Chapter 50
xnl0mGx“C-Count Dominic!”PEvnQ
CpLUXw“His Excellency was beheaded!”32Us4M
pjUTzVPanic erupted from the reserve unit upon witnessing Dominic’s decapitation.gr8zqbs
f7EhLrAn army that loses its commander immediately descends into chaos. Dominic, now dead, ended up receiving the exact strategy he had intended to use.yue
S0qUxbf“Wipe them all out!”wan9noB
nvbYm6“Waaah!”zZJmo
HmPAt Lucian’s shout, the thousand elites crushed the reserve forces in a single blow.xrL
jfg8DqkThey were few to begin with, and with their morale shattered, they were swept away in an instant.hZy
DFVAfter eliminating the reserves, Lucian immediately threw the head to his aide Gerard and ordered.de1LA
FZ3Gr“Sir Gerard! Tie this head to a spear and display it for all to see!”0gErL
Obw“Yes, young master!”wO7
kB90Gerard gave the order instantly and mounted the head high on a spear.EXX4D
LACVSThe Krephelt army, which had been pushing against the allied forces, froze upon seeing Dominic’s severed head displayed.hliK
tx1“T-The Count’s head…!”3nMuwCK
mFvJBThey had already been losing morale at the sight of enemy reinforcements.rq3q
6UEdWith the brutal death of their commander added to the mix, their fighting spirit vanished, and fear took over.U5R
fjOGyeAs the Krephelt troops wavered, the Valdeck army charged directly into their flank.Cv0vY2
lzFzhrL“Die, you filthy rats!”EOQq
9kv“R-Run! If you want to live, run!”8w98y
ELUjlV“Idiots! Don’t turn your backs!”CTQ0
HIlUtoPLesser commanders tried to regroup the soldiers, but it was useless.aKHd7ZD
iKuHaving broken the Great Agreement, they knew that if they lost the war, they would have to pay the full price.RCP
th7DNj4As defeat became more evident, fear of future retaliation consumed the soldiers.KeDwYJJ
eCdk2“Damn it! Don’t break formation! If you retreat one more step, I’ll—!”XxAoFu
N8s“Ugh!”s7Hjvo
GCsFx“Kugh!”bJAZO
xGiw“If you don’t want to retreat, then I’ll cut you down myself.”tr5c9
d1VT8pCLucian charged at the field commanders trying to contain the chaos and decapitated them one by one.24Yz9O8
vrMpnEvery time someone tried to issue orders, Lucian would rush to that spot, and little by little, all commanding voices disappeared.LxAd3
4TmTOaYIt wasn’t long before the Krephelt army completely collapsed, and the allied and Valdeck forces, riding a wave of high morale, pursued them mercilessly.7FYTiW
mqgobVR“Leave no one alive! We don’t need prisoners!”SVEy
Rw2“Justice for those bastards who broke the agreement!”8I0rR
HN0Y8“I’m Hugo! Etch it into your heads!”n4uyS
PpDoAs if releasing all their pent-up frustration, the allied army unilaterally massacred Krephelt’s troops.ElvDR
nf3Once victory was secured and everyone began to breathe easier, Cedric rushed to the First Prince, Claude.sKmRfl
fEA***quoaFj
Cfr“Eh… Ce-Cedric? Why are you…?”47yPb
zPQ2zCedric dismounted in front of a still-dazed Claude, knelt down, and shouted.dpf
ZXBXO“I made it in time, thank goodness! I came to rescue you with young master Lucian! Forgive your younger brother for not arriving sooner!”vzC
cr4e“…!?”MfEQog
52m8KAt Cedric’s words, the expressions of the other feudal lords turned ambiguous.0Oo0XjT
tHjKmGIf he had truly retreated all the way to the Horsen River, it wouldn’t have been possible to return so quickly.epA
sx0Pka6It was clear he had followed the allied army from a short distance.FpM
2ZkiQ9The problem was that this act, in itself, went against the order of the commander-in-chief, Claude.5dc
J2ux3Qi“Did His Highness the Second Prince ask young master Lucian to remain nearby?”qtGtKQk
QxV“Isn’t that, in practice, disobeying an order?”zr17H
hbVw1z“In any case, the result was extremely helpful. It should be considered a wise decision.”eM0V
Zasz“That’s not something that can be so easily overlooked. His Highness the Second Prince…”8JYXy2p
ZjilvThe murmurs of the feudal lords stopped abruptly.gsY
2iwThey couldn’t dare mention the most sensitive topic—succession to the throne.XrZ58n
