Chapter 87

“Haha, who would’ve thought everything would go so well.”

The emperor of the Empire, Karl, let out a low chuckle inside the command tent. In the palm of his hand rolled the red stone with which, just moments earlier, he had been communicating with Glenn.

“Either way, this takes a load off my shoulders. I was worried about how to leash him, with how cautious he is.”

The emperor had Lucian very much on his mind.

Not only did he possess a mind and sharpness unbefitting his age, but also a capability worthy of being called a hero in the future.

If educated properly, he could become one of the Empire’s pillars—someone who would help the First Prince bring peace to a turbulent era.

The only concern was the ambition that matched that talent.

‘As long as the Empire stands, he will be loyal. But if the Empire falls, he won’t be someone who sacrifices himself to lift it back up.’

He wouldn’t pursue his ambition by turning traitor, but the moment his reservations disappeared, he would rise without hesitation.

In the emperor’s eyes, Lucian was exactly that kind of person.

That was precisely why he couldn’t leave him as just an observer. With that level of talent, the moment the restraints came off, it would be impossible to predict how far he could rise.

The biggest problem was his lineage.

‘Valdeck—one of the few houses besides the imperial family with succession rights to the throne.’

The emperor held not the slightest suspicion that a loyalist like Grand Duke Sigmund harbored any ambition for the throne.

But what if, in a scenario where the ruler of the Empire disappeared, someone like Lucian claimed his right to succession?

Many nobles would undoubtedly oppose it, but in a chaotic era, the imperial family could potentially be replaced by another bloodline relatively peacefully.

It was a future that must never happen, but even imagining it sent chills down his spine.

“But now I no longer need to worry about that.”

Although he had ceded the throne of the north, that had distanced Lucian from Valdeck.

As he consolidated his base in the north, he wouldn’t have room to deal with Valdeck, and would naturally fall out of the race to become the next head of the house.

Naturally, the title of grand duke would fall to another of Sigmund’s sons.

For the emperor, that was the best possible outcome.

“Cough!”

The emperor, stretching with satisfaction, covered his mouth from a sudden coughing fit.

After coughing silently for quite some time, the fit finally subsided.

When he moved his hand away, his palm was soaked in bright red blood.

“This damned illness won’t even let me enjoy a moment.”

He thought perhaps it was a divine warning not to relax too much and ruin what was to come, but even so, a bitter taste lingered.

Sighing, the emperor stood and began rearranging his plans.

‘The possibility of the north and Valdeck forming an alliance has vanished. The north, once distant from the imperial family, has become an ally, and I’ve also placed an enormous debt on the man who will become the supreme lord of the north. I’ve bound Bernhardt hand and foot—so all that remains is Sigmund.’

Thinking of Sigmund, the emperor felt a sharp headache.

He was the friend he trusted the most, but precisely because of that closeness, there were things he least wanted to reveal.

However, if he kept hiding the secrets of the imperial family, Sigmund would never support the First Prince.

“Is there a chief steward outside?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Summon Grand Duke Sigmund. I have something important to tell him.”

Having made his decision, the emperor gave the order to the steward waiting outside the tent.

He wasn’t at all concerned about failing to suppress the Krephelt rebellion, but even so, war was war. Just in case, it was better to inform him before things began.

Shh—

“Hmm?”

After dismissing the steward, the emperor lifted his head upon hearing a sound—like a thin blade slicing through the air.

He thought someone had entered the tent, but there was no one around.

Convinced he had been overly sensitive, the emperor let out a quiet chuckle and leaned back.

Unaware that, of the two pairs of eyes hiding beneath his shadow, one had vanished.

***

Once the emperor’s approval arrived, everything progressed at lightning speed. Without hesitation, Lucian began laying out his demands to Glenn, who had come to see him.

“I need at least a thousand elite soldiers and an order of imperial knights. A term of about two years would be ideal.”

“That’s the minimum? Then what’s the maximum you have in mind?”

“If possible, I’d like support from more than five thousand elite troops and two knight orders.”

“And the monthly salaries and supplies to pay them…?”

“Naturally, the Empire should cover that. At least until I can collect taxes. Right now, I’m completely bankrupt.”

Lucian’s blatantly confident attitude left Glenn speechless.

He couldn’t understand how Lucian could seem so assured while requesting such a staggering number of troops.

“Your Highness, forgive my boldness, but may I offer you some advice not as an imperial inspector, but as a comrade?”

“If it’s advice from a comrade, it’s always welcome. Go ahead.”

Having received permission, Glenn bowed slightly and spoke frankly.

“I can pass your request to His Majesty. But are you truly sure this is the right course?”

“What do you mean?”

“Maintaining an army costs a fortune. And when we’re talking about elite troops and knight orders, the expense multiplies several times over. I’m no financial expert, but with the forces you’re requesting, the cost would be roughly this.”

Glenn grabbed a discarded document from the table and scribbled an approximate figure in the corner.

Even calculating only the bare minimum, without additional expenses, the sum was astronomical.

“Of course, the Empire’s financial power is virtually limitless, and His Majesty might grant you everything you ask. But that doesn’t mean the cost disappears. What I mean is…”

“That I have the ability to repay the debt? After all, by borrowing troops, this would become a debt to His Majesty.”

“If I’ve offended Your Highness, I can only apologize.”

