Chapter 20 (2/2)

Before the stunned Viscount Andrew could say anything, Rebecca could not help but exclaim, “Lord… Lord Ancestor! Is… is this true?!”

“Who the heck is in charge of her history classes?” Gawain could not help but hold his head and glance at Herti. “Or has this law been repealed? If it was repealed, then this would be embarrassing. Speaking of which, the leaders of every nation couldn’t be so bored that after hundreds of years, they would suddenly assemble and announce the cancellation of a proposed law that has already been useless for a long time, could they?”

“Rebecca’s history class… was actually taught by me, but her grades indeed was always bad,” Herti’s face flushed as she explained, and she quickly answered Gawain’s question. “Of course, this law you mentioned hasn’t been repealed. When the pioneers were still alive, no one dared to repeal it, and after the last pioneer died, this law became part of the glory representing mankind’s conviction in reshaping civilization. Thus, no one will go and abolish it.”

Viscount Andrew added, “Not only has it not been abolished, but historians and scholars would even write volumes about it…”

Gawain shrugged, “So the sudden movement of my corpse will definitely come as a surprising good news to them. The law made 700 years ago will finally be of use again.”

Viscount Andrew looked at Gawain, focusing especially at the Sword of Pioneers in his hand, “I admit that this was indeed… an idea I have never thought of… If you use the permanent right to develop regions, it is true that it would be possible for you to revive the Cecil Clan. But allow me to be frank, this is going to be a very long-term business. Do you know how much unclaimed land there is in the kingdom?

“I know a few. My descendants have already told me on the journey here.” Gawain glanced at Herti and Rebecca beside him. “Most of the livable places for humans have already been divided among the territories. The unclaimed lands are all those dense forests, poisonous marshes, or land at the border of the Gondor wastelands.”

“So what do you plan to do?” Viscount Andrew spread open his hand. “Where do you want to rebuild your clan?”

“That’s something for me to think about.” Gawain smiled, but what came to mind was a view overlooking the earth from a high altitude. It was a satellite view of crazy precision and range that was absolutely inaccessible for humans of this era. The map, ingrained in Gawain’s memory, was good enough to point Gawain in the path that he had to take though it might be an outdated record of years or decades ago (after all, Gawain had been disconnected from that bird’s eye view). “You just need to think carefully… about how worthy would it be to invest in a founding father, who has participated in the Second Settlement and still currently holds the permanent right to develop regions.”

Andrew looked down. For the first time, he carefully pondered over the matter.

After a long time, he broke the silence, “If your permanent right to develop regions can really be recognized by the royal family, then being a mere viscount, I’ll be happy to help to the best of my ability.”

The standard, sleek aristocrat-speak—no errors, never stepping over the line, and still able to show respect.

Rebecca’s eyes widened. “Is it possible that the current king would not recognize the permanent right to developing new regions, that has been recognized by the founding fathers and ancestors of all countries?!”

Gawain smiled and glanced at the immature descendant. “Of course he doesn’t want to recognize it. In fact, there is a high likelihood that he will not recognize my status. Even if Charlie the First popped out of his coffin to prove that I’m real, I’m afraid the king and his staff pray from the bottom of their hearts that I would die on the spot and be buried back in the ancient tombs in the kingdom’s southern border.”

“Why?!” Rebecca felt her values ​​being challenged. “You are one of the founding fathers! You’re enshrined in the temple! The king and nobles have to commemorate you every year. Don’t they want you to come back and serve this kingdom?”

Just when Gawain was about to explain, Amber yelled across the table, “Because they would lose their three days of holidays!”

As the half-elf lady yelled out, she deliberately winked at Gawain, inciting an angry glare from Herti.

“Don’t listen to her nonsense. I was only joking with her about that.” Gawain waved his hand. “The real reason… I’m sure Herti and Viscount Andrew should understand, right?”

Herti sighed. “The King will commemorate the hero because the hero’s reputation can be used to strengthen his rule, but he will never want the hero to return. Once the hero returns, that reputation will no longer be his to control…”

As Andrew was there, Herti held back some of the more politically incorrect ideas, especially when the king’s title itself was questionable given that he was the descendant of a bastard child.

“So the problem that we have to concern ourselves with is very clear..” Gawain looked down at the Sword of Pioneers at his waist. “And that is… to bring my permanent right to develop regions into effect.”