It was a sudden topic.
It was also a question that was difficult to answer rashly.
‘How much does he know?’
The ten branch families had certainly tried to turn Myers into that.
There was no need to raise a perfectly fine person as the head of the family.
The planner behind it was Baron Helmut.
Count Cheimon had readily agreed to the words of the Baron, who belonged to his own faction.
If the fourth son knew about this, things would get complicated. He wouldn’t want to rely on someone who tried to ruin him.
‘The worst situation would be…!’
He would leave for Count Irdan, who led the opposing faction.
If that happened, his own faction would lose all qualified heirs to support.
For now, it was best to play dumb.
“What do you mean by that…?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. I’m sure you’re aware of this, Count. I already heard everything from Hans.”
He already knew?
Myers’s words seemed a bit odd.
Cheimon immediately asked,
“What exactly did you hear to make you say that?”
“Hoo. This plan, the mastermind was Baron Helmut, wasn’t it?”
“That’s correct.”
“I heard that bastard Irdan gave his permission, too.”
Irdan, the head of the Amelton Count’s family.
He was the leader of the opposing faction.
‘Why bring up Irdan?’
That doubt flashed through his mind.
That was when Hans suddenly jumped into the conversation like lightning.
“That’s right. That bastard Helmut belongs to Count Irdan’s faction. That’s why I urgently brought the youngest young master to you, Count Cheimon.”
Cheimon’s eyes sparkled.
He was an experienced noble who had been through many ups and downs.
Sensing the situation wasn’t difficult.
‘That guy’s lying in the middle.’
The situation wasn’t bad.
No, it was actually good.
Since Myers believed that, he wouldn’t leave for Count Irdan. He could keep the heir with the succession rights firmly within his own faction.
“……I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
“Hoo. Honestly, I’m sure you didn’t cast a dissenting vote either, Count. I’m aware that you were just a bystander.”
“Still, you’re not as detestable as that bastard Irdan. He deserves to be torn to pieces!”
Myers, who seemed to be fuming with rage, glared at the Count.
“Haa… Count Cheimon.”
“Yes.”
“Since you weren’t the one who directly planned it, I’ll let this go. But I can’t deny that I feel bitter about it. In the end, you were just a bystander.”
“…I’m sorry.”
Unlike his sincere bow and apologetic tone, Cheimon was smiling inwardly.
‘I need to make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut.’
Anyway, Baron Helmut, the mastermind, had long since been crushed by the eldest son.
It had become much easier to cut off loose ends.
‘Keep the youngest lord here.’
If he had the nobles in his faction keep quiet, the secret could be preserved. Cheimon and Hans exchanged subtle glances.
Nod.
Just as expected.
They were thinking the same thing.
‘First, I’ll need to coordinate with that guy.’
He needed to figure out what Hans wanted.
In the middle of the night.
There was a knock at Cheimon’s office.
“Come in.”
“You called for me, Count.”
“Sit.”
The Count offered Hans a seat and asked,
“Why did you help me?”
“I’m the head attendant of the Hunting Annex in the Barony of Kargas. If someone like me were to go to Count Irdan, would I be welcomed? I’d be lucky not to be treated as a spy.”
“So that’s why you came to me, who’s in the same faction as the Baron?”
“Yes. I pledge my loyalty. Please use me well.”
Cheimon nodded, seeing the ambition blazing in his eyes.
“Good. I’ll make good use of you. By the way, you said you were the head attendant of the Hunting Annex?”
“Yes.”
“That’s where the Archduke stayed, isn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Do you know what kind of person he is?”
“I didn’t spend much time with him, so I can’t say for sure. But one thing is certain. He harbors a deep grudge against the branch families.”
“Hmm… That’s understandable.”
After all, he’d been forced out of the Inner Castle to live in a shabby annex just before he collapsed. He had every reason to bear a grudge.
“Is there any room for compromise?”
“As far as I can see, no.”
“…I see.”
He thought of the Barony of Kargas. It was the smallest force in his faction.
He should be wary of the Archduke’s growth, but there was no reason to be afraid.
‘If I just send two of the family’s veteran knights…’
He could crush the Barony the same way.
The Fernes Count’s family had over twenty knights of that caliber.
The reason the Archduke was feared was because of his immunity, not because he had destroyed the Barony.
“Do you have any idea where the Archduke’s next sword will point?”
“I believe the next target will be the Romenton Baron’s family.”
“Romenton?”
Romenton was a family of the opposing faction.
Cheimon’s eyes brightened.
“Why?”
“For one, it’s the family closest to the Barony of Kargas, and it seems they sent some kind of letter to the Archduke.”
“A letter?”
“Yes. The Archduke read it, turned red-faced, and tore the letter to pieces. I think they wrote something insulting…”
“Hm.”
If the Archduke would go after Romenton, that would be perfect.
‘Right beside them is the Viscount Territory of Itun.’
And next to that is the Amelton County ruled by Irdan.
They were all forces of the opposing faction.
If the Archduke and the opposing faction destroyed each other in their fight!
