Chapter 105
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 105
It wasn't surprising.
As the third son of the House of Valdek, Lucian would lose his entire foundation if he were cast out of the family. Jordi likely thought that simply succeeding in his rebellion and preventing Lucian’s return would be enough.
But the situation changed if Lucian was the Master of Asagrim and the Duke of Grimaldi.
Even if he were exiled from the family, he would still reign as a lord in his own right—and there would be much more to be gained from him.
‘I expected all of this. It’s not shocking. Except for one thing: the time it took for that bastard to find out.’
By the time Jordi had willingly let Hans go, Lucian had already received Asagrim. Naturally, Hans had breathed a sigh of relief after safely escaping the family’s reach.
Yet, just as Hans arrived at Asagrim, Jordi sent men to drag him back.
‘If he had known the moment the Emperor’s imperial decree was issued, he never would have let Hans go in the first place. Conversely, if he had found out after I took office, Hans would have already fled to a point where he couldn't be caught.’
Jordi had obtained the information at an awkward midpoint between those two events. It was certainly fast, but far from being real-time.
In contrast, he had staged the rebellion the very moment Grand Duke Sigmund died.
‘The timing is inconsistent. Why did he find out about me receiving Asagrim so late, yet know about Father’s death instantly?’
“Your Grace, is something troubling you?”
Eisen’s voice broke Lucian’s reverie. Unable to find the answer himself, Lucian decided to seek the opinions of the others.
“Actually, Jordi’s behavior is quite strange.”
“Strange, how?”
“Looking back at when Jordi made his moves, the timing of when he received his information is all over the place.”
Lucian calmly explained his thoughts. His brother's information network was unnervingly fast, yet not quite real-time. There was the discrepancy between Hans—who was released and then recaptured—and the rebellion, which was triggered the moment the Grand Duke fell. The timing of these actions was so different that it was hard to draw a conclusion.
“Isn't it odd? I understand the motives behind his actions, but I can’t figure out where he’s getting his information for the timing to be so inconsistent.”
“Hmm, I think I have an idea.”
“What?! Really?!”
Lucian, along with the other retainers, stared at Eisen in surprise. Eisen gave a bitter smile at the gazes piercing him from all sides.
“These things happen often on the battlefield. Sometimes you hear about an event long after it happened, and other times you hear of it the moment it occurs. Usually, the cause can be narrowed down to the capability of the informant.”
“Do you mean the informants for the two events were different?”
“It’s more likely a matter of the informant’s status. Everyone would have known the moment His Grace the Grand Duke passed away. However, Your Grace becoming the Master of Asagrim was closer to a unilateral decision by His Majesty the Emperor.”
Lucian froze at Eisen’s words.
As long as he didn't interfere in the internal affairs of other lords, the Emperor wielded absolute power. He was free to decide who to give a vacant territory under direct imperial control. Naturally, except for a very few, the report would have been made after the fact, and the news would have spread slowly.
“The informant isn't a confidant close enough to share the Emperor’s private affairs, but they are likely in the next closest tier. After all, the Emperor informed you in the middle of the battlefield, not after a formal announcement back at the Imperial Palace.”
“Do you have anyone in mind who holds such a position?”
“There are a few, but fortunately, I think I can narrow it down further. The Second Young Master left a few clues before I departed.”
Clues? Jordi did?
While everyone blinked in confusion, Eisen let out a deep sigh. Then, with his eyes slightly downcast, he began to speak in a heavy voice.
He told them what had happened when he left the family.
Eisen had no specific duties assigned to him within the House of Valdek.
He was well advanced in years, and his exploits in his youth were worth hundreds of times more than anyone else's. It was standard for him to be treated as an elder and only move when a direct order came from the Family Head.
Still, as a knight, he couldn't live like an idler, so he usually stayed in the garden behind the training grounds, treating it as his post. After taking Felicia as his foster daughter, he had been fully immersed in the joy of raising a successor, but even Felicia had followed Lucian.
He had intended to spend his time leisurely as before until they returned from their mission in the North.
But today, an ominous atmosphere permeated the estate, so thick that he couldn't even enjoy the taste of his tea.
“...This is not good.”
Eisen narrowed his eyes and looked past the training grounds. Unlike usual, the surroundings were filled with surging bloodlust.
Sure enough, no sooner had he set down his tea than screams erupted nearby.
“Stand back! We have only come to deal with the hidden rebels!”
“You’re the ones who started the rebellion! What nonsense is this?!”
“How can it be a rebellion when the Second Young Master is merely exercising his rightful authority?!”
So, the Second Young Master had made his move.
It wasn't surprising, as Eisen had half-expected it. Joshua didn't have the guts to pull something like this, and the other two sons were away, so Jordi was the only one who could have staged a coup.
Eisen closed his eyes as the commotion continued.
‘What should I do?’
If the chaos had reached this far, the major strokes of the plan must have already been completed. Even if Eisen stepped in now, there was nothing he could do. They would have secured the Fourth Young Master and the other ladies long ago.
The fact that he didn't know who was friend or foe was also a problem.
‘...How ridiculous. Friend and foe. Only yesterday, they were all serving Valdek together.’
“Sir Eisen, excuse me for a moment.”
Just then, a polite voice came from behind the training grounds. It seemed the commotion had ended while he was lost in thought.
A moment later, the gate between the back of the training grounds and the garden opened, and a group of men entered. Eisen looked at the man in the lead and muttered.
