Chapter 39
a42FtThe greatest power of the nobility comes from blood itself.6mQh5
NT0PThe nobler the lineage, the more rights one can claim.WeND
tevEMJAnd when it came to House Valdeck, which even shared blood with the imperial family, it went without saying.vLl
isgQw‘We even have succession rights to the throne. As long as the imperial bloodline isn’t extinguished, our turn will never come, but still.’1NR0Iu6
sV9kIn other words, in an emergency, they could also claim rights to the throne.JBR6Q
ptndaUnIn times of peace, such a claim would be a worthless absurdity, but in an era of chaos, it became possible.0lS
013MHfrThat was how vast the privileges granted by the Valdeck bloodline were.Dma6
FGOAmong all of Lucian’s possessions, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the greatest was that innate right granted by Valdeck blood.ycG
FgneAnd on top of that, although his maternal family held no real power, he also inherited the royal bloodline of the north.dUCfpj
dbE‘If I had strength of my own and a reasonable justification, I could reign as a legitimate monarch at any moment.’ZkCgq
4yDHmLucian recalled the conversation he had just had with Jordi and let out a mocking laugh.2Y1go
7XaZ8Not take anything? Fail together if he didn’t become head of the family?qzk4qV
H8aTe0It was ridiculous.a07
SIF“That won’t do, brother. If there’s such an obvious silk-covered path laid out in front of me, why wouldn’t I take it?”Ih8fIp
ZbbALRpHe understood his anxiety.CVYsH
1pIQUnlike Lucian, Jordi’s maternal family had only existed for three generations and came from merchants.BWL
phUfmOIf he fell out of the competition for the family headship, he’d likely never step onto that stage again.FDU0
TC5FAnd seeing that Lucian—whom he had believed to be in the same position—had the ability to become independent at any time must have deeply unsettled him.EiPxau
knKgBut Lucian had no reason to follow Jordi’s rules.rDVw7
kWNB“I use what I have, and you use what you have. Isn’t that how the world works? Damnably unfair and absurd.”wHvxkt
7r1hj2In his past life, Lucian had been crushed to death by that injustice.9Ru6xq
AVwMJordi, on the other hand, had ruled over it while competing with his brothers.52H3
4jhNow that their positions had been reversed, Lucian didn’t feel the slightest bit of sympathy.F3l
r75***SoKNx
rnLOM8For two months, Lucian trained his body thoroughly.bULAQ
mFWZfaASince he was heading to the battlefield, no amount of training would ever be enough.u8rJIU
9ulFortunately, having decided to focus on destructive power rather than refined technique, the training itself was simple, and the results were satisfying.xOp58F
UGrBang!7Hv
YfjjJLm“Hah!”izIs
eX2VrkHearing the air explode, Lucian smiled in satisfaction.0ZhZ
kYEDfvHe was still far from what Eisen had shown him, but in terms of destructive force, he was exceptional.DrfVi
K8rTo the point where, if he fought his past self now, he could secure victory in a single exchange.TzMKLz
jx6Vk‘Unless it’s a famous knight, the moment our swords clash, it’s over. Well, that’s assuming my sword holds up.’SqpnvQ
ic8nNLucian recalled the sword that had shattered not long ago and let out a bitter smile.gJq4C
MmwIt had been a pretty good blade, so the more he thought about it, the more regrettable it seemed.ciBoz
5fM0qHe had brought it under the pretense of logistical support for the mission, so even if he asked for a new one, he wasn’t sure they’d give him anything of equal quality.70Fp
exVSa‘No, wait a moment. Come to think of it, I’m going to war, aren’t I?’fYfUc1
o9YraIf he presented it well, couldn’t he use that as justification to ask for a new sword?ZJitX
P9mThe matter was much more serious now than before, so maybe they’d even give him something better.KsWKWV
4dp2a53‘Doesn’t hurt to ask.’yPj49B
MIUCYZ“Young master! The duke is here!”Q1q
LvFbvZ1“What? My father?”6R5Ma
0y04UOLucian, who had been lost in thought, jumped at Hans’s shout and turned his head.v0OzX
tI3He hurried to tidy his clothes, but before he could, Duke Sigmund entered the training grounds.Q89N6
sIX“Father, forgive my appearance…”a5quXu
W8lrg“There’s no need for formality in a private setting. I’m pleased to see you training so diligently.”XLFGVRk
g9XLooking satisfied at the sight of Lucian drenched in sweat, the duke clapped twice. Clap, clap. Soon after, the servants arrived carrying something.JdQ1UXc
