Baron Jifron, head of the Romenton Baron’s Family.
His heart raced at the knight commander’s urgent news.
“The Archduke is visiting?”
“Yes! A knight at the outer wall just reported. Based on the carriage’s direction, he’s definitely heading for the Inner Castle.”
The Archduke!
The Romenton Baron’s Family was the closest to the Kargas Barony in distance.
Yet Jifron had felt at ease, thanks to the assurances of his faction’s leader, Count Irdan.
“Why do you think the Archduke targeted the Kargas Barony first? Because of their filthy deeds, no?”
“Exactly.”
“The Archduke’s grudge runs deep—he killed Baron Helmut himself. If left unchecked, he’ll start targeting nobles in Count Cheimon’s faction. We just need to watch and pick up the sweet crumbs.”
“Haha! As expected of Count Irdan!”
“Indeed! Those under Count Cheimon will feel the heat. As we’ve seen, the Archduke is no pushover.”
Before his collapse, the Archduke was renowned for his brilliance.
He must have realized Count Cheimon was behind Helmut.
His blade would surely aim for Cheimon’s faction.
Thus, Jifron had been waiting comfortably, like watching a fire across a river.
But the Archduke visiting here?
“What’s the reason for his visit?”
“He didn’t say.”
“Sigh.”
The Baron’s sigh was heavy with worry.
The knight commander tilted his head.
“Baron, the Archduke may be formidable, but is he worth such concern?”
He had a point.
The knight commander, Murren, had broken through to 5-star status a month ago.
A powerful asset rare for a barony. They also had two 4-star knights.
All thanks to the mana breathing techniques acquired from the Ardan Ducal House.
They hadn’t yet obtained the core techniques, but that would be resolved soon.
They were extracting hefty taxes from the villagers monthly.
We’re on a different level from the Kargas Barony.
In terms of knightly strength, they were unmatched.
The Kargas Barony’s knight commander was merely a 4-star knight.
But one concern lingered.
“The immunity privilege is the issue. If the Archduke causes a scene, it could be a problem.”
The Archduke’s strength?
Not a major fear.
While he was away after seizing the Kargas Barony, Jifron had gathered intelligence.
When the Archduke visited Poerte on invitation, half the Inner Castle’s knights were out training.
The knight commander led that training himself.
Manhattan, the Kargas Barony’s knight commander.
It was said he’d proposed the training to the Baron.
Given the circumstances, Manhattan had clearly betrayed his lord.
Recalling Helmut, a sneer curled Jifron’s lips.
He let his guard down.
Having sent a polite invitation, Helmut likely thought he could appease the Archduke and smooth things over.
So he was careless. Why else send half his knights to train at the knight commander’s request?
It wasn’t like Helmut, but it wasn’t incomprehensible.
He’d grown old, his senses dulled.
Jifron and Helmut had been rivals for decades, knowing each other well.
Helmut.
Drunk on power’s sweetness, he forgot reality’s harshness.
The cautious man who once tread carefully around a pebble was gone, replaced by impulsiveness and arrogance.
That’s likely why he sent his knights out.
Jifron had no intention of repeating Helmut’s mistake.
All my knights are in the Inner Castle.
If the Archduke tried to stir trouble, Jifron was confident he could suppress him.
The only fear was the brilliance the Archduke once displayed long ago.
If he hadn’t collapsed, the ten branch families wouldn’t have manipulated the Ducal House so easily.
If that brilliance remains…
This visit likely held a deeper purpose.
He needed to uncover it.
“Arm the knights to the fullest. Prepare the soldiers too.”
“Understood. If you give the order, I’ll ensure no one dares act recklessly in the Baron’s Family.”
“Haha, Commander. I’m counting on you.”
Jifron refused to let his guard down.
He prepared, and prepared again, for any contingency.
Near the outer city’s center.
Silvia spoke quietly.
“I’ll wait around here. I’d only hinder your battle if I went along.”
“Got somewhere to go?”
“Yes. I’ve set up a branch of the intelligence network here.”
She’d been busy in his absence. Ethan nodded readily. Silvia was an exceptional Strategist, not a combatant.
As she stepped out, several figures began escorting her.
Likely members of her intelligence network.
She soon vanished.
The carriage, now with only Ethan and the driver, passed through the city center and reached the Inner Castle’s entrance.
They’ve prepared quite a bit.
Ethan smirked at the sight. Over twenty knights swarmed near the gate, as if facing an enemy.
It wasn’t just knights.
Soldiers armed with various weapons were stationed everywhere.
Their demeanor was menacing.
An outsider might think a rebellion was brewing. The carriage reached the gate.
“Stop! Who are you?” a voice boomed.
Ethan raised his crest.
“The Archduke of Ardan. What’s the purpose of your visit?”
“Does a member of the Ducal House need a reason to visit a vassal family?”
