Emperor Of Steel [EN]: Chapter 20

The evening sun cast its glow.

Bright and cheerful music flowed from the Lord’s Manor in Lamer. Though more modest than before, a small banquet was being held in the recently renovated hall of the manor, celebrating the victory in the territory war a month prior.

Nobles, knights, merchants, scholars, and clergy.

People from all walks of life attended the banquet, dressed in elegant and splendid attire.

Among them were vassals of the Lakan territory and well-known figures from the former Monarch County.

These figures had one thing in common: they either had a poor relationship with the former Count Monarch or were quite friendly and cooperative with the Lakan barony, which had recently won the territory war.

“It’s been a while, Baroness. I heard your husband suffered greatly because of that Pig Count?”

“Hoh hoh hoh, I guess eating only bean soup in prison made him lose his belly. How about you, Merchant Guild Master? I heard you were targeted by the Count and went to the Southern Continent?”

“That’s an exaggeration. I just moved the main branch to a port on a southern island and continued trading…”

Whether they had met after a long time or were meeting new people, everyone was busy catching up or making acquaintances.

Among them, the nobles of the former Monarch County were desperately trying to get in good with the vassals of the Lakan territory.

Especially, the efforts of the nobles above the rank of a quasi-baron, who had received territories or manors from the Monarch County, were tearful.

“Mr. Dixon. Is it true that Lord Luke plans to sell part of the county?”

“That’s what I heard. Frankly, it’s too much for our territory to manage the entire vast county.”

At Dixon’s words, the face of a noble who owned an affiliated territory in the north of the county turned pale.

If they were to sell territories, it was obvious that those located on the border would be the first to go.

Not all lords are the same, even if they hold the same title.

A baron who received his title from the Emperor and a baron who received his title from a great lord are treated completely differently.

The former is a ‘subject’ of the Emperor, while the latter is merely a subordinate of that subject, a ‘vassal’.

Therefore, the latter did not have the right to request an audience with the Emperor, and when their liege lord was defeated, as in this case, their rights to their own territory were not guaranteed.

“B-but, to go through the notarization of selling the territory, you need the lord’s ring, right? If the escaped Count has the ring…”

“The Count’s ring was found in his bedroom. There’s no problem at all.”

In fact, it was taken from the Count’s corpse, which was covered in blood after trying to take the treasure, but Dixon was completely unaware of this.

The death of Count Monarch was a secret known only to Luke and Rogers, among a few others.

Anyway, at Dixon’s words that there would be no problem with the notarization, the noble could only look crestfallen.

“I-is there anything you can do? Our family became a vassal of the Monarch County because of our ancestors’ ties, not because I had any goodwill or loyalty towards that incompetent Count.”

“Well, the decision will be made by the young lord.”

“Please, put in a good word for me. I will never go against the Lakan family or cause any trouble. I will pay taxes on time and faithfully fulfill my duties and troop mobilization.”

“Hmm…”

“If you can’t trust me, I’ll send my eldest son to the Lakan territory. He’s not skilled in swordsmanship, but he studied military science in the capital. Take him and use him as you please.”

Such pleas were happening all over the banquet hall.

They had no justification to oppose Luke, the victor of the territory war and the owner of the lord’s ring, which symbolized ownership of the county. Nor did they have the power or courage to revolt against the Lakan barony, which had taken over all of the county’s Gigant forces [large, humanoid war machines].

Watching this scene, Knight Commander Rogers chuckled.

‘Perhaps a situation different from what the young lord expected might occur.’

If the lords belonging to the county cooperated willingly, there would be no need to sell the territory.

The reason for selling the territory was based on the assumption that it would be difficult to manage due to rebellions or non-cooperation.

‘Still, it’s unlikely that none will be sold.’

The territories of those who had served as the Count’s loyal subjects, such as Baron Goth, who were imprisoned, or those who had fled, like Baron Kayan, would be disposed of.

