Chapter 179
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 179
“…”
“…”
While Hugo and Tristan conversed outside, Lucian sat across from his visitor, Dennis.
Dennis had pursued Lucian the moment he left the banquet hall, yet now that they were face-to-face, he couldn't bring himself to speak, constantly glancing at Lucian with an anxious expression.
When the silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity, Lucian finally spoke, his voice laced with irritation.
“How long do you intend to keep me here? If you have nothing to say, leave.”
“Y-Your Grace.”
“Do you think shouting ‘Your Grace’ a thousand times will suddenly allow me to read your mind?”
Dennis squeezed his eyes shut as Lucian dropped all pretenses of formality, switching to a tone of absolute authority.
If he misspoke now and provoked Lucian, even the survival of the Imperial family would become uncertain. Realizing he had nowhere left to retreat, Dennis dropped to his knees.
Thud.
“Your Grace, I beg of you! Please forgive the First Prince for his transgressions!”
“Hah.”
He wasn't asking for understanding of a mistake; he was begging for forgiveness for a crime. For a subject to make such a plea to a lord was beyond shameful—it was pathetic.
Of course, Dennis was not the First Prince himself but merely his retainer, which made the gesture even more significant. It was the virtue of a loyal subject to preserve their lord’s dignity even at the cost of their own life. Yet, Dennis was actively stripping away the First Prince’s dignity to beg for Lucian’s mercy.
It wasn't out of selfishness. It was born from the sheer terror that if he didn't, he had no idea what would become of the First Prince.
“Transgressions and forgiveness. Those are bold words to come from the mouth of a mere retainer rather than the First Prince himself.”
“How could I possibly cover the sky with my palm? The First Prince betrayed Your Grace’s trust. If that is not a transgression, the world would surely laugh at us.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Lucian, who had been trying to gauge Dennis’s intentions, found himself nodding in agreement.
To brand Lucian a rebel—the very man the Prince needed as an ally to reclaim the throne—was beyond foolish. Regardless of any personal hurt, the Prince should at least know where his lifeblood was coming from. At this point, it wasn't just a lack of political sense; the Prince was a prime candidate for the title of the Empire’s greatest fool.
Seeing Lucian agree so readily, Dennis grew desperate.
“However…!”
“The Imperial family will continue.”
Lucian raised a hand to stop Dennis as he tried to scramble to his feet. Dennis’s eyes widened at the words he had wanted to hear most.
“I-Is that true?”
“The First Prince may have turned his back on me, but I am still a subject of the Empire. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Late Emperor; how could I bring an end to the Imperial line with my own hands?”
“Your Grace!”
“However.”
Lucian firmly gripped the shoulder of the jubilant Dennis. Dennis froze instantly at the realization that there was a condition.
A low voice whispered into his ear.
“I need someone by the First Prince’s side to restrain him.”
“Restrain him?”
“Setting the Imperial family aside, the First Prince causes far too much trouble. In the worst-case scenario, I might be forced to do something I’d rather not.”
Dennis swallowed hard at the chilling warning, unable to offer a rebuttal. Given the First Prince’s personality, it wouldn't be surprising if he learned absolutely nothing from today’s events.
“Watch over him. Ensure he doesn't do anything unnecessary. Do it so that the Imperial family may endure forever.”
Dennis’s pupils trembled.
A subject’s duty was to follow their lord’s will. However, if he continued to follow the First Prince’s orders blindly, the Imperial line truly would be severed. To preserve the dynasty, as Lucian said, he had to ensure the First Prince’s safety first—even if it meant defying the Prince’s own commands.
“…I shall keep that in mind.”
After a long moment of agonizing thought, Dennis finally nodded at Lucian’s whisper. Lucian smiled and patted Dennis on the shoulder.
“You are indeed a true loyalist of this Empire.”
A short while later, Dennis left the office, and Tristan entered as if they were changing shifts.
Lucian glanced at Tristan and spoke flatly.
“What brings you here?”
“Well…”
“I’m not actually asking. Brother, you have no reason to seek me out personally. You’ve already heard everything important through Hugo.”
“Your Grace.”
“Enough.”
Before Tristan could say another word, Lucian cut him off by tapping the desk.
“I will ask you one thing. Do you want to become the Family Head of House Valdek?”
“…Yes.”
Despite the humiliating nature of the question, Tristan had no choice but to answer that way. If he said no, Lucian would likely kick him out without a second thought.
“Then gather the troops outside the city, check what supplies are immediately necessary, and report back to me. I will arrange a suitable garrison for you to stay in from now on.”
“I apologize, but I do not have the funds for such a—”
“Naturally, I will cover all the costs.”
“All of them?”
“It’s not like I can squeeze anything out of a penniless brother. I’ll just have to bear the burden.”
Tristan blinked in disbelief. He hated to admit it, but his value had plummeted with the revival of the Northern Kingdom. If Lucian wanted to, he could rule the Grand Ducal House himself.
Yet, Lucian was leaving Tristan with his troops and even offering to pay for their maintenance. This was despite the fact that the easiest path would be to strip Tristan of all power and use him as a mere puppet.
