Chapter 26
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 26
“A meal, is it?”
A bitter smile played on Lucian’s lips as he heard the Grand Duke’s message.
In noble families, the meaning of a family gathering for a meal varied wildly from house to house.
In a small family where succession battles were non-existent, it would be nothing more than a simple breakfast. But in a titan of a house like Valdek, calling all the rivals to one place?
It meant there was a significant announcement regarding the family.
“Something troublesome must have happened. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be anything too dire.”
“Pardon? The Grand Duke only mentioned a meal, didn't he?”
“He only called me and my brothers to that meal. That alone is enough to deduce the situation.”
Lucian chuckled at Hans’s confusion and leaned back.
If it were a disaster so great that the successors couldn't handle it, the wives would have been summoned as well. However, the Grand Duke had only invited Lucian and his brothers.
In other words, it was a matter that didn't need to be disclosed to the wives, yet served as a perfect test for the succession competition.
“He’s likely going to give us an assignment.”
“An assignment?”
“If things go well, it’s an opportunity to earn a new achievement. Provided, of course, it’s a problem I can actually solve.”
At those words, Hugo, who had been listening silently, his eyes gleaming.
“If you have any reason to go outside, please ensure I accompany you. I wish to lend my hand.”
Since meeting Grand Duke Sigmund, Hugo had become even more motivated than before.
Until then, his hope had been based on a somewhat vague faith, but once the word 'knight' came from the Grand Duke’s own mouth, his dream had become a certainty. Seeing Felicia being adopted as the Sword Saint’s daughter must have made him even more restless.
Fortunately, Felicia’s talent was at a level even Hugo had to acknowledge, so instead of jealousy, it seemed only his ambition had been piqued.
“I was planning on it anyway. You’re the only subordinate I can move right now. If I leave you behind, who else would I take?”
“Uh… are you not taking me? I thought I was your subordinate too, Young Master.”
“You have to watch the house. I can’t leave the place completely empty. Or would you like to learn swordsmanship and come along? We might have to go to a battlefield if things go south.”
“It is also a servant’s duty to guard the house well while the master is away! Just leave it to me!”
The moment the word 'battlefield' was mentioned, Hans shouted with a solemn face. Unlike Hugo, it seemed he preferred a peaceful daily life, even if his career advancement was a bit slower.
“Anyway, I wonder what it is.”
Lucian searched his memories of his past life, but nothing came to mind.
Though he had worked for House Valdek, he had been a mere guard. The information he could access was limited; such important matters would have been resolved without ever leaking to the outside.
I’ll have to hear the details from Father myself to understand the whole story.
Having finished his thoughts, Lucian stood up and headed toward the family dining room within the Lord’s Manor. There was still some time left, but it was common practice to arrive a little early and wait for such occasions.
“…”
“…”
Lucian tapped his fingers on the table amidst the uncomfortable silence. As if they had timed it, Jordi and Joshua had arrived at the exact same moment as him.
Normally, they would have engaged in a war of nerves, but with the Grand Duke arriving soon, it was unwise to cause a scene.
“You are all here. You must be hungry, so let us eat first.”
Fortunately, Grand Duke Sigmund arrived shortly after. Seeing as he arrived earlier than the appointed time, he seemed to have anticipated this awkward silence.
The meal, which served as the pretext for the meeting, ended very quickly. The servants cleared the dishes as soon as the food was finished, and the Grand Duke immediately got to the point.
“A problem has recently arisen in the border region. Specifically, in the Bornholm district.”
“Isn't Bornholm where Eldest Brother is?”
When Joshua asked back, startled, the Grand Duke nodded.
“Yes, it is where I dispatched Tristan. A few months ago, we received intelligence that the Empire Liberation Front was on the move.”
The Empire Liberation Front.
An organization formed by individuals from vassal states under the slogan of escaping the Empire’s rule.
While the organization itself was small, they occasionally led local rebellions or assassinated high-ranking nobles, throwing the Empire into chaos. Of course, most were caught before they could even try, but the fact that there were extremely rare cases of success made them a thorn in the Empire’s side.
“However, a strange report recently came from Tristan. It’s not just the Empire Liberation Front; monsters have begun to run wild as well.”
“Could it be a Great Migration?”
Lucian voiced a grim hypothesis.
A Great Migration was, literally, a phenomenon where monsters moved in massive swarms. When a specific monster population grew too large in one area, the food chain would collapse, leading to a food shortage. Consequently, the entire group, unable to endure the hunger, would move to other territories in search of food.
The problem was that the territories they targeted could include human villages or castles. To a monster, humans were excellent prey.
If one was properly prepared, it could end as a simple subjugation campaign, but if preparations were insufficient, it could turn into a massive catastrophe. The largest Great Migration in history had once laid waste to ten villages and an entire castle.
“I wonder. It might seem that way at first glance, but it’s too early to jump to conclusions. It has only been twenty years since the last Great Migration in the Bornholm district was suppressed.”
“Considering the cycle of a Great Migration is at least fifty years, it is indeed too early.”
“Even if it isn't a Great Migration, the situation remains volatile. It’s taxing enough to deal with the Empire Liberation Front, but with monsters running wild on top of that…”
At the very least, the manpower currently deployed was nowhere near enough.
