Chapter 54
Z0sYWhen night fell, Lucian addressed the knights.Ij6
T4URWXr“After such intense combat, the soldiers must be exhausted. Let’s rest a day in each village before continuing.”XrOkr
Dsi“Huh?”YnidN
V055fNAt Lucian’s sudden proposal, Gerard blinked in surprise.do6eq
3iZTbIf they marched quickly, they could arrive soon and rest then; stopping in each village would only needlessly prolong the return. Instead of easing their fatigue, wouldn’t it just make everything slower?tZe
y6bZ“Third Young Master, in my opinion…”PtH
SXx3s“Shh. Let’s talk later. I have my reasons for doing this.”yLEqN
xVLLucian silenced Gerard by raising a finger to his lips.HBbgY
nGhRaymond and the other knights, though visibly confused, obeyed without protest.jt6m
WWZbSo far, Lucian had never done anything without a clear purpose.hYjJYdH
LXXhJFollowing his will, the Valdeck army decided to spend the night in a small village.JWEeQF
q5fF6“Ah! Wh-what are you doing here, m-my lords…?”KlPs5lv
9aSjm“We’ll just be resting one night. We’ll pay accordingly, so please prepare food for the soldiers.”EJ67SSZ
1QjB“Y-yes, yes! I’ll get it ready right away!”ceqBYk
nmny60TThe village chief, panicking, hurriedly gave orders to accommodate the soldiers.Bdd
8I8RW2aThe place was so small it hardly had houses to offer for lodging, but the soldiers, used to such conditions, remained silent.nS4eI
qgoURHaThe villagers, who at first trembled in fear, calmed down upon seeing that these elite soldiers, with impeccable discipline, committed no looting.RJZ
ZzvSB“You’d better stay at my house. It’s humble, but it’s the best in the village…”jcqcS4
cgD5“It’s enough. Thank you.”9bSkhKo
0UYAs expected from a small village, the chief’s house wasn’t anything grand, but it was more spacious than the others and could host over a dozen people.XHJugE1
xHnm3Once inside, Lucian gathered the knights and spoke.c4FYN
sgG“We’re not going straight to Kelheim. We’ll slow down the march.”uxQ
aO2SeSD“What do you mean, all of a sudden?”LGcB
ZtE8“Think about it. If we return to Kelheim right now, will anyone recognize our merits? I think most won’t even know what happened and will just be confused.”QZ6
RRzAt those words, the knights all nodded.JPoTN69
t0kRbthUsually, the details of a war become known after the reward ceremony, when rumors begin to circulate.HJk
DOjAABefore that, news also leaks, but only because a good amount of time passes until everyone gathers at the imperial palace.bQz3Z16
e4AIn this case, where the army disbanded as soon as the war ended, there hadn’t been enough time for rumors to spread.OQleN1
OXthb“Rigid people think that if they do the right thing, others will eventually recognize it. But that’s an illusion. Whatever you do—if you don’t announce it yourself—no one will know.”d7z
zbO5V“Then what you’re saying is…”ptFoUb
isCe3Y“Before returning to Kelheim, I intend to make it known how this war unfolded. Of course, I can’t say it myself, so it’ll have to spread through others.”f64
xejThe knights looked at each other, murmuring, surprised by an idea they hadn’t considered.cpLWbfC
dh6WThough they were all nobles and not ignorant of politics, it couldn’t be said that they had any particular talent for it.Octisku
uLOmDWhile trying to understand how they should interpret Lucian’s plan, the strategist Gerard spoke.LhIEFOM
2e1r“But wouldn’t that be like airing the imperial family’s dirty laundry? Even His Majesty the Emperor avoided a reward ceremony, so for us to go and spread it…”BpJmKvd
XJ8rn“Then, Sir Gerard, do you think it’s fine to be lumped in with the allied army and treated like mere losers? Your own merit would be buried along with theirs.”U2p59tJ
FRF0“Hmm.”DQK5
J23njIs‘Right to the point.’yFvov5
0C15Gerard shut his mouth.jAaia2
qHEiRRIn a situation like this, there was no reason to take responsibility for what wasn’t his fault.sf7K
YoxIt was already unfair enough for his merits to be buried—there was no need to carry others’ mistakes too.q0MM
WQbpWSoldiers were content with material rewards, but for a knight, reputation was everything.2EsRl
ctq8“If you’re thinking that later, when the truth comes out, everything will be fine—then you’d better give up on that idea. My other brothers will do everything they can to bury these merits just to keep me in check. Remember this well—this is the last chance to raise your own name.”Ye6F5B
