Chapter 93
oYXgloPThe North trembled with the great movement of the powerful lords.4YC
E0gIt was called a banquet, but in reality, it was a grand assembly meant to determine the course of things from that moment onward. That’s why no one expected much from the banquet itself.LrzSRJ
X6zS‘He hasn’t even established his foundation yet, so it’ll be something modest.’mbFMto
yAXY5CD‘He only called it a banquet in name, so it must be rather dull.’469a
KLBA banquet isn’t organized alone. It requires everything from simple laborers to all kinds of specialists, and ingredients and all sorts of supplies must be provided without fail.Shx
m3JUnder normal circumstances, it would be impossible to prepare something like that in Asagrim, a recently reclaimed place.MxP1z
PrCHowever, the impact of the city of Asagrim alone was enough to erase any discomfort.9Byt
Y0w43aG“My goodness… is this really the castle our ancestors built?”3TQZxC
fXr1A“You could live here right now. It’s been a thousand years and yet this sturdiness…”d2V
ux8“I never imagined I’d enter the White Palace while still alive! Grandpa, are you watching me?”OEv
x0iRegardless of the rank of their titles, the lords walked through Asagrim unable to react. Some even cried as they kissed the ground and the walls.NxN
IaeI527There were those who muttered that it was nothing but a past glory, but even they couldn’t stop their chests from trembling.0eM7Rs
dVMoFinally, the lords arrived at the White Palace.vIQD
eJ68“The Birne family has arrived. We’ll take care of your carriages and horses, so please leave them with us for a moment.”WNfSw
0bkcrJ“…!?”Y2bC
Jh9AVdThe servants who suddenly appeared guided the nobles with impeccable manners.Vt6soOh
99YTVThis wasn’t the level of someone trained for a day or two, but that of true professionals with decades of experience.0bSC
jXrEven the servants hurrying around inside moved without the slightest unnecessary gesture.602Hlw
a82‘Where on earth did he get these people? I didn’t even hear about him recruiting servants, let alone trained staff.’2Hy92l
teeq‘There are too many to have borrowed from another family. And they’re all skilled. Each one seems top-tier.’022nzzP
czhi4It wasn’t just the servants and attendants that were surprising. The soldiers guarding the area were, without a doubt, elite troops.qpONnns
dWruljfJust looking at the way a few knights moved, it was clear they were anything but ordinary. Then there were the dishes being served—absolute luxury.PYv
x2bO“The duke’s capability is impressive. How long has it been since he recovered Asagrim to be able to prepare all this?”Tzo
xco“Do you really think he prepared all this alone? Obviously, he borrowed it from someone. What capability are you talking about?”9dmaEV
owA“Being able to borrow all this is capability. Would you hand over this much in resources to just anyone without thinking?”Fje
4XC“….”ScqQftQ
SGt3Those trying not to acknowledge Lucian were left speechless when that point was made.moFt
T71eA lender isn’t foolish—before handing over a huge sum, they verify if the borrower can pay it back.XOLY
Gc7ccIIf someone had provided this much without hesitation, it was because they believed the other had the ability or worth to repay it.Grwl
XJmH2Q6At that point, everyone’s thoughts naturally turned in another direction.qgiV5z
4LPKF9‘Was there anyone in the North with that much wealth? Not even Calix could offer this.’Ipg2
J4Phq‘If he had asked for it from various places, rumors would’ve spread. There’s too much silence.’qrWZCM
6q4‘There are only two possibilities—either someone powerful nearby is hiding their strength, or he brought it secretly from his own family.’JMRzFLQ
5XIOQGaFor those who couldn’t even imagine magic, let alone spatial transfer, that was the only logical conclusion.fgApIJj
5SUEEvery time the lords gathered with acquaintances, they kept talking about Lucian’s capability.ltj6b
weYvAnd when most of the invited lords had already gathered—C4l
0vXi“Welcome to Asagrim.”yiRVBh
cStMEFrom the center of the storm, Lucian appeared.TNFMhXi
QQMsDkT***wUCckQ
hhbnBMp‘A green brat.’mSS9a
XbHPSThat was the same thought that crossed the minds of all the northern lords the moment they saw Lucian. Not just Calix’s allies, but even those who were favorable to Lucian thought the same.D8219Lq
EgqBQnzAnd it wasn’t surprising—beyond his abilities, his youth was clearly visible on his face.eQM
1ibX‘So it was true, he’s sixteen. At a glance, he’s still a kid in the middle of growing.’Vj09gwb
8Zm‘New Year is in fifteen days, so he’ll soon be seventeen? And even so, he’s the lord of Asagrim…’eOloA0
