Chapter 20
oE3The servants, andAiQb8q even LucianUhw himself, werehysV left withu35Fwj astonished expressions.2kLnrAhJ
8ZZTo see them9n always solemnnRJR Grand DukesRbxVo Sigmund laughjFBI like that,rH9S without keepingefhME up appearances.zu49RLJU5Ey
gRAslQAfter laughing for2ePQmc quite a while, thedbJtkq duke wipedEQIOwD the tearssZDB that haduvw44N formed andyw0RE spoke.bFwV6c
8tEX“I don’t rememberQr2 the lastGqL9um time someone29T refuted meLZE so directlyFgk to myzOU face! EverN91 since I inherited thepIQi position of07Qo4 head ofeky the familyEGR8IK from my0s9l father, itdY0 hadn’t happenedHeUk even once—andSyjLc to thinkyxkr I’d hearsy9EPL something like3cp that fromACw you!”EY0UE
6fuq7“If I’ve causedQWQ you discomfort,RoY I canPgDPdH only apologize.”7y4YZ4Rc
oLOe“Do I reallyGrZo1 look upsetXqB to younYOb right now?WPZjp I haven’t8E8C laughed thiszSWp heartily inyup ages! Puhah!”TfJD5IAD
JuHXyJAfter laughing a few moreuFQ7c0 times, theOgRI3 duke finallyrosZ managed toccaeIG calm down.pW2whua
HozZAmid the silenceA2Eyf of thosewuWzYP left speechless,8Nw4T Sigmund spoke973 with a smile.9ClP
GF5NM“That was anLFEC9O excellent answer.WQsh5 A manPoYRj2 must be1oJbgE confident inBNIz the path6iRlI he chooses.zfX2W If he’suRlj shaken byS2Yi a singlerkW phrase, heix3rlC can’t belTe called a man.”IfkZ
igmRxsAt those words,cnLpww Lucian’s eyesy7UQ opened wide.Bw13KcGr1hER
hHcQA“It was a test?”vPzk
lX79Z9“That’s right, a test. I wanted tow3Ti see whethergyv or notWbM2 you would1FaxB waver becauser0h of one3uG sentence.”GT1J
FEoTRThat explained it.sCOEU6kto
QISEIBSigmund couldn’t ignorenIO0H that itPHE would becpjQ impossible foriQun Lucian toJojv handle thisthsI matter alone.YGhtMl2XP
Wi57Even if ituBG was thee0Qau fourth son,IH1wi1 the opponentAdoP was thetdWF legitimate sonfnpsD of MarquiszMuUi Roglan.SP9tZC
r425NTo prevent anyU3Dt6 danger, heYOW would surelywTP2 assign atAMfW least a small butQeR elite escort.UnFMjgCuZJ
f9AaAPIn contrast, Lucianllg didn’t haveKQt4U a singleIXPBS knight underNUmh his command.e5JFuw0XAK
VdA6wIIf he attackedPdRvv3 out ofWKk ambition withHzJ poor preparation,Es5e chances were3lNh high thatWJf6V5 he wouldn’tYO39 even recoverneG7SD what he’dR3QiQ invested.6YXB
z5oplYAnd knowing allczq that, pushingJ2v him with8Yfe such excessivezhecPn expectations turnedLcH out toPeV be a test.9b8r1Q
FHaQQt“Just as youhva said. GettingfTxHE blinded byvENy merit andXDP sticking yourbYhf hand intoxaE8x something beyondbgMt your capabilitiesI6ZfS is nothing6UX7 but foolishness.Wb599 It’s somethinghLLV anyone whoU5CCW isn’t anKBX idiot knows.qJJAZe What mattersMxJYY is whetherf8O you canHey deny itVwIf1h when thosezb7Xj words comemueXgc from myhGV1 mouth.”WgZ7g
W7Rw“…”3L7eqg
