"What…?!"
The nobles' eyes widened in disbelief. Return his fief to Sylas, only to regain it later? What could he possibly mean?
Halken, calm as ever, continued his explanation.
"Have you all heard the recent news? His Majesty the Emperor has granted Drakenfels a 30 year tax exemption."
"I heard about it a while back," one noble muttered.
"What? This is the first I'm hearing of it," said another.
"Tsk. If you're a lord, you should at least keep yourself informed. Or hire a competent official to do so," Halken said, shaking his head.
Most of the nobles had already heard about it, though a few were caught off guard. Halken waited patiently for the chatter to subside before resuming.
"After hearing that, I came to a conclusion: rather than breaking my back paying taxes to the Emperor, I'd rather serve under Count Sylas as a loyal official."
"What kind of nonsense is that?!"