Chapter 91
L3IBWSLucian couldn’t find a way to argue back.rJJpvA
OKHOlAfter all, he was the one who had asked Harald if he wanted to follow him.tUjju
FgxFU2Harald had replied that he couldn’t leave immediately due to matters in his territory, but he made it clear that as soon as the situation stabilized, he would follow without hesitation.zONBq
RtPpfzIf his second son, Torkel, became the heir and showed acceptable capability, Harald would have left the territory right away to join Lucian.v5O7N
d5zy‘And I too would have preferred Harald to come rather than this guy I hadn’t even seen once.’L62
WulfjaeTorkel, in his own way, had chosen the path he considered optimal to reach his goal.CpL
vMrHkAnd the result was exactly what he most desired, so at the very least, he had shown a good instinct for reading the situation and acting quickly.8tpG
UuTHowever, his story was missing something fundamental.KYJ
7u7“But I have no intention of keeping you by my side.”1D21J
7PS6y“Huh?”cTIT
lSR“Why are you so surprised? Did you think that just because you’re the son of Baron Harald, I’d congratulate you and say you arrived just in time?”ufS09
1j0jb“That’s not it, but perhaps you wish to test my abilities?”VGfNlv4
fxS“No. I’ve already seen enough of your abilities. What I don’t like is your character.”bDRQuN
yg9Az7At those unexpected words, Torkel felt his head spin.vTXuF5o
sUpHis character? Had he done something wrong in front of Lucian?bWUcje
TelI9EuSeeing that Torkel couldn’t find an answer even after a while, Lucian spoke again.rVS
xtD“Take the throne. That was a ridiculous comment.”BFpM1Q
rKsK7“…!”4HiqJ9
LeJYAb“Clever fox. You’re the opposite of your upright father. Saying such things in front of knights affiliated with the Empire?”y8jm9YX
5aU“I just…”yxadzaD
fWn“A youth drunk on the ancient glory of the North, unable to contain his hot blood. It fit perfectly. The timing was ideal too.”Bp3
5OkVGImIt was precisely when the White Palace, closed for nearly a thousand years, was opening once again.5qnRH
Rz7That a young man, overwhelmed with emotion, would praise the past glory was not strange at all.us0
0ZzNEven more so when the other pilgrims, caught up in the moment, joined in immediately.xp855FO
A2Tin“Were you worried that the gift I received from the Empire was too generous? That I’d remain a loyal subject and never restore the North’s glory?”Ew3W7Q
2rF9“….”jZe5
ZujEDh“You have an exceptional talent for probing. Or maybe you just lack patience. It seems you can’t rest until you hear a clear answer.”HCqwlgH
aGx8qWith each word from Lucian, Torkel’s face grew paler. Despite the cold, everyone could see sweat soaking through his back.6c3ru
M9LdtYD“You expected that upon hearing your proclamation, I’d get excited and climb the throne, right? That would damage my relationship with the Empire and, at the same time, confirm my ambitions.”k6TSbw
qV2“M-my lord.”hvvXF
io2Pr9“Even if I hesitated and didn’t respond clearly, it still would’ve worked in your favor. If I didn’t say something satisfying, the Empire would start watching me with suspicion.”QYUW
g2cxeVs“My lord!”rLpS
vx8hWhoosh.K0Osz
5GGAs Torkel lifted his head in desperation, a bluish energy flashed before his eyes.7zcU
WffgThe burning heat at the tip of his nose made him realize it was materialized magic.Onr0
R7VTbLY“Silence. The lord is speaking.”KEi
I79The knight’s voice rang out a moment later. Torkel swallowed hard. One more word, and his throat would have been cut without hesitation.IQMqNF
sXCFLucian looked at Torkel, who had pressed his forehead back to the floor, and gave a bitter smile.kwzs
PV4cyrG“You really do have a brain that works. Quite the opposite of your upright father.”nBW
7ar0He said it half-seriously, half-mockingly. In retrospect, no matter how Lucian had reacted, Torkel was bound to gain something.1QNNlk
