Chapter 108

Chapter 108
## Chapter 108

‘A knight.’

The title resonated within Hugo’s consciousness with such sweetness that he felt a wave of vertigo.

To contemplate that he, once a mere street-level criminal, had transformed into a legitimate knight and the progenitor of a fresh noble lineage was overwhelming. He struggled to discern whether he was experiencing a vivid waking dream or actual reality.

‘Hugo Mayen.’

Each time he mentally recited his newly acquired surname, a sensation akin to a strike of lightning surged through his entire frame.

While his faith in his master had never wavered, Hugo was painfully aware of his own shortcomings. He had internally prepared himself for the possibility that the promise might go unfulfilled, acknowledging that he would have no grounds for resentment if it did.

“What are you doing?”

The sound of Lucian’s speech snapped Hugo back from his wandering thoughts.

Only then did Hugo realize he was failing in his manners and hurriedly scrambled to his feet.

“I—I apologize, my lord. My strength simply left my legs…”

“No, what I mean is, why do you possess that expression, as if you have completed every lingering desire in this world? Do you intend to halt your journey here, content with merely realizing a childhood fantasy?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Lucian observed Hugo’s bewildered expression and let out a soft laugh.

“Since you have committed to rising in the world, you ought to set your sights even higher. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“…!”

Hugo’s gaze intensified.

Higher than knighthood? That would imply ascending to the status of a landed aristocrat with a formal title. The other subordinates also appeared startled by Lucian’s suggestion.

“My lord, while ambition is admirable, the current climate is hardly suitable for requesting a title,” Raymon voiced, his tone laced with doubt.

“And why is that?”

“What do you mean, why…? We are presently estranged from the Imperial Family, are we not?”

Regardless of one’s personal standing, the act of granting territory to another necessitated the formal authorization of the Imperial Family. Partitioning a segment of land and bestowing it upon someone without such consent was viewed as a capital crime on par with high treason, even if the territory legally belonged to the lord. It was a foregone conclusion that anyone receiving land in this manner would pledge their primary loyalty to the individual lord instead of the Empire.

“Your Grace possesses two distinct titles, yet whether acting as a Duke or a Margrave, distributing territory at your own whim is a grave offense.”

“Is that the case? Then I suppose I must simply attain a rank where the distribution of territory at my whim is sanctioned.”

“To my knowledge, there is no noble rank that permits such a prerogative…”

“There is one. A King.”

“…!”

The assembled retainers fixed their gazes on Lucian in a state of collective bewilderment.

There was a valid reason for their shock—ever since the Empire’s inception, there had never been an instance of a nobleman being elevated to the status of King. The most the Empire had ever conceded was permitting defeated royal lineages to keep their titles as monarchs of subordinate vassal states.

And yet, he was announcing his objective to seize a throne for the first time in history.

“M-My lord. Are you suggesting…?”

“I am not claiming I will start an insurrection against the Imperial Family, nor that I will exploit this chaos to coerce them. I am stating that when the moment arrives, I shall not falter. A person lacking a defined objective will only hesitate and surrender their opportunity even after they have grasped it.”

Lucian scanned his subordinates with a sharp, penetrating look.

“Bear this in mind. A season of upheaval such as this is a rare window to truly ascend. It is the solitary time when traditions that have endured for centuries or millennia finally disintegrate.”

“….”

“Once this era concludes and stability is restored, everything will once again become rigid. When would such a chance present itself a second time? In a hundred years? Two hundred?”

By that point, their noble houses might have collapsed, and not a single mention of their names might exist in the annals of history. And yet, were they expected to be content and cease their progress here, claiming they had ascended far enough?

To Lucian, such a notion was nothing more than a ridiculous thought.

“I plan to go the entire distance. Until the day that peace is restored and everything is once again etched in stone. What about the rest of you?”

Lucian’s followers felt their spirits ignite.

They had always perceived their lord as a colossus who would leave massive tracks in the sands of time, while they were merely passengers on that colossus’s shoulders—beings whose sole purpose was to remove the hurdles in his path so he wouldn’t stumble over a pebble.

But now, that very master was inquiring if they possessed the internal strength to become colossi themselves and carve their own signatures into the world’s history.

“I do not believe I require a verbal reply.”