ZbcrLThe knights, who had been hesitating, looked at each other as if awakening. One after another, they raised their voices.raVdh5D
4mZ“As the Third Young Master says. If there were no achievements, that would be one thing—but what’s the point in hiding the ones you did accomplish?”xIe
jyzTu“Taking blame that isn’t even ours isn’t a virtue—it’s just stupidity. I’ll follow the Third Young Master’s lead.”p7I8tw5
aF5m“Me too!”Qpm
moyvcd“Count me in as well!”0BTNLG
rXUw27zSince their own reputations were on the line, the knights sided with Lucian without reservation.DQbHBN
kzkVHe gave a satisfied smile, then rubbed his chin, thoughtful.uHJ
x1v2d“I’m glad you all agree, but the problem is how to spread the rumor without it seeming intentional. Sir Raymond, any ideas?”8nMBoz
KJxKk“It’s tough that you’re asking me. I’m better at hiding things from people.”2W2FHN
EpNRaymond, serving as a bodyguard, scratched his neck awkwardly.FXk2
O48EYIt wasn’t that he had no experience in covert operations, but it had always been about avoiding attention—not inciting rumors.fzri
nq4imXlLucian, on the other hand, had done this kind of maneuver many times before, though almost always personally; ordering others to do it was new territory.du1bYnH
zvOT‘I don’t have a truly reliable assistant, and I can’t leave the army and go around on my own. Besides, with this body, no one would take me seriously.’bbqrfl
SL5FlgCEven if he hid his identity, at just sixteen years old, no one would fully believe what he said.AdMB
OgUTo spread rumors, they needed someone who looked like they’d seen the ups and downs of the world.4l2A8Kz
no5lzWhile pondering, Lucian called for Hugo, who had been resting.VRMZQei
XxSGD0v“How’s your job as squad captain going?”p0iiQjy
qKIDL9“It’s no longer just a formality. Everyone acknowledges me as captain. Looks like what I did in the last battle left a strong impression.”NIUm0YJ
xFHHugo shrugged proudly. It was no small thing to gain recognition among elite soldiers, not just street thugs.PfZ
x9EZ“But why did you call for me? You said you wouldn’t until we returned, to avoid rumors of favoritism.”08n
IaP“Actually, there’s a problem.”3KTVBqZ
t7SsLucian explained the situation—he wanted the rumors about the battle to spread as naturally as possible, but he couldn’t find the right person for the job.cLJr
jxVUpon hearing this, Hugo smiled broadly and pounded his chest.njYwq
n7N9UZH“You came to the right place. There’s someone under my command who’s perfect for this mission.”K7I8dX
tog9kkh“You’re going to do it yourself? Well, with your background in the underworld, stirring up rumors shouldn’t be—”C77WgHd
gLxz“No, not me. One of my subordinates.”x0oqA
hv5lYg“What? A soldier from your squad?”HPrWsP
awc5NSo just a regular soldier? Although, considering the army gathered people from all walks of life, it wouldn’t be strange if someone suitable was among them.FYsEr
KPHJW“He dreamed of becoming a bard, but his father told him to stop with that nonsense and forced him to enlist. It seems the soldier life doesn’t treat him too badly either, but when it comes to telling stories—he’s truly exceptional.”T1sXbx
FbEfAwHugo spoke enthusiastically, claiming the guy could’ve made it as a professional storyteller.ftYGsfb
iNoaLjAGiven how confidently he praised him, his talent seemed unquestionable, though Lucian was concerned about something else.Ubkru5E
kL1“Will he be able to tell the story without raising suspicion? If it’s obvious that I gave the order, it’ll be a problem.”ppLa
7JxTsG“There’s no need to give a direct order.”6sXmO
Ivr9“How so?”khqToJX
P41Qc“Isn’t it true that what men love most is talking about their own exploits? With just any excuse, if we send him to another village, he’ll tell the whole thing himself.”V9g
jocLucian’s eyes lit up.MlL5XH
mjkCome to think of it, that’s just how people are by nature.i0fyF7b
6Uo50Focused on the big picture in both his past and current life, he had forgotten such a basic desire.jRZl
dQ7CwHe himself, in earlier days, had been a rookie eager to boast about his feats.YbWhu
QGG“Hugo, as the commander-in-chief, I need to give you an order.”GHSIDP
82Kr“To me? Not to my subordinates?”9DyRHZ3
0h3BPu“Lately, I haven’t had much of an appetite, but suddenly I’ve got a craving for salted venison. Take your squad around the area and find the tastiest one you can.”NC6gzG8
iz0ZHugo tilted his head, puzzled, then smiled.aCnz