Lu82PJIf Lucian confirmed his ambitions, he’d distance himself from the Empire. If he hesitated, it would be easy to widen that crack.IMBa
FeqouEven if he completely rejected the throne and declared loyalty to the Empire, it would be disappointing—but still the lesser evil.Oxmx
8LtiE‘At least the North wouldn’t be ruled by a loyal lapdog of the Empire.’OGeiq9
pUUqThe cold smile disappeared from Lucian’s face.aABrU9I
Y0uDUD“Insolent.”3FFV1
xtgZ“….”4Ozwr1
VIUJ5i“Did you think that since you didn’t know your sovereign’s character, you could mold it as you pleased? I’ve never seen anyone like you. Were you hoping to place a puppet on the throne and pull the strings from the shadows?”WLZ
1hyz3Yw“Never!”nPh5ucq
1EN2Torkel sprang up as if convulsing, but Felicia’s sword flew toward him.z1LpEu
UJtThe blade grazed his ear, and blood began to trickle, but even so, Torkel continued speaking.TdI
NwSQe2“How could I harbor such a vile dream?! Even if I ended up as a crippled warrior or a usurper without legitimacy, I’ve never wished to be a shadowy conspirator!”z7ztmU8
bwoBg“And after scheming such a pathetic plot, you say that?”PiV
8Tc“It’s not just about my fate! The fate of the entire North depends on you! How could I not want to test your worth?”leVj
1DMZ3O3“Congratulations. After evaluating your test, you’ve lost my trust. I have no intention of keeping you by my side. Leave.”2yzjxa
9wS“Then use me and discard me!”nge
4v7vY“What?”HyoOF
zpB0iKLucian looked at him, stunned. In his past life, he had seen it all—knights who begged for days after being rejected, others who desperately tried to prove their usefulness, or those who left promising to return someday.08L
55ab1cPBut someone who asked to be used as a disposable pawn—that was a first.rCVw
Qz5fkQR“My lord found an answer I never could’ve imagined. That’s when I understood. You are someone I cannot measure. You are exactly the person I’ve been looking for.”FHL
NcUGThe true king who would restore the North’s ancient glory. Bloodline, ability, timing—nothing was missing.hzHqE
60kg0II“I don’t care about personal glory. I don’t care about leaving my name in history or raising my family’s prestige. All I care about is the North regaining its former greatness.”8xM
cZTOhIt didn’t matter if Lucian didn’t favor him. What mattered was how useful he could be to the cause.o5tlD
SzdwIf he were to be discarded, at least let it be after being fully used.45E
ORbP“So please, use me and throw me away. Squeeze every bit of worth I have for your cause. Even if, after that, you want my head—I’ll offer it willingly.”x0lpZvM
B9846“….”JsnU
NH92Lucian observed him in silence. His eyes burned with absolute desperation. He had seen that look many times in his past life.NyUqh
FXLA‘The eyes of someone who entrusted their dream to another.’eyTW
0K4yePeople who couldn’t fulfill their dreams on their own and looked for a savior to do it in their place.HPEo
7IA3cL‘Most of them ended in tragedy.’d7tWRun
kOwDaTBEven so, they all had one thing in common.7U4tTp
IhG‘They never betrayed.’vFwXM
YH0PAnuLucian stroked his chin, thoughtful.kgWWybZ
5VAApm“That’s true. Getting rid of someone who still has value too soon would be wasteful.”E1QqCVO
TLfgQYb“My lord!”DGn1a
81QBut Lucian raised his hand to stop him.mmKZdRU
iZsGAx5“However, if all I squeeze out is dirty water, it’ll be a massive disappointment. I’m not sure you’re worth the effort.”hsJ
jLqgVk3“I have many friends among the second and third sons of families allied with Count Calix’s house. They’re all dissatisfied with their lords’ decision to align with Calix.”BIqhY
YHK“…!”dsSw
8FNlLucian was startled.G9KQ2
CyRIf that was true, there was no need to face all of Count Calix’s allies head-on.tSqQO
rB2hssHIt would be enough for them to waver from within to deliver a serious blow.RBACZ
PVISI5dUnder Lucian’s inquisitive gaze, Torkel pulled a crumpled paper from his clothing.7VP
VF7nNq“I don’t need a reward. Just use it in whatever way is most useful to you.”b45qiWg