The Lakan barony did not have enough personnel to send new administrators or lords.

“The master of the Lakan territory, young Lord Luke de Lakan, and Princess Reina Petrovna Kirillov of Volga are entering!”

When the atmosphere seemed to have reached its peak, a servant entered and shouted in a loud voice.

The attendees, who had been chatting and negotiating, turned their gazes towards the front door.

The doors of the huge banquet hall opened, and a man and a woman, arm in arm, walked into the hall.

It was Luke and Reina.

Luke, dressed in a solemn style of banquet attire, and Reina, wearing a classic and elegant dress, looked so well-matched that anyone would think they were a match made in heaven.

‘This young man is a descendant of the hero Lakan!’

‘He’s dignified, unlike the rumors.’

‘Who was it? Who said he was as weak as a girl!’

Those who saw Luke for the first time could not help but be taken aback by his different appearance from the information they had.

They thought that the victory in the territory war was due to Baron Kayan’s incompetence and Count Monarch’s carelessness.

The story that the young lord had personally defeated three Gigants and chased one away was thought to be a lie made up to exaggerate Luke’s achievements.

However, the boy, no, the young man who appeared before them was showing a dignified appearance, worthy of being called the new ruler of the South.

Moreover, as the aura of an Expert subtly emanated from him, he felt even more formidable.

Pressed by the subtle aura, most people unknowingly bent their waists or lowered their heads.

The vassals of Lakan all wore pleased expressions at the sight.

With everyone’s attention focused on him, Luke slowly opened his mouth.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation. And I welcome those who have come out of their way to visit.”

After pausing for a moment and looking around the hall, Luke raised his voice and continued.

“Today, this gathering is to celebrate the brave warriors who have achieved victory and to commemorate the defeat of the foolish and reckless. Let us raise our glasses and share the joy together.”

Hans, the butler who had been waiting behind, brought glasses of wine and handed them to Luke and Reina.

Raising his glass, Luke infused his voice with a bit of magic and shouted.

“For the glory of the brave warriors and the future of the Lakan territory!”

“Cheers!”

Everyone cheered and raised their glasses.

The loud shouts that shook the vast hall for a moment brought a satisfied smile to Luke’s lips.

Seeing this scene today, it seemed as if the hard work he had put in over the past month to stabilize the Monarch County was completely washed away.

After sharing the celebratory toast, Luke proceeded with the rewards for those who had contributed to the territory war.

The person who received the greatest reward was Knight Commander Rogers.

He had diligently prepared for the territory war under Luke’s orders and had fought on the front lines, riding a Gigant in battle.

He had also proposed to attack Lamer City first.

“Knight Commander Rogers. I hereby bestow upon you the title of Baron, along with the newly acquired territory in the east of the Lakan territory as your fief. Please continue to serve with zeal and sincerity.”

“Yes, I will serve with all my loyalty!”

The knights who participated in the battle with Rogers and the administrators who supported the territory war also received rewards commensurate with their merits.

In addition, Luke also gave rewards to some nobles and knights of the county.

They were originally opponents of Count Monarch, and most of them were imprisoned, so they were of no help in the territory war.

However, they were recognized for their active cooperation in taking over the county after the territory war and were awarded rewards.

These rewards were enough to greatly shake the hearts of the existing nobles of the county.

‘I must somehow get in good with young Lord Lakan!’

‘If I do well, I might be able to preserve my family’s position.’

If the rumors spread, even the neutral nobles who had not yet made up their minds would turn around.

Luke had calculated even this point when giving out the rewards.

If he was not going to drive out all the nobles of the former Monarch County, he had to embrace them, and to do so, there had to be a clear motive.

Rewarding merit is truly important.

If done well, yesterday’s enemy can become tomorrow’s subordinate, and if done poorly, today’s loyal subject can become tomorrow’s enemy.

Having known this well in his previous life(?), he never made a mistake.