That wasn’t the case.
The questioning knight fell silent, unable to press further.
“Are you keeping the gate locked?”
“J-Just a moment!”
After some murmurs, the gate slowly opened.
“Come in.”
The carriage entered.
The Inner Castle’s gate closed again.
Ethan smirked.
Closing the gate to block his retreat was a show of force, but to him, it was merely cute.
The carriage stopped.
As he stepped out, someone greeted him.
Baron Jifron.
Head of the Romenton Baron’s Family.
“Haha, Archduke. What brings you here unannounced?”
His smile was full of confidence.
The reason was simple.
The small city of Uldron was his domain.
And at his side stood Murren, a 5-star knight commander, flanked by two 4-star knights.
No matter how strong the Archduke was, he couldn’t face such a force alone.
At best, he’s a 4-star knight.
A 4-star knight could handle five or six 3-star knights.
That level of skill allowed him to behead Helmut when the knights were absent.
Considering he’d only awakened months ago, his growth was astonishing.
The Archduke looked at Jifron.
“The reason? Simple.”
Ethan opened a ledger.
“You’ve been up to interesting things in your territory. Have you forgotten the vassal contract?”
The ledger detailed monthly taxes sent to the Romenton Baron’s Family. Jifron gave a bitter smile.
“Hah. How did you get that?”
“Does it matter?”
No.
That wasn’t the point.
“Well, it seems my tax officials made a ‘mistake.’ I’ll discipline them. Commander?”
“Yes.”
“Conduct a thorough investigation of the involved officials.”
“Understood.”
Their back-and-forth was laughable.
“A mistake. Over a decade of ‘mistakes’ suggests you’re utterly incompetent, Baron.”
“Haha, that’s harsh, Archduke. Mistakes can be corrected, can’t they?”
Jifron responded smoothly. Of course, he had no intention of correcting anything.
Or rather, he did—in a different way.
He planned to hang every informant who’d handed over the ledgers in the town square.
So confident.
Ethan recalled Silvia’s words.
She’d mentioned spreading some false information about the Kargas Barony’s fall.
She’s done her job better than I expected.
Otherwise, the Baron wouldn’t be this arrogant.
He must believe the balance of power was firmly in his favor.
The problem was, she’d done her job too well.
Ethan glanced at the three knights beside Jifron.
That wasn’t all.
Knights on the Inner Castle’s walls were slowly surrounding him.
By rough count, nearly thirty.
Enemies.
If this was all Jifron had prepared, Ethan wasn’t the least bit worried.
He drew his greatsword in one swift motion.
At that moment—
The knights’ aura sharpened. Those who drew their swords radiated a fierce presence.
“Archduke? What are you doing? Have you lost your mind, drawing a sword here?”
Over twenty 3-star knights, plus 4-star and 5-star knights.
No matter how genius the Archduke was, he couldn’t defeat this force mere months after awakening.
He must be mad.
Relying solely on his immunity privilege to cause chaos?
Jifron tilted his head.
“The verdict for the Romenton Baron’s Family is set.”
“What?”
“The Romenton Baron’s Family has violated the vassal contract. By the Ducal House’s law, as of this moment, I reclaim the Romenton title.”
Jifron’s face contorted.
He could feel the knights around the Archduke wavering.
And why wouldn’t they?
The one speaking was the heir of a heroic lineage.
Whether his words held legal weight or not, the knights couldn’t help but falter.
It soured his mood.
These knights were practically raised by him.
Yet a single phrase shook them so deeply!
The Ardan name was still etched in their hearts. Barely containing his anger, Jifron spoke.
“Archduke, must we clash? The real enemy isn’t me—it’s Count Cheimon. He’s the mastermind…”
“No need to worry. He’ll join you in the afterlife soon enough.”
“Are you truly mad?”
Over thirty knights and more than two hundred soldiers in the Inner Castle.
He was picking a fight here?
The Archduke was insane.
Knight Commander Murren.
His aura turned menacing, growling with battle intent as he looked at Jifron.
“Baron, what’s your order?”
“Sigh. Archduke, if you stop now, we can pretend this never—”
“Your tongue’s too long.”
“…Fine. You don’t understand kind words. This pains me, Sir Murren.”
“Yes, Baron.”
“Break his limbs if you must, but bring him to me alive.”
Murren nodded.
Crippling was harder than killing.
But he was confident.
Even alone, he could easily subdue the Archduke.
“Archduke, you’ll regret acting like a rabid beast.”
Murren’s figure vanished.
The moment he moved behind the Archduke—
Boom!
“Urgh!”
A massive explosion sent Murren soaring into the sky.
His armor was grotesquely crumpled. Attempting a sneak attack, he’d been struck first.
“…What?”
The Baron and surrounding knights gaped as the knight commander flew far into the distance.