“Dinner…?”
Upon receiving the grand duke’s message, a bitter smile appeared on Lucian’s lips.
Family meals had very different meanings depending on each noble house.
In a small family, where there was no succession dispute, it would just be an ordinary breakfast.
But for a massive family like the Valdecks to deliberately gather all the competitors in one place—
That could only mean one thing—there would be an important announcement related to the house.
‘Seems something bothersome happened. Luckily, it doesn’t seem too serious.’
“Huh? But His Highness only said it was a meal.”
“He only called me and my brothers. That alone is enough to deduce the situation.”
At Hans’s confusion, Lucian smiled wryly and leaned back.
If something had happened that the heirs couldn’t handle, the ladies would have been summoned too.
But the grand duke had only invited Lucian and the other brothers.
Meaning, it wasn’t something that needed to be reported to the wives—but it was perfect as a test within the competition for the head position.
“He’ll probably assign us a task this time.”
“A task?”
“If we complete it well, we might gain a new merit. Of course, only if it’s a problem I can solve.”
Upon hearing that, Hugo—who had been silently listening—opened his eyes with a gleam.
“If it involves going outside, please allow me to accompany you. I’ll help too.”
Since meeting the grand duke, Hugo had been more motivated than ever.
Until now, his faith had been uncertain, but after hearing the word “knight” from the grand duke’s own mouth, his dream now had a clear form.
Moreover, he had personally witnessed Felicia being adopted as the Swordmaster’s daughter, which undoubtedly had stirred his heart.
Fortunately, Felicia’s talent was at such a level that even Hugo couldn’t deny it, so instead of feeling jealous, he only felt a stronger desire to improve.
“I was planning to take you. Right now, you’re the only one who can move immediately. If not you, then who could I take?”
“Huh…? You’re not taking me too? I thought I was one of young master’s men as well.”
“You’ll stay and watch the house. No matter how small it is, I can’t leave the mansion completely empty. Unless you want to learn swordsmanship and accompany me. We might have to head to the battlefield at any time.”
“Protecting the house when the master is away is also a servant’s duty. Leave it to me.”
As soon as he heard the word “battlefield,” Hans replied with a solemn face.
Unlike Hugo, he seemed to prefer a quiet life, even if it meant a slower rise.
“Even so… what exactly could’ve happened?”
Lucian reviewed his memories from his past life, but couldn’t recall anything specific.
Although he had served within House Valdeck, he was just a simple guard.
The information he had access to was limited, so something this important had probably been resolved without leaking externally.
‘If I want to know the details, I’ll have to hear it directly from my father.’
After organizing his thoughts, Lucian got up and headed to the family dining room within the lord’s residence.
There was still a bit of time left, but for this kind of occasion, it was proper to arrive a little early and wait.
***
“…”
“…”
Lucian drummed his fingers on the table amidst the uncomfortable silence that filled the dining room.
As if they had timed it, Jordi and Joshua arrived at the same time as he did.
On any other day, they would’ve already exchanged tense glares, but knowing the grand duke would arrive soon, they couldn’t risk making a careless scene.
“You’re all here. If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat.”
Fortunately, Sigmund, the grand duke, arrived shortly after.
Seeing that he had arrived before the announced time, it seemed he had anticipated the awkward silence.
The meal ended with unusual speed.
The servants cleared the dishes as soon as they were done, and the grand duke went straight to the main matter.
“A problem has recently arisen in the border area. To be exact, in the Bornholm region.”
“Isn’t Bornholm where the eldest brother is stationed?”
Joshua asked in surprise, and the grand duke nodded.
“That’s right. It’s where I sent Tristan. A few months ago, we received reports that the bastards from the Imperial Liberation Front were on the move.”
The Imperial Liberation Front—a group formed by people from vassal states, united under the slogan of freeing themselves from imperial rule.
Their scale was small, but occasionally they led regional rebellions or assassinated high-ranking nobles, turning the empire upside down.
Of course, most were captured before accomplishing anything, but the fact that even rare successes existed was like a thorn under the empire’s tongue.
“But recently, we received a strange report from Tristan. Not only is the Imperial Liberation Front active, but the monsters have also begun acting out of control.”
“Could it be a great migration?”
Lucian said with a grave expression, raising a possibility.
A great migration was, quite literally, a phenomenon where monsters moved en masse.
When the monster population grew too large in a region, the food chain broke down, and food became scarce.
As a result, the entire group would be forced to search for food in other territories.
The real problem was when those zones included human villages or even castles.
After all, to monsters, humans were also excellent food.
If defenses were properly prepared, everything could be resolved with a simple subjugation campaign.
But if not, the result could become a massive disaster. The largest recorded migration had destroyed ten villages and an entire castle.
“It’s hard to say. On the surface, it might look that way, but it’s too early to draw conclusions. After all, the last great migration in Bornholm was suppressed just twenty years ago.”
“If we consider that the minimum cycle of a great migration is fifty years, then yes, it’s too early.”
“Whether it’s a great migration or not, the situation remains troubling. It’s bad enough having to watch the Imperial Liberation Front, and now the monsters are going wild too.”
