Chapter 47
Sd9HuGLucian didn’t stop there. Looking around at the other lords, he added.hZ4E
4mtSY2“The same goes for the rest of you. Even if the advice was offered in loyalty, it ended up offending the commander-in-chief, His Highness the First Prince, and you must bear the consequences. There’s no need for anyone to defend me.”6zD4Xf
pLgskj“Ah, no…”IsBFkV
GPsO35g“Still…”yHRG
w6jDr6“I’ll say it again—I understand this decision and I accept it. So I’d appreciate it if nothing unnecessary is said.”qvtP
RHmH9EWith that firm warning, Lucian exited the tent, and the color drained from the lords’ faces.sR7m9
QtfThough spoken in gentle words, it was nothing less than a clear warning: if they tried to put him at the front again, he wouldn’t let it slide.p9xShqT
fheG5Under those conditions, there was no longer any way to try to change the First Prince’s mind under the pretense of benefiting House Valdeck.WXaa
1ht9NQd‘This is madness. What are we supposed to do now?’27wu0yC
j6PgKg‘What else? All that’s left is to pray to the eight gods of the sky.’bUof
tlor‘Maybe it’d be better if I angered His Highness too and got myself pulled out…’XBRZZV
S5Fes‘You want your whole house blacklisted? Don’t be stupid. Sit tight.’qbKb
b0RRAmid the murmurs of the lords, the marquis stood up, staggering.Dr67F
fkAHow the hell had it come to this?6eL
fVoRjAt first, his only goal had been to end the war quickly and minimize expenses.93IqYcR
eywHXu2But now, it was no longer about money or anything like it—he was about to watch the elite troops of his house be wasted for nothing.OnlJ92
IDN‘If only I hadn’t been so hostile from the beginning…’LrqNq9
Ef2bIf he had even slightly acknowledged the validity of Lucian’s words, even with empty pleasantries—nwP7UAA
rprIf he had said he understood the concern and maybe retreating was better—BbAHyf
tDNCjrIf he had done that, he could’ve taken that very stance now without issue.BAPTdKT
C2QO6But after openly opposing Lucian in front of everyone, that option had completely vanished.U5up
WHcbNow, no matter what happened, he had no choice but to follow that incompetent First Prince.sAHTCwr
958S0fO‘…Now that I think about it, wasn’t there a saying that a lord who’s too smart or too foolish is never good for his vassals?’25fsF
IWyNSThe marquis recalled a phrase his father had taught him long ago.K2sb
aphA smart lord controls his vassals completely.RbVKCFl
rWR8E8iA foolish lord drags his vassals into the pit he falls into.PAS
FTiOMost of his late father’s advice had become life lessons, but he had never fully understood that phrase.ekm2M
hohHe always thought the dumber the lord, the easier it was to manipulate him.Ke80KZR
jlfSB3e‘Is this what he meant…?’8yjrm
uKcYZYThe marquis let out a hollow laugh at the sight of himself being dragged into the pit.7Gk
7jVBquHaving backed the First Prince thinking he would be easy to control had completely backfired.YY3vfuB
4URhdhIt was all the result of his own choices.3kY9
lG8IuAll he could do now was pray that the pit wasn’t too deep.QpVnhus
LBM***vjMH
tb5WDespite the First Prince’s abuse, no one came to Lucian’s defense.Dr5jf8i
5uCSRlOr, to be precise, even if they wanted to, they couldn’t.HoOsBIz
EXTNeither the First Prince, who had given the order, nor Lucian, who had been affected by it, wanted anyone to intervene.2mvZM
AOVuTIf someone tried to defend him, they’d be marked by both sides.MPcID
k6pcAnd so, the lords had no choice but to watch as Lucian was pushed aside, swallowing their frustration.vn9JPPS
Q3ZuLAll except one.8uoIl
iarHEcy“Brother, this isn’t right.”AY7
7YsVcbHThe next day, just as they were preparing to discuss the army’s next movements, the Second Prince—who had remained silent until then—stepped forward.HM5
tKKAs he straightened the back he had kept slightly hunched, his imposing height and presence became clear.9WYvrx
YyHJOQFAt the sight, the First Prince scowled harshly.dMaUYYG
vU9gB“What now? You’ve stayed quiet all this time, and now you’re making a scene?”J5cbe
3JXIWW“At first, I thought after a day passed, elder brother, you would calm down and retract the order.”nlSm
NILLKor“And since I didn’t, you’ve decided to step in? With what authority? Do you even hold a position to do that?”GBVYWi
6AlThe Second Prince had accompanied the First Prince only as support, without any official position.hSvGb2w
c3pIn rank, he was just below him, but he had no right to interfere in military decisions.dgms
2oC1QEven so, the Second Prince was not intimidated and met his brother’s gaze.gvxz
fOXbVB“I don’t hold an official position. But as a member of the imperial family, it is my duty to step in when you stray from the right path.”MsOyrZ
