Chapter 230: No, You Have to Go Back. (1)
The princes from various territories who received invitations from Penris mostly attended the feast.
In the North, the most successful young noble could undoubtedly be said to be Ghislaine. He wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to build connections with him.
Among them, Davin, the fourth prince of Raybold, received a slightly more special invitation. Not only was an invitation sent, but they also sent someone directly.
“So… your name is Lowell?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I came at the behest of Count Penris.”
“Ahem, I knew that friend would succeed. We were very close back in the day. Who was it… right! His cousin was Cain too. The three of us got into a bit of trouble back then.”
Davin exaggeratedly emphasized his old friendship with Ghislaine with a delighted expression.
In truth, he had no such friendship. Ghislaine was only being treated as a person because he was engaged to Amelia, and Davin often looked down on Ghislaine.
However, seeing that Ghislaine went out of his way to send someone for him made Davin feel quite proud, as if Ghislaine somewhat acknowledged him.
Just as he was about to write a reply stating he would attend the feast, Lowell lowered his voice and continued.
“The Lord has asked that you come to the territory as secretly as possible. We will handle the preparations.”
“What? Why?”
Davin frowned in unease.
Moving without revealing the destination was a dangerous move. If someone acted against him or detained him while moving in secrecy, it would be extremely difficult to get help.
That was not something one would do unless they were very close and trustworthy.
Then Lowell replied with an innocent look.
“Didn’t you say you were close? We are preparing a feast that would be inconvenient to spread rumors about.”
Nobles who indulged in debauchery sometimes gathered quietly to have fun. It was a feast where they engaged in activities that shouldn’t be known to others.
However, even in such a worst-case scenario, one would still inform a trustworthy close associate of the destination.
Besides, he actually wasn’t that close to Ghislaine.
“Ahem, it’s just that after a long time, we’re not as close as before…”
As Davin was about to refuse, Lowell handed him another letter.
As he read through the letter, Davin’s complexion turned pale and his hands began to tremble slightly.
“H-how did they know about this?”
“Our Lord has been watching you with interest for a long time.”
“C-could it be that kind of preference…? I also…”
“Absolutely not.”
Lowell’s firm interruption left Davin awkwardly scratching his head.
The letter detailed Davin’s current situation in depth.
Count Raybold had many children. In particular, the Grand Duke was a greedy and cruel individual, just like his father.
It was a widely known fact that the Grand Duke intended to kill his younger siblings. After all, anyone with the Count’s blood could potentially become the heir.
As a result, the other princes were forming factions to survive and constantly monitoring each other.
Davin was also struggling hard to survive in this harsh world, but he had no proper influence.
He was so terrified that he was losing hair from worry and even contemplated fleeing, when Ghislaine’s contact arrived.
Terrified to the point of considering escape, I suddenly received a message from Ghislaine.
Taking out the explanation about the situation, the conclusion was simple and clear.
[I will support you. I will make you the master of Raybold.]
Ghislaine was currently wielding great influence over the entire North, backed by Marquis Branford. He had risen to the rank of Count, a high-ranking noble.
If Ghislaine officially announced that he would sponsor me, my brothers wouldn’t dare mess with me anymore.
Plus, the Penris Territory was overflowing with food and iron ore. With his support, I could quickly amass power.
Still, my worries didn’t completely fade away.
‘Ugh… What should I do? Can I trust him? He wouldn’t try to take me hostage or something, right?’
As I pondered, Lowell interrupted at the perfect timing.
“We gain nothing by keeping the young master. The risk would only grow. There is no need for you to worry about any bad outcomes.”
It felt a bit unsettling, but I had no rebuttal. However, one point remained unclear.
“Then why would you support me? Don’t you have brothers?”
“Aren’t they already established figures? Such people feel less gratitude. Our lord wishes to build a close relationship with whoever takes control of Raybold in the future.”
That was a valid point. Investing where the greatest returns were possible had always been the norm.
If he invested in someone with no power like me, he would reap benefits multiplied.
Understanding Ghislaine’s intentions made my heart start pounding fiercely.
‘Am I… going to be the master of Raybold?’
That territory had claimed dominance over the North for hundreds of years. I hadn’t even dreamed of taking Raybold because of my brothers.
I had merely been pondering how to survive day by day.
But hearing Ghislaine’s proposal ignited the ambition and greed that I had long buried deep inside.