Even as he said that, Glenn showed no intention of backing down. This time, he wanted to confirm directly what lay behind Lucian’s confidence.

‘His Majesty was pleased about burdening him with debt, but that only makes sense if Lucian can repay it. Not only for the emperor’s sake, but for Lucian’s own, we must prevent him from becoming overburdened.’

This wasn’t a debt between commoners, but between the emperor and a noble destined to become a grand lord.

If the debt grew to an unpayable amount, no one could predict how the other party would react.

For Lucian’s honor, Glenn felt it was necessary to set a reasonable limit.

“It’s a valid concern. But I’m not doing this lightly.”

Lucian smiled confidently, as if dismissing Glenn’s doubts.

“I have no intention of abusing His Majesty’s support and then shirking responsibility, nor am I acting unaware of what this sum entails. I have a plan to repay the debt. That’s why I’m only asking for what I can handle.”

“I-Is that true?”

“Of course. Though I understand that the words of an inexperienced young man like me may not be very convincing to you, Sir Glenn.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that…”

“I’m not upset. I only regret not being able to earn your trust. You were sincerely worried for me, that’s all.”

At Lucian’s bitter smile, Glenn found himself unable to respond. Everything sounded so natural that he began to believe there really was something more behind it.

‘After all, what kind of person is Lucian? Even when he fell into disgrace with the First Prince, he endured the shame of disobedience to save him.’

A hero like that wouldn’t go around piling up debt thoughtlessly.

Glenn began to feel ashamed for having doubted him.

“I’ve spoken out of turn, not understanding Your Highness’s true intentions. I beg your forgiveness.”

“Don’t worry about it. Raise your head.”

Lucian smiled gently to put him at ease. He hadn’t lied about anything he said. As long as the Empire didn’t disappear, he did plan to repay the debt someday.

‘But if the emperor can’t firmly demand repayment when the time comes, then that debt will be meaningless.’

A creditor’s power is only real when they can wield the debt as a weapon. If the debtor becomes indispensable at that moment, all that remains is to ask—not demand.

And Lucian was confident he could reach the point where the emperor would have to ask for help, regardless of the debt.

‘An era of chaos is coming. Soon, every noble truly loyal to the Empire will be indispensable. In that context, can the Empire afford to treat harshly a great noble armed with the legacy of an ancient royal house and crowned as the supreme lord of the north?’

He didn’t need power on the Empire’s level. Just reaching the strength of the Order of the Red Wings would be enough to keep the Empire from taking him lightly.

***

Finally, the military support granted by the emperor was set at two thousand elite soldiers and the Order of the Blue Rose.

It wasn’t an insufficient force, but it was somewhat ambiguous—hardly enough to pacify the region in one decisive strike.

Upon seeing the figure, Lucian sensed the emperor’s intentions.

‘If you want more troops, ask again.’

If even after granting him a not insignificant force, he asked for more, that would demonstrate a desperate need. It would be a way to tighten the leash further and test his true intentions.

But Lucian didn’t feel it was necessary.

‘The more troops, the better, of course. But it’s not so little that I have to beg for more now. It’s enough to buy time and strengthen my own army.’

He also didn’t want to give the emperor a false sense of superiority. If he thought he had the upper hand, he might start making excessive demands before Lucian was prepared.

The five thousand had only been an opening gamble. It was enough to give the impression that this amount wasn’t a burden.

“The troops will be sent all at once using magical artifacts. However, Your Highness must first prepare a place where they can be stationed.”

“Then I should contact you once I arrive in Asagrim. Understood.”

Lucian accepted the proposal without objection and departed for Asagrim with his entourage. The Grimaldi mansion was temporarily left in the care of others hired for its maintenance, more out of consideration for his maternal grandfather than any real usefulness.

‘With Asagrim, its symbolic value has almost vanished, but abandoning it completely would draw too much attention.’

Lucian cast one last glance at the mansion, which faded into the horizon, and asked Glenn.

“By the way, how is Asagrim currently managed? I’ve heard that even though it has no lord, travelers can still enter.”

“I haven’t visited Asagrim even once, so it’s hard for me to say…”

“I know a little. I’ve been there once.”

Seeing Glenn’s uncomfortable expression, Raymond stepped in. Apparently, during his travels through the north, he had also passed through Asagrim.

“There’s no resident population, but the flow of people is huge. Some travelers even set up camps nearby and stay there for several months.”

“In this cold climate? Why?”

“Because Asagrim is considered the sacred land of the north. During the unification war, it surrendered without a fight, so everything remained intact and the ancient legacies are preserved as they were.”

“That’s some impressive devotion, even for a sacred land.”

“To be honest, I understand it. The White Palace of Asagrim has nothing to envy the imperial palace. You can look at it again and again without getting tired of it. Maybe it doesn’t match it in size or grandeur, but in beauty, it even surpasses it…”

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Glenn cleared his throat loudly to interrupt Raymond.

Saying that another noble’s residence surpassed the imperial palace, even if true, could be considered disrespectful.

Thus, the entourage continued their journey in silence, avoiding the topic of Asagrim.

Days later, when the silhouette of their destination appeared on the horizon—

‘Is it the same as Tibron, the capital of the Empire?’

Lucian opened his eyes in surprise upon seein.