"We would have to discuss that now, won’t we? Come sit here." Simon patted the edge of the bed, grinning like a shady uncle luring a little girl with candy as he gestured.

"My Lord!" Joan took a sharp step back, her voice trembling with a hint of tears. "This servant is of lowly status; how dare I sit on a bed? If Chief Steward Baldwin finds out, I’ll surely be punished again."

"Baldwin."

Hearing the name, Simon frowned.

Baldwin’s full name was Baldwin Atwood. He was the Chief Steward of the Grand Governor’s Office in Brambleford. Essentially, a military adviser and secretary.

When Simon was exiled to his Domain, Baldwin had been personally appointed by the emperor to follow him.

His purpose was clear: officially, he was here to teach and guide him; in reality, he was here to spy and report back to the emperor.

In Simon’s inherited memories, Baldwin was someone he deeply despised.

Simon’s imperial father, Emperor Alaric, was extremely shrewd. The chief stewards he assigned were always rigid bookworms, loyal to the throne to a fault.

People like that had one thing in common: stubbornness combined with a complete lack of social awareness.

If Baldwin saw anything he deemed inappropriate, he would immediately report it to the emperor, who would then write a furious letter scolding Simon.

Though this Baldwin had originally been targeting the former Simon, the new Simon still had to deal with him. The mere thought of the man dampened his excitement.

He glanced at Joan, who was clutching the hem of her dress nervously, looking like a guilty child.

She deliberately brought up Baldwin to escape.

Reflecting on his actions, Simon realised he had been a bit too impatient just now, probably scaring her. It made sense, even though he had personally requested these maidservants from Consort Isolde, the tone of her letters suggested that Joan and Ysabeau had begged her not to send them.

But Consort Isolde, feeling pity for her son, still reluctantly parted with them, asking him to treat them well.

Clearly, they hadn’t come willingly.

Still, a cooked duck can’t fly away.

Simon wasn’t exactly a good person, but he wasn’t evil either. Bullying women wasn’t his style.

Since that was the case, he would take his time instead.

"You may leave." He spoke. "I’m going out for a walk."

Joan let out a soft sigh of relief, unaware that Simon had already seen through her little scheme.

In truth, her fear was justified.

Before being exiled, Simon had been a notorious playboy in the capital city, indulging in every pleasure imaginable.

Even in his domain, he hadn’t exactly behaved himself.

That was why Baldwin kept filing complaints, likely submitting enough reports to wipe the entire empire’s palace’s backside for a day.

Since Joan had served Consort Isolde, she would have been well aware of Simon’s bad reputation.

Thus, she was terrified of him.

As Simon prepared to leave, Joan brought out his robes and spoke. "My Lord, allow me to assist you in dressing."

He almost refused.

After all, as an engineering nerd, he was used to washing his own clothes and cooking his own meals. His hands-on skills were top-notch.

But just as the words reached his lips, he changed his mind.

Since he was in this world now, he needed to blend in. Acting too strangely might prompt Baldwin to file another ’His Highness has gone mad’ report.

If that happened, Alaric, the old fox, might immediately seize his domain.

Still, the whole feudal system puzzled Simon.

Though history in this world diverged from the Three Kingdoms period of Simon’s original world, the dangers of granting feudal titles were still obvious.

A smart emperor would never tolerate the existence of powerful feudal princes.

Yet, in the Eldorian Empire, granting domains to princes was routine.

Digging through his inherited memories, Simon finally found the reason.

After the Three Kingdoms era, aristocratic families became exceptionally powerful.

These wealthy, resource-rich noble clans played a crucial role in every dynasty that followed.

As dynasties rose and fell, these aristocrats acted like an invisible hand, constantly influencing history.

For over a thousand years, every dynasty attempted to suppress these aristocratic clans.

Yet every emperor who tried to weaken them either died prematurely or plunged the country into chaos.

By the late fifth dynasty, the country even split into more than twenty warring states, each backed by aristocratic families.

Then came the founding of the Eldorian Empire.

The first emperor, Leopold, relied on the Five Great Clans to conquer the empire.

But in doing so, he made a fatal mistake. He promised to rule the country alongside the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Families.

Thus, when the Eldorian Empire was established, Leopold granted feudal titles to six powerful aristocrats:

The Aurelian Family of Aurelia, King of Aurelia

The Valeric Family of Vale, King of Vale

The Dornhal Family of Dornhal, King of Dornhal

The Valmont Family, King of Valmont

The Ravencrest Family, King of Ravencrest

The Blackthorne Family, King of Blackthorne

At the time, Leopold felt brilliant about this decision.

But for his descendants, it was a nightmare.

The Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Families had always controlled the land and resources, but now they were even stronger.

By the time he realised the problem, he was already old.

To counterbalance these aristocratic feudal lords, he made another drastic decision:

"The world is vast. We must establish royal domains to guard the nation from above and protect the people below. My sons have come of age; they must each receive titles and govern their own territories. This is not nepotism but a strategy for long-term stability."

Thus began the large-scale enforcement of imperial princes.

"Drinking poison to quench thirst."

That was Simon’s only evaluation of Leopold’s decision.

It was obvious that the goal was to let imperial princes suppress the aristocratic feudal lords and prevent them from rebelling.

Surprisingly, this strategy had actually worked.

The Eldorian Empire existed in a strange state of balance, with various factions constantly undermining each other.

But this infighting had also stunted technological progress, leaving the kingdom stagnant at a Proto-Industrial level.

The threat of the aristocrats haunted every royal family member, and unfortunately, Simon’s domain was no exception.

The local noble clans controlled all key resources, making it nearly impossible for him to govern effectively.

"Surviving in this world won’t be easy." Simon sighed.

Dressed in a dark crimson doublet with a round collar, he stood before a bronze mirror as he fastened a brooch that had the crest of his house. His boots were quick to slip on with a dull polish after being kept for a long time under the dust.

Tall and slender, with sharply handsome features, this was his new self.

As he stepped out of the hall, the morning sunlight bathed him in warmth.

The air was crisp and fresh, clearing his mind.

The sky was a breathtaking sapphire blue, so pure it was intoxicating.

A pebble path led down the steps to a stone bridge, flanked by gourd-shaped ponds. Willows swayed alongside creeping ivy, creating a picturesque garden scene.

Across the pond stood black-tiled, red-walled buildings, their eaves interlocking in elegant layers, supported by rows of lacquered pillars.

Seeing it firsthand was far more immersive than just recalling memories.

At this moment, Simon truly felt it; he had transmigrated.

"I’m here, Eldorian Empire."

This domain was now his home. And his first obstacle? The local aristocrats.