At the same time, a murderous intent swirled in my eyes. The resentment built up from being suppressed by my brothers now surged forth. If given the chance, I wanted to kill them.
‘Hehehe… So I’m going to become the master of Raybold?’
Is my bloodline sticking around? A cruel grin began to twist my face.
‘If I can just hold out for about 10 years, I can gather enough power… Once I take this place… Ghislaine won’t be able to treat me recklessly. Raybold will truly be the strongest in the North. Well, my lineage is different after all.’
Lowell narrowed his eyes as he observed my expression. It was evident just from my face that greed was oozing out.
After many discussions with Lowell, I made my decision.
“Alright, let’s go meet my Count Penris. You mentioned going secretly, right? Can you help with the preparations?”
“Of course, I specialize in that. Just leave it to me.”
The two of us moved quickly. We set up a decoy and minimized the people I would meet under the excuse of not feeling well.
The spies Lowell brought took the places of the servants. They planned to leave the wagon and run away, leaving behind only the decoy on Count Raybold’s birthday.
Once all traces were erased and the preparations were complete, I went straight to Penris to meet Ghislaine.
“Count Penris, how have you been?”
“Oh, Davin! Long time no see. Wow, you haven’t changed at all. Have you been well?”
Ghislaine warmly welcomed me as I approached.
Of course, I hadn’t attended the feast. Ghislaine held the feast to create some confusion regarding the information flowing into surrounding territories.
Meeting in a secret place, I inquired about the future plans.
“By the way, you said you would help me…”
“Yeah, but it’s not quite time yet. Hey, lock this guy up in a quiet place. Make sure no one can approach.”
“Huh?”
Just like that, Davin and his followers, who had fallen into Ghislaine’s grasp, were immediately imprisoned.
“Hey! You bastard! You said you’d help me! You tricked me! My father won’t let this slide!”
For several days, I made a commotion, but it was utterly useless.
Burn caused a commotion for several days, but it was all in vain.
Anger surged at the thought of being deceived, but as time passed, fear took over.
“Why, why did they imprison me? Are they trying to kill me? What do they want by taking me hostage?”
After a while, feeling as if he were going insane, Davin was finally released.
And he faced a shocking reality.
“Lady Amelia has… staged a rebellion and taken Raybold.”
Wounded knights stood before him—knights he recognized from Raybold.
The spies dispatched by Ghislaine had managed to rescue a few knights who had barely escaped or survived.
“Wh-where are my brothers? They wouldn’t just sit idly by!”
“They’ve all perished… The vassals and knights following the princes have all been executed.”
“H-how could this happen… What about my father? What happened to him? Jurgen is there! The North’s Greatest Sword!”
“Captain Jurgen is also dead. As for the lord… I’m not sure what happened, but… I’m sorry.”
At first, Davin refused to believe it. But as days passed and the rumors spread, he had no choice but to accept it.
“A-Amelia… how did that woman succeed in the rebellion…?”
How could someone without power or influence manage to pull off a rebellion! A woman who locked herself in a mansion reading books!
Ghislaine chuckled at the dazed Davin.
“Now you understand why I locked you up? I just saved your life.”
Davin hung his head low.
Now, he had lost even his place to return to.
He no longer had to worry about being killed by his brothers, but now he had to run away from Amelia, whom he had completely ignored and not thought about.
The successful rebel wouldn’t spare the heir like him. She would be searching for him with blazing eyes.
Without realizing it, Davin dropped to his knees and shouted.
“P-please, Count! Save me! I don’t need Raybold. Just let me live here!”
If they found out he was in another territory, they’d surely send assassins after him. The only places he could be protected were Penris and Desmond in the North.
If he wasn’t in those two regions, he would have to flee to other areas or the capital, but he had no confidence in safely getting out of the North. He was afraid of the assassins coming after him.
Quietly observing him, Ghislaine said indifferently.
“No, you have to go back.”
“What? P-please save me!”
It felt like a thunderclap. If she was going to say that, then why did she even bother locking him up to save him?
Ghislaine shook her head and continued speaking.
“Go back. Fight against Amelia. I’ll provide sufficient food support. If you don’t want to die, you’ll have to fight with everything you’ve got.”
“How can I fight with just food? You need people to fight!”
Ghislaine unfolded a map dramatically.
