《Former Fake Becomes Grand Duke of the North》


 Chapter 1: A Not So Common Mercenary

    I studied myself in the full length mirror. Despite my misgivings about the job, even I had to admit that I looked the part of a noble scion. A black and blue outfit made of the finest materials and trimmed with silver adorned my tall and toned frame, tailored to show off my physique. I kept the accessories and ornaments to a minimum, since I preferred a simple and elegant style, but it was still the most expensive thing I had worn in years. My black hair was cut short and combed back. Combined with my sharp and aristocratic features, I looked every inch the noble that I pretended to be.


    After spending the past three years working as a mercenary, I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to pull it off again. I thought that this old mask of mine wouldn¡¯t fit anymore. However, I was wrong. Putting it back on felt like putting on an old jacket, comforting and familiar. It felt like I had been born for it.


    And that was the problem. I hadn¡¯t been born for it. I wasn¡¯t a noble. My blood was as common as mud. I was a fraud, a fake playing a role. Three years ago I thought I put that part of my life behind me, yet here I was once more.


    I sighed and closed my eyes while pressing my forehead against the mirror. The glass felt cool against my skin. What was I doing here? Just a week ago, I had been a common mercenary killing demonic beasts for a living. Now here I was, in a noble¡¯s estate, pretending to be something I wasn¡¯t. Again.


    How had it come to this?


    I thought back to last week and the series of events that led to this moment.


    <hr>


    I studied the opponent in front of me, waiting for it to attack. It was a dog, or rather a dog-shaped beast, whose head came up to my waist. It had coarse black fur dotted with patches of mangy, diseased-looking skin. The beast glared at me, its pus-yellow eyes filled with hatred. Drool and foam coated its wicked looking maw. The wind picked up, carrying the beast¡¯s stench towards me.


    It smelled¡­wrong.


    That was the only way to describe it. It didn¡¯t smell rotten, though that was the closest word I could think of that would fit the beast. However, rotten didn¡¯t convey the sheer wrongness the creature emanated. It was something that shouldn¡¯t exist but did, an anathema to all living beings. It was a demonic beast, corruption made manifest and given physical form.


    Specifically, it was a Mad Dog, one of the more common types of demonic beasts and a weak one at that. They were Rank One, the lowest rank there was. However, despite that, Mad Dogs were still very dangerous. All demonic beasts were, no matter how weak. In the case of Mad Dogs, it was because they hunted in packs. On their own, they weren¡¯t much of a threat. However, a pack of Mad Dogs was a different case altogether. Even a small pack could wipe out an average-sized village with ease. Not only that, but as their name implied, they were aggressive to the point that they disregarded their own safety.


    Mad Dogs weren¡¯t completely stupid, however. They understood when they were outmatched, as this one did, though I had to kill most of its comrades to get the point across. The two of us stood in a field, near the edge of a forest. In the distance stood the wooden huts that made up a small hunting village. The corpses of the Mad Dog¡¯s slain pack mates surrounded us. Each of the corpses oozed viscous, black blood that filled the air around us with the stench of wrongness typical to all demonic beasts.


    It was early afternoon. The sun had just passed its zenith. Despite that, it was freezing out. Every time I exhaled, my breath came out as a little cloud. It was always cold this far north, out here in the Barrens. The only time it ever warmed up was during the summer, which was still several months away. Right now, it was early spring. The tree branches remained bare and a thin layer of snow coated the ground.


    The last remaining Mad Dog started to circle me, looking for an opening. I mimicked its movements with my sword pointed right at it, waiting for it to attack. Watching me slaughter all of its pack mates had curbed the Mad Dog¡¯s aggression. However, that wouldn¡¯t last for long. Sooner or later it would lose patience and rush me.


    The two of us circled one another, each of us waiting for the other to make the first move. The Mad Dog grew more and more impatient with each passing second. I saw it in the beast¡¯s eyes. It wanted nothing more than to kill me and tear me to pieces. My mere existence was enough to enrage the creature.


    Moments later, my patience paid off as the Mad Dog snarled and charged right at me. I stood still and waited for it. Normal people would have had trouble following the demonic beast¡¯s movements, let alone react to them. Not me. As an Aura Master, my strength, speed, and perception surpassed that of the average human by a significant margin. Keeping track of a mere Mad Dog was child¡¯s play for me.


    When the beast reached me, it opened its maw and tried to clamp down on my leg. I didn¡¯t give it the opportunity and avoided the Mad Dog¡¯s bite with ease. Its jaws snapped shut with an audible click. Before it could recover, I swung my sword and took off its head. The Mad Dog¡¯s body remained upright for a few seconds, before it slumped to the ground. Black blood spurted from the stump that was its neck.


    I waited a few seconds, sword at the ready, just in case there were any other demonic beasts nearby. Demonic beast blood acted as a lure to other demonic beasts. Killing one beast attracted the attention of others. When it became clear that the pack of Mad Dogs had been the only demonic beasts in the area, I relaxed a little.


    Holding my sword in one hand, I pulled out a bottle filled with holy water with my free hand. The holy water, blessed by the priests of the Goddess of Light, gave off a faint golden glow. When clearing out demonic beasts from an area, simply killing them wasn¡¯t enough. One needed to purify their corpses as well. Otherwise, they would corrupt the land around them.


    If left alone, that corruption would grow in strength over time until it became a demon nest: a nexus of demonic energy that would spawn new demonic beasts until it was cleared out and cleansed. It was far easier to do a good job the first time around and prevent a demon nest from forming in the first place.


    There were a number of ways to purify demonic beast corpses. Those with divine power could do so with ease. However, only priests and those from families blessed by the gods had divine power. As a common mercenary, I had to resort to other methods. Fire and holy water were the cheapest and most common.


    I cleaned my sword using the holy water. The moment it came into contact with the demonic beast blood, the latter sizzled before evaporating into nothing. I would have to give it a proper cleaning later on, but this would do for now. Afterwards, I sheathed my sword and turned my attention to the Mad Dog bodies strewn about. There were about half a dozen of them; a mid-sized pack as far as these things went. If left unchecked, they could have caused a lot of death and destruction before someone put them down.


    I didn¡¯t have enough holy water to purify all of them, so I put away the bottle of holy water before pulling out a bottle filled with viscous golden liquid: holy oil. I sprayed the Mad Dog bodies with the holy oil, making sure not to miss even the smallest bit, before putting the bottle away and setting the oil on fire. The flames from the holy oil burned hot and fierce. However, they only burned the Mad Dog corpses and left everything else untouched. The flames didn¡¯t even melt the nearby snow. Within mere minutes, nothing remained of the Mad Dogs. It was as if they had never existed in the first place.


    After taking a quick look around, making sure I didn¡¯t miss anything, I nodded in satisfaction and headed back towards Warrior¡¯s Rest so I could get paid.


    <hr>


    I walked into Ewald¡¯s tavern an hour before sunset. It was a one-story wooden building that looked shabby and worn down. A large public room filled with rickety wooden furniture took up most of the building. A wooden bar lined the back wall, opposite the front door. A door behind the bar led to the back areas. Glass lanterns containing glowing mana crystals illuminated the room and chased away the cold; an unthinkable luxury for a tavern like this, at least anywhere else in the Reichwald Empire. For the Barrens, it was rather common.


    Despite the tavern¡¯s appearance, the place was packed. A crowd of rough looking folks filled the public room. Every single one of them was a mercenary like me. Most of them bore a mana signature, meaning that they could use Aura. Most were Aura Novices, the lowest level of Aura user, but there were a few Aura Warriors, which was the level above Aura Novice. Two barmaids wove their way around the crowd, taking orders and serving food. Rosaline and Maria, a pair of twins who worked for Ewald.


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    The smell of stale beer, greasy food, and unwashed bodies lingered in the air. Even after all this time I found it unpleasant. However, I preferred it over the stench of demonic beasts. The sound of conversation and raucous laughter filled my ears. I winced. As an Aura Master, my senses were much sharper compared to the average person. While this was useful in a number of ways, it came with a few downsides. Thankfully, there were ways to mitigate that.


    I used mana to protect my ears, and my nose, before making my way deeper into the tavern. Several of the other mercenaries nodded at me as I passed them by, but they otherwise left me alone. That didn¡¯t stop them from watching me with wary eyes.


    As far as everyone else knew, I was an Aura Expert, which was the third level of Aura user and the one right below Aura Master. That alone was enough to inspire caution in others since people feared and respected the strong, especially mercenaries. If they ever found out that I was an Aura Master, they would pass out from fright.


    I kept my true strength hidden most of the time in order to avoid unwanted attention. Aura Masters were rare. There were only ever a handful of them in existence at a time throughout the entire continent. If word got out that I was an Aura Master, I¡¯d draw attention from all kinds of people, including the imperial family and the ducal families that ruled the Reichwald Empire. I wanted to avoid this at all costs.


    A middle-aged man with tanned, leathery skin and black hair streaked with white stood behind the bar. He wore an outfit made from coarse brown wool. A jagged scar ran down the right side of his face, missing his eyes by a hair¡¯s width. He bore the mana signature of an Aura Expert. Ewald.


    He owned the tavern and worked as a broker for independent mercenaries. People came to him with problems that needed solving and Ewald found the right people to solve said problems; in exchange for a commission fee of course. Most of the time, but not always, these problems involved demonic beasts.


    Ewald used to work as a mercenary himself, but retired after he earned enough to open up this tavern. The place didn¡¯t even have a name, as far as I knew. Everyone just called it Ewald¡¯s. I started working with the man a little after I arrived in Warrior¡¯s Rest, the city we both lived in. It was located near the Barrens¡¯ southern border and acted as a trade hub between the Barrens and the rest of the Reichwald Empire. It also served as a gathering spot for mercenaries looking for work and many mercenary companies made the city their home. There were so many in fact that the city¡¯s nickname was Mercenary¡¯s Roost.


    One of the reasons why I chose to work with Ewald was because he had a reputation for fairness and honesty, a rarity in this line of work. Most brokers tried to rip off either their clients or the mercenaries they worked with, but not Ewald. That didn¡¯t mean he was a pushover, however. Despite his retirement, he was still an Aura Expert and didn¡¯t hesitate to deal with mercenaries who got uppity and caused trouble.


    When we first met, Ewald had been reluctant to work with me since I looked and acted like a runaway noble scion at the time. However, after he realized that I was an Aura Expert, which I was at the time, he changed his tune. Now I was his top mercenary and had earned myself something of a reputation. If someone came to Ewald with a job that no one else could handle, he gave it to me. It was an arrangement that worked for everyone involved. I got paid well for my work, the clients¡¯ problems went away, and Ewald took a hefty fee for making it happen.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Ewald said when he caught sight of me. ¡°Back from your charity job I see.¡±


    I shrugged and sat on one of the stools at the bar.


    ¡°Just shut up and give me my money,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll also take an ale while you¡¯re at it.¡±


    Ewald didn¡¯t even bother confirming if I had completed the job or not. The two of us had worked together long enough that he knew I wouldn¡¯t lie about something like this. He grunted before tossing a small pouch filled with a handful of silver coins at me. I caught the pouch, opened it up to make sure nothing was amiss, before putting it away. While I trusted Ewald, I always checked to make sure he paid me the correct amount. It didn¡¯t hurt to be prudent.


    ¡°It¡¯s all there, as always,¡± Ewald said. ¡°Even if I wanted to rip you off, I wouldn¡¯t bother with a payout this small.¡± He sighed. ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you keep picking these jobs when they barely pay anything. Considering how expensive holy water and holy oil are, you break even at best and take a loss at worst.¡±


    Even as he scolded me, Ewald poured ale into a wooden mug and handed it to me. I shook my head as I took the ale from him. Explaining myself would be a waste of time. Ewald was a mercenary through and through. If a job didn¡¯t pay enough, he wouldn¡¯t take it, no matter how much the other person pleaded and begged. I wasn¡¯t like that, however. Every once in a while someone came in with a dangerous job but couldn¡¯t afford to post an appropriate reward for it.


    Most mercenaries avoided jobs like that since they were high risk and low reward. However, if the person¡¯s need was great, and they were truly desperate, I went out of my way to help them. Since the expenses incurred from doing these jobs equaled or were greater than the reward I earned from them, Ewald called them ¡°charity jobs¡±.


    Dealing with the pack of Mad Dogs from earlier was a prime example of that. The handful of silver I earned was barely enough to cover the cost of the holy water and the holy oil I used to purify the Mad Dogs. Still, I thought it was worth it. If I hadn¡¯t taken that job, who knows how many people those Mad Dogs would have killed? Besides, the money I made from all the other jobs Ewald sent my way was more than enough for me.


    ¡°With that sort of attitude,¡± Ewald continued. ¡°Why are you working as a mercenary? Why don¡¯t you become a knight instead? Any lord or knight commander with half a brain would love to have someone with your strength and your skill.¡±


    I sipped my ale before responding. Despite his tavern¡¯s shabby appearance, Ewald served good ale. The food on the other hand was another matter. I once made the mistake of ordering some from him. Never again.


    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°However, most noble houses and knightly orders care more about lineage than skill. They only accept nobles. I¡¯m as common as they come.¡±


    The look Ewald gave me said that he didn¡¯t believe me at all. I didn¡¯t blame him. When we first met, I hadn¡¯t shaken off the habits and mannerisms of my old life. He thought I was a runaway from a noble house, and I hadn¡¯t disabused him of that notion. I didn¡¯t, and still don¡¯t, see the point. That part of my life was over now. There wasn¡¯t any point in dwelling on it.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said any lord or knight commander with half a brain,¡± Ewald said in a dry tone. ¡°Only a complete idiot would turn away an Aura Expert.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± I said, pretending he hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°I don¡¯t want to serve just any lord. If I ever become a knight, I might as well aim for the top and join the best of the best.¡±


    Ewald narrowed his eyes at me.


    ¡°You mean the Coldsteel Knights,¡± he said after a moment.


    I nodded. The Order of the Coldsteel Blade, or the Coldsteel Knights as everyone called them, served Grand Duke Kaltbrand, the lord who ruled over the entirety of the Barrens. They were regarded as some of the best, if not the best, knights in the entire Reichwald Empire. They needed to be, since the Barrens was under threat from demonic beasts. As bad as things were now, they would be a whole lot worse if it weren¡¯t for Grand Duke Kaltbrand and his Coldsteel Knights. They were the shield that kept demonic beasts from flooding the rest of the Reichwald Empire.


    The Coldsteel Knights were led by Knight Commander Sofie Bardin, an Aura Master and a childhood hero of mine. She was regarded as one of the three most powerful warriors on the entire continent, alongside Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Gotthard Wendel, a spear warrior of great renown. Not only that, but she was a commoner who earned the title of Countess twenty years ago after she defeated a horde of demonic beasts that had threatened to sweep through the Reichwald Empire. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, countless people would have died.


    I wanted to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. That was the reason why I was in the Barrens in the first place. Part of it was because I wanted to meet Knight Commander Bardin, whose example I wanted to follow. However, the biggest reason why I wanted to join them was to earn a title.


    Defending the Barrens and keeping the rest of the Reichwald Empire safe was dangerous. As a reward, those who served as a Coldsteel Knight for at least five years earned the title of baron. It was one of the few ways a commoner could become a noble. The title didn¡¯t come with any wealth or land, but that was fine by me. All I needed was the title.


    However, joining the Order of the Coldsteel Blade was no simple matter. They were invitation only. This was the other reason why started working with Ewald. After I looked into the matter, I found out that a fair number of mercenaries who worked with him had been invited to join the Coldsteel Knights even though they were commoners.


    ¡°That would explain a few things,¡± Ewald muttered, before speaking up. ¡°Speaking of the Coldsteel Knights, that friend of yours is here to see you.¡±


    I gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°You mean Sir Kane?¡± I asked.


    Ewald nodded. I leapt to my feet, almost knocking my stool back.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier?¡± I demanded. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    Ewald jerked a thumb towards the door leading to the back areas.


    ¡°He said he wanted to talk with you in private,¡± he said. ¡°It seemed important, so I had him wait in the meeting room.¡±


    I started to make my way towards the door, but stopped and gave Ewald a grateful smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Ewald,¡± I said.


    He snorted and shook his head, before turning his attention to his other customers. My heart hammered against my ribs as I made my way towards the back areas. Perhaps this was it. Perhaps all my hard work had paid off and my chance had finally come. Perhaps I would finally be able to join the Coldsteel Knights.

 Chapter 2: An Unexpected Offer

    Ewald¡¯s tavern had a room in the back area which he used to meet with clients when discussing jobs. It wasn¡¯t anything special, just a small square room with a wooden table and a few wooden chairs, but it was the perfect place to hold private meetings. A glass lantern with a mana crystal provided light and heat.


    I made my way to the meeting room and found Sir Kane waiting for me. He was a tall man, almost as tall as me, with a broad and muscular physique. He had the mana signature of an Aura Expert. He wore the uniform of the Coldsteel Knights, a black outfit with blue trimmings. The crest of Order of the Coldsteel Blade was embroidered over his heart: a grayish-white sword surrounded by a blue flame.


    Like me, Sir Kane had pale skin, short black hair, and blue eyes, which was rather common up here in the Barrens. It was rarer in the Riverlands, the Reichwald Empire¡¯s western region, where I grew up. When I first arrived in the Barrens, I was shocked to find myself surrounded by people who looked just like me, since I was used to standing out. It took me some time to get used to it.


    Sir Kane had been sitting down, but stood up when I entered.


    ¡°Greetings, Sir Kane,¡± I said, giving him a slight bow. My tone became more formal as well. After living as a mercenary for three years, I had shed most of the mannerisms I adopted when I pretended to be a noble, but old habits died hard.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Sir Kane said, nodding to me in return. He spoke in a deep voice. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you as well. I apologize for the wait. I was out on a job.¡±


    Sir Kane flashed me a faint smile.


    ¡°So I heard,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I¡¯m the one who showed up without prior notice.¡±


    Rather than respond, and continue a potentially endless round of apologies, I gestured for Sir Kane to sit down again before sitting down myself.


    ¡°So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?¡± I asked, skipping the small talk. ¡°I believe this is the first time you have sought me out like this.¡±


    Sir Kane and I shared an odd friendship. Most knights looked down on mercenaries and treated them with contempt. They viewed us as nothing more than greedy sellswords who were only interested in coin, and they weren¡¯t wrong. Sir Kane was an exception, at least when it came to me.


    The two of us first met about a year ago, when a large horde of demonic beasts invaded the Barrens. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and his vassals didn¡¯t have enough knights to deal with the horde, so they hired mercenaries to make up the numbers. They split us off into groups in order to defend key locations. Sir Kane and I both ended up at Jagged Tooth Pass, a passageway that led from the Barrens to the Crownlands, the heart of the Reichwald Empire and location of Haven, the imperial capital.


    Due to its location, less than a thousand of us had been posted to protect the pass. Most were mercenaries, with about a hundred knights accompanying us. No one thought that the horde would make it that far south, which was why there were so few of us. If any demonic beasts reached Jagged Tooth Pass, we figured there would only be a few hundred of them at most.


    We couldn¡¯t have been more wrong.


    About a day after we reached the pass, thousands of demonic beasts stormed our location. It was a bloodbath. Most of the mercenaries died within the first few hours. The remaining few who survived fled for their lives. Of the hundreds of mercenaries who had been there, less than ten lasted until the end. I was one of those ten. The Coldsteel Knights fared somewhat better, though they still took grievous casualties.


    Sir Kane and I ended up fighting back to back, though I didn¡¯t remember much of the actual fighting. All I remembered was struggling desperately to survive as an endless tide of demonic beasts swarmed us. During my entire career as a mercenary, that had been the only time I feared I would die. I still have nightmares about that day. However, that same battle allowed me to cross the threshold from Aura Expert to Aura Master.


    Near the end of the battle, I took an attack meant for Sir Kane and fell unconscious. I heard about what happened afterwards from others. A relief force led by Knight Commander Bardin herself arrived soon after I fell unconscious and saved the day, preventing the horde of demonic beasts from reaching the Crownlands.


    When I woke up, Sir Kane swore to repay me for saving his life. I accepted his offer, and asked for his help in joining the Coldsteel Knights. The two of us had been friends ever since then. At first, my reasons for cultivating a friendship with Sir Kane were entirely out of self interest. However, as I came to know him, I found that liked Sir Kane as a person. He was quiet and reserved most of the time, but there were moments when he displayed a dry sense of humor.


    Due to his low status within the Coldsteel Knights, Sir Kane¡¯s help was limited to throwing dangerous jobs my way, which had helped raise my reputation. However, he always went through Ewald when he did this. This was the first time he had ever sought me out directly.


    Sir Kane¡¯s expression grew serious at my question.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± he said. ¡°Why do you wish to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade?¡±


    My excitement rose, though I made an effort to hide it. I took a moment to think about his question. A part of me wanted to lie or deflect, but I decided against it in the end. Sir Kane always struck me as the sort who preferred an unpleasant truth over a convenient lie. I didn¡¯t want to lose his friendship by deceiving him, even if it meant disappointing him. After all, I was a mercenary. In the end, I worked for my self-interests first and foremost.


    ¡°For the title,¡± I said.


    Sir Kane seemed unsurprised by my answer.


    ¡°I figured as much,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s the same reason why most people seek to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, though only a few manage to succeed. The rest join for honor and glory, or because they wish to protect others from demonic beasts.¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°I have no interest in honor or glory,¡± I said. ¡°And while I understand the importance of keeping the demonic beasts at bay, the main reason why I want to join is to earn a title.¡±


    I needed a title, and joining the Coldsteel Knights was my best chance at earning one. If that fell through, there were other avenues I could explore but the chances of success were much lower.


    ¡°In that case,¡± Sir Kane said with a nod. ¡°I have an offer for you, Wulfe. However, this isn¡¯t an invitation to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡±


    His words doused my excitement.


    ¡°If this isn¡¯t an invitation to join the Coldsteel Knights, then what is it?¡± I asked, an edge to my voice.


    Why did he ask that question if he hadn¡¯t planned on inviting me to the Coldsteel Knights? Had it been some sort of test? If so, had I failed?


    ¡°A job offer from my superiors,¡± Sir Kane said.


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°If your superiors wanted to hire me for a job, they could have gone through Ewald,¡± I said. ¡°He is my broker, after all. They didn¡¯t need to send you.¡±


    Sir Kane shook his head.


    ¡°This is a sensitive matter,¡± he said. ¡°Since you and I know each other, my superiors told me to approach you directly rather than go through your broker.¡±


    I frowned. This was strange. Sir Kane was a Coldsteel Knight, not some errand boy. If his superiors were using him as a messenger, then this wasn¡¯t some simple job.


    ¡°What sort of job is it?¡± I asked.


    Sir Kane shook his head again.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t know the details myself.¡±


    A thread of unease wrapped itself around my heart.


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    ¡°What can you tell me, then?¡± I asked.


    Sir Kane took a moment before answering.


    ¡°My superiors tasked me with bringing you to Frostheart so they can meet you,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll learn more then. That¡¯s all I can say on the matter.¡±


    Frostheart was the regional capital of the Barrens and Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s seat of power. It was also where the headquarters of the Coldsteel Knights was located.


    ¡°So let me see if I understand you correctly,¡± I said. ¡°Your superiors want me to go to Frostheart to meet with them about a job, but didn¡¯t tell you the details of said job?¡±


    Sir Kane nodded and gave me an apologetic look.


    ¡°I¡¯m just the messenger,¡± he said. ¡°They knew that you would be wary and suspicious, given the lack of information, which was why they sent me. They thought that if I asked you, you would be more likely to accept.¡±


    They weren¡¯t wrong. Sir Kane and I had fought side by side against impossible odds and survived. I trusted him with my life because I knew that if I was in danger, he would have my back. He had done it before, back when we were complete strangers to each other.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t accept and refuse to meet with your superiors?¡± I asked. ¡°What then? Will you be punished?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sir Kane said, shaking his head. ¡°They said that if you refused to accept the job, then you would be invited to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡±


    That caught me off guard. All I needed to do in order to join the Coldsteel Knights was to refuse to accept this suspicious sounding job? That couldn¡¯t be right.


    ¡°However,¡± Sir Kane continued. ¡°In order for that to happen, you need to meet with them in Frostheart and hear what they have to say first.¡±


    Of course it wasn¡¯t that simple. I resisted the urge to sigh. Regardless of what I chose, if I wanted to join the Coldsteel Knights and earn a title, I need to head towards Frostheart.


    ¡°If it makes you feel any better,¡± Sir Kane said. ¡°My superiors have had an eye on you for a while now. If they hadn¡¯t needed you for this job, whatever it is, I believe they would have already invited you to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡±


    That did make me feel a little better.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Kane,¡± I said.


    The two of us fell silent after that as I mulled over my options, not that I had many options to mull over in the first place. I needed a title, and joining the Coldsteel Knights was my best chance at earning one. If I let this opportunity go, I had a feeling that I would regret it. Still, it worried me that Sir Kane¡¯s superiors were so insistent on meeting me.


    Why? I was just a mercenary, as far as everyone else knew. No one, not even Sir Kane, knew that I was an Aura Master. So why did they want to meet with me? They even went as far as to use the possibility of joining the Coldsteel Knights as a way to lure me to Frostheart. Was it some kind of trap? It seemed so, but why bother? Again, I was just a mercenary. In the grand scheme of things, I wasn¡¯t anyone important.


    Did this have to do with House Guld, my former adoptive family? Now that was a possibility, albeit a small one. As far as I knew, House Guld and House Kaltbrand had little to do with each other, even though both were ducal families. One ruled the prosperous Riverlands, while the other ruled the cold and desolate Barrens.


    Still, if House Guld had found me, there was a chance that they had reached out to House Kaltbrand in order to try and lure me in. The chances of that happening were low, but they existed. But why though? I was no longer a part of House Guld. They took me in for a specific purpose and I had fulfilled the purpose. We had nothing to do with each other anymore, for now at least. After I earned my title, that would change. Maybe then, I could become a real member of their family. However, that hadn¡¯t happened yet.


    I sighed. There wasn¡¯t any point in thinking it over anymore. I had already made my decision. I just hadn¡¯t admitted it to myself yet.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll go to Frostheart and meet with your superiors. When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Tonight, if at all possible,¡± Sir Kane said. ¡°I received permission to use the warp gate network so we don¡¯t have to waste time traveling on foot.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him. The warp gate network was a series of portals that connected the cities of the Reichwald Empire to one another. This allowed for instantaneous transportation from one city to another. There were limits to this, of course. Each warp gate was only connected to one other warp gate. Not only that, but a pair of warp gates needed to be within a certain distance of each other or they wouldn¡¯t work. Meaning that if someone wanted to travel from one end of the Reichwald Empire to another, they would need to go through several warp gates before reaching their destination.


    Traveling through a warp gate also used up a significant amount of mana crystals, so not just anyone could use one. While mana crystals were cheaper and more abundant here in the Barrens, they were still too valuable a resource to waste. This meant that the warp gate network was limited to high ranking nobles and important government officials. Everyone else had to travel on foot or by carriage. If Sir Kane¡¯s superiors gave him permission to use the warp gate network, that meant that they wanted to meet with me more than I thought.


    Just what kind of job did they want me to do?


    ¡°Give me an hour,¡± I said. ¡°I need to pack my things and settle my affairs here. After that, I¡¯ll be free to go.¡±


    I didn¡¯t own much, so it wouldn¡¯t take me long to pack all of my things. However, I needed to talk with Ewald. Regardless of what happened in Frostheart, I wouldn¡¯t be working with him anymore. Either I would accept the job Sir Kane¡¯s superiors wanted me to do, or I would join the Coldsteel Knights. It looked like my days as a mercenary were over.


    <hr>


    Two hours later, Sir Kane and I found ourselves in Frostheart. By that point, it was well after nightfall. It had taken me a little under an hour to retrieve my things and settle my affairs in Warrior¡¯s Rest. Ewald looked unsurprised by my departure and the reason behind it. He must have guessed the reason why Sir Kane came to see me.


    It took us an hour to reach Frostheart from Warrior¡¯s Rest. The reason why it took that long was because none of the warp gates in Warrior¡¯s Rest led to Frostheart. We had to travel through a few other cities first. If Sir Kane and I had traveled on foot, it would have taken us about two weeks.


    After we left the warp gate platform, I followed Sir Kane deeper into the city. It was my first time in Frostheart, so I took a good look around. Reading and hearing about the city was different from experiencing it firsthand. Frostheart was large, as expected of the capital of the Barrens. Most of the city was built from dark gray stone, giving it a bleak and foreboding appearance. It was also colder than Warrior¡¯s Rest, since Frostheart was much further north. Thankfully, I had dressed for the weather, so the cold bothered me not at all.


    It must have snowed not too long ago, since a thin layer of snow coated much of the city though the streets themselves were clear. In contrast to the cold and the city¡¯s bleak appearance, tall lamps lined the street and shone with warm light. The light made the snow glimmer. Despite the late hour, there were still several people out and about.


    Frostheart was built atop a large hill, so the streets were sloped. A massive wall, made from the same dark stone as the buildings, surrounded the city. In the center of it all, at the very top of the hill, stood a tall and imposing fortress: Kaltbrand Castle.


    While I had never seen it before, I had read much about it. The castle came first, built to defend against the constant threat of demonic beasts, with the rest of the city coming after. It was the ancestral home of House Kaltbrand and also the headquarters of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.


    Contrary to my expectations, Sir Kane didn¡¯t lead me towards Kaltbrand Castle. Instead, he led me to another area of the city. This made me wary. While I trusted Sir Kane, the same couldn¡¯t be said for his superiors. This entire business had me on edge, so I made sure to keep a constant eye out for any potential threats. So far I hadn¡¯t seen anything suspicious, but I maintained a vigilant watch.


    As an Aura Master, I was confident in my ability to escape any potential ambush or trap. The only people in the Barrens I had to fear were Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin, and I doubted either of them would concern themselves with a mercenary like me.


    It was what would happen afterwards that worried me. If this was all indeed a trap set up by the Coldsteel Knights, then there was a good chance that I would end up as a fugitive before the end of the night. In that case, I would have to escape the Barrens and readjust my plans. I hoped it didn¡¯t come to that.


    Sir Kane soon led me to a building that looked much like the others in Frostheart. It stood two-stories tall and had a simple appearance. However, I found myself caught off guard when we went inside. Contrary to the exterior, the interior of the building looked like a lavish and well-appointed restaurant. It was the sort of place nobles liked to frequent. Compared to the restaurants in the imperial capital of Haven, it wasn¡¯t anything special. However, by Barrens standards, it was unbelievably luxurious.


    The warmth of the place hit me like a physical force. A waiter wearing an expensive outfit approached us and gave each of us a slight bow.


    ¡°Sir Kane?¡± the waiter asked in a polite tone. ¡°Your party is waiting for you upstairs.¡±


    Sir Kane nodded to him in thanks before heading towards the stairs leading to the second floor.


    ¡°Sir Kane,¡± I said under my breath. ¡°Who exactly am I meeting?¡±


    ¡°My superiors,¡± he said.


    ¡°And who are these superiors of yours?¡±


    When he mentioned superiors back at Ewald¡¯s tavern, I assumed he meant officers within the Coldsteel Knights. However, considering the choice of meeting location, I doubted that was the case. Despite my misgivings, I continued to follow Sir Kane.


    The second floor consisted of a hallway with doors that I assumed led to private dining rooms. A team of Aura Experts, all of them wearing the uniform of the Coldsteel Knights, guarded one of the doors. Sir Kane and I headed in that direction.


    Without a word, the Coldsteel Knights searched me and confiscated my weapons. As this went on, I considered leaving but decided against it. I had already made it this far, so I might as well see it through.


    After the Coldsteel Knights finished searching me, they gestured for me to go through the door.


    ¡°This is where I leave you,¡± Sir Kane said with an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°They want to meet with you alone.¡±


    I gave him a cross look.


    ¡°When this is over, you and I are going to have a conversation about honesty, Sir Kane,¡± I said.


    One of the other Coldsteel Knights glared at me and opened her mouth to say something, but Sir Kane silenced her with a gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Wulfe,¡± he said. ¡°I had my orders.¡±


    I shook my head, before opening the door and entering. Two people waited for me inside, a man and a woman. The man was sitting down, while the woman stood behind him to his left. According to their mana signatures, both were Aura Masters. My heart sank. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out who these two were.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you, Wulfe.¡±

 Chapter 3: The Duke, the Knight, and the Mercenary

    I took a moment to survey the dining room. It reminded me somewhat of the meeting room in Ewald¡¯s tavern, though there were several differences. For one, this room had windows, which gave its occupants a view of the street outside. It also had a small chandelier hanging from the ceiling. However, the chandelier held mana crystals instead of candles. The mana crystals provided light and warmth to the room. The walls and ceiling were cream colored and decorated with small landscape paintings. A rug with intricate designs covered the hardwood floor.


    In the center of the room stood an ornate wooden table just large enough for two people. A platter covered with appetizers and finger foods sat atop the table. Their scents teased my nose. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I hadn¡¯t eaten anything since breakfast this morning. A bottle of wine stood next to the platter.


    After taking in my surroundings, I studied Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin. The grand duke looked to be in his late thirties, though I knew he was much older than that. Aura users aged slower and lived longer than regular people. The more powerful they were, the slower they aged. Aura Masters aged half as fast and lived twice as long as ordinary people. Depending on when he became an Aura Master, Grand Duke Kaltbrand could be anywhere between his late forties and early sixties. I doubted that he was older than that.


    The grand duke looked to be the same height as me, though he was much larger and more muscular than me. In addition to that, he had a presence to him that filled the room, making him seem taller than he actually was. His features were rougher than I expected, as if his face had been carved from a craggy stone. He wore an outfit made from fine wool, though the design was simpler than what nobles in the Riverlands and the Crownlands favored.


    Like many in the Barrens, Grand Duke Kaltbrand had pale skin and dark hair, the latter of which he kept short. He also had blue eyes. However, unlike most people, his eyes were icy blue and had a faint glow to them.


    There were a number of families within the Reichwald Empire that had been blessed by the gods, allowing them to wield divine power. House Kaltbrand was one such family. Their blessing was the coldfire, a blue flame that froze things instead of burning them. This glacial fire also had the ability to purify anything it froze, or so I heard. I had never actually seen it in action myself.


    I turned my attention to Knight Commander Bardin. She looked to be in her early thirties, though I knew she was older than that. She stood a head shorter than me. Like Grand Duke Kaltbrand, her presence also filled the room and made her seem taller. However, her presence felt colder and sharper than the grand duke¡¯s. It was as if she were a sword in human form.


    Together with the grand duke, the air in the private dining room felt suffocating. An ordinary person would have had difficulty breathing. As an Aura Master myself, I felt fine. However, I pretended to act uncomfortable in order to hide that fact. I was pretending to be an Aura Expert, so I needed to act the part.


    Knight Commander Bardin also had pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. However, unlike the grand duke, her eyes didn¡¯t glow with divine power. She kept her hair long, which surprised me. Long hair was a detriment in combat, since an enemy could grab it, but I guessed she was powerful enough that such a weakness wouldn¡¯t hinder her too much. She wore the uniform of the Coldsteel Knights, though her uniform also contained an insignia which denoted her rank as knight commander.


    Like me, she had sharp and aristocratic features giving her a striking, though not beautiful, appearance. Even so, she looked more like a noble than Grand Duke Kaltbrand did. They both wore unreadable expressions, making it difficult to gauge their thoughts.


    I saw all this within less than a second. Despite my discomfort at the current situation, I couldn¡¯t help but feel excited that I was finally meeting my hero. However, I made sure to school my expression into a neutral mask, to keep from giving my thoughts away.


    After studying the room, as well as the grand duke and the knight commander, I approached the table and stopped a respectful distance away. I bowed to Grand Duke Kaltbrand, drawing upon my experiences as a former (fake) son of House Guld. In high society, nobles bowed when meeting each other. The depth of the bow was determined by the respective status of each noble. Equals nodded to each other, while social inferiors bowed to their superiors. The depth of the bow depended on the difference in status between the two.


    In terms of status, Grand Duke Kaltbrand was second only to members of the imperial family. I was a commoner. The difference between us was like the difference between the heavens and the earth. A vast gulf existed between us.


    ¡°I greet you, Grand Duke Kaltbrand,¡± I said, speaking in a formal tone. ¡°Shield of the Empire and Lord of the North.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand raised an eyebrow at my greeting and nodded at me, a glimmer of interest in his eyes. Since he already knew my name, I didn¡¯t bother introducing myself. After I raised from my bow, I faced Knight Commander Bardin and bowed to her as well. However, the bow I gave her was slightly deeper than the one I gave to Grand Duke Kaltbrand.


    ¡°I greet you, Knight Commander Bardin,¡± I said. ¡°Sword of the North and the Iron Countess of Bardin.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin scoffed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who taught you etiquette, boy,¡± she said in a sharp tone. ¡°But they should be whipped for their failure. You shouldn¡¯t bow deeper to a mere countess than you would a grand duke. That honor is reserved for members of the imperial family.¡±


    I stood up straight and faced Knight Commander Bardin without flinching, despite her sharp tone.


    ¡°That is true under most circumstances,¡± I said. ¡°However, there are exceptions. In this case, bowing that deeply to someone is a sign of admiration and respect towards that person. I hold you in the highest regard, Knight Commander Bardin.¡±


    Her eyes widened by a fraction and she didn¡¯t respond. Grand Duke Kaltbrand chuckled.


    ¡°Now that is interesting,¡± he said. ¡°May I know why you hold Sofie here in higher regard than me, a grand duke? If you don¡¯t mind me asking, of course.¡±


    Despite his polite tone, it was clear to me that this was not a request. Grand Duke Kaltbrand bared his teeth at me in a smile. In that moment, he seemed more like a beast in the shape of a man than a human. Something told me that my answer to his question would affect the rest of our conversation.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple, Your Grace,¡± I said. ¡°Knight Commander Bardin is the one who inspired me to take up the blade in the first place.¡± I looked at her. ¡°I saw your duel with Gotthard Wendel when I was a child. Rather, I saw the recording of the duel. I couldn¡¯t see much of the actual fight since the two of you had moved too fast for a normal human to keep track of. Ever since then I have strived to follow your example.¡±


    About ten years ago, a little after House Guld adopted me, Gotthard Wendel challenged Knight Commander Bardin to a duel over some supposed insult. I wasn¡¯t too sure of the details. The duel took place in the imperial capital of Haven. Fathe-¡­Duke Guld brought me to witness the duel, since I expressed an interest in watching it. The two of us had been in the capital at the time to meet with His Imperial Majesty to confirm my adoption into House Guld.


    Stolen story; please report.


    From the moment I first saw her, Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s presence fascinated me. I think part of it was because she was the first person I saw who looked like me. Unlike in the Barrens, black hair and blue eyes wasn¡¯t common in the Riverlands or the Crownlands. I stood out wherever I went. This also often made me the target of ridicule, since I looked nothing like the rest of House Guld, who all had blonde hair and green eyes.


    The duel ended in Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s victory. Afterwards, Duke Guld bought me a mana crystal which contained a recording of the duel from a magician who had been in attendance as well. This allowed me to see the actual fight, since I could play the recording at a slower speed. Gotthard Wendel was a skilled warrior, but Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s swordsmanship looked beautiful and elegant. I wanted to be just like her. So the day after the duel, I begged Duke Guld to allow me to learn how to wield the sword. He granted my request and found a teacher for me. It turned out that I had a talent for the sword and I have trained every day since then.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand laughed.


    ¡°It seems you have an admirer, Sofie,¡± he said to Knight Commander Bardin in a teasing tone.


    She scowled at him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°Though not in a romantic sense.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Knight Commander Bardin snapped. ¡°I have no interest in men younger than me.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean I have a chance?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, still teasing her. ¡°You and I are about the same age.¡±


    ¡°Quiet you.¡±


    The grand duke let out another laugh, before turning his attention back to me.


    ¡°Please sit,¡± he said, gesturing to the chair opposite his. ¡°I imagine you are curious as to why you are here.¡±


    I followed the grand duke¡¯s words and sat down.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I said. ¡°You lured me here using Sir Kane and the promise of joining the Coldsteel Knights. Why go through all that effort to meet a common mercenary like myself? If you wanted to meet with me, you could have summoned me to Kaltbrand Castle. And yet, you used such a roundabout method. How could I not be curious, Your Grace?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s expression hardened. Despite my polite tone, my words bordered on insolence. However, Grand Duke Kaltbrand seemed amused by this rather than offended.


    ¡°All in good time, Wulfe,¡± he said, gesturing to the food on the table. ¡°You must be hungry. Eat. We will discuss the job I want you to do after you finish.¡±


    Despite my hunger, I ignored the food. Due to the nature of my work, I was used to going without food for days at a time. I just wanted to get this conversation over with as soon as possible.


    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you, Your Grace,¡± I said. ¡°I would rather skip all the pleasantries and get down to business.¡± I gave him a smile that didn¡¯t reach my eyes. ¡°For those in my line of work, time is money and I don¡¯t want to waste either.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin gripped her sword.


    ¡°Careful, boy,¡± she said in a quiet voice. ¡°His Grace may find your insolence amusing, but I do not. You will speak to him with respect.¡±


    The threat in her tone was clear. I glanced at her for a brief moment, before focusing on Grand Duke Kaltbrand. While I was confident in my skills, I didn¡¯t want to get into a fight with either the grand duke or Knight Commander Bardin. They were both Aura Masters. Not only that, but they both had decades of experience. I would lose. Even assuming I survived the experience and escaped, I would be hunted down. I was better off avoiding a fight in the first place.


    ¡°I apologize, Your Grace,¡± I said. ¡°The hour is late and my manners suffered as a result. I did not mean to insult you. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to forgive, Wulfe,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Sofie is here rather sensitive when it comes to slights against myself. We¡¯ve had poor experiences when dealing with nobles from the south. They¡¯re good at disguising their insults with pretty words and flowery language.¡±


    I understood what he meant. In many ways, high society was like a battlefield. However, nobles used words rather than weapons to wound their opponents and advance their interests. They excelled at speaking in a roundabout manner, and clever nobles often insulted their opponents while pretending otherwise. I left House Guld before I came of age, so I never debuted. However, I still dealt with my fair share of nobles who hid their malicious intentions behind bright smiles.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a noble, Your Grace,¡± I said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand snorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to deceive me,¡± he said. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t know about your history, your words and your actions gave you away. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve received an education befitting of a noble, Wulfe.¡± He bared his teeth at me in another smile. ¡°Or should I call you Lord Wulfram Guld, adopted son of House Guld?¡±


    It didn¡¯t surprise me that the grand duke knew about my history. Given the effort he put into bringing me here, it was clear that he needed me for an important job. He must have had his people look into my past long before he ever decided to invite me here. In his shoes, I would have done the same. It was simply due diligence.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to deceive you, Your Grace,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I¡¯m a commoner, not a noble. I was never a true member of House Guld.¡± A needle of pain stabbed me in the heart when I said that, but I ignored it. ¡°They adopted me for a specific purpose, and I left after I fulfilled that purpose. Simple as that. House Guld and I have nothing to do with each other anymore.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin both stared at me.


    ¡°They took you in and tossed you aside when you were no longer useful?¡± the knight commander asked, a hint of anger in her tone. ¡°Is that it?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Though I can see why you might see it that way. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. In fact, from a certain point of view, it was my first job as a mercenary. They took me in, provided for me, and educated me. In return, I played the role they wanted me to play.¡± Though it stopped being a mere role for me long before I left. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for everything House Guld has done for me. Without their support, I wouldn¡¯t be the man I am today.¡±


    Neither the grand duke nor the knight commander responded right away.


    ¡°What role did you play?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked, a hint of sorrow in his eyes.


    I gave him a tight smile.


    ¡°If you know who I am, or was rather, then you must have also heard what people called me,¡± I said.


    ¡°A substitute,¡± he said. ¡°For the formerly lost second son, Emmerich Guld.¡±


    I nodded. Emmerich Guld, House Guld¡¯s second son, fell into a river while on a trip with the rest of his family. Despite House Guld¡¯s best efforts, they were unable to rescue him. Nor did they ever find his body. House Guld searched for him for several months, to no avail. After a while, they gave up the search and held a funeral for him.


    A month after the funeral, in the midst of their grief, House Guld adopted a boy to serve as a substitute for their lost son. That boy was me. They showered me with love and treated me well, but I always knew that their love was never mine. Not really. It all belonged to Emmerich Guld, their real son. I simply filled in the empty space he left behind. I had been a fake son, nothing more.


    Years later, Emmerich Guld showed up again, alive and well. By some miracle, he survived falling into the river but had lost his memories due to his near death experience. A magician found him along the river¡¯s shore and took him in. When the magician realized that Emmerich had a talent for magic, he brought him to the Tower of Magic, the Reichwald Empire¡¯s premier institution of magical learning and research.


    Emmerich became a magician himself and joined the Tower of Magic. Through his research, he found a way to restore his lost memories. After he did so, Emmerich rushed back to House Guld and reunited with his family. When the tests proved that he was indeed Emmerich Guld and not some imposter, I left House Guld. Rather than fight to stay in a place where I didn¡¯t belong, to be with people who no longer needed me, I decided to make my exit. Now that the real son had returned, House Guld no longer needed a fake.


    Despite this, I still harbored some hope that maybe, just maybe, not all of House Guld¡¯s love had been an act. Maybe they held some affection for me. Maybe there was a chance that I could join House Guld for real and become a true member of their family. However, in order to make that happen, I needed a title.


    ¡°Now, if we¡¯re done discussing my personal history,¡± I said. ¡°May we move on to the matter at hand?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin opened her mouth to say something, but Grand Duke Kaltbrand silenced her with a gesture. She looked unhappy about this, but obeyed.


    ¡°Very well,¡± the grand duke said. ¡°However, since your personal history is part of the reason why we need you, it wasn¡¯t a waste of time.¡±


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The job I have for you is simple,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°I need you to pretend to be my illegitimate child and heir.¡±

 Chapter 4: The Fake Heir

    My jaw dropped and I stared at Grand Duke Kaltbrand for five long seconds. When dealing with nobles, especially those of high rank, it was best to hide one¡¯s thoughts to avoid giving anything away. However, the grand duke¡¯s words caught me so off guard that I couldn¡¯t help but reveal my shock.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked in an incredulous tone. ¡°I think my ears must be defective, because it sounded like you wanted me to pretend to be your illegitimate child and heir.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°That is correct,¡± he said. ¡°Your ears are working just fine.¡±


    I opened and closed my mouth several times, unable to say anything in response. When Sir Kane first mentioned this job, I assumed it had something to do with demonic beasts. After all, like any other mercenary in the Barrens, I made my living by hunting demonic beasts. Not only that, but I was one of the best at it. Even when I realized that this was no simple job, I still assumed it had something to do with demonic beasts.


    It would never have occurred to me that Grand Duke Kaltbrand needed me to pretend to be his illegitimate child and heir.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked when I regained enough of my composure, though I remained unsettled. ¡°Why¡­ Just why? Don¡¯t you have several potential heirs to choose from? Why do you need me to pretend to be your illegitimate child and heir?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand took the bottle of wine and filled his glass before answering.


    ¡°How much do you know about the political situation here in the Barrens?¡± he asked, before taking a sip of the wine.


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°As much as any other commoner does,¡± I said. ¡°And more so than most. I did some research before I came up here, and I¡¯ve lived in the Barrens for long enough to get a grasp of the general situation.¡±


    ¡°Then you know how¡­ unstable things are.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said with a nod.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand ruled the northern region of the Reichwald Empire, which was also called the Barrens. It was a cold and desolate land, with little in the way of arable land, thus the name. However, despite that, the Barrens was a thriving and prosperous region. In terms of wealth, it was second only to the Riverlands, the breadbasket of the Reichwald Empire and an important trade hub. This was because the Barrens had an abundance of mana crystals.


    Mana crystals were an important resource to the Reichwald Empire. They powered magic tools, which were a vital part of daily life. The nobility in particular relied on magic tools for the conveniences they provided. Magicians also needed mana crystals, since they served as an additional power source for their magic. In short, there was a high demand for mana crystals and that demand allowed the northern lords to grow wealthy and powerful.


    The Barrens also served as the barrier that protected the rest of the Reichwald Empire from demonic beasts. Far to the north, beyond the Frostspire Mountains that served as the Reichwald Empire¡¯s border, was the Edge of the World. It was the source of the demonic beasts that sought to eradicate all life. The only reason why they hadn¡¯t yet was because of House Kaltbrand and its vassals. That was why Grand Duke Kaltbrand was called the Shield of the Empire.


    These two factors gave House Kaltbrand a lot of power and influence. In terms of both military might and wealth, no other family could match them except for House Reichwald, the imperial family; and maybe not even then. However, House Kaltbrand now faced a succession crisis. That was because Grand Duke Kaltbrand hadn¡¯t named an heir.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s wife died a long time ago and the grand duke has remained unmarried ever since. According to the rumors, it was because he had loved his wife so much that he refused to marry another woman. However, despite years of marriage, Grand Duke Kaltbrand and his wife remained childless, thus leading to the current situation.


    House Kaltbrand had several collateral lines, so there wasn¡¯t a shortage of potential heirs. The problem was, Grand Duke Kaltbrand hadn¡¯t picked any of them to succeed him. Aura Masters lived a long time, but no one lived forever. More than that, the demonic beasts were a constant threat. Aura Masters were powerful, but they weren¡¯t invincible. It was possible to kill them.


    If Grand Duke Kaltbrand died without naming an heir, then it might lead to a civil war among the northern lords. The imperial family would intervene before it grew too bad, but a lot of people would still die.


    Fear and uncertainty were rampant across the Barrens. The commoners were worried because they didn¡¯t know who their next lord was going to be. Meanwhile, the northern nobles were divided into various factions, each one supporting a different candidate to become the next grand duke/duchess. While these factions were civil to each other for now, in public at least, no one knew how long that would last. Sooner or later, they would start taking action to eliminate their rivals one way or another.


    As the grand duke said, the situation was unstable and the longer it went on the more unstable it would become.


    ¡°My closest advisers and my vassals have pressured me for years to pick an heir,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°And I can no longer put them off. However, in my eyes, none of the current candidates are worthy of becoming the next Grand Duke or Grand Duchess.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you need me to pretend to be your illegitimate child,¡± I said. ¡°If none of the current candidates are worthy, then find someone who is. Why do you need a fake one?¡±


    ¡°I do have someone in mind,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand admitted. ¡°However, they¡¯re not ready yet, nor do they have a faction of their own to support them. If I revealed them to the public now, they would become a target of countless plots and schemes. I am the Grand Duke, but even my power has limits. I need more time to prepare, which is where you come in.¡±


    I leaned back in my chair and took a moment to think it over. I think I understood what Grand Duke Kaltbrand wanted from me.


    ¡°You want to use me as a distraction until your real heir is ready,¡± I said. ¡°Everyone will be too focused on me to notice what you are up to.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll also act as bait for my enemies.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°Someone is working behind the scenes to interfere with the succession of House Kaltbrand. It took me a while to notice, since they have kept themselves hidden and have only moved in subtle ways, but I caught on to them eventually.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°How do you know this?¡± I asked.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand grimaced.


    ¡°Over the years, ever since my wife died, the potential heirs with the strongest claims to House Kaltbrand have all died under suspicious circumstances,¡± he said. ¡°Now only three are left, the ones with the weakest claims. I believe someone eliminated the others in an attempt to force me to choose one of those three.¡±


    This didn¡¯t surprise me. When there was more than one potential heir to a noble house, especially one as prestigious and wealthy as House Kaltbrand, conflict inevitably arose. Sometimes these potential heirs would decide to take matters into their own hands and eliminate their rivals one way or another. Assassinations and warfare were two such methods.


    ¡°Someone is interfering with the succession of House Kaltbrand,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°They¡¯re either working with or using the remaining potential heirs in order to fulfill some unknown purpose. I do not know what that purpose is, but I intend to find out.¡±


    When he said that last sentence, his eyes glowed with divine power for a brief second.


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    ¡°You want to use me to force these unseen enemies into making a move,¡± I said. It wasn¡¯t a question.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m hoping that the introduction of a new variable will be enough to disrupt their schemes and reveal who they are.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°They will target you in an attempt to eliminate you, or use you for their own ends. I intend to use you as bait in order to catch them in the act and find out who they are.¡±


    Things were starting to make sense. Whoever became the heir to House Kaltbrand would become the target of countless dangers and schemes. In order to protect his real heir and buy time for them to get ready, Grand Duke Kaltbrand wanted to use me instead. It was similar to how some nobles used body doubles in order to protect themselves from assassins.


    I grimaced. This meeting had turned out to be far different than I had expected. Pretending to be the heir to House Kaltbrand, with all the dangers that entailed? Deal with nobles and their schemes? Risk my life in a battle that I had no stake in? I would have to be insane to accept. I left that world behind me when I left House Guld, and I had no intention of stepping back into it.


    However, I couldn¡¯t just refuse Grand Duke Kaltbrand, not without a good reason at least. He ruled the Barrens. If I offended him, then my life would get that much more difficult. I needed some excuse to turn this job down.


    ¡°I understand your intentions,¡± I said. ¡°However, I must ask again. Why me? Why not have a trusted ally or subordinate pretend to be your illegitimate child and heir? I¡¯m an outsider.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part of the reason why you are a perfect fit for the role,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°As an outsider, you have no ties to any of the current potential heirs, making it less likely that you¡¯re an agent working for any of them.¡±


    ¡°I could still be an agent working for this unseen enemy of yours,¡± I pointed out. ¡°My presence in the Barrens could be part of an elaborate scheme to get me close to you.¡±


    ¡°Given what I know about your history, I doubt that,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said in a dry voice. ¡°Another reason why you¡¯re perfect for the role is that you were raised and educated as a noble. Whatever their reasons for adopting you, House Guld still treated you as one of their own. There are few people better suited to pretending to be my hidden heir than you.¡±


    Damn it. None of my excuses were working. I would have to play my trump card.


    ¡°Regardless of my capabilities,¡± I said. ¡°I am still an outsider. More than that, I am a mercenary. My loyalty can be bought if the price is right. Why would you trust me with something as important as this? How do you know that I won¡¯t sell you out the moment I get a chance?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand gave me a cold smile. Unlike his earlier smiles, he kept his teeth hidden.


    ¡°Other than the fact that you¡¯ll forfeit your life the moment you try?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s simple. Jagged Tooth Pass. Almost all of the other mercenaries who had been hired to protect Jagged Tooth Pass last year fled when the battle turned hopeless. You stayed until the very end. Why?¡±


    I clenched my fists and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Why did you stay and fight instead of fleeing and saving your own skin?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like the actions of a mercenary only interested in coin and nothing else.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer him. I couldn¡¯t. When Grand Duke Kaltbrand realized this, he relented.


    ¡°Regardless of the reason, your actions speak for themselves,¡± he said. ¡°Based on what I know about you, I believe you can be trusted with something as important as this. I¡¯m not the only one either. In fact, when I first came up with this idea, Sofie here was the one who brought up your name.¡±


    I looked at Knight Commander Bardin in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had my eye on you ever since the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass,¡± she explained, speaking up for the first time in a while. ¡°Sir Kane hates mercenaries, so we were all surprised when he started singing your praises.¡±


    I resisted the urge to blush. When I asked for Sir Kane¡¯s help in joining the Coldsteel Knights, I had expected him to put in a good word for me with his superiors. I suppose he had done exactly that, though not in the way I expected.


    ¡°At first I intended to invite you to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°However, when this lunk came up with this harebrained scheme of his, I told him about you.¡± She gave the grand duke a scathing look. ¡°I never actually expected him to choose you.¡±


    Grand Duke Bardin gave her an offended look. However, from the twinkle in his eyes, it was clear that he didn¡¯t mean it.


    ¡°¡®Harebrained?¡¯¡± he asked. ¡°I think you mean brilliant and well thought out.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin snorted.


    ¡°I meant what I said, you delusional fool,¡± she said. ¡°The only reason why I¡¯m going along with it is because I can¡¯t think of any better alternatives.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand gave her a triumphant grin. Knight Commander Bardin rolled her eyes in response.


    ¡°Well then, Wulfe,¡± the grand duke said, facing me again. ¡°What do you say? Will you accept this job?¡±


    I studied him for several long seconds.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to find a way to decline without offending you,¡± I said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand looked surprised by my candid words, before he burst out into laughter.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to reject me without even hearing about the payment for this job,¡± he said when he calmed himself down again.


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of risk and reward,¡± I said. ¡°Nothing you can offer me will be worth the risk involved. Wealth is meaningless if you¡¯re not alive to enjoy it.¡± I nodded towards Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°The succession of House Kaltbrand has nothing to do with me. Why should I get involved? I¡¯m better off rejecting this job and joining the Coldsteel Knights. Unless that was just a lie to get me here.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think Sir Kane had lied to me about that. However, it was possible that his superiors, the grand duke and the knight commander in this case, had lied to him.


    ¡°No,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a lie. If you reject my offer, then I¡¯ll let Sofie bring you into the Order of the Coldsteel Blade as she originally intended. However, before you reject me, let me make the actual offer first. If you still don¡¯t want to do this job even after that, then you can say no without worrying about offending me.¡±


    I wanted to say no right away and be done with it, but I figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to hear him out first. After all, no matter what he said, it wouldn¡¯t change my mind.


    ¡°One year,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said while holding up one finger. ¡°I want you to pretend to be my illegitimate child and heir for one year. In exchange, I¡¯ll give you a title, a fief to go with it, and a mana crystal mine.¡±


    That was a tempting offer, one that most mercenaries would accept without hesitation. House Kaltbrand enjoyed a lot of autonomy and independence, which was why they could bestow titles, something that was the purview of the imperial family. However, as tempting as this offer was, I only needed the title itself. I could do without the fief and the mana crystal mine, though both would make me quite wealthy. Why risk my life for a title, when I could join the Coldsteel Knights and earn one that way? Fighting demonic beasts was easier and safer than dealing with nobles and their plots.


    ¡°What title?¡± I asked, out of curiosity more than anything.


    ¡°Count,¡± Knight Commander Bardin answered, surprising me.


    I wasn¡¯t the only one. Her words caught Grand Duke Bardin off guard as well, though he did his best to hide it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any heirs,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°And I don¡¯t intend to marry. If you accept His Grace¡¯s offer, I¡¯ll adopt you as my son and make you the heir to House Bardin.¡±


    I stared at her. Becoming the heir of the Iron Countess herself? That was like a dream come true for me. It was almost irresistible. Almost, but not quite. I was still better off rejecting the grand duke¡¯s offer and joining the Coldsteel Knights.


    ¡°Even so, my answer is still-¡­¡± I started to say, but Knight Commander Bardin cut me off.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also take you in as my disciple,¡± she said. ¡°You may be an Aura Master, but there is a world of difference between a new Aura Master and someone who has been an Aura Master for more than twenty years.¡±


    I made an undignified, choking sound as I resisted the urge to squeal with joy. Becoming Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple alone was reward enough for taking on such a dangerous job, even without the title. My excitement faded away when the rest of her words hit me.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Aura Master?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked. ¡°You never mentioned this before.¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡± I started to ask then stopped.


    Ever since I became an Aura Master, I kept my true strength hidden. I always took care not to reveal myself. So, how did Knight Commander Bardin find out?


    ¡°I was there at the battle of Jagged Tooth Pass, remember?¡± she asked with a smirk. ¡°I noticed back then, which was part of the reason why you caught my interest.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand let out a low whistle.


    ¡°An impressive achievement for one so young,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m almost tempted to adopt you myself and make you my actual heir.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t joke about something like that, Your Grace,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said.


    ¡°You think that was a joke?¡±


    I shook my head as the two continued to bicker with each and considered my options. Joining the Coldsteel Knights and earning a title that way was the safer option. However, it would take longer. A lot could happen in five years. On the other hand, accepting Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s offer meant placing myself in significant danger. As an Aura Master, my chances of survival were much higher, but not guaranteed. Still, I would only have to pretend to be his heir for a year. Not only that, but I would become Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple. That alone would make all the risk worth it.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said.


    The grand duke and the knight commander stopped their bickering and looked at me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I repeated. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend to be your illegitimate child and heir.¡±


    A wide smile stretched across Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s face. It seemed genuine. Somehow, that made it look more dangerous than any of his previous smiles.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± he said. ¡°Shall we head to Kaltbrand Castle now to write up the contract?¡±

 Chapter 5: Mana Training

    When I dreamed that night, after I had gone to bed, I dreamed of the time I first met House Guld; I dreamed of the time I first met her. Before House Guld adopted me, I lived in an orphanage in the town of Towerton. It was a large town in the Riverlands, situated near where the borders of the Riverlands, the Barrens, and the Crownlands met. It earned its name from the large number of towers that dotted the town.


    Apparently, about a century before, the various noble houses who occupied the town started building towers as a way to show off their wealth and status. This turned into a competition, which resulted in dozens of towers being built. They built so many, that they even ended up changing the town¡¯s name as a result.


    The thing I remember most about my time living in that orphanage was the constant gnawing hunger. The orphanage relied on donations from nobles and wealthy merchants, which wasn¡¯t always consistent. That meant that the administrators in charge always had to skimp and save, since they never knew when the next donation would come in. The other orphans and I ate enough to avoid starving, but nothing more. To make ends meet, and help fill our bellies, we worked odd jobs all over Towerton.


    I ran into the members of House Guld while running one of these odd jobs. It had been a bright summer day. Father and Moth-¡­ The duke and the duchess had been in town to meet with another noble family for business and decided to make a family trip out of it. This had been about a month after Emmerich Guld¡¯s ¡°funeral¡±, and they had wanted to do something to cheer their other children up. After they finished with their business, the entire family explored Towerton on foot. Several knights from the Order of the Golden Rose, the knightly order that served House Guld, accompanied them.


    When I first saw the Gulds, I stopped and stared. I had been making a delivery in Towerton¡¯s shopping district, when their golden hair caught my attention. I had seen blondes before, but none with hair like House Guld¡¯s. They seemed to shine. There were five of them in total, a man and a woman accompanied by a boy and two girls. The oldest girl caught my eye: Lina Guld, first daughter and second eldest child of House Guld.


    When I first saw her, I thought she was an angel or a spring goddess who had descended from the heavens. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen in my entire life, both before that moment and after. She was about a year older than me. Her sun-kissed skin had golden undertones. Her hair reminded me of spun gold, glimmering and gleaming in the sunlight. She wore a yellow dress that day, which accentuated her brightness even further. Her features contained hints of the great beauty she would become. It was her eyes that captivated me the most, however. They were a deep green, full of life and vitality.


    Meanwhile, I was an orphan who wore ragged clothing, my body too thin from never getting enough to eat. My hair was a messy rat¡¯s nest. Lina was brilliant and beautiful, while I was filthy and ugly. The difference between us couldn¡¯t have been more stark. The two of us lived in two separate worlds. Yet, in that moment, our two worlds met. That should have been the end of it. I should have gone back to the orphanage, and Lina should have continued exploring the town with her family, the two of us never to see each other again. However, fate had another plan for us.


    Two carriages crashed into each other right at that moment, causing a commotion and attracting everyone¡¯s attention, including the Golden Rose knights. I had continued to stare at Lina, which was why I noticed a shadowy figure lurking towards the members of House Guld. It used the distraction caused by the crashed carriages in order to avoid being seen. I later learned that the figure had been an assassin sent by one of House Guld¡¯s enemies. The assassin had caused the crash in order to take advantage of the chaos and kill Duke Guld.


    I hadn¡¯t known that at the time. All I cared about was the fact that the angel was in danger. Before I even realized it, I rushed towards the figure while screaming at the top of my lungs. Unfortunately, a half-starved orphan boy was no match for a trained assassin. Despite my attempt at heroics, the assassin fended me off with ease. However, my actions attracted the attention of the Golden Rose knights, who dispatched the assassin. They also took me into custody, since they suspected that I was an accomplice.


    After that, House Guld and their knights retreated back to the hotel they had been staying at, with me in tow. The knights took me to a separate room and interrogated me about my involvement in the assassination attempt, but Duke Guld intervened and told the knights that they were being absurd. I had attacked the assassin. How could I be an accomplice?


    Duke Guld chased the knights away, leaving the two of us alone. That was when he scolded me for my recklessness.


    ¡°While I am grateful for what you did,¡± he said with an angry expression on his face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have risked your life like that. What if you had been hurt? Or worse, killed?¡±


    Those were the first words he had ever said to me. I stared down at the floor, unable to meet his eyes. At first I thought he had been angry at me. Later on, however, he had been angry because he had been worried about me. He wasn¡¯t wrong either. I could have been injured or killed. However, by some miracle, I remained unscathed.


    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Duke Guld asked me.


    ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t want the angel to get hurt,¡± I said in a shaky voice.


    ¡°Angel?¡±


    ¡°The girl who was with you, the older one.¡±


    A beat of silence followed my words, before the duke knelt on one knee and made me look at him. Contrary to my fears, he wore a bright smile on his face rather than an angry expression. That smile dazzled me.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°Well, regardless of the reason, you risked your life for my family. You deserve a reward for that, and I am never one to leave my debts unpaid. Tell me what you want. If it is within my power, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± His expression turned serious. ¡°Think carefully. This is a rare opportunity.¡±


    He was right. I hadn¡¯t known it at the time, but receiving a boon like this from Duke Guld almost never happened. Given House Guld¡¯s wealth and influence, there was almost nothing they couldn¡¯t acquire. Many would have killed to be in my shoes at that moment.


    I took that opportunity to ask for the one thing I always wanted, the one thing almost all orphans craved.


    ¡°A family,¡± I told him without hesitation. ¡°I want a family.¡±


    Despite my odd request, the duke didn¡¯t seem surprised. In fact, his smile widened. After that, things moved fast. House Guld discussed the matter with the orphanage I had been staying at, before taking me with them on the journey back to Guld Manor. At the time, I thought they were bringing me to another family. I hadn¡¯t realized until we reached Guld Manor that they had adopted me themselves. When I found out, I cried tears of joy. That had been the happiest moment of my life. I believed I had found a family, one that would love and cherish me.


    However, two events marred that day. The first was Lina¡¯s rejection of me as her brother. The second was when I learned the truth, that I was nothing more than a substitute for Emmerich Guld, their real son.


    <hr>


    When I woke up, I found myself in a luxurious and well-appointed bedroom. Perhaps it was due to the dream, but for a moment, I thought that I was in my bedroom back at Guld Manor. For a moment, I thought that the past three years had been nothing more than a long dream. For a moment, I thought that I was back home.


    When that moment passed, I remembered that I was in Kaltbrand Castle and that I was in the room set aside for me. Well, rooms would be more accurate since the heir to House Kaltbrand would have a set of rooms rather than just one.


    Last night, after I accepted Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s offer, the three of us made our way towards Kaltbrand Castle, with the team of Coldsteel Knights in tow. We entered through a lesser used side entrance rather than the main entrance in order to avoid attracting too much attention.


    Despite Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s intimidating exterior, the interior was warmer and more luxurious than I expected. It reminded me a bit of Guld Manor, back in the Riverlands, where I spent seven years of my life. The amount of wealth on display staggered me, though I shouldn¡¯t have been so surprised.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    In terms of wealth, House Kaltbrand was beneath only House Guld and House Reichwald, the imperial family. Some sacrifices had been made in the name of practicality, it was still a castle after all, but overall the interior of Kaltbrand Castle impressed me. It truly was the home of the Reichwald Empire¡¯s one and only grand duke.


    After we arrived, our group headed towards the grand duke¡¯s study to write up the contract and finalize our deal. That ended up taking much longer than Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin expected. They thought that writing up and signing the contract would be a simple matter. However, I had been raised and educated by House Guld.


    As a family that ruled over an important trade hub, House Guld were themselves traders. High society considered engaging in trade a vulgar profession, but none could deny the results. House Guld was the richest noble family in the Reichwald Empire, and their wealth gave them a significant amount of power and influence. High society would talk about them behind their backs, but none dared to openly insult House Guld.


    In short, I knew how to read and write contracts. It took us hours to come up with one that satisfied all parties involved. By the end, all of us were tired and irritable, but happy with the results. Afterwards, after telling me that we would discuss the details of my job later, Grand Duke Kaltbrand summoned a servant to lead me to my new rooms. Once I arrived, I put my things away before collapsing onto the bed.


    I sat up and looked around my bedroom for the next year. It was larger and better furnished than the one I had back at Guld Manor. That made sense. In Guld Manor, I had been the adopted son of House Guld, a mere substitute. Here, I was the (fake) heir of House Kaltbrand. Of course there would be differences in how I was treated. Even so, this room lacked any personal touches. I had a feeling that it hadn¡¯t been used for a long time.


    It was still early in the morning, about an hour before dawn. Aura Masters needed to sleep less than regular people, so even though I went to bed late the night before, I felt refreshed. I changed into a set of clean clothes, grabbed my sword, and headed out to train. Despite reaching my current level of power, I made sure to train every morning. There was always room for improvement. I knew better than to grow complacent.


    Despite the early hour, the servants were already up and about, performing their various duties. I asked one for directions to a place where I could train. The servant seemed wary of me. I didn¡¯t blame him. I was a stranger with a sword and I doubted that news of my new status had spread yet. However, despite his wariness, the servant directed me to the training area set aside for the Coldsteel Knights. He must have thought that I was an important guest, which wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. I thanked him and headed in that direction.


    The Coldsteel Knights had an annex assigned to them, which served as their headquarters. It had all the facilities they needed, including a training yard as well as an arena for sparring. I passed by several servants along the way there, who gave me odd looks when they saw me, but I paid them no mind and continued about my business.


    The training yard was an outdoor courtyard, so it was cold. That wasn¡¯t an issue. Training would warm me up just fine. Mana crystal lamps placed in strategic locations provided enough light for me to see by. The training yard was also empty. I guessed that the Coldsteel Knights didn¡¯t wake up this early, so I had the entire place to myself. Good. I picked a random corner and went through some warm-ups before I started my mana training.


    Training as an Aura user required more than just honing one¡¯s skills as a warrior. One also had to take mana into one¡¯s body and refine it. Doing so changed one¡¯s body, making it faster, tougher, and stronger. It also sharpened one¡¯s senses. However, this was a dangerous process, one that required complete focus on the Aura user¡¯s part. A momentary lapse in concentration could result in severe injury.


    The quantity and quality of mana within an Aura user¡¯s body determined their level. In simple terms, the more mana an Aura user had, and the higher the quality of said mana, the stronger they were. Even reaching the lowest level, Aura Novice, was a significant achievement.


    To become an Aura Novice, one needed to form a mana core within one¡¯s body. A mana core was an artificial organ formed from mana that allowed one to store mana within one¡¯s body and better control it. Without a mana core, one couldn¡¯t become an Aura user. In general, Aura Novices were twice as powerful as their mundane counterparts. This allowed them to contend with Rank 1 demonic beasts, though with some difficulty.


    Those who reached the second level, Aura Warrior, became even stronger. They became five times as strong as they were as an Aura Novice, making them ten times as strong as a regular human. This was a rough estimation rather than an exact calculation. Some Aura users were a little weaker, some were a little stronger. However, most ended up within this general range.


    Aura Experts, the third level, were ten times as strong as Aura Warriors. On their own, they were as powerful as a small army. A group of Aura Experts was a formidable force. Aura Experts also gained the ability to imbue their weapons with mana, enhancing their strength and durability. This effect became more pronounced if used with an enchanted weapon. However, doing so also used up the Aura Expert¡¯s internal mana. Once that ran out, the Aura expert would need to rest in order to recover their mana.


    As for Aura Masters, no one knew for sure how powerful they were compared to Aura Experts, since there were only a handful of them at a time. Some thought they were ten times as powerful, while others thought this was a conservative estimate. Regardless, everyone agreed that Aura Masters had reached the peak of the mortal realm. The presence of a single Aura Master could turn the tide of any battle. The only ones who came close to them in power were Great Sages, the magician equivalent.


    One of the reasons why Aura Masters were so powerful, in addition to their inhuman strength, was their ability to cover their bodies and weapons with a layer of mana: the eponymous Aura that gave Aura users their name. Not only did this Aura protect the Aura Master from harm, but it also increased their attack power by a significant margin, making them practically invincible on the battlefield. This used up their mana, but Aura Masters had huge reserves to draw upon. Even when they ran out, they could still rely on their physical prowess.


    After I warmed up, I closed my eyes and started going through the forms of my fighting style. As I moved my body, I also sensed the mana in the environment around me. It was dense and thick, making it perfect for mana training. As expected of the Coldsteel Knights. Their training facilities were a notch above the rest. I almost regretted not joining them.


    I started drawing in the surrounding mana, circulating it in accordance to the movements of my body, before storing it in my mana core. While magicians, and some Aura users, took in and refined mana through meditation, the majority of Aura users exercised to achieve the same effect. For me, that meant going through the different forms of my fighting style.


    Time passed as I lost myself in my mana training. Even so, a part of me remained alert and aware of my environment. Some time later, I heard movement as people entered the training yard; the Coldsteel Knights I assumed. I noted their presence, but otherwise ignored them. I had reached a critical juncture in my mana training. If I stopped now, I would suffer a setback and maybe even injure myself.


    ¡°Who the fuck is that?¡± someone asked. A man. His voice sounded coarse and rough. ¡°Is he a new guy?¡±


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be right,¡± someone else said. A woman this time. Her voice sounded refined. ¡°We don¡¯t have any new recruits, as far as I know.¡±


    ¡°Then what the fuck is he doing here?¡±


    I heard footsteps as the pair approached me. In the background, I heard others murmuring and commenting on my presence, but they kept their distance. It was difficult to tell, since I focused most of my attention on my training, but it sounded like there were a few dozen people in the training yard.


    ¡°Hey, asshole,¡± the coarse man said, his voice right in my ear. ¡°You lost or something? What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    My focus almost wavered, but I managed to maintain my focus despite the distraction. What was this idiot doing? Any Aura user worth the title knew better than to interrupt someone going through mana training. Otherwise, they could suffer a backlash. Despite my anger, I continued with my training. Once I passed this juncture, I would stop and deal with him then.


    ¡°Viktor, stop,¡± the refined woman said in an admonishing tone. ¡°He¡¯s in the middle of mana training.¡±


    The coarse man, Viktor, scoffed.


    ¡°And?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn. This is our training yard. Meaning he¡¯s just a trespasser who is stealing our mana. Why should I care if he suffers backlash? He should be grateful that I haven¡¯t smacked him upside the head yet.¡±


    I heard footsteps as another person approached us.


    ¡°That''s enough, Viktor,¡± a familiar voice said in a cold tone. Sir Kane. ¡°Leave him alone.¡±


    I heard a murmuring of surprise come from the other Coldsteel Knights.


    ¡°Do you know this man, Kane?¡± the refined woman asked.


    ¡°Fuck you, Kane,¡± Viktor said at almost the exact same time. ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do.¡±


    I heard movement.


    ¡°What the-?¡± Viktor yelled. ¡°Get your hands off of me!¡±


    ¡°Kane!¡± the refined woman said. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±


    I heard a thump, followed by footsteps.


    ¡°I said leave him alone,¡± Sir Kane said, his voice coming from beside me. It seemed like he had taken Viktor¡¯s spot next to me. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you again.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you, Kane!¡± Viktor said.


    ¡°Viktor, stop!¡± the refined woman said.


    ¡°Let go of me, Elise!¡± Viktor said.


    The sounds of a struggle reached my ears. From what I could tell, it seemed like Viktor was trying to attack Sir Kane while the refined woman, Elise, held him back. The murmuring and whispers from the others grew louder.


    I passed the juncture and finished with my mana training. After taking a moment to make sure that nothing was amiss, I opened my eyes.

 Chapter 6: The "Set Up"

    I took a quick look around. Several dozen knights, each of them wearing a training uniform, filled the yard. They were an even mix of male and female. The sky was light, indicating that dawn had arrived. It was still as cold as ever, though I barely felt it at the moment.


    Sir Kane stood next to me, his broad physique shielding me like a wall. On the other side of him I saw two people. One was a lean and wiry man with brown hair and brown eyes. In terms of looks, he appeared average and plain-faced. However, he had the mana signature of an Aura Expert, meaning that he was anything but average. Like everyone else, he wore a training uniform, though his looked rumpled. I assumed this was Viktor.


    The other person was a beautiful woman with a thin and slender physique. She had pale skin, but blonde hair and amber eyes. This caused her to stand out, since she was the only blonde in the entire group. She also had the mana signature of an Aura Expert. I assumed this was Elise.


    Viktor¡¯s face was twisted with anger as he tried to attack Sir Kane, but Elise held him back with ease despite her small frame. When the former noticed that my eyes were open, he stopped struggling and turned his glare towards me.


    ¡°You!¡± he said, pointing a finger at me. ¡°Who the fuck do you think you are? This training yard is reserved for knights of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. What makes you think you can strut in here like you own the place?¡±


    When it became clear that Viktor didn¡¯t plan on attacking me or Sir Kane, for now, Elise let go of him. She turned towards me with a cold expression on her face.


    ¡°Viktor¡¯s words are crude, and his manner is crass, but he is correct,¡± she said. ¡°This is a restricted area. You shouldn¡¯t be here. Who are you?¡±


    I looked over at Sir Kane.


    ¡°I see word of my arrival hasn¡¯t spread, Sir Kane,¡± I said.


    He glanced back at me, an apologetic expression on his face.


    ¡°His Grace asked us to keep quiet until he makes the official announcement,¡± he said.


    Sir Kane and the other Coldsteel Knights who had accompanied Grand Duke Kaltbrand were the only ones who had an idea of who I was, or who I was now pretending to be. While the grand duke and I were negotiating my contract last night, Knight Commander Bardin had a word with them. I didn¡¯t know what she told them, but they treated me with deference afterwards.


    ¡°Hey, are you ignoring us, you prick?¡± Viktor shouted.


    I looked over at him. Based on his attitude, I assumed he was a mercenary who joined the Coldsteel Knights rather than a knight from a noble family. Though, perhaps that was prejudice on my part. During my years with House Guld, I met plenty of nobles who acted boorish as well. That sort of behavior wasn¡¯t limited by social class.


    How should I respond? What I said here and now would affect my relationship with the Coldsteel Knights going forward. I could apologize and try to befriend them. If I had joined the Coldsteel Knights, that was what I would have done. After all, we would have been comrades in arms.


    However, I wasn¡¯t here as a Coldsteel Knight. I was here as Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s illegitimate child and heir. Not only that, but I was Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple. That meant I was here as their future lord, not their comrade. We could be friends, with mutual trust and respect for each other, but it would not be a friendship between equals.


    ¡°Who are you to question my presence here?¡± I asked in a cold voice, speaking not as the mercenary I was but as a lord.


    Viktor and Elise gaped at the change in my tone. Even Sir Kane was caught off guard. He looked at me in surprise.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Elise asked in an incredulous tone.


    I approached them, stepping around Sir Kane. He tried to stop me, but I waved him off with a gesture. He looked unhappy about this, but acquiesced. I stopped in front of Viktor and Elise.


    ¡°My being here means one of two things,¡± I told them. ¡°Either I am an intruder, which means my presence here is a colossal failure on your part.¡± I nodded to the area around us. ¡°This is the headquarters of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, yet I managed to walk in here without issue.¡± I clicked my tongue in disappointment. ¡°Sloppy.¡±


    Viktor and Elise¡¯s expressions darkened. They weren¡¯t the only ones either. The other Coldsteel Knights looked offended by my words.


    ¡°You little¡­!¡± he said, stepping forward until our faces were inches apart. Elise didn¡¯t try to stop him this time. ¡°I don¡¯t know you are, but I¡¯m going to wipe that arrogant smirk off your face!¡±


    I was smirking? Huh. I had immersed myself into the role of arrogant lord so much that I hadn¡¯t noticed. Oh well. Nothing for it now.


    ¡°Or,¡± I said, as if I hadn¡¯t heard him. ¡°I have permission to be here. Now, the only people who could grant me permission to be here are His Grace, Grand Duke Kaltbrand, or Knight Commander Bardin. It¡¯s clear that I¡¯m not a knight of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, so that either means I¡¯m a member of His Grace¡¯s family or a guest of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    While I hadn¡¯t received explicit permission to use the training yard reserved for the Coldsteel Knights, I knew I was allowed to be here. Back at Guld Manor, members of House Guld and important guests of the family were allowed to use the training facilities reserved for the Order of the Golden Rose, the knightly order that served House Guld. This was Kaltbrand Castle, not Guld Manor, but I didn¡¯t think things worked too differently here. Even if they did, I would act as if they didn¡¯t. Sheer audacity allowed one to get away with a lot.


    ¡°Regardless of which one I am,¡± I continued with an edge to my voice. I took a single step forward, until my face almost touched Viktor¡¯s ¡°Member of His Grace¡¯s family or his guest, your actions were beyond the pale.¡±


    Elise blanched at my words. It was clear from her behavior that she came from a noble family, and knew the consequences of insulting either a member of the grand duke¡¯s family or a guest of House Kaltbrand. Regardless of which one I was, Viktor would receive a severe punishment. From the corner of my eye, I noticed several of the other knights wear the same expression as Elise. A few of them looked like they wanted to intervene, but dared not to.


    Viktor himself didn¡¯t seem to care about the position he was in. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Elise pulled him away from me.


    ¡°Elise, what are you-¡­?¡± he started to ask, but she grabbed him by the head and forced him to bow.


    ¡°I apologize on my companion¡¯s behalf, my lord,¡± Elise said, bowing alongside Viktor. ¡°He spoke without realizing who you are. Please forgive him just this once.¡±


    Viktor struggled to break free of her grasp, but to no avail. Given that they were both Aura Experts, I assumed she was either the stronger of the two or he was holding back.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about, Elise?¡± Viktor asked. ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing to this arrogant basta-¡­¡±


    Quiet!¡± Elise hissed, cutting him off.


    I looked down at the two of them, wondering how I should handle this situation. Continue acting like an arrogant lord, or relent somewhat and let this go? Going with the former could foster resentment among the Coldsteel Knights, which would be detrimental to my role as Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s heir. However, just letting it go left a bad taste in my mouth. After all, Viktor almost distracted me while I was in the middle of mana training. That merited some form of punishment.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand the position you are in, Sir Viktor,¡± I said. ¡°After all, you tried to interrupt my mana training. What if I had lost my concentration and suffered an injury? Are you prepared to take responsibility for that?¡±


    Viktor stiffened as he finally understood the seriousness of his situation.


    ¡°I-¡­¡± he started to say, but stopped as if the words got stuck in his throat. ¡°I apologize for my foolish actions, my lord. Please, forgive me. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    As I studied Viktor and Elise, an idea occurred to me, one that would allow me to punish Viktor and let the Coldsteel Knights to save face if I played it right.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I am willing to let bygones be bygones. After all, the two of you were only following orders.¡±


    Viktor and Elise jerked at this but remained bowed. Meanwhile, the other knights looked at me in confusion.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Teacher?¡± I asked, pitching my voice to carry.


    A beat of silence followed my words. For a moment, I thought my gamble had failed but I breathed out a metaphorical sigh of relief when a figure stepped out into the open. It was Knight Commander Bardin. So she had been watching this all play out after all. She had just been concealing her presence.


    Like the other knights in the yard, she wore a training uniform, though hers had an insignia that denoted her rank. When the Coldsteel Knights realized that their commander was present, they all stood at attention and saluted her. Viktor and Elise were the only exceptions. They continued to bow to me.


    ¡°At ease, everyone,¡± Knight Commander Bardin called. ¡°That includes you, Viktor and Elise.¡±


    The knights stopped saluting, but remained at attention. Viktor and Elise stood up straight, their expressions marred by worry. Knight Commander Bardin approached us with an inscrutable expression on her face. She stopped next to Viktor and Elise.


    ¡°So it was a set up after all,¡± I said.


    Knight Commander Bardin studied me for a brief moment, before she crossed her arms and scowled at me.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have played along a little longer?¡± she asked. ¡°I was just about to make my dramatic entrance.¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°After I figured what was going on,¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any reason to continue with this farce.¡±


    When the knights realized that this entire situation had all been orchestrated by Knight Commander Bardin, or so it appeared, they all relaxed.


    ¡°What gave it away?¡± the knight commander said, letting out a disappointed sigh.


    I snorted.


    ¡°Two things,¡± I said. ¡°The first is that only an ignorant fool would believe that an intruder would break into Kaltbrand Castle and make it all the way to the training yard reserved for the Order of the Coldsteel Blade just to train. Given the Order of the Coldsteel Blade¡¯s reputation, there is no way they would admit someone like that into their ranks.¡±


    When I said this, Viktor¡¯s face twitched. He looked like he wanted to respond to my insult but held back.


    ¡°And the second?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked.


    ¡°Sir Kane,¡± I answered. I felt Sir Kane stiffened beside me when I mentioned his name. ¡°Of all the knights who know about me, he is the only one present here. Not only that, but he is the one I am closest to.¡± I gestured toward Viktor and Elise. ¡°Taking all that into account, it¡¯s clear that this entire situation was a set up.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°The question is, why?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin shrugged.


    ¡°I wanted to see how you would react when confronted with someone like Viktor here.¡± She grinned and threw an arm around Viktor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s our resident troublemaker, so I figured he would be the perfect person to test your patience.¡±


    The other knights chuckled at this. Meanwhile, Viktor looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but here.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said, before frowning. ¡°However, I think Sir Viktor was a little bit too zealous in carrying out your orders. He almost distracted me while I was in the middle of mana training. If I hadn¡¯t maintained my concentration, I could have suffered some backlash.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. Her grin widened until her eyes resembled crescent moons. The sight sent shivers down my spine. ¡°Viktor does tend to take things too far. It seems I¡¯ll have to teach him a lesson in discipline and self control.¡±


    Viktor paled at this.


    ¡°What about Dame Elise?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked. ¡°How do you think she did?¡±


    I studied Elise, who was doing her best to imitate a stone statue.


    ¡°She did well,¡± I said. ¡°She held her ground, but apologized when she realized the truth of the matter. Firm, but flexible.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, mulling it over. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll let it go this time.¡±


    Elise let out a visible sigh of relief. By this point, the other knights realized that there was something strange going on, but none of them voiced their suspicions. They were right to be suspicious. This performance that Knight Commander Bardin and I were putting on was just that, a performance.


    There had been no set up. It was a lie I came up with to help the Coldsteel Knights save face, while also giving me an opportunity to punish Viktor for his indiscretions. However, it had been a gamble on my part. If Knight Commander Bardin hadn¡¯t been in the area, or if she hadn¡¯t realized my intentions and played along, then things would have gotten ugly.


    ¡°Now then, give me five hundred laps around the training yard, Viktor,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said.


    ¡°Five hun-¡­¡± Viktor started to say, but the knight commander silenced him with a sharp look. He swallowed, before he hurried off to obey her orders.


    ¡°As for the rest of you,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°Stop gawking and start training. This isn¡¯t the theater.¡± She glanced at me, or rather to someone just behind me. ¡°That includes you too, Sir Kane.¡±


    Sir Kane nodded, before heading off. He passed me by and as he did so, he glanced over at me. The expression on his face said that he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of me. Everyone else started their own training as well. The only one who remained in place was Elise.


    ¡°Yes, Elise?¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, raising an eyebrow at her subordinate.


    ¡°Knight Commander,¡± Elise said. ¡°Forgive my impertinence, but who is this man?¡± She glanced over at me. ¡°He called you ¡®Teacher¡¯ earlier. Is¡­Is he really your disciple?¡±


    A hush fell over the training yard as the other knights listened in. None of them even tried to pretend that they weren¡¯t eavesdropping. I didn¡¯t blame them. From what I knew, Knight Commander Bardin never once took in a disciple. She trained others in her capacity as the knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights, but the relationship between a teacher and their disciple was far more intimate. In many cases, it was akin to the relationship between a parent and their child.


    ¡°His name is Wulfe,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°And yes, he¡¯s my disciple.¡± She pitched her voice to carry. ¡°That¡¯s all you need to know about him for now.¡±


    Elise looked shocked by this. She wasn¡¯t the only one either. The other Coldsteel Knights stared at their commander in disbelief.


    ¡°What?¡± Viktor said. He had been running around the training yard as part of his punishment, but stopped when he heard the knight commander¡¯s words. ¡°No, I refuse to accept that.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°You mean to tell me that this asshole is your disciple, boss? What the fuck makes him so special?¡±


    That earned him several sharp looks from his fellow Coldsteel Knights, but the rest looked like they were in agreement with him. Knight Commander Bardin was a living legend and their leader. After refusing to take in a disciple all this time, why take one in now? And why a stranger like me? I imagined those thoughts, and others like them, were running through their minds.


    ¡°It¡¯s as if you want me to punish you, Viktor,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, giving him a flat look. ¡°One thousand laps.¡±


    ¡°But-¡­¡±


    This time, an oppressive pressure exploded out of Knight Commander Bardin. She had been holding it back this entire time. All the Coldsteel Knights paled and stumbled back, unable to withstand the pressure. Viktor, her actual target, fell to his hands and knees, looking like he was about to fall unconscious. That was the difference in power between an Aura Master and everyone else, especially one of Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s caliber. Even I felt affected, and I was also an Aura Master.


    I decided to intervene. As much as I wanted to punish Viktor for his actions earlier, I didn¡¯t want to foster resentment between Knight Commander Bardin and the Coldsteel Knights. After all, they were her people. I was just a stranger. Yes, becoming her disciple and heir was part of my contract with Grand Duke Kaltbrand, but when this job was over, I planned on heading back to the Riverlands. Knight Commander Bardin would remain behind. I didn¡¯t want to make things more difficult for her than necessary.


    ¡°He does have a point,¡± I said.


    Knight Commander Bardin looked over at me. The pressure on me increased, but not enough to make me kneel or even stumble back.


    ¡°If my commander showed up with a stranger and declared them their disciple, I would want to know the reason behind it too. Perhaps a demonstration is in order. How about a sparring match?¡± I grinned at her. ¡°It¡¯s the perfect way to start one¡¯s morning if you ask me.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin studied me for several moments, before she returned my grin with one of her own. The pressure from her receded.


    ¡°You know, if you wanted to spar, you could have just said so,¡± she said. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to use Viktor here as an excuse. After all, you are my disciple now.¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°Can it not be both?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin smirked.


    ¡°Very well then,¡± she said. ¡°I could use the exercise. It¡¯s been a while since I have sparred with anyone other than His Grace.¡±

 Chapter 7: A Light Spar

    An excited murmuring broke out amongst the Coldsteel Knights at this. They looked at Knight Commander Bardin with excitement. I guessed seeing her in action was a rare treat. Meanwhile, a few looked at me with a mix of curiosity, anticipation, and pity. I was still concealing my true strength, so none of them noticed that I was also an Aura Master even though I resisted Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s pressure without issue. If any of them had noticed, they kept it to themselves.


    Knight Commander Bardin and I headed off to the sparring arena, with the Coldsteel Knights in tow. The arena was an amphitheater large enough to hold a crowd of hundreds. It was made from the same gray stone as the rest of the castle. In the center of the amphitheater was a sand pit. Runes imbued with mana were carved into the walls of the sand pit.


    ¡°A barrier spell,¡± Knight Commander Bardin explained when she noticed me staring. ¡°To protect the spectators should any accidents occur.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. When Aura users fought, there was always some collateral damage. This was even more true when Aura Masters fought. Without a barrier spell to keep our match contained, Knight Commander Bardin and I could end up destroying this part of Kaltbrand Castle.


    A crowd started filling up the amphitheater¡¯s seats. At first it was only the Coldsteel Knights who had been in the training yard, but soon others joined as well. They were also other Coldsteel Knights, ones who hadn¡¯t been scheduled to train in the morning. Word about the sparring match must have spread fast. Soon, the Coldsteel Knights filled out more than half of the amphitheater¡¯s seats. All of them were Aura Experts.


    I resisted the urge to whistle in admiration. I knew the Coldsteel Knights were one of the best knightly orders in the Reichwald Empire, but I hadn¡¯t realized they had this many Aura Experts among their ranks. With an Aura Master as their leader, I doubted any other force on the continent could match them in strength, except perhaps the Order of the Imperial Guard, the imperial family¡¯s personal knights. Like the Coldsteel Knight, the Imperial Guard were also led by an Aura Master, Werther Bennet.


    ¡°Someone get us some swords.¡± Knight Commander Bardin called out.


    One of the Coldsteel Knights scurried off to obey her order. I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°I already have a sword,¡± I said, brandishing my weapon.


    She smirked at me.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to fight, then you need a proper weapon.¡±


    My eyes widened and a thread of excitement wrapped around my heart. Did that mean what I thought it meant? A few minutes later, the knight who ran off returned with two sheathed blades. He handed one to Knight Commander Bardin and gave me the other. I gave him my sword in return. The sword he gave me felt lighter than mine. I unsheathed it. A grin spread across my face. I felt like a child who had just received the toy he had always wanted.


    The sword¡¯s blade was made from a whitish-gray metal. I touched it. The blade felt almost as cold as ice. Coldsteel. It was a rare material that was stronger than steel, but lighter and more durable. That alone would have made it valuable. However, coldsteel was able to channel mana better than other material in the world, making it ideal for the creation of enchanted weapons, enchanted armor, and magic tools.


    Coldsteel could only be found in small quantities in the Barrens, with the entire supply being under the control of House Kaltbrand. The sale and trade of coldsteel was also highly regulated by imperial law. The only ones allowed to wield coldsteel weapons were the Coldsteel Knights, thus their name, and the Imperial Guard. The rest went to the Tower of Magic to be used to create magic tools that were reserved for House Reichwald¡¯s exclusive use.


    I swung the coldsteel sword around a few times. It wasn¡¯t a perfect fit for me, but it was still a superb weapon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you your own coldsteel sword later on,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°Consider it a gift from your teacher. However, that one will do for now.¡±


    I nodded, before taking a stance. Knight Commander Bardin took one as well. The knight who brought us our weapons scurried off.


    ¡°Activate the barrier.¡± Knight Commander Bardin ordered, keeping her eyes on me.


    Moments later, a barrier made of blue light sprang to life around the sand pit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you make the first move,¡± the knight commander said. ¡°Show me what you¡¯re capable of, Disciple.¡±


    I took a moment to consider my options. We were both Aura Masters. However, a wide gap existed between us. Knight Commander Bardin had been an Aura Master for close to twenty years, while I had only been an Aura Master for one. Not only was she more experienced than me, but she also had more mana. Like other Aura users, Aura Masters continued to increase their mana reserves when they went through mana training. This didn¡¯t increase their strength, but it gave them more staying power.


    In an extended fight between Knight Commander Bardin and myself, I would lose. She had much more mana to draw upon than I did. If I wanted to beat her, an unlikely prospect already, then I needed to beat her as soon as possible. Otherwise, my defeat was guaranteed. An Aura Master without mana had no chance of defeating an Aura Master with mana.


    Still, even if I lost, I wouldn¡¯t mind. The chance to test myself against Knight Commander Bardin, my hero, was something I had only ever dreamed of until this point. It was the fulfillment of a childhood wish of mine. It was also the chance to use my full strength without worry, a rare opportunity for someone like me. Also, I was no longer worried about hiding my strength. Now that I was the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand, rather than some random mercenary, the attention I would receive wasn¡¯t an issue. In fact, it was a boon.


    After giving it a moment¡¯s thought, I decided to stop thinking about my options and just let loose. I dashed towards Knight Commander Bardin at my full speed, scattering the sand where I had been standing. When I reached the halfway point, I summoned my Aura. It cloaked my body and the coldsteel sword in my hands. Knight Commander Bardin summoned her own Aura and watched me approach with a calm expression on her face.


    I swung my blade at Knight Commander Bardin and she blocked it. The impact exploded out, throwing up clouds of sand. A screeching sound rang out as our Auras clashed against each other.


    The crowd watching us let out a roar of excitement.


    ¡°He¡¯s an Aura Master?¡± I heard Viktor shout.


    I ignored them all and continued to attack Knight Commander Bardin, probing her defenses, but she fended me off with ease. There were no openings for me to exploit. It was like attacking an impenetrable fortress. No matter what I tried, Knight Commander Bardin remained unfazed. At first I thought she would remain on the defensive, but then she threw me off balance after parrying one of my attacks.


    ¡°My turn,¡± she said.


    Her speaking those two words gave me a chance to recover my balance, but it mattered little. Knight Commander Bardin went on the offensive. When I watched her duel against Gotthard Wendel, I found her swordplay beautiful and elegant. I still did. However, now that I faced her myself, I realized just how overwhelming she was.


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s attacks came so hard and so fast, it was like facing a storm of steel. It took everything I had to defend against her. She shut me down every time I tried to seize the initiative and retaliate against her. Despite this, Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s expression remained calm, as if she were taking a relaxing stroll rather than sparring with another Aura Master.


    When it came to raw power, I was stronger than her. This was something I realized on an instinctual level. However, she outclassed me in both skill and experience. At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before I lost. If I wanted to win, then I needed to take a risk and catch her off guard.


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    An idea occurred to me, though I didn¡¯t know how well it would work out, if at all. Still, taking a risk and losing was better than waiting for the inevitable like a sitting duck. I waited for an opportunity and when Knight Commander Bardin hit me with one of her attacks, I let my sword go flying. This surprised her for a fraction of a second, but that fraction was all I needed. While I specialized in the sword, I was proficient with my fists as well.


    Taking advantage of the opening I created by losing my sword, I moved in close and struck out with my fists. Knight Commander Bardin tried to block me with her sword, but I was within her reach now, which made things difficult for her. She blocked my first attack, but my second one grazed her shoulder. Embolden by this, I followed up with a flurry of blows.


    Or rather, I tried to.


    Knight Commander Bardin snorted, before she dropped her sword and grabbed my arm. Within moments, she had me face down in the sand, twisting my arm to keep me pinned down.


    ¡°A good attempt,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, a hint of smugness in her voice. ¡°You actually managed to graze me. Most don¡¯t even get that far. Your swordplay is decent, but you need to work on your unarmed combat skills if you¡¯re going to get into any more fist fights.¡± She twisted my arm further. My joints creaked in protest. ¡°Do you yield?¡±


    I tapped the ground with my free hand, since my mouth was full of sand at the moment. Knight Commander Bardin let go of my arm. The crowd of Coldsteel Knights broke out into excited chatter. Some even cheered at their commander¡¯s victory.


    The moment I was free, I hopped to my feet and checked my arm. It hurt, but it wasn¡¯t broken or sprained. Other than that, I hadn¡¯t suffered any other injuries.


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± I said. ¡°Can we do that again?¡±


    That was the most fun I had ever had since coming to the Barrens. Most of the time, when I fought, it was often life or death. Yes, that was exciting. However, I wouldn¡¯t call that ¡°fun¡±. Sparring with others hadn¡¯t been an option since time was money for a mercenary. I also wanted to focus on building up my reputation, all for the sake of joining the Coldsteel Knights. Besides, as an Aura Master, there were few who could match me in a sparring match.


    Knight Commander Bardin looked taken aback by my enthusiasm, but then chuckled.


    ¡°This is refreshing,¡± she said. ¡°Most people try to avoid sparring with me a second time after I beat them. The only one who ever asks me for more is His Grace.¡± She sighed. ¡°Unfortunately, our time together is up. It looks like His Grace is here for you.¡±


    Someone started clapping. I turned to find Grand Duke Kaltbrand approaching us. Knight Commander Bardin and I both bowed to him.


    ¡°Impressive.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, sounding genuine. ¡°Most people don¡¯t last five seconds against Sofie. You managed to hold out for half a minute. You even grazed her, which is something even I hadn¡¯t managed to do when we first sparred against each other as Aura Masters.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace.¡± I said.


    Knight Commander Bardin scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you got cocky,¡± she said. ¡°Wulfe here was smart enough to avoid that mistake.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand grinned in response.


    ¡°How may I be of service, Your Grace?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I want you to join me for breakfast,¡± he said, turning towards me. ¡°I thought we could take the time to get to know each other better.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°After that, we can finish our discussion from last night. There are also a few¡­ formalities we need to get out of the way. The most pressing of which is the lineage test.¡±


    I frowned at that. As the name suggested, the lineage test was a procedure that determined if two people were related or not, and to what degree. It was often used when a child¡¯s parentage was called into question. There were two kinds of lineage tests, one which used a magic tool and one which used divine power. The former was more accessible, but the latter was more reliable, albeit by a small degree.


    Lineage tests were particularly important when it came to a succession dispute within a noble house. However, I didn¡¯t see the point in going through a lineage test. I already knew that I wasn¡¯t the grand duke¡¯s son. It would be too much of a coincidence if that were the case.


    ¡°Is that necessary?¡± I asked, speaking in a low voice to make sure no one overheard me.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded, his expression solemn.


    ¡°As I said, it is a formality but one we need to go through.¡± he said, before lowering his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll explain more later.¡±


    While I still didn¡¯t understand the need for a lineage test, I nodded.


    ¡°When?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked in a quiet voice.


    ¡°The sooner, the better.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, facing her. ¡°Join us at Arend¡¯s tower in two hours.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Knight Commander Bardin bowed to the grand duke once more, before turning to face the Coldsteel Knights. ¡°All right you louts! We¡¯ve wasted enough time. Get back to training!¡±


    The Coldsteel Knights, still talking about the sparring match, started to head back to the training yard. I walked over to the coldsteel sword I used for the match and located its sheath. I used my shirt to wipe the sword clean before sheathing it. Maybe I should have given it back, but this was a coldsteel sword. It was worth several times its weight in gold. Unless Grand Duke Kaltbrand or Knight Commander Bardin told me to give it back, I planned on keeping it.


    When I turned back to face the grand duke, he smirked at me, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± he asked.


    I started to reply, before I looked down at myself and grimaced.


    ¡°I think it would be best if I washed up first.¡± I said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand barked out a laugh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about such things, but if that¡¯s what you prefer, go right ahead. Someone will arrive at your quarters to lead you to the dining room.¡±


    I bowed to the grand duke once more, before I headed off back to my rooms.


    <hr>


    After I finished washing up and exited my rooms, I found a servant waiting for me outside. The servant led me to a small dining room deep within Kaltbrand Castle. Given its size, I guessed this dining room was reserved for members of House Kaltbrand and distinguished guests. I assumed there was another dining room, a larger one, used for banquets, parties, and the like.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand was waiting for me inside. Breakfast turned out to be an enjoyable affair. At first I tried to discuss the details of the job with him, but he insisted on sticking to lighter topics. Since he was the client, I went along with his wishes.


    We ended up swapping stories about our childhoods. It turned out that Grand Duke Kaltbrand had been willful as a child, causing no end of trouble for his parents and teachers. It gave me a deeper glimpse into the man behind the towering figure that was the Lord of the North. I told him a bit about my time living with House Guld, and some of the adventures I got up to, though I made sure to omit any names.


    There were servants listening to our every word, so I kept the details as vague as possible, just in case. Gossip spread like wildfire among servants and nobles alike, and I didn¡¯t want to have the wrong rumor get out.


    The food itself was delicious. I had almost forgotten how well nobles ate. After leaving House Guld, I ate commoner fare. It wasn¡¯t bad per se, but it couldn¡¯t compare to the food nobles ate. I made sure to eat my fill, since I hadn¡¯t eaten anything other than breakfast yesterday. It took me a little bit to remember my manners, since I hadn¡¯t used them after leaving House Guld, but soon I ate as if I had always been a noble.


    After breakfast, Grand Duke Kaltbrand led me to a tower located at the southeastern corner of Kaltbrand Castle. When we arrived, I could tell that the area was thick with magic. There were spells and enchantments everywhere.


    ¡°This tower belongs to Arend,¡± the grand duke explained. ¡°My court magician. He¡¯ll be the one performing the lineage test.¡±


    I nodded in understanding. The imperial family, the ducal families, and many lower ranked families, often hired a court magician to advise them on matters related to magic. Well, except for House Galdur, the ducal family that ruled the Mistwood to the south, since they themselves were a family of magicians. In House Guld¡¯s case, their court wizard was Baroness Alfreda Walther, who also served as my academic tutor. She had been a stern, but fair, teacher.


    When we entered Arend¡¯s tower, we found a neat and tidy study inside. Bookshelves lined the walls, each one filled with books and arcane curiosities. The floor was bare stone. Mana crystal lamps hung from the ceiling, providing light and warmth. At the far end of the study sat a large wooden desk with a wooden chair behind it. There was no other furniture in the room. Behind the desk was a map of the Reichwald Empire. A staircase spiraled around the room, leading to the upper floors.


    In the center of the room was a magic circle made purely out of mana. Impressive. Magicians used magic circles for a variety of purposes, depending on the magic circle in question. Some magic circles helped with precision and control, while others amplified the power of a magician¡¯s spells. Others were used to keep things in, or out. However, most magicians used a medium to channel their mana when creating a magic circle, such as ink or chalk. It took great skill to create a magic circle using mana alone.


    In the middle of the magic circle, sitting atop a fluffy cushion, was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. However, he was certainly much older. The man had the mana signature of a Grand Sage. Like Aura Masters, Grand Sages aged slower than regular humans, though not to the same degree. This man was at least a decade older than he appeared, if not more.


    Most magicians were physically weak, and appeared so, but this man had a physique that any warrior would envy. He was almost as tall and broad as Sir Kane. He had light brown skin, elfin features, and long, flowing silver hair. This meant that this man, or his ancestors, came from the Mistwood to the south. He wore a set of flowing silver robes. Altogether, this man had an ethereal and mystical air to him.


    The grand duke and I remained silent after we entered, since it was clear to the both of us that this man was mana training. We didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon after we entered, the man took a deep breath and let it out. After he finished exhaling, the man opened his eyes. They were piercing silver.

 Chapter 8: The Grand Sage

    A beat of silence followed after the man, who I assumed was Arend, opened his eyes. When that beat passed, Arend¡¯s features twisted with displeasure and he scowled at us.


    ¡°What do you want, Anselm?¡± he asked, his harmonious voice at odds with his harsh tone.


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Good morning to you too, Arend.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said in a dry tone.


    ¡°Grand Sage Arend. As I¡¯ve told you before, if you¡¯re going to address me, then do it properly.¡±


    The grand duke scoffed.


    ¡°Why should I? You never address me properly.¡±


    ¡°What have you done to earn it? Become the head of House Kaltbrand? Pah, that¡¯s just an accident of birth. Become an Aura Master? As if there¡¯s anything special about being able to swing a sword.¡±


    Ah, so he was one of those types. As a whole, magicians were decent folk. However, quite a few of them thought themselves superior to everyone else just because they were magicians. I had met a few of them in life, both before and after I left House Guld. This arrogant attitude of theirs wasn¡¯t completely unwarranted, since magicians were powerful in their own right. However, the problem was how they looked down on anyone who wasn¡¯t a magician. It made interacting with them an ordeal.


    I found that the easiest way to deal with such folks depended on how powerful they were. If they were less powerful than me, then I let them know in no uncertain terms that I would not put up with their nonsense. They usually fell into line after that. If they were as powerful, or more powerful, than me, then I treated them with respect but didn¡¯t back down. Otherwise, they would take that as license to run roughshod over me. I saw it happen to others, and I refused to let them treat me the same way.


    Magicians occupied a strange spot in our society¡¯s hierarchy. Most of them weren¡¯t nobles, but they couldn¡¯t be treated like commoners either. The level of courtesy and respect afforded to them depended on their power. Grand Sages were considered on par with dukes and other high-ranked nobles.


    ¡°I greet you, Grand Sage Arend,¡± I said, giving him a nod. As House Kaltbrand¡¯s (fake) heir, and an Aura Master, we were social equals. ¡°My name is Wulfe.¡±


    Arend gave me a withering look.


    ¡°Did I ask you?¡± he asked in a scathing tone. ¡°You should learn to keep your mouth shut when your betters are speaking, pup.¡±


    ¡°When that happens, I¡¯ll be sure to keep your advice in mind, Grand Sage.¡± I said without batting an eyelid.


    Arend seemed taken aback by my words and didn¡¯t respond right away. Grand Duke Kaltbrand started laughing.


    ¡°Oh, you should see the look on your face, Arend,¡± he said. ¡°I wish I had a recording crystal with me, because this is priceless.¡±


    Arend recovered from his surprise, and threw a glare at the grand duke, before looking at me again.


    ¡°So, you have some bite in you,¡± he said. ¡°Good. I¡¯m tired of sniveling sycophants who think the best way to earn my regard is to fawn over me.¡± He looked at the grand duke. ¡°You picked a good one, Anselm.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You know why I¡¯m here?¡± I asked.


    Arend scoffed.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, jerking a thumb at the grand duke. ¡°Who do you think gave this one the idea? I am Anselm¡¯s most trusted adviser. Without me, the entirety of House Kaltbrand would fall apart.¡±


    I glanced at Grand Duke Kaltbrand, who gave me a slight shake of the head.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± the grand duke said out loud. ¡°We all know how important you are.¡± He shook his head. ¡°You know why we¡¯re here. Is it ready?¡±


    Arend stood up and snapped his fingers. The magic circle that surrounded him disappeared.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. He reached a hand towards the wooden desk. I heard the sound of a drawing opening, before a small glass sphere floated into view and flew over to Arend. ¡°It took me all night to make it, but here.¡±


    He tossed the glass sphere at the grand duke. A lineage testing magic tool. Despite its simple appearance and function, I knew that the spells and enchantments required to create one were quite complex.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Now we just need to wait for the others to arrive.¡±


    Arend sighed.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± he asked. ¡°We all know that this pup isn¡¯t really your son, the people who matter that is. Why go through with this charade? More importantly, why does it have to be in my study? If you¡¯re going to bother with this farce, do it somewhere else.¡±


    I gave the grand duke a questioning look, since I wanted to know the answers to these questions as well.


    ¡°Simple,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°I want word of this lineage test to get out. For that, I need witnesses.¡±


    Ah, I understood what he was doing now. He wanted to spread the rumor that his illegitimate son had been found. A positive lineage test was a good way to do that. It would be like throwing a stone into a still pond. In fact, that was a good way to view my role as the fake heir to House Kaltbrand. I was supposed to cause disruptions in order to help the grand duke find out who was interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, and also buy time for his real heir to become ready. The more stones we threw into this particular pond, the better.


    ¡°As for why we¡¯re doing it here,¡± the grand duke continued. ¡°Simple. In order for a lineage test to be considered valid, the law requires that a magician of Adept rank or above, or a senior priest, witness it.¡± He gave Arend an annoyed look. ¡°You refuse to leave your tower for anything less than a dire emergency, so we have no choice but to perform the test here. You have only yourself to blame.¡±


    ¡°You can find another magician to witness the test, you overgrown lout,¡± Arend said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be me.¡±


    Like Aura users, magicians had different levels of power. The lowest was Initiate, followed by Adept, Sage, and then Grand Sage, the magician equivalent of an Aura Master.


    ¡°Yes it does. You¡¯re the only magician who knows the truth of the matter. I wouldn¡¯t entrust it to just anyone.¡±


    As I observed them, I came to the conclusion that Grand Duke Kaltbrand was an informal person, at least around those he was close with. First Knight Commander Bardin, and now Arend. Was he like this with all of his vassals?


    I frowned as an idea came to me.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± I said. ¡°The only way this plan will work is if the lineage test comes up positive.¡± I glanced over at the Grand Duke. ¡°However, I¡¯m not your son.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± the grand duke said, grinning at me. ¡°This is a special lineage testing magic tool.¡±


    Arend scowled at him.


    ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way to put it,¡± he said. ¡°I am the one who made it after all. But-¡­¡±


    ¡°And it will give us the results we need.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, interrupting him.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Arend¡¯s scowled deepened at being interrupted. He opened his mouth to say something, but a hard look from the grand duke silenced him.


    ¡°I see,¡± I said, almost muttering to myself. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡±


    The lineage testing magic tool was a fake. Instead of showing that the grand duke and I weren¡¯t related, it would show a positive result instead. Attempting something like this was illegal, and would result in severe punishment, but this was Grand Duke Kaltbrand. Who would dare nay say him? In terms of power and influence, the only one higher than him in the entire Reichwald Empire was the emperor himself. Even the crown prince, the emperor¡¯s heir, wouldn¡¯t dare take the grand duke lightly.


    If Grand Duke Kaltbrand declared that the results of the lineage test were positive and that I was his son, no one would dare contradict him, no matter their thoughts on the matter. At least, not out loud. Rumors were another matter.


    Before I could ponder the matter further, the door to Arend¡¯s tower opened and four people entered. I recognized Knight Commander Bardin, who had changed into her regular uniform for this, but I didn¡¯t recognize the other three.


    One was an older man, in his late forties or early fifties, with pale skin, blue eyes, and short gray hair. Despite his age, he looked as strong and fit as men half his age. However, there was an air of dignity and gravitas to him. His every moment was filled with elegance and grace. The man was dressed in a butler''s uniform.


    The woman next to him was about the same age. She was shorter and plumper, with pale skin and gray hair, though her hair was longer and tied up into a simple bun. If the man exuded dignity and gravitas, this woman had an air of coziness and warmth. She looked like a kind woman, the sort who would give treats to street urchins whenever she saw them. She wore a housekeeper¡¯s uniform.


    The last person was a man who looked younger than the first two. I guessed he was in his late thirties or early forties. Like many people in the Barrens, he had pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes. He was tall but thin, as if a strong enough breeze would be enough to blow him away. Unlike the other two, he didn¡¯t wear a uniform. Instead, he wore a simple outfit. The spectacles on his face gave him a bookish air.


    I understood what Grand Duke Kaltbrand wanted now. While I didn¡¯t know their names, I knew who these people were; they were the highest ranking servants of House Kaltbrand.


    The butler and the housekeeper were in charge of the domestic servants within Kaltbrand Castle, ensuring that nothing went wrong. While that wasn¡¯t the full extent of their duties and responsibilities, it was an important part of them. They often worked with the lady of the house, and wielded a significant amount of influence among the servants.


    I didn¡¯t know who the younger man was, but based on his appearance, I guessed he was a steward or some other kind of administrator who served House Kaltbrand. Knight Commander Bardin led the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, House Kaltbrand¡¯s military arm.


    If these four people witnessed the lineage test, then no one would question the results. Others may harbor doubts within the privacy of their own minds, but they wouldn¡¯t dare voice those doubts. Not only that, but if these four spread the word that Grand Duke Kaltbrand had an illegitimate son who he planned to make his heir, the entirety of Frostheart would know before the end of the day. Within a week, word would spread to the entirety of the Barrens.


    When these four entered, they stopped before Grand Duke Kaltbrand and bowed to him. The three who I hadn¡¯t met before gave me questioning looks, but remained silent. Knight Commander Bardin wore a stiff expression on her face and avoided looking at me.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Grand Duke said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re all here.¡± He gestured towards them. ¡°The four of you must be wondering why I asked you to come here so early in the morning. While I understand your confusion, please remain silent for now. We¡¯ll discuss the matter later, when this is all finished. For now, I need you to stand witness.¡±


    I frowned. The grand duke¡¯s words implied that he hadn¡¯t shared the details of his plan with the butler, the housekeeper, and the steward(?). In that case, the only ones who knew of my identity were Knight Commander Bardin and Arend. Why? Did he plan on hiding the truth from them? Or did he plan on telling them after the lineage test?


    ¡°Will you hurry up and get this over with?¡± Arend said with a scowl on his face. At this point, I wasn¡¯t sure if he was capable of any other expression. ¡°I want to return to my studies.¡±


    No one reacted to Arend¡¯s words, as if they were used to this sort of behavior from him.


    ¡°This is a lineage testing magic tool,¡± the grand duke said, holding up the glass sphere. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can guess why I would have one of these.¡±


    When they realized what was going on, the servants wore incredulous expressions on their faces. They studied the sphere for a moment, before looking at me. The steward(?) opened his mouth to say something, but the butler put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. The steward shut his mouth and remained silent. The only one who didn¡¯t react at all was Knight Commander Bardin, who already knew what was going on.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, with a solemn expression on his face. ¡°Hold this for me.¡±


    I walked over to him and grabbed the lineage testing magic tool. The grand duke then pulled out a dagger he had kept hidden on him and pricked his thumb with it. Blood welled up from the wound and dripped some onto the lineage testing magic tool. The tool absorbed it all. The blood floated to the center of the glass sphere and hovered in place.


    The grand duke then held his hand for the lineage testing magic tool and handed the dagger to me in return. After wiping it clean, I pricked my own finger with it and dripped my blood onto the lineage testing magic tool. As before, it absorbed the blood. The drop floated to the center of the glass sphere, mixing with the grand duke¡¯s blood. The sphere of blood within the lineage testing magic tool swirled about for a bit, before it started to glow with a red light.


    From what I understood, the brightness of the glow depended on how closely related the two people being tested were. For those who weren¡¯t related at all, the blood wouldn¡¯t glow at all. For those who were distantly related, the glow would be dull. For immediate family members, the glow would be bright.


    The sphere of blood within the lineage testing magic tool glowed with such intensity that it hurt to look directly at it.


    Knight Commander Bardin sucked in a breath. The steward gasped and stared at the lineage testing magic tool. The butler¡¯s expression remained the same, but I saw the surprise in his eyes. The housekeeper studied the glass sphere for a moment, before she narrowed her eyes at Grand Duke Kaltbrand. As for the grand duke himself, he let out a laugh.


    ¡°Yes!¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s a match!¡± He put his free hand on my shoulder. ¡°Everyone, this is my son, Wulfe. I intend to make him my heir.¡±


    Silence filled the study as the three servants stared at me in shock. I tried not to squirm at their scrutiny. Knight Commander Bardin, on the other hand, clenched her jaw but otherwise didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done wasting my time,¡± Arend said in a scathing tone. ¡°Get out of my tower. And leave the magic tool behind. I have other uses for it.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand sighed.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Let us go. We have much to discuss.¡±


    <hr>


    After Arend shooed us out of his tower, the six of us relocated to Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s study. It was a large space, half of the size of Ewald¡¯s tavern back in Warrior¡¯s Rest, decorated in warm and soothing tones. Several leather couches and a small wooden table occupied half of the study, while a wooden desk occupied the other half. Two bookshelves stood against the wall behind the desk, both filled to the brim with books. Several plush rugs covered the stone floor.


    Various weapons hung from the walls, each one a masterpiece, displayed the same way one might display beautiful works of art. It seemed like the grand duke was a collector. The study¡¯s windows were thin and narrow, providing little sunlight. Magic crystal lamps that hung from the walls made up for this lack.


    The grand duke sat at the wooden chair behind the desk and had me stand next to him. He had the others stand in a row in front of the desk.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Let us get the introductions out of the way. As I said earlier, this is Wulfe. He is my son.¡± He gestured to the knight commander. ¡°First we have Knight Commander Sofie Bardin, the leader of the Order of the Coldsteel Knights.¡± He gestured to the older man and the older woman. ¡°Next we have Viscount Erik Holtz and his wife, Viscountess Frederica Holtz. They are the butler and the housekeeper of Kaltbrand Castle respectively. House Holtz has served House Kaltbrand for generations.¡± He gestured to the man wearing spectacles. ¡°Finally, we have Baron Edmund Kirch, the head steward. These four are my most trusted servants and advisers.¡±


    It didn¡¯t surprise me that each of them were also nobles. In the Reichwald Empire, it wasn¡¯t uncommon for lower ranked nobles to serve higher ranked nobles. The former considered it a privilege and an honor. It was a similar situation in Guld Manor.


    I nodded to each of the servants as the grand duke introduced them. They responded by giving me bows only a little shallower than the ones they gave to their liege. A beat of silence followed, before the housekeeper, Viscountess Holtz, stepped forward.


    ¡°So, who is he really, Your Grace?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What do mean?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked with feigned innocence. ¡°You saw the lineage test for yourselves. He is my son.¡± He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°Are you calling me a liar?¡±


    Viscountess Holtz, unfazed by the grand duke¡¯s expression, gave him a pitying smile.


    ¡°Your Grace, others might have been fooled by that performance you put on, but not me,¡± she said. ¡°I have known you since you were a child. You have only ever had eyes for Lady Johanna. Even after you became an adult, you wouldn¡¯t look at another woman, let alone sire a child with her.¡±


    Lady Johanna had been Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s wife, the late Grand Duchess. So, the rumors that he had refused to marry again because he had loved her that much were true. Viscount Holtz, the butler, and Baron Kirch, the head steward, looked surprised by the viscountess¡¯ words.


    ¡°Wait, so that was a false lineage test?¡± Baron Kirch asked.


    ¡°So it would seem.¡± Viscount Holtz said in a dry voice.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that highly illegal?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Grand Duke Bardin said, cutting in. ¡°As long as everyone here keeps quiet about it.¡± He glared at them in turn. ¡°It should go without saying that nothing we discuss here will leave this room.¡±


    Viscount Holtz grimaced.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± he said. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you explained to us what is going on.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Why did you present this man as your son? What are you planning?¡±


    The grand duke looked at each of them in turn, before letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Let me start at the beginning.¡±

 Chapter 9: Meeting the Senior Servants

    It didn¡¯t take long to explain why Grand Duke Kaltbrand brought me to Kaltbrand Castle so I could pretend to be his illegitimate son and heir. Viscount and Viscountess Holtz, as well as Baron Kirch were already aware of the Barrens¡¯ political situation, so the grand duke hadn¡¯t needed to go over that. However, when he started explaining that an unseen enemy had been interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, their eyes grew wide.


    ¡°When the potential heirs with the strongest claims started dying one by one, I realized that something strange was going on,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand explained with a grim expression on his face. ¡°I had the Blue Shadows look into it, and they realized that someone had been responsible for those deaths. It turned out that all those seemingly unrelated deaths were all connected. While the Blue Shadows don¡¯t know who it is yet, they believe that an unknown force has been interfering with our affairs for some time now.¡±


    With the exception of Knight Commander Bardin, the others looked shocked by his words. I frowned. Blue Shadows? Who were they? Some kind of intelligence organization? That would make the most sense.


    Knowledge was power, and a single piece of information could mean the difference between prosperity and ruin for a noble house. Many were willing to pay a dear price to secure their family¡¯s future. Most noble houses worked with information guilds or independent information brokers, while the more powerful nobles houses had their own private intelligence organizations.


    House Guld¡¯s was the Pink Orchid Trading Company, which disguised itself as a group of merchants which had branches all over the Reichwald Empire, including the Barrens. Thankfully, their office in the Barrens was located in a city further south than Warrior¡¯s Rest, near the border with the Riverlands. Otherwise, House Guld would have already figured out my whereabouts.


    ¡°If this is all true, then¡­¡± Viscount Holtz said, his face pale. ¡°By the gods.¡±


    The others looked no better. Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Right now, we¡¯re operating on the theory that they¡¯re either working with one of the three remaining potential heirs,¡± he said. ¡°Or they¡¯re using one of the three potential heirs for their own purposes. Perhaps all three. We don¡¯t know yet.¡± His expression grew frustrated. ¡°Whoever they are, they¡¯re illusive. Even the Blue Shadows have had difficulty tracking their movements.¡± His expression cleared up and he gestured to me. ¡°This is where Wulfe comes in. By pretending that he is my illegitimate son and heir, we¡¯re hoping to disrupt their plans and force them into taking more overt action.¡±


    I gave them all a shallow bow.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you all,¡± I said. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±


    Viscount Holtz pursed his lips and didn¡¯t say anything. Baron Kirch eyed me with open suspicion. Viscountess Holtz, on the other hand, gave me a warm smile.


    ¡°Such a polite young man.¡± she said.


    I flashed a smile at her in return.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Viscount Holtz said. ¡°Where did you find Wulfe? How do you know he can be trusted with such an important task?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand gestured to Knight Commander Bardin.


