Lucian’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
‘Lion Heart Sword.’
A sword technique that only those selected as candidates for head of the family—and a handful of their closest subordinates—were allowed to learn.
Among the ancient techniques, it was famous for its overwhelming strength, considered one of the most powerful.
Not only knights, even ordinary peasants knew the name Lion Heart Sword.
At the very least, they had heard it once in childhood tales or regional legends.
And now, Duke Sigmund was saying he would teach it to him.
To contain his emotions, Lucian pressed his lips tightly together.
‘Finally…!’
In his previous life, though he traveled the continent from end to end, he never obtained a high-level sword technique.
Even the one he managed to get with great effort was just a downgraded version of what common knights learned.
For a mere mercenary, that was already valuable—but Lucian could never rejoice in it.
How many times had those knights he once easily defeated returned years later, their strength reversed, and knocked him down mercilessly?
Every time he was defeated and barely survived, the thirst for a superior sword technique consumed him—along with unbearable despair.
And now, right before his eyes, there was not only a high-level technique, but one of the most powerful in existence.
“I’ll go to the training grounds first thing tomorrow.”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“It’s not overdoing it. My body is fully recovered. Resting more would only cause this freshly healed body to rust.”
The duke frowned, but in response, Lucian straightened his back even more proudly.
After observing his body once, the duke’s frown finally eased.
He seemed to confirm it wasn’t just bluffing.
“If you’re that determined, do it your way. But any damage from not taking care of your body will be entirely your responsibility.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“All matters related to the Roglan family will fall under your charge. Do what you deem necessary. If the results are good, you can expect a reward.”
“I won’t disappoint you.”
“Go.”
Lucian bowed his head and left the duke’s office.
Since hearing he would learn the Lion Heart Sword, his heart hadn’t stopped pounding.
‘This is just the beginning.’
In his past life, he had possessed none of the necessary elements to fulfill his dreams.
No lineage, no sword technique, not even a proper body—everything was barely above rock bottom.
With such a miserable foundation, no matter how much he tried, he never surpassed the limit of being just a mercenary captain.
‘But now, I have everything I need.’
That’s why the chaos to come would be unlike anything before.
Especially because, with a complete lineage, there was now no clear limit to how far he could rise.
Lucian intended to go as far as possible.
Just how far could he go with this knowledge and power?
Suppressing the smile threatening to rise, Lucian began mapping out his future in his mind.
***
After Lucian left, the duke immediately summoned Edwin.
When Edwin read the documents detailing the marquis’s plan, his face went pale.
“Your Highness.”
“If you’re thinking of apologizing, don’t bother.”
“I was negligent…”
“I said don’t. It was my direct order to focus espionage efforts on the border. With so many holes in counterintelligence, what could you have done?”
“Even so, I should’ve noticed. This is Kelheim, the very heart of House Valdeck, isn’t it? An enemy aiming a dagger at our center without us noticing—that’s my fault.”
“This doesn’t even qualify as a dagger.”
The duke scoffed while Edwin bowed his head in shame.
“If it were a dagger-level threat, you would’ve noticed. It was barely a fingernail scratch—that’s why it slipped by. It’s not your incompetence; Bernhardt struck precisely at our blind spot.”
“You mean poisoning the territory with drugs is just a scratch?”
“Keep reading.”
Edwin’s gaze returned to the documents.
After reviewing everything at length, he shook his head with a bitter smile.
“They focused solely on avoiding detection. At this rate, neither distribution will progress quickly nor will they gain much profit.”
“Exactly. If we subtract the cost of materials and production, there’s virtually no profit. The real goal wasn’t money—it was to tarnish my reputation.”
The fact that drug sales had taken place right under Valdeck’s nose without them noticing.
To their enemies, that was perfect material for mockery.
It could even be used as an excuse whenever the emperor considered entrusting an important task to the duke.
“But still, that bastard crossed a line. At a time when the empire is unstable, he dares pull something like this. This borders on treason.”
“He was never a loyal subject.”
“Still, thanks to the third, we avoided a bigger humiliation. It’s a real relief.”
“Huh? Don’t tell me the third young master gathered this evidence?”
“The distribution manager switched sides to him. From what I gather, it must be that new servant from the underworld.”
“His name is Hugo.”
“Yes, that Hugo. But it’s absurd. Just because his plan was discovered, the head of the underworld switches sides so easily?”
The duke scoffed, leaning back in his chair.
Though he let it slide earlier, this wasn’t a simple matter.
“If he were going to betray someone, he’d go to someone more powerful—or run. What power does the third have to win his loyalty?”
“Then that means the third young master personally convinced him.”
“Convinced… yes, I suppose you could call it that.”
It wasn’t incorrect—but to call it mere persuasion didn’t do it justice.
Would a veteran fox of the underworld really fall for just a few words?
Just because someone promised to fulfill the dream he had carried his whole life?
‘Impossible.’
This wasn’t some backwater noble. He had wagered his life between a marquis and a duke.
His resolve exceeded that of many knights, and his mind was razor-sharp.
For someone like that to swear loyalty to Lucian meant only one thing:
He had seen not just confidence—but real capability, more than enough.
