Chapter 86
zXfaUnless one is an eternal and immortal transcendent, any legacy inevitably requires a place to be stored.6YEj
ao6And the greater the legacy, the larger that storage place must also be.bCUmJna
hBqxpfIf, on top of that, the place is built in secret so no one can find it, the possible locations become even more limited.T1Ce72
5UMCHK‘In practice, outside of the royal palace, there aren’t many suitable places to hide something like this. The Empire surely suspected that—hence, they never handed over Asagrim.’BuP
BYp71jYThey couldn’t massacre a royal family that surrendered peacefully, so they most likely took Asagrim from them, granted them honor, and then drove them out.ZBfI
oaETGrimaldi must have accepted that fate, dreaming of a distant future in which they would one day rise again.xdeD
F9ZLwBut, as written in his maternal grandfather’s journal, the Empire managed to endure for a thousand years—and Grimaldi lost.chAp
vHxThe first to go extinct was the Grimaldi house itself.JlQen
mLUjT‘No wonder they were so docile with me.’UWWeX
a3KIxRLucian had never once visited the north in his entire life, nor had he ever met his maternal grandfather in person.TuLK6UZ
sl5And, according to the emperor’s letter, imperial legacies could only be used by the direct bloodline.gke
29GAMgThey must have believed that, being a collateral branch, Lucian would be unable to access any legacy even if it existed.bhu4n
d1P2cHowever, the legacy of the former royal family of the north seemed to be usable even by the third generation of collateral lines.BdD
ZGHr2Om‘This is a monumental stroke of luck.’9AwakFC
KwYLucian murmured to himself while pretending to stroke his chin, suppressing the grin threatening to burst into laughter.g4yZsdW
bIVIf he relaxed now, he’d probably break into uncontrollable laughter.zCHrM
R3PIt had all begun as a simple treasure hunt—and ended in a real clue to an actual legacy, and not just any legacy, but one from an ancient royal family.uM6
XvXGgcD“My lord, I know you’re pleased, but now isn’t the time for this.”fr9sf
cv1bgRaymond urgently grabbed Lucian’s shoulder, who had been silently laughing.MPbM
sDK“We have to burn all these records right now. The soldiers not knowing is one thing, but if Sir Glenn sees this…”sJAG
cY2kqkAt that moment, Lucian snapped back to reality.tLV
fnIAsagrim was something the Empire had held on to for a thousand years—just in case.VgV
YgMQWhat would happen if it were discovered that Lucian had rightful claim to a legacy?nhv
k8x‘Having only Asagrim taken away would be the best-case scenario. At worst, they might use me as a living key and strip me of the entire legacy.’yueUAm
ZNHEven if the legacies were designed to respond only to the correct bloodline, that didn’t mean they couldn’t be lent or exploited by others.sseZ
aimojjAfter all, the Emperor’s Red Wing Knights all used magical tools without exception.dX8z
9He4Lucian might end up little more than a scarecrow with nominal rights, forced to “lend” the legacy indefinitely.VxZt
oNH“You’re right. Burn it all.”5Ap
iEVVSiD“But these records belonged to the lord…”1kpY6aE
heIw“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing truly useful here. As long as I have the key, the ancestors won’t complain even if I burn everything.”7eGb9hv
rlQgkTo be honest, Lucian had no attachment to the diaries of his forebears.gnyhm
DmD7Most of them simply recounted the downfall of a declining house. Except for his grandfather, they all clung to a glory that would never return, repeating laments and despair.OQj
dpvG‘If even one of them had written what’s under the throne or how to use it, I might’ve saved a book or two—but that’s not the case.’LRO
4P7Fwoosh.STsRJd
kw3AHwZLucian gathered all the journals and set them ablaze with a torch. The dry, fragile paper caught fire instantly and was soon reduced to ashes.jZ0mLsL
zvYeDAs he watched over the disappearance of more than a thousand years of familial decay, Lucian’s eyes gleamed.N42L
t8wBRWith his grandfather’s inheritance now resolved, only one task remained.Rcns
7tVR1Tp***cuucW
XBM6A“Invite the northern lords to Asagrim?”7KP
ARi“Yes.”5YG
ujSV9DQGlenn, who had just returned from inspecting the towns to gauge public sentiment, blinked at Lucian’s proposal.IMD2OwQ
H2RBZWThey hadn’t even arrived at Asagrim yet, and he was already talking about invitations.7jAGy
F11ql“Your Highness, pardon the question, but where do you intend to get the funds for something like that?”B9Bq