“Now that the rewards have been given, let’s enjoy the banquet to our hearts’ content.”

As Luke raised his hand, the orchestra began to play a lively dance tune.

The banquet attendees came to the center of the hall with their partners and danced.

“May I have this dance?”

“With pleasure.”

Luke took Reina’s hand and led her to the center of the hall.

Princess Reina had learned social dancing as a basic education for royalty when she was young.

However, Luke had never learned to dance even 500 years ago, and the real young lord had also focused only on studying and swordsmanship, so he was quite clumsy when it came to dancing.

So, unintentionally, he would step on Princess Reina’s skirt or feet.

“Oh, again! I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It’s not too difficult, so I’m sure you’ll learn quickly, young lord.”

Reina taught him the basic steps one by one.

Seeing the affectionate couple, the vassals of the Lakan barony and the old retainers of the Kirillov royal family wore pleased smiles.

“They are truly a well-matched couple.”

“Indeed. Should we just tell them to get married now?”

“No, it’s not good to rush things too quickly.”

Luke and Reina had a good start to their first meeting.

After that, they developed feelings for each other and grew closer through the refugee resettlement issue.

And more than anything, a greater development occurred during the kidnapping incident that had happened earlier.

When the dark elves, instigated by the Volga Republic, kidnapped Princess Reina, Luke tracked them down alone and rescued the princess.

Because of that incident, Reina felt even more grateful to Luke and developed feelings of affection beyond mere liking.

Luke also felt a deep affection for Reina, who understood him from his Seymon days, empathized with his feelings at the time, and kept his secrets safe.

So now, he came to think of her not just as a woman who resembled Katarina, but perhaps as her incarnation.

As a result, his way of speaking naturally became more friendly.

“What is Sebastian doing right now?”

Reina asked quietly while nestled in Luke’s arms.

Through the recent kidnapping incident, she had learned that Luke was even summoning and using demons.

However, the demon was cute on the outside and was a diligent(?) and obedient fellow, so she was more curious than afraid.

“He’s faithfully playing the role of a cat.”

Reina turned her gaze to where Luke was looking.

A cute tabby cat was seen flirting with the noble ladies.

The noble ladies were so captivated by the cat that had appeared out of nowhere and was acting cute that they did not even notice their jewelry, such as jeweled hairpins and brooches, were disappearing.

Even the clergy did not think that the cat was a demon and were just watching its antics.

This was because Sebastian was a low-ranking demon, but also because he had an excellent ability to conceal his aura.

“I thought all demons were scary, but that’s not the case.”

“Not at all. That guy has given his soul to me. He may look like that, but he’s quite dangerous.”

In fact, Sebastian was the one who made the greatest contribution in the last territory war.

He not only appropriately poisoned the Count’s army, rendering them unable to fight, but also secretly extracted the core magic stones of the Gigants, contributing to the Lakan barony’s surprise attack being a one-sided victory.

However, he could not reveal his existence in front of everyone, so he was excluded from this reward ceremony.

Sebastian did not have any complaints about this. No, he couldn’t have any. Luke held the power of life and death over him.

“Well, as long as I control his soul, he won’t be able to do anything bad to me or the people around me, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

Having said that, Luke suddenly changed the subject as if something had occurred to him.

“Oh, by the way, is the preparation for managing Lamer City going well?”

“Yes, as you instructed, we have expanded the merchant guild and increased our influence within Lamer.”

As initially planned, Luke intended to entrust Lamer City to the merchants.

The Lakan barony’s capabilities were still insufficient to directly govern a large city with a population of 200,000.

However, he couldn’t just hand over the city he had worked so hard to obtain to some random people.

Therefore, he decided to create a ‘Merchant Alliance’ by grouping several merchant guilds, with the Kirillov Merchant Guild at its center.

He believed that having the Merchant Alliance govern the city would be no different from him ruling it directly.

It was a method of indirect rule rather than direct rule.

Of course, the Merchant Alliance wasn’t renting the city for free.