9yhdh‘With those thin arms, he defeated Wolf Hunter Harald? Does that even make sense?’9TKzfQ
dSYAstonishment, doubt, suspicion, disappointment. In the midst of all those emotions, Lucian smiled.Sehs
15hVbf“So quiet. I haven’t said a word yet and there’s already silence. What happened to your greetings?”7V28
udW1n“…!”rDI
mGBV“In case you forgot, let me remind you I am Duke Grimaldi and the Border Marquis of Asagrim. Is anything missing?”pIYl
UVmNh4q“G-greetings to the duke!”NfWgQvg
CoI“Greetings to the duke!”2La
BWcvyhStartled by Lucian’s pressure, the lords hastily bowed. Hearing the greetings one after another, Lucian let out a laugh.OcWnu7
lJsR“Good, I’m glad to see you all. Welcome to the White Palace! Please enjoy yourselves. By the way, is the food to your liking?”VjcC
l0rIEQo“It’s delicious. I’ve never tasted anything so excellent.”XLpACnS
kz6Someone let out sincere admiration. It wasn’t flattery—in the North, where food was scarce, this kind of delicacy was hard to come by.QSthLqs
8Ct“How did you get dishes like this? If possible, I’d like to try preparing them in my own territory as well.”Dpbe6LH
VJdsAmong the praise was a sharp question. Depending on his answer, they might uncover who was backing Lucian.LxK8r
1yv6QgfWhile everyone held their breath, Lucian answered with a smile.Sm3Cff
vXX“What would I have to hide? It’s all thanks to His Majesty the Emperor’s benevolence.”BpiduVk
n7zhBuS“Huh? The Emperor’s benevolence? Moving this many resources would take time…”lFDu
QP1C“Spatial transfer through a dimensional portal. It’s a type of magic. You didn’t know?”TcUXWQ7
mFsQiAt the words “spatial transfer,” everyone froze. Did that mean he had moved all those troops and supplies across space at once?siPlK
K0tm‘To cross that kind of distance instantly? Is that even possible?’SXx1Lq
VieJr‘If it’s true, then a massive army could appear in my own backyard without warning.’ZYZSN
xSFUG‘This is insane. I figured he had some hidden power, but I never imagined it was on this level.’R4H6p
2FihWAs the lords sank into thought, Lucian raised his voice again.9xPZPx
TOb“Thanks to that, I was able to welcome you all without embarrassment. It’s all the grace of the Imperial House, so I intend to repay it with absolute loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor and the First Prince, the rightful heir to the throne.”O5M
qnnge“…!”xQDKLym
19PeNPA new shock swept through the banquet hall. Usually, any mention of imperial succession was a taboo topic.kenJL
45ZBBut Lucian spoke openly of the next heir. Even the imperial knights patrolling nearby showed no reaction at all.GbXQ
6WZThat showed not only that the Emperor had chosen the First Prince as his successor but also that Lucian supported him.mL9wCrd
N3AK91mAmid the confusion clouding everyone’s minds—tdBUq6N
0OxHo“Your Highness, your words are truly strange.”kmQ
2qdLSomeone stepped forward, his cane echoing against the floor.cXJ8fnp
UhpLucian turned his head and looked at the elderly man approaching with its support. Though it was their first meeting, his appearance gave him away.AC9
RT8j0w‘Norvek Calix.’aZdUsr
8bsUThe current head of House Calix. And the thief who had shamelessly taken the name of Grimaldi for himself.udz3
Matu1IThe reason Lucian had come to the North was now standing right in front of him.8zHm
WEMvzz***zFmj
CGQ“….”5S9gz
K2lUj“….”NWo
Hs31r85Norvek’s appearance brought a heavy silence to the hall. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know the relationship between the two.wADUDiu
i40One wrong move, and a war could break out right then and there.PTAmqS
VQN0JIt was Lucian who broke the silence, eyeing Norvek with a sidelong glance.VUmVyp
m7a“If you’re going to speak your mind, wouldn’t it be proper to give your name first?”4mpz1
HyS“My apologies. I am Norvek, head of House Calix. May I say a few words?”8ZEiuP
4OyAn9O“No, you may not. So don’t.”J3HCQB
DPCP75“…Huh?”tKYMQS
WNEjMPNorvek blinked, completely baffled by the unexpected answer. Asking for permission was usually a formality; it didn’t mean the other party actually had the power to deny it.akEw4iG
hcalyRmAnd yet, Lucian treated him as if he were his own vassal and shut him down without hesitation.D7sP2hH
YV69As Norvek fell silent, Lucian gave a slight smile.BkBkf
oZ7pn“Just by looking at you, I already know what you were going to say. That even mentioning the imperial succession is disrespectful, and that we should take a step back as before?”t3I
RgFL“…!”CwLvC8Y