u4Qc“I’d like to request support from the Emperor.”wwqvU
sFSU2“…”KM7fr
sMdGlenn looked at Lucian, incredulous.LmMN
D1K96lInvite others and ask the Emperor—who isn’t even the host—to pay?sRTuu
TOYZdCBut Lucian continued, unfazed.Sw9h
wA9rX7H“If possible, I would also like elite troops and knights to be lent. I’m not asking for them to be given to me, just loaned for a few months. As a border marquis, I need at least an army to enforce authority. After the investiture ceremony, I’ll also need time to consolidate my position.”E2yzML
H0ppOy“Your Highness, that’s asking too much. His Majesty has already provided considerable support…”BlgV
LXS6“At that event, I’ll officially announce my support for the First Prince.”nC8r1wp
mG9Z“…!”XNqn
qKGgtMAt Lucian’s bold declaration, Glenn froze completely.Slz8R
nYdiU7It was true that all the imperial support had been aimed at securing backing for the First Prince.d1LD1k
z184bCTBut Lucian still had to face the Calix family, and taking on such a major political burden right now was dangerous.wyfvy
8U5gThe idea had been to wait until he was firmly established in the north—yet here he was, announcing public support from the start.bQwC3
EbLGZeq“Are you aware of what you’re saying?”4wRVK
hgA0“Of course.”HERiKN6
r3hHzALLucian smiled broadly at Glenn’s confusion.MEE
wuAxN7“This will be the first time I openly speak on the matter of the throne, which until now has been nearly taboo. All the Empire’s attention will fall on me. In the worst case, it could even affect the competition for the next head of House Valdeck. I may earn enemies within the palace without even realizing it.”GfNDx
UYCOS“And even knowing that, you insist?”i1Ko
wlUY“Isn’t that exactly what the imperial family wants? That the heir of Grimaldi and lord of Asagrim declares his support for the First Prince. The north, which has always been indifferent to the succession, will naturally lean in my direction.”FmF2
LFQs“Well…”lxywDQ
hQ4QCGlenn couldn’t argue. Even though they had said Lucian could give his support later, this kind of early declaration was far more valuable.ObPSUP
7GAA public endorsement was not easily undone, and it showed there was already a power base.M49hfTm
uh0uEspecially when the most influential figure in the north clearly expressed support.n15Q
UaZMo9‘…It’s a compelling proposal. I should accept it and report it immediately. But… why do I feel so uneasy?’AzP
h2aCWwaLucian was someone who had risked his life for the Emperor and to protect the First Prince. Glenn respected him both personally and for his talent.L3j
508rBut he also had ambition, and he wasn’t a blind loyalist willing to die without gaining something in return.pwq
nHql0t‘The problem is I can’t see what he gains from this. For Lucian, it seems like all loss—and the Empire is the only one benefiting.’pvSLUS
c0ESeeing Glenn hesitate, Lucian smiled calmly.9hJr
91MKoWW“Sir Glenn, you seem to have a lot on your mind. For now, just report to His Majesty. In the end, it’s his decision. If he doesn’t approve, I won’t insist.”z1HL
4K3“…Understood.”hWbUsF
OBkvwR0Glenn nodded gravely. As a knight at heart, he wasn’t skilled at reading hidden intentions.jxd
4XEXLtxRather than draw the wrong conclusion, it was best to report to the Emperor and let him decide.aR8B2Dn
QUecy“Wait a day. I’ll go report to His Majesty right away.”sn41rlI
ekv***EJtfZxw
dcqqGlenn returned to his room, placed the red stone at the center, and arranged several soundproofing magic artifacts around it.HwSaF
28daFWhen all the preparations were complete and he began to operate the red stone, it began to glow with a faint tremor.C96E
oRRbAfter several minutes, a figure appeared from the stone, floating in the air along with a beam of light.JwR
Hi3bvY— Sir Glenn? What is it?KtPt2mC
V5PkUpon hearing the voice from the red stone, Glenn immediately dropped to one knee and adopted the posture of a knight.14l04A
OHeD7l“Your Imperial Majesty…”8Rybyf
Cbu80H— Enough. I’m in the middle of urgent affairs, so skip the formalities and get to the point. Has something strange happened in the north?nCE
OMi6“No, sire. Count Lucian has made a proposal. To be precise, it’s a proposal directed to Your Majesty.”i6wPC9
sKlko— A proposal? After giving him the Grimaldi duchy, the border marquisate, and Asagrim, that still isn’t enough?QYQ
fBjThe once calm voice now carried a trace of anger. He may not have expected sincere gratitude for something given unilaterally, but at least some moral debt.P8YMsbh
