged marriage, she could flatly refuse on the grounds of family honor.
Casimodo continued his tirade for a long ti.
As he cursed, either because he was tired or had suddenly rembered sothing, he suddenly stopped and asked:
"Wait, my lady, how old is the Duke’s bastard? What is his power level? Has he awakened his bloodline power?"
"About twenty years old, seems to be a Second Tier under Silver Moon."
Charlotte elegantly lifted her high-footed glass to her lips as she spoke.
"Twenty years old? Second Tier under Silver Moon?!"
Casimodo’s eyes instantly lit up.
He stood up excitedly, slamming his hands on the table:
"My lady! We must secure him! We must find a way to get him!"
"Pfft..."
Charlotte choked, spraying milk all over Casimodo’s face.
Casimodo didn’t mind at all, instead excitedly saying:
"Second Tier under Silver Moon! Such a young Second Tier under Silver Moon!"
"If only I knew sooner! That’s nothing to worry about! No... his illegitimate status could actually be a blessing!"
"By aligning with him, our family could gain a powerful ally, a potent one at that!"
"Strength can wash away the stain, and since a bastard can’t inherit territory, he must marry into our family, allowing the Castel bloodline to continue!"
"Not to ntion you also awakened a powerful bloodline today, combining strong forces... we could surely produce even stronger successors!"
"Gaining a Second Tier under Silver Moon as an ally and continuing a powerful bloodline..."
"My lady! This is a great opportunity!"
Watching Casimodo getting more excited by the minute, Charlotte’s face turned utterly dark.
She wished she could grab her high-footed glass and smash it against his shiny forehead.
Damn good thing my ass!
To hell with birthing so successor!
Twist my grandma’s nipples!
After crossing over here, I’ve been cross-dressing, acting cutesy, and putting on plays... that was for my own benefit as a future Lord!
Not for freaking stripping and lying on a bed, eyes shut, for soone else’s pleasure!
Arranged marriage?
Screw that!
No way!
____________
Just to reiterate, this book is for the single. Also, seeking monthly votes!
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