Pirate Kingship

As soon as the door closed, the girl threw herself into Byron's arms with a heady scent of perfume. The latter, caught off guard by her full-bodied embrace, stumbled back a step before steadying himself.

"Welcome home!"

Even though they had communicated several times, Catherine only truly relaxed when she saw Byron in the flesh, unharmed.

Catherine had obviously dressed up today to welcome Byron's safe return. Her flaming red lips and lake-green eyes were like two pools of crystal-clear water; her delicate skin as white and flawless as porcelain. Her exquisite, frill-laced dress outlined a perfect, alluring figure. Her exposed collarbone and the hint of snowy whiteness beneath were particularly enticing. On her feet was a pair of glittering Crystal High Heels, making her tall figure nearly as lofty as Byron's.

With the vibrancy of the Flower of the North and the splendor of the Mithril Dragon, she was like a dazzling pearl, so beautiful it was almost blinding. Judged by normal human aesthetics, her beauty was extraordinary. It rivaled even the Versatile Enchantress—a being who embodied the combined merits of dozens of beautiful women—making Catherine's allure truly incomparable.

The girl had also sprayed on Byron's favorite rose perfume, which brought him a great sense of comfort upon returning to his little den from the battlefield. He even felt a bit guilty for having been as wary of his sister as if she were a thief.

I misunderstood Catherine; she was just overly concerned about me. That's why she grabbed my collar and yanked me in like an eagle snatching a chick. Indeed, this is the scent of home; there's nothing like feeling the warmth of home.

Just as Byron was soaking in this rare warmth, Catherine suddenly tiptoed and whispered into his ear, "Byron, can you do me a favor?"

Her big, wavy blonde hair, fragrant and tickling Byron's cheek, made him drop his guard. He readily agreed, "Sure, what do you need?"

The girl's cheeks turned a faint blush, and her melodious voice became slightly hoarse as she said, "There's a spot on my body that's really tight; it's quite uncomfortable. Come help me out."

Byron was startled by her words. "Where? Where is it tight?" He couldn't help but think suggestively.

Catherine finally revealed her true intentions. She stepped back, out of her brother's embrace, and raised her slender right hand high in front of him.

"Look at my hand." Then, rubbing her delicate white forefinger, middle finger, and thumb together, she said gravely, "It's my finances!"

She stared at Byron's waist pouch, her lake-green eyes flashing with a golden light that seemed to brighten the room. "My finances are really tight, and there's no torture more miserable in the world than... being broke! Byron, you wouldn't want your beautiful, delicate sister to suffer this torture, would you?"

"Uh..."

Byron glanced at Catherine's tear-streaked face, then at the Snake Skin Bag disguised as his waist pouch, and handed it over with a heart full of sorrow.

He had to admit, the longest road he ever walked in his life was Catherine's scheme. From childhood candy and pocket money to now his Life Savings, it was always an unending vigil.

But he still wanted to make a last, desperate struggle. As he passed over the Snake Skin Bag, he didn't let go, shamelessly trying to bargain, "Right, Catherine, there is something in here far more valuable than gold. Just let me take out my great treasure first and help loosen things up for you."

Before she could react, he immediately recited the cutting inscription: "Python Swallowing Elephant." And pulled out the glittering Golden Code.

This treasure instantly captured the Mithril Dragon's attention.

"Eh? That seems to be..." Catherine's eyes widened in wonder.

As the adopted daughter of the Prince's family, she had, of course, seen the original of the Kingdom of Hightins's Royal Iron Rule - Great Charter. This book, clearly made of gold plates, radiated a Power of Law similar to it, perhaps even superior in caliber. Moreover, the domineering presence it exuded—that of a powerful Monarch—was something the Great Charter could not hope to match.

"Haha, with this, you'll own a luxury 'Dragon Nest' with security rivaling that of any Royal Palace. Even if you store vast amounts of gold and silver in your vault, you won't have to worry about them being stolen. Your Gold Sequence is guaranteed to advance by leaps and bounds."

As everyone knows, regardless of the means, as long as one acquires a Kingly Title, whether a Pirate King or a legitimate King, they can establish Iron Laws of Sovereignty that serve their interests within their own domain or the reach of their power. Truth only exists within the range of military projection, or, as some say, within the range of cannons. Just as the North Sea Pirate King, Whale Hunter, though missing, left behind his Iron Laws of Sovereignty at Iron Anchor Bay, maintaining his domain of royal power.

This inherent domain of a Kingly Title, rooted in all subjects or nationals who accept its laws, actively or passively, enables the exercise of numerous formidable governing capabilities within the Law Network with the King himself at the helm. It could monitor any behavior that violated the laws at any time. Within the Core Royal Domain, Guardsmen could also receive significant enhancements from the law, gathering the strength of the subjects to unleash power exceeding their own Extraordinary Level.

