201: Chapter 201 Rowan's Decision! Mira and Elena!

Gino City, Golden Flame Castle.

Rowan was in his study, reviewing a territorial brief that Helena had just sent over.

Just then, a maid entered to report something—Viscountess Mira Mesa of Red Maple was requesting an audience.

He was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

But after thinking about it, he realized he had been busy managing the garden lately and indeed hadn't seen her for a long time.

So he said, "Please show her to the study."

A moment later, the study door was gently pushed open.

Mira's figure appeared at the doorway.

Her face was somewhat pale, and those crimson eyes, which usually burned with an indomitable light, now carried a weariness that was hard to conceal.

When she saw Rowan's tall figure sitting behind the desk, for some reason, her eyes grew hot, and she blinked rapidly.

Seeing her looking as if she had been wronged, Rowan felt a stir in his heart and was somewhat surprised.

But he didn't ask any more questions; he simply stood up, walked over to her, and gently pulled her into an embrace.

Her body was stiff at first, but she soon relaxed, burying her cheek in the crook of his shoulder.

"Is there a problem with your territory?" Rowan asked softly.

Mira didn't speak, only nodding slightly in his arms.

She was silent for a good while before her emotions gradually calmed. Then, she wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, took a deep breath, and began to recount everything she had experienced during this time.

"..."

After finishing, she said in a low voice, "Rowan... it seems I am truly not suited to be a competent lord. I can't even manage my own territory well, I..."

As she spoke, she appeared somewhat dejected.

Rowan looked at her, silent for a moment.

He noticed that Mira's rating was still 88, unchanged.

If she could take back the energy spent on governing the territory and focus on cultivating to improve her strength, it might not be a bad thing.

At the same time, he had indeed overlooked one thing: for a girl who was previously just a mercenary, with no one to trust and no relevant training, trying to manage a Viscount's territory all on her own was certainly extremely difficult.

So, he chuckled and ruffled her messy, fiery red hair, saying, "Who says a lord must manage their territory themselves? There is specialization in every trade; just because you aren't good at this doesn't mean you aren't suited to be a lord."

"Look at Elena; didn't she also hand over the affairs of the Mist Territory to Knight Lexi to manage, while she focuses on her cultivation?"

Mira looked up at him, her eyes filled with a trace of confusion and expectation.

Rowan continued, "How about this, I'll help you vent your frustration. Later, I will send people to your territory to clear out personnel, audit the accounts, and reclaim all financial authority."

"From now on, I will have a professional team manage your territory on your behalf. All profits will belong to you; not a single gold coin will be missing."

"As for you, just like Elena, you will live in my castle from now on, focus on your cultivation, and improve your strength. How does that sound?"

Upon hearing this, Mira stared at him blankly.

She didn't speak, just nodded vigorously, and then suddenly stood on her tiptoes...

After a long while, the two separated.

Rowan took her hand, walked out of the study, and instructed the maid in the hallway, "Pass the order to Helena and the others; I am calling an emergency meeting..."

The maids quickly scurried throughout the castle.

Soon, in the female officials' meeting hall, nine female officials sat upright.

When they saw Rowan walk in holding the hand of a strange young girl with flame-colored hair and slightly red-rimmed eyes, a flicker of curiosity and appraisal couldn't help but flash in their eyes.

Seeing the room full of beautiful, distinct young women, Mira couldn't help but be startled, and she sat down in the chair Rowan pulled out for her, somewhat distracted.

Rowan concisely summarized Mira's situation and then asked the women to provide a countermeasure.

After listening, the women asked Mira for some specific details and then began to discuss...

The discussion quickly yielded results.

Helena spoke first.

She pointed out that the key to this matter lay in two points: first, obtaining conclusive evidence; second, it was best to act within the framework of imperial law.

Melissa supplemented the key areas for sending people to audit the accounts from a financial perspective.

Sylvie suggested that it would be best to dispatch a joint investigation team in the name of the County Council, as this would be more procedurally legitimate and could also silence those people.

After listening, Rowan thought for a moment and then made a firm decision—convene the County Council and formally intervene in this matter in the name of the County Council.

He would form a joint investigation team composed of four sectors—military, political, commercial, and religious—to travel to Maple Flower Territory and investigate the case at the request of the Viscountess of Red Maple.

The military representative would be led by Commander Portia herself, who would head a squad of knights to be responsible for the investigation team's security and military deterrence.

The political representative would be Tax Officer Toby Hague, who would lead a squad of bureaucrats to clear the accounts; in Rowan's impression, he was quite good at this sort of thing.

For the commercial aspect, Lady Lillian would be dispatched to assist, as she was most skilled at identifying various methods of commercial fraud and asset concealment.

As for the religious side, he would need to personally go and negotiate with Adrian, the Chief Priest of the Gino City Church, to request that the church send a team of supervisory priests to accompany them, so as to demonstrate impartiality.

After the countermeasures were discussed, Rowan led Mira out of the meeting room.

The female officials' gazes lingered on their backs for a moment before tacitly shifting away, each bowing their heads to tidy up the documents on the table, their eyes exchanging some subtle information.

Viscountess of Red Maple? It seemed they would have to manage yet another Viscount's territory.

Upon exiting the meeting room, Mira saw a familiar figure.

Elena was standing by the window in the hallway, seemingly waiting for someone.

She was wearing a loose light purple long dress, her pale golden hair draped over her shoulders, and her slightly protruding lower abdomen was faintly visible beneath the fabric of her clothing.

Seeing Mira walk out, she immediately revealed a happy smile and hurried up to meet her.

The two had previously lived together at Snow Velvet Manor for a time, and their relationship had become very good.

"Mira!" Elena opened her arms and gave Mira a big hug.

Mira also hugged her, and when she felt the slightly rounded curve of Elena's abdomen, her movements paused slightly.

She lowered her head slightly, glanced at Elena's abdomen, then looked up again at Elena's radiant and happy expression, and a sudden, indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart.

She instinctively turned her head to glance at Rowan, who was standing not far away, and then quickly withdrew her gaze.

Elena did not notice her momentary strangeness, instead taking her hand and starting to chat incessantly, asking how she had been doing lately and why she hadn't come to Gino City to visit her sooner.

Mira responded with a smile, but deep within her beautiful eyes, a trace of complex emotion flashed by.

Rowan watched the two chatting affectionately, smiled, and did not disturb them; instead, he turned and walked toward the outside of the castle: "You two chat first. I'm going to the church."