J5ESensing the reactions around him, Second Prince Cedric kept his head lowered and let a faint smile cross his face.7ML
WUBx‘Yes, it was an inexcusable act of disobedience. And it also damaged my brother’s authority. But who could blame me now?’bRp3ni
fYGHad Cedric obediently followed the order, Claude would have died or been captured right there.1VWuCF
rpRk5ExHe had practically prevented a catastrophe, so it was difficult to openly call it disobedience.0J3Rq
SPCw0Moreover, everyone had witnessed with their own eyes Cedric moving against Claude’s command.ElVCZ
srWgCc‘They must’ve also realized that I’m not entirely disinterested in the throne. Now they’ll be busy calculating which side benefits them more.’KprpcmL
5bGZAs long as Claude’s authority remained and the Emperor supported him, showing ability was dangerous in itself.hPH6
RYXbWith the Emperor’s nature, if Cedric even showed the slightest ambition for the throne, he would’ve been sent far away, to some border region.5TB
YPu4D7But with this incident, Claude had blatantly demonstrated his incompetence before the entire Empire.UtYFpDf
MzLPFor the nobles, it was inevitable to begin considering Cedric as a possible replacement for Claude.g5e
PD2v4qGNo matter how much the Emperor tried to push him aside, he would undoubtedly face fierce opposition.XtN7z
NfIift‘In reality, it wasn’t me, but Lucian who acted directly—but there’s no need to correct that misunderstanding. Those details weren’t part of our deal.’0hKVXaQ
IgEAWhile Lucian was accumulating martial fame, Cedric was planning to present himself as the wise one who had foreseen everything and prepared in advance.VdlDY
9QlswWithout telling a single lie, simply guiding others into a misunderstanding through the atmosphere would be enough to prevent even Lucian from protesting.VB51
ZkiMJust as Cedric, having finished his calculations, was about to recreate the mood that would fuel that misunderstanding—pUH
TQm“So all of this was part of the First Prince’s arrangements. Truly a brilliant mind.”6tqXyWl
PZp4cQMThe marquis exclaimed admiringly, loud enough for everyone to hear. At those unexpected words, the nobles blinked in confusion.gbMEh
hNP“What’s he talking about all of a sudden? Isn’t the First Prince right here?”av3
jiQjlV“Think carefully. Do you really believe the Second Prince, loyal as he is, would disobey orders on his own? This was clearly done under a secret order from the First Prince.”QYX1V
51eRQ“…!”ducPmme
Xp2bQ1“From the moment he sent the Second Prince to the rear, it must have all been an act. They coordinated their words to avoid suspicion from enemy spies. Isn’t that right?”y9iVc
AY7JEWith blood dripping from one ear and red eyes, the marquis smiled smugly.zC1Rl8y
MI8U0At Bernhardt’s hateful smile, Cedric unknowingly clenched his teeth.2wRs
GvXw‘That crazy old man! Is he trying to give all the credit to my brother or force me to openly confess disobedience?’tuhJ
xcC3nIt was hard for Claude’s faction to casually bring up disobedience, but it was also difficult for Cedric to openly admit his own wrongdoing.dLW2Ild
ZZ85Q42There’s a difference between taking responsibility while earning merit and willingly admitting fault, giving the other party justification for punishment.O23UC
fcNMarquis Bernhardt had cleverly exploited that point, shifting the focus from Claude to Cedric.Sz1
4JexP‘Sorry, Second Prince, but I can’t let you take the glory. No matter how foolish the First Prince is, it’s still better than letting you rise to the throne.’bKaL2uH
qUeKF9FTheir sharp gazes clashed in the air like sparks flying.Tvg
k8zd9Claude, who had barely regained his composure, understood the situation belatedly and began nodding frantically.W0eH
7MzA“Y-Yes, just as the marquis says! Cedric, you did really well!”ous
T1rfi‘Damn it…!’8AC
XZNZot9Cedric seethed inside.I2dz4r