The moment those words were spoken, the three of them guessed what the Grand Duke was about to say.
“It seems Eldest Brother needs reinforcements.”
“Indeed. One of you must go.”
At the Grand Duke’s words, Jordi and Joshua both fell silent. No matter how they looked at it, there was nothing to gain.
Tristan was the one already dispatched, understanding the context and the field. Naturally, whoever volunteered would be Tristan’s assistant. Who would want to go just to play second fiddle to a rival, let alone have no direct command over the situation?
In the worst-case scenario, even if they achieved something, there was a high possibility that Tristan would take all the credit, leaving them as a mere extra.
“Is it necessary for one of us to go? Sending a knight order under your command to support Brother should be enough…”
“That is not possible.”
The Grand Duke coldly cut Jordi off before he could even finish.
“Sending any more troops risks provoking the surrounding lords of the Bornholm region. They might protest as a group, so maintaining the current status of our elite forces is the limit.”
“Couldn't we just explain it to them? Those surrounding lords are all just Barons or Baronets; there’s no reason for you to worry about their reactions, Father.”
“Of course not. But what if His Majesty the Emperor points it out himself? If he asks why I am concentrating so many troops in the border region, do you have an answer?”
Jordi was struck dumb.
As he said, if a great house like the Grand Duchy of Valdek moved its troops, the Emperor would surely be on high alert. No matter how much the Valdek family belonged to the Emperor’s faction, military movement was not something that could be easily overlooked.
As Jordi, who had stepped forward first, sank back, Joshua spoke up urgently.
“If we go alone without any troops, I don't think even we would be of much help.”
“No. There are quite a few mercenaries in that area. It’s a region where minor skirmishes occur frequently besides the monsters. If one of you hires mercenaries, you can easily fill the lack of manpower.”
“But you said earlier that if we concentrate troops…”
“Do you think elite troops who are loyal only to me are the same as mercenaries who move for money? To think you don't even know such a simple logic!”
As irritation seeped into the Grand Duke’s voice, Joshua immediately shrank back.
Instead of the speechless Joshua, Lucian spoke up.
“Indeed, mercenaries and elite troops are different. Even if they find an employer, the number of mercenaries already in the area remains the same. It prevents the negative effects of moving troops and causing unrest in the surroundings.”
“…That is correct.”
“Above all, while hiring mercenaries is difficult for the employer because they move for money, it conversely provides a sense of relief to those worried about suspicious movements. They won't follow truly dangerous orders, and they can be bribed if necessary. Surely, His Majesty will be lenient regarding the hiring of mercenaries.”
When the explanation ended, the Grand Duke’s anger subsided, and he nodded. At the same time, a faint sense of expectation flickered in the Grand Duke’s eyes as he looked at Lucian.
“Then do you also know why I am bothering to send one of you? I could simply order Tristan to hire mercenaries without involving you.”
“As I just mentioned, mercenaries are difficult to handle. It’s not uncommon for them to betray and flee when pushed to the brink. While mercenaries work with death as their companion, their purpose is to earn money. They don't work because they want to die.”
It was common for mercenaries to break their contracts and flee when forced to follow unreasonable orders. Even Lucian, who valued trust, had fled several times in his past life from employers who ordered suicide charges. That was how common 'breaking contract and fleeing' was among mercenaries.
Conversely, it also meant there were many employers who made such unreasonable demands.
“The problem is that the situation in Bornholm is currently not very good. Mercenaries will try to flee whenever they feel things are going wrong. On the other hand, the family’s knights will try to stop those mercenaries.”
Knights who had to protect Bornholm, a Valdek territory, at the cost of their lives. And mercenaries who were fully prepared to flee if a demand truly endangered their lives. It was a combination perfectly suited for conflict. It could easily escalate into a bloody affair.
“Of course, that wouldn't happen if Eldest Brother were to lead them directly. No matter how life-threatening the situation, if they were to harm a bloodline of House Valdek…”
“I would personally hunt down every single one of those hired mercenaries and wipe out their entire lineage.”
Lucian nodded at Grand Duke Sigmund’s chilling tone. Other families would make the same vow if a member were involved, but the power held by the Grand Duchy of Valdek was on a different level from any other house. The pursuit would not stop even after decades, and even if several innocent villages were caught in the crossfire, they would surely find and massacre every last one of them.
“Yes. Naturally, the mercenaries would be well aware of that. Therefore, they would move obediently under Eldest Brother’s command, even if their lives were at stake. However, the area Eldest Brother needs to guard is too vast for him to lead the mercenaries directly.”
The border region of Bornholm was wide, and there were two targets to watch out for. Naturally, the troops would have to be spread thin, so if he were to lead directly, he would have to take charge of the elite troops, not the mercenaries. Even if he hired mercenaries, he would inevitably have to leave them to a lieutenant or another knight.
That, at the same time, gave the mercenaries the courage to risk a bloody conflict the moment their lives were in danger. No matter how renowned a knight might be, the value of his life could not be the same as that of a Valdek blood relative.
“Is this not why you intend to send one of us? Because Bornholm desperately needs a frontline commander who can control the mercenaries if things go wrong.”
“Hmm.”
The moment Lucian finished speaking, a look of supreme satisfaction spread across the Grand Duke’s face.