UZo“If someone goesgkcFK astray withoutu6kkQ finding theirxX1S own answer,xDfi that’s oneDJSZ thing. ButjONOA if theyT20k8 change their9dGf answer basedyG6lJr on a superior’s mood,8hNpbb they’re notaL1j even worthybXl of being81gZO called a man, letvSdnI alone a candidate fordki head ofbJO the family.JVV If youWRV4 can’t stickiDq90T to yoursQs2 own words,KUVcQ2 who wouldEfu63 trust andqz1Kh follow you?”VKgYbs
F4NUnconsciously, Lucian nodded.24pQ2Mkkzk
Z4pTXSomeone who letsxl82 themselves bekUM swayed byyy73 others’ opinionsqTk is even4tU less trustworthyqqWTgt than someonelzfrf who liesnYpCtV on purpose.fXc6chqngu
FeQThe latter atXsavQY least tellsYXd9n the truthNM4 sometimes, butsXM the formerZPsj can flip3mvM their wordsEnbzfK at anyMcm moment.uCL
4uJJ7R“I’ve had similaruugsG8 exchanges withnEK your brothers.35GP The eldestgzbu15 moved forwardygZP0U on hisZJHCMi path withoutDBjfP8 hesitation. TheYNKx second weighedTls several optionsYqfk and chosejhdV a middleYpEbf1 ground. ButB5H you’re ther8Bn first toRM3v refute metrRw head-on.”FupxSp
uSLPWith a spiritedyTT expression, the6Q8 duke leaned85447I back ins8VC3m his chair.fibQruuec6
9cYVf“In any case,7DVFQ that was84UQ a splendid237hD answer. I’ll0u3 provide all13tI02 the supportlsV you want.ec7X How muchSVs4Y do youPVal need?”pmEq
q44Lucian thought forv6ab a momentSMdh before answering.c8he383eK
OxFs0S“If we sendG8sD too manyC19eW troops, we’llD7rK0 raise suspicion,pCIm9 so weorzr must move1XQoM with a small butAi8kZz elite group,EtOBzu flying underr04 the radar.IMdFV1 The problemEn3gu2 is thatKl7 the rival’szNS escort is7o9Ur also likelylc9EU to beBYrob a smalltw163 elite group.”nMwdbRm
O3T80J“In other words,YU5i there’s a risk ofLyumM them striking6yFhRT back.”UXzPhR
2EiUJ9“Yes. In theQ2nr worst-case scenario,Er2RAF reinforcements couldVQV end upSnu worse thankCR having noneYx73Cp at all.bDbg It wouldfog6 be likerb1 setting a trap andRJHH launching anpfF8 ambush, onlyvQjQJ to be1dy defeated bypvQt the marquis’skO9 elite.”D5s
z0OrpmIn short, hekuUFgZ was requestingdgwfUm the absolutekzon71 elite forcesZAp8 to avoidzaLIv that scenario.WoFPrP290zzR
ZWFCUnderstanding the intentvFwsb behind hisJAKZ words, thekyTvR6 duke narrowedM2Q1 his eyes.vqEkYO4Hl6
2TYNxN“How shameless. Youa9K expect mel6C to handXWL over mytWdK best card6KRCTS just like5pcu that?”lBHosi
08TV“Not at all.gt6Z I, alone,tY3F for the0c4O honor ofEFv Valdeck—”sOC
BeqEYy“I’ll send youAM7j five BlackUF03 Lions.”GhgY7
Uqp“…!?”kwgtRv
rfNAt the mentionVPMBKo of “Black5XE4 Lions,” Lucian’sHSY eyes openedWHCbt wide.AI3
5CichThe shadows of1vwcqB Valdeck that5QN only thezLG head ofUOgaP the familyOJSK could command.wc9erAqJX
3rgIt was saidE3FED1 that a single Black9xf Lion couldIa6m massacre threeoTgIu knights head-on.FylAWGfa
roPYmBack in hiseRlZ3 guard days,llI his comradesiAc used tonTMQ8 talk aboutFIOJ the legendsORFHo of theUWV Black LionsJ8JRBv like drinkingJaM tales.x4MbIo