XFOOjnNormally, Claude couldn’t even dress himself properly, yet in moments like these, he had an incredibly quick instinct.E2Okzp
DMVH9Uj“Even if it was my order, to act with such speed! Truly timely!”4NMrzft
NzbzX“…It was nothing.”FwleA
NCQpWZCedric replied while suppressing his emotions and raised his head slightly.rdH2EL7
mpa9L4In Claude’s eyes, which were still trembling, there was now a clear wariness.REt
gzHUnlike before, it was obvious he had sensed Cedric’s ambition.2g1zyb
twopQGj‘Damn it… I underestimated that old vulture.’W9E40S
rawGElJust as he was about to sigh over how the marquis had flipped the situation in a single blow—jYwhGo
gwac“It’s our victory! Buuuuu!”dgjAEeF
P4C7ZO“Waaaaaa!”zvgu
bTAThe horns and cheers echoed from the direction where the Kreppelt soldiers were being chased.9TH
0yL44t***POF
5UvBChuak.d7qOy
qFIBGLucian wiped the blood from his sword and looked at the fleeing soldiers in the distance.osTsGC6
PmVQxVgThere were fewer than a hundred, but having let them escape, they would surely report the defeat to the main army.ReL
M9wt“What a shame. We should’ve wiped them all out.”ZKS
lfHZz5“You’ve earned more than enough merit already, Third Young Master!”f4Ggc
xKUyAide Gerard’s eyes widened at Lucian’s regretful tone.8PGVw8
9kzk“You beheaded the enemy commander, rescued the First Prince, rallied near-defeated troops, and left the enemy unable to recover. On top of that, you took down over seven knights. What more merit could you possibly need?”Waz
DyCFJsT“The problem isn’t merit—it’s those who escaped. Once Kreppelt hears of this, they’ll come after us with everything before we can retreat. It would’ve been better to cut off the information entirely.”GOy5I
zeddd“…No…”W7vKncz
CGnekGerard stopped short of asking if Lucian wasn’t being too much of a perfectionist.jHE9
btMREdLucian wasn’t obsessed—he merely expressed a passing regret.Ech
SjXeIt wasn’t greed, but the awareness that he could have done more.8QJ2rLe
mzApg‘So this is what it feels like to have a different standard… The Third Young Master sees it as natural to operate on a much higher level than I do.’Qy7
HgZx6Leaving Gerard behind with a bitter smile, Lucian turned his horse’s reins.kvxIK
OQMMcThe battle was over, and it was time to report to the commander-in-chief, Claude.OxEGYp
vLrMsMHowever, before Lucian could dismount and kneel, Claude spoke first.RMANA
7QKRnR“Excellent work, Lucian! Just as I ordered, you were watching the enemy closely from the rear.”VZat
Qp5“…?”k3Gte
tGfWhat was he talking about? Lucian blinked and looked around.r6yy
MaUtpESeeing the marquis smiling and Cedric’s twisted expression, he more or less understood the situation.Tk4V
XW80P‘Ah, so that’s what this is.’56Avux
oqQnFLucian and Cedric’s actions were, without a doubt, direct disobedience.PVgc
XLMObCeNo matter how much merit they had earned, openly saying “I disobeyed the commander’s orders and acted on my own” wasn’t easy.XlGa
Xu1So they were trying to credit everything to the First Prince. A truly cunning move.ccd10XU
AHhRq2‘Sorry, but I don’t intend to accept such an unfair deal.’dIi
2xEPzaRLucian gave an ironic smile, then tilted his head with a confused expression.HQy57cK
yghpkTm“Your Highness, what do you mean? An order?”EiY
EJCv“Of course I gave you an order! I told you to pretend to retreat and follow us while watching the enemy! That’s what I’m talking about!”bUOwH
720vDiClaude raised his voice and widened his eyes deliberately.4kX9e
ulWLIt was a look asking him to play along, but Lucian frowned and looked at Blasker.eT05yp
2NE6y09“Lord Blasker, what’s going on here?”YjKg
UJoAlLz“W-What are you saying?”hlgLgW
bmm“I’m certain I said I’d take full responsibility. Why are you all trying to cover for me like this?”1RChfb
cXT“No, Lucian…”lCuXi5
wzGpDC“Reward the merit, punish the crime! Merit is merit, and crime is crime. I will not avoid my responsibility! Please don’t do something like this again!”sgQnxn
