Chapter 20

Chapter 20
## Chapter 20

The attendants, and even Lucian himself, stood frozen with stunned expressions.

To witness the perpetually grim Grand Duke Sigmund erupting in such a laugh, abandoning all his noble composure…

After a lengthy bout of amusement, the Grand Duke wiped away the small tears forming at his lashes and found his voice.

“I cannot recall the last time someone dared to challenge me so blatantly to my face! It hasn’t happened a single time since I took over the mantle of Family Head from my predecessor. To think I would hear such a retort from you of all people!”

“I can only offer my apologies if my words caused you any offense.”

“Do I truly seem offended? It has been ages since I’ve enjoyed such a bracing laugh! Hahaha!”

It took several more bursts of chuckles before the Grand Duke finally regained his self-control.

While the rest of the room remained in awkward silence, Grand Duke Sigmund spoke with a lingering grin.

“That is an excellent response. A man must possess unwavering belief in the path he chooses. One is hardly a man at all if he allows himself to be tossed about by a few stray comments.”

Lucian’s eyes widened as the meaning settled in.

“Was this a trial?”

“Precisely. I wanted to discover whether you would collapse under the weight of a simple observation.”

I suspected as much.

There was no way Sigmund was oblivious to the fact that Lucian couldn’t possibly manage this task on his own.

Even if he was merely the fourth-born, the mark was a legitimate child of Marquis Roglan. To safeguard against any threats, the Marquis would certainly have assigned at least a small unit of high-ranking protectors.

In contrast, Lucian didn’t have a single knight under his banner. If he were to lunge forward with haphazard plans driven by nothing but ambition, it was certain he wouldn’t even come out even.

Sigmund wasn’t the sort of man to be blind to such realities, which was why Lucian had found his father’s unrealistic expectations so jarring—it had all been a test of character.

“It is exactly as you claim. It is nothing short of idiocy to grab at a task that exceeds your reach, blinded by the hope of glory. Any fool knows that. The real question is whether you can maintain your position when those words are directed at you by me.”

“….”

“It would be understandable if you were struggling because you hadn’t found the solution yourself, but if you shift your stance based on the preferences of those above you, you are unworthy of the title of man, let alone a contender for the seat of Family Head. If you cannot remain true to your own word, who would ever trust or follow your lead?”

Lucian found himself nodding in agreement.

A person who is easily molded by the views of others is even less reliable than a deliberate liar. A liar might tell the truth by accident, but a person without a backbone will betray their own words at any second, regardless of how much they mean them at the time.

“I had similar talks with your older brothers. The eldest pushed forward without a second thought. The second weighed the advantages and disadvantages before hunting for a middle ground. But you are the first to stand your ground and contradict me.”

The Grand Duke settled back into his seat, his face radiating satisfaction.

“Regardless, your answer was superb. I will grant whatever assistance you require. What is your request?”

Lucian paused to deliberate before answering.

“If the force is too large, it will trigger alarms. We need to move as a compact, elite unit to stay under the radar. The difficulty is that the enemy’s protection is likely structured as a small, elite system as well.”

“Meaning you risk being the one crushed if you are careless.”

“Indeed. In the worst-case scenario, it would be more damaging than having no backup at all. It would appear as though we were slaughtered by the Marquis’s finest despite being the ones who set the trap and initiated the strike.”

Basically, he was requesting the absolute peak of their military strength to ensure such a failure was impossible.

The Grand Duke narrowed his gaze, perfectly reading between Lucian’s lines.

“You are quite the bold one. Are you suggesting I play my strongest cards of my own accord?”

“Not at all. I am simply acting in the best interest of Valdek’s reputation…”

“I will dispatch five Black Lions.”

“…!?”

Lucian’s breath caught at the mention of the Black Lions.

The hidden shadows of Valdek, answerable only to the Family Head. Rumor held that a single Black Lion possessed enough prowess to butcher three knights in a direct fight.

During his time as a common guard, his comrades would often recount tales of the Black Lions over their mugs. However, since nobody had ever actually encountered them, he had dismissed it as a colorful myth.

They actually exist?

“Why? Are five insufficient?”

“N-no, that isn’t it at all.”

Lucian shook his head rapidly at the Grand Duke’s inquiry.

Insufficient? Hardly. Even if the stories regarding the Black Lions were only partially accurate, it was an overwhelming amount of power.

Recovering his wits a moment late, Lucian offered a low bow.

“I am grateful for your generosity. I will make sure to return with the results you expect.”

“I shall be waiting. And you would do well to keep your eyes sharp.”

As Lucian turned to depart, the Grand Duke spoke with a profound smile.

“To witness the kind of authority that is bestowed upon the ruler of Valdek.”

—

A week passed, and Lucian guided his group toward Bestra.

As it was the nearest territory, the journey was brief.

“What a shambles of a town.”

Lucian clicked his tongue as he surveyed the streets of Bestra.

It wasn’t strange for a rapidly growing town to be a bit messy, but the level of disarray in Bestra was on another level entirely.

“Why are there so many half-finished structures? Some of those look like they were abandoned years ago.”

“It’s because so many people arrive here having been swindled.”

Hans was the one who provided the explanation.

“As you’re aware, even though this location is near Kelheim, there are no real opportunities to be found. But outsiders aren’t privy to that. People who only look at a map assume it will thrive as a hub for travelers due to its proximity to the capital.”

“…Please tell me all those empty houses don’t belong to victims of fraud?”

“Precisely.”

Lucian rubbed his temples.

He had wondered why the population felt so thin despite the number of buildings. People had been tricked into believing they were purchasing valuable property, only to flee back home once the reality set in.