    ¡°Wulfe was a mercenary working out of Warrior¡¯s Rest,¡± she said. ¡°I had already looked into him as a potential recruit for the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, so when His Grace needed someone to play his illegitimate son, I recommended Wulfe. He¡¯s an outsider, so he doesn¡¯t have any ties to the remaining three potential heirs. From his past actions, it¡¯s unlikely that he¡¯s working with our unseen foe.¡± She raised her chin. ¡°I vouch for him. If you can¡¯t trust him, then trust me.¡±


    The others looked surprised by this. I guess they hadn¡¯t expected the knight commander to speak so strongly in my defense. Viscount Holtz was the first to recover.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°If you and His Grace trust him, Knight Commander Bardin, then I will as well.¡±


    Viscountess Holtz nodded at her husband¡¯s words. Baron Kirch, on the other hand, still looked unconvinced.


    ¡°His trustworthiness aside,¡± Baron Kirch said while glancing at me. ¡°How do we know that this Wulfe can play the role of your heir, Your Grace? This seems beyond the abilities of a common mercenary.¡± He paused. ¡°Though, perhaps we can rectify this, given enough time.¡± He frowned. ¡°When do you plan to present him to the vassals?¡±


    ¡°I plan to present him at the next seasonal meeting.¡± the grand duke said.


    Baron Kirch grimaced.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t nearly enough time to educate him to the level required of the heir to House Kaltbrand,¡± he said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand smirked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry in that regard,¡± he said. ¡°Wulfe here is uniquely qualified for the role, Edmund. He is no common mercenary.¡±


    The head steward didn¡¯t look convinced by this, but he held his tongue. It didn¡¯t matter. He would realize the truth for himself sooner or later.


    ¡°What do you plan on telling the vassals about Wulfe¡¯s origins?¡± Viscountess Holtz asked. ¡°Did you recently discover him, or have you always known about him? What about his mother? Who is she? When do you meet her? The sooner we figure out these details, the better.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand gave her a thoughtful look.


    ¡°My initial idea was to say that Wulfe was the result of a youthful indiscretion,¡± he said. ¡°I have always known about him, but kept him a secret until now for my own reasons and had a noble family outside of the Barrens foster him. When it became clear that I wouldn¡¯t be able to put off naming an heir, I decided to bring him forward.¡±


    Viscountess Holtz shook her head.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± she said. ¡°Everyone knows how much you loved Lady Johanna. They won¡¯t believe that you betrayed her, even with our testimony regarding the lineage test.¡± She gave him a meaningful look. ¡°There will be rumors that you faked the test somehow, even if they wouldn¡¯t say it to your face. Even without those rumors, you¡¯ll face resistance from the vassals. This will not be an easy task.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand glanced over at Knight Commander Bardin.


    ¡°If we spread rumors of our own about Wulfe¡¯s mother, that won¡¯t be a problem,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t even have to say who she is. We can let everyone else fill in the blanks on their own.¡±


    The other three looked over at the knight commander, who wore an indifferent expression, and understanding lit up their faces.


    ¡°I suppose that could work,¡± Viscount Holtz said, speaking slowly. ¡°There were, and still are, rumors that you two are closer than you appear.¡±


    Viscount Holtz wore an odd expression on her face.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I know the truth, yet I almost believe it myself.¡±


    Baron Kirch pinched his chin between his index finger and thumb.


    ¡°They do look alike,¡± he said. ¡°So it is plausible.¡±


    It took me far too long to realize what they were saying.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, looking at the grand duke. ¡°You want to pretend that I am your lovechild with Knight Commander Bardin?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Rather, the plan is to give people the impression that you are my illegitimate son by Sofie, without overtly saying so.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°You two look similar enough that you could be mother and son. Not only that, she made you her disciple. That will be enough for people to draw their own conclusions.¡±


    I clenched my fists.


    ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°I refuse.¡±


    Everyone looked at me in surprise, except for Knight Commander Bardin. She continued to wear an indifferent expression on her face.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked in a calm voice despite his surprise. ¡°Doing it this way gives us the highest chance of success.¡±


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    ¡°At the cost of Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s reputation.¡± I snapped back.


    Viscount Holtz, Viscountess Holtz, and Baron Kirch all blanched. They were probably shocked that I, a commoner and a mercenary, would dare talk back to the grand duke, let alone raise my voice at him. Unlike Knight Commander Bardin and Arend, I wasn¡¯t a long time friend and retainer of House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°If we say that Knight Commander Bardin is my mother,¡± I said. ¡°Or give the impression that she is, people will drag her name through the mud.¡± I gestured to the knight commander. ¡°They will sling all kinds of insults her way. In fact, some might even suggest that she seduced you in order to make her own child the heir to House Kaltbrand. That is the least of the rumors that will spread if we go through with this.¡±


    I admired Knight Commander Bardin above all others. She earned her current position and her reputation as one of the continent¡¯s strongest warriors through her blood, sweat, and tears. I didn¡¯t want to be the reason why she lost everything she worked so hard to achieve.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said in a soft voice. ¡°It¡¯s all right. His Grace and I discussed this already. This is a sacrifice I am willing to make.¡± She smiled. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like people need an excuse to insult and conspire against me. I¡¯ve made plenty of enemies over the years.¡±


    I looked over at her.


    ¡°And I refuse to give your enemies the means to tear you down.¡± I said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice in the matter,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said in a cold voice. ¡°Not anymore.¡± He opened one of the desk¡¯s drawers and pulled out a stack of papers. It was the contract we negotiated and signed last night. ¡°You already signed the contract.¡±


    I scoffed.


    ¡°Nowhere in the contract does it say that I have to pretend to be Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s son,¡± I said. ¡°Only yours.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand pointed to a specific part of the contract.


    ¡°It says here that you must do everything in your power to aid me in this endeavor.¡± he said.


    ¡°Everything within reason,¡± I countered. ¡°There is nothing reasonable about this.¡±


    An oppressive pressure exploded out of the grand duke, similar to how Knight Commander Bardin pressured Viktor not too long ago, except I was the target this time. However, I wasn¡¯t a mere Aura Expert. I was an Aura Master. While it took effort on my part, I resisted the force of Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s pressure and unleashed my own.


    The two of us glared at each other, neither willing to back down, as our pressures clashed. We were so focused on one another, that neither of us noticed Knight Commander Bardin. She marched over, grabbed both of us by the ear, and twisted.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± she barked out. ¡°Stop squabbling like a pair of children. You¡¯re scaring the civilians.¡±


    The grand duke and I glanced over at the others. They were all the way on the other opposite side of the study, pressing themselves against the wall. Oh. The clash between the grand duke and myself must have been too much for them. I was honestly a little surprised that none of them had fallen unconscious or fled the room. Ashamed of my behavior, I retracted my pressure. Grand Duke Kaltbrand did the same. When we did, Knight Commander Bardin let go of our ears.


    ¡°You,¡± she said, hitting the back of the grand duke¡¯s head. ¡°Stop acting like an overbearing tyrant. You knew he was also an Aura Master. Why did you think you could force him to submit?¡±


    She turned to me.


    ¡°And you,¡± she said, hitting the back of my head. ¡°Stop acting like a stubborn fool. It¡¯s my reputation. I¡¯ll do what I damn well please with it.¡± Her expression softened. ¡°I am the knight commander of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, ready to give my life in service to House Kaltbrand if necessary. Sacrificing my reputation is a small price to pay in comparison.¡±


    I faced away from her.


    ¡°I know,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­You deserve better, Teacher.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that. However, it doesn¡¯t matter what anyone else thinks, so long as the people important to me know the truth.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand rubbed the back of his head.


    ¡°Why are you nicer to him than you are to me?¡± he asked.


    Knight Commander Bardin gave him a derisive sneer.


    ¡°Is it not obvious?¡± she asked.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand clicked his tongue in displeasure, before turning towards the others.


    ¡°I apologize for that,¡± he said, sounding sincere. ¡°We let our emotions get the best of us.¡±


    Now that the grand duke and I were no longer clashing, the three of them had managed to recover their composure. However, they still seemed somewhat shaken. Despite this, they approached the desk once more.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Grace,¡± Viscount Holtz said, before turning towards me with a newfound respect in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to see why His Grace chose you, Wulfe. To become an Aura Master at such a young age is remarkable.¡± He gave me a faint smile. ¡°To mirror my wife¡¯s words from earlier, if I didn¡¯t know the truth, I would have believed that you really were His Grace¡¯s illegitimate child with Knight Commander Bardin.¡±


    I nodded my head at him.


    ¡°Thank you, Viscount.¡± I said.


    The viscount shook his head.


    ¡°There is no need to be so formal with this old man,¡± he said. ¡°After all, you are the heir to House Kaltbrand for the foreseeable future. You can call me Erik, or Butler Erik if you¡¯re so inclined.¡±


    ¡°You may call me Frederica or Housekeeper Frederica.¡± his wife said, chiming in.


    Baron Kirch kept quiet.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, after clearing his throat. ¡°To reiterate, Wulfe is my illegitimate child by Sofie here. For reasons of my own, I kept him a secret and had another noble family outside of the Barrens foster him. However, because of the current situation, I decided to reveal his existence and name him as my heir. Is everyone clear on this?¡±


    They all nodded, before Viscountess Holtz frowned.


    ¡°Which family will you say fostered him?¡± she asked.


    The grand duke glanced at me and I shook my head. I didn¡¯t want House Guld to find me before I had earned my title. If they did¡­I wasn¡¯t sure how they would react. I was afraid to find out. Either they would come find me, or they wouldn¡¯t. I feared the latter more than the former, since it meant that they had never loved me at all and no longer cared about me. It was better to put off answering that particular question for now.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep that to ourselves for the time being,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°The next few days are going to be busy as Wulfe settles in. He¡¯ll need personal servants of his own, a new wardrobe, an allowance, and so on.¡± He gestured to the Viscount Holtz, Viscountess Holtz, and Baron Kirch. ¡°I¡¯ll leave all that to the three of you.¡±


    The three of them nodded in acknowledgment.


    ¡°He¡¯ll also need some bodyguards,¡± the grand duke said. ¡°If only for appearances sake. Three should suffice.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin snorted.


    ¡°I have the perfect candidates in mind.¡± she said.


    As an Aura Master, I didn¡¯t need bodyguards. Unless an army attacked me, or a horde of demonic beasts, I would be fine. Still, as the grand duke said, I needed bodyguards for appearances sake. After all, I was the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll also need a tutor for Wulfe¡¯s successor lessons,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, looking thoughtful. ¡°I would teach him myself, but I can¡¯t spare the time.¡± He looked at Viscount Holtz. ¡°Wilfried should do.¡±


    I frowned at him. What was he up to now?


    ¡°Is that necessary, Your Grace?¡± Baron Kirch asked, giving voice to my thoughts. ¡°After all, Wulfe is only pretending to be your heir. Isn¡¯t giving him successor lessons going too far?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand shook his head.


    ¡°If word spread that I considered Wulfe my son and heir, but didn¡¯t have him go through successor lessons, people would find it suspicious,¡± he said. ¡°In order to convince others that Wulfe is my son and heir, we need to treat him as such in every way possible.¡± He narrowed his eyes at the three of them. ¡°Understood?¡±


    They nodded. My frown deepened. While I understood the grand duke¡¯s intentions, I still thought that having me go through successor lessons was unnecessary. Still, it would be a new experience for me. When I lived with House Guld, there had been no chance of my inheriting the dukedom, so I never had to go through successor lessons. Those were reserved for Siegfried and Lina, the two eldest children of House Guld and the ones most likely to inherit the title.


    For most noble houses, the custom was that the eldest child inherited the title while the other children inherited other properties and domains. However, the head of the house had the right to appoint any member of the family as their heir instead. Most went with the custom, but there were cases when the head of a noble house picked an illegitimate child or a distant relative as their heir. Usually, this was done when the head of the house either had no heirs or no suitable heirs. House Kaltbrand¡¯s situation was a prime example of that.


    ¡°Sofie and Wulfe, you stay,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°The rest of you are dismissed.¡±


    Viscount Holtz, Viscountess Holtz, and Baron Kirch all bowed before leaving the study.


    ¡°Is there something else you wished to discuss with me, Your Grace?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Father.¡± the grand duke said.


    I blinked at him in surprise. He grinned at me.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to pretend that you are my son, you should get used to calling me ¡®Father¡¯. Go on. Give it a try.¡±


    I stared at him for several long seconds, before I drew in a deep breath and let it out. Knight Commander Bardin just shook her head. The grand duke just continued to grin at me.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± I said. ¡°There is only one man in my entire life who I have called ¡®Father¡¯, and only one woman who I have called ¡®Mother¡¯. I don¡¯t have it in me to call anyone else by those names.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s face twisted at my words, before an indifferent expression replaced it. It was only for a fraction of a second, but I saw it. However, before I could consider what it meant, Grand Duke Kaltbrand spoke up.


    ¡°It seems you care a great deal about House Guld,¡± he said. A somber expression had replaced his grin. ¡°I thought they only considered you a substitute for Emmerich Guld.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°They did,¡± I said. ¡°However, the opposite was never true.¡±


    Even though House Guld never truly considered me one of their own, I loved them regardless. They were my family. That was why I was trying so hard to earn a title, so I could become one of them again. It was my greatest desire. If they rejected me in the end, so be it. I could accept that. Not before I gave it a try, however.


    ¡°I see.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said.


    He seemed¡­deflated somehow. I guess he was looking forward to someone calling him ¡°Father¡±, even if it was his fake son. Well, I was a mercenary and he was my client. The contract between us stipulated that I do everything in my power to aid him in this endeavor.


    ¡°I can¡¯t call you Father,¡± I said, sighing. ¡°However, I can call you, ¡®Dad.¡¯ You seem to prefer informality.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand rubbed his chin while looking thoughtful.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said. ¡°I do prefer being called ¡®Dad.¡¯¡± He pointed a finger at me. ¡°I accept, on the condition that you call Sofie ¡®Mom.¡¯ We¡¯re supposed to be your parents, after all.¡±


    My jaw dropped as I stared at the grand duke.

 Chapter 10: Sir Kane

    Silence reigned over the study as I stared at Grand Duke Kaltbrand, unable to come to terms with his ridiculous request.


    ¡°What?¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, breaking the silence. She gave the grand duke an incredulous look.


    ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± she asked, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him.


    Her cheeks were red. This was my first time seeing her so flustered, and I found it rather endearing. I would never say that out loud, however. That would be disrespectful.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare be so informal with Teacher.¡± I said. ¡°Besides, I thought we were only giving the impression that Teacher was my mother.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand lifted his hands up in surrender.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± he said. ¡°I give up. Wulfe doesn¡¯t have to call you ¡®Mom¡¯, Sofie. I¡¯ll settle for him calling me, ¡®Dad.¡¯¡±


    I cleared my throat.


    ¡°What did you wish to discuss with me?¡± The grand duke gave me an expectant look. I sighed. ¡°Dad.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand grinned at me.


    ¡°There is someone else I wish to introduce to you. If Sofie is my right hand, then he is my left hand.¡± He looked at a corner of the study. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Claus?¡±


    I followed the grand duke¡¯s gaze. The air in the corner rippled, before a man appeared out of nowhere. Everything about the man appeared bland and plain. He had pale skin, average features, and brown eyes. It was difficult to determine his hair color. Sometimes it seemed brown, sometimes it seemed black, sometimes it seemed a dark red. He wore a servant¡¯s outfit. If I ever saw him in public, I wouldn¡¯t pay him much attention. That was how little presence he had. However, he had the mana signature of a Sage. There was also something timeless about the man, making it difficult to guess his age.


    I narrowed my eyes at the man. While there were generalists, most magicians tended to specialize. For example, Emmerich Guld focused on mental magic. It was how he recovered his memories. Others focused on combat, like the Imperial Battle Mages, the magician counterpart to the Imperial Guard. This man before us seemed to specialize in stealth.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± the man said, bowing to the grand duke. He had a soft and quiet voice. ¡°I am always at your service.¡±


    ¡°Wulfe, this is Claus,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°He is the leader of the Blue Shadows, House Kaltbrand¡¯s eyes and ears.¡±


    I gave Claus a slight bow.


    ¡°I greet you, Clause.¡± I said.


    He returned my bow with one of his own.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be working a lot with Claus.¡± the grand duke said. ¡°Or rather, with his subordinates. I thought it would be a good idea to introduce you two now, rather than risk a potential misunderstanding later on.¡±


    ¡°He is also the one who looked into your background for me.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said.


    I raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Claus said, giving me a faint smile. ¡°You turned out to be a far more intriguing puzzle than I anticipated, Wulfe. Imagine my surprise when you turned out to be House Guld¡¯s missing adopted son.¡±


    ¡°Who else knows?¡± I asked.


    I didn¡¯t want House Guld finding me until I was ready to meet with them. The less people who knew about my past, the better.


    ¡°Just a few select members of the Blue Shadows, His Grace, and Knight Commander Bardin.¡± Claus said in his soft voice. ¡°No one else.¡±


    That was better than I feared, though I was still unhappy about it.


    ¡°You can trust the Blue Shadows.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°They will never betray your secrets.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Claus, I want you to assign some of your people to act as Wulfe¡¯s eyes and ears.¡± the grand duke said. ¡°I have a feeling he¡¯s going to need them.¡± He gave Claus a hard look. ¡°I want them to be loyal to him first and foremost. For them, his orders supersede mine. Do you understand?¡±


    Once again, I felt as if the grand duke was taking things too far in my favor. While having my own spies was useful, I didn¡¯t think they were necessary for this job. However, at this point, I had given up on trying to convince him otherwise. If today¡¯s events had taught me anything, it was that Grand Duke Kaltbrand would have his way regardless of my protests.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Claus said, before turning towards me. ¡°Would you prefer familiar faces, Wulfe? Or would you like someone new?¡±


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Ewald is one of my informants, and his employees work for me. I can have them reassigned to serve you instead.¡±


    My eyes widened. It never occurred to me that Ewald, the mercenary broker, would be an informant for House Kaltbrand. However, it made sense when viewed from a certain perspective.


    ¡°That would explain a few things,¡± I muttered. ¡°Including how a number of mercenaries who worked with Ewald ended up joining the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Knight Commander Bardin asked me to keep an eye out for suitable talent, and I obliged.¡±


    I glanced over at the knight commander and she nodded.


    ¡°Familiar faces then.¡± I said after giving it some thought. ¡°I¡¯d rather work with people I know.¡±


    Claus nodded, before turning towards Grand Duke Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need from me, Your Grace?¡± he asked.


    The grand duke shook his head.


    ¡°No, you may go now, Claus.¡±


    The man nodded, before the air around him rippled and he disappeared from sight. No trace of his presence remained, not even his mana signature. Impressive, if a bit unnerving.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will ever get used to that.¡± I said, staring at the spot where Claus used to be. ¡°How do you know when he is watching you or when he is not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand admitted. ¡°I just always assume he¡¯s around, and so far he¡¯s proven me right.¡±


    I stared at the grand duke for a moment, before shaking my head.


    ¡°If that is all, Your Gra-¡­¡± He glared at me. ¡°If that is all, Dad, then I¡¯ll take my leave. Today is going to be a busy day for me.¡±


    ¡°You may go.¡± the grand duke said with a nod.


    I bowed to him and Knight Commander Bardin, before leaving the study.


    <hr>


    I spent the rest of the day familiarizing myself with Kaltbrand Castle, with its many nooks and crannies. My explorations also gave the servants a chance to catch a glimpse of me. Unlike earlier that morning, they all treated me with deference and respect. It seemed that Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s idea to go through the lineage test worked. Everyone now knew that I was Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s son and heir.


    In the evening, I had dinner with the grand duke and Knight Commander Bardin. This surprised me. As his son, it made sense for me to dine with His Grace. On the other hand, the inclusion of Knight Commander Bardin was an unusual choice. She was a countess, so that wasn¡¯t a problem. However, she was still a vassal of House Kaltbrand and vassals weren¡¯t usually invited to private family dinners. It didn¡¯t take me long to figure out that this was what Grand Duke Kaltbrand intended. It was his way of implying that the three of us were family without outright saying it.


    I enjoyed the dinner itself. While Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin were legendary figures, they were also people. Sitting down and dining with them gave me a chance to know them as people, rather than just my client and my teacher. It felt nice, and I almost wished they were my actual birth parents.


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    The next day, I met with the personal servants Viscount Holtz assigned to me. They were also the Blue Shadows that Claus had assigned to be my eyes and ears: Rosaline and Maria. They arrived earlier than I expected. They must have used the warp gate network to reach Kaltbrand Castle this soon.


    The two of them were stout, for lack of a better word, which was unusual in the Barrens. Most people here tended towards lean and muscular. Both were pale skinned, with long brown hair and amber eyes. They were pretty, but not beautiful. This had served them well when they both worked for Ewald, since it prevented them from attracting too much attention. The twins wore maid uniforms, which seemed odd to me since I was so used to seeing them dressed as barmaids.


    We were in the sitting room of my quarters. Like my bedroom, it was large and well-furnished. However, there was an air of disuse to it, as if it hadn¡¯t seen much use until now. It also lacked any personal touches, which I planned to rectify. I would only live here for the next year, but even so I would make this place mine.


    ¡°We greet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± the twins said in unison, bowing to me. They wore polite expressions on their faces. ¡°We are the servants assigned to care for you.¡±


    It felt strange to see them act so formal with me, when they treated me far more casually not too long ago. Now we were master and servant rather than equals. It made me a little sad. Of course, that might change once we were in private. Right now, we had company.


    ¡°My name is Rosaline.¡± Maria said.


    ¡°My name is Maria.¡± Rosaline said.


    I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. The twins always tried to pull tricks like this. They often swapped names and pretended they were the other twin in order to prank the mercenaries who frequented Ewald¡¯s tavern, though this never worked on me. I always knew which twin was which, regardless of their attempts to trick me.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± I told them, giving them both a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.¡±


    After greeting the twins, I turned to face my personal bodyguards, who arrived right after the twins had. There was no need for introductions, since I already knew who they were.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± Sir Kane said. He wore a rigid expression on his face. ¡°My name is Kane, a knight of common birth.¡± He gestured to the other knights. ¡°These are my companions, Sir Viktor and Dame Elise Meyers. From this day forward, the three of us will be your bodyguards.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You know, there is no need to be so formal with me, Sir Kane,¡± I said. ¡°The two of us have known each other for some time now.¡±


    ¡°That was before I knew of your origins, Lord Wulfe.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re upset with me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sir Kane shook his head.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, my lord.¡±


    I glanced at the other two knights. Viktor looked like he had swallowed a lemon, while Dame Elise wore a polite expression on her face.


    ¡°Leave us.¡± I commanded. ¡°All of you. I wish to speak with Sir Kane in private.¡±


    Viktor and Elise saluted before exiting the sitting room. Before he left, Viktor gave Sir Kane a worried look. Rosaline and Maria bowed, before leaving the room as well.


    ¡°Well then,¡± I said, gesturing to Sir Kane. ¡°Go ahead. Say your piece.¡±


    Sir Kane shook his head once more.


    ¡°There is nothing to say, Lord Wulfe,¡± he said.


    I let out another sigh.


    ¡°Do I have to make it an order?¡± I asked.


    Sir Kane clenched his jaw and nodded. I pinched the bridge and closed my eyes. I knew he could be stubborn at times, but not to this degree. I was almost tempted to ask Knight Commander Bardin to assign another knight to protect me. However, doing so would shame Sir Kane, which I didn¡¯t want to do.


    ¡°Sir Kane,¡± I said, opening my eyes again. ¡°Regardless of my origins, I consider you a friend. You have my permission to treat me as you have in the past. At the very least, you can be less formal with me. Please.¡±


    Several seconds passed, before Sir Kane dropped the act and outright glared at me.


    ¡°Are you really His Grace¡¯s son?¡± he asked.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised by his question. Out of everyone in Kaltbrand Castle, and the Barrens as a whole, Sir Kane knew me the best. Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, Claus, and a whole host of others might know details about me. However, Sir Kane was the one who knew me the best as a person. Of course he would be suspicious. Before last night, I gave no indication that I was in any way related to Grand Duke Kaltbrand. My former goal of joining the Coldsteel Knights in order to earn a title just made things worse.


    I didn¡¯t want to lie to Sir Kane, yet the contract I signed last night forbade me from telling anyone about the job. This was one of those moments where my personal feelings warred with my professional integrity. No matter which I picked, it wouldn¡¯t end well. Friendship or duty?


    In the end, I chose duty. As a knight, I knew that Sir Kane would understand my decision, once he learned of the truth. This charade was only supposed to last for the next year. Whether or not he forgave me afterwards¡­Well, that remained to be seen. Understanding and forgiveness were two separate matters. Regardless, given what I knew about him, it would be a long time before Sir Kane forgave me once he learned of my deception, if he forgave me at all.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said without batting an eyelid.


    From the look on his face, it was clear that Sir Kane didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°How?¡± he said. ¡°If you really were His Grace¡¯s son, then why did you work as a mercenary for the past three years? Why didn¡¯t either of you give any indication that you two were related at all? And why is he claiming you as his son now? None of this makes sense.¡±


    I resisted the urge to sigh. This would take some careful finessing on my part. One wrong word, and I would destroy our friendship.


    ¡°As a knight, you should know how nobles view illegitimate children.¡± I told him.


    The nobility looked down on bastards. Marriage was a sacred union between two people, and children born out of wedlock were considered lesser. When it came to inheritance, illegitimate children were the last in the line of succession. Even so, they were still potential heirs, so a noble¡¯s legitimate children considered any bastard siblings they might have as threats and rivals. Unless they were given no other choice, many nobles preferred not to acknowledge the existence of an illegitimate child at all.


    However, as with anything, there were exceptions. There were two ways an illegitimate child could be legitimized. The first, and easiest, was if the child¡¯s parents married. The second, and more difficult method, was if the emperor and the Grand Priest, the head of the Church of Light and Darkness, gave their blessing. This almost never happened.


    The former was often done in order to secure a noble house¡¯s succession, if the head of the house chose an illegitimate child as their heir. While it wasn¡¯t necessary, it helped strengthen the illegitimate child¡¯s position. If I really were the lovechild of Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin, this would be the best course of action. However, since I wasn¡¯t, it was unnecessary.


    ¡°Dad kept my existence a secret to protect the prestige of House Kaltbrand,¡± I said. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t as if I could reveal the secret of my birth.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you work as a mercenary in order to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade?¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°Just because Dad wanted to keep my birth a secret didn¡¯t mean I was going to sit back and do nothing.¡± I said. ¡°As I told you, I wanted to earn a title. Doing so would help elevate my standing. Besides, what child wouldn¡¯t want to grow closer to their parents?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a lie exactly. I did want a title in order to elevate my standing and grow closer to my parents, though not in the way I presented to Sir Kane.


    ¡°I also grew up outside of the Barrens.¡± I continued. ¡°Working as a mercenary and becoming a Coldsteel Knight would give me a chance to learn more about my homeland. Learning from books and hearsay aren¡¯t enough.¡±


    Again, not a lie. I didn¡¯t know where I was born. My earliest memories consisted of growing in that orphanage in Towerton. However, there was a good chance that I was from the Barrens.


    Years ago, right around the time I was born, a large horde of demonic beasts threatened to sweep through the Reichwald Empire. Many in the Barrens chose to flee south in order to escape the onslaught. It was a time of chaos and confusion. Many children lost their parents during that time and ended up as orphans. I suspected I was one of those orphans, though it was impossible to know for sure. While I was curious about my birth parents, they were more than likely dead. Even if they were alive, I had no idea how I would go about finding them.


    This was also when Knight Commander Bardin made a name for herself and earned her current position as the leader of the Coldsteel Knights as well as the title of countess. Before this point, she had just been a knight of common birth. From what I knew, she hadn¡¯t even been in the Coldsteel Knights long enough to earn the title of baron. Her history before that was a mystery to me.


    Sir Kane studied me for several seconds, before sighing and shaking his head.


    ¡°If all of that is true,¡± he said. ¡°Then why did His Grace acknowledge you as his son now of all times? What changed?¡±


    ¡°He had no other choice.¡± I said. ¡°The political situation of the Barrens is unstable. He has no other children, and none of his other potential heirs are suitable. I¡¯m the only one qualified to become the next head of House Kaltbrand.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Or so Dad said. Frankly, I¡¯m not so sure. It¡¯s not as if I know much about the other potential heirs.¡±


    Though I intended to rectify that as soon as possible. The more I knew about my ¡°rivals¡± the better. One of the reasons Grand Duke Kaltbrand hired me was to give his actual heir more time to get ready. If I dealt with the real heir¡¯s rivals, that would make things much easier for them.


    ¡°Sir Kane,¡± I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. He didn¡¯t shrug it off, which I considered a good sign. ¡°I know this is all so sudden and confusing. Just yesterday, I was a mercenary aiming to become a Coldsteel Knight. Today, I¡¯m the heir to House Kaltbrand. However, I¡¯m still the same Wulfe you know. I¡¯m still your friend. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± I gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. ¡°Things are going to become dangerous for the foreseeable and I need people to watch my back, people I can trust and rely on. I¡¯m hoping that you¡¯ll be one of those people.¡±


    Sir Kane let out a bitter chuckle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need me to watch your back.¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the heir to House Kaltbrand and an Aura Master. I¡¯m just a knight of common birth. Why would you need someone like me?¡±


    Ah, I see what the problem was now. Our friendship had been uneven from the start. Disregarding my supposed heritage, I was an Aura Master. However, I had hidden my true strength this entire time. From Sir Kane¡¯s perspective, I went from his friend and equal to someone far above him in status and power. It was as if he had never known the real me. Of course he would be upset. And he was right to be upset. After all, I had deceived him this entire time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I never told you the truth.¡± I said, and I meant it. ¡°I wanted to keep my strength a secret in order to avoid undue attention.¡± I let go of his shoulder. ¡°And there is nothing wrong with being a knight of common birth. Look at Teacher. She was born a commoner, and she¡¯s regarded as one of the strongest, if not the strongest, warrior in the entire empire.¡±


    Sir Kane didn¡¯t respond right away.


    ¡°Very well.¡± he said. ¡°It will take me some time to come to terms with¡­everything. However, I¡¯m willing to give it a try.¡±


    I gave him a smile, ignoring the pain in my heart.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Kane. I appreciate it.¡±

 Chapter 11: The Twins

    After talking with Sir Kane, I sent him outside the sitting room so I could talk with Rosaline and Maria. Chances were that he recognized them from Ewald¡¯s tavern. However, he pretended otherwise. Either he knew they were Blue Shadows, or suspected they worked for House Kaltbrand in some capacity. Regardless, he held his tongue, which I appreciated.


    As my eyes and ears for the next year, I would be relying on the twins a lot. Since that was the case, I figured I¡¯d get the most urgent order of business out of the way first.


    ¡°You wished to see us, Lord Wulfe?¡± the twins said in unison after Sir Kane left the sitting room.


    I raised an eyebrow at both of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s just us here,¡± I said. ¡°You can drop the act.¡±


    The twins glanced at each other. Maria maintained her posture and polite expression, while Rosaline relaxed and slouched. Ah, so they were still pretending to be the other twin.


    ¡°Ugh, thank the gods,¡± Rosaline said in a husky voice, pretending to be Maria. ¡°I don¡¯t know how maids do it, acting all prim and proper and subservient all day.¡± She grinned and hefted her chest. ¡°I do like the uniforms. They emphasize our¡­assets.¡±


    This time I rolled my eyes. Maria, pretending to be Rosaline, let out an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°What do you think, Wulfe?¡± Rosaline said, turning her grin towards me, still hefting her chest.


    I gave her a flat look and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Oh? I see how it is. Acting all high and mighty, like a real lord. That¡¯s no fun.¡± She stepped forward, until we were just a few feet apart. Her grin turned seductive. ¡°So, why did you want to see my sister and I in private? You looking for a quick tumble between the sheets? You might be a fake heir to House Kaltbrand, but you are still the heir. It is our duty to serve you, in any way necessary.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Stop acting like your sister, Rosaline,¡± I said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t suit you.¡±


    Rosaline¡¯s expression froze. Maria, on the other hand, started chuckling. It was as if a switch had been flipped. Rosaline¡¯s posture became proper, while Maria¡¯s became more relaxed.


    ¡°I told you it wouldn¡¯t work.¡± Maria said in a husky voice. ¡°We never managed to fool Wulfe before. What made you think it would work this time?¡±


    ¡°It was worth a try.¡± Rosaline said, her voice now prim.


    Despite being twins, Rosaline and Maria had very different personalities. The former was more serious and deadpan, while the latter was¡­Well, Maria was a tease. There was no better way to put it. However, the twins had no problem acting like one another when they needed to.


    ¡°My sister is right, though,¡± Maria said, eyeing me up and down. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having a go at you. You¡¯re just my type.¡±


    ¡°That will never happen.¡± I said, narrowing my eyes at her.


    Maria pouted.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s just mean.¡± she said. ¡°You could at least pretend to be interested.¡±


    Rosaline snorted.


    ¡°You know the kind of women he grew up around.¡± she said. ¡°Why would he bother with us?¡±


    That wasn¡¯t an unfair statement. Moth-¡­Duchess Guld and her daughters were incomparable beauties. While they were my family, except for Lina, I wasn¡¯t blind. After growing up surrounded by beauties, my standards were quite high when it came to appearances.


    ¡°So, what did you want to talk about, Wulfe?¡± Maria said, her pout fading away. ¡°The boss said we needed to work with you on this job. Rosaline wasn¡¯t joking when she said that it is our duty to serve you in any way necessary. For the time being, consider us your shadows.¡±


    I sat down in one of the chairs.


    ¡°I need information.¡± I said. ¡°I figured it was best to come to you two, considering who you work for.¡±


    ¡°What information?¡± Rosaline asked, her eyebrow raised.


    ¡°I need to know more about the other three potential heirs of House Kaltbrand.¡± I said. ¡°If I¡¯m going to play the role of heir for the next year, I need to know who I am dealing with.¡±


    The twins nodded.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Maria said. ¡°Thankfully, the boss already had us look into them. What do you need to know?¡±


    ¡°Do you want a detailed briefing?¡± Rosaline asked. ¡°Or just a general overview?¡±


    I mulled it over for a moment.


    ¡°A general overview for now,¡± I said. ¡°I have to meet with my tutor soon. We¡¯ll save the detailed briefing for later.¡±


    While I still thought going through successor lessons was a waste of time, that didn¡¯t mean I was going to slack off and disregard Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s wishes.


    ¡°Who do you want to start with?¡± Maria asked.


    ¡°The one who is the biggest threat,¡± I said. ¡°We might as well get that out of the way first.¡±


    Maria shook her head.


    ¡°That depends on what you mean by threat, Wulfe,¡± Rosaline said, speaking in her sister¡¯s place. ¡°Each of them is dangerous in their own way. None of them are harmless.¡±


    I took a moment to think it over.


    ¡°Good point,¡± I said. ¡°In that case, start with the one with the largest faction backing them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy,¡± Maria said. ¡°Lord Klemens Steuben. He¡¯s the second oldest child of House Steuben.¡±


    ¡°In terms of military power and wealth, House Steuben is lacking when compared to the other two,¡± Rosaline said, picking up where her sister left off. ¡°However, they have the most backing. This is because House Steuben is the oldest of the three families. Their roots are deep and they have a lot of influence. It helps that Lord Klemens himself is quite gregarious, or so they say. He is quite good at swaying people to his side.¡±


    Maria shrugged before smirking.


    ¡°However, the man is a weakling.¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s an Aura user, but he has been stuck as an Aura Warrior for years now. The chances of him becoming an Aura Expert are low. If not, his faction would¡¯ve been much larger than it is now. It¡¯s possible His Grace would have already declared Lord Klemens as his heir.¡±


    I nodded. While influence was important, so was personal strength. House Kaltbrand was a house of warriors. They ruled the Barrens and protected the rest of the Reichwald Empire from demonic beasts. The head of such an illustrious family needed to be strong.


    ¡°Next is Lord Ulric Arbeit, the second oldest child of House Arbeit.¡± Rosaline said.


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to notice a pattern here.¡± I said in a dry voice.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Maria scoffed. ¡°In order for a noble from a collateral branch to be considered a potential heir of House Kaltbrand, they can¡¯t already be the heir to another noble house.¡±


    Interesting. I hadn¡¯t known that.


    ¡°Of the three potential heirs,¡± Rosaline said. ¡°Lord Ulric is the strongest. House Arbeit is well respected among the northern lords because of their martial prowess, and Lord Ulric is no exception. He is an Aura Expert, though no one knows if he¡¯ll become an Aura Master.¡±


    Becoming an Aura Master was no easy feat. After a certain point, taking in and refining mana wasn¡¯t enough. Once an Aura Expert reached their limit, no amount of mana training would help them grow stronger. They would either cross the threshold and become an Aura Master, or they would stay an Aura Expert for the rest of their life.


    Crossing the threshold required a catalyst, a life changing event that pushed the Aura Expert past their limit. Often, but not always, this catalyst was life threatening. For this reason, Aura Experts seeking to become Aura Masters often threw themselves into dangerous situations while attempting to cross the threshold. Most failed, but a rare few succeeded. My catalyst was the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass.


    ¡°House Arbeit also has a large military force,¡± Rosaline continued. ¡°While their soldiers and knights aren¡¯t as strong as the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, they aren¡¯t that far behind.¡±


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    I frowned.


    ¡°Why are they the second largest faction?¡± I said. ¡°Given how the Barrens is under constant threat from demonic beasts, I¡¯m surprised they don¡¯t have more support from the other northern lords.¡±


    ¡°This is because Lord Ulrich is an obnoxious asshole.¡± Maria said in a heated voice.


    I blinked at her in surprise. Given her tone, it seemed like she had a personal grievance against this Lord Ulrich.


    ¡°My sister and I had the misfortune of encountering him a few years ago.¡± Rosaline explained. ¡°Lord Ulrich is dismissive towards anyone he considers lesser than himself, to put it mildly. This behavior alienated him from potential allies.¡±


    ¡°He treats everyone below him like dirt and thinks he can do whatever he wants to them just because he has a bit of Kaltbrand blood flowing through his veins.¡± Maria interjected. ¡°The prick tried to force me into his bed. If he hadn¡¯t been a potential heir to House Kaltbrand, I would have killed him then and there.¡±


    My expression turned dark. I had no tolerance for rapists. Only weaklings and cowards forced themselves on others like that.


    ¡°Chances are we¡¯ll encounter this Lord Ulrich at some point in the future,¡± I said. ¡°If he tries anything like that with either of you, let me know. I¡¯ll handle him. You are my people. An attack against you is akin to an attack against me. That would give me grounds to challenge him to duel, allowing me to legally kill him.¡±


    The twins looked touched by this, Maria in particular.


    ¡°Aw, that¡¯s so sweet,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to have a little fun? I wouldn¡¯t mind being your mistress.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°Maria.¡± I said in a warning tone.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°I was being serious.¡±


    I ignored Maria and looked over at her sister.


    ¡°The potential heir with the smallest faction is Lady Adelheid Gerhard.¡± Rosaline said, also ignoring Maria. ¡°In terms of military strength, House Gerhard is the weakest. They are also the newest of the three, so they don¡¯t have as much influence as the other two. However, they are the wealthiest. They own several mana crystal mines and have connections with a number of noble houses located in the Riverlands.¡± She paused. ¡°Including House Guld.¡±


    I sucked in a breath at that. Things could become complicated if House Gerhard found out about my past with House Guld. While I doubted that anyone would connect me with the missing adopted son of House Guld, the possibility still existed.


    ¡°This has actually worked against them, since most don¡¯t consider House Gerhard true northerners.¡± Maria said. ¡°House Gerhard is rich, but money can only get you so far. It doesn¡¯t help that Lady Adelheid is a magician, not an Aura user. Not many see her as a protector.¡±


    That made sense. Northerners respected martial strength above all else, which was why there were so many Aura users in the Barrens. That wasn¡¯t to say that they were prejudiced against magicians. They found magic useful and interesting, but that was it. The feeling was mutual. Most magicians preferred to live further south, where it was warmer and there weren¡¯t demonic beasts plaguing the land.


    ¡°Rumor has it that Lady Adelheid also has a bit of a temper,¡± Rosaline said. ¡°She is also sensitive to any perceived slight against her house, intended or not. The quickest way to anger her is to insult her family.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like someone has some insecurities,¡± Maria muttered.


    I frowned and mulled over what the twins just told me. When Grand Duke Kaltbrand told me that none of the potential heirs were worthy, I thought he had exaggerated. However, I now realized that he was telling the truth. None of them were suitable to lead House Kaltbrand. Lord Klemens was too weak, Lord Ulrich¡¯s character was lacking, and Lady Adelheid had too little influence. She was also a magician, which didn¡¯t help.


    How would I deal with them? In an ideal world, all three would accept Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s decision and leave well enough alone. However, we didn¡¯t live in an ideal world. Becoming the head of House Kaltbrand was too tempting a prospect to just abandon. They, or their families, would fight me tooth and nail. There was also the unseen enemy who had been interfering with House Kaltbrand succession. What was their goal? Who were they working with? One of the potential heirs? All three? I didn¡¯t know.


    For now, I would move forward under the assumption that all three of the potential heirs were my enemies and would work against me. I would prefer to have them as my allies, which would shore up my own position, but I didn¡¯t know how amenable they would be to that.


    I paused, before shaking my head. For a moment there, I was thinking as if I were the real heir to House Kaltbrand. True, working with the three potential heirs would help me, but my job was to buy time for Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s real heir and disrupt our hidden enemy¡¯s plan. Anything beyond that was secondary.


    ¡°What about divine power?¡± I asked the twins. The two of them had been standing at attention while I was lost in thought.


    I didn¡¯t know much about divine power. Priests in service to the gods used it and certain families were blessed with divine power, such as the four ducal families, but I knew little beyond that. The families with divine power remained secretive about it. I had lived with House Guld for years, but all I learned about their blessing was that it had something to do with fertility.


    The twins glanced at each other, before shaking their heads.


    ¡°None of the potential heirs wield the coldfire,¡± Rosaline said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to talk with the big boss if you want to know anything more than that,¡± Maria said, looking apologetic. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about divine power. Even if we did, we wouldn¡¯t be able to tell you.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I¡¯m not at a disadvantage in that regard.¡±


    If one of the other potential heirs could use coldfire, and I couldn¡¯t, that would weaken my position as the grand duke¡¯s heir. However, since they couldn¡¯t, things were much more even. In fact, I had the advantage. I had the grand duke¡¯s support, I was Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple, and I was an Aura Master in my own right. I had little influence in the Barrens, but that was just a matter of time and effort. If I built a power base of my own, I could hand it off to Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s real heir. That was in keeping with the spirit of the job.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said standing up. ¡°If you could prepare more detailed reports about each of the potential heirs, I would much appreciate it. For now, I need to meet with my tutor.¡±


    The twins bowed.


    ¡°Of course, Lord Wulfe.¡± they said, reverting back to their roles as my maid.


    <hr>


    The successor lessons took place in Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s library. It was an impressive two-story space that housed thousands, maybe even tens of thousands, of books. Towering bookshelves took up most of the area. Like the rest of the castle, it had a warm and comfortable atmosphere. The library also had private rooms for secluded reading or, in my case, successor lessons.


    My tutor turned out to be Lord Wilfried Holtz, Viscount and Viscountess Holtz¡¯s son. He was a man in his late twenties or early thirties, who looked like a younger version of his father. He also exuded the same heir of dignity and gravitas. Given his heritage, he would likely inherit the mantle of butler from Viscount Holtz when the latter either retired or passed away. Like many in the Barrens, Lord Wilfried had pale skin, blue eyes, and black hair.


    When we first met, Lord Wilfried seemed cautious and wary around me. I assumed he knew a bit about me and my origins, but nothing more beyond that. This must have led to some erroneous assumptions on his part. However, when he learned the depths of my education and saw that I was willing to take the successor lessons seriously, his caution and wariness turned to eagerness. He turned out to be quite the adept tutor.


    Successor lessons involved learning about the family¡¯s history, as well as learning about how to rule a domain. From governing its people, leading its armies, managing the land itself, and so on. I already knew how to do so in a general sense, thanks to my time with House Guld. However, successor lessons also involved learning the specifics of the ruling family¡¯s domain. In House Kaltbrand¡¯s case, that meant the Barrens as a whole as well as the various properties they owned.


    Before this, I knew that House Kaltbrand was wealthy. However, seeing just how much they owned and the wealth it all generated left me speechless. Mana crystal mines, the coldsteel mines, a small but profitable timber industry, taxes from vassals and subjects, etc. House Kaltbrand also had various properties all over the Reichwald Empire, including a mansion in the imperial capital of Haven and a beach side villa in the Riverlands.


    Everyone believed that House Guld was the wealthiest family in the Reichwald Empire. After seeing everything House Kaltbrand owned, I wasn¡¯t sure about that anymore. I was a bit surprised that the grand duke was willing to let an outsider like me see all of this.


    House Kaltbrand¡¯s military power rivaled that of the imperial family¡¯s, which didn¡¯t surprise me. The Barrens was essentially a march, a bastion protecting the rest of the Reichwald Empire from demonic beast incursions. In addition to the Coldsteel Knights, House Kaltbrand also had an army made up of regular humans and weak Aura users.


    Many monarchs would fear having a vassal with so much power, but everyone knew that House Kaltbrand¡¯s loyalty to the throne was absolute. This was because of the Pact. Before coming to the Barrens, I knew a bit about the Pact. However, thanks to the successor lessons, I learned even more.


    Over a thousand years ago, demons tore through reality and invaded our world, bringing death and corruption. They commanded hordes of demonic beasts, which slaughtered everything in their masters¡¯ path. Countless people lost their lives and even the land itself began to die. It seemed like the end of the world. However, when all hope seemed lost, a hero rose up.


    Chosen by the gods to be their champion, this hero rallied the people to drive back the demons and their beasts. At first it seemed futile, but as the hero succeeded time and time again, everyone realized that there was hope. The hero recruited stalwart companions to fight by his side: a mighty warrior, a wise magician, and a holy saint.


    Together with these companions, the hero pushed the demons and their hordes far to the north and slew them all. He then sealed the tear in reality, preventing any more demons from invading our world. However, while the demons were dead, their remains continued to emit corruptive demonic energy, which in turn spawned demonic beasts.


    Even with the blessings from the gods, the hero and his companions were unable to purify and cleanse the demons¡¯ bodies. Instead, they chose to turn the final battleground into the demons¡¯ graveyard. In time, this graveyard became the Edge of the World, the source of the demonic beasts that plagued the Barrens to this day.


    After defeating the demons, the hero formed a kingdom and became its first king. As a reward for their loyal service, he allowed his companions to pick any land of their choosing to take as their own. The holy saint built a temple on her land, which would become the High Temple of the Church of Light and Darkness. The wise magician built a tower where magicians could gather to study and learn magic, which in time would become the Tower of Magic.


    The warrior chose the north as his domain. While the demons were all dead, their demonic beasts remained a threat. He chose to stand watch and keep the rest of the kingdom safe. This warrior was the founder of House Kaltbrand.


    In honor of his companion¡¯s decision, the hero made a promise. As long as the warrior and his descendants maintained their watch and remained loyal to the throne, they would have a great deal of autonomy and independence compared to other vassals. This became known as the Pact. In time, the hero extended the Pact to the Church of Light and Darkness as well as the Tower of Magic.


    To this day, the Pact has remained even when the kingdom expanded its borders and became an empire. It gave House Kaltbrand, the Church of Light and Darkness, and Tower of Magic a lot of rights and privileges that no other vassals of the empire enjoyed. In many ways, the Barrens was a sovereign kingdom unto itself, with the grand duke as its monarch, albeit one under the aegis of the Reichwald Empire.


    As I learned more about the Pact, I wondered about that warrior, the founder of House Kaltbrand. What prompted him to make such a sacrifice? And it was a sacrifice. As dire as the situation was now, it must have been much worse back then. Why did he do it? A sense of duty? A desire to protect others? Or did he have a more personal reason? I didn¡¯t know. Even when we moved on from the Pact and focused on other subjects, my mind kept wandering back to the first Kaltbrand and his vigil.

 Chapter 12: Teachers Teacher

    The next several days passed by in a similar manner. In the mornings I trained, often with Knight Commander Bardin. After breakfast, I explored Kaltbrand Castle or the city of Frostheart, familiarizing myself with my home for the next year. In the afternoons, I went through the successor lessons with Lord Wilfried. In the evenings, after eating dinner with Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin, I met with the twins to discuss their findings with me.


    In addition to collecting information on the other potential heirs, I decided to have the twins keep an eye on the other servants in the castle, in case any of our enemies had spies within Kaltbrand Castle. Despite their peculiarities, Rosaline and Maria excelled at their work. They could also draw upon the other Blue Shadows for support. While they hadn¡¯t noticed anything among Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s servants, they kept me updated on the potential heirs¡¯ movements.


    A few days after the lineage test, House Arbeit, House Gerhard, and House Steuben bustled with activity. That must have been when they heard news of my arrival. However, I didn¡¯t expect them to do anything major until the seasonal meeting with the vassals. Four times a year, House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals arrived at Kaltbrand Castle in order to meet with the grand duke and report to him in person. These meetings occurred in the middle of each season.


    The exception to this was the meeting in winter, which occurred alongside the new year¡¯s party that House Kaltbrand threw each year. It made sense. All the vassals were in attendance anyway. What was the point of making them leave, only to have them come back in a few days?


    The next meeting with the vassals would take place in mid-Spring, where Grand Duke Kaltbrand would formally introduce me and announce that I was his heir. He planned on throwing a week-long banquet to celebrate the occasion, before hosting a ball at the end. He also decided to throw a festival in Frostheart during that week, for the benefit of the commoners. I tried to dissuade him, but my pleas fell on deaf ears.


    ¡°This is my son¡¯s debut into society,¡± he told me when I tried to talk him out of it. ¡°It would seem suspicious if I didn¡¯t mark the occasion somehow.¡±


    I reminded him that I wasn¡¯t his actual son, and I would leave the Barrens after our contract expired, but he ignored my words. I even asked Knight Commander Bardin to help me. However, this backfired. When she heard about the grand duke¡¯s plans, she decided to help him with them. As I watched them plan out the banquet and the ball with obvious excitement, it almost felt like I was their actual son. This reminded me of Duke and Duchess Guld, who threw a similar celebration after they adopted me into House Guld.


    Rather than waste my time and energy trying to stop them, I decided to help them in the end. Planning a week-long banquet took a lot of work. I did have plenty of experience planning events. Moth-¡­Duchess Guld lived an active social life and liked to host all sorts of activities, either at Guld Manor or at Guld Mansion, House Guld¡¯s estate within the imperial capital of Haven. Tea parties, soir¨¦es, balls, and so on. She liked to have her children help with the planning, myself included, in order to give them first hand experience. Some of my fondest moments involved planning one event or another with Duchess Guld.


    During this time, I also met with House Kaltbrand¡¯s exclusive tailor so he could take my measurements. At first, I planned on only having the bare minimum needed to last me through the year. However, Grand Duke Kaltbrand decided that I was being too stingy and decided to order an entire wardrobe. Once again, I protested the grand duke¡¯s excess and once again, he ignored my protests.


    While it would take time to create an entire wardrobe¡¯s worth of outfits, the tailor decided to adjust some existing clothing so that I would have something to wear for the time being. The adjusted clothing arrived a week after the lineage test.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin insisted that I show off the new clothing to them, making me feel like some kind of dress-up doll that existed for their amusement. I went along with it since Grand Duke Kaltbrand was my client, and his opinion mattered the most. How I dressed reflected on House Kaltbrand.


    This all took place in my sitting room, with Rosaline and Maria waiting on the grand duke and the knight commander. Meanwhile, Sir Kane stood guard near the door. The twins struggled to contain their laughter as they witnessed my humiliation, and even Sir Kane¡¯s expression twisted with amusement.


    We were in the midst of this when Viscount Holtz arrived with an urgent expression on his face. I was wearing a black and blue outfit tailored to show off my physique. It was made of the finest materials and trimmed with silver.


    ¡°Count Wirner has arrived in Frostheart, Your Grace.¡± Viscount Holtz said after bowing to the grand duke.


    A chill ran down my spine. As part of my successor lessons, I learned about the prominent noble houses in the Barrens. House Wirner was the late grand duchess¡¯ family. Count Gero Wirner was her father, Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s former father-in-law, and the former knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights. If he was here, then he must have heard about me. This would not end well. He must be here to voice his protests. After all, I was pretending to be the bastard son of his deceased daughter¡¯s husband.


    ¡°Already?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked with a frown. ¡°He must have left the moment he received my invitation.¡±


    I stared at him.


    ¡°You invited Count Wirner here, Dad?¡± I asked in disbelief.


    The grand duke gave me an odd look.


    ¡°Of course.¡± he said. ¡°Why would I not?¡±


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The grand duke was an odd soul. I knew this from the time I spent with him. However, I never expected him to be this tactless.


    ¡°He is your former father-in-law.¡± I said after I opened my eyes. ¡°I am your illegitimate child.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he said in a tone that suggested that I was stating the obvious. ¡°Those are both true.¡±


    Perhaps I needed to make things clearer for him.


    ¡°He is going to loathe me.¡± I said. ¡°My existence is an insult to his daughter¡¯s memory.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand blinked at me, before turning to Knight Commander Bardin, who sat next to him. She was examining me with a critical eye, her lips pursed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I wanted it to be a surprise.¡± she said. ¡°I think a half cape would look good with that outfit, Wulfe.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°Is this really the time to discuss my clothing, Teacher?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t want to meet your teacher¡¯s teacher in any old outfit, do you?¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond, before shutting it with a click.


    ¡°Counter Wirner is your teacher, Teacher?¡± I asked a moment later.


    Knight Commander Bardin chuckled.


    ¡°Yes.¡± she said. ¡°Just as I inspired you to take up the blade, my teacher inspired me.¡±


    Rather than reassure me, her words just made me even more nervous. I admired and respected Knight Commander Bardin above all others. To meet the one who taught her was a great honor. If I hadn¡¯t been pretending to be Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s illegitimate child, I would have been thrilled to meet Count Wirner.


    Viscount Holtz cleared his throat.


    ¡°Your Grace.¡± he said in a prodding tone.


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    Grand Duke Kaltbrand sighed and stood up.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Let us go greet, Father. Prepare a suitable reception, Erik.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Viscount Holtz said with a bow.


    He left my sitting room.


    ¡°Come along, Wulfe.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said.


    I sighed and followed the grand duke.


    ***


    A short time later, Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, and myself were all standing before the main entrance to Kaltbrand Castle. The grand duke stood at the forefront, while the knight commander and I stood a little behind him. Sir Kane stood behind me. Two rows of servants, headed by Viscount and Viscountess Holtz, lined the pathway leading up to the main entrance.


    This sort of reception was only reserved for the most honored of guests. The Reichwald Empire¡¯s one and only grand duke didn¡¯t greet just anyone like this.


    Behind the servants stood the majority of the Coldsteel Knights in their uniforms. This wasn¡¯t required by etiquette. Knight Commander Bardin ordered this to honor Count Wirner since he was her teacher and the former knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights.


    The sky was clean and clear today, with nary a cloud in sight. However, it was still freezing cold out, so everyone had bundled up. Early spring in the Barrens was equivalent to winter in any other part of the Reichwald Empire. It was still morning, so the sun had yet to reach its zenith.


    A carriage came into view a few minutes after Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, and myself arrived to greet Counter Wirner. The carriage bore the crest of House Wirner: a pair of swords crossed over a shield. Like House Kaltbrand, and many other noble houses in the Barrens, House Wirner was a family of warriors.


    The carriage stopped in front of the pathway and the door opened. A man who looked to be in his mid fifties stepped out. I guessed he was closer to his seventies, since he had the mana signature of an Aura Expert. He had pale skin and blue eyes. However, like Viscount Holtz, his hair was gray with age instead of black. Despite his apparent age, the man still looked strong and fit. He had sharp, aristocratic features and a noble bearing. If someone told me that this man was Grand Duke Kaltbrand, I would have believed them.


    Wait a moment. Those features looked familiar. Where have I¡­? I stiffened as a jolt ran down my spine and it took all of my willpower to not glance over at Knight Commander Bardin.


    Counter Wirner walked in our direction. As he passed by them, the servants bowed in his direction. The knights standing behind the servants all saluted in unison. Count Wirner nodded to them in acknowledgment, but continued walking. He stopped before us and bowed to Grand Duke Kaltbrand. The grand duke gave him a slight bow. Even though he was higher in status than Count Wirner, the older man was his former father-in-law.


    Knight Commander Bardin gave him a deeper bow, and I followed her example. He was her teacher, and my teacher¡¯s teacher.


    ¡°Anselm.¡± Count Wirner said after everyone raised from their bows. He wore an inscrutable expression on his face.


    ¡°Father.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, smiling despite the cold greeting.


    Counter Wirner glanced at me.


    ¡°Is this him?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. He gestured for me to step forward and I obeyed. ¡°This is my son, Wulfe. Wulfe, this is Count Wirner and my former father-in-law.¡±


    ¡°I greet you, Counter Wirner.¡± I said.


    Count Wirner grunted.


    ¡°Whoever taught the boy etiquette should be whipped,¡± he said. ¡°The grand duke¡¯s heir shouldn¡¯t bow to a mere count, unless they have some sort of connection.¡±


    If I hadn¡¯t already guessed that Knight Commander Bardin and Counter Wirner had some sort of familial connection, I would have then. They reacted in similar ways when I bowed to them, though for different reasons.


    ¡°But we do have a connection, Counter Wirner.¡± I said. ¡°You are my teacher¡¯s teacher.¡±


    His eyes widened by a fraction of an inch, before he glanced over at Knight Commander Bardin.


    ¡°Sofie?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, Teacher.¡± she said. ¡°I took Wulfe in as my disciple.¡±


    She put special emphasis on the word ¡°disciple¡± for some reason. Counter Wirner stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head.


    ¡°I see that it has become a family tradition.¡± he muttered to himself.


    What did he mean by that? However, before I could ponder it further, Grand Duke Kaltbrand spoke up and interrupted my thoughts.


    ¡°Now then, shall we head inside?¡± he asked. ¡°This isn¡¯t the place for the discussion I had in mind.¡±


    Count Wirner nodded. The four of us headed inside Kaltbrand Castle, with Sir Kane in tow. The servants and knights who came out to greet Count Wirner all dispersed to continue with their duties. As we walked through the halls of Kaltbrand Castle, Count Wirner glanced over at me.


    ¡°Why does your son have a personal knight when you don¡¯t, Anselm?¡± he asked.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand snorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need one, Father.¡± he said. ¡°Besides, I have Sofie here to protect me.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin rolled her eyes but otherwise didn¡¯t react. Given her words earlier, I expected her relationship with Count Wirner to be warmer than this. However, from what I could tell, the two seemed awkward around one another. They weren¡¯t hostile, but neither were they close. Was it because they were¡­? Maybe. At least Grand Duke Kaltbrand seemed to have a cordial relationship with his former father-in-law, even going so far as to call him ¡°Father¡±. Given that I was pretending to be the grand duke¡¯s illegitimate child, I expected worse.


    The four of us, and Sir Kane, ended up in one of Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s sitting rooms. We sat down as servants served us hot tea. After standing in the freezing cold outside, I welcomed the tea¡¯s warmth.


    ¡°How is Johann?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked.


    ¡°He is well.¡± Count Wirner said, sipping his tea. ¡°He and his wife are expecting their second child.¡±


    Lord Johann Wirner was the heir to House Wirner and the late grand duchess¡¯ twin brother.


    ¡°And yourself, Father?¡±


    Count Wirner shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been worse.¡± He glanced over at Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°How have you been, Sofie?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fine,¡± she said, sipping her own tea. ¡°Thank you for asking, Teacher.¡±


    An awkward silence fell over us as we drank our tea. It felt suffocating.


    ¡°For your son¡¯s sake, I think you should explain why you invited me here.¡± Count Wirner said, breaking the silence. ¡°He looks like he is expecting a fight to break out.¡±


    I did? I guess I wasn¡¯t as adept at hiding my emotions as I thought.


    ¡°Very well, Father.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Everyone, leave us.¡± The servants and Sir Kane bowed to him, before leaving the sitting room. Once the four of us were alone, he turned towards me. ¡°Wulfe, I invited Father here so he could pledge his support for you.¡±


    I stared at him. Over the past week, I noticed that the grand duke had a habit of saying the most absurd things in a nonchalant manner, as if he hadn¡¯t said anything strange or shocking.


    ¡°Forgive me for asking this, but why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®why?¡¯¡± the grand duke asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? You may be my son, and I¡¯ll support you as much as I can, but that won¡¯t be enough. You need to win over the northern lords. You¡¯re an unknown factor and you¡¯re illegitimate, both of which will work against you going forward.¡± He nodded towards Count Wirner. ¡°Father¡¯s support will go a long way towards correcting that.¡±


    I shook my head. Building a faction of my own, even one I planned on handing off to the grand duke¡¯s real heir, would take a lot of time and effort on my part. House Wirner was an old family with deep roots, meaning they wielded a significant amount of influence in the Barrens. Count Wirner¡¯s support would save me a lot of trouble. They also hadn¡¯t pledged themselves to any of the other potential heirs.


    Not only that, but several families would be reluctant to side with me in order to avoid offending Count Wirner, since the late grand duchess was his daughter. If he supported me, then that wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The question was, why would Counter Wirner want to support me and not one of the other potential heirs?


    ¡°I understand all of that.¡± I said. ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is why you asked Count Wirner, of all people, to pledge his support to me. Considering the circumstances, I¡¯m the last person he would want to support.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re his grandson,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, sipping her tea. She wore an indifferent expression, but her voice had an edge to it.


    Count Wirner¡¯s eyes widened by a fraction, but he otherwise didn¡¯t react. I guessed this was how he expressed surprise.


    ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve acknowledged our relationship in years.¡± he said.


    ¡°This is all for Wulfe¡¯s sake,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, her voice cold. ¡°However, make no mistake. You are my teacher, and only my teacher. Nothing more. You made that clear to me, and I have no intention of changing that. Not anymore.¡±


    I caught a hint of sorrow in Count Wirner¡¯s eyes. It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess that his relationship with Knight Commander Bardin was a complicated one, regardless of whatever blood ties they shared.


    I felt guilty for deceiving him, since I wasn¡¯t his actual grandson. When I accepted this job, I hadn¡¯t considered the full implications of it. When this was all over, a lot of people were going to be hurt and angry with us, unless the grand duke had a plan in mind. I would have to talk with him about that.


    ¡°I see.¡± Count Wirner said. A moment of silence passed, before he turned his attention to me. ¡°Your father is right. He invited me to pledge my support for you. However, that isn¡¯t why I am here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked. ¡°If you¡¯re not here to pledge support for Wulfe, then why did you accept my invitation?¡±


    Count Wirner looked me up and down.


    ¡°To determine whether or not your son is worthy of being the next Grand Duke,¡± he said. ¡°Regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, my loyalty is to House Kaltbrand first and foremost. If I do not believe he is worthy of becoming its next head, then I will not support him.¡± His eyes flickered towards Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°However, I will not work against him. That is the best I can do.¡±

 Chapter 13: House Guld

    Knight Commander Bardin glared at Count Wirner with a cold expression on her face. She reminded me of an unsheathed blade, ready to draw blood.


    ¡°And how do you plan on determining if Wulfe is a worthy heir or not?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll spend some time here and observe him.¡± Count Wirner said. ¡°I¡¯ll make my judgments based on what I witness for myself.¡± He looked over at the grand duke. ¡°Unless you have any objections.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand wore an annoyed expression on his face.


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± he said, his tone bordering on sarcasm. ¡°We would be honored to have you as our guest, Father.¡± He muttered the next part under his breath. ¡°Obstinate old man.¡±


    As an Aura Expert, Count Wirner¡¯s senses were sharp enough to pick up on the grand duke¡¯s words. However, Count Wirner ignored him and focused on me once more.


    ¡°Before all that, however,¡± he said. ¡°There is a question I must ask you. Your answer will determine if I should even bother observing you. If it doesn¡¯t satisfy me, then I might as well leave now.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin looked unhappy about this, but didn¡¯t raise any objections.


    ¡°Very well, my lord.¡± I said, meeting Count Wirner¡¯s eyes without flinching. ¡°Ask your question.¡±


    ¡°What is the most important quality one needs as the head of House Kaltbrand?¡± Count Wirner asked. ¡°I asked each of your¡­competitors this question at one point or another over the years, and they each gave me a different answer.¡± He gave me a sharp smile. ¡°I found none of them satisfactory, which is why I have remained neutral thus far.¡±


    I took a moment to think before answering his question.


    ¡°The answer to this question comes in two parts that are intertwined with one another,¡± I said. ¡°Compassion and strength.¡±


    Count Wirner¡¯s expression remained unchanged.


    ¡°Explain,¡± he said.


    ¡°Being the head of House Kaltbrand is a burden, one that requires personal sacrifice.¡± I said. ¡°While the position comes with many benefits and privileges, at its core it is a burden.¡± I paused for a moment. ¡°House Kaltbrand protects the rest of the Reichwald Empire from the demonic beasts that spawn at the Edge of the World. That is the source of their legitimacy. They are the ones who stand guard. The head of House Kaltbrand must have the compassion to bear such a heavy responsibility.¡±


    Count Wirner raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°That sounds more like a sense of duty to me than compassion.¡± he said.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°The founder of House Kaltbrand chose the Barrens as his domain,¡± I said. ¡°He chose to protect others from the demonic beasts that continued to emerge from the Edge of the World, even after their masters died. No one asked him to do it. He could have left it up to someone else. Instead, he chose to take on that burden himself. Why else would he do so if not out of a desire to protect others? If not out of compassion?¡±


    This was a choice I could empathize with. My mind flashed back to the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass. When I saw how many demonic beasts there were, I could have fled. Instead, I held my ground, even if it meant losing my own life. Back then, I knew that one mercenary wasn¡¯t enough to change the tide of the battle, not against those odds. However, every demonic beast that I killed meant there was one less demonic beast around to take innocent lives.


    ¡°However,¡± I continued. ¡°Compassion without strength is meaningless. Any burden, no matter how light, becomes heavier the longer one carries it. The head of House Kaltbrand must have the strength to defend the north. This is a burden they must be able to bear for the rest of their life. If they are too weak, then they will falter and others will suffer as a result.¡±


    As I spoke, Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, and Count Wirner all stared at me with varying expressions on their faces. Understanding and sorrow filled the grand duke¡¯s eyes. Knight Commander Bardin looked like her heart was breaking. Count Wirner seemed surprised, but recovered his composure soon enough.


    ¡°Is compassion even a requirement then?¡± he asked. ¡°It sounds to me like strength is more important.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Strength without compassion is tyranny.¡± I said. ¡°Those who have strength, but lack the compassion necessary to make sacrifices for others, will only pursue their own self interest. Why should they care about what happens to others? Someone like that would only care about the wealth, glory, and power of being the head of House Kaltbrand, not the responsibilities that come with the position.¡±


    Silence fell over the sitting room after I finished speaking. I maintained a calm facade, but inside I felt nervous. I didn¡¯t need Count Wirner¡¯s support, but it would be a great help to me. If he didn¡¯t like my answer, then my path going forward would be much more difficult. Despite my nervousness, I refrained from breaking the silence first, lest I reveal my weakness.


    Count Wirner studied me for several long moments with an inscrutable expression on his face.


    ¡°It will do.¡± he said.


    <hr>


    After that, our meeting ended. Grand Duke Kaltbrand summoned Viscount Holtz, to help Count Wirner get settled in, before returning to his study to focus on his own work. Ruling a domain as large as the Barrens required a lot of paperwork, and many decisions needed the grand duke¡¯s authority.


    Knight Commander Bardin also headed off. As the leader of the Coldsteel Knights, she was also quite busy herself. Count Wirner tried to go with her, so they could discuss something or another, but Knight Commander Bardin gave him a polite, but firm, refusal.


    This left me with a bit of free time, since I had a few hours before my successor lessons. I decided to head into Frostheart to do a bit of shopping. By this time next year, I would be on my way back to Guld Manor. Either they would accept me as one of their own, or they would reject me altogether. Regardless, I decided it would be best to arrive bearing gifts. After all, I had run off without saying a word to any of them except Lina. I doubted they were happy with me. Bringing gifts when I returned would do a lot to curb their anger.


    While Frostheart didn¡¯t have the same selection as Haven when it came to shopping, it was still a regional capital. If I put some effort into it, I could find something that even House Guld would appreciate. Since they were one of the wealthiest families in the Reichwald Empire, buying gifts for them was annoying because it was difficult to find something they didn¡¯t already have.


    My best option was finding luxury items created with mana crystals, such as jewelry. Mana crystals were often used to create magic tools and other enchanted items, but they could also be used for decorative purposes. Some artisans created items that were both practical and beautiful, such as enchanted jewelry. However, they were quite expensive, so only the nobility bought them. Mana crystals were cheaper here in the Barrens, so even commoners could afford the cheaper magic tools, but they were still expensive.


    I headed to Frostheart¡¯s shopping district with Sir Kane in tow. At first I wanted to walk there, but I decided against it. Instead, I took a carriage bearing the crest of House Kaltbrand. As the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand, I had to keep up appearances. During my previous explorations of the city, I went on foot while dressed as a commoner. Now that I looked the part of the heir, it was time I acted like one.


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    The carriage drew attention as we drove through Frostheart. This only worsened when it reached the shopping district and I stepped out. The nobles and wealthy commoners who frequented this part of the city stared at me and whispered to one another. A thread of nervousness wound its way around my heart.


    This reminded me of when I lived with House Guld. Back then, I drew all sorts of attention whenever we went out as a family, since I looked so different from the others. Then, as now, people whispered about me. Some of those whispers were harmless, but most were malicious.


    Despite my nervousness at drawing unwanted attention, I kept a calm facade and went about my business. Despite being the shopping district favored by nobles and wealthy commoners, this area looked no different from the rest of Frostheart: bleak buildings built from gray stone. However, the interiors were always cheery and colorful. That seemed to be an inherent part of the city¡¯s character. Cold and dreary facade but warm on the inside.


    The first few shops I went to didn¡¯t have anything that would interest the members of House Guld, which left me disappointed. However, the one after that sold musical items created with mana crystals, such as music instruments and music boxes. One magic music box in particular caught my attention. When opened, a tiny puppet that looked like a woman in a flowing dress danced to the tune of the music. The puppets movements were so lifelike that it looked like an actual woman. Her eyes were two tiny mana crystals.


    That said, it wasn¡¯t the puppet that caught my attention. It was the song itself. It was a traditional folk song from the Riverlands. Moth-¡­ Duchess Guld hummed that song when I first accompanied her and Duke Guld to Guld Manor. It had been just after I learned that House Guld had adopted me. I listened to the song and thought back on that day.


    <hr>


    The duke, the duchess, and I had arrived at Guld Manor in a carriage bearing the crest of House Guld. The duchess was humming a song, her voice pleasing to the ears. I stared at the estate through the carriage¡¯s window. It consisted of a massive three-story mansion, which served as the main building, with a number of annexes. Each building looked like a work of art. Extensive gardens surrounded them all.


    I was still unable to believe that this would be my new home. It felt like a dream, too good to be true. However, it was the kind of dream I never wanted to wake up from. A family and a home, it was everything I could ever want.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay for me to live here?¡± I asked, turning to face Duke Guld.


    He gave me a warm smile. The duke was a handsome man. Whenever he smiled, it was like watching the sun rise. Like his children, he had sun-kissed skin, golden blonde hair, and vibrant green eyes. While he wasn¡¯t a warrior, he had a toned physique. He had strong features, which gave him a dashing air.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, his voice rich and deep. ¡°This is your home now.¡±


    ¡°You are our son now, Wulfram.¡± Duchess Guld said. ¡°Always remember that.¡±


    I looked over at her. The duchess had cream-colored skin and golden eyes. Like her daughters, Duchess Guld had the face of an angel: soft and delicate. She had blonde hair. However, instead of gold, it reminded me of sunlight.


    This was because the duchess had been a member of the imperial family who married into House Guld, though I found out about this later. Those born into House Reichwald were said to be blessed by the Goddess of Light, thus their hair and eyes.


    The carriage stopped in front of the main entrance to Guld Manor. Two rows of servants flanked the path leading to the door. At the far end, stood four people: three children and a middle-aged woman. I recognized the three children, since I saw them back in Towerton.


    There was a boy who seemed to be two or so years older than me. He looked like a younger version of his father. There was of course Lina, the eldest girl, who still looked like a young spring goddess. She was about a year older than me. My face flushed and my heart sped up when I saw her. Standing next to her was a girl, who looked to be five or six years old, with cherubic features. She was so cute that I wanted to run over and pinch her little cheeks. All three children wore green and gold clothing.


    The middle-aged woman, who I didn¡¯t recognize, was tall and thin. She wore a severe looking brown dress. In fact, severe was the best word to describe her. Severe dress, severe features, severe expression. Something about her scared me, though I couldn¡¯t figure out what. She was severe looking, yes, but that was it. She didn¡¯t seem threatening at all, yet I feared her all the same.


    After the carriage stopped, a servant opened the door. Duke and Duchess Guld stepped out first, before the duke reached over and helped me get out. His hand felt warm. I was small and thin for my age, due to a lifetime of malnutrition, so I had a little difficulty getting out of the carriage on my own.


    It was summer, so the day was hot and warm. I felt uncomfortable in my new clothing, since I wasn¡¯t used to noble garb, but I kept my complaints to myself. I was just grateful to have new clothes at all. At the orphanage, we wore rags more often than not. The smell of flowers filled the air.


    Still holding the duke¡¯s hand, I followed Duke and Duchess Guld as they walked towards the main entrance. Fear and hope blossomed in my heart. As we passed them by, the rows of servants bowed to us. It felt odd to have anyone bowing to me, and I kept close to the duke.


    When we reached the end of the path, the four people waiting for us there bowed. The middle-aged woman bowed the deepest, while the children gave shallower bows.


    ¡°Welcome back, Father,¡± the children said in unison. ¡°Mother.¡±


    ¡°Welcome back, Your Grace,¡± the middle-aged woman said. Even her voice sounded severe. ¡°And Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± Duke Guld said, smiling at them. ¡°I would like to introduce you to Wulfram.¡±


    Four pairs of eyes stared at me. Overcome by shyness, I hid behind Duke Guld and peeked out at them. The older boy and the younger girl gave me curious looks, while Lina wore a complicated expression on her face. However, the middle-aged woman¡¯s eyes were cold and unfriendly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you recognize him.¡± the duke continued. ¡°He¡¯s the one who saved Lina¡¯s life in Towerton. As a reward for his actions, your mother and I decided to adopt him into the family. I want you all to treat him as your own flesh and blood.¡±


    The older boy and the younger girl looked surprised, but not displeased, by this. Lina frowned. The middle-aged woman¡¯s expression remained the same.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± Duchess Guld said. ¡°These are our other children. The oldest is Siegfried.¡± She smiled as she said this next part. ¡°Lina is our second oldest. And our youngest is Mika.¡± She gestured to the middle-aged woman. ¡°This is Baroness Melitta Lafrenz, our family¡¯s nanny. She¡¯ll be in charge of your education and general wellbeing.¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said, still peeking out from behind Duke Guld.


    Siegfried grinned at me.


    ¡°Hello Wulfram,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m your new big brother. You can call me Sieg.¡±


    Mika gave me a curious look, before she ran over and gave me a hug. I flinched, but otherwise didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°Hi.¡± she said in a cute voice, before running back to her previous spot while giggling.


    Their friendly greetings drove back my fear and I stopped hiding behind Duke Guld. As I did so, Lina crossed her arms and gave me an imperious look.


    ¡°No.¡± she said. ¡°You are not my brother. I will never accept you as my brother.¡±


    Her words hit me like a punch in the gut and left me breathless. Everyone else looked at her in surprise, except for Baroness Lafrenz.


    ¡°Lina!¡± Duke Guld snapped.


    ¡°Apologize to Wulfram this instant!¡± Duchess Guld commanded.


    Lina ignored her parents and turned around, before stomping off into Guld Manor. Well, stomping was the wrong word. Her movements were far too elegant and graceful for that.


    ¡°Lina, get back here!¡± the duke said, chasing after his eldest daughter.


    ¡°Baroness Lafrenz, please take Wulfram and help him settle in while Karl and I deal with Lina.¡± the duchess said. ¡°Siegfried, look after Mika.¡±


    After giving out her orders, she followed her husband and her eldest daughter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take what Lina said to heart.¡± Sieg said, giving me an apologetic look.


    He took Mika¡¯s hand and headed inside Guld Manor, leaving me with Baroness Lafrenz.


    ¡°Follow me, Lord Wulfram.¡± she said in her severe voice. ¡°I shall take you to your rooms.¡±


    Still feeling numb by Lina¡¯s rejection, I nodded. I followed the baroness, too dazed to pay much attention to my surroundings.


    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Baroness Lafrenz said when we reached my rooms.


    It was a large and opulent space, a paradise for someone like me, but I wasn¡¯t in the mood to appreciate it. After we entered, the baroness shut the door behind us. It closed with an ominous sounding click. Once we were alone, her demeanor changed. It grew colder and more severe, which hadn¡¯t seemed possible until that moment.


    ¡°While we have a moment to ourselves, Lord Wulfram,¡± Baroness Lafrenz said. ¡°I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight, lest you forget your place.¡± She leaned down. ¡°You are not a true Guld.¡±


    I blinked at her in surprise.


    ¡°But the duke and the duchess-¡­¡± I started to say, but the baroness cut me off.


    ¡°His Grace and Her Grace are too soft and kind for their own good,¡± she said. ¡°Leaving it up to me to explain the truth to you, so you don¡¯t misunderstand your purpose here.¡±

 Chapter 14: Substitute

    An icy claw gripped my heart when I heard Baroness Lafrenz¡¯s words. I was afraid to hear what she would say next, but I couldn¡¯t muster up the strength to stop her.


    ¡°Emmerich Guld, the real second son of House Guld, fell into a river a short time ago.¡± Baroness Lafrenz explained. ¡°While we all wish for him to be found alive, Lord Emmerich is more than likely dead. His absence has left a hole in House Guld, so His Grace and Her Grace decided to bring in a substitute to take his place.¡± She nodded towards me. ¡°That substitute is you, Lord Wulfram. However, make no mistake. You are not a real Guld. Think of yourself as a bandage to help heal the broken hearts of everyone here, nothing more.¡±


    Tears pricked my eyes and I clenched my fists. She was lying, she had to be. The duke and duchess¡¯ kindness was too warm, too genuine. There was no way she was telling the truth.


    Yet, a part of me couldn¡¯t help but feel doubt. It all made sense now. This had all been too good to be true. There was no way a family like House Guld would want someone like me for, well, me. They wanted to use me.


    I tried to ignore this part of myself, but its words seeped into my heart like poison.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± I yelled. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell the duke and the duchess what you said!¡±


    The baroness gave me a cold smile in return.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she said. ¡°They will only tell you the same thing. The only reason why they left it up to me in the first place was so they could keep up the pretense. However, if you confront them with the truth, they will have no reason to continue acting as they have. Is that what you want, Lord Wulfram?¡±


    Her words doused my anger. No, I didn¡¯t want that. I didn¡¯t want that at all. Despite our short time together, I needed the warmth and kindness I received from Duke and Duchess Guld. No, I craved it. It was like sitting next to a fire on a cold winter¡¯s night. I feared losing it more than anything else, even if it wasn¡¯t real.


    ¡°In fact,¡± the baroness continued. ¡°His Grace and Her Grace might end up sending you back to the orphanage they found you in. After all, they brought you here to fulfill a specific purpose. If you refuse to play your part, then you are useless to them and useless things get discarded. Do you want to be discarded, Lord Wulfram?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t go back to the orphanage, not after experiencing what it was like to have a family and a home. I would do anything to stay here, even if it meant being a substitute.


    ¡°Then be a good boy and listen to me.¡± Baroness Lafrenz said. ¡°As long as you do that, you can stay here and enjoy all the benefits that come with being a member of House Guld. Think of it as a contract or a bargain. Fulfill your end of the bargain, and you shall be paid for your efforts. Do you understand?¡±


    I nodded. If I thought about it like that, it wasn¡¯t too different from the odd jobs I worked back at the orphanage. Despite this, I couldn¡¯t help but drown in sorrow. The first time I ever felt loved, and it wasn¡¯t real. It was transactional, nothing more.


    ¡°When you and I are alone, you can be yourself, Lord Wulfram. However, in front of anyone else, you must play your part.¡± She frowned at me. ¡°You¡¯re an imperfect substitute for Lord Emmerich, so we¡¯ll have to work hard to make up for your deficiencies. Don¡¯t worry. I shall teach you. For your first, and most important, lesson repeat after me: I am not a real Guld. I am a substitute.¡±


    I stared at her for several long seconds, before I opened my mouth and repeated her words.


    ¡°I am not a real Guld.¡± I said. ¡°I am a substitute.¡±


    Baroness Lafrenz grabbed my shoulder and leaned forward to whisper into my ear.


    ¡°I want you to repeat those words to yourself whenever you¡¯re alone.¡± she said. ¡°I want you to etch them into your bones, so you never forget that you are a fake and nothing more.¡±


    The baroness stood up straight.


    ¡°Say it again.¡± she commanded.


    ¡°I am not a real Guld. I am a substitute.¡±


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°I am not a real Guld. I am a substitute.¡±


    <hr>


    I spent the rest of the day in a listless mood. The whirlwind of emotions I had endured, exhausted me and left me with little energy to enjoy the rest of my homecoming. When it came time for dinner, I mustered up some enthusiasm to enjoy the meal, but Duke and Duchess Guld must have realized that something was wrong. They asked me about it several times, but I just told them that I was tired after everything that had happened. It was clear from their expressions that they didn¡¯t believe me, but they let it go.


    I almost broke right then and there. The worry in their eyes seemed genuine and I thought that maybe, just maybe, Baroness Lafrenz had lied to me. However, I refrained in the end. I couldn¡¯t take the risk that she wasn¡¯t lying, and that the kindness they had shown me so far had been nothing more than an act. So I kept my thoughts to myself and muddled through dinner.


    After we finished eating, the other children and I prepared for bed. This turned out to be more involved than I was used to, especially with servants helping me wash up and get dressed in a separate set of clothes just for sleeping, so I was even more exhausted by the time we were done. Duke and Duchess Guld tucked me into bed. The duchess sat on bed beside me, while the duke stood off to the side.


    ¡°What do you think of your new home, Wulfram?¡± the duke asked.


    ¡°I like it here.¡± I said, smiling at him despite the pain in my heart. ¡°It¡¯s warm and beautiful. Thank you for bringing me here, Your Grace.¡±


    Duke Guld gave me a stern look.


    ¡°Father.¡± he said.


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Call me ¡®Father,¡¯ Wulfram.¡± the duke said.


    ¡°And call me ¡®Mother¡¯.¡± Duchess Guld said, giving me a kind smile. ¡°We¡¯re your parents now. You don¡¯t have to be so formal with us.¡±


    Tears pricked my eyes, though I held them back as best I could. Why? Why would they do this to me if I was just a substitute for their missing son? Their real son? Still, as painful as this was, it was still better than living in the orphanage.


    ¡°Father.¡± I said, my voice thick with emotion. ¡°Mother.¡±


    Duchess Guld embraced me.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± she said, before pulling away. ¡°Now, get some sleep. You have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow.¡±


    I nodded. Duke and Duchess Guld turned off the mana crystal lamps, before leaving my bedroom. I waited for a few minutes, keeping an ear out to make sure I was alone. When I didn¡¯t hear anything, the tears I had been holding back this entire time started to fall. They streamed down my cheeks, and I curled up into a ball as I let out racking sobs. However, crying brought no relief or release. The pain in my heart never eased. If anything, it grew worse.


    Lost in my misery, I didn¡¯t notice the intruder who snuck into my room until they touched my shoulder. Caught by surprise, I yelped and flailed about. I got entangled in my sheets and fell off my bed.


    ¡°Wulfram!¡± a girl¡¯s voice. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


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    A pair of hands helped me get untangled from my sheets. When I was free, I looked up to find Lina crouching next to me. I could make out her features despite the darkness. The orphanage used candles, since mana crystal lamps and oil lamps were expensive, and only sparingly. After night fell, the orphans often navigated in complete darkness to get around, allowing us to hone our night vision. Lina wore a concerned expression on her face.


    ¡°I apologize for startling you.¡± she said in a sincere tone. ¡°I tried calling out to you, but you didn¡¯t hear me.¡± Her hand caressed my cheek. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡±


    My face flushed with shame and embarrassment when I realized that Lina, the spring goddess, had caught me in such a disgraceful state. I covered myself with my sheets and hunched over to hide my face. After everything that had happened, the last thing I wanted was to do was face Lina. I didn¡¯t think I could bear it if she decided to mock me for my weakness.


    However, to my surprise, Lina didn¡¯t reprimand me or mock me. Instead, I felt her wrap an arm around my shoulders.


    ¡°Let them out.¡± she said in a gentle voice. ¡°Let the tears out. Don¡¯t worry about anything else. I¡¯m here for you.¡±


    Her unexpected kindness surprised me. I thought she hated me, since she rejected me as her brother earlier. Still, her words shattered what little self-control I had left and I started crying again. This time around, the ugliness inside me drained away with my tears. The pain in my heart faded away, until only a dull ache remained. When I finished crying, my eyes felt sore and my throat felt rough.


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± Lina asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Enough to look at me?¡±


    I stilled at that.


    ¡°I¡¯m covered in tears and snot.¡± I said, my voice muffled by the sheets.


    Lina giggled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that.¡± she said. ¡°In fact, I have a handkerchief if you want to wipe your face clean.¡±


    I paused for a moment before nodding. With some trepidation, I sat up straight and removed the sheets covering my head. When I looked at Lina again, I found her looking at me with a gentle expression on her face. She held a handkerchief in her hand. I reached over to take it from her, but she shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, her voice stern. ¡°Let me.¡±


    I sucked in a breath and held still as Lina reached over and wiped my face clean with her handkerchief. It was the first time someone had ever done anything like this for me, and I didn¡¯t know how to react. When Lina finished, she studied her work for a moment before giving me a satisfied look.


    ¡°Did anyone ever tell you that you look pretty when you cry?¡± she asked.


    My jaw dropped.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I already knew you were handsome,¡± she continued, as if she hadn¡¯t heard me. ¡°But when you cry, you look like a work of art.¡±


    My eyes widened. Lina thought I was handsome? Despite her odd words, I felt pleased.


    ¡°I want you to promise me something, Wulfram.¡± Lina said, leaning in closer. ¡°Promise me that you¡¯ll never show this side of yourself to anyone else. Promise that you¡¯ll only show it to me. I want to keep it all to myself.¡±


    Her green eyes bored into me with a strange intensity. I almost wanted to look away, but her gaze held me captive.


    ¡°Uh,¡± I said, my voice trailing off. ¡°I promise?¡±


    Lina beamed at me.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± she said, before sitting beside me and pulling her knees up.


    We spent the next several seconds in silence, sitting side by side. Now that I stopped crying, I felt her warmth as she pressed against my side. She wore some kind of nightgown, which gave her an ethereal look.


    ¡°Why were you crying?¡± Lina asked, breaking the silence. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, that is.¡±


    For a moment, I thought about telling her the truth. However, in the end, I decided against it. If she knew why her parents had adopted me, then there wasn¡¯t any point in bringing it up. If she didn¡¯t know, then I didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell her. What if that ruined everything? It was better to keep it to myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not used to all¡­¡± I gestured to the room around us. ¡°¡­this. It was overwhelming.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± she said in an understanding tone. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. I know the place where you used to live is very different from Guld Manor. Anyone would be overwhelmed by such a drastic change in environment.¡±


    I noticed it earlier, though I hadn¡¯t given it much thought at the time, but Lina spoke more like an adult than a child. Her words were very mature.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to it. I just need some time.¡±


    Lina wrapped her arm around my shoulders once more.


    ¡°If you feel overwhelmed like this again, let me know.¡± she said. ¡°I will hold you while you cry.¡±


    I felt touched by her words, though a part of me wondered if she just wanted to see me cry again. Still, I felt a fluttering of hope in my heart.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said, giving her a small smile. I hesitated before asking my next question, but I had to know. ¡°Since you¡¯re being this nice to me, does this mean you accept me as your brother?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lina said in a hard voice. ¡°I will never accept you as my brother.¡±


    The fluttering hope in my heart died out. Tears pricked my eyes again.


    ¡°However, I don¡¯t want you to misunderstand,¡± she continued. ¡°I may not accept you as my brother, but I will still love and protect you.¡±


    I blinked at her in confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be family with someone to love them.¡± she said, before turning to look at me. Our faces were so close together that I could feel her breath. ¡°Do you know what I thought when I first saw you, back in Towerton?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I thought you were a soft-hearted fool.¡± she said in a warm voice. ¡°Who else would risk their life like that for a complete stranger?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to react to that. Her words sounded like an insult, yet her tone suggested otherwise.


    ¡°After you saved my life,¡± Lina continued. ¡°I realized the best way to repay was to love and protect you. The world is unkind to soft-hearted fools. Clearly you need someone like me to keep you safe from the bad people out there who would take advantage of your kind nature.¡±


    I stared at her in disbelief. Just what kind of person did she think I was? A pushover? Back in the orphanage, we all looked out for each other out of necessity, but we never let anyone take advantage of us. Pushovers didn¡¯t last long. Still, I wasn¡¯t displeased by Lina¡¯s words.


    ¡°You want to love and protect me,¡± I said, speaking each word with care. ¡°But not as my sister.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Lina said with a nod. ¡°If you love and protect me, I¡¯ll love and protect you.¡± She narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°However, you must never consider me your sister. In return, I won¡¯t consider you my brother. Understood?¡±


    I nodded, though I didn¡¯t understand what Lina meant. Not really. Even back then, she had viewed our relationship with an eye to the future. She was thinking in the long-term. Considering that she was only a year older than me, it was a little frightening. However, I never realized any of this until much later, when I left Guld Manor, and I found out that Lina reciprocated my feelings. That was when I came up with the idea to earn a noble title in order to become a true member of House Guld instead of a substitute. That said, this was all several years into the future from this point.


    After I agreed to Lina¡¯s words, the two of us sat in silence again for the next few minutes.


    ¡°Do you want to know what I thought when I first saw you?¡± I asked, feeling a bit shy. Despite this, I continued on. After all, she told me what she thought. I figured it was fair for me to do the same. ¡°I thought you were an angel, or a spring goddess.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened, before she giggled and reached over to pat my head.


    ¡°I knew I made the right choice in picking you.¡± she said.


    I flushed at her words. Her hand felt nice on my head, and I felt a bit sad when she stopped.


    ¡°Though, I don¡¯t know if I want to be an angel or a goddess.¡± Lina said, tapping her lips with her finger. ¡°Divine beings are far too removed from the mortal world for my liking.¡± She looked thoughtful for a moment. ¡°Aha! A queen. Yes, that works. Instead of a spring goddess, I¡¯ll be your spring queen. What do you think?¡±


    I nodded. Angel. Goddess. Queen. It didn¡¯t matter to me. As long as Lina kept me by her side, I was fine.


    ¡°That would make you my winter king.¡± Lina said, looking pleased with herself. ¡°Given the color of your hair and eyes, it¡¯s likely that you or your ancestors came from the Barrens, a land of ice and snow.¡±


    I stared at her with wide eyes.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not a king.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m just an orphan.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at me. Her gaze contained the same intensity from earlier.


    ¡°If I say you¡¯re my winter king, then you¡¯re my winter king. End of story. Understood?¡±


    I nodded. My intuition told me that disagreeing with her wouldn¡¯t end well for me.


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Lina said, beaming at me and patting my head.


    After that, the two of us sat next to each other in silence, before I started to nod off. Lina left, while I climbed back into bed. Thus ended my first day at Guld Manor.


    <hr>


    ¡°Would you like to purchase this music box?¡± one of the music shop employees said, pulling me back to the present.


    I nodded. The music box would make a good present for Mina, who enjoyed these sorts of things. Or she had when I left. A lot could change in three years.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift, so wrap it up,¡± I said. ¡°Send the bill to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    The music shop employee¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the implications of my words, before he gave me a hasty bow and wrapped up the music box for me. Afterwards, I left the music shop and continued searching for gifts for the members of House Guld, humming the folk song as I went.

 Chapter 15: Going Out For A Hunt

    The next few days after Count Wirner arrived at Kaltbrand Castle were rather uneventful. The count¡¯s presence turned out to be less intrusive than I expected. Not much changed in my daily schedule. I spent my mornings in training, my afternoons at successor lessons, and my evenings with Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin, where the three of us planned for the upcoming banquet. The only difference was that I would sometimes catch Count Wirner observing me from a distance.


    In the beginning I expected him to continue to question and test me about my qualifications to be the heir to House Kaltbrand. However, it soon became clear that Count Wirner was content to watch me from afar. At first I found it a little unnerving, but I soon grew used to his presence.


    One thing I noticed, however, was the strange relationship between Knight Commander Bardin and Count Wirner. There was an awkwardness between them. It was something I noticed when the count first arrived. Knight Commander Bardin respected Count Wirner, that much was obvious, yet she also treated him with cold indifference and kept him at a distance. It was also obvious that Count Wirner didn¡¯t like this current state of affairs. I guessed he wanted a closer relationship with Knight Commander Bardin, who was his daughter as well as his disciple.


    My intuition told me that the two had a complicated history. Otherwise things wouldn¡¯t have gotten to this point. I was curious about that history, but I kept my mouth shut and didn¡¯t ask questions. It wasn¡¯t any of my business. I was Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple, but that didn¡¯t give me the right to pry into her private affairs. If I were her actual son, instead of just a fake, perhaps things would be different. However, I wasn¡¯t, so the point was moot.


    In other news, the twins kept an eye on the Kaltbrand Castle servants for me, watching for any suspicious activity. They hadn¡¯t found anything yet, which was either a good sign or a bad one. It either meant that no one had made any moves against me and House Kaltbrand yet, or they were subtle enough to avoid the twins¡¯ attention. The only thing they were able to tell me was that Kaltbrand Castle, as well as Frostheart, was abuzz with news of my arrival.


    I also had the twins keep me informed of any news about the other potential heirs and their houses. So far, none of them had made any suspicious moves. House Steuben, House Arbeit, and House Gerhard were still hives of activity. The potential heirs and their families were meeting with their allies and vassals, no doubt coming up with ideas on how to respond to my appearance. However, I didn¡¯t expect this current state of affairs to last for long. Someone would act. The only question was, who would be first?


    After giving it some thought, I decided to take a more proactive approach instead of waiting for the potential heirs to move first. Of the four of us, my position was both the weakest and the strongest. The weakest since I didn¡¯t have much support among the northern lords. The strongest because I had Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s backing. The more I strengthened my position, the better. That way, when I left after the year was up, Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s real heir wouldn¡¯t have as much trouble to deal with.


    To that end, I asked the twins, or the Blue Shadows rather, to take a deeper look into the potential heirs, starting with Lady Adelheid Gerhard. Of my three ¡°rivals¡±, she had the weakest position. Hopefully, that meant she was also the easiest to deal with. At a minimum, I needed to eliminate her as a threat. However, I would prefer to sway her to my side and have her join my faction. That way, I could make her strength my own.


    For that to happen, I needed to know more about what drove her. Why did she want to become the heir to House Kaltbrand? Wealth? Power? Glory? Or did she have some other goal in mind? If I knew what she wanted, it would give me a better idea of how to deal with her. I hoped that the Blue Shadows would find something I could use.


    The days passed like that, one after the other, quiet and peaceful. As restful as it was, I also found it a bit dull. Over the past three years, I had spent most of my time hunting demonic beasts. However, ever since I came to Kaltbrand Castle, the only time I drew my sword was for training with Knight Commander Bardin. I enjoyed it, yet a part of me yearned for battle. I was a warrior, not an administrator.


    The gods must have been listening, because my wish soon came true.


    <hr>


    One day, just after I had finished with my successor lessons, I had been on my way back to my rooms when a messenger intercepted me. Grand Duke Kaltbrand wished to see me in his study. I thanked the messenger, before heading to the study, where I found the Grand Duke, Knight Commander Bardin, and Count Wirner waiting for me.


    ¡°You wished to see me, Dad?¡± I asked after greeting everyone.


    By this point, I had gotten used to calling the grand duke ¡°Dad¡±. However, I still hadn¡¯t called Knight Commander Bardin ¡°Mom¡±. Gods willing, I would never have to.


    ¡°Yes, Wulfe,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said with a serious expression on his face. ¡°One of our patrols has sighted a group of demonic beasts led by a few Proteans close to a nearby village.¡±


    I resisted the urge to let out a curse. Proteans were a rare kind of demonic beast, and dangerous ones at that. They were Rank Three, meaning they were equivalent to Aura Experts in terms of strength, speed, and toughness. That alone was troublesome enough. However, it was their¡­unique characteristics that made them more dangerous than the average Aura Expert.


    Proteans, as their name suggested, had no set form. They were shape-changers with malleable bodies. By default, they were giant lumps of flesh, each one about the size of a small house. However, they had the ability to form any kind of body part they wished, human or otherwise, from any location of their body. Eyes, mouths, limbs, etc. This, combined with the sense of wrongness that all demonic beasts exuded, made them grotesque abominations in every sense of the word.


    Their favorite method of killing was to devour their victims alive. For the truly unlucky ones, this could take hours or even days, as the Protean took its time to savor its meal. Because of this, no one hunted Proteans alone. Instead, they went after them in groups. That way, if someone got caught by a Protean, their comrades could attempt a rescue.


    Due to their size and toughness, Proteans were difficult to kill. Fortunately, each Protean had a ¡°core¡± that acted as their heart. The easiest way to kill one, aside from using divine power, was to destroy their core. The problem was that the core had no set location, since a Protean could shift it around to any point in their body.


    Other than that, the only way to kill a Protean was to inflict massive amounts of damage and cut away pieces of its body. This wasn¡¯t a problem for Aura Masters like myself. However, for everyone else, fighting a Protean became a dangerous and grueling slog.


    The only time I had ever fought Proteans was during the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass. That was how rare they were, despite the prevalence of demonic beasts in the Barrens. Sometimes, when I had nightmares about that battle, I heard the screams of men and women being eaten alive by Proteans.


    ¡°At first I thought about just sending Sofie here to lead a contigent of knights to wipe the demonic beasts out.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°However, after giving it some thought, I decided that this was a good opportunity for you to show off your strength.¡±


    I nodded. That made sense. Watching an Aura Master in battle was different from watching one spar. This was a good chance to elevate my standing among the Coldsteel Knights, as well as the people of the Barrens in general. After all, House Kaltbrand were the guardians and protectors of the north. It was part of the foundation of their rule and the source of their legitimacy.


    ¡°Very well, Dad,¡± I said. ¡°When would you like for me to leave?¡±


    ¡°Within the hour,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°While the demonic beasts were sighted some distance away from the village, the sooner we deal with them the better.¡± He gestured to Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°You¡¯ll accompany Sofie for this mission. She will be in command. While you are my heir, she is the leader of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. Follow her lead. However, I want you to take this opportunity to observe her on the field and learn as much as you can. Do you understand, Wulfe?¡±


    I nodded. I would have done that even if he hadn¡¯t told me. The chance to see the legendary Knight Commander Bardin in action? Only a fool would pass that up.


    ¡°Yes, Dad,¡± I said.


    ¡°I will accompany you as well,¡± Count Wirner interjected. ¡°As an observer, not a participant.¡± He glanced at Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°Sofie and the knights of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade are more than capable of dealing with a few Proteans. An old man like me won¡¯t make much of a difference.¡± He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°This mission will also give me an opportunity to observe you on the field, away from the comforts of Kaltbrand Castle.¡±


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    I suspected as much. Otherwise, why else would the count be here, in the grand duke¡¯s office? As far as I knew, Count Wirner wasn¡¯t involved in House Kaltbrand¡¯s affairs. Not anymore at least.


    ¡°Do you have any objections?¡± Count Wirner asked, as if challenging me.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I said. ¡°In fact, I look forward to it. As the former leader of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, you have decades of experience in dealing with demonic beasts. I would appreciate it if you shared some of your insights with me.¡±


    Count Wirner raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised,¡± he said. ¡°Considering you became an Aura Master at such a young age, I figured there wasn¡¯t anything you would care to learn from a mere Aura Expert like me.¡±


    ¡°I may be an Aura Master,¡± I said. ¡°However, there is so much more for me to learn. To turn down the chance to learn from someone like you, simply because you are an Aura Expert, would be the height of arrogance.¡±


    Count Wirner studied me for several seconds, as if judging the sincerity of my words, before nodding.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Now that everything is settled, you¡¯d best be off. The village is only a few hours away from here, so if you leave now, it will be well before nightfall by the time you arrive. It¡¯s a good thing too, since fighting Proteans in the dark sounds like a nightmarish experience.¡± He looked over at Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°See that Wulfe is fitted with some coldsteel armor before you leave. Since he¡¯s an Aura Master, he doesn¡¯t need it as much, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said. ¡°What kind of fool do you take me for? There¡¯s no need to state the obvious.¡±


    With that, Knight Commander Bardin, Count Wirner, and I said our goodbyes and left the grand duke¡¯s office.


    <hr>


    Several hours later, the three of us arrived at the village with a contingent of Coldsteel Knights in tow. To preserve our strength, we all rode horses even though it would have been faster for us to run to the village on our own two feet. When it came to battle, even the tiniest sliver of stamina could make all the difference between life and death. It was late afternoon. Nightfall was only a few hours away.


    After leaving the grand duke¡¯s office, Knight Commander Bardin and I headed to the annex where the Coldsteel Knights were headquartered, in order to fit me with some coldsteel armor. Count Wirner went off to make his own preparations. As Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, I didn¡¯t need coldsteel armor, or armor in general, as much as other Aura users, since I was an Aura Master. However, it would allow me to converse my mana, meaning I would be able to fight for longer.


    After that, I went off to collect my bodyguards so they could join us. While I could have left them behind, I decided not to. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have let me hear the end of it. It took some effort to wake Viktor up, though we managed in the end. My bodyguards watched over me in shifts. Sir Kane guarded me in the morning, Elise guarded me in the afternoons, and Viktor guarded me during the night. At first, Viktor grumbled at being woken up before his shift, but when I told him that we were going to fight demonic beasts, he grew excited.


    Soon, all of our preparations were done. Knight Commander Bardin and I met up with Count Wirner again, before heading out with a contingent of Coldsteel Knights in tow. Each knight carried both a spear and sword. Despite the name of their order, the Coldsteel Knights were trained to use both the spear and the sword, though they much preferred the latter.


    To my surprise, along with the count and the knights, two others joined us: a priest of the God of Darkness and a priestess of the God of Light. Both could wield divine power, which would be helpful when we faced the demonic beasts.


    When our group arrived at the village, we found it deserted for the most part. The only people we found were the patrol who spotted the group of demonic beasts in the first place. Good. The patrol must have warned the village about the demonic beasts and the villagers chose to evacuate. That meant we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about innocents getting caught up in the battle. Since we hadn¡¯t seen them on our way here, they must have fled in another direction.


    The village itself was typical of its kind, at least for the Barrens. It consisted of a dozen or so wooden buildings, surrounded by a wooden palisade. Given the dangers that lurked in the north, even the smallest hamlet had some kind of defensive structure like this in place. Most wouldn¡¯t last long against demonic beasts, but they weren¡¯t meant to. They were meant to buy enough time for help to arrive or for the villagers to escape.


    Knight Commander Bardin and I met up with the patrol to learn more about the group of demonic beasts. Count Wirner hung back and just observed. The soldiers of the patrol gave me speculative looks as they reported to Knight Commander Bardin, but kept any questions they had to themselves.


    We learned that the group of demonic beasts consisted of about half a dozen Proteans, as well as hundreds of Rank Two and Rank One demonic beasts. By some miracle, the patrol managed to notice the group without being noticed themselves, allowing them to sneak away to report what they saw and warn the nearest village. The patrol consisted of Aura Warriors, so if the demonic beasts had seen them, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten away.


    After the patrol gave their report, Knight Commander Bardin ordered them to leave and then started barking out orders to the Coldsteel Knights. She had everyone dismount and take up defensive positions behind the wooden palisade in order to use it as cover. The knights, led by their officers, moved to obey her orders almost before she even finished giving them.


    Watching a group of well-trained knights work together as a unit like this was an informative experience for me. As a mercenary, I worked alone most of the time. The few times I worked with a group, it was as part of a loose collection of mercenaries who came together in order to hunt particularly powerful or troublesome demonic beasts. The only time I worked as part of a group as organized as this was for the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass.


    As I observed Knight Commander Bardin, I asked Count Wirner a few questions in order to clarify the things I didn¡¯t understand. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt my teacher, and he was the next best person to ask. To my delight, Count Wirner explained the reasoning behind Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s actions in a way I could understand.


    While I doubted I would ever use this knowledge during my time as the fake heir to House Kaltbrand, there was always the chance that I would. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if I planned on putting down my sword after I left the Barrens. If House Guld accepted me, I would join the Order of the Golden Rose and work my way towards becoming knight commander. If House Guld didn¡¯t accept me¡­As painful as that would be, I would survive. In that case, I would join the Imperial Guard and work my way towards becoming the knight commander there.


    While the Coldsteel Knights moved into position, the priest and priestess who accompanied us weren¡¯t idle. The priest of the God of Darkness blessed the wooden palisade, imbuing it with some of his divine power. This would strengthen the palisade and make it more difficult for the demonic beasts to break through. As for the priestess of the Goddess of Light, she blessed the Coldsteel Knights themselves, which would keep them safer during the upcoming battle.


    Given that each Coldsteel Knight was an Aura Expert, all of these preparations might have seemed excessive to some. However, when dealing with demonic beasts, it was better to be safe than sorry. While Rank One and Rank Two demonic beasts were much weaker than Aura Experts, they could still overwhelm them with sheer numbers alone.


    Once the preparations were complete, Knight Commander Bardin gave everything once over, before nodding in satisfaction.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± she called out to me. ¡°You and I will deal with the Proteans while everyone else handles the weaker demonic beasts.¡± She gave me a hard look. ¡°Focus on the Proteans, and only the Proteans. The sooner we kill them, the better.¡±


    I nodded. The Proteans were the biggest threat. Once Knight Commander Bardin and I eliminated them, the Coldsteel Knights would be able to handle the remaining demonic beasts with ease.


    ¡°You three,¡± Knight Commander Bardin continued, speaking to my bodyguards. ¡°Keep the weaker demonic beasts away from Wulfe so they don¡¯t distract him.¡±


    My bodyguards saluted her.


    ¡°Yes, Knight Commander,¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°Let¡¯s lure the bastards towards us.¡±


    She pulled out a magic tool that looked like an incense censer. A scentwind. It was a type of magic tool that used magic to spread scents over a certain area. There were different varieties of scentwinds. Some only let out a single scent, while others could let out a multitude.They were popular among nobles.


    According to Count Wirner, this one was special. It had been designed by Grand Sage Arend to act as a lure by using demonic beast blood. Demonic beasts were already attracted by the smell of the blood of other demonic beasts. Apparently, this scentwind amplified that effect and spread it over a much larger area.


    That was why Knight Commander Bardin had us set up in the village instead of heading out to hunt the demonic beasts. Why bother heading out when we could bring them to us?


    When I first heard about this scentwind¡¯s effects, I was amazed. In my years as a mercenary, I had never heard of such a thing. Having one on hand would¡¯ve made a number of jobs much easier. Unfortunately, this particular kind of scentwind was difficult to produce, so their use was limited to the Coldsteel Knights.


    Knight Commander Bardin pulled out a vial of demonic beast blood, imbued with divine power to keep the blood¡¯s corruptive effects at bay, and opened it. The moment she did, the stench of wrongness filled the air. She poured the blood into the scentwind and then activated the magic tool.


    The moment she did, a chorus of demonic roars rang out. It sounded like it came from the mouths of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of demonic beasts. However, the roars were strangely harmonic, meaning they came from a single source: a Protean. Chills ran down my spine. For a moment, my mind flashed back to the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass, before I snapped out of it. This wasn¡¯t the time to get distracted.


    Another Protean roared, followed by another, until it sounded like a horde of thousands of demonic beasts was heading our way. These roars were accompanied by dozens of smaller, weaker ones. The sound was nerve wracking, and many of the Coldsteel Knights faltered when they heard it.


    ¡°Here they come,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said in a calm and even voice. ¡°Ready yourselves.¡±


    Her steadfastness helped calm down the knights who had been frightened, and they readied themselves with renewed vigor, including myself. A surge of admiration and pride filled me. I was blessed to have someone like her as my teacher. However, I had no time to indulge in such feelings. I drew my sword and prepared for battle.

 Chapter 16: Proteans

    The seconds passed, one after the other, as we waited for the group of demonic beasts to reach our position. Their roars filled the air, sending chills down everyone¡¯s spines. The tension in the air grew tighter and tighter, until it felt like it would snap. The stench of wrongness coming from the scentwind didn¡¯t help matters. Despite all this, no one showed any signs of nervousness or fear thanks to Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s presence.


    Less than a minute after the knight commander activated the scentwind, the sound of hundreds of demonic beasts running in our direction reached my ears. Soon, the others could hear it as well. It wasn¡¯t long before the demonic beasts themselves came into view. There were hundreds of them, all rushing towards us like a tide of madness and corruption given physical form.


    Among the horde were six large lumps of flesh, each one the size of a small house with skin as black as pitch. Countless limbs, mouths, and eyes protruded from the lumps of flesh, giving them a grotesque appearance. They looked like living nightmares. Proteans.


    Despite their bulk, the Proteans moved fast, scuttling around on their multitude of limbs. Just the sight of them filled me with disgust. They exuded an aura of wrongness, more so than most other kinds of magic beasts. The Proteans looked like creatures that could not, and should not, exist.


    When the horde of demonic beasts caught sight of us, their roars intensified and their speed increased. They were seconds away from reaching the palisade that surrounded this small village.


    ¡°Brace yourselves!¡± Knight Commander Bardin said.


    The Coldsteel Knights gripped their spears and waited for the demonic beasts to reach their position. They didn¡¯t have to wait long. When the horde hit the palisade, the wooden structure groaned under the weight of their fury but held. I had a feeling that if it hadn¡¯t been for the blessing from the priest, the palisade would have broken then and there.


    The moment the demonic beasts came within reach, the Coldsteel Knights sprang into action. They used their spears and their advantageous position to keep the demonic beasts at bay. A few of the creatures leapt over the palisade and tried to wreck havoc among the knights. However, the nearby knights just dropped their spears and drew their swords, before slaying them.


    That was all the time I could spare observing the battle, before Knight Commander Bardin and I leapt into action ourselves. While the palisade would hold off the weaker demonic beasts, the same couldn¡¯t be said for the Proteans. I watched as one of them reached the palisade, slamming its bulk into it, and almost shattered it right away. Knight Commander Bardin headed to deal with that one, while I rushed off to deal with a different Protean. By some unspoken agreement, we had decided to split up so we could kill the Proteans faster.


    The one I targeted had almost reached the palisade. Rather than wait for that to happen, I decided to head out to meet it. I ran towards the palisade and leapt over it. In midair, I coated my sword and my body with my mana. I landed right in front of my chosen target¡¯s path. Even before my feet touched the ground, the demonic beasts noticed me and swarmed me, but I dealt with them with ease.


    Despite the seriousness of the situation, my heart sang with joy. This was my first battle where I fought without holding back my strength. It felt good, and a part of me wondered why I had been so afraid to reveal my true power before this. Yes, I would have attracted unwanted attention, but I could have found ways to mitigate that.


    My bodyguards joined me soon after, forming up around me to keep the demonic beasts at bay. They worked well together, each one covering the others¡¯ blindspots. This allowed me to focus all of my attention on the Protean. It looked even more disgusting up close. When it saw me land in front of it, the creature turned its attention away from the palisade and focused on me with its countless eyes.


    The Protean rushed towards me, trying to envelope me with its bulk. It let out a sound of joy as it reached towards me with dozens of limbs. Some of them were human arms with hands at the end, while others were animal claws. I dodged to the side, slicing off several limbs as I did so. Black blood gushed from the wounds and splattered everywhere.


    The Protean let out a howl of rage from its countless mouths, before it tried to charge me again. Once again, I dodged. However, I realized too late that I wasn¡¯t its primary target. It had been a feint. To my horror, it went after Viktor. The Protean grabbed him with several of its limbs and dragged him towards one of its mouths. I attacked the Protean, cutting off the limbs holding Viktor, and freed him before the creature could swallow him.


    Fury filled me. How dare this abomination lay its filthy hands on one of my people? Propelled by my rage, I charged the Protean. Playing it safe would only endanger my people. The sooner I killed it, and the others, the better. However, I didn¡¯t lose myself to my anger. Despite my fury, I attacked the Protean in a calm and methodical manner. I sliced off limbs, gouged out eyes, and cut away chunks of the Protean¡¯s body.


    At first it let out enraged roars and tried to fight back. However, as I continued with my assault, its anger turned to fear. It realized that I wasn¡¯t easy prey, and turned to flee. I refused to let it go. Every time it tried to escape, I stood in its path. As time passed, the Protean¡¯s movements grew more and more sluggish. Its body grew smaller and smaller as I kept cutting away at it.


    Before long, the creature swayed on its legs before falling to the ground with a heavy thud. I attacked it a few more times after that, just in case it was playing dead. After I was satisfied, I turned my attention to the rest of the battle.


    The demonic beasts had breached the palisade in several locations. The yells and roars filled the air as the knights clashed with the creatures. It looked like Knight Commander Bardin had already killed one Protean and was engaged with another one. Despite this, she continued to bark out orders, adapting to the changing tides of the battle.


    Not to be outdone, I located the nearest Protean and charged right towards it. My bodyguards followed in my wake. Despite the close call earlier, Viktor kept his composure and continued fighting.


    The Protean I ran towards had managed to break through the palisade and create a gap, through which demonic beasts streamed. However, the closest Coldsteel Knights were too focused on the Protean to deal with them, leaving the task to others.


    Even as I watched, the Protean grabbed one of the knights and tried to swallow her whole. Her comrades tried to help her, but the Protean fended them off with its multitude of limbs. Despite her dire predicament, the knight continued to fight back.


    I rushed forward and managed to cut off the limbs holding the knight just as the Protean shoved her into one of its many mouths. I slashed the Protean to create an opening, before I grabbed the knight and pulled her out. She was covered in foul-smelling saliva and black blood, and let out retching sounds. I deposited her onto the ground, before turning my attention to the Protean itself.


    It let out a frustrated howl at having lost its prey and attacked me. Like with the first Protean, I attacked this one with surgical precision. Chunks of its flesh flew off as I hacked away at it. This one must have been smarter than the first, because it tried to flee almost right away instead of fighting back. It let out a fearful screech and turned to run.


    I moved to get in its way, but then saw an odd looking bulge at the ¡°back¡± of its body, near the bottom. The core! Without hesitation, I stabbed the core. The moment my sword pierced through, the Protean seized before flopping to the ground, dying a silent death.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe, look out!¡± Viktor yelled out.


    I turned to find one of the remaining Proteans charging across the battlefield towards me. There were several Coldsteel Knights in its path. Most managed to get out of the way, but the Protean trampled the rest. I could only hope that their coldsteel armor, as well as the blessing from the priestess, managed to keep them safe.


    I rushed towards the Protean and clashed with it. I dispatched this one the same way I dispatched the others, by cutting it down to size. Like the others, it tried to flee when it realized that it was outmatched, but I killed it before it escaped.


    After I killed my third Protean, I looked around in time to see Knight Commander Bardin kill hers as well. They were all dead. However, the battle was far from over. I hefted my sword and turned my attention to the remaining demonic beasts.


    <hr>


    By the time we managed to kill the last demonic beast, sunset was a little over half an hour a way. Soon after Knight Commander Bardin and I killed the last Protean, the demonic beasts started to flee. Without the Proteans, this group was no match for the Coldsteel Knights. Unlike Mad Dogs, which were suicidal in their aggressiveness, most demonic beasts had strong survival instincts. They would flee when the odds turned against them. It took us some time to hunt down the ones that ran away. However, we couldn¡¯t let them escape. Otherwise, they would endanger some other poor soul in another part of the Barrens.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    After we dealt with the last of the demonic beasts, Knight Commander Bardin sent a messenger to report our success to Grand Duke Kaltbrand. She then divided the remaining knights into two groups.


    She assigned the first group of knights to purify the area. Given the number of demonic beast corpses in the area, it wouldn¡¯t take long for a demon nest to form if we left them alone. The priest of the God of Darkness volunteered to help with the purification.


    The second group of knights tended to the wounded. The priestess of the Goddess of Light volunteered to help them. While we had many casualties, most of those were injuries. With enough time, and some healing with divine power, they would recover. A few of those casualties, however, were deaths. I felt a pang in my heart when I heard this, and I was a relative stranger to the Coldsteel Knights. I could only imagine how their friends and loved ones felt. I prayed to the gods for their souls.


    The village itself suffered little damage. Most of the battle had been limited to the palisade, which still stood despite everything. With some time and effort, it would be as good as new. The villagers would be able to return home soon.


    Rather than stand around doing nothing, I decided to help with the purification. I knew it was unbecoming of someone of my (fake) status to perform such menial labor, but it felt wrong for me not to help. My years working as a mercenary had no doubt influenced me in this regard. While this earned me some strange looks from the Coldsteel Knights, no one said anything. My bodyguards just shrugged and helped out as well.


    Helping with the purification gave me an opportunity to observe the priest as he worked his divine power. This was a rare opportunity for me, since I almost never worked with priests when I lived as a mercenary. I watched as the priest commanded the shadows to consume the demonic beast corpses and the demonic beast blood, erasing them all from existence. I was used to using holy water and holy oil, so this method of purification seemed odd but effective.


    ¡°Wulfe!¡± Knight Commander Bardin called out.


    I turned to find her marching in my direction.


    ¡°Walk with me.¡± she said.


    I nodded and joined her as she walked around the village, observing the Coldsteel Knights at work. My bodyguard followed us from a respectful distance.


    ¡°How did it feel to participate in your first hunt as part of House Kaltbrand?¡± she asked.


    I took a moment before answering.


    ¡°In some ways, it was the same as when I worked as a mercenary, Teacher.¡± I said. ¡°In many other ways, it was completely different. I¡¯m used to working alone, so working in a group like this is a new experience for me.¡± I frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve also realized that while I am a superb swordsman, my skills as a commander are lacking.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin nodded.


    ¡°I thought as much.¡± she said. ¡°Most mercenaries are lone wolves, so to speak, except for those who are a part of a mercenary company. Even then, the command structures for those companies tend to be loose.¡± She glanced at me. ¡°I plan on having you participate in more of these hunts as part of your training, to help you gain experience commanding and leading soldiers. You¡¯ll start small at first, with a single squad, before working your way up to commanding larger forces.¡±


    I nodded. When I left the Barrens and joined either the Order of the Golden Rose or the Imperial Guard, having experience in commanding soldiers would serve me well.


    ¡°Still,¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to match you as a military commander. Even when you were fighting a Protean, you still managed to keep an eye on the big picture and continued to give orders.¡± I frowned. ¡°Meanwhile, I almost let one of my own bodyguards get eaten because I was too focused on myself and my own movements.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin snorted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short.¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t start out this way. It took me decades to reach my current level of experience. Besides, as the heir to House Kaltbrand, you won¡¯t need to be the best military commander around. That¡¯s what the knight commander of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade is for. You just need to know enough in order to make the right decisions when necessary.¡±


    I almost pointed out that I wasn¡¯t the actual heir to House Kaltbrand, but kept my mouth shut. There were too many people around, and Aura Experts had excellent hearing. I glanced over at Count Wirner. True to his word, he hadn¡¯t participated in the battle. Instead, he just observed. However, now that the battle was over, he helped tend to the wounded. That didn¡¯t stop him from keeping an eye on me. It was better to be safe than sorry.


    ¡°In fact, I also plan on having Teacher help with your successor lessons, at least when it comes to military matters.¡± Knight Commander Bardin continued. She tapped her temple. ¡°While there are some things that you can only learn through experience, there is still plenty that you can learn from books. In this regard, Teacher is a much better, well, teacher than me.¡± She grimaced. ¡°It¡¯s the least he can do, considering the circumstances.¡±


    I paused before responding. At first, I hadn¡¯t planned on asking Knight Commander Bardin about her relationship with Count Wirner. However, my curiosity had reached a breaking point. Besides, the more I knew about the situation, the better I would be able to handle it.


    ¡°Teacher,¡± I said with some hesitation. ¡°What exactly is the relationship between you and Count Wirner? I¡¯ve seen for myself that you respect him as your teacher. Yet, you¡¯re so cold and distant towards him as well.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin gave me a sharp look. I thought she would reprimand me for overstepping my bounds, and I opened my mouth to apologize, but then she sighed. A look of sorrow crossed her face. It only lasted for a moment, but I saw it.


    ¡°Not here.¡± she said. ¡°There are too many prying ears.¡±


    With that, Knight Commander Bardin led me to an area away from everyone else. The others were within sight, but out of earshot, including Count Wirner. Knight Commander Bardin then gave my bodyguards a meaningful look. They saluted her and walked out of earshot as well.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t wish to tell me, you don¡¯t have to, Teacher,¡± I said. ¡°I apologize for overstepping my bounds. It was rude of me.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I planned on telling you anyway. It is a part of our supposed family history. You have a right to know, if only so you can better fulfill your duties.¡±


    She looked towards the setting sun, her eyes full of melancholy and wistfulness. The reds, oranges, and yellows of the setting sun emphasized her expression. I wasn¡¯t a painter, but the image she portrayed in this moment would make for an excellent portrait.


    ¡°As you said, I have the greatest respect for Teacher.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°He is the reason why I became the warrior I am today. Thanks to his tutelage, I became an Aura Expert at a young age and an officer of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°However, as a father, I found him lacking. Part of the reason why I worked so hard was to earn his approval. I thought that if I proved myself, he would accept and love me. Of course, it never worked.¡± Her expression turned bitter. ¡°His love and approval were reserved for his legitimate children. Meanwhile, I was a reminder of the mistake he made in his moment of weakness. The best he could do was take me in as his disciple.¡±


    That would explain the comment Count Wirner made about family tradition when I first met him. He took his illegitimate daughter as his disciple, and from what he saw, that said daughter had done the same with her own illegitimate son. What a twisted family history.


    In fact, now that I thought about it, if I really were Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s son with Knight Commander Bardin, my family history would have been even more twisted. The late grand duchess was Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s sister, meaning that she was also my aunt as well as my stepmother. My head hurt just thinking about it.


    ¡°After Johanna passed away,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°I realized that death comes for us all eventually. Rather than wasting my time chasing after Teacher¡¯s approval, I was better off appreciating the people who already cared for me.¡± Sorrow shadowed her eyes. ¡°Unfortunately, life didn¡¯t turn out as I wanted and I ended up losing someone very dear to me after that, someone that I wanted to build a future with.¡±


    Oh. I hadn¡¯t realized that Knight Commander Bardin once had a lover. The loss of this person must have scarred her heart. Nobles married for many reasons. Producing an heir was one of those reasons. However, after losing her love, Knight Commander Bardin chose to remain unmarried and childless. That was why she was willing to take me in as her disciple and name me her heir. She was similar to Grand Duke Kaltbrand in this regard.


    I thought over the sequence of events. If Knight Commander Bardin lost her lover after the late grand duchess¡¯ death, then it would have occurred around the time I was born.