jTBjK“I actually came because a gift has arrived for you.”Tth
UlQAv“A gift…? Is it armor and a sword?”aD30
tToewe“Do you like them?”G0f
6FzLucian nodded immediately.HyTaQ
QKvAt a glance, it was obvious that it was an extraordinary sword.TFxhHZu
QXbThe duke smiled at Lucian’s awestruck face and handed him the sword.NOgwwj
g4v“Draw it.”GSzN1
w4YB7Q0“Are you sure I can?”bulE
QSN“You must test the edge of the weapon you’re going to wield for yourself.”6wL
jhlAt those words, Lucian gave a small nod and unsheathed the sword.iyP
4rYifHEThe blade slid out so smoothly it made almost no sound.paRikTn
luDJLucian admired the perfectly balanced weight and the sharp edge that fit snugly in his hand.jWU
uIQ“It’s an excellent sword. Doesn’t seem like ordinary steel.”EozyF
ISe“I’ve mixed in a suitable amount of adamantium. Not much, but even if you use it roughly, it’ll hardly break.”dvpn
KiU4LAt the word “adamantium,” Lucian’s eyes widened.zXIj
AlBD5YThe king of metals—the hardest of them all.U9osBO
e73He had heard that even a tiny amount would drastically increase a weapon’s durability.yAH9S6
13CZTThat’s why its price was astronomical, and in his past life, he had only ever seen it from afar.wWWy
mkSZDDN“Wow, I must look like a rabbit.”k0kPdHP
5JG“Anyone would be surprised to hear it has adamantium mixed in. Are you sure it’s okay for me to receive this sword?”lsaMBMb
23c5TFz“Of course. If you’re going to the battlefield in my place and putting yourself in danger, it would be ridiculous for you to carry a mediocre weapon. And besides…”pOdTEDM
9XjThe duke gave a signal, and the servants brought down an armor stand along with the armor.Sop1YFG
yFTbIt was a beautiful set, where white and blue were combined in a strange yet elegant fashion.G2zlxof
lw1“On the battlefield, defense is just as important as the weapon. Like the sword, this is also for you.”PlCiBPU
RiYjd“It looks magnificent, but it seems to be just a breastplate. There aren’t any other pieces.”gwlUu
FqHGWhile admiring the surface that clearly showed a master craftsman’s hand,
Lucian voiced his doubt.J2RmjW
IS36The duke smiled wordlessly and helped him put on the armor.mB6
XprOnly once Lucian had it on did the duke speak.cp9lBD
VTF6Upw“Now, circulate your mana.”fQ9CA
bAAZZB“Here?”7cp
QT2M7a“No need for full circulation. Just send mana to the center of your chest.”OwXmX
yCOgEPutting the breastplate on him and then suddenly asking him to circulate mana.SsNE
jwZoutThough confused, Lucian obeyed and let the mana flow. In that instant—cXtt
R6wFquFWhoosh!SWtIe
0fMY“…!”tXAW
e5b4The moment a fixed amount of mana gathered in his chest, the breastplate expanded and covered his entire body.CJI6
wFnlArms, legs, between the fingers, and even the head.g4j56K
pAPEZ0Amazingly, as it wrapped around him, it didn’t catch on his skin or hair.BWZfW9
IqdwAIn less than ten seconds, the breastplate had transformed into a full set of armor.mYlWlsV
4YEVOi“Magical armor…!”iQD5M
9fUD5Realizing what it truly was, Lucian was stunned.xWw7w
vDsKtsThe pinnacle of technology, only manufactured with the emperor’s permission and the cooperation of court mages.TgYS
JQWFLO0In his past life, he had only seen it once, when visiting the capital—and the commander of the imperial guard had been wearing it.TBjnv74
MrnVmAnd now, he was wearing it himself.Nzm
iqt“It’s a suit of armor that the second head of the family once received as a gift from the founding emperor of his time. It’s a valuable item, no doubt, but as one of the earliest models, its performance is the lowest. Over the generations, more suits like it were accumulated, and this one had no clear use. You may keep it.”t5kpL
ZpgkgA“Even so, it’s magical armor. Even if the performance is lower, it’s still among the finest in the world.”XSD
hGPlAt the duke’s casual tone, Lucian clicked his tongue.BAG
P6JQUSurely, a family like the Valdecks could receive such gifts from the empire, but only for occasions as significant as the head of house’s investiture ceremony.6WSaoyr
gMdaNo matter how many they had gathered, it wasn’t something to be handed out so lightly.nRt
qgSIt was clear the duke was downplaying its value on purpose to ease the burden.D4MQ
yTPj“From your face, you look stunned. What is it? Aren’t you happy?”an4FU
Nj3h“Of course I am. But… isn’t this too much? After all, it’s only a rebellion suppression mission, and yet you give me an adamantium sword and magical armor.”xBbyU68