They had to invest a certain amount or more each month to develop the city and pay land rent to the Lakan barony.

In any case, the merchants were happy to have a base where they could do business without worry, and the Lakan territory was happy to earn a huge profit.

With the wealth he gained, he planned to develop the territory and promote the growth of other cities and villages.

In order for the Kirillov Merchant Guild to become the largest shareholder and lead the Merchant Alliance, the guild’s power and capital had to be substantial.

To this end, Luke supported her with some of the funds confiscated from Count Monarch and entrusted her with several businesses, including the Gigant Arena and the Southern Trade Guild, which the Count had operated.

These were things that Baron Goth had been managing on behalf of the Count.

The cunning Baron Goth had been embezzling funds behind the Count’s back and had accumulated a considerable amount in a secret account.

This was revealed when Viktor thoroughly ‘persuaded’ him with a club in the torture chamber.

Anyway, Luke entrusted all of these slush funds to Reina. This was because Dixon, the financial officer, did not have the capacity to manage them.

However, the old retainers of the Volga royal family, whom Reina had under her command, were different.

Having managed the nation’s finances in their prime, they were not troubled by the increase in the number of businesses.

They made good use of the funds Luke had provided, replaced the employees of each business, hired new talent, and opened branches and stores in various cities.

Thanks to this, the Kirillov Merchant Guild was rapidly growing into a large merchant guild without any major problems.

“I’ve heard good rumors, and Volga refugees who were wandering around the surrounding territories are coming here. I think more people might come in the future.”

“Don’t worry and accept them. Instead, you must pay attention to harmony in the future. During Count Monarch’s rule, Volga refugees were treated like outcasts by the residents, but now the situation is different.”

“You mean that conflicts caused by past emotions could become a source of unrest? Don’t worry about that. Whether they are Volga refugees or residents of Lamer, I will treat them all as members of the Lakan territory.”

‘Heh heh heh, she’s definitely a smart woman.’

At first, he thought she was just a kind woman who resembled Katarina.

However, Reina, as a descendant of the royal family, possessed considerable culture and knowledge, as well as political insight.

She had simply been unable to demonstrate her abilities due to a lack of power and funds.

Her talent and the trust she had built up would be of great help in overthrowing the Baroque Imperial Family and eliminating the Veritas Magic Tower.

Luke’s fondness for Reina had deepened not only because she shared his secrets or understood his past but also because of her abilities as a helper.

“It seems that meeting you was definitely a great stroke of luck.”

“Hoh hoh hoh, I’m the one who should be saying it’s luck.”

While they were having a pleasant and enjoyable time talking, a musical piece ended.

Hans, the butler, approached Luke, who had stepped away with Reina, with a serious expression.

“What’s the matter?”

“A messenger from the noble faction has arrived. They say they have something to tell the young lord.”

“Is it urgent?”

“It seems so.”

After a moment of thought at Hans’s words, Luke decided to meet the messenger from the noble faction.

“Where is the messenger?”

“They are waiting in the reception room.”

Luke parted ways with Reina and headed straight to the reception room.

Since he had left the hall as naturally as possible, those attending the banquet didn’t even realize that the main character of the banquet was gone.

“I am Baron Aaron de Bazo. I have come under the orders of Marquis Myers.”

As Luke entered the reception room, a middle-aged man who had risen from his seat bowed deeply.

‘A subordinate of Marquis Myers?’

Although he didn’t show it, Luke couldn’t look favorably upon Aaron.

He remembered the incident when Reina, who had tried to save the refugees, had collapsed from exhaustion after being turned away at the door by Marquis Myers.

Although it was due to political reasons, he didn’t like the way he had pretended not to see a helpless woman so heartlessly.

“What brings you here?”

“First of all, congratulations on your victory in the territory war. Count Monarch was a man who disgraced the honor of the Imperial nobility, and our Marquis also considered him a thorn in his side.”

