Chapter 374: Did You Think I Was Asking for Your Opinion?

"Your Grace, the Regent Duke! Isn't this inappropriate?" Muria had barely finished speaking when a nobleman objected.

"What's inappropriate about it?" Muria, seated high on the throne, remained calm, as opposition was to be expected and within his calculations.

"The nobility's right to legislate was established by the founding monarch and has never been changed since…" This middle-aged nobleman, with graying hair, began to explain the origins of these noble rights, going into a lengthy discourse.

"Does anyone else have objections?" Muria patiently listened to the noble's speech without showing any signs of anger or impatience, then calmly asked, "Step forward, let me see you."

Defending one's interests is a biological instinct. Although Muria was curtailing the rights of the powerful nobility, the relationships among the nobility are complex and interwoven. Many of the titular nobles standing in the council hall had connections to the powerful nobles, leading to a cascade of voices in protest.

"Each commoner under a lord's rule can farm and live peacefully in the city, free from monster attacks, because of these noble lords, so they naturally have the right to tax…"

"Your Grace, you can't cut these rights! If you issue this order, the powerful nobles will surely harbor resentment against you, which would be detrimental to your governance…"

Muria quietly listened to these human dignitaries one after another, all finding various reasons to oppose his decree. None supported it, which was to be expected.

After the noisy crowd of dignitaries had their say, Muria finally spoke with an enigmatic expression, "Why are you telling me all this? Did you think I was asking for your opinion? I called you here to discuss how best to implement these decrees, not to have you oppose them."

At Muria's words, the council hall fell silent, all the human dignitaries looking astonished at the young duke on the throne, somewhat lost.

This new duke was exceedingly authoritative, not intending to communicate or negotiate; he simply wanted them to follow orders.

Their painstakingly crafted arguments and pleas for him to reconsider his orders were all in vain. The Golden Dragon Duke hadn't taken any of their words to heart.

"I believe not only the privately established laws and oppressive taxes by the nobility need to be abolished, but even some decrees set by former kings need to be revised. Times are progressing, and some things are no longer appropriate."

Muria announced even more startling plans. He intended to drastically reform the Lockman Kingdom. Such a backward system of rights was intolerable to Muria.

As Belradien had said, with ten ancient dragons backing him, he had little to worry about. Having enough power meant everything could proceed as he envisioned.

Muria's words left the human dignitaries in the council hall speechless; they had never expected the ruling duke to make such a decision.

"The Golden Dragon, His Majesty Belradien has only just abdicated in your favor, and you are already acting recklessly, planning to abolish the former king's decrees and weaken many nobles' rights, fostering resentment towards the kingdom…"

Immediately, a nobleman with a righteous demeanor stood up and sternly rebuked Muria, as if Muria had committed an unforgivable error.

"Duke Muria, His Majesty Belradien trusted you so much, yet you intend to weaken and divide the kingdom, this is truly disgraceful…"

"Ha!" Seeing one after another person jump out to oppose him, some even pointing fingers, a mocking smile appeared on Muria's face. "The reputation of the Golden Dragon is really something, to the point where a human dares to point at me and speak."

When Muria spoke, the council hall fell silent once again, as the cloud giant leaders on either side turned to look at these somewhat nonsensical nobles.

"You think I won't just kill you, so you dare to be so bold?" Muria sneered. "When I summoned those legendary dukes, they were all utterly respectful. What gives you the courage to be so arrogant in front of me?"

The faces of the nobles who had just criticized Muria immediately changed; this Golden Dragon seemed different from what they had heard. But once words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back.

"Belradien appointed me as the Regent Duke, and you all have opinions about it?" Muria's right elbow rested on the arm of the throne, his body slightly leaning, right hand casually supporting his face. "If you have objections, it's simple. You can resign right now, wash your hands of this, and then you won't have to see me or have any opinions anymore."

Silence followed; even the nobles who had been vocal earlier now kept their mouths shut. Initially, Muria had allowed them to speak freely, which got to some people

's heads, but now that Muria showed a hint of anger, they all backed down.

"The few who scolded me just now, you're quite bold." Muria stood up, his expression indifferent. "None of my parents or elders have scolded me before; you are the first."

"But don't worry, I won't kill you for this." Muria's psychic power extended, lightly touching the ring on his finger. Subsequently, a figure clad in black form-fitting armor, face obscured, slowly appeared and then knelt before Muria.

"The Shadow Guard!" When this figure appeared, the already sour faces of the many dignitaries worsened.

From their perspective, it was hard to feel positive about an agency devoted to loyalty to the royal family, gathering intelligence on them and secretly, occasionally performing assassinations.

Of course, any somewhat well-informed noble knew about the existence of the Shadow Guard, a public secret. But knowing it and wanting to see such an agency operating in the shadows were different things. Those who had actual contact with the Shadow Guard didn't usually live long afterward.

"Your Grace, what are your commands?"

"Introduce the life stories of these few people briefly," Muria pointed at the nobles who had just rebuked him. "Emphasize any past violations of kingdom laws."

Hearing Muria's command, the Shadow Guard, who had memorized countless details about nobles and officials, didn't even turn his head but recited the dark histories of those nobles Muria had pointed out.

Then simply, according to the laws of the Lockman Kingdom, Muria had those nobles dragged out and executed. When a ruler wishes to find faults in his human subjects, it's all too easy; humans are creatures of desire, all too prone to error.

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