    ¡°Was this during the chaos from twenty years ago?¡± I asked. ¡°When you became the knight commander of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin hesitated, before nodding.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, her voice harsh. ¡°Johanna¡¯s death devastated Teacher, leaving him unable to fulfill his duties. When the demonic beasts attacked in overwhelming numbers, I stepped up to take his place. The Order of the Coldsteel Blade needed a knight commander and I was the best one qualified. Unfortunately, this meant that I wasn¡¯t there to protect my¡­ loved one. I sent him south to keep him safe, but demonic beasts attacked his escort and I lost him.¡± She let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I became knight commander and earned a title, but I paid a dear price for it. For years, I blamed myself. If only I had been there to protect him, if only I had sent him south sooner instead of keeping him by my side, if only I had told Anselm. Maybe, just maybe, things would have turned out differently.¡±


    What did the grand duke have to do with this? Perhaps Knight Commander Bardin had kept her lover a secret from His Grace? If so, that would explain why she sent her lover south instead of Kaltbrand Castle.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you recall a painful memory.¡± I said.


    Knight Commander Bardin shook her head.


    ¡°No, you have nothing to apologize for.¡± she said. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m the one who took us on this trip down memory lane. You only asked about Teacher.¡±


    ¡°Regardless, I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be.¡± Knight Commander Bardin smiled. ¡°Besides, it all worked out in the end.¡±


    What did she mean by that? However, before I could ask, the knight commander clasped my shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough talking.¡± she said. ¡°We still have a lot of work today, and I want to make it back to Kaltbrand Castle before midnight.¡±


    With that, she turned and headed back to the others. I watched her for a moment, before I shook my head and followed her.

 Chapter 17: An Unexpected Visitor

    True to her word, Knight Commander Bardin started sending me out on demonic beast hunts as part of my training. Rather than kill them myself, which wasn¡¯t difficult for someone at my level of strength, she wanted me to get used to commanding the Coldsteel Knights. At first the knights were wary of me. Despite being Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s disciple and Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s (fake) heir, I was still a stranger. Asking the knights to trust me with their lives proved difficult for them. However, I found help from an unexpected source: Viktor.


    My bodyguard talked with the other knights and convinced them to give me a chance. This was a far cry from his initial attitude towards me, which made his words all the more impactful. Even Sir Kane and Elise were surprised by his sudden change. When I asked him about it, Viktor scowled at me and looked away.


    ¡°You saved my life.¡± he said. ¡°You could¡¯ve let the Protean eat me, but you didn¡¯t. That¡¯s why. I may not be noble or refined, but I repay my debts.¡±


    When I heard this, I gave him an incredulous look.


    ¡°What debt?¡± I asked. ¡°Viktor, you¡¯re one of my people. Of course I saved you.¡±


    Viktor¡¯s scowl deepened.


    ¡°Then consider it part of my duties as¡­one of your people,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s what retainers do, isn¡¯t it? Serve their lords? Just consider me your retainer.¡±


    For some reason, I felt touched by his words. While he may not have phrased it as such, it was a pledge of loyalty. Yes, Knight Commander Bardin had assigned him as one of my bodyguards. However, there was a significant difference between being assigned a task and doing it out of one¡¯s own volition. I expected this from Sir Kane, due to our prior friendship, not Viktor.


    ¡°Thank you, Viktor,¡± I said. ¡°For as long as you serve me, I shall look after you as well.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± he grumbled. ¡°Does this mean someone else can take the night watch?¡±


    I smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask Sir Kane about that,¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯s the one in charge of my bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    Thanks to Viktor vouching for me, the knights gave me their support. While they would have obeyed me, due to Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s orders, I would have faced some resistance. With Viktor¡¯s help, I didn¡¯t have to worry about that.


    Commanding knights, even just a squad of them, was a far different experience than hunting demonic beasts on my own. There were many more things I needed to take into consideration, and at first I found it overwhelming. However, Knight Commander Bardin must have anticipated that, because she always assigned experienced officers as my second in command whenever I went on these hunts. They made up for any mistakes I made and offered me advice on several occasions.


    As I went on more hunts and gained more experience commanding knights, my confidence in my abilities grew. Count Wirner¡¯s lessons helped me as well. I don¡¯t know what Knight Commander Bardin said to him, but the day after we hunted the Proteans, Count Wirner started participating in my successor lessons. He focused on military affairs: history, logistics, strategy, tactics, etc. This allowed my regular tutor, Lord Wielfried Holtz, to focus on other topics.


    I had learned some of this, both when I lived with House Guld and when I started pretending to be the heir to House Kaltbrand, but it hadn¡¯t been my focus. With Count Wirner¡¯s help, I gained a more in-depth education into military matters. He was an excellent teacher, with decades of experience as a knight commander to draw upon, and he taught in a way that made the subject easy for me to understand. I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better teacher.


    At first I wondered why Knight Commander Bardin had Count Wirner teach me rather than do it herself. However, I soon realized that she had an ulterior motive. Before the Protean hunt, Count Wirner kept his distance from me. Having him teach me forced the two of us to interact more often. I suspected that Knight Commander Bardin wanted us to bond with each other, in an effort to influence Count Wirner¡¯s decision on whether to support me or not.


    If that was the case, then I wasn¡¯t sure if her plan worked or not. Count Wirner remained as difficult to read as always. He taught me, yes, but he maintained a certain distance between us. He revealed nothing of his thoughts, and showed no interest in my personal affairs. Still, I wasn¡¯t going to complain. The lessons themselves were invaluable to someone like me.


    The weeks passed by and the upcoming banquet drew closer and closer. Every direct vassal of House Kaltbrand had been invited, as well as several indirect vassals, meaning that my existence would be revealed to a sizable audience. By this point, all of them already knew about me. However, there was a difference between gossip and rumors, and an official announcement.


    It also meant that Kaltbrand Castle was quite busy preparing for the upcoming banquet. The most important guests would be staying in the castle itself, while the rest would be staying in inns, hotels, and estates located in Frostheart. To handle the increased workload, Viscount and Viscountess Holtz hired several servants.


    Several of our opponents decided to take this opportunity in order to sneak some rats into Kaltbrand Castle. These rats hid themselves among the newly hired servants. While Viscount and Viscountess, as well as the Blue Shadows, managed to catch several of them, I had no doubt that a few slipped through the cracks.


    During this time period, the twins completed the task I entrusted to them. With their help, I managed to paint a more complete picture of Lady Adelheid Gerhard, as well as Lord Ulric Arbeit and Lord Klemens Steuben. Armed with this knowledge, I was more confident in my ability to deal with my three ¡°rivals¡±. That confidence was put to the test when one of them arrived at Kaltbrand Castle a week before the banquet, several days ahead of schedule.


    <hr>


    On that day, I was looking over my new wardrobe. The tailor hired by Grand Duke Kaltbrand had finished with my custom made outfits, and I wanted to check them for any potential flaws. I needn¡¯t have bothered. The outfits were all tasteful, stylish, and well-made. As expected of House Kaltbrand¡¯s exclusive tailor. Unlike the first time, when I received the altered clothing, Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin didn¡¯t force me to put on a fashion show. I sighed with relief at this.


    I was in the midst of trying on one of the new outfits, when Maria burst into my dressing room. Thankfully, I was already dressed, so she didn¡¯t see anything untoward.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± she said, looking displeased. ¡°I should have come earlier. I missed the show.¡±


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°What happened, Maria?¡± I said, looking myself over in the mirror. ¡°Not even you would barge in here without good reason.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you,¡± she said, giving me a lascivious grin. ¡°But give me a little show first. I¡¯ve always wanted to see you without your shirt on.¡±


    I gave her a hard look.


    ¡°Maria.¡± I said, a warning in my voice.


    She pouted.


    ¡°Prude.¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to get you into bed. I just want to see some skin.¡±


    I released some of my pressure.


    ¡°Careful, Maria.¡± I said in a low voice. ¡°I like you, but don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    Maria¡¯s face turned white and she nodded. I retracted my pressure and waited for her to regain her composure.


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± I asked, turning to look in the mirror again.


    ¡°We have a situation.¡± she said, her expression serious. ¡°Lady Adelheid Gerhard is in Frostheart and she¡¯s on her way here. Our people managed to catch sight of her just as she exited the warp gate.¡±


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    I whirled around to face Maria.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°I thought House Gerhard was set to arrive a few days from now.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°She must have decided to arrive ahead of time in order to seize the initiative.¡±


    Maria nodded. House Gerhard, House Steuben, and House Albeit were among the vassal houses scheduled to arrive for the banquet. Due to the number of people invited, use of the warp gate network had been set to a strict schedule in order to avoid any potential mishaps. Lady Adelheid must have paid an astronomical sum in order to arrive early. Even then, she could only bring herself and one other person, at most, through the warp gate. It was a risk, but one with great potential rewards if done right. By arriving early, she would get a head start over the others.


    That matched with the information the twins procured for me not too long ago. From what I knew, Lady Adelheid was tenacious and driven. Like most nobles, she sought to elevate her family¡¯s standing. However, she faced an uphill battle.


    House Gerhard was wealthy, and they had connections with several noble houses outside of the Barrens. In any other part of the Reichwald Empire, the Riverlands in particular, they would have been a well-respected family. Given enough time, they might have even earned a spot in Haven¡¯s high society, the seat of imperial power.


    The Barrens was different. The northern lords respected martial prowess above all else. Wealth and connections mattered, yes, but not as much. House Gerhard weren¡¯t warriors, and so the other noble houses of the Barrens looked down on them. Despite this handicap, Lady Adelheid and the rest of House Gerhard continued to strive onward. I found this attitude admirable.


    The problem was that the members of House Gerhard, Lady Adelheid in particular, were sensitive to insults. One of the reasons why Lady Adelheid was known to have a temper was because she didn¡¯t react well to slights against her family. She ended up in more than one fight because of this, earning her the ire of several of the northern nobles. At least she was a magician and could hold her own against Aura users.


    With this in mind, I had come up with a plan to deal with Lady Adelheid and get her on my side. However, this required sending a letter to Lina, which I was reluctant to do. After I left House Guld, I had sent her a few messages to let her know I was still alive, though I kept the details of my location and my activities vague in case someone intercepted those messages.


    The issue was that if I sent her a letter asking for a favor on behalf of another lady, she would be¡­upset, to say the least. To most, Lina was the epitome of a noble lady. Dignified, graceful and elegant. However, she could be quite jealous when it came to me. She would still help me, if I asked for it, but she would demand answers the next time we met. I didn¡¯t look forward to that conversation.


    I would worry about that later. Right now, I need to focus on the more immediate problem.


    ¡°Is Lady Adelheid alone?¡± I asked.


    Maria shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°She brought her personal maid with her, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡± I said. ¡°If something happens to her while she is here in Frostheart, it would cause discord between House Kaltbrand and House Gerhard.¡±


    It took time to reach Kaltbrand Castle from the warp gate, even by carriage. Right now, Lady Adelheid was vulnerable. House Kaltbrand and House Gerhard had plenty of enemies. One of those said enemies might take advantage of this opportunity to attack her. It wasn¡¯t likely, but it was possible. If she became injured or died while in Frostheart, House Gerhard would hold House Kaltbrand responsible. At best, they would demand compensation. At worst, they would turn against House Kaltbrand. Either way, relations between the two noble houses would deteriorate.


    ¡°Do you know which path Lady Adelheid is taking?¡± I asked.


    Maria nodded.


    ¡°Yes, she hired a carriage and is taking the most direct route here.¡±


    ¡°Good. Summon a squad of knights and have them meet me at the main entrance.¡± I grinned. ¡°Since Lady Adelheid arrived without an escort, we shall provide one for her.¡±


    ¡°Let Rosaline come with you.¡± Maria said. ¡°We have ways of contacting our people. If something happens to Lady Adelheid, my sister will let you know.¡±


    I nodded, before I left the dressing room in order to greet Lady Adelheid and welcome her to Kaltbrand Castle.


    <hr>


    In less than five minutes, I was heading towards Lady Adelheid¡¯s location with a squad of Coldsteel Knights in tow. I gave them a brief explanation of the situation before we left. We took two separate carriages, one for the knights and one for me and my bodyguards. Since Viktor was still on night watch, we left him behind at Kaltbrand Castle so he could get some sleep, meaning I only had Sir Kane and Elise with me.


    Rosalind had joined us as well, though she looked different from her usual self. Instead of her usual maid uniform, she wore a black and blue outfit that disguised her features and hid her identity. It turned out that this was the uniform the Blue Shadows wore when they needed to appear in the open. Sir Kane and Elise seemed perturbed by Rosalind¡¯s presence, though they kept their thoughts to themselves.


    As the carriages headed towards Lady Adelheid, my mind churned with anxiety. Lady Adelheid wasn¡¯t an idiot. In fact, from what I knew, she was far from it. She had worked tirelessly to secure her family¡¯s fortunes time and time again, despite the resistance she faced as a Gerhard. So why had she come to Frostheart ahead of time without an escort? Why did she only bring her personal maid? She had to have known the consequences if anything should happen to her.


    Or maybe that was her objective? Was she trying to cause discord between House Kaltbrand and House Gerhard? I discarded that thought. No, that didn¡¯t make sense. While House Gerhard might gain some benefits in the short-term, the long-term consequences weren¡¯t worth it. Unless House Gerhard had aligned themselves with House Kaltbrand¡¯s unseen enemy. Viewed in that light, then Lady Adelheid¡¯s action made more sense.


    I shook my head. At this point, it was all speculation. I had too many questions and not enough answers. Things would become clearer once we met up with Lady Adelheid and secured her safety.


    As I thought that, Rosalind opened one of the windows. A pigeon flew into the carriage and landed on her lap. It had a note tied to its legs. Rosalind removed the note and read it.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± she said, her voice sounding deeper and rougher than usual. ¡°Lady Adelheid¡¯s carriage was ambushed by a group of masked assailants.¡±


    My blood ran cold.


    ¡°Damn,¡± I said. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Rosalind held up the note.


    ¡°Lady Adelheid and her maid managed to escape, but the assailants are in pursuit.¡± she said. ¡°The coachman driving the carriage didn¡¯t survive.¡±


    ¡°What were your people doing during all of this?¡± Elise demanded. ¡°Why didn¡¯t they help Lady Adelheid?¡±


    Rosalind turned to look at her.


    ¡°We are helping Lady Adelheid,¡± she said. ¡°How do you think she escaped in the first place?¡± She shook her head. ¡°However, there is only so much we can do. We¡¯re spies and informants, not warriors. The masked assailants are all Aura users. It¡¯s only a matter of time before they catch up to Lady Adelheid, even with our help.¡±


    It seemed my worst fears had come to life.


    ¡°Where is she now?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Our people are bringing her to a nearby safe house.¡± Rosalind said. ¡°If we hurry, we should arrive before the assailants.¡±


    ¡°Then let us make haste.¡± I said. ¡°Where is this safe house?¡±


    Rosalind gave me the address of the safe house.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead, since I can move faster on foot.¡± I said. ¡°Let the others know about the change in plans.¡±


    Sir Kane and Elise protested the idea.


    ¡°My lord! You can¡¯t risk your safety like that.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, Lord Wulfe. What if this is a trap?¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to spring the trap.¡±


    My bodyguards opened their mouths to continue their protests, but I silenced them with a look.


    ¡°I¡¯m going on ahead.¡± I said in a cold voice. ¡°If you have a problem with that, then try and stop me.¡±


    That silenced them.


    ¡°Be careful, Lord Wulfe.¡± Rosalind said.


    I nodded, before opening the carriage door and hopping out. I was much faster than a horse on foot, and I didn¡¯t have to follow the roads. It took me about five minutes to reach the address Rosalind gave me. It was located in one of the less affluent parts of Frostheart. The buildings were old and worn, but in good repair.


    However, before I reached the street where the safe house was located, I heard the sounds of a battle going on. It seemed that Lady Adelheid and the Blue Shadows escorting her hadn¡¯t reached the safe house in time. I drew my sword and increased my speed.


    When I reached the street and saw what was going on, it was clear that Lady Adelheid was in dire straits. A group of a dozen masked figures wearing cloaks surrounded a smaller group of four people. The smaller group was inside a magical barrier, which protected them from the masked figures. However, it was clear that the barrier wouldn¡¯t last for long. The masked figures were all Aura Experts. It was just a matter of time before they broke through the barrier and reached the people inside.


    Except for these two groups, the street was empty. Everyone else had already fled. Good. That meant I didn¡¯t have to worry about any innocents getting caught up in this fight. There was the city watch to consider, I suppose, but I doubted they would interfere. The city watch existed to maintain peace and order within Frostheart, but they couldn¡¯t contend with a group of Aura Experts.


    I coated myself in mana, before charging right for the masked assailants. By the time they noticed my arrival, I was already among them. I cut down two of them before the others reacted, killing them within the span of an eye blink.


    ¡°Split up and flee!¡± one of them shouted.


    Without hesitation, the remaining masked figures turned and fled in separate directions. This caught me off guard, since I hadn¡¯t expected them to flee right away. I managed to kill two more of the masked figures, but decided to let the remaining ones go instead of giving chase. While it irked me to do so, my goal was to protect Lady Adelheid. If I gave chase, that would leave her vulnerable once more. If the Coldsteel Knights were here, we could have split up to chase them down. However, if I had waited for them, I wouldn¡¯t have arrived in time to save Lady Adelheid.

 Chapter 18: Lady Adelheid

    Once the remaining masked figures were out of sight, I took a moment to study the people inside the barrier. Two of them were men dressed like common laborers. I assumed these were the Blue Shadows who helped Lady Adelheid. Both sported injuries, though nothing too serious from what I could tell.


    One of the people was a young woman who wore a plain and simple dress. She had pale skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. Her looks were average, neither beautiful nor ugly, leaving her right between the two. I assumed this was Lady Adelheid¡¯s maid. She carried a pair of daggers in her hands, and looked ready to lay down her life for her mistress.


    The last person was another young woman, though she wore a much more luxurious and expensive dress. Like most northerners, she had pale skin, dark hair, and blue eyes. She was pretty in a bland sort of way. If I saw her at a ball or some other social event, she wouldn¡¯t stand out all that much. However, the look in her eyes told me that I shouldn¡¯t underestimate her. They burned with a fiery passion.


    The young woman had the mana signature of a magician, a Sage to be exact, which was just below Grand Sage in terms of power. She was the one responsible for creating and maintaining the barrier. Lady Adelheid, I assumed.


    ¡°They may return.¡± I said. ¡°Keep the barrier up for now.¡±


    Lady Adelheid nodded but didn¡¯t say anything. From the strained expression she wore and the sweat running down her face, maintaining the barrier in the face of a continuous assault had taken all of her strength.


    I maintained a vigilant watch as I waited for the Coldsteel Knights to arrive. Despite my worries, none of the masked figures returned. My arrival must have scared them off. A short while later, the Coldsteel Knights arrived. They moved to secure the area as well as the bodies of the masked figures I had slain.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do that ever again, my lord.¡± Sir Kane said, with a consternated expression on his face. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good for us, as your bodyguards, if our charge runs ahead and leaves us behind while he throws himself into danger.¡±


    ¡°If nothing else, please bring us along so we can fulfill our duties.¡± Elise said, with an expression that matched Sir Kane¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± I said. ¡°However, I make no promises. We¡¯ll see what the future holds.¡±


    My bodyguards looked unhappy with this, but kept their complaints to themselves.


    After the Coldsteel Knights secured the area, I turned to face Lady Adelheid and the people inside the barrier.


    ¡°I greet you, Lady Adelheid Gerhard.¡± I said with a polite expression on my face. ¡°I am Wulfe Kaltbrand. Welcome to Frostheart.¡±


    Lady Adelheid studied me for several seconds, before she dropped the barrier. A group of Coldsteel Knights, led by Rosalind, moved in to tend to the two injured Blue Shadows.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Lady Adelheid said with a bow, before giving me a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you for saving my companions and I. If you hadn¡¯t arrived when you did, I doubt any of us would have survived.


    I gave her a polite smile in return, one that in no way reflected my true feelings. To say I was upset with her would be an understatement. If she hadn¡¯t taken such a risk, none of this would have happened. A man had lost his life because of her recklessness, and two of the Blue Shadows had been injured. However, I kept my emotions in check. This was neither the time nor the place.


    ¡°To prevent any more incidents from occurring,¡± I said, holding my hand out to Lady Adelheid. ¡°Please, allow us to escort you the rest of the way to Kaltbrand Castle.¡±


    While it sounded like a request, my tone made it clear that this was an order. Lady Adelheid looked around, realized that she was in no position to refuse, and nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Wulfe.¡± she said. ¡°We would be delighted to accept your offer.¡±


    She took my hand and I led her to one of the carriages. Her maid put away her daggers and followed along. After I helped Lady Adelheid into the carriage, I split the Coldsteel Knights into three groups. One group would escort us back to Kaltbrand Castle, while the second group would tend to the injured and bring the dead masked figures to the castle. While I doubted we would learn anything about them or who they worked for, it was worth a try.


    The third group would investigate the site of the original attack. At the very least, I wanted to find out the identity of the coachman who died. If he left behind any family, I would ensure they were looked after.


    After giving out my orders, I climbed into the carriage and joined Lady Adelheid and her maid. Sir Kane and Elise remained outside with the others, so it was just the three of us inside. Once the carriage started moving again, I dropped my polite facade and released my pressure. Lady Adelheid and her maid blanched.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± the maid said.


    She reached for her daggers, but I increased the pressure on her and she froze in place.


    ¡°Touch your weapons and I will kill before you have a chance to draw them.¡± I told her.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe!¡± Lady Adelheid ground out through gritted teeth. ¡°What is the meaning of this? I am-¡­¡±


    ¡°An uninvited guest.¡± I said, interrupting her. ¡°You must have known that someone would have targeted you the moment they realized you were in Frostheart, alone and unescorted. The chances were small, but they still existed. Despite that, you took that risk anyway and now an innocent man is dead. You may not be directly at fault, but you still bear some of the responsibility for his death.¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°What do you have to say for yourself, Lady Adelheid?¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, before closed them and bowed her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± she said. ¡°While I knew that someone might target me, I never thought they would resort to such drastic measures. Nor did I think any innocents would get caught up in my affairs. I apologize for the pain and suffering I caused with my thoughtless actions.¡±


    Her apology caught me off guard. In my life, I¡¯ve met many nobles who wouldn¡¯t even acknowledge the existence of commoners, let alone feel remorse for the death of one. Perhaps Lady Adelheid was putting on an act to get into my good graces, but I believed she was being sincere.


    I shook my head and looked out the window. It didn¡¯t matter if her remorse was sincere or not. A man was still dead.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one you should apologize to.¡± I said, retracting my pressure.


    From the corner of my eye, I noticed the maid glare at me. However, she refrained from reaching for her weapons again. Good, otherwise I would have made good on my threat.


    ¡°I know.¡± Lady Adelheid said, opening her eyes and looking up at me. ¡°I shall apologize in person to the family of the coachman who died and ensure they are taken care of. It is the least I can do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± I looked back at her. ¡°Why did you take such a risk? You can speak freely. We have some time before we reach Kaltbrand Castle.¡±


    Lady Adelheid gave me a wan smile.


    ¡°May I answer that question later?¡± she asked. ¡°Truth be told, I am rather shaken at the moment and I am not in the right frame of mind for that conversation.¡±


    I noticed then that Lady Adelheid¡¯s hands were trembling. Not only had she been attacked by a group of masked figures, but she then faced the anger of an Aura Master. Not everyone was suited to violence. It was a minor miracle that she was as well put together as she was at the moment. I felt a small measure of pity for her. While her actions led to the coachman¡¯s death, the masked figures and whoever they worked for were the real culprits.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I said. ¡°However, make no mistake, I will remember this.¡±


    Lady Adelheid nodded. We spent the rest of the carriage ride to Kaltbrand Castle in silence. When we arrived at the castle¡¯s main entrance, a group of servants led by Viscount Holtz greeted us.


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    ¡°Viscount Holtz,¡± I said. ¡°This is Lady Adelheid Gerhard. She is my guest.¡± I turned to the lady in question. ¡°Lady Adelheid, this is Viscount Holtz. He is the butler of Kaltbrand Castle.¡±


    The viscount bowed to Lady Adelheid and she nodded in return.


    ¡°Prepare a room for Lady Adelheid and her maid.¡± I told Viscount Holtz before turning to Lady Adelheid. ¡°Follow Viscount Holtz. He¡¯ll look after you. If you need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask him. I would escort you myself, but I need to report to Dad.¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°By ¡®Dad¡¯, you mean¡­¡± she said, before trailing off.


    I bared my teeth at her in a facsimile of a smile.


    ¡°His Grace, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.¡± I said. ¡°My father.¡±


    With that, I turned and marched inside Kaltbrand Castle, heading for the grand duke¡¯s office.


    <hr>


    ¡°¡­and that is the long and short of it.¡± I said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand took a moment before responding.


    ¡°While the coachman¡¯s death is regrettable,¡± he said with a grim expression on his face. ¡°Things would have been much worse if Lady Adelheid had died as well. You did well, Wulfe. Good job.¡±


    The grand duke¡¯s praise did little to improve my mood. The two of us were in his study. After leaving Lady Adelheid in Viscount Holtz¡¯s care, I marched into the grand duke¡¯s study to inform him of what happened. He must have already heard something, because I found him waiting for me when I arrived. Claus, the leader of the Blue Shadows, was there as well. It didn¡¯t take me long to give the grand duke a brief account of what happened.


    ¡°What do you think, Claus?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked, turning to the other man. ¡°Do you think this is the work of our unseen enemy?¡±


    The spymaster looked thoughtful for a moment, before he shook his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I do not believe so. The one interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession is subtle, meticulous, and thorough.¡± He sneered. ¡°The attack on Lady Adelheid was far too brazen and sloppy to be their work. I suspect the masked assailants were working for someone else; one of the other potential heirs, for example.¡±


    ¡°Regardless of who hired them,¡± I said. ¡°What matters most is finding out who they are and punishing them. The reputation of House Kaltbrand is at stake.¡±


    This attack occurred in Frostheart, the seat of House Kaltbrand¡¯s power. The sooner we figured out who was behind this, the better. Otherwise, House Kaltbrand would lose influence. Not only that, but the other noble houses would see us as weak and unable to manage our own territory.


    ¡°My my, Wulfe.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so invested in House Kaltbrand¡¯s reputation.¡±


    His tone suggested he wasn¡¯t displeased by this at all.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I said. ¡°I am at House Kaltbrand¡¯s disposal. Until our contract expires, I am, for all intents and purposes, your heir. Why wouldn¡¯t I care about House Kaltbrand¡¯s reputation?¡± I clenched. ¡°Besides, I wish to punish those who would treat innocent lives with such callous disregard.¡±


    The grand duke smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad we¡¯re on the same page then.¡± he said, before turning towards Claus. ¡°Have you had any luck in tracking down these masked assailants or whoever they work for?¡±


    Claus nodded.


    ¡°My people have been trailing the masked assailants ever since Lord Wulfe drove them off.¡± he said. ¡°Given how swiftly they were able to react to Lady Adelheid¡¯s presence, I believe they have been in Frostheart for some time now. They must have a hideout somewhere in the city, or just outside of it. After we follow them back to this hideout, it is only a matter of time before we figure out who they work for.¡±


    The Blue Shadows were much better at hiding than I gave them credit for. When I first came upon the masked assailants attacking Lady Adelheid¡¯s group, I kept an eye out for any potential hidden enemies. Yet, I didn¡¯t notice anyone hiding nearby. Granted, I had been distracted at the time, but still.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the investigation in your hands.¡± The grand duke turned back towards me. ¡°Now then, let us discuss the other matter at hand. What shall we do with our uninvited guest, Lady Adelheid?¡±


    I let out a drawn out sigh.


    ¡°A part of me wants to hog-tie her and send her back to House Gerhard.¡± I said.


    Both Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Claus stared at me with wide eyes, before the former burst out into laughter.


    ¡°You really are Sofie¡¯s disciple.¡± the grand duke said. ¡°That sounds like something she would say.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± I continued, as if he hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°If we take Lady Adelheid¡¯s position and status into consideration, that wouldn¡¯t be a good idea.¡±


    ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said with a chuckle. ¡°As amusing as I find the idea, House Gerhard would never forgive us. They¡¯re rather sensitive when it comes to insults directed towards them, intended or not.¡±


    ¡°Which means, our only option is to let her stay here as our guest.¡± I said with a shrug. ¡°If nothing else, it will give us time to figure out what she wants. She came here ahead of time for a reason, and I intend to figure out what that reason is.¡±


    The grand duke nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± he said. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll leave her in your hands. Deal with her as you see fit. You have my full support.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Gra-¡­¡± He glared at me. ¡°¡­Dad.¡±


    He smiled at me for a brief moment, before the smile faded away and a serious expression took its place.


    ¡°However, be careful, Wulfe.¡± the grand duke said. ¡°While Lady Adelheid¡¯s faction is the weakest, do not underestimate her. There is a reason why she is a potential heir. Depending on how you deal with her, she can become either a formidable enemy or a steadfast ally. Whatever you do, be careful.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I will, Dad.¡± I said.


    ¡°Good. Is there anything else you wish to discuss?¡±


    I almost said no, but paused.


    ¡°Actually, yes, there is.¡± I said.


    The grand duke gave me an inquisitive look.


    ¡°I wish to send a message to someone without it being intercepted. I have a plan to deal with Lady Adelheid and get her on my side, but I need Lady Lina Guld¡¯s help for it to work.¡±


    Claus narrowed his eyes at me, while Grand Duke Kaltbrand frowned.


    ¡°It is possible, yes, if we use the Blue Shadows to deliver the message.¡± the grand duke said. ¡°However, I was under the impression that you wished to avoid House Guld¡¯s attention for now, Wulfe.¡±


    ¡°That is correct, for the most part.¡± I said with a nod. ¡°However, Lady Lina is the exception. She is the only member of House Guld who knows that I am in the Barrens and that I am working to earn a title.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand studied me for several long seconds.


    ¡°Is she perhaps the reason why you want a title in the first place?¡± he asked.


    I hesitated, before nodding. He would have found out the truth sooner or later, so I saw no harm in telling him now. It wasn¡¯t like it was some big secret.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult for a commoner and a noble to marry, despite what the stories say.¡± I said in a quiet voice. ¡°Reality is far less forgiving.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± he said. ¡°It all makes sense now, given what I know about you. With your abilities, you could have made a name for yourself in any part of the Reichwald Empire, yet you chose to come here. I always found that odd.¡± He shook his head. ¡°To return to the matter at hand, as long as you don¡¯t reveal any of House Kaltbrand¡¯s secrets, feel free to use the Blue Shadows to send any number of messages to Lady Lina Guld.¡± He grinned. ¡°Who am I to stand in the way of young love?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± I said, bowing my head in gratitude.


    ¡°Now then, unless you have something else you wish to discuss, feel free to leave.¡±


    I shook my head, before leaving the grand duke¡¯s study.


    <hr>


    Afterwards, I decided to check in on Lady Adelheid. The grand duke gave me leave to deal with her as I chose, and I already claimed she was my guest, which also meant that she was my responsibility. After asking a servant for directions, I headed to the room assigned to Lady Adelheid.


    It turned out that Viscount Holtz had prepared one of Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s best rooms, the ones reserved for the most distinguished of guests. Considering Lady Adelheid was a potential heir to House Kaltbrand, and a member of one of the wealthiest noble houses in the Barrens, I supposed that made sense.


    When I arrived, I found the room a flurry of activity. It was a scene of organized chaos as servants delivered packages of all shapes and sizes into the room. Lady Adelheid stood in the midst of all this, directing the servants. I navigated my way through and approached her. When she saw me, Lady Adelheid smiled and bowed.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Wulfe.¡± she said.


    ¡°Greetings, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said, looking around. ¡°What is all of this?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t bring any of my things when I traveled to Frostheart.¡± Lady Adelheid said. ¡°Since I didn¡¯t want to impose more upon the hospitality of House Kaltbrand than I already have, I decided to purchase everything I might need during my stay here.¡±


    It took a considerable amount of effort to keep my jaw from dropping. My talk with Grand Duke Kaltbrand hadn¡¯t lasted that long. How had Lady Adelheid managed to buy all of this within such a short time span?


    ¡°I see.¡± I said after a moment. ¡°I came by to see how you were settling in. As my guest, your wellbeing is important to me.¡±


    Lady Adelheid clasped her hands together and looked down.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Wulfe.¡± she said in a bashful voice. ¡°Your concern for me is touching.¡±


    I stared at her. What was this? Given what I knew about her, or what I thought I knew about her, this wasn¡¯t what I expected of Lady Adelheid. She was acting more like a blushing maiden than the fiery and temperamental woman in the reports the twins gave me. Either Lady Adelheid was more innocent than I was led to believe, or this was an act on her part. If it was the latter, then what was the point? What did she hope to gain?


    ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m still a little shaken by what happened earlier.¡± Lady Adelheid said. She looked back up at me. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t arrived when you did¡­¡± She trailed off and shuddered. ¡°I know I already said this, but thank you, Lord Wulfe. You saved my life.¡± She reached over and touched my arm, a shy smile on her face. ¡°I will remember this for as long as I live.¡±


    It felt like a bolt of lightning hit me as I realized in that moment what Lady Adelheid was doing, and why she was acting this way.


    She was attempting to romance me.

 Chapter 19: Dealing with the Lady

    Lady Adelheid was trying to romance me. While this seemed laughable at first glance, it wasn¡¯t the most ridiculous premise. A warrior rescues a young maiden and the two end up falling in love with each other. Plenty of romances have started this way, both in reality and in the stories. I didn¡¯t know if that had been her original goal in coming to Kaltbrand Castle ahead of time, or if she adapted her plans to the current circumstances.


    By following that line of thought, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess Lady Adelheid¡¯s goal. If she succeeded and ended up marrying me, she would become the next grand duchess. While it wasn¡¯t as prestigious as becoming the actual head of House Kaltbrand, it wasn¡¯t far below it either. She would still accomplish her goal of elevating her family and earning House Gerhard the respect it lacked at the moment.


    From her perspective, it wasn¡¯t a bad plan. Unfortunately for her, she chose me as her target. I wasn¡¯t the real heir to House Kaltbrand, so even if she succeeded in romancing me, she wouldn¡¯t get what she wanted. Not that she had any chance of succeeding in the first place. I loved Lina, and I planned on marrying her once I earned my title and left the Barrens. Lady Adelheid¡¯s plan was doomed from the start. I almost felt bad for her.


    However, this was all just speculation on my part. After all, I didn¡¯t know much about Lady Adelheid as a person. There was only so much one could learn about someone through reports, gossip, and rumors. Perhaps all my predictions and guesses were wrong, and this wasn¡¯t an act at all. I would need to spend more time with Lady Adelheid to figure out the truth of the matter.


    ¡°You speak too highly of me, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said, pulling away from her touch. ¡°I only did what anyone in my position would have done.¡±


    Lady Adelheid shook her head and stepped closer, closing the distance between us once more.


    ¡°Not just anyone saved me, Lord Wulfe.¡± she said, looking up at me with worshipful eyes. ¡°You did. I owe you my life. How can I repay you? Ask anything you wish of me, anything at all, and if it is within my power, I will give it to you.¡±


    When she said that second ¡°anything¡±, Lady Adelheid placed her right hand above her heart. Either this was part of the pledge she made, or she did it to draw attention to her chest. Perhaps it was both.


    Either way, I needed to be careful in how I responded. There were plenty of eyes on us at the moment, and I had no doubt that our conversation would become the subject of gossip and rumors. One wrong move on my part, and people might believe Lady Adelheid and I were more involved with each other than we actually were. That wouldn¡¯t end well for either of us.


    ¡°There is no need to repay me.¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I merely fulfilled the duties of my station. If anyone else had been in your position, I would have done the same for them.¡±


    My firm refusal of her offer must have caught Lady Adelheid off guard, because she studied me for several seconds without saying a word. I caught a glimpse of something in her eyes, but it disappeared before I could figure out what it was.


    ¡°Regardless, the offer still stands.¡± Lady Adelheid said. ¡°I value my life very much, and since you saved me, I must repay you somehow.¡±


    I gave her a polite smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said. ¡°Since I see that you are settling in without issue, I shall take my leave. Have a good day.¡± I turned to leave, but stopped and looked back. ¡°Oh, before I forget, feel free to join us for dinner tonight.¡±


    Lady Adelheid gave me another shy smile and looked down.


    ¡°Very well, I shall.¡± she said. ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡±


    With that, I left and headed towards my own rooms. After everything that had happened, I needed a moment alone to organize my thoughts. When I arrived in my sitting room, I saw no sign of the twins. Despite that, I had a feeling that I wasn¡¯t alone. I hadn¡¯t heard or seen anything, yet my intuition told me that there was someone else in the room with me. Maybe it was paranoia on my part, but it didn¡¯t hurt to be careful.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re here.¡± I said. ¡°Stop hiding and come out.¡±


    Several seconds passed and nothing happened. However, I didn¡¯t relax.


    ¡°Now!¡± I said.


    Another second passed, before the air on the other side of the room rippled and the twins appeared. Maria wore her maid uniform, while Rosalind still wore the outfit that hid her appearance.


    ¡°Aw, how did you know?¡± Maria asked, pouting. ¡°What gave us away?¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°I had a hunch,¡± I said. ¡°How did you do that? Are you two magicians like Claus and you¡¯ve just been hiding your magic until now? Or are you using a magic tool?¡±


    The twins glanced at each other for a moment, shrugged in unison, before facing me again.


    ¡°We used a magic tool called a shadowstep,¡± Rosalind answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s something the boss came up with,¡± Maria said, holding a finger to her lips. ¡°However, it¡¯s supposed to be a secret, so don¡¯t let anyone know that we told you. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be in big trouble.¡±


    If the Blue Shadows had access to a type of magic tool that allowed them to move around unseen and unheard, that would explain a few things about them. However, I wasn¡¯t happy about this. Quite the opposite in fact. What if they had used it to spy on me?


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried that we used this magic tool to spy on you, don¡¯t worry,¡± Rosalind said, as if reading my thoughts. ¡°We stopped when you started working for House Kaltbrand.¡±


    ¡°Though I was tempted more than a few times.¡± Maria said, giving me a lascivious leer.


    Meaning they had used this shadowstep magic tool to spy on me before I started working for House Kaltbrand. This unnerved me a great deal. As an Aura Master, I took pride in my sharpened senses. I didn¡¯t like the idea that someone spied on me without my knowledge. It was bad enough when I thought Claus was the only one. Knowing that there were more of them disturbed my peace of mind.


    ¡°Good.¡± I said. ¡°Keep it that way.¡± I released some of my pressure. ¡°Let me warn you now. If I find out that you lied to me just now, I won¡¯t be happy with you.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Rosalind said with a nod.


    ¡°Aw, meanie.¡± Maria said.


    I retracted my pressure.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I said. ¡°I assume there was a good reason why you were skulking about just now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, there was.¡± Maria said with a huff. ¡°However, I don¡¯t see why we should tell you, if you¡¯re just going to act like that. We¡¯re on your side, remember.¡±


    I sighed, before I sat down in one of the sitting room¡¯s chairs.


    ¡°Maria, I am not in the mood.¡± I said. ¡°So either say what you have to say, or get out. I want to be alone right now.¡±


    Maria must have realized that I was being serious, because her expression turned sober.


    ¡°We were keeping an eye on Lady Adelheid.¡± Rosalind answered. ¡°Given her position as a potential heir to House Kaltbrand, we thought it prudent to watch over her ourselves rather than leave it to others. Both for her sake and House Kaltbrand¡¯s.¡±


    I sighed again.


    ¡°Meaning you overheard our conversation just now.¡± I said.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Maria said, putting on her flirtatious persona once more. ¡°It seems that our little miss Gerhard might have a crush on you, Wulfe.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Not that I blame her. You¡¯re the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. Not only that, but you saved her life. Any woman would fall in love with you if they were in her shoes.¡±


    I gave her a withering look, before facing Rosalind.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked.


    Rosalind took a moment before answering.


    ¡°While my sister¡¯s words do have merit,¡± she said. ¡°I think it¡¯s more likely that this is an act on Lady Adelheid¡¯s part.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I thought so as well,¡± I said. ¡°Given the reports you¡¯ve provided me, Lady Adelheid is acting out of character.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Of course, I would need to spend more time with her to know for sure. For all we know, the reports are wrong and Lady Adelheid is being sincere.¡±


    Maria shrugged.


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be both?¡± she asked. ¡°After all, it¡¯s easier to act a certain way if there are genuine feelings behind them.¡± She grinned. ¡°I would know.¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Rosalind sighed.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± I said. ¡°Continue to keep an eye on her. Let me know if anything suspicious happens.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Wulfe.¡± the twins said in unison.


    ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like some time alone.¡±


    The twins bowed and headed towards the door. However, before she left, Maria had one last thing to say.


    ¡°If you ever need some stress relief, let me know.¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to help you unwind, Wulfe.¡±


    ¡°Maria!¡± Rosalind said.


    ¡°What?¡± Maria looked at her sister, a faux innocent expression on her face. ¡°I was just offering to give him a massage.¡± She tilted her head to the side. ¡°What did you think I meant?¡±


    I rolled my eyes as Rosalind pulled her sister out of the sitting room. Once they left, I looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°I miss Lina.¡± I said.


    My heart ached something fierce. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to head to the Riverlands in order to reunite with the woman I loved. I stayed like that for some time, before I got up to continue on with my day. There was still so much to do and only so many hours in a day.


    <hr>


    Dinner that night ended up being a¡­mixed affair. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Count Wirner treated Lady Adelheid in a polite, but distant, manner. Lady Adelheid herself acted with the elegance and poise expected of a young lady. However, Knight Commander Bardin considered Lady Adelheid a nuisance. That wasn¡¯t speculation on my part. She said that right to the young lady¡¯s face. To her credit, Lady Adelheid managed to maintain her composure in the face of such blatant hostility.


    As for me, I followed Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Count Wirner¡¯s example. I treated Lady Adelheid with politeness, but I maintained a certain distance between us. This didn¡¯t seem to deter her at all, because she continued to act like a bashful, blushing maiden around me. Knight Commander Bardin noticed this, which just further deepened her ill-will towards Lady Adelheid.


    In the following days, Lady Adelheid and I bumped into each other often. I suspected this was deliberate on her part. If it was once or twice, I would have chalked it off as coincidence. However, it happened far too often for that to be the case. It also happened when we were in public, within view of the servants. We never talked about anything significant, nor did we talk for long. However, she was my guest, so I couldn¡¯t just ignore her or brush her off. Did she just want my company, or was she planting the seeds for something bigger?


    It was difficult to tell, since Lady Adelheid continued with her act. In fact, she put on such a performance that I had trouble believing that it was a performance at all. What if she was being sincere? This troubled me. Not because it would change my feelings for her, but because it would make dealing with her more difficult, as cold and callous as that sounded.


    According to the twins, the only thing suspicious about Lady Adelheid¡¯s actions was that she questioned the servants to dig up every bit of information she could about me. Well, she had her maid question the servants. This was either because she wanted to know everything she could about her rival (me), or she wanted to know more about the man she had feelings for.


    Regardless, her actions led to a number of rumors spreading among the servants. Viscount and Viscountess Holtz did their best to squash these rumors, but their efforts were futile. Soon, word spread throughout all of Kaltbrand Castle that Lady Adelheid was in love with me. A few rumors even suggested that I reciprocated her feelings.


    Rather than let things spiral out of control, I decided to take a gamble and tackle the issue head on. I invited Lady Adelheid for a cup of tea in my sitting room. When she arrived, I couldn¡¯t help but stare because she looked resplendent. When I first met Lady Adelheid, I thought she looked pretty but bland. In this moment, that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth.


    Her makeup was subtle and light, yet it elevated her features from pretty to beautiful. Her long hair was tied up in a simple arrangement that highlighted her beauty rather than distracting from it. She wore a blue dress embedded with enough jewels to make her sparkle, but not enough to make her seem gaudy. It wasn¡¯t just her looks either. Even her movements seemed more elegant and refined than usual.


    Despite looking like she was dressed for a ball or some other social event, Lady Adelheid didn¡¯t seem out of place even though we were just going to share a cup of tea together. It was as if she had been hiding her true beauty until now, and this was her real self. If that was the case, it made for an impactful reveal.


    So much so, that it took me a moment to regain my composure. I loved Lina, but I wasn¡¯t blind. Lady Adelheid¡¯s personal maid, who had accompanied her mistress today, looked rather pleased with herself. No doubt Lady Adelheid¡¯s current appearance was her handiwork.


    ¡°Welcome, Lady Adelheid,¡± I said.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Wulfe,¡± she said, giving me a bow. ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡±


    I gestured for her to sit down. She did, while her personal maid stood behind her. Once I sat down as well, Maria arrived to serve us tea. Afterwards, Lady Adelheid and I went through the usual round of polite small talk as we sipped our tea. This went on for five minutes.


    ¡°Lady Adelheid,¡± I said, once I had my fill of talking about the weather. ¡°I invited you here because I wished to discuss a matter that concerns us both.¡± I frowned. ¡°Recently, I heard some rather disturbing rumors about us and I believe we should deal with those rumors before they grow out of control.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Lady Adelheid said. She clasped her hands together and looked down at her lap. ¡°I believe I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She looked back up at me. ¡°However, I should admit that there is some tru-¡­¡±


    I held up a hand and cut her off. Some flashed behind her eyes, but it appeared and disappeared so quickly that I wasn¡¯t sure if it had ever been there in the first place.


    ¡°I believe we should continue this conversation in private,¡± I said. ¡°Everyone leave us.¡±


    Maria bowed, before exiting the sitting room.


    ¡°You as well.¡± I said to Lady Adelheid¡¯s personal maid, who hadn¡¯t moved an inch.


    She shook her head and opened her mouth to say something, but Lady Adelheid spoke up first.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Josepha.¡± she said.


    This caught the personal maid, Josepha, off guard.


    ¡°But, my lady!¡± she protested.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Lady Adelheid said, giving her a gentle smile.


    Josepha looked conflicted at this, but she obeyed her mistress and left the sitting room. Once we were alone, I dropped my polite mask.


    ¡°Now then, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said. ¡°I think it¡¯s time that you and I have an honest and frank discussion with one another. By doing so, I hope that we can both get what we want from each in a mutually beneficial arrangement.¡± I bared my teeth in a smile at her. ¡°However, this is a one time offer. If you insist on continuing with this performance of yours, I will have no choice but to assume that you have malicious intentions and will act accordingly.¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes widened and she gave me a dismayed look.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe, I don¡¯t know what you mea-¡­¡±


    I gave her a warning look. She stopped mid sentence and narrowed her eyes at me. Several seconds passed before she spoke again.


    ¡°When did you figure it out?¡± she asked, her voice sharper than before.


    She leaned back, transforming from blushing young maiden to someone sharper and far more dangerous.


    ¡°I suspected you from the very beginning.¡± I said. ¡°However, you put on such a good performance that I questioned myself several times. You¡¯re a talented actress.¡±


    Lady Adelheid smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡± She clicked her tongue in displeasure and shook her head. ¡°If that was the case, couldn¡¯t you have played along for a bit longer? Josepha put so much effort into my appearance today. It¡¯s a shame that all her work has gone to waste.¡±


    ¡°As I mentioned earlier,¡± I said. ¡°I wanted to settle things between us before the rumors about us grew out of control.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°Though, I have a feeling that was part of your plan.¡±


    Lady Adelheid just smiled at that.


    ¡°If we are going to have an open and frank discussion, I believe you should go first, Lord Wulfe.¡± she said instead. ¡°It was your idea, after all. What do you want from me?¡±


    Fair enough. I nodded in acquiescence.


    ¡°Simple,¡± I said. ¡°I want your support. While your faction is the smallest among the three potential heirs, or former potential heirs I should say, it isn¡¯t nothing. Considering the difficulties you must have faced because you are a magician and not an Aura user, I¡¯m impressed that your faction is as large as it is. Not only that, but House Gerhard has connections with a number of noble houses in the Riverlands. I want to make use of those connections.¡± I gestured to her. ¡°Your turn. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°House Kaltbrand.¡± Lady Adelheid stated without hesitation. ¡°However, I know that will never happen. My chances were low to begin with, but your appearance has made achieving my goal all but impossible.¡± She sighed and shook her head. ¡°I worked for years to get to where I am, all for the sake of becoming the next head of House Kaltbrand, only to have it all become meaningless thanks to you. You can imagine how¡­frustrated I felt when I found out that His Grace had intended to appoint his hidden illegitimate son as his heir this entire time. It would have been better not to give me and the others hope if that had been his plan all along.¡±


    I felt a little bad for Lady Adelheid, as well as the other potential heirs. While I was a fake, Grand Duke Kaltbrand did have an actual heir hidden away, rendering all of the potential heirs¡¯ efforts up to this point moot. That said, according to the grand duke, he didn¡¯t consider any of them worthy successors, so perhaps none of them would have been appointed as his heir anyway. I don¡¯t know if that made me feel better or not.


    ¡°So,¡± Lady Adelheid continued. ¡°I will have to settle for the next best thing: becoming the spouse of the head of House Kaltbrand.¡± She smirked. ¡°As a woman, I have an advantage over the others in this regard.¡± She paused. ¡°Unless you favor men over women.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No, that is not that case.¡± I said.


    Lady Adelheid clapped her hands together and smiled.


    ¡°Excellent! Then I believe that, yes, we can both get what we want from each other. You want my support and I want to become your wife. The solution to both is simple: all we have to do is marry each other.¡±


    I sighed. This wasn¡¯t going to be as easy as I hoped. Well, I never expected that it would.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t marry you, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said. ¡°I love someone else and I intend to marry her.¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s expression grew cold.


    ¡°Love?¡± she scoffed. ¡°Why, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so¡­naive and simple, Lord Wulfe. Love has no place when it comes to marriages between nobles. It is a legal contract, a business deal, and a political alliance all rolled into one.¡± She gave me a disdainful smile. ¡°Unless your lover isn¡¯t a noble. Given your history, that is possible. In which case, I suggest you give up your delusions and face reality. The northern lords will never accept a commoner as the next grand duchess.¡± She gestured to me. ¡°That said, I am not heartless. You can marry me and keep your lover by your side as your mistress, if you wish. As long as she knows her place, I have problems with that arrangement.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel disgust at her words. The¡­arrangement she described wasn¡¯t unusual when it came to married noble couples. In fact, it was common. For nobles, marriage was a calculated and cold-hearted affair. However, they were still people; people who loved and wanted to be loved. And so, nobles often had paramours.


    I could not accept a marriage like that, not after growing up in House Guld. Father and Mother¡­I mean, Duke and Duchess Guld genuinely loved each other. It started out as a political arrangement, for Her Grace¡¯s sake, but the two of them ended up falling in love anyway. That was the sort of marriage I wanted, and I wouldn¡¯t settle for less.


    ¡°The answer is still no, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said. ¡°I cannot marry you.¡±


    Lady Adelheid clenched her fists together and her body trembled. Not out of fear or embarrassment, but from anger. Considering what the reports said about her temper, this reaction was mild for her. That spoke well of her self control. If I had been anyone else, she probably wouldn¡¯t have bothered.


    ¡°In that case, I believe it is time for me to leave, Lord Wulfe,¡± Lady Adelheid said in a clipped tone. ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to budge on this, then I see no reason why we should continue this conversation.¡±


    With that, she stood up and walked towards the door.

 Chapter 20: Lina Guld

    When Lady Adelheid started to leave, I let her take two steps before I spoke up.


    ¡°Walk through that door,¡± I said in a cold voice. ¡°And any chance of cooperation between us goes out the window, Lady Adelheid. Think carefully before you do. You will not have another chance like this ever again.¡±


    ¡°Why should I care?¡± she spat out, glancing back at me. ¡°You refuse to give me what I want, so I see no reason why I should work with you.¡±


    ¡°I refuse to marry you, Lady Adelheid,¡± I said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not willing to give you what you want.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°Do you really want House Kaltbrand? Or is there something else you want, and becoming the head of House Kaltbrand is the means to achieving that end?¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, before she burst out into laughter.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± she said, giving me a sharp smile. ¡°Given your dour appearance, I never expected you to have a sense of humor, Lord Wulfe? Becoming the head of House Kaltbrand is merely the means to an end? That is by far the funniest thing I have ever heard in my entire life.¡± She dropped the smile. ¡°However, I have no time to entertain such foolish notions.¡±


    I gave her a polite smile.


    ¡°And yet you¡¯re still here.¡± I said. ¡°So either sit down, so we can continue our conversation, or leave.¡±


    Lady Adelheid glared at me for several long seconds, before she walked over to her previous seat and sat down again. I gave her another polite smile. She just scowled at me.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I said. ¡°Why do you want to become the head of House Kaltbrand?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want my support?¡± she snapped back. ¡°You have Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s backing. You don¡¯t need me.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°Even if you did, you don¡¯t have to negotiate with me for it. I owe you a debt, remember? Why even bother negotiating with me when you can just call in that debt?¡±


    ¡°Oh, simple.¡± I said. ¡°I know that I can get more from you later on, after you¡¯ve established yourself.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Assuming things go the way I want them to.¡±


    Lady Adelheid narrowed her eyes at me.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± she asked.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already answered one of your questions,¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s your turn to answer mine. Why do you want to become the head of House Kaltbrand?¡±


    Lady Adelheid clenched her jaw and turned away from me.


    ¡°Remember, we agreed to be open and frank with one another during this conversation,¡± I said in a coaxing tone. ¡°And it should go without saying that nothing we say will go beyond these walls.¡±


    Lady Adelheid didn¡¯t respond for several seconds.


    ¡°How do I know that I can trust you?¡± she said. ¡°We met just a few days ago.¡±


    I grinned at her.


    ¡°At bit late to be asking that question at this point in the conversation, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked.


    Lady Adelheid looked back at me with a conflicted expression on her face. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said. ¡°I assume you know how my family is viewed by the other northern lords?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°They don¡¯t hold House Gerhard in high regard.¡± I said.


    Lady Adelheid let out a derisive sneer.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement.¡± she said. ¡°They look down on us. We¡¯re one of the wealthiest noble houses in the Barrens, and we¡¯re descended from House Kaltbrand just like House Steuben and House Arbeit, yet everyone looks down upon us just because we¡¯re not Aura users. They don¡¯t consider us true northerners.¡± She leaned towards me. ¡°Do you know what that was like for me, when I was growing up? The blood of House Kaltbrand flows through my veins, just as it does yours, and I am one of the youngest Sages in the entirety of the Reichwald Empire. Yet, my peers had the audacity to look down upon me. It was beyond infuriating.¡±


    As she spoke, Lady Adelheid¡¯s voice grew louder and louder. She paused and took a deep breath in order to regain her composure.


    ¡°You want to know the real reason why I want to become the head of House Kaltbrand?¡± she asked. ¡°I want to ensure that no one ever dares to look down upon me ever again. I want to make them all bow and scrape before me. Most importantly, I want House Gerhard to hold its head up high despite the fact that we¡¯re not Aura users and warriors. That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    I took a moment to study Lady Adelheid. Her eyes blazed with fury and passion. Her cheeks were flushed. In the midst of her speech, she released a bit of her own pressure, though I believed this was unintentional. While her pressure wasn¡¯t on the same level as mine, it wasn¡¯t weak. She was a Sage after all. In that moment, she looked more beautiful than ever. A part of me thought that if I didn¡¯t love Lina, and if I were the real heir to House Kaltbrand, I would be tempted to marry Lady Adelheid, if only to have someone like her by my side.


    ¡°There you have it, Lord Wulfe,¡± Lady Adelheid said, leaning back. ¡°You know what I really want now. However, it¡¯s impossible to achieve unless I become the head of House Kaltbrand or the spouse of the head of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No.¡± I said. ¡°In fact, there is another way; a better one, from a certain point of view. Tell me, what does the Barrens need the most?¡±


    ¡°Food.¡± Lady Adelheid answered right away.


    I nodded. The Barrens had a lot of wealth in the form of minerals, metals, and mana crystals. However, it didn¡¯t have much arable land. Plenty of people hunted to make up for this lack, but that only went so far. As a result, the Barrens imported a lot of its food from the warmer, more fertile regions of the Reichwald Empire. The biggest suppliers were the noble owned trading companies from the Riverlands, the breadbasket of the empire. These trading companies were all under the control, directly or indirectly, of House Guld.


    ¡°What if House Gerhard became the bridge between the Barren and the Riverlands?¡± I asked. ¡°What if the northern lords had to choose between bowing their heads to you or starving?¡± I grinned. ¡°Would that satisfy you?¡±


    Lady Adelheid stared at me.


    ¡°How?¡± she asked. ¡°My family has connections with several noble houses within the Riverlands, including House Guld, but those connections aren¡¯t enough to give us the sort of influence you¡¯re speaking of. We just sell mana crystals and magic tools to them.¡±


    ¡°However, if House Gerhard became partners with House Guld, with you as the head of that partnership¡­¡± I shrugged. ¡°Well, that changes things, doesn¡¯t it?¡± I smiled at her. ¡°I can make that happen.¡±


    Well, Lina could make that happen. Not for free of course. Lina loved me, but I didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her like this. I intended to repay her for this favor, though I wasn¡¯t sure how yet.


    ¡°How?¡± Lady Adelheid demanded. ¡°Your proposal sounds tempting, but I¡¯m going to need more if I am going to agree to it.¡±


    This was where things became tricky. I needed to reveal enough to earn Lady Adelheid¡¯s trust, but not enough for her to realize my past. If people realized that I was once the adopted son of House Guld, they would see that it clashed with the story Grand Duke Kaltbrand told everyone about me.


    ¡°The woman I intend to marry is Lady Lina Guld.¡± I said.


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes widened as the implications of that set in.


    ¡°Oh.¡± she said, before her shoulders slumped. ¡°That explains¡­ everything.¡± She let out a chuckle and shook her head. ¡°I never had a chance with you at all.¡± She paused. ¡°Though, that does make me feel better now that I think about it.¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°Is that enough to convince you?¡± I asked.


    Lady Adelheid nodded.


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± she said, before giving me a smile. It seemed genuine, at least more so than any of her previous smiles. ¡°I accept your terms, Lord Wulfe.¡± She leaned forward and reached a hand out towards me. ¡°Let us shake on it.¡±


    I leaned forward and shook her hand.


    ¡°Now then,¡± she said, her smile turning sharp. ¡°Shall we discuss the finer details?¡±


    Our discussion lasted for hours as we negotiated the terms of our alliance. As expected of someone who dealt with noble houses from the Riverlands on a regular basis, Lady Adelheid knew how to negotiate a contract. However, I grew up in House Guld.


    After Lady Adelheid left, I took a moment to relax before I headed off to write the letter to Lina. I also needed to inform the grand duke of my deal with Lady Adelheid. I sighed. So much to do in so little time.


    ***


    Interlude: Lina


    Lina let out a sigh of contentment as she gazed out at the gardens of Guld Manor. Flowers of all shapes, sizes, and colors spread out all around her. They looked especially vibrant in the light of the late morning sun. Up above, the sky remained clear and cloudless. The flowers swayed as a cool breeze blew the gardens. All in all, it was a perfect day to enjoy a cup of tea with her siblings.


    Well, most of her siblings. Even after returning to House Guld, her brother Emmerich spent most of his time at the Tower of Magic. At least they knew where he was now, which is much better compared to before.


    As for Wulfram¡­Well, she never considered Wulfram her brother, so he didn¡¯t count. Lina¡¯s heart throbbed at the thought of her beloved. While she never revealed it to others, Wulfram¡¯s absence felt like a gaping hole in her soul. Ever since he left, she felt like she was missing an integral part of herself.


    Still, she understood why he left, and why he came up with that plan of his. It had never been necessary, at least not on House Guld¡¯s end, but for him it was. Lina suspected it was the only way Wulfram would ever feel like a real part of their family.


    ¡°Is there something wrong, Big Sis?¡± Mika asked, pulling her back to the present. ¡°You haven¡¯t said anything for several minutes now.¡±


    Lina looked over at her younger sister. Like their mother and Lina herself, Mika was quite the beauty. Even at fifteen years of age, she had plenty of admirers. Of course, all of those admirers kept their distance, for fear of incurring Father and Sieg¡¯s wrath.


    Lina herself once had to deal with the same problem, until she made it clear to everyone that her heart belonged to another. A few persisted even after that, but she¡­persuaded them to leave her alone. No one bothered her after that.


    ¡°No, there is nothing wrong.¡± Lina said, giving Mika a warm smile. ¡°I am just admiring the gardens. No matter how much I see of them, they always fill me with awe.¡±


    Mika nodded and looked out towards the gardens.


    ¡°Mother has outdone herself this year.¡± she said.


    Lina nodded in agreement. The gardens were Mother¡¯s pride and joy. After losing the fight for the throne and marrying Father, she decided to make the gardens at Guld Manor more beautiful than the ones located within the imperial palace. It was her way of getting some minor revenge on her brother, the emperor. After decades of effort, she had succeeded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what all the fuss is about.¡± Sieg muttered as he sipped his tea. ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of flowers. Why do you two get so worked up about them?¡±


    Lina shared a look with Mika. While they both loved their eldest brother, they lamented his lack of appreciation for nature¡¯s beauty, or beauty in general. It was a shame, since Sieg himself was quite the handsome man. Lina had no doubt that any artist worth the name would sell their soul for the chance to paint Sieg while he strolled about the garden or gazed pensively into the distance.


    ¡°You should never let your wife hear you say that.¡± Mika said. ¡°Amalina loves gardening almost as much as Mother does.¡±


    Sieg shrugged.


    ¡°She knows I¡¯m disinterested in this sort of thing.¡± he said. ¡°In fact, she prefers it this way. It means that she¡¯ll have complete control over the gardens when I inherit the title and she becomes Duchess.¡±


    Lina thought about it for a moment, before nodding in agreement. Sieg, as the heir to House Guld, married soon after he became an adult. It has been an arranged marriage, something their parents had set up when Sieg and his wife, Lady Amelina, were children. The two were fond of each other, but they didn¡¯t love one another. Lina always felt sorrow at this. Her parents married for political reasons, to prevent Mother from being executed or banished, but they fell in love with one another. Lina always wanted a loving marriage like that for herself, and she wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less.


    Thankfully, she didn¡¯t have anything to worry about in that regard. After Wulfram returned, and he would return, they would marry one another and live a happy life together. She would make sure of it. She also planned on making sure that he would never escape her grasp again. Once was enough.


    Lina opened her mouth to respond to Sieg¡¯s words, but stopped when she caught sight of Baron Franz Schultz, the butler for Guld Manor, walking in their direction. He was young for a butler, only in his mid thirties, with pale skin, brown hair, and green eyes. The son of the previous butler, Franz inherited his title and his duties when his father decided to retire.


    ¡°What is Franz doing here?¡± Sieg asked with a frown. ¡°I thought I told the servants not to disturb us.¡±


    The three of them were in one of the many gazebos that dotted the gardens around Guld Manor. Sieg was often busy with his duties as heir, while Lina managed several of House Guld¡¯s businesses, including the Pink Orchid Trading Company. This left them little time to spare for Mika. To make up for this, Lina often organized little get-togethers for just the three of them. Not even their parents were invited.


    If Franz was interrupting them, then it must have been for something important. It didn¡¯t seem urgent, based on the calm expression on his face, which narrowed down the possibilities. Lina¡¯s heart fluttered as one possibility in particular came to mind.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Sieg,¡± Franz said when he reached the gazebo. He bowed to all three of them. ¡°Lady Lina. Lady Mika.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here, Franz?¡± Sieg asked in an irritated tone. ¡°We were in the middle of enjoying some private time together.¡±


    Mika smacked his arm.


    ¡°Stop being mean to him.¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sure Franz has a perfectly good reason for being here.¡±


    Franz smiled.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Mika.¡± he said. ¡°And yes, I do.¡± He reached into the jacket of his butler uniform and pulled out an envelope. ¡°A letter from Evangeline Weaver arrived for Lady Lina.¡±


    A smile spread across Lina¡¯s face when she heard this. Out of the unjustified belief that his letters would be intercepted and read by others, whenever Wulfram wrote to Lina, he used the name Evangeline Weaver. Lina ordered Franz to bring any letter bearing that name right to her, no matter the circumstances. Of course, everyone in their family knew that Evangeline Weaver was Wulfram, though they pretended otherwise.


    After Wulfram ran away from home, Lina convinced their parents to let her handle anything and everything related to him. Otherwise, they would have done everything in their power to bring him back. Lina wanted to avoid this, because she thought it was best if Wulfram came back on his own. It took some effort on her part, but she succeeded.


    ¡°A letter from Wulfram arrived?¡± Mika asked, bouncing with excitement. ¡°Open it, Big Sis. Come on! I want to hear about how he has been doing.¡±


    Well, most of their family looked the other way.


    ¡°Mika,¡± Sieg said, giving her a warning glare. ¡°The letter is from Evangeline, not Wulfram.¡±


    ¡°But-¡­¡±


    Sieg silenced her with a look. Mika pouted and crossed her arms.


    ¡°This is stupid.¡± Mika said. ¡°We know it¡¯s from Wulfram, but we have to pretend it¡¯s not. I don¡¯t understand why.¡±


    ¡°Consider it part of our punishment for failing to recognize the pain he suffered.¡± Sieg said in a quiet voice.


    Mika¡¯s expression fell at that and silence settled over the gazebo. No one in House Guld, not even Lina, had realized the abuse Wulfram had endured until it was far too late to do anything about it. By that point, the wounds in his heart had become too deep. He needed time to heal, time away from House Guld, and Lina intended to give it to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the letter now, Franz.¡± Lina said, breaking the silence.


    Franz nodded and handed it over to her. She broke the seal on the letter and began reading it. As she went through the letter, her initial joy and relief at receiving word from Wulfram turned to confusion and concern and¡­jealousy. Her siblings remained silent as she read; Sieg with patience and Mika with impatience.


    ¡°Well?¡± Mika asked when Lina finished, bouncing in her seat. ¡°What does it say?¡±


    ¡°Franz,¡± Lina said, looking up from the letter. ¡°Is Yorick still at the estate?¡±


    Franz¡¯s eyes widened when he heard this. Yorick was one of the merchants who managed the Pink Orchid Trading Company on House Guld¡¯s behalf. On the surface, it seemed like any other trading company, albeit one with branches all over the Reichwald Empire. In reality, it was House Guld¡¯s spy network, with Yorick as its spymaster.


    After Wulfram ran away, Lina knew that if she wanted to help him, she needed more power. Since she wasn¡¯t the heir, nor was she a magician or a warrior, Lina needed to secure power through other means. To that end, she asked her parents to let her manage several of House Guld¡¯s assets, such as the Pink Orchid Trading Company.


    Lina had met with Yorick earlier that morning, to discuss the political situation within Haven, and she hoped he hadn¡¯t left yet.


    ¡°I believe he just left a few minutes ago.¡± Franz said. ¡°Would you like me to send someone to fetch him?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lina said.


    Franz bowed and left.


    ¡°Big Sis, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mika asked. ¡°Why do you look so scary?¡±


    ¡°Did something happen to¡­Evangeline?¡± Sieg asked, leaning forward. He wore a concerned expression on his face.


    Lina shook her head. She didn¡¯t trust her self control at the moment. Wulfram had written to her in order to ask for a favor on behalf of another woman. It was nothing. It was probably nothing. Yet, a part of Lina couldn¡¯t help but fear otherwise.


    Most of the time, Lina was calm, level headed, and self assured. However, when it came to Wulfram interacting with other women, Lina became possessive and jealous. Her beloved was a priceless treasure, one she had recognized even as a child, and she refused to let anyone take him away from her. She knew that she was being irrational, but that didn¡¯t make her emotions any less powerful.


    Over the next few minutes, Lina focused on her breathing and sipped her tea in order to calm the tumultuous emotions raging through her heart. Her siblings, bless their hearts, understood what she was going through and remained silent.


    ¡°Wulfram says that he¡¯ll return to Guld Manor in about a year or so.¡± Lina said.

 Chapter 21: News from the North

    Lina¡¯s siblings stared at her for several seconds as they digested her words. Mika was the first one to react.


    ¡°What?¡± she said, standing up. ¡°Wulfram¡¯s coming back?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lina said. ¡°In a year.¡±


    A bright smile across Mika¡¯s face. It reminded Lina of the sun rising on a beautiful spring day: warm and radiant. Mika ran over to Lina and embraced her.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so happy!¡± Mika said, still hugging Lina. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for you two to get married so we can all be one big happy family again.¡± She pulled away. ¡°I don¡¯t want any more stupid misunderstandings to ruin our happiness.¡±


    Lina almost pointed out that the reason why Wulfram ran away was more than a ¡°stupid misunderstanding¡±. However, she refrained since she didn¡¯t want to dim Mika¡¯s joy. Her little sister hummed as she sat down again.


    ¡°I thought you said that it would take much longer for Wulfram to return.¡± Sieg said. ¡°What changed?¡±


    Lina nodded. Wulfram¡¯s original plan was to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade and earn the title of baron after serving the requisite number of years. After accomplishing that, he would return to Guld Manor as a newly elevated noble and marry into House Guld. It was a plan that would have taken years to succeed, perhaps even a decade, but Lina was willing to wait that long for Wulfram.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Lina said in an exasperated tone. ¡°Wulfram was sparse on the details, as always. He just said that after his current job, he would be able to return.¡± She frowned. ¡°However, in order to make that happen, he needed a favor from me.¡±


    ¡°What sort of favor?¡± Sieg asked.


    ¡°He wants House Guld to partner with House Gerhard,¡± Lina said. ¡°So that most of the food we export to the Barrens goes through House Gerhard first, with one Lady Adelheid Gerhard acting as the bridge between our two families.¡±


    A beat of silence followed her words.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Sieg said. ¡°That would explain your expression earlier.¡±


    Mika looked between the two of them with a worried look on her face.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, right?¡± she asked. ¡°Everyone knows Wulfram is head over heels in love with you, Lina.¡±


    Lina gave her a tight smile.


    ¡°Of course there is nothing to worry about,¡± she said. ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t hurt to find out more about this Lady Adelheid Gerhard.¡±


    Mika flinched at this and leaned over towards Sieg.


    ¡°Big Brother,¡± she said, pretending to whisper. ¡°The look in Big Sis¡¯ eyes is scaring me.¡±


    Sieg reached over and patted Mika¡¯s head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Mika beamed at him. Lina rolled her eyes at her siblings¡¯ antics.


    ¡°Gerhard,¡± Sieg said, facing Lina. ¡°That name sounds familiar.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re one of the families in the Barrens that supplies us with mana crystals,¡± Lina said. ¡°Given the quality and quantity of the mana crystals they provide, I was considering making them our main supplier.¡±


    Lina opened her mouth to continue, but paused when she caught sight of Franz and Yorick heading towards the gazebo. The latter must have been closer to Guld Manor than she feared.


    On the surface, Yorick looked nothing like what one would expect of a spymaster. He was a middle-aged man, with tanned skin, brown hair, and brown eyes. His plump body gave him a jolly and jovial air, and he always wore a cheerful smile on his face. He wore simple but expensive clothing, the kind any moderately prosperous merchant would wear. All in all, Yorick looked like a harmless fellow.


    This facade hid a sharp mind and a ruthless pragmatism, both of which served Yorick well as a merchant and a spymaster. However, people always underestimated him because of his appearance and assumed he was dimwitted. Yorick was more than willing to take advantage of this in the pursuit of profit and information.


    When they arrived, Franz bowed.


    ¡°I brought Yorick to you as commanded, my lady,¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you, Franz,¡± Lina said. ¡°You may go now.¡±


    Franz bowed once more, before leaving.


    ¡°Lord Sieg,¡± Yorick said, bowing to each of them in turn. ¡°Lady Lina. Lady Mika.¡±


    Lina and her siblings nodded in greeting to him.


    ¡°How may I be of service to you?¡± Yorick asked.


    While Yorick made it appear as if his question was directed at all of them, everyone knew that he was really talking to Lina. After all, while Sieg was the heir to House Guld, Lina was his immediate superior, and Mika wasn¡¯t in his chain of command at all.


    ¡°Tell me everything you know about Lady Adelheid Gerhard,¡± Lina commanded.


    If this question surprised Yorick, he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± he said. ¡°At twenty three years of age, Lady Adelheid is the second oldest child of House Gerhard. She debuted in the Barrens¡¯ high society when she was seventeen. When it comes to magic, Lady Adelheid is considered a genius. She became a Sage last year, making her one of the youngest magicians in the history of the Reichwald Empire to reach that level of power.¡± He paused. ¡°Of course, she is nothing compared to Lord Emmerich.¡±


    Lina nodded. Her youngest brother, Emmerich, became a Sage at the age of seventeen, making him the youngest magician in the history of the Reichwald Empire to reach that level of power. This made him the darling of the Tower of Magic.


    ¡°Lady Adelheid is also involved in many of her family¡¯s ventures,¡± Yorick continued. ¡°Including selling magic crystals to House Guld. However, she has a reputation for having a hot temper, so her standing in the Barrens¡¯ high society isn¡¯t high.¡±


    Mika put her elbows on the table and propped herself up.


    ¡°Wow!¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you know that much about this woman off the top of your head, Yorick. You¡¯re amazing!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Mika.¡± Yorick said with a nod. ¡°However, this is the bare minimum. I would be remiss in my duties if I didn¡¯t know this much about Lady Adelheid, especially given her connection to House Guld.¡±


    Lina frowned.


    ¡°Is that everything?¡± she asked.


    While what Yorick told her was informative, it didn¡¯t explain how and why Wulfram became involved with such a woman. That was what concerned Lina the most. Then again, what could Lina expect? While this Lady Adelheid was connected to House Guld, it was a minor connection at most. Beyond that, there was no reason to investigate her. Of course Yorick¡¯s knowledge of the woman would be limited.


    ¡°No,¡± Yorick said, shaking his head. ¡°Until recently, Lady Adelheid was considered one of Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s potential heirs, since House Gerhard is a collateral branch of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°Yorick,¡± she said. ¡°That is the sort of thing you should lead with instead of waiting until the very end.¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Lady Adelheid was a potential heir to House Kaltbrand? That would explain Wulfram¡¯s actions. Everyone in high society knew about the political situation in the Barrens. What if Lady Adelheid offered to make Wulfram a noble in exchange for his help in securing her position as the heir to House Kaltbrand? Thanks to the Pact, House Kaltbrand boasted several rights and privileges that no other noble house in the Reichwald Empire enjoyed. Because of this, the Barrens was effectively a sovereign kingdom in its own right, albeit one under the aegis of the empire.


    If Lady Adelheid became Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s actual heir instead of his potential heir, she would be more than able to reward Wulfram with a noble title for his help. However, Lina¡¯s anxiety spiked. What if Lady Adelheid realized Wulfram¡¯s worth and decided to keep him for herself? If nothing else, Wulfram was an Aura Expert. Northerners prized martial prowess above all else, so having someone like Wulfram by her side wouldn¡¯t hurt Lady Adelheid¡¯s position.


    ¡°That is because Lady Adelheid is involved with another matter I¡¯m investigating,¡± Yorick explained. ¡°However, progress has been slow, which was why I hesitated to mention it.¡±


    ¡°What matter?¡± Lina asked.


    ¡°And what did you mean when you said ¡®until recently¡¯ earlier?¡± Sieg interjected. ¡°Are you saying that Lady Adelheid is no longer one of Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s potential heirs?¡±


    Yorick took a moment before answering.


    ¡°She is not,¡± he said. ¡°That is because Grand Duke Kaltbrand has named, or will name, his illegitimate son as his heir. For the sake of this son¡¯s safety, it seems that the grand duke has kept him hidden until now.¡± He hesitated. ¡°The son¡¯s name is Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡±


    Silence fell over the gazebo as Lina and her siblings stared at Yorick.


    ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Lina said, breaking the silence. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    Yorick nodded.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± he said. ¡°When I heard the name, I tried to look deeper into the matter, since it may be related to Lord Wulfram. However, our people have made little progress. Someone is interfering with our investigation. What little we do know about this Wulf Kaltbrand is from gossip and rumors.¡±


    ¡°Yorick,¡± Lina said. ¡°I remember telling you to report anything and everything related to Wulfram to me. Why are you just bringing this up now?¡±


    While Lina was willing to give Wulfram the time needed for his wounds to heal, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t want to know where he was and what he was up to. However, Wulfram himself never told her much. To that end, she tasked the Pink Orchid Trading Company with keeping their eyes and ears open for news about Wulfram and his activities. Unfortunately, they had a small presence in the Barrens, so information about her beloved was sparse.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mention anything about it until now because I wanted to bring you something more substantial, my lady,¡± Yorick answered. ¡°Except for their names, nothing ties Wulf Kaltbrand and Lord Wulfram together. Anything beyond that is speculation.¡±


    Lina opened her mouth to berate Yorick for his failure, Sieg placed hand over hers and shook his head.


    ¡°Yorick is right, Lina,¡± he said. ¡°While their names are similar, we have no proof that Wulfram and Wulfe Kaltbrand have anything to do with each other. For all we know, they¡¯re two separate people.¡±


    Lina studied her brother¡¯s face, before she let out a sigh.


    ¡°I know that when it comes to Wulfram, I can be somewhat¡­irrational,¡± she said.


    ¡°Somewhat?¡± Sieg said in a teasing tone.


    ¡°However,¡± Lina continued, as if her brother hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°Yorick should have still reported the matter to me.¡± She looked over at the spymaster. ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand has named an heir. That is the sort of news that can rearrange the political landscape of the entire Reichwald Empire. You should have told me for that reason alone.¡±


    Yorick¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t think of it in that light, my lady,¡± Yorick said. He bowed his head. ¡°I let my prejudice cloud my judgment. Please forgive me.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± she asked. ¡°You failed me, Yorick. It is not your place to decide what to tell me and what to withhold. If I can¡¯t trust you to perform your duties, then I¡¯m not sure I can trust you at all.¡±


    Yorick¡¯s expression crumpled. He fell to his knees and prostrated himself before her.


    ¡°I have committed a grave sin.¡± he said. ¡°I know I am unworthy of your forgiveness, but please allow me to make up for my mistake. I will do everything in my power to prove that I am worthy of your trust.¡±


    Lina studied Yorick without saying a word, letting the silence stretch on. The tension in the air grew taught, like a string ready to snap at any moment. Sieg sipped his tea, seemingly unaffected, while Mika fidgeted in her seat.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lina said. ¡°I shall forgive you this time.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°Make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Yorick, still prostrated, nodded.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Lina said, standing up. ¡°Get up. You and I have a lot of work to do, and not a lot of time in which to do it.¡± She pinched her chin. ¡°It will take me two-¡­No, three days to make all the necessary preparations.¡±


    Sieg sighed and looked up at her.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± he asked.


    As expected of her eldest brother, Sieg figured out her intentions right away.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Lina said, scoffing. ¡°In order to confirm things for myself, I need to go there in person.¡±


    Mika looked between them in confusion.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Frostheart,¡± Lina answered. ¡°If Wulfram is Wulfe Kaltbrand, then he has gotten himself involved in something dangerous. I should be with him, in case anything goes wrong. If Wulfram isn¡¯t Wulfe Kaltbrand, then I will be one of the first nobles outside of the Barrens to greet the next grand duke of the north.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Besides, it will give me an opportunity to meet with House Gerhard and fulfill the favor for Wulfram. Either way, it won¡¯t be a wasted trip.¡±


    ¡°Assuming Father and Mother agree to this,¡± Sieg muttered under his breath, before raising his voice. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea? If Wulfram isn¡¯t Wulfe Kaltbrand, then you¡¯ll see him within a year¡¯s time anyway. As for the next grand duke, you can see him when he makes his debut in Haven. Going up there yourself puts you in House Kaltbrand¡¯s power. What if they decide to take advantage of the situation?¡±


    Yorick stood up.


    ¡°Actually, this may be the perfect time to go to Frostheart, my lord.¡± he said. ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand will soon host a week-long banquet to celebrate his son¡¯s appearance. This will be an opportunity to meet with Wulfe Kaltbrand without raising too many eyebrows and forge ties with the north. There will even be a ball on the last day of the banquet.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Lina said. ¡°This is an opportunity we can¡¯t afford to pass up.¡±


    Sieg furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± he said. ¡°However, is the risk worth it? If Wulfram is Wulfe Kaltbrand, then your appearance may make things more difficult for him.¡±


    Lina paused at that, before shaking her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m still going. If something goes wrong, then my presence may make a difference for Wulfram.¡±


    Sieg sighed.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°Once your mind is set on something, trying to convince you otherwise is futile. Even if I forbade you from going, you would just find a way to sneak out. I¡¯m better off helping you, to minimize the chances of something going wrong.¡± He pointed a finger at her. ¡°However, I will only allow this if Father and Mother give their permission.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± Mika yelled, standing up.


    Lina and Sieg glanced at each other.


    ¡°Mika,¡± Lina said, facing her younger sister. ¡°The Barrens is a cold and desolate place. It¡¯s full of demonic beasts and other dangers. You should stay here, where it¡¯s warm and safe.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Mika rushed over to Lina¡¯s side and grasped her hands. ¡°Please, Big Sis! I may not love Wulfram the same way you do, but I love him all the same. I miss him. Please, bring me with you.¡±


    Lina looked over at Sieg, who just smirked at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me.¡± he said. ¡°I was against this idea to begin with. If you don¡¯t want her to go, just stay here.¡±


    Lina clicked her tongue in disappointment. Some older brother he was. She looked over at Yorick.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked.


    Yorick looked thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°The addition of one more person wouldn¡¯t be that much of a burden,¡± he said. ¡°However, we would have to hurry in order to attend the banquet in time. Even then, we would arrive on the last day. I¡¯m not sure if such a rough journey would suit someone as young as Lady Mika.¡±


    ¡°There you go,¡± Lina said. ¡°The journey would be too rough for you.¡±


    Mika clenched her jaw and glared up at Lina.


    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± she said. ¡°If the journey is safe enough for you, it¡¯s safe enough for me. I can handle it.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for Wulfram when he needed me. I want to be there for him now.¡±


    Lina had no argument against that. Well, no. That was a lie. She had several. However, she understood where her younger sister was coming from. They all shared in the guilt of failing to help Wulfram when he needed them most. That was enough to sway her.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lina said. ¡°However, as Sieg said earlier, I will allow it only if Father and Mother give their permission.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡± Mika embraced her. ¡°You¡¯re the best big sister ever!¡±


    Lina grumbled, but returned the embrace.


    ¡°I feel left out now,¡± Sieg said, though the smile he wore took the sting out of his words. ¡°I wish I could go with you. However, unlike you two, I can¡¯t go gallivanting off to the north.¡±


    Sieg loved Wulfram as much as Mika did. However, as heir to House Guld, he had several duties that kept him tied down in Guld Manor. Not only that, but if House Kaltbrand turned against House Guld and took him hostage, it would be a disaster.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Lina said. ¡°We have much to do, and every second counts.¡±


    Her heart burned with excitement. Despite her words earlier, the reason why Lina wanted to head north was not for her family¡¯s benefit. Yes, forging ties with the next grand duke of the north would benefit House Guld, if it went well. However, Lina had a simpler and more personal motivation: she wanted to see her beloved again.


    Lina had been patient thus far. Now that an opportunity to see him again had presented itself, she found her patience crumbling, like a damn under too much pressure. She would see Wulfram again, even if it meant braving the dangers of the north. And Lady Adelheid was key to that. Lina looked forward to meeting the woman. The two of them had so much to talk about.

 Chapter 22: First Night of the Banquet

    ¡°Nervous?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± I said, giving her a weak smile


    It was the first night of the week-long banquet that Grand Duke Kaltbrand had decided to throw in order to reveal, and celebrate, his (fake) heir. The knight commander and I were alone in a small antechamber, waiting for the Grand Duke so we could make our appearance.


    In the days leading up to this night, guests from all over the Barrens arrived, starting with those with the highest status. To keep my appearance a secret for a little while longer, Grand Duke Kaltbrand ¡°confined¡± me to my rooms, or so he told everyone else. In reality, I snuck about Kaltbrand Castle disguised as a Coldsteel Knight. Those who could reveal my identity kept their mouths shut. Those who would, such as the new hires, didn¡¯t know what I looked like.


    This gave me an opportunity to observe the northern lords in relative anonymity. I focused my attention on my rivals, the other potential heirs, though I made sure to keep an eye on the other northern lords as well. My sharpened senses allowed me to notice things that others would have missed. Everyone was a potential friend and enemy, and I didn¡¯t want to miss out on an opportunity because I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the right person. With the twins helping me, I gained a decent picture of how the northern lords viewed me.


    As expected, House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals were unhappy about my sudden appearance and wary of how it would affect them. More than one called me a ¡°lucky bastard¡±, though it was clear from their tones that they meant it as an insult. A few even disparaged Knight Commander Bardin, my mother according to the rumors, saying that she seduced Grand Duke Kaltbrand in order to become the next grand duchess. It took a good deal of self control on my part not to thrash the ones who said such things.


    The loudest and most vulgar of them were the nobles from House Arbeit. They made no secret of their disdain for ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand¡±, never missed an opportunity to insult me. Of course, they made sure to hold their tongues whenever the other nobles were around. However, they took no such precautions around the servants, including the Coldsteel Knights.


    The twins once told me that Lord Ulric Arbeit, the potential heir, acted dismissive towards those he viewed below him. Given how his family acted, it didn¡¯t surprise me that he turned out this way.


    Conversely, the ones who gossiped the least were the nobles from House Steuben. Neither I nor the twins ever heard them say a negative word about ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand¡± or Knight Commander Bardin. That wasn¡¯t to say that it never happened. However, if the nobles of House Steuben ever said anything, they made sure to not say it around any of the servants. This made me even more suspicious of them, since it made it more difficult to tell what they were thinking.


    That said, House Steuben took this opportunity to socialize with the other nobles. Lord Klemens Steuben, the other potential heir, was quite charming and gregarious. After observing him for a bit, I could see why his was the largest faction. Not only was House Steuben the oldest family among the three, but Lord Klemens himself had a way of getting others to like him.


    House Gerhard, Lady Adelheid¡¯s family, fell somewhere in the middle. While they weren¡¯t as loudmouthed at House Arbeit, they weren¡¯t quiet like House Steuben. Since I now had their support, thanks to Lady Adelheid, I could only assume they did this to avoid suspicion. It wasn¡¯t yet time to declare their allegiance.


    Lady Adelheid herself remained in high spirits the entire time. It seemed that making House Gerhard the bridge between the Barrens and the Riverlands kept her in a good mood. She didn¡¯t get into any fights, even when nobles made snide remarks against her and her family. This caught several people off guard.


    Despite all the gossip, rumors, and insults they hurled my way, the northern lords were eager to meet with ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand¡±. Being confined to his rooms only sharpened their curiosity. More than one tried to barge their way in to see him, though none succeeded. My bodyguards and the twins kept a vigilant watch.


    To my surprise, more than one young lady tried to sneak into my rooms in the middle of the night. One time, this even resulted in two of them bumping into each other. Of course, I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised. Sneaking into my room and causing a scandal would be a surefire way of becoming the next grand duchess. That was enough of a temptation for some. However, my people dealt with them with ease.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised this sort of thing makes you nervous, my disciple.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, pulling me back to the present. ¡°I thought you would be used to this sort of thing.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I ran away from House Guld before they introduced me to high society, so this counts as my debut.¡± I said. ¡°While I interacted with several nobles before then, I never attended a social event like this.¡± I paused. ¡°Of course, this is nothing compared to the nervousness I felt when I met with His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s eyebrows rose at that.


    ¡°You met the emperor?¡± she asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°Fa-¡­Duke Guld needed His Imperial Majesty¡¯s permission in order to officially adopt me into House Guld. For that to happen, I needed to meet with His Imperial Majesty in person.¡±


    That had been a nerve wracking meeting. The emperor terrified my younger self. He never said or did anything to me that would warrant such fear. However, his very presence was enough to scare me. To me, he seemed more like an overbearing and imposing force of nature than a mere mortal. It didn¡¯t help that he shared Duchess Guld¡¯s features, but had none of her warmth. During that entire meeting, he studied me with cold and calculating eyes, as if I were a pawn he was figuring out how to make the best use of.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said after some hesitation, ¡°You said that House Guld adopted you as a substitute for Lord Emmerich, who everyone thought was dead at the time. However, if they went through the effort to meet with the emperor to make your adoption official, I think-¡­¡±


    I shook my head, cutting her off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± I said through clenched teeth. ¡°Just¡­don¡¯t. Please. Not now.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin studied me for several long seconds, before she nodded.


    ¡°Very well.¡± she said, before placing a hand on my arm. ¡°I will say this. Regardless of whatever happens in the future, I want you to know that I am on your side, Wulfe. You are my disciple and¡­¡± She cut herself off mid-sentence. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve come to view you as my own son.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s words touched my heart, and I placed my hand over hers.


    ¡°Thank you, Teacher.¡± I said. ¡°Sometimes I wish I really were your son, unworthy I am of such an honor.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s lips trembled for a moment, before she pulled away and nodded.


    ¡°Where is that big oaf?¡± She asked, her voice thick with emotion. She cleared her throat. ¡°He¡¯s late. How dare he? Especially after I made the effort to put on a dress for him. I should have just worn my uniform like usual.¡±


    To send a clear message to everyone, Grand Duke Kaltbrand decided that the three of us would enter the banquet hall together. To hammer the point home even further, we even wore matching outfits. Knight Commander Bardin wore a black and blue dress trimmed with silver, while the Grand Duke and I wore black outfits trimmed with blue and silver. When we stood side by side, we looked like a real family.


    A part of me wanted it to be true. What if I really were the son of Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin? After spending the past few weeks with them, I realized that I was fond of them both. Not to mention, I held them both in high regard because of their strength, Knight Commander Bardin in particular. However, another part of me rebelled against the idea.


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    How could I think such traitorous thoughts, after everything House Guld had done for me? Yes, they took me in as a substitute for their real son, but they still raised me and provided for me. Maybe, just maybe, they even loved me. How dare I think about wanting to be part of another family? The whole reason why I was even in the Barrens was to become a noble and marry into House Guld. I shouldn¡¯t be greedy and want more than that.


    As these thoughts plagued my mind, the door to the antechamber opened and Count Wirner entered. He wore a simple black outfit with little in the way of embellishments or decorations. It gave him a somber air. He bowed to us both, while the knight commander and I both nodded to him.


    ¡°Greetings, Teacher.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°What brings you here? I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t joined the banquet yet.¡±


    He gave her a tight smile.


    ¡°I thought I would make my stance clear and enter the banquet hall alongside you.¡± he said. ¡°I already received Anselm¡¯s permission. Although he said that you had the final say in the matter.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin studied him for several seconds, before she nodded.


    ¡°Very well,¡± She said, ¡°If His Grace permitted it, then by all means join us.¡± She paused. ¡°That said, I am glad that you decided to give Wulfe your support.¡±


    Count Wirner shrugged.


    ¡°He is my grandson,¡± he said, ¡°It is the least I can do.¡± He studied Knight Commander Bardin, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. ¡°I hope that this brings me one step closer to earning your forgiveness.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°What do you mean, Teacher?¡± she said. ¡°There is nothing to forgive.¡±


    Count Wirner¡¯s expression fell at her words. It was only for a second, but that was more than long enough for me to catch a glimpse of his heartbreak.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said in a heavy tone.


    Knight Commander Bardin turned away from him.


    ¡°Remember,¡± she said in a quiet voice, ¡°You chose this.¡±


    Count Wirner clenched his fists and didn¡¯t respond. My heart went out to him. While I knew why Knight Commander Bardin acted this way, it was clear to me that Count Wirner was trying to make up for his past behavior. However, it wasn¡¯t my place to interfere. I wasn¡¯t a part of their family. Even if I were, I wasn¡¯t the injured party here. The knight commander was. Still, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to offer some sort of consolation to the count.


    ¡°Thank you for your support, Count Wirner.¡± I said, giving him a warm smile. ¡°I much appreciate it.¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°It was the least I could do,¡± he said. ¡°Over the past few weeks, you¡¯ve proven yourself more than worthy of being the next Grand Duke.¡± He paused, as if conflicted about what he was going to say next. ¡°Though, if you still wish to show your gratitude, there is one thing you can do for me.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Whatever it is,¡± I said. ¡°As long as it is within my power, I will do it.¡±


    ¡°Call me ¡®Grandfather¡¯ from now on,¡± he said. ¡°Or ¡®Grandpa¡¯, if you wish to be more informal.¡±


    I stared at Count Wirner in shock. I wasn¡¯t the only one either. Knight Commander Bardin whirled around and looked at him, her eyes wide. Several expressions crossed her face, revealing the chaotic maelstrom of emotion that raged within her.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± she said, before stopping, unable to say anything else.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to make the same mistake with him as I did with you.¡± Count Wirner said. ¡°Regardless of your feelings towards me, Wulfe is still my grandson and I will treat him as such.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin stared at him for several long seconds, before she crossed her arms and turned away from him once more.


    ¡°Well?¡± Count Wirner said, looking at me. ¡°What are your thoughts on the matter?¡±


    I studied him for a few moments, before nodding.


    ¡°I am amenable,¡± I said. ¡°Grandfather.¡±


    It was easier for me to call Count Wirner ¡°Grandfather¡± than it was for me to call Grand Duke Kaltbrand ¡°Father¡±, or Knight Commander Bardin ¡°Mother¡±. The reason behind this was simple: I never experienced what it was like to have a grandparent. Fath-¡­Duke Guld¡¯s parents passed away years before House Guld adopted me. As for Duchess Guld, her father, the previous emperor, died some time ago as well. Her mother, the empress dowager, refused to acknowledge me as her grandchild or even meet with me. Count Wirner was the first, and only person, I would ever call ¡°Grandfather¡±.


    ¡°No,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, turning towards me and pointing a finger in my direction. ¡°I won¡¯t allow it.¡± She paused to let her words sink in. ¡°The only way I will ever let you call Teacher ¡®Grandfather¡¯ is if you call me ¡®Mom.¡¯¡±


    My eyes widened in bafflement.


    ¡°But earlier, you said-¡­,¡± I started to say, but she cut me off.


    ¡°That was then and this is now.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°I refuse to let you call him ¡®Grandfather¡¯ while you call me ¡®Teacher.¡¯ I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    I felt conflicted and confused. A part of me wanted to go ahead with her demand, even though I didn¡¯t understand the reason behind it. However, I didn¡¯t know if I could. The idea of being so informal with Knight Commander Bardin, the legendary Iron Countess, felt wrong to me. Still, since she was the one telling me to, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, before pausing for a few seconds. ¡°Mom.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s eyes grew wide, as if she couldn¡¯t believe I actually went through with it. She turned away from me, her cheeks flushed red. Oh no. She was angry with me. I shouldn¡¯t have done it. An awkward silence fell over the antechamber. However, before it could last for too long, the door opened and Grand Duke Kaltbrand entered.


    ¡°I apologize for being late.¡± He said. ¡°I needed to discuss something with Claus. Shall we enter the banquet hall now?¡± He looked around and noticed the awkwardness in the air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen?¡±


    <hr>


    After Knight Commander Bardin, Count Wirner, and I managed to regain our composure, which took much longer than it should have, the four of us made our way towards the banquet hall. Grand Duke Kaltbrand escorted Knight Commander Bardin, while I trailed behind them. Count Wirner followed up behind me as the last of our group.


    We stepped out into a large hallway, before making our way to the double doors that led to the banquet hall itself. A pair of servants waited by the doors. When we approached, they bowed and opened the doors.


    The banquet hall was a large, open space that was shaped like a rectangle. Several rows of tables occupied the center of the hall, with enough room to seat several dozen people. This was a departure from the norm. Usually, the tables would be arranged in a ¡°U¡± shape. However, there were too many guests to make that feasible. Another table, which sat at the end of the room, stood atop a raised dais, which elevated it above the others. This was the head table, where the Grand Duke, his family, and any important guests would sit.


    Colorful mana crystal lamps and other decorations dotted the hall, adding a cheerful and festive air. Music played from a band of musicians, who occupied one of the banquet hall¡¯s corners. The hall was full of people, who filled the room with the sound of their chatter. As per custom, all of them remained standing instead of sitting down. During occasions like this, no one sat until the host arrived and sat down first.


    A servant, who stood nearby as we entered, announced our entrance.


    ¡°Presenting Grand Duke Anselm Kaltbrand,¡± the servant cried out. ¡°Countess Sofie Bardin, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand, and Count Gero Wirner.¡±


    Everyone turned to face us. They all wore varying expressions on their faces. Some looked hostile, some looked curious, some looked indifferent, and some looked eager. The number of people caught me off guard. While I knew that House Kaltbrand had many vassals that served them, seeing them all at once was a little overwhelming. Once again, I was amazed by just how powerful and influential House Kaltbrand was. They were kings and queens in all but name, with the Barrens as their kingdom.


    Several people looked unhappy when everyone noticed that Grand Duke Kaltbrand escorted Knight Commander Bardin, and the implications behind this action; the women in particular. I guessed that they harbored hopes of becoming the next Grand Duchess. The Grand Duke¡¯s actions just now dashed those hopes.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand led our party to the head table. However, he didn¡¯t sit down right away.


    ¡°I would like to welcome you all to Kaltbrand Castle,'''' said the Grand Duke. ¡°And I would also like to thank you for joining us during this joyous occasion.¡±


    I saw more than one person¡¯s face twitch when he said ¡®joyous occasion¡¯.


    ¡°Under normal circumstances,¡± the Grand Duke continued, ¡°Most of you would arrive here for the seasonal meeting to discuss the affairs of the Barrens. However, as many of you have no doubt heard, this season¡¯s meeting is special.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°I would like to formally introduce my son, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand, to all of you and declare him as my heir.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°I expect you all to show him the same loyalty and support that you have shown me.¡±


    The implied threat behind his words was impossible to miss. Nobody reacted right away. I didn¡¯t blame them. While they all must have heard the rumors, having the Grand Duke himself confirm those rumors must have come as a shock to many of them; the potential heirs in particular. From their perspective, I appeared out of nowhere and took what they thought was theirs.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, clapping his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you are hungry, and it would be remiss of me to keep you waiting. Let us eat!¡±


    With that, the Grand Duke sat down. Everyone else had no choice but to follow his example. The first night of the banquet had begun.

 Chapter 23: First Night of the Banquet (2)

    The meal itself was a quiet affair, at least for those of us at the head table. Grand Duke Kaltbrand hadn¡¯t invited anyone to join us up here, so it was just him, Knight Commander Bardin, Count Wirner, and myself. This would change over the course of the banquet, but on this first night it was just us.


    I sat on the grand duke¡¯s right, the knight commander sat on his left, and Count Wirner sat on my right. Lingering traces of the awkwardness from earlier remained, so we kept conversation to a minimum. Grand Duke Kaltbrand picked up on this, and followed our example.


    It was a different case for our guests. They chattered amongst themselves, talking about all sorts of topics. Thanks to my sharpened sense, I could pick up on most of the conversations. I wasn¡¯t above eavesdropping when it suited my needs. However, I needed to focus in order to pick up on a particular conversation. If I wasn¡¯t careful, all the noise in the room would overwhelm me.


    Nobody talked about anything too important. Most of the conversations revolved around me and my sudden appearance. Several of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals were outraged and questioned the grand duke¡¯s decision, though they kept their voices low lest they be accused of disrespecting their lord.


    Despite the rumors and gossip about me and my origins, I was still something of an enigma to everyone. No one knew much about me, which suited me just fine. After all, I wasn¡¯t the real heir to House Kaltbrand. To make things worse, for them at least, I kept my true strength hidden. That way, no one would know if I was as weak as I pretended to be or not. There were rumors and gossip about my abilities, but hearing about something and witnessing it for oneself was a different matter altogether.


    I noticed that the vassals grouped together according to faction, which were all centered around the potential heirs. In terms of size, House Steuben led the largest faction, followed by House Arbeit¡¯s faction, with House Gerhard¡¯s faction taking last place. The ones who were most vocal in opposing me were, of course, the families who followed House Arbeit.


    None of this distracted me from my meal. The food was delicious, and it rivaled anything I ever ate when I lived with House Guld. The meal lacked variety, but that was to be expected. The Barrens wasn¡¯t a trade hub like the Riverlands, so the foods available were more limited.


    Perhaps I could change that by strengthening relations between House Kaltbrand and House Guld; after this job was done of course. While I considered the Riverlands my home, I had grown fond of the Barrens and its people. If I could lessen the burden on them, even by a little bit, I would be satisfied.


    After the meal, which consisted of several courses, next came the entertainment. A troupe of dancers performed several routines. They used magic in conjunction with the movement of their bodies, creating an evocative effect. I found myself enthralled.


    Each of the dances they performed told a story, which were often legends and folktales famous throughout the Barrens. The final dance told the story of the warrior who founded House Kaltbrand and became the first Shield of the Empire.


    When the dancers finished with their performance, Grand Duke Kaltbrand had the servants clear away the tables in the middle of the hall. The musicians in the corner continued to play.


    ¡°I have some business to discuss with the head of each family here.¡± he said, standing up. He gestured to the now open space. ¡°Everyone else, please mingle and enjoy yourselves.¡± He held his hand out toward Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    The Knight Commander sighed, before taking his hand and standing up.


    ¡°Have fun.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said to me, grinning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about holding back. Whatever happens, I¡¯ll deal with the aftermath.¡±


    Ah, so that was what he was up to. I had wondered about that. Divide and conquer. He would deal with the heads of the vassal families, while I dealt with everyone else. I was annoyed that he hadn¡¯t warned me ahead of time, but only a little. After all, this was why he hired me in the first place: to attract everyone¡¯s attention while he prepared things for his real heir.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand escorted Knight Commander Bardin out of the hall, followed by Count Wirner and the heads of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassal families. The moment they left, I felt dozens of eyes on me, their gazes full of malice and eagerness to tear me apart.


    So, this was what it was like to face down a pack of hyenas. Ha. After facing down a horde of demonic beasts, dealing with a pack of hyenas was child¡¯s play in comparison.


    Rather than leave the head table right away, and be swarmed by the pack, I decided to remain seated for the time being. I didn¡¯t want to seem too eager. Why not let them sweat for a bit? Servants carrying refreshments went about the hall, offering drinks to the remaining guests. I flagged one down and took a glass of wine for myself.


    There wasn¡¯t much mingling going on. Instead, the remaining nobles stood within their own little groups and whispered amongst themselves while keeping an eye on me. Many of them grew impatient, based on the expressions they wore, but none of them dared approach me first. I didn¡¯t let this affect me at all and I enjoyed my glass of wine.


    Ten minutes after Grand Duke Kaltbrand left with the others, I caught Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes. Unlike the others, she had already met me and pledged her support, so she didn¡¯t share in their impatience. Instead, she wore an indifferent expression on her face. Despite that, I noticed a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes. She was enjoying this.


    The moment our eyes met, I gave her a slight nod. She turned to a young man who stood next to her and whispered something in his ear. They looked similar enough that I could tell they were siblings. Was this Lady Adelheid¡¯s older brother and the heir to House Gerhard, Lord Wilhelm Gerhard?


    Yesterday, I sent her a message asking her to set up an opportunity for House Gerhard to publicly declare their allegiance to me. I thought this would involve her father, Viscount Dietrich Gerhard, but the grand duke¡¯s actions made that unfeasible. No matter. We could adjust and adapt. His heir would do.


    I stood up and I made my way down from the head table. A hush fell over the hall as everyone watched me, waiting to see what I would do. I ignored them and made my way towards Lady Adelheid and the young man who I assumed was her brother. Like his younger sister, Lord Wilhelm was a magician. However, he was an Adept, which was the level just below Sage. For a brief moment, I wondered if being a weaker magician than his younger sister bothered Lord Wilhelm. If it did, he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°Greetings, Lord Wulfe.¡± Lady Adelheid said, bowing to me.


    Her brother followed her example and bowed as well.


    ¡°Greetings, Lady Adelheid.¡± I said, giving them both a nod. ¡°I hope you are enjoying the banquet.¡±


    ¡°I am indeed, my lord.¡± she said, her eyes gleaming with undisguised mirth. ¡°The hospitality of House Kaltbrand is unrivaled.¡±


    Whispering broke out among the surrounding nobles, even those within House Gerhard¡¯s faction. From the way Lady Adelheid and I greeted each other, it was clear that we were on friendly terms, or at least pretending to be. However, none of them figured out what that meant yet.


    ¡°Ah, but where are my manners?¡± Lady Adelheid said, gesturing to Lord Wilhelm. ¡°This is my elder brother, though I will let him introduce himself.¡±


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± her brother said, wearing a polite smile. ¡°I am Lord Wilhelm Gerhard, heir to House Gerhard.¡±


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wilhelm Gerhard.¡± I said. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you. Your sister has told me much about you.¡±


    Which was true. Like Lady Adelheid, Lord Wilhelm endured a lot of mockery from the other northern nobles. Unlike his sister, he kept his anger to himself rather than lashing out. This allowed him to make connections with people he might have otherwise alienated. While he wasn¡¯t as powerful a magician as Lady Adelheid, Lord Wilhelm was more adept at managing a domain than her, by her own admission. However, he was careful and conservative in his management. All in all, he was a competent, if not outstanding, lord.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Lord Wilhelm said.


    With the introductions out of the way, it was time to go in for the kill.


    ¡°Lord Wilhelm,¡± I said. ¡°As embarrassing as it is to admit, tonight is my first foray into northern high society. I am unfamiliar with most of the people here. Might I trouble you to introduce me to everyone?¡±


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    Lord Wilhelm¡¯s smile became genuine and he gestured to the nobles who stood behind him, the members of House Gerhard¡¯s faction.


    ¡°It is no trouble at all, my lord.¡± he said. ¡°House Gerhard is a loyal vassal to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    With that, Lord Wilhelm made good on his word and started introducing me to the nobles loyal to House Gerhard. The mood in the room shifted as everyone here realized what had happened. It was common knowledge that Lady Adelheid had arrived at Kaltbrand Castle early, though no one knew much beyond that. However, it was clear from the little play that Lord Wilhelm and I put on that House Gerhard had aligned themselves with me.


    Now they were no longer the weakest faction in the north. Instead, they were the first ones to pledge themselves to the next Grand Duke, changing the entire political landscape. It wasn¡¯t four factions vying for power, it was three. With support from House Kaltbrand, House Wirner, and House Gerhard, I was an even match for either of the remaining two potential heirs. However, that guaranteed nothing. If they ended up working together, they could make things very difficult for me.


    As Lord Wilhelm introduced me to everyone, I kept an eye on the other two factions to see how they would react. House Arbeit¡¯s followers gave me and House Gerhard¡¯s followers ugly looks. House Steuben and their people seemed more ambivalent, making it more difficult to get a read on them.


    I also kept an ear on Lady Adelheid. While her brother introduced me to everyone, she told the story of how she and I first met to a group of younger nobles.


    ¡°¡­despite our best efforts,¡± Lady Adelheid said, putting on a dramatic performance. ¡°The assailants caught up to us and surrounded us. If Lord Wulfe hadn¡¯t arrived when he had and driven them all off, we would have been killed for sure.¡±


    Her audience gave the appropriate reactions.


    ¡°Oh my!¡±


    ¡°How terrible!¡±


    ¡°Thank goodness Lord Wulfe was there to save you.¡±


    One of the younger ladies leaned forward, her eyes filled with anticipation.


    ¡°That sounds so romantic!¡± the lady said. ¡°In your position, why, I might have fallen in love with Lord Wulfe right then and there.¡± She fanned herself, as if imagining herself in that same situation. ¡°What happened between you and Lord Wulfe after that?¡±


    The other nobles who surrounded Lady Adelheid leaned forward as well, as if eager to hear her answer. It was clear that they thought romantic feelings had blossomed between Lady Adelheid and I. Maybe they even thought that Lady Adelheid and I were now engaged, which would explain why House Gerhard supported me. Not that I blamed them for their assumptions. Marriage was one of the surest ways to forge alliances.


    I caught Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes and gave her a warning look. The last thing I wanted was for rumors to spread about our supposed engagement. If Lina ever caught wind of such rumors¡­I shuddered to think of what would happen after that. Lady Adelheid stiffened for a brief moment and gave me a slight nod. She opened her mouth to answer. However, before she could, someone else spoke up first.


    ¡°Do you really expect us to believe that nonsense?¡± a man said, his voice loud and grating.


    I glanced over to find a young man in his early to mid twenties marching towards Lady Adelheid, followed by a group of cronies. He was tall and muscular, with pale skin, dark brown hair, and blue eyes. He had a handsome face. However, his expression and his body language made him seem more like a thug than a noble. He had the mana signature of an Aura Expert. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, this was Lord Ulric Arbeit, one of my rivals.


    ¡°Excuse me, Lord Ulric,¡± Lady Adelheid said, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°It is rude to thrust yourself into a conversation you aren¡¯t a part of.¡±


    Lord Ulric sneered at her.


    ¡°Like I care about that.¡± he said. ¡°Do you really expect us to believe such a tall tale?¡± He scoffed. ¡°One man chasing off a group of Aura Experts? If it were Grand Duke Kaltbrand or his knight commander, I might believe it. A whelp like him? What nonsense. If you were going to lie to make him look better, you should¡¯ve made it more believable.¡±


    Lord Ulric¡¯s cronies snickered at that, while the other nobles broke out into whispers. Beside me, Lord Wilhelm¡¯s expression turned ugly and he looked ready to challenge Lord Ulric to a duel right then and there. However, he swallowed his anger and maintained his composure. I gestured for him to continue introducing me to people. It wasn¡¯t time to react just yet. Lord Wilhelm hesitated for a moment, before complying. I kept an eye on the situation brewing between Lady Adelheid and Lord Ulric.


    ¡°My my, Lord Ulric,¡± Lady Adelheid said in a heated voice. ¡°You were always rude and vulgar, but I never expected you to have the audacity to accuse me of lying. I suppose we should add stupid to that list.¡±


    Lord Ulric gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He stepped forward, until he was just a few feet away from Lady Adelheid. He loomed over her, trying to use his height to intimidate her. The nobles who previously surrounded Lady Adelheid moved out of his way, but stayed close to her, giving her their silent support.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lady Adelheid said in a mocking tone. ¡°Did I hit a nerve?¡± She let out a scornful laugh. ¡°Maybe if you weren¡¯t such a brute, I might have something more complimentary to say about you, my lord.¡±


    Against my expectations, Lord Ulric didn¡¯t fly into a rage. Instead, he smirked.


    ¡°Better to be a brute than someone who opens her legs for a filthy bastard.¡± he said.


    A shocked silence fell over the hall at the insult. Even the musicians in the corner stopped playing. Lord Ulric¡¯s cronies looked uneasy, but didn¡¯t stop their lord. Lady Adelheid¡¯s jaw dropped. She stared at Lord Ulric for a moment, before she closed her mouth and stared at him with such hatred, that I was surprised he didn¡¯t fall over dead right then and there. She wasn¡¯t the only one either. Her brother looked ready to kill Lord Ulric as well.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe.¡± Lord Wilhelm ground out.


    While I shared in his anger, I pretended nonchalance.


    ¡°Lord Wilhelm,¡± I said in a soothing tone. Despite this, I pitched my voice to carry, so that Lord Ulric would hear me. ¡°You must learn not to react every time a dog barks.¡±


    Lord Wilhelm''s eyes widened.


    ¡°What did you just call me?¡± Lord Ulric demanded, turning towards me.


    I ignored him and continued to speak to Lord Wilhelm.


    ¡°Such creatures think that the louder they are, the more ferocious they seem.¡± I said, a polite smile on my face. ¡°When in reality, they¡¯re nothing more than pups acting tough.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you!¡± Lord Ulric said, stomping towards me.


    I continued to ignore him, acting as if I didn¡¯t hear him approaching me. I waited until he almost reached me, before I turned around to face him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care who you think you are,¡± Lord Ulric snarled, reaching a hand towards me. ¡°But if you think I¡¯ll let some bastard insult-¡­¡±


    Just before his hand touched me, I stopped hiding my strength and hit him with my pressure. Lord Ulric froze in place, unable to move. Sweat beaded on his forehead, before dripping down his face. Despite this, he wasn¡¯t able to speak. The crowd around us let out sounds of surprise and astonishment.


    ¡°An Aura Master!¡± someone said.


    ¡°I heard the rumors, but I didn¡¯t believe them.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s so young too!¡±


    I ignored them and continued speaking to Lord Wilhelm.


    ¡°However,¡± I said in a soft and gentle voice, as if admonishing a child. ¡°When a dog misbehaves, you need to teach it a lesson so that it learns some proper manners.¡±


    I increased the pressure on him.


    ¡°Otherwise, it may end up biting the wrong person.¡± I continued, speaking in the same soft and gentle voice. ¡°If that happens, you¡¯ll have no choice but to put the dog down. I think we can all agree that something like that should be avoided, if at all possible.¡±


    Lord Ulric¡¯s cronies, realizing that I just threatened their lord, rushed towards me to rescue him; rather, they tried to. The moment they stepped towards me, I turned my attention to them. Unlike Lord Ulric, they were all merely Aura Warriors. It took little effort on my part to keep them at bay with just my pressure.


    ¡°Now then, Lord Ulric,¡± I said, addressing the man directly. ¡°You tarnished the honor of House Kaltbrand with your crass words, and almost ruined a perfectly fine evening.¡± I gave him a soft smile. ¡°You should have received etiquette lessons as a child, unless your family is far more incompetent than I realized. So, you should know the answer to this question. What do you do after you wrong someone?¡±


    I eased the pressure on him, just enough to allow him to speak. Lord Ulric glared at me with such hatred in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to-¡­¡± he started to say, but I cut him off by hitting him with the full force of my pressure.


    Lord Ulric¡¯s legs buckled. To his credit, he remained on his feet for a few more moments before he fell to his knees. Up until this point, I held back to allow him to preserve some modicum of dignity. It seemed that my consideration had been wasted on him.


    ¡°Wrong answer,¡± I said. ¡°Try again.¡±


    I eased up on the pressure again. Lord Ulric clenched his jaw. For a moment, I thought he wouldn¡¯t listen, but then he opened his mouth and spoke.


    ¡°I apologize for my crude behavior, Lord Wulfe.¡± Lord Ulric said, speaking as if he forced each word out.


    ¡°There,¡± I said. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard now, was it?¡± I paused. ¡°However, I¡¯m not the one who you need to apologize to.¡±


    I gestured for Lady Adelheid to join me. She complied and stood before Lord Ulric with her arms crossed.


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± I said. ¡°Apologize to Lady Adelheid.¡±


    Lord Ulric clenched his fists and his whole body shook. He remained silent for much longer this time around.


    ¡°I apologize for my vulgar words, Lady Adelheid,¡± Lord Ulric said. ¡°You didn¡¯t deserve them.¡±


    Lady Adelheid glared down at him for several long seconds, before she nodded.


    ¡°I accept your apology, Lord Ulric,¡± she said. ¡°Make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Lord Ulric nodded without saying a word.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± I said, clapping my hands together. ¡°I suggest you retire to your chambers for the rest of the evening, Lord Ulric.¡±


    While I worded it as a suggestion, my tone made it clear that it was an order. I stopped pressuring him. As soon as he was free, Lord Ulric jumped to his feet and marched out of the banquet hall. After a brief moment, his cronies followed suit. However, just before he left the hall, Lord Ulric threw a glare my way. His eyes told me that I would pay for tonight¡¯s humiliation.


    Good. Things were going exactly as I planned.

 Chapter 24: First Night of the Banquet (3)

    The angrier I made Lord Ulric, the more likely he was to retaliate. Once he did, that would give me justification to deal with him in a more permanent fashion. Until then, I would ask the Blue Shadows to keep an eye on him. That way, I would be prepared for when, not if, he tried something.


    If I let Lord Ulric touch me earlier, I could have dealt with him right then and there. Touching the heir to House Kaltbrand with malicious intent was a crime akin to treason. However, that was a weak justification in my eyes. Not only that, but it would have provoked House Arbeit and their faction into taking action.


    Instead, I decided to use this opportunity to weaken Lord Ulric¡¯s position. Other than their blood ties to House Kaltbrand, House Arbeit¡¯s influence came from its military strength and the martial prowess of its members. My display earlier undermined some of that influence by proving that I was stronger than Lord Ulric, all without laying a finger on him. It wasn¡¯t very subtle, but sometimes one needed overt shows of strength, especially in the Barrens. No one would follow me if they thought I was weak.


    ¡°I would like to apologize to you all for such an unseemly display.¡± I said, addressing everyone in the hall. ¡°I hope we can put that unpleasantness behind us and enjoy the rest of the evening with light hearts and clear minds.¡±


    The remaining nobles stared at me, uncertain of how to react to my words. My actions must have shaken them more than I thought. To my surprise, the first one to step forward wasn¡¯t someone from House Gerhard¡¯s faction but a lord from House Arbeit¡¯s.


    ¡°There is no need to apologize, Lord Wulfe.¡± the man said, sounding a bit nervous. ¡°It was clear to everyone here that Lord Ulric was in the wrong. His words were beyond the pale.¡±


    A few others from House Arbeit¡¯s faction stepped forward, murmuring words of agreement. The remainder glared at the traitors in their midst with blatant hostility. I resisted the urge to smile. My plan was working already.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Wulfe.¡± Lady Adelheid said. ¡°In fact, I must thank you for coming to my defense like that.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°It is a lord¡¯s duty to watch over and protect their vassals.¡±


    I placed emphasis on the word ¡°vassals¡±, to help prevent any misunderstandings about my relationship with Lady Adelheid. Otherwise, people might think that I defended her because she was my betrothed. From the look in her eyes, it was clear that Lady Adelheid understood what I meant.


    ¡°Just as it is a vassal¡¯s duty to serve their lord to the best of their abilities.¡± she said, giving me a slight bow.


    I gestured to the musicians in the corner.


    ¡°You may resume playing.¡± I said.


    They all looked at each other, before they followed my command. Music once again filled the banquet hall. The tension in the air eased away as the nobles started to chat with one another again. Their conversations were forced and stilted at first, but as time passed, everyone started to relax once again.


    I mingled as well, doing my best to act as host in Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s place. This meant interacting with House Arbeit and House Steuben¡¯s faction. The former regarded me with open hostility and fear, but they dared not snub me. The latter were wary of me, but not fearful. I took that as a good sign, though I knew that I had a long way to go before I won them over.


    Lord Klemens Steuben, my other rival, observed me for some time before he approached. I kept an eye on him the entire time, in case he tried anything, but otherwise pretended he didn¡¯t exist. While his family led the largest faction, I was the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand. In terms of status, I was well above him. Approaching him first would send the wrong message.


    This was the problem with high society. People tried to find the hidden meaning behind one¡¯s every word and gesture, and sometimes they misunderstood one¡¯s intentions. It was annoying and exhausting to deal with, but such was life.


    When Lord Klemens drew close enough, I turned to face him.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± he said, bowing to me. ¡°I am Lord Klemens Steuben.¡± He smiled, until his eyes resembled crescent moons. ¡°It is an honor to meet you.¡±


    I studied him for a moment. He looked like a typical inhabitant of the Barrens, with pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes. I guessed that he was about the same age as Lord Ulric, in his early to mid twenties. His physique was decent, though nothing special. He had the mana signature of an Aura Warrior. In terms of strength, I was much more powerful than him. Despite all this, my intuition told me that Lord Klemens was a dangerous foe. He was a bigger threat to me than Lord Ulric, and not just because of his faction. I needed to keep my guard up around him.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Klemens.¡± I said, giving him a slight nod in return.


    A small group of nobles started to congregate around us. Close enough to hear our conversation, but not so close as to interfere. I felt like a spectacle.


    ¡°I have to say, I was impressed with the way you handled Lord Ulric, my lord.¡± Lord Klemens said in a flattering tone. ¡°He was always a rather¡­ rough person. Not many could hold their own against him. Most either fled or submitted when he was on the warpath.¡±


    I shrugged, showing that I was unmoved by his words.


    ¡°I only did what anyone in my position would have done.¡± I said. ¡°Or should have done. It is a noble¡¯s duty to protect their people under such circumstances.¡±


    Lord Klemens¡¯ smile widened by a fraction at my words. Hmm, interesting. What was he up to?


    ¡°Oh, I understand what you mean,¡± Lord Klemens said. ¡°My family has defended the Barrens from demonic beasts and other threats for generations.¡± He chuckled. ¡°When I became an Aura user, I started accompanying my family¡¯s knights on expeditions to clear out demon nests and such. It was dangerous work, but necessary for the safety of the Barrens.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°As His Grace¡¯s son, surely you must have had similar experiences.¡±


    Ah, so that was his objective. House Steuben had deep roots in the Barrens. That was their greatest claim to legitimacy. For generations, they protected the Barrens as a vassal of House Kaltbrand. In short, House Steuben and, by extension, Lord Klemens were a known quantity. On the other hand, my history was murky and unknown. Lord Klemens was trying to use that against me by comparing the two. Even if he failed, he lost nothing.


    Well then. Two could play at that game.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t start hunting demonic beasts until about three years ago, a little after I became an Aura Expert.¡±


    Lord Klemens¡¯ lips twitched at that. The movement was faint, but I noticed it. Despite his family¡¯s long history, Lord Klemens himself wasn¡¯t all that impressive. He was an Aura Warrior, not an Aura Expert, and it looked like he would remain one for a long time to come; perhaps even the rest of his life. Meanwhile, I was younger than him yet I was already an Aura Master.


    ¡°I suppose that is understandable,¡± Lord Klemens said in a sympathetic tone. ¡°As the heir to House Kaltbrand, it would have been foolish to have you risk your life like that, even if you were protected by the Order of the Coldsteel Blade and Knight Commander Bardin.¡±


    Ha! His words implied that I was a coward. Someone in the crowd that surrounded us let out a snicker, though they cut themselves off right away. Very well then. Time to set a trap for Lord Klemens.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°In truth, I only started hunting demonic beasts with the Order of the Coldsteel Blade and¡­¡± I paused as I considered what to call Knight Commander Bardin. Teacher? Mom? In the end, I settled on the former. We wanted to imply she was my mother, not outright state it. ¡°¡­Teacher. Before that, I hunted demonic beasts on my own as a mercenary.¡±


    The nobles around us stared at me in surprise. Even Lord Klemens seemed taken aback by this.


    ¡°A mercenary?¡± he asked, staring at me with wide eyes. ¡°Not a knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°A mercenary.¡±


    The mood around us changed as the nobles viewed me in a new light, a poor one at that. Lord Klemens looked at me as if I were something filthy.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m surprised that His Grace would have allowed you to work as a¡­ mercenary.¡±


    I smiled at him, as if unbothered by his attitude.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I thought that I would better understand the plight of the people of the Barrens if I lived as one of them for a time.¡± I shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that hunting demonic beasts while surrounded by my family¡¯s knights would have helped with that.¡±


    Lord Klemens¡¯ lips twitched again. I guess he didn¡¯t like how I turned his words back on him.


    ¡°Even so,¡± he said, ¡°From what I understand, mercenaries are vulgar creatures, only interested in coin and their own survival. They know nothing about honor and duty.¡±


    While Lord Klemens didn¡¯t say so out loud, his words implied that I lacked honor and duty. How predictable. The moment I mentioned my past as a mercenary, he jumped on it without hesitation. Excellent.


    ¡°I agree,¡± I said, catching the surrounding nobles off guard. ¡°Most mercenaries hunt demonic beasts for coin. For them, it is simply a way to make a living. They don¡¯t understand the importance, the necessity, of keeping the demonic beast threat at bay.¡± I paused with a thoughtful expression on my face. ¡°However, though they are rare, some do understand. I met a few of them last year, at Jagged Tooth Pass. They could have fled from the battle and saved their own lives, but instead they stayed and fought until the bitter end.¡±


    A heavy silence fell over the group of nobles that surrounded us. Lord Klemens¡¯ narrowed his eyes at me. I wondered if he realized where I was going with this yet.