Lucian, who had been observing them, allowed a thin grin to surface. The fire of ambition visible in their eyes served as a more than adequate response.

—

Designating formal roles for his subordinates was one task, but the true complication arose afterward. Without replenishing the most essential element—the commoners—none of his strategic objectives could be effectively realized.

Fortunately, forty-eight hours later, the intelligence Lucian had been anticipating finally reached him.

“Calix has begun their advance?”

“Yes. They are reportedly moving their forces toward Asagrim as we speak.”

Lucian smirked upon hearing Thorkel’s briefing. Given that they were charging forward without even a formal declaration of hostilities, it appeared they had no interest in maintaining standard military protocol, let alone pretending to fight for an honorable cause.

“Excellent. I was wondering when they would make an appearance. If they wish to bypass the tedious diplomatic sparring and proceed directly to the slaughter, that works perfectly for us.”

“What is your plan of action?”

“Break them in a direct confrontation. Is there any other path?”

“I meant… do you intend to solicit the other lords for reinforcement in this conflict?”

Thorkel observed Lucian with a look of anticipation. Back when Lucian possessed no military strength of his own, he had worked under the assumption of obtaining armed support from neighboring lords. Now, even though he commanded the knight order and the elite units on loan from the Imperial Family, additional allies were always advantageous. It wouldn’t be unusual for him to call for aid as originally discussed.

“If you simply give the command, I shall return to my family lands immediately and mobilize an army.”

“You speak with great confidence for someone who is not even the patriarch of House Osgor. Furthermore, didn’t I receive word that you went home recently and were beaten by your father?”

“…The accounts of me being ‘beaten’ are somewhat hyperbolic. He only managed a single strike.”

“I was informed that single strike caused your face to swell to double its natural size. They claimed you couldn’t even reveal one eye; you must have endured quite a bit of discomfort until the inflammation subsided.”

“Ahem! Cough!”

Thorkel dropped his gaze, avoiding Lucian’s eyes. After clearing his throat several times, he looked back at Lucian with a grave expression.

“Regardless, if Your Grace asks for backing, House Osgor will arrive in an instant.”

“I have no doubt. Viscount Harald has always desired to assist me. And his resentment toward Calix is significant.”

“Then, right away—”

“However, while such measures might have been vital against Calix during their peak, I have no desire to seek external aid to handle them now. This time, I intend to demolish them using only my own strength.”

Thorkel stared at Lucian with wide-eyed surprise. He intended to confront House Calix in isolation, without any support?

“Your Grace, I do not doubt for a moment that you will emerge victorious. From a logical standpoint, there is no path to failure.”

Every faction in the North had abandoned Calix. Their partnerships were severed, their prestige had evaporated, and they couldn’t even offer a valid rationale for their aggression. If Lucian so much as signaled, people would rush from every corner to dismantle them. If the situation played out favorably, House Calix might be annihilated before they even reached the gates of Asagrim.

“But if you engage Calix using only the troops you currently command, the casualties will be immense. Calix remains a Great Family that has been established in the North for many centuries.”

“I am aware. That is precisely why I am facing them alone.”

“What is the meaning behind that…?”

“If it can be helped, I do not wish to divide the spoils of Calix with other noblemen.”

If he utilized borrowed regiments, he would be obligated to distribute the fruits of victory according to their individual impact. For Lucian, who was currently in dire need of assets and laborers, he was reluctant to share the prize with others.

“If it were still impossible to confront Calix on my own as it was in the past, I would have accepted that compromise. But now that I am entirely capable of managing them, it would be mindless to invite unnecessary distribution of gains.”

“But if the consequence is a massive loss of your own soldiers, wouldn’t that diminish your authority over the other lords? Wouldn’t that be counterproductive?”

“That is a valid point. Conversely, if I eradicate them entirely by my own hand, no one will have the courage to oppose me.”

Thorkel looked at Lucian in a daze. Even if a loss was improbable, their antagonist was Norbeck, a man who had buried his offspring, was on the brink of losing his legacy, and was now driven by nothing but concentrated malice. Whether his house collapsed or not, he would certainly fight like a lunatic to inflict maximum trauma on Lucian. The triumph was very likely to be a hollow one, yet Lucian spoke with such certainty.

“Is it possible that the Sword Saint, who came for a visit recently, has consented to intervene?”