“Sir Hendrik.”
“It has been a long time. I didn't want to trouble the Sword Saint if possible, but the rebels have fled this far....”
“Enough. I think I have a general idea of what’s happening. Stop the useless talk and get to the point.”
Hendrik flinched at Eisen’s chilling voice. Gritting his teeth before he could be frozen by those cold eyes, Hendrik shouted.
“Please remain here for a few days. We will provide everything you need.”
“Ho-ho, do you expect me to become a sympathizer by showing I’m staying still? The Second Young Master is as fond of wicked schemes as ever.”
“Watch your words. No matter if it's you, Sir Eisen, any further disrespect toward the next Grand Duke is....”
“The next Grand Duke?”
Whoosh.
Hendrik fell silent as bloodlust constricted his entire body. He felt that if he said one more word, a sword would fly out and split his skull open instantly.
“The one who decides the successor is His Grace the Grand Duke, not you, brat. If you don't watch your mouth, I’ll cut off your head first and hang it on the castle walls.”
At the Sword Saint’s threat, everyone, including Hendrik, broke into a cold sweat. It was then, as several knights were backing away from the pressure of a single man.
“Father is dead, Sir Eisen.”
Jordi said as he walked out from behind the knights. Eisen blinked in a daze at the unexpected news.
“That doesn't sound like you, Second Young Master.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why tell a lie that will be exposed so soon?”
“You think it’s a lie?”
“Of course. It’s one thing if it were a large-scale war, but does it make sense for him to die in a mere rebellion suppression? He is not one to fear standing in the vanguard, but he is a man who knows when to enter and when to leave better than anyone.”
“But there are always variables. I heard he lost his life yesterday due to the schemes of those cowards. What wouldn't those who broke the Grand Accord do?”
“...Yesterday?”
Eisen’s eyes narrowed at the strange statement. There was a significant distance from here to the front lines; to say it happened yesterday...
“Do you still not believe me? In an era where the Imperial Family uses magical artifacts to travel vast distances in an instant and knight orders tear through armies, would there not be a single magical artifact to communicate from afar?”
“Are you saying you’ve obtained such a magical artifact?”
“Let’s just say I’ve made a good friend.”
“I don't know what that friend told you to make you act like this.”
“I heard something very important. Like how Father died without being able to leave a will, and the Emperor is forging one to make Tristan the next Family Head.”
Eisen stared at Jordi in silence. He couldn't tell if the boy was being serious or delusional. Noticing that look, Jordi smirked.
“Sir Eisen, why do you think I did this? Would I have done this if I thought Father was coming back? If I incurred his wrath, everything would be over.”
“....”
“At this point, it seems like you’re the one escaping reality, not me. Father lost his life on the battlefield. He died without choosing a successor!”
The last sentence was almost a scream. Seeing Jordi lose his composure, Eisen could tell it was all true. Eisen’s eyebrows quivered at the unexpected news of the Grand Duke’s death.
“Second Young Master.”
“Enough. You must be confused. Rest quietly for a while and compose yourself.”
“Step aside. I must go.”
“Where do you intend to go? The family you must show loyalty to is here!”
“And the one I must serve is not you, Second Young Master. While he was alive, His Grace the Grand Duke had either the First or the Third Young Master in mind.”
“...!”
Jordi’s face contorted like a furious demon. Even if it was something he already knew, words coming from the Sword Saint carried a different weight. To think he would state it so openly in front of so many people.
“Sir Eisen!”
“Step aside.”
Fwaaaa!
As if he had no intention of listening further, Eisen took a step forward. Simultaneously, blue, visualized mana spread in all directions. It was a declaration of his will to use force if they continued to block him.
When it became clear Eisen wouldn't back down, Jordi grit his teeth.
“If it’s come to this, I have no choice.”
“Will you stop me? Or will you kill me?”
“Neither.”
Phut!
“...!?”
As Jordi spoke, black tentacles erupted from the shadows of the flowers. The sharpened tentacles pierced Eisen’s thigh in an instant. Watching the blood spray from the thigh, Jordi spoke bitterly.
“I am merely helping with your treatment. You won't be able to move with that leg....”
“Hmph!”
Thump!
Before he could finish, Eisen applied strength and slammed his leg onto the ground. The black tentacles didn't budge, as if they were clamped by his muscles. As the tentacles struggled to pull out of his thigh, Eisen instead used that force to kick off the ground.
“You bastard!”
K-boom!
—Skreeeeeeee!
Grabbing a wooden training sword mid-air, Eisen struck the shadow of a pillar. As the ground gouged and dust swirled, a horrific scream echoed.
Jet-black blood sprayed like a fountain from the dark shadow, and soon, someone crawled out with crushed fingers.
“Gah... Ack!”
Even though they were quite far from where Eisen had struck, the being that emerged from the shadow was in a near-death state. It seemed the aftermath of the mana spread by the impact had turned not only their bones but their internal organs into mush. The crawling figure eventually vomited a bowlful of black blood from inside their hood and went limp.
“....”
“....”
Everyone stared at Eisen with wide eyes at the shocking sight. Eisen had already pulled out the black tentacles and tossed them aside as if they were nothing. White steam was rising from the thigh they thought would be useless after being pierced.
After rotating his leg a few times, Eisen spoke to Jordi.
“What was that about treatment, Second Young Master?”