Chapter 76
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 76
‘Did I hear that right?’
It wasn't unheard of for a commoner to turn away a knight.
Unless the visitor was a guest of high standing, they would usually announce their arrival through a servant. If the master of the house refused the meeting, the servant would naturally relay that message.
However, that only applied when the servant acted as a simple messenger.
The situation was entirely different when the messenger failed to even announce the visitor and instead threw in his own sarcastic remarks.
“...What did you just babble? No, before that, why are you making your own judgments without even relaying the purpose of my visit?”
“Because the Young Master already told me what to do. I’m not saying it twice. Just leave quietly. Don’t be a nuisance.”
“You crazy bastard!”
Screeech.
Exploding with rage, Palmyr reflexively drew the sword at his waist.
For a split second after drawing it, he thought, ‘Oops,’ but on second thought, the situation wasn't bad at all. He had been looking for a justification to gain the upper hand before negotiations began, and a perfect excuse had just presented itself.
‘He’s one of the men the boy brought to the North. His rank is a mere squad leader, but if he accompanied him this far, he must be a close aide or a trusted subordinate.’
At the very least, he wouldn't be a pawn Lucian would be willing to lose.
If Palmyr made a move to kill this arrogant brat, Lucian would surely come rushing out to stop him. Then, Palmyr could naturally create a situation where Lucian owed him a debt.
On top of that, it would force Lucian out of hiding. It was a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.
“A mere commoner must be suicidal! I should take your head right now for the crime of insulting nobility, but if you get on your knees and beg for forgiveness, I’ll let it slide just this once!”
Having finished his calculations, Palmyr pointed his sword at the man, acting the part of a knight blinded by fury. In truth, he had no intention of letting it slide, but he needed to frame it as if he were giving the man a chance.
‘Given this fellow’s arrogant attitude, he’ll surely refuse—’
“God, you’re noisy. You look like you don’t even know how to swing a sword, yet you’ve got the pride of a knight.”
Palmyr, who had been smiling inwardly, blinked in a daze once again.
A moment later, his face turned beet-red, and his arms began to tremble with genuine, explosive rage.
“Y-you... you lunatic...!”
“What? You got a problem? If you’ve got a problem, try swinging that sword. Not that you’d be able to cut anything with those skills anyway.”
“I’ll kill you!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Palmyr swung his sword with all his might.
For the sake of the negotiations, he couldn't kill the man, but he felt he needed to take at least an arm to satisfy his anger.
The blade swung down toward the squad leader’s shoulder, aiming to sever his right arm.
Clang!
“Urgh?!”
Palmyr’s body lurched as he lost his balance, and a shock that felt like it would tear his palms apart surged through him. He barely managed to keep hold of his sword and had to retreat several steps before he could regain his stance.
‘Who interfered this time?!’
Palmyr gnashed his teeth and looked around. To deliver such a shock to a knight like himself, it had to be another knight. Someone must have interfered.
However, aside from the arrogant squad leader and a few ordinary soldiers, there were only onlookers standing far off in the distance.
‘What happened? Did someone throw something from afar?’
“You actually swung it. Can you not even judge your own skill objectively, Sir Knight?”
The squad leader’s mockery reached Palmyr’s ears again. Just as the enraged knight was about to hurl another curse—
“...A sword?”
“Yeah, it’s a sword, as you can see.”
The squad leader grinned and brandished the sword he had drawn from his waist. Seeing that flippant display, Palmyr’s eyes shook violently.
“Did... did you parry it?”
“Who else? A ghost?”
“...This is insane!”
A mere squad leader parried his strike?
Even if Palmyr prided himself more on negotiation than martial prowess, he was still a knight. He could imagine being overwhelmed by a mob or a rain of arrows, but he had never even dreamed of being pushed back by a single soldier in a one-on-one fight.
“What are you doing? You drew your sword, so fight properly.”
“...!”
“I trust you aren't scared just because you were blocked once. If that’s the case, then the quality of the House of Calix you serve is also...”
“Shut your mouth! How dare a lowborn like you mention the Count’s house!”
Palmyr roared and looked around. He had managed to stop the blasphemous words before they were finished, but his shout had only drawn more onlookers.
If he backed down now, his own honor—let alone the reputation of the Count’s house—would be dragged through the mud.
“Damn it! Fine! Today, I shall personally take your head and uphold the Imperial Code!”
“That’s the spirit.”
Any thought of negotiation had long since vanished as Palmyr radiated killing intent.
Watching him, the squad leader, Hugo, smirked and settled into a proper fighting stance.
“Let’s see just how good a knight from the House of Calix really is.”
*
“Look at that. The duel has barely ended, and they’re already dying to line up for you.”
Harald, who had taken Lucian to a guest room in the Lord’s Manor, pointed out the window. Just as he said, the knights who had been sent as observers were all heading toward the manor.
“It’s a relief. If the news had been delayed, Calix would have tried to make the first move.”
“Let them try. Even if they push for Northern unification, the best position that man can claim is a representative. He cannot claim to be King and give us orders.”
Harald waved his hand dismissively at Lucian’s words.