pHr“What did you just say? That I’ve strayed from the right path?”e8RZFV
onGvJyq“Yes. House Valdeck, the greatest contributor of military merit and the most loyal vassal of the Empire—even if they had made a mistake, they should not be treated this way. And yet, just for speaking the truth, you’ve cast them aside. I beg you to reconsider your order.”wzzN
6rZgqxd“Are you lecturing me now? Suggesting that you know the right path and I don’t?”pMTys2E
7JQzw2NThe First Prince shouted, completely enraged, but the Second Prince didn’t back down.9kOTf
fzdCNoPInstead, as if to prove his sincerity, he dropped to his knees and raised his voice even more.0p59
3ON“People are not perfect. Sometimes it takes courage to listen to those around us and correct a wrong decision.”j8h
OIxNQXF“Shut up! From the sound of it, you’re scared that House Valdeck’s forces have withdrawn. If you’re so scared, then you stay in the rear too! I’ll handle everything myself!”92Y
lZ3“Brother!”YRF
Sypu“Prepare for the march! We’ll advance as fast as possible, secure drinking water at the next village, and then march straight to Bodium to take the fortress!”7J53zm
6jMziNAs if he didn’t want to hear anything more, the First Prince brought the war council to an end.YAVNkdI
QaOCd4The sudden dispute between the two princes left the feudal lords wearing uncomfortable expressions.57fv35T
rLWPisWThey would never have imagined that the Second Prince—who had until now stayed quiet and out of the spotlight—had such a side to him.8mCVSf1
ugIy4‘What was that? A sincere attempt at counsel? Or a ploy to stand out by seizing the moment?’l0M
fYDEA‘I don’t know if the Second Prince desires the imperial throne, or if he truly has no ambition for power.’2itguX
aWTOIt wasn’t a trivial matter—it was far too serious to be talked about lightly, so there were no murmurs.DdE
AJjAmid that uncomfortable atmosphere, the feudal lords quietly left the tent one by one.e2CZNij
uTQnPLucian also stepped out, blending in among them.iifgToE
x5y6e“Duke Lucian.”tf27
JdS4JThe Second Prince, Cedric, approached Lucian with an apologetic expression.mwIGuP
wKyLucian immediately bowed his head to him.nYDS
VfZCTI“My respects to the Second Prince.”bzVcyF
h6ar9a“No need to be so formal. I came precisely to apologize, and if you bow like that, you’ll only make it harder for me.”srX
ZJzUKE“Apologize? Why would Your Highness apologize to me?”Y1KPHbg
mWVXjN“I wanted to say that I’m sorry I wasn’t able to restore your honor. Forgive me.”AjOn
marwTZ4“There’s no need for concern.”8CdP
qAZYI32“How could I not be concerned? A loyal servant of the Empire was treated in such a way…”HazYsl
CGcDFP“That’s not what I meant.”VWYLrNl
nYwDwIbLucian gave a faint smile at Cedric’s continued apologies.TIp
7UYsA1“I meant that I’ve already achieved my goal of being reassigned to the rear guard, so there’s no need to say anything further.”qupihUQ
LJ2AO6“…!”pB0
Lz4PTIFor a moment, Cedric froze in place.romOed
ZINvXCLJust as he was about to grow angry and ask what he meant by that, Lucian added:RpdW
qJl7q“The First Prince is walking a truly dangerous path. Now that the Great Accord has been broken, we don’t know how the enemy will react—and yet he’s marching straight into their trap.”kC0aNy
VrYH“Are you implying that I used you to guarantee my own safety?”aYsU6aY
ckajyo“At the very least, you must have heard that I didn’t want to be defended. Even if you hadn’t, someone as perceptive as Your Highness would have known it.”blis
ghTxmq“Duke Lucian, I fear you are gravely mistaken.”IR1jYP
E7TNaCedric looked Lucian in the eye and spoke firmly.4W5qb
tvV“I stepped forward only out of fear that the relationship between sovereign and vassal would suffer irreparable harm. I didn’t do it to use you for my own safety. I don’t care if you take offense—but I would hate for you to believe I used you.”mI0NB
KqREl2“If it displeased Your Highness, I offer my apologies. However, since things have come to this, I suppose I should begin preparing for the march as well.”BQSC21
RoplG22“Preparing for the march? But by my brother’s order, you must remain in the rear guard.”1E6
vUO“But that won’t be the case for long, will it? If the order comes, I’ll be ready to deploy as a reinforcement at any moment, so please don’t worry.”nrA
bYsdWith those ambiguous words, Lucian turned and walked away from Cedric.VFpT
TCanZuCedric didn’t take his eyes off his back until he had completely vanished from sight.KCGT
xLW1***9qy0
yxmkA while later, after Lucian had left, Cedric loosened his tense expression and let out a sigh.2NyUmpo
a0triQ“Lucian Valdeck… is a truly terrifying man.”EwYh7
