263: Chapter 148, Marriage Alliance_2 263: Chapter 148, Marriage Alliance_2 Uncle Bear’s love for eating turned out to be a blessing in disguise since it meant Hudson now had a benefactor to fund his experiments.
Earning money was never in the cards with just one patron, but achieving breakeven was now barely possible.
The animals that became test subjects, however, didn’t fare well.
The higher the quality of the feed pills, the faster they died.
Despite Hudson diluting the mixtures, these ordinary creatures were simply unable to resist the extraordinary energy.
The only success was a “Super Strength Ox”.
It was the only cow to walk out of the lab alive.
Its strength was several times greater than that of an ordinary cow, making it extremely efficient at plowing fields.
Whether it was due to a problem with the genes or some overlooked minute detail, they were only successful once.
Hudson had initially considered using war horses for experiments, but he quickly abandoned the idea considering the costs.
There was no need for disappointment.
Magic alchemy, similar to scientific research, involves a process of constant trial and error.
Failure was the norm, whereas success would be a surprise.
…
Noble lords generally don’t rush about in the rain, typically staying indoors throughout the rainy season unless something significant arises.
As it stood, there seemed to be no major incident recently other than the unlucky aristocrats who were green with envy being forcibly conscripted by Governor Piers into the first expedition.
This didn’t affect the Koslow family much.
Their younger generation was training in the Mountain Domain during that time and thus missed the excitement.
The elders, with their mature mindsets, weren’t about to abandon their territories to run hundreds of miles to Bera City for some entertainment just because they earned a few singers.
“Your brothers’ marriages have been settled.
The main reason for my visit is your marriage.
Originally, there was no need to rush.
However, with the war approaching, there’s no telling how long it will last.
You too have a significant family business now.
Should you be summoned to war, the stability of the rear will be a significant concern.
To put people at ease, you must marry as soon as possible, preferably ensuring your wife is pregnant before you leave.”
Baron Redman said slowly.
Parents worldwide yearn for their children’s happiness.
Even for nobles, once it comes to their children, there’s not much difference to ordinary parents.
They managed to quickly arrange two of your elder brothers’ marriages in a short span of two to three months; Now, arranging Hudson’s marriage will be another major effort for Baron Redman.
Nowadays, it’s peak season for the nobility to form marital alliances.
Nobody knows what will happen next, and each additional ally increases the probability of survival.
Even in unfortunate death, having an heir to carry on the family business is a plus.
Compared to his elder brothers, Hudson has much more say in his lifelong commitment.
This can be inferred from Baron Redman personally seeking his opinion.
For his elder brothers, it’d have been nothing more than a notification.
Noble children, while enjoying the conveniences brought by family power, also have to bear corresponding responsibilities.
Hudson didn’t reject the idea hastily.
The Mountain Domain indeed needed a lady owner and an heir.
“Father, isn’t it too hasty to start preparations now?
Or has the clan already identified a suitable candidate who’s also willing, and the two sides have communicated successfully?”, Hudson asked rationally.
In his current position, it wasn’t difficult to find a wife with matching status.
The key lied in the political aspects.
At this point, Hudson’s marriage was no longer just his personal issue, but a collective matter for the whole Koslow clan.
“Indeed, the clan has been considering candidates for the lady of the Mountain Domain for a while.
You’re not that old, so there was no need to hurry initially.
However, the current situation changed too quickly.
The Koslow family just happened to encounter this war just as we regained the status of the intermediate aristocracy.
The Mountain Domain indeed has a solid strength, especially since you’ve recruited many allies.
Still, it’s not enough to safely navigate through this war.
Although the family legacy continues, we have been far away from the political center for many years, trailing behind in many aspects.
You now need your wife’s family’s support to keep abreast of the changes at the top level of the kingdom and integrate into the power center as soon as possible.
Due to the limited time, you don’t have many choices.
Among the nobles who are willing to form an alliance with you and serve the family’s interests, there are five families.
You may choose one.
We must complete the communication as soon as possible.
Failure to act promptly will only cause troubles later.”, said Baron Redman solemnly.
Upon receiving the parchment and reading the recorded information, Hudson was surprised to find that three of the five noble families were from provinces far away.
Upon careful thought, it seemed pretty normal.
There were not many intermediate nobles, and even fewer had eligible Daughters.
Due to the urgency, the younger candidates were naturally ruled out.
If the selection was limited to within the province, the choices would be too narrow.
Usually, the choice for marriage alliances of small nobles would be limited to neighbors within several hundred miles.
A prosperous family like the Koslow could potentially turn all the neighbors into relatives.
However, once promoted to intermediate aristocracy, the choice for marriage alliances shrank significantly, making it necessary to expand the range.