I'm not a lord

Chapter 241 The Howling Sea Breeze at Dawn

Leah's wish came true, and she successfully gave birth to a baby boy for Lynn.

Her labor went very smoothly. From the time she felt abdominal pain in the early morning to the midwife's emergency arrival, and then to the birth of her baby at dawn, she experienced almost no major setbacks.

Lynn's first son was born smoothly and at just the right time, coinciding with the dawn of the day.

Leah had been kept awake all night by the child and was now physically and mentally exhausted, but she forced herself to sit up and carefully looked at her son lying beside her.

The more she looked at her son, the happier she became. She said with love, "My lord, I hope the child's name is Albert, which means dawn and glory. We can just call him Albert from now on."

Before the child was born, Leah thought of many names for her future child, both boys and girls, mainly based on Lynn's and her deceased relatives' names.

This is a tradition on the continent of Dievas, where children are named after deceased relatives as a way of commemoration and to express hopes. It is usually a generational inheritance, with granddaughters inheriting the name of their grandmothers and sons inheriting the name of their grandfathers.

For example, when Yagna named her daughter, she used the name of her late mother, Yaginka.

In the future, when Lynn's son has another son, perhaps he will also be named Lynn.

But when Leah gave birth to her son at dawn, she immediately felt that she should use a name with more profound meaning.

There aren't many people named Albert in the North, but there are some nobles with the same name in the South.

However, the continent of Dievas is not afraid of having the same name, because names are usually preceded by prefixes such as hometown or territory to distinguish them.

In the future, people will call her son 'Albert of the White River'.

"Of course, it's a nice name."

Lynn also thought the name was good, as it perfectly echoed the morning light of new life.

This is his eldest son, who may inherit his territory and legacy in the future. Giving him a grand name is never a bad idea.

Seeing that Lynn was in a good mood, Leah pressed her advantage: "My lord, if possible, please allow me to educate him in the future."

The moment Leah saw her son, she decided to devote all her energy, effort, and resources to him.

Whether her family can truly take off in the future depends on this son.

Male offspring not only meant inheritance rights, but also special privileges such as military service and official positions.

Even if Leah fails to become the legal wife and her son is not made the heir, Albert can still have a bright future as long as he is capable.

For example, the illegitimate younger brother of Earl Mirror Iron could represent his brother on diplomatic missions to other noble territories, and he himself must have a very important position in Mirror Iron Territory.

Often, it is precisely because illegitimate children lack inheritance rights that they are able to gain the favor of lords and shine in the fields of domestic affairs, diplomacy, and military affairs.

And there's also Maurice, the illegitimate king, as a role model.

If Lynn and his legal wife fail to produce a legitimate heir in the future, then they will have to choose an heir from among their illegitimate children.
Therefore, Leah had to keep custody and education of her son in her own hands no matter what.

She had to cultivate a deep bond with her son, binding her fate firmly to his, while also educating him into an outstanding nobleman capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.

Lynn gently stroked Leah's hand and promised, "I believe you can educate Little Bette well, but his teacher must be vetted by me. If I have time in the future, I will also personally educate him."

When it comes to educating children, Lynn can only grasp the general direction, mainly because he doesn't have time to educate them.

It is foreseeable that the turmoil in the North has only just begun.

From the northern wastelands to the southern border mountains, from the western grasslands and deserts to the eastern vast ocean, the ambitious figures in the North are only just beginning to emerge.

If peace is to be restored to this turbulent north, continuous warfare is inevitable.

In the future, Lynn may not be able to stay at home most of the time. He will have to patrol his territory like a lion and continuously expand and conquer.

Moreover, the number of women around him is increasing at a visible rate. If he has to manage every single child they have, then what's the point of expanding his harem?

Suddenly, Lynn thought that marrying a capable and prestigious wife wouldn't be bad, preferably one who could help him manage these women and children.

With so many women and children, how can he manage them all by himself?

He finally understood why even the most philandering emperors and kings always had a principal wife.

How about considering the Duke of the Valley's daughter? She comes from a noble family and looks quite beautiful in the portrait.

While Lynn and Leah were discussing their eldest son's future, Hela, the eldest daughter of the Duke of the Valley, was talking to her father about Lynn.