Pointing somewhere between Raybold and Cabaldy, she said, “There’s Baron Valua, a loyal vassal of Raybold. Go there. He will protect you.”
Baron Valua was the last vassal of Raybold who fought until the end against Amelia’s rebellion in his past life.
With outstanding defensive capabilities, he desperately sought to find the surviving heir of Count Raybold.
In his past life, things had unfolded a bit later, allowing for some improvement in the food situation, but they hadn’t fully escaped the effects of the drought.
Even in that shortage, he managed to withstand Amelia’s offensive for three whole months.
Only after concluding that all the heirs were dead did Baron Valua finally open the castle gate and surrender.
If Davin joins, Baron Valua would fight to the end. He was that kind of man.
‘Amelia is an excellent commander, but this is her first time besieging. And Baron Valua is no slouch either. It’s bound to take time to occupy the territory.’
If sufficient food is provided to Baron Valua, they would be able to hold on for quite some time.
He would be able to tilt.
Whenever the two people fought, it was always a benefit for Ghislaine.
‘I must maximize the damage to Raybold’s forces during this opportunity.’
For Ghislaine, Raybold was nothing but an obstacle in her quest to dominate the North. Regardless of Amelia, Raybold’s strength itself was not to be underestimated.
Therefore, she planned to use her rebellion to thoroughly diminish Raybold’s power.
The best scenario would be for Count Raybold to wage war against Desmond, but she knew that wouldn’t happen, whether because of Amelia or the drought.
That’s why she purposely kidnapped Davin. If Baron Valua protects Davin, Amelia wouldn’t let them be.
And while Baron Valua and Amelia are fighting, Ghislaine would have her own tasks to take care of.
Ghislaine warned Davin.
“Never think about leading the war. Especially if Amelia shows up.”
“What?”
“Leave everything to Baron Valua. If you rashly intervene, everything will fall apart.”
Davin gulped.
Baron Valua was well-known. He was a vassal guarding the southern region of Raybold and was said to wield excellent knights and strong soldiers.
Davin thought that Amelia had merely secured her position by luck. So if Baron Valua helped him, he could really take over Raybold.
With Ghislaine providing food, there was nothing to worry about.
‘Amelia doesn’t know how to wield a sword or command troops. She just read books and mingled with the territory residents in the mansion. She’s clearly just a figurehead, put in place because the guys below her started a rebellion. She’s popular among the territory residents, after all.’
Davin knew more about Amelia than Ghislaine. After all, who had spent more time with her than family?
Seeing Davin’s eyes glisten with ambition and greed, Ghislaine spoke in a cold voice.
“Don’t think useless thoughts. If you open the castle gate, you’ll die that day.”
“…….”
“If you take command, I will cut off support, so keep that in mind.”
“Ah, understood.”
Only Ghislaine knew Amelia’s true capabilities.
What made her scary was her exceptional improvisational skills in the field.
Her ability to make surprising movements and judge situations was unparalleled. She could be called one of the best commanders on the continent.
‘The Duke Faction doesn’t properly understand Amelia’s true abilities. They only see her as smart and politically savvy. They all underestimate her.’
In his past life, Viktor, Harold, and the superb knights and commanders of the Duke Faction had all lost their heads to Ghislaine.
Except for the final battle, he had never lost even once. The prowess of the Seven Great on the continent, the Mercenary King, was that terrifying.
No one could survive against Ghislaine on the battlefield.
Except for one person.
The only one who survived after facing Ghislaine multiple times was Amelia. Even with her superhuman strength, she couldn’t kill her.
On the contrary, in fields where Ghislaine wasn’t present, Amelia always emerged victorious.
Davin would lose his head the moment he stepped outside the castle gate.
The only thing he could rely on was the prowess of Baron Valua, the master of defense. He thought to support him for as long as possible.
‘If the opportunity arises, I’ll bring him over to my side too.’
While Davin couldn’t understand Ghislaine’s intentions, he nodded anyway.
For now, keeping a low profile was crucial. He could assess the situation when he got there.
After all, he was the last remaining true heir of Raybold.
“So when can we leave? Can you guarantee my safe passage to that place?”
“Follow me.”
Davin, who followed Ghislaine out of the lord’s castle for the first time, gaped.
Countless wagons were loaded with an immense amount of food. There were also about a hundred knights and over two thousand soldiers on standby.
Ghislaine had already finished all the preparations.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.
