The North trembled with the great movement of the powerful lords.
It 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.
‘He hasn’t even established his foundation yet, so it’ll be something modest.’
‘He only called it a banquet in name, so it must be rather dull.’
A 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.
Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible to prepare something like that in Asagrim, a recently reclaimed place.
However, the impact of the city of Asagrim alone was enough to erase any discomfort.
“My goodness… is this really the castle our ancestors built?”
“You could live here right now. It’s been a thousand years and yet this sturdiness…”
“I never imagined I’d enter the White Palace while still alive! Grandpa, are you watching me?”
Regardless 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.
There were those who muttered that it was nothing but a past glory, but even they couldn’t stop their chests from trembling.
Finally, the lords arrived at the White Palace.
“The Birne family has arrived. We’ll take care of your carriages and horses, so please leave them with us for a moment.”
“…!?”
The servants who suddenly appeared guided the nobles with impeccable manners.
This wasn’t the level of someone trained for a day or two, but that of true professionals with decades of experience.
Even the servants hurrying around inside moved without the slightest unnecessary gesture.
‘Where on earth did he get these people? I didn’t even hear about him recruiting servants, let alone trained staff.’
‘There are too many to have borrowed from another family. And they’re all skilled. Each one seems top-tier.’
It wasn’t just the servants and attendants that were surprising. The soldiers guarding the area were, without a doubt, elite troops.
Just 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.
“The duke’s capability is impressive. How long has it been since he recovered Asagrim to be able to prepare all this?”
“Do you really think he prepared all this alone? Obviously, he borrowed it from someone. What capability are you talking about?”
“Being able to borrow all this is capability. Would you hand over this much in resources to just anyone without thinking?”
“….”
Those trying not to acknowledge Lucian were left speechless when that point was made.
A lender isn’t foolish—before handing over a huge sum, they verify if the borrower can pay it back.
If someone had provided this much without hesitation, it was because they believed the other had the ability or worth to repay it.
At that point, everyone’s thoughts naturally turned in another direction.
‘Was there anyone in the North with that much wealth? Not even Calix could offer this.’
‘If he had asked for it from various places, rumors would’ve spread. There’s too much silence.’
‘There are only two possibilities—either someone powerful nearby is hiding their strength, or he brought it secretly from his own family.’
For those who couldn’t even imagine magic, let alone spatial transfer, that was the only logical conclusion.
Every time the lords gathered with acquaintances, they kept talking about Lucian’s capability.
And when most of the invited lords had already gathered—
“Welcome to Asagrim.”
From the center of the storm, Lucian appeared.
***
‘A green brat.’
That 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.
And it wasn’t surprising—beyond his abilities, his youth was clearly visible on his face.
‘So it was true, he’s sixteen. At a glance, he’s still a kid in the middle of growing.’
‘New Year is in fifteen days, so he’ll soon be seventeen? And even so, he’s the lord of Asagrim…’
‘With those thin arms, he defeated Wolf Hunter Harald? Does that even make sense?’
Astonishment, doubt, suspicion, disappointment. In the midst of all those emotions, Lucian smiled.
“So quiet. I haven’t said a word yet and there’s already silence. What happened to your greetings?”
“…!”
“In case you forgot, let me remind you I am Duke Grimaldi and the Border Marquis of Asagrim. Is anything missing?”
“G-greetings to the duke!”
“Greetings to the duke!”
Startled by Lucian’s pressure, the lords hastily bowed. Hearing the greetings one after another, Lucian let out a laugh.
“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?”
“It’s delicious. I’ve never tasted anything so excellent.”
Someone let out sincere admiration. It wasn’t flattery—in the North, where food was scarce, this kind of delicacy was hard to come by.
“How did you get dishes like this? If possible, I’d like to try preparing them in my own territory as well.”
Among the praise was a sharp question. Depending on his answer, they might uncover who was backing Lucian.
While everyone held their breath, Lucian answered with a smile.
“What would I have to hide? It’s all thanks to His Majesty the Emperor’s benevolence.”