At the very least, with the currently deployed forces, it wasn’t nearly enough.
The moment that was said, all three understood what the grand duke was about to propose.
“Seems like the eldest brother needs reinforcements.”
“That’s right. One of you will have to go.”
At those words, Jordi and Joshua both went silent at the same time.
No matter how they looked at it, there was no benefit in it.
The one already there, leading and familiar with the terrain and the situation, was Tristan.
Whoever was sent as reinforcement would end up as his support.
Not only would they not be able to lead the situation directly, but they’d also have to serve as an assistant to a rival.
No one wanted that.
At worst, even if they earned merits, Tristan would take all the credit, and they’d be left as a mere sidekick.
“Is it really necessary for one of us to go? Sending the knight order under your command should be more than enough…”
“No.”
The grand duke cut Jordi’s words off before he could finish.
“Sending more troops could provoke the lords of the territories neighboring Bornholm. If we make a wrong move, they might issue a joint protest. For now, deploying elite forces beyond the current level is impossible.”
“Wouldn’t it be enough to explain it properly? After all, those lords are just barons or viscounts. I don’t think my father needs to worry about their opinions.”
“That’s true. But what would you do if His Majesty questions it directly? If he asks why so many troops are being concentrated on the border, will you have an answer?”
Jordi fell completely silent.
Just as he said, if a massive house like the Valdecks moved troops, even the emperor would raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
No matter how loyal the Valdecks were to the imperial side, military movements weren’t something that could be overlooked so easily.
When Jordi fell silent, it was Joshua who spoke up in urgency.
“Even if we go alone, without troops, we wouldn’t be of much help…”
“No. There are quite a few mercenaries in that region. It’s an area where, besides monsters, minor conflicts also occur frequently. If one of you hires mercenaries, it’ll easily make up for the lack of troops.”
“But you just said that concentrating forces…”
“Do you think elite troops who only obey me are the same as mercenaries who move for money? You can’t even grasp such simple logic?”
At the grand duke’s irritated tone, Joshua instantly shrank back.
Unable to say anything, it was Lucian who spoke in his place.
“It’s true that mercenaries and elite troops are different. Even if someone hires them, the total number of mercenaries in the region would remain the same. That way, the commotion caused by troop movement is avoided.”
“…Exactly.”
“Also, mercenaries move for money, which makes them hard to control by their employer, but at the same time, it reassures those fearing suspicious movements. Since they aren’t willing to accept truly dangerous orders, there’s always the possibility of buying them off. Even His Majesty would view something like the simple hiring of mercenaries favorably.”
After he finished explaining, the grand duke relaxed his expression and nodded.
At the same time, in his eyes, as he looked at Lucian, a faint spark of expectation appeared.
“Then, do you now understand why I insist on sending one of you? I could simply order Tristan to hire mercenaries, but I still decided to intervene.”
“As I just said, mercenaries are hard to manage. When cornered, it’s not uncommon for them to betray and flee. Even if they work risking their lives, their goal is to earn money. They don’t work because they want to die.”
There were many mercenaries who, after receiving excessive orders, broke contracts and ran.
Even Lucian, who valued trust deeply, had fled several times in his past life from employers who gave suicidal orders.
That showed just how common it was for mercenaries to flee after breaking a contract.
And on the other hand, it also showed how many employers made absurd demands.
“The problem is that right now the situation in Bornholm is bad. As soon as the mercenaries sense things going south, they’ll try to flee. And, of course, the family’s knights will stop them.”
The knights, forced to defend Bornholm—Valdeck territory—even at the cost of their lives.
And the mercenaries, always ready to flee if their orders truly endangered their survival. It was a perfect setup for a direct clash.
If things turned a little, it could turn into a bloodbath.
“Of course, if the eldest brother commands them personally, that won’t happen. No matter how dangerous the situation, if someone dares to lay a hand on a Valdeck bloodline…”
“I would personally hunt down every last one of those hired mercenaries and exterminate them.”
At the grand duke’s chilling tone, Lucian nodded.
Any other house might make a similar vow if one of their own were involved, but the Valdecks’ power was on another level.
Even if it took decades, they would keep pursuing them, and even if several innocent villages were caught in the process, they would continue until the last culprit was eliminated.
“Yes. The mercenaries surely know that too. That’s why they’ll obey without question under the eldest brother’s command, even if it risks their lives. But the eldest brother can’t personally command the mercenaries, because the perimeter he has to guard is too vast.”
Bornholm’s border was wide, with two fronts to monitor.
It was inevitable that the forces would be spread out.
If he commanded directly, he would have to remain with the elite troops, not with the mercenaries.
Even if he hired them, he’d end up delegating to an adjutant or another knight.
And that, when the mercenaries’ lives were truly on the line, would give them the courage needed to cause bloodshed.
Because, no matter how prestigious a knight was, their life never equaled that of a Valdeck bloodline member.
“Isn’t that why you want to send one of us? Because right now, Bornholm desperately needs a frontline commander capable of controlling the mercenaries if things go south.”
“Hmm.”
The moment Lucian finished speaking, a smile of complete satisfaction formed on the grand duke’s lips.
____
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