“Father, I hope you can reconsider this marriage. I still believe that it is in your best interest to marry Lynn, and also in the best interest of the entire Valley Duchy.”

Bright sunlight illuminated the luxurious restaurant on the third floor of White Eagle Castle, where Hela, knife in hand, was elegantly spreading butter and honey on white bread.

At the same time, she tried to persuade her father to continue pushing forward with the marriage to Lynn.

Duke Herman of the Valley was furious upon hearing this. He put down his cutlery and replied patiently and earnestly, "Yes, it would be most beneficial for me and the territory if you married Lynn, but what about you?"
He's definitely not a good husband. My cousin told me that as soon as Lynn occupied Three Rivers City, he couldn't wait to plunder the city for beautiful women. It's said that his palace even has quite a few women from the wilderness. He's not even married yet, and his mistresses and illegitimate children can fill several dining tables. How can I marry you off to such a dissolute and philandering playboy?"

Herman's cousin had previously been on a mission to White River Territory and had stayed in Three Rivers City for a few days, where he had heard many anecdotes about Lynn's romantic affairs from inns, taverns, and brothels.

Of course, not all of these 'crimes' were false accusations against Lynn.

As the war in Tuanliu County intensified, the fact that he commanded a large number of blue-haired, blue-eyed barbarian archers had become widely known along the banks of the Jinghe River.

People would naturally assume that Lynn must have conquered the Wilderness tribe by force and forcibly conscripted them into the army, so there must have been women from the Wilderness tribe in his court.

The result is correct, but the process is completely wrong.

But it's understandable that people would make such a connection.

On the very night Lynn captured Three Rivers City, many city officials slipped him notes promoting their own beautiful women.

Later, the newly rich, led by grain merchant Marcel, actually sent quite a few women to Lynn's court.

These women now live in a palace on the western outskirts of Mikawa City, maintaining a safe distance from Yagena and Lia, who live in Kawanuma County.

To be fair, this wasn't Lynn plundering beautiful women, but rather the newly rich offering them as tribute.

But for the citizens who love gossip, forcibly demanding it is much more exciting than voluntarily offering tribute. It better highlights the new ruler's desire for beautiful women and satisfies all the citizens' fantasies about a bandit lord.

Since Lynn has hardly ever appeared in Three Rivers, this has given the citizens more room for imagination and interpretation.

In the mouths of the city's drunkards, he was almost a tyrannical lord with a pockmarked face, a muscular body, and who spent his days sleeping among women.

Fortunately, the Duke of the Valley's cousin had actually met Lynn, so he didn't tarnish Lynn's handsome appearance.

He only said that Lynn was a womanizer, had many mistresses, and was far from a good match. But that alone was enough to sentence him to death by Duke Herman of the Valley.

Hermann has no sons to this day, and he and his wife have two daughters. Therefore, he has poured all his fatherly love into his daughters, especially his eldest daughter who inherited his outstanding appearance.

As a father, he could not allow his precious daughter to marry a playboy with countless lovers.

Of course, if Lynn had readily agreed to the marriage and promised to send troops to strike Count Mirror Iron, Herman might have been able to accept his son-in-law's philandering.

In political marriages, the primary consideration is satisfying the political interests of both parties.

A happy marriage is best, but it's not that important if you don't have one.

For the sake of the family and the territory's future, Herman was willing to reluctantly sacrifice his daughter's happiness.

Lynn not only decisively rejected the marriage proposal during negotiations, but also openly flirted with Count Vasa of the Mirror Iron.

Envoys from Mirror Iron Territory can enter and leave White River Territory openly, and merchant ships from Mirror Iron Territory can trade freely in Three Rivers City.

It is said that the two have secretly reached an agreement and even demarcated their spheres of influence, agreeing to use the Jinghe River as the boundary and not interfere with each other.

This completely violated the core interests of Duke Herman of the Valley.

He and Count Vasa of Mirror Iron were irreconcilable enemies, both aiming for actual control of the duchy.

If Lynn allies with Vasa, then Lynn will also become his mortal enemy.

Even if the Duke of the Valley were willing to compromise, he would never send his daughter to the bed of his mortal enemy.

