Chapter 232
Chapter 232
"Thank you."
Unable to say more, Logan ended the communication with Rick, leaving him with much to ponder.
But Rick wasn't the only one complicating Logan's thoughts.
"All clear."
"Good work."
"Salute!"
Exchanging brief greetings with the knights, Logan stepped out of the communication room—only to be met by a familiar face approaching him.
"Sir Heinkel?"
"Your Grace. I was looking for you. I needed to discuss the soldiers' accommodations."
"Soldiers' accommodations?"
"Yes. Until now, we've been using confiscated noble estates and the former royal palace guard barracks, but the arrangements are still disorganized..."
Logan watched Heinkel speak with fervor.
A loyal retainer who had devoted his life to the family, even losing his dominant arm in service.
Despite that, he still threw himself into his duties with such passion—Logan was both grateful and remorseful.
Perhaps sensing Logan's lingering gaze, Heinkel chuckled and tapped his empty right shoulder.
"I've gotten used to it now. But if you keep staring like that, I might start feeling self-conscious."
It would be rude to keep apologizing to such a magnanimous man, so Logan simply smiled and nodded.
"Ah, my apologies. Regarding the accommodations, proceed as you see fit."
"Thank you."
Thank you...
He couldn't help but be moved by this devoted vassal's dedication.
So, without thinking, the words slipped out:
"The gratitude is mine."
"Hm?"
"I hope you never forget how much I—and this family—are grateful to you."
"Haha. You flatter me. I'm already more than satisfied. A knight's path isn't the only way to live."
"I know. But what you've lost is still too great."
"...Indeed, the despair and emptiness I felt back then were indescribable. Having walked a single path all my life, it felt as though my entire existence had crumbled."
"...I can imagine."
"But once I shifted my perspective, I saw many other paths open before me. I'm at peace now. If anything, I'm more concerned about you, Your Grace."
"Me?"
The sudden shift in topic caught Logan off guard, but Heinkel's next words made his expression stiffen slightly.
"You only see one path, don't you? For the sake of your goals, you'll take risks that anyone else would call reckless."
"..."
"To me, you seem like a man who believes that single path is everything—just as I once did. Fortunately, Your Grace has achieved remarkable success so far. But if you were to fail even once, I fear you might collapse entirely."
Logan couldn't dismiss those words lightly.
In truth, ever since his regression, he had taken countless gambles—each one a potential disaster had it failed.
'But back then, it was the only choice.'
Even as he tried to justify himself, the presence of someone who had suffered from those reckless decisions made it impossible to speak carelessly.
"Now, more lives than ever depend on you. I'm not asking you to abandon your goals—only to consider whether there might be another path. A safer one."
"...Hah. It seems I've given you plenty of reasons to worry."
"But you've also achieved just as much. Thinking about it, my words were presumptuous. My apologies."
"No, not at all. Thank you for the advice, Sir Heinkel."
Though their conversation ended there, Heinkel's words lingered in Logan's mind for a long time.
And it wasn't just him.
[Master, you look troubled. Something on your mind? Whatever it is, weren't you always the type to do what benefits you and avoid what doesn't? Why complicate things?]
The concerned words of a dwarf running the magic workshop in Taren.
[Oh! So you're saying you'll become the head of the national merchant guild? Sounds great! When are you ascending the throne?]
The enthusiastic support of a merchant traveling through the Empire.
[If you become king, you'll be able to get more reliable news about Ronian, won't you? Do this for me, please?]
The plea of a stepmother who cared more for her son's safety than the family's fate.
Whether he wanted to or not, the voices around him kept surfacing, deepening his dilemma.
Even Patrick, who had returned after subduing Orlando Ferhi, sought him out immediately—as if he'd heard something.
"Still brooding? And of all places to think... Tsk."
Father and son faced each other in the grand hall of the royal palace, now empty.
The sight of his father's relaxed smile brought a rare grin to Logan's lips.
"Isn't it ridiculous to hesitate after everything I've already done?"
"Not at all. The more important the decision, the more carefully it should be made."
"...It seems you've already reached a conclusion, Father?"
"Of course!"
"Truly?"
The confident reply made Logan's eyes widen.
Since this concerned the family, he was prepared to accept his father's decision as head of the household.
But—
"My conclusion is to trust and support you unconditionally, no matter what you choose."
Logan could only laugh dryly at that.
"What kind of answer is—"
"It's true that important matters require careful consideration. But once you've set your course, hesitation is the enemy. So—have you decided?"
"..."
Logan couldn't answer easily under his father's probing gaze.
—Patriotism be damned. I just want revenge.
The unerasable memories of his past life.
He had followed them this far, changing much along the way.
He had protected his family.
His reason for revenge should have vanished.
It should have.
But—
Logan could still feel the flames raging within him.
'It's a foolish thought. I know that.'
Yet he couldn't forget the years spent crawling through mud, trampled underfoot.
He wanted to tear those who had brought him despair into a thousand, ten thousand pieces.
More than just preventing war—he wanted to annihilate them.
Because he recognized that emotion, he couldn't trust his own choices.
Was his decision truly rational, considering the future?