8XGfYP3Having said that firmly, Lucian dropped to both knees and struck the ground with his head.RmBxhYQ
5JQeNBThen, with a voice full of emotion, he cried out to Claude.0N8
7beg1“Your Highness! I deeply appreciate your intent to protect me, but this is not right! I received no order and disobeyed by staying back! How could I claim otherwise?”Xve
zhXw1nf“…!”ldpu
LDR“Though I was meant to remain in the rear, I couldn’t bear the worry and followed you! I didn’t even heed the Second Prince’s warnings! It was entirely my own decision, so I beg you to administer proper punishment!”71t9p76
xkefrjrThunk!mzHZqF
9GthLucian struck the ground with his head once more.iSEt2
vFKTThe nobles fell silent and exchanged glances.DDFZn
tZWcEltThough he hadn’t said much, his words were full of detail that allowed everyone to reconstruct the entire situation.QZUltjK
nUwnzyV‘Then… he didn’t follow the army on the First Prince’s order?’qaSSv0F
tw5Ka‘He was supposed to retreat but disobeyed on his own?’5qu4aT
tEuVnU‘If that’s true, the Second Prince didn’t help at all.’uoPsCa
Tu0uS1mWith Lucian confessing to disobedience, all the credit was now entirely his.coAY
X0F0In other words, both princes had tried to steal his merit.FUDW1B
0kFVskCedric and Marquis Bernhardt, humiliated with just a few sentences, gave dry chuckles.vwLZ
XuZCN‘The marquis was no pushover, but Lucian’s on another level.’u2g5G
CFv4vbw‘What a ruthless man. He really burns everything down to the ground.’Swdf
Uw8Even though Lucian had admitted to disobedience, no one suggested punishing him.iMNYj
NfbUnlike Cedric, tied to the imperial family, Lucian was the full representative of the Valdeck duchy.XoZ
b2lCaKPunishing him after he had saved Claude would only provoke the wrath of Duke Sigmund—and perhaps even the Emperor.ctrS
0p8R“Grr…!”mVT6N
9juY0Claude trembled, face red.2r7VR
qE1xzpThis made him look like an incompetent commander, a ruler who couldn’t recognize talent, and someone who had tried to steal another’s merit.2ee
UScHis rage boiled like a volcano on the verge of erupting—but the cold stares from the nobles pulled him back to reality.JNE
Sleh8x‘N-No… if I lose control now, the next heir…’I8Lw
GYtTS4If he exploded, he’d lose the last shreds of authority and prestige he had left, and might even provoke open rebellion from Cedric.NkBCbw
z4XlForcing a smile, Claude personally helped Lucian to his feet.jHL8m
4KKt“N-No, don’t do that. How could I punish you? If anything, I should apologize for damaging your honor with such a clumsy defense.”iduB3P
LHPAeip“No, Your Highness! It’s all my fault for disobeying!”i0uhe
3yAi“What fault is there? If anything, all I see is merit for having saved me. So rise and lend me your aid.”zzBT
MtDQClaude tried his best to sound gentle, though his voice trembled with humiliation.U9gPRAH
ezRcNow, he had no choice but to cling desperately to the façade of a ruler protecting his loyal vassal—the image Lucian had thrown at him.CTU
BG1t5SWLucian gave him a dazzling smile upon seeing his half-crying, half-smiling expression.QuNviy
flEbun“If Your Highness shows such generosity, how could I not be moved? I will serve you with all my loyalty!”paWQ
7ZL“Please… do… please…”LNs7n
I4HfYEWith his head bowed, Claude praised Lucian in a resigned tone.LVY5bQ
1OFnAs he shook Claude’s hand, Lucian glanced at Marquis Bernhardt.1Lt5
QJFNAfter locking eyes for a moment, the marquis looked away.pq9W
nVuWith all his plans ruined, his voice now carried no weight.aXX2
PpYhFrom now on, the allied army would have no choice but to move according to Lucian’s will.nlH6n
lZHw“Your Highness, though the battle just ended and everyone must be exhausted, I request that a war council be called immediately. May I have your permission?”tSNA
IH0fVWR“…So be it.”fgFPEHY
0C3HOFaced with a request that allowed no refusal, Claude nodded, unable to resist.Jd8
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