“Hmm…”

“Therefore, he is very pleased that you, the descendant of the great Lakan, have won.”

‘What a late congratulations.’

It had already been a month since the territory war ended.

The lords of the surrounding small and medium-sized territories had quickly sent letters to congratulate him on his victory. But now, to come and congratulate him like this.

No matter how much he was one of the three leaders of the noble faction, his behavior was too arrogant.

However, showing his teeth right away was something only third-rate people would do.

“Please convey to the Marquis that I was honored to receive his congratulations.”

“Yes, and our lord has asked me to quickly deliver one piece of news.”

“One piece of news? What is it?”

Although he had some idea, Luke pretended not to know and asked.

In response, Aaron replied with an expression that seemed to say, ‘So, you didn’t know.’

“His Majesty the Emperor has sent a congratulatory letter to the young lord.”

“Is that so?”

As expected, the Imperial Family had stepped in regarding the recent territory war.

He had expected it, but hearing Aaron’s story, Emperor Rudolf seemed like a rather cunning fellow.

To send a congratulatory letter without considering him a thorn in his side, after he had eliminated the only pro-emperor lord in the south, who was also a member of the Imperial Family’s collateral line.

‘There must be some other meaning behind it.’

Luke’s guess was correct. It was clear just from listening to Aaron’s story.

“According to what our noble faction has found out, the letter states that the young lord is to be summoned to be granted a title and officially appointed as a lord. It also states that your military abilities are highly valued and that you are to be given a key position in the Imperial Army.”

“Wh-what!”

Hans, who was standing behind Luke, wore a bewildered expression.

For the young lord to inherit a title and become an official lord was something the family should celebrate.

However, the words that followed were unsettling.

To be given a key position in the Imperial Army meant that he was being ordered to perform military service.

It was a given that he would have to go to the army anyway, and performing the duty of national defense was a matter of honor for the sons of noble families, but for the Lakan family, it was something they could not accept at face value.

It wasn’t simply because of the grudge against the Imperial Family.

Luke was currently the only direct descendant of Lakan. Moreover, he had not yet married and had no children.

For Luke to be ordered to perform military service could only be seen as intentional.

The Baroque Empire was currently engaged in frequent border disputes with the Volga Republic and the Holy Arternia Empire.

In those disputes, not only ordinary soldiers but also the sons of noble families were frequently killed in action.

In other words, wasn’t this an intention to eliminate the direct descendant of Lakan at this opportunity?

“Currently, the letter is being carried by the Emperor’s special envoy. They are making stops at each territory to receive hospitality, so it will be delayed, but they should arrive within a week.”

Hans clenched his fist with a resentful expression.

Just when he thought the Lakan family was finally emerging from hundreds of years of stagnation, things had taken another turn for the worse.

However, unlike Hans, Luke didn’t show any particular agitation.

“There must be a reason why you are telling me this?”

At Luke’s question, Aaron nodded with a faint smile.

“Our noble faction can intervene. While it is difficult to prevent military service itself, it is possible to prevent you from being deployed to the front lines.”

“Hmm, you’re not just doing this for free… are you asking me to join the noble faction?”

“That is also a condition, but there is one more.”

“What is it?”

At Luke’s question, Aaron paused for a moment before continuing.

“I heard that you are planning to sell some of the earldom you acquired in this territory war.”

“That’s right. We’re planning to keep only what we can handle and dispose of the rest.”

Luke had deliberately made that fact known to those around him.

Since he was going to hand it over anyway, he was thinking of selling it for as much as possible, and as expected, the lords of the surrounding areas were vying to ask him to sell it to them.

“Please hand over the area east of the Neir River to our Marquisate.”

“What?!”

Hans became agitated and shouted.

The area east of the Neir River was a vast area equivalent to half of the earldom.

Moreover, since Lamer City was also located on the east side of the river, it was clear that they were asking for this as well.

‘They’re no different from thieves, except they’re not holding knives.’

