“Aiden, is it? Aiden...” Ernheart, who was usually indifferent to most things, showed a rare spark of interest as he looked at Aiden. It was understandable. Aiden’s presence rivaled that of even the most prominent members of the ducal faction. “So, you’ve come to assist me?” “Yes, Your Highness. I will be of great service.” “Do you think the situation here is dire enough to warrant someone like you being sent?” Though Ernheart wore his customary smile, there was a cutting edge to his words. After all, he didn’t truly need assistance to seize the kingdom. Aiden responded with his own polite smile. “Perish the thought that we underestimate Your Highness’s strength. However, certain matters in Luthania must be expedited.” “What do you mean?” “It seems we’ll need to advance the timing for opening the ‘Gate.’” Ernheart raised an intrigued eyebrow. “Oh? And why is that? The appointed time isn’t far off, is it?” “Rarely do events go as planned. We have encountered those who are pursuing us.” “Who?” “The ‘Saintess of War’ and the ‘Guardian of the World Tree’ appear to have caught on to us. We’ve already clashed with them several times in secret.” “Hmm... Despite your careful movements, they discovered us sooner than expected.” “As long as humans are involved, nothing can be perfect. While we have influence across the continent, the more we expand, the higher the likelihood of mistakes. And they’ve been wary of our presence for a long time.” “Yes, just as we have our mission, they have theirs.” “And... the situation in the Kingdom of Luthania adds urgency to the matter.” “Because of this kingdom?” Aiden lifted his gaze to meet Ernheart’s directly. “Yes, because of Count Fenris.” “Count Fenris?” The name was one Ernheart had been hearing far too often of late. That man had disrupted Raul’s carefully laid plans to seize the kingdom without much resistance. Now the situation had deteriorated to the point where force was necessary. But to think that Fenris could influence the timing of their grand plans? “Explain.” “It’s because of the Forest of Beasts.” “The Forest of Beasts?” “There are rumors that Count Fenris has begun developing the Forest of Beasts. It was one of our final candidates for the location. And... we recently confirmed that the first Guardian who maintained the barrier there has been killed.” Ernheart leaned forward slightly, his eyes now gleaming with a fervent desire. “Are you certain about the Forest of Beasts?” “Absolutely. We’ve already verified all other restricted zones on the continent. Around the time Fenris began his activities there, one of the sacred lights extinguished. Before he can delve deeper into the forest, we must conclude our work in Luthania.” “Haha! Hahahahaha!” Ernheart burst into loud, almost manic laughter. The retainers in the hall couldn’t understand the conversation between Ernheart and Aiden, let alone why their master found it so amusing. Their confusion deepened as Ernheart’s laughter echoed through the chamber. When the laughter subsided, Ernheart turned to Raul, his eyes alight with a chilling intensity. “Raul.” “Yes, Your Highness.” “Break the neck of the puppet king immediately and clear out the Forest of Beasts.” From the beginning, the ducal faction had ensured that no one disturbed the Forest of Beasts, suspecting it might hold what they were searching for. Now that its significance had been confirmed, there was no reason to delay any longer. Raul bowed his head. “We are already preparing for war, Your Highness. To minimize losses while taking control of the kingdom—” Before Raul could finish, Ernheart’s expression grew cold. “Are you planning to waste more time?” “Y-Your Highness, I understand, but if the Forest of Beasts is truly what we suspect... taking it will require a substantial force. If we lose too many soldiers, we might not have enough for the battles to come—” Ernheart’s gaze turned sharper, more menacing than ever before. “I don’t care if every person in this kingdom dies. Once the kingdom is ours, arm the remaining peasants and throw them into the fray. Do you understand?” “...I will obey.” “There must be no mistakes this time.” After casting Raul a cold glance, Ernheart turned back to Aiden. “And what will you contribute?” “I will eliminate any obstacles to Your Highness’s grand ambitions. And...” Aiden’s elegant smile returned, though his words carried a sinister weight. “I will bring you the head of Count Fenris.” *** The Crown Prince’s faction nobles had been gathering in the royal capital, their heads aching for several days. Marquis Rodrik was now openly preparing to attack Fenris. “Marquis Rodrik has officially declared war on Fenris! His troops are mobilizing! That damn peacock has essentially accelerated the civil war!” Morris’s angry shout echoed through the chamber, but Marquis Branford responded with his usual calm demeanor. “Wasn’t a civil war inevitable, whether we liked it or not? Rodrik merely acted first.” “Because of him, our carefully laid strategies are ruined! We’ll have to fight the western armies before even facing the ducal faction!” The Crown Prince’s faction had always relied on defensive strategies, aiming to hold multiple fronts while concentrating their main forces against the ducal faction. But things had gone awry. Losing Fenris was not an option, which meant they now had to contend with the western forces first. Everyone knew that mediation was no longer possible. “After all the chaos he caused in the west, it can’t be helped.” Rumors had spread throughout the kingdom that Ghislain had annihilated Rodrik’s 20,000-strong army and looted their supplies. Now, even if the king himself tried to intervene, it would be impossible to stop the tide. Marquis Branford, however, couldn’t understand Ghislain’s intentions. Why provoke the west like that? For the Crown Prince’s faction, it would have been far better to consolidate their forces and prepare for the war. Moving troops now only risked creating an opening for the ducal faction to exploit. Lost in thought, Marquis Branford muttered to himself. “That man doesn’t act without reason.” “He doesn’t act with reason because he doesn’t have any!” Morris slapped his chest in frustration. In