King of the North: My Lord's Diary Weekly Summary

She paused for a moment: "There are some things that won't be written in the agreement."

Wayne looked up: "Please speak."

"If you choose independence."

Rachel's voice remained calm: "From now on, the safety of your territory will be entirely your own responsibility."

The border guards won't offer any assistance—even if the threat spreads across the entire border, they won't have time for you.

"But if you choose to join the federation."

She continued, "Then you will become a node in the Duke's border defense system."

You will receive material support, top-priority intelligence sharing, and the right to call for reinforcements in times of crisis.

But at the same time, you also have to bear obligations—including sending your people to dangerous places, even to their deaths, at certain times.

Because other lords will also have similar demands—we advocate fairness.

She looked directly into Wayne's eyes: "Make a choice."

Wayne remained silent for a moment.

"May I ask a few more questions?"

"ask."

What are the specific standards for material support? Under what conditions is it distributed?

"Determined based on territory size and population."

Rachel said, "With your current size, you can receive fifteen sets of standard leather armor, twenty weapons, two hundred pounds of cloth, and nine thousand pounds of food each year."

In addition, the first member of each ducal family to join the alliance will receive a construction grant—materials worth approximately two hundred gold coins.

"What are the details of military service? Who is in charge of training? How are casualty compensations calculated?"

"The training is organized by the border guards and takes place at the outposts."

During their service, we were responsible for the soldiers' food and equipment.

Casualty and injury compensation...According to the Duke's standards, the families of the dead will receive a compensation of twenty gold coins, and the wounded will receive a compensation of five to fifteen gold coins, depending on the circumstances.

Wayne shook his head: "This compensation is really too little; it's not even enough to buy a person's food for several years."

"Priority purchasing rights, 10% of market price... How is this 'market price' determined?"

"It is jointly agreed upon by the Duke and representatives of the various marquises and earls, and is adjusted annually."

Rachel raised an eyebrow slightly: "You're asking very detailed questions."

"Because the decision will affect many people."

Wien said, "I can't be hasty."

That's what he said, but in reality, Wayne was just using this to observe the Duke's attitude towards the members of the Alliance—in his eyes, what position did these pioneering nobles occupy?

It seems that the highest-ranking people in the Northern Kingdom who can participate in the rules discussion are at least earls—that's higher than his second brother, and they're probably all a generation older than him.

He looked at the two agreements again.

Independence means complete freedom—but it also means complete isolation. In a place like the North, isolation often equals death.

Joining the Union means constraints and obligations—but it also means resources, support, and a safety net.

more importantly……

"If I join..."

Wayne said slowly, "What else could I possibly get... besides the agreement?"

A very faint smile appeared at the corner of Rachel's mouth.

"A smart question."

She said, "Beyond the agreement, you will receive intelligence—about the movements of the barbarians, about the threats on the border, and even about some secrets we have discovered in our long standoff with the northern barbarians and our long exploration of the north."

Of course, from your current position, you don't have access to that kind of core intelligence.

Seeing the gleam in Wayne's eyes, Rachel continued to paint a rosy picture as usual: "You will have the opportunity to communicate—to communicate with other lords who have joined the Federation, share experiences, and perhaps even establish trade relations."

"You will also receive..." she paused, "some degree of 'protection'."

You know, in the North, a duke's banner is often more useful than swords.

Wayne understood.

The so-called "Lords' Alliance" is essentially an alliance of ducal powers under the pretext of defending the northern border.

Those who join exchange partial autonomy for resources, intelligence, and the Duke's endorsement.

The Duke, on the other hand, used this system to strengthen his control over the border regions and build a defensive line composed of numerous lord territories.

This is a win-win situation—if it works properly.

Wayne leaned back in his chair, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind:

"I need time to think about it."

Rachel frowned slightly. "How long?"

She clearly dislikes procrastination.

Wayne glanced out the window—it was almost noon.

"A lunch."

He said.

Rachel paused for a moment, seemingly having just suppressed the bottom line on the timeframe she was about to set for consideration with Wayne: "Lunch?"

"right."

Wayne said calmly, "You treated us to lunch, and I'll tell you the answer after I finish eating. It's fair."

The council chamber was silent for a few seconds.

Then, for the first time, a genuine smile appeared on Rachel's lips—not the polite smile from before, but a smile with a hint of amusement and appreciation.

"Karen."

She said, "Give them more portions."

"……yes."

Karen turned and left.

Ronald and Wright exchanged a glance behind Wayne—they hadn't expected Wayne to respond that way either.

……

Lunch was arranged in the officers' mess on the west side.

It wasn't luxurious, but it was substantial: roasted venison, vegetable soup, black bread, and a rare ale, which was rough but strong—a luxury in the food-scarce North.

Wayne ate slowly, chewing each bite carefully, as if savoring the food or deep in thought.

Wayne slowly and methodically cut the venison, while Ronald beside him frowned—knowing Wayne's inclinations, they were well aware of it.

Ronald finally couldn't help but lower his voice: "Sir, the 'unified command' clause in the terms is too flexible."

"If in the future the Duke asks us to fill the gaps in the defenses, or to carry out..."

"A mission to send you to your death?"

Wayne picked up the conversation, his tone calm: "Have you forgotten? The Northern Regulations mention the military service rules for lords."

Unless the kingdom passes a reform of the Northern Regulations, all lords are protected by the "principle of reasonable demands".

In other words, apart from the situation where the Northern Barbarians directly attack, even if there are rebels or other threats within the northern borders, if we are unable to deploy the troops they require for protection, we can submit materials for later compensation.

Given our background, we won't be convicted unless the offense is serious—besides, at our current size, we're not even worth the Duke's attention.

Wright placed the slices of dark bread, freshly dipped in vegetable soup, on a plate: "My lord, even so, joining means entrusting a part of our fate to others."

Independent development is difficult, but we retain all decision-making power.

Wayne put down his knife and fork, his gaze sweeping over his two most trusted companions.