Chapter 80

Harald’s expression hardened.

An inspector.

An official sent by the imperial family when there were signs of tax evasion, hints of rebellion, or conflicts between nobles within a territory.

Unless it was a serious case, one was rarely sent, so the position was always temporary—but its authority was immense.

It didn’t matter who the inspector was—whatever came out of their mouth was equivalent to a verdict from the Emperor.

‘An imperial inspector in the North…?’

It was a matter capable of causing the North—already uneasy due to distrust toward the imperial family—to explode.

However, Lucian smiled and gave Harald a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry. I was the one who requested His Majesty to send him.”

“You were the one who asked for an inspector? When the hell did you…?”

“Just before leaving my home.”

Upon hearing that, Harald reacted immediately. Come to think of it, if the request had been made after arriving in the North, there was no way the inspector could have gotten there so quickly.

Appointing the right person, preparing them, and sending them north would take considerable time. It only made sense if the request had been made before the journey.

“What kind of scheme were you plotting?”

“Just an insurance, in case things went wrong. Though, well… it’s ended up fitting almost perfectly.”

“Insurance?”

“For now, let’s receive the inspector together. We can’t keep His Majesty’s representative waiting too long.”

“Hmm…”

Though Harald felt uneasy, he nodded. If they left the inspector waiting, it could raise unnecessary suspicions.

He had questions—many—but he knew the answers would come as soon as they heard the contents of the imperial decree.

***

Lucian went out to receive the inspector and froze.

A far too familiar face looked at him with a smile.

“Sir Glenn.”

“It’s been a while. Though, now that I think about it, maybe not that long.”

He was a knight of the Order of the Black Scale— the same man who, when Lucian visited the capital, had helped him and guided him through a secret passage.

Lucian had expected someone favorable, but not to the point of them sending Glenn.

‘Don’t they usually send court nobles for things like this? Even if he’s trustworthy, sending a knight…’

Though the inspector position was temporary and didn’t depend on original rank, it was still an extraordinary appointment.

It could even be seen as an excessive show of favor toward Lucian.

“I’m glad I found you so soon. When His Majesty told me he didn’t know your exact destination and to head north to look for you, I nearly panicked.”

It was the consequence of having submitted the request before departing—there had been no specific destination.

“Even so, thanks to Your Excellency’s reputation, it wasn’t hard to find you. You know, a needle in a sack can’t stay hidden.”

“You flatter me too much. But tell me, what did His Majesty say…?”

“Ah, I’ve rambled too much out of excitement. Let me first deliver His Majesty’s message.”

Glenn took out the decree, wiped the smile from his face, and proclaimed solemnly:

“Lucian Valdeck, son of Sigmund Valdeck, heed the order of His Majesty the Emperor!”

Lucian immediately knelt. An imperial decree required the same protocol as a direct audience with the Emperor.

“The sovereign of the Empire, Karl von Bay Astria, recognizes the legitimate rights of Lucian Valdeck over the remaining inheritance of House Grimaldi. As the maternal grandson of the former duke, your rights shall be guaranteed, and anyone who opposes them shall face the imperial forces.”

The corner of Lucian’s lips lifted.

With a decree like that, no matter how Calix tried to block it, they would have no choice but to yield the inheritance.

Good thing I prepared that insurance… though now I owe the Emperor a huge favor.

“Furthermore.”

Glenn’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. It wasn’t over yet.

“Lucian Valdeck is hereby granted the title of Border Marquis and authorized to restore House Grimaldi, including the use of a double surname. From this day forth, you shall bear the names Grimaldi and Valdeck, retaining all legitimate rights from both lineages.”

“…!?”

Lucian’s eyes widened.

Border Marquis and double surname?

Glenn bowed his head with a smile.

“My congratulations, my lord. You are now the Border Marquis Grimaldi. Or should I say, Duke?”

Lucian couldn’t react.

He had refused the title of Border Marquis in the past because accepting it would have meant forfeiting his claim to Valdeck’s succession.

And now, not only had they granted him the title, but also acknowledged the double surname and preserved his rights as a Valdeck.

It was such an excessive privilege, it bordered on absurdity.

‘This doesn’t seem like mere favor it reeks of maneuvering.’

Looking up, he saw that everyone was equally stunned—his vassals, and even Baron Harald, with his mouth agape.

Amid the absolute silence, Glenn placed a hand on Lucian’s shoulder.

“My lord, please compose yourself. We’ll discuss the details inside.”

His expression was entirely serious.

“…Baron Harald, allow us to use the drawing room for a moment.”

“Ah… yes… I mean, of course.”

Harald hastily corrected his tone.

Lucian now held a position even higher than his own.

Lucian gave a small apologetic gesture and followed Glenn into the drawing room.

When he tried to bring Harald along, Glenn shook his head and whispered in a firm, cold voice.

