Duke Calvin sat at his desk, setting down his pen, with freshly written letters lying before him.

He finally made a decision—agreeing to the proposed marriage.

No family meeting was called, nor were other family members gathered for discussion. For such matters, he could decide on his own.

If the head of a family needs to consult others on such trivial matters, then what's the purpose of being a duke?

As for the parties involved, Louis and Emily from the Edmund Family, their wishes hardly mattered.

In this ancient Empire, within this noble society that values bloodlines and honor.

The marriages of children have always been tokens for families to trade and strategize.

Love? It's the stuff of poets' tales.

Noble marriages are firstly a responsibility, are duty-bound, are alliances, are exchanges of benefits and consolidation of status.

Having enjoyed the resources and aura brought by status, naturally, they must pay the appropriate price.

Accepting doesn't mean a wedding immediately follows.

Many subsequent matters are left to discuss; a noble wedding is never simple.

What he must do now is send a reply.

To express an "initial intention" to accept the marriage proposal.

His letter also noted that prior to engagement, it must be reported to the Emperor, to inform him in advance.

The reason for letting Duke Edmund speak is because he is among the Eight Great Clans, and maintains good relations with the Emperor.

Duke Calvin meticulously checked the content of the letter.

No excessive emotions, no excessive promises, merely expressing "initial acceptance," while preserving the other's face and keeping the backdoor open.

He nodded, expressing satisfaction.

"Send it then." Calvin folded the letter, sealing it with an envelope stamped with the red family crest.

"Understood," the steward replied.

After sending the letter, Duke Calvin didn't immediately rise.

He tapped the desk, his gaze darkening.

"Louis, that boy… seems like he's really stabilized the Northern Territory."

He thought of his numerous children; indeed, few truly stood on their own.

Now, suddenly Louis emerged.

He originally thought of him only as a competent offspring who could fend for himself, yet in a short period, he's already caught the eye of the Duke of the North, promising marriage to his daughter.

"I can give him a push," Duke Calvin murmured, picking up the pen to write several commands.

Choose a batch of loyal civil servants and stewards from the family, sending them to the Red Tide Territory to assist Louis in managing the new domain.

Allocate resources to support the Northern Territory, prioritizing the supply of food, cotton clothing, and cold-resistant medicines for the winter.

Dispatch ten elite knights, thirty official knights, and a hundred apprentice knights to bolster Louis's forces.

Within the family hierarchy of permissions, elevate Louis's permissions from "Level 5" to "Level 2," significantly increasing his resource permissions.

Officially appoint Louis as the Calvin Family's representative in the Northern Territory, granting him authority to represent the Calvin Family there.

After writing, he handed it to the steward: "Arrange these as well."

"Alright."

...

Louis woke on his camp's cot, sunlight streaming through the tent's gap onto his face, he rubbed his eyes.

After the banquet ended a few days ago, he didn't linger long in Frost Halberd City.

The post-war banquet was enjoyed, the rewards accepted, and all necessary courtesies were paid.

Now, it's time to return to Red Tide Territory to deal with a slew of new troubles.

Of course, the first thing Louis did upon waking was to access the Daily Intelligence System.

A light blue screen of the system appeared before his eyes, he glanced at it, almost sitting up straight the next second.

[1: Duke Calvin agreed to Duke Edmund's proposal for the marriage between Louis Calvin and Emily Edmund]

"...Huh?"

He stared at that piece of intelligence for a full three seconds.

Me? Getting married?

Although he always knew, as a noble offspring, a day would come when he would face a political marriage for family interests, he didn't expect that day to come so soon.

But thinking carefully, reaching nearly twenty but not married was somewhat late, he even thought Duke Calvin had forgotten about it.

Unexpectedly, the union was with Duke Edmund's daughter.

No wonder the duke's gaze was peculiar at the banquet.

Turns out it wasn't a gaze for looking at a commander, but a gaze for evaluating a son-in-law!

Thinking of that big burly man with two scars on his face and a rather intimidating smile, Louis's mouth twitched.

"Hopefully, his daughter doesn't take after him in looks..."

Fortunately, this world doesn't emphasize monogamy; you can have a harem!

He then looked at the second piece of intelligence.

[2: Duke Calvin's fourteenth son will be born in 7 days.]

"..." Louis was silent for two seconds, then sighed helplessly.

"Certainly prolific..."

He couldn't help but hold his forehead, thinking, "Exactly how many kids is this now?"

Twenty-something? Or thirty-something? He suddenly found himself unable to count clearly.

"At this rate, forming a 'Calvin's Personal Guard Knight Order' would be more than enough."

No, an entire legion is possible too...

Louis thought of those brothers he never met, whose names were difficult to recall.

He couldn't help but imagine the future family meeting scene, Calvin sons and princesses lined on both sides of the long table, each more numerous than the last, even requiring expansion of the conference hall for seats.

Perhaps, one day, the sight of ninety-nine competing heirs could be seen.

But those have little to do with him now.

He has established himself separately in the Northern Territory, making the competition for the almost hopeless duke title unlikely, none of his brothers could take his domain.

Only his maternal sister, Rachel, still had real contact.

Louis occasionally would send letters to update her on his situation for peace of mind.

Years ago, she married a viscount in the Southeast, also a vassal of Duke Calvin.

Before Louis came to the Northern Territory, Rachel secretly sent him quite a bit of money and supplies.

Louis always remembered this kindness, and pledged to repay it generously someday.

After quietly teasing for a bit, Louis continued to check the third piece of intelligence.

[3: Several Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits appeared 5 kilometers northwest of the camp for foraging.]

He was stunned, then immediately widened his eyes, springing up from the bed.

Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits, a truly elusive magical beast of the Northern Wilderness.

Though small in stature, its agility and swiftness were unmatched, silent as the night.

Most importantly, three clusters of rare "Ice Moss Fruit" grow on their backs.

These are incredibly rare combat supplements, cooking them boosts knights' fighting energy.

For Louis, who is now just a step away from becoming an elite knight, it's nothing short of a lifesaver!

He wasted no time donning his cloak, gathering several knights: "Let's go hunting."

Going hunting so early? The knights were puzzled.

Nevertheless, now these knights would obey Louis's orders unconditionally.

Immediately, they mounted steeds, following Louis galloping towards the northwest.

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