Luke stopped Hans, who was about to grab Aaron by the collar, and asked him.

“Is that true?”

“Isn’t it land that you can’t govern anyway? And in exchange for handing over the territory, safe military service will be guaranteed.”

Aaron gave a slightly bitter smile.

It was a confident expression, as if to say, ‘You can’t possibly refuse, can you?’

“I understand. I’ll think about it and contact you.”

Unlike the expectation that he would accept immediately, Luke’s postponement of his answer changed Aaron’s expression.

“Young lord, there isn’t much time. It would be best if you made a decision quickly…”

“There’s a saying that even a hurried road should be taken slowly. You may go now. Please tell the Marquis that I thank him for informing me in advance.”

The conversation ended there.

Luke left the bewildered Aaron behind and returned to the banquet hall.

Hans followed behind him and asked.

“Young lord, what are you planning to do?”

“I have no intention of following Marquis Myers’s proposal.”

Rather than follow the Marquis’s proposal, it would be better to invalidate the territory war and give up the earldom.

Hans nodded at Luke’s words and asked with a subtle expression.

“Do you perhaps have a good way to avoid military service?”

If he were to contract a disease or suffer an injury that made him unable to fight, he could postpone or be exempted from military service.

However, in a noble society that valued honor and face, such an act was considered cowardly and shameful.

It was even more difficult for Luke, the descendant of the hero Lakan.

‘But the young lord might make a realistic decision.’

If Luke was trying to boldly sever ties with the progenitor [referring to a powerful, possibly divine, ancestor or figure], there was a high possibility that he would discard things like honor and face.

Hans was willing to agree if Luke made such a decision.

Although the family’s honor and face would be damaged, it was better than risking the bloodline being cut off.

“Another plan… Is there any need to think about it? Everyone else is going, so I should go too.”

“Eeh? A-Are you serious?”

“What would people think if the descendant of a hero cowered cowardly?”

“B-But, if something goes wrong…”

“Hah, haven’t you seen my skills, butler? It’s nothing, so don’t discuss it further.”

After saying that, Luke went back into the banquet hall and enjoyed his time with Reina again.

Hans looked at the young lord with a frustrated and anxious gaze.

‘What on earth are you thinking?’

He had asked himself this question several times before, but he had never felt this frustrated.

Hans let out a long sigh, and deep wrinkles formed on his forehead.

The next day, the retainers, having heard the rumor that Luke would be conscripted, abandoned their work and rushed to Hans’s office.

They were already worried that the imperial family might try to check or manipulate them after hearing the results of the territory war, and this incident only made them feel more anxious and resentful.

“How can they conscript someone who’s only 17? There’s no such law!”

“They’re clearly determined to cut off the hero’s bloodline.”

“That insidious bloodline hasn’t changed even after 500 years!”

While everyone was venting their anger, the knight commander, Rogers, calmly spoke.

“We need to come up with a countermeasure before the Emperor’s special envoy arrives.”

“A countermeasure… Is there any suitable countermeasure in this situation?”

At Hans’s question, Rogers sharply glared and spoke about the plan he had in mind.

“Territories with epidemics are not subject to conscription. This is because they are worried about the disease spreading to the outside. So…”

“Are you suggesting we fake an epidemic? Wouldn’t it be too coincidental if a disease that didn’t exist suddenly appeared when the special envoy arrives?”

“Or how about we pretend that the lord was injured while hunting?”

“It’s still hard to dispel suspicion. Above all, the lord himself is willing to comply with military service.”

For some reason, Luke had stated that he would serve honorably as a descendant of a hero.

After waking up from unconsciousness, he had been disgusted by heroes and progenitors, so they couldn’t understand why he was suddenly acting like this.

“We can’t stop him if he wants to go…”

“Why can’t we stop him? We have to stop him. If that’s what he wants, we should knock him out even if we have to use force.”

