Chapter 87
qLjpX“Haha, who would’ve thought everything would go so well.”30TmUI9
oy43clLThe 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.9Uv
eiH5“Either way, this takes a load off my shoulders. I was worried about how to leash him, with how cautious he is.”ZJuJGK
6xZoUAhThe emperor had Lucian very much on his mind.Huqsmv
TTlNot only did he possess a mind and sharpness unbefitting his age, but also a capability worthy of being called a hero in the future.flMMd
b0vMbeIf educated properly, he could become one of the Empire’s pillars—someone who would help the First Prince bring peace to a turbulent era.YaWVATG
s2tRThe only concern was the ambition that matched that talent.N4o7bjU
ioGn5‘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.’UvOTLd
ZThmHe wouldn’t pursue his ambition by turning traitor, but the moment his reservations disappeared, he would rise without hesitation.GoGy
9CmOy0xIn the emperor’s eyes, Lucian was exactly that kind of person.Epk
1SYYThat 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.65AJ
k2nSwkXThe biggest problem was his lineage.DRj31Q6
VgM5‘Valdeck—one of the few houses besides the imperial family with succession rights to the throne.’A36
kttxSbnThe emperor held not the slightest suspicion that a loyalist like Grand Duke Sigmund harbored any ambition for the throne.Hqp
s46But what if, in a scenario where the ruler of the Empire disappeared, someone like Lucian claimed his right to succession?IvFnz2
LtLJMany nobles would undoubtedly oppose it, but in a chaotic era, the imperial family could potentially be replaced by another bloodline relatively peacefully.enVe
aXyIt was a future that must never happen, but even imagining it sent chills down his spine.pyj9
I5hA“But now I no longer need to worry about that.”lfr6Dk
9APabZAlthough he had ceded the throne of the north, that had distanced Lucian from Valdeck.sr0FRx
r5pwRYvAs 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.99VK
WhMlmJNaturally, the title of grand duke would fall to another of Sigmund’s sons.wdutM
akKYLFor the emperor, that was the best possible outcome.GHeciw
BXf“Cough!”qLOGF0
qfTbbThe emperor, stretching with satisfaction, covered his mouth from a sudden coughing fit.SlSqDYB
52m9After coughing silently for quite some time, the fit finally subsided.SnUSYc
dXt0upWhen he moved his hand away, his palm was soaked in bright red blood.kMzn
t3S5LT“This damned illness won’t even let me enjoy a moment.”AX9jMw
3EYwd7KHe 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.HbI
hphqSighing, the emperor stood and began rearranging his plans.hkCz3
Kb69c‘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.’0m8
w3vThinking of Sigmund, the emperor felt a sharp headache.vOn
SSZIHe was the friend he trusted the most, but precisely because of that closeness, there were things he least wanted to reveal.7QlWr
ZOCCHowever, if he kept hiding the secrets of the imperial family, Sigmund would never support the First Prince.2cJz
aLN6Nx“Is there a chief steward outside?”L3yI
bmAs“Yes, Your Majesty.”6LG4o5
Ivm“Summon Grand Duke Sigmund. I have something important to tell him.”XYvVg
a6KCHHaving made his decision, the emperor gave the order to the steward waiting outside the tent.vajC
4wGMhHe 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.vqV
1EZShh—lHoHC
grMQz50“Hmm?”33Sq
ZvPsg3After dismissing the steward, the emperor lifted his head upon hearing a sound—like a thin blade slicing through the air.euR5F
L3aMrJfHe thought someone had entered the tent, but there was no one around.UdMf
nTlKKConvinced he had been overly sensitive, the emperor let out a quiet chuckle and leaned back.KE0OP0p
F5BKUnaware that, of the two pairs of eyes hiding beneath his shadow, one had vanished.Wad
Tzzi9***uoN1
bNtOnce 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.3DGxGQS
b8t3qO“I need at least a thousand elite soldiers and an order of imperial knights. A term of about two years would be ideal.”FjuJZWR
yVlz“That’s the minimum? Then what’s the maximum you have in mind?”g78Nfw7
APpyE“If possible, I’d like support from more than five thousand elite troops and two knight orders.”LPedT
quwJ“And the monthly salaries and supplies to pay them…?”QCesHp
qzQv9gm“Naturally, the Empire should cover that. At least until I can collect taxes. Right now, I’m completely bankrupt.”FyGgz
ZVuIDcLucian’s blatantly confident attitude left Glenn speechless.Qm6kT4
wfpycHe couldn’t understand how Lucian could seem so assured while requesting such a staggering number of troops.zxD7
8xEbCY“Your Highness, forgive my boldness, but may I offer you some advice not as an imperial inspector, but as a comrade?”owT
YkU4E“If it’s advice from a comrade, it’s always welcome. Go ahead.”c2B
YsA7MHaving received permission, Glenn bowed slightly and spoke frankly.HIkRf
m9K“I can pass your request to His Majesty. But are you truly sure this is the right course?”8T1mTE
i3q3b“What do you mean?”9E1
4nO8M“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.”TlK
ddYipGlenn grabbed a discarded document from the table and scribbled an approximate figure in the corner.2pXlHe