“My lord, this is a confidential letter from His Majesty. It cannot be revealed to anyone else.”

“…”

A secret letter, on top of everything else?

For a moment, Lucian thought this might have been meant for Duke Sigmund himself. After offering Harald an apologetic look, he entered the room with Glenn.

***

“What the hell does all this mean? Border marquis? I only intended for my right to my grandfather’s inheritance to be recognized.”

“It’s natural for you to be confused. I’ll explain everything right away. But first, one moment…”

Glenn opened the drawing room door, checked the hallway, and then began placing strange circular disks in different corners of the room.

Once the four disks were arranged in a square, a reddish energy spread across the entire room.

“What’s that?”

“A magical artifact that prevents sound from escaping outside.”

At such thorough precautions, Lucian clicked his tongue.

Only once the red glow faded did Glenn finally let out a sigh of relief and look at Lucian.

“Alright, now you may ask anything you wish.”

“Let’s start with the basics. What exactly is my title? I heard I’m allowed to use a compound surname.”

“That’s correct, literally. Your Highness is both a duke and a border marquis, as well as a candidate for head of House Valdeck.”

It almost sounded like a tongue-twister, but on closer inspection, each title belonged to a distinct category.

The title of duke referred to the original Grimaldi duchy—a high-ranking noble house—but practically, it was an honorary title with little more than a small village as territory.

“In contrast, the border marquisate is something entirely different.”

Exceptionally low taxes, virtually no restrictions on permanent troops, and immense regional power.

Although the nominal rank was that of a marquis, the actual authority far exceeded that of many traditional marquis houses.

The emperor had decided to maintain the Grimaldi rank while also granting Lucian a title with real power.

“His Majesty asked that you understand. To increase your authority any further would require granting you a title like Grand Duke or Elector Prince, which would be excessive. This was the only viable solution.”

“I understand. But if I’m a border marquis, then my territory…”

“Before that, please read this.”

Interrupting Lucian, Glenn handed him something.

It wasn’t a luxurious scroll, but a small, black, folded piece of paper. At a glance, it seemed insignificant—but that made it all the more unsettling.

When he unfolded it, he found a message written with utmost formality.

— I’ll omit unnecessary words. I assume you’re quite confused right now. You’ve received something far greater than what you asked for. You might even suspect I’m laying a trap.

Without realizing it, Lucian nodded. Just as the letter said, the emperor’s offer was so generous it felt suspicious.

— You may find this hard to believe, but I have no intention of harming you. On the contrary, I urgently need your help. More precisely, my son, Claude, needs allies. I want you to form your own faction and support him.

“Hmm.”

That wretched first prince.

Why was this emperor so obsessed with him?

After everything Lucian had proven on the battlefield, the second prince was a hundred times better.

Lucian held back a sigh, but his eyes widened at the next part.

— You may wonder why I insist so much on him. It’s simple. The second cannot use the magical artifacts reserved only for those of true imperial blood. I won’t go into detail. Now that you know this, I trust you’ll act wisely.

“…!”

Damn it. Lucian instinctively crumpled the letter and shot a wary glance at Glenn.

The latter looked away, pretending to know nothing. Lucian wanted to do the same, but it was too late.

— Grow strong. Build a faction. And support that child. Do not forget the favors I’ve granted you. There is no trap—only benevolence. Repay that benevolence to my son. That is all I have to say.

Fwoosh.

As soon as he finished reading, Lucian threw the letter into a nearby candle and burned it.

Despite the sudden gesture, Glenn remained calm.

“It seems you’ve finished reading.”

“Do you know the contents?”

“No.”

His expression showed no trace of a lie, though it was clear he wasn’t completely ignorant of the imperial family’s secrets—or what Lucian had just learned.

Clicking his tongue, Lucian scattered the ashes and fell into deep thought.

‘Is the emperor running out of time?’

In his past life, he had believed the emperor fell ill after losing the first prince. But now he wasn’t so sure.

Perhaps the illness had already existed, and his time was limited long before. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have revealed something so delicate so directly.

Even if it meant forcing the situation, the emperor clearly intended to secure a solid support base before his death.

“Your Highness, His Majesty requests an answer.”

Under Glenn’s sharp gaze, Lucian gave a bitter smile. If the letter’s contents were true, then the second prince had no rightful claim to succession.

Supporting him was impossible.

Besides, they had restored the name Grimaldi, granted him a border marquisate, and preserved his claim to House Valdeck.

After receiving so much, he couldn’t afford to refuse.

“Tell His Majesty that Lucian Valdeck will never forget the grace shown to him today—and that he will serve the first prince with loyalty.”

“A truly wise decision! As expected of Your Highness…”

“I appreciate the compliment, but—”

Lucian cut Glenn off before he could continue. He didn’t want flattery right now.

“First, tell me what land His Majesty has granted me. If I’ve been made a border marquis, I assume I’ve been given territory to match, right?”