CwWBJBefore the misunderstanding could deepen, Glenn quickly added.b05sZ
gQOCf5y“It’s not like that. Duke Lucian merely wishes for Your Majesty to provide a little support in unifying the north.”kQ6H
O4Jk— What do you mean?FvS
QXOr0“He told me the following…”ndW
H8pKdxGlenn conveyed Lucian’s proposal his intent to invite the northern lords to a banquet, request troops to display authority, and publicly declare his support for the First Prince at that very event.rGoc8I
QhQBi“…So, unable to decide on my own, I dared to contact you to seek your judgment. I humbly ask for your wisdom.”FNSO63
fOytATI— Hahahahaha!FCkUq
x3GoAt the burst of laughter from the red stone, Glenn flinched.rGFJqN5
rehM72The previous anger vanished without a trace, replaced by obvious amusement.zr7woc
zruQfPz— Excellent! Tell him I accept. Ask how many troops he needs. If he wishes, I can even send part of the imperial knight order.jRwCy
r7E“Y-Your Majesty? Is that really all right?”Zj8N4o
Xbe— And why wouldn’t it be? He’s proposed something I myself once considered—and then discarded.xbSPG
xI9QD“Huh?”tkgys
et3CHfSeeing Glenn’s confusion, the emperor continued, his voice laced with laughter.Dhp
0q2X— Even though I personally granted Asagrim to him, the unstable elements, including Count Calix, won’t submit so easily now. He needs an army to crush those who oppose him. But armies don’t grow from the ground or fall from the sky. Building one from scratch takes too long, so borrowing is the only option.T2oj
wBtF— The Valdeck duchy is out of the question. Since it’s an issue involving the maternal family of their third son, they’ll treat it like someone else’s problem. Who would easily hand over valuable troops for something like that?Uohd
UfysUS“Then the remaining options are…”wXVAr
Ngs— Either rely on me or on the lords who support him. He could rely on both, but then the debt would become massive. And the problem is, he already owes me plenty.xA5skzk
Tjmz30As emperor, he’d assumed Lucian would never ask for troops. After receiving a duchy, a marquis title, and Asagrim, requesting an army would only add to his ever-growing debt.7oRnO
SmlUFtHowever, not only did Lucian ask directly for troops, he also declared he’d publicly support the First Prince immediately.GVMiw
cnwp0U— To be honest, I was a little worried. I thought perhaps he’d see the land I gave him as an unwanted burden. But if he’s asking for troops to protect it, then he won’t be able to go back on his word.qM8Su8T
J50bcXJ“I-I see…”FfUMxBI
bnwV— Thanks to that, one of my concerns has vanished. Though we’re currently suppressing the Krephelt rebellion, imperial power remains strong. We still have room to support him, so there’s nothing to worry about. Discuss the details with him and contact me again.2X00
T02TyJThe Emperor’s reassuring voice reached Glenn, who still looked dazed.UHhs
M16LSoon after, the red stone dimmed, and the figure disappeared. Glenn stood up, but despite having heard everything, his expression remained tense.rlbFBJW
n8tHV3The words of a wise emperor couldn’t be wrong. Still, Glenn held onto an unease he couldn’t express aloud.kPJS9iG
mp9iIlA‘Your Majesty Duke Lucian probably already understands all of that. And even so, he asked for your support. Could it be that, rather than worrying about the size of the debt, he’s planning to quickly eliminate his enemies and gain time to grow?’ptyfkIb
1vCgThe emperor might have replied that even a land with great potential needs vast amounts of time to develop, and that before his power could threaten the Empire, they would collect their debt.7Mkw
Bjn8FdM‘But if Duke Lucian has the confidence to grow fast enough to borrow troops now… If, when the Empire comes to collect, they must ask as a favor rather than demand as a right…’y0OgR
t7Z0VLNThere, Glenn stopped his thoughts and shook his head to clear them. If he kept imagining worst-case scenarios one after another, he’d never stop.NJAcTHf
fIM7MYVAnd raising a warning to the Emperor based solely on vague feelings had no grounds.CtN
r2L‘Yes, surely these are just pointless thoughts. Unless he had an ancestral inheritance as grand as the Empire’s… how could he grow his territory so quickly?’8T7Ncmw
1fbMCrsAfter putting away the red stone and collecting the soundproofing artifacts, Glenn headed toward Lucian.ssOo
xg6pTlkNow that the Emperor had accepted the proposal, the rest of the arrangements were in his hands.IspJo
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!