Lord: Stripped of My Inheritance from the Start

After all, Ronin had personally appointed the War Council, so there was no profit for them there. But could they find a foothold in these new Six Ministries?

In reality, Ronin had no intention of appointing the officials for the Six Ministries himself.

"The six ministries I envision are the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Works."

Ronin then explained the main responsibilities of each ministry one by one.

The Ministry of Personnel would be responsible for the selection, evaluation, appointment, dismissal, and promotion of the Kingdom's officials.

The Ministry of Revenue would be responsible for the Kingdom's finances, taxation, household registration, land, grain, and other economic affairs.

The Ministry of Rites would be responsible for the Kingdom's ceremonies, education, and foreign diplomacy.

The Ministry of War would be responsible for the Kingdom's military affairs, security, army administration, and logistical supply.

The Ministry of Justice would primarily be responsible for judicial trials, prison management, and the creation and revision of laws.

The Ministry of Works would primarily be responsible for the Kingdom's construction projects, water management, and transportation.

In truth, besides the Six Ministries, there were other departments like the Supervision Ministry, but with limited time and resources, it was too soon to define them in detail.

"Each ministry will have one minister, two vice-ministers, and six Chief Stewards. The positions of minister and vice-minister in each department will be filled by the current Ministers of the Kingdom and other capable nobles."

"As for myself, I will be responsible for coordinating among the ministries, listening to their opinions and work reports, and ensuring the stability of the Kingdom."

Ronin looked around at the assembly. "Now, I need each of you to nominate and elect suitable candidates to assume the duties of these six ministries."

Although he called it an election, considering the potential for instability and the difficulty of implementation, the former Ministers of the Kingdom were certain to be in the first batch of appointments.

For example, the Minister of Justice, Texas, would certainly become the minister or vice-minister of the Ministry of Justice.

And the Minister of Finance, Luther, could serve in the Ministry of Revenue.

Of course, he wasn't afraid even if chaos ensued.

Chaos was inevitable with any major reform. Once the reform took root and Ronin set things right, those who came after would accept it.

This was one of Ronin's goals.

Beyond that, he also wanted to use the newly established Six Ministries to incite competition among the nobles. In the future, he could pair this with policies designed to divide the nobles' power, strengthening the King's authority and weakening theirs.

Besides, as the Commander-in-Chief, he had already gained power and status. He had taken the meat; it was only right for others to have the broth.

Deterrence through strength had a major impact on all factions, but the influence of political power was just as crucial to every individual.

By relinquishing a portion of the power, he wasn't diluting his own authority. Rather, he was making more people uphold his authority for the sake of the power that had been distributed.

When Ronin finished speaking, the nobles exchanged glances. They had never seen such a method before and were simultaneously wondering why Ronin would do this.

However, they didn't have time to dwell on that question.

They only knew that Ronin's proposal offered them a new stage—a place outside of military affairs where they could also display their talents and influence.

The nobles began to scheme, calculating how to secure a seat within the framework Ronin had proposed.

The great nobles undoubtedly had their eyes on the minister and vice-minister positions. The lesser nobles had no chance at those roles, but landing a Chief Steward position should be possible, right?

After listening, Valgis, though still puzzled by many aspects, nodded in approval of this new division of responsibilities.

"This Six Ministries system implemented by Duke Ronin divides the Kingdom's affairs with much greater detail. If it can be thoroughly executed, the Kingdom's operational efficiency will surely see a massive improvement."

Ibn pondered for a moment before voicing his question:

"Duke Ronin, as a member of the War Council, would I be able to run for a position in the Six Ministries?"

"Of course you can!"

Ronin said, "Even if you're too busy, you can recommend your followers or others to participate. However, in the end, each noble family can only hold one seat."

A smile spread across Ibn's face. "I understand!"

Arsenno frowned.

He was the Minister of State Affairs. According to Ronin's explanation, some state affairs and financial duties were now consolidated within the Ministry of Revenue.

In the end, he and Luther had actually become competitors.

But on second thought, it made sense. The two of them argued over quite a few things on a daily basis.

He couldn't help but look toward Ronin. This young man wasn't just unrivaled in combat; his ability to govern a fiefdom, and even an entire kingdom, was plain to see from this proposal for a system of checks and balances between ministries.

Arsenno thought to himself, 'Although Ronin isn't the King right now, I'm certain that in the future, there will be only one King on the Orland Continent, and it will be him!'

Some of the more perceptive individuals also realized that while Ronin hadn't accepted the title of King, his role in hearing reports from the Six Ministries and coordinating relations between all parties was, in practice, what a King was supposed to do.

"I've proposed this system rather suddenly, and perhaps not everyone has fully grasped it. Therefore, I suggest you all return home to digest the information. In two days, you will all come back to run for the positions you desire, and we will hold a public vote."

Hearing this, the nobles nodded one after another in agreement.

They would need these next two days to contact their various connections and drum up support for themselves.

Next, the topic returned to the question of how to divide the noble factions among the five leaders of the War Council.

This was a decision that had to be made as quickly as possible. After all, Ferrensburg and the Villa Duchy were already on the move; they couldn't afford a slow election process like the one for the Six Ministries.

Immediately, with Ronin presiding, the nobles in the hall were divided up one by one.

Aside from a few nobles who wished to follow council members they were familiar with into the war, the others didn't have strong opinions.

After all, with this arrangement, each noble's forces would be closer to the battlefield, and their losses would likely be smaller.

Time flew by, and it wasn't until late at night that the day's assembly of nobles concluded.

However, the nobles' private dealings were just beginning. The next two days would be their most active period.

Ibn and Sharon sat in a carriage, returning to their chambers.

Sharon sighed. "Although I was the one presiding over the assembly at the beginning, by the end, it had completely become Ronin's show."

Ibn, snapping out of his thoughts about the election, smiled and put his arm around her. "Don't worry about it. We have to understand that in this world, strength is what ultimately matters. Not to mention, Ronin isn't just powerful; his other abilities are impressive as well."

"Mm, you're right."

She agreed. "Garrett truly picked the wrong opponent when he tried to challenge a man like that. If he had just stayed in his lane, then judging by how Ronin refused the crown today, he clearly never intended to seize Garrett's throne."

"Yes, it's a pity Garrett's personality is so extreme."

Ibn sighed. "Fortunately, he was at least left with his life. Although his Cultivation was crippled and he's been imprisoned, we can still look after him a bit and ensure he lives out the rest of his days without worrying about food or clothing."

Sharon slipped from his embrace and looked out at the night sky, where only a few scattered stars were visible.

"Perhaps this is a good thing for him, and a good thing for the Oduin Kingdom as well."

"Even if Ronin becomes King in the future, his descendants will still carry the blood of Oduin!"