The Aztec people had woven the rules of law from the Golden Code, nailing them firmly into this land and the Spiritual World of the Taino people. The Book of Gold, as the original legal document, had successfully transformed into a First-Class Holy Relic: the Golden Code.

Its core ability was The Domain of Royal Power:

"1. National Border Lock: Similar to the Maze Lock at Iron Anchor Bay that could confuse Navigators and even entire Fleets, it could establish an invisible national boundary line. It could conceal itself, resist foreign enemies, and serve endless strategic purposes. The longer the legislative period, the more deeply it was ingrained in the hearts of the people, the more substantial the accumulated power, and the stronger the nation, the more formidable the defense of this national border would become.

2. Custom Decrees: Within the Royal Domain, like those with a Kingly Title, you could customize the laws through Decrees, exercising various sovereign authorities. Monitor crimes, implement sanctions, enable instant communication, rally the collective, and grant various special enhancements to the army... Especially for the highest authority within the legal system, it was no problem to rally everyone's strength and advance a Supernatural Rank while within the Royal Domain."

With this treasure, the defensive strength of the Tayman Archipelago immediately became comparable to a Giant Dragon's Nest. In the future, as the controlled territory and the number of nationals grew, the Golden Law's coverage would also expand. As its power grew stronger, the day would eventually come when its owner would truly be crowned with the Kingly Title.

There was just one prerequisite: The Golden Law could only take effect within the range of the Bantaan Archipelago, and within its covered area, the proportion of Taino people nationals could not be less than ten percent. The Mandate of Heaven borne by the Holy Relic was to use one's own Imperial City as a center to gradually integrate all the Taino people on the Bantaan Archipelago. Truly establish the Golden Empire! The path of conquest for the King was inevitable.

After briefly explaining to Catherine, Byron began to activate the Holy Relic, chanting the founding oath once sworn by Emperor Montezuma II:

"Divine mandate of kingship! The Emperor is the Divine Son; I will make you Monarchs and Kings of every place in the world!" This symbolized the power of the heavens.

"The army is my Scepter! I will grant the Nobility and priests the Authority to manage cities, armies, and the Wilderness!" This symbolized the power over people.

"I am God's spokesman, ruling the Mortal World and the Underworld on God's behalf, possessing the Authority to communicate with and placate the dead, granting them rebirth!" This symbolized power over the land.

It was somewhat similar to Byron's past life's concept of heaven, earth, and humanity. God's will represented the legitimacy of royal Authority. Military strength was the cornerstone of royal rule. The Authority to communicate with ancestors and rule the dead ensured the people's submission. All three combined, they formed the foundation of this Royal Iron Law.

HUMMM—!

A brilliant golden Law Network on the Golden Code suddenly expanded outward. It instantly filled Catherine's room, then plunged into the void, covering the entire Tayman Archipelago. Apart from the two of them, no one else was aware.

Byron felt his consciousness spread with the Golden Law to the three islands, every detail becoming vividly clear.

"Now, there's a key issue. That is, how the most core positions in this legal system should be allocated."

The most central direct ruling group is usually called The King's Right Hand. It includes one King, one Queen, two War Chariots, two Bishops (or Prime Ministers), two Knights, and eight Guardians, totaling sixteen positions. They were united around the King, holding the highest status under the current legal system.

The positions of the two Knights and eight Guardians were usually given to the most powerful sword-bearing Nobility at the core of the Kingdom's power. In practice, these were the lords with the greatest military and economic strength. The two War Chariots were typically assigned to the Kingdom's Guardians who had advanced furthest on the supernatural path and possessed formidable strength. The two Bishops were for religious or political talents, such as Cardinal Richelieu, the famous Prime Minister who was currently causing the Irisflower Kingdom's national strength to flourish.

The positions of King and Queen needed no further explanation, with only one each. Unless one could obtain a second Crown, it was strictly one person per position; whether a strong or weak nation, only these sixteen quotas existed. Within a legal system, they possessed the greatest strength, the most stable Anchoring, and conditions most conducive to advancement on the supernatural path.

Previously, the former Emperor Aztec Montezuma II, and the Conqueror Cortes who seized his authority, had intended to bestow the position of Queen upon Beatrice. But Byron felt that if he didn't allocate this properly, he would undoubtedly face great trouble in the future!

"Is this the Seal Ring?"

However, just then, Catherine noticed the golden Seal Ring inside the Snake Skin Bag, also glowing, which had been crafted by Montezuma II. Driven by her 'Giant Dragon' instincts, she picked it up and slipped it onto her finger.

BOOM!

The next moment, a golden Divine Light erupted from her. This Mithril Knight, who had already reached the limit of the Second Order due to successive windfalls, felt her aura surge dramatically. In the blink of an eye, empowered by the highly compatible Golden Law, she reached the Third Order.

Byron was stunned. Uh, wait a moment, I actually forgot that the real master of this Earldom is actually Catherine...