7bmQNyBut since nomgNQs one had7ouax seen them5fvgib in person,6ONf he alwaysj2Yj1B thought theym6N were nothingNl5 but absurdZ5dplT rumors.9rA
6OS5‘So they reallyhiJS existed…?’0CKwT
6EVv1G“What’s the matter?Cr8x Are justIve five notZ1Od enough?”Rsp
KcE9s“No, they’re moreJsTRB than enough.”brO3cdXAc
sU7MRLucian shook hisRhU head firmly.PPZufa
8dGHow could they3d959 not begbq enough?xg1
8wghYSEven if onlyDpfUU half thek2lfR rumors aboutzYWcL the BlackxUSg Lions werexdH true, theyJnJF0 were moreyrfm than sufficient.xY7TSk8L
KIvA moment later,VIPg realizing whatdW9wn he’d beenzWB4 granted, LucianVZkq bowed deeply.wbAzGZYbPi
f28Zb“Thank you forrdb6e2 your generosity.0QXc I willydv bring back5J5IAl results thatpSHgrE will surelyNPZrKO meet yourI0nVV6 expectations.”Clx
3Pe“I hope so.bGNizJ And youamIigN should alsoqf6cF8 watch closelyXQt81 with yourR3x5mz own eyes.”EY0MzgvuVgE
mL7OWith a deep5asb1 smile, theBcf duke addedDJ6 as Lucian9MA8LD was leaving.9Y6KuNO
sqXx“So you’ll understandhpUge6 what kindtAW of powerV0huae is grantedubQ to thealpr0r master ofVKTxyU Valdeck.”hwL5U
5qY07V***DSmd
v1POne week later,T6L4dN Lucian ledbWj7 his subordinatesUjP toward Bestra.ENerbaMn
IV4cBeing the nearest68L territory, itI5tU didn’t takeNixKf them longgwo to arrive.03L9wWf1Cr
7rOLA“What a messNzKRK2 of a city.”cYbFLo
Ym3OVNLucian clicked hisE7h tongue asLhnU he lookedI5bMZ0 over Bestra.icAGvkR
me5XIt wasn’t unusualhwf1SV for a city thatdv0 had expandedmEbU suddenly to8XVSLC be disorganized.JcIJfCQjc
YnGBut Bestra stoodLGFTP out evenbcBX among thoseZ2aCt for howiqLI disastrous itbgi5 was.ntfuC
zD1V9“Why are therel9QxN so many1Aegy half-built buildings?jkNFs Some are8TYrRR clearly abandoned.”Y27vadaJee
kC2UW“It’s because manyaKdAK come hereDD37y deceived.”1Wl
zuIThe one who2x72 answered Lucian’sBPmA question wasnGSMc Hans.RtFAy
SYYm“As you know,uT35l7 even thoughSCh this placeMcOt is closejgZ to Kelhaim,vvJyQ not a single crumbXUKJ9y of that1JEnf benefit reachesmYU here. But09EJi outsiders don’twMeOMv know that.vldU Those whoJYUy just lookZXt6yd at the7uYQEr map thinkvJfkS that being7BUfd close toVZHM8 a largeJOF city, it’llTm6Z thrive asvoIbEg an intermediaryRiGcH hub.”HhZACG
SHhIfJ“…Don’t tell me1xu all thosehequVB houses belonghdORPW to peopleaJ6x who werekAA3yZ scammed?”4aLv9
121“Exactly.”20H
fr8WLucian brought a hand togjimi his head.txuyZP
YXOjNo wonder hei04Y felt there1fG3w9 was toohWgV little populationJkNh for thesil7C number ofYAnYNM buildings.osBs
pnvAqApparently, people werekXkFL2 lured hereVUDpdu thinking itVwNpKW was a great location,AUF79 and afterK4xBt realizing theHi40az truth, theyu9NsQ7 eventually returned88Rz home.QremBD
Dcdcf5He now understoodscB8 why thereHmmaM were sozbrly many unfinished5tG6 structures.GRTQ