He might be able to benefit without lifting a finger.
Just imagining it sent a thrill through him.
He could greedily absorb the sweet honey flowing from the vast duchy and grow even stronger.
“Count!”
“What is it?”
“I have a question, may I ask?”
“What is it?”
“Is the Barony of Kargas safe?”
There’s been a rumor going around recently.
Apparently, the Barony has been occupied by the Archduke…
“Is that true?”
“It’s almost certain.”
“If the Barony has fallen, all news from there must have been cut off.”
The Count nodded.
“I have connections I made while I was in the Barony. Knights and officials—some of them are probably still in the Inner Castle.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“With the Archduke’s momentum, I think it’s necessary to check. If you let me go, I’ll gather as much information as I can.”
To keep watch on the Archduke’s every move in the Inner Castle, it was only natural to send someone inside.
It would require considerable time and effort.
‘But if I send this guy…’
He might be able to get information more easily than expected.
Given the number of teeth he’d lost from being beaten, he surely held a considerable grudge.
“Take this.”
“This is… a contact crystal?”
“Yes. If you hold a mana stone to it, you’ll be able to contact me directly.”
It was just a low-grade contact crystal, but it was good enough to relay a few reports.
Hans bowed deeply in gratitude.
“I’ll definitely bring back valuable information.”
“I’ll be counting on you.”
“Yes. If I disappear suddenly, the young master might worry, so is it alright if I leave tomorrow?”
“Do as you wish.”
Thus, their late-night conversation ended.
The next morning.
Hans quietly whispered to Myers.
“It worked.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It looks like I’ll be able to visit the Barony.”
“Good. Make sure to give my regards to my brother.”
“I understand. Ah, and you must do your best to show the Count how hard you’re training. That way, he might consider nurturing you.”
“Alright. I’ll just apply for closed-door training and quietly swing my sword somewhere. That should do it, right?”
“Yes. As soon as I return, I’ll contact you right away.”
“Have a safe trip.”
“Yes.”
‘I’ve at least earned the Count’s basic trust.’
But this was only the first hurdle.
Carelessness was absolutely forbidden.
Even a slight lapse could see him torn apart by the Count’s fangs.
‘This is nerve-wracking.’
Still, if he pulled off this plan, the Archduke would surely remember him when he became the family head.
That man was just as clear with rewards and punishments.
Hans’s carriage departed from the Count’s Territory.
Three days passed.
In the meantime, Praxian was firmly establishing the foundations of internal affairs, while Silvia was proving her worth by flawlessly carrying out the tasks Ethan had assigned her.
“Hello.”
Seeing a knight patrolling the Inner Castle, she greeted him quietly.
“Uh… ah. Lady Lawrence the strategist. Good morning.”
The knight’s tone was filled with unease.
Lawrence.
It was because he had seen all sorts of things while subjugating the Dark Eight Gates with him.
‘He really is a remarkable strategist…’
At first, the knights had looked down on the young strategist, but the more the plan progressed, the more they exclaimed in admiration.
In just one day, the entire Dark Eight Gates was wiped out.
But the brutality the strategist showed during the subjugation was beyond imagination.
For example, when he captured the executives of the first two groups of the Dark Eight Gates.
After he entered the room, seven corpses had to be carried out.
‘Thanks to that, we did learn about all the secret passages the other groups used…’
He even burned down entire buildings to wipe out the rest, leaving not a single one alive, and killed off every last thug, showing truly ruthless methods.
Even seasoned knights who had seen everything shuddered at the sight.
He still hadn’t forgotten the answer he got when he asked why he went that far.
“The Archduke said to handle it cleanly so they’ll never appear again.”
Lawrence.
It was the only time a faint smile had appeared on his doll-like, expressionless face.
‘…All the executives taken prisoner were escorted to the third floor of the Capital Prison, weren’t they?’
It was also rumored that every night, pained screams echoed from the prison as Lawrence entered.
Whenever someone asked what happened, the only answer was that he was “persuading” them—a baffling explanation.
‘He’s definitely competent…’
But he was someone you’d hesitate to work with.
That was Lawrence.
Lawrence passed the trembling knight and knocked on the office door.
“Come in.”
“Good morning, Archduke.”
“It’s your third day as a strategist—does the job suit you?”
“It seems to suit me well.”
“That’s good to hear.”
After the subjugation of the Dark Eight Gates, he’d heard stories from the knights who’d worked with her.
Silvia.
Her strategies had changed one hundred and eighty degrees.
Where once she’d minimized casualties, now she’d do anything to achieve the goal, regardless of sacrifice.
She’d changed quite a lot from before.
“Archduke.”
“What is it?”
“It looks like an intelligence organization will be formed soon.”
“Will it be useful?”
“Yes. There’s an information guild among the Dark Eight Gates, and if we form the executives around them, I think we can use them well.”
While Silvia was discussing this with him, a knight knocked on the office door.
“Archduke, a man named Hans is asking to see you. What should I do?”
“Send him in.”
He was moving faster than expected.
It was time to see what results the fellow had brought.