If they broke his arms and legs under the guise of sparring, he wouldn’t be able to go to the military even if he wanted to.

It was Rogers’s plan, born out of loyalty to Luke, but everyone else only showed a lukewarm reaction.

“No matter what we do, we can only buy some time. The young lord won’t be exempted from military service. Whether he gets sick or breaks his limbs, he’ll eventually be conscripted.”

At Hans’s words, the priest Maron raised his hand and said,

“Then, how about getting him married early? After all, early marriages among noble families are common.”

“Are you saying we should at least leave a descendant?”

“I thought that might be the best option.”

“Hmm…”

In fact, there had been several similar incidents in the family’s 500-year history.

When an heir going to war was young and unmarried, they would hastily marry him off to a woman from a fallen noble family or a retainer’s daughter to ensure there was a descendant.

“Moreover, the young lord has someone in mind, doesn’t he?”

‘Certainly, Princess Reina…’

Reina was of noble Volgan blood, and she was a woman of excellent character and intelligence, perfectly suited to be the mistress of the territory.

Moreover, after the kidnapping incident, Luke and Reina had developed a very close and affectionate relationship.

Therefore, even though they said there was no need to rush, Lakan’s retainers and Volgan elders were hoping that the two would get together soon.

“Also, the national law states that nobles who get married can postpone conscription for at least one year. So…”

“Instead of thinking about such useless things, why don’t you all take care of the territory’s affairs?”

The door burst open, and Luke entered.

He glanced around at the retainers, who were startled like a cat caught stealing fish from the kitchen, and spoke.

“I was wondering where everyone had gone, and you were all gathered here. Commander Rogers!”

“Yes, young lord.”

“Do you think my skills are lacking? Do I look like someone who’ll just die without a peep on the battlefield?”

“That’s… not true.”

Although there were still many areas to refine in swordsmanship, Luke’s skills were very outstanding compared to knights of his age.

He could manifest aura and use various magic spells.

Moreover, as a Rune Knight, he had properly demonstrated his skills by defeating the four Gigants [giant, monstrous beings] that had raided the territory.

Even if he went to the battlefield, he wouldn’t die easily.

However…

“Young lord, even a Sword Master can die from a stray cannonball on the battlefield. Considering the Emperor’s current feelings, it’s highly likely that you’ll be sent to the front lines, where battles are frequent, rather than the safe rear.”

“I suppose so. But tell me, can a knight become strong without experiencing such harsh environments?”

“That’s…”

Luke, raising his voice, declared his intentions to Rogers, who couldn’t properly refute him.

“I want to become a much stronger knight than I am now. My wish is to become stronger than a Sword Master, no, even stronger than the Sword Emperor that the progenitor achieved.”

Luke was serious.

He needed to become that strong to get his revenge.

And if he stayed in the territory, he wouldn’t be able to properly train in black magic because of his retainers and the residents.

The battlefield was the best environment to grow stronger without worrying about the eyes of his acquaintances.

‘Besides, I can also learn about the internal affairs of the Imperial Army that supports the Baroque Empire.’

This was why Luke was not trying to refuse military service.

“And from what I’ve learned, while a lord is serving in the military, the taxes of that territory are reduced, and disputes between neighboring lords, that is, territory wars, are strictly prohibited.”

Although they had been working on it for the past month, it was difficult to say that the Lakan County had completely taken over the Monarch territory.

Therefore, Luke needed more time to stabilize the territory, and he didn’t want to avoid military service, which would give him tax reductions and the benefit of avoiding territory wars.

“I know what you’re all worried about. But if you acknowledge what I’ve done so far, I hope you’ll continue to trust me in the future.”

“Young lord…”

“Let’s not discuss this matter any further.”

With those words, Luke left the room.

Hans and the other retainers stood there for a while without saying anything, then one by one, starting with Rogers, they left their seats.

They had decided to trust the young lord as he had said, but the heavy worry that had settled in their hearts was not easily shaken off.