FrXZHe bowed deeply and replied in a casual tone.PdjyYaT
10NHHRT“I’ll go wherever needed, talk as much as possible, and come back, Commander-in-Chief.”AltYw
5LlIL***hpcbtI2
68CwONMLucian came up with all sorts of excuses to slow the march as much as possible.NYh
YY1Meanwhile, Hugo and his squad scoured every corner of the Valdeck territory.y6LoUBS
dKUvSs“The war’s already over?”ZtQ00sh
MsT“Of course! Those guys broke the Grand Accord. What else could we do? We had to head back before they even poisoned the water.”NnRxF9D
3KKlClc“Heavens, poison! Are you injured?”6Ib
lBrKmk“Injured? Not at all! On the contrary—we fought across the battlefield right beside Lucian!”zjN
iysUsing the funds Lucian had given them, the soldiers from Hugo’s squad ate, drank, and talked freely.lb4r4
8hXXu8NWithout needing orders—and simply by not being silenced—the details of the battle poured from their mouths.BfGzPT
5TKmbIn particular, the soldier Hugo had mentioned showed his full storytelling talent recounting Lucian’s deeds.p0R
HQUWn“…I later found out the First Prince insulted him, telling him if he was scared, he should stay behind. How could he say something like that? Lucian was only worried about His Highness.”nAPYYK
wOu“And then what happened?”EuH9a
bwm“What do you think? He had no choice but to stay back. But even so, Lucian showed his foresight and decided to follow in secret. He just wanted to make sure His Highness arrived safely at Bodium Castle.”wotGkG
kNU“Wow, if they had caught him, it would’ve been direct disobedience.”FhG5
445qx“So did they find out and punish him?”ghQ
YGhSc“On the contrary! Just like Lucian predicted, the signal flares started going off—crackle, crackle! And as if he’d seen it coming, he turned and said in a deep voice, ‘It’s time to move.’”8A8M
gCbWith some details omitted, the raw truth spread across the entire Valdeck territory—the clash between Lucian and Marquis Bernhardt, the First Prince’s incompetence, the breaking of the Grand Accord, the rescue of the allied army, and the emperor’s appearance.hYSm
6RqkK9JThe stories, filled with drama, made sure no one stopped talking about the battle.YCQmVC
GZKGEventually, the news reached the ears of Grand Duke Sigmund and Lucian’s brothers in Kelheim.nbI
wvvh9“We must summon that idiot immediately!”jKStJQ
xp6SJordi spoke to the Grand Duke, his face red with anger, the veins in his neck bulging.qnq
yOND41g“When a battle ends, a general must return immediately to report! And instead, he abandons his duty and parades around flaunting his achievements! What kind of foolishness is that?”Ye9
0KO89ki“It’s true our brother earned merits, but the allied army was defeated. For the Empire, that’s a tragedy. Spreading news like this doesn’t look good—objectively speaking.”p0ibJ
nr9AFJoshua added his words, sounding calm, though irritation seeped through his voice. Tristan, also in a sour mood, chimed in.WYo
6LAbZpg“Putting everything else aside, this is something His Majesty wanted to keep buried. Going against that and revealing the details can’t be considered wise politics.”kpd
Nx0DyM“Hmm.”m7pqx
N3SRFaced with his sons’ opposition, Grand Duke Sigmund stroked his chin, thoughtful.5CcrA
Kfd5There were certainly questionable points about Lucian’s actions. Seeing his hesitation, Jordi thought his argument had worked and raised his voice.6wj4wXr
56qZDqQ“Father, you must summon Lucian immediately and scold him in front of everyone. If this continues, people will idolize him like a hero.”Odblzk
Hd0tuT“In front of everyone?”r2Waq
8pF“Yes! That way the others will also see his true face—”SyCLvVC
9F5XVb9“Tsk!”ouiXbo4
UfnMvkThe Grand Duke clicked his tongue sharply and shot Jordi a fierce glare.cNvi
8NaJordi flinched, startled by the sudden change.XKr
hLlGuS3“W-what’s the matter?”JN0h7
phGT“How pathetic. I’m not saying the third son is blameless, but you’re willing to ruin everything over a petty grudge.”Htc6D
Vf7R“Eh?”rh5
E1501“Do you think the third earned those merits all by himself? His accomplishments also belong to the soldiers and knights who fought with him. And yet you want to humiliate him in front of everyone? The people who risked their lives under our family’s name would be thrilled, I’m sure.”atEr
0naR“…”8ggK
7aYCTtwFaced with the Grand Duke’s scathing criticism, Jordi was left speechless.IT2wuRU
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