    ¡°You fought in the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass?¡± one of the nobles said, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Of course,¡± I said. ¡°I am a Kaltbrand. We protect the rest of the Reichwald Empire from the demonic beast threat. Even when I worked as a mercenary, I never forgot my duty. Where else would I be except in the thick of the fight? At home, safe and sound?¡±


    I gave Lord Klemens a genuine smile as I said that last sentence. His eyes widened as he realized the trap I set for him, but it was too late to do anything about it. From the expressions on their faces, the surrounding nobles realized this as well.


    When the horde of demonic beasts invaded the Barrens last year, Grand Duke Kaltbrand and his vassals ventured out to fight them. They also hired a large number of mercenaries to fill in the ranks, myself included. However, a few of the northern nobles remained at home, in the guise of protecting their family¡¯s territory. Lord Klemens had been one of those nobles.


    I learned this little tidbit from the twins, when I had the Blue Shadows investigate  Lord Klemens and the other potential heirs. Now, I didn¡¯t think Lord Klemens was a coward. Nothing I had learned about him suggested as such. I suspected that his family made him stay home when the demonic beasts invaded. As a potential heir to House Kaltbrand, he was too valuable to risk like that. However, if he said as such now, it would look like he was making excuses. From the look in his eyes, Lord Klemens understood this as well.


    In everyone¡¯s eyes, I was a bastard who worked as a mercenary. That put me among the lowest of the low. However, I was strong and I fought to defend the Barrens against the demonic beast threat. This mattered almost as much as lineage and pedigree to the northern nobles.


    ¡°As much as I enjoyed our conversation, Lord Klemens,¡± I said, ¡°It is time I moved on and mingled with the rest of our guests. You have a pleasant rest of your evening.¡±


    Lord Klemens studied me through narrowed eyes.


    ¡°You as well, Lord Wulfe.¡± he said.


    With that, I moved on to the other nobles in the banquet hall.


    <hr>


    Several hours later, I found myself in Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s study, alongside the Grand Duke himself and Knight Commander Bardin. The three of us slumped in our respective seats, tired from today¡¯s events. As Aura Masters, our bodies were fine. However, after everything that happened in the banquet hall, I found myself mentally drained. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin must have had a difficult time as well, given their current state.


    Soon after my conversation with Lord Klemens, Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin returned to the banquet hall accompanied by the heads of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassal families. Count Arbeit, Lord Ulric¡¯s father, raised a fuss when he heard about what happened between his son and I. However, Grand Duke Kaltbrand intervened before it grew too ugly.


    After that, the evening drew to a close and the guests started leaving the banquet hall. Several of them lingered to talk with either me, the Grand Duke, or Knight Commander Bardin. It took some not so subtle hints from the three of us to get them to leave. When everyone left, we headed towards Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s study in order to recuperate from our respective ordeals.


    ¡°So,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, ¡°How did things go on your end, Wulfe?¡±


    I took a deep breath before giving him a brief summary of what happened in the banquet hall after everyone left. When I mentioned what happened between Lord Ulric and I, he chuckled.


    ¡°Stop that.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, scolding the Grand Duke. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage the boy to bully those weaker than him.¡±


    ¡°After what he said to Lady Adelheid, Lord Ulric deserved it.¡± I said. ¡°Besides, it was part of my plan to dismantle the faction supporting House Arbeit.¡±


    That way, Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s real heir would have an easier time of it after I left.


    ¡°I know.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m not reprimanding you. However, don¡¯t abuse your power. You are responsible for your actions, for good and for ill.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± I said in a mock petulant tone.


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s eyes grew wide, and she turned away from me, her cheeks red.


    ¡°You¡¯re calling her ¡®Mom¡¯, now?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked.


    ¡°There were extenuating circumstances.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, her voice coming out in a rush. ¡°Continue with your story, Wulfe.¡±


    It occurred to me that Knight Commander Bardin wasn¡¯t angry with me for calling her ¡°Mom¡±. She was embarrassed. Yet, she hadn¡¯t told me to stop yet, suggesting that she didn¡¯t dislike it.


    I continued telling them about what happened in the banquet hall after they left. When I finished, Grand Duke Kaltbrand opened his eyes, sat up straight, and regarded me with a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°Be careful of Lord Klemens.¡± he warned. ¡°The man is a snake. There is a reason why I never appointed him as my heir, despite my vassals urging me to do so. Don¡¯t trust that facade of his.¡±


    I nodded. Dealing with Lord Klemens wasn¡¯t easy. Despite my upbringing, I never excelled at the word games and posturing that nobles loved to indulge in. It exhausted me. While I scored a minor victory against Lord Klemens, that wasn¡¯t enough. I would need to siphon away his family¡¯s supporters or remove them from play somehow, which sounded like an exhausting and grueling ordeal. Ugh. Thank goodness I was just the fake heir to House Kaltbrand. Being the actual heir sounded tiring.


    ¡°After what happened today, I suspect that he will find some way to use my past as a mercenary against me.¡± I said. ¡°He may also try to use my supposed illegitimacy as an excuse to call my worthiness as your heir into question.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin exchanged glances at that.


    ¡°That already happened, hasn¡¯t it?¡± I guessed.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Countess Steuben, Lord Klemens¡¯ mother, brought it up in the meeting earlier,¡± he said. ¡°She goaded the other vassals into begging me to reconsider my decision.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, she threw several barbed remarks my way,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, her voice wry, ¡°Though she made sure to never mention me directly.¡± She looked over at Grand Duke. ¡°I believe she said something about a cuckoo making its move when the hawk wasn¡¯t looking.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes. I hadn¡¯t met Countess Steuben, but I disliked her already. How dare she insult Knight Commander Bardin, one of the greatest warriors on the entire continent?


    ¡°The woman is just bitter because she couldn¡¯t get her hooks into me.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, before turning towards me. ¡°Countess Steuben tried to seduce me after my wife¡¯s death, even though she was married and had a child by that point.¡±


    ¡°No wonder she dislikes me so much.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said. ¡°I succeeded where she failed.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Regardless, my supposed illegitimacy is my greatest weakness.¡± I said, getting the conversation back on track. ¡°My detractors will use that to try and leverage me out of the heir¡¯s position.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, Wulfe.¡± he said. ¡°Sofie and I have already taken steps to deal with that.¡± He grinned at Knight Commander Bardin. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, darling?¡±


    The Knight Commander let out a sound of disgust.


    ¡°Call me that again and I¡¯ll throw you out a window.¡± she said.


    I looked between the two of them in confusion.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Sofie and I are engaged to be married.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said.

 Chapter 25: Visiting the Orphanage

    It took me five full seconds to come to terms with what the Grand Duke said.


    ¡°What?!¡± I exclaimed, jumping out of my seat. ¡°You two are getting married? Why?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand sighed, and gestured for me to sit down. When I didn¡¯t comply right away, he gave me a stern look. I glared right back at him.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, ¡°Sit down.¡±


    I glanced at her, before obeying.


    ¡°Why do you listen to her and not me?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand demanded. ¡°I¡¯m the Grand Duke.¡±


    I gestured towards Knight Commander Bardin.


    ¡°She is my teacher,¡± I said, ¡°And I favor her over you.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand clutched his heart and made a faux pained expression.


    ¡°You wound me, Wulfe.¡± he said. ¡°And here I thought that we had grown close over the past several weeks.¡±


    ¡°We have.¡± I said. ¡°However, I still favor Mom over you.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand scoffed, before he shook his head and chuckled.


    ¡°To answer your question, Wulfe,¡± he said, moving the conversation along, ¡°Sofie and I are getting married to quiet any dissenters who would try to use your¡­ supposed illegitimacy against you.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin let out a sigh.


    ¡°While I was against the idea at first, Anselm convinced me of the necessity of it.¡± she said.


    I looked between the two of them.


    ¡°So, you two are actually getting married?¡± I asked. ¡°You aren¡¯t pretending to be engaged as part of a ploy?¡±


    They both nodded. I opened my mouth to ask why they would go so far, since I would leave in a year. They weren¡¯t in love with each other. That much was clear to me. So, why would they get married?


    My eyes widened as a revelation washed over me.


    ¡°Mo-¡­Teacher is your real heir¡¯s mother.¡± I said. ¡°They are what I am pretending to be. That¡¯s why you are getting married. It is for their sake.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s expression grew strained, while Knight Commander Bardin looked conflicted.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the Grand Duke said. ¡°You¡¯re exactly right, Wulfe. Sofie and I have an illegitimate child together. That child is my real heir. We are getting married for their sake.¡±


    So I was pretending to be Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s bastard child, with Knight Commander Bardin as the mother. However, the Grand Duke¡¯s real heir was his bastard child, with the Knight Commander as the mother. The same knight commander, who was the Grand Duke¡¯s wife¡¯s bastard sister and my teacher. My head hurt just by thinking about the tangled web I found myself in.


    ¡°How does this affect our contract?¡± I asked. ¡°According to our agreement, Teacher is supposed to adopt me and name me the heir to House Bardin.¡± I frowned. ¡°Wait a moment, if she adopts me and you two get married, wouldn¡¯t that make me your adopted stepson?¡±


    As if this web needed to get tangled even further.


    ¡°Why did you start calling me ¡®Teacher¡¯ again?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked with a frown. ¡°We agreed that you would call me ¡®Mom.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Is that really important right now?¡± I asked, incredulous.


    Knight Commander Bardin stared at me with a strange intensity.


    ¡°Yes.¡± she said.


    I sighed.


    ¡°It feels strange to call you ¡®Mom¡¯ now that I know the real heir to House Kaltbrand is your child.¡±


    ¡°You had no problem calling Duke Guld ¡®Father¡¯ and Duchess Guld ¡®Mother¡¯ when you lived with them.¡± the Knight Commander said. ¡°Why should it be any different for us?¡±


    ¡°They adopted me!¡±


    Though they adopted me as a substitute for their real son, I still considered Duke and Duchess Guld my parents. That would never change.


    ¡°And I¡¯m adopting you,¡± Knight Commander Bardin retorted, ¡°So call me ¡®Mom¡¯ from now on, even in public.¡±


    I stared at her in bafflement. Why did it matter so much to her? She wanted me to call her ¡®Mom¡¯, yet felt embarrassed whenever I did so. What a strange woman. Much as I admired and respected Knight Commander Bardin, I couldn¡¯t deny that.


    ¡°You will still inherit House Bardin,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, looking amused for some reason, ¡°Meanwhile, our son will inherit House Kaltbrand. We will put that in the marriage contract.¡±


    I nodded. That was the usual course of action whenever the heads of two noble houses married each other. Either they merged the two houses into one, or they had one child inherit one house and another child to inherit the other. Of course, our situation was more unusual than most.


    Adopted by one ducal house, before being adopted by another noble house and then marrying into a ducal house unrelated to the first one. It was safe to say that I lived a strange, and convoluted, life.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡± I said. ¡°How did you two end up having a child together? You two are close, but it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re in love with each other.¡± I paused. ¡°Unless I¡¯m blind and never noticed the signs.¡±


    Normally I wouldn¡¯t pry, but it seemed right to ask, given the current mood in the room. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander shared a look.


    ¡°It happened a few weeks after Johanna¡¯s death.¡± the Knight Commander said in a quiet voice. ¡°We both loved her with all of our hearts. Her absence left a gaping hole in our lives. We were two lost souls who sought comfort in each other¡¯s arms.¡±


    ¡°I was a wreck back then,¡± the Grand Duke said in a wry voice. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Sofie, I don¡¯t think I would have ever recovered from losing Johanna.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°She also protected me from the ladies who tried to take advantage of my situation, such as Countess Steuben.¡± He looked at Knight Commander Bardin and his expression softened. ¡°For that, I am eternally grateful. You saved me from a lifetime of misery.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin shook her head.


    ¡°I am your sword, Your Grace,¡± she said. ¡°It is my duty to protect you.¡±


    ¡°And now you will protect me as my wife.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s face scrunched up.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t remind me.¡±


    ¡°Is the idea of marrying me that repulsive?¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin looked thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°You aren¡¯t the problem. It¡¯s the position of Grand Duchess. I never wanted it.¡±


    It looked like the two of them had forgotten about me, lost in their own little world as they were. I guessed this was my cue to leave.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± I said, standing up, ¡°I shall take my leave now.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°You may go.¡± he said. ¡°Sofie and I have something we need to discuss in private.¡±


    With that, I left the Grand Duke¡¯s study. As I made my way back to my rooms, I thought about the real heir to House Kaltbrand. I had to admit, even if only to myself, I felt a little envious of this mysterious son. Perhaps it was greedy of me, but a part of me wished that it could have been me.


    I shook my head. What was I thinking? I already had Duke and Duchess Guld for parents, assuming they still wanted me as their son. Wanting to be the son of Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin was asking for too much.


    However, just as I reached my rooms and retired for the night, a thought occurred to me. The late Grand Duchess passed away about a year before the chaos caused by the large horde of demonic beasts that invaded the Barrens. Given the timing of events, the real heir to House Kaltbrand and I were about the same age.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    What if¡­?


    I shook my head before finishing that thought. That was enough wishful thinking for tonight.


    <hr>


    The next day was a busy one for me. While Grand Duke Kaltbrand decided to throw a week-long banquet in order to celebrate his (fake) son¡¯s debut, this was also the seasonal meeting where House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals congregated to discuss the Barrens¡¯ affairs. Now that the Grand Duke had declared me as his heir, I had every right to participate in these meetings. In fact, it was mandatory, if only to keep up the facade.


    Many of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals were unhappy about this. The ones who followed House Arbeit were the most vocal about it, but the rest made their discontent known in other ways. Chief among them was Countess Steuben, Lord Klemens¡¯ mother. Like her son, she hid her malice behind a smile. However, from her whispered words and barbed comments, it was clear that she resented me for taking what she thought belonged to her son.


    That said, I was not without allies. House Gerhard¡¯s faction supported me with enthusiasm. This made dealing with the rest of the vassals more bearable. Count Wirner¡¯s backing also played a huge part. It seemed that several of the vassals had assumed that he would resent me, since his bastard daughter supplanted his legitimate daughter¡¯s role; both by getting engaged to the grand duke and by bearing his heir. However, Count Wirner made it very clear that he supported me and Knight Commander Bardin.


    As for the remaining nobles, the ones who weren¡¯t the heads of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassal families, I tasked the twins with keeping an eye on them. That way, if any of them tried anything, I would know about it. I also asked Lord Wilhelm and Lady Adelheid to try and sway as many nobles as they could into joining my side. My goal was to chip away at House Steuben and House Arbeit¡¯s influence, until they no longer presented a threat to me; or rather, to Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s real heir.


    To that end, I gave Lord Wilhelm and Lady Adelheid permission to hint at their new partnership with House Guld. This was a risk, since I hadn¡¯t heard back from Lina and nothing was set in stone, but it was a necessary risk. The Barrens imported a lot of its food from the Riverlands, which was ruled by House Guld. Using that against my political enemies was a dirty, but effective, tactic.


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s eyes gleamed when I asked her to do this, since this was everything she could have hoped for. After years of being mocked and looked down upon, she now had the advantage over her former tormentors. Lord Wilhelm felt the same way, though his reaction was more understated.


    After the meeting ended, I considered retiring to my rooms in order to rest. After all, the second night of the banquet would be just as tiring as the first. However, I had other plans. In addition to the banquet for the nobles, Grand Duke Kaltbrand organized a festival for the rest of Frostheart in order to celebrate his son¡¯s debut.


    When I first heard of this, I thought of a certain group of people and asked Viscount Holtz to look into them for me. He seemed confused by this, but complied with my request. When he came back to me a few days later with the information I requested, I decided to plan out another event, one that would run concurrently to the banquet and the festival. Of course, I asked the Grand Duke for permission and he granted it without hesitation.


    Baron Edmund Kirch, House Kaltbrand¡¯s steward, ended up helping me with this task. At first he was skeptical of my intentions, but after I explained what I wanted, he was enthusiastic about helping me. Rather than rest in my rooms, I decided to check out the results of my labor.


    I disguised myself as a commoner, dressing myself in the clothing from my mercenary days, before leaving Kaltbrand Castle. Unfortunately, I wasn¡¯t alone. Given my position as the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand, I couldn¡¯t wander about Frostheart without an escort. Nevermind that I was an Aura Master and could defeat all three of my bodyguards with ease.


    Since it was afternoon, Elise accompanied me, also in disguise. I would have preferred Sir Kane, since I was more familiar with him, but he guarded me during the mornings. Rather than complain about it, I decided to use this as an opportunity to learn more about Elise. Of my three bodyguards, she was the one I was least close to. I was friends with Sir Kane, and Victor warmed up to me after I saved him back when we hunted the Proteans. However, Elise and I remained distant from each other. I figured this was a good opportunity to rectify that.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, my lord,¡± she said as we left Kaltbrand Castle, ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there, Dame Elise.¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It isn¡¯t anyplace dangerous.¡±


    Elise gave me a skeptical look at that, but didn¡¯t say anything. Now that it was the middle of spring, the temperature had warmed up enough that it felt comfortable to go outside, even for regular people. Of course, it was colder than spring in the Riverlands, but that was to be expected.


    The late afternoon sun bathed the entire city of Frostheart with its golden rays. The streets were packed with people enjoying the festival. Entertainers of all kinds performed out in the open, such as jesters, jugglers, and dancers. Stalls selling everything from meat skewers to cheap jewelry lined the streets, with vendors hawking their wares. People cheered and laughed as they enjoyed themselves. The smell of cooking food and beer filled the air. The excitement and jubilation was so palpable, that I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    This was all thanks to Grand Duke Kaltbrand. It must have cost him an astronomical sum to throw a celebration like this. I felt a bit uneasy that everyone was celebrating a lie, but only a bit. If nothing else, I¡¯m sure everyone was enjoying themselves. Well, almost everyone. The city guard must have had their hands full trying to maintain law and order.


    It took Elise and I some time to navigate our way through the crowds filling the streets. We could have forced our way through, since we were both Aura users, but that defeated the purpose of disguising myself. Otherwise, I would have ridden in one of House Kaltbrand¡¯s many carriages.


    Elise frowned when we neared our destination. The neighborhood we were in was one of Frostheart''s poorer areas. It wasn¡¯t a slum, but it was clear that the residents weren¡¯t affluent by any means. Elise maintained a vigilant watch as we traveled through the area. Her frown morphed into a look of surprise when we arrived at a two-story stone building with a courtyard adjacent to it.


    Children of all ages filled the yard and enjoyed their own little festival. There were foods and games aplenty for all of them. Several adults supervised the children, and a pair of city guards kept an eye on everything, to make sure nothing untoward happened.


    Watching the children play reminded me of the other orphans I grew up with, back in the orphanage at Towerton. We hadn¡¯t been particularly close, but we stuck together out of necessity. We watched each others¡¯ backs, because no one else would. A few of my fellow orphans stood out in my memory, though I only remembered their nicknames and not their actual names.


    There was Bull, the biggest of us all, who had a temper to match his nickname. Squirrel and her younger brother, Little Squirrel, who earned their nicknames because of their fluffy light brown hair. Foxy, who liked to scheme and make deals with the other orphans. My nickname, of course, had been Wolfie.


    After House Guld adopted me, I never returned to the orphanage. However, at my behest, Moth-¡­ Duchess Guld sponsored the orphanage and ensured the remaining orphans lived better lives from that point on. Last I heard, Bull became a blacksmith¡¯s apprentice, Squirrel and her brother got adopted by a family from outside of the Riverlands, and Foxy joined a merchant group.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Elise asked, staring at the children.


    ¡°An orphanage.¡± I answered. ¡°One of three located within Frostheart. Orphans are often overlooked, especially by those in power, so I took it upon myself to ensure that they were included in the festivities.¡±


    Elise stared at me in shock.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked. An emotion that I couldn¡¯t decipher filled her eyes.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked. ¡°I figured everyone deserved to enjoy themselves during the festival, regardless of their circumstances.¡± I gestured to the orphanage. ¡°Let us go say hello.¡±


    Before Elise could answer, I headed towards the courtyard. She followed me a moment later. The city guards watched our approach, but made no move to hinder us. I figured that as long as we didn¡¯t cause any trouble, they would leave us alone. One of the adults supervising the children, a middle-aged woman with a matronly air, noticed us and walked in our direction. A boy, who looked to be either eight or nine years of age, clung to her side and eyed us with suspicion.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the woman said, wariness evident on her face, ¡°May I help you?¡±


    ¡°Hello,¡± I said, giving her a smile, ¡°My name is Wulfram. I¡¯m here to check in on the orphanage.¡±


    The woman¡¯s expression morphed into one of joy.


    ¡°Oh!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°So you¡¯re our benefactor!¡± She reached forward and grasped my hands in hers. ¡°You have no idea how grateful we are for your donations. The children are able to enjoy themselves thanks to you.¡±


    When I started this endeavor, I decided to use my real name. That way, I could visit the orphanages as myself and not as Wulfe Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± I said. ¡°I have enjoyed many blessings in my life, and I thought it was only right that I shared some of those blessings with others.¡±


    The matronly woman opened her mouth to respond, but the boy by her side spoke up first.


    ¡°What do you want from us?¡± he demanded.


    I looked at him. He glared at me through narrowed eyes.


    ¡°What makes you think I want anything from you?¡± I asked, giving him a curious look.


    ¡°Rich folk like you don¡¯t do anything for people like us unless you wanted something in return.¡± he said.


    From the wariness in the boy¡¯s eyes, it was clear that he had lived a hard life, one that forced him to grow up fast. He had been hurt by others, and likely more than once.


    ¡°Peter!¡± the matron said, her cheeks flushed red. She looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive him. Peter doesn¡¯t trust many adults.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°There is no need to apologize.¡± I said. I knelt down before the boy, Peter, and looked him right in the eyes. ¡°Let me tell you a secret. I grew up in an orphanage like this one.¡±


    Peter gave me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Really?¡± he asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes, really.¡± I said. ¡°It was in this town called Towerton, located to the southwest of here, in the Riverlands.¡± I paused for a moment as I recalled my childhood. ¡°Whenever there was a festival or celebration, we were always left out. Everyone always chased us off, calling us nuisances or thieves. We could only watch as others ate delicious foods and played fun games without us.¡±


    Pain filled Peter¡¯s eyes, the pain that only another orphan could understand, the pain of being abandoned and unwanted. It was the same kind of pain I felt as a child.


    ¡°To answer your question from earlier,¡± I said, ¡°I want you and the other children here to enjoy yourselves the way I couldn¡¯t when I was your age. Could you do that for me, Peter?¡±


    Peter bit his lip to keep from crying and nodded. I smiled at him.


    ¡°Good.¡± I said. ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡±


    I stood up and faced the matronly woman. She looked a little teary-eyed herself.


    ¡°Would you like to meet the other children?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure they would like to say ¡®thank you¡¯ themselves.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t.¡± I said. ¡°I have business to attend to.¡±


    It took far longer to reach this orphanage than I anticipated, and I didn¡¯t have much time before the banquet started. If we left now, Elise and I would arrive back at Kaltbrand Castle just in time for me to get ready.


    ¡°I see,¡± the matronly woman said, sounding disappointed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡± She perked up again. ¡°In that case, feel free to visit us later on, when you are free, Mr. Wulfram.¡±


    I nodded at her and reached over to ruffle Peter¡¯s hair, before turning around to leave the orphanage. When the orphanage was no longer in sight, I glanced over at Elise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you to keep everything you heard earlier to yourself, do I?¡± I asked.


    I let my emotions get the better of me earlier, so I revealed something of my past that I shouldn¡¯t have. However, rather than berate myself, I decided to turn my blunder into any opportunity to test Elise¡¯s discretion. If rumors about my past started to spread, I knew who to blame.


    ¡°No, my lord,¡± Elise said after a moment, ¡°You don¡¯t.¡± She paused. ¡°However, was that story you told true?¡±


    I gave her a small smile and didn¡¯t respond. The two of us spent the rest of the journey back to Kaltbrand Castle in silence.

 Chapter 26: Moonlit Meeting

    After Elise and I returned to Kaltbrand Castle, we parted ways so I could get ready for the second night of the banquet. Before she left, Elise hesitated and seemed like she wanted to tell me something, but decided against it. Her behavior aroused my curiosity, but I decided to let it be for now. Elise would say what she had to say in her own time.


    As I readied myself for the banquet, the twins gave me a brief summary of what the northern nobles had been up to in my absence. Nothing major happened with the nobles, beyond the usual gossiping and negotiating. This surprised me. After what happened last night, I expected Lord Ulric to cause a commotion. However, he remained silent, which I found suspicious. Perhaps he was biding his time.


    Other than that, the only thing of note was how Lady Adelheid and Lord Wilhelm managed to sway a few more nobles to our side by revealing House Gerhard¡¯s new relationship with House Guld. They never outright stated it, relying on implications and innuendos, but that was more than enough to convince some. These nobles wanted to curry favor with House Gerhard while they had the chance.


    Unlike the first night, Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, Count Wirner, and I didn¡¯t eat at the head table by ourselves. The heads of House Gerhard, House Arbeit, and House Steuben joined us, along with their families. To say that it was a tense affair would be an understatement. Count Arbeit, Lord Ulric¡¯s father, made no attempt to hide his hostility towards me. In fact, he outright berated me for my behavior towards his son, though I silenced him with ease.


    The real problem was Countess Steuben, Lord Klemens¡¯ mother. I never liked the word games that nobles indulged in, the verbal sparring they used in order to trick and undermine their opponents. Barbed comments, backhanded compliments, and hidden insults. I could hold my own, but Countess Steuben put me to shame.


    If words were weapons, she was the equivalent of an Aura Master. Unlike her son, not once did I get the upper hand with her. She always managed to redirect or deflect my attacks, while landing several hits of her own. She accomplished all this with a polite smile on her face. If Countess Steuben ever entered Haven¡¯s high society, she would no doubt become a force to contend with.


    However, despite their high status within the Barrens, at the end of the day, House Steuben were little more than rural nobles. They had neither the influence nor the means to relocate to Haven. If Lord Klemens ever became the grand duke, that might change, though that would never happen. I would make sure of it.


    Needless to say, the second night of the banquet was an exhausting affair. At least I hadn¡¯t been alone. Not only did I have Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Knight Commander Bardin, and Count Wirner on my side, but I also had Viscount Gerhard¡¯s support. That made everything much more bearable.


    Even so, by the time I made it back to my rooms, I barely made the effort to change out of my formal clothes before I crawled into bed and fell asleep. The third day of the banquet was much like the second. I attended the meeting alongside Grand Duke Kaltbrand. While many of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals remained wary, some of them no longer remained hostile towards me. That was a far cry from accepting me, but it was a step in the right direction.


    After the meeting, I visited the second of the three orphanages that I had sponsored. Elise joined me. It took less time to reach the orphanage, which meant I could spend more time with the orphans themselves. As expected, most of them were wary around me, but after I revealed that I had been an orphan as well, they opened up to me a little. Elise kept an eye out for trouble. However, from time to time, I noticed her watching me with a strange expression on her face, the same one from before.


    Maybe she thought it was unbecoming for someone of my status to mingle with mere orphans. That was how most nobles thought. However, I didn¡¯t think that was the case. My intuition told me that there was something else going on with her. I considered questioning her about it, but refrained. Forcing the issue would just cause her to become tight-lipped. Either she would tell me in her own time, or she wouldn¡¯t.


    I got my opportunity sooner than expected after we returned to Kaltbrand Castle. Just as we were about to part ways, so I could get ready for the third night of the banquet, Elise called out to me.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± Elise said, a conflicted expression on her face, ¡°Would you help someone in need, even if it didn¡¯t benefit you?¡±


    I blinked at her, surprised by the sudden question.


    ¡°That would depend on the circumstances.¡± I said, frowning. ¡°In general, if it is within my power, then yes.¡±


    Elise nodded, as if she expected this answer.


    ¡°What if that person was your enemy?¡± She asked.


    I studied her for several seconds, before narrowing my eyes.


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡± I asked in a cold voice.


    Elise took her time before responding.


    ¡°I think it would be a good idea for you to visit the western garden tonight, my lord.¡± She said. ¡°About two hours after the banquet starts. I think you¡¯ll see something that will interest you.¡± She paused. ¡°If you have some way to hide your presence, I suggest you use it.¡±


    I released some of my pressure.


    ¡°Dame Elise,¡± I said, ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She said, shaking her head. ¡°I wish I could, but I can¡¯t. Just, please trust me, my lord. You¡¯ll know what I mean if you do.¡±


    I considered having the Blue Shadows take Elise into custody and interrogate her because of her suspicious behavior. However, I held back because of the fear and resignation in her eyes. Whatever was going on, it had taken a lot for her to reach out to me like this. I suspected that I might regret it if I didn¡¯t do as she asked.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, ¡°Two hours after the banquet starts?¡±


    Elise nodded.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there.¡± I increased my pressure. ¡°However, if I find out that you have betrayed me or House Kaltbrand, I will kill you myself. Understood?¡±


    Elise gave me a grim smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m prepared to pay that price, my lord,¡± she said.


    I studied her for several more seconds, before I dismissed her with a gesture. When she was out of sight, I headed towards my rooms to convene with the twins. If Elise was luring me into some kind of trap, I needed to prepare for it. After all, I said that I would go to the western gardens at the appointed time. However, I never said that I would go alone.


    <hr>


    Several hours later, I found myself in the western gardens. Despite its rather bleak and foreboding appearance, Kaltbrand Castle boasted a number of gardens, each one with its own courtyard within the castle. There were four gardens in total, one for each cardinal direction. When I first arrived, the gardens had been bare and barren. However, now that spring was well underway, they were bursting with life.


    The western garden was the least popular of the four, since it only had plants and flowers that were native to the Barrens. Meanwhile, the other gardens had plants and flowers that had been transplanted from other regions of the Reichwald Empire with great difficulty. However, this also meant that the western garden was the perfect place for a private nighttime rendezvous.


    After I separated from Elise, I met with the twins and explained the situation to them. They found Elise¡¯s behavior suspicious as well. Rosalind wanted to take her into custody right away. However, I ordered them to hold off. There was a chance that there was nothing serious and we were all just being paranoid. In that case, Elise was innocent of any crime. However, even if she wasn¡¯t, I wanted to catch her in the act rather than rely on suspicion and conjecture.


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    Elise was a Coldsteel Knight. If the Blue Shadows took her into custody and interrogated her without evidence, even if she was guilty, that would only sour relations with the Coldsteel Knights and cause resentment. In the end, Rosalind accepted my reasoning, though she wasn¡¯t happy about it.


    The three of us came up with a plan, before I readied myself and headed towards the banquet. The third night was much like the second, tense and tiring. However, when the appointed time drew near, Maria delivered a fake message to me and I excused myself, claiming that I had urgent business to attend to. This drew protests from everyone, and snide remarks from House Steuben, but I ignored them. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin each gave me a questioning look, but didn¡¯t stop me.


    After Maria and I left the banquet hall, we met with Rosalind at the meeting spot we had arranged beforehand. When we arrived, she gave us both a shadowstep, the magic tool that allowed the Blue Shadows to move around unseen. It was a plain bracelet made from coldsteel. Despite its simple design, I noticed the subtle hints of magic emanating from it.


    The three of us donned our shadowsteps, before making our way to the western garden. Using a shadowstep was an interesting experience. The magic tool hid me from sight, and even concealed my mana signature. Moving around unseen was an exhilarating experience. Every time we passed by someone without them knowing, I felt a small thrill.


    However, before we put them on, the twins warned me about the flaws of using a shadowstep. The biggest was that while a shadowstep hid a person from sight, and even concealed their mana signature, it had no effect on the other senses. This meant that it was possible to hear, smell, taste, and touch someone using a shadowstep.


    Another flaw was that shadowsteps required a large amount of mana to use, even for a short period of time. As an Aura Master, I had a massive reserve of mana but even I wouldn¡¯t be able to use one for more than a few hours. Those without mana had it worse. They needed to spend a ridiculous amount of mana crystals to use a shadowstep. This made utilizing shadowsteps an expensive endeavor, even in the Barrens, where mana crystals were more abundant.


    These two flaws were the reason why shadowsteps didn¡¯t see more use, for which I was grateful. The last thing I wanted was for them to be more widespread. However, now that I knew about their flaws, I could keep an ear out for someone using a shadowstep near me.


    The twins and I made our way to the western garden, arriving just before the appointed time. We would have arrived sooner if it weren¡¯t for me. Unlike the twins, I wasn¡¯t as used to moving around without making any noise, so it took some getting used to. My heart leapt into my throat every time I misjudged a step or bumped into something.


    There was no one at the western garden when we arrived, so the three of us found a good vantage point and waited. To avoid losing each other, or bumping into one another, the twins insisted on holding hands. Well, Maria insisted. Rosalind just rolled her eyes, but didn¡¯t contradict her sister. Despite my misgivings about this idea, I went along with it. I didn¡¯t want to lose track of either sister.


    A part of me noted that it would be easy to misunderstand the situation from an outsider''s perspective. A young man holding hands with two women in a garden at night? If people found out about it, they would assume that I was having a tryst with my maids.


    As we waited for the appointed time to arrive, I took a look around the western garden. Unlike the other gardens in Kaltbrand Castle, or the ones in Guld Manor, the western garden wasn¡¯t neat or manicured. Instead, it seemed like a piece of wilderness that someone had cultivated within the castle. The plants within the western garden could be found anywhere within the Barrens.


    Despite that, there was a certain beauty and charm to the western garden. The moon hung low in the sky, illuminating the garden, giving it an air of mystery. It was cold out. Even in mid spring, nights in the Barren were cool. It almost felt like I was in a moonlit forest, located in the wilds. It even smelled like a forest, cool and earthy.


    Movement caught my eye, and I saw a man enter the western garden. From the way they stiffened, the twins noticed him as well. Despite the darkness, the moon shone with enough light that I could make out the man¡¯s features thanks to my sharpened senses. From the uniform he wore, I saw that he was a servant. I guessed he was one of the servants hired just for the banquet, though I didn¡¯t know for sure since I wasn¡¯t familiar with the face of every servant in the castle. Later on, I would have to ask the twins if they recognized him.


    The man headed towards the darkest corner of the western garden, looking around as he did so. I softened my breathing, just in case. After the man reached his destination, he crossed his arms and waited. Moments later, Elise appeared in the garden. She wore her usual uniform and marched right towards the man¡¯s location.


    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± The man said in a quiet voice. He narrowed his eyes at Elise.


    The two of them were a fair distance away from the twins and I. However, with my sharpened senses, I had no trouble picking up their conversation.


    ¡°Apologies,¡± Elise said, also speaking in a quiet voice, ¡°It took longer to get away from the others.¡±


    The man made a sharp gesture.


    ¡°Save your excuses for later.¡± He said. ¡°Report. Where did Wulfe Kaltbrand go after the meeting with the vassals today?¡±


    Elise clenched her jaw, but answered anyway.


    ¡°The same as yesterday,¡± she said, ¡°He stayed in his rooms all afternoon, resting before the banquet.¡±


    Elise was a spy. I suspected that there was something going on with her, based on what she said earlier, but witnessing the truth for myself still shocked me. While she and I weren¡¯t close, the two of us had spent a fair amount of time with each other. We trained together, fought together, and bled together. That meant something, at least to me.


    I trusted Elise. Finding out that she had been a spy all along hit me like a punch in the gut. I started to clench my hands, but stopped when I remembered that I held the twins¡¯ hands. Otherwise, I might have broken their bones.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± The man said, clicking his tongue with displeasure. He shook his head. ¡°Ambushing him outside of the castle is looking less and less likely. We should have taken the risk when he saved Lady Adelheid.¡± He glanced at Elise. ¡°Are you sure poison isn¡¯t an option?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Elise said with a nod. ¡°When he eats alone, the only ones allowed to touch his food are those twin maids of his. Anyone else who tries is severely punished.¡±


    I squeezed the twins¡¯ hands when I heard this. They squeezed my hands in return. Poison was one of the easier ways to kill an Aura Master. Even then, it was difficult since Aura Masters were stronger and tougher than most humans. The twins had shielded me from a potential weakness by looking out for me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± the man said, pinching his chin, ¡°We¡¯ll either need to lure him outside of the castle somehow, or we¡¯ll have to resort to our backup plan.¡±


    Elise sucked in a breath.


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡±


    The man smirked at her.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Afraid to lose everything you worked so hard for?¡±


    Elise looked away from him and didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Dame Elise,¡± the man sneered, ¡°The only reason you are where you are today is because of our master¡¯s generosity.¡±


    ¡°I know that!¡± Elise snapped, turning her head to glare at the man. ¡°I am more than prepared to sacrifice my life if necessary, but only if necessary.¡±


    The man snorted.


    ¡°Good.¡± He said. ¡°As long as you remember that.¡± He paused for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ll wait one more day. Maybe that fool, Lord Ulric, will get loose and save us the trouble.¡± He gestured towards Elise. ¡°In the meantime, continue to keep an eye on Wulfe Kaltbrand and inform us of his whereabouts.¡±


    Elise nodded.


    ¡°Do you have any news for me?¡± She asked, after some hesitation. ¡°About Thomas, that is.¡±


    The man shook his head.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t earned it yet.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after you bring me something I can use.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t part of our arrangement.¡± Elise growled, clenching her fists.


    ¡°Careful,¡± the man said in a low and dangerous voice, ¡°Everything that you are, and everything that you have, you owe to our master. He can just as easily take it away.¡± He tilted his head. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want Thomas to suffer the consequences of your poor choices now, would we?¡±


    Elise glared at him for several seconds, before she took a deep breath and unclenched her fists.


    ¡°Good,¡± the man said, ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten your place after all.¡±


    ¡°Are we done here?¡± Elise asked, ignoring his statement.


    The man jerked his head towards the castle.


    ¡°You can leave first.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s best if we aren¡¯t seen together.¡±


    With that, Elise turned and stormed off. Maria gave my hand a brief squeeze, before she let go. I assumed she planned on following Elise. The man waited a few more minutes, before he left the western garden as well. Like her sister, Rosalind squeezed my hand before she left. I waited a few more minutes before leaving the western garden myself.


    I wanted nothing more than to retreat to my rooms so I could sort through my thoughts. However, I needed to return to the banquet. Leaving in the first place was already suspicious. If I didn¡¯t return, people would talk about it. If I returned now, I could at least mitigate the damage.


    Dinner was still underway when I returned to the banquet hall, after I removed the shadowstep of course. I took my seat next to Grand Duke Kaltbrand, earning a few looks from everyone else. Despite the turmoil in my heart and mind, I maintained a calm facade.


    ¡°I assume your urgent business has been dealt with?¡± The Grand Duke asked, glancing at me.


    I gave him a brief smile.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I said, lying through my teeth.

 Chapter 27: Dealing with Elise

    After the banquet ended, and it was time for everyone to return to their rooms, I took Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin aside.


    ¡°I need to speak with both of you.¡± I said, keeping my voice low.


    Their expressions grew serious at my words.


    ¡°Let us go to my study.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said.


    The three of us made our way to the Grand Duke¡¯s study, which was the best place to hold a private conversation in the entire castle. Several nobles, who lingered in the halls near the banquet hall, tried to speak with Grand Duke Kaltbrand but he ignored them. Soon, we arrived at the study. However, to my surprise, we found a group of people waiting for us inside.


    Elise sat on a wooden chair in the middle of the study, facing away from the door so we couldn¡¯t see her face. Maria stood beside her, with her arms crossed and a harsh expression on her face. Claus, House Kaltbrand¡¯s spymaster, stood on Elise¡¯s other side. He wore an indifferent expression, but I saw the coldness in his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, good,¡± I said, ¡°This saves me some time.¡±


    ¡°What is going on?¡± The Grand Duke asked with a frown, looking between the three of them.


    Claus nodded towards Elise.


    ¡°Dame Elise Meyers is a spy.¡± The spymaster said. ¡°My people overheard her talking with one of her comrades.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°Lord Wulfe can confirm this. He was there as well.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin looked over at me. I nodded. The knight commander¡¯s expression grew cold. I resisted the urge to step back when I saw it. This was the angriest I have ever seen her before. Thank the gods I wasn¡¯t the target of her ire. A small part of me felt sorry for Elise, but only a small part.


    Knight Commander Bardin marched over to Elise, picked her up by the throat and slammed her onto the ground. If she had done that to a regular human, they would have died. Elise, an Aura Expert, just let out a groan of pain.


    ¡°You traitorous little rat.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said, her voice calm despite the anger in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make you pay for making a mockery of me and the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. I would kill you here and now, except I know that Claus would want to interrogate you first. So, if you want to stay alive, I suggest you tell him everything you know.¡± She released her pressure at full force. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll start carving pieces off of you one by one.¡±


    My eyes widened. This was a side to Knight Commander Bardin I hadn¡¯t seen before. Even when we fought demonic beasts together, she hadn¡¯t been this malicious and cruel. Then again, she just found out that one of her subordinates, one of her people, had betrayed her. Of course she was angry.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand joined Knight Commander Bardin, his eyes glowing with power. He didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he just stood there, a lord ready to render judgment on the damned. The light in his eyes seemed to dance and flicker, like flames. Was this the legendary coldfire, from which House Kaltbrand derived its name? Confronted by these two, I was surprised Elise was still conscious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, Knight Commander Bardin,¡± Claus said. ¡°She refuses to talk.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± the knight commander said. She pulled a dagger out of her dress. Where had she been hiding it? ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Claus put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°While I would let you go ahead under normal circumstances,¡± the spymaster said, ¡°I think it would be more expedient to let Lord Wulfe deal with her. She said she would speak to him and no one else. Otherwise, I would have started interrogating her myself.¡±


    At that, Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin looked my way.


    ¡°Why?¡± the grand duke asked.


    ¡°I think I know why.¡± I said.


    At that, I explained what happened to everyone, starting with my visit to the orphanage and ending with Elise¡¯s conversation with the spy disguising himself as a House Kaltbrand servant.


    ¡°The only reason we even know that Elise is a spy is because she decided to reveal it to us.¡± I said after my explanation. ¡°Otherwise, none of us would have suspected her.¡±


    Of all the people I expected to be a spy, Elise and the other Coldsteel Knights were low on that list.


    ¡°Not only that,¡± I continued, ¡°She could have told her comrades about my visits, and set up an ambush, but she hadn¡¯t. At the very least, we should take that into account.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Knight Commander Bardin asked, still glaring down at Elise.


    ¡°I think she wants something from me.¡± I said. ¡°Let me speak with her. We don¡¯t have to resort to torture just yet.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin didn¡¯t respond and continued to glare at Elise. Grand Duke Kaltbrand put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Sofie.¡± He said in a soft voice.


    Knight Commander Bardin clicked her tongue in displeasure.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she spat out, letting go of Elise¡¯s throat, ¡°We¡¯ll do it your way. For now.¡±


    With that, she retracted her pressure and stepped away from Elise¡¯s prone form. Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded at me. I stepped forward and reached a hand out towards Elise. The woman sat up and rubbed her throat, staring at my outstretched hand. After some internal debate on her part, she took my hand and I helped her stand up. I gestured to the chair she sat in before, which remained standing and intact by some miracle. Elise sat down. The entire time, she never said a single word.


    ¡°You understand the situation you are in,¡± I said, ¡°So I won¡¯t bother with the theatrics. Tell us everything you know, or I¡¯ll let Mom use that dagger on you.¡±


    Elise shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°Not until you fulfill my conditions first.¡±


    I gave her a cold smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re in no position to negotiate, Elise.¡± I said, deliberately leaving out her title. A knight who betrayed her lord was no knight at all. ¡°After what you¡¯ve done, you¡¯re lucky to still be alive.¡±


    Elise snorted.


    ¡°My life is forfeit,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯ve already accepted that. No matter how this plays out, I won¡¯t survive. So, don¡¯t bother trying to threaten my life. It won¡¯t work. The only thing in doubt is whether I¡¯ll tell you what I know before I die. If you want that to happen, you¡¯ll do as I ask.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at Elise. She had a point. There was only so much information one could gain from torture. Not only that, but the accuracy of said information wouldn¡¯t always be accurate. An individual suffering from torture would say anything to end the pain.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.


    At this, Elise faltered. Her mask cracked, revealing her anger and fear.


    ¡°Please,¡± she said, ¡°Save my little brother, Thomas. Otherwise, they¡¯ll kill him.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin scoffed.


    ¡°Brother?¡± She asked. ¡°Don¡¯t make me laugh. If you were going to lie, you should have come up with something more believable.¡±


    I gave the knight commander a questioning look, but Claus was the one who answered me.


    ¡°Baron Meyers, Dame Elise¡¯s father, doesn¡¯t have a son.¡± He said. ¡°Dame Elise doesn¡¯t have a brother.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not even a bastard.¡±


    ¡°Elise Meyers doesn¡¯t have a brother.¡± Elise retorted. ¡°I do.¡±


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    ¡°You¡¯re not Elise Meyers?¡± I asked.


    Elise, or whoever she was, shook her head.


    ¡°No, I am not.¡± she said.


    Claus stiffened at this. I didn¡¯t blame him. An imposter using someone else¡¯s name had managed to sneak into Kaltbrand Castle, and he hadn¡¯t even noticed. He wasn¡¯t the only one either. Knight Commander Bardin¡¯s expression grew even darker, which I hadn¡¯t thought was possible.


    ¡°Then who are you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Ellen.¡± she said, saying the word as if savoring it. ¡°My name is Ellen.¡±


    For some reason, that tickled my memory. Ellen and Thomas. Why did that sound familiar?


    ¡°Very well, Ellen.¡± I said. ¡°You want us to rescue your brother, Thomas.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°House Meyers has him. Rescue him from that place, and I¡¯ll tell you everything that I know, including who I serve.¡± She smirked at Claus. ¡°You¡¯ve been searching for the person interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, haven¡¯t you? I know who it is. Save my brother and I¡¯ll give you their name.¡±


    Claus narrowed his eyes at her.


    ¡°Why should we bother with such an onerous task, when I can just force you to tell us?¡± He asked. ¡°We¡¯ve indulged you so far, but at this point, I think it¡¯ll be easier to force you to tell us.¡±


    Ellen looked at me. She didn¡¯t say anything, she just looked.


    ¡°No.¡± I said.


    Claus looked at me.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t seriously considering her proposal, are you?¡± He asked, scoffing. ¡°Now that we know she has the knowledge we need, we should just force it out of her.¡± He gestured to Ellen. ¡°Everything she¡¯s done so far, including asking you for help, could all be an elaborate trap on our enemies¡¯ part. We shouldn¡¯t fall for her tricks.¡±


    I met Claus¡¯ eyes without flinching.


    ¡°I said no.¡±


    Claus looked over at Grand Duke Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Let Wulfe deal with Ellen.¡± He said. ¡°I want to see how he handles it.¡±


    Claus looked ready to argue with him, but acquiesced in the end. I gave the Grand Duke a nod of thanks, before turning back towards Ellen.


    ¡°Why me?¡± I asked her. ¡°Why ask me for help?¡± I gestured to Claus. ¡°As he said, this could all be a trap in order to bait us into making a move. So, before we go any further, tell me why you asked for my help in particular.¡±


    Ellen sighed.


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who would care.¡± She said in a quiet voice. ¡°The people I work for just see me as a tool. A useful tool, but a tool all the same, and just as easily discarded. Once I¡¯m no longer useful, they¡¯ll kill me and my brother to get rid of any loose ends.¡± She nodded towards Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Sofie. ¡°Everyone else in this room just sees me as a traitor. If it weren¡¯t for you, they would have tortured me already. You¡¯re the only one I can rely on to save my brother.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°What makes you think I care about what happens to you or your brother?¡± I asked. ¡°Is it because of what I did for the orphanages?¡±


    Ellen barked out a laugh at this.


    ¡°Do you think I would risk Thomas¡¯ life over something so flimsy?¡± she scoffed. ¡°No, it¡¯s because we look out for each other. That¡¯s how it works. We watch each other¡¯s backs, because no one else will. It¡¯s been ten years since we last saw each other, but that hasn¡¯t changed. Isn¡¯t that right, Wolfie?¡±


    My eyes widened and I stared at her in shock. The clues came together. Ellen and Thomas. I remembered now. Ellen was Squirrel¡¯s real name and Thomas was Little Squirrel¡¯s real name. It had been so long that I had forgotten about it until now. However, that couldn¡¯t be right. The woman before me looked nothing like the scrawny little orphan girl I remembered. Well, their eyes looked similar now that I thought about it, but that was it. In my memory, Squirrel had fluffy brown hair that covered the upper half of her face. The woman before me had short blonde hair.


    ¡°Squirrel?¡± I asked, incredulous.


    Ellen smiled at that.


    ¡°You remember me.¡± She said. ¡°For a second there, I thought you hadn¡¯t. Not that I blame you. I look nothing like I used to.¡± She nodded towards me. ¡°Then again, neither do you. The only reason I recognized you at all was because of the story you told to that little boy, Peter. Black hair and blue eyes aren''t exactly rare in these parts. An orphan from Towerton named Wulfram? There¡¯s only one person I can think of who matches that description.¡±


    While I still had my doubts, I was beginning to believe that the woman in front of me was in fact Squirrel, one of the orphans I grew up with.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Knight Commander Bardin growled. ¡°Wolfie? Squirrel? What kind of names are those?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re nicknames the orphans gave each other, back in the orphanage I grew up in.¡± I explained. ¡°Mine was Wolfie, because my name was Wulfram.¡± I nodded at Ellen. ¡°Hers was Squirrel because of her fluffy hair.¡± I looked at Ellen¡¯s hair. ¡°Though, the name doesn¡¯t fit anymore.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Ellen said, shaking her head. ¡°My hair became lighter as I grew older, and I keep it short so it doesn¡¯t cover half my face anymore.¡±


    I studied Ellen. Her situation must have been more desperate than she let on if she was willing to gamble her brother¡¯s life on someone she hadn¡¯t seen in ten years. I guess she was relying on my sentimentality and sympathy. It wasn¡¯t a bad plan, given my tendencies.


    ¡°Please, Wolfie,¡± Ellen said, clasping her hands together as in prayer and bowing her head, ¡°Rescue Thomas. Unlike me, he doesn¡¯t deserve to die. He¡¯s innocent.¡±


    I mulled it over for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I said, ¡°Those of us in the orphanage looked after each other and watched each other¡¯s backs.¡± Ellen looked up, her eyes filled with hope. However, her expression fell at my next words. ¡°However, we also learned not to be pushovers.¡± I nodded towards her. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to take a serious risk in order to rescue your younger brother. I¡¯m amenable to that. That said, if you want my help, you have to give something in return first. It doesn¡¯t have to be much. Just something that proves that what you know is worth the risk.¡±


    Ellen let out a sound that was a mix of a chuckle and a sigh.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She said. ¡°I suppose it was too much to ask for everything in return for nothing. I¡¯ll tell you about the man I met with, Bernhard. In the hierarchy of the¡­organization I am a part of, he is my direct superior. He is the one in charge of the agents here in Frostheart.¡± She looked over at Claus. ¡°And yes, I mean agents, as in I¡¯m not the only one.¡±


    With my peripheral vision, I noticed Claus¡¯ left eye twitch. Apparently, some kind of mysterious organization had planted its agents right under his nose, and he hadn¡¯t noticed. As the spymaster for House Kaltbrand, that must have stung his pride.


    ¡°Like the other agents,¡± Ellen continued, ¡°I report to him and he reports to his own superiors.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know how far-reaching the organization is, but I know they have agents in every major city and every important noble house within the Barrens.¡± She snorted. ¡°Though, before you panic, most of us aren¡¯t in any positions of real power. I¡¯m the highest ranked agent in Frostheart, second only to Bernhard.¡±


    I caught how she said ¡°most of us¡±, meaning that there were some agents of this organization that were in positions of real power. That was troubling. I glanced over at the others. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin looked unhappy about this news, while Claus looked downright furious. Maria, who hadn¡¯t said or done anything this entire time, continued to glare down at Ellen.


    ¡°I suspect that he, or his superior, was the one behind the attack on Lady Adelheid, though I don¡¯t know this with any certainty.¡± Ellen said. ¡°However, given our organization¡¯s goal, it¡¯s fitting.¡±


    ¡°And what goal is that?¡± I asked.


    Ellen gave me a tight smile and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Can you confirm this, Claus?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked. ¡°Was this Bernhard responsible for the attack on Lady Adelheid?¡±


    Claus took a moment before responding.


    ¡°It¡¯s not implausible.¡± He admitted with a frown. ¡°As I reported to you before, the person who hired Lady Adelheid¡¯s assailants was a vassal of House Arbeit. However, I couldn¡¯t find any clues as to who pulled his strings. Unfortunately, the man died before my people could take him into custody and interrogate him.¡± His frown deepened. ¡°He hung himself in an apparent suicide.¡±


    Ellen shook her head.


    ¡°Loose end.¡± She said with a grim expression on her face.


    I grimaced. If this organization was willing to go to such lengths to hide their existence, just how far were they willing to go?


    ¡°A vassal of House Arbeit sending a bunch of Aura Experts to attack Lady Adelheid?¡± I said. ¡°If that ever became public knowledge, a war would break out between House Gerhard and House Arbeit.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, ¡°Which was why I decided to keep it between Claus and myself for now.¡±


    ¡°You should have told me.¡± Knight Commander Bardin said in a biting tone. ¡°I am your right hand after all.¡±


    The Grand Duke gave her an apologetic look.


    ¡°You were stressed out enough dealing with security for the castle and becoming my fianc¨¦e,¡± he explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to burden you further.¡±


    Knight Commander Bardin snorted at this, but otherwise let it go.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ellen interjected. ¡°If Bernhard, or his superior, is involved, he¡¯ll leak the information. It aligns with the organization¡¯s goal. The only reason why he hasn¡¯t already is because he¡¯s waiting for the most opportune moment.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Of course, this is all conjecture on my part. It¡¯s quite possible that the organization I work for had nothing to do with the attack on Lady Adelheid. Either way, they will use it to their advantage somehow.¡±


    I opened my mouth to ask her another question, but Ellen spoke up first.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you enough,¡± she said, ¡°Now it¡¯s your turn. Rescue my brother, and I¡¯ll tell you everything I know.¡± She nodded at me. ¡°You should hurry. It won¡¯t be long before Bernhard realizes that you¡¯ve captured me or that I¡¯ve defected. By then, it¡¯ll be too late to save my brother.¡± She gave me a grim smile. ¡°If that happens, I¡¯ll kill myself and take everything I know with me.¡±


    From the look in her eyes, I saw that she meant every word.


    ¡°Why bother?¡± Maria scoffed, speaking up for the first since I entered the study. ¡°We can just take this Bernhard into custody and interrogate him.¡±


    Ellen smirked.


    ¡°You can try.¡± She said. ¡°While he seems weak, Bernhard is an Aura Expert who learned how to conceal his mana signature.¡± She nodded at Claus. ¡°He also trained his nose in order to deal with your tricks. It¡¯s how he managed to avoid the Blue Shadows¡¯ notice until now. He can smell you coming. If you go after him, he¡¯ll disappear before you reach him. That¡¯s why I met with him in the western garden tonight, so he wouldn¡¯t notice you, Wolfie.¡±


    My blood ran cold as the implication of her words hit me. I looked over at Maria. Fear that mirrored my own filled her eyes.


    ¡°Rosalind.¡± We said at the same time, before dashing out of the office.


    The others called out to us, but we ignored them and prayed that we weren¡¯t too late to rescue Rosalind.

 Chapter 28: House Meyers

    Maria and I ran towards the servants¡¯ quarters here in Kaltbrand Castle. Since Bertrand disguised himself as a servant, and Rosalind followed him while using a shadowstep, chances were that was where we would find them both. I pulled ahead of Maria, thanks to my speed, and soon left her behind.


    As I ran, I prayed to the gods that Rosalind was all right and cursed myself for letting her go off on her own. I thought she would be all right, since she was a Blue Shadow and had a shadowstep. However, if Bertrand noticed her tailing him, it would be a simple matter for him to deal with her. He was an Aura Expert. While Rosalind was skilled, she wasn¡¯t Bertrand¡¯s match when it came to physical strength.


    When I drew near the servants¡¯ quarters, I heard a commotion. Several of the servants, and a few of the Coldsteel Knights, gathered together in a hallway.


    ¡°She¡¯s hurt!¡±


    ¡°Call a priest!¡±


    ¡°Who did this? How did this happen?¡±


    I increased my speed and rushed forward.


    ¡°Move!¡± I commanded when I reached the crowd.


    When they realized who I was, the group parted, revealing Rosalind laying on the ground with her eyes closed. She had been stabbed in the abdomen. She was limp and her face was white. If I hadn¡¯t seen her chest rising and falling, I would have thought she was already dead. Even so, it was clear that she was in poor condition.


    One of the other servants tended to her, though it was clear that Rosalind needed a priest. Otherwise, she would die from her injury. I knelt down next to her, even though there was little I could do to help.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked the servant tending to Rosalind.


    The servant grimaced at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my lord,¡± she said, ¡°I found her like this not too long ago.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s going to make it, my lord. She¡¯s lost a lot of blood. I¡¯m doing what I can, but¡­¡±


    The servants trailed off. Damn! Bertrand must have noticed Rosalind and stabbed her, before running off. In his shoes, I would flee the castle. The question was, how?


    ¡°Did anyone see what happened?¡± I asked.


    All of the servants and knights shook their heads. Double damn.


    ¡°Has anyone seen a servant named Bertrand?¡± I asked.


    I gave them a description of Bertrand¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°You mean Erhard?¡± one of the other servants asked. ¡°He should be in his quarters, though I haven¡¯t seen him since the banquet ended.¡±


    I stood up.


    ¡°Take me there.¡± I said in a harsh tone.


    The servant flinched. I would have felt bad for the way I spoke to him under normal circumstances, but I was too angry and full of guilt to care at the moment. One of my people had been hurt. I could not, would not, let that stand. Since I couldn¡¯t do anything to help Rosalind, the best I could do was catch the person responsible for injuring her. While I doubted that Bertrand was in his quarters, maybe I would find a clue.


    Maria arrived at that moment, out of breath and sweating after running all the way here from the Grand Duke¡¯s office.


    ¡°Rosalind!¡± she screamed.


    She rushed to her sister¡¯s side and knelt beside her.


    ¡°Keep an eye on her.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll go check Bertrand¡¯s room.¡± I turned to one of the Coldsteel Knights. ¡°Spread the word. I want this Erhard found and taken into custody. However, everyone should be careful. He¡¯s an Aura Expert. If it proves too difficult to capture him alive, just kill him.¡±


    The Coldsteel Knight gave me an incredulous look.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    The Coldsteel Knight snapped out of his stupor and saluted me.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± He said, before rushing off to obey my orders. The other Coldsteel Knights joined him.


    I gestured for the servant, the one who spoke up earlier, to lead the way. He flinched, but obeyed. I followed him. Bertrand¡¯s quarters turned out to be a small windowless room, with little in the way of furniture. There was just a bed and a small dresser. A quick look revealed nothing. No clue, no hint, nothing. I expected as much, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated.


    After my search turned up nothing, I returned to Rosalind¡¯s location. To my surprise, I found Grand Duke Kaltbrand kneeling next to her. Ellen stood next to him with a concerned expression on her face. Why was she here, running around free? Shouldn¡¯t she be locked up? I shook my head and ignored her for now.


    ¡°Dad?¡± I asked the Grand Duke. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Claus and your mother have raised the alarm.¡± He said. ¡°If this Bertrand bastard is still in the castle, they¡¯ll find him.¡± He nodded towards Rosalind. ¡°I figured that something like this must have happened, so I came here in case anyone needed healing.¡±


    I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but then he raised his hand and a blue flame sprang to life in his palm. My eyes widened when I realized that this was coldfire, the divine power gifted to House Kaltbrand. As its name suggested, the blue flame emitted cold rather than heat. It froze rather than burned.


    ¡°Healing isn¡¯t my strength,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, ¡°However, with my divine power, I should be able to stabilize Rosalind.¡±


    ¡°Please, Your Grace,¡± Maria begged with tears in her eyes, ¡°Save my sister.¡±


    The Grand Duke nodded, before he took the coldfire and pressed it against Rosalind¡¯s wound. As soon as the blue flame touched her, Rosalind let out a groan and squirmed.


    ¡°Keep her still.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand commanded.


    Maria and I leapt to obey his words. We pinned Rosalind to the ground. She continued to struggle, but was in no state to resist us. To my amazement, her wound started to close at a rate visible to the naked eye. The coldfire knit her flesh together and made it anew. Soon, almost no trace of Rosalind¡¯s wound remained. It was like a miracle.


    ¡°Amazing.¡± One of the nearby servants whispered.


    ¡°A blessing from the gods.¡± Another said.


    I resisted the urge to nod, though I agreed with him. It was a minor miracle, as these things went, but a miracle nonetheless. When the Grand Duke finished healing Rosalind, he leaned back and let out a breath. Sweat beaded his forehead.


    ¡°Whew,¡± he said, ¡°That took more out of me than I expected.¡± He grinned at me. ¡°Using a power meant for destruction in order to heal someone isn¡¯t easy.¡± He nodded towards Rosalind¡¯s limp form. ¡°I¡¯ve stabilized her for now, but a priest or priestess of the Goddess of Light should take a look at her. They¡¯re much better at healing than I am. Still, we can move her to a more secure location.¡±


    ¡°Take her to my rooms.¡± I said, gesturing to the nearby servants.


    This earned me a raised eyebrow from the Grand Duke, but he didn¡¯t contradict my orders. A few of the servants picked Rosalind up and carried her away. Maria accompanied them, holding her sister¡¯s hand.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°The rest of you are dismissed.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand told the remaining servants. ¡°Make sure none of you breathe a word of what you just witnessed.¡±


    The servants nodded before leaving. Despite this, I had a feeling that the entire castle would know about what happened before morning. All it would take was one set of loose lips.


    ¡°Wolfie.¡± Ellen said when it was just the three of us.


    ¡°What?¡± I snapped, my voice sharp.


    A part of me blamed Ellen for what happened, so I wasn¡¯t feeling well-disposed towards her. However, I knew that most of the blame belonged to Bertrand, followed by me. Bertrand was the one who stabbed her, but if it hadn¡¯t been for me, Rosalind wouldn¡¯t have followed him in the first place.


    ¡°Bertrand has likely already escaped the castle.¡± Ellen said in an urgent tone. ¡°He¡¯s had too much of a head start. By this point, he must know that I¡¯ve betrayed him. The first thing he¡¯ll do is kill Thomas, since he¡¯s useless to him now. He might even do it himself.¡± She fell to her knees. ¡°Please, save Thomas. Please save my brother. I beg of you.¡±


    A part of me wanted to deny Ellen¡¯s request and let her little brother die. I was still angry about what happened to Rosalind. However, I reined my temper in. Ellen was a traitor, but her brother was innocent. He didn¡¯t deserve to die. Not only that, but I still held some attachment towards him. Besides, if Thomas died, then Ellen wouldn¡¯t talk. While we could torture her, it was better to just rescue her brother.


    I glanced at Grand Duke Kaltbrand. What did he think about all this? My authority came from him. At the end of the day, he was the one in charge.


    ¡°I leave it up to you.¡± He said, as if reading my mind. ¡°I¡¯ll support whatever decision you make.¡±


    I nodded in thanks, before looking at Ellen.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯ll save your brother. Where is he?¡±


    Ellen looked up at me and smiled.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said. ¡°They¡¯re keeping him in House Meyers¡¯ estate, near Warrior¡¯s Rest. I don¡¯t know about the servants there, but Baron Meyers and his knights are traitors. Be careful.¡±


    Good. That meant that if we hurried using the warp gate network, we would make it there in less than an hour. As for Baron Meyers and his knights, knowing that they were all traitors made things easier for me. It meant that I didn¡¯t need to hold back.


    ¡°You do know that this may be a trap?¡± Grand Duke asked, eyeing Ellen with suspicion.


    ¡°I know.¡± I said. ¡°Even if it is, I refuse to stay here and hide like a coward.¡± I smirked. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m not that easy to kill.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand snorted and shook his head.


    ¡°Overconfident little¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°You¡¯re just like me when I was your age: cocky and arrogant.¡± He gestured towards me. ¡°Go, I¡¯ll keep an eye on your friend here. I¡¯ll also send your mother along, after we¡¯ve put together a sizable enough force.¡±


    With that, I saluted the Grand Duke and rushed towards the headquarters of the Coldsteel Knights to put together a team.


    <hr>


    Given the time constraints involved, I could only put together a small team. In addition to my two remaining bodyguards, Sir Kane and Viktor, my team consisted of a dozen or so knights. While our numbers were small, each Coldsteel Knight was an Aura Expert. That was more than enough time to storm a barony and rescue a small boy.


    Well, not quite a small boy. I last saw Thomas when he was about four or five years old. That was ten years ago, meaning he was a youth rather than a boy. I might not even recognize him when I saw him. I needed to keep that in mind going forward.


    As for the aftermath of storming House Meyers¡¯ territory, I could leave that to Knight Commander Bardin. I just needed to focus on rescuing Thomas.


    After putting together my team, we headed out. Thanks to the Grand Duke¡¯s authority, it took less time to go through the warp gate network to reach Warrior¡¯s Nest than I expected. The part of me that worried about unnecessary expenses despaired at the cost of using the warp gate network. However, I ignored it. This was for the sake of House Kaltbrand. From that perspective, no cost was too high. Besides, I wasn¡¯t the one paying for it all.


    When my team reached Warrior¡¯s Rest, I took a moment to take in the sights. It had only been a few weeks since I last saw the city, but it felt like a lifetime had passed since then. So much happened in such a short span of time. Two months ago, I was a mercenary eking out a living by hunting demonic beasts. Now I was a mercenary pretending to be the heir to one of the most powerful noble families in the entire Reichwald Empire. Not for the first time, I realized that I lived a strange life.


    After reaching Warrior¡¯s Rest, I decided to forgo horses and just run to the Meyers barony. The knights accompanying me were all Aura Experts, so they were faster than horses and time was of the essence. They also had plenty of stamina, so they would still be in fighting condition when we arrived. I had never been to the Meyers barony, but several of the knights accompanying me had, so finding our way there wasn¡¯t a problem. The moon provided us with enough light to find our bearings.


    The journey to the Meyers barony was uneventful for the most part. We encountered a few demonic beasts along the way, but they were all Rank One and easily disposed of. However, on the way there, Viktor spoke to me. Like Sir Kane, he flanked me.


    ¡°My lord, what is going on?¡± He said, speaking low enough that not even the knights surrounding us heard him. The only exception was Sir Kane, who was the closest to us. ¡°Why are we going to the Meyers barony? And where is Dame Elise?¡±


    For a brief moment, I considered refusing to answer his question. However, I decided to tell him the truth, at least in part. Ellen, in her guise as Elise, was his comrade. Not only that, but she was, or had been, one of my bodyguards. Taking all of that into account, of course he would want answers. However, I couldn¡¯t tell him the full truth. I would leave that up to Knight Commander Bardin. The Coldsteel Knights were her subordinates and her responsibility. At the end of the day, I wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to rescue a boy named Thomas.¡± I said. ¡°As for Dame Elise¡­¡± I paused as I figured out the best way to word it. ¡°¡­ She was detained for reasons I can¡¯t disclose right now.¡±


    Viktor narrowed his eyes at me, and even Sir Kane gave me a questioning look. However, I ignored them both and continued running.


    Two hours after we left Warrior¡¯s Rest, we arrived at Meyers Castle. Like many areas in the Barrens, it was built to withstand the constant attacks from demonic beasts. A tall stone wall surrounded a stone keep, which sat atop a small hill. A sturdy wooden gate served as the main entrance.


    I realized that something was wrong the moment I laid eyes on the castle. It was too quiet. Yes, it was the dead of night, but there still should have been signs of life. If nothing else, I should have noticed sentries on the wall keeping an eye out for demonic beasts. And yet, I saw nothing.


    I glanced around. From the grim expressions on everyone¡¯s faces, they must have realized the same thing. I gestured for them to follow me and rushed towards the main entrance. We found the gate open, confirming my worst fears. One of the missing sentries laid dead just beyond the entrance. Our enemies had arrived first. They must not have expected us to arrive so soon, because they left no one behind to watch for our approach.


    ¡°Close the gate and stay here,¡± I said, gesturing to two of the knights, ¡°Make sure no one escapes.¡±


    The two knights nodded.


    ¡°Everyone, keep your guard up.¡± I said. ¡°We don¡¯t know how many enemies we¡¯re dealing with, or how strong they are, but be prepared for anything.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± Sir Kane said, stepping forward, ¡°I know you¡¯re going to ignore me, but you should stay back. I can¡¯t in good consciousness allow you to go forward, not when we¡¯re dealing with so many unknowns.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Sir Kane seemed relieved at first, until I finished my sentence, ¡°I am going to ignore you.¡±


    With that, I headed towards the keep. Sir Kane let out an exasperated sigh before he and the other knights followed me.


    We found more bodies after we entered the keep. Most belonged to the knights who served House Meyers. A few belonged to servants, innocents who had been caught up in their master¡¯s folly. It seemed like our enemies planned on killing everyone in the castle; tying up loose ends so to speak. I clenched my jaw when I saw the bodies, but kept my anger in check. I couldn¡¯t afford to let my emotions get the better of me. Not yet.


    It didn¡¯t take us long to find out where our enemies were. We just needed to follow the sounds of fighting, and screaming. The sounds came from two areas. One from above, where I assumed Baron Meyers slept, and one on the ground floor, where I assumed the servants lived. After some deliberation, I decided to split our group into two.


    ¡°Sir Kane and Sir Viktor, you¡¯re going upstairs with me.¡± I said. ¡°Everyone else, deal with the enemies down here. After you secure the ground floor, come upstairs.¡±


    Some of the knights looked like they wanted to protest, but I silenced them with a look. After a moment, they nodded and rushed off to follow my orders. I headed upstairs. Not because I wanted to rescue Baron Meyers, but because I thought that was where Thomas was. According to Ellen, the Baron was working with our enemies and they were using Thomas as a hostage to keep her in line. If I were Baron Meyers, I would want to keep Thomas as close to me as possible, to prevent any mischief.


    As we rushed up the stairs, we drew our weapons. I coated my sword and my body in Aura. It took us less than a minute to reach the fighting, which took place in one of the castle¡¯s hallways. There were two groups involved. One group was the knights of House Meyer, the other group was a bunch of black-cloaked figures. It was difficult to tell, due to the darkness, but it looked like there were about a dozen of each group.


    Despite the even numbers, it was clear that the knights were at a disadvantage. Most of them were just Aura Warriors, with a few Aura Experts among them. However, all of the black-cloaked figures were Aura Experts. Hiding behind the knights was a skinny middle-aged man: Baron Meyers.


    ¡°Volkhard!¡± the Baron yelled, ¡°What is the meaning of this? Why are you attacking me?¡±


    Volkhard? I didn¡¯t know who that was, but since Baron Meyers knew him, I assumed he was an important figure in the organization that Ellen belonged to. Regardless of who he was, this Volkhard didn¡¯t respond and continued to attack the House Meyers knights.


    My bodyguards and I attacked the black-cloaked figures from behind. A few of them noticed our approach and turned to face us. However, my bodyguards and I managed to cut down three of them before they mounted an effective defense.


    One of the black-cloaked figures, who wielded a pair of daggers, ran towards me. My instincts screamed at me in warning. I raised my sword just as the figure rushed forward with a sudden burst of speed, and I barely managed to block their attack. Aura coated the figure¡¯s daggers. My eyes widened a fraction. It seemed this figure had hidden their true strength this entire time. Their mana signature rose from that of an Aura Expert to an Aura Master.

 Chapter 29: Thomas

    The black-cloaked figure unleashed a series of attacks against me, forcing me back. The constant barrage gave me little time to react or focus on my surroundings. It was all I could do to block these attacks. Dodging them was out of the question. The black-cloaked figure was far too fast for that. A horrible screeching filled the air every time our Auras clashed.


    As I fended off the black-cloaked figure¡¯s attacks, I cursed myself for my overconfidence and recklessness. As an Aura Master, there were few things that could threaten my life. I could face down a group of Aura Experts by myself with ease, which was why I was confident heading upstairs with just my bodyguards. However, the enemy had an Aura Master of their own, which changed things.


    I prayed that Sir Kane and Viktor could deal with the other black-cloaked figures without me. The knights of House Meyers were there, but even so, the odds were stacked against them. That was all the concern I could spare and I focused the rest of my attention on the enemy Aura Master.


    If I included myself, there were a total of eight across the entire continent. I studied  the other Aura Masters as much as I could, and I had extensive knowledge of them; at least when it came to their skills and abilities. I had never heard of any Aura Master who dual wielded daggers. Like me, before I took my current job, this was someone who had reached the pinnacle of the mortal realm but chose to keep their strength a secret. Otherwise, I would have known about them.


    While hiding one¡¯s strength allowed one to avoid unwanted attention, it also came with its own drawbacks. The biggest was that it was difficult to train and spar with others at the same level of power. Ever since I became the (fake) heir to House Kaltbrand, I had sparred with Knight Commander Bardin every day. When it came to facing other Aura Masters, I had the advantage. Not only that, but this black-cloaked figure wasn¡¯t as skilled as Knight Commander Bardin.


    The more we exchanged blows, the more I grew used to the black-cloaked figure¡¯s fighting style. They caught me off guard earlier, with their fast and unrelenting attacks. However, I noticed that the figure''s attacks weren¡¯t meant for prolonged combat. From what I observed, their strengths focused on swift and precise blows. The longer this fight went on, the more of a disadvantage they would be at. The figure knew this as well, which was why they were trying to end the fight as soon as possible.


    I waited for the right moment, seeking an opening. When one presented itself, I struck back and took the initiative. Rather than give the figure time to recover, I followed their example and hit them with a series of relentless attacks of my own. The figure struggled to defend against me, since my sword gave me greater reach.


    I took a moment to glance over at the others and see how they were doing. Most of House Meyers¡¯ knights were dead, only two of them remained. Sir Kane and Viktor were riddled with wounds, but remained standing. About half of the black-cloaked figures were left. Despite their advantage in numbers, they were surrounded. All in all, the situation could go in anyone¡¯s favor.


    Cowering behind the House Meyers knights was Baron Meyers, a skinny middle-aged man. Standing next to him was a youth; not quite a man, but no longer a boy. I hadn¡¯t noticed him before because of the House Meyers knights. The youth¡¯s hair was either dark blonde or light brown. It was hard to tell. Thomas? Maybe so. Unlike the Baron, Thomas(?) stood his ground and held a sword out, ready to fight. He had the mana signature of an Aura Novice, so he wasn¡¯t helpless, but he was no match for any of the black-cloaked figures.


    I saw all of this within a fraction of a second. However, the enemy Aura Master took advantage of that moment to turn around and rush towards Baron Meyers. I chased after them, but the figure was faster than me.


    ¡°Retreat,¡± the figure said in a man¡¯s voice, speaking to his subordinates.


    The other black-cloaked figures nodded, before scattering. My bodyguards and the House Meyers knights tried to stop them, to no avail. The figure ignored everyone else and focused on Baron Meyers. The Baron tried to run away, but it was useless. The figure cut him down with ease. The figure then tried to attack Thomas, but I arrived just in time to force him back.


    ¡°Tsk.¡± The figure said, clicking his tongue in displeasure.


    Rather than stop and fight, he kept running.


    ¡°Keep the boy safe!¡± I yelled to my bodyguards, before chasing after the figure.


    The two of us ran through the Meyers Castle. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t catch up to the figure. He was too fast for me. While I could keep him in sight, that was it. Catching him was out of the question. Still, that didn¡¯t mean I would give up. I would chase him down for as long as I needed to. Sooner or later, I would run him down.


    The figure must have realized this as well, because he made a drastic decision. He jumped out of a nearby window, breaking through the glass. I readied myself to jump after him. However, just as I reached the window, purple light engulfed the figure as he fell towards the ground and he disappeared from sight. It took me a moment to realize what happened. He used a warp scroll.


    Warp scrolls were among the rarest of magic tools. Like warp gates, they teleported a person to a predetermined destination when used. Unlike warp gates, warp scrolls had several limitations. The biggest was that a warp scroll could only be used once. In order to activate it, one needed to tear the scroll in half. After that, it was useless. They were also difficult to create, which was why they were so rare.


    Warp scrolls also required a significant amount of mana. Only Aura Masters and Grand Sages could use one without risking serious injury. Everyone else had to use mana crystals. Despite these limitations, warp scrolls could save one¡¯s life in an emergency, as the figure just demonstrated.


    I slammed my fist against the window, headless of the broken glass.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± I yelled.


    So close. Since he was an Aura Master, the figure must have been a leader within the organization that Ellen belonged to. If I had captured him, or even killed him, it would have gone a long way towards securing House Kaltbrand¡¯s safety. Instead, I let him get away.


    I took a deep breath to calm my emotions. At least it wasn¡¯t a complete loss. We came here to rescue Thomas, and we succeeded in that, assuming the boy from earlier was indeed Thomas. We lost Baron Meyers, which was a shame, but I didn¡¯t feel too bad about that. According to Ellen, he was a traitor so he would have been put to death anyway. Yes, he could have been a good source of information about our enemy, but so was Ellen. Besides, there were the surviving House Meyers knights. Maybe one of them knew something useful.


    With all that in mind, I headed back towards the hall where I left everyone. As I drew nearer, I heard shouting. When I arrived at the hall itself, I found my bodyguards facing off against the surviving House Meyers knights. There were two of the latter, both Aura Experts, which was why they survived while their comrades died.


    Thomas sat on the ground behind my bodyguard, his arm bleeding. He stared at everyone, his eyes wide with fear. I narrowed my eyes. Thomas hadn¡¯t been injured when I ran off to chase the enemy Aura Master.


    ¡°¡­-is under our protection by order of Lord Wulfe.¡± Sir Kane said in a harsh voice. ¡°We will not let you harm him.¡±


    Viktor glared at the House Meyers knights and said nothing.


    ¡°That boy is a filthy traitor!¡± One of the House Meyers knights yelled. ¡°The Baron died because of him! He needs to die for his sins!¡±


    When he heard this, Thomas scooted back until his back hit a wall.


    ¡°That is not for you to decide.¡± Sir Kane said.


    The House Meyers knights glanced at each other. In terms of numbers and strength, they were even with my bodyguards. Not only that, but both parties were injured. If it came down to a fight, it was a coin toss as to who would win.


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    ¡°We must kill him,¡± the House Meyers knight said, the one who spoke before, ¡°Otherwise, how will we face our master in the afterlife? Baron Meyers must be avenged.¡±


    I snorted at that. Well then. Time to intervene.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± I said, walking towards everyone, ¡°From what I heard, Baron Meyers was the traitor here, not Thomas.¡±


    Everyone looked in my direction. The House Meyers knights blanched when they saw me. The odds had turned against them. However, that didn¡¯t stop them from putting up a brave front.


    ¡°Lies!¡± The other House Meyers knight said, speaking up for the first time. ¡°Baron Meyers is¡­ was a loyal and honorable man. Who would dare slander his name with such falsehoods?¡±


    I smirked.


    ¡°Dame Elise Meyers,¡± I said, ¡°His daughter.¡± My smirk faded away. ¡°She also said that the knights of House Meyers were traitors as well. So, if you want to live, I suggest you lay down your weapons and surrender.¡±


    Before I even finished speaking the first House Meyers knight lunged towards Thomas, aiming his sword for the youth¡¯s chest. However, Sir Kane intercepted him. They exchanged a few blows, before Sir Kane decapitated him. The knight¡¯s body fell to the ground, blood gushing from his stump of a neck. The stench of blood filled the air.


    I stared at the corpse for a moment, before I turned my attention to the remaining House Meyers knight. He looked around, his eyes darting around, like a wild animal caught in a trap. Rather than waste time, I released my pressure.


    ¡°Surrender or die.¡± I said.


    The House Meyers knight, overwhelmed by my pressure, dropped his weapon and froze in place.


    ¡°Seize him.¡± I commanded. ¡°We¡¯ll take him along when we reunite with the others.¡±


    My bodyguards sheathed their own weapons and seized the knight. While they did that, I walked over to Thomas.


    ¡°Sta-Stay away from me.¡± He said, his voice cracking. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer.¡±


    Thomas scrambled away from me, but kept tripping over himself in his fear.


    ¡°Easy,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to hurt you. In fact, we¡¯re here to rescue you.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, Little Squirrel.¡±


    Thomas froze and stared at me with wide eyes.


    ¡°Ho-How?¡± he asked.


    I grinned and pointed to myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Wolfie.¡± I said.


    Thomas¡¯ jaw dropped.


    ¡°Wolfie?! Is that really you? But¡­ How are you here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later. Right now, we have other things to worry about. All I can say is that your sister asked me to take you to her.¡±


    Thomas pushed himself to his feet.


    ¡°How is she?¡± He asked, his tone frantic. ¡°How is¡­¡± He glanced at Sir Kane and Viktor. ¡°¡­Elise? Is she all right?¡±


    I gave him a reassuring smile, or what I hoped was a reassuring smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡± I said. ¡°In fact, she¡¯s doing better than you.¡±


    I gestured to the wound on Thomas¡¯ arm. It wasn¡¯t deep, but it still needed tending to. Thomas glanced at his arm and looked surprised, as if he hadn¡¯t realized he had been injured. He ripped part of his clothing and used it as a makeshift bandage. As he did this, I glanced around at the bodies that littered the ground and let out a sigh.


    It would take a while to clean all this up, both in a physical sense and a political one. A baron and most of his knights had been killed. This would have long-term consequences. I doubted that I was going to get any sleep tonight.


    <hr>


    Interlude: Volkhard


    Volkhard walked through the slums of Warrior¡¯s Rest, heading towards his organization¡¯s headquarters. The warp scroll he used to escape from Meyers Castle had deposited him just outside the city. It was well past midnight by this point, but there were still people out and about.


    The inhabitants of the slum eyed him like a pack of vultures, scavengers read to swoop in as the slightest sign of weakness. However, Volkhard released a bit of his pressure and they all backed away. Even in his current state, he was more than a match for anyone else in Warrior¡¯s Rest. The only people in the Barrens capable of matching him in a fight were either in Frostheart, or at Meyers Castle.


    Volkhard resisted the urge to let out a curse. Where had it all gone wrong? When Bertrand had burst into their headquarters, claiming that Ellen had either defected or been captured, Volkhard had known that it would only be a matter of time before House Kaltbrand investigated Baron Meyers. That was why Volkhard took a team of his subordinates to silence the Baron and tie up any loose ends.


    Unlike his ¡°daughter¡±, Baron Meyers knew far too much, which was why Volkhard wanted to silence him. Losing Ellen was bad enough. If House Kaltbrand got their hands on Baron Meyers, then the entire organization would have been put at risk.


    The plan was to kill everyone in Meyers Castle before using demonic beast blood to lure a bunch of demonic beasts into the castle. That way, it would have looked like the demonic beasts killed Baron Meyers and his people.


    Volkhard had also wanted to kill Ellen¡¯s brother, Thomas, as punishment. Whether Ellen betrayed them or got caught, it mattered little. Either way, she needed punishment.


    However, Volkhard hadn¡¯t expected House Kaltbrand to make a move so soon. Nor had he expected ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand¡± to make an appearance himself. His arrival surprised Volkhard in more ways than one. Though, perhaps this was a blessing in disguise. Now that Volkhard had seen ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand¡± for himself, he knew the best way to deal with him. Once they removed him from the picture, there would be nothing to stop them from putting their plan into action.


    Volkhard soon arrived at headquarters. On the surface, it looked like a typical brothel located in the slums: a dirty and rundown building unfit for human habitation. However, in reality, the brothel served as the entrance to an extensive underground complex that served as his organization¡¯s headquarters.


    Rather than deal with the prostitutes and their clients, Volkhard slipped in through a side door and made his way to the headquarters¡¯ secret entrance. Unlike the brothel above, the headquarters was a warm and well-maintained space, if spartan and lacking in any decorations. One of his subordinates greeted him as he arrived.


    ¡°Any news of the others?¡± Volkhard asked.


    His subordinate shook his head. That didn¡¯t surprise Volkhard. He made it back to Warrior¡¯s Rest so soon because he used a warp scroll. However, it would be hours before the members of his team returned; the ones that survived that was. Still, maybe one of them had also used a warp scroll. It was possible, if unlikely.


    ¡°Sir,¡± the subordinate said, ¡°You have a guest.¡±


    Volkhard furrowed his brow. A guest? At this hour?


    ¡°Who is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Prince Leopold. He arrived soon after you left. When I told him that you were out on a mission, he said that he would wait for you in his office.¡±


    Volkhard stiffened for a brief moment, before he let out a tired sigh. Of all the time his liege¡¯s son could have visited, it had to be right after one of his greatest failures. It seemed as if the gods were laughing at him. Still, there wasn¡¯t any point in putting off the inevitable.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    With that, Volkhard made his way to his office. Like the rest of the headquarters, it lacked any decorations. The furniture was simple, but comfortable. Mana crystal lamps illuminated the room. A man sat in front of the desk, reading some documents. The moment he entered the room, Volkhard fell to one knee and bowed his head towards the man.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± He said, his tone referential.


    ¡°You may rise.¡± The man said, indifferent.


    Volkhard stood up and sat behind his desk, before studying the man before him. The man wore a simple, but expensive, outfit. He had tanned skin, short golden hair, and a pair of golden eyes. He had a handsome face, and Volkhard knew that more than one young noble lady had fallen for him because of it.


    Prince Leopold Reichwald, son of Prince Dirk Reichwald, and the current emperor¡¯s nephew.


    ¡°I apologize for my current appearance, Your Highness.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°I just returned from a mission.¡±


    The Prince placed the documents he had been reading on the desk, before studying Volkhard with an indifferent gaze. That was the best way to describe him overall: cold and indifferent. However, Volkhard knew that it was just a facade. Prince Leopold was an ambitious and passionate young man, though he learned from a young age to hide his emotions. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have survived the viper¡¯s nest that was the imperial palace.


    ¡°Was your mission successful?¡± Prince Leopold asked.


    Volkhard thought about lying to his liege¡¯s son, but decided against it. Prince Leopold preferred bitter truths over sweet lies.


    ¡°No.¡± He said, shaking his head. ¡°Rather, it was a partial success. I silenced someone who needed silencing, but I got caught in the act. In order to escape, I had to use a warp scroll.¡±


    The Prince¡¯s eyes narrowed at that.


    ¡°They must have been another Aura Master, if they forced you to flee.¡± He said. ¡°Who was it? Knight Commander Bardin? The Grand Duke?¡±


    Volkhard shook his head again.


    ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± He said.


    Prince Leopold¡¯s lips thinned.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said. ¡°It seems that this Wulfe Kaltbrand is getting in our way again, which brings me to why I am here. Father is worried about your mission. So much so, that he decided to send me here to check on you.¡± He leaned back and steepled his fingers together. ¡°So, how are things going here in the Barrens? Give me a brief summary of the situation.¡±

 Chapter 30: The Prince and the Spy

    Volkhard sighed at Prince Leopold¡¯s question and wondered where to begin. In the end, he decided to go with the bitter truth again.


    ¡°Not good, Your Highness.¡± He admitted. ¡°Ever since Grand Duke Kaltbrand revealed the existence of Wulfe Kaltbrand, and named the boy as his heir, things haven¡¯t looked good for us.¡±


    The organization Volkhard belonged to, the Fallen Leaves, served Prince Dirk, Prince Leopold¡¯s father. They were his eyes, ears, and blades in the dark. Their mission here in the Barrens was simple: have House Kaltbrand support Prince Leopold¡¯s bid for the imperial throne.


    The succession of House Reichwald differed from the other noble families in the empire. Each generation, the scions of House Reichwald competed with one another, all of them vying for the throne. The winner became the heir and the next ruler of the empire. The losers either died, left the empire in exile, or married into another noble family.


    However, this generation was a little different. In the previous generation, Princess Agnes lost the fight early on and married into House Guld, becoming the next Duchess Guld. This left Prince Hilmar and Prince Dirk as the two remaining competitors for the throne. Both sides were even in power and influence, so it looked like a long and bloody fight was inevitable. That was, until Prince Dirk made a proposal to his brother.


    He would give up the fight for the throne and let his brother become emperor. In exchange, Prince Dirk would remain in the empire as a member of the imperial family. Not only that, but Prince Dirk¡¯s children would also have the right to inherit the throne. Prince Hilmar accepted, thus leading to the current situation.


    Prince Leopold, as the emperor¡¯s nephew and not the emperor¡¯s child, was at a disadvantage compared to his cousins. To overcome this, he needed House Kaltbrand¡¯s support. They were second only to the House Reichwald in terms of power and influence. With their backing, Prince Leopold would have a fighting chance at winning the throne.


    Unfortunately, Grand Duke Kaltbrand remained neutral when it came to the imperial succession. He didn¡¯t care who inherited the throne, as long as they honored the Pact between House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand. In the end, Prince Dirk decided that if he couldn¡¯t get the Grand Duke¡¯s support for his son, he would gain his heir¡¯s support.


    Prince Dirk sent the Fallen Leaves into the Barrens to ensure this happened. They worked for years to make their preferred candidate the heir to House Kaltbrand, even eliminating the more eligible candidates. It wasn¡¯t easy, since they also had to avoid the attention of the Blue Shadows, House Kaltbrand¡¯s eyes and ears.


    Just when it looked like the Fallen Leaves would succeed in their mission, everything came tumbling down when Grand Duke Kaltbrand revealed the existence of his previously unknown illegitimate son. After their initial panic, the Fallen Leaves decided to get rid of this particular obstacle and eliminate Wulfe Kaltbrand. If they couldn¡¯t kill him, they would stir up unrest and perhaps even incite a rebellion, all for the sake of Prince Leopold.


    However, none of that was necessary anymore. Now that Volkhard had seen Wulfe Kaltbrand¡¯s face, he knew the best way to get rid of him. Doing so would also discredit Grand Duke Kaltbrand, making it easier for their chosen candidate to become the heir to House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°We need to get rid of this Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Prince Leopold said. ¡°I need House Kaltbrand¡¯s support as soon as possible. As it is, I¡¯m barely clinging on, and that¡¯s only because my cousins are too busy fighting each other. If they decide to join hands to eliminate me, I won¡¯t have any choice other than to die or give up the throne.¡±


    Volkhard knew Prince Leopold would rather die than give up. His family had sacrificed too much to get him where he was today, and he didn¡¯t want all their efforts to go to waste.


    ¡°In that regard, I have some good news for you, Your Highness.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°I know how to get rid of Wulfe Kaltbrand. It won¡¯t even be all that difficult. Once he¡¯s out of the way, we can proceed with the mission without issue.¡±


    Prince Leopold narrowed his eyes at Volkhard.


    ¡°Explain.¡± he said.


    ¡°Wulfe Kaltbrand is actually Wulfram Guld.¡±


    Prince Leopold¡¯s eyes widened by a fraction of an inch.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he demanded in a harsh tone, ¡°Because if you¡¯re lying to me¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He didn¡¯t need to.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°I saw him myself.¡± He chuckled. ¡°His appearance caught me off guard, I will admit. I never expected to see him here in the Barrens.¡±


    Volkhard had seen Wulfram Guld several times, when he accompanied Prince Dirk when the latter visited his sister, Duchess Guld. At first he hadn¡¯t thought much of the boy. To Volkhard, Wulfram just seemed like a commoner who became a noble through sheer luck. However, rather than leech off of House Guld¡¯s goodwill, Wulfram worked hard to improve himself and prove his worth.


    In a few short years, he went from an Aura Novice to an Aura Expert. Now, he had become the youngest Aura Master in history, earning Volkhard¡¯s respect and admiration. However, despite this, he was still an obstacle that needed to be removed.


    Prince Leopold studied Volkhard for several seconds, before he took a deep breath and regained his composure.


    ¡°So, Aunt Agnes¡¯ stray is Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s son,¡± he said, ¡°Or pretending to be at least. There is no way he¡¯s really a Kaltbrand.¡± He chuckled. ¡°The Grand Duke must have been desperate if he decided to name an imposter as his heir. He must have jumped through several hoops to make this happen.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°To get rid of him, all we need to do is reveal his true identity. That should be easy enough.¡±


    Prince Leopold nodded, looking thoughtful.


    ¡°We could have our people demand another lineage test,¡± he said, ¡°One conducted by a priest or priestess from the Church of Light and Darkness. In fact, I have the perfect person in mind.¡±


    There were two ways to test one¡¯s lineage. The most common way was to use a lineage testing magic tool. The other was to use divine power, which required a High Priest or High Priestess. They were the only ones with enough divine power to perform the test. Well, there were also the members of the imperial family, but Volkhard thought that was a bad idea. If Grand Duke Kaltbrand ever realized that it was Prince Dirk who had interfered with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession¡­ Volkhard shuddered at the thought.


    ¡°The more people who witness this lineage test, the better,¡± Volkhard said. ¡°Right now, Grand Duke Kaltbrand is hosting a banquet to introduce his ¡®son¡¯ the House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals. It¡¯s the perfect chance to reveal Wulfram¡¯s true identity.¡±


    Prince Leopold frowned.


    ¡°When does this banquet end?¡±


    ¡°In four days.¡±


    Prince Leopold¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a lot of time.¡± He said. ¡°We might be able to bring the person I have in mind from Haven, but they would have to travel non-stop the entire time.¡± He paused. ¡°If we had an extra day or two, then maybe¡­¡±


    He trailed off.


    ¡°We could have our people delay the banquet by a few days.¡± Volkhard suggested. ¡°It¡¯ll look suspicious, but they have enough influence to make it happen.¡±


    ¡°Do it.¡± Prince Leopold commanded. ¡°I¡¯ll return to Haven to make the necessary arrangements.¡± He grimaced. ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be getting any sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°I could have one of my subordinates do it for you, Your Highness.¡±


    Prince Leopold shook his head.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°I need to return to Haven anyway to inform Father about the situation here.¡±


    Prince Leopold stood up and walked towards the door. However, just before he opened it, he stopped and turned back towards Volkhard. ¡°Before I forget, don¡¯t touch Wulfram. Continue with your other schemes, but leave him alone. It would break Aunt Agnes¡¯ heart if he died.¡±


    Volkhard resisted the urge to snort.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to admit that you care for him, Your Highness.¡± He said. ¡°I know you two were close before he ran away from House Guld.¡±


    Prince Leopold narrowed his eyes at Volkhard.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He said.


    With that, he turned left. Volkhard sighed. The imperial family was a twisted mess, and anyone with ties to them got entangled in that mess. Even an adopted cousin, like Wulfram, wasn¡¯t exempt from this.


    Volkhard shook his head. He had a lot of work to do, and little time in which to do it. He had a long and sleepless night ahead of him.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    <hr>


    It took a while to deal with the aftermath of House Meyers¡¯ destruction. After my bodyguards and I rescued Thomas, we reunited with the rest of our team. They fared better than us. The majority of the black-cloaked figures had attacked Baron Meyers and his knights, leaving a few to deal with the servants. The Coldsteel Knights I sent to rescue said servants dispatched the black-cloaked figures with ease.


    After our forces regrouped, we gathered the survivors of House Meyers and corralled them into a more defensible location. Just because the black-cloaked figures had fled didn¡¯t mean that the danger had passed. What if they came back with reinforcements? It was better to be safe than sorry.


    The survivors protested our actions, but there was little they could do against us. A dozen Coldsteel Knights was more than enough to deal with any number of regular humans. My biggest concern was Thomas¡¯ safety. What if there were more traitors within House Meyers? What if they tried to silence him? To prevent this, I kept Thomas near me at all times. The youth kept stealing glances at me, no doubt wondering how ¡°Wolfie¡± ended up commanding a team of Coldsteel Knights.


    Once we secured everyone, we waited for our own reinforcements. We didn¡¯t have to wait long. As Grand Duke Kaltbrand promised, Knight Commander Bardin arrived with a large force of Coldsteel Knights. They secured Meyers Castle and helped us with the survivors of House Meyers. A team of Blue Shadows also arrived to search the castle for clues and information.


    In the midst of all this, Knight Commander Bardin ordered me and my team to return to Kaltbrand Castle.


    ¡°You¡¯ll only get in the way if you stay here.¡± She said to me.


    Despite her harsh words, her tone made it clear that she spoke out of concern for me. Rather than fight her on it, I decided to leave Meyers Castle to her and the Blue Shadows. It had been a long day, and I still had the rest of the week-long banquet to look forward to.


    The journey back to Kaltbrand Castle took much longer, since we were no longer in a rush. We even rode horses back to Warrior¡¯s Rest, to preserve our flagging strength. By the time we made it back to Kaltbrand Castle, it was almost dawn.


    When we arrived, I learned that Grand Duke Kaltbrand had Ellen confined to her rooms. This surprised me. I expected him to imprison her. She was a traitor, after all, and an Aura Expert. Why was he being so lenient with her? Was it because of me? At least he assigned a Coldsteel Knight to keep an eye on her.


    Regardless, my bodyguards and I brought Thomas to Ellen¡¯s room and witnessed a tearful reunion between the siblings. I didn¡¯t know how long they had been separated, but given the context, I assumed it had been at least a few years. My other two bodyguards eyed Ellen with conflicted expressions on their faces. While I hadn¡¯t told either of them about Ellen¡¯s betrayal, it was clear that something had gone wrong. Viktor in particular seemed crestfallen.


    I left Thomas with his sister and searched for the butler, Viscount Holtz, to find a place for the youth. I also assigned a Coldsteel Knight to keep an eye on Thomas. While I didn¡¯t think he worked for the same organization as Ellen, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be cautious.


    After that, I headed back to my rooms to check in on Rosalind. While I was gone, a priest who served the Goddess of Light had examined her and healed her with his divine power. To my relief, I learned that she would make a full recovery, though it would take her a day or two to get back on her feet.


    Only then did I change out of my clothes and allow myself to fall asleep. The moment my head touched my pillow, I fell unconscious. As an Aura Master, I needed less sleep than most people. However, it had been a long night, one where I fought another Aura Master. To say I was exhausted would be an understatement. By the time I woke up, it was almost noon.


    At first I felt a little bad about missing the meeting with House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals. However, I learned from one of the servants that several of the vassals suffered from a mysterious illness, one that left them bedridden for the time being. Rather than hold the meeting with a third of the vassals missing, Grand Duke Kaltbrand decided to postpone it for now. He also decided to postpone the banquet as well.


    I found it odd that so many of the vassals fell ill at the same time, but apparently these particular ones liked to frequent the same brothel in Frostheart. According to the rumors, that was where the vassals contracted the illness they now suffered from.


    I welcomed this news, since it meant that I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with any nobles today. Of course, I still had the Blue Shadows keep an eye on the northern nobles, just in case. However, I decided to avoid socializing for the time being.


    It worried me a little that Lord Ulric continued to remain silent. After the way I humiliated him on the first night of the banquet, I expected him to retaliate somehow. The fact that he was laying low worried me. Someone like him would get his revenge, or try to at least. It was only a matter of time.


    I decided to visit Ellen. Now that we had rescued Thomas, it was time for her to fulfill her end of the bargain. However, before I left, I visited Rosalind. She occupied one of the smaller rooms attached to mine, the ones set aside for servants. I found her lying in bed, still asleep, with Maria sitting beside her. The latter held her sister¡¯s hand.


    ¡°How is she?¡± I asked.


    Maria looked at me. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her uniform was rumpled. I hadn¡¯t noticed it earlier, when I first checked in on Rosalind, but I didn¡¯t think Maria slept at all last night.


    ¡°The same as this morning.¡± Maria said, sounding exhausted. She gave me a wan smile. ¡°Thank you, Wulfe. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I would have lost my sister.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± I said, ¡°His Grace is the one who saved Rosalind, not me.¡± I grimaced. ¡°If anything, I¡¯m one of the people at fault for your sister¡¯s current condition. I shouldn¡¯t have let her tail Bertrand on her own.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, Wulfe,¡± Maria said. ¡°We are Blue Shadows. It is our duty to risk our lives for the sake of House Kaltbrand. My sister and I take pride in that. Don¡¯t take that away from her.¡± She looked back at Rosalind. ¡°And you are the reason why His Grace healed Rosalind. I don¡¯t know much about the coldfire, but I know it is a divine power meant to destroy, not heal. The only reason why His Grace made the effort was because Rosalind is one of your maids.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± I said. ¡°His Grace didn¡¯t do it for me. I¡¯m no one special. You know that more than most. I¡¯m just a mercenary working a job.¡±


    Maria looked back at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± she said. ¡°Given the way His Grace treats you, sometimes I think¡­¡±


    I frowned as she stopped talking.


    ¡°Sometimes you think what?¡± I asked.


    Maria shook her head, before looking back at her sister.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said, ¡°It was just an idle thought.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her, but didn¡¯t press the issue.


    ¡°Get some sleep, Maria.¡± I said. ¡°I know that Rosalind wouldn¡¯t want you to fall ill because you neglected your body¡¯s needs.¡±


    ¡°I will in a bit.¡± She said.


    I studied Maria for a few more moments, before I left. It was time for Ellen and I to have a chat.


    <hr>


    When I went to Ellen¡¯s rooms, I found out from one of the servants that Claus had taken her to the castle dungeons in order to interrogate her. It seemed as if he didn¡¯t agree with Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s choice to merely keep Ellen confined to her rooms. I felt conflicted about this.


    On the one hand, Ellen was a traitor and deserved to be treated as such. Regardless of the circumstances, her actions harmed House Kaltbrand. On the other hand, she was someone from my past. Not only that, but she served as my bodyguard for a brief time. I didn¡¯t want her to be mistreated.


    I thanked the servant and headed towards the dungeons. It was a cold and dreary place, built from dark gray stone. The cells were enchanted to prevent the use of mana, making them the perfect place to hold Aura users and magicians. A few mana crystal lamps scattered throughout the dungeon barely provided enough light to see by. Almost all of the cells were empty now, but pain and misery had seeped into the walls. As I walked through, I could almost hear the pleading and crying of the dungeon¡¯s previous occupants as they awaited judgment. I found Claus interrogating Ellen in one of the cells.


    To my relief, Ellen seemed fine. Claus hadn¡¯t tortured her. However, the spymaster for House Kaltbrand seemed upset. When I asked him why, it turned out that the organization that Ellen belonged to, called Fallen Leaves, had a greater presence in the Barrens than expected.


    Their leader, a man named Volkhard, was an enigmatic figure who seemed to know everything that went on in the Barrens. They had agents in every major city within the region, posing as merchants and the like. Fallen Leaves also had spies within all of the important noble households. Most of those spies were servants, meaning their influence and the information they could gather was limited. However, a few occupied positions of high status within their respective households, such as Ellen.


    I didn¡¯t know what upset Claus more, how much influence Fallen Leaves had within the Barrens or the fact that the Blue Shadows had remained unaware of them for so long. As the spymaster of House Kaltbrand and the leader of the Blue Shadows, this must have stung his pride.


    According to Ellen, Fallen Leaves¡¯ goal was simple: they wanted their chosen candidate to become the heir of House Kaltbrand. Ellen didn¡¯t know who this chosen candidate was, but she mentioned that Bertrand had wanted to weaken House Kaltbrand¡¯s position by causing a conflict between House Kaltbrand and House Arbeit. If they couldn¡¯t kill me, the (fake) heir, they would find a way to oust me. This involved starting a war between House Kaltbrand and House Arbeit it seemed.


    How they planned to accomplish this was simple. Ellen would assassinate or kill Lord Ulric somehow, and make it seem as if I had ordered it. Given House Arbeit¡¯s attitude towards me, there was no way they wouldn¡¯t retaliate. However, Ellen¡¯s defection ruined that. Maybe they would still go through with it, but their chances of success were much lower.


    With all this in mind, it was unlikely that Lord Ulric was Fallen Leaves¡¯ chosen candidate. After all, a dead man couldn¡¯t become the heir to House Kaltbrand. Since Fallen Leaves also tried to kill Lady Adelheid, and pin the blame on House Arbeit, I doubted she was their chosen candidate either. That left Lord Klemens Steuben. Whether House Steuben was a willing collaborator or a mere puppet remained to be seen.


    The question was, why? Why invest all this time, effort, and resources in order to have Lord Klemens become the heir to House Kaltbrand? Who benefited the most from that, other than House Steuben?


    Ellen mentioned that Fallen Leaves had the support of someone powerful from outside the Barrens, though she didn¡¯t know who. However, given the resources Fallen Leaves had at its disposal, we could narrow it down to a few potential suspects. They either served one of the other ducal houses within the Reichwald Empire, or a member of the imperial family.


    I suspected it was the latter, and Claus agreed with me. The imperial family were the ones with the strongest motive. Each generation, the scions of House Reichwald competed with their peers in order to become the heir to the throne and the future ruler of the empire. House Kaltbrand¡¯s support could prove pivotal. However, Grand Duke Kaltbrand remained neutral in the fight for the throne and showed no interest in supporting any of the candidates.


    It seemed that a member of the imperial family had decided to take matters into their own hands. If they couldn¡¯t have the Grand Duke¡¯s support, they would have his heirs¡¯. Which member of the imperial family? One of the emperor¡¯s children? The emperor¡¯s nephew, Prince Leopold? Honestly, it could have been any one of them.


    I hoped it wasn¡¯t Prince Leopold. He and his father, Prince Dirk, were the only members of the imperial family, other than the emperor, who had acknowledged me as a member of House Guld. Prince Dirk treated me like his nephew, and I saw Prince Leopold as a worthy rival. However, if they were the ones behind Fallen Leaves, that made them my enemies; at least, until my contract with House Kaltbrand expired.


    After finding out as much as he could from Ellen about Fallen Leaves, including the identities of several of their agents and spies, Claus left to go report to the Grand Duke. However, I remained behind to have a private conversation with Ellen. Now that we had gotten what we needed from her, I wanted to have a private conversation with her.

 Chapter 31: Ellens Fate

    The cell Ellen occupied was cold and cramped, but clean and dry. Much of the cell lay in shadow, since the only source of light was from a magic crystal lamp hanging outside. A thick wooden door, reinforced with metal, served as the only way in or out of the cell. There was little in the way of furniture. Just a cot with a thin blanket and a bucket. Ellen sat on the cot.


    ¡°What are you still doing here, Wolfie?¡± She asked.


    Despite the brave face she put on, I could tell that she was scared. Now that we had gotten what we wanted from her, we had little use for her. As a traitor, her fate was set in stone. As someone who once stared death in the face, I understood what she was going through. At least in my case, it had been quick. She had time to think about her fate.


    ¡°I wanted to talk, Ellen.¡± I said.


    She snorted.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± Ellen asked. ¡°I already told you everything I know about Fallen Leaves. There¡¯s nothing left to talk about. I didn¡¯t hold anything back, not with Thomas¡¯ life on the line.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No, I wanted to talk about you.¡± I said. ¡°How did you and Thomas get mixed up with Fallen Leaves?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Ellen sneered. ¡°Do you feel responsible for what happened to us?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°I had been too busy learning how to be a noble to check in on you and the other orphans myself. If I made the effort back then, maybe none of this would have happened.¡±


    Ellen stared at me for several seconds, her sneer fading away, before she chuckled and shook her head.


    ¡°Wolfie,¡± she said, ¡°What happened wasn¡¯t your fault. You don¡¯t have to take responsibility for everything.¡± She gestured towards me. ¡°Besides, thanks to you, life at the orphanage got better after you left. You could have just forgotten about us after House Guld adopted you and enjoyed the easy life. Instead, you made sure that we were looked after. I don¡¯t know if I would have made the same decision in your shoes.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Even so,¡± I said, ¡°If I had done more for you and the others, maybe you wouldn¡¯t be facing execution right now.¡±


    ¡°Aw, Wolfie doesn¡¯t want me to die.¡± Ellen said in a sardonic tone. ¡°How sweet.¡±


    I glared at her.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± I said.


    Ellen chuckled.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be my line?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m the one about to die.¡± Her mirth faded away and a somber expression took its place. ¡°As I said earlier, what happened wasn¡¯t your fault. Sometimes life is unfair and there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. Asking ¡®What if¡­?¡¯ isn¡¯t going to change that. What¡¯s done is done.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Before you came along, I was in a hopeless situation. No matter what happened, I was going to die. Sooner or later, either House Kaltbrand would catch me or Fallen Leaves would discard me. Either way, me and my brother died. At least with you, Thomas has a chance at surviving.¡±


    She was right, I knew she was right, yet that didn¡¯t stop me from feeling responsible for her fate. It was stupid and irrational, but the heart wasn¡¯t always logical. A part of me wanted to ask Grand Duke Kaltbrand to spare Ellen, yet did I even have the right to ask such a thing?


    At the end of the day, I was just a mercenary employed by the Grand Duke. While we had a good relationship, I wasn¡¯t anything special to him. Knight Commander Bardin might listen to me, since I was her disciple, but the Grand Duke had no reason to.


    More than that, did Ellen deserve mercy in the first place? She betrayed House Kaltbrand, who she swore to serve, and she betrayed the Coldsteel Knights, who trusted her as their comrade in arms. No matter how I looked at it, Ellen was a traitor. The only reason why I wanted her to live was because I was a sentimental fool, and because I thought it would alleviate the guilt I felt.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Ellen said, her tone melancholic, ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I¡¯ll tell you my story. At least that way, someone other than Thomas will remember it. Someone will remember me.¡± She paused. ¡°It happened about a year after House Guld adopted you. That bastard, Baron Meyers, came by the orphanage looking to adopt. He told the orphanage director that he wanted his daughter to have siblings. The truth was that his daughter died from disease earlier that year and he needed someone to replace her.¡±


    ¡°Replace her?¡± I asked.


    Ellen nodded.


    ¡°Baron Meyers was already Fallen Leaves¡¯ puppet by that point and they needed someone to infiltrate the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡± She said. ¡°Since each generation of House Meyers served in the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, they figured it was easier to suborn House Meyers than try to sneak one of their own people in. However, with the real Elise Meyers dead, they needed a fake to take her place. That someone ended up being me. I looked enough like the real Elise Meyers to fool even the Blue Shadows.¡±


    I stared at Ellen, my horror mounting.


    ¡°Baron Meyers adopted you to replace his dead daughter,¡± I said, filled with disbelief, ¡°All because Fallen Leaves needed someone to infiltrate the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. That¡¯s¡­ horrible.¡±


    Ellen snorted.


    ¡°Baron Meyers was a horrible person.¡± She said. ¡°An abusive drunk who gambled away his family¡¯s fortune. That was how Fallen Leaves got to him. They bought up his gambling debts and used them to keep him under control.¡± She let out a bitter laugh. ¡°He must have panicked when his daughter died. Without her, he had no one to infiltrate the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. In all the time that I lived with him, not once did he mourn his daughter¡¯s death. To him, she had been nothing more than a tool. And like any tool, when she broke, he replaced her with another one.¡±


    I clenched my fists. If Fallen Leaves hadn¡¯t already killed Baron Meyers, I would have killed him myself. The world was a better place without someone like him in it.


    ¡°When Baron Meyers adopted me and Thomas, he promised us a good life,¡± Ellen said, continuing her story, ¡°He promised to treat us as if we were his real children. To his credit, he kept that promise. Thomas and I lived like real nobility. In many ways, it was better than the orphanage.¡± Her eyes grew shadowed. ¡°In other ways, it was worse. It didn¡¯t take long for the Baron to reveal his true nature, and the real reason why he adopted us. He only needed me, but he thought that if he kept Thomas close, he could use him to control me. He was right.¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°The Baron abused me, claiming that it was training. If I ever balked or complained, he threatened to do the same to Thomas.¡±


    I pinched the bridge of my nose, a maelstrom of emotion raging inside me. Anger, sorrow, guilt, disgust. It was all I could do to keep it all contained.


    ¡°I endured it all for years, until I became an Aura Expert and joined the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡± Ellen said. ¡°After that, I spied on House Kaltbrand and the Order of the Coldsteel Blade for Fallen Leaves, feeding them information. I tried to think of a way to escape my situation, or at least have Thomas survive, but I couldn¡¯t come up with anything. I was trapped, until you came along.¡± She sighed. ¡°And there you go. That¡¯s my story.¡±


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    My heart went out to Ellen. Hers was a tragic story. I wanted to go to the Grand Duke and ask him to spare her. She struggled to survive against terrible odds, only to die a traitor¡¯s death. As she said earlier, sometimes life wasn¡¯t fair. Yet, that didn¡¯t change the fact that she was a traitor. Even if by some miracle Grand Duke Kaltbrand spared Ellen, she would either spend the rest of her life imprisoned or banished from the Barrens. In fact, she might even end up banished from the Reichwald Empire. There was no way she could remain a Coldsteel Knight.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to His Grace.¡± I said. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll listen to me-¡±


    Ellen cut me off with a slash of her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± she said in a harsh voice. ¡°Don¡¯t give me false hope. Don¡¯t make me think I have a chance, when I know that I don¡¯t. Don¡¯t do that to me, Wolfie. Let me die with as much dignity as I can muster. If you have any lingering attachments to me, give me that much.¡±


    In the darkness of her cell, Ellen dropped her mask and revealed the face of a young woman, scared to die.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± She said. ¡°And while a part of me wants you to ask His Grace for mercy, I know it won¡¯t do me any good. Raising my hopes like that will just make things worse in the end. So do me a favor and leave well enough alone. You¡¯ve done enough.¡±


    I clenched my fists.


    ¡°Ellen-¡± I started to say, but she cut me off again.


    ¡°Just go, Wolfie.¡± She said. ¡°I want to be alone.¡±


    I stared at her for several seconds, before I nodded and left her cell.


    <hr>


    To calm my raging emotions, I took a walk in the western garden. It was bright and sunny out, a stark contrast to the dark and dreary castle dungeons. Its wild beauty soothed my troubled soul. The smell of wildflowers filled the air, making me feel as if I were in the wilds of the Barrens. A serene silence settled over the western garden, broken by the occasional bird call. Since not many spent any time here, I didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone interrupting my peace.


    As I walked around the garden, I debated with myself on what to do. Did I ask Grand Duke Kaltbrand to spare Ellen or not? On the one hand, I owed House Kaltbrand my loyalty. For the next year, I was theirs. Asking the Grand Duke to spare Ellen could be considered a breach of our contract. Besides, how much did I really owe Ellen? Yes, she was a childhood friend, but considering we hadn¡¯t seen each other in ten years, I had done more than enough for her already.


    On the other hand, she lived a hard life and had been forced into her current position. If Baron Meyers and Fallen Leaves hadn¡¯t forced her into becoming their agent, she would have chosen a different path. I didn¡¯t know if she would¡¯ve chosen a better path, but she wouldn¡¯t have betrayed House Kaltbrand and the Coldsteel Knights.


    The sound of footsteps caught my attention, and I turned to find Grand Duke Kaltbrand walking in my direction. He looked as strong as ever, but I noticed the lines that etched his face. These past few days had been stressful for him. Learning that Fallen Leaves had infiltrated his domain just compounded his troubles. I stopped and waited for him.


    ¡°Dad.¡± I said, giving him a slight bow when he drew close enough.


    ¡°Wulfe.¡± The Grand Duke said, giving me a slight smile. ¡°The servants mentioned that you were here. I wanted to check in on you. A lot happened last night and I wanted to make sure you were all right. I would have checked in on you sooner, but I have little free time these days.¡± He snorted. ¡°It didn¡¯t help that about a third of my vassals fell ill.¡±


    I stared at Grand Duke Kaltbrand. Despite his busy schedule, he took the time to make sure I was all right. I felt a tickle in my heart. His actions reminded me of Fa-¡­Duke Guld. Even though I had been a mere fake, the Duke still treated me as if I were his own son.


    ¡°I should be the one asking if you¡¯re alright.¡± I said. ¡°My troubles are nothing compared to yours.¡±


    The Grand Duke snorted.


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m an adult,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility to look after you, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an adult too.¡± I pointed out. ¡°My wellbeing is my responsibility, not yours. In fact, given the particulars of our relationship, I should be the one supporting you. So, make use of me. How may I help you?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand started walking down the pathway and gestured for me to join him. We walked in silence for the next few minutes.


    ¡°From what Claus told me, your mere presence is enough to disrupt Fallen Leaves¡¯ plans,¡± he said, breaking the silence, ¡°So for now, just keep doing what you¡¯re doing.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°And you¡¯re wrong, you know.¡±


    ¡°Wrong about what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your wellbeing is my responsibility.¡± The Grand Duke said. ¡°Despite the¡­ particulars of our relationship, as you put it, I think we can both agree that we¡¯re more than client and mercenary at this point. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have insisted on having you call me ¡®Dad.¡¯¡±


    I wanted to point out that he had me call him ¡°Dad¡± from the very beginning, before we grew closer to each other, but I refrained. I didn¡¯t want to risk angering him, not when I was considering asking him for a big favor.


    ¡°So, with that in mind, tell me what¡¯s troubling you,¡± the Grand Duke said, ¡°I know something is. I can see it on your face.¡±


    I stopped walking. There were moments in one¡¯s life when one faced a crossroads, where the choice one made could change the course of one¡¯s life. For me, this was one such crossroad. As I considered whether or not to tell the Grand Duke, he stopped and waited for me to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s about Ellen.¡± I said.


    ¡°You want me to spare your friend¡¯s life,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand guessed, ¡°However, you¡¯re afraid to ask because of what she¡¯s done.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Treason is a heavy crime.¡± I said. ¡°I know it¡¯s shameless of me to ask this of you, but please show mercy to Ellen. I¡¯m not asking you to let her go without punishment, but-¡­¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, ¡°I shall spare your friend.¡±


    My eyes widened.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    The Grand Duke snorted.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that reaction?¡± he asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t saying ¡®thank you¡¯ a more appropriate response? I did as you asked after all.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. The Grand Duke agreed to my request just like that? After spending all that time debating and tormenting myself, his response felt¡­ anticlimactic. I expected more resistance from him. Ellen betrayed House Kaltbrand and the Coldsteel Knights. He was willing to spare her life just like that?


    ¡°Why?¡± I blurted out, unable to stop myself. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m grateful that you agreed, but why?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You asked me to.¡± He said. ¡°That¡¯s why.¡±


    His answer left me even more confused.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± the Grand Duke said, ¡°You received more than enough clues to figure out the truth on your own at this point. I indulged Sophie thus far, but it is getting tiresome.¡±


    My heart started pounding.


    ¡°Figure out what truth?¡± I asked.


    The Grand Duke patted me on the shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if you put the clues together on your own.¡± He said. ¡°I can¡¯t give you all of the answers.¡± He took a step back. ¡°To get back to the matter at hand, I¡¯ll leave your friend¡¯s fate in your hands. Execute her for treason, imprison her, let her go without punishment. It¡¯s your decision.¡± He paused. ¡°However, if you want her to remain a part of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, you¡¯ll have to talk with Sophie about that. That¡¯s her domain. I dare not interfere.¡±


    He shuddered, as if thinking about what would happen if he tried.


    ¡°Now then,¡± the Grand Duke said, ¡°This is all the time I have to spare. I must get back to my duties.¡±


    He walked away and left the western garden. I stared after him until he was out of sight, unable to move or say a word. My heart pounded in my chest and my mind was abuzz. What truth did the Grand Duke want me to figure out? One answer came to mind, but I refused to accept it. It was impossible. There was no way that was correct. And yet, despite telling myself that, I couldn¡¯t get that answer out of my head.


    I thought back to all of my interactions with Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Sophie. I analyzed their every single word, their every single action. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed as if the answer I came up with was true. How else could I explain their behavior towards me?


    No. There was no way. If it was true, then why put on this charade? Why go through all this trouble of pretending otherwise? It just didn¡¯t make sense. I needed confirmation, one way or another. But how? The Grand Duke wouldn¡¯t tell me. He just said as much. I couldn¡¯t question Knight Commander Bardin. She was still back at Meyers Castle. So, who?


    Grand Sage Arend. He created the special lineage testing magic tool that we used to ¡°confirm¡± that I was Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s son, all those weeks ago. I needed to question him about the magic tool and what made it special.


    With that in mind, I left the western garden and headed towards Grand Sage Arend¡¯s tower. However, about halfway there, I heard a loud noise. It sounded like an explosion. I changed course and ran towards the source of the sound. Panicked guests and servants came into view, running in the opposite direction. I grabbed one of the servants and pulled him aside.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I demanded.


    The servant¡¯s panic morphed into relief.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe!¡± he said, ¡°You have to do something! Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric are trying to kill each other in the northern gardens!¡±

 Chapter 32: Burning Gardens

    Under normal circumstances, the northern garden was a lush paradise. It was filled with plants and flowers imported from the Riverlands. The garden also contained several water features, such as fountains and small ponds. Benches dotted the area, allowing visitors to sit down and take in the garden¡¯s beauty. Magic kept it warm year-round, so the garden was never cold and barren.


    This made it popular among guests and the castle¡¯s residents alike, especially in the winter. For them, it was a small slice of heaven. For me, it was a reminder of the home that I lost, so I never visited it before. I thought about it, but I feared that visiting the northern garden would weaken my resolve to the point where I would abandon everything and head straight to Guld Manor.


    Heat washed over me when I arrived at the northern gardens and I shielded myself with my Aura to keep from getting burned. No traces of the lush paradise remained. Instead, I found a flaming hellscape. Fires raged throughout the garden, burning all the plants and flowers to ash. Smoke filled the air, obscuring my sight. If I hadn¡¯t been an Aura Master, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see anything at all.


    The fountains and small ponds were dried up and scorched beyond repair. None of the benches remained. They were all charred and broken. In the center of it all, surrounded by the flames, were the two people responsible: Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric.


    It had taken me two minutes to reach the northern gardens. I would have arrived faster, but I had to push through the stream of servants and guests as they fled from the fighting between Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric. Many guests were powerful Aura users in their own right, but none of them wanted to get involved in a fight between the heir of House Gerhard and a potential heir of House Kaltbrand.


    None of the Coldsteel Knights had arrived yet. Even if they had, there wasn¡¯t much they could do to help. It was too hot for them. Unlike Aura Masters, who could shield their bodies with mana, Aura Experts had no such advantage. While they were tougher and more resilient than regular humans, they weren¡¯t invulnerable.


    I watched as Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric fought each other, though it was clear that Lord Wilhelm held the advantage. Given the difference in power between the two, I would have expected the opposite to be true. Lord Wilhelm was an Adept, while Lord Ulric was an Aura Expert. Yet, somehow Lord Wilhelm was winning the fight. He kept flinging fireballs at Lord Ulric, pouring as much magic as he could into them. Meanwhile, Lord Ulric struggled to dodge the attacks. I noticed that he was limping, which I suspected contributed to his current state. If he hadn¡¯t been injured, perhaps the fight wouldn¡¯t have gotten this bad.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe!¡±


    I turned to find Lady Adelheid rushing in my direction. A barrier protected her, keeping the worst of the flames at bay.


    ¡°Lady Adelheid!¡± I said. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is your brother fighting Lord Ulric?¡±


    Lady Adelheid grimaced.


    ¡°We received word that a vassal of House Arbeit was the one who hired the assailants who attacked me.¡± She said. ¡°When Wilhelm found out, he grew so angry that he rushed off to confront Lord Ulric. I tried to stop him, but he ambushed Lord Ulric before I could.¡±


    Damn it! With everything going on with Ellen and House Meyers, I had forgotten about that. Someone must have leaked the knowledge to House Gerhard. I suspected either Fallen Leaves or House Steuben, or maybe both. They were the only ones who benefited from a conflict between House Gerhard and House Arbeit.