4hWSliEven calculating only the bare minimum, without additional expenses, the sum was astronomical.Etef
qSfsun“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…”TFYHqJx
eQHq“That I have the ability to repay the debt? After all, by borrowing troops, this would become a debt to His Majesty.”6yjpZM
n8xWe“If I’ve offended Your Highness, I can only apologize.”YpuReP
OnbgEven as he said that, Glenn showed no intention of backing down. This time, he wanted to confirm directly what lay behind Lucian’s confidence.4FjYO
rE0AP1N‘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.’nmv0
WS4This wasn’t a debt between commoners, but between the emperor and a noble destined to become a grand lord.9GFEh
Qaylt9If the debt grew to an unpayable amount, no one could predict how the other party would react.FU4Z
XK79jFor Lucian’s honor, Glenn felt it was necessary to set a reasonable limit.zxb
p14b“It’s a valid concern. But I’m not doing this lightly.”VwbtOU2
5hhPbnqLucian smiled confidently, as if dismissing Glenn’s doubts.6hu
N2IFpt“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.”kxd2S
teYg“I-Is that true?”UuwOVBl
H0d“Of course. Though I understand that the words of an inexperienced young man like me may not be very convincing to you, Sir Glenn.”OqJJ
00TIAd“No, I didn’t mean it like that…”NQ5
ALUpILs“I’m not upset. I only regret not being able to earn your trust. You were sincerely worried for me, that’s all.”edEW
9UGrAt 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.1UZ
kUWM‘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.’I6mA73f
PkZy5DjA hero like that wouldn’t go around piling up debt thoughtlessly.FD5i
8IxPPaGlenn began to feel ashamed for having doubted him.gtBYL0
D3iCajP“I’ve spoken out of turn, not understanding Your Highness’s true intentions. I beg your forgiveness.”2Slod
QWclD“Don’t worry about it. Raise your head.”Puo3xFd
9vMLucian 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.U74bpu
fYRvAr‘But if the emperor can’t firmly demand repayment when the time comes, then that debt will be meaningless.’yedb5
INrA 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.Cwt3SX
80fHBAnd Lucian was confident he could reach the point where the emperor would have to ask for help, regardless of the debt.qM5I
8143‘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?’WZUasaB
trWHe 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.22wdiN
7OIovZb***4FkWJQ9
Q8y8Finally, the military support granted by the emperor was set at two thousand elite soldiers and the Order of the Blue Rose.buJcv5
dEbDm9RIt wasn’t an insufficient force, but it was somewhat ambiguous—hardly enough to pacify the region in one decisive strike.frcz3Ve
ts4GBxQUpon seeing the figure, Lucian sensed the emperor’s intentions.vo3b
T0xHuf‘If you want more troops, ask again.’S5v
svzIf 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.8FVJL2
uqC56But Lucian didn’t feel it was necessary.Bzh2xc
JLq‘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.’yF4w8I
NQjWR0XHe 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.9yAe92B
F9qaThe five thousand had only been an opening gamble. It was enough to give the impression that this amount wasn’t a burden.3Z7nq
053iE“The troops will be sent all at once using magical artifacts. However, Your Highness must first prepare a place where they can be stationed.”ep4h1
jz80“Then I should contact you once I arrive in Asagrim. Understood.”XfRUJ
jHS3Lucian 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.evwt
Aya‘With Asagrim, its symbolic value has almost vanished, but abandoning it completely would draw too much attention.’aq3BU5
n3IaLucian cast one last glance at the mansion, which faded into the horizon, and asked Glenn.1Et
uIwCv“By the way, how is Asagrim currently managed? I’ve heard that even though it has no lord, travelers can still enter.”8nn
ijg“I haven’t visited Asagrim even once, so it’s hard for me to say…”UpD
xf7BP1G“I know a little. I’ve been there once.”5SCt
1yRSeeing Glenn’s uncomfortable expression, Raymond stepped in. Apparently, during his travels through the north, he had also passed through Asagrim.Th9roO
X8K“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.”t3ooqE
ALt“In this cold climate? Why?”O8K6hU
8Kj“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.”F1RI3
vYhd“That’s some impressive devotion, even for a sacred land.”y2S3
snwBVUY“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…”fVhTZWE
hhJ0j7I“Ahem! Ahem!”wmka0
0ihd4VVGlenn cleared his throat loudly to interrupt Raymond.STSgwS
rp3T9dSaying that another noble’s residence surpassed the imperial palace, even if true, could be considered disrespectful.BmP
txXThus, the entourage continued their journey in silence, avoiding the topic of Asagrim.YOo
AwvzngSDays later, when the silhouette of their destination appeared on the horizon—dBpOkf
chMnEnX‘Is it the same as Tibron, the capital of the Empire?’PAUIp
12UtS0Lucian opened his eyes in surprise upon seein.acwILA
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