Wcu4***ydP
ocnoOn the paper was written the list of the “friends” Torkel had mentioned.LFb916i
GVsTwThe families they belonged to, each one’s grievances, and even their usual ideological stances.TAl9JW
8qLbIf what was written there was true, it could prove extremely useful.YLKqy
JWk7GV“As long as it’s true.”411Fx8w
4c9u“I can wager my head.”RJgp
Trl“Your head is worth nothing for this to work.”7Ek
3KT9“Then what must I do for you to believe me?”Qy8i2
YtKmXN7Torkel wore a desperate expression, as if trying to regain the trust he had lost.AvQ
Ov2Lucian lightly shook the paper in his hand and asked,k0eBPOI
6MqXsv“Is there anyone listed here who could provoke an internal rebellion right now and make it succeed? Without my help, using only their own strength.”Sl8iZn5
iBWM1FTorkel’s face hardened.9tfUrV7
Wzv4uA rebellion, regardless of its scale, was something one wagered their life on.6UhWL
eBdEven if the probability of success was high, it wasn’t something to be mentioned lightly.8MGG1D
VKRTQ“…There is one. A friend who has been preparing for some time. Even so, the chance of success is fifty-fifty.”4osxJoE
tkpliPi“Which family?”oRrmOlR
en1R“The third son of the house of Baron Beor.”u124
BSFHe wasn’t a nobody, but a family positioned at the lowest rung among Count Calix’s main allies.Vqf
q6ubXCEven so, within the North they had a certain voice among the feudal lords. If they could replace the head of that family, dealing with Calix would become much easier.gsPMF
9Xp3kJ“I’ll soon be holding a banquet and sending invitations to the lords of the North. By then, I want the head of the Beor house to be someone favorable to me.”DKBpNa
3olAcnrIt was, in essence, an order to go and immediately provoke a successful rebellion. It was an excessive demand, bordering on the unrealistic, but Torkel nodded with a firm expression.4KB3x
Enp“Understood. We’ll meet again at the banquet. By then, I’ll come to greet you together with my friend.”BXivO
rb31PyWith those words, Torkel turned around and left.p7tlgn8
KwDFqrBlood was still running from his ear, but instead of trying to stop it, he simply held it carefully so it wouldn’t stain the floor.gNE93V
7BqQzA5When Torkel disappeared, the vassals approached Lucian.LxBdEY
ozB9B“My lord, is it really all right to let him go like that? After all, he’s the heir of Baron Harald. If he dies wrapped up in a rebellion…”zcn61S1
pZJI“Even if it’s a rebellion, since he’s an outsider he’ll be in a rear position where he can always flee. He won’t die.”JUNb
k7GWFor the side that achieved success, having the involvement of an outsider in the family’s internal affairs exposed would be a disgrace.Gdraqw5
qgOUnless they were as foolish as Harald’s eldest son, they would keep him at a distance while they overthrew their own clan.Mmce93d
RefNQX7Of course, before that, he would first have to convince them to start the rebellion.lrLx
v1GSC“He didn’t say a single word about being unable to do it, even after handing me that information with such confidence. Let’s see what happens.”uWn
a3TIf he failed, he would be nothing more than an insolent talentless fool who dared to test his lord.qAMGyq
xuq0If he succeeded, he would prove that there was still plenty left to squeeze out of him, just as he had said.WlUC
7RLLucian only needed to wait calmly and see the outcome.cRG
OCyWP“By the way, there’s something I want to show you. When the sun goes down, come inside the White Palace. Right now, this is more urgent than that fellow.”jdZ
rv9S“You found it?”x9IM
1TUpM“Come in later and see it with your own eyes.”PWltzB
9PDEDkiLucian left those meaning-laden words to Hugo and Raymond, whose eyes were shining, and went back inside.ZYy4MH
TeuoThat night, when the two men saw the secret space beneath the throne, a scream escaped their mouths.llxQ8i
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