Within the Kingdom of Falmuth, the nobility had now clearly split into two opposing camps.
One faction consisted of those who had kept the "stock certificates" Ren Kuroda had issued earlier. Thanks to those documents, they now received a substantial dividend every single month.
Some of the nobles who had once been forced by Ren to donate large sums were now grinning from ear to ear.
They had discovered something astonishing.
Even without squeezing the commoners for profit—or lowering themselves to personally engage in commerce—the monthly dividends alone were more than enough to sustain their lavish aristocratic lifestyles.
Moreover, the newly completed roads had brought sweeping changes.
Because the trade routes were now open, the common people of Falmuth could sell their local goods to merchants from other nations. As a result, the overall standard of living across the kingdom had risen significantly.
Whether they were commoners or nobles from the pro-Ren faction, the people of Falmuth now held immense admiration for their king.
Ren Kuroda's foresight and his bold, effective decisions had elevated the kingdom far beyond what it had ever achieved under previous rulers.
Compared to the former King Edmaris, Ren's leadership was simply on another level.
Of course, not every noble in Falmuth was willing to accept Ren's rule so easily.
The reason was simple.
Some of the nobles had also been forced to contribute money for the road construction project—but in their anger, they had torn up their stock certificates.
At the time, they had believed Ren was merely extorting them for money so they could buy their lives.
Who could have imagined that those worthless-looking pieces of paper would actually turn into real wealth?
Even more shocking to them was the fact that Ren had somehow negotiated trade agreements with the monsters of the Great Forest of Jura and the Dwarven Kingdom of Dwargon.
Modern Falmuth now promoted a new aristocratic code.
Nobles could continue to enjoy their privileges—but exploiting the kingdom's commoners was strictly forbidden.
Without that old source of income, these disgruntled nobles suddenly found themselves struggling.
At aristocratic banquets, when everyone compared their wealth, they were embarrassingly outmatched. Their quality of life had declined sharply compared to the past.
Naturally, resentment began to grow.
And now that King Ren and those powerful monsters who had supported him were both absent from the kingdom, the nobles who had long harbored dissatisfaction finally began to make their move.
"Duke Brans, are you truly unwilling to reconsider?"
A noble dressed in extravagant clothing spoke with barely concealed excitement.
His narrow eyes and greasy smile gave him a somewhat sleazy appearance.
"Since the founding of the Kingdom of Falmuth, it has always been ruled by humans. Are you really willing to let it fall into the hands of monsters?"
"We've already recruited a considerable number of soldiers. Even the captain of the Royal Guard has been bribed."
"As long as we eliminate those fools who resist us, we have more than enough strength to install a new king and restore the glory that once belonged to us nobles!"
The man spoke passionately, trying to persuade the elderly noble sitting across from him.
The old man had a head of white hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
He was Duke Brans, one of the few dukes in the kingdom.
Not only did he possess tremendous prestige, but both of his sons held noble titles as well.
One of those sons had even taken command of most of Falmuth's military forces after the former commander of the kingdom's knights—Falken—had been killed by Ren and his allies.
Because of the Brans family's immense influence, the rebellious nobles had made them their primary target for recruitment.
Unfortunately for them, Duke Brans remained completely calm throughout the entire conversation.
His expression didn't change in the slightest.
"I believe His Majesty is an exceptional ruler," the old duke replied calmly.
"In fact, I would go so far as to say he is wiser than any king in the entire history of the Kingdom of Falmuth."
"Our nation has never been stronger."
"Though I am a noble, before that, I am a subject of Falmuth. As one of its subjects, I cannot wish for anything other than the prosperity of the kingdom."
"And while His Majesty is capable of commanding monsters, that does not mean he himself is one."
Duke Brans' stance was firm.
In his eyes, every decision Ren Kuroda had made since ascending the throne far surpassed the policies of the former King Edmaris.
Relations between nobles and commoners were now balanced and stable.
Living standards had risen dramatically.
The kingdom's national strength was steadily growing.
The duke simply could not understand any justification for rebellion.
These restless nobles were nothing more than fools blinded by greed.
They had missed out on enormous profits—and now their wounded pride drove them to madness.
"If Duke Brans insists on remaining a servant of monsters," the sleazy noble sneered, "then we'll have no choice but to seek assistance from the Church."
"After all, the Kingdom of Falmuth is one of the Western Nations. There's no way the Church would ignore a monster invasion."
After leaving those words behind, the noble angrily flicked his sleeve and turned to leave.
However—
Just as he reached the doorway, a knight's longsword suddenly pressed against his throat.
He froze.
From the shadows behind the door stepped a beautiful young woman clad in shining silver knight armor.
Her long golden hair gleamed softly in the dim light.
"Grandfather," the girl said firmly.
"We can't let him leave like this. If they really seek help from the Church, they might become a serious threat to His Majesty."
Duke Brans chuckled quietly.
"There's no need to worry too much."
"With their status, the Church may not necessarily believe their one-sided claims."
"I've also heard that the Church is extremely busy lately. Apparently even the strongest human—Hinata Sakaguchi—has already been dispatched somewhere."
He looked at the trembling noble in front of him with clear disdain.
"What's truly laughable is that these idiots actually believe they can rebel against His Majesty Ren."
"They have no understanding of the situation whatsoever."
"Back when the entire Kingdom of Falmuth stood united against him, His Majesty still cut straight through the nation by himself."
"Now the people support him wholeheartedly, and most of the nobility stand on his side."
"And yet these rabble think they can start a rebellion?"
Duke Brans shook his head in amusement.
"Whether His Majesty Ren is physically present in Falmuth or not doesn't matter."
"As long as he lives, his authority is unshakable."
"Unfortunately, these fools are too stupid to realize that."
The old duke gazed at the terrified noble currently pinned in place by his granddaughter's blade and let out a faint chuckle.
"Still… capturing this fool might not be such a bad thing."
"It will allow the Brans family to clearly demonstrate our loyalty to His Majesty—and it might even save him a bit of trouble."
He stroked his beard thoughtfully before adding with a mischievous grin:
"Perhaps, with this little achievement, this old man might even shamelessly recommend our adorable Alice to become one of His Majesty Ren's personal bodyguards."
The moment those words left his mouth—
The pretty face beneath the young knight's helmet instantly flushed bright red.
Startled and embarrassed, her hand trembled slightly, and the blade at the noble's throat nearly slit his neck on the spot.
"G-Grandfather! What are you saying?!"
"Someone like His Majesty Ren… and besides… Lady Spider Princess is already such a stunning beauty serving at his side. There's no way he would ever notice someone like me!"
Duke Brans laughed heartily.
"Alice, stop fooling yourself. Everyone in this family knows the truth."
"You've always been close to the common people, and the person you admire—and adore—the most is His Majesty Ren."
"True, Lady Spider Princess is extraordinary. But you have your own strengths as well. Don't underestimate yourself."
"And besides—His Majesty is a king. It's impossible for a king to have only one consort."
"Even if becoming queen is unlikely… securing a position as one of his consorts should still be possible, wouldn't you say?"
In the quiet night, the playful conversation between grandfather and granddaughter echoed through the mansion's reception hall.
The only other witness—
Was the miserable nobleman trembling in terror, his neck still pinned beneath the cold edge of Alice's sword.