    ¡°Please, Lord Wulfe,¡± Lady Adelheid said, ¡°We have to stop Wilhelm. If he kills Lord Ulric, it will mean war between our families.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°I¡¯m not powerful enough to subdue Wilhelm and prevent Lord Ulric from killing him, at least not by myself.¡±


    I nodded at Lady Adelheid.


    ¡°Hold your breath and follow me.¡± I said, before I took a deep breath of my own and rushed towards Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric. A moment later, Lady Adelheid followed me.


    Flames stood in our way, but my Aura protected me while Lady Adelheid¡¯s barrier kept her safe. When we drew close enough, I noticed that Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric were both in poor condition. Lord Wilhelm seemed haggard, a sign that he suffered from mana exhaustion. He must have pushed himself to the limit in order to make this far. The entire left side of Lord Ulric¡¯s body was covered in burns.


    I rushed over to Lord Wilhelm and punched him in the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him. He hunched over, unable to move or even breath. I sensed from movement nearby and turned just in time to see Lord Ulric rush towards Lord Wilhelm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Lord Ulric shouted, his eyes filled with madness.


    Lady Adelheid summoned spectral chains and wrapped them around Lord Ulric. They held him in place for a moment, before he tore them apart. However, this gave me more than enough time to put Lord Ulric in a chokehold. He struggled to break free, to no effect. I was too strong. His movements grew weaker and weaker, until he fell unconscious altogether.


    I threw Lord Ulric over my shoulder, before walking over to Lord Wilhelm and doing the same with him. I faced Lady Adelheid and nodded towards the exit. She understood what I wanted and led the way while I carried Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric. She used her magic to keep the flames at bay while we escaped the northern gardens.


    When we emerged into the open air, we found a small army of servants and Coldsteel Knights waiting for us. A few rushed over to take Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric from me, while the rest focused on trying to put out the fire.


    After I handed off Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric to the servants, I took a deep breath and fell into a coughing fit. Despite my best efforts, I inhaled some of the smoke. My throat felt a little scratchy. To my side, Lady Adelheid had a coughing fit of her own.


    Once I recovered, I helped to try and put out the fire. However, it continued to rage, despite our best efforts. The northern gardens were a total loss at this point. I found it impressive that a mere Adept managed to cause this much destruction. I took this as a reminder not to underestimate those weaker than me.


    ¡°Everyone move out of the way!¡± A voice barked out.


    I turned to find Grand Duke Kaltbrand marching towards us, his eyes blazing with power. We all obeyed his words and moved back, away from the fire. Once we were all clear, Grand Duke Kaltbrand reached his arm out and a gout of coldfire sprayed out from his hand.


    I watched in amazement as the coldfire froze the flames that raged in the northern garden, turning them to ice. I hadn¡¯t even known such a thing was possible. In the span of a few seconds, a layer of ice covered the entirety of the northern gardens. Bitter cold replaced the blazing heat. The most amazing thing of all was that I got the impression that this required little effort on Grand Duke¡¯s part. If the legends about him were even half-true, then he was capable of freezing entire battlefields with his coldfire. Freezing the northern gardens was child¡¯s play for him.


    After he froze the fire, Grand Duke Kaltbrand turned towards the rest of us.


    ¡°What happened?¡± He asked, his voice clipped.


    Everyone flinched at his tone, Lady Adelheid in particular. Lord Wilhelm had passed out at some point, otherwise he would¡¯ve trembled with fear. I stepped forward, drawing the Grand Duke¡¯s attention.


    ¡°A fight broke out between Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric.¡± I said. ¡°From what I heard, Lord Wilhelm initiated it.¡±


    While House Gerhard supported me, too many people had witnessed the fight for me to sweep Lord Wilhelm¡¯s actions under the rug. Even if I could, I wouldn¡¯t have. Lord Wilhelm¡¯s actions endangered innocent people and caused division among the northern nobles. While he had a good reason for it, in his eyes at least, that didn¡¯t make his actions any less egregious. There were many ways he could have handled the situation. Unfortunately, he chose the worst possible one.


    ¡°Why?¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand asked, turning his attention towards Lady Adelheid.


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    She bowed her head and trembled.


    ¡°We learned from a trustworthy source that a vassal of House Arbeit hired the assailants who attacked me when I first arrived in Frostheart,¡± she said. ¡°When he heard this, my brother flew into a rage.¡±


    The servants around us started murmuring and whispering with one another. I grimaced. This was bad. Soon, word would spread to the guests and the rest of the Barrens. It appeared that a conflict between House Gerhard and House Arbeit was inevitable.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I said, calling attention to myself, ¡°Perhaps we should discuss this matter somewhere less private.¡±


    The Grand Duke eyed me, before nodding.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He said. He gestured toward Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric. ¡°Send for a healer from the Church of Light and darkness. In the meantime, take those two to the dungeons.¡± He looked around. ¡°Claus.¡±


    The spymaster appeared out of thin air, as if he had been there the entire time.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace?¡± Claus asked.


    ¡°Investigate this matter.¡± The Grand Duke commanded. ¡°I want to know what happened in exact detail.¡± He gestured to a nearby servant. ¡°Inform Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard that I want to see them both in my study.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Come along, Wulfe.¡±


    I nodded and followed Grand Duke Kaltbrand as he left the northern gardens. It looked like I wasn¡¯t going to get any rest today.


    <hr>


    I watched as Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard shouted at each other. The two of them had been at it for the past hour, and it didn¡¯t look like they planned on stopping any time soon. I stood beside Grand Duke Kaltbrand, who observed his two vassals with an indifferent expression on his face.


    The four of us were in the Grand Duke¡¯s study. Grand Duke Kaltbrand and I arrived first, with Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard arriving soon afterwards. The moment the two of them saw each other, they started throwing accusations and personal insults at one another.


    It grew so heated that they almost came to blows several times. The only reason why they hadn¡¯t was because of Grand Duke Kaltbrand. Whenever it looked like either one would cross the line, he kept them in check by releasing his pressure.


    At first I didn¡¯t understand why the Grand Duke let this state of affairs continue, but then I realized that he wanted them to get the shouting out of the way now rather than later.


    After an hour of this, someone knocked on the door to the Grand Duke¡¯s study. He raised a hand, silencing Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard. At first neither one noticed, but then the Grand Duke released his pressure. That shut them up.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said.


    The door opened, revealing Claus. That surprised me. I hadn¡¯t realized he knew how to move about like a normal person. I expected him to appear out of thin air as usual.


    The spymaster walked up to the Grand Duke¡¯s desk and bowed.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± he said, ¡°I have completed my investigation into the fight between Lord Ulric and Lord Wilhelm.¡±


    ¡°What is there to investigate?¡± Count Arbeit snapped. ¡°Everyone knows that Lord Wilhelm attacked my son first. We should-¡­¡±


    A look from Claus silenced him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me again, Count Arbeit.¡± The spymaster said.


    The Count opened his mouth to say something, but remained silent as Claus continued to look at him. In the end, he shut his mouth and didn¡¯t say a word. Viscount Gerhard looked smug at this, but Claus gave him a look as well.


    ¡°It is as Count Arbeit said, Your Grace.¡± The spymaster said, facing the Grand Duke once more. ¡°Lord Wilhelm ambushed Lord Ulric and caused significant damage to the northern gardens.¡±


    I¡¯d say that ¡°significant damage¡± was an understatement. The northern gardens were nothing more than ash by this point. Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s coldfire managed to freeze the flames, but it couldn¡¯t reverse the damage already done.


    An ambush was the only way someone at Lord Wilhelm¡¯s power would be able to contend with someone like Lord Ulric. If I had to guess, I¡¯d say that Lord Wilhelm injured Lord Ulric with his initial attack and kept the pressure on him with a constant barrage of attacks. Otherwise, Lord Ulric would have killed him as soon as the fight began. However, since Lord Wilhelm was only an Adept, he wouldn¡¯t have lasted for long. If Lady Adelheid and I hadn¡¯t intervened, he would have run out of mana within thirty seconds or so.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Count Arbeit ground out, ¡°I demand that you punish Lord Wilhelm.¡± His eyes glinted with malice. ¡°And if you don¡¯t, I will. House Arbeit will not be satisfied until Lord Wilhelm suffers as much as my son has.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand faced Count Arbeit.


    ¡°You demand?¡± He asked in a low voice. ¡°Tell me, Torsten. Who are you to demand anything of me? Last I recall, I was the overlord and you were the vassal.¡± He bared his teeth in a smile. ¡°Unless you plan on changing that state of affairs.¡±


    When the Grand Duke started speaking, Count Arbeit seemed incensed by his words. However, he blanched when he realized that he had stepped over the line.


    ¡°I¡­ I apologize, Your Grace.¡± Count Arbeit said, bowing his head. ¡°My son is lying on death¡¯s door because of Lord Wilhelm. As a father yourself, you can understand my feelings on the matter. Please, dispense justice and punish Lord Wilhelm for this unprovoked attack.¡±


    Death¡¯s door? That was an exaggeration¡­ though not by much. When I last saw him, Lord Ulric¡¯s injuries looked severe. Even after being tended to by a healer from the Church of Light and Darkness, he would bear the scars of this day for the rest of his life. That was how bad his burns were.


    ¡°Unprovoked?¡± Viscount Gerhard said, his eyes brimming with fury. ¡°You attacked us first! Your hired thugs tried to kill my daughter!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Count Arbeit said. ¡°What hired thugs?¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand released his pressure, silencing the two men. He gestured to Claus.


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    Claus cleared his throat before speaking.


    ¡°Viscount Gerhard speaks the truth.¡± He said. ¡°It turns out that a vassal of House Arbeit hired the ones who attacked Lady Adelheid when she first arrived in Frostheart. Viewed in that light, Lord Wilhelm¡¯s attack wasn¡¯t unprovoked. In fact, some would say it was justified.¡±


    Count Arbeit¡¯s face fell when he heard this. Meanwhile, Viscount Gerhard looked vindicated. However, this didn¡¯t last long.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse Lord Wilhelm¡¯s actions.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Both House Gerhard and House Arbeit are vassals of House Kaltbrand.¡± He gave Viscount Gerhard a pointed look. ¡°Instead of coming to me, your son decided to act like a hotheaded idiot and almost started a war. Regardless of how justified he was, his actions caused division and strife among my vassals. I¡¯m half a mind to end this once and for all by exterminating both your houses.¡±


    Other than Claus, everyone in the study stared at Grand Duke Kaltbrand in shock and horror.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± I started to say, but Viscount Gerhard interrupted me.


    ¡°We have been nothing but loyal to House Kaltbrand over the generations,¡± he cried out. ¡°Why would you exterminate us?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand gave him a hard look.


    ¡°Your son attacked a guest under my protection, which is an unforgivable sin.¡± He said. ¡°If it had been another member of House Gerhard, perhaps I would consider leniency. However, he is your heir. His actions reflect on the rest of your house as a whole, tainting the rest of you with his sin.¡±


    Viscount Gerhard took a step back, his eyes filled with fear.


    ¡°You may be the Grand Duke, but that doesn¡¯t give you the right to act as you please, Your Grace.¡± Count Arbeit said, glaring at the Grand Duke in defiance. ¡°If you attack us, you will find House Arbeit more than willing to defend itself.¡±


    Instead of growing angry at this, Grand Duke Kaltbrand just smiled and laughed. He stood up.


    ¡°You have grown arrogant over the years, Torsten.¡± The Grand Duke said. He walked around his desk and headed towards Count Arbeit. ¡°You have forgotten your place. I am the lord of the Barrens. Here, my word is law.¡±


    The Count tried to back away, but his feet remained stuck to the floor. I looked down to find a layer of frost coating the ground beneath him. My eyes widened. Grand Duke Kaltbrand must have frozen Count Arbeit¡¯s feet to the floor without anyone noticing. Even I, a fellow Aura Master, hadn¡¯t realized it. The more I learned about coldfire, the more I realized just how terrifying it was.


    ¡°Your family¡¯s military strength has given you a false sense of confidence, Torsten,¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said, standing before Count Arbeit. He towered over him, as if the Grand Duke was a mountain rather than a man. ¡°You¡¯ve become more brazen over the years and I¡¯ve grown tired of it.¡±


    Count Arbeit trembled as he looked up at Grand Duke Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Wha-What are you going to do?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s rather simple, Torsten.¡± The Grand Duke said. ¡°Your son, Lord Ulric, will remain in Kaltbrand Castle as my guest even after the banquet ends.¡±


    Resignation filled Count Arbeit¡¯s eyes as he realized that the Grand Duke planned on holding Lord Ulric hostage to ensure House Arbeit¡¯s good behavior.


    ¡°Your daughter, Lady Adelheid, shall remain here as well, Dietrich,¡± the Grand Duke said, glancing over at Viscount Gerhard. ¡°Consider this the punishment for your son¡¯s actions.¡± He gestured to both men. ¡°You may go now.¡±


    Both Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard opened their mouths to say something, but Grand Duke Kaltbrand unleashed the full might of his pressure.


    ¡°Leave.¡± He commanded.


    Both men paled, before scrambling to escape the study. Once they were gone, Grand Duke Kaltbrand withdrew his pressure.


    ¡°That went well.¡± He said in a cheerful voice. The overbearing attitude from before had disappeared, as if it had never been there in the first place. ¡°What do you think, Claus?¡±


    ¡°It could have gone worse, Your Grace.¡± The spymaster admitted. ¡°However, I still think you should¡¯ve gone with a different plan. This is bound to cause us problems later on.¡±


    I looked between the Grand Duke and his spymaster.


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± I asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m the one who revealed that a vassal of House Arbeit hired the assailants who attacked Lady Adelheid.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said in a nonchalant voice.

 Chapter 33: Not A Fake

    My jaw dropped and I stared at the Grand Duke in disbelief. He was the one who revealed that a vassal of House Arbeit had hired the attackers that tried to kill Lady Adelheid? Why? Everything that happened today, from Lord Wilhelm¡¯s attack to the confrontation with Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard, was all his fault. Just¡­I couldn¡¯t understand it.


    ¡°That was you?¡± I asked, incredulous.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. ¡°Well, I ordered it and the Blue Shadows carried out my orders, but yes. At the end of the day, I am the one responsible.¡±


    I stared at him for several seconds, unable to voice my thoughts.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± I asked, incredulous. ¡°And if you were going to reveal the truth anyway, why not reveal the whole truth? We know that Fallen Leaves were the ones who attacked Lady Adelheid in an attempt to foster strife between House Gerhard and House Arbeit. Why not reveal that as well? You could have started  a war!¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand jerked a thumb towards the door to his study.


    ¡°So I had an excuse to act like an overbearing tyrant towards those two.¡± He said. ¡°House Gerhard is full of hot heads. While Lady Adelheid is the most well known, they¡¯re all like that. I figured that something like this would happen if I revealed the truth to them, or at least part of the truth.¡±


    His answer caught me off guard.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said slowly, ¡°I can understand why you would want to keep House Arbeit in check by keeping Lord Ulric hostage, but why House Gerhard?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand snorted.


    ¡°To put them in their place.¡± He said. ¡°You granted them a bit of authority, and they let it go to their heads. While they were obedient for now, it was just a matter of time before they started to act up. I wanted to nip that particular problem in the bud and remind them of who is in charge.¡±


    I thought back to House Gerhard¡¯s actions over the past few days. He wasn¡¯t wrong, per se. House Gerhard lorded their new status over the rest of House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals. I even counted on this in order to secure their loyalty. However, thinking on it, I could see how that would lead to problems in the future.


    ¡°As for House Arbeit,¡± he continued, ¡°The Blue Shadows reported that there were whispers of rebellion among the members of House Arbeit and their followers. They are just words for now, but words precede action.¡± He scoffed. ¡°They think that they¡¯re a match for House Kaltbrand just because they have a few soldiers. Fools. They¡¯re lucky that I¡¯ve decided to keep them around for now. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve culled them a long time ago.¡±


    I stared at him, surprised by his coldblooded attitude.


    ¡°What if your actions today just end up fostering resentment?¡± I asked. ¡°Causing House Arbeit, and maybe even House Gerhard, to rebel?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand shrugged.


    ¡°That will give me the excuse I need to clean house.¡± He said. ¡°This isn¡¯t too different from what you pulled with Lord Ulric when you humiliated him in front of a crowd. You wanted him to retaliate, so you would have the justification needed to eliminate him. What I¡¯m doing is similar, just on a larger scale. Either I¡¯ll cow them into submission, or goad them into action and crush them.¡±


    The depths of the Grand Duke¡¯s scheming surprised me.


    ¡°Surprised?¡± He asked, before walking behind his desk and sitting down.


    ¡°I¡­ Yes.¡± I said.


    The Grand Duke chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you spend too much time with Sophie.¡± He said. ¡°Your focus is too narrow. You need to expand your horizons and look at the bigger picture.¡± He nodded towards me. ¡°Being the grand duke takes more than knowing how to swing a sword or learning from books and tutors. Spend more time with me, and you¡¯ll learn what it means to rule the Barrens.¡±


    I studied him for several seconds.


    ¡°Is that really necessary for me to learn?¡± I asked in a quiet voice. ¡°After all, I¡¯m just a mercenary, a fake, filling in for your real heir.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand leveled a flat look in my direction.


    ¡°If you haven¡¯t figured the truth out already,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯re either not as sharp as I believed, or you¡¯re pretending not to know.¡± He looked thoughtful. ¡°That, or you¡¯re in complete denial.¡±


    I clenched my fists and glared at him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just tell me then?¡± I demanded. ¡°Instead of playing this stupid game?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand sighed.


    ¡°I promised Sophie that I would let her tell you.¡± He said. ¡°However, I never expected her to drag it out this long. Rather than let this go on, I decided to bend the rules a bit. I can still keep my word to Sophie if you figure out the truth on your own, even if I¡¯m the one who nudged you in the right direction.¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°I doubt she will see it that way.¡± I said. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to accept the consequences of that.¡± He said. ¡°Sophie will forgive me in time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an ass.¡± I told him.


    ¡°You know,¡± the Grand Duke said, looking amused, ¡°I think that¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve outright insulted me. You¡¯re not as awed by me anymore.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and shook my head.


    ¡°So, what do you plan to do next?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°About the vassals or about the truth you want me to figure out but refuse to tell me about?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡±


    I took a moment before answering. The Grand Duke¡¯s half baked efforts at revealing this supposed truth infuriated me. A part of me wanted to storm out of the study. However, I couldn¡¯t. Either I was wrong about the nature of our relationship, which meant he was still my client, or I was right, which meant¡­Well, it meant that we were much closer than that. Regardless, I didn¡¯t want to go too far.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to visit Grand Sage Arend.¡± I said. ¡°He¡¯ll give me all the confirmation I need.¡±


    Grand Duke Arend nodded, as if he expected that answer.


    ¡°As for the vassals,¡± I said, glancing over at the door to the study, ¡°You just dealt with House Arbeit and House Gerhard, for now at least, which leaves House Steuben as the biggest obstacle. Once we take care of them, then my position as the heir to House Kaltbrand is secure.¡±


    I worded that last sentence deliberately. I called myself the heir to House Kaltbrand. Not an imposter or a fake standing in for the real heir. The heir. I wanted to see the Grand Duke¡¯s reaction. Anticipation and worry filled my heart in equal measure.


    ¡°How do you plan on doing that?¡± He asked. ¡°I have a few ideas of my own, but I want to hear what you have to say first.¡±


    At first his indifferent reaction disappointed me, and I thought that he hadn¡¯t noticed my wording. However, when I took a closer look at him, I didn¡¯t see indifference in his eyes. I saw acceptance. He had noticed, yet hadn¡¯t reprimanded me.


    My nerves thrummed with excitement, before I clamped down on my emotions. This proved nothing. Until I talked with Grand Sage Arend, I would continue to act as if the Grand Duke and I were just client and mercenary. However, no matter how much I told myself that, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a glimmer of warmth.


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    ¡°You goaded both House Arbeit and House Gerhard by revealing the truth,¡± I said. ¡°Or at least a part of the truth. Why not try it again, but with House Steuben?¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand eyes lit up with interest.


    ¡°Go on.¡± He said.


    ¡°It needs to be something big, something that House Steuben wouldn¡¯t hesitate to snap up, even knowing that it might be a trap.¡± I grinned. ¡°What if we let them find out that I¡¯m a mercenary you hired to pretend to be your heir? That will give them what they need to get rid of me, or so they will think.¡±


    The Grand Duke¡¯s eyes widened at that.


    ¡°Either we need to spread rumors and let public opinion run wild,¡± I continued, ¡°Or we need someone from House Kaltbrand to let them know. A trusted servant, perhaps? Regardless, it needs to be someone whose word is beyond reproach. Afterwards, once House Steuben takes the bait and pounces, that will give us the justification we need to take them down a notch or two.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand wore a thoughtful look on his face.


    ¡°That might work.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s bold, but risky. If something goes wrong, House Kaltbrand¡¯s honor will be tarnished and its integrity will come into question.¡±


    This time, I leveled a flat look in his direction.


    ¡°Only if they prove that you lied and tricked everyone.¡± I said.


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand grinned.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± He said. ¡°I like that plan. We¡¯ll go with it.¡± He paused. ¡°Let¡¯s go with both ideas, spreading rumors and having a trusted servant of House Kaltbrand inform House Steuben about my deception.¡± He looked over at Claus. ¡°Who do you think we should use? Erik?¡±


    I looked over at the spymaster. He had been so still and quiet that I had forgotten his presence. This irked me. Claus was adept at avoiding attention even without using his magic. No wonder he led the Blue Shadows.


    ¡°No, Your Grace,¡± Claus said, shaking his head, ¡°Viscount Holtz, and House Holtz in general, is too loyal to you. No one would believe it if he pretended to betray you.¡± He took a moment to think it over. ¡°I think Baron Kirch should do. He is a senior servant, but he isn¡¯t as well known for his devotion for you as Viscount Holtz.¡±


    Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.


    ¡°Good idea.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss it with Edmund myself.¡±


    ¡°To destroy House Steuben¡¯s credibility and undermine their influence, we need to definitively prove them wrong.¡± I said. ¡°We need to do another lineage test, one conducted by a neutral party. That way, no one can claim that we tampered with the results.¡±


    The Grand Duke nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He said. ¡°In fact, I have the perfect person in mind. It will take some time to bring them here from Haven, but if we hurry, they should arrive just in time for the ball.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I never thought that postponing the banquet would work out in our favor like this.¡±


    I noticed that the Grand Duke had all but outright stated the true nature of our relationship. I wanted to grab him and force him to tell me, yet I refrained. Regardless of who I was to him, he was still the Grand Duke and the head of House Kaltbrand. There were certain lines that shouldn¡¯t be crossed.


    Besides, I feared he would give me a beating if I tried. As Knight Commander Bardin illustrated whenever we sparred, there was a significant difference in strength between a new Aura Master and an experienced one.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the twins spread the rumors once Rosalind recovers.¡± I said. ¡°As my personal maids, they will have more credibility than most.¡±


    The Grand Duke nodded.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave that in your hands.¡± He smiled. ¡°Now then, I believe you were on your way to meet with Arend.¡±


    At this clear dismissal, I nodded and headed towards the door to the study. However, before I opened it, I turned back towards the Grand Duke.


    ¡°Did you ever think about me?¡± I asked.


    I didn¡¯t need to explain to him what I meant by that, at least I hoped not. The Grand Duke studied me for a moment, his expression solemn, before he gave me a single nod.


    ¡°Every single day.¡± He said. ¡°Ever since Sophie and I lost you.¡±


    Tears pricked my eyes and I felt a lump in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. Before I lost control of my emotions, I left the study.


    <hr>


    The meeting with Grand Sage Arend was short and to the point. After all, the whole point of talking to him was to confirm what I already knew, deep in my heart. Of course, when I first arrived, he berated me for interrupting his work and wasting his time. However, due to my status as heir to House Kaltbrand and an Aura Master, he couldn¡¯t just kick me out.


    ¡°What was special about the lineage testing magic tool that you created for the Grand Duke?¡± I asked him. ¡°The one he used in front of the senior servants?¡±


    Grand Sage Arend snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally asking about that,¡± he said. ¡°Took you long enough. I expected you to come here weeks ago.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Of course, what can I expect from a muscle head who only knows how to swing a sword?¡±


    My left eye twitched.


    ¡°Just answer the question.¡± I said.


    Grand Sage Arend narrowed his eyes at me.


    ¡°Careful, boy.¡± He said. ¡°I like you. Unlike most people I deal with, you have a spine. However, don¡¯t cross the line.¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°I could say the same to you, Grand Sage.¡± I said.


    The two of us stared each other down, before Grand Sage Arend sighed in irritation.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said, ¡°If it will get you out of my tower, I¡¯ll answer. The only thing special about the lineage testing magic tool that the Grand Duke used that day was that I made it. Otherwise, it is like any other lineage testing magic tool.¡±


    I sucked in breath at that, and my heart raced. It was one thing to suspect the truth, and another to hear it out loud.


    ¡°That means¡­¡± I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence.


    ¡°That you¡¯re the Grand Duke¡¯s son, yes.¡± Grand Sage Arend said, sounding annoyed. ¡°No need to be so dramatic about it.¡± He gestured to the door to his tower. ¡°Now get out so I can resume my research.¡±


    Dazed, I nodded to Grand Sage Arend before making my way out of his tower. After that, I wandered about. I was the Grand Duke¡¯s son. That sentence repeated itself in my head over and over again. I was the real heir to House Kaltbrand, not a fake. Everything I accomplished to make things easier for the real heir after I left was actually to my own benefit. I found that funny, in an ironic sort of way.


    However, my breath hitched when I realized something else. I was the Grand Duke¡¯s son¡­ and Knight Commander Bardin was my mother. She was my teacher, and the one I respected above all others. To find out that she was my mother left me feeling confused and conflicted.


    A storm raged inside me. I felt joy, anger, and a cascade of other emotions. Joy because I had found my birth parents, or rather they found me. As an orphan, I always wondered about them and how I ended up in an orphanage. Did they give me up? Did they die? These questions plagued me ever since I was a child, and now I knew the answer to some of them.


    However, I also felt angry at my birth parents¡¯ deception. Why go through this whole charade of hiring me? Why not just tell me the truth from the beginning? A part of me wanted to storm into the Grand Duke¡¯s study and demand answers, but I refrained. It was better to wait until Knight Commander Bardin, my birth mother, returned to Kaltbrand Castle.


    One question loomed above everything else. What happened now? In the beginning, the Grand Duke hired me for a year in order to pose as his heir. Since I was his actual heir, the contract was meaningless now. Yet, the entire reason why I took this job in the first place was to earn a title so I could marry Lina and become a real member of House Guld.


    As much as I have come to love the Barrens, Guld Manor was my home, and House Guld was my family. To them, I had been nothing more than a substitute for their real son, Emmerich Guld, but I refused to believe that everything had been a lie. I wanted to believe that I held a place in their hearts, even if it was a small one. However, as the heir to House Kaltbrand, I could never become a Guld.


    An icy hand squeezed my heart when I realized that. Most would feel overjoyed to find themselves the heir to the second most powerful family in the entire Reichwald Empire. More than that, I had reunited with my birth parents. Yet, I couldn¡¯t help but feel bittersweet about it. Everything I had done in the Barrens up to this point, the years I spent working as a mercenary, meant nothing now.


    I tried to console myself by saying that this was for the best. After all, I had been nothing more than a substitute. House Guld didn¡¯t need me, and I didn¡¯t need them. If anything, I was better off now than I was before I ran away from Guld Manor. Instead of being the adopted son of House Guld, I was the heir to House Kaltbrand. Once I inherited the title of Grand Duke, I would outrank even Fath-¡­


    My thoughts stopped in their tracks.


    Ha.


    I was a fool.


    A greedy one at that.


    What was the point in lying to myself? I should just admit the truth. I wanted it all. House Guld and House Kaltbrand. My adopted family and my birth family. Why should I have to pick between the two? Why couldn¡¯t I have both? In fact, now that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, maybe Father and Mother would finally see me as their real son, if only to benefit House Guld.


    Gods, how pathetic. I hadn¡¯t realized just how desperate I was for Father and Mother¡¯s love until this moment.


    ¡°My lord?¡± a voice called out, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    I turned to find one of the Coldsteel Knights watching me. We were standing in the western gardens. I must have wandered here without realizing it. My cheeks heated up. I cleared my throat to hide my embarrassment.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, pretending nonchalance.


    The Coldsteel Knight studied me, his eyes full of concern, no doubt confused about my current state. However, if he had any questions, he kept them to himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s about the boy you brought back from Meyers Castle.¡± The knight said. ¡°He¡­ Well, Sir Viktor caught him trying to break Dame Elise out of her cell. We took him into custody. Sir Viktor is with him now. However, since he is your guest, we thought it was best if you dealt with him.¡±


    Right. We hadn¡¯t revealed that Ellen was an imposter. While everyone knew that she was imprisoned, no one knew why. As for Thomas, with everything going on, I had completely forgotten about him. Guilt filled me. Regardless of what happened, that shouldn¡¯t have happened. Thomas was my responsibility. I should have looked after him. Wait a moment¡­


    ¡°What happened to the knight I assigned to watch over Thomas?¡± I asked, frowning.


    The knight before me flinched.


    ¡°It seemed that Thomas tricked him into thinking that he was still lying in bed.¡±


    A Coldsteel Knight managed to fall for such a trick? I sighed. It seemed that I needed to talk with Knight Comman-¡­ Mom about the knights¡¯ training.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I¡¯ll head to the dungeons now.¡±


    I sighed. The world wouldn¡¯t stop just because of my personal troubles. It marched on, regardless. I could bemoan my fate later. For now, it was time to get back to work.

 Chapter 34: Baiting the Nobles

    I found Viktor and Thomas in the dungeons. When the Coldsteel Knights took Thomas into custody, they placed him in a cell some distance away from Ellen¡¯s. As I entered the dungeons, I heard someone yelling. It sounded like Lord Ulric. Right. Grand Duke Kaltbrand- Dad, ordered for him and Lord Wilhelm to be brought to the dungeons. Even though it happened only a short while ago, it slipped my mind. The revelation from Grand Sage Arend had pushed everything else out.


    From the sound of it, Lord Ulric had made a full recovery. Once again, it amazed me what divine power was capable of. When I last saw him, the entire left side of Lord Ulric¡¯s body had been scorched almost beyond recognition. However, in a short few hours, he was up and about again. Part of it was no doubt because of his toughness and endurance as an Aura Expert. However, the majority of it was due to the miracle that was divine power.


    I made a mental note to speak with both Lord Ulric and Lord Wilhelm about what happened in the northern gardens. Lady Adelheid told me what happened, but I wanted to hear about it from the primary actors involved. However, that was for later. Right now, I was here for Thomas.


    I found Viktor leaning against the wall next to the door leading to Thomas¡¯ cell. From his clenched jaw and crossed arms, it was clear that he was upset about something. The moment he saw me, Viktor pushed himself away from the wall and marched in my direction.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, stopping before me, ¡°What is going on?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at his impertinence. However, given the situation, I decided to let it go for now.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me.¡± Viktor said, slashing the air with his hand. ¡°Why is Dame Elise imprisoned here?¡± He pointed towards the door leading to Thomas¡¯ cell. ¡°And who is that kid? What is his connection to Dame Elise?¡± He stopped and forced himself to take a deep breath, closing his eyes in the meantime. When he opened them again, he gave me a pleading look. ¡°There are so many rumors flying around that it¡¯s difficult to determine what¡¯s true and what isn¡¯t. I know I may be punished for my behavior, but I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    It occurred to me then that perhaps Viktor¡¯s feelings for Ellen, or the woman she pretended to be, were stronger than I realized. I took a moment to debate with myself on whether or not to tell Viktor the truth. If it got out that an imposter had infiltrated the Coldsteel Knights, it would damage their reputation. While I didn¡¯t particularly care about that, I cared about how it would affect¡­ Mom. Our enemies would use it against her, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen.


    In the end, I decided to tell Viktor the truth. He served me well over these past few weeks, and I trusted in his discretion. Ellen had also been his comrade in arms. However, I worried about how he would take it. If I was right and he had romantic feelings for Ellen, I feared that the truth would hurt him.


    ¡°Keep what I¡¯m about to tell you to yourself,¡± I said, after making sure there was no one else within ear shot. ¡°Don¡¯t even tell Sir Kane. If he asks, send him to me and I¡¯ll tell him the truth myself.¡±


    ¡°And what truth is that, my lord?¡±


    I heaved a sigh.


    ¡°The Dame Elise you know is an imposter.¡± I said. ¡°The real Elise Meyers died years ago, and the woman we have in custody was chosen as her substitute.¡± I nodded towards the door to Thomas¡¯ cell. ¡°That boy is her younger brother, Thomas.¡±


    Viktor¡¯s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.


    ¡°That¡¯s-¡­ She¡¯s-¡­ I can¡¯t believe-¡­¡± He stammered, before falling silent.


    ¡°The woman, whose real name is Ellen, was part of an organization called Fallen Leaves that has spent the past several years infiltrating the Barrens.¡± I said. ¡°They needed an agent within the Order of the Coldsteel Blade and they chose Elise Meyers. When she died, they found someone to take her place. However, in exchange for her brother¡¯s safety, Ellen decided to defect and tell us everything she knows.¡± I grimaced. ¡°Unfortunately, Fallen Leaves found out and tried to punish Ellen as well as silence Baron Meyers by killing everyone in Meyers Castle, including Thomas. If we hadn¡¯t arrived when we had, they would have succeeded.¡±


    After I finished speaking, I gave Viktor some time to come to terms with it all. It took him less time to recover his composure than I expected.


    ¡°What will happen to¡­ Ellen now?¡± He asked.


    From the look in Viktor¡¯s eyes, he already knew the answer to that question, or so he thought.


    ¡°Dad left the decision up to me.¡± I said.


    Viktor gave me a grim look.


    ¡°Now I have to let Thomas know, so he doesn¡¯t get into more trouble trying to free his sister.¡± I said.


    I walked past Viktor to get to the door leading to Thomas¡¯ cell, but his next words stopped me cold.


    ¡°What is your connection to them?¡± He asked. ¡°Ellen and Thomas, that is. When I caught Thomas trying to free his sister, he said that he knew you and that he was your friend. And back at Meyers Castle, he called you Wolfie.¡±


    I hesitated, before turning to face Viktor. He studied me through narrowed eyes.


    ¡°We grew up in the same orphanage.¡± I said in a quiet voice.


    His eyes narrowed further as he considered the implications of my words.


    ¡°Are you even His Grace¡¯s son?¡± He asked.


    I snorted.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, ¡°Though I didn¡¯t know until recently.¡±


    With that, I opened the door to Thomas¡¯ cell. From the look of it, he had been pacing. However, the moment I opened the door, he stopped and whirled in my direction. When he saw me, his face twisted with anger.


    ¡°You!¡± he said, his voice full of venom, ¡°I-¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± I said, interrupting him, ¡°Let¡¯s go see your sister.¡±


    I left without giving him a chance to respond and headed towards Ellen¡¯s cell, leaving the door open. Viktor fell in behind me. A few moments later, I heard Thomas scrambling to catch up to us.


    ¡°Wolfie!¡± He yelled. ¡°Wait!¡±


    He reached us around the same time that Viktor and I arrived at Ellen¡¯s cell. I opened the door to find Ellen lying down on her bed staring up at the ceiling. When the door opened, she sat up as the three of us entered. Her eyes widened when she saw her brother.


    ¡°Thomas?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Sis!¡± Thomas said, his voice filled with joy.


    Thomas ran past us and embraced his sister. She pulled him into a tight hug. However, I saw conflicting emotions in her eyes. Joy, worry, fear.


    ¡°The guards caught Thomas trying to break you free from your cell.¡± I said. ¡°Rather than risk another incident, I decided to bring him here myself.¡±


    Ellen pulled away from her brother and gave him a stern look.


    ¡°Thomas!¡± she asked. ¡°Why would you take a risk like that?¡±


    ¡°When I heard about what happened to you, I didn¡¯t know what else to do!¡± Thomas said. He glanced in my direction and glared at me. ¡°This one wasn¡¯t going to help. He¡¯s one of them now. A noble. They don¡¯t care about what happens to people like us.¡±


    Ellen sighed.


    ¡°Thomas,¡± she said, ¡°The only reason why Wol-¡­ Lord Wulfe saved you was because he does care about people like us.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re going to execute you!¡± Thomas wailed. ¡°I heard the knights talking about it. They said you were a traitor and deserved a traitor¡¯s death.¡±


    I glanced back at Viktor. He nodded.


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    ¡°That¡¯s one of the rumors going around, yes.¡± He said. ¡°There aren¡¯t many reasons why a knight of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade would end up in the dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, that¡¯s annoying.¡± I said, clicking my tongue with displeasure.


    It seemed that my plan of keeping Ellen¡¯s situation discrete wasn¡¯t viable anymore. Oh well. This wasn¡¯t beyond the bounds of expectation. People liked to talk, knights included, and nothing stayed secret forever.


    ¡°Thomas¡­¡± Ellen said, looking like her heart was breaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Thomas,¡± I said, ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t going to die.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Thomas said, turning to glare at me.


    Ellen clenched her jaw and gave me a hard look.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe-¡± She started to say, but I interrupted her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± I said. ¡°His Grace, my father, left Ellen¡¯s fate up to me. She isn¡¯t going to die.¡±


    The siblings¡¯ eyes widened as they stared at me in shock.


    ¡°Truly?¡± Ellen asked, a hitch in her breath.


    The look in her eyes said that she wanted to believe me, but was afraid to.


    ¡°Truly.¡± I said. ¡°You¡¯ll still face punishment for your actions, but you won¡¯t be executed. I promise.¡±


    Ellen let out a shuddering breath and slumped forward, like a puppet with its strings cut.


    ¡°Sis!¡± Thomas said, catching her.


    ¡°Live,¡± she muttered, ¡°I¡¯m going to live.¡±


    I looked at Viktor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give them some time alone.¡± I muttered.


    Viktor nodded and the two of us exited the cell, closing the door behind us.


    ¡°I have to go now,¡± I said, ¡°But would you mind staying here to let Thomas out of the cell when they¡¯re done talking?¡±


    Viktor nodded.


    ¡°I will.¡± He said.


    I smiled.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said. ¡°Also, please let Ellen know that I¡¯ll decide her fate in a few days, when the banquet is over.¡± I paused. ¡°Could you also keep an eye on Thomas for me? With everything going on, my attention is more divided than ever and I can¡¯t afford to let another incident occur. I¡¯m also worried about his safety. Fallen Leaves may target him in order to punish Ellen.¡±


    Viktor¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± He said, saluting me. ¡°I¡¯ll protect him with my life.¡±


    For some reason, I had the feeling that he wasn¡¯t doing this for me. I nodded at him, before heading towards Lord Ulric¡¯s cell. It was time I had a chat with him and Lord Wilhelm.


    <hr>


    My talks with Lord Wilhelm and Lord Ulric went about as well as expected. Neither looked happy to see me, but they weren¡¯t in a position to refuse me. I didn¡¯t learn anything new from them regarding the fight in the northern gardens. They both told the same story, though Lord Ulric swore and threatened to kill Lord Wilhelm several times during his retelling. In short, Lord Wilhelm ambushed Lord Ulric, injuring him in a sneak attack, in order to try and kill him as revenge for the attack on Lady Adelheid.


    I also took this opportunity to inform them about the consequences of this incident. Lord Wilhelm¡¯s face fell when he learned that his sister would become a ¡°guest¡± of House Kaltbrand, as punishment for his actions. He pleaded and begged, but I remained unmoved. Lord Ulric exploded with anger and he almost lunged at me when I informed him, but held himself back at the last moment. Impressive. It seemed that he had more self control than I expected.


    When I left the dungeons, I instructed the guards to keep an eye on the two lords. Unless Dad countermanded my orders, I figured it was best to keep those two in their cells for the rest of the banquet. That way, they wouldn¡¯t cause any more trouble.


    Afterwards, I headed to my rooms to check in on Rosalind. To my relief, she was awake and in good health, if still a bit pale. Maria was curled up beside her, asleep. We chatted for a bit, keeping our voices low to avoid waking Maria, before I headed off. While Dad had postponed the banquet, there was a lot to do in order to make my plan work.


    Over the next two days, Dad and I worked hard in order to bait House Steuben into overextending themselves, which would give us the justification we needed to deal with them. We planted rumors that I wasn¡¯t the real heir to House Kaltbrand, but a fake Dad hired in order to fend off the potential heirs and their families. The Blue Shadows ensured that no one realized that these rumors originated from us.


    At first no one gave the rumors much credence, but after Baron Kirch ¡°betrayed¡± House Kaltbrand and revealed Dad¡¯s scheme to House Steuben, the rumors gained momentum.


    After Rosalind recovered, I told the twins the plan and asked for their help. To my surprise, neither one expressed concern about revealing the ¡°truth¡± to everyone. Instead, they just shared a knowing look with one another. I narrowed my eyes at them, but refused to give them the satisfaction of asking what that look meant.


    With their help, the rumors spread like wildfire. I soon noticed a difference in the way everyone treated me, the servants in particular. Most of the servants continued as before. A few, however, viewed me with contempt and derision. This, of course, influenced their actions, though they never outright disrespected me. I never reprimanded anyone, which just emboldened them.


    I asked the twins to keep track of the servants who acted this way. The Grand Duke had declared me as his heir. If they treated me with disrespect just because of a few rumors, then it was clear that they couldn¡¯t be trusted. Their loyalty only ran surface deep. Once the banquet was over, I planned on dismissing them from their posts.


    The Coldsteel Knights treated me the same as before. To them, it didn¡¯t matter if the rumors were true or not. Their commander treated me as the heir to House Kaltbrand, and so would they. Not only that, but I had fought by their side and I was their commander¡¯s disciple. To disrespect me would be to disrespect her. However, I made sure to tell Sir Kane and Viktor the truth. Since they were my bodyguards, it didn¡¯t feel right to keep them in the dark.


    The biggest change came from the northern nobles who supported House Steuben and House Arbeit. While most acted respectful to my face, more and more of them began to insult me behind my back. At first it was just a few, but as the rumors grew so did the insults. House Steuben encouraged this behavior, while House Arbeit kept their mouths shut.


    Soon, House Arbeit and House Steuben¡¯s supporters didn¡¯t bother to hide the disdain in their eyes. Some started to openly insult me. None of them were overt about it, however. Their insults were small and petty. Responding to them would just make me seem insecure, which is exactly what I did.


    My supporters grew more and more anxious. Some even abandoned me in order to support Lord Klemens. I couldn¡¯t blame them too much for that. If the rumors were true, that meant that I was nothing more than a commoner; a fake heir. From their perspective, Lord Klemens was a much safer choice.


    House Gerhard started to panic. After all, they started supporting me in order to elevate their own standing. However, if the rumors proved true and I wasn¡¯t the real heir to House Kaltbrand, then that would leave them in a precarious position. Some even questioned if I had any connection to House Guld at all.


    It grew so bad that on the evening before the banquet was set to resume, Lady Adelheid visited me. She wore a calm expression on her face, but I saw through her facade. Beneath the mask, she was anxious. I met with her in my sitting room. Given the late hour, I offered her a glass of wine instead of a cup of tea, which she declined.


    ¡°Lady Adelheid, to what do I owe this honor?¡± I said, before sipping from my own glass of wine.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe, over the past few days I¡¯ve heard a number of disturbing rumors.¡± Lady Adelheid said, looking me right in the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard them yourself, so I won¡¯t bother repeating them here. However, I would like to know how you plan on addressing them.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Lady Adelheid maintained the same facial expression, though I noticed her fingers curling.


    ¡°Why not?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to.¡± I said, waving my hand as if it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°People can talk all they want. Unless they have proof to back up their claims, nothing they say matters.¡±


    Lady Adelheid clenched her jaw.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to do anything while House Steuben and their cronies ruin your reputation?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    Lady Adelheid started to tremble. Not out of fear or anxiety, but out of anger.


    ¡°You might not care about your reputation,¡± she said in a biting tone. ¡°But I do. I staked my family¡¯s future on you. What affects you affects us as well. However, instead of fighting House Steuben¡¯s and working to consolidate your position, you¡¯re letting them run rampant. At this point, all of the Barrens¡¯ high society will look down on you, meaning they will look down on us as well.¡±


    For a moment, I considered telling Lady Adelheid the truth. However, I didn¡¯t know if I could trust her. While I was sure that Fallen Leaves supported House Steuben and Lord Klemens, there was always the possibility that they were also working with House Gerhard and Lady Adelheid. It wasn¡¯t likely, since they hired assassins to kill her, but it was possible. If I told Lady Adelheid about the plan, I risked letting Fallen Leaves hear about it.


    ¡°Let them.¡± I said. ¡°It changes nothing.¡±


    Lady Adelheid stood up at that, her face flushed with anger.


    ¡°Are the rumors true?¡± She demanded. ¡°Did Grand Duke Kaltbrand hire you to pretend to be his heir?¡± She clenched her fists. ¡°Do you even have a connection to House Guld, or was that a lie to gain my family¡¯s support?¡±


    I took another sip of my wine before answering.


    ¡°Yes, I do have a connection to House Guld.¡± I said. ¡°Lady Lina is my intended. Don¡¯t worry, Lady Adelheid. Our deal still stands. Regardless of what happens in the near future, you¡¯ll get what I promised you.¡±


    That said, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious about that. I hadn¡¯t received a letter from Lina yet, even though a response should have arrived by now. Had something happened? Or was this her way of showing her displeasure towards me?


    ¡°Good.¡± Lady Adelheid said. ¡°If you renege on our agreement, I will make you regret it.¡±


    I smiled at her.


    ¡°Careful, Lady Adelheid,¡± I said, ¡°While I can tolerate insults to a certain degree, threats are another matter. Thanks to your brother¡¯s actions, you are a long-term guest of House Kaltbrand. Keep that in mind.¡±


    Lady Adelheid¡¯s expression twisted and she left my sitting room without saying a word. I felt a little bad about the way I treated her, but it worked in my favor. The more anxious my allies looked, the more the rest of the northern nobles would believe the rumors.


    Before long, things would reach a boiling point. That was when House Steuben would make its move. I guessed that they would try something during the ball on the last day of the banquet. It was the perfect stage for them. Little did they know, they were digging their own graves.


    Just as I finished off my glass of wine, Rosalind hurried into the sitting room with a panicked expression on her face. I sat at attention when I saw her.


    ¡°You need to go to His Grace¡¯s study.¡± Rosalind said in an urgent tone. ¡°Knight Commander Bardin just returned to the Kaltbrand Castle and she went to see His Grace. She¡¯s¡­ angry.¡±


    Before she even finished speaking, I stood up and rushed out of the sitting room. It was time for Mom and I to have an honest conversation with one another.

 Chapter 35: Learning the Truth

    When I heard that Mom was angry with Dad, I expected to hear more shouting when I approached Dad¡¯s office. However, to my surprise, I heard nothing. If it hadn¡¯t been for Rosalind¡¯s words, and the expressions of the knights guarding the door to Dad¡¯s office, I wouldn¡¯t have known that anything was wrong. The two knights were pale faced, with sweat beading their foreheads. They reminded me of mice who caught sight of a cat stalking about.


    The two knights gave me sympathetic looks as I approached the door to Dad¡¯s office. The moment I opened it, Mom¡¯s shouting hit me like a physical blow. She was so loud, I feared that the entirety of Kaltbrand Castle could hear her.


    ¡°-were you thinking Anselm?¡± she yelled.


    I closed the door and cut the shouting off. The sudden silence hit me almost as hard as the shouting had. I gave the knights guarding the door a questioning look.


    ¡°Grand Sage Arend enchanted His Grace¡¯s study,¡± one of them explained, ¡°To prevent anyone from eavesdropping. As you just witnessed, it¡¯s powerful enough to stop even the Knight Commander¡¯s shouting.¡±


    I nodded in thanks, before facing the door once more. Bracing myself, I reached over to open it with shaking hands. By some miracle, Mom¡¯s shouting didn¡¯t hit me again when I opened the door. Instead, I heard Dad¡¯s pleading.


    ¡°Sophie, please calm down,¡± he said in a cajoling tone, ¡°It was all Wulfe¡¯s idea.¡±


    I made my way inside the study and closed the door behind me to prevent anyone from overhearing. No need to get outsiders involved in our family¡¯s personal business. Mom marched towards Dad with murder in her eyes, each of her steps echoed out like thunder. Dad fled from her, running around his desk, while trying to placate her at the same time.


    Anyone else who saw this would have been flabbergasted to see Anselm Kaltbrand, the Reichwald Empire¡¯s only grand duke, fleeing from his fianc¨¦e like a henpecked husband. I just found it entertaining.


    ¡°So what if it was Wulfe¡¯s idea?¡± Mom yelled, her words punching me in the ears. ¡°You¡¯re the Grand Duke! You shouldn¡¯t have gone along with it! What were you thinking, letting everyone know that you hired Wulfe to pretend to be your heir?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t let people know,¡± Dad said, ¡°We just planted a few rumors here and there.¡±


    ¡°A few? You call that few?!¡± Mom stopped chasing Dad and pointed a finger south. ¡°I heard about the rumors all the way back in Warrior¡¯s Rest! Why do you think I came back so soon? They must have spread all the way to the Mistwood by now!¡±


    Dad held his hands in front of him in a placating gesture. He also kept his desk in between him and Mom, just in case.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what you¡¯re so upset about.¡± He said in a soothing voice. ¡°We¡¯re just giving House Steuben and their allies enough rope to hang themselves with. It will all work out in the end.¡±


    Mom clenched her fists so hard that they started shaking.


    ¡°The problem is that they¡¯re going to demand another lineage test,¡± she said, in a low voice. For some reason, this scared me more than her shouting had. ¡°A public one. When that happens, Wulfe will find out the truth.¡± She paused to take a deep breath. ¡°You promised me, Anselm. You promised me that you would let me tell Wulfe. You promised me that you wouldn¡¯t interfere!¡±


    Right. I think it was time I intervened.


    ¡°You mean the truth that you¡¯re my birth parents.¡± I said.


    Mom whirled around and stared at me in shock.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± she breathed out, ¡°How long have you been there?¡±


    ¡°A while now.¡±


    I walked towards my parents. Mom stepped back, as if afraid of me coming closer to her. She looked as if her greatest fear had come to life.


    ¡°Wulfe already knows the truth, Sophie.¡± Dad said in a somber voice.


    Her face twisted, as if a maelstrom of emotion raged inside her.


    ¡°You told him.¡± She whispered, still staring at me.


    ¡°I gave him a nudge.¡± Dad said. ¡°After that, Wulfe put the clues together himself and went to Arend to confirm them.¡±


    I gave both of my birth parents a hard look and opened my mouth to demand an explanation. However, before I could, Mom rushed out of the study. Her sudden movements caught me off guard, giving me no time to react. I turned to chase after her, but Dad stopped me.


    ¡°Let her go, Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°Sophie will just keep running if you go after her now. Give her time to calm down.¡±


    I stared at him as he walked over to the door to his study and closed it.


    ¡°Why did she react like that?¡± I asked, shocked.


    I never expected this from her. To me, Knight Commander Bardin had always been a distant and lofty figure. Even when I grew to know her as a person, and even after I found out that she was my birth mother, I retained some of my hero worship towards her. However, as Mom fled, she seemed as frail as any other human.


    ¡°How would you react if Duke and Duchess Guld suddenly appeared in front of you?¡± Dad asked.


    I swallowed as a shiver of fear ran down my spine.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I paused and let out a sigh. ¡°I would have run away as well.¡±


    Dad gave me an understanding smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s something you have in common with Sophie.¡± He said. ¡°Just as you have complicated feelings regarding House Guld, she has complicated feelings regarding you.¡±


    I looked at the door to the study.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. ¡°Why does she feel that way?¡±


    Dad shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Sophie explain her past to you.¡± He said. ¡°She deserves that much.¡± He nodded. ¡°However, I will say this. She harbors a great deal of guilt. She blames herself for losing you.¡±


    I thought back to the conversation I had with Mom several weeks ago, back when we hunted the Proteans.


    ¡°During the chaos from twenty years ago, Mom said that she lost someone dear to her,¡± I said. ¡°She saved the Barrens and became a legend, but paid a heavy price for it.¡±


    At the time, I thought she was talking about a lover that she lost. However, thinking back on her words, I realized that she meant me.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dad said, wearing a bitter expression . ¡°However, I bear my fair share of blame as well. Johanna¡¯s death devastated me. I wanted to die and join her. Sophie saved me. While I never loved her as much as I loved Johanna, she is my best friend. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, I might have taken my own life.¡± He let out a self deprecating chuckle. ¡°Johanna¡¯s death hurt Sophie as well, yet even then, she still looked out for me.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Even so, it took me a long time to recover. If I hadn¡¯t been so weak, so useless, then maybe she would have trusted me more. Maybe¡­ Things wouldn¡¯t have gone the way they had.¡±


    I studied Dad and realized that even those at the peak of the mortal world were still flawed and prone to mistakes like any other human. Even with the little I knew, I could tell that what happened twenty years ago was a complicated affair, one that scarred the hearts of the ones involved.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t blame you.¡± I said, and I meant every word. How could I not? When I saw the pain in Dad¡¯s eyes, I realized that neither he nor Mom wanted to give me up. They lost me, and they suffered from that loss. ¡°And I don¡¯t blame Mom, either. I lived a difficult life, yes, but not a bad one.¡±


    I almost mentioned House Guld, and how well they treated me, but I stopped myself. It seemed tactless to mention how well my adoptive parents treated me to my birth father.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± Dad said, ¡°However, it will be a while before I stop blaming myself.¡± He nodded towards the door to his study. ¡°It¡¯s even worse for Sophie.¡±


    I followed his gaze.


    ¡°In that case, I should go reassure her as well,¡± I said.


    Dad nodded.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s been long enough.¡± He said. ¡°You¡¯ll likely find her in the western gardens. It¡¯s one of her favorite places in the castle.¡±


    I blinked in surprise at that. That was something else Mom and I shared in common. It amazed me just how alike we were, even though we met well after I became an adult.


    I nodded at Dad and made my way towards the door. However, before I opened it, he spoke up.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m a bit late, and it¡¯s shameless of me to say this now, but I love you, son.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m proud of the man you¡¯ve become, even though I have no right to say that considering the circumstances.¡±


    His words struck me like a lightning bolt and I found it difficult to breathe. I struggled to find a response.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it back right away.¡± Dad said in a wry tone. ¡°Go. Sophie is waiting for you.¡±


    With that, I opened the door and fled the study.


    <hr>


    I found Mom in the western gardens, just as Dad said I would. On the way there, I regained my composure, though I still felt a little off balance from Dad¡¯s words. I berated myself for running away like a coward instead of responding. It shouldn¡¯t have been difficult to say ¡®I love you¡¯ back to him. Yet, in the moment of truth, the words stayed stuck in my throat.


    The truth was, I didn¡¯t know if I loved Dad or not. I admired and respected him, and even started calling him ¡°Dad¡± in my mind. However, that was a far cry from love. Despite our blood connection, the two of us were still strangers to each other. We had known each other for less than two months. That wasn¡¯t enough to make up for a lifetime spent apart.


    However, I didn¡¯t hate him. In fact, I liked him. That was enough of a start. I grew to love Duke Guld as my father, and I was sure I could grow to love Dad as well. We wouldn¡¯t have the same relationship that I had with Duke Guld, but that was okay. We didn¡¯t have to. Grand Duke Kaltbrand was Dad and Duke Guld was Father.


    Mom stood in the middle of the western gardens, staring up at the moon, which bathed everything in its silver light. A cool breeze blew through the gardens. Even though it was winter, this was still the Barrens.


    I made some noise as I approached Mom, to avoid startling her, but she didn¡¯t react. I stopped a few feet away from her, unsure of what to say. When I left Dad¡¯s study, I had all sorts of things in mind. However, now that I was here, I found myself tongue tied.


    ¡°Johanna loved this place.¡± Mom said, breaking the silence. ¡°She said that even though the other gardens in the castle are brighter and more colorful, this one reminded her that the Barrens had its own kind of beauty.¡± She chuckled. ¡°She also said that she loved how peaceful and quiet it was. Since everyone else favored the other gardens, this one was all hers.¡±


    I looked around and nodded. At first, I didn¡¯t think much of the western gardens. However, as time passed, I grew to appreciate its charm.


    ¡°You loved her a lot.¡± I said.


    Mom nodded, still staring up at the moon.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡± She said. ¡°I also hated her.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°Teach-¡­ Count Wirner, my father, never acknowledged me as his daughter when I was growing up. He always considered me his greatest shame. You see, my mother was Countess Wirner¡¯s personal maid. When the late countess died, Count Wirner drowned in sorrow and sought comfort in my mother¡¯s arms. However, when she became pregnant with me, he blamed her for taking advantage of him in his moment of weakness, even though he approached her first.¡±


    Mom spoke that last part in a sneering tone.


    ¡°To his credit, Count Wirner ensured that my mother and I were taken care of,¡± she continued. ¡°We never lacked for anything material. However, Count Wirner always saw me as a blight on House Wirner¡¯s honor and treated me as such. He never abused me or my mother, but he never treated us with any warmth either. We were outcasts within House Wirner. Pariahs.¡± She let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Despite this, I strived to earn his affection. I thought that I proved myself worthy, I could earn his love. So I worked hard and pushed myself, all so I could prove myself worthy of House Wirner.¡±


    I felt cold as I realized that my experiences growing up in House Guld paralleled Mom¡¯s experience growing up in House Wirner. At Baroness Lafrenz¡¯s urging, I strove to prove myself worthy of House Guld, afraid that they would toss me aside if I didn¡¯t. However, there were a few key differences between our experiences. The biggest was that House Guld treated me with warmth and affection, while Mom endured disdain and contempt from her own father.


    ¡°None of my efforts mattered.¡± Mom said, clenching her fists. ¡°No matter how hard I tried, no matter what I did, Count Wirner never acknowledged me. To him, I was the bastard daughter he wished he never had. Meanwhile, my half-siblings received everything I wanted. They didn¡¯t even have to work for it. Count Wirner showered them with love just for existing. I hated them for it. Why them? What made them so special? Why not me? I asked myself those questions over and over again, yet the answer always remained the same. They were legitimate, and I was not.¡±


    I started to see where this was going. The similarities between the circumstances around Mom¡¯s birth and mine could not be ignored. It was clear that Count Wirner¡¯s treatment left deep scars in her heart. I imagined that those scars influenced her decisions regarding me.


    ¡°I thought things would change when I joined the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, but they didn¡¯t.¡± Mom said. ¡°He treated me like I was just another knight under his command. No, that isn¡¯t quite right. He treated me worse. At least with the other knights, he acknowledged their accomplishments. Not mine.¡±


    Mom fell silent for a while after that. I remained quiet and waited for her to continue.


    ¡°That was when I realized that nothing I did would ever be good enough for him,¡± Mom said. ¡°It was a heavy blow to my heart, and I buried myself in work to escape the pain. Anselm and Johanna married each other right around that time. My sister and I never had much to do with each other before that point, so it came as a surprise when we grew closer to each other after she married my best friend. Soon, we became sisters in truth. The next few years were among the best of my life. When Johanna died, it felt as if someone had ripped my heart out.


    ¡°It was worse for Anselm. He loved Johanna with his entire being. For him, it was as if he lost his reason for being. Fearing that he would take his own life, I took action. At least, that was what I told myself. In truth, I just wanted relief from my own pain.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that makes me more like Count Wirner or my mother. Regardless, a few weeks after Anselm and I slept with each other, I found out that I was pregnant with you. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. However, I feared that Anselm would treat you the same way that Count Wirner treated me, so I kept my pregnancy a secret. It wasn¡¯t easy, but I managed it.¡±


    Mom stopped and took a deep shuddering breath.


    ¡°When I gave birth to you, I couldn¡¯t stop crying.¡± She said, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°You were my little bundle of joy, my sweet baby boy. I swore to myself that I would do everything in my power to protect you, and that I would give you everything I never received from Count Wirner. We would be a real family, just you and I.¡±


    Tears pricked my eyes when I heard this, and I felt my heart breaking. I almost wanted her to stop speaking, so I didn¡¯t have to hear the next part of this story. However, it didn¡¯t matter. I already knew what came next.


    ¡°Around that time, a massive horde of demonic beasts invaded the Barrens.¡± Mom said. ¡°It was the biggest one in decades. Count Wirner was still devastated from Johanna¡¯s death, so I picked up my sword and acted as knight commander of the Order of the Coldsteel Knights in his place. To keep you safe, I sent you south, away from the fighting. I thought about sending you to Kaltbrand Castle, but I feared that someone would figure out your true identity so I decided against it. I have regretted that choice countless times ever since then.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, speaking up for the first time since I arrived in the western gardens.


    Mom took a moment before answering.


    ¡°A group of demonic beasts attacked the caravan you were with.¡± She said. ¡°When I heard about what happened, I rushed to save you but it was too late. The demonic beasts killed everyone, or so it seemed. I thought I lost you. My grief drove me mad and I threw myself into the fighting. Somewhere along the way, I became an Aura Master. I don¡¯t remember when it happened. My memories from those days are blurry in my mind.¡± She shook her head. ¡°After we drove the demonic beasts back, I told Anselm about you. I thought he would grow angry with me. Instead, he mourned your death with me. Life continued after that. In time, the pain dulled and our hearts healed. I devoted myself to the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. Any hope I had for a family died with you.¡±


    ¡°It did?¡± I asked, surprised. ¡°I thought you and Dad¡­¡±


    I trailed off, unable to finish that sentence.


    ¡°No,¡± Mom said, ¡°Anselm and I are best friends, but nothing more. I had no interest in becoming Grand Duchess and Anselm had no interest in marrying at all. The only reason why we¡¯re getting married now is because of you.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure how I felt about that. On the one hand, at least my parents were getting married, so I would no longer be an illegitimate bastard. On the other hand, I was a little disappointed that my parents weren¡¯t marrying for love. They were marrying to secure my position. I knew that was normal among the nobility, but still. Perhaps growing up in House Guld had spoiled me.


    Still, perhaps there was hope for my parents. Duke and Duchess Guld married for political reasons, but they ended up falling in love with each other. Perhaps the same thing would happen with Mom and Dad. Then again, perhaps not. They¡¯ve known each other for decades. If they haven¡¯t fallen in love already, chances were that they wouldn¡¯t fall in love at all.


    ¡°The Order of the Coldsteel Blade was my life.¡± Mom said. ¡°I intended to choose a disciple from among my knights and make them my heir. At least, I did until last year, when I found you again after the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass.¡±

 Chapter 36: Arrival At Frostheart

    I studied Mom for several long seconds after she mentioned the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass. That had been a pivotal moment in my life. Not only did I become an Aura Master during that battle, but I also met Sir Kane. It seemed fitting that that was when Mom found me again.


    ¡°Is that when you first realized that I was your son?¡± I asked.


    I remembered that Mom led a relief force to rescue the survivors of the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass, though I fell unconscious long before she arrived. A demonic beast had tried to attack Sir Kane, and I suffered a serious injury saving his life. By the time I regained consciousness, Mom was long gone. I remember feeling immense disappointment at missing the opportunity to meet one of my personal heroes. Even realizing that I had become an Aura Master did little to mitigate my disappointment.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mom said. ¡°When I heard that a mercenary risked his life to save one of my knights, I decided to pay him a visit and ask him to join the Order of the Coldsteel Blade. However, when I saw you, it felt like someone had stabbed me in the heart. You looked like a younger version of Count Wirner. If my baby boy had lived, he would have looked just like you. In fact, the longer I studied your face, the more certain I became that you were my son. It seemed impossible, but I couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought. So, I took some of your blood and hurried back to Kaltbrand Castle to perform a lineage test. When the test confirmed that you were in fact my son, it was as if I had received a second lease on life. When I told Anselm about you, he wanted to take you in right away.¡±


    And thus we come to the crux of the problem.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked, letting my frustration bleed through. ¡°Why wait an entire year? And why go through this whole charade of hiring me to be the fake heir of House Kaltbrand?¡±


    ¡°I asked Anselm to wait.¡± Mom said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t face you. I didn¡¯t have the heart for it. In the end, Anselm came up with the idea to hire you as the fake heir to House Kaltbrand. He said that it might be easier to tell you the truth after living with you for a while. We also needed a way to deal with the enemy that was interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, so it was killing two birds with one stone.¡± She sighed. ¡°Little did I realize that pretending to be your mother would make it more difficult to tell you that I was your real mother. I tried so many times, but whenever I did, the words stayed stuck in my throat. If Anselm hadn¡¯t pushed you into finding out the truth for yourself, I don¡¯t know if I would have ever told you.¡±


    My patience snapped and I stopped holding back my emotions.


    ¡°But why?¡± I asked, raising my voice until I was almost yelling. ¡°Do you know what it was like, growing up as an orphan? Do you know what it was like not knowing who my parents were? Do you know what it was like wondering if they were dead, or if they had abandoned me? Even after House Guld adopted me, I never stopped asking myself these questions. You could have told me the truth at any point over the past year, yet you didn¡¯t. I just¡­ I want to know why.¡±


    ¡°Because it was all my fault!¡± Mom shouted.


    She turned around and I saw tears streaming down her cheeks. Despair filled her eyes.


    ¡°For decades, I lived with the guilt of knowing that my child died and it was all my fault.¡± Mom said, pointing to herself. ¡°I lost you because of my own cowardice and weakness. It ate away at me for years.¡± She let out a laugh filled with so much bitterness and pain that it bordered on hysteria. ¡°When I found out that you were alive, I was overjoyed. Yet, my guilt didn¡¯t go away. Everything you endured, everything you suffered, was all my fault. Growing up in an orphanage, living as a substitute for Emmerich Guld, all of it. If I had just told Anselm about you in the first place instead of hiding your existence, then none of that would have happened. We could have lived together as a family.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I was afraid that if I told you the truth, you would come to hate me and I would lose you again. I didn¡¯t want to take that risk. It was easier to just keep the truth to myself.¡±


    I stared at Mom in shock. Ever since I had met her, she seemed as cold and sharp as a coldsteel blade. However, right now, she seemed as fragile as glass. One wrong move, one misplaced word, and she would shatter to pieces.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m angry and frustrated that you kept the truth from me for so long, but I don¡¯t hate you.¡± I gave her a reassuring smile, or what I hoped was a reassuring smile. ¡°In fact, back when I still thought that I was the fake heir to House Kaltbrand, a part of me envied the real heir. I wanted to be your real son, not a fake.¡±


    Mom stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    ¡°Funny, right?¡± I asked, chuckling. ¡°In the end, it turned out that I was envious of myself.¡± My expression grew somber. ¡°When I found out that I was your real son, I felt confused and conflicted, but also happy. I hold you in the highest regard. Being your son is a joy and an honor. No matter how angry and frustrated I am because of your deception, that remains true.¡±


    ¡°Truly?¡± Mom asked, her voice filled with hope and fear. ¡°Do you mean that?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°Now and forever. I am proud to be your son.¡±


    Her face twisted, as if she couldn¡¯t decide whether to laugh or cry.


    ¡°Then may I hold you?¡± she asked. ¡°You were a newborn when I sent you south, and I only got to hold you a few times.¡±


    She gave me a wary look, as if afraid that I would reject her request. However, there was no chance of that happening. This was something that a part of me always wanted, the remnants of the orphan that I once was, the child who dreamed of home and family.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said, my voice hoarse.


    The two of us approached each other, apprehensive and fearful yet full of longing. I didn¡¯t know who made the first move. Maybe she embraced me first, maybe I embraced her, or maybe we both moved at the same time. It didn¡¯t matter. The end result was the same. The two of us held each other, afraid to let go. We stayed like that for an indeterminable length of time. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I felt at home for the first time in years.


    <hr>


    Interlude: Lina


    Lina and her sister trudged into the sitting room of their hotel suite, almost stumbling as they did so. The two of them all but collapsed as they sat down. The journey to Frostheart had been a difficult one, even with all the preparations Lina made beforehand. While they spent most of the journey traveling through warp gates, there were a few instances where they had to ride carriages to their next destination.


    This proved to be more dangerous than Lina expected, since demonic beasts attacked their carriage on several occasions. Thankfully, Lina had thought ahead and made sure to bring an escort of knights from the Order of the Golden Rose, the knightly order that served House Guld.


    Even with the escort, the demonic beast attacks had been a harrowing experience. Lina didn¡¯t understand why anyone in their right mind would live in the Barrens, if they had to put up with this sort of thing on a regular basis. And that wasn¡¯t even taking the cold weather into consideration.


    That said, without House Kaltbrand and the other northern nobles keeping the demonic beasts at bay, the creatures would have descended upon the rest of the Reichwald Empire a long time ago. While Lina considered the northerners crazy, she was grateful for their efforts. The thought of demonic beasts invading the Riverlands filled her with fear.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    As she rested and recovered her energy, Lina looked around the sitting room. While it left a lot to be desired, it was better than nothing. Booking a room in Frostheart had been a nightmare in and of itself. With the ongoing banquet, there were no rooms available. Thanks to Yorick, who had accompanied them, they found a place to stay, though they ended up paying an obscene amount of money to a minor noble in order to secure it.


    Still, Lina thought it was worth it. After three long years, she would see Wulfram again. By this point, she was certain that Wulfe Kaltbrand and her Wulfram were one and the same. Her heart ached for him, and it took all of her self control not to rush up towards Kaltbrand Castle and demand to see him. However, she held back. Given the current situation, Lina knew that rushing into things without a plan was a bad idea.


    As they traveled to Frostheart, Yorick kept Lina informed of any news worth keeping track of. Unfortunately, it looked like Wulfram was in a bad situation. A few days before Lina and Mika arrived in Frostheart, rumors started to spread all over the Barrens that Wulfe Kaltbrand was in fact not Grand Duke Kaltbrand¡¯s son. According to the rumors, Wulfe was a mercenary that His Grace hired in order to fend off House Gerhard, House Arbeit, and House Steuben.


    When she heard this, Lina thanked her past self for her foresight. If she hadn¡¯t decided to come up to the Barrens to see Wulfram, she wouldn¡¯t have been in a position to help him. She wasn¡¯t sure how she would be able to help him just yet, but sometimes even showing support was more than enough. If people learned that Wulfram was under House Guld¡¯s protection, they would think twice before attacking him. As for House Kaltbrand, she couldn¡¯t care less about what happened to them. She only cared about Wulfe.


    However, before she could act, Lina needed a better grasp of the situation. While rumors were useful, they could also be misleading. She needed more reliable knowledge. Without it, she didn¡¯t know which would benefit Wulfram and which would hinder him. For example, what if Wulfram had spread those rumors about being a mercenary on purpose? What if declaring House Guld¡¯s support for him in public ruined a scheme of his? Thankfully, with help from Yorick and his subordinates, Lina would gain a better idea of what was going on.


    ¡°My body hurts.¡± Mika said in a whiny tone. ¡°I never knew that traveling could be so exhausting.¡±


    Lina raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°You were the one who insisted on coming along.¡± Lina said. ¡°I tried to warn you, but you refused to listen.¡±


    Mika glared at her, before pouting. Lina sighed when she saw her younger sister¡¯s piteous expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can find a member of the hotel staff who can give you a massage.¡± Lina said in a wry tone. ¡°Just let me rest for a few minutes.¡±


    Normally ladies of their standing would have maids to take care of that for them. However, in order to arrive in time for the final day of the banquet, Lina decided not to bring any maids along. She figured she would hire a temporary maid to serve them during their stay in Frostheart.


    ¡°Thank you, Big Sis.¡± Mika said, giving Lina a bright smile. ¡°So, what happens now?¡±


    ¡°We wait to hear back from Yorick.¡± Lina said. ¡°I¡¯ll decide what to do after that.¡±


    After they arrived at the hotel, Lina sent Yorick and his subordinates off to gather information.


    ¡°I thought we would ready ourselves for the ball.¡± Mika said, frowning. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that there would be one tonight? Even if we started now, we would be hard pressed to get ready in time.¡±


    Mika was right. It was late morning now, but it took hours to prepare for a ball. However, they didn¡¯t need to worry about that just yet.


    ¡°There was supposed to be a ball tonight, yes.¡± Lina said. ¡°However, Grand Duke Kaltbrand postponed the banquet for two nights. It seemed that several of the northern nobles fell ill at the same time. Rather than go on without them, the Grand Duke decided to wait for them to recover.¡±


    Mika¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°Is it just me, or doesn¡¯t that seem suspicious?¡± She asked.


    Lina shrugged.


    ¡°It could be.¡± She said.


    Lina wasn¡¯t sure. From what she heard, all of the nobles who fell ill had frequented the same¡­ establishment and that was how they all became sick. So either it really was a coincidence, or there was something else going on. However, Lina kept that to herself. The last thing she wanted to do was explain to her little sister about those kinds of activities.


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Lina said out loud, ¡°This gives two extra days to prepare.¡± She grinned. ¡°We might even be able to do a bit of shopping.¡±


    Mika gave her a skeptical look.


    ¡°What would we even be able to buy in this cold, forsaken land?¡± she asked.


    Lina tutted in disappointment.


    ¡°Have you forgotten your geography and economics lessons already?¡± she asked. ¡°Mana crystals are cheaper here in the Barrens, because of all the mana crystal mines located within the region. As such, the Barrens has a large population of magicians and artisans who work with mana crystals. Magic tools and magic accessories are more common here, second only to the lands around the Tower of Magic. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯ll be able to find something worthwhile if we look hard enough.¡±


    As Lina spoke, Mina¡¯s eyes sparkled with interest. While she wasn¡¯t a magician herself, Mika had a fascination for magic tools and magic accessories. She liked to collect them. Lina blamed Emmerich, their brother, who liked to give everyone all kinds of magic items whenever he visited home.


    Mika opened her mouth to say something, but a knock at the door interrupted them. Lina almost asked the maid to see who it was, but then she remembered that they didn¡¯t have a maid accompanying them. Grumbling about this, she stood up and opened the door to the sitting room herself. She found Yorick standing on the other side, with someone standing behind him. He wore a grim expression on his face.


    ¡°My lady,¡± Yorick said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to intrude on you while you¡¯re resting, but you have a guest who insists on seeing you.¡±


    ¡°What guest?¡± She said, frowning.


    Rather than answer, Yorick stepped off to the side. This gave Lina a good look at the person behind him. When she saw who it was, she was tempted to slam the door in the man¡¯s face. However, she knew it wouldn¡¯t do her much good. A mere wooden door wouldn¡¯t stop someone like him.


    The man was lean and toned, with tanned skin, short black hair, and dark brown eyes. His soft features gave him a harmless, even affable, appearance. Lina knew that this was a lie. The man before her was cold and ruthless, willing to do anything his master commanded. Said master happened to be her uncle, Prince Dirk Reichwald.


    ¡°Walter,¡± Lina said, her voice cold and hard, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Walter gave her a soft smile. It sent shivers down her spine, though Lina made sure not to show her fear.


    ¡°I go by Volkhard these days.¡± He said.


    ¡°Ah, I see. So you¡¯ve changed your name again.¡± Lina said. ¡°That must mean you are up to something nefarious on my uncle¡¯s behalf.¡±


    Walter, or Volkhard rather, just continued to smile instead of responding.


    ¡°I come bearing a message, my lady.¡± He said instead. ¡°May I come in?¡±


    If Volkhard was here to deliver a message, that meant either her uncle or her cousin, Prince Leopold, had something important to say to her. Given the circumstances, Lina suspected it had something to do with Wulfram and House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, ¡°Come in. However, forgive us for our poor hospitality. I am unable to offer you any refreshments. We didn¡¯t bring a maid along with us and we haven¡¯t had an opportunity to hire a temporary one yet.¡±


    Lina led Volkhard inside the sitting room and gestured for him to sit down. Yorick entered the room as well and stood nearby, ready to intervene if necessary. It was pointless, however. Yorick was a regular human, while Volkhard was either an Aura Expert or even an Aura Master. Lina wasn¡¯t sure which. Regardless, if Volkhard wanted to, he could kill all of them with ease.


    However, since he came to them openly, Lina doubted that would happen. Volkhard wouldn¡¯t kill her or Mika unless their uncle ordered it. Even then, he would prefer a quiet assassination over a frontal assault.


    ¡°I know several people in Frostheart.¡± Volkhard said, sitting down. ¡°If you want, I can send one or two your way.¡±


    Mika eyed Volkhard like he was a viper.


    ¡°And give you the chance to plant spies by our side?¡± She asked. ¡°No thank you.¡±


    Lina resisted the urge to smile. Despite her young age, Mika knew to be wary around Volkhard. He was their uncle¡¯s left hand man, the one he used to perform underhanded deeds.


    ¡°While my younger sister is rather blunt with her speech,¡± Lina said, ¡°She speaks for the both of us in this regard. Thank you for the offer, but we¡¯ll have to decline.¡±


    Volkhard remained unruffled, as if he expected their rejection.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Lina said, sitting down opposite Volkhard, ¡°You¡¯re here to deliver a message. Go on. Deliver it.¡±


    ¡°The message comes in two parts,¡± Volkhard said. ¡°I¡¯m here to give you a warning and ask you for a favor.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at him and waited for him to continue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere with our business.¡± Volkhard said, giving her a hard look.

 Chapter 37: Surprise Guest

    After Volkhard gave her the warning, Lina took a few moments before responding, wearing a calm expression on her face. However, this was a lie. Lina¡¯s heart raced, and it took all of her self control not to flinch away from Volkhard. While he hadn¡¯t used any of his pressure when delivering his warning, he was still an intimidating man. Lina knew what he was capable of, and it scared her. She couldn¡¯t let any of that show, so she put on a facade. It was difficult to tell if it worked or not.


    ¡°And what business is that?¡± She asked.


    Volkhard smirked.


    ¡°We know why you¡¯re here in Frostheart, my lady.¡± He said. ¡°Don¡¯t insult my intelligence by pretending otherwise.¡±


    Lina scoffed at that.


    ¡°I truly don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± She said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain things to me, to avoid any potential misunderstandings? I¡¯m sure my uncle wouldn¡¯t want his favorite nieces to get involved in something dangerous just because you failed to explain the situation adequately.¡±


    Volkhard snorted at her obvious attempt to get information out of him, but he didn¡¯t call her on it.


    ¡°You¡¯re here for Wulfram, right?¡± He asked.


    Lina clasped her hands together, unable to keep herself from reacting at the mention of his name. Volkhard¡¯s eyes flickered down for a brief moment.


    ¡°If you dare threaten Wulfram in front of me,¡± She said, her voice cold, ¡°I will end you. Not even my uncle will be able to keep you safe.¡±


    Volkhard raised his hands in a placating gesture.


    ¡°Be at peace, my lady.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to threaten Wulfram. Quite the opposite in fact. I wish to save him from disaster. Rather, I wish for you to save him from disaster. That is the favor I mentioned earlier.¡±


    Lina closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her emotions. After she regained her composure, she opened her eyes again.


    ¡°Go on.¡± She said.


    ¡°We have an interest in the succession of House Kaltbrand.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°Unfortunately, we ran into an unforeseen obstacle.¡±


    Lina started to put the pieces together in her mind, gaining a clearer look at the bigger picture. While she didn¡¯t know everything, she was starting to get a general gist of the situation.


    ¡°You mean Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Lina said. ¡°This is about the succession for the throne, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I mean Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Volkhard said, ignoring her second question. ¡°He is an obstacle to our plan. However, as you¡¯ve no doubt heard, Wulfe Kaltbrand is not who he pretends to be.¡± He gestured to her. ¡°I¡¯ll save you the trouble of guessing. I¡¯ve met him face to face. Wulfe Kaltbrand and Wulfram Guld are one and the same.¡±


    Lina sucked in a breath. While she had been certain that Wulfram was Wulfe Kaltbrand, it helped to have someone confirm it. Volkhard was untrustworthy, but he was competent. If he said that Wulfe Kaltbrand and Wulfe were the same person, then it was true.


    ¡°It seems that Grand Duke Kaltbrand hired Wulfram to pretend to be his heir.¡± Volkhard continued. ¡°However, His Grace¡¯s scheme has been exposed and it¡¯s only a matter of time before disaster strikes House Kaltbrand.¡± He gave Lina a gentle smile. ¡°However, Wulfram doesn¡¯t have to suffer the same fate.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at Volkhard.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± He said. ¡°I assume that you and your adorable little sister came all the way here with the intent to see Wulfram and help him from whatever trouble he found himself in.¡±


    Mika scowled at Volkhard after he called her adorable, but remained silent. Instead, she looked to her older sister for guidance.


    ¡°What of it?¡± Lina asked.


    ¡°Convince Wulfram to work for us.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°There¡¯s no need for him to stay with the losing side. If he works with us, we can guarantee his safety. In fact, we can even reward him for it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°If he is unwilling, then at least convince him to walk away. Without him around, it will be much easier for everyone.¡±


    Lina took a moment before responding.


    ¡°And if I don¡¯t?¡± She asked.


    Volkhard¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Then what happens to him will be on you.¡± He said. ¡°Lying to the imperial family is a grave sin. Grand Duke Kaltbrand can get away with it because of his position, but he¡¯ll have to make some concessions. However, Wulfram is another matter. What do you think will happen to him? He may be an adopted member of House Guld, but I doubt His Majesty will show him clemency for it.¡±


    Ah, so that was their plan. They intended to have House Kaltbrand lie to a member of the imperial family, which was a serious crime. This would give them the opening they needed to interfere with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession and plant their puppet as the Grand Duke¡¯s heir. Simple, but effective. House Kaltbrand enjoyed many privileges thanks to the Pact, but there were limits.


    ¡°We¡¯ll win one way or another.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°The only question is whether or not Wulfram will be among the losers.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°Talk to him. You¡¯re the one he¡¯s most likely to listen to. Everyone knows that he¡¯s besotted with you, and you with him. Do it for his sake. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee what will happen to him.¡±


    Lina frowned and looked down at her clasped hands. Volkhard¡¯s words made sense. Yet, her intuition told her that there was more going on with the situation than he let on. It would be foolish to take Volkhard at face value.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your words into consideration.¡± Lina said.


    It was neither a confirmation nor a denial. At the moment, it was the best she could do until she gained a better grasp of the situation.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Volkhard said. ¡°In that case, I shall take my leave.¡± He stood up. ¡°Let me promise you this. As long as you don¡¯t interfere with our business, you and your sister are safe from me and mine.¡±


    While his words seemed sincere on the surface, Lina didn¡¯t miss the underlying threat. If she interfered with her uncle¡¯s business, then Volkhard and his people might come after her and Mika. It wasn¡¯t guaranteed to happen, but the possibility was there.


    Lina nodded and gestured for Volkhard to leave. He bowed to her, before heading out. The moment the door closed behind him, Lina let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Interacting with that man is always an ordeal.¡± She said.


    Mika walked over and sat next to her, before grasping one of Lina¡¯s hands in hers.


    ¡°What are we going to do, Big Sis?¡± She asked. ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead, whatever you decide.¡±


    Lina smiled and kissed the top of Mika¡¯s head.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said. ¡°As for our next course of action, we¡¯ll wait for our next visitor to arrive.¡±


    Mika gave her a questioning look.


    ¡°Next visitor?¡± she asked.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°While we made no effort to hide ourselves, neither did we announce our arrival.¡± Lina explained. ¡°If Volkhard and his people noticed us this soon, that means they were keeping an eye out. Maybe not for us specifically, but for persons of interest in general. It stands to reason that others kept an eye out as well. I suspect that it¡¯s only a matter of time before they contact us.¡± She looked over at Yorick. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    The man nodded, before pulling an envelope out of his jacket and held it out to Lina.


    ¡°A messenger from Kaltbrand Castle delivered this just before Volkhard found me.¡± Yorick said.


    Lina took the envelope, opened it, and gave the letter inside a quick read. Her lips quirked up in a small smile.


    ¡°What does it say, Big Sis?¡± Mika asked, trying to peek at the letter.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that we won¡¯t have time to go shopping today,¡± Lina said. ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand wishes to welcome us to Frostheart in person. An escort will arrive for us within the hour.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Mika exclaimed. ¡°So soon? That¡¯s not nearly enough time! And we don¡¯t even have a maid to help us get ready.¡±


    Lina shrugged.


    ¡°We will just have to make due.¡± She said, standing up. ¡°I¡¯ll talk with the hotel manager and see what I can arrange.¡± She flicked her sister¡¯s forehead. ¡°If you¡¯re still worried, think of it like this. Once we arrive at Kaltbrand Castle, we¡¯ll be that much closer to seeing Wulfram.¡±


    Mika bit her lip out of nervousness, before nodding. With that, Lina left the hotel suite. Soon, she would be reunited with Wulfram, her winter king.


    <hr>


    In early afternoon of the fifth day of the banquet, which would have been the seventh day if it hadn¡¯t been postponed, I trudged into my sitting room and collapsed face first onto one of the couches. The past few days had been exhausting and stressful for me.


    When the banquet resumed, so did the meetings with House Kaltbrand¡¯s vassals. Tension filled the air during these meetings as more and more of the vassals started to turn against me. It was subtle, but it was clear that they had heard the rumors, which affected their perception and behavior toward me. They couldn¡¯t say anything to Dad, or they weren¡¯t willing to, which meant I bore the brunt of everything.


    According to the Blue Shadows, Lord Klemens continued to gain more and more support among the northern nobles. With the rumors about me floating around, and Lord Ulric and Lady Adelheid as political hostages of House Kaltbrand, Lord Klemens was the only viable candidate to become the heir to House Kaltbrand. I took this as a good sign, since it meant that our plan was working.


    It was worse at night, during the banquet itself, since I had to deal with the vassals and their families at the same time. All in all, it wore me out. I understood why Lady Adelheid had a temper now. No wonder she lashed out at everyone, if she had to deal with this sort of thing on a regular basis, even if it was to a lesser degree. At least I had my family¡¯s support. Without them around, I don¡¯t know if I would have been able to endure everything.


    That said, things were awkward between my parents and I. We didn¡¯t know how to act around each other, now that I knew the truth. While Mom and I managed to clear the air between us, that didn¡¯t mean our feelings disappeared. I was still angry with her and Dad for deceiving me, and she still felt guilty for losing me. It would take time for all that to fade away.


    It was a little better between Dad and I. While he deceived me as well, he also nudged me towards the truth. He also felt less guilt for losing me, but less wasn¡¯t none. He still believed that if he had been more reliable and trustworthy, Mom wouldn¡¯t have kept my existence a secret from him.


    To my surprise, Count Wirner remained one of my most steadfast supports. We didn¡¯t tell him our plan, which I felt a little guilty about, yet he didn¡¯t let the rumors sway him. When I asked him about it, he said that it didn¡¯t matter if the rumors were true or not. If Mom said I was her son, and then I was her son. That was enough for him.


    When I heard that, I decided that I would do my best to mend the rift between him and Mom. While I doubted that I could fix everything, at the very least I hoped to improve their relationship, even just a little bit.


    The door to the sitting room opened, pulling me out of my thoughts, but I was too tired to lift my head and see who it was.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe.¡± I heard Maria say.


    I pushed myself up and looked at her.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked. ¡°What is it? Do you have any news for me?¡±


    Maria studied me with a strange expression on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you this disheveled before, even when you lived as a mercenary.¡± She said. Her lips twitched, as she held back her laughter.


    I glared at her.


    ¡°You try spending hours in a room with people who want to tear you down and see how you feel by the end of it.¡± I said.


    Maria cleared her throat and schooled her expression into a polite mask. However, her eyes twinkled with amusement.


    ¡°His Grace wishes to see you in his study.¡± She said. ¡°A special guest arrived today, and he wants you to meet with them.¡±


    ¡°What sort of special guest?¡± I asked.


    Maria shook her head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡± She said.


    I sighed, before I stood up and straightened myself out. While a part of me wanted to ignore the summons and take a nap. However, if Dad sent for me, then there must have been something important about this guest. I figured I might as well go and see what all the fuss was about.


    ¡°Here,¡± Maria said, ¡°Let me help.¡±


    I stood still as she tidied my outfit up.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡± She said as she worked. ¡°I think you and I would have made a good couple.¡± She looked me right in the eyes. ¡°If you weren¡¯t His Grace¡¯s son and if you weren¡¯t in love with someone else.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°When did you figure it out?¡± I asked. ¡°About me being the Grand Duke¡¯s son that is.¡±


    Maria shrugged.


    ¡°Rosalind and I had a hunch about it for a while now.¡± She said. ¡°The way His Grace and Knight Commander Bardin treated you was far too suspicious. It was as if you were their actual son. However, we didn¡¯t know for sure until you asked us to help spread those rumors about you. The only reason why you would do that is if you were confident about dealing with the consequences of said rumors.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I said after a moment. ¡°So, what brought this on? Why are you mentioning it now?¡±


    Maria let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Things are going to have to change between us, my lord.¡± She said. ¡°Now that I know that you¡¯re His Grace¡¯s son, it would be inappropriate for you to flirt with me and seduce me with that body of yours.¡±


    My jaw dropped at her audacity.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who kept flirting and trying to seduce me!¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°Now, now, my lord,¡± Maria said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to get so worked up. You have to go meet with His Grace, remember?¡±


    I wanted to throttle her. So much so, that I lifted my hands to wrap them around her neck but stopped myself before I went through with it. Maria smiled in amusement. However, her smile also contained a bit of melancholy.


    ¡°Regardless of my status, I consider you and your sister my friends, Maria.¡± I said. ¡°That won''t change.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Maria said. ¡°However, that¡¯s all we ever can be to each other, much to my disappointment.¡± She tapped my shoulder. ¡°Now go, His Grace is waiting for you.¡±


    I studied her for a moment, before I nodded and left the sitting room.


    <hr>


    The castle was quiet as I made my way to Dad¡¯s study. It seemed as if everyone was resting before the banquet tonight. I also suspected that they were lying low and waiting for the ball on the last day of the banquet. My intuition told me that that was when House Steuben and Fallen Leaves would make their move. Until then, no one wanted to draw undue attention to themselves.


    The knights guarding the entrance to Dad¡¯s study saluted me as I opened the door and went inside. I heard Dad speaking as soon as I entered.


    ¡°-told you before, I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡± He said. However, as soon as I entered, he turned his attention to me. ¡°Ah, there he is now. Wulfe, come here. A special guest arrived and she wishes to meet with you.¡±


    I opened my mouth to reply, but then caught sight of the guest in question and froze in place. It felt as if the floor had fallen out from under me and I found it difficult to breathe. While I could only see the back of her head, I recognized her right away. How could I not? However, that was impossible. There was no way that she could be here in the Barrens. Someone like her didn¡¯t belong in a place like this. It was as if a golden rose had blossomed right in the middle of a snowfield.


    Everything else fell away when she turned around and I saw her face. Lina Guld, my spring queen. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered. Her lips were quirked up in an amused smile, as if she found my reaction to her sudden appearance entertaining. However, her eyes burned with the same desire that burned within my heart.


    Lina stood up as I marched towards her and she moved to meet me halfway. The moment she drew close enough, I pulled her into my arms and kissed her on the lips. They were warm and soft and pliable. Her rose scented perfume tickled my nose. It felt as if she filled my whole world. Sight, scent, sound, touch, and taste.


    We kissed for so long that when we pulled away from each other, we struggled to catch our breath. Lina¡¯s face was flushed and her lips were wet. I hungered for her, and it was all I could do not to kiss her again.


    Dad cleared his throat, reminding us that we weren¡¯t alone. The sound snapped me out of my reverie, and a thousand questions ran through my mind. However, before I could give voice to any of them, someone else spoke up first.


    ¡°Ew!¡± The voice said. It sounded like it belonged to a girl. ¡°Did you have to do that in front of me?¡±


    I looked over to find a girl, who looked to be either fourteen or fifteen, sitting in one of the nearby chairs. I had been so preoccupied with Lina that I hadn¡¯t noticed her until now. However, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess the girl¡¯s identity, even though I last saw her three years ago. She shared Lina¡¯s blonde hair, green eyes, and angelic beauty.


    ¡°Mika?¡± I asked incredulous. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I looked at Lina again. ¡°What are you two doing here? When did you arrive?¡±


    ¡°We arrived in Frostheart this morning.¡± Lina answered, still a little out of breath. ¡°And we¡¯re here to take you home, Wulfram.¡±

 Chapter 38: Reunited

    I gave Lina a blank stare. I was still shocked by her appearance here in the Barrens, so it took me a moment to comprehend her words.


    ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re here to take me back home?¡± I asked.


    Lina frowned.


    ¡°Have you gone deaf?¡± She asked. ¡°Or has living in the Barrens addled your mind? Mika and I are here to take you away from this cold, forsaken land and bring you back to Guld Manor, where you belong.¡±


    I took a deep breath in order to regain my composure, what little I had left, before I responded to Lina. She was right in that I felt a little addled, but that was because of her, not the Barrens. Her mere presence intoxicated me. However, I couldn¡¯t let that affect me right now. I had a feeling that Lina and I were about to have a difficult conversation, and I needed full control of my faculties.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I said, looking at my father, ¡°May we be excused? Lady Lina and I need to speak with each other in private.¡±


    ¡°You call him Dad?¡± Mika asked, aghast. ¡°Are you insane?¡±


    I didn¡¯t blame her for being shocked. Even Lina seemed surprised. To most, Dad was a terrifying figure, both because of his status and because of his appearance. Most wouldn¡¯t dare act so casual with him.


    ¡°What about Father?¡± Mika asked, almost shouting. ¡°Have you forgotten about him already?¡± Her eyes glimmered with tears. ¡°Or have you gotten a new family and forgotten all about us?¡±


    I blinked at her in surprise. Oh. So that¡¯s why she was upset. Of course. Lina and Mika were the daughters of Duke Guld and the nieces of the Emperor himself. They wouldn¡¯t be intimidated by someone like Dad. Even if they were, they wouldn¡¯t let it show. I was foolish for thinking otherwise.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated.¡± I said.


    Lina narrowed her eyes at me.


    ¡°Then explain it to us so we can better understand, Wulfram.¡± she said.


    I sighed. This was not how I imagined my reunion with Lina would go. I knew that I would have to explain the situation to her and the rest of House Guld, but I thought that would happen after everything had settled down and I secured my position as the heir to House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Let me give you three some privacy.¡± Dad said, standing up.


    I looked at him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to leave.¡± I said. ¡°This is your study. We can go somewhere else.¡±


    Dad shook his head.


    ¡°I have something I need to take care of anyway.¡± He said. ¡°Besides, my study is the best place to have a private conversation. Feel free to take as much time as you need.¡±


    With that, Dad walked out of his study. As he left, he passed by me and gave my shoulder a quick squeeze, before walking out the door. When I turned back towards Lina, I found her studying me with a frown on her face.


    ¡°You are much closer to Grand Duke Kaltbrand than I expected, Wulfram.¡± she said. ¡°Not at all like mercenary and client.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°You heard the rumors.¡± I said.


    Lina scoffed.


    ¡°Of course I heard the rumors.¡± She said. ¡°By this point, I think the entire empire has heard the rumors. Everyone knows, or at least suspects, that Wulfe Kaltbrand is just a mercenary hired by Grand Duke Kaltbrand to fend off House Gerhard, House Arbeit, and House Steuben.¡± Her eyes narrowed further. ¡°Speaking of House Gerhard, you and I need to have a conversation about Lady Adelheid.¡±


    I winced. I knew that working with Lady Adelheid might arouse Lina¡¯s jealousy, but I hadn¡¯t thought it would be to this degree. It seemed that I had underestimated my spring queen. That said, a part of me felt happy that she would go through all this effort for my sake.


    ¡°I will explain everything.¡± I said. ¡°But first, there¡¯s something I need to do.¡± I turned towards Mika and opened my arms. ¡°Hello Little Sis. It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Mika wore a conflicted expression on her face. She glared at me, tears in her eyes, yet at the same time she looked like she wanted nothing more than to embrace me.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked in a light tone. ¡°Are you too old to give your big brother a hug?¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡± she asked. ¡°Are you still Big Brother Wulfram?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll have me.¡± I said. ¡°Always.¡±


    With that, Mika ran towards me and threw herself into my arms. She buried her face in my chest and started crying.


    ¡°I missed you.¡± She said, repeating it over and over again.


    ¡°I missed you two, Little Sis.¡± I said.


    Lina watched us with a gentle expression on her face.


    ¡°Then why did you leave?¡± Mika asked, pulling away from my chest. Her face was a mess, with tears running down her cheeks and snot dripping from her nose. Despite this, she still looked beautiful, which I found unfair. ¡°You just left without saying anything! Do you know how worried I was? How worried we all were? We thought something had happened to you! Father ran himself ragged trying to find you and Mother wouldn¡¯t stop crying! If Lina hadn¡¯t told us what happened, we would¡¯ve¡­¡±


    Mika started hitting me, pounding her fists against my chest. I took her blows without complaint.


    ¡°I hate you, Wulfram! I hate you! I hate you!¡± Her attacks grew weaker, until she stopped hitting me altogether. She looked up at me. ¡°Why did you leave? Were we not enough for you?¡±


    Her words stunned me. While I always wanted House Guld to accept me and love me, even though I was just a substitute for Emmerich Guld, I never expected any of them to act like this. My departure had affected them more than I realized. Had¡­ Had I been wrong this entire time?


    ¡°No, you were enough.¡± I said. ¡°More than enough. I was the one who was lacking. I¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°I was never a real Guld. I was just a substitute for Emmerich. When he returned, House Guld no longer needed me. So, I left.¡±


    Mika slapped me across the face, which caught me off guard. I was more shocked than hurt. The little sister I remembered was always sweet and gentle and kind. I never expected her to resort to violence.


    ¡°Who said that?¡± Mika demanded, furious. ¡°Who said that you weren¡¯t a real Guld? Who said that you were just a substitute for Big Brother Emmerich? Who said we didn¡¯t need you? Hmm?¡±


    I rubbed my cheek and stared at her, stunned.


    ¡°Tell me, Wulfram. Who said that? Was it Sieg? Father? Mother?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I said, still a little dazed, ¡°It wasn¡¯t them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then who was it?¡± Mika clenched her fists and glared at me. ¡°Was it Nanny? Did she tell you that?¡±


    I sucked in the breath at the mention of House Guld¡¯s nanny, Baroness Lafrenz.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said in a dull voice, ¡°It was her.¡±


    ¡°Is she the head of House Guld?¡± Mika demanded.


    I started breathing faster and faster. My heart beat against my ribs like a drum.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°No.¡± I said.


    Mika took a deep breath before she continued.


    ¡°Then why would you believe her when she said that you weren¡¯t a real member of House Guld? Father and Mother adopted you themselves. Of course you¡¯re a real Guld.¡±


    Something inside of me cracked. I had believed that I was a fake Guld, a substitute for Emmerich Guld, for so long that it became a pillar of my worldview. To hear Mika say otherwise was like taking a hammer to that pillar. If it shattered, everything would come tumbling down.


    ¡°That can¡¯t¡­ She said¡­ I was¡­¡±


    My thoughts were a jumbled mess. So much so that I was unable to articulate any of them. I took a step back away from Mika.


    ¡°Wulfram?¡± she asked, concerned.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mika.¡± Lina said, placing a hand on her sister¡¯s shoulder.


    My spring queen stepped forward and grasped my hands in hers.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± Lina said, her voice gentle and firm, ¡°Look at me.¡±


    I looked at her, but remained dazed and unfocused.


    ¡°Look at me.¡± she repeated.


    I focused on her eyes. They reminded me of a verdant forest, full of vitality.


    ¡°You are the only one who thought you were a fake Guld.¡± Lina said. ¡°The others accepted you as a member of the family a long time ago.¡± She smirked. ¡°I was the only exception, and that was because I had other plans for you.¡±


    I chuckled at that, before closing my eyes and leaning my forehead against hers. Her warmth grounded me. I took deep, even breaths to calm myself. Little by little, my heart stopped racing and returned to normal.


    ¡°Come back home with us, Wulfram.¡± Lina said. ¡°Forget about House Kaltbrand and its succession. Come back to Guld Manor, where you belong.¡±


    The mention of House Kaltbrand brought me back to my senses and I opened my eyes. I pulled away from Lina, though I kept hold of her hands.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± I said.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Lina asked, her frustration apparent. ¡°Is it because you have a contract with Grand Duke Kaltbrand? Don¡¯t worry about that. We¡¯ll pay whatever penalty there is for breaking the contract.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± I said.


    ¡°Is it because His Grace offered you a title?¡± Lina asked. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter. You never needed it. Father and Mother gave us their blessing a long time ago. They knew we loved each other. If you¡¯re afraid of how the rest of high society will react, we can deal with it together.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°As for the Grand Duke, you don¡¯t have to worry about him. If he tries to keep you here because of whatever scheme he has planned, I¡¯ll make him regret it.¡±


    From the look on her face, I knew Lina meant it. I didn¡¯t know how she would make Dad regret, but I had no doubt that she would succeed. I needed to clarify matters, before a feud started between House Kaltbrand and House Guld.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°Those aren¡¯t the reasons why. They were in the beginning, at least some of them, but they aren¡¯t now.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°I can¡¯t leave because I am a Kaltbrand. I am the Grand Duke¡¯s son and heir. What started out as a lie turned out to be the truth.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, before she narrowed them again.


    ¡°Is this true?¡± she asked. ¡°The Grand Duke hasn¡¯t tricked you into believing that, did he?¡±


    Did my spring queen have a grudge against Dad? She was so quick to turn him into a villain even though he didn¡¯t deserve it, from what I¡¯ve seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± I said. ¡°We took a lineage test and we¡¯re taking another one in a few days.¡± I shrugged. ¡°Yes, Dad could have faked everything, but why would he go through all that effort just to trick me?¡±


    Besides, I refused to believe that Mom was acting when she told me the truth in the western gardens. Her pain seemed too real.


    ¡°Does this mean you won¡¯t be coming back home with us?¡± Mika asked in a small voice.


    I looked at her and gave her a sad smile.


    ¡°Not as a Guld, no.¡± I said. ¡°However, I am still your big brother and you are still my little sister. That hasn¡¯t changed.¡± I glanced. ¡°Unless your big sis changed her mind and no longer wishes to marry me.¡±


    A part of me feared that Lina wouldn¡¯t want to marry me once she found out that I was a Kaltbrand. It was an irrational fear, but a real one nonetheless.


    ¡°Why would you say something stupid like that?¡± Lina asked, scoffing. ¡°So what if you¡¯re a Kaltbrand? That changes nothing. I was willing to marry you even when you had no title, land, or wealth to your name.¡± Her tone turned sardonic. ¡°Oh no. The man I love is now the heir to the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire. Whatever shall I do?¡±


    I gave her an annoyed look. However, deep down, her words made me happy.


    ¡°But what about Father and Mother?¡± Mika asked in a fearful tone. ¡°You keep calling His Grace ¡®Dad¡¯.¡± She sniffled. ¡°You really have found a new family and forgotten about us.¡±


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t like that.¡± I said. ¡°Dad is Dad, and Father is Father. I may be a Kaltbrand by blood, but House Guld raised me. That will never change.¡±


    Mika¡¯s lips trembled and she rushed forward to give me another hug, burying her face in my chest once more. I noticed this before, but hadn¡¯t thought much of it at the time, but Mika had really grown up. When I last saw her, more than three years ago, she had been much shorter. I had missed a lot in the three years I spent away from Guld Manor, and I grew melancholic at the thought.


    ¡°So,¡± Lina said with a sigh, ¡°You intend to stay here, as a Kaltbrand.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy.¡± She warned. ¡°Leading a family as powerful and influential as House Kaltbrand comes with many perks and privileges, but also just as many responsibilities and burdens.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I said. ¡°I remember what Sieg had to go through.¡±


    When we were growing up, each of the Guld children received similar educations. However, as the heir to the family, Sieg faced more pressure than the rest of us. Power was as much of a burden as it was a blessing.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Lina said, looking as if she were ready to head into battle. ¡°Then I shall help you. It¡¯s clear that your position as heir isn¡¯t secure yet, so we¡¯ll start with that.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I said, blurting out the word before I realized it.


    Lina narrowed her eyes at me. A chill filled the air, one that had nothing to do with the temperature. Mika, realizing that her sister was angry, pulled away from me and put some distance between us.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lina asked.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fight.¡± I said. ¡°This is mine. There¡¯s no need for you to get entangled in House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession. I appreciate the offer, but let me handle this.¡±


    Lina gave me a frosty look.


    ¡°Wulfram, who am I?¡± she asked.


    I blinked at her.


    ¡°Lady Lina Guld.¡± I said.


    She shook her head.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s not what I meant. Who am I?¡±


    I gave her a confused look.


    ¡°Is this some sort of riddle?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your fianc¨¦e.¡± Lina said in a frosty tone. ¡°That means that your fights are my fights, and vice versa. Not only that, but I¡¯ll need to become versed in the Barrens¡¯ politics. While the original plan was for you to marry into House Guld, that is no longer viable. So, when we do get married, I will no longer be Lina Guld but Lina Kaltbrand, the future grand duchess. However, that will only be possible if you keep your position as heir. I will not stand by as a swarm of vultures tries to steal what is rightfully yours.¡± She leaned forward. ¡°Furthermore, if you didn¡¯t want me to get involved in House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, you shouldn¡¯t have asked for my help in dealing with House Gerhard.¡±


    As she spoke, I took a step back and swallowed. I hadn¡¯t seen Lina this angry in a while, and I had forgotten how scary she could be.


    ¡°With all that in mind,¡± Lina continued. ¡°What do you say to your well informed and well connected fianc¨¦e when she offers to help, Wulfram?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Dear.¡± I said.


    Lina gave me a sharp smile.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± she said.


    Someone knocked on the door to the study right at that moment. I breathed a sigh of relief and walked over to open it. Viscount Holtz, the butler, stood on the other side.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I asked.


    ¡°My lord,¡± Viscount Holtz said, giving me a bow, ¡°His Grace has invited you and your guests to a light luncheon. He says that it is a family affair, and that he is looking forward to getting to know his future daughter in law.¡±


    What was Dad up to? If this was a family affair, then that meant Mom and Count Wirner would be in attendance. Was he really trying to get to know Lina? Or was there something else afoot?


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said. ¡°You may go now, Viscount Holtz.¡±


    The Viscount nodded, but didn¡¯t turn to leave right away.


    ¡°You may wish to change your clothes first, my lord,¡± he said, giving my chest a pointed look.


    I glanced down and saw that Mika had soiled my clothes with her tears and snot.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said in a dry voice, ¡°I do.¡±


    Viscount Holtz smiled and turned to leave. However, a thought occurred to me so I called out to him.


    ¡°Viscount,¡± I said, ¡°Please prepare some rooms for Lady Lina and Lady Mika. They¡¯ll be staying here in the castle for the foreseeable future.¡±


    Viscount Holtz studied me for a moment, before nodding.


    ¡°Very well, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll send a servant once the rooms are ready. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    I shook my head and gestured for him to go. Once he left, I shut the door and turned to face Lina and Mika. My spring queen looked amused.


    ¡°You¡¯ve become more outspoken.¡± She said. ¡°Back at Guld Manor, you were wary and timid around the seniors servants. It seems that becoming the heir to House Kaltbrand has given you confidence in that regard.¡±


    I shrugged, before grinning at her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny that.¡± I said. My grin faded away. ¡°I assume you two heard that.¡±


    They both nodded.


    ¡°While you don¡¯t have to come to the luncheon,¡± I said, ¡°I would appreciate it if you came. Not only that, but if you intend to stay and help with the succession, this luncheon will be the perfect place to discuss the matter.¡±


    Lina looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding.


    ¡°Will it just be us and the Grand Duke?¡± Mika asked, looking nervous. ¡°He scares me, Wulfram.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Knight Commander Bardin and Count Wirner will be there.¡± I said. ¡°My¡­ birth mother and my maternal grandfather respectively.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened. She, of all people, knew just how much I admired and respected Mom.


    ¡°Well now,¡± she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that interesting?¡±

 Chapter 39: First Meeting Between In-Laws

    True to his word, a few minutes after his departure, Viscount Holtz sent a servant to lead Lina and Mika to the rooms prepared for them. They had spent the last several days traveling from Guld Manor, and they needed to clean themselves up before they dined with Dad and the others. I headed back to my room in order to change into a fresh outfit. Once I was ready, I directed a servant to lead me to the rooms set aside for Lina and Mika, so I could escort them to the dining room.


    It turned out that I didn¡¯t have to go far. The area of the castle set aside for guests was full, because of the banquet, so Viscount Holtz had rooms prepared in the area of the castle set aside for the Grand Duke and his immediate family members. I guessed the Viscount decided to err on the side of caution to avoid offending the future grand duchess. Dad called Lina his future daughter in law after all.


    Actually, I wondered about that. Just how much did Viscount and Viscountess Holtz know about my true identity? They had been there, alongside Baron Kirch, when Dad revealed his plan to have me act as the fake heir to House Kaltbrand. However, now that I knew that I was the real heir to House Kaltbrand, had Dad informed them of the truth? The Viscount and the Viscountess obeyed my commands and treated me with the respect due to my position, but that could have been because of Dad¡¯s orders. I would have to ask him about it later on.


    Lina and Mika finished getting ready soon after I arrived. They took my arms and I escorted them both to the dining room. This wasn¡¯t the first time I had done something like this. Back at Guld Manor, before I ran away, I sometimes escorted the two of them to the few social events we were allowed to attend. Nostalgia filled me as I thought about those times.


    Aside from the servants, Dad was the only person in the dining room when we arrived. He had been sitting, but stood up as we entered.


    ¡°Ah, Wulfe.¡± He said, smiling. ¡°Welcome.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± I said, gesturing to Lina and Mika, ¡°I know that you¡¯ve already met, but let me introduce Lady Lina Guld and Lady Mika Guld.¡±


    Lina and Mika bowed to Dad.


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± He said in a dry voice. ¡°Lady Lina Guld. It¡¯s not everyday someone threatens me to my face while wearing a smile.¡±


    I stiffened, before turning to look at Lina. She wore an innocent expression.


    ¡°It was hardly a threat.¡± She said, speaking in a faux innocent voice. ¡°I merely said that if you didn¡¯t let go of Wulfram and return him to us, then any and all trade between the Riverlands and the Barrens would cease.¡±


    I stared at Lina with wide eyes. The Barrens imported most of its food from the Riverlands, the breadbasket of the Reichwald Empire. Cutting off trade between the two regions would condemn the people of the Barrens to a slow death by starvation. Not only that, but as the eldest daughter of House Guld, Lina had the means to follow through on her threat.


    ¡°You threatened to starve the Barrens for me?¡± I asked.


    As horrified as I was by her hard stance, I was also touched by it.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Lina said, as if stating the obvious.


    ¡°Your¡­ beloved was under the misunderstanding that I am some kind of villainous cad.¡± Dad said. Thankfully, he seemed more amused than angry about Lina¡¯s threat.


    ¡°You are big and scary.¡± I pointed out.


    Dad chuckled at that.


    ¡°Where are my manners?¡± He asked. ¡°Everyone, sit. We¡¯re still waiting on Father and Sophie, though they shouldn¡¯t be more than a few minutes.¡±


    The three of us sat down. At first I intended to sit on Dad¡¯s right side, but Lina and Mika pulled me to sit with them. I ended up in between the two.


    ¡°I take it the three of you resolved matters between yourselves.¡± Dad said.


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes. I told Lina and Mika the truth.¡±


    ¡°Good. That will make things easier going forward. However, let me clarify one thing.¡± Dad gave Lina a hard look. ¡°The next time you try to use your family¡¯s position to threaten me, I will declare a territorial war and take what I need from the Riverlands.¡±


    He released a bit of his pressure towards the end, to emphasize his point. Mika¡¯s face paled. Lina managed to maintain her composure, but even she was shaken. I released my own pressure to push back against Dad¡¯s.


    ¡°Don¡¯t threaten Lina in front of me ever again, Dad.¡± I said in an even voice. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡±


    Dad looked at me and the two of us glared at each for several seconds. In the end, Dad held up his hands in surrender.


    ¡°Fine, fine.¡± He said. ¡°I understand.¡±


    He retracted his pressure, and Lina gave me a grateful smile. I resisted the urge to sigh with relief. After I found out that I was the real heir to House Kaltbrand, I knew that there would be some friction between my birth family and my adopted family. However, I never expected it to be this bad. Dad and Lina were outright threatening each other, while poor Mika was shaking in fear. I knew that things would only get worse from here.


    As soon as I had that thought, I heard thunderous footsteps approaching the dining room. It sounded as if some kind of giant was marching his way towards us. However, I knew it was something far worse.


    ¡°Here comes your mother.¡± Dad muttered under his breath, before turning towards Mika. ¡°Lady Mika, may I ask you for a favor?¡±


    She stared at him, trembling like a rabbit facing a bear, her face as white as a sheet.


    ¡°While not many know this, Sophie has a weakness for anything cute and adorable.¡± Dad said with complete sincerity. ¡°If you greet her first, I¡¯m sure that things will be much smoother going forward.¡±


    Mika swallowed before replying.


    ¡°You¡¯ll owe me a favor for this?¡± She asked.


    I resisted the urge to chuckle. Even when she was scared out of her mind and facing Grand Duke Kaltbrand himself, Mika still responded like a Guld. A favor from the Reichwald Empire¡¯s only grand duke was no small thing.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He looked towards the door of the dining room. ¡°You should make your choice soon. Sophie is almost here.¡±


    Mika nodded, before she stood up and faced the door to the dining room. I joined her and put my hand on her shoulder to offer my support. She glanced back and gave me a thankful smile, before facing the door once more. A few seconds later, it slammed opened and Mom entered the dining room.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± she said. ¡°If they think that they can come here and take my bo-¡­¡±


    Mom cut herself off when she caught sight of Mika.


    ¡°I greet you, Knight Commander Bardin,¡± she said, bowing to Mom, ¡°Sword of the North and the Iron Countess of Bardin. I am Lady Mika Guld. It is a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Mom didn¡¯t respond right away and continued to stare at Mika. Through my hand on her shoulder, I felt Mika trembling. Despite this, she maintained her composure.


    ¡°Anselm,¡± Mom said, pointing at Mika, ¡°I want one.¡± She looked at Dad. ¡°Can we keep her?¡±


    I blinked at her in surprise and Mika started.


    ¡°No, Sophie.¡± Dad said, wearing an amused smile on his face. ¡°We can¡¯t keep Lady Mika. That would be kidnapping. I doubt her family would appreciate that.¡±


    Mom let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Very well.¡± She said. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll have to make one ourselves.¡± She wore a resolute expression on her face. ¡°After we get married, we¡¯re having a daughter.¡±


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    Even Dad seemed surprised by this.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Of course I am.¡± Mom said, giving him a scornful look. ¡°I would never joke about something like this. Wulfe is old enough that a younger sibling or two wouldn¡¯t be a threat to his position.¡±


    I decided to intervene before this conversation delved into topics I would rather not think about. While I wasn¡¯t ignorant of relations between men and women, that didn¡¯t mean I wanted to think about my parents doing it.


    ¡°Mom,¡± I said, ¡°May I introduce you to Lady Lina Guld?¡±


    Lina stood up and bowed to mom.


    ¡°I greet you, Knight Commander Bardin,¡± she said, ¡°My future mother in law.¡±


    Mom¡¯s expression iced over and a chill that had nothing to do with the temperature filled the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s a rather bold declaration.¡± She said in a cold voice. ¡°What makes you think I would ever accept someone like you as my daughter in law?¡±


    Lina¡¯s expression remained polite, though the look in her eyes grew sharper.


    ¡°Your acceptance of my marriage with your son would be a blessing.¡± She said. ¡°However, it is unnecessary. Wulfram already promised to marry me. He¡¯s not the kind of person to break a promise just because you refuse to accept reality.¡±


    Mom studied Lina for several seconds, before she looked at me.


    ¡°This is the woman you¡¯ve decided to spend the rest of your life with, Wulfe?¡± She asked. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you have poor discernment or poor taste.¡±


    This was much worse than I expected. At least Dad and Lina maintained some semblance of civility. Mom and Lina looked like they were ready to declare war on each other.


    ¡°Enough.¡± I said. ¡°I would appreciate it if you two tried to get along instead of insulting each other all day long.¡±


    Both Lina and Mom seemed offended by my words.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lina asked. ¡°I made an effort to be polite. She¡¯s the one who started insulting me.¡±


    ¡°You want me to treat her like a welcome guest?¡± Mom asked. ¡°After the way she barged in here and started threatening your father?¡±


    I resisted the urge to sigh. If things were this bad, how much worse would things get after Lina and I married one another? I heard tales of newlywed wives not getting along with their mother in laws, but I always thought those stories were exaggerated. However, I now realized that maybe they weren¡¯t.


    Thankfully, I was saved from answering either of their questions with the arrival of Count Wirner, my grandfather. He entered the dining room and stopped when he noticed the tense atmosphere.


    ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡± Count Wirner asked, glancing between Lina and Mom.


    ¡°No, Father.¡± Dad said, wearing a strained smile. ¡°You arrived just in time. We were just about to start. Please, sit.¡±


    Count Wirner sat down at the table. Lina and Mom followed his example and sat down as well, each one letting out a harrumph. I sagged in relief. A part of me feared that they would keep arguing with each other. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t come to that. Mika patted me on the arm and gave me a sympathetic look. I gave her a grateful smile, before the two of us joined the others and sat down as well.


    What followed was one of the most stressful luncheons I ever had the misfortune to sit through. We didn¡¯t discuss anything serious while we ate and stuck to polite topics. However, that didn¡¯t stop Lina and Mom from trading barbed comments with each other. It was like being caught between two she-wolves battling for dominance. It got to the point where I lost my appetite altogether. Dad wasn¡¯t any help at all. In fact, he seemed amused by my predicament.


    At least Count Wirner and Mika got along quite well. The two of them ignored Lina and Mom, and talked about a variety of topics with one another. They almost looked like a grandfather doting on his granddaughter.


    By the time we finished eating and the servants cleared everything away, I wanted to take a walk in the western gardens to clear my head.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Dad said, after the servants left, ¡°Shall we get down to business?¡±


    The atmosphere in the dining room grew heavy.


    ¡°However, before we begin,¡± Dad said. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask Lady Lina and Lady Mika to leave. What we¡¯re about to discuss involves the succession of House Kaltbrand. It isn¡¯t fit for the ears of outsiders.¡±


    I reached for Lina¡¯s hand and grasped it in mine.


    ¡°No.¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re not leaving.¡±


    Dad¡¯s expression grew sharp.


    ¡°When I made the decision to come north,¡± Lina said, ¡°I did so with the intention to help Wulfram.¡± She gave me a sideways glance. ¡°While the situation is different from what I expected, that hasn¡¯t changed. Of course, if you insist, I shall leave. However, you would be making a grave error.¡±


    Dad studied the two of us, before glancing at Mika.


    ¡°And you?¡± He asked.


    Mika took my other hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m staying with Big Brother Wulfram.¡± She said.


    Dad thought about it for a moment, before he nodded acquiescence.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He said. ¡°They can stay.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him. That was too easy. If he wanted to exclude Lina and Mika, he would have just thrown them out. He wouldn¡¯t have made a show of it. Was it some kind of test on his part?


    ¡°Anselm!¡± Mom protested. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. They just arrived and you want to include them in House Kaltbrand¡¯s internal dealings?¡±


    ¡°As his fianc¨¦e, Wulfram¡¯s position as heir to House Kaltbrand affects me as well.¡± Lina pointed out.


    Mom gave her a withering look.


    ¡°While I¡¯m not opposed to your inclusion,¡± Count Wirner said, wearing a thoughtful expression on his face, ¡°I don¡¯t see the point. What can you contribute by staying here? Lady Lina? Lady Mika?¡±


    ¡°We can give you the identity of your enemy.¡± Lina said. ¡°One of them at least. Does the name ¡®Volkhard¡¯ mean anything to you?¡±


    Mom, Dad, and I leaned forward and focused on Lina, like predators that had caught sight of their prey.


    ¡°You know Volkhard?¡± I asked.


    Lina nodded, unperturbed at having everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said. ¡°I met with him just before I received His Grace¡¯s invitation to come to Kaltbrand Castle.¡± She looked me right in the eyes. ¡°However, we also know him by another name, Wulfram. He is Walter.¡±


    I sucked in a breath when I heard that. That explained everything, and clarified a few things that hadn¡¯t made sense before. Volkhard was Walter, which meant the enemy that had been interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession was Prince Dirk Reichwald, the man I considered my uncle. I had hoped that it wouldn¡¯t be the case, though it appears that my hopes were in vain.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Walter?¡± Mom asked with a frown.


    ¡°Prince Dirk Reichwald¡¯s left hand man.¡± I said. ¡°I met him a few times when Prince Dirk and his family visited Guld Manor.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s expression turned unsightly.


    ¡°I think you should tell us everything you know, Lady Lina.¡± Dad said.


    Lina nodded and told us about her meeting with Walter, or Volkhard rather. Mika chimed in every now and again, but Lina did most of the talking. When she finished, no one said anything for several seconds.


    ¡°If Volkhard was willing to show his face to you, Lina,¡± I said, breaking the silence, ¡°Then he was willing to risk letting us know about Prince Dirk¡¯s involvement in House Kaltbrand¡¯s affairs. Either they don¡¯t care anymore, or they think that they¡¯ve won and it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Dad snorted.


    ¡°How arrogant of them.¡± He said.


    ¡°So their plan is to claim that House Kaltbrand lied to the imperial family and use that as an excuse to interfere with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession?¡± Mom asked, frowning.


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°That was what Volkhard said, yes.¡± She said. ¡°My guess is that they plan on revealing the ¡®truth¡¯ of Wulfram¡¯s birth in front of as many people as possible, to increase the number of witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Except it is the truth.¡± Count Wirner said, looking at Mom for confirmation. ¡°Wulfe is Anselm¡¯s son.¡±


    Mom and Dad nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dad said. ¡°We made our own plans to refute the rumors surrounding Wulfe by bringing in a high priest from Haven, but our enemies decided to help by doing it for us.¡± He grinned. ¡°They even brought the same person I had in mind.¡±


    ¡°Then what do we have to worry about?¡± Count Wirner asked. ¡°Once the truth is revealed, this Prince Dirk will have no excuse to interfere with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession.¡±


    ¡°As if I would let him, even if he had an excuse.¡± Dad said, a sharp look in his eyes.


    I frowned and shook my head.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that easy.¡± I said. ¡°If Prince Dirk is involved, then that means his son is involved as well. I know Prince Leopold. We¡¯re rivals, of a sort. He is meticulous, thorough, and wouldn¡¯t leave things up to chance. He would prepare for the possibility that I am the true heir to House Kaltbrand, just in case.¡±


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°That occurred to me as well, after you told me the truth. Volkhard called you an obstacle. If their first plan to get rid of you doesn¡¯t work, they¡¯ll resort to other means.¡±


    I grimaced. That could mean any number of things, including assassination. By the looks on everyone¡¯s faces, the same thought occurred to them as well.


    ¡°They¡¯ll have to go through me first.¡± Mom said. She looked like she wanted to kill someone.


    ¡°I have a question.¡± Mika said, speaking for the first time since this meeting began.


    We all looked at her.


    ¡°How do you determine who is qualified to become the heir to House Kaltbrand?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Simple,¡± Dad said, ¡°Any member of the House Kaltbrand born into the main family can become the heir. If none are available, then a noble from one of the collateral families who is not the heir to their own family.¡±


    Mika frowned.


    ¡°Then I think I know what Uncle Dirk and Prince Leopold plan to do.¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll try to kill Big Brother Wulfram. They don¡¯t need to. He isn¡¯t a member of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    My eyes widened at her words, and I realized that she was right.