On a night when the moonlight shone brightly.

On a hill in Brenden City stood a white marble palace, or rather, the lord’s manor.

On the terrace of one of the tall buildings, a middle-aged noble with graying hair was looking at the moon while holding a glass of wine.

“That brat refused?”

At the middle-aged noble’s question, Baron Aaron de Bazo, standing behind him, bowed his head and replied.

“He didn’t refuse, but said he would think about it and contact us, Your Grace.”

“So, he refused in a roundabout way. He’s quite cunning for a descendant of Lakan.”

The middle-aged noble was Marquis Myers, a descendant of the former Milton Royal Family.

480 years ago, the Milton Royal Family quickly surrendered to the Baroque Empire’s invasion and were granted the continuation of their family and territory.

Although their title was demoted from a royal family to a marquisate, and the land they ruled was reduced to one-third, their descendants maintained enough influence to be called kings by their retainers and residents.

“They say he defeated the Gigants with his bare hands. Is he confident in his skills?”

Muttering to himself, Marquis Myers glared sharply at Baron Aaron and continued.

“I must be lacking in virtue. None of my subordinates were able to grasp that the brat had such skills beforehand.”

“I-I apologize, Your Grace.”

Displeased with Baron Aaron’s answer, whom he had believed to be his confidant, the marquis frowned and asked.

“Before apologizing, have you thought about what to do next?”

“W-We are currently tracking down the whereabouts of the escaped Count Monarch.”

Even though the lord’s ring had been handed over, if the lord himself was still alive, the hearts of his retainers would inevitably waver.

Moreover, since the brat was talking about dismantling the occupied territory, the hearts of the nobles who owned subordinate territories or manors would be even more uneasy.

“Certainly, securing that pig count would be useful in many ways. We could incite him to revolt, for example. But wouldn’t it be simpler to eliminate the brat?”

“The imperial family will take care of the brat, so I don’t think we need to get involved.”

“Tsk, you’re too soft.”

At Marquis Myers’s rebuke, Baron Aaron blushed and bowed his head even lower.

“Even an ogre does its best when catching a goblin. How can we just watch and leave our target in someone else’s hands? What if that brat becomes monstrously strong after finishing his service?”

“Surely that won’t happen? Most of Lakan’s descendants die young, don’t they?”

“That’s why I’m saying you’re too soft. In the past 500 years, has there been anyone better than that brat among Lakan’s descendants?”

At that question, Baron Aaron was at a loss for words.

Marquis Myers was right. For 500 years, Lakan’s descendants had hardly stood out and had only continued to decline.

However, Luke de Lakan, who had appeared when the family was on the verge of ruin, had shown completely unexpected achievements.

He had paid off the territory’s debts at once, accepted the Volgan refugees that others had shunned, increased the population, and won the territory war against Count Monarch.

He had also shown his skills as a ‘Destroyer’ by defeating the Gigants with his bare hands.

It was no wonder that the Lakan territory was buzzing with talk of the hero Lakan’s reincarnation.

“Weeds are easier to deal with if you pull them out before they grow bigger. We have to get rid of that nuisance if we want to firmly control the south.”

“Your Grace, please leave the matter to me.”

As soon as the marquis finished speaking, a deep voice was heard from behind the curtain, and a man appeared.

He was a sturdy knight wearing full plate armor.

‘That man!’

Aaron was shocked to see the knight’s face.

It was Baron Kaine.

He was the one who had led Count Monarch’s army into the Lakan territory during the last territory war and suffered a crushing defeat.

He had heard that he had escaped with a few of his subordinates, but he had never imagined that Marquis Myers would have taken him in.

“You also need a chance to restore your honor, don’t you?”

At Marquis Myers’s question, who was smiling faintly, Baron Kaine knelt down and slammed his forehead against the marble floor, shouting.

“Please trust me and give me a chance!”

“Alright, I’ll trust the skills of an expert-level knight.”