his view, Ghislain was a man who lived only for the moment. His successes seemed like sheer luck, making it appear as if he had a grand plan when, in reality, it was all happenstance. In short, he was a man blessed by fortune. As the nobles debated and reworked their strategies, a royal knight entered the chamber and announced: “My lords, Count Fenris has arrived.” At those words, all the Crown Prince’s faction nobles’ eyes lit up. This was their chance to question his motives and future plans. “Bring him in.” When Marquis Branford gave the order, the knight hesitated, looking uneasy. “Well...” “What is it?” “You should step outside to meet him, my lord...” “...Him?” “Yes.” The sheer audacity of the request caused a moment of silence in the chamber. Morris was the first to recover, shouting furiously: “That bastard’s gone mad! Does being a Master make him think he can order us around?!” In a way, being a Master did make him capable of such audacity. However, the nobles of the Crown Prince’s faction believed that Ghislain owed his rise to their support. And to some extent, they were right. In terms of title, influence, and age, they were undoubtedly his superiors. “Has he gotten cocky just because he’s grown a bit? Call the knights! If that arrogant bastard tries to throw his weight around in the capital, he’ll regret it!” Morris, shaking his thick beard, leapt from his seat. As one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, he refused to tolerate such insolence from Ghislain. Not that he had ever liked him in the first place. The knight tried to explain. “Actually... Count Fenris has brought a gift. He insists it must be seen in person...” “That bastard! If he’s bringing a gift, he should be the one bringing it here, respectfully!” “Well, the gift is... too large to bring inside...” “Shut up! I’ll go teach that brat some manners myself!” Fuming, Morris stormed out, summoning knights as he went. The other nobles of the faction followed, eager to witness the confrontation. The scene outside quickly grew chaotic as knights and soldiers from various noble houses assembled. The sheer number of people reflected the true power of the Crown Prince’s faction. Even Marquis Branford sighed and reluctantly followed the commotion. As soon as Morris stepped outside, he yelled: “Where is that bastard?!” He expected Ghislain to be waiting outside the castle gates, but the area was empty. Confused, he glanced around, only for the same knight to hurry after him and report: “He’s outside the castle walls, my lord.” “What?! He dares summon us outside the castle?!” “Well, you see...” “Get my carriage—or no, bring my horse! And call the soldiers! We’re going now!” Too impatient to listen further, Morris charged ahead, determined to teach Ghislain a lesson and put him in his place. Thud, thud, thud! The nobles and their retinues of knights and soldiers moved in a massive column, drawing the attention of everyone in the capital. Citizens looked on with worry, as if war were about to break out. When they finally reached the castle walls, what greeted their eyes were countless wagons flying the Fenris banner, surrounded by soldiers. At a glance, there were nearly a thousand men. Morris yelled again as he approached. “Look at this madness! That lunatic brought an army to the capital!” Even Marquis Branford and the other nobles frowned at the sight. The number of soldiers alone far exceeded what one would expect from a merchant caravan. It was perplexing that such a force had made it this far without being stopped. As Morris and the knights approached, Ghislain bowed slightly. “It’s been a while, Marquis McQuarrie.” “You damned brat! What’s the meaning of this? Bringing so many soldiers near the capital—are you committing treason?!” Morris’s accusation was met with a calm but curt reply from Ghislain. “It’s not that many. They’re just here as an escort.” While it seemed excessive for a caravan, it was far too small to pose any threat to the capital. Even as a Master, Ghislain wouldn’t dare such an act with so few men. Just as Morris was about to explode again, Marquis Branford intervened, cutting him off with a question. “So, why have you summoned us here?” “Marquis, it’s good to see you.” “Enough pleasantries. Get to the point.” Unfazed by Branford’s cold demeanor, Ghislain clicked his tongue before responding. “I’ve brought a gift.” “What kind of gift warrants such a spectacle?” Instead of answering directly, Ghislain gestured to his soldiers. As they stepped aside, the wagons behind them came into view. Hundreds of wagons lined up in a spectacular display. The nobles stared in stunned silence. The wagons were loaded with food, weapons, and other military supplies. Even for some of the wealthiest nobles in the kingdom, such a massive stockpile was a rare sight. As the astonished nobles gawked, Ghislain smirked. “Provisions, weapons, herbs, and other supplies. A gift to the Crown Prince’s faction. I’m sure they’ll be of great help during the civil war.” Even Marquis Branford, whose expression rarely changed, widened his eyes in shock. While the effects of the recent drought had begun to subside, resources were still scarce. Everyone had been forced to conserve what little they had. And now Ghislain had brought an enormous bounty as a gift. It was almost impossible to believe. “Is... is this real? You’re truly giving this to us?” “Marquis, I didn’t think you’d stumble over your words like this.” “...I asked if this is real.” “Yes, it is. My, you’ve grown quite suspicious, haven’t you?” It was hard to believe that the infamous miser who always came to take from them was now offering such an extravagant gift. Yet, seeing it with their own eyes, the nobles couldn’t help but clutch their chests, trying to calm their pounding hearts. All eyes turned to Morris, who had just been shouting accusations of treason at Ghislain. “You... you brat...” Flustered, Morris dismounted his horse and stomped toward Ghislain. “What now?” Ghislain asked, still curt in his tone. Morris hesitated for a moment, then suddenly roared: “You brat!” And, as if reuniting with a long-lost family member, Morris grabbed Ghislain and pulled him into a tight embrace.