“Certainly not. He has toiled enough. He deserves to spend his remaining years in tranquility.”

Lucian’s casual dismissal of the Sword Saint’s participation only intensified Thorkel’s bewilderment. Noticing Thorkel’s eyes shifting as he processed the information, Lucian gave a small chuckle.

“You seem curious about the source of this self-assurance.”

“It’s not that, I only…”

“That is enough. For the time being, return to your family lands and concentrate on your training as the heir. If you continue to linger here, your father’s spirit will wither from anxiety.”

“Your Grace.”

Thorkel’s expression hardened slightly as he lowered his head. He seemed to suspect he was being dismissed because he hadn’t yet fully secured Lucian’s confidence. Lucian looked at the troubled Thorkel and spoke with a grave tone.

“Do you still possess the vial I gave you?”

“You mean the luminous fluid? Yes, I have kept it.”

“Go back to your lands and present that vial to your father. Only after showing it to him are you permitted to consume it.”

“…?”

“It is the validation of my trust. You will receive the explanation from your father.”

“…I understand.”

Though he tilted his head in confusion, Thorkel complied with Lucian’s directive. Only after reuniting with Harald would he finally comprehend the magnitude of what Lucian had placed in his care.

It was while Lucian remained in solitude, quietly calculating his strategy for Calix, that the update arrived.

“…Norbeck Calix has requested a personal duel?”

Instead of a formal challenge of war, it was an invitation to single combat. Lucian let out a dry, empty laugh.

—

“It is a deception.”

Sword Saint Eisen, currently acting as a strategic consultant, responded instantly upon hearing Lucian’s report. Lucian had already arrived at the same deduction, so he simply gave a calm nod.

“They must be aware that we would see through the ruse, so I fail to understand why they would make such a pitch. Do they have some concealed plot?”

“They are likely just acting out of desperation, grasping at any straw. Even while recognizing how idiotic it is.”

Eisen shared a pained smile.

“There is a proverb that a man who has accepted death is formidable. I once held that belief as well. However, in my years of experience, quite a few individuals actually behave quite miserably when they are cornered by the end.”

“You are referring to men ready for death, not those pleading for mercy?”

“Precisely. Most of them insist on a compensation that matches their death. Because they view their own existence as uniquely valuable, they demand the outcome be equally significant.”

If a person gives up their life for a principle regardless of the result, it might be called noble. But the individuals Eisen had encountered wanted a result that validated the loss of their lives. They felt that if they couldn’t reach that objective even by dying, there was no point in sacrificing their lives at all.

“Remarkably, there were many such individuals even among those driven by vengeance. If they couldn’t ensure an equal trade of their foe’s life for their own, they would actually hesitate and seek to preserve themselves.”

“A man prepared to die seeking self-preservation… quite the contradiction.”

“They only feel content if the cost of their life is high enough. Observing this pathetic overture, it seems this Norbeck individual is of a similar breed.”

He felt he must slay Lucian at any cost, so he was proposing even the most illogical ideas. He couldn’t stomach the thought of losing his own life while Lucian escaped with only minor injuries. He likely believed that even if he offered a hundred foolish ideas, if he succeeded with just one, it would be a beneficial exchange.

“The truly dangerous ones are those who, after clinical analysis, aim to take even just a limb or a sense from their enemy. Compared to them, individuals like this often throw away their own lives while attempting to force an exaggerated trade.”

“I see. In that case, I suppose I ought to agree.”

“…Your Grace. Did you actually attend to what I just explained?”

“I did. You are saying he is the sort to stretch things out until he finds a guaranteed opening to end my life, correct?”

Based on Eisen’s analysis, they wouldn’t engage in a real struggle unless Lucian displayed a vulnerability. In that instance, the only path was to feign a vulnerability and then crush them in one decisive motion.

Just as the scowling Eisen was preparing to object that it was far too perilous, Lucian spoke again.

“I grasp what you are attempting to say, but before we continue, please examine this.”

Thud.

Lucian moved a container forward that he had carried with him before visiting Eisen. Eisen blinked at the chest, which was roughly the dimensions of a man’s trunk.

“What is this supposed to be?”

At Eisen’s inquiry, Lucian smiled.

“It is a Royal Legacy.”