yGPbIf they realized7S3j9 the scamTcmK9B before finishingCXy9 them, theyqqtYPW no longerag32 had theQGsHUR means to3ya continue building.Pln86KH2xPa3
eHgfMs“In a placeNvXV like this,VDZjS4 even ifYv9V a few8FBlqx buildings appearoruUC or disappear,xFmku no onerLgPTy would notice.”DswFOFD
44O“That’s why I chose thisthYfW place tot4F build thedDaS factory. Although23e7T you noticed,H3m young master.”Tlc1O0PY2
66sRLjHugo, backing Lucian’sOGjxcx words froml2wBJ behind, gavefme3 a bitterOiy smile.HTt
JPw36He never imaginedSBAu8L that a plan evenytZKt the grand6bDp duke hadn’toK8 noticed wouldYszD9v be uncoveredMULy by thatRQ8bzK “young master.”QQ1fDw1O5jB
ut63CX“By the way,AEakCT are younzjrpH really not38p going toYlAs0G tell me1sW9 how youGfjB figured itKoi out? ItCA2 seems evenrIy3 Hans doesn’tICqt6n know.”tMlD
WNVl“I’ll tell youIL47 later. FordIQcmJ now, let’sDlJ focus onxFqt4N hunting theZTxJ beast caughtdnRN in the44JS trap. HowoYlEw are thezNkBg preparations?”cfc0G4
psxkH7“Perfect. Only thenbI49J support iscxh missing, but…”oQFaryIjh
CZdKO2A faint shadowf0PH crossed Hugo’sxWtx face.yAaQQL
5njLucian, already guessingN1u7ff what heN4HtlL was thinking,Vym68 smiled faintly.txbd6Nn7
IJhH6“Does it botherFYd you thatjSg5l we receivedLPRZt help fromrnQ my father?”c28CYRsGT
aWzPS“No, it’s just4Sg that I know I’ms4Z9KG not strongb3Ve enough. I just regretJ2uUq not beingj8d strong enough.9SO4 If I were, allJvX of thisEjgbMv could’ve beentflJ entirely creditedrRRYf to you,fmC7u5 young master.”OY91iVL8
oGb“There’s no rush.I38 I’m onlyp9f78 sixteen, and8NZp you’re just5z10 barely overJT8 thirty atCuGhH most. You’llAhDon have plentyheqj of chancesbM0 to becomeZTxo a knight.W4CCdO Let’s moveXJK1 forward oneYrpkc9 step atiSG a time.”j9Lr9FpG
dPXoAfter speaking, HugomQ5MH looked atzs7Fx Lucian withr2TS a complicatedAzg expression.q89E
VGdGMIt seemed toHIea mix mildOp4QO reproach, regret,jTs and injustice.yP5Ag5C3w
4HHfvDid I sayjnaEA0 something wrong?Kez7Gl
c9H3uWhile tilting his6W1 head inlgsX9J doubt, Hansfp8 gave LucianLWXcJ a lightLVdKMr pat onKMvA the shoulder.HmsFkM
Ylhe9“Um, young master.”zsLZhYq
uVyMB“Mm?”YIDE
kcDe“Hugo is twenty-threegs8Dtr this year.myLH Still farkB9rKa from thirty.”husf7JBJ
W8SPxu“….”3z2
cdccLucian looked athS9z2 Hugo again.YLOgLWqT
D9p5QLThrobbing scars, thickyTx7w beard, roughM5SHQ skin.gqdw
yMdfVA face noZM4fm one wouldSGI guess was97gEw3 under thirty.UZDPaun
HgeKAnd yet, hekiFoSX was twenty-three.gwpsoso
mf6L“Hugo.”6k8
fRg1wO“Yes, young master.”xPtn5DSoiQM
kJO“There’s no rush.cE9VV I’m only978 sixteen, and8m1 you’re justAQgRC2 barely overGywq2 twenty—”fZr
vX8P“Don’t correct it.osZSY It’s evenWrra more miserable.”KXG6Ib2oa
uUAkLH“Ahem. By thexj8K1o way, theV17 Black LionswNe are takinglLVN their time.8Dx9pF They shouldI3FT be arrivingSj2R9 by now.”63draindlpU
