Chapter 204 - 143: The Noble Ladies Have All Been Violated by Lian?

Chapter 204: Chapter 143: The Noble Ladies Have All Been Violated by Lian?

The banquet for Yusofa’s new master finally began, much to the anticipation of the local nobles.

Nancy Stuart could now barely be considered a minor lord, albeit one without any legal standing. However, she was not qualified to become the Governor here.

First and foremost was her status as a slave. She was Mary’s Maid, and even though she held the title of Deacon of the Rose Thorn—leader of the spies and assassins in the Rose Territory—she possessed no legal, official standing.

The only way for her to become the Governor of Yusofa was if Lian held a wedding for her—the kind meant for a mistress—and registered Nancy Stuart as his legal mistress, thereby freeing her from servitude.

Such weddings were not uncommon in the Holy Empire. Many nobles, eager to win the favor of a beautiful woman, would hold small ceremonies for their mistresses. However, the wife’s consent was required, and the extravagance of the affair could never surpass that of the wedding to the wife herself.

Therefore, Lian couldn’t possibly give Nancy Stuart a wedding. He would first have to marry Catherine, and then get her consent.

There was one other method: Mary would have to willingly hand over Nancy Stuart’s slave Contract Book and destroy it.

But that was impossible. Mary would never give up such a useful pawn.

Lian was still valuable to her for now, which was the only reason she left Nancy Stuart by his side.

The moment Lian lost his value, she would take Nancy Stuart away without hesitation.

So, even if Lian gifted all of Yusofa to Nancy Stuart, she would only possess the rights to use most of the land. The title of Governor was a role Lian would have to fill himself.

This meant that he had perfectly inherited everything from his great uncle Khrish, including his political position.

To congratulate the new Governor of Yusofa, the nobles brought lavish gifts. They even had their daughters dressed in their finest, hoping to catch Lian’s eye.

At the banquet, Lian and Nancy Stuart were the center of attention. It wasn’t just because they were the evening’s hosts, but because they were both so attractive their looks were far beyond average. They were the very picture of a handsome, talented man and a beautiful woman.

This was especially true of Nancy Stuart. Her beauty was enough to make any man willingly lay his fortune at her feet, and it made every other woman in the room pale in comparison. Even adorned with the most precious jewels and magnificent gowns, they couldn’t hold a candle to Nancy Stuart.

Even Lian felt that his mistress stood head and shoulders above the rest.

’Perhaps, if anyone could compare to her, it would only be my Catherine, Sophie, Anna, and Annie. Dora might just make the cut, too.’

’But in terms of sheer beauty, she’d still come in first.’

"Is that Nancy Scalia? I don’t remember her looking like this."

"How in the world did she get so beautiful?"

"Was she using some kind of disguise before?"

"She’s just too beautiful. Mother, I feel hopeless. With her here, Lord Lian won’t even spare me a glance."

"Don’t lose heart. Even with someone as beautiful as Nancy Scalia around, didn’t Lord Lian still bring home that woman from the pastry shop? Lord Lian is a man of the Moria Clan, and men of the Moria Clan are never satisfied with just one woman."

The noble wives and their daughters whispered amongst themselves, all of them envious of Nancy Stuart’s beauty. If Lian were to open a cosmetic surgery clinic with Nancy as the model, they would undoubtedly empty their purses without a second thought.

However, Lian knew nothing about cosmetic surgery. For now, he couldn’t touch such a lucrative industry and could only lament the missed opportunity.

"Congratulations, Lord Lian. You are now the new Governor of Yusofa."

The nobles raised their glasses and flocked to congratulate Lian.

Lian smiled and waved a hand dismissively. "The official documents from the Empire have not yet arrived. Only they can confirm my appointment. For now, I’m merely a visitor in Yusofa."

Hearing Lian’s "humble" words, the nobles could barely contain themselves.

’You bastard! You personally own half the land in Yusofa and have acquired most of Viscount Fenix Belo’s fortune, yet you call yourself a visitor?! More like a passing bandit!’

Although they desperately wanted to call Lian out, the nobles were the ones asking for a favor, so they suppressed the urge to curse him.

"It’s only a matter of time. You are Lord Khrish’s heir, so this is all rightfully yours. We believe that under your leadership, Yusofa is destined for a glorious future," one noble said, forcing down his jealousy as he laid on the flattery.

The other nobles chimed in,

"That’s right! If Lord Lian can get Green Shade Territory on track, Yusofa will be no problem at all."

"Indeed! A man of Lord Lian’s talent will shine brightly wherever he goes, like the blazing sun."

Lian swirled the wine in his glass, dismissing the flurry of compliments with a disdainful air.

"My apologies, but I have no way of leading Yusofa to a glorious future. In fact, this territory likely won’t see glory for a very long time."

The nobles exchanged glances, having understood the implication behind Lian’s words.

War between the Blue Moon and Rose Territories was inevitable. Yusofa, caught in the middle, was bound to be dragged into the conflict—and might even become the primary battlefield.

With this new implication, the nobles grew even more desperate to leave Yusofa.

Now, all that was left was to approach Lian individually to negotiate a price.

After all, the invited nobles didn’t just include the locals from Yusofa, but also ministers from the Rose Territory.