‘Leaving me with my own troops means he wants me to step up and properly take control of the family later. It means Lucian truly has no interest in the position of Family Head.’
Tristan couldn't understand it. He had heard Lucian’s explanation before—that he would take the seat once to avoid losing his inherent rights and then pass it on. But what could he possibly desire more than the position of Family Head, the pinnacle of those rights, to go through such a charade?
“Your Grace.”
“Is there something else you want?”
“If the position of Family Head isn't your goal, then what exactly is it?”
Unable to contain his curiosity, Tristan blurted out the question. Lucian stared at him for a moment before letting out a short laugh.
“The House of Valdek is a family of deep history. We laid the foundations of this Empire alongside the first Emperor, Wilhelm the Great.”
“Yes, that is true.”
“Based on that bond, we have intermarried with the Imperial family several times. Imperial blood flows through our veins, however faint it may be.”
“Well, that’s…”
Tristan’s eyes shook violently as he tried to respond. He finally realized what Lucian was after.
“Y-Your Grace.”
Lucian smiled at the speechless, horrified Tristan.
“If one is born a man, one should dream big. Don’t you agree?”
—The Northern Kingdom is reborn.
Following Sir Eisen’s funeral, a single piece of news leaked from the North and shook the entire continent.
Strictly speaking, the Northern Kingdom had not been officially revived yet. They had only received the First Prince’s ‘permission,’ but no formal declaration had been made. A kingdom could only truly be called such after organizing its internal systems, clarifying the lord-vassal relationships, and holding a coronation.
However, to other ambitious men, such formalities didn't matter. Now that Lucian had the legitimacy provided by the First Prince and internal opposition had vanished, the revival of the kingdom was only a matter of time.
“Building a new kingdom within the Empire?! Does this make any sense?!”
“In an Empire that hasn't granted a Kingship in a thousand years, he dares to style himself a King!”
“This is blatant treason! We must form an Allied Force immediately and subjugate him!”
Lords, terrified by the sudden emergence of such a massive power, raised their voices in protest. However, their cries were loud but ultimately hollow, having no impact on the overall trend. There were many reasons for this, but the biggest was that an alliance was practically impossible.
‘I know he must be stopped. But with every faction backing a different branch imperial family member, we can’t form an alliance on the pretext that he’s a rebel.’
‘Since everyone views the rightful heir to the throne differently, everyone except themselves is essentially a rebel. How can we ally with other factions just because a new rebel appeared?’
‘What, are we going to gather and sign a treaty to temporarily redefine what a rebel is? We’d be the laughingstock of the world.’
If they all served the same master, the excuse of a ‘greater cause’ might have worked. But these ambitious men had long been claiming their respective branch imperial family members were the true heirs. Since they were fighting over the succession, they were forced to view each other as traitors.
To suddenly point at Lucian and say, “That guy is more of a rebel than you, so let’s team up,” was a comedy.
The only faction with any real potential was the First Prince’s, as he was the most legitimate successor—but the First Prince was currently in Lucian’s hands. Far from forming an alliance, those who supported the First Prince now had to worry about when Lucian might use the Prince’s name to order them into a trap.
“The First Prince’s approval has been given, so there’s no need to delay. Begin preparations for the coronation immediately.”
While other factions paced in anxiety, Lucian moved swiftly. They likely couldn't interfere much, but there was always the chance some madman might march all the way to the North out of sheer desperation.
‘Even if I can easily suppress them, it’s not good to show that there’s opposition before the coronation.’
In truth, the elements of instability weren't just external. More accurately, the biggest risk was internal.
‘First Prince Claude.’
He might be reduced to a mere rubber stamp for legitimacy now, but he was the man who had once escaped from the heart of Tivron using a magical artifact. If Lucian grew complacent thinking he had already won, the Prince might slip away like an eel and cause a massive headache.
To prevent any such incident, Lucian mobilized Marius, Colin, and even Helen to keep the First Prince under constant surveillance.
“If you feel even a ripple of mana, suppress him without hesitation. If the situation calls for it, I will permit a reasonable use of force.”
“Of course. If anything seems suspicious, we will strike immediately.”
Marius and his two disciples’ eyes gleamed at Lucian’s suggestion. Even though the Prince escaping would be their responsibility, they showed no signs of anxiety. Instead, they kept fiddling with their staves as if they were actually looking forward to an escape attempt.
Feeling a strange sense of unease, Lucian quickly added more.
“Don't forget the condition: ‘if the situation calls for it.’ You are not to beat him if you can suppress him without violence.”
“We will keep that in mind. However, please understand that as mages, our physical strength is lacking. In an emergency, we have no choice but to use magic to subdue him.”
“I understand that, of course.”
“And in the heat of the moment, it’s only natural to make slight mistakes in adjusting the power of a spell.”
Lucian had a feeling those ‘mistakes’ were definitely going to happen. As Lucian wondered if he could truly trust them with this, Marius spoke with a smile.
“Do not worry. We hold absolutely no grudges regarding the three hundred years of witch hunts carried out by the Imperial family.”
“…”