    ¡°Of course Wulfe qualifies.¡± Mom said with a scoff. ¡°He may be illegitimate, but he is still a Kaltbrand. There have been several instances in the past where an illegitimate child inherits House Kaltbrand. Besides, once Anselm and I marry, Wulfe¡¯s illegitimate status won¡¯t matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s right.¡± I said, pinching the bridge of my nose. ¡°Legally, I am a member of House Guld. The Emperor himself approved of my adoption. If we look at it from that perspective, I¡¯m not qualified to be the heir of House Kaltbrand.¡±

 Chapter 40: Family Troubles

    Everyone stared at me for several long seconds after I finished speaking. While I was the illegitimate son of Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin, I was a Guld according to the laws of the Reichwald Empire. This meant that I technically wasn¡¯t qualified to be the heir to House Kaltbrand. While I was sure there were ways to circumvent this, it was a weakness that our enemies could exploit.


    I never thought that being adopted by House Guld would come back to hinder me like this. To be fair, when it happened, I had no idea that I was the lost son of House Kaltbrand. If I had to go through it all again, even knowing what I do now, I still would¡¯ve gone through with it. The years I spent with House Guld were among the best of my life, and I cherished every moment.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t matter, should it?¡± Mom asked, frowning. ¡°House Guld may have adopted you, but you are a Kaltbrand by birth.¡±


    ¡°If the Emperor hadn¡¯t approved of my adoption into House Guld, I would agree with you.¡± I said. ¡°However, as it is, our enemies may make the argument that making me the heir to House Kaltbrand is an insult to the throne.¡± I snorted. ¡°They may even go so far as to claim that House Kaltbrand is outright defying the Emperor.¡±


    Mom looked at Dad, who wore a strange expression on his face.


    ¡°Is there a way around this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He said. ¡°This is an unprecedented situation.¡±


    I grimaced.


    ¡°And the only way to resolve an unprecedented situation, especially one that involves two ducal families, is to take it before the Emperor and have him make a ruling.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s expressions fell at that. No one wanted the Emperor involved in House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession. The Pact gave House Kaltbrand a lot of autonomy and privileges, which was one of the reasons why they were the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire.


    No monarch wanted a powerful vassal, one that could threaten their rule. House Kaltbrand¡¯s loyalty to the throne was absolute, thanks to the Pact. However, that loyalty was for the throne itself, not any individual emperor. Over the centuries, several of the previous emperors have tried to knock House Kaltbrand down a peg or two. This situation would give the current emperor the perfect excuse to try.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if Uncle Dirk and Cousin Leopold would go so far.¡± Lina said. ¡°While this is speculation on my part, the whole reason why they¡¯re interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession in the first place is because of the imperial succession. Among the candidates for the throne, Cousin Leopold¡¯s faction is the weakest. He needs support from House Kaltbrand, or another ducal family. Without it, he will never become emperor. If Uncle Dirk and Cousin Leopold take this matter before the Emperor, they lose control of the situation. House Kaltbrand may end up supporting one of my other cousins.¡±


    While she pretended otherwise, I knew that the imperial succession was a complicated subject for Lina. Her cousins were all fighting each other to become the next ruler of the Reichwald Empire. While they never accepted me as a Guld, they treated Lina like family. In the end, only one would win. The others would either die, leave the Reichwald Empire, or marry into another family and forfeit their status as a member of the imperial family.


    ¡°Your Grace has been neutral so far,¡± Lina continued, nodding at Dad, ¡°But the Emperor may not give you a choice in the matter.¡±


    Dad snorted at that.


    ¡°The Reichwalds have tried to put us under their thumb for centuries.¡± He said. ¡°They haven¡¯t succeeded so far, they won¡¯t succeed now.¡±


    ¡°Even if the Emperor threatens to prevent Wulfram from becoming your heir?¡± Lina asked.


    Dad bared his teeth in a smile.


    ¡°We have our ways.¡± He said. ¡°If the Emperor tries to force my hand, I¡¯ll show my displeasure one way or another.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine when I heard that.


    ¡°Are you going to repeat the Year of Betrayal?¡± I asked.


    The atmosphere in the room chilled when I said that. Lina and Mika looked at me in confusion, while Mom, Dad, and Count Wirner wore grim expressions.


    ¡°You know about that?¡± Dad asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s a topic that not many know about, even within the Barrens. How did you find out about it?¡±


    ¡°I came across it by chance while researching Aura Masters of the past.¡± I said. ¡°Since House Kaltbrand has produced several Aura Masters over the centuries, I ended up learning a lot about its history, even parts that the rest of the world has forgotten.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the Year of Betrayal?¡± Mika asked.


    I glanced at Dad, asking for his permission, and he nodded.


    ¡°About three hundred years ago,¡± I began, ¡°The emperor at the time, Emperor Theodoric, came into conflict with the head of House Kaltbrand at the time, Grand Duke Meinrad. It escalated to the point where Emperor Theodoric decided to forgo the Pact. He took one of Grand Duke Meinrad¡¯s children hostage and embargoed the Barrens. It was the closest that House Kaltbrand and House Reichwald have ever come to going to war with each other. Emperor Theodoric expected Grand Duke Meinrad to surrender or raise his sword against the throne. Either one would have benefited him. However, Grand Duke Meinrad did neither. Instead, he did nothing. He didn¡¯t surrender, he didn¡¯t raise his sword against the throne¡­¡± I paused. ¡°¡­and he no longer blocked the demonic beasts from reaching the rest of the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    Lina sucked in a breath and Mika¡¯s jaw dropped. Most of the Reichwald Empire underestimated just how much of a threat the demonic beasts were. Even I didn¡¯t know until I arrived at the Barrens and started working as a mercenary. Lina and Mika no doubt witnessed this for themselves, during their journey here, but the rest of the Reichwald Empire remained ignorant.


    ¡°That would lead to a disaster of unprecedented proportions.¡± Lina said.


    ¡°It did.¡± I said, nodding. ¡°Hundreds of thousands died that year, as demonic beasts swarmed all over the Reichwald Empire. They even reached the Mistwood to the south. Entire cities were massacred. People begged Grand Duke Meinrad for help, but he turned them away. He said that if House Reichwald refused to honor the Pact, why should House Kaltbrand? This resulted in the entire empire turning against Emperor Theodoric. They revolted, forced him to abdicate, and put his teenage son on the throne. Afterwards, the new emperor released Grand Duke Meinrad¡¯s child and lifted the embargo. Then, and only then, did House Kaltbrand help deal with the demonic beasts rampaging through the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    Silence filled the room as I finished telling everyone about the Year of Betrayal.


    ¡°How did we not hear about this until now?¡± Mika demanded, breaking the silence. ¡°This wasn¡¯t part of any of my history lessons.¡±


    ¡°House Reichwald considers the Year of Betrayal their greatest shame.¡± Dad said. ¡°They¡¯ve done everything in their power to erase it from the pages of history. It took them centuries, but they succeeded in the end. However, in doing so, they¡¯ve opened up the possibility of history repeating itself, since many of their own scions don¡¯t know about the Year of Betrayal.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t go that far, would you, Your Grace?¡± Lina asked with a perturbed expression on her face.


    Dad gave her a level look.


    ¡°The Pact goes both ways.¡± He said. ¡°We enjoy a great deal because of the Pact, but we pay for it with the blood of our people. If House Reichwald oversteps their bounds and refuses to honor the Pact, we will do the same.¡±


    If that ever happened, hundreds of thousands of people would die. My mind flashed back to the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass. If we had failed back then, thousands of demonic beasts would have flooded into the Crownlands, spreading death and corruption wherever they went. However, that was a dream compared to the nightmare that would follow if House Kaltbrand and its vassals stopped defending the north. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    ¡°In that case,¡± I said, ¡°The best way to prevent another Year of Betrayal is to ensure that House Reichwald doesn¡¯t get an opportunity to break the Pact. We can¡¯t give the Emperor an opportunity to interfere with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession.¡±


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    Everyone looked at me and nodded.


    ¡°From what I can tell,¡± Count Wirner said, ¡°The heart of the issue is that Wulfe is legally a Guld, not a Kaltbrand. The solution is simple then: House Guld needs to remove Wulfe from their family register.¡±


    That was the simplest solution. However, a part of me rebelled against the very idea. Despite my¡­ issues regarding House Guld, I still considered them my family. Having them remove me from their family register felt like severing the thread that connected me to the rest of them. Still, if it was necessary for me to inherit House Kaltbrand, perhaps that was the best course of action.


    ¡°What?¡± Mika said, standing up. ¡°No! I refuse. We already lost Wulfram once. I don¡¯t want us to lose him again!¡±


    ¡°Mika,¡± I said in a soothing tone, ¡°This is just to untangle the legal situation regarding which family I belong to. You wouldn¡¯t really be losing me.¡±


    Mika glared at me, her eyes gleaming with tears.


    ¡°You already abandoned us once.¡± She said. ¡°How do we know you wouldn¡¯t abandon us again after Father removes you from the family register?¡±


    Her words stunned me and I couldn¡¯t respond right away. Mika took that opportunity to flee the dining room. When I came back to my senses, I stood up to chase after her, but Lina stopped me by putting a hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk with her.¡± She said, standing up. ¡°However, she does have a point. When you ran away, you tore a hole in the heart of House Guld. Convincing Father and Mother to remove you from the family register will be no easy feat.¡± She glanced at Count Wirner. ¡°Even assuming that course of action is the solution you think it is.¡±


    With that, Lina left the dining room. I watched her go, feeling torn and conflicted.


    ¡°I think we should take a break here.¡± Dad said. ¡°It¡¯s clear that we won¡¯t find an easy solution to this problem. I believe taking more time to think about it is a good idea.¡±


    Mom and Count Wirner both glanced at me, before nodding in agreement.


    ¡°Wulfe, shall we take a walk together?¡± Dad asked. ¡°I wish to speak with you in private.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I want to be alone right now.¡± I said.


    I stood up and headed towards the door. Dad called after me.


    ¡°Wulfe!¡±


    I ignored him and left the dining room.


    <hr>


    When I first left the dining room, I thought about heading towards the western gardens. However, I decided against it. I didn¡¯t want anyone to come looking for me. My mind was a mess, and I needed time alone to sort through it all. So, I headed towards the one place in Kaltbrand Castle where no one would look for me: the northern gardens.


    The place looked the same as when I last saw it, the scorched and ruined remnants of a once beautiful garden. The faint smell of soot filled the air. However, the frozen flames also remained, which caught me off guard. I expected them to have melted by now. Instead, they looked the same as when Dad first froze them. This just illustrated to me just how powerful the coldfire wielded by House Kaltbrand really was.


    Thankfully, the area was empty, which was what I wanted in the first place. I navigated around the frozen flames to reach the center of the gardens. The temperature around me dropped as soon as I crossed the threshold. Another reminder of the coldfire¡¯s power. Here in this place, it felt closer to winter than spring.


    After I reached the center of the northern gardens, I closed my eyes and just stood there. The solitude and quiet of the northern garden helped me gain a measure of peace, something I needed. Today had been a tiring one, for many reasons, and I still had the banquet tonight to get through. Just thinking about it left me feeling exhausted.


    I thought back to the meeting in the dining room and clenched my fists. Mika¡¯s outburst at the end left a crack in my heart.


    No. It would be more accurate to say that my little sister¡¯s outburst revealed a crack that was already there. On one side was the part of my heart that belonged to House Guld, and on the other side was the part of my heart that belonged to House Kaltbrand. The two sides were in conflict with one another, and I didn¡¯t know how to reconcile them.


    When I first learned that I was the real heir to House Kaltbrand, I wanted to have it all. I wanted to have both my birth family and my adopted family as part of my life. At the time, it seemed possible. Yet, after reuniting with Lina and Mika, I wasn¡¯t so sure anymore. It didn¡¯t help that Lina threatened Dad and got into an argument with Mom as soon as she met them. Mika was terrified of Dad and¡­ Well, I wasn¡¯t sure what she thought of Mom. At least she got along with Count Wirner, which was better than nothing.


    How would the rest of House Guld get along with my birth family? Would they be any better? Somehow, I doubted it. Despair filled me at the thought that maybe I would have to choose between House Kaltbrand and House Guld. In order to become the heir of House Kaltbrand, or at least prevent House Reichwald from meddling in our affairs, I needed Father to remove me from House Guld¡¯s family register. Yet, in doing so, I might lose my adopted family forever.


    Despite what Lina and Mika told me earlier, a big part of me still believed that House Guld just viewed me as a substitute for Emmerich Guld. Now that he had returned, they no longer needed me. It was irrational, but fear itself was not rational.


    What if I brought my fears to life by asking Duke and Duchess Guld to remove me from House Guld¡¯s family register? They might realize that they don¡¯t need me after all and cut me out of their lives. Worst of all, what if they forbade Lina from marrying me? She said that they gave us their blessing already, but the situation had changed since then.


    My hands started shaking. I grabbed my left arm with my right hand to try and stop it, but that didn¡¯t work. Instead, the shaking just grew worse.


    I didn¡¯t want to lose my families. Why did I have to choose between them? Why couldn¡¯t I have both? Was that too much to ask for?


    A part of me wondered if it would have been better to remain an orphan, to have never been adopted in the first place. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have known what it felt like to have a loving family, thus I wouldn¡¯t fear losing them. I couldn¡¯t miss what I never experienced.


    That way of thinking was cowardice, and didn¡¯t reflect my real desires, but it tempted me all the same.


    The sound of footsteps caught my attention and I held my breath for a brief moment, hoping that whoever it was wouldn¡¯t find me, when I was at my most vulnerable. However, despite my wishes, the footsteps drew closer instead of further away. I decided to ignore them and just stared up at the sky above.


    The footsteps drew closer and closer, before stopping a dozen or so feet away from me. Whoever it was didn¡¯t say anything for several moments.


    ¡°Wulfe.¡±


    Dad.


    ¡°So, this was where you were.¡± He said, in a jovial tone. ¡°I looked for you in the western gardens. When I saw that you weren¡¯t there, I thought about where I would go if I wanted to be left alone and didn¡¯t want anyone to find me. This was the first place that came to mind.¡±


    I sighed. Was I that predictable? Still, I owed Dad an apology. I felt guilty for the way I ignored him earlier. He didn¡¯t deserve it. I turned to face him. When our eyes met, he looked shocked.


    ¡°You¡¯re crying.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡±


    Was I? I reached up to touch my cheeks and realized that he was right. Huh. I hadn¡¯t noticed.


    ¡°I¡­¡± I started to say before trailing off.


    I didn¡¯t know what to say. At first, I intended to apologize to him but the words remained stuck in my throat. So, I just stood there and said nothing at all.


    The shock faded away from Dad¡¯s face and he studied me for several moments, before nodding. He walked up to me and pulled me into an embrace. I didn¡¯t return it, but I didn¡¯t reject it either.


    ¡°Since you were an adult and an Aura Master when we first met,¡± Dad said, ¡°I thought that I would never get the opportunity to comfort you like this. I was wrong. Sometimes, even adults need comfort and reassurance from their parents.¡±


    As soon as I heard that, a dam inside me broke. I clutched Dad¡¯s shoulders, grasping onto him as if he were the only thing keeping me tethered to this world, and sobbed into his shoulder. This went on for a while.


    After what felt like hours, my tears dried up and I stopped crying. My head felt clearer than before. In fact, so much so that I felt embarrassed about my emotional outburst. My cheeks burned.


    ¡°Oh gods,¡± I said, pulling away from Dad, ¡°I apologize for the unseemly display you just witnessed.¡±


    Dad snorted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± He said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for you when you were a child, so I appreciate that I can be here for you now.¡±


    Despite his words, I still felt mortified. I pulled a handkerchief out of my pocket and used it to wipe my face. My eyes felt sore and swollen. I must have looked like a mess. Anyone who saw me would know that I had bawled my eyes out like a child.


    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± Dad asked.


    ¡°No.¡± I said, scowling. ¡°I¡¯m an Aura Master for goodness¡¯ sake! I should have better control over my emotions than this.¡±


    ¡°Aura Masters are still human.¡± Dad pointed out. ¡°We feel things the same as everyone else. Joy, sorrow, anger. Don¡¯t be ashamed of that.¡±


    I kept scowling.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my outburst earlier, in the dining room.¡± I said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have ignored you. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    I trailed off, unsure of how to articulate my thoughts.


    ¡°You feel torn between your birth family and your adopted family.¡± Dad said, finishing the sentence for me.


    I sighed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°It feels like I¡¯ll lose the piece of me that is a Guld if they remove me from their family register. That doesn¡¯t make sense, I know. The family register is just a document with words.¡±


    ¡°Words have power.¡± Dad pointed out. ¡°Never underestimate them. A family¡¯s register determines who belongs to that family, and who does not. It¡¯s symbolic, yes, but that doesn¡¯t diminish its importance.¡±


    ¡°Yet, if House Guld doesn¡¯t remove me from their family register, that will give the Emperor the opening he needs to meddle in our affairs.¡±


    I grimaced. If that happened, another Year of Betrayal might occur. I would do just about anything to prevent that from happening, even if it meant giving up House Guld.


    ¡°What if you didn¡¯t have to give up on House Guld, as you fear?¡± Dad asked.


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There is a way for you to become the heir to House Kaltbrand, beyond a shadow of a doubt, and still remain in House Guld¡¯s family register, if you so wish.¡± Dad''s expression turned serious. ¡°However, this method comes with considerable risk.¡±


    I stared at him with wide eyes.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You must inherit the coldfire.¡±

 Chapter 41: Inheritance

    I stared at Dad for several long seconds. The coldfire, the divine power that House Kaltbrand wielded, was one of the reasons why they were so powerful. Dad wanted me to inherit this power in order to become the heir of House Kaltbrand while still remaining in House Guld¡¯s family register? Was that even possible?


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    After I accepted this commission from Dad, I wanted to learn more about divine power out of curiosity. However, that fell by the wayside because of how busy I was from the banquet and dealing with Fallen Leaves. Even when I learned that I was a Kaltbrand, it never occurred to me that I might inherit the coldfire.


    ¡°The Emperor is the highest authority in the land.¡± Dad said. ¡°While the nobility have many rights and privileges, the ducal families in particular, the Emperor is still the undisputed ruler of the Reichwald Empire.¡± He pointed a finger up. ¡°However, there are higher powers whose authority supersedes even that of the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°The gods.¡± I said.


    I was never the most devout churchgoer. Not because I denied the existence of the gods, I had seen too much for that, but because faith was a personal matter for me. The occasional prayer and offering at the nearest temple was enough for me. Though, I admit that I was an unusual case. Most people attended church on a regular basis, even if they couldn¡¯t go every week.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dad said. ¡°If you inherit the coldfire, a divine power gifted to House Kaltbrand by the God of Darkness, not even the Emperor could deny your qualification as heir to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    That made sense. House Reichwald¡¯s legitimacy as rulers stemmed from two major factors: they are the descendants of the hero who saved the world from demons, and the divine power gifted to them by the gods. If I inherited the coldfire, the Emperor would have no excuse to interfere with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession. Otherwise, he would be denying the will of the gods and undermining his own legitimacy.


    Not only that, but he would face opposition from the other ducal families. Each of them wielded their own form of divine power, which was the foundation of their power and legitimacy. If the Emperor still interfered with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, even if I inherited the coldfire, the other ducal families would see that as a threat and take action.


    ¡°I see.¡± I said. ¡°How do I inherit the coldfire? And how does it differ from the divine power wielded by priests and priestesses?¡±


    ¡°For priests and priestesses,¡± Dad said, answering my second question first, ¡°Their divine power comes from their faith in the god they serve. The deeper their faith, the stronger their divine power. This is why higher ranked priests and priestesses have more power than their juniors. They are the most devout and thus have the most divine power.¡± He gestured to himself. ¡°For House Kaltbrand, it is more akin to a contract. As long as we adhere to the contract, the coldfire is ours to wield as we see fit. Faith has nothing to do with it.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± I said, ¡°Does this mean that the coldfire isn¡¯t something passed down from parent to child?¡±


    Dad took a moment to think before responding.


    ¡°Yes and no.¡± He said. ¡°It is more akin to an inherited duty rather than an inherited trait.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°Each heir of House Kaltbrand becomes a new signatory of the contract, and thus gains the ability to wield the coldfire. However, there have been instances where the reverse was true. A Kaltbrand inherited the coldfire first before becoming the heir.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be that simple.¡± I said.


    ¡°Simple? Yes. Easy? No. In order to wield the coldfire, you must prove yourself to the God of Darkness and pass his test. This test is dangerous, and you may even lose your life.¡± Dad sighed. ¡°I wanted to wait until after everything settled down before taking you to be tested. However, given the situation, we might have to expedite the matter. I leave the choice to you.¡±


    I mulled over Dad¡¯s words. If I didn¡¯t take the risk, I would have to get House Guld to remove me from their family register, which none of us wanted. Not only that, but I would be delaying the inevitable. In order to become the next head of House Kaltbrand, I would still need to go through the God of Darkness¡¯ test and inherit the coldfire.


    Viewed from that perspective, the choice was simple. Since I needed to risk my life either way, I might as well choose the path that let me remain a part of House Guld even as I became a part of House Kaltbrand. I could be both a Guld and a Kaltbrand. I didn¡¯t have to choose one or the other.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± I said. ¡°It sounds like I need to go through this test anyway if I want to become the next head of House Kaltbrand, so I might as well get it over with.¡±


    Dad nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said. ¡°To become the next head of House Kaltbrand, you need approval from the God of Darkness. This is why I never chose an heir from the potential candidates. None of them would have passed the test.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done if I hadn¡¯t existed?¡± I asked, more than a little curious.


    Dad shrugged.


    ¡°I would have found a worthy heir to bring into the family.¡± He said. ¡°Either through marriage, adoption, or both. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time in House Kaltbrand¡¯s history that we had to pull a trick like that. How do you think we¡¯ve managed to maintain our power over the last thousand years? We ensure that only a worthy heir inherits. Otherwise, we would have fallen a long time ago.¡±


    I stared at him in shock.


    ¡°One doesn¡¯t even need to be a Kaltbrand by blood in order to inherit the coldfire?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Correct.¡± He said. ¡°Blood is important, but approval from the God of Darkness is even more important.¡±


    Doubt filled my heart.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t pass the test?¡± I asked.


    Dad gave me a reassuring smile.


    ¡°You will.¡± He said. ¡°While the test is dangerous, you have all the qualities needed to earn the God of Darkness¡¯ approval. However, I¡¯m afraid that is all I can tell you about it. You¡¯ll have to find out the rest yourself.¡±


    His faith in me put the doubt in my heart to rest.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said. ¡°When do I take the test?¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡± Dad said. ¡°I need some time in order to make arrangements with the Church of Light and Darkness, but no more than half a day.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°What about the banquet?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We can afford to miss one night.¡± Dad said. ¡°This takes precedence. Father and Sophie can host the banquet in our place.¡± He nodded at me. ¡°In the meantime, I suggest that you rest and calm your mind. You¡¯ll need a clear heart for the test.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mind that at all. In fact, I felt relieved that I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the northern nobles tonight. After everything that had happened today, I was exhausted in both body and spirit. A good rest sounded like heaven right now.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± I said.


    ¡°Go.¡± Dad said. ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to fetch you when the time is right.¡±


    I nodded, before leaving the northern gardens.


    <hr>


    After leaving the northern gardens, I decided to check in on Lina and Mika before retiring to my rooms. The sight of Mika fleeing the dining room earlier still haunted me, and I wanted to clear the air between us before I took the test tonight. I also wanted to see Lina. The two of us hadn¡¯t had a moment to ourselves since she arrived at Kaltbrand Castle. We hadn¡¯t seen each other in three years, and I wanted to spend some time alone with my spring queen.


    When I arrived at Mika¡¯s rooms, the maids assigned to serve her led me to the sitting room. They informed me that Lina was tending to Mika, and that I might have to wait a while to see either of them. I told the maid that I was fine with waiting, before I settled in the sitting room. The maids offered to bring me refreshments, but I declined.


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    About ten minutes later, Lina arrived in the sitting room. She looked a little worse for wear compared to before. The moment I saw her, I stood up and took her into my arms. Lina accepted my embrace and leaned against me, letting out a contented sigh. Neither one of us said anything at first. We just enjoyed the comfort of each other¡¯s presence.


    ¡°How is she?¡± I asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Asleep.¡± Lina answered, sounding tired. ¡°After I managed to calm Mika down, I put her to bed so she could get some rest. The journey up here was a difficult one. That, in addition to the fear of losing you again, proved too much for her.¡±


    Guilt pierced my heart.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized that running away from Guld Manor would hurt everyone like that.¡±


    Back then, I wanted to leave as soon as possible to avoid running into Emmerich Guld.


    ¡°No.¡± Lina said, her voice sharp. ¡°You were too focused on your own troubles that you never stopped to consider how your actions would affect the rest of us.¡± She sighed, before continuing in a softer voice. ¡°Though, the fault lies with us in the end. If we maintained better control over our own servants, none of this would have happened. We didn¡¯t realize what Nanny did to you until after you left.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out about that?¡± I asked. ¡°I never said a word of what happened to anyone, and I doubt that Baroness Lafrenz would have told anyone.¡±


    Lina snorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s where you''re wrong, Wulfram.¡± She said. ¡°About a month after you left, Nanny mentioned to Emmerich that she was glad to have him back instead of the fake who took his place. Emmerich found this odd and questioned her. Nanny tried to evade his questions, but he persisted and soon she told him the full story. Afterwards, Emmerich brought the matter before the rest of us.¡±


    I stiffened when I heard that Emmerich Guld, the one member of House Guld who I harbored ill feelings towards, was the one who discovered the truth of how Baroness Lafrenz treated me. That was a bitter sort of irony.


    ¡°When I heard about what she did to you,¡± Lina said in a hard voice, ¡°I wanted to strip Nanny of her title and wealth, before tossing her out onto the streets. Father and Mother disagreed because of Nanny¡¯s many years of service.¡±


    I figured something like that would''ve happened, though I still felt a measure of disappointment. No matter how poorly Baroness Lafrenz had treated me, she served House Guld as a loyal vassal for decades. They didn¡¯t bear the same loathing towards her that I harbored.


    ¡°However, they agreed that Nanny deserved some form of punishment.¡± Lina continued. ¡°So they banished her from Guld Manor in disgrace and forbade her from ever returning.¡± She paused. ¡°They also let me cut out her tongue.¡±


    I blinked when I heard that, before I pulled away from Lina and looked her in the eyes.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked.


    I heard her just fine. It was just that I couldn¡¯t believe what she said.


    ¡°I cut out Nanny¡¯s tongue as punishment for what she did to you.¡± Lina said in a matter of fact tone. ¡°Father and Mother agreed that it was a suitable punishment, one that matched her crime. After all, she whispered poisonous lies into your ears for years. It was only fitting that she lost her tongue as a result.¡±


    I stared at Lina for a moment.


    ¡°You had her tongue cut out?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Lina said, as if speaking to someone hard of hearing. ¡°I cut out her tongue myself. Knights from the Order of the Golden Rose held her down, but I was the one who wielded the knife.¡±


    I was at a loss for words.


    ¡°Lina, Baroness Lafrenz was a loyal vassal of House Guld.¡± I said after I regained my composure. ¡°I¡¯m not defending her or justifying her actions, but she served House Guld for years. Not only that, but she raised and educated you and the others. You cut out her tongue? Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lina said, a merciless gleam in her eyes. ¡°She forgot her place and insulted House Guld with her actions. Father and Mother chose you as their son. You were not, and never were, a fake or a substitute for anyone. Nanny disrespected House Guld with her actions. Worst of all, she caused you pain. For that alone, she deserved severe punishment. The one reason why we only cut out her tongue was because of her long years of service to House Guld. If Father and Mother had let me have my way, Nanny would have suffered a far worse fate.¡±


    I smiled at her words.


    ¡°I¡¯m touched, and somewhat horrified, by how far you would go for me.¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lina said, as if stating the obvious. ¡°That is how important you are to me. And I know you would go just as far for my sake.¡± She snorted. ¡°You came to this forsaken land in order to earn a noble title so you and I could marry without issue. That alone speaks volumes about your dedication towards me. How could I not do the same for you?¡±


    Lina reached over to cup my face, before kissing me on the lips. I leaned down to meet her halfway. Unlike our kiss from earlier, when we first saw each other after spending years apart, this one was soft and gentle. It contained none of the desperation and hunger.


    ¡°I missed this.¡± Lina said after we pulled apart, her eyes closed. ¡°You have no idea how difficult it was to remain at Guld Manor, despite knowing where you were.¡± She opened her eyes. ¡°After going through that once, I¡¯m never letting you go again. I did so the first time out of respect for you and your wishes, but no more. Where you go, I go. Understood, my Winter King?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my Spring Queen.¡± I said, before kissing her on the lips again.


    This one was more heated, more passionate, than our previous kiss. Despite this, I made sure to keep myself in check. As much as I hungered for Lina, there were certain proprieties that we needed to adhere to. So, with great reluctance, Lina and I stopped kissing instead of going further. The two of us took a moment to cool off and calm down.


    ¡°It worked out in the end.¡± I said, picking up the conversation where we left off. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t come to the Barrens, I would have never found my birth family.¡±


    Lina scowled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like them.¡±She said. ¡°After abandoning you for more than twenty years, now they want you back? How dare they? If they truly cared about you, they should have looked for you sooner.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°There were extenuating circumstances.¡± I said.


    Lina gave me a skeptical look.


    ¡°Before you scoff,¡± I said, ¡°Listen to what I have to say first. Reserve your judgments until after.¡±


    With that, I proceeded to tell Lina a brief summary of how my birth parents lost me, though I kept the more personal parts to myself. Those were Mom and Dad¡¯s secrets and weren¡¯t mine to share. When I finished, Lina¡¯s scowl softened though it didn¡¯t go away.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like them.¡± She said after I finished. ¡°Though I dislike them less than before. Grand Duke Kaltbrand is a scoundrel, and it¡¯s clear that Knight Commander Bardin views me as a threat.¡± She smirked. ¡°She¡¯s afraid that I¡¯m here to steal her son away from her. Little does she know, you are already mine.¡±


    I heaved out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Please try to get along with them.¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re going to become your parents too after we get married.¡±


    ¡°I make no promises.¡± Lina warned. ¡°If your birth parents insult me or pick fights with me, I¡¯m not going to smile and pretend as if nothing happened.¡± She paused. ¡°However, I won¡¯t insult or start fights with them first.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll speak with them as well. At the very least, I hope everyone can be polite and civil with one another.¡±


    Lina sighed.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed your mind, I take it?¡± she asked. ¡°You still intend on becoming the heir to House Kaltbrand?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°I found my birth family, and I won¡¯t abandon them.¡± I grinned. ¡°Besides, the reason why I came to the Barrens in the first place was to earn a noble title. I think ¡®Grand Duke¡¯ is a fine one. Don¡¯t you agree, future Grand Duchess?¡±


    Lina snorted.


    ¡°As much as I dislike the Barrens and your birth family, I do like the sound of that.¡± She said. ¡°This is the only situation in which I¡¯ll marry into a family with a higher status than my own.¡±


    True. Other than House Kaltbrand, the ducal families were more or less equal in status. Everyone else was lower than them. There was House Reichwald, but they were Lina¡¯s family. The laws of the Reichwald Empire forbade any consanguineous marriages closer than six degrees of relation. That meant second cousins at most.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like the idea of removing you from House Guld¡¯s family register.¡± Lina continued, her expression grim. ¡°It feels too much like you¡¯re abandoning us in favor of your birth family.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Dad and I discussed the matter.¡± I said. ¡°There is a way for me to become the heir of House Kaltbrand without removing me from House Guld¡¯s family register or giving the Emperor an excuse to meddle with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Lina asked with a frown.


    ¡°I need to inherit the coldfire.¡± I said.


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, almost muttering to herself, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that? The succession of House Guld works the same way. In the end, the gods are the ones who make the final decision. If you inherit the coldfire, then not even the Emperor can do anything about it.¡±


    I tilted my head.


    ¡°What is House Guld¡¯s divine power?¡± I asked, curious.


    Everyone in the Reichwald Empire knew about House Kaltbrand¡¯s divine power because they weren¡¯t shy about using it. However, the other ducal families were more reticent about revealing theirs. Even I didn¡¯t know much about House Guld¡¯s divine power, and I lived with them for over seven years.


    ¡°Fertility and prosperity.¡± Lina answered. ¡°It¡¯s not as flashy as the coldfire, but it helped our family grow powerful and wealthy.¡±


    No wonder a family like House Guld ruled the Riverlands, if this was their power. It was more subtle than the coldfire, but it was just as powerful. In fact, in many ways, it was even more powerful. I wondered how much of the Riverlands¡¯ current prosperity was thanks to House Guld¡¯s divine power.


    ¡°When will you be tested?¡± Lina asked. ¡°I know that for our family, one must prove oneself worthy. I imagine that you will have to go through something similar to inherit the coldfire.¡±


    ¡°Tonight.¡± I said with a nod. ¡°So, I won¡¯t be attending the night¡¯s banquet.¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t attend either.¡± Lina said. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any point without you there.¡± She smiled. ¡°In that case, are you free until tonight?¡±


    I grinned at her.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°So you have me for the entire afternoon.¡±


    With that, Lina and I spent the rest of the day with each other.

 Chapter 42: Test by the Gods

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Dad said as our carriage pulled to a stop.


    The door opened and we stepped outside. I took this opportunity to take my first good look at the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart. Like the rest of the buildings within the city, the church was built from dark gray stone, giving its exterior a bleak and foreboding appearance. Looking at it from the outside, it looked like a temple to a dark and forgotten god.


    It was nighttime, well past sunset, though the abundance of mana crystal lamps in the area provided more than enough light to see by. It was cool out. Despite the season, this was the Barrens. The cold never went away, not for good at least. Some of it lingered, even in the middle of summer.


    It was quiet out. Frostheart was a regional capital, and thus had a large population, but there were few people in and around the Church of Light and Darkness. Most were still enjoying the festival that Dad threw to accompany the week-long, now nine days long, banquet. On our way here, the sounds of revelry filled the air. However, as we neared the Church of Light and Darkness, it all faded away.


    During the journey, my thoughts went back to everyone. After I spent the afternoon with Lina, I said my goodbyes to everyone before leaving for the church. Mom and Count Wirner were worried for me, Mom in particular, but they understood the necessity of my actions. As the current Knight Commander of the Coldsteel Knights and the former Knight Commander of the Coldsteel Knights, they knew that sometimes one must take risks for one''s family and one''s people.


    Mika woke up when it was almost time for me to leave. It took some convincing on my part, but I managed to reassure her that I wasn¡¯t going to abandon House Guld. I also gave her the present I bought for her a while ago, the magical music box with the dancer. As I hoped, Mika loved it.


    When the time drew near, Dad sent a servant to bring me to him. I took Sir Kane along, since he was my bodyguard, and left Viktor behind to keep an eye on Ellen and Thomas. The latter two had behaved so far, but it was better to be safe than sorry. I didn¡¯t want Thomas to try and break Ellen out of the dungeons again.


    Sir Kane and I took the servants'' passages to meet with Dad, in order to avoid running into any of the other northern nobles. The less people who knew about our business tonight, the better. Besides, I wasn¡¯t in the mood to interact with any of them. There was only so much verbal sparring I could take.


    After meeting with Dad, the three of us entered a plain and unmarked carriage, before heading off. The journey to the Church of Light and Darkness was an uneventful one. A part of me feared that Fallen Leaves would attack us, since we were vulnerable, but nothing happened. Either the Blue Shadows ensured that Fallen Leaves hadn¡¯t found out about our little excursion, or the latter didn¡¯t care.


    Perhaps Fallen Leaves wished to avoid a direct conflict with House Kaltbrand. That made sense. They made sure to keep to the shadows when interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession. If it hadn¡¯t been for Ellen, they would have remained in the shadows as an unknown enemy.


    After we reached the Church of Light and Darkness and stepped outside of our carriage, a pair of people exited the church to greet us. One was a middle-aged woman wearing the robes of a high priestess of the Goddess of Light, the other was a middle-aged man wearing the robes of a high priest of the God of Darkness. The two of them bowed when they reached us.


    ¡°Greetings, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.¡± They said in unison.


    Dad nodded in return.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Dad said, gesturing to the two, ¡°This is High Priestess Ursel and High Priest Jeremias. The two of them lead the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart. They¡¯re both also good friends of mine, who I¡¯ve known for a long time.¡±


    I gave each of them a shallow bow.


    ¡°I greet you, High Priestess Ursel.¡± I said. ¡°I greet you, High Priest Jeremias.¡±


    High Priestess Ursel gave me a warm smile, while High Priest Jeremias wore a stoic expression.


    ¡°Welcome, Lord Wulfe.¡± High Priestess Ursel said. ¡°We¡¯ve heard much about you. I¡¯m glad we have this opportunity to finally meet.¡±


    High Priest Jeremias grunted, before facing Dad.


    ¡°Everything is ready.¡± He said in a gruff voice.


    Dad nodded and gestured towards High Priest Jeremias.


    ¡°In that case, lead the way.¡± He said.


    High Priest Jeremias grunted again, before turning around and walking towards the Church of Light and Darkness. We followed behind him, though I instructed Sir Kane to remain with the carriage and keep an eye out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Jeremias.¡± High Priestess Ursel said, walking beside me. ¡°Despite his rather taciturn bearing, he has a good heart.¡±


    I smiled at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± I said. ¡°Many of the priests and priestesses of the God of Darkness who I¡¯ve met are similar.¡±


    High Priest Ursel returned my smile, but otherwise didn¡¯t respond. The four of us entered the Church of Light and Darkness. It was warm and cozy inside, though the interior was plainer than I expected. The Church of Light and Darkness near Guld Manor was filled with lavish decorations, thanks to the numerous donations from House Guld. It seemed that the Church of Light and Darkness here in Frostheart was more humble and modest.


    We met a few priests and priestesses as we followed High Priest Jeremias, who all greeted us with the appropriate amount of respect. In particular, the priests and priestesses who followed the God of Darkness eyed Dad with admiration and veneration. As the wielder of the coldfire, he was the chosen champion of the God of Darkness.


    As we followed High Priest Jeremias, our group passed by a mural depicting the creation of the world. I took a moment to study it. It was a story everyone in the Reichwald Empire knew to some degree or another. In the beginning, the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness fought each other as enemies. Their conflict lasted for countless eons. Despite this, neither one could defeat the other. Every victory was temporary and never lasted long.


    In the end, the two of them made peace with one another before proceeding to create their own worlds: one of fire and light, and one of cold and dark. However, in the midst of this, demons from beyond invaded these two worlds. The two gods worked together to drive them back, but not before their worlds were destroyed.


    However, all was not lost. Fragments of both worlds remained. The Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness worked together to create a new world, one of both light and darkness. At some point, the two of them fell in love with each other and married one another.


    In time, they started a family and their children became the lesser gods and goddesses of this world. Eventually, humanity came to be. Church doctrine was less clear on whether the gods created us, or if we developed on our own. Regardless, the gods blessed humanity with divine power in exchange for faith and worship.


    All this passed through my mind as I studied the mural, before I hurried off to catch up with the others.


    <hr>


    High Priest Jeremias led us to a stone archway located underneath the Church of Light and Darkness. Beyond the archway was a plain and bare stone chamber. The only thing inside the stone chamber was an altar. Hovering in the air above the altar was a mote of coldfire. However, this coldfire was different from the one Dad wielded. It was colder, more primeval. It was as if this coldfire had existed since before the world began, and would continue to exist long after the world ended.


    ¡°This is the Coldfire Shrine.¡± High Priest Jeremias explained in a gruff voice. ¡°Your ancestor, the first Kaltbrand, created it to house the gift he received from the God of Darkness: a remnant of the world of frost and darkness, which the God of Darkness created long before our world ever existed. That remnant is the coldfire.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Ever since then, each potential heir of House Kaltbrand has tested themselves here in order to prove their worth. Those who succeed inherit the coldfire and become heir in truth. Those who fail don¡¯t.¡±


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    I looked back at Dad, who gave me a reassuring nod, before facing High Priest Jeremias again.


    ¡°What do I need to do?¡± I asked.


    High Priest Jeremias nodded towards the mote of coldfire hovering above the altar.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± he said, ¡°Touch the coldfire and accept it into your body. If you pass the test, the coldfire will become a part of you. If you fail, it will freeze you. You may even die.¡± He shook his head. ¡°That is all I can tell you. You must experience the rest for yourself.¡±


    I looked at the mote of coldfire and swallowed. Now that I had come to this, I felt afraid. What if I failed the test? Yes, I wanted to become the heir of House Kaltbrand, but did I want to risk my life for it?


    Yes, I realized after giving it some thought. I wanted to become the heir of House Kaltbrand. Not for influence and status, rather not just for those reasons, but so that I would have the power necessary to protect those I loved. Those without power were always at the mercy of those with power.


    ¡°I believe in you, Wulfe.¡± Dad said, putting a hand on my shoulder.


    I gave him a grateful smile, before steeling my resolve and walking into the stone chamber. From behind me, I heard High Priestess Ursel mutter a prayer on my behalf.


    The moment I stepped into the stone chamber, freezing cold assaulted me. It was far colder than anything I had ever experienced before. It pierced through my clothes like they weren¡¯t even there. The worst winter I endured in the Barrens was nothing in comparison.


    As I drew closer and closer to the coldfire, it grew colder and colder, until it felt as if my very soul would freeze. Each step was more difficult than the last. I used my Aura to protect myself, with limited success. Despite this, I pushed on. By the time I reached the coldfire, I had reached my limit. If this lasted any longer, I would freeze to death. I would either pass the test and live, or I would fail and die.


    I reached out to the coldfire and grasped it in my hand. The moment I touched it, the bitter cold from before invaded my body. It was as if my flesh, my blood, and even my bones had turned to ice. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The coldfire froze the very air in my lungs. Before I could do anything, the cold spread throughout my entire being and swallowed me whole. I fell into darkness and knew nothing.


    <hr>


    When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the middle of an icy tundra. One moment I was in the Coldfire Shrine, dying as the coldfire invaded my body. Next, I found myself in this place. The transition was sudden and disorienting. It took me a moment to regain my bearings. Once I did, I looked around.


    A mist filled the air, surrounding me and obscuring my vision. No matter where I looked, I just saw mist. It even obscured the sky. Silence reigned supreme. I heard nothing except the sound of my own breathing. Despite the lack of any light source, I saw with perfect clarity. I wasn¡¯t cold either, which I found odd. This place seemed freezing cold, yet I felt fine. It was also rich in mana, making it the perfect place to train.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I asked.


    My voice sounded muffled, swallowed by the mist.


    ¡°Is anyone there? Where am I?¡±


    I received no answer. What happened? How did I get here? Did someone teleport me? Or¡­ Or was I dead and this was the afterlife? To test this, I pinched my cheek. It hurt. So, I was alive. At least, I hoped I was alive. Still, knowing that didn¡¯t help me. I didn¡¯t know how I arrived at this strange place, or how to leave.


    Unless this was part of the test that I needed to pass in order to inherit the coldfire.


    The more I thought about it, the more I realized that this was likely the case. After all, I had been in the middle of testing myself when I arrived at this place. It stood to reason that coming here was a part of the test. That, or I was dead and this was the afterlife. Regardless, standing around and doing nothing wouldn¡¯t help me, so I picked a random direction and started walking.


    The ground crunched beneath my feet as I walked. At first I thought it was just ice. However, to my surprise, when I took a closer look, I saw that it was grass. However, it wasn¡¯t grass as I knew it. This grass was blue and made from ice. Despite that, it was alive. I could sense it. Living ice? How was that even possible?


    I thought back to High Priest Jeremias¡¯ words from earlier. He called the coldfire a remnant of the first world the God of Darkness created, the one of cold and darkness. Was this that world? Had the coldfire transported me here? I didn¡¯t know. Either way, standing around and speculating wouldn¡¯t help me get out of here or pass the test.


    I walked for a while, though I didn¡¯t know how long. Without any reference points, it was difficult to tell how much time had passed. It could have been minutes or hours or even longer. Yet, no matter how long I walked or how far I went, I never grew tired. I couldn¡¯t tell if this was a good sign or not.


    After what felt like hours, I heard something howling in the distance. At first there was just one howl, but soon others joined it. Together, they formed an unholy chorus. It didn¡¯t take me long to figure out the source of the howling: a pack of Mad Dogs. I had hunted so many of them, that I recognized them right away.


    I drew my sword and prepared for battle. Thankfully, whatever force brought me to this place also brought my weapons as well. I could fight a pack of Mad Dogs barehanded, but I preferred using a sword. That way, I lessened the risk of getting their corrupted blood all over me.


    The howling continued, drawing closer and closer until it sounded like they were right on top of me. I took a stance and waited for them to attack. I didn¡¯t have to wait long. After a few moments, a mangy, diseased-looking beast burst out of the mist and snarled, before rushing towards me. I waited until the Mad Dog was right on me, before dodging its attack and cleaving it in half in one motion. However, I didn¡¯t get a chance to relax before the second Mad Dog attacked.


    Dispatching the pack was a simple affair. Mad Dogs were aggressive to the point of suicide, making them easy to deal with. While they weren¡¯t stupid, their aggression overwhelmed any caution they possessed. Soon, the corpses of several Mad Dogs surrounded me. Too bad I didn¡¯t have any holy oil or holy water on me. Otherwise, I would have purified the bodies. As it was, there was nothing I could do but let them fester.


    However, to my surprise, the icy grass that surrounded the corpses started to glow blue. At the same time, I watched as the Mad Dogs and their blood froze. No, that wasn¡¯t right. They turned to ice. It was similar to when Dad used the coldfire to freeze the flames and turn them to ice. Soon, nothing remained of the Mad Dogs except several ice sculptures in their likeness.


    Just to make sure, I used my sword to break one of the frozen Mad Dogs. It was all ice. There was no flesh or blood or bone. Not only that, but the Mad Dog was purified as well. No traces of demonic corruption remained. Wherever or whatever this place was, it was inimical to demonic beasts. That much was clear to me.


    I continued on my way, but it wasn¡¯t long before another pack of demonic beasts attacked me.


    <hr>


    This pattern repeated itself several times. Demonic beasts attacked me and I killed them all, before continuing on my way. Soon after that, more demonic beasts attacked me, starting the cycle anew.


    In the beginning, I faced the weakest kinds of demonic beasts, ones similar to Mad Dogs in power. However, as time went on, I faced stronger and stronger types of demonic beasts. It wasn¡¯t long before Rank Two demonic beasts started appearing.


    At first, I dispatched my opponents with ease. Rank One and Rank Two demonic beasts were no match for me, no matter how many of them I faced. However, the endless attacks and the increasing power of my enemies sapped my strength little by little. My mana drained at an alarming rate. The icy tundra was rich with mana, but the constant attacks prevented me from replenishing my reserves.


    When I started facing Rank Three demonic beasts, such as Proteans, I knew that I was in trouble. Sooner or later, I would run out of mana. When that happened, I would have to fight using my physical strength alone. Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t enough to deal with Rank Three demonic beasts. I needed to get out of this place as soon as possible. However, no matter how hard I looked, I couldn¡¯t find a way out of here. Everything looked the same to me. There was just icy tundra and mist everywhere.


    Was this all a part of the test? Was I supposed to keep killing demonic beasts until I reached my limit? Or was I supposed to find the exit before the constant tide of demonic beasts overwhelmed me?


    Maybe this wasn¡¯t a test at all. Maybe I was dead, and this was a special kind of hell. More than once, my mind wandered to the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass and the horrors I faced back then. However, unlike then, I faced the demonic beasts alone. I didn¡¯t have any friends or comrades to watch my back.


    After dispatching another group of Rank Three demonic beasts, I looked to the sky.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I yelled. ¡°What am I supposed to do here?¡±


    Nothing answered. The mist continued to swirl about, indifferent and uncaring. Anger and frustration continued to build up inside me, until I felt like I would burst. However, just before I reached my limit, the mist disappeared. One moment, it obscured my vision. The next, I saw nothing but icy tundra as far as the eye could see. Dark gray clouds blanketed the sky above.


    I looked around, ready for another attack, yet nothing could have prepared me for what I saw next. In the distance, about half a mile away from me, I saw a shadowy figure. It looked humanoid, but with an elongated body, as if someone had taken the figure and stretched it out. Its entire body was smooth and featureless, as if it were made entirely out of shadows and nothing more. Wicked looking claws tipped the figure¡¯s hands. Otherwise, it seemed harmless, at least compared to some of the other kinds of demonic beasts I faced in the past. However, when I saw how powerful it was, I sucked in a breath.


    Rank Four.


    Rank Four demonic beasts were the rarest of the rare. Each one was as powerful as an Aura Master. They were akin to natural disasters, bringing death and destruction wherever they went. Only a handful of Rank Four demonic beasts had appeared during the course of the Reichwald Empire¡¯s history. However, whenever one showed up, countless people died.


    For the first time since the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass, after I became an Aura Master, I feared dying. I sparred with Mom several times, and faced off against that dagger wielding Aura Master at Meyers Castle, but those hadn¡¯t been fights to the death. This Rank Four demonic beast wouldn¡¯t show me such consideration.


    As if to prove my point, the Rank Four demonic beast chose that moment to dash in my direction and charge right for me. I readied my sword and charged towards it as well.


    The battle with the Rank Four demonic beast had begun.

 Chapter 43: The Choice

    When the Rank Four demonic beast and I reached each other, we attacked each other at the same time. The moment its claws clashed with my sword, I realized something important. This Rank Four demonic beast wasn¡¯t as strong as an Aura Master. It was much stronger. The creature pushed me back with its physical might alone. I tried to disengage to put some distance between us and give myself time to think, but the Rank Four demonic beast chased after me.


    The creature unleashed a barrage of attacks to harry and harass me, moving faster than any other foe I had ever faced in my lifetime. I tried to defend myself, but some of the Rank Four demonic beast¡¯s attacks pierced through my defenses. My Aura protected my body, but each blow drained my mana. The longer this fight went on, the greater my disadvantage. I would not win a fight of attrition.


    What unnerved me was the creature¡¯s silence. It didn¡¯t howl or snarl or make any of the other sounds other demonic beasts made. It just attacked me, staring at me with its blank and featureless face. In fact, I didn¡¯t know if stare was even the right word, since it didn¡¯t have any eyes.


    However, the Rank Four demonic beast¡¯s constant attacks gave me another interesting insight. Despite its immense strength and speed, it didn¡¯t have any skill or technique. It attacked without any finesse, relying on its physical might to overwhelm its opponents. Hope sprang to life in my heart. I could do this. I could win.


    I feinted. The Rank Four demonic beast fell for it, leaving its side wide open. I took advantage of this opening to attack. The Rank Four demonic beast tried to block my attack, but it was too late. My sword slashed its side. Black blood gushed from the wound, spilling upon the ground.


    I attacked again, hoping to build momentum and throw the Rank Four demonic beast off balance. However, it retaliated, moving faster than before. I managed to block the creature¡¯s attack, but it hit me with enough force to send me flying off my feet. I flew through the air before hitting the ground. I rolled with the fall before using my momentum to help me spring back onto my feet.


    The Rank Four demonic beast gave me no time to recover. It was upon me in an instant. The creature attacked me with another barrage of attacks. I tried another feint, but it didn¡¯t work a second time. The creature had learned its lesson.


    To my dismay, with each passing second, the Rank Four demonic beast moved faster and faster until I couldn¡¯t keep up. I managed to block a third of its attacks. The rest hit my Aura, draining my mana at an alarming rate. If this kept up, I would run out in less than a minute. When that happened, I was dead.


    Desperate, I considered my options. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have many. There wasn¡¯t anything in the environment around us that I could utilize to gain an advantage. We were surrounded by flat icy tundra in all directions. If I tried to run away, the Rank Four demonic beast would chase me down. It was faster than me, and I would just waste mana trying to escape.


    All I could do was hold my ground and find some way to beat an enemy that was both faster and stronger than me. Maybe I could outlast it, but I doubted it. The Rank Four demonic beast seemed to have endless stamina.


    In that case, I might as well go all in. I needed to risk everything in the hopes of winning. Otherwise, I was going to lose. I stopped shielding my body with my Aura, and put all of my mana into my attacks. I also stopped blocking the Rank Four demonic attacks. Its claws slashed me across the chest, drawing lines of fire. I ignored the pain and retaliated. My sword took it in the arm, cutting it deep.


    Giving up defense in favor of offense worked. Every time the Rank Four demonic beast attacked me, it left itself open. I took advantage of this to attack it in return, inflicting an injury with each blow. However, I paid for it by receiving an injury in return.


    The two of us traded blows like this over the course of several seconds. During that time, I ended up with wounds and injuries all over me. Pain wracked my body, and my blood dripped upon the icy tundra. I grew lightheaded and my vision swam. If this kept up, I would fall unconscious from the pain and blood loss.


    However, my foe was in poor condition as well. Black blood oozed from dozens of wounds. The creature¡¯s movements grew sluggish, which in turn gave me more openings to take advantage of.


    A fire ignited in my heart. I could do this. I could win. I could kill this Rank Four demonic beast.


    I attacked with reckless abandon, discarding any thoughts of safety or caution. All that mattered to me was defeating the Rank Four demonic beast and killing it. The creature, unable to withstand the fury of my attacks, retreated by a single step. For the first time since our fight began, I pushed the Rank Four demonic beast back. I pressed my advantage and built momentum.


    However, I paid for it in blood and pain. In exchange for forcing the Rank Four demonic beast back, I suffered a significant number of injuries, many of which were lethal in the long run. I wouldn¡¯t last long if this kept. I needed to win this fight now, or I would end up losing.


    To that end, I ¡°stumbled¡± forward, giving the Rank Four demonic beast an opening to regain its advantage. It took the bait and attacked me with all of its might. I recovered from my ¡°stumble¡± and used my left arm to block its attack. It was too much for my body to handle. I heard a snap as the bones in my left arm snapped.


    At the same time, I swung my sword with my right arm, aiming for the Rank Four demonic beast¡¯s neck. It tried to dodge, but it was too late. I put everything into my attack. My sword met the creature¡¯s neck and cut right through it. The Rank Four demonic beast¡¯s head tumbled to the ground and black blood spurted from the stump that remained. Its body remained upright for a few seconds, before tumbling to the ground.


    I had done it. I had won.


    However, before I could celebrate my victory, a wave of exhaustion washed over me and my vision grew dark. I swayed, before falling forward. To remain upright, I used my sword as a crutch. It hurt, but my entire body hurt so I barely noticed. I took stock of my condition. Injuries covered my entire body, and my left hung limp at my side, broken. I was in no condition to fight. More than that, if I didn¡¯t find a healer soon, I would die.


    Winning the fight but dying of blood loss afterward, what an ignoble end.


    After taking a few moments to catch my breath, I pushed myself up so that I could continue trying to find a way out of this place. However, the moment I stood up straight, a golden light caught my attention. I turned to find some kind of hole in reality hovering in the air nearby. It was like looking through a window into another world. On the other side stood Guld Manor. My breath caught in my throat when I saw this. It was just as I remembered it. The beautiful main building surrounded by lush gardens.


    Home.


    Before I could stop myself, I rushed towards this tear in reality. As I drew closer I felt the warmth of spring and smelled the scent of the flowers. Everything in me yearned for Guld Manor. So much so, that I disregarded my injuries as I ran towards the tear. My body screamed in pain, but I ignored it. All that mattered to me was returning home.


    Just as I reached the tear, I stopped right in front of it. A sudden realization came over me, and I felt myself grow cold. My legs buckled and I fell to my knees, staring at Guld Manor. It took all of my willpower to not enter the tear, to go home.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°This is the real test, isn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, looking up at the sky.


    That was the thought that occurred to me just before I reached the tear and entered it. Fighting the Rank Four demonic beast and defeating it wasn¡¯t the real test. This was. It wasn¡¯t a test of strength or a test of martial skill. It was a test of character. A choice. I could go through the tear and return home, or I could stay here and spend the rest of my life fighting demonic beasts.


    ¡°That was the contract that the first Kaltbrand made with you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, still staring at the sky. ¡°He sacrificed comfort and wealth in order to stand guard and protect the rest of the world from the demonic beast threat. Now you¡¯re asking me to make the same choice.¡±


    Before this, a part of me harbored a small hope of returning to the Riverlands and Guld Manor. It wasn¡¯t as if I needed to become the heir to House Kaltbrand. I could just leave. According to Lina and Mika, Father and Mother would welcome me back with open arms. However, to do so I would have to abandon House Kaltbrand


    In essence, I had to choose between the Barrens and the Riverlands. The icy north and the prosperous west. House Kaltbrand and House Guld.


    A crunch caught my attention and I looked to find a man standing nearby. He reminded me a lot of Dad. He was tall and muscular, with pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes. He had rough features, as if his face had been carved from stone. There was something timeless about this man. He looked like he was in his early thirties, but there was something about his eyes that gave him the air of someone much older.


    The man studied me with a cold and indifferent expression on his face, remaining silent. I looked at him for several seconds, before I turned back towards Guld Manor. The sight was so tantalizing. All I needed to do was reach out, and I would be there. I would be back home.


    I sighed, before I pushed myself up, using my sword for leverage. Feeling as if I were ripping my own heart out, I turned away from the tear to face the man. The small hope in my heart died out. The man nodded at me, his eyes brimming with sympathy. The tear closed and disappeared, as if it had never existed in the first place. The warmth of spring and scent of flowers disappeared with it. For the first time since I came to this icy tundra, I felt cold.


    The man held out a hand to me, palm facing up. Hovering in the air above his hand was a mote of icy blue fire: the coldfire. I dropped my sword and reached over with my right arm, holding my hand out. The mote of coldfire floated from the man¡¯s hand and reached mine. Following my intuition, I took the mote and pressed it against my chest.


    Unlike before, when I touched the coldfire back in the Coldfire Shrine, cold didn¡¯t invade my body. Instead, it pierced my heart and lodged itself in there, forever becoming a part of me.


    When the mote of coldfire became a part of me, the man nodded in satisfaction. He gestured in my direction and I heard a crack come from beneath me. Before I could react, the ground below me collapsed and I fell into darkness. The last thing I saw was the man¡¯s face.


    <hr>


    I found myself back in the Coldfire Shrine. Like before, the transition was sudden. One moment I was falling into darkness. In the next, I found myself staring at the mote of coldfire hovering in the air above the stone altar. I looked around. It seemed as if barely any time had passed here. That wasn¡¯t possible. Rather, it shouldn¡¯t be possible. I spent at least an hour in the icy tundra, maybe longer.


    Not only that, but my body felt fine. I remembered the coldfire invading my entire being, freezing me from the inside out. Yet, no trace of that remained. I also saw no sign of the injuries I suffered back when I fought the Rank Four demonic beast. I was whole and unharmed. It was as if those injuries had never existed in the first place.


    Had any of that happened? Or had it all been an illusion? No. It felt too visceral, too real, to have been a mere illusion. More than that, I still felt the coldfire that resided in my heart. That, at least, was real.


    I held up a hand and called the coldfire. It responded to my will as if it were an extension of myself. The coldfire emerged from my heart and carved a pathway through my body, before appearing in the air above my hand. It hovered there, flickering and dancing. Instead of heat, it emitted cold.


    Despite this, I felt fine. The cold no longer bothered me. This included the cold that pervaded the entire Coldfire Shrine. When I first entered the chamber, however long ago that was, it almost proved too much for me. However, that was no longer the case. I still felt the cold, but it no longer harmed me.


    Someone gasped. I turned to find the others still waiting for me, standing beyond the stone archway. Dad wore a proud smile on his face. High Priestess Ursel stared at me in astonishment. High Priest Jeremias wore the same gruff expression as before, though I saw the veneration in his eyes.


    I snuffed out the coldfire that I conjured, before I turned and walked over to rejoin the others. The moment I crossed the threshold, Dad pulled me into a tight embrace. It felt warm.


    ¡°I knew you could do it, Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± He pulled back and beamed at me. ¡°You¡¯ve become a true Kaltbrand. I dare anyone to say otherwise.¡±


    High Priest Jeremias and High Priestess Ursel both bowed to me.


    ¡°Congratulations, Lord Wulfe,¡± High Priestess Ursel said. ¡°You have inherited the coldfire. Truly, you have been blessed by the gods.¡±


    ¡°Our lord, the God of Darkness, has deemed you worthy,¡± High Priest Jeremias said. ¡°We must celebrate this most auspicious occasion.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, before pausing. ¡°Did any of you see anything?¡±


    The three of them looked at me in confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean, Wulfe?¡± Dad asked.


    ¡°Did I disappear or go anywhere?¡± I asked.


    High Priestess Ursel¡¯s confusion deepened. However, Dad and High Priest Jeremias glanced at one another.


    ¡°No,¡± Dad said. ¡°You walked into the Coldfire Shrine and touched the coldfire hovering above the altar. After that, you stood there for a few seconds before conjuring the coldfire.¡±


    So no time at all had passed while I was in that icy tundra. I thought as much, but it didn¡¯t hurt to have others confirm it. In that case, what happened to me? It wasn¡¯t an illusion, it felt too real for that, yet my body never left the Coldfire Shrine.


    ¡°Why do you ask, Lord Wulfe?¡± High Priest Jeremias asked. ¡°Did something happen to you?¡±


    I thought about telling them what happened, but I decided against it in the end. I thought it was better to keep it to myself for now, at least until I better understood what happened to me.


    ¡°Nevermind,¡± I said, shaking my head, ¡°It must have been nothing.¡±


    High Priest Jeremias narrowed his eyes at me. It was clear that he didn¡¯t believe my words, but he didn¡¯t press the issue.


    ¡°We should head home.¡± Dad said. ¡°It has been a long night.¡± He turned to the others. ¡°Thank you for helping us on such short notice.¡±


    High Priest Jeremias and High Priestess Ursel bowed to him.


    ¡°Of course, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.¡± the High Priestess said. ¡°We are always at House Kaltbrand¡¯s service.¡±


    ¡°Witnessing a Kaltbrand inheriting the coldfire was an honor.¡± High Priest Jeremias said.


    With that, the two of them escorted Dad and I back to our carriage. Sir Kane remained where we had left him, standing guard over the carriage. We said our goodbyes to the High Priest and the High Priestess, before climbing back into our carriage and heading off.


    ¡°Did you succeed, Lord Wulfe?¡± Sir Kane asked.


    Another noble would have considered the question impertinent. However, Sir Kane was my friend as well as my bodyguard. Thus, I afforded him more leeway.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said.


    I conjured a mote of coldfire as proof. Sir Kane stared at it in wonder.


    ¡°Amazing.¡± He muttered.


    I snuffed out the mote.


    ¡°Not only that, but it seems that Wulfe had an interesting experience when he inherited the coldfire.¡± Dad said.


    I studied him and wondered just how much he knew. His reaction from earlier told me that he knew something, or at least suspected it. Perhaps he could explain things to me. I opened my mouth to ask, but Dad held up a hand to forestall me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to share it with me.¡± He said. ¡°What happened to you was meant for you and for you alone. You don¡¯t have to share it with others. In fact, I advise you not to.¡±


    I considered his words for a moment, before nodding. After that, we spent the rest of the ride back to Kaltbrand Castle in silence. Now that I had inherited the coldfire, my position as heir to House Kaltbrand was secure. No one, not even the Emperor, could say otherwise.


    Still, I knew that my enemies wouldn¡¯t surrender without a fight. They would try something, likely at the ball on that last day of the banquet. That was the last immediate hurdle that I needed to overcome. Afterwards¡­ Well, I would worry about that later. For now, I would take it one step at a time.

 Chapter 44: The Calm Before the Storm

    The next day, the twins reported to me that the northern nobles were abuzz last night, when they noticed the absence of Dad and I during the banquet. They speculated about what it meant. Mom and Count Wirner attended the banquet in our absence and acted as if nothing was wrong, but this just further fueled the northern nobles¡¯ speculation.


    Many suspected that Dad and I were too afraid to show our faces, now that the rumors about me were running rampant. I almost snorted at the stupidity of that line of thinking. Dad? Afraid of facing a few nobles? What nonsense.


    Others believed that Dad and I were scrambling to fix the situation, desperate to find a solution. House Steuben encouraged these rumors and took advantage of our absence to increase their influence.


    Since this was what we wanted, in order to further fuel the rumors, I decided to not attend the rest of the banquet until the last day. I even stopped attending the meetings with the vassals. All this, in order to give House Steuben more rope to hang themselves with. The higher they rose, the harder they would fall. However, I never forgot that our real opponents were Prince Dirk, Prince Leopold, and Fallen Leaves.


    House Gerhard and my other supporters grew more and more worried. However, Lina worked to reassure them. I let her, since the main reason why House Gerhard aligned themselves with me in the first place was because of my connection to House Guld. Lina kept a low profile, to avoid alerting most of the northern nobles to her presence in Kaltbrand Castle, but she met with key figures among my supporters. She even made time to meet with Lady Adelheid.


    I didn¡¯t attend the meeting itself, but Lina must have said something to the poor woman. The next time I saw Lady Adelheid, she seemed shaken and spooked. She treated me with extreme politeness, and even deference. So much so that she retreated whenever I drew near her. It was as if she were afraid to come close to me.


    As for House Arbeit, holding Lord Ulric hostage kept them in check. While they grumbled about Dad¡¯s tyrannical nature, they refrained from participating in the gossip and rumors. However, the Blue Shadows noticed some suspicious movements from their followers.


    It seemed that some of House Arbeit¡¯s supporters were meeting with nobles who had aligned themselves with House Steuben. We didn¡¯t know if that meant that House Arbeit would lose more of their influence, or if they were trying to broker an alliance with House Steuben. Regardless, we kept an eye on them.


    Now that I didn¡¯t have to attend the banquet or the meetings with the vassals, I decided to test my newfound power and practice wielding the coldfire. To avoid alerting anyone, I practiced in my rooms.


    Wielding the coldfire was an interesting experience. It responded to my will, acting like an extension of myself. However, I didn¡¯t have perfect control over it. I had raw power, but little finesse. I couldn¡¯t wield the coldfire with any degree of subtlety. It was like a blunt weapon in my hands, powerful and destructive, but little else. Like with any skill, I needed to train and hone my control.


    This reminded me of when I first started learning the sword. Back then, I first built a solid foundation by training my body and practicing the basics. Only after I mastered the fundamentals did I proceed with more advanced training. I took a similar approach with the coldfire.


    Dad was a great help here. He gave me solid advice, backed by decades of experience. I remembered how he froze Count Arbeit¡¯s feet to the floor without the latter noticing, back when Lord Wilhelm ambushed Lord Ulric. I wanted to wield the coldfire with the same level of skill and finesse.


    When I wasn¡¯t practicing with the coldfire, I spent time with Lina and Mika. After three years apart, I missed them and wanted to spend as much time with them as I could. I even took the two of them shopping, something I avoided as much as possible when I lived at Guld Manor. Every member of House Guld, excluding myself, was a spendthrift. Whenever they went shopping, they tossed coin around without worry. I found the experience exhausting, so I stopped going with them on shopping trips.


    However, House Guld didn¡¯t spend money just to show off their wealth. When I asked Father about it, he told me that it was better to spend their coin instead of hoarding it, where it wasn¡¯t doing anyone any good. The whole point of wealth was to use it, instead of letting it collect dust. House Guld enjoyed great prosperity as the rulers of the Riverlands, but they didn¡¯t keep all of that prosperity to themselves.


    During our shopping trip, I spent hours following Lina and Mika around. They explored the various shops and stores located in Frostheart. Mika, in particular, was over the moon when she saw how many of them sold magic tools and enchanted items. She made sure to buy at least one from every shop we visited. More often than not, she bought more than one. We had to bring a separate carriage with us just to transport all of her purchases. The shopkeepers and store owners were, of course, happy to serve such a generous customer.


    Lina focused more on accessories and other things she would need for the upcoming ball. She planned on attending as my partner, revealing to the world that she and I intended to marry one another. This worried me a little, since I wasn¡¯t sure how the rest of House Guld would react. Lina said that Father and Mother blessed our union, but that was before they knew that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand.


    Our marriage would have far reaching consequences. She was a daughter of a prominent ducal family, and I was the heir to the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire. The union between our two families through our marriage would rearrange the political landscape of the entire empire.


    So much so, that I suspected that we would be pulled into the battle for the throne between the scions of House Reichwald. In fact, House Kaltbrand was already part of that battle thanks to Prince Dirk and Fallen Leaves. I feared that Father and Mother would change their minds when they realized all of this.


    Still, even though the path before us was difficult, not once did Lina and I consider breaking our betrothal to one another. I loved her, and she loved me. I was her winter king, and she was my spring queen. If Father and Mother objected to our marriage, we would just have to find a way to change their minds. As for the imperial succession, we would deal with that when the time came.


    <hr>


    The days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for the ball. I stood in my dressing room, looking at myself in the mirror and making sure that nothing was out of place. I wore an outfit in the colors of House Kaltbrand: black, blue, and silver. If I hadn¡¯t found out that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, I would¡¯ve felt uncomfortable wearing this outfit, as if it didn¡¯t belong to me. However, since I knew that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, I felt no awkwardness or discomfort. It felt as if I was always meant to wear the colors of House Kaltbrand.


    It was funny how one¡¯s perspective could change everything.


    As I examined myself in the mirror, fixing any mistakes or flaws that I found, the door to my dressing room opened and Mom walked in. She wore a severe dress, also in the colors of House Kaltbrand, reminiscent of the uniform the Coldsteel Knights wore. How fitting. Even though she was set to become the next grand duchess, she was first and foremost an Aura Master and the knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights. Any dress she wore should reflect that.


    Mom walked over to my side and met my eyes through the mirror. She smiled.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± She asked.


    ¡°A little nervous.¡± I admitted. ¡°After tonight, everything will change. I will become the undisputed heir of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    Mom snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re already the undisputed heir of House Kaltbrand.¡± She said. ¡°It¡¯s just that only a few people know it.¡± Her smile faded away. ¡°You¡¯re right, however. After tonight, everything will change.¡± She gave me a serious look. ¡°Are you ready for that?¡±


    I nodded. Securing my position as heir to House Kaltbrand was just the first step. In addition to aiding Dad in ruling the Barrens and defending against the demonic beast threat, I would have to deal with the various political factions within the Reichwald Empire. The scions of House Reichwald vying for the throne, the ducal houses who ruled the regions, the Church of Light and Darkness, the Tower of Magic, etc. Each of them had their own agendas, allegiances, and interests.


    Just thinking about it gave me a headache, and that was on top of my personal issues. I still needed to resolve things with House Guld. Until I did, I would continue to feel ill at ease. They were my family and I loved them, but I feared that they would turn away and reject me. I also needed to find a way to reconcile my birth family and my adopted family.


    After their heated first meeting, Lina and Mom maintained a cold politeness towards one another. However, lurking beneath their superficial civility, a tension existed between them. I feared that a similar situation would occur with the rest of House Guld. I loved both of my families and I wanted them to get along. However, if Lina and Mom were any indication, that would be no easy task.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Mom wrapped her arm around my waist and laid her head on my shoulder. She let out a contented sigh.


    ¡°I never thought I would ever see this day,¡± she said, ¡°When I would be able to stand by your side and watch you take your rightful place.¡± She sucked in a shuddering breath. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Wulfe. You¡¯ve become a fine young man.¡±


    ¡°I was raised by a good family.¡± I said.


    Mom grimaced.


    ¡°I know.¡± She said. ¡°As much as I don¡¯t want to admit it, I know. Still, I hate the fact that you spent half your life calling another woman ¡®Mother¡¯. It feels like she stole you away from me somehow.¡± She let out a derisive snort. ¡°Foolish, I know. After everything that happened, I have no right to feel that way. And yet, I feel it all the same.¡±


    ¡°Think of it this way,¡± I said, ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for House Guld, you and I might not have ever met. We could have gone our entire lives without finding one another.¡±


    Mom¡¯s grip on my waist tightened.


    ¡°I know.¡± She said in a quiet voice. ¡°A part of me fears that this is all a dream, and when I wake up, you¡¯ll be gone.¡±


    I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her into a side hug.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± I said. ¡°You and Dad owe me, and I intend to collect my due.¡±


    Mom laughed at that.


    ¡°Besides,¡± I continued, ¡°You played a significant role in my life, even before you found out that I was your son. I picked up the sword and became an Aura user because I wanted to be just like you. You were, and still are, my hero. Finding out that you were my birth mother did nothing to diminish that.¡±


    Mom wiped a tear from her eye.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said. ¡°I needed to hear that. I love you, Wulfe.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Mom.¡±


    With that, any lingering feelings of awkwardness and resentment I felt towards Mom melted away. We remained silent for the next few minutes, taking solace in each other¡¯s presence.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like that fianc¨¦e of yours.¡± Mom said, breaking the silence. ¡°I only just reunited with you and told you the truth. Yet, from the moment she arrived in Kaltbrand Castle, she¡¯s monopolized your time.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in years and we¡¯ve missed each other.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Mom said. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget your dear old mother.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t, I promise.¡±


    Mom gave me one last squeeze, before letting go.


    ¡°Good.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡± She hesitated for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s something you should know, before we head to the ball.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± I asked.


    Mom shook her head.


    ¡°No.¡± She said. ¡°However, Anselm and I decided to get married as soon as the banquet ends and everyone returns home. You wield the coldfire, but someone may take issue with your illegitimacy. We figured it was best to nip that particular problem in the bud.¡±


    Her words surprised me, but they weren¡¯t totally unexpected. My illegitimacy was a problem. The sooner we fixed it, the better.


    ¡°When did you decide this?¡± I asked.


    ¡°When you went shopping with Lady Lina and Lady Mika.¡± Mom said. ¡°Anselm and I also decided that, as a family, we would spend the social season in Haven this year.¡±


    That caught me off guard. The social season started towards the end of winter and lasted until the end of summer, just before the autumn harvest. During this time, any noble that could afford to do so flocked to Haven. They formed political alliances, made trade deals, and arranged marriages with one another. The social season also gave those same families a chance to interact with those higher than them on the social ladder, including the imperial family. One¡¯s actions during the social season often decided the fate of one¡¯s family.


    Most noble families returned to their domains for the autumn harvest in order to prepare for winter. However, some noble families remained in Haven all year round. These families were sometimes called central nobles. A few central nobles wielded tremendous political influence and were key figures in high society. The remaining central nobles were their lackeys, hoping to earn scraps.


    There were a rare few nobles who never visited Haven, even during the social season, except when necessary. They kept to themselves and refrained from participating in high society. Dad was one of these few, and had been ever since the late grand duchess, my aunt, passed away. Not that he needed to participate in high society. Dad was already one of the most powerful and influential figures in the entire Reichwald. Only House Reichwald stood above him.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Anselm realized that staying neutral in the fight for the throne was no longer an option,¡± Mom said. ¡°We need to pick a side. To do that, we need to go down to Haven and get a better feel for the situation.¡±


    I thought it over. What she said made sense. Staying neutral didn¡¯t guarantee anything. Prince Dirk already proved that even if we tried to stay out of the fight for the throne, someone would drag us into it. Rather than wait for someone to make the choice for us, we might as well take the proactive approach.


    ¡°What about the Barrens?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Teacher will stay to look after things.¡± Mom said, indifferent.


    I nodded. Count Wirner was a respected figure and the former knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights. He was the perfect person to hold down the fort, so to speak, while we were in Haven.


    As I studied Mom¡¯s face in the mirror, it occurred to me that this was a good time to try and help mend the rift between her and Count Wirner.


    ¡°Mom, about Grandfather,¡± I said, ¡°Have you considered-¡±


    Mom held up a hand, cutting me off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± She said, a warning in her voice. ¡°Just¡­ Just don¡¯t. You are my son and I love you, but my relationship with Teacher is none of your business.¡± Her expression turned somber. ¡°There are some things that just can¡¯t be mended.¡±


    I considered trying again, but the look in her eyes told me that it would be a bad idea. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, I kept my mouth shut.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Mom said, ¡°We should get going. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be late. You don¡¯t want to keep that fianc¨¦e of yours waiting, do you?¡±


    I smiled at the thought of attending the ball with Lina. Despite what may occur tonight, this was our first time attending a social event as a betrothed couple and I looked forward to it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go find Anselm.¡± Mom said. ¡°We¡¯ll meet you at the ballroom.¡±


    I nodded. With that, the two of us left my dressing room to find our respective partners.


    <hr>


    When I arrived at Lina¡¯s rooms, I found her finishing up with her makeup in her dressing room. Rosalind helped her. Rather than assign a regular maid to Lina, Dad decided it was best to assign a Blue Shadow instead. Part of this was for her protection, but part of it was to keep an eye on Lina herself. Dad didn¡¯t trust her as I did.


    I objected to this. However, Lina accepted the situation without complaint. She mentioned that she would have done the same, had the situation been reversed. As a compromise, we chose Rosalind as Lina¡¯s maid since she was loyal to me and was more discreet than her sister.


    Lina in front of a mirror as Rosalind applied makeup to her. A few moments after I arrived, she finished and took a step back.


    ¡°There we go, my lady,¡± Rosalind said, ¡°All finished.¡±


    Lina observed herself in the mirror for several moments, before she nodded.


    ¡°Excellent.¡± She said, smiling. ¡°You have a deft hand.¡±


    Rosalind nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, my lady.¡± She said.


    While she feigned indifference, I saw that Lina¡¯s praise pleased her.


    ¡°What do you think, Wulfram?¡± Lina asked.


    She stood up and presented herself. I sucked in a breath. Lina wore a deep green dress that reminded me of Mother¡¯s gardens in Guld Manor, verdant and full of life. The color matched her eyes. A few tasteful accessories adorned Lina, giving her a bit of sparkle. She wore her makeup light and subtle, which accentuated her natural beauty. The scent of her rose perfume teased my nose.


    All in all, she looked like some kind of fairy queen or spring goddess who had descended to bring warmth and vitality to this cold land. If I wasn¡¯t already in love with her, I would have fallen for her right then and there. I stood there in a daze, just staring at her.


    ¡°Wulfram?¡± Lina asked, raising an eyebrow at me.


    I shook myself out of the daze.


    ¡°I apologize.¡± I said. ¡°Your beauty overwhelmed me and I couldn¡¯t help but stare.¡±


    Lina smiled at that.


    ¡°Thank you for the compliment.¡± She said. ¡°Shall we get going?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we shall.¡± I said.


    I took her by the arm and escorted her out of the dressing room. However, before we left, I glanced back at Rosalind and mouthed ¡®Thank you¡¯ to her. She nodded in response.


    ¡°How is Mika?¡± I asked as I escorted Lina to the ballroom.


    ¡°Still sulking.¡± Lina said in a dry tone.


    Mika wanted to attend the ball with us. However, since she hadn¡¯t come of age yet, Lina and I forbade her from going. This upset Mika and she locked herself in her rooms in protest. To make sure nothing happened, I tasked Maria with keeping her company.


    ¡°That¡¯s better than getting her involved in tonight¡¯s events.¡± I said in a grim voice.


    Lina nodded, a serious expression on her face.


    ¡°Agreed.¡± She said. ¡°However, we should make it up to her when we have the chance. Otherwise, she¡¯ll hold a grudge against us for the next several weeks.¡±


    I nodded. We remained silent for the rest of the journey to the ballroom. We found Mom, Dad, and Count Wirner waiting for us just outside. Dad wore an outfit similar to mine, while Count Wirner wore a plainer, more somber outfit. Everyone nodded at us when we joined them, before we all entered the ballroom as a group.


    Time for the show to begin.

 Chapter 45: The Ball Begins

    The ballroom in Kaltbrand Castle was large and magnificent. It was rectangular in shape and occupied two floors worth of space. The walls and floor were built from white marble. Silver filigree decorated the former. Mana crystal lamps that dotted the room, filling it with warm light. The ceiling was a massive glass skylight, which provided a view of the night sky above. I thought it was all quite beautiful.


    A balcony took up the second floor, wrapping around the walls of the ballroom, held up by marble pillars. Little alcoves filled with comfortable chairs occupied the space beneath the balcony, giving those who wished to rest some measure of privacy. A grand staircase led up to the balcony.


    The rest of the ballroom was wide and open, providing plenty of space for people to dance. A few tables with light refreshments stood off to the side, for anyone feeling peckish or thirsty. A band of musicians occupied one of the ballroom¡¯s corners, providing the music for tonight¡¯s events.


    A crowd of nobles stood in the middle of the ballroom, though none of them danced. Instead, they stood around and talked. They were separated into three groups, each one representing a different faction. The two smallest groups, which were about even in size, were House Gerhard with my other supporters and House Arbeit with theirs. The biggest group was House Steuben and those who followed them.


    Our group entered the ballroom from a door on the second floor. Despite its size, the ballroom felt warm, almost too warm. I didn¡¯t know if this was the result of magic, or if it was because of all the people inside. Regardless, I found it a bit unpleasant. Still, I dealt with worse. I glanced at Lina, worried about how she felt, but she seemed fine. In fact, I think she liked the warmth. Maybe I had gotten too used to how cold the Barrens was.


    A tension filled the air as the three groups of nobles kept to themselves and avoided mingling with the others. They turned towards our group as we appeared atop the grand staircase. They all wore varying expressions on their faces.


    House Gerhard and their followers looked worried and tense. House Arbeit and their people wore grim expressions, as if they knew that no matter what happened tonight, they wouldn¡¯t come out on top. House Steuben and their supporters wore expressions of anticipation.


    Lord Klemens in particular seemed pleased, despite his best attempts to appear otherwise. I couldn¡¯t wait to see what kind of expression he would make when he realized that he had fallen into our trap.


    I looked around for Prince Leopold or anyone from Fallen Leaves, but didn¡¯t see them. Either they weren¡¯t in attendance, or they kept themselves hidden.


    Our group stopped at the top of the grand staircase, with Dad and Mom in front and the rest of us behind them. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as they waited for Dad to speak. The band of musicians stopped playing and silence filled the ballroom.


    ¡°I wanted to welcome you all to the last night of the banquet.¡± Dad said, his voice carrying throughout the room. ¡°I also wanted to thank you for your attendance thus far. As you all know, I threw this banquet in honor of Wulfe, my son and heir. I¡¯m glad that everyone could come and show their support for him.¡±


    As he spoke that last sentence, Dad¡¯s voice contained a hint of mockery. When they heard this, House Steuben¡¯s faces twitched. A few of them glanced at me, contempt and derision in their eyes.


    ¡°Now,¡± Dad continued, ¡°I don¡¯t wish to delay the festivities any further. Since this is all for his sake, I shall let my son and his fianc¨¦e, Lady Lina Guld, start the first dance.¡±


    Yes, throw me to the wolves why don¡¯t you. Thank you, Dad. I much appreciate it. At the very least, he could have warned me first.


    Lina squeezed my arm and gave me a smile. Together, the two of us descended the grand staircase and walked to the middle of the ballroom. The crowd of nobles buzzed with excitement at the mention of Lina¡¯s name. However, a few looked skeptical. Considering the rumors about me, I understood their skepticism.


    Lina and I ignored them all and focused on each other. When we reached the middle of the ballroom, we parted and faced each other, waiting for the music to begin. Lina¡¯s eyes twinkled with excitement. It mirrored my own. We hadn¡¯t danced together since I left Guld Manor, and I wanted to enjoy this opportunity while we still could.


    As soon as the music started, Lina and I started dancing. While this might sound arrogant to say so, the two of us made for an excellent pair. As a daughter of a prominent ducal family, Lina spent her entire life learning how to dance. While I spent less time learning than she had, as an Aura Master I had excellent physical prowess. Together, the two of us glided across the dance floor with ease.


    Others joined us, including Mom and Dad, but I paid little attention to them. I kept all of my senses focused on Lina. Her dazzling beauty, the warmth of her body, the scent of her rose perfume, the sound of her breathing. She filled my entire world, my spring queen.


    When the dance ended, the two of us stared at each other, our faces flushed. Feeling myself losing control because of her, I took Lina by the time and went over to mingle. Otherwise, I would have kissed her right then and there. Based on the expression on her face, Lina would have welcomed it.


    Balls tended to follow a similar structure, regardless of who threw them. Between each dance, the guests would mingle with each other to find a new partner for the next set. While one could partner with the same person for each dance, this was frowned upon. The whole point of attending a ball in the first place was to meet new people, potential marriage partners in particular. However, married or betrothed couples were the exception to this. Good thing too. If another man tried to dance with Lina, I would have broken his legs.


    The nobles mingled with one another. Now that Lina and I had broken the ice by starting the first dance, they seemed more at ease. There remained tension in the air, but it had faded to the background for now. Servants carrying trays full of drinks weaved their way through the crowd, offering refreshments to everyone.


    Lina and I approached Viscount Gerhard, his wife, and Lady Adelheid. The three of them bowed when we approached, though Viscount Gerhard and his wife seemed ill at ease. Lady Adelheid looked far more composed than her parents.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± she said, ¡°Lady Lina. The two of you looked magnificent just now. I¡¯m a little jealous. I don¡¯t think I could dance half as well as either of you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Adelheid.¡± Lina said, smiling at the other woman. ¡°It¡¯s kind of you to say that.¡±


    As they chatted, I turned my attention to Viscount Gerhard and his wife, Viscountess Gerhard. The latter seemed like a frail and fragile woman, with pale skin, black hair, and blue eyes. Her face contained laugh lines, suggesting that she smiled more often than not. She wasn¡¯t smiling now. Worry marred her features.


    ¡°Viscount Gerhard,¡± I said, ¡°Viscountess Gerhard. I hope you two are enjoying the ball. My parents and I put a lot of effort into planning it.¡±


    Viscount Gerhard gave me a strained smile.


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± He said. ¡°Thank you for asking.¡±


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± Viscountess Gerhard said, hesitant, ¡°About our son, Wilhelm. Is he all right? Will he be released soon?¡±


    The temperature around us seemed to drop. The Viscountess was braver than she appeared. Considering what Lord Wilhelm did, and how Dad threatened her husband not too long ago, it must have taken a lot of courage on her part to ask that question.


    ¡°I apologize for my wife¡¯s impertinence, Lord Wulfe.¡± Viscount Gerhard said, frantic. He stepped in front of his wife, as if to shield her from me. ¡°She means no offense.¡±


    He opened his mouth to continue, but I held up a hand to interrupt him.


    ¡°Lord Wilhelm is in good health, Viscountess Gerhard.¡± I said. ¡°And he will be released when the banquet is over and everyone heads back home.¡± I glanced over at Lady Adelheid. ¡°Your daughter, on the other hand, will have to stay as a guest of House Kaltbrand.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The Viscountess let out a relieved sigh, even though I just told her that my family planned on keeping her daughter hostage.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness.¡± Viscountess Gerhard said. ¡°I was worried that you might still be angry with Wilhelm for the trouble he caused. He¡¯s a good boy, but when it comes to protecting his sister, he can be a bit impatient and impulsive.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°So I noticed.¡± I said. ¡°However, I find your lack of concern for your daughter¡­ odd.¡±


    The Viscountess waved off my concern.


    ¡°Adelheid can take care of herself.¡± She said. ¡°While she might have inherited my temper, she knows how to behave when it matters.¡±


    That¡­ What? Lady Adelheid inherited her temper from the Viscountess? I didn¡¯t believe it. I couldn¡¯t. Viscountess Gerhard looked as if a stiff breeze would knock her over.


    ¡°Besides,¡± the Viscountess continued, ¡°It seems as if Adelheid has made a new friend. I would hate to break them up.¡±


    We turned to find Lina and Lady Adelheid talking to each other with ease. They looked like they had been friends for years, even though they had met just a few days ago. Also, I was sure that Lina threatened Lady Adelheid somehow. Despite that, they got along just fine.


    ¡°It seems that staying as a guest will do Lady Adelheid more good than not.¡± I muttered to myself.


    ¡°May we be excused, Lord Wulfe?¡± Viscount Gerhard said, nervous.


    I nodded. The moment I did, Viscount Gerhard grabbed his wife and dragged her away from Lina and I. The Viscountess seemed amused by her husband¡¯s actions. Lady Adelheid followed her parents, though she seemed reluctant.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that you and Lady Adelheid get along so well.¡± I said to Lina.


    ¡°It surprised me, too.¡± Lina said. ¡°Even though she tried to take what is mine, I find myself liking her.¡± She paused. ¡°As long as she remembers her place and keeps her hands to herself, I think the two of us can become great friends.¡±


    After that, Lina and I made the rounds. We spoke to several of the nobles in attendance. Many were eager to meet Lina, either because of her beauty or because of her background. She handled them with ease, though I made sure to discourage anyone who approached her with too much¡­ enthusiasm. This earned me some dirty looks, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Lina and I participated in the second set of dancing. More people joined us this time around, making it more lively than the first dance set. I ignored them once again and gave Lina my full attention. The two of us remained lost in our own little world throughout the entire dance, which we ended in high spirits. However, something foul came along to ruin the mood.


    ¡°You seem like you¡¯re enjoying yourself, Lord Wulfe.¡± A familiar voice said in a sardonic tone.


    Lina and I turned to find Lord Klemens standing nearby. He wore a faux smile on his face. I noticed him approaching us, but I ignored him in the hopes that he would leave us alone. Alas, my hopes were in vain.


    ¡°Well, that is the purpose of a ball,¡± I said, giving Lord Klemens a polite smile, ¡°To enjoy oneself.¡± I made a show of looking around. ¡°Where is your partner, Lord Klemens? I don¡¯t see her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one, Lord Wulfe.¡± Lord Klemens said. ¡°I came to the ball alone.¡±


    I let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°A pity.¡± I said. ¡°It seems that northern ladies must have high standards, if even someone like you isn¡¯t enough for them. Oh well. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t have any difficulties finding a partner next time.¡±


    Lord Klemens¡¯ left eye twitched. Lina looked like she was trying to hold back laughter.


    ¡°Thank you for your concern,¡± Lord Klemens said through gritted teeth. Somehow he kept smiling, ¡°Ah, but where are our manners? May I be introduced to your partner, Lord Wulfe?¡±


    I gave him a flat look.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°You may not.¡± I nodded towards the rest of the crowd. ¡°You should move along, Lord Klemens. I find your presence tiresome.¡±


    An outright disrespectful and rude gesture, but I didn¡¯t care. House Steuben spent the past few days mocking me and spreading rumors about me. They didn¡¯t deserve my respect.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Wulfe.¡± Lord Klemens said, dropping his smile and giving me a cold look. ¡°I felt a little hesitant about doing what needs to be done, but I no longer feel that way. Thank you for giving me the push I needed.¡± He looked at Lina. ¡°As for you, Lady Lina, if that is indeed your name. I suggest you find a new partner for tonight. Otherwise, you may end up sharing the same fate as this bastard.¡±


    Arrogant little whelp. How dare he speak to Lina in that sort of tone? It took all of my willpower not to throttle him right then and there.


    ¡°No need,¡± Lina said, giving Lord Klemens a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡°I¡¯m right where I belong.¡± She gestured to the crowd of nobles. ¡°Wulfram is right. You should move along.¡±


    Lord Klemens snorted, before he stomped off.


    ¡°So that¡¯s Uncle Dirk¡¯s puppet.¡± Lina muttered in a low voice, once Lord Klemens was out of earshot.


    ¡°One of them at least.¡± I muttered in return. ¡°There may be more.¡±


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°Still, I almost feel sorry for the man.¡± She said. ¡°He has no idea that Uncle Dirk will toss him aside when he stops being useful.¡±


    I nodded. The moment Lord Klemens and House Steuben became a liability, Prince Dirk and Prince Leopold would abandon them. Otherwise they risked coming into open conflict with House Kaltbrand, which they couldn¡¯t afford.


    ¡°However, after insulting you like that,¡± Lina said in a cold tone, ¡°He deserves it.¡±


    I patted her on the arm.


    ¡°Nevermind him.¡± I asked. ¡°Shall we enjoy the rest of the ball? For as long as we can, at least?¡±


    Lina gave me a smile and nodded. Together, the two of us went to mingle with the crowd again.


    <hr>


    House Steuben made their move later than I expected. I thought that they would try something within the first half of the ball. However, I underestimated their patience. They waited until just before the last dance set, the climax of the ball. Not that I minded. It just gave me more time to dance with Lina.


    I also took this opportunity to sway more nobles to my side. It was difficult, because of the rumors that surrounded me, but a few of them changed their minds when they saw my confidence. It was a far cry from my behavior over the past few days. This same confidence also reassured House Gerhard and my supporters, though Viscount Gerhard continued. Mom and Dad weren¡¯t idle either. Together, the four of us started to turn the tide in our favor.


    Just as everyone took their places for the last dance of the evening, we heard a commotion at the main entrance to the ballroom. A crowd of nobles, all of them supporters of House Steuben, congregated there. Dad frowned and marched over there, with Mom by his side. I resisted the urge to grin and followed them. Lina joined me. This drew the attention of the remaining nobles in the ballroom, who followed along as well.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± Dad demanded.


    The crowd parted to reveal House Steuben, with Lord Klemens at the forefront. Baron Kirch stood next to him, a nervous look on the man¡¯s face. Several cloaked figures stood behind House Steuben, keeping their faces hidden.


    ¡°Lord Klemens,¡± Dad said, ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡±


    He released a bit of his pressure. Lord Klemens, a mere Aura Warrior, had no way to defend himself against it. The man blanched and took a step back. His Mother, Countess Steuben, grabbed him by the shoulder and steadied him. Lord Klemens took a breath to regain his composure.


    ¡°Lords and ladies of the Barrens,¡± he called out, his voice carrying throughout the room, ¡°All of you have been deceived!¡±


    Murmurs ran through the crowd of nobles around us. More than one glanced in my direction.


    ¡°All of you must have heard the rumors by now.¡± Lord Klemens said, his voice full of righteousness. ¡°I¡¯m sad to say that they are true.¡± He pointed a finger at me. ¡°That man is an imposter. He is not the Grand Duke¡¯s son and heir. He is a fake, a mercenary hired by the Grand Duke to deceive us all!¡±


    The crowd of nobles grew agitated by this statement. Several let out gasps of shock, while others yelled in anger. A few of them looked like they wanted to attack me. Dad didn¡¯t say a word in response to Lord Klemens¡¯ accusation, which just further fueled the nobles¡¯ agitation. Instead, he glanced in my direction with a questioning look in his eye.


    Ah, I see now. He wanted to give me the chance to take center stage, so to speak, rather than hide behind him. I nodded. Mom gave me an encouraging smile. Lina gave my arm a brief squeeze, before letting go.


    ¡°That is a serious accusation, Lord Klemens.¡± I said, stepping forward. ¡°Are you prepared to take responsibility for your words?¡±


    Lord Klemens sneered at me, no pretense of politeness or civility remained.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of a fake like you.¡±


    I gave him a cold smile.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± I said. ¡°In that case, you have proof of your claim. Present it.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Unless you insulted House Kaltbrand¡¯s honor based on mere rumors alone. If so, I applaud your¡­ boldness.¡±


    A hush fell over the crowd as they realized the seriousness of the situation. This wasn¡¯t just an accusation against me. This was an attack against House Kaltbrand¡¯s reputation. By questioning Dad¡¯s word in public like this, Lord Klemens and House Steuben had set themselves against their liege. In many ways, it was tantamount to rebellion, albeit one without violence. At least, so far. The night was still young.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lord Klemens said, smug, ¡°I have a witness!¡± He turned to Baron Kirch. ¡°Please tell everyone what you told me and my family.¡±


    With that, Baron Kirch stepped forward.

 Chapter 46: Revealing Truths

    After being called forward as a witness, Baron Kirch looked around at the crowd surrounding him and swallowed. It was clear that he was nervous and felt uncomfortable. I felt sorry for the poor man. He found himself in this situation because of Dad¡¯s orders. I made a mental note to tell Dad to reward Baron Kirch for this. Or maybe compensate would be a more accurate term.


    ¡°Go on, Baron Kirch.¡± Lord Klemens said.


    His tone sounded encouraging on the surface, but it contained a hint of threat underneath.


    ¡°Yes, Baron,¡± Countess Steuben said, ¡°Do go on. Leave nothing out.¡±


    Unlike her son, the Countess didn¡¯t bother with pretending to be nice. Baron Kirch looked like he wanted the floor to swallow him. Maybe I should ask Dad to increase the reward.


    ¡°Sev-Several weeks ago,¡± Baron Kirch began, stammering a little, ¡°His Grace called myself and the other seni-senior servants to Grand Sage Arend¡¯s tower. He wanted us to witness a lineage test between himself and¡­¡± He gestured to me. ¡°¡­Lord Wulfe. The te-test showed that the two were father and son.¡±


    This confused the crowd of nobles. They glanced at Lord Klemens, looking at him as if he were crazy. He accused Dad of deceiving everyone, yet the very witness he called forth said otherwise.


    ¡°However, when His Grace brought everyone to his study,¡± Baron Kirch said, growing more reassured the longer he spoke, ¡°He explained that the lineage test had been false.¡±


    This caught everyone¡¯s attention, and they all stared at Dad in shock. He crossed his arms and remained silent.


    ¡°His Grace told the other senior servants and I that he planned on presenting Lord Wulfe as his son and heir,¡± Baron Kirch continued, ¡°When in fact, Lord Wulfe was a mercenary that His Grace had hired. I voiced my misgivings, but His Grace ignored them. However, I could no longer remain silent. As loyal as I am to His Grace, I am loyal to House Kaltbrand as a whole more. I couldn¡¯t stand by and let an imposter masquerade as His Grace¡¯s heir.¡±


    A moment of silence followed when Baron Kirch finished speaking, before the crowd of nobles exploded with anger. A flurry of insults, shouts, and accusations filled the air. More than one shouted the words ¡°fake¡± and ¡°imposter¡±. A few remained silent, including House Gerhard and my other supporters. However, even they seemed shocked and disturbed by Baron Kirch¡¯s words. Lady Adelheid was the exception. She wore an amused expression.


    To my surprise, House Arbeit remained silent as well, though the same couldn¡¯t be said about their followers. I glanced at Count Arbeit, who wore a look of dawning horror on his face. He glanced at House Steuben, and the horror morphed into pity. Had he figured out the truth? It seemed so. Count Arbeit said something to one of his people, who went to the others.


    After letting the crowd vent their anger some more, I released my pressure. The power of an Aura Master filled the ballroom. The crowd of nobles fell silent, unable to withstand my pressure. Once everyone quieted down, I turned to face Lord Klemens once more.


    ¡°That¡¯s better than relying only on rumors, Lord Klemens.¡± I said, breaking the silence. ¡°However, you turned against House Kaltbrand based on the word of a single man?¡±


    ¡°Baron Kirch is not just anyone.¡± Lord Klemens said. ¡°He is a senior servant of House Kaltbrand. His word on the matter carries more weight.¡± He wore a thoughtful expression on his face. ¡°However, you are right. A single witness¡¯ statement is not enough. We need more conclusive proof. We need another lineage test, one performed by a neutral party beyond His Grace¡¯s influence.¡± He gestured to the cloaked figures that stood behind House Steuben. ¡°To that end, my family and I invited just such a party. May I present to you, Prince Leopold Reichwald.¡±


    Several of the cloaked figures stepped forward and revealed their faces. Leopold stood in the front. Behind him stood members of the Imperial Guard, the order of knights which served House Reichwald. A single cloaked figure remained hidden in the back.


    The crowd of nobles were shocked when they realized that a prince of the Reichwald Empire was in attendance. However, they recovered from their shock soon enough and bowed to Leopold. I bowed as well. Even though he was here as my enemy, Leopold was still a member of the imperial family. To insult and disrespect him was to insult and disrespect House Reichwald.


    ¡°Cousin,¡± Lina called out after everyone stood up from their bows, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Leopold gave her a sad smile, as if he didn¡¯t want to be here but felt compelled to do so. He put on such a convincing performance, that if I hadn¡¯t known the truth, I would have believed it.


    ¡°Hello, Lina.¡± Leopold said. ¡°When House Steuben reached out to me and told me what happened, I felt honor bound as a member of the imperial family to investigate. The succession of House Kaltbrand is a serious matter, and could have repercussions for the rest of the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    Lina scoffed, letting everyone know what she thought of his statement.


    ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand,¡± Leopold said, nodding to Dad, ¡°It is good to see you again. I wish we could have met under better circumstances.¡±


    Dad bared his teeth at Leopold in a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Highness,¡± he said, ¡°You¡¯ll have plenty of opportunities to see me in the near future.¡±


    Leopold gave him a wary look at that, as if unsure of Dad¡¯s intentions, but didn¡¯t delve further into the topic. Instead, he turned towards Mom.


    ¡°Knight Commander Bardin,¡± he said, smiling, ¡°It is an honor to meet you. I have heard stories of your deeds and exploits ever since I was a child.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Something that a childhood friend of mine and I share.¡±


    Mom let out a derisive snort and refused to respond. When Leopold realized this, his smile stiffened. I resisted the urge to laugh. While I considered Leopold as a rival, I knew that his admiration for Mom was genuine. Like me, she inspired him to pick up the sword. In fact, that was one of the reasons why we ended up becoming rivals.


    Leopold turned towards me, and the smile melted away from his face. The two of us stared at one another for several seconds, not saying a word. I felt a multitude of emotions at seeing Leopold again after all these years. Anger that he and his father interfered with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession, sad that we reunited as enemies, and happy. Despite everything, I once considered Leopold a rival and a friend.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± he said, ¡°It has been a while.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Your Highness.¡± I said.


    The crowd of nobles looked between the two of us in surprise. I guess that none of them expected that Leopold and I would know each other. Lord Klemens and House Steuben in particular seemed shocked. For the first time since this farce began, they started to look worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it has come to this,¡± Leopold said, letting out a regretful sigh. He seemed to mean it, ¡°However, the law is the law.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°Falsifying a lineage test is a serious crime. Lying to a member of the imperial family is an even graver one. Out of consideration for His Grace, and our past friendship, I will give you one chance to admit the truth. If you do, you will be shown clemency. Otherwise, we will have to go through with the lineage test and everything that follows.¡±


    I mimicked Dad and bared my teeth at him in a smile.


    ¡°I admit to nothing.¡± I said. ¡°I am the son of His Grace, Grand Duke Kaltbrand, and Knight Commander Bardin. Go ahead. Perform the lineage test.¡±


    Leopold narrowed his eyes at me. I could almost see the thoughts buzzing around in his head as he tried to figure out what I was up to. However, with everyone watching us, he couldn¡¯t delay things for long.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said, before turning to face the single cloaked figure who kept their face hidden, ¡°Please come forward, High Priest Nicholas.¡±


    My eyes widened at that. High Priest Nicholas was famous throughout the Reichwald Empire. Just as the priests and priestesses of the Church of Light and Darkness aided the Coldsteel Knights in hunting down demonic beasts, they also helped in hunting criminals and other evil doers throughout the entire Reichwald Empire.


    High Priest Nicholas had spent his entire life rooting out evil and corruption. His strict adherence to the law was legendary. However, he was also a just man. He protected the innocent as much as he punished the wicked. If High Priest Nicholas performed a lineage test, no one would question the results. Leopold couldn¡¯t have picked a more perfect person¡­ to prove my innocence.


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    High Priest Nicholas was also famous for his ill-tempered personality.


    ¡°Finally,¡± the remaining cloaked figure said, irritated, ¡°I thought I would fall asleep with all the talking you people like to do.¡±


    The cloaked figure stepped forward and revealed his face. High Priest Nicholas was an old man, one either in his late sixties or early seventies. He had light-tanned skin, short white hair, and amber eyes. A short beard covered his wrinkled face. The High Priest stood stooped over. Despite this, his eyes remained sharp and full of vitality. He wore the garb of a high priest of the God of Darkness.


    ¡°I should have known it was you, boy.¡± High Priest Nicholas growled, pointing at Dad. ¡°You always caused me nothing but trouble.¡±


    I blinked in surprise. I couldn¡¯t believe that anyone would call Dad, a man well into his forties, a boy. Then again, considering High Priest Nicholas¡¯ age, Dad was a boy.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, old man.¡± Dad said, grinning.


    The sight of Dad¡¯s grin seemed to irritate High Priest Nicholas further.


    ¡°Why did you have to go and do something foolish like this?¡± He asked. ¡°Hmm? Well, speak up, boy!¡±


    Dad¡¯s grin faded away.


    ¡°It was necessary.¡± He said in a serious voice.


    High Priest Nicholas let out a derisive snort, though I noticed a glint of disappointment in his eyes. After studying Dad for a few more moments, he turned his attention to me.


    ¡°So,¡± he said, eyeing me up and down, ¡°You¡¯re the Guld boy I¡¯ve heard so much about, the one who ran away.¡±


    This surprised the crowd of nobles that surrounded us. They started whispering to each other, their confusion evident. Meanwhile, I just stared at High Priest Nicholas with wide eyes.


    ¡°You know about me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course I do, you idiot.¡± High Priest Nicholas said, gesturing to Leopold. ¡°This one told me about you.¡± He glanced at Mom and Dad. ¡°It seems that one ducal family wasn¡¯t enough. You had to get yourself another one.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t retort to that. While his understanding of the situation was no doubt skewed and flawed, he wasn¡¯t wrong. I wanted both House Kaltbrand and House Guld in my life.


    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t care.¡± High Priest Nicholas said. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with. I hate the Barrens. The cold makes my bones ache. The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can leave.¡± He gestured to Dad and I. ¡°Come here you two and give me your hands.¡±


    Dad and I stepped forward and reached for High Priest Nicholas. He pulled out a dagger from his garb. Mom tensed when she saw the dagger and took a step forward.


    ¡°Settle down, girl.¡± High Priest Nicholas said, glancing at her. ¡°If I wanted to hurt them, I wouldn¡¯t bother using this.¡±


    Mom still looked unhappy, but stepped back. High Priest Nicholas nicked our hands with the dagger to draw blood, before putting it away. He then raised his own hands and shadows emerged from the depths of his sleeves. The shadows slithered through the air towards us and gathered two drops of blood: one from me and one from Dad. The shadows then formed a sphere, mixing the two drops of blood together. Somehow, we could see the blood through the shadows. I wasn¡¯t sure how. It should have been impossible, but it clearly wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Oh, Sovereign of Darkness and Lord of Shadow,¡± High Priest Nicholas prayed, clasping his hands together, ¡°Reveal the truth to us. Are these two father and son?¡±


    For a moment, nothing happened. Despite knowing the truth, I felt a little nervous and apprehensive. What if High Priest Nicholas falsified the results of the lineage test? I doubted it, considering his reputation, but I couldn¡¯t get rid of the thought.


    However, the blood reacted a moment later. It turned darker and darker, until it became indistinguishable from the shadows. High Priest Nicholas stared at the blood-turned-shadows for a moment, before throwing a glare in Leopold¡¯s direction.


    ¡°What kind of game are you playing, brat?¡± He yelled. ¡°I came all the way north to this cold, forsaken land because you claimed that Kaltbrand falsified a lineage test.¡± He jerked a thumb towards the blood-turned-shadows. ¡°How do you explain this?¡±


    Leopold blinked the High Priest in surprise.


    ¡°High Priest Nicholas,¡± he said, ¡°Do you mean to say that the lineage test wasn¡¯t falsified?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± the High Priest said. ¡°The two are father and son.¡± He made a disgusted sound. ¡°Next time, make sure you know what you¡¯re talking about before you drag other people into your nonsense. I expected better of an imperial prince.¡±


    Leopold¡¯s eyes widened, before he looked at me. I grinned at him.


    ¡°I told you,¡± I said, ¡°I am the son of Grand Duke Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Bardin.¡±


    The crowd of nobles that surrounded us fell silent. House Gerhard and my other supporters looked vindicated, while Count Arbeit sighed with relief. Meanwhile, the nobles that supported House Steuben started to edge away from them.


    ¡°No!¡± Lord Klemens shouted. ¡°I refuse to believe it!¡± He pointed a finger at me. ¡°There is no way that a filthy bastard-¡°


    Countess Steuben, his mother, grabbed him by the back of his neck and forced him to bow to Dad.


    ¡°We beg you to forgive us, Your Grace.¡± She pleaded. ¡°We have committed a grave sin. Please, show us mercy!¡±


    Huh. I hadn¡¯t expected her to give up like that. Still, considering the circumstances, it wasn¡¯t like she had any other options. It was either surrender and beg for mercy, or suffer House Kaltbrand¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°Mother, what are you doing?¡± Lord Klemens asked, escaping from his mother¡¯s grasp. ¡°With His Highness¡¯ sup-¡°


    Countess Steuben reached over and grabbed him by the ear.


    ¡°Shut up, you idiot!¡± She hissed. ¡°We lost.¡± She glanced at Dad. ¡°We fell into the Grand Duke¡¯s trap.¡±


    Lord Klemens, who had been trying to escape his mother¡¯s grip on his ear, froze.


    ¡°If you want something to blame,¡± Dad said, ¡°Blame your own greed. You shouldn¡¯t have coveted what didn¡¯t belong to you. All I did was give you enough rope to hang yourself with. You¡¯re the ones who wrapped it around your necks.¡± He paused. ¡°Though, I can¡¯t take all of the credit. Wulfe was the one who came up with the idea in the first place.¡±


    The nobles looked at me, many of them wearing apprehensive expressions on their faces. High Priest Nicholas looked like he swallowed a lemon.


    ¡°Like father, like son.¡± He muttered. ¡°This one is a troublemaker too.¡±


    I grinned at that, and High Priest Nicholas¡¯ expression soured even further. Lord Klemens recovered from his shock and glared at me with such hatred in his eyes. However, right at that moment, the front entrance to the ballroom opened and a contingent of Coldsteel Knights led by Count Wirner entered the room. I wondered what happened to him. Soon after the ball began, I lost track of Count Wirner, though I had been too busy to search for him. It seemed he had been busy with his own tasks.


    The moment the Coldsteel Knights appeared, the Imperial Knight who accompanied Leopold surrounded him and moved him away from House Steuben. While they didn¡¯t draw their weapons, it was clear that they viewed the Coldsteel Knights as potential threats.


    ¡°Seize them and take them to the dungeons for now.¡± Dad ordered, gesturing to House Steuben and their supporters. ¡°We¡¯ll sort them out tomorrow.¡±


    Count Wirner nodded, before taking House Steuben and their supporters into custody. I wondered how Dad would punish them. They challenged House Kaltbrand¡¯s authority, and even dragged the imperial family into it. There was no way they would come out of this unscathed. However, I doubted that Dad would execute them. At worst, he would strip them of their titles and seize their property. They would fall from grace, but they would still be alive.


    Countess Steuben and the rest of her family went with the Coldsteel Knights without making a fuss. House Steuben¡¯s supporters, on the other hand, resisted. They protested, claiming they were innocent and had nothing to do with House Steuben¡¯s actions. The Coldsteel Knights ignored them and took them into custody. Lord Klemens put up the most resistance. He struggled like a cornered animal, though it was useless. Each of the Coldsteel Knights was an Aura Expert, while he was just an Aura Warrior. Still, he didn¡¯t give up.


    ¡°No!¡± He yelled. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be the heir to House Kaltbrand! Not that¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Guld! He¡¯s a Guld! How can someone like him become the next grand duke?¡±


    The northern nobles looked stunned, as if they hadn¡¯t considered this.


    ¡°Stop.¡± I commanded, gesturing to the knights restraining Lord Klemens. ¡°Let go of him.¡±


    They obeyed and stepped away from Lord Klemens. He glared at me and wore a deranged smile on his face, as if he had found the weakness in my armor.


    ¡°I heard about you.¡± Lord Klemens said, pointing a finger at me. ¡°You¡¯re the adopted son of House Guld, the one they brought in after they lost Lord Emmerich Guld.¡± He looked towards the other northern nobles. ¡°Is this who you want to become the next grand duke? A Guld? Will you stand by and let the Barrens become a puppet of the Riverlands?¡±


    The northern nobles looked torn. They were a proud and independent lot. For centuries, their families had defended the rest of the Reichwald Empire from the demonic beast threat and enjoyed the privileges that came with serving House Kaltbrand. The thought of becoming subservient to House Guld of the Riverlands didn¡¯t sit well with them. However, none dared to speak up, for fear of offending Dad.


    ¡°Your Highness,¡± Lord Klemens said, giving Leopold a pleading look, ¡°Surely you can see the injustice of this. I am a true son of the north.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°Meanwhile, he is a bastard who was adopted by House Guld and grew up outside of the Barrens. I should be the heir to House Kaltbrand. Not him!¡±


    Leopold glanced at me, his eyes full of wariness, before looking back at Lord Klemens.


    ¡°Lord Klemens does have a point.¡± He said, pitching his voice to carry. ¡°Legally, Wulfram is a member of House Guld. The Emperor himself approved of the adoption. On that basis alone, Wulfram is ineligible to inherit House Kaltbrand.¡± He frowned. ¡°However, by blood, he is a Kaltbrand. This is an unprecedented situation, one that we may have to bring before the Emperor to resolve.¡±


    I bared my teeth at him in a smile.


    ¡°Oh, Leopold,¡± I said, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    As soon as I finished speaking, I summoned the coldfire and coated my body with it. The temperature around me plummeted. A layer of frost formed on the ground around me. Every time I exhaled, I breathed out plumes of mist.


    Everyone, with the exception of my loved ones, scrambled to get away from me. The northern nobles let out exclamations of shock, and Leopold stared at me with wide eyes. The only one who seemed unsurprised was High Priest Nicholas. I wondered if he already guessed that I had inherited the coldfire.


    ¡°I think this should resolve the question of whether or not I am a Kaltbrand, don¡¯t you agree?¡± I asked, still smiling at Leopold.

 Chapter 47: Aftermath of the Ball

    The ball ended soon after I revealed that I inherited the coldfire. The Coldsteel Knights seized Lord Klemens once more. This time, he didn¡¯t resist. Seeing me wield the coldfire must have drained the fight out of him. The Coldsteel Knights then dragged House Steuben and their supporters out of the ballroom.


    Dad then declared an end to the ball and told everyone to head back to their rooms. A few looked like they wanted to protest, glancing at me as they did so, but refrained. Soon, they all exited the ballroom in a steady tide.


    Dad invited Leopold and High Priest Nicholas to stay the night at Kaltbrand Castle, but Leopold demurred. Perhaps he feared that Dad might try something. I mean, I wouldn¡¯t have been surprised if Dad had something planned. Instead, Leopold left the ballroom as well, though not before giving me an inscrutable look.


    On the other hand, High Priest Nicholas accepted Dad¡¯s offer and left with a servant.


    After that, my loved ones and I left the ballroom as well, leaving the cleanup to the servants. We retired to one of the many sitting rooms located within Kaltbrand Castle. As soon as we were in private, I sat down on a couch and sagged with relief. Lina joined me, while Mom and Dad sat on a couch that stood opposite ours.


    ¡°That was exhausting.¡± I said, covering my eyes with my hand.


    Lina, who held my other hand, patted me on the arm.


    ¡°You did a good job,¡± she said. ¡°Father and Mother would have been proud, had they been here to witness you.¡±


    I lifted my hand from my eyes and gave her a smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Wulfe.¡± Mom said in an acerbic tone. ¡°Your father and I are proud of you.¡±


    Lina narrowed her eyes at Mom. The two of them stared at each other, neither one willing to back down. I resisted the urge to sigh.


    ¡°Your mom is right, Wulfe.¡± Dad said, flashing me a smile. ¡°After tonight¡¯s events, no one would dare contest your position as the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡± His smile faded away. ¡°However, this is just the beginning. It¡¯s clear that we can¡¯t avoid the fight for the imperial throne. I tried to stay out of it, since it didn¡¯t matter to me who became the next ruler of the Reichwald Empire, but that is no longer an option. Now that Prince Dirk and Prince Leopold have revealed their hand, the other scions of House Reichwald will turn their attention to us. They¡¯ll try to gain our support, or at least work to ensure that we don¡¯t support their rivals.¡±


    ¡°Remaining neutral won¡¯t work either.¡± I said. ¡°Whoever becomes the next ruler of the empire will remember those who supported them, and those who didn¡¯t.¡±


    Dad nodded, a grim expression on his face.


    ¡°I can aid you in that.¡± Lina said, breaking off from her staring contest with Mom. ¡°Father assigned me to keep an eye on Haven, so I have a decent grasp of the situation.¡±


    I grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡±


    Mom rolled her eyes.


    ¡°We should still head south ourselves.¡± She said. ¡°We can¡¯t rely on House Guld for everything. Besides, if we¡¯re going to involve ourselves in the fight for the throne, we¡¯ll need to establish a presence in Haven.¡±


    I nodded at that.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, ¡°However, I also have a more personal reason for heading south. I need to resolve things with House Guld.¡±


    Mom looked unhappy about this.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said with a sigh. ¡°As much as I like to quibble with your fianc¨¦e¡­¡± She gestured to Lina. ¡°¡­ I am grateful to House Guld. They raised you and took care of you. They were there for you when Anselm and I weren¡¯t.¡±


    When I saw the pain in Mom¡¯s eyes, I wanted to reach over and comfort her. However, as soon as I had that thought, Dad wrapped an arm around Mom¡¯s shoulders and pulled her into an embrace. She gave him a grateful smile. This gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, it felt like Dad was taking Mom away from me. This must have been what Mom felt when she saw me with Lina. On the other hand, it warmed my heart to see my parents supporting each other like this.


    ¡°I also need to sort some things out with House Guld.¡± Dad said. ¡°In the past, we were never on the best terms with them. However, that might change because of you, Wulfe.¡±


    I nodded. Back when the Reichwald Empire was still the Reichwald Kingdom, it consisted of just the Barrens and the region now known as the Crownlands. In the centuries since then, the Reichwald Kingdom expanded its borders by conquering its neighbors and became an empire.


    One of those neighbors had been the Riverlands Kingdom, ruled over by House Guld, the royal family. House Kaltbrand had been instrumental in their defeat. The eponymous rivers that gave the Riverlands its name acted as natural barriers, giving it a significant defensive advantage. However, House Kaltbrand¡¯s coldfire froze those rivers and negated that advantage. In the end, House Guld was forced to surrender.


    After they surrendered, House Reichwald kept House Guld in place as the rulers of the Riverlands and appointed them as a ducal family. While centuries have passed since then, the people of the Riverlands still remember when their homeland had been an independent kingdom. Some still harbored ill feelings towards House Kaltbrand because of this.


    That was part of the reason why I chose to hide in the Barrens. At the time, I figured that no one in House Guld would think to look for me in the north. A foolish idea, now that I thought back on it.


    ¡°That could become a problem.¡± Lina said, frowning. ¡°If House Guld and House Kaltbrand grow too close to one another, many would see that as a threat, including the imperial family. House Kaltbrand is already the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire and House Guld isn¡¯t that far behind. Together, they eclipse House Reichwald.¡±


    I¡­ hadn¡¯t thought about it from that angle. I considered both House Kaltbrand and House Guld as family. Of course I wanted them to get along with one another. However, after giving it some thought, I realized that others wouldn¡¯t see it that way. I sighed. That was the problem with being a part of a ducal family, or two in this case. Everyone scrutinized one¡¯s actions in order to determine how it would affect their interests.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be helped.¡± Dad said, shrugging. ¡°Unless you two plan on not getting married.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Lina and I said in unison.


    Dad smirked.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± He said. ¡°Since you two are set on marrying one another, we might as well make a formal alliance with House Guld.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°Besides, Wulfe is both a Guld and a Kaltbrand. Our two families are already tied to one another through him.¡±


    Lina sighed.


    ¡°Father won¡¯t like this.¡± she said, glancing at me. ¡°He wanted to wait some more before deciding who to support in the fight for the throne. However, allying with House Kaltbrand may force him to make a decision sooner than expected. Together, House Guld and House Kaltbrand form a powerful faction. Whoever they support will gain a significant advantage.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°Which means they will target both House Kaltbrand and House Guld.¡± I said. ¡°Either to gain that advantage for themselves, or to ensure that their rivals don¡¯t.¡±


    I wanted to bury my face in my hands and scream in frustration. When I ran away from House Guld, I never expected that I would end up facing schemes and plots that would affect the rest of the Reichwald Empire. I had just wanted to find my own place in the world. Well, I succeeded, just not in the way I envisioned back then.


    Lina noticed my distress and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, before pulling me into an embrace. Her warmth seeped into my soul and soothed me. I looked over at my parents, and realized that my position mirrored Mom¡¯s. The two of us shared a wry smile.


    ¡°Let us save the rest of this discussion for tomorrow.¡± Dad said. ¡°It has been a long day, and we¡¯re all tired.¡±


    Everyone voiced their assent to that. We all left the sitting room and went our separate ways. I escorted Lina back to her rooms. On the way there, neither one of us said a word, as we were both lost in our own thoughts. When we arrived at our destination, Lina turned and faced me. She wore a serious expression on her face.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± she said, ¡°I think it would be best if Mika and I left ahead of everyone else and returned to House Guld.¡±


    Every fiber of my being rejected her words. So much so, that I grabbed Lina and pulled her into an embrace. The two of us had just reunited, and yet she wanted to leave so soon?


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    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.


    I assumed that Lina had a good reason for making such a suggestion. She loved me as much as I loved her. However, that didn¡¯t mean I had to like or accept her reason.


    ¡°To inform Father and Mother about what happened.¡± Lina said, returning my embrace. ¡°It won¡¯t take long for rumors of what happened here to spread to the rest of the Reichwald Empire. It¡¯s best if I tell Father and Mother the truth, to avoid any potential misunderstandings.¡± She pulled back to look me in the eyes and smiled. ¡°Besides, Father and Mother will be overjoyed to learn that you¡¯ll visit soon.¡±


    Despite my assertion earlier, I found my resolve crumbling. She made a good point. Rumors spread like wildfire among nobles, becoming twisted along the way. If we left things up to chance and didn¡¯t tell Father and Mother the truth ourselves, they would hear a distorted version of tonight¡¯s events. Even so, I remained reluctant to part with Lina.


    ¡°Do you have to?¡± I asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you just send a messenger?¡±


    Lina gave me a sad smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s better if I tell them in person.¡± She said. ¡°Besides, leaving early will give me a chance to lay down the groundwork for House Kaltbrand¡¯s arrival. This is the first time in decades that Grand Duke Kaltbrand will participate in the social season. It¡¯s sure to cause an upheaval once the news arrives in Haven.¡±


    I clenched.


    ¡°These are all very good reasons.¡± I said. ¡°However, I still don¡¯t want to let you go.¡±


    Lina looked thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us then?¡± She asked.


    I sucked in a breath at that.


    ¡°To Guld Manor?¡± I asked.


    A bittersweet longing filled me. Sweet, because I would be able to see home after such a long time. For a moment, I smelled the flowers of the gardens and felt the warmth of the sun on my skin. Bitter, because Guld Manor wasn¡¯t my home. Not anymore. When I inherited the coldfire, I chose to dedicate myself to the Barrens. I could never return to the Riverlands, not for long. Kaltbrand Castle would be my home until the day I died.


    ¡°No.¡± Lina said, shaking her head. ¡°Father and Mother should be in Haven by now. When I left, the plan was for me to find you and bring you back there.¡±


    I nodded. That made sense. Father and Mother were active members of high society. They always headed to Haven during the social season, bringing their children along with them. While we couldn¡¯t participate in high society, there were some events and activities reserved for the children of nobles. Besides, it would be less painful for me to see House Guld¡¯s townhouse in Haven. I enjoyed my time there, but it didn¡¯t hold the same significance to me as Guld Manor.