QrmGEn— Terrifying, you say? In my eyes, he’s just an arrogant man. One who failed to recognize the true value of his lord and jumped to conclusions on his own.Esx6Y
6CjCedric’s shadow twisted, and a low voice emerged as if someone were hidden inside it.thWTD
1CbaAIt was an eerie scene.MjRQ4
yTKM5JCedric walked slowly toward a secluded corner and replied to the shadow.tuRL4W
yrR“Arrogant? What a strange comment. In the conversation just now, it was precisely my arrogance that he pointed out.”TDGn7f
VO0— …Forgive my ignorance, but I find it difficult to understand your words, my lord.5xm0qAZ
PTrG“Anyone with a little intelligence could have deduced that I was using him. But realizing what would come afterward is something else entirely.”1bggNqs
AM0— What do you mean, what comes afterward?Xrf1ZX
nDEOJg“Rescuing my brother.”ry1ejjx
710mqrAEverything had already strayed from the original plan.xiHs5
0glCould the First Prince, Claude, really suppress the rebellion by relying solely on the size and quality of his troops?cw1cMy
j1c3“It’s impossible. Even if no one dares say it aloud, everyone knows. This campaign to suppress the rebellion will fail. My brother will be defeated. The only question is how badly.”eqKgHR
vr1S9iIf the enemy were to defeat the coalition and capture Claude alive, it would be ideal.H2Z
BhpBut what if, blinded by resentment, they lost their minds and beheaded him?quvW
o25NCedric didn’t even want to imagine such a situation.e9Px
z2oVImU“If it ended with the Empire losing prestige, we’d still be lucky. In the worst-case scenario, His Majesty would go mad with rage and raze Kreppelt, draining the last of the Empire’s strength. And after that, what do you think would happen?”S3JX8BT
PijZThe Empire was already short on resources.XRH
YrdPwIf it recklessly tore away its last remaining supports out of anger, it would collapse completely.cga
U7gjODVThat’s why Cedric had to save Claude at all costs.u62jy
Wb5bAs long as Claude lived, the Emperor might retain some sense.jcG2
yIKVMUu“If my brother suffers defeat and his life is threatened, he’ll come to his senses and order a retreat. But just in case, reinforcements must be ready at the right time.”TR2KlB
uxJfLXT— Don’t tell me you’re thinking of sending that man as a reinforcement?qvVm
9KZ“Not just any army. We’re talking about the one thousand elites of House Valdeck. They’re more than enough to rescue a single brother in danger.”hxXZK
oqDc6Having grasped the situation to some extent, Cedric had stepped back to the rear, using Lucian as an excuse.0jG1gk
3Ta4AHThere was no reason to stick his neck into danger and create more problems.GUlbo
QG1h5At the same time, he approached Lucian—who held troops under his command—with the intention of earning his personal favor.5xq
W0lM4In an emergency, asking for help from someone you’d bonded with was far better than ordering them with authority.yUN
Uzs“But he saw through all of it. Not just that I mentioned him to pull back, but that I invoked sincerity to win his favor—and that I planned to use that favor later to ask him to rescue my brother.”DY43TTh
1s5Oyo3— …MUNKPWo
Pwl64“When he said at the end that he’d prepare for the march, he was mocking me. As if to say, don’t pretend to be sincere after doing something you didn’t even want to do. That there’s no need. That when the time comes, he’ll send the troops without complaint.”a3lP
9J9R1RpCedric let out a deep sigh and looked up at the sky.W6vtdq
vHAwIaHad anyone ever seen through his schemes so completely?seIJLMN
lA5c19He had always thought himself the best at manipulating people through strategy.kLbQPuW
H4KNi“Truly, the world is vast. I’m embarrassed to have believed I was someone special.”r6dLGn
4HQ— What will you do?EnIB
3gE6O“What do I do? About Duke Lucian?”CfcgaF
nL9— If he’s so dangerous perhaps it would be best to eliminate him ahead of time…BGecMM
Ejq8“Forget it. If you reach into a hornet’s nest without care, neither of us will get out unharmed.”8SSgL
zKw2oTbAt the shadow’s suggestion, Cedric gave a bitter smile.AFWGMEo
HUbwQXLucian was a man who, after unraveling all of Cedric’s intentions, had stood before him without hiding anything.TA9x1Y
xLxhZcIf he had been that open knowing he’d be monitored, he undoubtedly had countermeasures in place.J5I5e5
mwBN“If he became an enemy, he’d be more dangerous than anyone. He must be made into an ally—no matter what it takes.”MM6x
xwDpsKRAnd more than anything, having someone of his caliber as an ally would be a tremendous asset in Cedric’s path to the throne.8sp5UUh
a0WgsdCedric’s eyes gleamed with a fierce hunger for talent as he looked toward the place where Lucian had disappeared.0VT3XLA
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