“In any case, it’s sooner than planned, but now that the third has proven his worth, there’s no reason to keep waiting. Starting tomorrow, I’ll teach him the Lion Heart Sword.”
“A wise decision. Who will be his sword master…?”
“Sir Eisen. I know it’s uncomfortable to call back someone who had already retired, but there’s no one better.”
“I’ll inform him immediately.”
“Oh, and don’t touch the organization listed in those documents. The third wants to shake them from the inside. I want to see what he’s capable of.”
Edwin shivered at those words.
He understood the desire to test his son—but the matter was far too dangerous.
If anything went wrong, they could be completely exposed with no way to recover.
“Your Highness, with all due respect, this matter…”
“I know what you’re going to say. That this evidence is too important to gamble with, right?”
“It’s not just that. The third young master has no experience in these kinds of operations. Even if it succeeds, it won’t be better than if I handled it myself.”
“That’s true. But even so, I want to leave it in the third’s hands.”
“Have you seen something in the third young master?”
“Not to that extent—but his gaze was right.”
For the duke, it was possible to glimpse a person’s entire life through their eyes.
For example, a noble young lady raised in comfort retained a certain innocence, even when ordering a criminal’s execution.
Meanwhile, someone who had grown up at the bottom of society, no matter how humble, always had a trace of repressed ferocity in their gaze.
This also applied to the duke’s sons.
Even if they had innate talent and nobility, that immature air of a young noble was hard to conceal.
But today, Lucian’s eyes had none of that.
“They were the eyes of someone who has been to the battlefield.”
“What do you mean by that…?”
“As you know, the gaze of a novice who’s only been fed heroic tales is very different from that of a soldier who’s had his ear sliced off on a battlefield where spears and swords clash.”
When Lucian said he would offer his neck—he was, without a doubt, the latter.
It wasn’t the impulsive vow of a reckless youth, but the gaze only seen in someone betting their real life.
At least among the other sons, none had shown such a thing yet.
“Though capability and resolve are different things, if he showed that much resolve, it’s only logical to assume he has a plan. That’s why I want to see how far he can go.”
“If Your Highness says so, there’s nothing more to say.”
Edwin bowed and left.
No matter how important the matter, if the duke prioritized grooming his successor, the head steward’s duty was to obey.
At the same time, he felt a flicker of anticipation about what results the third young master would show.
Because not even Edwin could match the duke’s eye for judging people.
***
Lucian summoned Hugo as soon as he returned.
“Can you expose the marquis’s family that’s behind all of this?”
“Expose them?”
“I mean, can you lure them in so they don’t just cut off the tail and run?”
He didn’t even aim to drag the marquis himself to trial.
It would be enough to gather just a bit more evidence—enough that they couldn’t get away with mere excuses.
Even if only a little more was revealed, the difference between losing just the tail or also the legs would be enormous.
The losses the marquis’s family would have to endure to prove their innocence would be incomparable.
At Lucian’s words, Hugo smirked boldly.
“That won’t be hard. Those connected to the marquis’s family will come at least a couple more times.”
“Twice?”
“They’ll come in person to see the drug production and the first sale. Before work starts, they always check whether I’m actually doing the job or just pocketing the support money.”
“And what’s the rank of those contacts? If they’re just tails too, it won’t be very meaningful.”
“They tried to hide it from me, but I followed them in secret and found out who it is. It’s the marquis’s fourth son.”
“…!”
Lucian’s eyes widened.
If a son was involved, the marquis’s family could no longer deny their connection to Hugo.
No, even if they did deny it, they’d have to completely cut off the fourth son and everything related to him.
If they’d never imagined Hugo’s betrayal, it would be a fatal blow they couldn’t possibly foresee.
“Can you handle this on your own? I can’t move. If House Valdeck gets too involved, they’ll notice too.”
“The prey is walking right into the trap—what help would I need? When the time comes, I’ll let you know, so don’t worry.”
After hearing such bold words, Lucian decided to fully entrust the matter to Hugo.
Having received direct orders from the marquis’s family, Hugo knew the details better than anyone.
It would be better to let him unleash his full capability rather than interfering with unnecessary advice.
Especially knowing that his abilities had already been proven.
“Didn’t Hans say he’s been re-training the servants lately? How’s that going?”
“Honestly, there’s not much to teach them. After what happened last time, they’ve all come to their senses. Besides, most of them have been working as servants longer than I’ve been around.”
“Still, you never know when that effect might wear off, so keep an eye on them. If anyone starts slacking, report it immediately. People don’t change so easily.”
“If anyone dares to get cocky, I’ll report them right away.”
After giving new instructions to his two trusted men, Lucian went to sleep.
And the next day, at the appointed hour, he headed alone to the training grounds.
There, the person the duke had mentioned beforehand was already waiting for him.
“It’s been two years since His Grace the Duke’s birthday. This is our first time meeting since then, Third Young Master. Do you remember me?”
Despite the old knight’s easygoing demeanor, Lucian couldn’t relax.
Because he had heard that name to exhaustion even before his reincarnation.
‘Eisen Brightner.’
The right hand of the former duke and a loyal retainer who had served House Valdeck for three generations.
And standing before him was the sole survivor among the five knights who had earned the title of Swordmaster across the entire continent.
____
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