“Huh? The Emperor’s benevolence? Moving this many resources would take time…”
“Spatial transfer through a dimensional portal. It’s a type of magic. You didn’t know?”
At the words “spatial transfer,” everyone froze. Did that mean he had moved all those troops and supplies across space at once?
‘To cross that kind of distance instantly? Is that even possible?’
‘If it’s true, then a massive army could appear in my own backyard without warning.’
‘This is insane. I figured he had some hidden power, but I never imagined it was on this level.’
As the lords sank into thought, Lucian raised his voice again.
“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.”
“…!”
A new shock swept through the banquet hall. Usually, any mention of imperial succession was a taboo topic.
But Lucian spoke openly of the next heir. Even the imperial knights patrolling nearby showed no reaction at all.
That showed not only that the Emperor had chosen the First Prince as his successor but also that Lucian supported him.
Amid the confusion clouding everyone’s minds—
“Your Highness, your words are truly strange.”
Someone stepped forward, his cane echoing against the floor.
Lucian turned his head and looked at the elderly man approaching with its support. Though it was their first meeting, his appearance gave him away.
‘Norvek Calix.’
The current head of House Calix. And the thief who had shamelessly taken the name of Grimaldi for himself.
The reason Lucian had come to the North was now standing right in front of him.
***
“….”
“….”
Norvek’s appearance brought a heavy silence to the hall. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t know the relationship between the two.
One wrong move, and a war could break out right then and there.
It was Lucian who broke the silence, eyeing Norvek with a sidelong glance.
“If you’re going to speak your mind, wouldn’t it be proper to give your name first?”
“My apologies. I am Norvek, head of House Calix. May I say a few words?”
“No, you may not. So don’t.”
“…Huh?”
Norvek 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.
And yet, Lucian treated him as if he were his own vassal and shut him down without hesitation.
As Norvek fell silent, Lucian gave a slight smile.
“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?”
“…!”
Norvek 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.
But Lucian slowly shook his head, as if such reasoning no longer worked.
“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.”
To support Lucian was to be loyal to the Empire. To oppose him was to oppose the Empire. Whatever they chose, it was their decision.
“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?”
Lucian let out a loud laugh as he swept his gaze over the lords.
But none of them laughed. With pale faces, they only glanced at each other. The most pale of all was Norvek.
‘What kind of lunatic is this? Dividing factions with just the word “choice”?’
Calix had claimed that, while they didn’t seek independence, a clear boundary with the Empire was needed.
Thanks 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.
But with Lucian’s words, all that structure collapsed.
‘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.’
Once that narrative was established, it was clear that the neutrals—who until now could’ve sided with Calix—would completely distance themselves.
After all, what they hated even more than forced sacrifice was open war against the Empire.
Maybe they wouldn’t support Lucian, but they certainly wouldn’t support Calix.
‘Damn it. I thought he’d keep things vague so as not to disappoint his own supporters.’
He 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.
If the Empire wished, they could erase an entire house from the map regardless of distance.
Even the lords who would normally be disappointed by such an open declaration now had enough reason to see it as a wise decision.
“What’s wrong with all of you? This is supposed to be a banquet, and no one’s smiling.”
Not even Norvek’s killing glare fazed Lucian, who looked around with a carefree air.
Some lords tried to force a smile, but couldn’t manage it. One wrong word could drag their entire house into the succession conflict.
How could they smile in such a situation?
At the prolonged silence, Lucian nodded seriously.
“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.”
The lords flinched instinctively. Just imagining what might come out of his mouth next sent chills down their spines.
Clearly enjoying their reactions, Lucian exclaimed.
“The Hundred-Day Hunt!”
“…??”
The lords exchanged confused glances. Did he really mean that Hundred-Day Hunt?
“Your Highness, do you mean that tradition where you wander the snowy mountains for half a month without provisions?”
“Exactly. And funnily enough, it wasn’t even my idea—it was a proposal from Calix.”
Immediately, 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.
“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.”
At 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.
‘But boy, you’ve made a mistake.’
If 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.
Forcing a smile, Norvek spoke.
“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.”
____
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