    ¡°That is tempting,¡± I said, before frowning, ¡°Though I¡¯ll have to discuss the matter with Mom and Dad. Now that I¡¯m the heir to House Kaltbrand, I am not my own person anymore. Not entirely.¡±


    There was a lot we needed to do in order to prepare for the journey to Haven. As much as I wanted to follow Lina¡¯s suggestion, I felt bad about dumping all that work on Mom and Dad. Besides, there were a few lingering loose threads that I needed to tie up, such as dealing with Ellen and Thomas. I also wanted to be there when my parents got married. Mom told me that it would happen soon, before we left for Haven.


    ¡°Take the time you need to talk the matter over with them.¡± Lina said, giving me a smile. ¡°It isn¡¯t as if Mika and I need to leave right away. We can wait for a bit, though please give me your answer within the week.¡±


    I mulled it over before nodding.


    ¡°That should be enough time.¡± I said. ¡°Though I would appreciate it if you and Mika stayed long enough for my parents¡¯ wedding. They¡¯re getting married before leaving for Haven.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyes widened for a second, before a thoughtful expression replaced her surprise.


    ¡°That does make sense.¡± She muttered. ¡°It would be better for House Kaltbrand if she was Grand Duchess Kaltbrand instead of just being the Grand Duke¡¯s lover.¡± She nodded. ¡°Very well. We¡¯ll stay long enough for the wedding. However, we¡¯ll have to leave right after.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan to me.¡± I grinned, before leaning over to give Lina a brief kiss on the lips. ¡°I shall take my leave now, my lady. You have a wonderful night.¡±


    I started to pull away from Lina, but then she grabbed me by the back of my head and pulled me in for another kiss. This one was longer and more passionate than the previous one. When we finished, it left me in a daze.


    ¡°Goodnight, my lord.¡± Lina said, smirking at me. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡±


    Before I could respond, she pulled out of our embrace and entered her rooms. Still in a daze, I somehow made my way back to my rooms. I dreamed of Lina that night.


    <hr>


    The next morning, my parents and I ate breakfast together. It was just the three of us. With everything going on, we hadn¡¯t spent much time alone as a family. It felt nice to just relax and enjoy each other¡¯s company, even if it was just for a meal. We still had a lot to do, but we could still enjoy quiet moments together like this.


    Near the end of breakfast, I brought up the matter of me leaving for Haven with Lina and Mika. I expected them to object. However, to my surprise, they glanced at each other before nodding in unison.


    ¡°Your mother and I discussed the matter already.¡± Dad said. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t brought it up, we would have.¡±


    ¡°While I dislike the idea of parting with you,¡± Mom said, a reluctant expression on her face, ¡°Anselm convinced me that it would be a good idea to have you lay the groundwork for our arrival in Haven.¡±


    I smiled and almost mentioned that Lina said something similar, but refrained. There was no need to poke that particular hornet¡¯s nest.


    ¡°It is also an opportunity to gauge the southern nobles¡¯ attitude towards House Kaltbrand and see how they treat you without me around.¡± Dad said.


    I nodded. That made sense. The southern nobles may slip up with me in ways they wouldn¡¯t around Dad. However, I felt bad about just leaving.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked. ¡°There is still a lot of work to do before leaving for Haven. We still have to deal with House Steuben and their supporters. Also, what about House Meyers? As far as I know, Baron Meyers died without any heir. What will happen to their territory?¡±


    I doubted that Dad would let Ellen continue her charade as Elise Meyers and inherit House Meyers. However, we couldn¡¯t leave House Meyers¡¯ territory without an overlord for long. Someone needed to protect the people there from demonic beasts.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about all that.¡± Dad said, giving me a smile. ¡°We can handle it ourselves.¡±


    Mom reached over and gave my hand a brief squeeze.


    ¡°Go.¡± She said. ¡°Reunite with your adopted family. We¡¯ll join you soon enough.¡±


    Mixed feelings filled me. On the one hand, I appreciated my parents¡¯ acceptance and support. They could have demanded that I forget my time with House Guld and cut ties with them. Instead, they did the exact opposite. On the other hand, I felt guilty because of my selfishness.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said.


    After breakfast, I headed down to the dungeons. While my parents said that they would handle the aftermath of the banquet and prepare for the journey south, there were some things that I needed to deal with on my own.


    The dungeons were more lively than usual. House Steuben and their followers filled all of the cells. Some pleaded for forgiveness, some protested their innocence, and others made threats. They grew louder when they saw me and tried to get my attention, but I ignored them. When I reached the door to Ellen¡¯s cell, I opened it and found her performing a series of exercises. She stopped and grinned when she saw me.


    ¡°Oh, hey Wolfie.¡± she said, wiping sweat from her forehead.


    I raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re in high spirits for someone imprisoned for treason.¡± I said.


    Ellen shrugged, before grinning at me.


    ¡°Until you came along and told me otherwise, I spent my days in here thinking that I was going to die.¡± She said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be in high spirits if you were in my shoes, Wolfie?¡±


    I thought about it for a moment, before nodding.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I said. ¡°And, as promised, I¡¯m here to tell you about your punishment. While you are a traitor and a spy, your actions also led us to uncover the identity of the enemy interfering with House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession.¡± I paused. ¡°Granted, you did so to save your brother¡¯s life, but still. That is enough reason for me to grant you clemency.¡±


    ¡°Plus, you¡¯re sentimental.¡± Ellen pointed out.


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°While I may not want to execute you,¡± I said, a warning in my tone. ¡°I have no such compunction about imprisoning you for life.¡±


    Ellen closed her mouth and wore a contrite expression, but her eyes danced with laughter. I sighed.


    ¡°However, you are right,¡± I continued, ¡°I am sentimental, and I don¡¯t want to see a childhood friend of mine suffer. So, from this day forth, you and your brother are hereby forever banished from the Barrens. You may pack some basic necessities to bring with you, but you must leave everything else behind.¡±


    Ellen¡¯s expression turned sour at this.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re kicking us out with nothing but the clothes on our backs?¡± she asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°In essence, yes.¡±


    Ellen held my gaze for several moments, before nodding.


    ¡°Well, it could be worse.¡± She said with a sigh. ¡°At least Thomas and I have each other. Besides, I¡¯m an Aura Expert. I¡¯m sure I can find someone willing to hire me.¡± She snorted. ¡°I may even become a knight again, a real one this time.¡±


    True. Aura Experts were far less common outside of the Barrens. Despite her past, plenty of noble families would love to have someone with Ellen¡¯s skills and experience serve as one of their knights. Failing that, she could always find work as a mercenary. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but it was a living.


    I opened my mouth to say as such, but stopped when I heard the sound of someone running in our direction. Moments later, Viktor appeared in the doorway to Ellen¡¯s cell. He looked out of breath.


    ¡°Oh, good,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m not too late.¡±


    ¡°Viktor?¡± Ellen asked, her eyes wide. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Viktor gestured to me.


    ¡°I needed to ask Lord Wulfe a question.¡± He turned to me. ¡°What is Ellen¡¯s punishment?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him, though I had a faint idea of why he asked that question.


    ¡°Banishment from the Barrens.¡± I answered.


    Viktor looked relieved at that.


    ¡°Oh good,¡± he said, ¡°I guessed right.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ellen asked.


    Viktor straightened up and looked her in the eyes.


    ¡°I resigned from the Order of the Coldsteel Blade.¡±


    A beat passed by in silence.


    ¡°What?¡± Ellen yelled. ¡°Why would you do something like that? You haven¡¯t even served for five years! Why would you forfeit the chance to become a noble?¡±


    Viktor gave her an intense stare.


    ¡°You know why.¡± He said.


    Ellen¡¯s jaw dropped. I smirked.


    ¡°Well, this sounds like a private matter between you two.¡± I said. ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± I looked at Viktor. ¡°If I leave her in your care, I trust that you¡¯ll ensure Ellen makes it out of the Barrens?¡±


    Viktor nodded at me as I left Ellen¡¯s cell, or former cell I should say.


    ¡°Wolfie, wait! Where are you going?¡± Ellen asked. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me alone with this lunatic!¡±


    I ignored her pleas and left the dungeons.

 Chapter 48: Prince Leopold

    After leaving Viktor and Ellen to discuss their potential future together, I exited the dungeons in a good mood. While I was sad to lose two of my bodyguards in a short amount of time, it cheered me up to know that they at least had each other, and Thomas. However, I received a message from Viscount Holtz that dampened my spirits. He delivered it to me while I was on my way back to my rooms.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I said, shaking my head in disbelief, ¡°Did you just say that Prince Leopold Reichwald is here to see me?¡±


    Viscount Holtz nodded.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, giving me an apologetic look, ¡°I was reluctant to let him in the castle. However, given his status as a member of the imperial family, I couldn¡¯t turn him away. He is currently waiting in your sitting room.¡±


    I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. After what happened last night, I expected Leopold to leave the Barrens and head back down to Haven. The Barrens was enemy territory for him and his family. While we couldn¡¯t attack him outright, not without angering the rest of House Reichwald, there were ways we could make his life unpleasant. Why had he stayed?


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, opening my eyes again, ¡°I shall go see him. If I don¡¯t, Leopold will refuse to leave. He was always stubborn about the strangest things. The sooner I get this over with, the better.¡±


    Viscount Holtz nodded.


    ¡°Shall I inform His Grace?¡± He asked.


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t already?¡± I asked.


    Viscount hesitated, before responding.


    ¡°Last night¡¯s events shocked me,¡± he said, ¡°So I am still coming to terms with the news that you are in fact His Grace¡¯s son.¡± He gave me a small smile as he said this. ¡°However, you are the heir to House Kaltbrand, which affords you a certain degree of privacy. It would be¡­ inappropriate to report your every move to His Grace, which includes which guests come to see you.¡±


    Hmm, that made sense. Now that the senior servants knew the truth about my heritage, they were affording me more respect than before. It wasn¡¯t as if they treated me with disrespect before this. However, there was a significant difference between a mercenary hired to pretend to be the heir of House Kaltbrand and the actual heir.


    ¡°Go ahead and tell Dad.¡± I said. ¡°Considering the situation, it¡¯s best to keep him informed. In fact, keep him informed on anything related to the imperial family.¡±


    Viscount Holtz nodded.


    ¡°Very well, Lord Wulfe. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    I shook my head and dismissed him, before making my way to my rooms. When I arrived, I found Leopold waiting for me in my sitting room, along with a few others. He brought a pair of Imperial Guards with him as his bodyguards, as well as a man with tanned skin, short black hair, and dark brown eyes. This man had a lean and toned body, which contrasted with his soft features. Those soft features had led many people to underestimate this man, believing him to be harmless. I knew better.


    Walter, Prince Dirk¡¯s right hand man, though he went by Volkhard these days.


    Leopold sat on a couch, with Volkhard standing right behind him. The Imperial Guards stood a little further back, looking displeased about something. They weren¡¯t the only ones in the room. Sir Kane stood opposite the Imperial Guards, staring at them with an impassive expression on his face. Maria stood beside him, wearing a polite but distant expression on her face.


    As the two sides faced each other, the tension in the room was taut, like a string ready to snap. The only one who seemed at ease was Leopold. He sat on the couch and sipped a cup of tea, which I assumed Maria fetched for him. When I arrived, everyone turned to look at me. I narrowed my eyes at Leopold.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I demanded.


    One of the Imperial Guard scowled at me and grabbed the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°How dare you¨C¡± He started to say but Leopold raised his hand and silenced him.


    ¡°Stand down.¡± Leopold commanded in a soft, but firm, voice.


    The Imperial Guard obeyed, with great reluctance.


    ¡°Is this how you treat your guests, Wulfram?¡± Leopold asked, turning his attention back to me.


    I snorted.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a guest, Leopold,¡± I said, ¡°You¡¯re an intruder. State your business and get out.¡±


    Leopold studied me, his gaze steady.


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said I came here as your friend, not as Prince Leopold Reichwald?¡± He asked.


    ¡°If that were true, you wouldn¡¯t have brought him with you.¡± I said, gesturing to Volkhard.


    During this entire exchange, Volkhard eyed me with wariness in his eyes. As a fellow Aura Master, I was one of the few people in the entire Reichwald Empire capable of defeating him on my own. It came as no surprise that he considered me the biggest threat in the room. The reverse was true as well. While I now wielded the coldfire, only a fool would underestimate an Aura Master. Volkhard¡¯s presence here was like a dagger pointed in my direction.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± Leopold said. ¡°Considering the circumstances, I need to take certain precautions to ensure my safety.¡±


    I bared my teeth at him in a smile.


    ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t trust a word you say.¡± I said.


    Leopold studied me for a few seconds, before he let out a sigh.


    ¡°How about this, Wulfram?¡± He said.¡°I will send Volkhard and my bodyguards away, if you agree to do the same with your people. Does that satisfy you?¡±


    Volkhard and the two Imperial Guards voiced their protests.


    ¡°This is unwise, Your Highness.¡± Volkhard said, keeping his eyes on me.


    Leopold shook his head.


    ¡°Wulfram isn¡¯t stupid enough to attack me.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. If I attacked Leopold here and now, it would lead to war with House Reichwald. Besides, as furious as I was with him, I wouldn¡¯t hurt him unless I needed to.


    The Imperial Guards continued to protest, until Leopold silenced them with a sharp gesture.


    ¡°Well?¡± He asked, turning towards me again. ¡°Do we have an agreement?¡±


    I held his eyes for several seconds, before I looked at Sir Kane and Maria.


    ¡°Leave us.¡± I commanded.


    Maria bowed and left the room. Sir Kane gave me a questioning look, as if to ask if I was sure about this. I nodded. He looked me in the eyes for a few seconds, before he returned my nod and left the sitting room as well. With great reluctance, Volkhard and the Imperial Guards followed them. Soon, Leopold and I were alone in the sitting room. I walked over to the couch standing opposite of his and sat down.


    The two of us stared at one another for several long seconds, neither one saying a word. I noticed some subtle changes in Leopold since I last saw him. He seemed more melancholic, as if filled with a great sorrow. However, I noticed a sharpness in his eyes, one that hadn¡¯t been there three years ago. I don''t know what happened, but whatever it was, it had a profound impact on him. He wasn¡¯t the same Leopold I once knew. Then again, I wasn¡¯t the same Wulfram that I was three years ago. A lot had happened since then.


    The biggest change I noticed in Leopold was his mana signature. Three years ago, he had been just an Aura Warrior. However, he was now an Aura Expert. If we had met under different circumstances, I would have celebrated his achievement.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°You look well, Wulfram,¡± Leopold said, breaking the silence, ¡°It appears that becoming the heir to House Kaltbrand suits you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks to you.¡± I said.


    Leopold sighed.


    ¡°How long will you hold that against me?¡± he said. ¡°I did that partially for your sake, you know.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I asked, an edge to my voice. ¡°If I recall correctly, Volkhard informed Lina that you and your father intended to charge me with lying to a member of the imperial family. In what way was that for my sake?¡±


    ¡°I would have ensured that you received a light punishment,¡± Leopold answered, ¡°One that would have taken you far from Haven, and out of the fight for the imperial throne. Otherwise, one of my cousins would have tried to use you against me.¡±


    I paused at that. By cousins, he meant the other scions of House Reichwald, his rivals for the throne.


    ¡°Assuming I believe you,¡± I said, ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you plotted against me, Leopold. Not only that, but your family interfered with the succession of House Kaltbrand. It will be a long time before I forgive you for that, if ever.¡±


    Leopold looked at the cup of tea in his hands.


    ¡°We only did what was necessary,¡± he said in a quiet voice.


    I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Necessary?¡± I said, nodding to the door of my sitting room. ¡°Walter-Excuse me. Volkhard tried to kill a castle full of innocent people, all to silence a few. If I hadn¡¯t arrived, he would have succeeded. If you considered that necessary, then you need to reconsider your priorities. And that isn¡¯t taking into consideration the other people your family had murdered, all so you could make your puppet the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    Leopold slammed his tea cup down hard enough to make the remaining tea spill out.


    ¡°You can judge and condemn me all you want, Wulfram,¡± Leopold said in a hard voice, ¡°But that¡¯s only because you don¡¯t know what it was like growing up in the imperial palace. As a potential heir to the throne, each day was a struggle to survive for me. Every morning, when I woke up, I wondered if that day would be my last. My parents did everything in their power to protect me, but even they have their limits. I¡¯ve been betrayed by my servants, people I trusted with my life, more times than I care to remember. So, yes. It was necessary, because if I lose the fight for the throne, I will die.¡±


    I stared at Leopold, stunned. This was the first time he mentioned what it was like growing up in the imperial palace. In the past, whenever I asked him about it, he avoided the question. I hadn¡¯t realized how difficult it was for him.


    ¡°Why would you stay in a place like that?¡± I asked, unable to wrap my head around it. ¡°Why not give up your right to the throne and leave?¡±


    Leopold gave me a brittle smile.


    ¡°Do you think I have a choice?¡± He asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°In the previous generations, not every contender for the throne died. They either married into another family, or left the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    Leopold''s smile grew more brittle.


    ¡°This generation is different from the previous ones.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m not one of the current emperor¡¯s children, yet I am a potential heir. That makes me a threat, at least in the Empress¡¯ eyes.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know much about the current Empress. We had never met. I knew that she was from House Ritter, the ducal family that ruled the Grass Sea region to the east, but that was it.


    ¡°She is determined to see one of her children take the throne.¡± Leopold said. ¡°As long as I am alive, she will always consider me a threat. Leaving the empire or marrying into another family isn¡¯t an option for me. Either I take the throne, or I die. There is no in-between for me.¡±


    I stared at Leopold, conflicted. A part of me was still angry at him, and his father, for what they did. If it had been just limited to scheming and plotting to make their puppet the heir to House Kaltbrand, I would have forgiven them in time. However, I couldn¡¯t forgive the murders. Not only did they attempt to kill everyone in Meyers Castle to silence Baron Meyers, but they also murdered potential heirs to House Kaltbrand in order to give their puppet a better chance.


    Yet, my heart went out to Leopold. It couldn¡¯t have been easy growing up in an environment like that. I grew up as an orphan, with all that entailed, so I understand what it was like to grow up in a dangerous and hostile environment. At least the people around me didn¡¯t plot and scheme to murder me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you all this.¡± Leopold said, covering his face with his hand. ¡°I came here to make a deal with you, not lay all my troubles at your feet.¡±


    I resisted the urge to snort. I didn¡¯t believe that for a second. I was well aware that Leopold was playing to my sympathies. He knew that I was a sentimental fool, and was using that to his advantage. However, I didn¡¯t think he was lying. Sometimes, the best way to finesse someone was to tell them the truth.


    ¡°What sort of deal?¡± I asked in a cold voice.


    As much as I sympathized with Leopold, and didn¡¯t want him to die, I couldn¡¯t forget my priorities. I was Wulfe Kaltbrand, heir to House Kaltbrand. My primary concern was protecting my loved ones and defending the north from the demonic beast threat. Everything else came secondary to that.


    Leopold stiffened when he heard my tone, before he removed his hand from his face. I saw the disappointment in his eyes. It stung, but I remained unmoved.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s less of a deal,¡± Leopold said, ¡°Rather, I wish to give you a gift and ask you for a favor.¡±


    I raised my eyebrow at him. Considering the circumstances, he was the last person who had the right to ask me for a favor.


    ¡°Go on.¡± I said.


    ¡°The woman who pretended to be Elise Meyers,¡± Leopold said, ¡°She was one of our people before she betrayed us. For most, that would have been a death sentence. However, as a show of good faith, I¡¯m here to tell you that we won¡¯t target her or her younger brother.¡±


    I clenched my jaw. That was one of the things I had been worried about, which was why I was happy that Viktor would accompany Ellen and Thomas. Two Aura Experts were better than one. Well, I assumed Viktor would accompany Ellen and Thomas. There was the possibility that he wouldn¡¯t, or that Ellen would reject him. However, I thought that the chances of that were low.


    ¡°And how is this a gift?¡± I said, feigning indifference. ¡°That woman provided us with information in exchange for her brother¡¯s life. That¡¯s it. What happens to her now is none of my concern.¡±


    Leopold smirked at me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fool me, Wulfram.¡± He said. ¡°I looked into her background and realized that she was one of the orphans you grew up with. You care about her more than you pretend.¡±


    I clicked my tongue in displeasure.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I said, annoyed. ¡°I accept your gift. Now then, what¡¯s this favor you want?¡±


    Leopold¡¯s expression turned serious.


    ¡°I assume that you and your family are going to head south to participate in the social season?¡± He asked. ¡°After last night¡¯s events, House Kaltbrand can no longer remain neutral in the fight for the throne. Given what I know about you and His Grace, House Kaltbrand intends to seize the initiative instead of waiting for one of my cousins to try something.¡±


    I gave him a flat look and remained silent.


    ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t support Cornelius.¡± Leopold said, a pleading expression on his face. ¡°I beg of you.¡±


    Prince Cornelius Reichwald was the eldest of the Emperor¡¯s children and the strongest contender for the throne. While the scions of House Reichwald competed with each other to become the next ruler of the empire, the eldest child tended to have an advantage compared to their siblings. They were older, more experienced, and their parents often favored them. While the eldest child didn¡¯t always become the next ruler, they won more often than not.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked.


    ¡°While my other two cousins want me dead, I can at least reason with them.¡± Leopold said. ¡°Cornelius, on the other hand, loathes my very existence. In his eyes, I should have never been born. Or at least, I shouldn¡¯t have been a rival for the throne. He considers me the greatest shame of the imperial family, and will stop at nothing to see me dead. If one of my other cousins takes the throne, I have a chance at surviving. A small chance, but a chance nonetheless. If Cornelius takes the throne, I will die.¡±


    After Leopold finished speaking, I took a moment to think before responding.


    ¡°I can¡¯t promise you anything, Leopold,¡± I said. ¡°I am not my own person anymore. As the heir to House Kaltbrand, I must do what benefits my family and my people the most.¡± I paused. ¡°However, in light of our friendship, I will take your request into consideration.¡±


    Leopold held my gaze for several seconds, before letting out a sigh.


    ¡°I suppose I must settle for that,¡± he said, ¡°At least you didn¡¯t reject me outright. If I had gone to His Grace, he would have kicked me out before I had a chance to say a word.¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°If you had gone to Dad, he would have invited you to stay as a long-term guest of House Kaltbrand.¡± I said.


    Leopold let out a bitter chuckle.


    ¡°If I lose, I might take him up on that,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s better than the alternative.¡±


    A few moments of silence passed after that. Leopold stared at me with a strange gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°So,¡± he said, ¡°Is Knight Commander Bardin really your mother?¡±


    I grinned at him and nodded. Leopold¡¯s expression turned wistful.


    ¡°To be the son of the Iron Countess herself.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m a little envious, to tell you the truth. No wonder I could never beat you when it came to the sword. You must have inherited your talent from her.¡±


    One of the reasons Leopold and I became friends and rivals was because of our mutual admiration of Mom, as well as our desire to emulate her. However, I was always more talented with the sword, which Leopold considered an affront to his honor. He worked hard to surpass me, but never succeeded.


    ¡°In your defense, you had less time to train and practice.¡± I said. ¡°As an imperial prince, you were always busy with your duties.¡±


    Leopold nodded, before sighing. The wistful expression on his face disappeared.


    ¡°As much as I wish to stay here and reminisce about the past with you, it¡¯s time I left. Otherwise, I fear that His Grace will storm in here and make me a permanent guest of Kaltbrand Castle. While I may be at a disadvantage, I haven¡¯t lost the fight. I can¡¯t give up now.¡±


    With that, Leopold stood up.


    ¡°Despite everything, it was good to see you again, Wulfram.¡± He said.


    ¡°It was good to see you again too, Leopold.¡± I said, in a soft voice. ¡°I just wish it had been under better circumstances.¡±


    He nodded to me, before leaving the sitting room. I remained on the couch, lost in my thoughts.

 Chapter 49: The Grand Dukes Wedding

    The next few days passed by in a blur as I prepared to head south with Lina and Mika. Packing everything I needed took a bit of time, since I now had a lot more stuff, clothes especially. At least, it was a lot compared to my days as a mercenary. By noble standards, it was barely adequate. When we arrived at Haven, I would need to buy a whole new wardrobe. When I told Lina this, she smiled at me with a strange gleam in her eyes.


    For security, Mom assigned a contingent of Coldsteel Knights to escort us. Lina protested, saying that they weren¡¯t necessary since she brought several knights from the Order of the Golden Rose with her. Besides, I was an Aura Master. We were as secure as we could be for the journey south. Mom pointed out that it wouldn¡¯t look good if another family¡¯s knights escorted the heir to House Kaltbrand. Lina didn¡¯t have a rebuttal to that.


    Problems arose between the two knightly orders almost right away, since both wanted to be in charge of our safety. The Coldsteel Knights pointed out that they were more familiar with the Barrens and had more experience dealing with demonic beasts. The Golden Rose knights said that they were more familiar with the Crownlands, and while they weren¡¯t as experienced in fighting demonic beasts, they weren¡¯t behind the Coldsteel Knights in terms of strength.


    The arguments between the two knightly orders grew so heated that they almost came to blows with one another. In the end, I stepped in to settle the situation and said that I would command both knightly orders, at least until we reached Haven. After that, they would go their separate ways. The Coldsteel Knights would go to House Kaltbrand¡¯s manor in Haven, while the Golden Rose knights would go to the House Guld townhouse.


    Both knightly orders accepted this compromise, since I had connections to both. Before I ran away from Guld Manor, I trained with the Golden Rose knights and many of them knew me. As for the Coldsteel Knights, I was their lord¡¯s heir and I had hunted demonic beasts alongside them. Because of this, both knightly orders were willing to follow me.


    As Lina, Mika, and I prepared to head south, my parents handled the aftermath of the banquet and House Steuben¡¯s attempt to force me from my position as heir to House Kaltbrand. Rather than drag things out, Dad punished House Steuben¡¯s followers by stripping many of them of their titles and lands. They protested this, claiming that Dad was acting like a tyrant.


    ¡°And?¡± He said in response.


    The former nobles had no response to Dad¡¯s blatant admission of his tyranny. He punished the rest of House Steuben¡¯s followers by forcing them to pay House Kaltbrand compensation. As for House Steuben themselves, Dad didn¡¯t strip them of their titles and lands, nor did he make them pay compensation. Instead, he forced them to give up their status as a collateral line of House Kaltbrand.


    This was perhaps the cruelest punishment he could have devised, since House Steuben derived a lot of its status and influence from its connection to House Kaltbrand. Without that connection, they were simply another noble family in the Barrens. I guessed that it wouldn¡¯t be long before they lost most of their power base, if not all of it. They would fade away into obscurity and irrelevance.


    After that, the nobles who arrived for the banquet started to leave one by one. Many of them wanted to stay for one reason or another, but Dad shooed them away. After that, Kaltbrand Castle became a lot quieter. However, Lina met with Viscount Gerhard to finalize the agreement between House Guld and House Gerhard. Soon, most of the food arriving in the Barrens would go through House Gerhard¡¯s hands.


    Lady Adelheid was quite happy about this. Even being a hostage of House Kaltbrand did little to dampen her spirits. If anything, she considered it a blessing in disguise, since it allowed her to spend more time with Lina.


    Lord Ulric, House Kaltbrand¡¯s other long-term guest, was far less happy about this state of affairs. Still, he behaved himself and didn¡¯t cause us any trouble, which was all I cared about.


    Sir Kane and I said our goodbyes to Ellen, Thomas, and Viktor when the three of them left Kaltbrand Castle. It seemed that Ellen hadn¡¯t rejected Viktor after all. I tried teasing her, saying that they should invite us to the wedding. However, to my surprise, Ellen just blushed and looked away. When I looked at Viktor, he just grinned at me and said that they would.


    I¡¯ll admit, this caught me off guard. I knew that there was something going on between them, but I hadn¡¯t realized they had gotten this far already. What surprised me even more was Thomas. I expected him to protest. Instead, he gave Ellen and Viktor his full support.


    ¡°Thank you, Wolfie,¡± Ellen said after she regained her composure, ¡°For everything.¡±


    ¡°Just live a good life, and I¡¯ll consider us even.¡± I said.


    After that, we finished with our goodbyes and the three of them headed off. Sir Kane was melancholic at losing two of his comrades at the same time, even though one of them was a traitor. Still, at least they were still alive.


    Leopold left Frostheart right after his meeting with me, much to Dad¡¯s chagrin. It turned out that he really had planned on making Leopold a long-term guest of House Kaltbrand. I don¡¯t know why he considered it a good idea to hold a member of the imperial family hostage. Maybe he just enjoyed kidnapping people. Regardless, I considered it a blessing that Leopold managed to foil Dad¡¯s ambitions in this regard.


    Lina and I finished our preparations the day before my parents¡¯ wedding. We would leave the day after the ceremony, so we could reach Haven as soon as possible. However, just when I thought everything was settled, Lina surprised me with a last minute request.


    ¡°I would like to keep Rosalind as my maid,¡± she said, ¡°And I would like her sister, Maria, to be Mika¡¯s maid.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at this.


    ¡°Until we reach Haven?¡± I asked.


    After that, Lina and Mika would be back with House Guld, eliminating the need to lend them any of House Kaltbrand¡¯s servants.


    ¡°For the foreseeable future.¡± Lina said. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a liking to Rosalind and I would hate to separate her from her sister. With that being the case, I thought it would be best to bring them both over to House Guld for now.¡±


    I knew what Lina was up to right away, and why she was doing it, but I couldn¡¯t just let her take away two of House Kaltbrand¡¯s servants without saying a word.


    ¡°You do know who they really are, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°They¡¯re members of the Blue Shadows,¡± she said.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I said. ¡°They¡¯re spies working for House Kaltbrand. Not only that, but they¡¯re my eyes and ears. I can¡¯t let you take them away like this. If you wish to take Rosalind, that¡¯s fine. It seems she¡¯s taken a liking to you as well. However, I can¡¯t let you take both of the twins.¡±


    Lina frowned and fell silent for several moments.


    ¡°In that case,¡± she said, ¡°May I lend you a servant as well? I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving you alone with Maria. Having one of my people near you would go a long way towards reassuring me.¡±


    I figured as much. Considering Maria¡¯s past behavior, I didn¡¯t blame her. While my maid had been joking for the most part, I understood Lina¡¯s apprehension. In her shoes, I would feel the same way.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what it takes to put your mind at ease,¡± I said, giving her a smile, ¡°Then feel free.¡± I paused. ¡°Though, make sure to pick someone who can get along with Maria. The last thing I want is any discord between my servants.¡±


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    Lina nodded.


    ¡°Of course.¡± She said.


    With that settled, Lina and I spent the rest of our day preparing for the journey to Haven. On the next day, we attended my parents¡¯ wedding.


    <hr>


    The wedding took place in the Church of Light and Darkness located within Frostheart. It looked less dark and foreboding during the day than it did at night, but it was still imposing and intimidating.


    Even though this was the marriage of the empire¡¯s only grand duke, my parents decided to keep the guest list small. Only family and close friends were invited. This included myself, of course, as well as Count Wirner, Lina, and Mika. The senior servants of House Kaltbrand made up the rest of the guests. Viscount and Viscountess Holtz, Baron Kirch, and Klaus. I believe Dad invited Grand Sage Arend as well, but the latter declined. To my surprise, High Priest Nicholas attended as well.


    Dad and I arrived at the Church first, accompanied by most of the guests. Meanwhile, Mom and Count Wirner would arrive a little while later. According to tradition in the Reichwald Empire, when a noble married into another family, an important figure in their life would escort them to the altar and give them away. Most of the time this was a parent, but teachers, older siblings, and others could do it as well. When I asked Mom about Count Wirner giving her away, she told me that he was doing it as her teacher rather than her father.


    On the carriage ride to the Church of Light and Darkness, Dad appeared calm on the surface. However, I noticed the nervousness and unease in his eyes. I found this amusing. Who would¡¯ve thought that Grand Duke Kaltbrand, Shield of the Empire and Lord of the North, would be nervous on his wedding day?


    Then again, he was marrying Knight Commander Bardin, the Iron Countess and Sword of the North. She was no less a formidable figure than he was. It probably didn¡¯t help that she was his best friend and the mother of his son. In short, she was one of the most important people in his life. No wonder he was nervous. I tried my best to reassure him, but I wasn¡¯t sure if it helped.


    The ceremony hall for the Church of Light and Darkness was a simple and solemn space located within the heart of the church. It consisted of a long, rectangular room with a stone altar at the far end. The wall behind the altar depicted a mural of the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness embracing one another. Two rows of stone benches filled the hall. Mana crystal lamps filled the hall with warm light.


    Due to the rushed nature of the wedding, there was little in the way of decoration or adornment for this wedding. It was simple and bare bones. This made me a little sad. Marriage was one of the most significant events in a person¡¯s life, nobles especially, and my parents had to rush theirs due to political necessity. I wished we could have given them a grander wedding ceremony. They deserved it.


    After we arrived, our party occupied the benches near the altar. Meanwhile Dad stood in front of the altar and waited for Mom to arrive. High Priest Jeremias and High Priestess Ursel stood near Dad. The two of them would officiate the wedding.


    Everyone wore their best clothing. Lina and Mika, in particular, stood out. Unlike northerners, who preferred darker and more somber colors, westerners preferred brighter and more vibrant colors. Lina and Mika looked like two spring flowers that somehow sprouted in the northern wilderness.


    A few minutes after everyone settled down, the door to the ceremony hall opened and Mom entered, escorted by Count Wirner. She wore her knight commander uniform, which I found fitting. Being the knight commander of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade was an integral part of Mom¡¯s identity, much more so than her title as countess. It seemed appropriate that she would marry Dad as Knight Commander Bardin rather than Countess Bardin.


    For most weddings, music played as the bride walked down the aisle. However, my parents¡¯ decided to forgo that. The silence gave the wedding gravitas, highlighting its importance. Mom¡¯s footsteps rang out through the ceremony hall as Count Wirner escorted her towards the altar.


    When she arrived, Count Wirner joined the rest of us at the stone benches. Dad smiled at Mom and took her hands. She smiled back at him. While they weren¡¯t in love with each other, the two of them looked good together. From the expressions on everyone else¡¯s faces, they thought the same.


    ¡°We come here today to witness as these two come together in holy matrimony.¡± High Priest Jeremias said, beginning the ceremony.


    ¡°Just as the Goddess of Light and the God of Darkness created our world together,¡± High Priestess Ursel said, ¡°May Grand Duke Anselm Kaltbrand and Knight Commander Sophie Bardin create a bright future for themselves.¡±


    The rest of the ceremony was as short and simple as possible, with little in the way of flourish and embellishment. Soon, my parents exchanged rings to symbolize their lifelong commitment to one another. At the end, they shared a kiss with one another. When that happened, the rest of us cheered and clapped. Viscount and Viscountess Holtz had tears in their eyes, while Count Wirner wore a bittersweet expression on his face. The rest of us wore joyous smiles, except for High Priest Nicholas. He looked annoyed and grumpy.


    After the ceremony, everyone returned to Kaltbrand Castle for the reception, which took place in one of Kaltbrand Castle¡¯s smaller halls. It was far more lively than the wedding itself; celebratory and festive rather than solemn and grave. The small number of guests also gave the reception an intimate air.


    High Priest Nicholas excused himself and returned to his rooms. Meanwhile, Lady Adelheid and Lord Ulric were invited to the reception, even though they hadn¡¯t attended the wedding. While they were long-term guests of House Kaltbrand, they were still important members of the Barrens¡¯ high society.


    Soon after the reception began, I approached my parents and bowed to them with an exaggerated flourish.


    ¡°Let me be the first to congratulate you on your new position, Grand Duchess Kaltbrand.¡± I said in a cheeky tone.


    Mom snorted.


    ¡°Brat.¡± Shesaid, grinning despite herself. ¡°If you call me ¡®Grand Duchess Kaltbrand¡¯ instead of ¡®Mom¡¯ ever again, I will discipline you.¡±


    I laughed, before moving so that the others could congratulate my parents as well. While this went on, I noticed Count Wirner standing by himself in the corner of the hall, watching as everyone else enjoyed themselves. He wore a melancholic expression. An impulse to join him struck me. I followed that impulse and walked over. Count Wirner noticed my approach and nodded to me when I arrived.


    ¡°Greetings, Grandfather,¡± I said, ¡°What are you doing back here instead of celebrating with the others?¡±


    Count Wirner gave me a bitter smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood to celebrate,¡± he said, ¡°And I didn¡¯t want to ruin things for everyone else.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, frowning.


    Count Wirner took a moment before answering.


    ¡°Today¡¯s events reminded me of Anselm and Johanna¡¯s marriage.¡± He said. ¡°While I am glad that Anselm and Sophie have found comfort and solace with one another, I can¡¯t help but feel bitter that Johanna¡¯s death was the reason why they came together in the first place.¡±


    I could understand where he was coming from. Mom told me that Count Wirner loved his two legitimate children a great deal and doted on them. It must have been painful for him when his daughter, the late grand duchess, died.


    ¡°Now, it feels as if I lost my other daughter.¡± Count Wirner said. ¡°Even though I have no right to make that claim. What¡¯s worse is that it was entirely my fault.¡±


    That was true as well. Count Wirner could have acknowledged Mom as his daughter a long time ago. She worked hard to earn his acceptance, to no avail. He only realized Mom¡¯s importance to him after the late grand duchess died. However, by that point, it was too late. Mom had given up on him and moved on with her life.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t listen to me.¡± Count Wirner said, letting out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m just a rambling old man, full of bitterness and regret. You should celebrate your parents¡¯ wedding, instead of wasting your time with me.¡± He nodded in Lina¡¯s direction. ¡°Why don¡¯t you join that lovely lass over there? I¡¯m sure she would make better company than me.¡±


    I glanced over Lina, who was chatting with Lady Adelheid.


    ¡°Perhaps later.¡± I said, facing Count Wirner once again. ¡°Right now, I want to spend some time with my grandfather.¡±


    Count Wirner raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± He asked. ¡°What if Sophie becomes upset with you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it if it becomes a problem,¡± I said. ¡°If there is one thing I learned over the course of my life, it is the importance of family. You are my grandfather, regardless of Mom¡¯s feelings towards you. There is no changing that. I don¡¯t want to distance myself from you, only to regret my choice later on.¡±


    Count Wirner smiled at me. Unlike the one from earlier, this one was full of warmth.


    ¡°Thank you, Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    After that, Count Wirner and I talked about a number of topics. Our conversation was somewhat stilted and awkward, but we grew more comfortable with one another as time passed. I asked him questions about the late grand duchess. She was my aunt, and technically my step mother, yet I knew little about her. It didn¡¯t feel right to ask either Dad or Mom about her, which left Count Wirner. He was more than willing to share some stories about the late grand duchess.


    Half an hour later, I left to mingle with the other guests. However, Mika took my place and spent time with Count Wirner. It seemed that the two had taken a liking to one another. Count Wirner looked like a grandfather doting on his adorable granddaughter, even though Mika had no blood ties with him. As his actual grandchild, I found this amusing.


    The reception lasted for the rest of the day, though Lina, Mika, and I retired early. We had a long journey ahead of us. The next day, the three of us said our goodbyes to everyone and left Kaltbrand Castle. It was time for us to head to Haven.

 Chapter 50: Haven

    ¡°We¡¯re finally here.¡± I said, looking out the carriage window.


    We were only on the outskirts of Haven, but after weeks of travel, we arrived at the imperial capital at last. Thanks to the warp gate network, it was possible to travel from Haven to Frostheart, and vice versa, in a matter of days. However, maintaining this sort of pace was difficult, so most people took their time rather than push themselves. That was what Lina, Mika, and I did as we traveled south from Frostheart.


    Before this, I had been busy preparing for the banquet, attending the banquet itself, and dealing with the plots and schemes of the northern nobles. Lina and Mika pushed themselves to travel from Guld Manor to Frostheart, before getting entangled in House Kaltbrand¡¯s succession troubles as soon as they arrived. In short, the three of us were tired and needed a break. Rather than rush to Haven, we traveled at a slower pace and rested as much as we could during the journey south. All in all, it took us about two weeks to reach Haven.


    On the way, demonic beasts attacked us on several occasions, though the Coldsteel Knights and the Gold Rose knights fended them off without issue. After fighting side by side with one another on several occasions, the two knightly orders had grown much closer to each other. Many friendships had formed between knights of both orders, a far cry from how they used to be with each other when we left Frostheart.


    I also spent this time catching up with both Lina and Mika. While we talked with each other in Frostheart, dealing with the banquet had taken most of my time and attention. The journey south gave us a chance to rectify that. A lot had happened in the past three years, so we had a lot of catching up to do. I told them some stories from my time as a mercenary, while Lina and Mika shared some of the things that had happened with them. By the end of the journey, it felt like I hadn¡¯t left at all.


    As a security measure, Haven had no warp gates of its own. So, during the final leg of our journey, we warped to the nearest city before traveling the rest of the way by carriage. It was almost noon by the time we reached the imperial capital.


    Haven was a massive city. It covered a large area, and was home to over a million souls. The city was split into two parts, with an ancient stone wall separating the two. When Haven was first built, the stone wall encompassed the entire city. However, over the centuries, the city grew and expanded beyond its original borders. The area within the stone wall was called the Inner City, or Old Haven. The area outside of the stone wall was called the Outer City.


    Of the two, the Inner City was the more affluent part of Haven. Several noble families owned or rented property within the Inner City, and all of the businesses there catered to them. There were also several parks within the Inner City, including one with an artificial lake. In the center of it all was the imperial palace, home the Emperor and his family. It was also the administrative center of the Reichwald Empire. Decisions that affected the lives of everyone in the entire empire were made within its walls.


    Everyone else lived in the Outer City, including noble families unable to buy or rent property within the Inner City. I knew less about this part of Haven, since I spent most of my time in the House Guld townhouse located within the Inner City. Still, after living as a mercenary for the past three years and using the cities in the Barrens as a reference, I had a rough idea of what the Outer City was like. Like anywhere else, it was filled with folk living their lives as best they could.


    After we reached the outskirts of Haven, it took us another hour to reach the gates leading to the Inner City. The guards were surprised when they saw the crest of House Kaltbrand on the side of the carriage, and it took more time than usual to verify our identities. During the course of all this, we attracted a lot of attention from nobles and commoners alike. Unless the Emperor summoned them, House Kaltbrand almost never left the Barrens. It had been decades since they last came to Haven of their own volition.


    In the end, the guards let us through the gates to the Inner City. However, I was certain that they would report our arrival to their superior. It was only a matter of time before word reached the ears of the Emperor himself. The rest of Haven wouldn¡¯t be far behind. Gossip and rumors spread through high society like wildfire. Within a few hours, I expected House Kaltbrand to be the center of a great deal of attention. I didn¡¯t look forward to it.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Mika said as our carriage passed through the gate. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see everyone. It¡¯s been too long and I miss them.¡± She smiled at me. ¡°Everyone will be happy to see you as well, Wulfe. We should throw a party to celebrate your homecoming.¡±


    I sighed and shook my head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to the House Guld townhouse with you and Lina.¡± I said.


    Mika gave me a blank stare, before dismay took its place.


    ¡°What?!¡± she asked. ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I need to go to the House Kaltbrand manor,¡± I said, ¡°Where I¡¯ll be staying.¡±


    Mika looked crestfallen at this.


    ¡°But I thought you were coming to stay at the townhouse with us.¡± She said in a heartbroken voice.


    I gave her a sad smile.


    ¡°As much as I would love that, I can¡¯t.¡± I said. ¡°Now that I¡¯m the heir to House Kaltbrand, there are certain expectations I must live up to. If I stayed at the House Guld townhouse, it would send the wrong message.¡±


    Mika looked at Lina, who maintained a calm and composed expression on her face.


    ¡°Did you know about this?¡± Mika demanded, her tone accusatory.


    Lina raised an eyebrow at her.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, ¡°And I thought you did too. Things are different from what they were three years ago. Wulfram is now a Kaltbrand as well as a Guld. You should have known how things would turn out from that alone.¡±


    Mika pouted.


    ¡°I did.¡± She said. ¡°I just hoped that all of us would be together again.¡±


    I reached over and grasped one of Mika¡¯s hands in my own. It felt small and delicate.


    ¡°We will,¡± I said, ¡°Just not today. Barring any incident, I¡¯ll be able to visit the House Guld townhouse tomorrow.¡±


    The thought filled me with anxiety and fear. It was hard to let go of one¡¯s deepest held beliefs. Despite reassurances saying otherwise, a part of me still felt that I was a fake, an imposter, who didn¡¯t belong with House Guld. What if Father and Mother rejected me? What if they turned me away for being a Kaltbrand instead of choosing House Guld? I tried to ignore these thoughts, but it was difficult.


    ¡°Do you promise?¡± Mika said, giving me a skeptical look.


    ¡°I promise.¡± I said. ¡°Now then, first we¡¯ll stop at the House Kaltbrand manor. From there, you¡¯ll head to the House Guld townhouse.¡±


    Mika frowned.


    ¡°Why bother with all that?¡± She asked. ¡°Why not just drop us off at the House Guld townhouse?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of running into another member of the family.¡± I admitted. ¡°Father and Mother in particular. I¡¯m¡­Well, I¡¯m not ready to face them yet. I need time.¡±


    That was the real reason for the delay. I needed to prepare myself before I met with the rest of my adopted family. Understanding lit up in Mika¡¯s eyes as she realized this.


    ¡°I see.¡± Mika said.


    ¡°This will also give us time to prepare something for Wulfram¡¯s return,¡± Lina pointed out, ¡°Which is the main reason why I agreed to this when we made our plans back in Frostheart.¡±


    A smile spread across Mika¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± She said with excitement. ¡°We¡¯ll have to throw the biggest, most fabulous party for Wulfram.¡±


    Her excitement was so infectious that I couldn¡¯t help but smile.


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    ¡°I look forward to it.¡± I said.


    <hr>


    Several minutes later, our carriage arrived at the entrance to the House Kaltbrand manor within the Inner City. From there, we went our separate ways. Lina and Mika boarded another carriage, before heading off to the House Guld townhouse. I watched them go until they were out of sight. Afterwards, I directed my carriage towards the House Kaltbrand Manor.


    It was a two-story building that occupied a large plot of land. Well, large by city standards, where space was at a premium. A stone wall surrounded the entire property, hiding it from prying eyes, with a wrought iron gate serving as the front entrance. My carriage entered through the front gate and headed towards the manor itself.


    I took this opportunity to examine the place through the window. The gardens surrounding the manor were simple and bare bones. As for the manor itself, it looked like it was in good condition. However, an air of disuse had surrounded it, as if it hadn¡¯t seen much human activity for a long time.


    My carriage stopped in front of the main building and I got out. Sir Kane and Maria, who had been riding with the driver, hopped down and fell in behind me. The manor¡¯s servants waited for me, standing in two neat rows. There weren¡¯t that many, only two dozen or so. At their head stood the butler and the housekeeper, the two most senior servants.


    None of them looked like they were from the Barrens. Instead of black hair and blue eyes, most of them had brown hair, with a few blondes here and there. The color of their eyes varied, but most had brown eyes. I assumed they were all natives of Haven and the Crownlands. After spending three years in the Barrens, I was used to being surrounded by people who shared my hair color and eye color. It felt odd to stand out again. At least I had the Coldsteel Knights with me.


    However, what surprised me the most was how young everyone was. The oldest among them were the butler and the housekeeper, who looked like they were in their early thirties. Everyone else was much younger than them. One of them, a maid, looked like she had just barely reached adulthood. Were they all new hires? I would have to ask to make sure, but it seemed so.


    As soon as I got out of the carriage, the servants bowed to me as one. Despite their youth, they were disciplined and well-trained. I took that as a good sign. Even though no one from House Kaltbrand had lived in this place for a long time, the servants hadn¡¯t slacked off in their duties.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± The butler said. ¡°I am Baron Erwin Kurz, the butler of Kaltbrand Manor.¡± He gestured to the housekeeper standing beside him. ¡°This is my wife, Simone.¡±


    ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± Baroness Kurz said. She gave me a polite but warm smile.


    I nodded to them.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you both.¡± I said, returning the smile. ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care for the foreseeable future.¡±


    Baron and Baroness Kurz seemed surprised by my warm greeting, but not unpleasantly so. They must have expected me to be cold and indifferent. It wasn¡¯t an unfair assumption. Many northerners came across as standoffish to anyone not born and raised in the Barrens.


    ¡°Would you like to rest while the servants deal with your belongings?¡± Baron Kurz asked.


    While that tempted me, there was something I needed to do first.


    ¡°Not just yet.¡± I said. ¡°I need to inspect the manor first. If we¡¯re going to participate in the social season, we¡¯ll need to host some events here. I want to make sure that everything is up to par. We wouldn¡¯t want House Kaltbrand to lose face now, would we?¡±


    The servants broke out into excited murmurs, before a look from Baron Kurz silenced them.


    ¡°Is it true then?¡± Baroness Kurz asked, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. ¡°Is the Grand Duke coming to Haven for the social season? We heard the news, but we didn¡¯t dare believe it. It¡¯s been so long.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, ¡°Along with my mother, the Grand Duchess.¡±


    Baroness Kurz just about swooned with excitement.


    ¡°Oh, finally!¡±


    ¡°Simone!¡± Baron Kurz whispered, before giving me a contrite look. ¡°I apologize for my wife¡¯s behavior, Lord Wulfe.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± I said. ¡°I know that House Kaltbrand has neglected this place for some time now. Your wife¡¯s excitement is understandable.¡±


    Baron Kurz¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, before he relaxed. It appeared that my words had put any lingering apprehension he had to rest.


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°If you would follow me, I shall give you a tour of Kaltbrand Manor.¡±


    I nodded and we proceeded to do just that. Sir Kane followed along, keeping an eye on our surroundings. Baroness Kurz, aided by Maria, directed the servants to handle my luggage.


    Baron Kurz led me around Kaltbrand Manor, giving me a brief history of the place as he did so. The manor wasn¡¯t large, so the tour didn¡¯t take too long. It had more than enough space for the social events I had in mind, including a ballroom and a banquet hall. However, even a cursory glance told me that a lot of work needed to be done before Kaltbrand Manor would be ready to host guests.


    The manor was clean and well maintained, but a lot of the furnishing and decorations were old and outdated. Some were priceless antiques that just needed to be refurbished, but we would need to throw out and replace everything else. Maybe Lina could help me. I could do it myself if necessary, but my knowledge was three years out of date. Not only that, but Lina had always been better at this sort of thing. She had a good eye for beauty and value.


    ¡°What do you think, Lord Wulfe?¡± Baron Kurz asked after we finished the tour.


    The two of us, along with Sir Kane, stood within Kaltbrand Manor¡¯s ballroom. It was smaller than the one in Kaltbrand Castle, yet it felt empty and lifeless in comparison. Small windows let in a weak amount of sunlight and the air smelled stale.


    ¡°It needs a lot of work, but it has potential.¡± I said, glancing at Baron Kurz. ¡°You and the other servants did well in keeping this place in good condition, despite my family¡¯s neglect.¡±


    Baron Kurz seemed pleased by this.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± He said. ¡°Though I can¡¯t take all the credit. My uncle was the previous butler of Kaltbrand Manor. He was the one who maintained this place for all these years. My wife and I only came into our current duties about five years ago.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Was your uncle also the previous Baron Kurz?¡± I asked


    Baron Kurz nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said. ¡°He never married, so he passed his title to me when he retired.¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s how it was. Well, this was as good a time as any to indulge my curiosity.


    ¡°Baron Kurz,¡± I said, ¡°I noticed how young all the servants here were. Why is that?¡±


    The Baron nodded, as if he expected that question.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because they¡¯re all new hires.¡± The Baron explained. ¡°Until recently, we kept just enough people to maintain Kaltbrand Manor. However, last year, we received orders to hire and train new servants. At the time, I wasn¡¯t sure why, though now I know.¡±


    I nodded. The timing fit. When Dad found out about my existence, he must have made preparations for this day. I snorted. Just when I thought I had him figured out, he kept on surprising me. Compared to him, I was an amateur when it came to planning ahead. Though, in my defense, he found out that I was his son long before I did.


    ¡°I assume you vetted all of them,¡± I said, in a low voice, ¡°To ensure none of them are spies.¡±


    One of the easiest ways to plant a spy in a noble¡¯s household was to send them in as a servant. This was why one needed to be careful when hiring new people.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Baron Kurz said, his expression serious. ¡°We hired people with¡­ humble backgrounds, to minimize the chances of one of them being a spy. Not only that, but we investigated them thoroughly before hiring them.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°Humble backgrounds?¡± I asked. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Baron Kurz hesitated before answering.


    ¡°Orphans.¡± He said. ¡°Single mothers who lost their husbands. Young men and women from the slums trying to earn extra coin to help their families.¡±


    Hmm, so that was the reason for his hesitation. Most noble families hired servants with a certain amount of status. Few noble families hired people from the lower rungs of society. Part of it was prejudice, but part of it was practicality.


    A person who had experience dealing with and serving nobles had an advantage over someone who didn¡¯t. They knew how to act, what to expect, and required less training. The oldest and most influential noble houses often had entire families who had served them for generations. For House Kaltbrand, House Holtz was one such family.


    However, while hiring someone from a more humble background and training them came with its disadvantages, it also came with its own advantages. There was less of a chance of them being a spy. Also, giving them a chance to improve their station in life helped ensure their loyalty.


    ¡°While they may come from humble backgrounds,¡± Baron Kurz said, nervous, ¡°The new hires are loyal and hard working. I¡¯m sure you will see that for yourself, if you give them a chance.¡±


    I almost chuckled. Baron Kurz must have misinterpreted my silence as displeasure. However, unlike many nobles, I had no prejudice against those from humble origins. After all, I spent most of my childhood living as an orphan.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, Baron Kurz,¡± I said, ¡°I won¡¯t hold anyone¡¯s origins against them. If they are as loyal and hardworking as you say, then I see no reason not to keep them on.¡±


    Baron Kurz looked relieved at that. However, at that moment, one of the other servants arrived with a message.


    ¡°A man is here to see you, Lord Wulfe.¡± The servant said. He looked nervous, but otherwise maintained his composure. ¡°He says that Lady Lina Guld sent him here to be your personal servant.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that. Back in Frostheart, Lina wanted both Rosalind and Maria to become maids for her and Mika. While she claimed that she had grown attached to the twins, it was clear that she didn¡¯t like the idea of me having women as my personal servants. However, I relied on the twins for many things, so I only parted with Rosalind.


    As a compromise, she asked that I take on someone of her choosing as a personal servant. I agreed. Yet, during the entire trip south, Lina never brought it up again. I assumed she wanted to wait until we reached Haven, and that assumption proved right.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, ¡°Bring him to the heir¡¯s study. I¡¯ll see this man for myself.¡±


    The servant bowed, before heading off to obey my orders.


    ¡°Baron Kurz,¡± I said, ¡°Could you find Maria, my maid, and send her to the heir¡¯s study? After that, you may go ahead and resume your duties.¡± I glanced at my bodyguard. ¡°Come along, Sir Kane. Let us see who Lina sent me.¡±

 Chapter 51: An Unexpected Meeting

    Kaltbrand Manor had two studies, one set aside for the Grand Duke and one set aside for the heir. Baron Kurz showed both to me during the course of the tour earlier. Like with the rest of the manor, the furnishing and the decorations in the heir¡¯s study needed to be replaced. However, it would do for now.


    One thing I liked about the heir¡¯s study was that it had a large window with a fantastic view of the western side of the property. Granted, there wasn¡¯t much to see at the moment, but I appreciated the view nonetheless.


    A few minutes after Sir Kane and I arrived at the heir¡¯s study, someone knocked at the door. I took a seat behind the old wooden desk within the study. Sir Kane stood behind me, tall and menacing.


    ¡°Enter.¡± I called out.


    The door opened and one of Kaltbrand Manor¡¯s servants walked in, followed by a man wearing the gold and green uniform of a House Guld servant. This must have been the man that Lina sent my way. I gestured for the Kaltbrand Manor servant to leave, before I took a closer look at the man. The moment I saw his face, I froze for a moment, before I forced myself to move again. My heart started hammering in my chest, though I made sure not to let my reaction show on my face.


    The man was completely average in appearance. Well, average for the Crownlands. He had short brown hair, light brown eyes, and plain features. His skin was fair, though still darker than those from the Barrens. I guessed that he was near my age, twenty years old, or a bit older. However, if he was who I thought he was, then his current appearance was a disguise. I assumed magic was involved.


    The man had the mana signature of an Adept, the magician equivalent of an Aura Warrior. I doubted that this was his true power level. Unless I was wrong about his identity, he was more powerful than a mere Adept. He must have used some spell or magic tool to disguise his mana signature as well as his appearance. Still, rather than call him out on his deception, I decided to let the matter play out.


    After the Kaltbrand Manor servant left, the man walked over and stopped in front of my desk, before giving me a deep bow.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± The man said. ¡°My name is Elmer. I am a servant of House Guld.¡± He paused. ¡°Or rather, I was.¡±


    Elmer? He couldn¡¯t have picked a different name? This one was too close to his real name.


    ¡°So, Elmer,¡± I said, my voice cold and indifferent, ¡°Lady Lina sent you here to be my personal servant.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Wulfe.¡± Elmer said. ¡°From this day forward, I am yours to use as you see fit.¡±


    I looked him up and down.


    ¡°Assuming that I accept you as my personal servant that is.¡± I said. ¡°I may not.¡±


    Elmer stiffened at that.


    ¡°Do you find me lacking in some way, Lord Wulfe?¡± he asked, giving me a wary look.


    ¡°So far, no.¡± I said. ¡°However, you are still a stranger. I don¡¯t know anything about you, including whether or not to trust you.¡±


    Elmer looked thoughtful for a few moments.


    ¡°You make a fair point.¡± He conceded. ¡°However, Lady Lina sent me to you. Surely that counts for something.¡±


    I resisted the urge to snort. I doubted that Lina sent this particular person my way. Elmer must have intercepted the real personal servant somehow, though I didn¡¯t know why. What was he up to? I was tempted to keep him around just to find out.


    ¡°Lady Lina¡¯s word counts for a great deal, yes.¡± I said. ¡°That said, at the end of the day, I must rely on my own judgment. I¡¯m the one who will have to deal with you for the foreseeable future, not Lady Lina.¡±


    Elmer nodded.


    ¡°In that case, feel free to put me through any test or challenge you deem necessary to test my competence and trustworthiness.¡± He said. ¡°I am more than willing to prove my worth.¡±


    He seemed sincere, yet I wasn¡¯t sure if I could trust that. After all, he came to me in disguise and under a false name. However, before I could respond to his words, the door to the study opened and Maria walked in.


    ¡°Ah, excellent,¡± I said, ¡°Elmer, this is Maria. She is one of my current personal servants and your potential comrade.¡± I looked at my maid. ¡°Maria, this is Elmer. He is the servant sent to me by Lady Lina.¡±


    During the trip south, I informed the twins about Lina¡¯s¡­ request. Rosalind had been both delighted and saddened by the news that she would serve as Lina¡¯s maid. Delighted because she enjoyed serving Lina. Saddened because it meant separating from her twin sister. Maria had been¡­ less than thrilled by the news.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Maria said, her voice cool. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Elmer.¡±


    If her frosty greeting bothered Elmer, he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well, Maria.¡± He said. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡±


    Maria narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± I said to Elmer, before turning to Maria. ¡°Elmer and I were just discussing whether or not I should keep him around.¡±


    Maria raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°Have you come to a decision yet, Lord Wulfe?¡± She asked.


    It was clear from her tone that she wanted me to send Elmer away. I almost sighed. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have agreed to Lina¡¯s request. However, if I hadn¡¯t, I feared that my spring queen would have done something more drastic instead.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± I said, ¡°I was waiting for you. The two of you will be working together, so I wanted you to hear your opinion first.¡±


    Maria looked at Elmer, eyeing him up and down.


    ¡°He looks decent enough and he comports himself well.¡± Maria glanced at me. ¡°If we go by outward appearances, you could do worse.¡±


    I nodded, before turning to Elmer.


    ¡°Tell us about yourself.¡± I said to him. ¡°Your skills in particular. Convince me to take you on.¡±


    Elmer puffed his chest up.


    ¡°I have been taught etiquette and manners.¡± He said. ¡°I also have experience in serving nobles of your status.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s the bare minimum.¡± I said. ¡°Keep going.¡±


    Elmer frowned in thought before replying.


    ¡°I¡¯m a graduate from the Tower of Magic,¡± he said, ¡°And I specialize in mental magic. It¡¯s a versatile branch of magic, one that could be quite useful to you.¡±


    Maria¡¯s gaze grew sharper, and I saw her reach for her side. Elmer either didn¡¯t notice, or pretended not to, and continued speaking.


    ¡°Before you say anything,¡± Elmer said, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t read the minds of anyone here. The Tower of Magic stresses the importance of not abusing one¡¯s powers. Besides, if I tried, you would have noticed.¡±


    After Elmer finished speaking, I studied him for several long moments. Mental magic? Was he even trying to hide his identity? Then again, given his history, I doubted that he had any experience with espionage. Besides, he had no way of knowing how much I knew about him.


    I was tempted to just send him away. In many ways, Elmer represented my greatest fears. However, I also didn¡¯t want to waste this opportunity. The two of us were bound to meet anyway. Keeping him around would give us a chance to get to know one another without any emotional messiness. I could also take this opportunity to figure out what his intentions were.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you on for now.¡±


    Elmer smiled at that. Meanwhile, Maria looked at me in disbelief. However, she didn¡¯t say anything. She must not have wanted to question my decision in front of Elmer.


    ¡°Maria,¡± I said. ¡°As his senior, you¡¯ll be responsible for looking after Elmer. For now, bring him to Baron Kurz and see that he gets situated. Afterwards, return here. There¡¯s something I wish to discuss with you.¡±


    Maria held my gaze for several long moments, before she nodded.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Come along, Elmer.¡± She said, her tone cold but civil.


    The two of them bowed, before leaving the study.


    ¡°What do you think of him, Sir Kane?¡± I asked, glancing back at my bodyguard.


    Due to his position, I hadn¡¯t been able to gauge Sir Kane¡¯s reaction while I spoke with Elmer.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s dangerous, Lord Wulfe.¡± Sir Kane said.


    ¡°Because he specializes in mental magic?¡± I asked.


    Sir Kane shook his head.


    ¡°No.¡± He said. ¡°Rather, not just that. It was the way he carried himself. He seemed more like a noble pretending to be a servant rather than an actual servant.¡±


    I nodded. That was something I noticed as well.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s a spy.¡± Sir Kane continued.


    ¡°Let us wait for Maria to return and hear what she has to say.¡± I said. ¡°As an actual spy, she can give us some insight into the matter.¡±


    Several minutes later, Maria returned to the study.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± she said in a sharp voice, ¡°May I ask why you accepted that man as your personal servant? It¡¯s clear that he is hiding something. Not only that, but he specializes in mental magic. Why would you let someone like that get close to you? If you must keep him around, assign him somewhere else. Don¡¯t keep him as your personal servant.¡±


    Sir Kane opened his mouth, no doubt to berate Maria for her insolence, but I held up a hand to silence him.


    ¡°Are you saying that because you mean it?¡± I asked Maria, giving her a level look. ¡°Or because you¡¯re upset about the current circumstances?¡±


    Maria narrowed her eyes at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that petty.¡± she said. ¡°I know my past behavior might indicate otherwise, but I take my duties very seriously. Yes, I am upset about being separated from my sister, but that has no bearing on this matter. You may be my lord, but do not question my judgment or my competence like this again.¡±


    Her words made me realize how insulting my question was.


    ¡°I apologize for my thoughtless comment.¡± I said. ¡°Forgive me.¡±


    Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, opening her eyes again, ¡°I should be the one apologizing. You are my lord. It is not my place to question you. I¡¯m sure you have your reasons for accepting Elmer.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I do.¡± I said. ¡°As you said, it¡¯s clear that he¡¯s hiding something. I have an idea of what it is. However, I am unsure of his intentions. Is he friend or foe? That is what I want you to find out, Maria. Keep an eye on him. Also, purchase a magic tool that can defend you against mental magic. While I believe Elmer wouldn¡¯t go that far, it¡¯s better to be cautious in this matter.¡±


    ¡°And if Elmer proves to be an enemy?¡± Maria asked.


    ¡°Inform me.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him.¡± I glanced back at Sir Kane. ¡°The same goes for you. If Elmer tries something, let me handle it.¡±


    The last thing I needed was for either Maria or Sir Kane to harm Elmer. That wouldn¡¯t end well for anyone.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I said, standing up, ¡°We have a lot of work to do in order to get Kaltbrand Manor ready for my parents¡¯ arrival, and little time in which to do it. Let us get to work.¡±


    However, at that moment, someone knocked on the door to the heir¡¯s study.


    ¡°Enter.¡± I said.


    The door opened and Baron Kurz walked in. He wore a concerned expression on his face. In his hands, he carried a silver tray with a letter on it. The seal on the letter depicted a golden tree burning with sacred fire: the crest of House Reichwald. When I saw this, I froze.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe.¡± Baron Kurz said, bowing. He placed the silver tray on my desk. ¡°A letter arrived from the imperial palace.¡±


    I knew that House Reichwald would reach out to me, but I hadn¡¯t expected them to move so soon. Which one was it? One of the Emperor¡¯s children? The Empress? Or was it the Emperor himself? Rather than speculate further, I picked up the letter and opened it. After I finished reading its contents, I let out a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s a summons.¡± I said, looking at the others. ¡°His Imperial Majesty wishes to see me tomorrow morning.¡±


    ***


    The next morning, Sir Kane and I rode a carriage to the imperial palace. I was in a foul mood. However, in contrast to that, the day was bright and sunny. It was perfect for outdoor activities, though I found it a bit too warm for my tastes. After spending three years in the Barrens, the ice and the cold suited me more than southern climes.


    People were walking the streets of Haven and enjoying the warm weather. Within the Inner City, this consisted of nobles and their servants. When they caught sight of my carriage, they stopped and stared. Many of them whispered to their companions. The carriage bore the crest of House Kaltbrand, so of course it attracted a lot of attention. Still, that didn¡¯t mean I liked it.


    Yesterday, after receiving the summons from the Emperor, I sent a message to House Guld, informing them that I would arrive in the afternoon. I didn¡¯t know how long I would be at the imperial palace, so I thought it was better to play it safe and arrive at a later time.


    That was the main reason for my foul mood. I knew that I would have to meet with the Emperor at some point, so I had already prepared myself for it. However, his summons delayed my reunion with House Guld and that annoyed me. Yes, the thought of meeting my adopted family again filled me with anxiety and fear, but I still wanted to see them.


    The carriage soon reached the gates of the imperial palace. I had been here once before as a child, and it looked much as I remembered it. Compared to Kaltbrand Castle, which appeared dark and foreboding, the imperial palace appeared grand and majestic. However, it was no less imposing. If Kaltbrand Castle was a grim warrior, then the imperial palace was a domineering sovereign.


    Despite the name, the imperial palace was more like a small city situated within the heart of Haven and it encompassed a wide area. In addition to the main building, there were several annexes. All of them were built from white marble and accented by gold, which gleamed in the sun.


    The carriage passed through the gates without issue and drove down a long pathway that led to the main building. We passed by several of the annexes, which looked like works of art. When I first saw them as a child, the sight of them left me speechless. While I wasn¡¯t the same child now that I was back then, I still found them beautiful. The gardens, on the other hand, were lacking. They were nothing compared to the gardens at Guld Manor, back in the Riverlands.


    Soon, the carriage stopped at the front entrance to the main building and I stepped out. However, to my surprise, I found several knights of the Imperial Guard waiting for me. I frowned. While it wasn¡¯t unusual for Imperial Guards to escort guests through the imperial palace, there were too many of them here for that.


    The Imperial Guard in the lead was tall, by Crownlands standards at least, with sun-kissed skin, short blonde hair, and brown eyes. He was handsome, I supposed, though in a bland sort of way. If I saw him at a social event, he wouldn¡¯t have stood out to me. He had the mana signature of an Aura Expert.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe.¡± The lead Imperial Guard said. ¡°I am Sir Alwin Bretz.¡±


    Despite his polite manner, I noticed the derision and contempt in Sir Alwin¡¯s eyes. Either he had poor control over his emotions, or he didn¡¯t bother trying to hide his real feelings. Regardless, it was clear to me that Sir Alwin wasn¡¯t my ally. My foul mood grew even fouler. It looked like trouble found me sooner than I expected. I thought that I would at least make it into the main palace. Alas, I was too naive.


    ¡°Greetings, Sir Alwin.¡± I said, gesturing to the large number of Imperial Guards standing behind him. ¡°May I ask what is going on? I doubt you are here to escort me to see His Imperial Majesty. There are too many of you for that.¡±


    While I guessed that Sir Alwin had ill intentions towards me, it didn¡¯t hurt to be polite at first. That way, if something happened, I could claim that I tried the peaceful route. Besides, maybe I was wrong. I doubted it, but it was possible.


    ¡°Indeed, Lord Wulfe,¡± Sir Alwin said. ¡°To ensure His Imperial Majesty¡¯s safety, we ask that all visitors surrender their weapons before they see him. My subordinates and I are here to ensure that nothing untoward happens.¡±


    I resisted the urge to snort. While it was true that guests couldn¡¯t come before the Emperor armed, his personal guards were responsible for disarming guests, no one else. However, rather than make a fuss about it, I decided to comply.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I said. ¡°Sir Kane, you heard the man. Surrender your weapons.¡±


    Sir Kane nodded, before he removed his sword belt and handed it to the Imperial Guard. He also removed two daggers, which he kept hidden on his body, and handed them over as well.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± I asked.


    Sir Alwin gestured to me.


    ¡°You must surrender your weapons as well, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said, smirking.


    I raised an eyebrow at him. In anticipation of my meeting with the Emperor, I left my sword in the carriage. Anyone with a functioning pair of eyes could tell that I didn¡¯t have a weapon on me.


    ¡°There is nothing to surrender.¡± I said. ¡°I am unarmed.¡±


    Sir Alwin smirked.


    ¡°In that case, I am afraid that my subordinates and I must search you, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said in a smug voice. ¡°For His Imperial Majesty¡¯s safety, of course.¡±


    Ah, so that was their plan. They wanted to try and humiliate me by insisting on searching me. That, or they wanted me to cause a fuss, which would give them an excuse to take me in custody. Unfortunately for them, I was an Aura Master and a Kaltbrand. Their petty power games meant nothing to me.


    ¡°You will not lay a finger on me.¡± I said.


    To emphasize my point, I bared my teeth at the Imperials Guards in a smile. A few of them stepped back when they saw it, their eyes filled with fear. Huh. That was more effective than I expected. Maybe I was more like Dad than I realized.


    ¡°If you insist on being stubborn, Lord Wulfe,¡± Sir Alwin said, ¡°Then my subordinates and I cannot let you pass.¡±


    I laughed at this.


    ¡°His Imperial Majesty summoned me here.¡± I said. ¡°You do not have the authority to bar my passage.¡± I dropped my smile. ¡°Nor do you have the strength. If you insist on getting in my way, then I will remove you as an obstacle.¡±


    Sir Alwin gave me a malicious smile, before he drew his sword. His subordinates followed his example.


    ¡°You dare to threaten us, Lord Wulfe?¡± Sir Alwin demanded.


    I let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°You must be addled if you think that was a threat.¡± I said, calm and composed.


    With that, I started walking forward.


    ¡°Halt!¡± Sir Alwin yelled.


    I ignored him and continued walking.


    ¡°Then you leave us with no choice! You may be an Aura Master, but you can¡¯t defeat all of us without a weapon.


    With that, Sir Alwin lunged towards me with his sword. His subordinates followed suit. Where did he get his confidence from? He either had some sort of hidden trump card, or he had no idea how powerful Aura Masters were. Regardless, I didn¡¯t plan on holding back for his sake. However, before I could make my move, someone else intervened.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± A voice thundered out.


    The full might of an Aura Master¡¯s pressure descended upon us. As an Aura Master myself, I felt fine. However, everyone else fell to their knees. Sir Alwin and his subordinates dropped their swords. The sound of clanging metal filled the air. I looked over to the entrance of the imperial palace and found a man standing there.


    The man was about my height, but had a leaner and more slender build. He had angelic features. Despite this, he radiated immense power. He kept a thin sword designed for thrusting sheathed at his side. Like Sir Alwin, this man had sun-kissed skin and dark blonde hair, though he had blue eyes rather than brown ones. He wore the uniform of a knight of the Imperial Guard. However, his had more elaborate designs, which denoted his rank.


    Werther Bennett, Knight Commander of the Imperial Guard and one the Emperor¡¯s most trusted servants.

 Chapter 52: The Emperor

    Silence filled the air as Werther Bennett, Knight Commander of the Imperial Guard, released his pressure and brought everyone to their knees. I was the only person who remained unaffected, since I was also an Aura Master. Sir Alwin, who was right in front of me, wore a stricken expression on his face. Sweat beaded his forehead and ran down his cheek.


    ¡°I came here to greet Lord Wulfe and escort him to His Imperial Majesty,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said in a cold voice. ¡°And what do I find? Knights of the Imperial Guard acting like a gang of thugs instead of the knights they¡¯re supposed to be.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett marched towards Sir Alwin and I. His footsteps rang out, each containing a certain finality to it. Even I felt a chill run down my spine, and I was an Aura Master. It must have been worse for everyone else.


    ¡°Sir Alwin Bretz,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said when he reached us, ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett eased his pressure a bit. Sir Alwin gasped and fell forward onto his hands and knees, like a puppet that had its strings cut, unable to lift his head.


    ¡°Kni-Knight Commander, I-I¡­¡± Sir Alwin stuttered so hard that he could hardly get a single word out.


    ¡°Perhaps I should explain the situation, Knight Commander Bennett.¡± I said. ¡°Otherwise, we may be here all day.¡±


    The Knight Commander studied me for several moments. His expression made it clear that he viewed me as some sort of troublemaker. However, before he could answer, Sir Alwin found his courage. The knight lifted his head and pointed a finger at me.


    ¡°This bastard threatened us, Knight Commander!¡± he shouted. ¡°We were merely defending our honor as knights of the Imperial Guard!¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett frowned at that.


    ¡°Is this true, Lord Wulfe?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I did no such thing.¡± I said. ¡°I just-¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Sir Alwin shouted, interrupting me. ¡°Everyone here can-¡­¡±


    I released my own pressure and brought it to bear on Sir Alwin. He choked on his words and crumpled to the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me.¡± I said, an edge to my voice.


    Knight Commander Bennett gestured towards me.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe, please release Sir Alwin.¡± He said in a polite, but firm, tone.


    I complied. While I didn¡¯t think much of Sir Alwin and his ilk, the same could not be said for Knight Commander Bennett. He was a baron¡¯s son, but through his own merits, he climbed his way to one of the highest positions someone could achieve within the Reichwald Empire. That alone was enough to earn my respect.


    However, he was also one of the people who taught me the way of the sword, back when I lived at Guld Manor. It was only for one lesson, but my progress improved by leaps and bounds after that one lesson. I owed him a great deal.


    After I released Sir Alwin from my pressure, he laid there on the ground, panting. He wasn¡¯t going to interrupt me again any time soon.


    ¡°As I was saying,¡± I said, ¡°Sir Alwin and his subordinates tried to bar my path forward when I insisted on entering the imperial palace. I told them that they had neither the authority nor the strength to stop me. I also said that if they insisted on standing in my way, I would remove them as obstacles.¡±


    Sir Alwin pushed himself back onto his knees.


    ¡°See?¡± He said. ¡°This bastard did threaten us!¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a threat.¡± I said. ¡°That was a statement of fact.¡±


    ¡°Punish him, Knight Commander! The honor of the Imperial Guard is at stake!¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett glared at Sir Alwin.


    ¡°Silence.¡± he said, his voice sharp and cold. ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯ve done?¡±


    Sir Alwin looked stricken, as if he hadn¡¯t expected Knight Commander Bennett to rebuke him.


    ¡°But-bu-¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett cut him off with a sharp gesture.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe is His Majesty¡¯s guest and the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡± The Knight Commander said. ¡°Through your own actions, you¡¯ve doomed yourself and your subordinates. No one, not even Prince Cornelius, will be able to save you now.¡± He turned towards me and gave me a deep bow. ¡°I apologize for what happened, Lord Wulfe. I will see to Sir Alwin¡¯s punishment myself. You have my word.¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander!¡± Sir Alwin exclaimed, his face pale.


    I studied Knight Commander Bennett for a moment. On the surface, I put on a cold facade. However, I felt gratitude underneath. I didn¡¯t know why Knight Commander Bennett was helping me, but I learned a valuable piece of information thanks to him. He mentioned Prince Cornelius, which meant that Sir Alwin and his people were connected to him somehow. I guessed that they were his supporters, which would explain their arrogance. The backing of a member of the royal family allowed one to get away with a lot of things.


    The question was, did Prince Cornelius order Sir Alwin to make things difficult for me? Or had Sir Alwin acted of his own initiative? Maybe someone else was behind this incident, and they were using Sir Alwin as a pawn. It was difficult to tell. I was ignorant of the situation here in Haven. The Blue Shadows had agents here, but I hadn¡¯t had a chance to meet up with them yet. Not only that, but I hadn¡¯t had a chance to speak with Lina. She was better informed of the situation here in Haven, but we refrained from discussing it during the trip here. We wanted to rest and relax before diving in the quagmire that was Haven¡¯s high society.


    ¡°Very well.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± I gave Sir Alwin a cold look. ¡°See that Sir Alwin¡¯s punishment isn¡¯t too light. After all, he insulted House Kaltbrand. Otherwise, I will assume that the Imperial Guard holds House Kaltbrand in contempt.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett rose from his bow.


    ¡°Believe me, Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander, you can¡¯t do this to me!¡± Sir Alwin yelled. ¡°Once His Highness hears of this-Urgh!¡±


    I grabbed Sir Alwin by the throat, interrupting him.


    ¡°You attacked the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡± I said, staring him right in the eyes. ¡°I could kill you right here and now, and no one would do anything about it. However, to help him save face, I¡¯m letting Knight Commander Bennett handle your punishment. That said, make no mistake. House Kaltbrand will remember this, Sir Alwin.¡±


    I tossed him to the ground. He laid on the ground, coughing and gasping for air.


    ¡°Shall we go to His Imperial Majesty now, Knight Commander Bennett?¡± I asked. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve kept him waiting long enough.¡±


    The Knight Commander nodded and retracted his pressure. Everyone around us, with the exception of Sir Alwin, let out sighs of relief. Sir Kane pushed himself to his feet, his complexion still a little pale.


    ¡°You there.¡± Knight Commander Bennett said, gesturing to two of the Imperial Guard. ¡°Take Sir Alwin to the dungeons. Consider this your chance to redeem yourselves.¡±


    The two Imperial Guards glanced at each other, before they sprang to their feet.


    ¡°Yes, Knight Commander!¡± They said in unison, saluting him.


    The two Imperial Guards then took Sir Alwin, their former superior, by the arms and dragged him off. Sir Alwin struggled to break free, but the two Imperial Guards were also Aura Experts.


    ¡°Release me!¡± He shouted as they dragged him off. ¡°I said release me! I order you to let go of me!¡±


    The two Imperial Guards ignored him and soon dragged him out of earshot.


    ¡°As for the rest of you,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said to the remaining Imperial Guards, ¡°I might show you clemency, depending on your behavior going forward. In the meantime, you¡¯re all dismissed.¡±


    The Imperial Guards stood up, each of them wearing an uneasy expression on their face, before they left. However, Sir Kane made sure to retrieve his weapons first.


    ¡°If you would follow me, Lord Wulfe.¡± Knight Commander Bennett said.


    With that, Sir Kane and I followed him into the main building of the imperial palace.


    <hr>


    As Knight Commander Bennett led Sir Kane and I towards His Imperial Majesty, I examined our surroundings. Like the exterior, the interior of the imperial palace¡¯s main building was beautiful. It continued with the white and gold color scheme. Priceless works of art decorated the walls. A plush rug covered the marble floor, muffling our footsteps.


    It felt cooler inside the main building, which I appreciated. A subtle sweet scent filled the air, though I couldn¡¯t discern the source. We passed by several servants and Imperial Guards on our way to see His Imperial Majesty. The former bowed, while the latter saluted us.


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    ¡°Once again, I apologize for Sir Alwin¡¯s behavior, Lord Wulfe.¡± Knight Commander Bennett said, glancing back at me.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to apologize, Knight Commander Bennett.¡± I said. ¡°The fault lies with Sir Alwin, not yourself. I don¡¯t hold you accountable for his actions.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t, I do,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said. ¡°He is my subordinate, so I am responsible for his actions to a certain degree.¡± He sighed. ¡°If I had known what he had planned on doing, I would have put a stop to it before it started.¡±


    I nodded in acquiescence rather than quibble about it further.


    ¡°In that case, I accept your apology.¡± I said.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Wulfe,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said. ¡°You are most generous.¡± He paused. ¡°Though, this cloud has a silver lining. This incident will give me the excuse I need to get rid of Sir Alwin. He has been a thorn in my side for a while now, ever since he became Prince Cornelius¡¯ supporter. It was just a matter of time before he turned against me and tried to usurp my position.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°Did His Imperial Majesty tell you to be this candid?¡± I asked. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any other reason why you¡¯re being so open with me.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett shook his head.


    ¡°No.¡± He said. ¡°However, His Imperial Majesty never ordered me to not be candid with you. Besides, it¡¯s a well known fact that Sir Alwin was one of Prince Cornelius¡¯ supporters and that he coveted my position.¡± He scoffed. ¡°Still, even with His Highness¡¯ backing, I can¡¯t believe Sir Alwin was stupid enough to draw his blade against you. Not only are you the heir to House Kaltbrand, but you are also an Aura Master.¡± He looked back and gave me a smile. ¡°On that note, let me congratulate you on becoming the youngest Aura Master in the history of the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    I returned his smile.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said. ¡°Though, I can¡¯t take all of the credit. The only reason why I progressed as fast as I have is because I had excellent teachers such as yourself to show me the way.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett shook his head.


    ¡°No need to be so modest, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°I just gave you a few tips and tricks that I picked up over the years. You¡¯re the one who made good use of them.


    I refrained from saying anything further.


    We continued on our way, until we reached a door that led to a balcony overlooking one of the imperial palace¡¯s many gardens. That surprised me. I expected to meet the Emperor in his throne room, or at least in one of the imperial palace¡¯s sitting rooms.


    ¡°Go on ahead, Lord Wulfe.¡± Knight Commander Bennett said. ¡°His Imperial Majesty is waiting for you. Your bodyguard and I will be waiting out here.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to ask me to relinquish my weapons?¡± I asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± He said. ¡°Even a blind person can tell that you¡¯re unarmed.¡±


    I snorted at that, before I opened the door and walked out onto the balcony. It was a small space, lined with a decorative metal railing, that had a great view of the imperial palace¡¯s gardens. I found the Emperor sitting at a small metal and glass table in the center of the balcony. A pot of tea and two cups sat on the table.


    He looked much the same as I remembered him, a tall and imposing man with a powerful build, short golden hair, and golden eyes. A trimmed beard covered most of his face. Despite this, I saw that he shared many of the same facial features as Mother, though his were sharper and more masculine. He wore a white and gold outfit.


    However, there were differences as well. The Emperor seemed older than I remembered. There were lines on his face that weren¡¯t there before and an air of weariness hung over him. That said, age made him no less dangerous. In fact, it had the opposite effect, like a lion that had grown more experienced and cunning with age.


    His presence was as imposing as ever. In fact, since I was an Aura Master, I was more sensitive to it than before. The Emperor wasn¡¯t an Aura user or a magician. However, he brimmed with divine power. It was like standing in the presence of a sun in the form of a man. I was an Aura Master and I now wielded the coldfire, but I doubted that I would be a match for the Emperor if it came down to a fight. The only people who also gave me this sort of feeling were Mom and Dad.


    Hilmar Reichwald, the head of House Reichwald and the Emperor of the Reichwald Empire.


    I walked over to the Emperor and bowed.


    ¡°I greet you, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I said.


    The Emperor shook his head and waved a hand at me.


    ¡°We can dispense with the formalities this time, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°That isn¡¯t why I called for you.¡± He gestured to the chair opposite his. ¡°Please, sit.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise. The Emperor¡¯s attitude caught me off guard. It wasn¡¯t what I expected. The last time we met was when Father adopted me into House Guld. Back then, the Emperor scared and intimidated me with his mere presence. However, the Emperor before me seemed¡­ casual, for lack of a better word. It felt like I was meeting with an old friend of the family instead of the ruler of an empire.


    I sat down. To my surprise, the Emperor poured tea for me. I wasn¡¯t sure how to react to that.


    ¡°Before we begin, I have to know,¡± he said as he sipped his own cup of tea, ¡°Do you prefer to go by Wulfe or Wulfram?¡±


    I shook my head to regain my composure and shrugged.


    ¡°Either one is fine with me.¡± I said.


    The Emperor nodded.


    ¡°In that case, I will call you Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°I called you here as a Kaltbrand, not a Guld.¡±


    ¡°And why did you call me here, Your Imperial Majesty?¡± I asked. ¡°Please forgive my impertinence, but I find this entire situation¡­ strange.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of the Emperor and his motivations for summoning me. House Kaltbrand served House Reichwald, but the two families always seemed to be at odds with one another. The Emperor¡¯s actions towards me just deepened my suspicions.


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± he said, giving me an amused look, ¡°You expected me to try to plot and scheme against your family?¡±


    I just smiled at the Emperor and refrained from answering.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, ¡°We can save all that for the future. That isn¡¯t what this conversation is about.¡± He gave me an intense stare. ¡°Do you know what the foundation of any relationship is, Lord Wulfe?¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise. I had not expected the conversation to go in this direction.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blurted out, unable to help myself.


    ¡°Communication and trust.¡± The Emperor continued, as if I hadn¡¯t said anything. ¡°Without either of those, bonds will weaken or break altogether. Whether those bonds exist between individuals, or entire families.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°Are you talking about the bond between House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand?¡± I guessed.


    The Emperor nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He said. ¡°For almost a thousand years, our two families have served as pillars of the Reichwald Empire. There are other pillars of course, but House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand are two of the most important ones. This is because of the bond between our two families.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°Forgive me for saying this, Your Imperial Majesty,¡± I said in an unapologetic tone, ¡°But I was under the impression that our two families weren¡¯t on good terms with one another.¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t.¡± The Emperor admitted. ¡°House Kaltbrand is too powerful and too influential, so House Reichwald seeks to curb them and bring them to heel. Meanwhile, House Kaltbrand seeks to defend and preserve its independence and autonomy as much as possible. It¡¯s the same song and dance our families have performed since the founding of the Reichwald Empire, and I doubt it will change anytime soon.¡±


    Once again, the Emperor¡¯s candid attitude caught me off guard and I wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. I came to this meeting expecting to defend myself against the Emperor¡¯s schemes, not¡­ Whatever this was.


    ¡°However, despite all that,¡± the Emperor continued, ¡°When necessary, our two families will stand united and work together for the sake of the Reichwald Empire. This is why communication and trust is so important. The relationship between your father and I is a perfect example of this. We don¡¯t like each other.¡± He wore an exasperated expression on his face. ¡°In fact, we actively dislike each other. He hates that I keep telling him what to do, and I hate that he stays in the Barrens all the time instead of performing his duties as the empire¡¯s only Grand Duke. There is more to the Reichwald Empire than that frozen waste-¡­¡±


    The Emperor stopped himself and took a deep breath before continuing.


    ¡°My point is,¡± he said, ¡°Despite our mutual dislike of one another, your father and I will put aside our differences for the sake of the greater good when we need to.¡±


    I started to understand what the Emperor was getting at. Our two families were at odds, often scheming and plotting against one another. However, they worked together for the sake of the Reichwald Empire as a whole.


    ¡°Whenever the bond between our two families weakens, disaster follows and innocent people suffer.¡± The Emperor said.


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°Such as during the Year of Betrayal.¡± I said.


    The Emperor looked surprised at this.


    ¡°You¡¯re more knowledgeable than I expected.¡± He said. ¡°But yes. The Year of Betrayal was the greatest failure of both our families. House Reichwald was at fault, I won¡¯t deny that, but House Kaltbrand bears its fair share of responsibility for what happened.¡±


    I almost scoffed, but remembered that I was talking to the Emperor himself and held back.


    ¡°Yet we weren¡¯t the ones who tried to erase the Year of Betrayal from the annals of history.¡± I said. ¡°House Reichwald did.¡±


    The Emperor nodded.


    ¡°True.¡± He said. ¡°However, we have never forgotten it ourselves. We must not, lest we risk repeating history. There cannot be another Year of Betrayal.¡±


    I nodded to the Emperor.


    ¡°On that, we agree.¡± I said.


    ¡°Which brings me to why I summoned you here, Lord Wulfe.¡± The Emperor said. ¡°I know why you are here. Even an idiot could guess that House Kaltbrand will involve itself in the imperial succession. In the near future, there is a good chance that our families will work against one another. Our next meeting will not be as friendly as this one. However, I want you to promise me one thing. No matter who becomes my heir, I want you to maintain the bond between House Reichwald and House Kaltbrand. Regardless of your personal feelings towards them, never forget that. Follow your father¡¯s example.¡±


    I sipped my tea, which had gone cold by this point, to give myself time to think.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem for me, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I said. ¡°During my time as a mercenary, I often worked with people I despised.¡± My voice turned cold. ¡°However, maintaining a bond requires effort from both parties. What if your heir refuses to cooperate?¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen.¡± He said. ¡°I won¡¯t let it. Only a worthy heir shall inherit my throne. I love my children and my nephew. However, my responsibilities as a ruler take precedence over my personal feelings.¡±


    His words sent a chill down my spine.


    ¡°That said, I hope it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡± The Emperor said. ¡°The less I have to interfere with the succession, the better.¡±


    I stared at the Emperor. This entire conversation felt surreal to me. I never expected to have this sort of discussion with the Emperor. Was this what it meant to be a Kaltbrand? I supposed so. Privilege and power came with heavy responsibilities.


    At that moment, I heard raised voices coming through the balcony door. One sounded like Knight Commander Bennett, while the other was unfamiliar to me. The latter was trying to get through the door to the balcony, while the former was impeding them.


    ¡°With that, our time together is at an end, Lord Wulfe.¡± The Emperor said with a sigh. ¡°A shame. I don¡¯t often get the chance to relax and unwind like this.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°I can freeze the door if you wish.¡± I said.


    The Emperor looked tempted by this, but shook his head in the end.


    ¡°No, though I appreciate the offer.¡± He said. ¡°I have another meeting I must attend after this one.¡± He studied me for a moment. ¡°However, I will give you one last piece of advice. You are a Kaltbrand, which means that outside of your parents, the only person you answer to is me. No one else. Not even the other members of the imperial family have the authority to command you, including the Empress. Keep that in mind going forward.¡±


    I nodded and opened my mouth to respond. However, before I could, the door to the balcony burst open, ending my private meeting with the Emperor.

 Chapter 53: An Abundance of Gold

    The man who burst through the door and interrupted my meeting with the Emperor looked like a taller, more muscular version of the Emperor. They shared many of the same features, including their golden hair and golden eyes, though this man lacked a beard. He also lacked the same imposing presence. Perhaps it was the lack of divine power, but I didn¡¯t feel the same wariness and respect for him that I felt for the Emperor.


    Still, this man wasn¡¯t weak. He had the mana signature of an Aura Expert. Taken together with his status as a member of House Reichwald, this man wasn¡¯t someone I could take lightly. If this were the Barrens, he wouldn¡¯t be much of a threat. However, this wasn¡¯t the Barrens. This was Haven, the imperial capital. I needed to be careful.


    ¡°Father!¡± The man said, marching up to us with a scowl on his face. He ignored my presence altogether. ¡°What is the meaning of this? I demand that Sir Alwin be released!¡±


    Ah, so this was Prince Cornelius. I hated him already. Not only was he a threat to Leopold, but he treated House Kaltbrand with contempt. Insults against me as a person didn¡¯t bother me in the slightest. However, I would not tolerate insults against my family.


    ¡°Cornelius,¡± the Emperor said in a quiet voice. Despite this, his words carried throughout the entire balcony. ¡°Mind yourself.¡±


    Prince Cornelius, realizing his mistake, took a step back and bowed to the Emperor.


    ¡°I apologize, Father.¡± He said. ¡°I was so incensed by what happened that I forgot my manners for a moment. Please forgive me.¡±


    The Emperor eyed Prince Cornelius, his displeasure evident.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to learn how to control your emotions if you ever hope to become emperor.¡± He said in a cold voice. ¡°I shall forgive you this time. However, if you ever treat me with such disrespect again, I won¡¯t be so lenient.¡±


    Prince Cornelius flinched at that, before raising up from his bow.


    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±


    The Emperor gestured to me.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe, this is my son, Prince Cornelius Reichwald.¡± He said. ¡°Cornelius, this is Lord Wulfe, the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    I stood up.


    ¡°I greet you, Prince Cornelius Reichwald.¡± I said with a bow.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe.¡± He said, without even a nod in return.


    The tension in the air between was thick enough to cut with a knife. I decided to leave rather than stay and get caught up in something annoying. The last thing I needed was to get into an argument with Prince Cornelius.


    ¡°You and your son no doubt have much to discuss, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I said. ¡°With your permission, I shall take my leave.¡±


    The Emperor nodded at me. I made to leave the balcony.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Prince Cornelius demanded. ¡°One of my knights is in the dungeons because of you. How dare you? Are you looking down upon the imperial family just because you¡¯re a Kaltbrand now?¡±


    I gave Prince Cornelius a flat look.


    ¡°I am showing you the same amount of respect you showed me, Your Highness.¡± I said. ¡°And Sir Alwin¡¯s incarceration is the result of his own actions, not mine.¡±


    With that, I turned to leave.


    ¡°Insolent cur!¡±


    Prince Cornelius reached over to grab my arm.


    ¡°Cornelius!¡± The Emperor said. ¡°Enough.¡±


    Prince Cornelius stopped in place, though he shook with anger. He glared at me with venom in his eyes. When Mom and Dad told me that House Kaltbrand would attend this year¡¯s social season, I expected the scions of House Reichwald to try and sway us into supporting them. It seemed I was wrong, at least when it came to Prince Cornelius. Did he not think he needed House Kaltbrand¡¯s support? Or was I the problem? Maybe he would have treated Dad differently. Regardless, it was clear that Prince Cornelius wasn¡¯t an ally of House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Sit down.¡± The Emperor said.


    Prince Cornelius let out a deep breath, before walking past me to sit down. When we brushed against one another, he tried to shove me with his shoulder. However, his attempt failed and he ended up stumbling. I shook my head, before leaving the balcony. Knight Commander Bennett, who remained outside, gave me an apologetic look as I passed by him. Sir Kane fell in behind me as I made my way out of the imperial palace.


    When I first saw Prince Cornelius, I thought that I would have to be careful around him because of his status. However, now I had another reason to be wary of him. The man was a rabid dog. If he was willing to treat me and House Kaltbrand with such disrespect now, it would only grow worse if he became emperor. I could not let that happen. Besides, Prince Cornelius wanted to kill Leopold. That alone was enough to turn me against him.


    As I made my way out of the imperial palace, I found a young man waiting for me just beyond the hallway that led to the balcony. He looked similar to Prince Cornelius, but thinner and with softer features. A smirk adorned his face. According to his mana signature, this man was a magician; a Sage to be exact. With that in mind, it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out his identity.


    It seemed that today was my day to meet imperials. When I first saw him, he was leaning against a wall. However, as I approached, he stood up straight. I stopped and bowed when I reached his position.


    ¡°I greet you, Prince Jeremias Reichwald.¡± I said.


    He gave me a nod in return.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Prince Jeremias said.


    Despite his respectful tone, he continued to smirk. It was as if the world were a joke, and he was the only one who understood that.


    ¡°To what do I owe this honor?¡± I asked.


    Prince Jeremias¡¯ smirk widened.


    ¡°Oh, no particular reason.¡± He said. ¡°I just wanted to meet the man who caused such a stir in high society. From orphan to Guld, and from Guld to Kaltbrand. You¡¯ve had quite the journey, Lord Wulfe.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I asked.


    I assumed he wanted more from me. Maybe I was thinking too highly of myself.


    ¡°For now.¡± Prince Jeremias said. ¡°You have a special guest waiting for you, and I don¡¯t want to anger him by delaying your departure. We can have a more in depth conversation at a later date.¡±


    Special guest? Who did he mean by that? However, before I could ask, Prince Jeremias continued speaking.


    ¡°Besides,¡± he said, ¡°I knew that Cornelius would put on a show and make an ass of himself when I heard that you were coming to the imperial palace. Everyone knows that you are friends with Leopold, who Cornelius despises the most.¡±


    Ah, so that was it. Viewed in that context, Prince Cornelius¡¯ actions made sense. He assumed that I was already his enemy, and therefore didn¡¯t bother trying to befriend me.


    ¡°I, on the other hand, know that your relationship with Leopold is a bit more complicated.¡± Prince Jeremias continued. ¡°So, unlike my brother, I don¡¯t plan on prematurely burning bridges.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I said in a neutral tone.


    Prince Jeremias¡¯ smirk widened.


    ¡°In any case, you have a good day, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said, before turning to leave.


    ¡°Wait, Your Highness.¡± I said. ¡°Who is this special guest you mentioned?¡±


    Prince Jeremias continued walking away.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± He said without turning back.


    I stared at him as he left. Soon, he turned a corner and was out of sight. What a strange fellow. Thanks to that perpetual smirk of his, I found it difficult to get a read on Prince Jeremias. At the moment, he wasn¡¯t an enemy. However, that didn¡¯t mean he was a friend. I needed to be careful of him, though not for the same reasons why I needed to be careful of Prince Cornelius.


    I shook my head and continued making my way out of the imperial palace. At this point, my patience had reached its limit and I didn¡¯t know if I could handle meeting another member of House Reichwald. I found it ironic that talking with the Emperor stressed me out the least, when I expected the worst from him.


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    To my dismay, I found another man waiting near the exit to the imperial palace. He was turned away from me, so I didn¡¯t see his face at first. My heart sank, since this man had blonde hair and I thought he was another member of House Reichwald. However, I froze when I took a closer look at him and realized that he seemed familiar.


    I must have made a sound, because the man turned towards me. My breath caught in my throat when I saw his face. It had been three years since we last saw each other, but I recognized him right away. He was a handsome man, with strong features that gave him a dashing air. Like Lina, he had sun-kissed skin and vibrant green eyes.


    Duke Karl Guld, the head of House Guld and my adopted father.


    When we caught sight of one another, the two of us stopped and stared at each other for several long moments. A myriad of emotions filled me. Joy, sorrow, panic, and more. I froze, unsure of what to say or do. From the look on his face, Father felt the same way.


    A part of me wanted to run away. What if he rejected me? What if I had been nothing more than a substitute for his real son? Worse, what if he thought of me as his son but no longer wanted me now that I was a Kaltbrand? All these thoughts buzzed around my head in an endless loop.


    Father ended our impasse when he gave me a soft smile.


    ¡°Hello, son.¡± He said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    With those words, Father put to rest my greatest fears. Relief overwhelmed me, and it took me a moment to regain my composure.


    ¡°Hello, Father.¡± I said, my voice calm and even despite my emotional turmoil.


    He nodded towards the exit.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He said. ¡°The others are waiting for us back at the townhouse.¡±


    I blinked at him.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked.


    Father raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°When you sent a message saying that you would be late because the Emperor had summoned you to the imperial palace,¡± he said, ¡°I decided to come as well, in case you needed a rescue. As a duke, I am allowed to come and go from the imperial palace as I please.¡± His smile took on an edge. ¡°I also didn¡¯t want to give you the chance to run away again, in case you got cold feet.¡±


    I flushed with embarrassment.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± I protested. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to run away this time.¡±


    Father¡¯s smile grew even sharper. The sight of it filled me with dread. Father only wore that smile when he was angry. The last time I saw it was when I got into a fight with Sieg and gave him two black eyes. Father confined me to my rooms for a month afterwards.


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know that for sure, did I?¡± He asked. ¡°After all, I never expected you to run away the first time.¡±


    Guilt stabbed me in the heart like a dagger.


    ¡°Father, I-¡­¡± I started to say, but Father held up a hand to stop me.


    ¡°Not here.¡± He said.


    I looked around and realized that we were still near the exit to the imperial palace. Not the ideal place to hold this particular conversation.


    ¡°Let me send my carriage back to Kaltbrand Manor first.¡± I said. ¡°Then I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together.¡± Father said in a faux cheerful voice. ¡°I need the exercise.¡±


    I resisted the urge to sigh.


    <hr>


    Several minutes later, I found myself in a House Guld carriage with Father as the two of us headed towards the House Guld townhouse in Haven. Sir Kane rode with the coachman, to give us some privacy. An awkwardness filled the air, one so thick that it felt suffocating. I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Not because I lacked anything to say. Quite the opposite in fact. There was so much that I wanted to tell Father, that they all got in the way of one another. I tried distracting myself by staring out the window and watching as the scenery passed by, but that didn¡¯t help. In the end, I decided to grit my teeth and get things over with.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said.


    Father raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for running away for three years without saying anything.¡± I continued. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t contacted you since then.¡±


    I looked down at my hands, which I clenched so hard that my knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± Father said with a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m not angry-¡­¡± He paused. ¡°No. That¡¯s a lie. I am angry, and so is your mother. Do you know how worried we were when we first discovered that you were gone? We had just reunited with one son, only to lose another. If Lina hadn¡¯t told us that you were fine and in contact with her, we would never have stopped looking for you. What were you thinking?¡±


    I flinched. He was right. I was so wrapped up in my own problems, that I failed to consider how my actions affected the rest of my family.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m angrier at myself.¡± Father said, his voice laced with pain. ¡°Angry, and disappointed. I¡¯m sorry Wulfram, for everything.¡±


    My eyes snapped to Father when he said this. He wore a pained expression on his face.


    ¡°What?¡± I said. ¡°No! You have nothing to apologize for.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Father said, ¡°I do. You endured Baroness Lafrenz¡¯s abuse right under my nose, and I never even noticed. None of us did. As the one who brought you into House Guld, it was my responsibility to look after you. I failed.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I should have trusted you and Mother.¡± I said. ¡°If I had told you, then things would have turned out differently.¡±


    Father gave me a sad smile.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°Don¡¯t try to make it your fault. If I had been a better father to you, a more reliable one, then maybe you would have trusted me enough to tell me. I-¡­¡±


    I reached over and grabbed one of Father¡¯s hands, holding it in my own.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disparage yourself like that, Father.¡± I said, trying to convey my sincerity as best I could. ¡°You were a great father. You still are. I am the man I am today because of you and Mother. You took me from that orphanage and brought me into a warm and loving home. I will forever be grateful to you for that.¡±


    Father stared at me with wide eyes, before he smiled and wiped his eyes with his free hand.


    ¡°How about we agree that we both made mistakes?¡± He asked, his voice thick with emotion.


    I smiled back and nodded, before letting go of his hands.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Father continued, expression hardening, ¡°The one truly at fault was Baroness Lafrenz. How could she do that to you? Your mother and I adopted you because we wanted to, not because you were a substitute for Emmerich. What was she thinking?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I said. ¡°Lina told me that she already punished Baroness Lafrenz for her sins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m beginning to think that we were too lenient with her.¡± Father muttered under his breath.


    Kicking Baroness Lafrenz out of Guld Manor in disgrace and cutting out her tongue was too lenient?


    ¡°But you¡¯re right.¡± Father shook his head. ¡°I¡¯d rather talk about you than her.¡± He grinned. ¡°So, you¡¯re a Kaltbrand?¡±


    I stiffened.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said, giving Father a wary look. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    Father looked thoughtful for a moment, before shaking his head.


    ¡°No.¡± He said. ¡°House Kaltbrand is second only to the imperial family in terms of power and influence.¡± He frowned. ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand and I aren¡¯t on good terms, but that¡¯s because we haven¡¯t interacted much. He spends most of his time in the Barrens, and only comes to Haven when the Emperor summons him. It¡¯s hard to befriend someone like that.¡±


    I nodded in acquiescence.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± I said. ¡°Dad can be¡­ brusque at times.¡±


    Father blinked at me in surprise.


    ¡°¡®Dad?¡¯¡± He asked, sounding upset.


    ¡°Well, yes. You¡¯re Father, and he¡¯s Dad.¡± I sighed. ¡°I know that it might upset you, since you and Mother are the ones who raised me, but he is my birth father. I can¡¯t just address him as Grand Duke Kaltbrand.¡±


    Father shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m upset about,¡± he said. ¡°Why are you casual with him and formal with me?¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re upset about?¡± I asked, incredulous.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Father said. ¡°You should call me ¡®Dad¡¯. I¡¯m far more fun than that dour beast of a man.¡±


    I sighed in exasperation. Part of this was an act on Father¡¯s part, to ease any lingering tension or fear, but I knew that he meant what he said.


    ¡°No.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m not calling you ¡®Dad¡¯.¡± I scrunched up my face. ¡°It would be¡­ strange to call you that.¡±


    Father opened his mouth to reply, but the carriage lurched to a stop at that moment. I went on alert and prepared for the worst. Father¡¯s expression turned serious. He opened a little window, which allowed him to speak with the coachman.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He demanded. ¡°Why did we stop?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by magicians from the Tower of Magic, Your Grace,¡± the coachman said in a calm voice.


    I looked outside the carriage window and realized that he was right. Several magicians, who all wore black robes with silver stars on them, surrounded the carriage. That was the official uniform of the Tower of Magic. The number of stars a tower magician had on their robe depended on how powerful they were, which often correlated with their rank within the Tower of Magic. Initiates had one star, Adepts had two, Sages had three, and Grand Sages had four. The Tower Master, the leader of the Tower of Magic, had five stars. I had been so immersed in my conversation with Father that I failed to notice them sneak up on us.


    ¡°Oh, them.¡± Father said, sounding relieved. ¡°For a moment there, I thought it was something serious.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°You expected this?¡± I asked.


    Father shrugged and opened his mouth to respond, but then I heard a man shout.


    ¡°Duke Guld!¡± The man yelled. ¡°Come out here! Don¡¯t make this more difficult than it needs to be!¡±


    Father ignored him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in negotiations with the Tower of Magic regarding the sale of magic tools within the Riverlands.¡± He said to me instead. ¡°As you can tell, things aren¡¯t going well. Normally I would have Emmerich act as an intermediary, but he is in the Mistwood on a sabbatical right now.¡±


    I almost said that no, Emmerich Guld wasn¡¯t in the Mistwood, but decided against it.


    ¡°It¡¯s gotten to the point where the Tower of Magic has tried to kidnap me on several occasions in order to enforce their demands.¡± Father grinned. ¡°They haven¡¯t succeeded so far.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked the Emperor to intercede on your behalf?¡±


    Father scoffed.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m having far too much fun.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Besides, the Tower of Magic is protected by the Pact, so there is little the Emperor can do.¡±


    Oh, right. I had forgotten about that. House Kaltbrand weren¡¯t the only ones who enjoyed special rights and privileges from the Pact. The Tower of Magic, as well as the Church of Light and Darkness, also benefited from it.


    ¡°Duke Guld!¡± The man from before yelled. ¡°Exit the carriage now! Otherwise, we¡¯ll drag you out ourselves.¡±


    My expression hardened.


    ¡°May I deal with them?¡± I asked. ¡°House Kaltbrand is also protected by the Pact, so that won¡¯t be a problem. Besides, I have a lot of pent up frustration that I need to work out. I encountered Prince Cornelius at the imperial palace.¡±


    Father gave me a sympathetic look.


    ¡°I was going to deal with them myself, but by all means, be my guest.¡± He opened a secret compartment and pulled out a sheathed sword. ¡°Here, take this.¡±


    I took the blade and grinned at Father, before I exited the carriage.

 Chapter 54: Clashing with the Tower of Magic

    After I exited the House Guld carriage, I took a look around at our surroundings. We were in a residential part of Haven¡¯s Inner City, with townhouses and manors situated along wide open streets. More importantly, there was no one else around. It seemed that everyone else had fled when the tower magicians appeared. Perfect. This meant that there was less of a chance of someone innocent getting caught up in this nonsense.


    I counted about a dozen tower magicians. Most of them were Adepts, but there were five Sages mixed in among them. A formidable force, to be sure, but nothing that I couldn¡¯t handle. I wouldn¡¯t even need to unsheathe the sword that Father gave me.


    About half of the tower magicians had light brown skin, silver hair, and silver eyes, which was typical of natives of the Mistwood. This didn¡¯t surprise me. The Mistwood was the most magical region in the Reichwald Empire. Just as the Barrens had an abundance of Aura users, the Mistwood had an abundance of magicians. Many of them ended up joining the Tower of Magic. House Galdur, the rulers of the Mistwood, were a family of powerful magicians.


    ¡°Finally-¡± one of the magicians started to say, before stopping. I recognized his voice. It was the man who spoke earlier and demanded that Father exit the carriage. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I grinned at him.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand of House Kaltbrand.¡± I said. ¡°May I ask what your business with Duke Guld is? We were in the middle of an important discussion, when you so rudely interrupted us.¡±


    When I mentioned House Kaltbrand, the tower magicians glanced at each other with worried expressions on their faces. Well, the Adepts did. The Sages just let out derisive sneers.


    ¡°That is none of your concern, Lord Wulfe.¡± The lead magician said in a haughty tone. ¡°Out of your respect for your family, we shall let you go. However, if you insist on interfering with our business, then don¡¯t blame us for being impolite.¡±


    Ha! I forgot. In general, magicians were an arrogant lot. However, tower magicians were even worse. This was because they were protected by the Pact, which let them get away with audacious behavior that other magicians wouldn¡¯t even dare contemplate, such as kidnapping a duke of the Reichwald Empire. There were limits to this, of course, but not many. As long as the Tower of Magic didn¡¯t go too far, they could do almost anything.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is my business.¡± I said, my expression hardening. ¡°You see, I¡¯m also Wulfram Guld, adopted son of House Guld. I refuse to stand by and do nothing while you threaten my father. So, here is my counter offer. Leave, and you get to walk out of here  on your own two feet.¡±


    ¡°You arrogant-¡± The lead magician said, before turning towards his companions. ¡°Subdue hi-¡±


    I didn¡¯t even let the lead magician finish before I rushed towards him. He turned to try and deal with me, but it was already too late. I swung my sword at him. However, before it connected, a magical barrier sprang into existence around the lead magician. My sword bounced off, though my blow left cracks in the barrier.


    ¡°Ha!¡± the lead magicians sneered. ¡°You¡¯re nothing more than a thuggish brute, like all other Aura us-¡±


    I coated my sword in my Aura, before I swung it again. This time, the barrier shattered and my sword hit the lead magician in the chest. He went flying and hit the ground with a thud, before lying still. I held back my strength to avoid killing him, though I heard several of his ribs break.


    As I attacked their leader, the other magicians sprang into action. They threw several offensive spells at me. Fireballs, ice lances, wind blades, etc. However, I dodged most of them. I blocked the rest with my Aura, which I used to protect my body.


    Unfortunately for them, they overlooked one important factor: Sir Kane. My bodyguard had accompanied me on this trip to the House Guld townhouse. It seemed that the tower magicians had ignored him and focused on me because I was an Aura Master, while Sir Kane was a ¡°mere¡± Aura Expert. Fools.


    While the tower magicians bombarded me with spells, Sir Kane leapt from his perch atop the coach and attacked the nearest Sage, forcing her to defend herself. I took this opportunity to deal with the tower magician nearest to me, an Adept. He tried to protect himself with a magical barrier, but I didn¡¯t even need to use my Aura to break through it. Rather than risk killing him by hitting him with my sword, I just knocked him out with a punch.


    Sir Kane and I subdued the remaining tower magicians one by one. While I dealt with most of them, Sir Kane put on a good showing. He managed to defeat two Sages on his own, which was an impressive feat for an Aura Expert. Then again, he was a Coldsteel Knight and a hardened veteran. Tower magicians were powerful and skilled, but they spent most of their time in the Tower of Magic. They lacked experience in real battle.


    Soon, all of the tower magicians were on the ground, either groaning in pain or unconscious. I grinned at Sir Kane and opened my mouth to congratulate him, but then my instincts screamed that I was in danger. I whirled around in time to see a spear of silver light speeding towards me. I blocked it with my sword, though it was a near thing. The attack pushed me back several steps, though I managed to stay on my feet. With a roar, I heaved and shattered the spear of silver light.


    That attack didn¡¯t come from a Sage. It was too powerful for that. No, it came from a Grand Sage magician. This wasn¡¯t good. Just as Aura Masters were exponentially more powerful than Aura Experts, Grand Sages were the same compared to Sages.


    I looked up to find a woman hovering in the air above us. As expected, she had the mana signature of a Grand Sage. She had light brown skin, piercing silver eyes, and long silver hair, which fluttered in the wind. Another native of the Mistwood. Her elfin features were schooled into a neutral mask.


    It was difficult to tell, but she looked like she was in her late thirties, early forties. Like the tower magicians around us, she wore black robes with silver stars. However, her robes had five silver stars on it. Well, well. It seemed that the Tower Master herself had come out to play.


    The two of us stared at one another for a long moment.


    ¡°I greet you, Tower Master Katarina Galdur.¡± I said with a nod. ¡°It is an honor to meet you.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina studied me for a moment, before returning my nod.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand,¡± she said, ¡°And likewise.¡±


    Despite our polite greeting, the tension between us grew taut. If the Tower Master herself was here, then the Tower of Magic wanted to kidnap Father more than I realized. Just what kind of negotiations were these?


    ¡°Move aside, Lord Wulfe.¡± Tower Master Katarina said. ¡°I have business with Duke Guld.¡±


    I bared my teeth at her in a smile.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will.¡± I said. ¡°Here¡¯s a suggestion, instead of trying to kidnap Father, why don¡¯t you go back to that tower of yours and request a meeting with him through the proper channels? You might get better results that way.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina narrowed her eyes at me.


    ¡°I tried being polite, out of consideration towards House Kaltbrand, but it seems that my efforts were in vain.¡± She said. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere, Lord Wulfe. You may be an Aura Master, but compared to me, you are little more than a child who has taken his first steps into the world at large. You don¡¯t have the power to stand against me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tower Master Katarina,¡± Father¡¯s voice said, ¡°Wulfram may surprise even you.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I turned around to find Father walking towards me. He stopped by my side. While he wore a smile on his face, there was an edge to it. It seemed that Tower Master Katarina had angered him.


    ¡°Duke Guld,¡± the Tower Master said, ¡°None of this would have happened if you had just agreed to our terms.¡±


    Father barked out a laugh.


    ¡°You call those terms?¡± He said, his voice filled with scorn. ¡°That was nothing more than highway robbery and you know it. I might as well toss money into the streets. At least then, it might go to someone who deserves it.¡± He dropped his smile. ¡°You may be the master of the Tower of Magic, but I am only willing to tolerate your arrogance so far. There are lines you shouldn¡¯t cross, including attacking my son right in front of me.¡±


    As he said that last sentence, I felt a pulse of power come from Father; divine power, to be exact. He must have hidden it from me earlier, since I didn¡¯t notice it until now. It felt different from Dad¡¯s coldfire and the Emperor¡¯s blazing sun, but it wasn¡¯t any less powerful. Thorny vines burst out of the ground around Father, cracking the road as they did so.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re strong enough to handle both of us, Tower Master Katarina?¡± Father asked, his voice filled with power.


    Tower Master Katarina made a hand gesture, and dozens of spears made from silver light sprang into existence around her.


    ¡°We won¡¯t know until we try, won¡¯t we?¡± Tower Master Katarina asked. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I am curious. Which is more powerful? Your divine power, or my magic? Shall we see?¡±


    Uh oh. This wasn¡¯t good. Earlier, Father seemed at ease, amused even, by the Tower of Magic¡¯s actions. However, right now, he looked ready to go to war. If that happened, things wouldn¡¯t end well for anyone. I needed to stop them somehow. A war between House Guld and the Tower of Magic would devastate the Reichwald Empire.


    ¡°Tower Master Katarina,¡± I said, ¡°If you don¡¯t take your people and retreat, then I will cut off the Tower of Magic¡¯s supply of mana crystals.¡± I grinned at her. ¡°As you know, most of the mana crystals in the Reichwald Empire come from the Barrens. Yes, you may be able to get some from other sources, but not to the same degree.¡±


    This was a serious threat. Mana crystals were a vital resource to the Reichwald Empire. Everyone needed them, the Tower of Magic in particular. They used mana crystals for a variety of reasons, including the creation of magic tools. The selling of magic tools was the main source of income for the Tower of Magic. Magical research and experimentation was expensive. Without mana crystals, and the money they got from selling magic tools, the Tower of Magic would be in a difficult spot.


    ¡°You¡¯re bluffing.¡± Tower Master Katarina said, narrowing her eyes at me. ¡°Even if you have the authority to do so, you wouldn¡¯t. The Barrens relies on its mana crystal exports to survive. If you stopped them, you¡¯d only be dooming your people.¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°I only said that I would cut off the Tower of Magic¡¯s supply of mana crystals.¡± I said. ¡°I never said that I would stop the export of mana crystals altogether.¡± I gestured to Father. ¡°I could just sell them to House Guld. They can afford it.¡± I paused. ¡°In fact, that sounds like a great idea. If nothing else, it would give House Guld an edge in their negotiations with you.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina faltered at that. Father stared at me in surprise, before he started laughing.


    ¡°Using both brute force and economics against your opponents.¡± Father said, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°You really are a Kaltbrand and a Guld.¡±


    I smiled at him, before I looked back up at Tower Master Katarina.


    ¡°There is no need for any more violence.¡± I said. ¡°Take your people and go. Let us forget this incident ever happened.¡±


    A variety of emotions flashed across Tower Master Katarina¡¯s face, before she settled on resignation.


    ¡°Very well, Lord Wulfe,¡± she said, ¡°You win this time.¡± Her expression hardened. ¡°However, the Tower of Magic will remember this. I will remember this.¡±


    With that, Tower Master Katarina made another hand gesture. The silver spears transformed into silver chains. They reached down and picked up the tower magicians that Sir Kane and I had subdued. Afterwards, Tower Master Katarina flew away, carrying her people with her. Soon, they were out of sight.


    ¡°Congratulations, Wulfram.¡± Father said, giving me a proud smile. ¡°Not many people can hold their own against Tower Master Katarina. You managed to do so during your first meeting with her. You should be proud.¡±


    I smiled at him in return.


    ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± I said.


    After checking on Sir Kane to make sure he was all right, I joined Father as he reentered the House Guld carriage. Soon, we resumed our journey towards the House Guld townhouse. We were only five minutes away.


    ¡°Is it alright for us to just leave like that?¡± I asked. ¡°We caused a major incident, and you destroyed part of the road.¡±


    Father waved off my concerns.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll report the incident to the appropriate authorities and pay for the damages. It¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I studied Father for a moment, before shaking his head. Despite living as a Guld for seven years, and as a Kaltbrand for the past several weeks, it still amazed me what one could do with enough status and money.


    ¡°Now then,¡± I said, ¡°Are you going to tell me the real reason why the Tower of Magic wanted to kidnap you?¡±


    When Father told me that the Tower of Magic wanted to kidnap him because of failed negotiations, I didn¡¯t question it at first. However, after giving it some thought, I realized that that didn¡¯t make sense. The Tower of Magic was protected by the Pact, but even they wouldn¡¯t be brazen enough to pick a fight with House Guld over the sale of magic tools. They were arrogant enough, yes, but they weren¡¯t stupid.


    House Guld wasn¡¯t weak. Making enemies of them for such a petty reason didn¡¯t make sense to me. If it had just been a group of tower magicians who were acting on their own, I could believe that. However, Tower Master Katarina was involved, which meant that the Tower of Magic as a whole was involved. I suspected that the failed negotiations were an excuse to obfuscate their true objective.


    Father eyed me for a moment, before he let out a sigh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± He said. ¡°Though, I have an idea. In public, the Tower of Magic is neutral in the fight for the throne. However, I suspect that the Tower of Magic has pledged their support to Prince Jeremias. I believe that they want to kidnap me in order to force House Guld to support him.¡±


    I stared at him for a moment, before my expression hardened.


    ¡°If that was their goal, they couldn¡¯t have picked a worse way to go about it.¡± I said. ¡°Their actions all but guarantee that House Guld would turn against Prince Jeremias.¡±


    ¡°Only if they fail to capture me.¡± Father pointed out. ¡°If they succeed, then House Guld would have no choice but to comply.¡±


    I snorted with derision.


    ¡°As if you would ever let that happen.¡± I said. ¡°You probably have a contingency plan in place, just in case the Tower of Magic does succeed in kidnapping you.¡±


    Father shrugged, before grinning at me.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said, ¡°Perhaps not.¡± His grin faded away. ¡°Still, all I have are suspicions. I don¡¯t have any concrete evidence to support them. It¡¯s possible that the Tower of Magic supports a different candidate, or maybe they really are neutral. As I said, I don¡¯t know. They¡¯ve done a good job of keeping their intentions hidden.¡±


    I nodded. So far, the fight for the throne had affected both my birth family and my adopted family, and it would only get worse from here.


    ¡°Can¡¯t they just leave us alone?¡± I grumbled. ¡°Why does the imperial family have to involve us in their nonsense? They should just figure it out amongst themselves.¡±


    Father chuckled.


    ¡°This is the price we must pay for the privileges we enjoy.¡± He said. ¡°As the heir to House Kaltbrand, you must come to accept that there will always be someone looking to take advantage of you.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that Sieg managed to put up with it for so long.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m new to it all, and I¡¯m already sick of it. He grew up with this sort of pressure. I¡¯m surprised he hasn¡¯t gone crazy yet.¡±


    Father gave me a sympathetic smile.


    ¡°We all find our own ways of handling the burden of power.¡± He said. ¡°It helps to have a group of loved ones to support you.¡± He reached over and grasped my shoulder. ¡°You aren¡¯t alone, Wulfram. If you ever need my help, don¡¯t hesitate to ask. You may be the heir to House Kaltbrand now, but I will always consider you my son.¡±


    I reached up and gave his hand a brief squeeze.


    ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± I said. ¡°I will.¡±


    Father let go of my shoulder and leaned back.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak with Sieg when you have the chance?¡± He suggested. ¡°It might help to talk with someone going through a similar experience as you.¡± His expression turned melancholic. ¡°I¡¯m sure he would appreciate it as well. Being the heir to a powerful family can be a lonely experience. Most people fear you, wish to take advantage of you, or both. It¡¯s difficult to find a true friend among the sea of sycophants.¡±


    I took a moment to think about it. Father¡¯s words made sense. Back when we were children, Sieg¡¯s status as the heir to House Guld set him apart from everyone else. We loved him, and he loved us in return, but there was always a gulf between him and the rest of us. That couldn¡¯t have been easy for him, growing up. I found it ironic that being the heir to a powerful noble family was something I now had in common with him.


    The carriage stopped, pulling me out of my thoughts. I looked out the window and realized that we had arrived at the House Guld townhouse. It was time for me to reunite with the rest of my adopted family.

 Chapter 55: Homecoming

    As Father and I exited the carriage, I took a moment to study the House Guld townhouse. It looked the same as I remembered. Strange. A part of me expected it to look different, even though only three years had passed since I last visited. Everything else had changed. Still, I appreciated that it remained as I remembered. It gave me a sense of coming home.


    Despite calling it a townhouse, the place was just a bit smaller than Kaltbrand Manor. It was also two-stories tall and took up a large plot of land within Haven¡¯s Inner City. However, there was a sense of life and vitality to the House Guld townhouse that Kaltbrand Manor lacked. For one, it hadn¡¯t been abandoned for more than twenty years. It was a place full of life and laughter. The building itself was also like a piece of art, a wonder of architecture.