gmSOFK9“Yes, you’re right. To be honest, I think so too.”ttSXuWk
uazEZQAccepting Lucian’s words without hesitation, the duke’s smile faded.f29
uhA0bXIn its place appeared an unease that was hard to describe.RQWu
3IEkMtG“No matter how strong Krephelt is among the vassal states, it can’t compare to the empire. A rebellion should be no more than a small tremor. And yet, I can’t shake this feeling of unease.”R6N
IbW9Q9p“Do you suspect something?”B73vAk
lFBk“No. It’s just a hunch. Someone might laugh and say it’s baseless nonsense, but I’ve always had this feeling before something big happens. And also…”cyDN
4kXVffThe duke paused and looked at Lucian.xAU
NVI0“Your attitude when asking for full authority also made me think. It didn’t feel like you were just chasing fame. It felt like you had already prepared to throw yourself into danger and came afterward to ask permission.”SQM
yja“…I can’t see the future, so that’s not possible.”tK3xQ
vMaFInside, Lucian flinched, but he kept a straight face.4eteh
2NfYHe knew Duke Sigmund was exceptional, but did he have some kind of prophetic intuition?xteE
bQbVDD4Fortunately, the duke only looked at him briefly before nodding with understanding.oTVTpNs
aPFZhzv“That’s true. Still, being thoroughly prepared before entering the battlefield never hurts. Keep it and use it well. And again, it’s not a loan—it’s a gift. You don’t need to return it.”CnolN
vg8RPR“Thank you. I’ll never forget my father’s kindness.”Y9yx1Rk
sMLOcx“There’s no need for talk of kindness between father and son. Just make sure you return safely. And don’t do anything too dangerous. Even if you gain fame, it’s meaningless if there’s no one to enjoy it.”VHLSOO
cWwXHdn“I’ll keep that in mind.”ziDg
JvwOOzAfter saying that, Duke Sigmund left the training grounds with the servants.x7V0J
o8GCnEven so, he still seemed concerned, turning back several times to glance at Lucian.NfgZ
HYCWgvvHans, who had watched everything silently, approached with sparkling eyes only after the duke disappeared.7sRe5
Ilk“Heavens above! Young master, since when have you received such favor from His Grace? An adamantium sword and magical armor! Not even young master Tristan has received anything like that!”Wb7vX
H4ltVo“I don’t know. I’m not sure whether to call it favor or just good instinct.”TuUd
JIjcD“Eh? What do you mean?”k6h
MMEt4“That there really are extraordinary people in this world. My father is one of them.”G55
F8AR“…?”Ji4s
unxB3QYLucian left Hans, who remained confused, and redirected mana to his chest.YEn
mdBhnw7The magical armor reacted and returned to its original form—a breastplate.ozG
h9AeKJAs he stroked the armor and the sword, Lucian gave a bitter smile.IPH6w
bu6aWJJ‘Sorry. After he’s gone to such lengths to prepare these treasures for me, it looks like I’ll have to do something a little dangerous.’yDfc9ie
AhTBut there was one thing he could promise.HMOWD
sLmuTo return alive.gLX7Gwt
laEBAs the duke said, fame means nothing if there’s no one left to enjoy it.SWe
IcdFAs Lucian calmly inspected the gear, a new concern suddenly crossed his mind.TjoY1O
pND1‘…But won’t my brothers have something to say after seeing I received gifts like these?’em3
kBTR***1hGAkd5
zyr7Just as Lucian had predicted, the side effects of receiving such excessive gifts appeared immediately.vbo
3HUMv0wAs soon as word spread that he had received an adamantium sword and even magical armor, all three brothers went to see the duke at once.37ObtI
kkxBec“Father, no matter how I think about it, this is too much. Even granting the adamantium sword—magical armor?”xcLf8Sq
u21“And one that was a gift from the emperor to the second head of the family! That’s not just any armor, it’s a treasure of immeasurable worth.”Dgkvtsm
FBLaHc“Is that kind of equipment really necessary just to suppress a rebellion from a vassal state? Wouldn’t it be better to simply assign more troops to the young master?”XYj7mQE
lekAmid the flood of protests, the duke calmly looked at his sons and spoke.nKbY
Jina“If you’re dissatisfied, then one of you can go instead of the third to suppress the rebellion. In that case, I’ll take back what I gave him and give it to you instead.”O4ChA
3PZHYMP“…”0I1
8YV“…”Gwady
aHyAeK6“…”MDUMWHa
bobLT2At Duke Sigmund’s words, the three brothers fell silent all at once.BiGaJ
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!