Now the abundance of skeletal structures made sense. If they realized they’d been cheated before the roofs were even on, they wouldn’t have bothered to finish the work.

“In a place this chaotic, nobody would notice if a house or two appeared or vanished.”

“That was precisely why I picked this spot for the secret lab. Although I ended up being caught by you, Young Master.”

Hugo, who was walking behind Lucian, let out a rueful grin. Back then, he never dreamed he would be apprehended by the “Deer Prince,” who hadn’t even been a factor in the Grand Duke’s plans.

“By the way, are you truly never going to explain how you found me? Even Master Hans seems to be in the dark.”

“I’ll explain eventually. For now, let’s concentrate on baiting the trap. How do our preparations look?”

“Flawless. All that remains is the arrival of the reinforcements, but…”

A shadow of doubt crossed Hugo’s features. Lucian, sensing his internal conflict, gave a small chuckle.

“Are you that bothered by accepting my father’s help?”

“No. It is a simple fact that my own power is lacking. It’s just… I feel ashamed of my weakness. If I were stronger, I could have secured this entire victory for you alone, Young Master.”

“There is no need for such haste. I am only sixteen, and you are barely past thirty yourself. There will be plenty of time to earn your knighthood in the future, so let’s just take this one rung at a time.”

When he finished, Hugo stared at Lucian with a truly complicated look. His face was a mixture of slight annoyance, grief, and a sense of being wronged.

Why is he staring at me like that? Did I offend him?

While Lucian tilted his head in confusion, Hans leaned in and tapped his shoulder.

“Um, Young Master.”

“Yes?”

“Hugo says he turned twenty-three this year. He’s quite a way off from thirty.”

“….”

Lucian gave Hugo another long look.

The twitching scar, the unkempt beard, the weathered skin. No matter who saw him, they wouldn’t guess he was a day younger than thirty-five. And yet, with that appearance, he was only twenty-three.

“Hugo.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“There is no need for such haste. I am only sixteen, and you are barely in your twenties…”

“Please don’t fix it. It only makes me feel more pathetic.”

“Ahem! Moving on, the Black Lions are behind schedule. They should have arrived by now.”

“Third Young Master.”

The three of them jumped simultaneously at the voice that manifested from directly behind them. Hugo, especially, was spooked and his hand flew to the grip of his blade.

But before he could pull it an inch, another voice rang out.

“Do not unsheathe it.”

Thud.

Hugo’s eyes widened at the heavy weight clamping down on the back of his hand. To think he hadn’t detected their presence until two individuals were within arm’s reach.

But when Hugo turned his head, it wasn’t just two people.

Five silhouettes had closed in without making a sound. They were already at a distance where they could have decapitated the group before anyone could react.

While the others were paralyzed, Lucian was the first to find his voice.

“The Black Lions?”

“Yes. We have arrived to assist the Third Young Master by the decree of His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“I appreciate your arrival. But if you wouldn’t mind, could you release my attendant? If you keep that pressure up, he won’t be able to let go of his hilt even if he tried.”

“As you command.”

At Lucian’s word, the hand on Hugo was withdrawn. As Hugo stumbled back like he had just seen a ghost, the full team of Black Lions finally stood revealed.

Their only weapon was a lone sword, and their protection was nothing more than light leather. To a casual observer, their clothes could easily be mistaken for those of typical sellswords found in any major city.

However, their eyes were freezing—far too chilling to belong to a common mercenary.

Suddenly, Lucian was reminded of a figure buried deep in his past life.

These men… they carry the same aura as the one who ended my life.

A sword strike he hadn’t even seen until his head was already falling. Could it be that every one of them was at a level comparable to that man?

Lucian instinctively rubbed the back of his neck.

If all of them were truly equal in skill to that knight…

“His Grace the Grand Duke ordered us to obey the Third Young Master’s commands upon our arrival in Bestra. Please provide us with your instructions.”

Then this operation was guaranteed to succeed.

A dark smile spread across Lucian’s face as he surveyed the Black Lions.

—

The orders Lucian gave the Black Lions were straightforward.

“Remain concealed in the specified spot until the target shows up, then strike all at once on my command.”

“Are we to execute them?”

“The more witnesses we can interrogate, the better, so try to take them alive if you can. Particularly the Marquis’s son—restrain him with minimal harm.”

If they were being used for such shady business, they would likely be silent. But there were always outliers. If luck was on their side, one of the survivors might confess everything about the Marquis.

Of course, that was an ideal scenario, so he wouldn’t count on it. As long as he managed the primary goal of seizing Marquis Roglan’s fourth son, the rest was a bonus.

“Naturally, if the tide turns against you, you are permitted to kill. Use your own judgment based on the flow of the fight.”

“Understood.”

Despite the Black Lions’ flat response, Lucian could sense it. Not one of them believed they would ever find themselves in a situation they couldn’t handle.

It was a level of certainty that bordered on hubris, but he didn’t feel the need to comment. Whether it was empty pride or earned confidence would be proven soon enough.

—Is this the right location? It looks like a dump from the outside. You didn’t pocket the money elsewhere, did you?

—We need to keep up appearances, so of course the outside is a mess. The inside is where the real value is, so come see for yourself.

At the sound of Hugo’s scripted conversation with someone approaching, Lucian slipped into a hiding spot.

A moment later, following the sound of a creaking door, several figures walked into the workshop. It would be the fourth son of Marquis Roglan, whom they had baited, and his entourage.

Lucian peeked out slightly to confirm the target, but his eyes nearly popped out at the sight of an unexpected figure.

Felix the Sword Demon!?