X8rQ“Young master.”ixMYiD
H9JwEWThe sudden voicevWI from behindb0eLWL made allv8NfM three jumpUbeBKQ at thevyi same time.EggAQY8ZwSO
MnV8SEspecially Hugo, whoBXlFa8 instinctively reachedTD3b for theOTwJF hilt ofsm05 his sword.Gpwm2O1
k2DBut before heFUJl could drawob14Hi it, anotheroKRMJ voice wasa5X heard.jYhP7O
yJQ“Don’t draw it.”cvawaCBjg
VsPTTap.9G3Y6U
NURZg“…!?”plI
XeICLA firm weight0gNe pressed downtzEWp on theGItxqN back ofyKIW his hand,3dlkI and Hugo’s9CSGTB eyes widened.c0pDG5flM9E
BW4lI0He hadn’t sensedFVKD the presencel5w of evensueY one person—letrCDhB alone two—until8HBUv they wereJu3 that close.A1WsYHI4nJ
B5ociPBut when heWCyjI turned hisbRh2Zk head, he6AS didn’t seeb4oMg just two.IdwByp5
spGSXThe silent shadowsKzI8H that hadSsyR2 approached wereM2RhyE five inZMlVPz total.hF3D
xkI6And they wereWz5JOi already within3jmO striking range.61aXZivQ
gEphHWhile everyone stoodArkbz stunned, LucianRBJ was theb2S9 first tosKw regain hisOLQd composure.V33If2
yBw“Black Lions?”LAXqe
Vd4u“Yes. By orderPpoO of thehYJoah Grand Duke,MlncyG we’ve comequaXQZ to supportu6mN the thirdbSCo young master.”Dtn6za0
N3EMbt“I appreciate it.5yIx But ifQYJrB9 it’s notNHyOD too muchsOWT7 trouble, couldcGBIm you letftmB go of1sw my subordinate’stZwih7 hand? WithvMSJ1u that pressure,AoD59z even ifEcuv he wantsEja to letTvyF go ofXrs9 his sword,ClW6 he can’t.”MCvDyyluXe
mP1c0“As you wish.”0kEeyQX
yXQAt Lucian’s words,doi79 the handX3NfHe pressing down2sSz9p on HugoICf was released.WNopRaHfrfz
iFBFWHugo stepped backE3EUG with a face like55Iwl he’d seenBYK a ghost,xn2n and atOnOOhx last, theLikIZk five BlackUrGLa Lions camehDD1 fully intoMAA view.VRG8Z3
hcQkTheir armament consistediaXVsU of justNyv one sword;nLJ2qQ for protection,0g7zO only a light leatherrB0HU5 armor.whqJ6U
F24UAt a glance,drkaSV they couldTkKL be mistakenOVanE2 for anyTuPY mercenary from9z9 a bigR0tzu city.lIJ
S73rBut their gazel0CkyQ was sossm cold noS57nf one couldVPZ ever confusewcz them forag3d ordinary mercenaries.kGntMsVGWS3
FDOLLrSuddenly, Lucian remembered0zrtb someone buriedmS1KSB deep int8tH his memory.hY5OLTj
nvMl‘These guys… they’re7iGo like theaZto5 one whoEoruR8 cut myCEw6hz neck.’UEu
hh4The slash heB37YTv hadn’t evenTgYU seen clearlypiyf until thefJGQ6 very end.hAqmH356m
hznrtoWere all of843X them atUrSOC the samehlagqt level asiRVr that knight?uAQlPqY
7zaWYLUnconsciously, Lucian touchednBMMN his neck.QIUXoBF3e
quN6pIf they truly1xEJU all hadHnyMPv comparable skill…x2UTBrwnMe
7nS“His Highness orderedI3R that onceLQq7dA we arrivedefHykx in Bestra,Jt8 we followryrO1 all theHEZL instructions ofTjAg the third9Qt0 young master.qARO Please give3x1 your orders.”kDeijGfO
LZBjWith that, thisN8b4ow mission couldrOlhT no longeroZm fail.FpEP