He wasn't wrong. No matter how many lords the House of Calix brought to their side, they couldn't strictly limit their movements. They could only act as the head of a massive alliance, enjoying a bit more influence than others. If they tried to interfere in the internal affairs of other lords, no one would want to side with them.
“But you are different.”
Harald laughed boisterously, but his expression soon turned deathly serious as he looked at Lucian.
“You have proven yourself a warrior. And you did it by strictly following Northern tradition, which fascinated everyone. Even those who didn't witness our duel today will soon learn what kind of man you are.”
“....”
“Above all, the blood of Grimaldi runs thick in your veins. Now that your qualifications have been recognized, most would accept it even if you were to claim the rights of the Royal Family.”
“Your Excellency.”
“Don't misunderstand. I’m not telling you to start a rebellion against the Empire.”
At the sound of Lucian’s low, heavy voice, Harald quickly waved his hands. He meant that Lucian was needed as a focal point, not that he had any intention of rebelling against the Empire to resurrect the Kingdom.
“I’ll be honest. The North needs a spiritual pillar right now.”
“A spiritual pillar? Do the strong people of the North really need such a thing?”
“They certainly do. No matter how tough the North is, people are bound to feel uneasy about the changing times.”
“What exactly are they uneasy about?”
“The relationship between the Imperial Family and the North.”
Harald paused, letting out a sigh as he leaned back in his chair. Aside from the powerful warrior he had shown himself to be earlier, he seemed exhausted by the heavy responsibility of being a family head.
“Lately, the Imperial Family has shown nothing but weakness. Of course, that doesn't mean the North wants independence, but everyone is worried about how a desperate Imperial Family might act.”
The North had been part of the Empire for a long time, but their relationship with the Imperial Family was distant. The land was too barren to provide much food, yet the martial culture made their military strength formidable. If the Empire interfered too deeply, they would gain nothing and only provoke resentment, so they had no choice but to leave the North half-ignored.
The North welcomed this policy. They lived as members of the Empire, profiting from trade routes and faithfully paying their taxes.
“We want to maintain this relationship if possible. But would the Imperial Family want the same?”
“Why wouldn't they? They have enough headaches as it is; they won't want to turn the North into an enemy.”
“True. The problem is that the Imperial Family’s trust is just as troublesome as their hostility. We don't want to be needlessly suspected, but we don't want to get any closer than we are now, either.”
“...?”
“Think about it. If you were short on cash, would you ask a mere acquaintance or a close friend for a favor?”
Only after hearing Harald’s analogy did Lucian finally understand the Northmen’s perspective.
‘They don't want their relationship with the Empire to sour, but even more than that, they don't want to bleed on behalf of the Imperial Family by answering their requests for support.’
It made sense, considering the long-standing relationship between the two. The North was a region where minor skirmishes were constant and every single person was precious. To demand they dispatch troops by citing a lord’s duty would require too much sacrifice from the Northmen.
“Some fools have grown impatient and are starting territorial wars, trying to swallow their neighbors. They think they need to grow their size and strength before the Imperial Family demands troops.”
“Is that why they’re siding with Calix, who uses the name of Grimaldi?”
“Likely. There are quite a few who actively support him, but most probably just feel the need for the North to be unified so we can speak with one voice.”
In the end, it was a matter of security. Because everyone felt anxious, they overreacted to the slightest movement from others, further provoking them. To make matters worse, factions dreaming of true Northern independence were running wild, taking advantage of the chaos.
‘They really do need a focal point. At this rate, trouble will erupt from the North first.’
In his past life, the Emperor had completely lost his mind, causing the North to keep its head down. Once the Emperor collapsed and no longer had the luxury to look toward the North, they had relaxed and returned to their usual ways. Even after the true age of chaos began, the North had its share of conflicts, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.
In essence, the Imperial Family’s current, lukewarm attitude was making the North more anxious than it had been in his previous life.
“Your Excellency, you want me to be more than just someone who reclaims the Grimaldi name. You want me to be the focal point of the North.”
“I won't ask you to resurrect House Grimaldi right now. It would be shameless of me to ask a Valdek like you to rot away in a backwater like this. However, I hope you will remain a Valdek while serving as a bridge to communicate with the Imperial Family.”
“If that is the case...”
Lucian looked Harald straight in the eye and spoke quietly, his tone shifting to one of command.
“How would you act if I were to claim the rights of the Royal Family itself?”
“...!”
Harald froze at the sudden change in Lucian’s speech. By mentioning the Royal Family instead of just Grimaldi, Lucian was signaling an interest in the throne. He was asking whose side Harald would take if Lucian didn't just act as a symbolic figurehead, but truly resurrected the Northern Kingdom.
“....”
“....”
During the heavy silence, Harald suddenly stood up and pulled a bottle of mead from the cupboard. He put it to his lips and drank without stopping.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
The incredibly potent liquor flowed down his throat until not a single drop remained. Harald shook the empty bottle and then slammed it onto the table with a loud thud.
Despite draining an entire bottle of mead, Harald’s eyes were not just clear—they were chillingly sharp.
“If you truly intend to rebuild the Northern Kingdom...”
Harald spoke quietly at first, but his voice soon filled with a burning passion as he answered Lucian.
“Then this old man shall be the first to raise the banner and follow behind Your Majesty!”