fRoNorvek flinched. It was a direct hit. He had planned to use a conventional argument and act as a spokesman for those who didn’t want to get dragged into the Empire’s internal conflicts.FgK
14jBut Lucian slowly shook his head, as if such reasoning no longer worked.wZeTUDH
MgvH“I’m here thanks to the Emperor’s grace, and it’s only right I repay that favor. So what matters is not my choice—but yours.”Eud
CDlN1To support Lucian was to be loyal to the Empire. To oppose him was to oppose the Empire. Whatever they chose, it was their decision.mzW0
wJdZA“I’ll say it one more time. I intend to serve with absolute loyalty to His Majesty the Emperor and his rightful heir, the First Prince. It may be an overambitious desire for a youth, but isn’t that the privilege of youth?”PaaV
DeDvLucian let out a loud laugh as he swept his gaze over the lords.iQGcwpy
hlxSpBut none of them laughed. With pale faces, they only glanced at each other. The most pale of all was Norvek.NopMO
yhB0‘What kind of lunatic is this? Dividing factions with just the word “choice”?’E1fZ
xJ32sCalix had claimed that, while they didn’t seek independence, a clear boundary with the Empire was needed.k6V1hVR
1J7paNRThanks to that, even the neutral factions, not just radicals, could become possible allies. What neutrals hated most was the Empire forcing sacrifices in the name of loyalty.gxuj
bNWqsBut with Lucian’s words, all that structure collapsed.yQLl8N
U4Qkmti‘This has gone far beyond a simple formality. He’s openly declared absolute support for the Empire. And by extension, I—who oppose him—have become an enemy of the Empire.’Wa5
0bZJcrpOnce that narrative was established, it was clear that the neutrals—who until now could’ve sided with Calix—would completely distance themselves.lbRyd
JKO1iAfter all, what they hated even more than forced sacrifice was open war against the Empire.0xk
M2NBlMaybe they wouldn’t support Lucian, but they certainly wouldn’t support Calix.544
Etw3NW‘Damn it. I thought he’d keep things vague so as not to disappoint his own supporters.’86Bs
Y5ikZUcHe never imagined the level of imperial power Lucian would reveal there would be so overwhelming. The ability to transport troops and supplies across space itself was absurd.9PWAuM
WcAsTSIf the Empire wished, they could erase an entire house from the map regardless of distance.UlVl7Rj
GI6Js9nEven the lords who would normally be disappointed by such an open declaration now had enough reason to see it as a wise decision.o2z
bmFDI“What’s wrong with all of you? This is supposed to be a banquet, and no one’s smiling.”Q22zYam
wxScNot even Norvek’s killing glare fazed Lucian, who looked around with a carefree air.9d8o
iNAUoSome lords tried to force a smile, but couldn’t manage it. One wrong word could drag their entire house into the succession conflict.J5aVCWI
TUU2wkCHow could they smile in such a situation?qyyjZ5
in8oCAt the prolonged silence, Lucian nodded seriously.wO7Riv
chdGtsM“I see. The problem must be a lack of entertainment. I focused too much on the food and overlooked that detail. But I’ve prepared something fun for you.”le5
SNg6OXThe lords flinched instinctively. Just imagining what might come out of his mouth next sent chills down their spines.UAP6dMz
mwubClearly enjoying their reactions, Lucian exclaimed.KGJih
I4i0km“The Hundred-Day Hunt!”tXBua5I
jMKAZU9“…??”plq
Ql4KPThe lords exchanged confused glances. Did he really mean that Hundred-Day Hunt?1yHQh
UwZ“Your Highness, do you mean that tradition where you wander the snowy mountains for half a month without provisions?”AGQvn6P
XOGau“Exactly. And funnily enough, it wasn’t even my idea—it was a proposal from Calix.”6DJ
kUDImmediately, all eyes turned to Norvek. Under the storm of gazes, he clenched his teeth. Even if the assassination succeeded, this would make Calix the prime suspect.Zlffg
Hm6“Originally, Calix was going to host it, but now that we’ve recovered Asagrim, I’ve decided to hold it myself in the surrounding area. This kind of event isn’t fun without a rival, so I’m glad Calix is participating.”BBLAN
5Vwzb6iAt Lucian’s radiant smile, Norvek gripped his cane until it creaked. It was a clear warning—if they tried to assassinate him, all suspicion would fall on Calix.LXzV5vq
tSEcT‘But boy, you’ve made a mistake.’Y0J
6wR1lIf he did nothing, House Calix would collapse. In that case, even if he had to resort to extreme measures, there was no choice but to act.KjGW7qO
WvV4IbFForcing a smile, Norvek spoke.bwa
v5QXL“It’s an honor to revive an old tradition alongside Your Highness. I hope it will be a fair occasion where we can test our skills in good spirit.”g4Nv
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