Even with her father offering such advice, his beloved daughter Hela confidently replied:

“Father, you should trust your daughter. I am confident that I can change Lynn’s mind, control his desires, and make his army work for you.”

Hela certainly had some assets; she was of noble birth, had a sweet appearance, and her well-developed eighteen-year-old body was as tempting and juicy as a grape about to ripen.

Hela was confident in her shrewdness and ability to ignite Lynn's intense desire for her.

Hermann shook his head:
"You can't do it. Lynn is as cunning as a fox, and his lust may just be a disguise."

Moreover, if I were in his position, I would also choose to befriend Count Mirror Iron and expand westward with all my might.

In terms of political acumen, Hermann is by no means lacking; his only deficiency lies in hard power.

The unique geographical location and external situation of Baihe Territory forced Lynn to choose the only optimal solution.

Lynn could not afford to be at odds with both the Duke of the Swamp and the Earl of Mirror Iron at the same time; defending both fronts would severely slow down his expansion.

Hermann could, of course, see the solution to the problem.

But it's no use figuring it out; even if he offers a more generous dowry, Lynn won't marry his daughter.

Besides, how generous a dowry could he possibly offer?

Herman has promised to provide Lynn with 20,000 Northern Gold Shields and the right to claim most of a duchy, allowing him to attack those rebellious nobles without any burden.

Even so, Lynn did not agree to the marriage.

Does Herman really have to give up his position as duke to Lynn in exchange for Lynn sending troops to Mirror Iron Territory?
But how could Herman do something like that?

He couldn't let down both his daughter and his ancestors.

Besides, Lynn had already firmly refused a marriage alliance once. He couldn't bring himself to ask Herman to shamelessly sell his daughter again!
Hela persisted in her opinion: "Father, I think you can ask Lynn to send an envoy over so that the envoy can see my face in person. You can also try to prepare more dowry. Perhaps then he will be moved. We can't just let the Vasa expand."

The reason Hela was so anxious was naturally because Count Vasa of the Mirror Iron had exerted his power.

While Lynn was sending troops to Turbulent County, Vasa also launched a fierce offensive against Slate Rock in the west.

With the help of an inside traitor, Vasa conquered four castles in the Tin Rock Territory within a month, seizing a large area of ​​territory and two small tin mines.

Count Siyan pleaded with everyone he could, sending messengers to Hermann for help, and even swore to be loyal to him forever.

But where would Herman find an army to rescue Siyan Territory?
With Earl Mirror Iron setting an example, other ambitious men in the territory also began to stir.

They could not possibly obey Hermann's orders to muster an army to rescue the Earl of Scythe.

Hermann's few remaining court knights had to be kept to guard his stronghold, White Eagle Castle, as he had to be wary of these ambitious men.

Hela could see her father's predicament, so she wanted to do her best to help him turn things around.

As a noblewoman, her only bargaining chip was herself.

Moreover, marrying Lynn wouldn't be a bad deal for her. Her family was a declining ducal family, while Lynn was a rising star in the North.

It is said that Lynn is not only young, but also very handsome. If he can correct his philandering nature, he will be the husband Hela dreams of.

"Okay, I'll try again."

After much deliberation, Herman finally decided to take his daughter's advice.

Given the current situation, Lynn still has no chance of agreeing to the marriage.

But what if things change at Amber Harbor? What if there's a dramatic shift in the political landscape of the North?
Although White Eagle Castle was located in a remote area, Herman could already hear the howling sea winds from the southern border.

If the entire North had a common enemy, this marriage might actually happen.

Hela stood up excitedly: "Father, ask the painter to paint another portrait of me. This time, it should be a full-body portrait. I'm determined to make Lynn fall madly in love with me."

Lynn was unaware that a girl in the west wanted to conquer him, and his life remained busy lately.

In the morning, I review official documents and intelligence from various regions, and handle government affairs. At noon and in the afternoon, I meet with diplomatic envoys from all sides, and take some time to inspect the territory.

In the evening, he would return to the castle on time to enjoy the warmth of home.

But a letter from Amber Harbor disrupted his plans.

The handwriting on the letter was very delicate, clearly written by a woman.

More importantly, it was the signature on the envelope—Chloris.

(End of this chapter)