JIMdA deep smile6vS7 spread acrossHEo Lucian’s lipsJrRK as heDnpO looked atg6xI the Black15MOwg Lions.E3Yzk
qALYO***f7e
YPA5QdThe order LucianAZx gave theZwvqa Black LionsgICgI was simple.JM8GKbSho
zQcuFF“Remain hidden atJJz the designatedycOSB point untilWIfO the preyPzgVz appears. AsikX9G soon aslNFMD7 I give3iYE the signal,Ez4V all ofB1K0 you attackf2E3p8 at once.”eiHuDJU
H8w“Should we killBXhln them?”PRbp
GIcjo“The more mouthsFi7P7 left alive,KzOL the better,wl3ONl so ifruK possible, captureqcHl them alive.bG7Q Especially thedLZW marquis’s son—subdueCn4R him withu47qa the leasty9Hn3 amount ofYSwriF damage possible.”3jOYIg2f
pqgIf they hadOzlsL been deployedjty for suchBMF7Si a dirtyFzui job, theyPboq were surelyjNjnz tight-lipped types.mmRoa5HGnW
tcdvBut there areAmax always exceptions6fRozo everywhere.BfH
M34With some luck,MFYuc one ofEoJnlP the survivorsvKFU might spillbHS2 information aboutMbYkY the marquis.jsGktkDyE1C
MEqOf course, thatR2uXb was justntcD a possibility—notoZlsR5 something heneWZ9 could relyDHNXj on tooORZvYO much.iWW7Q
ve9As long astiAv they captured0pgvGM the marquis’sAcl fourth son,VKJ the maineLmC target, anythingavhA else wouldrIsG be a bonus.ttWG
Q1tQ“Of course, if1aI0ym the situationKFUQ doesn’t allowIKS it, killPxlKc them. JudgeoCbbTr according to7Pzp the moment.”0uQDOrQVu6
LTV“Yes.”fzZWn0
Pb7LjyEven with therqyB calm response330y of theVksue Black Lions,AxT Lucian couldhU3Ek clearly sensedmtTNT something.Spv4
LUfBfRNot one amongWCve them thoughtJZk7 they mightZ5hJ end up21Mp3o in a disadvantageous situation.WA9W39nQ30
y1sTIt was a confidence bordering3Ex0 on arrogance,T3p2O but hefHj0 didn’t pointggW it out.PtmG086eGCP
qzQtWSoon, it wouldpnlo be clearCYMuR whether itzENiZ was meretaoU conceit orvGB true strength.pNNySpzbP
5r91— This isnZne the place?n6mF Looks miserableOuB from theG7Mx outside. Don’tocLwW tell meqUhf6T you funneledEKPxkn the moneyn8Ue elsewhere.NST5z3
DkhPF— Precisely because8icb1u we needkKAx to deceiveykteQ0 outsiders, theVgv outside mustm77Ek look miserable,nQrZ don’t youDmLhKL think? TheSpKZkO inside is76I fully equipped,DfpSS see forKJt2xx yourself.8H7CVF
gEMYxhHearing the conversationV6QK5Z between HugoVSid and someoneDXH approaching, LucianSQfxph also hidK8QUOK in a proper spot.MHmuXSx
q6mWA moment later,j5mLMX with the3J1Ya sound ofm1vQ the doorysK opening, severalqM60 people enteredEtwNZS the factory.ilU7KaSQhJK
TVLflIt had to01qnD be theASPZqx fourth sonK14 of Marquisjmtv Roglan andMppa0 his escort,NyK whom theyBYGgH had luredXxfPF there.tLZr
6kzvs5Lucian peeked slightlyUce to confirmoln15 the target,Tuvu but whenI8J he sawIAMmL the unexpectedcTmNS scene, hisnEAUvP eyes openedYfX1Ca wide.hPG
4AQa0‘Felix, the DemongUmzM Sword!?’VD0
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