Or was it just selfish vengeance?
He didn't know himself.
But as if reading his thoughts, his father smirked and patted his shoulder.
"You saved this family. You brought us all this far. Without you, we would have been ruined—no, dead—countless times over. Every one of us owes you that."
"..."
"So this time, too—walk the path you've chosen. Move forward without hesitation!"
His words suggested he already knew what Logan had decided.
As his father turned to leave, the weight on Logan's shoulders grew heavier.
The essence of what his father—and most of his inner circle—had said was the same:
We trust you.
And that made the burden all the more crushing.
'What if this is all just my own selfishness?'
He couldn't bring himself to voice that fear.
But he couldn't delay his decision forever.
The moment of choice was fast approaching.
In the empty grand hall of the royal palace, Logan's gaze remained fixed on the throne—still uncertain.
Another grand assembly was convened in the kingdom's hall.
"...Thus, in accordance with the will of all who hold lands within the kingdom, we present this petition to His Excellency Logan MacLaine. We humbly request that you accept our plea and usher in a new dynasty—a new era!"
With those words, Adam Morgan presented a large wooden plaque inscribed with the names and seals of noble houses in white.
Some might dismiss it as mere formality, but this joint petition—bearing the will of every noble with land and power—was nothing less than a symbol of overwhelming authority, capable of reshaping the kingdom as its bearer saw fit.
And that wasn't all.
Six more figures stepped forward.
Clayton, backed by the lords of the Five Great Towers, bowed before Logan.
"I, Clayton Racton, Tower Lord of the Golem Tower, along with the lords of the Five Great Towers, hereby declare our support for Your Excellency. Every magic tower in the kingdom will follow our lead. We ask that you make a decision worthy of this new era."
As Clayton bowed, the watching nobles' eyes gleamed.
'The formalities are over.'
The territorial nobles and the magic towers—
In essence, all military forces in the kingdom had sworn allegiance to MacLaine. The power to decide now lay entirely in Logan's hands.
The groundwork had been laid beyond measure.
A new dynasty?
Or an unprecedented regency?
Whatever he chose, as long as Logan MacLaine lived, no one in this kingdom would dare oppose him.
Count Roberts Floyd, standing just below Logan in the regent's seat, smiled brightly and nodded repeatedly—
But Logan himself, the man at the center of this declaration, remained motionless, eyes closed.
'He'll choose a new dynasty, of course.'
So thought most of the nobles.
'But the kingdom has lasted a thousand years—might he leave the name intact, even if only nominally?'
A few held onto that hope.
All eyes remained fixed on Logan, yet his silence persisted.
'Huh? What's going on?'
At first, the nobles watched nervously, but soon they began exchanging glances, trying to gauge the situation.
Then—
"Your Excellency Logan. It's time to decide."
Roberts Floyd, still smiling, bowed toward Logan from below the dais.
Finally, Logan stirred.
His eyes, opening for the first time since the assembly began, seemed to gaze into the distance—but the moment of decision had come.
As the expectant eyes of the assembly turned to him, Logan's lips parted—
Thud.
"Wh—The Sword Duke! Felix Esperanza, Grand Duke, requests an audience!"
A knight's flustered voice echoed from beyond the hall's doors.
"What?"
"Who?"
"Why is the Sword Duke here?!"
Murmurs erupted.
The solemn silence of the grand hall shattered into chaos as—
Creak.
The sealed doors swung open, and a lone figure stepped inside.
His once-golden hair was now more than half-white.
His skin, once taut for his age, bore deep wrinkles.
His unsteady gait and pallid complexion advertised to all that his body was no longer whole.
But—
Who would dare underestimate this old man?
"The Sword Duke? The Sword Duke?"
"Is it really him?"
"What in the world...?"
The gazes of the assembled nobles fixed upon the legendary knight who had once symbolized the kingdom.
Logan, too, shot to his feet, his eyes trembling as he stared at his mentor.
The Sword Duke met Logan's gaze squarely and took one step—then another—toward the dais.
Whoosh.
With each of the old knight's steps, the nobles instinctively retreated.
It wasn't voluntary.
"Ghk?!"
"W-What is this?!"
A murderous aura radiated from the staggering old knight, pressing down on the entire hall.
Those with weaker constitutions were forced back against the walls.
"What's happening? This is bad, isn't it?"
"D-Don't tell me—"
"Where are the knights?!"
Panicked whispers filled the air.
As if hearing them, the Sword Duke—now just steps from the dais—drew his sword.
Shing.
"Damn it—!"
"Sword Duke! Halt!"
"Protect His Excellency!"
Knights stationed at the edges of the hall rushed forward, forming a barrier between Logan and the Sword Duke.
Silence fell.
Behind the newly formed wall of knights, their eyes met—
The Sword Duke's deep, calm blue eyes.
And Logan's turbulent, wavering red ones.
Then—
The composed blue eyes lowered.
Thud.
The Sword Duke planted his sword into the floor and knelt on one knee.
"I, Felix Esperanza, swear my loyalty to the monarch of this new kingdom."
No one had expected those words.
The atmosphere in the grand hall shifted instantly.