185: Chapter 104 Gifts 185: Chapter 104 Gifts The doors of the hall were tightly closed as Lokhak placed the heavy coin chest on the table.
As everyone gathered around the table, Leon opened the lid.
A lustrous yellow gold.
It was a glow that symbolized a wealth of fortune, quickening the heartbeats of those beholding it.
Leon extended his hand, his fingers diving into the pile of coins, and he grasped a handful of Kantadar Gold Coins.
The gold minted currency cascaded through his fingers with a clinking sound.
Feeling the cool touch and the heavy weight, he now understood why, in tales of old, giant dragons fancied sleeping atop mountains of gold…
The joy this wealth brought was splendid indeed.
Although he had handled no less than eight hundred Gold Coins in various transactions along his journey,
the sensory impact of seeing a thousand gold crowns’ worth of Gold Coins piled together simply couldn’t be compared.
It was a pity they weren’t his, otherwise, Leon thought, he would have definitely poured the several hundred Gold Coins from beneath his bed into the pile too, to greedily rub his hands through it and revel in the delight.
Lokhak, watching, exclaimed with a sigh, “Who would have thought that the Mamor family could genuinely afford so much, and even deliver it obediently.”
Besides, aren’t they afraid I’ll renege on our agreement after I get the money?”
“No, the Mamor family is certainly afraid of us going back on our word, but if they can’t save their Family Head, their fate might be even worse,” Mr.
interjected, enlightening the two young Knights, “I can roughly guess the dire state of that Knight Kantadar’s household.
In fact, their honest risk of coming here to ransom someone may have something to do with family ties, but such a downfall of a feudal knight’s Sealing Lord’s influence; if he were to die abroad, the loss his family would have to bear is beyond measure…
Their decision to deplete their savings to rescue their Family Head back to their homeland is entirely understandable…”
Upon hearing this, Leon earnestly listened to the speculation of his Old Centurion, and only after carefully absorbing the explanation did he grasp the possible dangers the Mamor family might face.
The feudal system of this Western Continent was quite similar to that of ancient Europe on Earth in his previous life.
A knight’s identity was not a hereditary noble title, a fact that was the same in the Kantadar Kingdom as it was in the realms of the Felu people.
“Knight” was an independent title; upon the person’s death, it couldn’t be inherited by their progeny.
In most cases, if a Knight’s offspring also wished to become a Knight, they would typically be sent around the age of seven to serve a Sealing Lord or a well-connected superior noble family as an Attendant, remaining until they neared the age of fourteen, at which point they would become an Attendant to their Lord.
During this time, the Knight’s child would learn etiquette, knowledge, martial arts, serve, and follow their Lord into battle, all under the tutelage of the Lord and his family members.
It was not until after the age of twenty that their Lord would consider the performance of the Attendant and possibly confer upon them the title of a true Knight.
If performances were subpar or for some other reason, it was not unheard of for someone to remain an Attendant until nearly thirty years of age.
Therefore, the son of a Knight might not necessarily also be a Knight if his father died unexpectedly.
Leon didn’t know the Mamor family’s specific situation, but he suspected it was far more complicated.
In a Knight’s household, if his son hadn’t become a Knight while the father was still alive and had the protection of a Sealing Lord, it wouldn’t be much of a problem; there would still be a chance for growth under the protection of their loyal Lord until they were ready to stand on their own.
But now, the family power of Baron Dawson had been almost entirely destroyed due to the main territories in the North being lost and the Baron’s death in direct combat.
If they were to do nothing while Mamor passed away in a foreign land, this small family of Knights would undoubtedly lose all their protectors and pillars of support.
Although the descendants of Knights could inherit the ownership of their original feudal territory by paying a variable tax to a great Lord or the King,
a household whose Family Head perished in battle, lacking protection, faction, or a Knight’s title, yet still possessing land and accumulated wealth…
If this news reached the surrounding Lords, that small family’s territory would instantly become a coveted prize.
To annex a Knight’s territory, as opposed to merely a piece of land belonging to an unprotected commoner’s family, the impact was incomparable.
Even without much strife, they could merely lead their troops over and forcefully “marry” into the family of a deceased Knight, a widow or orphan, and thus legally and lawfully possess the land.
So, to bring back their Knight Master from afar, no matter the risks, the Mamor family had to attempt to preserve the life of their Family Head.
As long as Mamor was alive, with the title of Knight intact, whether by utilizing years of relationships to find allies or by seeking new Lords to pledge allegiance to, there was still a chance to ensure the continuation of their family and territory.
If he died, it wouldn’t be just a single life lost; the entire small family could very well perish.
Understanding the underlying logic of a Sealing Lord’s downfall, Leon finally comprehended why initially, Mamor had believed that his distant family, despite their strained circumstances, would gather a significant sum for his ransom.
In this era, the importance of a Family Head to a family was far greater than in modern times.
Setting aside these societal rules he’d learned from Mr.
Brian Sr., Leon refocused his attention on the ransom before him.