    The beautiful and vibrant gardens that surrounded the place contributed as well. They were Mother¡¯s handiwork. She enjoyed gardening. I asked her why once, when I was a child. She told me that she enjoyed the satisfaction of nurturing life. Intrigued, I gave it a try once. However, I gave up since I ended up killing more flowers than I grew.


    To my surprise, no one was outside to greet Father and I. This was unusual. When the head of the household left or arrived, there was always at least someone there to see them. I glanced at Father and gave him a questioning look. He shrugged, before grinning.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell anyone that I was leaving.¡± He said. ¡°If I had, they would have insisted that I bring an entire contingent of knights, and I didn¡¯t want to bother with all of that. So, I snuck out.¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. So that was why Father didn¡¯t have any knights guarding him. A part of me had wondered about that. Even I, an Aura Master, had a bodyguard shadowing me.


    Wait a moment.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t trying to get kidnapped on purpose, were you?¡± I asked, narrowing my eyes at Father.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± He said with faux innocence. ¡°I was impatient to see my son after three long years, and waiting for a contingent of knights to escort me to the palace would have taken too long.¡±


    I resisted the urge to grab him by the shoulders and shake him.


    ¡°Father!¡± I said. ¡°What were you thinking? You¡¯re the head of House Guld! You can¡¯t afford to be this reckless.¡±


    Father rolled his eyes.


    ¡°You sound like your mother.¡± He said. ¡°She¡¯s always nagging at me about these things.¡± He started speaking in a high pitched voice to mimic Mother. ¡°¡®No, Karl. You can¡¯t let yourself get kidnapped by the Tower of Magic in order to find out who they¡¯re supporting. What if something happens to you? I swear, if you make me a widow, I¡¯ll ask the gods to bring you back to life so I can kill you again.¡¯¡± He shook his head. ¡°Why can¡¯t she trust that I know what I¡¯m doing?¡±


    I gaped at him with my jaw hanging open. Was Father always this rash? In my memories, he was always a kind and reliable man, someone I could depend on no matter what.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Father continued. ¡°I knew that you would protect me if the Tower of Magic tried anything, and I was right.¡± He smiled. ¡°It all worked out in the end.¡±


    I stared at him for several moments, unsure of how to respond to his words. In the end, I didn¡¯t need to. The door to House Guld townhouse slammed open and Mother marched out, followed by a small army of servants.


    She looked the same as I remembered, with cream-colored skin, golden eyes, and hair like sunlight. It was as if she hadn¡¯t aged at all over the past three years. She wore a deep green dress. Her features were like that of an angel, soft and delicate.


    However, right now she looked like an avenging angel. I stepped back when I saw the fury in her eyes. The servants behind her all wore worried expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Karl Guld!¡± Mother thundered. Even when she yelled, her voice sounded pleasing to the ears. ¡°What in the world were you thinking?¡± She reached us and jabbed Father in the chest with her finger. ¡°You know that the Tower of Magic is after you and what do you do? You sneak off on your own without a single knight to escort you! Are you trying to worry me to death? If so, your plan is working.¡±


    Father raised his hands in a placating gesture.


    ¡°I just took a quick trip to the imperial palace.¡± He said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cause a fuss by telling anyone.¡±


    Mother¡¯s left eye twitched.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want-¡­ You caused an even bigger fuss by not telling anyone!¡± She yelled.


    Father reached over and grabbed me, before pulling me in front of him. He moved so fast that I had no time to react.


    ¡°Well, I knew that I was going to bring Wulfram back.¡± He said. ¡°So, I didn¡¯t see the need to bring any knights with me. He¡¯s an Aura Master and a Kaltbrand. The safest place in Haven is by his side.¡±


    Mother turned to me and her eyes widened, as if she just noticed my presence. I stood there, stiff and frozen. Father¡¯s actions had caught me off guard and I didn¡¯t know how to react.


    ¡°Wulfram?¡± Mother asked, staring at me.


    I swallowed.


    ¡°Hello Moth-¡±


    Before I finished speaking, Mother engulfed me in a hug. The light floral scent of her perfume filled my nose. A wave of homesickness washed over me, and I realized in that moment just how much I had missed Mother¡¯s embrace. I returned her hug and wrapped my arms around her.


    ¡°My little Wulfram is back!¡± Mother wailed.


    A part of me wondered if my adopted parents had always been so¡­ Melodramatic. In my memories, Mother had always been calm, composed, and elegant. However, the woman in front of me was anything but. That said, I didn¡¯t hate it.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Mother asked after pulling away. She started fussing over me. ¡°I¡¯ve been so worried about you?¡± She slapped my shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re just like your father, running off without a word and making me worry about you. If it hadn¡¯t been for Lina letting us know that you were fine, I would have turned the entire empire upside down to look for you. How could you do that to us?¡±


    Guilt washed over me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said. ¡°I was just so focused on my own troubles, that I didn¡¯t realize how my actions would affect everyone else. I didn¡¯t mean to worry you. I promise not to do it again.¡±


    Mother gave me a stern look, before she nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± Her expression softened. ¡°And welcome home, my son. It¡¯s good to have you back.¡±


    The servants behind her all bowed as one.


    ¡°Welcome back, Lord Wulfram.¡± They said in unison.


    I nodded to them and smiled.


    ¡°See?¡± Father said. ¡°All¡¯s well that ends well.¡±


    Mother narrowed her eyes at him, before grabbing him by the ears and yanking him forward, until their faces were less than an inch apart.


    ¡°For Wulfram¡¯s sake, I will forgive you this time, Karl.¡± She said in a cold voice. ¡°However, don¡¯t pull something like this again.¡±


    Father didn¡¯t look chastised by Mother¡¯s words. Instead, he wore a serious expression on his face.


    ¡°You know why I did what I did.¡± He said. ¡°The Tower of Magic won¡¯t stop unless we deal with them.¡±


    ¡°Then let someone else handle them.¡± Mother said. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to do it yourself. You¡¯re not a young man anymore, Karl. You¡¯re the head of House Guld and a father of five. Act like it.¡±


    The two of them stared at each other for several seconds, neither one saying a word, before Father sighed.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry, Dear.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Mother nodded and let go of Father¡¯s ears, before facing me. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. Mika organized a little party to celebrate your return, Wulfram, and it would be a shame to let all of her efforts go to waste.¡±


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    With that, she turned around and walked back towards House Guld townhouse. Her movements were graceful and elegant. No traces of the avenging angel from before remained. It was as if she never existed in the first place. Father and I glanced at each other, before following her inside while Sir Kane and the House Guld servants fell in behind us.


    <hr>


    The interior of the House Guld townhouse was as beautiful as the exterior, if not more so. However, I paid little attention to all of that. Instead, I focused on the group of people waiting for me just beyond the front entrance.


    Aside from the servants, who perfected the art of blending in with the background, there were four of them. Lina and Mika stood next to one another, the latter vibrating with excitement. Sieg, my eldest brother, stood a little ways away from them with a young woman by his side.


    This young woman was tall and slender, with sun-kissed skin and long brown hair. She was pretty, though not a great beauty by any means. However, her most striking features were her eyes. They were a light violet, which was an unusual eye color. She studied me with an expression of polite indifference on her face.


    The moment I entered House Guld townhouse and crossed the threshold, Mika ran forward and hugged me.


    ¡°Wulfram!¡± Mika said, beaming. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you!¡±


    I chuckled and returned her hug.


    ¡°We just saw each other yesterday.¡± I said.


    Mika pouted as we pulled away from each other.


    ¡°And?¡± She asked. ¡°I still missed you.¡±


    Lina smiled.


    ¡°Mika was looking forward to today.¡± She said. ¡°So, she was a little upset when we received your message saying that you would be late.¡±


    Mika¡¯s pout deepened.


    ¡°Why did that old man summon you to the imperial palace anyway?¡± She asked. ¡°What did he want?¡± Her gaze sharpened. ¡°Did he bully you?¡±


    ¡°Mika!¡± Mother scolded. ¡°That ¡®old man¡¯, as you put it, is His Imperial Majesty and your uncle. You will give him the respect he is due.¡± She paused. ¡°As for why he summoned Wulfram to the imperial palace¡­ Well, we¡¯ll leave that for later.¡±


    Mika crossed her arms and muttered under her breath. I smiled, before turning my attention to Sieg and the violet-eyed woman standing next to him. My smile faded as I faced my eldest brother, and I felt more than a little nervous. The rest of the family had forgiven me for running away, but that didn¡¯t mean Sieg would.


    ¡°The prodigal son returns.¡± He said in a sardonic tone. ¡°Hello, Wulfram.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Sieg.¡± I said. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I hope you¡¯ve been well.¡±


    Sieg snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯m better now that you¡¯ve decided to stop hiding away in that desolate wasteland to the north. ¡± He said.


    With that, he walked over and pulled me into a hug. Relief filled me, and I wanted to laugh at my own foolishness. It seemed that I had been worried for nothing.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone I wanted you to meet, Wulfram.¡± Sieg said after we pulled away from each other. He gestured to the violet-eyed young woman, who stepped towards us. ¡°This is my wife, Lady Amalina Guld.¡±


    The woman bowed to me, while I nodded in return. I knew who she was, though we had never met before. Sieg and Lady Amalina had been engaged to one another since they were both children, as part of a deal between House Guld and House Schultes. The two of them married each other a few months after I ran away from Guld Manor. However, before that point, Lady Amalina never once visited Guld Manor. That was why she and I had never met before today. Instead, whenever Sieg and Lady Amalina spent time together, they did so at her family¡¯s estate.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulf Kaltbrand.¡± She said in a polite and cool voice. ¡°It is an honor to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I greet you, Lady Amalina Guld.¡± I said. ¡°The honor is mine. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I look forward to us getting to know each other better.¡±


    Lady Amalina nodded, but otherwise didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Father said while making a shooing motion, ¡°With all the introductions out of the way, let¡¯s head to the dining room.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°We prepared a special luncheon for today.¡±


    We followed Father¡¯s directions and headed to the House Guld townhouse¡¯s dining room. I escorted both Lina and Mika, one on each arm, while Father escorted Mother and Sieg escorted Lady Amalina.


    For the luncheon, it seemed that Mika had ordered the cooks to prepare all of my favorite foods. However, I spent more time talking than eating, since everyone kept asking me questions about my life in the Barrens. Even Lady Amalina asked me a few questions. Not that I minded. I was just happy to be reunited with my adopted family.


    At the end of the luncheon, the servants brought out a massive cake. It was five tiers tall and it took four servants to carry it to the table. I stared at the cake in disbelief.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked Mika, flabbergasted.


    Mika snorted.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®why?¡¯¡± She asked. ¡°This is a party, and no party is complete without a cake.¡±


    I almost pointed out that there were several kinds of parties that didn¡¯t involve cake in the slightest, but refrained. Mika put in all this effort for my sake, and I didn¡¯t want to act like an ungrateful cad. So, I cut the cake and gave everyone a slice. However, there was plenty left over afterward. I stared at the remaining cake, worried about what to do with it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Father whispered in my ear. ¡°The rest is for the servants.¡± He eyed the cake up and down. ¡°There¡¯s enough for everyone to get a piece.¡±


    I nodded, before I started eating my slice. However, from the corner of my eye, I noticed Mika frowning at her slice.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked her, concerned. ¡°Do you not like the cake?¡±


    Mika shook her head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± She paused. ¡°Nevermind, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I gave her a teasing smile.


    ¡°Come now,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Tell me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll assume that I¡¯m the problem.¡±


    Mika studied me for a moment before answering.


    ¡°I wish the whole family was here.¡± She said in a quiet voice. ¡°We¡¯re still missing one person.¡±


    The dining room fell silent at that. Lina glared at Mika, while the rest studied me with wary expressions on their faces.


    ¡°You mean Emmerich.¡± I said.


    Mika hesitated, before nodding. I could understand her worry. Emmerich Guld was a sensitive topic for me. I spent years convinced that Father and Mother adopted me as a substitute for him, thanks to Baroness Lafrenz¡¯s manipulation and abuse. When Emmerich Guld returned alive and well, I feared that they would throw me away and abandon me. So, rather than wait for that to happen, I ran away and ended up hurting the people dearest to me. However, I couldn¡¯t run away again. Rather, I wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°I agree.¡± I said, feigning nonchalance.


    Mika blinked at me in surprise.


    ¡°You do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°I think it¡¯s time Emmerich and I met.¡± I glanced at Lina. ¡°However, from what I¡¯ve heard, he¡¯s on a sabbatical in the Mistwood.¡±


    As I expected, Lina showed no particular reaction to that. So, she really had nothing to do with ¡°Elmer¡± showing up at Kaltbrand Manor and pretending to be a servant. He must have done so of his own initiative.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mother said, a frustrated expression on her face. ¡°That boy is obsessed with magic. He spends most of his time researching in his lab and conducting experiments. Sometimes, I have to drag him out of there so he can get fresh air and sunlight.¡± She smiled at me. ¡°He reminds me a little of you and your obsession with swordsmanship.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯m not obsessed. I just have an appreciation for the sword.¡±


    Everyone else, excluding Lady Amalina, chuckled at that. And so, we averted a potentially awkward moment and enjoyed the rest of the party.


    <hr>


    After the luncheon, most of us retreated to the drawing room and continued catching up. Lady Amalina excused herself, saying that she didn¡¯t want to intrude upon our reunion further. We tried convincing her to stay, but she remained adamant. In the end, we let her go.


    Afterwards, instead of talking about my life in the Barrens, it was my turn to ask questions and find out what everyone had been up to during the past three years. I learned a bit from Lina and Mika, but that wasn¡¯t enough for me. After three years apart, I wanted to make up for lost time. I was like a man dying of thirst in the desert who just found an oasis. I wanted to spend as much time with my adopted family as possible.


    The hours passed by, yet I hardly noticed. It was after the servants arrived and announced that it was time for dinner that I realized how long we had been talking. After eating dinner, I decided it was time for me to leave, albeit with great reluctance.


    ¡°What?¡± Mika asked. ¡°No! Why can¡¯t you stay for the night?¡±


    I gave her a sad smile and shook my head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± I said. ¡°It would give people the wrong impression. As the heir to House Kaltbrand, there are certain proprieties that I must observe.¡±


    Mika drooped at that.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I continued, ¡°I¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡±


    Mika perked up at that.


    ¡°Do you promise?¡± She asked.


    I chuckled at that.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I said. ¡°I promise.¡± I glanced over my adopted parents, who stood a little ways away. ¡°I need to discuss something important with Father and Mother.¡±


    Father raised an eyebrow at that and Mother gave me an inquisitive look.


    ¡°And what is that?¡± Father asked.


    I reached a hand towards Lina, who looked confused at first, before her eyes lit up with understanding. She smiled and grasped my hand.


    ¡°Our engagement,¡± I said, facing Father and Mother. ¡°Lina said that we already have your blessing, but I would like to formally propose.¡± I smiled at Lina. ¡°It¡¯s only proper, after all.¡±


    Father and Mother looked surprised by this, before the former let out a wicked laugh and rubbed his hands together.


    ¡°Oh, this is going to be fun.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be the overbearing father-in-law. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll go easy on you just because you¡¯re my son, Wulfram.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± Lina scolded. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean.¡±


    Father looked affronted.


    ¡°What? If this is enough to scare him away, then clearly he doesn¡¯t deserve you.¡±


    Lina turned to Mother.


    ¡°Mother,¡± she said, ¡°Please talk some sense into him.¡±


    Mother rolled her eyes at Father¡¯s antics.


    ¡°Karl,¡± she said, a warning in her tone, ¡°Be nice.¡±


    Father let out a resigned sigh.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He said.


    Sieg stepped forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father.¡± He said. ¡°I shall test Wulfram in your place.¡±


    Father gave Sieg a grateful look.


    ¡°Thank you, my son.¡± He said. ¡°I knew I could count on you.¡±


    ¡°Sieg!¡± Lina exclaimed, a look of betrayal on her face.


    The two of them started bickering. Meanwhile, Mika grabbed my free hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Wulfram.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯m on your side.¡±


    I smiled down at her.


    ¡°Thank you, Little Sis.¡±


    Mika beamed at me, before the two of us turned to watch Lina and Sieg argue with one another. A wide smile on my face. I missed this. It felt good to be back home.

 Chapter 56: A Talk Between Would Be Brothers

    It took a little while, but I managed to say my farewells to my adopted family, before leaving House Guld townhouse. By the time I returned to Kaltbrand Manor after leaving House Guld townhouse, it was almost midnight. Despite this, most of the servants were still awake. It seemed that they had stayed up to wait for my return. Baron Kurz, in particular, had worried about me. After reassuring the servants that I was all right and that my meeting with the Emperor had gone well, I sent them off to bed.


    I met with Maria for a bit, who updated me on Elmer¡¯s progress. The man had settled in just fine, though most of the servants of Kaltbrand Manor remained wary of him. He was both a stranger as well as someone from another noble family. Despite this, none of them had any complaints about him. Elmer was diligent, hardworking, and modest. A part of me feared that he would try to throw his weight around, but it turned out that my fears were unfounded.


    Even Maria was surprised by how well Elmer fit in with everyone. That didn¡¯t mean she trusted him, but she had nothing bad to say about him. Not yet, at least. She would continue to keep an eye on him.


    In addition to that, I asked Maria to make contact with the Blue Shadows stationed within Haven. The more I knew about the situation here, the better. Lina said she would share what she knew with me, but I didn¡¯t want to rely on her for everything. Besides, perhaps the Blue Shadows knew something that she didn¡¯t.


    After talking with Maria, I headed to my rooms. However, I felt restless and unable to sleep, so I took a walk around the grounds instead. The gardens were nonexistent, but the night sky remained as beautiful as ever. It was quiet and peaceful, which was what I needed at the moment.


    My mind churned with worry as I stared up at the stars. Many obstacles barred the path ahead and I wondered how we were going to deal with them all. The imperial succession, the Tower of Magic trying to kidnap Father, Leopold. For a moment, I worried that I wouldn¡¯t have the strength to overcome the challenges that we faced. Would I be able to protect my loved ones?


    The sound of footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts and I tensed. I turned towards the source and saw Elmer walking towards me. He now wore the uniform of a House Kaltbrand servant.


    ¡°Elmer,¡± I called out, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He took a moment before answering.


    ¡°I noticed that you were still awake, Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°And I thought you could use the company. You looked lonely.¡±


    Had I? Or was Elmer just using that as an excuse to come out here? I didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I was just thinking.¡± I said, turning away from him to look up at the night sky again. However, I kept my other senses trained on him, just in case he tried something.


    Elmer walked up until he stood just a few feet away from me.


    ¡°If I may be so bold, Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°What were you thinking about? If something is troubling you, sharing it with someone else might help.¡±


    I looked back at Elmer and studied him for several moments. The darkness obscured his face, making it difficult to make out his features. Ironically enough, this made it easier to see the similarities between him and the other members of House Guld. He had used magic to disguise his appearance, but the shadows hid the changes brought about by his disguise. His outline reminded me of both Father and Mother.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about the future.¡± I said, looking back up at the stars. ¡°There are many troubles plaguing both House Kaltbrand and House Guld. I fear that I don¡¯t have the strength to face them all.¡±


    Elmer pondered this for a moment.


    ¡°In that case,¡± he said, ¡°Why not ask for help? You may be the heir to House Kaltbrand, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to do everything yourself. I¡¯m sure you have people you can rely on.¡±


    His words reminded me of what Father said earlier, right after the Tower of Magic tried to kidnap him, and I chuckled.


    ¡°Father said something similar to me earlier today,¡± I said.


    Elmer didn¡¯t respond right away.


    ¡°By ¡®Father¡¯, you mean Duke Guld?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. Duke Guld is Father, and Grand Duke Kaltbrand is Dad.¡± I grinned at him. ¡°A bit confusing, I know.¡±


    ¡°So, you still consider yourself a member of House Guld even though you are the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I said. ¡°I am a child of both. A Kaltbrand by blood and a Guld by upbringing. I am who I am today because of Father and Mother. If they hadn¡¯t adopted me, then I would have grown up to become someone else.¡±


    ¡°What about the rest of House Guld? What are your thoughts on them?¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°I consider them family too of course. Sieg is my brother and Mika is my little sister.¡± I paused. ¡°As for Lina¡­ Well, she¡¯s the love of my life. I know there will be those who object to our relationship, even though not once have we considered each other siblings.¡±


    ¡°And Lord Emmerich Guld?¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at Elmer. I suspected that this had been his objective all along.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± I admitted. ¡°A part of me resents him. If he hadn¡¯t come back, if he had just stayed away, then I wouldn¡¯t have left Guld Manor and hurt my loved ones.¡± I sighed. ¡°However, I know it¡¯s unfair and unjust of me to lay the blame on him when I¡¯m the one who made the decision to run away. Besides, I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for him to find out that his family had adopted another son about a month after his supposed death.¡± I let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he harbored some resentment towards me as well.¡±


    Silence fell over us as I studied Elmer and awaited his response.


    ¡°In his position, I would have.¡± He began, breaking the silence. ¡°At least, in the beginning. I would have felt that my family replaced me with someone else. However, my resentment would fade over time. After all, you and I are two very different people. This would help me realize that our family¡¯s love for you doesn¡¯t diminish their love for me.¡± He paused. ¡°Presuming I was Lord Emmerich of course.¡±


    I scoffed.


    ¡°You know,¡± I said, ¡°There isn¡¯t any reason to keep up this charade. I saw through you the moment you stepped into my study.¡±


    Elmer snorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Lord Wulfe.¡± He said. ¡°I am a servant of House Guld sent here to serve you. Nothing more, nothing less.¡±


    I shook my head, before looking back up at the stars.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± I said. ¡°A part of me looked forward to meeting with Emmerich Guld. I wanted to see if the two of us could come to see each other as family. We are brothers, after all.¡± I let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°However, it seems that I¡¯ll have to wait until he returns from his sabbatical in the Mistwood.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have anything to worry about in that regard, Lord Wulfe. I¡¯m sure that if Lord Emmerich were here, he would feel the same way.¡±


    I almost retorted that, but held my peace. If he wanted to maintain this act of his, I wasn¡¯t going to gainsay him. He would approach me as his true self in his own time. However, I planned on teasing him in the meantime.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather convenient that Emmerich Guld decided to take a sabbatical now of all times, considering what¡¯s going on.¡± I said, giving Elmer a sideways glance.


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    ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just that the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father.¡±


    A beat of silence followed my words.


    ¡°What?!¡± Elmer exclaimed. ¡°When? Why?¡±


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°Did you not know?¡± I asked.


    Elmer stiffened at that, before letting out a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been rather busy, so I haven¡¯t kept up with the latest news.¡±


    I gave him a mystified look.


    ¡°You were too busy to hear that the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Elmer said in a defensive tone. ¡°It was important work.¡±


    I remembered Mother¡¯s words from earlier, about how Emmerich Guld spent most of his time in his laboratory studying and researching magic.


    ¡°I see.¡± I said. ¡°Well, the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father because the negotiations over the sale of magic tools in the Riverlands isn¡¯t going well.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Elmer said, sounding doubtful. ¡°There is no way that Tower Master Katarina would risk making an enemy of House Guld over such a trivial matter.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Father agrees.¡± I said. ¡°He believes that there is a deeper purpose behind their actions. He suspects that they support Prince Jeremias Reichwald and they want to force House Guld to support him as well, but he doesn¡¯t know for sure.¡± I shrugged. ¡°If Emmerich Guld were here, perhaps he would be able to intervene or at least provide insight into the matter, since he is also a member of the Tower of Magic.¡±


    Elmer mulled over my words before replying. I waited instead of rushing him.


    ¡°Do you know of the relationship between the Tower of Magic and House Galdur?¡± He asked.


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± I asked.


    ¡°In general, the Tower of Magic distances itself in politics.¡± Elmer explained. ¡°All they care about is researching and studying magic.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°There are exceptions of course. Sometimes they get involved in politics to achieve a specific objective. After they complete said objective, they distance themselves once more. Another possibility is money. Magical research is expensive. There are times when the Tower of Magic needs to mingle with nobles in order to gain more funds.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the Tower of Magic wants to kidnap Father either to achieve a specific goal or because they need money?¡± I asked.


    Maybe it really was about the sale of magic tools if that was the case.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible, yes.¡± Elmer said. ¡°However, there is a third possibility: House Galdur. Whenever House Galdur makes a move, the Tower of Magic always responds.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why you asked that question earlier.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯ll admit, I don¡¯t know much about the relationship between the Tower of Magic and House Galdur.¡±


    ¡°To put it simply, the two are rivals.¡± Elmer said. ¡°They each consider themselves the premier experts on magic, while considering the other as pretenders and frauds. If one moves, the other will move to oppose them. They¡¯ve been like that ever since the Mistwood became part of the Reichwald Empire.¡±


    If I remembered right, similar to how House Kaltbrand played a key role in conquering the Riverlands, the Tower of Magic played a significant part in subjugating the Mistwood.


    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± I said, frowning. ¡°Isn¡¯t Tower Master Katarina from House Galdur?¡±


    Elmer snorted.


    ¡°You think that makes a difference?¡± He asked. ¡°If anything, that makes things worse. Several members of House Galdur became masters of the Tower of Magic over the centuries as a way to rebel against their family.¡± He paused. ¡°Think of it as someone marrying into a rival family in order to escape their own, if that makes it easier to understand.¡±


    Hmm, that made a certain amount of sense.


    ¡°So, you think that the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father because it would hinder House Galdur in some way?¡± I asked.


    Elmer nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility.¡± He said. ¡°Like the Tower of Magic, House Galdur stays out of politics for the most part. They only involve themselves when they want to achieve a specific goal. If you want to figure out what the Tower of Magic wants, look into House Galdur. That should give you a clue.¡±


    I smirked.


    ¡°I find it amusing that the Tower of Magic and House Galdur are so similar, and yet so opposed to one another.¡±


    Elmer chuckled.


    ¡°I think they oppose one another because they¡¯re so similar to each other.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Magicians are a rather prideful bunch.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°Do you include Emmerich Guld in that assessment?¡± I asked.


    Elmer scoffed.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He said.


    At least he was self aware about it.


    ¡°Well, this has been a rather enlightening conversation.¡± I said. ¡°However, it¡¯s getting late and I need to go to bed. I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow.¡± I grimaced. ¡°I am going to formally ask for Lina¡¯s hand in marriage. Father and Sieg plan on making things¡­ difficult for me.¡±


    Elmer burst out into laughter.


    ¡°I would say good luck, but I don¡¯t think you need it.¡±


    I grinned at him, before heading towards my rooms. My heart felt lighter. All of the obstacles in my path no longer seemed so daunting. Perhaps it was because of my conversation with ¡°Elmer¡±. While I still harbored some resentment towards him, since a single conversation wasn¡¯t enough to get rid of it, we took our first steps towards becoming family.


    <hr>


    The next morning, before I left for House Guld townhouse, I read a report from the Blue Shadows stationed here in Haven. It was a proper report too, not a brief summary either. Maria delivered it to me right after breakfast. That was fast. They must have worked through the night in order to put it together. I would have to reward them for their diligence.


    The report detailed the political situation here in Haven, focusing on the four candidates vying for the throne. Of the four, Prince Cornelius led the strongest faction. He was the Emperor¡¯s eldest child and had support from the Empress¡¯ family, House Ritter. This attracted a lot of nobles, who flocked to his banner. However, Prince Cornelius¡¯ siblings weren¡¯t far behind.


    His younger sister, Princess Henriette, had close ties with the Church of Light and Darkness. While the church as a whole remained neutral in the fight for the throne, several high-ranking priests and priestesses supported the princess. This attracted the more pious noble families.


    Princess Henriette was also popular among the commoners, due to her numerous charity projects. Some of them even started calling her an angel who had descended from the heavens. Considering how House Reichwald¡¯s divine power came from the Goddess of Light, that wasn¡¯t too far from the truth.


    Prince Jeremias, the youngest of the three, had support from a large number of the smaller noble families. On their own, they weren¡¯t that powerful or influential. Most were either viscounts or barons, with a few counts here and there. However, the sheer number of them made up for this. There was also the Tower of Magic to consider. While it remained neutral in public, the report mentioned that there was a strong possibility that it supported Prince Jeremias. The report even said that the tutor who taught Prince Jeremias magic was a tower magician.


    Of the four, Leopold led the weakest faction. He had support from his parents and his mother¡¯s family, as well as a few other noble houses, but that was it. According to the report, Leopold had little to no chance at winning the fight for the throne and becoming the next ruler of the Reichwald Empire. My heart clenched when I read this. In the past, losing the fight for the throne either meant death or banishment from the Reichwald Empire. A lucky few, such as Mother, managed to marry into another family within the empire and cast off the Reichwald name.


    After reading the report, I better understood why Leopold and his father, Prince Dirk, did what they did. House Kaltbrand¡¯s support would have given Leopold a fighting chance. While I still didn¡¯t condone their actions, I sympathized with Leopold. For him, the imperial succession wasn¡¯t just about becoming the next ruler of the Reichwald Empire. It was a fight for survival, one that he had little chance of winning.


    I took a moment to consider my course of action. Who should House Kaltbrand support? While Mom and Dad had the final say in the matter, I knew they would take my opinion into consideration. At the moment, I didn¡¯t know who I wanted to support. Regardless of who we picked, we would be making enemies of the other three. There was also Leopold¡¯s situation to consider. Regardless of what happened, I didn¡¯t want him to die.


    I decided to hold off for now and wait. It was too early to make a decision. Instead, I continued reading the report. Other than House Ritter, who ruled the Grass Sea to the east, none of the other ducal families pledged their support to any of the candidates. I already knew House Kaltbrand and House Guld¡¯s stance on the matter. House Galdur, on the other hand, remained a complete mystery to me.


    Duchess Ingrid Galdur, the current head of House Galdur, was in Haven for the social season. However, none of her actions thus far indicated who she planned to support for the imperial succession, if she planned to support anyone at all. However, if Elmer was right and the Tower of Magic was moving to oppose House Galdur, then perhaps Duchess Galdur had allied with one of the candidates in secret. It was unlikely Prince Jeremias, since he had ties with the Tower of Magic, so it must have been one of the other ones. The question was, who?


    After reading the report, I realized that I needed more information. While the report helped me gain a better understanding of the situation here in Haven, it wasn¡¯t enough. There were too many unknown factors at play. If House Kaltbrand supported the wrong candidate, it would end up hurting us, which I wanted to avoid as much as possible.


    I also didn¡¯t want House Kaltbrand and House Guld to end up opposed to one another. While my two families could be considered allies, thanks to me and my engagement with Lina, that didn¡¯t mean they saw eye to eye on everything. My parents, all four of them, were people with their own goals and agendas. They also had to take the welfare of their respective domains into consideration. While I could influence their decisions, that was it. In the end, they were the ones who made their own choices.


    These thoughts churned in my head as I headed to House Guld townhouse in order to formally ask for Lina¡¯s hand in marriage. If nothing else, at least dealing with Dad and Sieg would be less difficult than dealing with the imperial succession.

 Chapter 57: Trouble from Family

    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I asked, staring at Father in disbelief.


    Father grinned at me.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± he said. ¡°If you want Lina¡¯s hand in marriage, then you must figure out who House Galdur supports or is planning to support.¡±


    The two of us sat in his study within the House Guld townhouse. It was an airy and open space, with cream colored walls and a light hardwood flooring. In addition to a large wooden desk, there were also several couches within the study, which formed a sitting area. Sunlight shone through the large windows, which took up most of the wall space. They gave a great view of the townhouse¡¯s many gardens. There were also several planted pots within the study itself, adding a splash of green to the room. A few landscape paintings, all of which depicted the Riverlands, occupied the remaining wall space.


    When I arrived at the House Guld townhouse, I planned on spending some time with Lina, Mother, and Mika before dealing with Father and Sieg. However, the moment I stepped through the front entrance, Father whisked me away to his study before I even had a chance to say hello to the others. As soon as we sat down, he gave me the task he wanted me to accomplish in order to earn his approval.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked. ¡°Lina said that we already had your blessing to marry one another.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re the one who said you want to formally ask for Lina¡¯s hand in marriage,¡± Father responded. ¡°As her father, and your prospective father-in-law, I have to give you trouble somehow.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    Father grinned and didn¡¯t answer the question.


    ¡°Are you not up to the task?¡± He asked instead. ¡°Is that it? If so, I can always find something easier for you to do.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes even further.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Mother that you¡¯re being mean to me.¡± I said.


    Father rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Are you a child that needs to hide behind his mother¡¯s skirts?¡± He asked.


    I just glared at him and didn¡¯t respond. After a few seconds, Father sighed.


    ¡°There is a reason why I asked you to do this.¡± He said, his expression turning serious. ¡°We don¡¯t know the real reason why the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap me. However, I believe House Galdur is involved somehow. If you don¡¯t know, the Tower of Magic and House Galdur are always in complete opposition to one another. If one makes a move, the other moves to oppose them. So, if we want to figure out the reasons behind the Tower of Magic¡¯s actions, finding out what House Galdur is up to is the best course of action. Considering the circumstances, there is a good chance that it involves the imperial succession.¡±


    I nodded. That made sense.


    ¡°Consider this a favor to your future father-in-law.¡± Father continued. ¡°Not only that, but knowing who House Galdur supports can benefit House Kaltbrand as well.¡±


    I sighed. He made several good points. Besides, I already planned on finding out who House Galdur supported or planned to support. I was only protesting for form¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said. ¡°I accept.¡± I frowned. ¡°However, I have to ask. Would you have withdrawn your approval if I had declined?¡±


    Father scoffed.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± He said. ¡°Both Lina and your mother would never let me hear the end of it.¡± He pouted. ¡°However, I would have been disappointed.¡±


    I gave him a disgusted look. A grown man pouting looked disturbing rather than cute.


    ¡°Never do that again.¡± I said.


    Father let out a forlorn sigh.


    ¡°Look at you,¡± he said, ¡°Three years in the Barrens and you¡¯ve lost all respect for me. I remember when you used to look up to me. What happened to that wide-eyed, innocent boy?¡±


    I snorted.


    ¡°I still respect you.¡± I said. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m willing to put up with your nonsense.¡±


    Father chuckled at that.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said in a wistful tone, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up. I¡¯m a little sad that I wasn¡¯t there to see it happen.¡± He shook his head. ¡°However, you¡¯re here now and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°Since you want me to look into House Galdur,¡± I said, moving the conversation along before it could grow awkward, ¡°I assume you¡¯re willing to give me whatever information the Pink Orchid Trading Company managed to collect on House Galdur.¡± I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Unless you plan on giving me no support for this task.¡±


    Father grinned, before he reached into his desk and pulled out a leather case. He handed the leather case to me. I took it and opened it. Inside were several documents. I pulled one out and gave it a brief glance. It contained the information I needed regarding House Galdur. Perfect.


    ¡°You were more prepared than I expected.¡± I muttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate your dad.¡± Father said.


    I rolled my eyes.


    ¡°Father.¡± I corrected.


    He pouted again. I resisted the urge to shudder. That would just encourage him further. Instead, I ignored him and continued skimming the documents.


    ¡°This is what our people managed to collect on House Galdur.¡± Father said, nodding to the leather case. ¡°Though, you may want to have your own people look into them, just in case ours missed something.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Otherwise, the best way to learn more about House Galdur is to mingle with high society. Duchess Galdur is an active member.¡±


    I nodded. That was something I already knew and took into account. A mountain of letters arrived at Kaltbrand Manor yesterday and today. All of them were invitations to various social events. I planned on sifting through them and accepting the ones that Duchess Galdur was most likely to attend.


    ¡°I see.¡± I muttered, still skimming the documents. ¡°In that case, my best bet is to attend the ball hosted by House Wirt next week.¡±


    House Wirt was a family of central nobles, meaning they spent most of their time within Haven. This wasn¡¯t as much of a burden for them as it would be for other families, since they were direct vassals of House Reichwald and owned land within the Crownlands. As such, they enjoyed far more influence than most other families of the same status.


    Countess Wirt was a key figure in Haven¡¯s high society and many nobles considered it a mark of honor to attend an event hosted by her. Even Mother, an avid participant in high society herself, treated Countess Wirt with respect. There was a good chance that Duchess Galdur would attend House Wirt¡¯s ball.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Father said, before frowning. ¡°However, do you have anything suitable for the occasion? You can¡¯t just wear any old thing. This is your debut into high society.¡±


    I looked away from the document and frowned at him. He was right. While I participated in the Barrens¡¯ high society, Haven¡¯s high society was a different beast altogether. For one, Dad wasn¡¯t the overlord of these lands. The Emperor was. I doubted that anyone would snub and disrespect me, since I was a Kaltbrand. However, I couldn¡¯t act with impunity here. The nobles here would judge everything about me, from my appearance to the way I acted. A good first impression would make things easier for me in the future.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± I said. ¡°I brought several outfits with me from the Barrens, so at least I have something.¡± I shrugged. ¡°If they¡¯re not enough, I can always just buy a ready-made outfit and spruce it up with accessories.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Father said in a firm voice.


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re my son.¡± He said. ¡°I will not let you wear a ready-made outfit for your debut into high society. You deserve better than that.¡±


    I gave him a mystified look.


    ¡°Am I your son or your prospective son-in-law?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Whatever is more convenient for me at the moment.¡± Father said.


    I let out an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°You are shameless.¡± I said.


    Father smiled at me.


    ¡°Of course.¡± He said. ¡°To get back to the topic at hand, if you need an outfit for the House Wirt ball, I know of several tailors who can make it for you. Despite the short deadline, I¡¯m sure they would be honored to have the heir to House Kaltbrand wear something they created. It would also be faster to visit their shops instead of summoning them here, since you only have a week.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I said, returning his smile. ¡°I would much appreciate it.¡±


    Father¡¯s smile took on an edge. A sense of foreboding filled me.


    ¡°In fact, why don¡¯t you bring Sieg along?¡± he asked.


    My smile turned stiff. Sieg had exacting standards when it came to clothing. Due to his upbringing, he had a good eye for these sorts of things and refused to accept anything that didn¡¯t meet those standards. Also, like the rest of House Guld, shopping with Sieg was a tiring ordeal. If I brought him along, it would take all day to find a tailor that satisfied him.


    ¡°I can handle it by myself.¡± I said, hoping to avoid trouble.


    Father¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°I insist.¡± He said. ¡°Sieg missed you just as much as the rest of us, and this is the perfect opportunity for the two of you to make up for lost time.¡±


    I studied Father¡¯s expression and realized that this was Sieg¡¯s portion of the test set forth by the two of them.


    ¡°You¡¯re evil.¡± I said.


    ¡°Why, thank you, Wulfram.¡± Father said. ¡°You say the sweetest things.¡± He nodded to the door to his study. ¡°You should hurry if you want to find a suitable tailor by today. Otherwise, you may have to try again tomorrow.¡±


    This time I did shudder. Spend two days looking for a tailor that met Sieg¡¯s standards? That sounded like torture.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that you¡¯re family,¡± I muttered as I stood up, ¡°Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t put up with this behavior from you two.¡±


    Father shrugged.


    ¡°There should be some difficulty when it comes to love.¡± He said. ¡°You won¡¯t appreciate it as much if it¡¯s too easy. In the end, I¡¯m doing you a favor.¡±


    I rolled my eyes as I left Father¡¯s study.


    <hr>


    Several hours later, I sat in the House Kaltbrand carriage, drained of all energy. Sieg sat across from me. Unlike me, he looked refreshed and invigorated. I hated him for it.


    Sieg ambushed me just as I left Father¡¯s study and dragged me along to find a suitable tailor in Haven¡¯s Inner City. Lina caught wind of this and tried to come along, but Sieg claimed that he wanted to spend time alone with his long lost younger brother. Would she really deny him that? In the end, Lina relented.


    What followed was an ordeal that was as exhausting and tiresome as I feared. Sieg dragged me along to every tailor shop within Haven¡¯s Inner City. We spent at least an hour at each one. If Sieg found any flaws in their work, no matter how minute, we left. I protested each time, but my protests fell on deaf ears.


    I could have put a stop to it all by refusing to play along. After all, as the heir to House Kaltbrand, I outranked Sieg. Also, as an Aura Master, I was much stronger than him. However, I didn¡¯t for two reasons. One, I still felt guilty for running away and putting my adopted family through an ordeal. Two, despite everything, I enjoyed spending time with Sieg. He was my eldest brother, and I loved him.


    Even so, I was nearing my limit. It was late afternoon, and the two of us had just left another tailor shop. I leaned against the side of the carriage and closed my eyes.


    ¡°What was wrong with the last tailor?¡± I asked. ¡°His clothing was fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine isn¡¯t good enough.¡± Sieg retorted. ¡°As the heir to House Kaltbrand and a future grand duke, you must hold yourself to a higher standard. Everyone else will. The moment you expose any sort of weakness, they will pounce on you. It¡¯s better to prevent that from happening in the first place.¡±


    I opened my eyes and looked at him.


    ¡°How do you do it?¡± I asked.


    Sieg raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°How do you bear the burden of being the heir to such a prestigious family and not go crazy?¡± I clarified. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ difficult, to say the least, and I¡¯ve only lived like this for a few months at most. You¡¯ve dealt with it your entire life.¡±


    Sieg¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding, before he frowned in thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can give you a satisfactory answer, Wulfram.¡± He said. ¡°For me, this is normal. I don¡¯t know of any other way to live.¡± He paused. ¡°However, you¡¯re right. It is difficult at times. And lonely. Everyone is either working to undermine me, looking to take advantage of me for their own benefit, or both. There are a few exceptions, of course, but most people fall into one of those categories.¡±


    I studied him for several moments.


    ¡°Do you ever wish that you could just let it all go and choose a different path?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes.¡± Sieg admitted with a wry smile on his face. ¡°However, as difficult as my life is, I still prefer it over the alternatives.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Being the heir to House Guld comes with many benefits and privileges after all.¡±


    True. I felt the same way. Being the heir to House Kaltbrand wasn¡¯t easy, but I thought it was worth it, despite the difficulties that came with the position.


    ¡°So, how do you bear the burden?¡±


    ¡°I remember to take time for myself.¡± Sieg answered. ¡°I am the heir to House Guld, but I am also a person in my own right. As long as I keep that in mind and act accordingly, I¡¯ll be alright.¡± He smiled. ¡°It helps that I have several people to help me bear the burden, including Amalina. I am lucky to have someone like her by my side as my wife.¡±


    I pushed myself away from the side of the carriage and sat upright.


    ¡°I was under the impression that you two didn¡¯t love each other.¡± I said.


    Yesterday, as I reunited with my adopted family after three years, I noticed that Sieg and Lady Amalina treated each other with politeness and civility but little warmth.


    ¡°And?¡± Sieg asked. ¡°Amalina and I are fond of each other. More importantly, we treat each other with respect.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°I know of several married couples who profess to love one another, yet are more than willing to disrespect and degrade each other.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I would rather go without such toxic and destructive love.¡±


    ¡°Not every marriage is like that,¡± I protested. ¡°Your parents both love and respect each other, and it¡¯s the same for Lina and I.¡±


    Sieg smiled.


    ¡°I know,¡± he said, ¡°Which is why I¡¯m only forcing you to spend the entirety of today shopping with me. If I opposed your relationship with Lina, I would have done everything in my power to keep you two apart. What I¡¯m doing now is mild in comparison.¡±


    I paused at that. He made a fair point.


    ¡°Are you happy then, with how things are?¡± I asked. ¡°That¡¯s what matters the most to me.¡±


    Sieg¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Yes, Wulfram,¡± he said, ¡°I am. You don¡¯t have to worry about me, little brother. Just focus on your own upcoming engagement.¡±


    I nodded, before letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Can this be the last stop?¡± I asked, giving him a tired smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you and the others do it. Shopping is exhausting. I¡¯m at my limit here.¡±


    Sieg chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± he asked. ¡°The thrill of spending money fills a Guld with energy.¡± He smirked. ¡°However, I shall be merciful. Yes, this next shop shall be our last one.¡±


    I gave him a grateful smile. And true to his word, that was indeed our last stop for the day. After the tailor took my measurements, he promised to have my outfit ready in time for the House Wirt ball next week. It would cost me a small fortune, but it would be ready.


    With that, all I had to do was attend the ball itself.


    <hr>


    The week leading up to the House Wirt ball was a busy one for me. In addition to my usual duties as heir to House Kaltbrand, I also had to redecorate Kaltbrand Manor and familiarize myself with the situation here in Haven. While I learned a lot from the reports given to me by the Blue Shadows, I needed to know more. Thankfully, I had Lina to help me with both tasks.


    The day after I went searching for a tailor with Sieg, I brought Lina to Kaltbrand Manor to get her opinion on the redecoration. While the final decisions were mine, Lina had a better eye for this sort of thing than me. I wanted to preserve the spirit of Kaltbrand Manor while also bringing it back up to par. Lina proved invaluable in this regard and she provided me with several useful insights.


    The servants were a bit nervous around Lina at first, but she soon won them over. It helped that she brought Rosalind along, which Maria was happy about. We gave the two of them time to catch up with one another while Lina and I inspected Kaltbrand Manor. When the other servants saw this, their opinions of Lina rose. Baron Kurz and his wife, Baroness Kurz, were happy to have a proper lady in the manor again, even though she wasn¡¯t the Grand Duchess.


    Elmer disappeared before Lina arrived, which I expected. For some reason, he wanted to hide the fact that he was with me instead of on a sabbatical in the Mistwood to the south. I found it suspicious, but I let him be for now.


    Lina also provided reports of everything going on in Haven, courtesy of the Pink Orchid Trading Company. Thanks to the Blue Shadows, I already knew most of the information these reports contained. However, the report that Lina provided gave me new insights, which I appreciated. I also learned a few interesting bits of news that I hadn¡¯t known before. I didn¡¯t know if they would ever come in handy, but it was better to be prepared than not.


    I spent what little free time remained with my adoptive family. After spending three years away from them, now I couldn¡¯t stay away. None of them complained. After all, they had missed me just as much as I missed them. I even spent a bit of time with Lady Amalina, my sister-in-law. While I doubted that the two of us would ever be close, I felt like that we could at least be amiable with one another.


    The days passed like that, one after another, until the day of the House Wirt ball arrived.

 Chapter 58: House Wirt Ball

    Lina and I rode in a House Kaltbrand carriage, heading towards the House Wirt ball. It was early evening, and we had just left House Guld townhouse. To avoid giving the impression that I favored House Guld over House Kaltbrand, Lina and I decided to attend the House Wirt ball by ourselves instead of going with the rest of my adopted family. Father and Mother, as well as Sieg and Lady Amalina, would head to the ball in a separate carriage.


    This was to minimize the rumors flowing through high society. Still, it wouldn¡¯t stop all of them. There was nothing that nobles loved more than gossip, especially if it meant tearing down others. That was the nature of high society. It could be as vicious and cruel as any battlefield. However, as long as I kept my wits about me, I would be just fine.


    Lina and I wore expensive and well-made outfits in the colors of our respective families. However, I wore green and gold accessories, while Lina wore silver and blue ones. This was to show others that we were a couple, even though we weren¡¯t officially engaged yet. Not for the first time, I felt annoyed at Father for making me go through this nonsense.


    Until Lina and I were engaged, some men would take that as a challenge and seek to win her heart. They would fail, but the thought of dealing with them gave me a headache. Lina was both beautiful and the daughter of a prestigious family. In vulgar terms, she was quite the catch. Maybe I should just maim any man who approached Lina with ulterior motives. After dealing with the first few, the rest would get the message and leave her alone.


    That said, I understood why Father wanted me to find out what House Galdur was up to. Even if the Tower of Magic wasn¡¯t a factor, the imperial succession was. Knowing who House Galdur supported, or planned to support, would prove invaluable. Right now, the Emperor¡¯s children were about even in the fight for the throne, with Leopold being the weakest contender. As one of the four ducal families in the Reichwald Empire, whoever House Galdur supported would gain a significant advantage and upset the current status quo.


    ¡°What are you thinking about with your brows furrowed like that?¡± Lina asked, watching me with a half-smile on her face.


    ¡°About how tired I am of balls.¡± I said, smiling to let her know that I was joking. ¡°First there was the ball Dad threw in my honor. Now, just a few weeks later, we¡¯re attending another one. Why can¡¯t we go to a soir¨¦e or a quiet dinner party?¡±


    Lina chuckled, as I intended.


    ¡°Poor Wulfram,¡± she said with mock pity, ¡°How terrible your life must be, to spend the night dancing and socializing.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± I said. ¡°You understand.¡±


    The two of us stared at one another for several moments, before we burst out into laughter. My shoulders felt lighter afterwards. Despite the obstacles we faced, as long as Lina and I were together, everything would be fine.


    Our carriage reached House Wirt¡¯s townhouse within Haven. While they wielded a great deal of influence within Haven¡¯s high society, they weren¡¯t as wealthy as either House Guld or House Kaltbrand. House Wirt¡¯s townhouse within Haven was small compared to Kaltbrand Manor or House Guld¡¯s townhouse. Still, it was quite beautiful. Not only that, but the gardens were extensive. So much so that House Wirt decided to throw an outdoor ball tonight.


    After we arrived at the House Wirt townhouse, a servant led us to the back gardens, where the ball itself took place. Flower beds surrounded a wide open space, the latter of which provided more than enough room for dancing. The temperature was on the warm side, for me at least. Dozens of magical yellow lights floated in the air above the dance floor, illuminating the entire space. Tables covered in refreshments occupied one corner of the back gardens, while a band of musicians occupied another.


    There were dozens of people milling about, mingling and socializing with one another. Lina and I arrived early enough that the dancing hadn¡¯t started yet. I recognized a few people, either from the reports that the Blue Shadows and Lina had given me, or because I had met them before. Half of them were central nobles, influential figures in Haven¡¯s high society, while the rest were important figures from the Reichwald Empire¡¯s other regions.


    To my delight, I saw Duchess Galdur. She was taller than I expected, with a lithe and slender build. Like most other southerners I had met, the Duchess had light brown skin, silver hair, and silver eyes. Her elfin features gave her an otherworldly and mysterious beauty. She also had the mana signature of a Grand Sage, making her formidable as well as beautiful.


    The Duchess stood off to the side, flanked by her daughters: Lady Valeska Galdur, heir to House Galdur, and Lady Josepha Galdur. The two of them looked a lot like their mother, beautiful and mysterious. Lady Valeska was nineteen years old and a magician who had just become a Sage. An impressive achievement for someone her age. If it hadn¡¯t been for Emmerich, who became a Sage at seventeen, she would have been the youngest magician to become a Sage.


    Meanwhile, Lady Josepha was an Adept, though I doubted she would remain one for long. She wasn¡¯t that much younger than her older sister and House Galdur had always been gifted when it came to magic. I believed that she would become a Sage as well, and soon.


    The three of them stood alone. Duchess Galdur¡¯s husband, Duke Rolf Galdur, died some time ago. Like Dad, the Duchess decided to remain a widow rather than remarry. I didn¡¯t know if it was because she loved Duke Galdur that much, or because she didn¡¯t want to bother with another husband. While I knew a bit about her from the reports I read, they didn¡¯t tell me much about what she was like as a person. If I wanted to know that, I would have to interact with her myself.


    To my surprise, I saw Leopold in attendance. While Countess Wirt was an influential figure in Haven¡¯s high society, it was uncommon for a member of the imperial family to attend any events outside of the imperial palace. Rather, they preferred to host their own events and have everyone come to them. Based on the crowd that surrounded Leopold, all of whom were part of his faction, I assumed he was here to gather more supporters.


    As soon as we arrived in the back gardens, Lina and I approached Count and Countess Wirt. They were a middle-aged couple who exuded an air of grace and dignity. As the hosts, etiquette demanded that we greet them before we mingled with the rest of the guests. The Count and Countess bowed as they greeted us, while Lina and I nodded in return.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to have you here, Lord Wulfe.¡± Countess Wirt said after the greetings. She seemed to mean it too. ¡°You have no idea how delighted I was when you accepted my invitation.¡±


    ¡°It was Duke Guld¡¯s idea.¡± I said, giving her a polite smile. To avoid confusion, I decided to call Father by his title in public. ¡°He said that there was no better place to make my debut into Haven¡¯s high society than an event hosted by such an influential figure such as yourself, Countess Wirt.¡±


    The Countess looked flattered by this.


    ¡°Thank you for your words, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said, before studying Lina and I. ¡°I have to say, the two of you make for quite the pair.¡±


    Her words were neither a compliment or an insult, but rather a question. Everyone in high society knew that House Guld was my adopted family. Were Lina and I here together as brother and sister, or as a couple?


    ¡°Thank you, Countess Wirt,¡± Lina said, leaning against me, ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time before we make an official announcement.¡±


    Countess Wirt¡¯s eyes lit up with glee. Lina just gave her a juicy bit of information. A marriage between the heir of House Kaltbrand and a daughter of House Guld would have a significant impact on the rest of the Reichwald Empire. If the Countess used it the right way, she could increase her influence even further.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t you-¡­?¡± Count Wirt started to say, before stopping himself.


    Countess Wirt threw him a glare. It didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out what he meant to say. After all, Lina and I grew up together. Many disapproved of our union. However, Lina and I didn¡¯t care about the opinions of outsiders. We never once saw each other as siblings. As long as our families approved, that was all that mattered.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°I hope you enjoy the rest of the night.¡± Countess Wirt said, putting on a smile.


    Lina and I said our goodbyes, before heading towards the other guests. As we left, I heard the Countess scolding her husband for his tactlessness.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost disappointed that Count Wirt stopped himself.¡± Lina muttered. ¡°We could have set the record straight right then and there.¡±


    ¡°There will be other opportunities in the future.¡± I muttered. ¡°High society is rife with people who like to involve themselves in other peoples¡¯ business.¡±


    Lina let out a low chuckle at that.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± She muttered. ¡°Here they come now.¡±


    As soon as we reached the dance floor, a crowd of nobles swamped us. Lina and I were among the highest ranking people in attendance. The only ones who held higher status than us were Leopold and Duchess Galdur. This attracted nobles the same way honey attracted flies. Many of them tried to ingratiate themselves with us. We dealt with them while remaining polite but distant.


    As Lina and I mingled with the other nobles, I debated with myself on whether or not to approach Leopold. I still felt conflicted on what to do about him. While I didn¡¯t want him to die, and sympathized with his situation, I couldn¡¯t condone the actions he and his father took to gain House Kaltbrand¡¯s support.


    In the end, I decided to say hello. I whispered this to Lina, and she nodded in agreement. The two of us walked towards Leopold. He watched us approach with an indifferent expression on his face. However, he couldn¡¯t hide all of his emotions. We had known each other too long for that. I noticed the wariness in his eyes.


    His supporters were far less circumspect. Their expressions ranged from wary, like Leopold, to excited. After all, if House Kaltbrand and House Guld supported him, his chances of winning the throne were that much higher. However, if we turned against him, he would never become emperor.


    Lina and I bowed as we greeted Leopold. He nodded in return.


    ¡°Leopold.¡± I said after we finished greeting each other.


    ¡°Wulfram.¡± He said back.


    An awkward silence descended as the two of us stared at one another. Lina sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, cousin.¡± She said, breaking the silence. ¡°We didn¡¯t get to talk much the last time we saw each other.¡±


    Leopold gave her a sardonic smile.


    ¡°It was unavoidable,¡± he said, glancing at me, ¡°Considering the circumstances.¡±


    Lina scoffed.


    ¡°A simple hello would have sufficed.¡± She said. ¡°Instead, you ran off almost right away.¡± She grinned. ¡°However, I might be willing to forgive you if you buy Mika and I something nice to make up for it.¡±


    Leopold chuckled and gave her another smile, a genuine one this time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to do that.¡± He said. ¡°And¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Those two words held a lot of meaning.


    ¡°Have you considered my request from last time?¡± Leopold asked, turning towards me.


    I mulled it over, before nodding.


    ¡°I have,¡± I said, ¡°And my answer is yes. I can do that much at least.¡± I snorted. ¡°Besides, he gave me little reason to think well of him.¡±


    When Leopold and I last met, he asked me to not support his cousin, Prince Cornelius. This was because Prince Cornelius wanted Leopold dead. If he took the throne, Leopold would die. At least if Prince Jeremias or Princess Henriette took the throne, Leopold had a chance at survival. While I doubted that I would support him, I could at least make sure that he didn¡¯t die.


    ¡°Yes, I heard about what happened at the imperial palace.¡± Leopold said. ¡°From what I understand, he thought that he could cow you into submission because of your history and background.¡±


    Lina¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Then he is as ignorant as he is stupid.¡± She said. ¡°Trying to cow a Kaltbrand is as foolish as trying to tame the Barrens, a futile and pointless endeavor.¡±


    Leopold chuckled.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He said. ¡°Thank you, Wulfram.¡±


    Relief filled his eyes, while guilt filled my heart. Leopold was my friend, yet he felt relieved that I decided against supporting his worst enemy. What kind of friend was I, to elicit such a reaction from him? However, neither could I support his bid for the throne. I was sentimental, but there were limits. Besides, even if I supported him, Mom and Dad wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°We won¡¯t take up anymore of your time, Leopold.¡± I said. ¡°Have a good night.¡±


    Leopold nodded as Lina and I walked away from him. Before we turned away, an expression of regret flashed across his face. It appeared and disappeared so fast, I almost doubted that I saw it in the first place.


    Lina and I continued mingling with the other guests. Father and Mother, accompanied by Sieg and Lady Amalina, arrived just before the first dance. Countess Wirt was beside herself with joy. A prince, the heads of two ducal families, and the heir to House Kaltbrand had attended her ball. When word reached the rest of Haven, her status would soar to new heights.


    When the first dance started, Lina and I paired up together. This was something we discussed earlier today. We would dance together for the first and final dance of the ball. However, for the dances in between, we would select different partners. This would give us a chance to make connections and perhaps learn something new. It would also give me the chance to get closer to Duchess Galdur and complete the task that Father gave me.


    Of course, I planned on keeping an eye on every man who asked to dance with Lina. If any of them approached her with impure intentions, I would make them pay. I also needed to make sure that none of my partners misconstrued my own intentions. After all, I didn¡¯t want to cause any unnecessary understandings. At least Mother and Lady Amalina were here. I could dance with them without issue.


    To my surprise, Leopold asked Lady Josepha to be his partner for the first dance. I wondered if there was a hidden meaning to this action, or if he asked Lady Josepha because of her status. However, that was all I had time to think about before the dance started. After that, I gave Lina my full attention.


    <hr>


    I made my move after the third dance. For the second dance, I paired up with Mother. She laughed with a knowing look in her eyes when I asked her, but she agreed. For the third dance, I paired with Lady Amalina. She raised an eyebrow at me when I asked, but she also agreed. Both were excellent dancers, and I enjoyed myself each time. As for Lina, she danced with Father for the second dance and with Sieg for the third dance.


    In between each round of dancing, I spent time mingling with the other guests. One of the reasons to participate in high society in the first place was to make connections, so I figured I might as well make full use of my time here. Lina didn¡¯t accompany me, so a few noblewomen grew bold enough to try and flirt with me. I pretended not to notice, leaving them disappointed. However, I did make some useful connections that could benefit House Kaltbrand in the future.


    Mingling with the other nobles also gave me a chance to gauge their attitude towards House Kaltbrand. All of them were polite and cordial to me, at least to my face. After all, my father was the Reichwald Empire¡¯s only grand duke. Most of them even meant it, or were at least curious enough to pretend. Dad never participated in Haven¡¯s high society, so I was the first Kaltbrand most of the people here had ever seen.


    However, a few of them hid malicious intentions behind honeyed words. With the senses of an Aura Master, I heard them insult me behind my back when they thought I couldn¡¯t hear. I took note of each person who did this. After I returned to Kaltbrand Manor, I would have the Blue Shadows take a deeper look into their families.


    For the fourth dance, I decided to stop playing around and approached Duchess Galdur. After one reached a certain age, one wasn¡¯t required to dance when one attended a ball. One could, like Father and Mother, but one didn¡¯t need to. Not only that, Duchess Galdur was a widow, which further exempted her from having to dance. That wasn¡¯t to say that no one asked her. Plenty of men did. However, she rejected all of them. Even so, I figured it was worth a try. If she rejected me, I could always ask one of her daughters.


    I approached her and bowed.


    ¡°I greet you, Duchess Ingrid Galdur,¡± I said, ¡°Grand Sage of the Mistwood and Lord of the South.¡±


    Like Dad, Duchess Galdur had a number of epithets. Father did as well, though I never had to call him by any of them because, well, he was Father.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± Duchess Galdur said with a nod. She looked both curious and amused. ¡°Are you here to ask me for a dance?¡±


    I smiled.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± I said. ¡°May I have this dance, Your Grace?¡±


    My actions drew a bit of attention, and several of the other guests seemed intrigued. I could almost hear their thoughts. The heir of House Kaltbrand asking the head of House Galdur for a dance? What could it mean? Duchess Galdur studied me for several moments, before she nodded.


    ¡°Very well,¡± she said, ¡°I accept.¡±


    I took Duchess Galdur by the hand and led her to the dance floor. When we got into position, the scent of her light and sweet perfume filled my nose. From the corner of my eye, I noticed that Leopold had paired up with Lina. Interesting. However, when the music started, I gave Duchess Galdur my full attention. She was a superb dancer, which would make it easy to hold a conversation while we danced together. After the first few steps, I opened my mouth to say something but the Duchess beat me to it.


    ¡°I just cast a spell to prevent anyone from overhearing us.¡± She said. ¡°Now then, Lord Wulfe. What did you wish to speak with me about?¡±

 Chapter 59: Dancing with the Duchess

    I chuckled at Duchess Galdur¡¯s question. The two of us were dancing at the House Wirt ball, surrounded by dozens of people. However, due to a spell cast by the Duchess, none of them would be able to overhear our conversation. This was perfect for my purposes.


    ¡°Was I that obvious, Your Grace?¡± I asked.


    Duchess Galdur let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t subtle at all.¡± She said. ¡°Out with it. The only reason why I agreed to dance with you is my own curiosity. However, I have no patience for word games. So, if you have something to say, then just say it. Otherwise, I will walk away.¡±


    Well then. That made things simpler.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush, as they say. Which candidate for the throne does House Galdur support, or plan on supporting?¡±


    Duchess Galdur raised an eyebrow at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± She asked. ¡°How disappointing. I expected you to ask me about something far more interesting. If this is all you have to offer, then I see no reason why we should continue with this.¡± Despite her words, she kept dancing with me. ¡°However, I¡¯m feeling generous. Try again.¡±


    I blinked her in surprise, trying to figure out what she wanted. She was disappointed that I asked her about the imperial succession? Why? Was she not interested in who the next ruler of the Reichwald Empire would be?


    Hmm, now that I thought about it, that made a certain amount of sense. According to Elmer, House Galdur refrained from participating in politics unless it was to accomplish a specific goal. Duchess Galdur was an active participant in high society, yes, but that was different. While politics and high society were intertwined in many ways, one could participate in one but not the other. It was uncommon, but it happened.


    However, Elmer also said that when either House Galdur or the Tower of Magic made a move, the other responded. My overall goal was to figure out what the Tower of Magic was up to. To that end, Father and I figured that their movements were in response to House Galdur¡¯s actions. What if we had it backwards? What if the Tower of Magic moved first, and House Galdur was responding to them? In that case, I knew what to say next.


    ¡°Do you know why the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father?¡± I asked.


    Duchess Galdur gave me a questioning look.


    ¡°Duke Guld is Father.¡± I explained. ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand is Dad.¡±


    Duchess Galdur laughed at that.


    ¡°Interesting.¡± She said. ¡°So, you consider yourself a Guld as well as a Kaltbrand.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care either way. However, your second question was more interesting than your first one. Not by much, but enough to pass.¡± She smirked. ¡°If you want to figure out why my dearest sister is after your father, why don¡¯t you ask that brother of yours?¡±


    I frowned. I had the feeling that she didn¡¯t mean Sieg.


    ¡°Emmerich?¡± I asked.


    Duchess Galdur nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said. ¡°According to my sources within the Tower of Magic, Katarina caught Emmerich Guld having a dalliance with her disciple. It caused quite the stir. Katarina destroyed an entire floor of the Tower of Magic when she found out. Why do you think he went on a sabbatical to the Mistwood? It was to flee my sister¡¯s wrath. She wants to lure him back using your father as bait.¡±


    I stared at her dumbfounded. A part of me didn¡¯t want to believe her, since I found the idea ridiculous, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was lying.


    ¡°So, Tower Master Katarina is after my father over a personal vendetta?¡± I asked in disbelief. ¡°Her actions have nothing to do with the imperial succession?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Duchess Galdur said. ¡°I believe the phrase ¡®kill two birds with one stone¡¯ applies here. Tell me, what do you think would happen if Katarina got her hands on your brother?¡±


    I mulled it over for a moment. In Tower Master Katarina¡¯s shoes, what would I do? How would I satisfy a personal vendetta and further my political agenda?


    ¡°She would make Emmerich marry her disciple.¡± I said.


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Duchess Galdur said. ¡°Thus, tying House Guld and the Tower of Magic together through marriage. That way, once the Tower of Magic declares its allegiance for Prince Jeremias, House Guld would either have to support him or remain neutral. Either way, Prince Jeremias benefits.¡±


    I frowned at that.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± I said. ¡°Emmerich is already a member of the Tower of Magic.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but tower magicians enjoy a certain degree of autonomy.¡± Duchess Galdur said. ¡°If your brother marries Katarina¡¯s disciple, he¡¯ll be under her thumb. She could also use him as a hostage if necessary.¡±


    I considered Duchess Galdur¡¯s words. It made sense, though I would have to talk with Elmer-¡­ No, I would have to talk with Emmerich about it. If he decided to run away and hide, while leaving others to suffer from the fallout of his actions, I would make him pay for it. However, I would give him the benefit of the doubt for now.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± I asked. ¡°What do you gain?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Duchess Galdur asked. ¡°This is a perfect opportunity for me to thwart my sister¡¯s plans without getting my hands dirty.¡± She smirked. ¡°Besides, the heir to House Kaltbrand now owes me a favor. No matter how you look at it, I benefit.¡±


    She made a fair point.


    ¡°It looks like our time together is over.¡± Duchess Galdur said.


    I looked around. She was right. The dance was coming to an end. I had been so focused on our conversation that I hadn¡¯t noticed until she pointed it out.


    ¡°I enjoyed dancing with you, Lord Wulfe,¡± Duchess Galdur said. ¡°So much so that I¡¯ll give you a hint. If you pay close attention tonight, you¡¯ll figure out the answer to your first question.¡±


    The dance ended just as she finished speaking, so I didn¡¯t get a chance to ask what she meant by that. The two of us parted and bowed to one another.


    ¡°I enjoyed our time together, Your Grace.¡± I said. ¡°Thank you for accepting my request.¡±


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Duchess Galdur said, ¡°The pleasure was all mine.¡±


    With that, we went our separate ways. I caught Lina¡¯s eyes and nodded towards the refreshment tables. After dancing with Duchess Galdur, I needed a drink. Lina nodded back and the two of us headed towards the refreshment tables. I grabbed two glasses, one for me and one for Lina. When she arrived, I handed the second glass of wine to her. She accepted it and took a sip.


    ¡°So,¡± Lina said in a low voice, ¡°Did you learn anything from Duchess Galdur?¡±


    ¡°Quite a few things.¡± I said, also speaking in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later, once we return home.¡±


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°I noticed something interesting about Leopold when we were dancing together.¡± She said.


    I gave her a questioning look.


    ¡°He¡¯s wearing cufflinks with tree designs on them.¡± She said.


    My eyes widened. This could mean nothing. After all, the crest of House Reichwald was a golden tree burning with sacred fire. However, the crest of House Galdur was also a tree, though theirs was shrouded in mist. If the tree on Leopold¡¯s cuff symbolized the latter rather than the former, well, that had interesting implications.


    ¡°Duchess Galdur said that if I paid attention tonight, I would figure out who House Galdur supported or planned to support.¡± I murmured.


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°I think we know the answer to that question.¡± She said.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I shook my head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep our eyes open.¡± I said. ¡°Just in case.¡±


    Lina smirked.


    ¡°You should dance with Duchess Galdur¡¯s daughters.¡± She said. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll notice something as well.¡±


    I gave her an annoyed look.


    ¡°And start a slew of rumors?¡± I asked. ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    I already attracted too much attention when I danced with Duchess Galdur. If I danced with her daughters as well, people would misunderstand and assume there was something going on beneath the surface. That was a headache that I didn¡¯t want to deal with.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Lina said with a chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ll ask Sieg to dance with them.¡±


    <hr>


    The rest of the ball went by without issue. As planned, I paired up with different partners for each dance, though I gained nothing of substance in the end. For the final dance, I paired up with Lina. I also noted that Leopold paired up with Lady Josepha for the final dance, which all but confirmed my suspicions.


    Unless I completely misread the situation, House Galdur had thrown in their lot with Leopold. This would upset the current balance, and I didn¡¯t know how things would turn out in the end. Regardless, with House Galdur¡¯s support, Leopold would have a real chance at winning the throne. The downside was that this made him a threat to the other candidates, and they would target him as a result. My intuition told me that the fight for the throne would heat up in the near future.


    When it was time to leave, I told Lina that I planned on stopping at Kaltbrand Manor first, before joining the others at the House Guld townhouse. There was something that I needed to do first. She could either join me, or return home with the others. Lina raised an eyebrow at that, but chose to join me.


    It was near midnight by the time we arrived at Kaltbrand Manor. If the servants found Lina¡¯s presence here at such a late hour odd, they kept it to themselves.


    ¡°Keep the carriage ready.¡± I said to the driver. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving again soon.¡± I turned to Baron Kurz, who had come out to greet me. ¡°Tell Elmer that I wish to see him in my study. Don¡¯t let him know that Lady Lina is with me.¡±


    Baron Kurz gave me an odd look, but bowed and headed off to obey my command. After that, I led Lina to the study and asked her to stand in front of my desk. Meanwhile, I waited beside the door to my study.


    ¡°Wulfram, what is going on?¡± Lina asked, frowning. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± I said. ¡°Just trust me.¡±


    Lina¡¯s frown deepened, but she nodded. We didn¡¯t have to wait long. The door to the study opened and Emmerich walked in. When he saw Lina, he froze. Before he had a chance to recover his composure, I grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and slammed him against the wall next to the door. I pressed my forearm against his throat. Enough to keep him in check, but not enough to hurt him.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Emmerich said. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± I hissed. ¡°I¡¯m the one asking the questions. If you don¡¯t want to get hurt, I suggest you cooperate. And don¡¯t even think about using magic to escape.¡±


    Emmerich stared down at me with wide eyes and nodded.


    ¡°Emmerich?¡± Lina asked from behind me. ¡°Is that you? What are you doing here? I thought you were in the Mistwood.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°He pretended to be the personal servant you sent to me and hid himself here instead of the Mistwood. I realized who he was right away, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. At the time, I assumed he had a good reason for his actions.¡± I narrowed my eyes at Emmerich. ¡°However, now I¡¯m not so sure.¡±


    Emmerich studied the both of us, before he sighed. His appearance changed. His hair became golden, his eyes became green, and his features became similar to Father and Sieg¡¯s. In short, he dispensed with his disguise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I even bothered if everyone was just going to see right through it.¡± He muttered.


    Lina walked up beside me and crossed her arms as she regarded her brother.


    ¡°Emmerich,¡± she said in a sharp voice, ¡°What are you doing here? Why did you lie and say that you were going to the Mistwood?¡±


    ¡°First, could you let me down, Wulfram?¡± Emmerich asked. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to breathe.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I said.


    Emmerich pouted and turned to Lina.


    ¡°Big Sis¡­¡± He began in a pleading voice, but Lina cut him off.


    ¡°Answer my questions, Emmerich.¡± she said.


    The man in question sighed.


    ¡°I thought it would be safer to hide here than go to the Mistwood.¡± He said. ¡°Also, I wanted to meet Wulfram and get to know my new brother.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyebrows raised at that.


    ¡°¡®Safer?¡¯¡± She said. ¡°Emmerich, what¡¯s going on? Are you in some kind of danger?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Tower Master Katarina¡¯s real target.¡± I answered. ¡°According to Duchess Galdur, the reason why the Tower of Magic is trying to kidnap Father is to lure Emmerich out of hiding.¡±


    Emmerich¡¯s eyes widened at that.


    ¡°What?!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°No, that can¡¯t be true. Tower Master Katarina wouldn¡¯t be petty enough to attack House Guld because of a personal vendetta.¡±


    ¡°¡®Personal vendetta?¡¯¡± Lina asked. ¡°Emmerich, just what did you do?¡±


    ¡°He had a dalliance with Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple.¡± I said.


    Emmerich glared at me.


    ¡°Will you let me answer?¡± He asked. ¡°Otherwise, Lina will misunderstand the situation. I don¡¯t know what Duchess Galdur told you, but at least give me the chance to tell my side of the story.¡±


    I glanced at Lina. She nodded. I sighed, before letting go of Emmerich. He stumbled a bit, but recovered his composure and straightened himself out. I closed the door to my study, before I gestured for the others to join me at my desk. Emmerich sat down, while Lina and I remained standing. The two of us glowered at him while he explained what happened. If he felt nervous because of this, he didn¡¯t let it show.


    ¡°First of all,¡± Emmerich began, ¡°I would like to point out that nothing happened between me and Valerie. She¡¯s Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple.¡±


    Lina crossed her arms.


    ¡°Then what happened, Emmerich?¡± She asked.


    I decided to remain quiet and let her lead the questioning. As Emmerich¡¯s older sister, she knew him more than I did.


    ¡°The two of us were in the Tower of Magic¡¯s library, looking for reference materials for a project the both of us were working on.¡± Emmerich said. ¡°While perusing through the taller bookshelves, I ended up falling and landing on top of Valerie. Another tower magician saw us. Rumors spread throughout the entire Tower of Magic within a day. I heard that Tower Master Katarina was furious with me, so my master suggested that I leave the Tower of Magic for a time and wait until everything died down.¡±


    Emmerich grimaced.


    ¡°Tower Master Katarina caught me as I left and tried to capture me.¡± He continued. ¡°Saying that I would ¡®take responsibility for my actions.¡¯ The only reason why I managed to escape was because my master kept Tower Master Katarina busy while I made my escape.¡± He gestured to Lina. ¡°At first I planned on heading to the Mistwood. However, when I found out that you planned to send a servant to Kaltbrand Manor, I changed my mind and decided to take that servant¡¯s place.¡±


    Lina¡¯s eyes narrowed when she heard this.


    ¡°Yorick and I are going to have a long talk after this.¡± She said. ¡°There is no way you did this without his help. After all, I entrusted him with finding a servant for Wulfram in the first place.¡±


    I glanced at her. Yorick was the head of the Pink Orchid Trading Company, which served as the cover of House Guld¡¯s spy network. In short, Yorick was House Guld¡¯s spymaster.


    ¡°You planned on sending a spy to me?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I planned on sending a spy to work with you.¡± Lina answered. ¡°Besides, Rosalind is a Blue Shadow. You have no room to complain.¡±


    I almost pointed out that Lina herself wanted Rosalind, but decided against it. There was a time and place for every battle.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to us for help, Emmerich?¡± Lina asked, facing her brother once more. ¡°If you had, we could have dealt with it as a family.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Emmerich said, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to bother everyone with a minor issue like this.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You call earning the wrath of Tower Master Katarina a minor issue?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Emmerich said. ¡°I planned on explaining the truth to her after she calmed down.¡± He sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that she would go so far as to attack my family.¡± He gave me an uncertain look. ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m the reason why Tower Master Katarina is trying to kidnap Father?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°According to Duchess Galdur, yes.¡± I said. ¡°Rather, you¡¯re the excuse she¡¯s using. Her real objective is to marry you to her disciple and hold you hostage in order to force House Guld to support Prince Jeremias, or at least remain neutral in the fight for the throne.¡±


    Lina frowned at me.


    ¡°So the Tower of Magic is supporting Prince Jeremias?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Again, according to Duchess Galdur, yes.¡± I said. ¡°While she might have lied to me, I don¡¯t think she did.¡±


    Emmerich nodded.


    ¡°I think she told you the truth.¡± He said. ¡°Over the years, I heard rumors that Tower Master Katarina taught Prince Jeremias magic herself.¡± He frowned. ¡°Hold on. Why would Tower Master Katarina kidnap Father to try and get me? If she wanted House Guld to support Prince Jeremias, wouldn¡¯t he make for a better hostage?¡±


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°While the Tower of Magic is protected by the Pact, there are lines even they can¡¯t cross.¡± She said. ¡°If they kidnapped Father, they wouldn¡¯t be able to hold him for long before the Emperor intervened. We would pay a heavy price, but the Emperor would help us. He would risk angering the other ducal families otherwise.¡± She gestured to Emmerich. ¡°You, on the other hand, make for a much more convenient hostage, especially if you married Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple. Keeping Father as a short-term hostage and you as a long-term hostage nets the Tower of Magic the most benefit.¡±


    I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, before taking a deep breath. After a few moments, I opened my eyes again.


    ¡°So, the Tower of Magic was pretending to attack House Guld over the sale of magic tools in the Riverlands.¡± I said. ¡°However, that was just a cover for them to kidnap Father, which in turn was a ploy to lure in Emmerich so they could use him as leverage against House Guld. Do I have that correct?¡±


    Lina and Emmerich glanced at one another.


    ¡°That¡¯s an accurate summary of the situation, yes.¡± Emmerich said. ¡°Tower Master Katarina¡­ Well, she prefers complex and convoluted plans like that. I assume it¡¯s to prevent Duchess Galdur from finding out her true objective and interfering.¡±


    I gave him a dumbfounded look.


    ¡°Duchess Galdur is the one who revealed the truth to us in the first place.¡± I said.


    Emmerich shrugged.


    ¡°I never said it worked.¡± He said. ¡°I just said that¡¯s what Tower Master Katarina prefers. Tower magicians are researchers, not schemers.¡±


    I sighed.


    ¡°Regardless, we should head to the townhouse.¡± Lina said. ¡°We need to inform Father of this.¡± She narrowed her eyes at Emmerich. ¡°And you, Little Brother, are coming with us.¡±


    Emmerich¡¯s shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Yes, Big Sis.¡±

 Chapter 60: Family Meeting

    Lina and I arrived at the House Guld townhouse with Emmerich in tow. When everyone first saw him, they were overjoyed at his early and unexpected return. However, after he explained what happened and what he did, they grew cross with him. Father and Mother spent a good twenty minutes scolding Emmerich for his behavior while the rest of us watched. Afterwards, everyone convened in Father¡¯s study to discuss the situation with the Tower of Magic.


    Well, everyone except Mika that was. It was after midnight at this point, well past her bedtime. She protested, saying that she was old enough to be included in the discussion. However, she yawned in the middle of her protest, which undermined her entire argument. After some gentle coaxing from Mother, Mika headed off to bed, grumbling the entire time.


    With all the adults of House Guld in attendance, including Lady Amalina, it was a bit crowded in Father¡¯s study. There weren¡¯t enough chairs for everyone, so Sieg, Emmerich, and myself remained standing while the others sat. I stood behind Lina¡¯s chair, with my hands on her shoulders while we talked. There was a tray of refreshments on Father¡¯s desk, in case anyone felt hungry.


    ¡°The question is, what do we do about the Tower of Magic?¡± Mother asked after Emmerich explained his side of the story. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll stop on their own any time soon, so we need to deal with them one way or another.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we could ask the Emperor to intervene.¡± Lady Amalina suggested. ¡°The Tower of Magic is protected by the Pact, but I doubt they¡¯ll disobey a direct order from His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    Father frowned at that, while Mother let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°That could work,¡± she said, ¡°However, my brother would demand a heavy price from us in exchange for his aid. Knowing my brother, he is already aware of the situation and anticipating such a request.¡±


    Father nodded.


    ¡°If at all possible, I want to handle this problem ourselves.¡± He gestured to Lady Amalina. ¡°However, it¡¯s not a bad suggestion. We¡¯ll keep it in mind, just in case nothing else works.¡±


    Lady Amalina nodded.


    ¡°I could pressure the Tower of Magic by cutting off their supply of mana crystals.¡± I said. ¡°It worked before.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Father said. ¡°However, that could also provoke the Tower of Magic into escalating the situation. Right now, they¡¯re just harassing us. If we push them too hard, they will stop holding back.¡±


    I almost pointed out that attempting to kidnap the head of a ducal family wasn¡¯t mere harassment, but refrained. After all, Father was right. The Tower of Magic wielded a great deal of power. What we¡¯ve seen so far was just a fraction of that power. If they wanted to, the Tower of Magic could challenge the imperial family. One of the reasons why the Pact existed was to prevent something like that from occurring.


    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we cut the problem off at the source?¡± Lina asked.


    Everyone looked at her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sieg asked.


    Lina gestured to Emmerich.


    ¡°The Tower of Magic is using Emmerich¡¯s situation to justify their actions, flimsy though it is.¡± She said. ¡°If we nullify that justification, they will either have to back down or reveal their true intentions.¡±


    Emmerich shook his head.


    ¡°As I said, it began with a misunderstanding.¡± He said. ¡°Even if we explained the truth to Tower Master Katarina, I doubt she would listen. After all, this situation benefits her. If we tried to go public, it would be our word against hers.¡±


    Lina clicked her tongue.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean Tower Master Katarina.¡± She said. ¡°I meant her disciple, Valerie. If she spoke out in your favor, Tower Master Katarina would lose her justification.¡±


    Emmerich frowned.


    ¡°Valerie would never go against her master.¡± He said. ¡°The two love each other like mother and daughter. Besides, if she planned on revealing the truth, she would have done so already.¡±


    An idea popped into my head.


    ¡°What if we didn¡¯t give her a choice?¡± I asked.


    Everyone turned to me.


    ¡°The Tower of Magic¡¯s ultimate goal is to use Emmerich as leverage against House Guld.¡± I said. ¡°So, why don¡¯t we give them a taste of their own medicine and kidnap Valerie?¡±


    Father gave me a serious look.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± he said, ¡°Are you suggesting that we kidnap Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple and use her as leverage?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Father studied me for several moments, before he burst out into laughter.


    ¡°I like it.¡± He said. ¡°It sounds interesting. Let¡¯s go with that plan.¡±


    Everyone else stared at him, appalled.


    ¡°Karl,¡± Mother said, ¡°You just told Wulfram that cutting off the Tower of Magic¡¯s supply of mana crystals would provoke them. Kidnapping Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple would be even worse!¡±


    ¡°I agree with Mother.¡± Sieg said. ¡°If we go with Wulfram¡¯s idea, we may end up at war with the Tower of Magic.¡±


    Lina and Lady Amalina didn¡¯t say anything, but their expressions made their thoughts on the matter clear.


    ¡°If we just had to worry about the Tower of Magic, I would agree with you.¡± Father said. ¡°However, we have other concerns as well, such as the imperial family and the other noble families. The longer this situation goes on, the weaker we look. Sooner or later, rumors that House Guld¡¯s influence is on the decline will spread throughout high society. If we don¡¯t do something, and quick, others may get the idea that they can attack House Guld with impunity. We cannot let that happen.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°Forcing the Tower of Magic to back down will tell the rest of the Reichwald Empire that we are still strong. That is worth the risk of provoking them.¡±


    No one had a response to that.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Mother said with a resigned expression on her face, ¡°As the head of House Guld, you have the final say on the matter. That said, if we¡¯re going to do this, we need to do it right. Do you have a plan?¡±


    Father pointed at Emmerich.


    ¡°No, but we have a tower magician right here.¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m sure our dear little Emmerich can help us kidnap one of his colleagues.¡±


    Emmerich wore a pained expression on his face.


    ¡°Why did you have to phrase it like that?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m already uncomfortable with the idea of plotting against the Tower of Magic.¡±


    ¡°If it helps, we¡¯re plotting against Tower Master Katarina,¡± Lina pointed out, ¡°Not the Tower of Magic as a whole. Besides, she started this fight.¡±


    Emmerich looked thoughtful for a moment, before nodding.


    ¡°True.¡± He said. ¡°The problem is that Valerie spends most of her time locked up in the Tower of Magic. Trying to kidnap her from there is suicide.¡± He mulled it over. ¡°However, I know how we can lure her out of the Tower of Magic. Valerie is a collector. In particular, she is interested in the works of Grand Sage Lambert, a magician who lived in the Reichwald Empire centuries ago. The one thing her collection lacks is Grand Sage Lambert¡¯s personal journal. It surfaced a few years ago, but another collector bought it before she could. If we got our hands on the journal, we could use it as bait. Valerie wouldn¡¯t be able to resist.¡±


    Father looked thoughtful for a moment.


    ¡°In that case, once we have this journal, we should take care to ensure that no one knows that it¡¯s in our hands.¡± He said. ¡°Otherwise, Valerie may realize that it¡¯s a trap. We need a way to lure her out without tipping our hand.¡±


    ¡°What about an auction?¡± Lady Amalina suggested. ¡°If we convince the current owner of the journal to put it up for auction and ensure that Valerie hears about it, she¡¯ll show up to secure it for herself.¡± She glanced at Emmerich. ¡°Assuming she¡¯s as avid a collector as Brother Emmerich says.¡±


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    Father snapped his fingers.


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent idea!¡± He said. ¡°One that involves trickery and spending copious amounts of money.¡±


    I sighed when I heard this. Even after all these years, House Guld¡¯s spending habits amazed me. I didn¡¯t think I would ever get used to it.


    ¡°How do we convince the journal¡¯s current owner to put it up for auction?¡± I asked. ¡°If he¡¯s a collector, I doubt he¡¯ll be easy to persuade.¡±


    Father grinned.


    ¡°Leave that to me.¡± He said.


    After that, we discussed the plan in further detail, working out the potential problems and pitfalls. This lasted for another hour, before we started yawning.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that.¡± Father said in a tired voice. ¡°Let¡¯s resume this discussion after we secure the journal.¡±


    Everyone, with the exception of Lina and I, started to make their way out of the study. However, I held up a hand.


    ¡°Just before we retire for the night,¡± I said, ¡°There is one other matter that we need to discuss.¡±


    Lina nodded. Everyone else gave us blank stares.


    ¡°House Galdur.¡± I said. ¡°Lina and I figured out who they support.¡± I grinned. ¡°Which means that I completed the task you gave me, Father.¡±


    Father, who was in the middle of standing up, gave me a sour look.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have brought that up earlier?¡± He asked, his tone matching his expression.


    ¡°The matter regarding the Tower of Magic was more urgent.¡± Lina said.


    Father sighed and sat back down. The others followed his lead. Emmerich and Sieg both glared at Lina and I. Even Lady Amalina, who always seemed composed, looked annoyed.


    ¡°Very well,¡± Father said in a tired voice, ¡°Out with it. Which one of the Emperor¡¯s children is Duchess Galdur backing?¡±


    ¡°None of them,¡± I said, ¡°She¡¯s backing Leopold.¡±


    Everyone gave us blank stares, before exploding with excitement.


    ¡°What?¡± Father said, stunned. ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    Lina nodded.


    ¡°As sure as we can be without Duchess Galdur outright stating it.¡± She said.


    Lina and I then proceeded to explain the reasons behind our thinking. When we finished Father gave us a skeptical look.


    ¡°That is very thin.¡± He said. ¡°All you have is speculation and guesswork.¡±


    Mother, on the other hand, wore a thoughtful look on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Karl.¡± She said. ¡°I think Lina and Wulfram are onto something.¡± She looked at Sieg. ¡°You danced with Lady Josepha at the ball tonight. Did you see anything that indicated whether or not House Galdur supports Leopold?¡±


    Sieg pursed his lips in thought.


    ¡°I noticed that she wore a bracelet with a golden tree on it.¡± He said. ¡°At the time, I didn¡¯t think much of it because House Galdur¡¯s crest has a tree. However, it could have also been the tree on House Reichwald¡¯s crest.¡±


    Father frowned.


    ¡°So Lina and Wulfram could be right,¡± he said, ¡°However, nothing is certain.¡± He grinned at me. ¡°So, it looks like you haven¡¯t succeeded just yet.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at him.


    ¡°The whole reason why we wanted to find out who House Galdur supported was because of the Tower of Magic.¡± I said. ¡°However, now we know the real reason behind the Tower of Magic¡¯s actions. So, I fulfilled the spirit of the task, if not the letter.¡±


    Father made a so-so gesture with his hand.


    ¡°Even so,¡± he said, ¡°You didn¡¯t-¡±


    Father stopped mid-sentence when Mother crossed her arms and glared at him.


    ¡°Karl,¡± she said, a warning in her tone. ¡°Stop teasing Wulfram.¡±


    Father sighed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said, ¡°The joke was starting to get old anyway.¡± He waved a hand at Lina and I. ¡°You two have my official approval. Consider yourselves engaged.¡±


    Lina reached up and grasped my hand, squeezing it tight.


    ¡°Not quite.¡± I said. ¡°I still have to propose to Lina.¡± I sighed. ¡°I would do it now, but Mika would never forgive me if she missed out on it.¡±


    Just thinking about my youngest sister¡¯s complaints gave me a headache.


    ¡°Even if you tried, I would have stopped you.¡± Father said. ¡°If you¡¯re going to propose to someone, you need to make it as grand as possible.¡± He looked over at Mother with a fond smile on his face. ¡°Like I did with your mother. It was quite the romantic moment.¡±


    Mother gave him a flat look.


    ¡°You and I have different definitions of romantic.¡± She said, before glancing at the rest of us. ¡°He proposed to me in the middle of the throne room in the imperial palace, while my father was holding court.¡± That didn¡¯t sound too bad. ¡°This was just after I renounced my right to the throne in front of every important noble within the Reichwald Empire.¡± Well, nevermind then. ¡°I wanted to beat him to death right then and there.¡±


    I took a moment to imagine the scene in my head. Mother standing before the previous emperor, surrounded by a crowd of nobles, in the moment of her greatest defeat. Father walked up to her, before falling to one knee and asking her to marry him. In her shoes, I would have wanted to beat him to death too.


    ¡°I plan on hosting a small party at Kaltbrand Manor.¡± I said. ¡°Family and close friends only.¡±


    Father seemed disappointed by this.


    ¡°Well, fine,¡± he said, ¡°Do it the boring way.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡± Lina said, a warning in her tone.


    Father clapped his hands, before rubbing them together.


    ¡°Right,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s time for everyone to go to bed. Otherwise, I fear that Lina may kill me.¡±


    With that, everyone headed out and left Father¡¯s study. I said my goodbyes to everyone, before heading towards the House Kaltbrand carriage. Lina and Emmerich accompanied me. The latter was once again disguised as Elmer. After some discussion, everyone agreed that it would be better if Emmerich continued to stay at Kaltbrand Manor. That way, he could continue avoiding the Tower of Magic¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to propose to me, you know.¡± Lina said as we exited the House Guld townhouse and made our way to the carriage. ¡°Everyone important to us already knows that we¡¯re going to marry one another. A proposal is unnecessary.¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°I disagree.¡± I said. ¡°A proposal is an important step in any engagement. Why would I deny us the experience? Yes, our marriage is inevitable, but that doesn¡¯t mean we should take anything for granted. We should cherish the important moments, even if they seem unnecessary.¡±


    Lina scoffed, but I saw the small smile on her face. The three of us stopped before the House Kaltbrand carriage, which was already ready to go.


    ¡°You have a good evening, my lady.¡± I said, kissing Lina¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You as well, my lord.¡± she replied.


    Emmerich let out a sound of disgust, before he brushed past us and entered the carriage. I joined him a few moments later, before heading to Kaltbrand Manor for the night.


    <hr>


    I spent the next morning sifting through a small mountain of correspondence. Baron Kurz delivered it to my study, after I finished with my daily training. Most of them were invitations to various social events and the like. While I had received plenty of invitations before last night¡¯s ball, the amount I received this morning dwarfed them. It seemed that attending House Wirt ball had raised my profile in Haven¡¯s high society.


    Good. House Kaltbrand was the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire, but we had a reputation for being recluses who never left the Barrens. I intended to change that, if only to solidify our position. As appealing as it was to ignore the rest of the Reichwald Empire, we couldn¡¯t afford to do so. Leaving everyone else alone didn¡¯t guarantee that they would leave us alone, as Prince Dirk and Leopold demonstrated. It was better to build a strong foundation and ensure that no one and nothing could shake us, both in a martial and a political sense.


    I sorted through the correspondence, accepting the invitations that I found useful and discarding the rest. As cold-hearted and calculating as this was, I couldn¡¯t afford to be anything else. Besides, it wasn¡¯t as if I had many friends in Haven. The only people I knew were my adopted family, and Leopold¡¯s family. Almost everyone else was a stranger. Since that was the case, I might as well attend the events that benefited House Kaltbrand the most.


    However, I came across a letter from Mom and Dad. I ripped it open and read it. A smile stretched across my face. The two of them had finished dealing with everything that kept them in the Barrens. As such, they would arrive in Haven within two weeks. I let out a relieved sigh at that. While I was capable of dealing with House Kaltbrand¡¯s affairs here in Haven by myself, I had to admit that I would rather have my birth parents¡¯ support.


    Besides, the sooner they arrived, the sooner I could propose to Lina. They were my birth family, and I didn¡¯t want to exclude them from such an important moment in my life. That said, I felt a little nervous. Given how Mom and Lina clashed when the latter arrived in the Barrens, I was worried that my birth family and my adopted family wouldn¡¯t get along at all. That was the last thing I wanted. Both were important to me, and I didn¡¯t want to have to pick one over the other.


    I called Baron Kurz into my study and informed him that my birth parents would arrive in Haven within two weeks. That meant that we needed to speed up the redecoration and refurbishment of Kaltbrand Manor. He nodded, looking like a soldier marching off to war, and promised me that everything would be ready for when the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess arrived.


    After dismissing Baron Kurz, I continued sifting through the correspondence. One in particular caught my eye. It was from Kilian Ritter, the second child of House Ritter. Why would Lord Kilian send me an invitation? We didn¡¯t know each other and he hadn¡¯t attended last night¡¯s ball at House Wirt. It seemed suspicious.


    When I opened the letter and read it, my suspicions deepened. It was an invitation to a sporting event, a martial arts competition to be exact. Despite the name, it wasn¡¯t an actual competition. It was a type of event where a group of Aura users, often the younger generation of nobles, came together to spar and socialize.


    While I had heard of martial arts competitions, I hadn¡¯t attended one before. I ran away from House Guld before I came of age and debuted in high society. Afterwards, I was too busy working as a mercenary to attend an event like this. Besides, martial arts competitions were more common outside of the Barrens, since the rest of the Reichwald Empire didn¡¯t have to worry about constant demonic beast attacks.


    After reading the invitation from Lord Kilian, I considered whether to attend or not. It was almost certainly a trap. House Ritter was the Empress¡¯ family and they supported Prince Cornelius. I hadn¡¯t endeared myself to him when we last met.


    Not only that, but House Ritter was also a rival to House Kaltbrand, though not in a political sense. Both were ducal families comprised of warriors and Aura users. As such, it was natural that there were some competitive feelings between them. The two families had clashed several times over the centuries, both trying to prove their superiority over the other.


    This invitation was a taunt, a challenge, one meant to lure me into a trap. The question was, what kind of trap was it? I didn¡¯t know, yet I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little excited. Ever since I arrived at Haven, I haven¡¯t had a chance to use my sword all that much. I trained and sparred with the Coldsteel Knights every day, but it just wasn¡¯t the same. There was that incident with the Tower of Magic, but it didn''t count. Beating up a bunch of Sages hadn¡¯t been a challenge for me. Attending this martial arts competition could be fun, even if it was a trap. In fact, it could be fun because it was a trap.


    I hummed as I penned a reply to Lord Kilian¡¯s invitation, telling him that I accepted.

 Chapter 61: Martial Arts Competition

    The martial arts competition took place a few days after the ball hosted by House Wirt, in an area outside of Haven to avoid causing any collateral damage. Regular people didn¡¯t have to worry about such a thing, but this was a constant concern for Aura users due to their greater strength. This was why control and discipline was so important.


    The area noted in the invitation was a field about an hour away from Haven by carriage, located near an estate owned by one of House Ritter¡¯s vassals. The field was flat and even, with the grass cut and manicured, making it the perfect place to hold a martial arts competition. The sky was cloudless and clear, allowing the sun to shine unimpeded upon the world. It was too warm outside for my taste, but a gentle breeze helped cool me down. The smell of grass and vegetation filled the air.


    When I arrived at the field, I found a crowd of young nobles lounging about. They sat underneath pavilion tents, which provided shelter and shade from the sun. The sound of their chatter reached my ears. Servants flitted about, offering refreshments. A little over half were men, while the rest were women. Like myself, they all wore sturdy and rough clothing.


    A marked off area served as the arena for the martial arts competition. Two young men, both Aura Warriors, sparred inside this arena. One used a mace, while the other wielded a saber. I took a moment to study them. They were decent warriors. However, both had several bad habits that limited their potential. For some reason, they used a lot of flashy and fancy looking maneuvers. It appeared as if they cared more about showing off than actually fighting. I found this offensive.


    I exited the House Kaltbrand carriage and headed towards the group of nobles. Sir Kane, my bodyguard, joined me. The carriage driver headed towards the area set aside for animals and vehicles.


    Several of the young nobles noticed my approach. One stood up and headed in my direction. It was a tall and muscular young man, who reminded me a little of Prince Cornelius. He had tanned skin, fiery red hair, and piercing blue eyes. He had a trimmed beard, which made it difficult to discern his age, but I guessed he was a few years older than me at most.


    Lord Kilian Ritter.


    He smiled as he headed in my direction. I studied his movements. Unlike the fools currently sparring in the arena, he moved like a true warrior; efficient, with not a single wasteful movement. It appeared that Lord Kilian was skilled, and perhaps even had combat experience, though that was to be expected. There was a reason why House Ritter ruled the Grazelands to the east. House Guld had its wealth, House Galdur had its magic, while House Kaltbrand and House Ritter both had their martial prowess.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe!¡± Lord Kilian said in a booming voice. ¡°You finally arrived!¡±


    When we neared each other, Lord Kilian gave me a slight bow while I nodded to him in return.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Kilian Ritter.¡± I said.


    He waved off my greeting.


    ¡°Come now,¡± he said, waving off my greeting, ¡°There¡¯s no need for such formality, not at an event like this. You can call me Kilian.¡±


    He wore a wide smile on his face. I studied him, trying to get a read on him. However, he seemed sincere and genuine. Either he was as he appeared to be, or he was better at hiding his emotions than I was at reading them. I couldn¡¯t tell, so I decided to remain vigilant for now.


    ¡°Very well, Kilian,¡± I said, ¡°You may call me Wulfe.¡±


    Lord Kilian¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°Excellent!¡± He said, before gesturing for me to follow him. ¡°Let me introduce you to the others.¡±


    Lord Kilian led me to the group of nobles and introduced me to them. There were about a dozen or so of them. They all belonged to families that served or were aligned with House Ritter in some capacity or another. Most of them wore ambivalent expressions on their faces, as if they couldn¡¯t decide what to think of me. The rest were outright hostile, though they tried to hide it as best they could. The only one who seemed happy to see me was Lord Kilian himself. Despite this, everyone remained polite and civil.


    ¡°And this is my older sister, Melitta!¡± Lord Kilian said, introducing me to the last person.


    Lady Melitta, the heir to House Ritter, was a tall and muscular young woman. Despite her physique, she still managed to radiate feminine charm. Like her brother, she had tanned skin, red hair, and piercing blue eyes. She wore her hair short, a practical choice for an Aura user. Long hair was a potential weakness that an enemy could exploit. However, unlike her brother, Lady Melitta regarded me with a cold expression on her face.


    ¡°I greet you, Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡± She said, giving me a slight bow.


    ¡°I greet you, Lady Melitta Ritter.¡± I said, nodding in return.


    The temperature around us seemed to drop as we sized each other up. I made no attempt to hide my mana signature, so it was obvious to everyone around us that I was an Aura Master. However, Lady Melitta remained unfazed, even though she was just an Aura Expert. She wasn¡¯t bluffing either. I could tell that much. Either she had supreme confidence in herself, or¡­ Well, perhaps there was more to her than met the eye.


    ¡°Thank you for accepting my younger brother¡¯s invitation.¡± Lady Melitta said. ¡°He has wanted to meet you ever since he learned of your existence.¡±


    Lord Kilian nodded his head so fast, I was afraid that he would sprain a muscle.


    ¡°Of course!¡± He said. ¡°Lord Wulfe is the youngest person in the history of the Reichwald Empire to become an Aura Master! Not only that, but his mother is Knight Commander Bardin, the most renowned warrior on the entire continent!¡±


    My mother¡¯s title was now Grand Duchess Kaltbrand, or Knight Commander Kaltbrand, but I refrained from correcting Lord Kilian. Instead, I kept my eyes on Lady Melitta. Of the two Ritter siblings, she was the biggest threat here. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if it turned out that it was Lady Melitta¡¯s idea to invite me to this martial arts competition.


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Lady Melitta said in an exasperated voice, ¡°I know, Kilian. You¡¯ve mentioned it several times already.¡± She didn¡¯t roll her eyes, but I could tell that she wanted to. ¡°Let us not keep Lord Wulfe standing.¡±


    Lord Kilian started at that.


    ¡°Oh, I apologize Wulfe,¡± he said, speaking in a softer voice than before, ¡°Sometimes I let my excitement get the better of me. Come sit next to me!¡±


    He gestured to a trio of chairs, which were set up to have the best view of the arena. Two of them belonged to the Ritter siblings, while the third had been set aside for me. They were far enough away from the other seats that if we kept our voices low, the other nobles wouldn¡¯t be able to eavesdrop on our conversation.


    ¡°Thank you, Kilian.¡± I said.


    Together, the Ritter siblings and I took our seats. I ended up between the two of them, which I found uncomfortable. Sir Kane stood behind me. Less than a second after we sat down, a servant came by to offer us refreshments. I accepted a glass of lemonade, before turning to watch the spar that was still ongoing. The back of my head seemed to burn, as I felt the other nobles staring at me.


    ¡°Tell me, Lord Wulfe,¡± Lady Melitta said, speaking in a low and quiet voice. Like me, she opted for a glass of lemonade, ¡°What do you think of those two?¡±


    I let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°Sloppy.¡± I said, speaking at the same volume. ¡°While they look impressive, they would last seconds at most in a real fight.¡±


    Lady Melitta nodded.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± she said, ¡°There are always fools who care more about appearances than actual skill.¡±


    We shared a look. While the two of us were enemies, or at least rivals, at least we had one thing we could agree on.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lord Kilian said. He somehow managed to sound boisterous, even while speaking in a quiet voice. I was rather impressed. ¡°Don¡¯t monopolize Wulfe. I¡¯m the one who invited him here!¡±


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    Lady Melitta gestured to him.


    ¡°Then by all means,¡± she said, ¡°He¡¯s yours.¡±


    Lord Kilian twisted in his seat to face me, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. I found his undivided attention more than a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°Tell me, Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°How long have you been an Aura Master? And how did you become one?¡±


    I spent a moment debating with myself on whether or not I should share this knowledge with Lord Kilian. I had no doubt that it would make its way back to the rest of House Ritter. Perhaps it would even reach the Empress¡¯ ears. While I didn¡¯t think they would be able to use it against me, there was always the chance that they could. However, Lord Kilian¡¯s eagerness seemed to melt right through my reservations. In the end, I decided to answer his questions, though I would keep the details to the minimum.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been an Aura Master for a little over a year at this point.¡± I said. ¡°I crossed the threshold at the battle at Jagged Tooth Pass.¡±


    Lord Kilian sucked in a breath when he heard this, while Lady Melitta gave me a sharp look.


    ¡°I heard about that.¡± The latter said. ¡°They say it was one of the bloodiest battles in recent history. Most of the warriors who fought there died. Of those who survived, most of them fled. Only a few kept on fighting long enough for Knight Commander Kaltbrand to arrive with reinforcements.¡±


    I nodded, remembering what it had been like, near the end of that battle. The smell of blood and demonic corruption that clogged my nostrils. The screams of the dying and the roars of demonic beasts that filled my ears. The bitter taste that coated my tongue. The despair and desperation that filled my heart.


    ¡°I was one of those few.¡± I said. ¡°So was Sir Kane, my bodyguard.¡±


    The Ritter siblings glanced at Sir Kane, who nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± Lady Melitta said. ¡°I went through something similar not too long ago.¡±


    Hmm, that was interesting. Was this her way of telling me that she had also become an Aura Master? Given her confidence earlier, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that was the case.


    ¡°A Sand Nomad raiding party had burnt down several villages along the border a few months ago.¡± Lady Melitta continued. ¡°I tracked them down with a squad of my family¡¯s knights. However, they set a trap for us and killed all of my subordinates.¡± She clenched her first. ¡°I was the only survivor.¡±


    To the east, beyond the Grazelands, lay the Great Desert. It was a harsh and barren land that stretched as far as the eye could see, or so I¡¯ve heard. The Sand Nomads were the native inhabitants of the Great Desert. I know they called themselves a different name, but I didn¡¯t know what it was since I didn¡¯t know much about them in general.


    What I did know was that they were not a unified people. Instead, they were divided into several different tribes. Most of these tribes were friendly to the Reichwald Empire, and were even willing to trade with us. A few were indifferent, and had little to no contact with the empire. However, the rest were hostile and constantly raided the Reichwald Empire. House Ritter¡¯s duties involved keeping this third group of Sand Nomads at bay.


    ¡°My condolences, Lady Melitta.¡± I said.


    Lady Melitta nodded.


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said.


    ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t that when-¡± Lord Kilian started to say. However, Lady Melitta gave him a sharp look, cutting him off.


    Lord Kilian looked panicked for a few seconds, before he scrambled to change the subject.


    ¡°What is Knight Commander Kaltbrand like, Lord Wulfe?¡± He ended up asking. ¡°We¡¯ve heard many stories about her, but we¡¯ve never had the honor of meeting her ourselves.¡±


    I grinned.


    ¡°She is everything that the stories say she is, and then some.¡± I said.


    Lord Kilian gazed at me, his eyes filled with wonder. A few moments later, one of the combatants fighting in the arena defeated his opponent, and it was time for the next pair to spar with one another.


    For the next hour, the three of us talked while we watched one pair of Aura users after another spar with each other. We commented on each of the bouts, pointing out the flaws and strengths of the combatants. While a few were like the first pair, focusing more on showing off rather than on fighting, the rest took the martial arts competition seriously. Not that this surprised me. House Ritter and its vassals were warriors, and raised their children as such.


    In between each sparring match, Lord Kilian peppered me with questions about Mom, Dad, and the Barrens. From what I gathered, he was interested in visiting the north to hunt down some demonic beasts. I answered his questions as best I could, though I avoided giving away too many details.


    The entire time I kept an eye out for any potential danger. When I first read Lord Kilian¡¯s invitation, I thought it was a trap of some kind. However, as time passed and nothing happened, I questioned that assumption. Maybe I was wrong. Lord Kilian seemed like a decent enough fellow. Perhaps he had just wanted to make a connection with me.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was going to happen. While Lord Kilian seemed sincere and genuine, Lady Melitta was another matter. She had warmed up to me somewhat during the course of our conversation. However, I suspected that she was hiding something. Whatever was going to happen, it would involve her.


    My prediction proved true when she stood up at the end of the hour.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting down for far too long.¡± Lady Melitta said. ¡°I feel like stretching my legs.¡± She looked down at me with a smirk on her face. ¡°Lord Wulfe, would you be my partner? As an Aura Master, I¡¯m sure that I could learn a lot from sparring with you.¡±


    Several of the other nobles gasped. When it came to martial arts competitions, Aura users sparred with those at the same power level as themselves. Challenging an opponent stronger than oneself was rare, though not unheard of. After all, one of the best ways to get better at something was to learn from someone more skilled than oneself.


    Still, based on the expression she wore, I doubted Lady Melitta wanted to learn anything from me. Despite her words, it seemed as if she wanted to test herself against me. Once again, I wondered if she was an Aura Master hiding her true strength. The only way I would know was to accept her challenge.


    ¡°If you ask me like that, how could I refuse?¡± I said, standing up as well. ¡°Lead the way, Lady Melitta.¡±


    She nodded, before leading me to the arena. When we arrived, we took our positions. I wielded my coldsteel sword, while Lady Melitta wielded a mace. She handled it with ease and familiarity. My heart started to hammer in my chest and my excitement grew as my instincts told me that Lady Melitta was not an opponent to be underestimated. In that moment, I was certain that she was an Aura Master as well, even though she showed no explicit signs of it.


    ¡°Before we begin, Lady Melitta,¡± I said, as we took our stances, ¡°I have one request.¡±


    Lady Melitta raised an eyebrow and nodded for me to continue.


    ¡°Let us fight at our full strength,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back and pretend to be weaker than you are. We both deserve better than that.¡±


    Lady Melitta studied me for several moments, before she grinned at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you picked up on the clues, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said. ¡°I found the idea of tricking you like this¡­ distasteful.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°Then why did you even try it in the first place?¡± I asked.


    Lady Melitta snorted.


    ¡°Defeat me, and I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    I studied her for a moment, before I returned her grin.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I said, ¡°I prefer it this way.¡±


    I summoned my Aura, using it to coat my weapon and protect my body. The nobles watching us heckled and jeered. Not that I blamed them. In their eyes, I was bullying someone weaker than myself. However, they let out exclamations of shock when Lady Melitta¡¯s mana signature became that of an Aura Master and she summoned her own Aura. It appeared that not even House Ritter¡¯s vassals had known about her true strength.


    Lady Melitta and I studied one another for a second, before we charged at one another. In less than a second, the two of us clashed. A screeching sound filled the air as our Auras collided. The two of us exchanged several blows, probing and testing one another.


    It soon became clear to me that Lady Melitta was stronger than me. Not by a lot, but enough to make a difference. However, her mana reserves weren¡¯t as deep as mine. In terms of endurance, I had the advantage. The longer this fight went on, the higher my chances of winning. Lady Melitta realized this as well, and pressed forward to finish the match as soon as possible. I made sure not to face her mace head on. If it hit me, I would feel it, even through my Aura.


    As we fought, I realized how much of a joy it was to face another Aura Master at the same level as me. I didn¡¯t know when Lady Melitta had crossed the threshold, but it hadn¡¯t been for more than a few months. This made us relatively even. While I enjoyed training and sparring with Mom and Dad, the two of them had been Aura Masters for decades. There was little chance that I would defeat either of them in an even fight. With Lady Melitta, that wasn¡¯t the case. The match could go either way, and I found that thrilling.


    Lady Melitta attacked me with a strike from the right. I moved to dodge it. However, she surprised me when she stepped forward and jabbed at me with her fist. The blow itself caused no damage, but it distracted me long enough for her to bring her mace to bear. I didn¡¯t have time to dodge, so I blocked her attack.


    When her mace hit my sword, I felt it in my arms, even through my Aura. Lady Melitta pressed her advantage and continued to attack, putting me on the back foot. Despite this, I maintained my composure. As strong as Lady Melitta was, she wasn¡¯t as strong at the Rank Four demonic beast that I faced when I inherited the coldfire.


    In fact, unlike that fight, staying on the defense gave me the advantage. I didn¡¯t need to outfight Lady Melitta, I just needed to outlast her. When she realized this as well, she increased the ferocity of her attacks and tried to batter through my defenses. However, I managed to either evade or parry her attacks, forcing her to expend her strength little by little. If Lady Melitta kept this up, she would exhaust herself. Aura Masters had incredible stamina, but even they had limits.


    Lady Melitta eased off her attacks and narrowed her eyes at me.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, ¡°If that¡¯s how you want to play, then I shall oblige you. I didn¡¯t want to resort to this, but you leave me no choice.¡±


    Before I could figure out what she meant by that, Lady Melitta stomped her foot. The ground beneath me shook and my intuition screamed at me that I was in great danger. I leapt back, just as a stone spike erupted out of the ground where I had been standing. If I hadn¡¯t moved when I had, it would have hit me right between the legs.


    I hadn¡¯t felt any mana surging when Lady Melitta summoned that stone spike out of the ground, so it wasn¡¯t the result of magic. That meant it could only be one thing: divine power.

 Chapter 62: Divine Power

    In addition to the imperial family, each of the ducal families also wielded divine power. This was why they managed to rule their respective regions for so long. They were blessed by the gods. From what I observed just now, House Ritter¡¯s divine power involved controlling the earth.


    That was all I had time to think about, before the ground beneath me rumbled again. I moved just as another stone spike erupted out of the ground, almost skewing me. This pattern repeated itself several times, as stone spikes erupted out of the ground one after the other, while I evaded them to the best of my ability. Soon, the stone spikes filled the entire arena.


    One of them managed to graze my body, though my Aura protected me. However, it still felt like an attack from another Aura Master. If one of those stone spikes hit me, I feared that it would pierce through my Aura. For a moment, I considered using the coldfire to fight back. However, I refrained for now. I wanted to see if I could beat her without it.


    I tried to close the distance between myself and Lady Melitta, but she kept me at bay by summoning stone spikes. In fact, the rate at which she summoned them increased, and I had to keep moving to avoid getting hit. If I stopped for even a second, they would skewer me. As I ran around, avoiding the stone spikes, Lady Melitta studied me with a look of intense concentration on her face. It must have taken all of her focus to use her divine power like this.


    After this went on for about a minute, I decided to take a risk. I leapt into the air and landed atop one of the stone spikes. My Aura kept it from piercing into my foot, though it still felt uncomfortable. Using the stone spikes as steps, I headed towards Lady Melitta. She watched me for several moments, before she let out a derisive snort.


    The earth shook once again, before it split to reveal a deep chasm. I lost my footing and started to fall. If I didn¡¯t do something, and soon, I would be in deep trouble. The fall itself didn¡¯t bother me. However, I had no doubt that Lady Melitta would bury me alive once I hit the bottom. Even if she released me right after, it would still be my loss.


    It was time to stop holding back.


    When I first inherited the coldfire, back at Kaltbrand Castle, I spent a few days practicing and experimenting with it. The first thing I discovered was that the coldfire could freeze anything I wanted it to. It didn¡¯t matter what it was. Wood, stone, fire, etc. It didn¡¯t matter. As long as I willed it to, the coldfire would turn it to ice. This included air itself.


    Before I fell more than a few feet, I summoned the coldfire and froze the air beneath me, forming a giant pillar of ice. I braced myself and landed on the pillar. Afterwards I pushed off the pillar and leapt towards Lady Melitta. I grinned at her as she stared at me in surprise. However, she soon snapped out of her shock.


    The earth churned and several stone spikes shot out, flying right towards me. I summoned a gout of coldfire, freezing the stone spikes. They stopped in mid-air, their momentum arrested, before they fell back down to the ground. Lady Melitta summoned more to replace them, but I kept freezing them.


    Moments later, I landed right in front of her. Lady Melitta roared and swung her mace at me. However, there was something different about this strike compared to her previous ones. It felt as if the weight of the world was behind it. My intuition told me that if I tried to block or parry Lady Melitta¡¯s blow, it would go right through my defenses, including my Aura.


    Instead, I used the coldfire to freeze her mace. This was tricky, since I also wanted to avoid freezing Lady Melitta. Despite everything, I doubted that she intended to kill me. I would give her the same courtesy.


    The mace froze, turning into ice. This included the Aura that coated it. I swung my sword to meet the mace. The two collided for a brief second, before the top half of the mace shattered into countless frozen shards.


    Lady Melitta stumbled forward, before she lifted the remains of her mace and stared at it. Silence fell over the arena as neither one of us moved or said anything. After several moments, Lady Melitta¡¯s shoulders slumped and she let out a self-deprecating chuckle.


    ¡°I concede, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to defeat you, not as I currently am.¡± She stared me right in the eyes. ¡°However, make no mistake, I don¡¯t intend to take this loss lying down. I will defeat you.¡±


    I grinned at her.


    ¡°I look forward to you trying.¡± I said.


    <hr>


    The martial arts competition ended after that, since Lady Melitta and I destroyed the entire arena. Besides, even if we hadn¡¯t, everyone else lost their fighting spirit. After witnessing the¡­ sparring match between Lady Melitta and I, anything that came after would have looked paltry in comparison.


    The only one who maintained his enthusiasm was Lord Kilian. As the servants packed away the furniture and the pavilion tents, he gazed at Lady Melitta and I with gleaming eyes.


    ¡°That was amazing.¡± He said to us. ¡°Even if I were to die here and now, I would go to the afterlife without any regrets. Watching two wielders of divine power face each other in battle was like witnessing a legend come to life.¡±


    Lady Melitta and I shared a glance at that, the exasperation in her eyes mirrored my own.


    ¡°Yes, yes, Kilian,¡± Lady Melitta said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you supervise the servants while they pack everything up? Lord Wulfe and I need to discuss something.¡±


    Lord Kilian gave her a pitiable look.


    ¡°But Melitta-¡­¡± he started to say, but Lady Melitta cut him off with a sharp look.


    Lord Kilian¡¯s shoulders slumped, before he trudged off towards the others. Lady Melitta and I walked away, so we could have some semblance of a private conversation.


    ¡°I apologize for my brother¡¯s behavior, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said. ¡°Even though he¡¯s a grown man, he acts like a child when it comes to Aura and divine power.¡±


    I shrugged.


    ¡°I can understand his enthusiasm,¡± I said, ¡°I¡¯m the same way sometimes.¡±


    Lady Melitta gave me an inquisitive look for a moment, before she shook her head.


    ¡°I imagine you¡¯re curious as to why we invited you here, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said.


    ¡°The thought crossed my mind, yes.¡± I said in a deceptively mild tone.


    ¡°Well, since you defeated me, I will answer your questions.¡±


    I gave her a skeptical look.


    ¡°Just like that?¡± I asked. ¡°Why?¡±


    Lady Melitta shrugged.


    ¡°Guilt for the most part.¡± She said. ¡°Even though I objected to my aunt¡¯s plan, I still went along with it.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°You mean the Empress.¡± I said.


    Lady Melitta nodded, her expression solemn.


    ¡°You angered Aunt Regina and Cousin Cornelius with your actions when you visited the imperial palace not too long ago.¡± She said. ¡°So, they decided to punish you for it, and they chose me to be the instrument of your punishment.¡±


    How petty could Prince Cornelius and the Empress be? I expected better from the imperial family. If I hadn¡¯t already decided to not support Prince Cornelius, this would have pushed me towards that choice. The Reichwald Empire was better off without someone like him as the emperor.


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    ¡°So, what was the plan?¡± I asked. ¡°Lure me here and then what? Trick me into sparring with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lady Melitta said. ¡°The plan was to lure you into a false sense of security, before revealing my true strength and cripple you, or at least defeat you and humiliate you.¡±


    My eyes widened at that. I expected something like the latter, but the former surprised me. This was an outright attack against the heir to House Kaltbrand. What were Prince Cornelius and the Empress thinking? This all but guaranteed that I, and House Kaltbrand, would turn against them. Maybe they realized that I never planned on supporting Prince Cornelius, and thus decided to deal with me.


    ¡°As I said, I objected to this plan.¡± Lady Melitta continued. ¡°I found it underhanded. I wanted to defeat you without resorting to trickery. However, my father commanded me to give my full support to Cousin Cornelius, so I had little choice in the matter.¡± She spoke the next sentence in a sardonic tone. ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that you figured out that I was an Aura Master before we fought, causing the plan to fail before it even began.¡±


    From the expression on her face, it was clear that Lady Melitta¡¯s words didn¡¯t reflect her true feelings.


    ¡°And yet you resorted to using divine power during our¡­ sparring match.¡± I said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lady Melitta said. ¡°While I didn¡¯t want to defeat you using underhanded means, I still wanted to defeat you. We aren¡¯t friends, Lord Wulfe. In fact, given our families¡¯ shared history, we¡¯re the opposite. The only reason why I¡¯m telling you anything is because I disagree with my aunt¡¯s methods.¡±


    ¡°A shame, Lady Melitta,¡± I said, ¡°In another time, in another life, perhaps we could have become friends. I find myself liking you, and your enthusiastic brother.¡±


    Lady Melitta shook her head.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°I like you as well, Lord Wulfe. However, just as a sword needs a whetstone to remain sharp, a worthy opponent can help a warrior hone and improve her skills. We¡¯re better off as rivals.¡± She gestured to me. ¡°Though, if you want to befriend Kilian, I won¡¯t object. I know he would like that idea.¡±


    Fair enough.


    ¡°What will happen now?¡± I asked. ¡°I don¡¯t imagine that the Empress and Prince Cornelius will be happy with your failure today.¡±


    Lady Melitta scoffed.


    ¡°So what?¡± She asked. ¡°Even if they saw fit to punish me, there are lines they can¡¯t cross. After all, they need us more than we need them. I have more than one cousin.¡±


    In short, if the Empress and Prince Cornelius went too far, House Ritter could always support Princess Henriette or Prince Jeremias.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Lady Melitta said, ¡°I shall be heading off, Lord Wulfe. I look forward to our next match.¡±


    With that, she walked off to join the others. I watched her go for a few moments, before I headed towards Sir Kane.


    <hr>


    Over the next few days, I kept myself busy with my various duties and tasks, which included attending social events. Lina and I often attended these together. Good thing too. While I enjoyed some of the social events, I found the rest tedious. If it weren¡¯t for Lina, I would have been bored to tears. No wonder Dad spent all of his time in the Barrens. I didn¡¯t understand how the central nobles, who spent their entire time participating in social events, didn¡¯t go crazy.


    I also started planning the party I would hold at Kaltbrand Manor, the one where I would propose to Lina. She offered to help me with it, but I declined. I wanted to do something for her through my own efforts. She called me silly, but didn¡¯t press the issue.


    Baron Kurz and the other servants were ecstatic about the party. After all, there hadn¡¯t been any events at Kaltbrand Manor in decades. The party would be small, family and close friends only, but even so. They threw themselves into the preparations with great enthusiasm. I felt bad, since they were also busy with the redecoration of Kaltbrand Manor, but I couldn¡¯t dissuade them.


    Emmerich grumbled here and there about the party for form¡¯s sake, but put in just as much work as the others. He didn¡¯t need to, now that I knew who he was, but he said that he wanted to earn his keep since I was hiding him from the Tower of Magic.


    Speaking of Emmerich, I told Maria and Sir Kane about his true identity. They were surprised at first, but soon accepted it. When I told them that the Tower of Magic was looking for him, and that was why he disguised himself, they promised to keep his true identity a secret.


    Almost a week after my sparring session with Lady Melitta, I received a message from Father. He managed to secure the personal journal of Grand Sage Lambert, which we needed as bait to lure out Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple, Valerie. I wasn¡¯t surprised. When Father put his mind to it, there wasn¡¯t anything in this world that he couldn¡¯t get his hands on.


    The message asked Emmerich and I to attend a family meeting at the House Guld townhouse. The two of us did as Father asked and arrived at early afternoon of the same day. It was a beautiful day out, so Father decided to hold the family meeting in the townhouse¡¯s gardens.


    The servants had laid out a table and some furniture underneath a pavilion tent. Afterwards, they brought out the refreshments, including tea. Everyone who attended the last family meeting was there, with the addition of Mika. She seemed happy to be included, especially after missing the last meeting. For the first few minutes, everyone chatted and caught up with one another, before Father called the meeting to order.


    ¡°Here,¡± he said, pulling out a leather bound tome with a dramatic flourish, ¡°Is our bait.¡±


    The journal was in remarkable condition despite its age. It was enchanted with magic, though I didn¡¯t know which kind. Otherwise, nothing about the journal stood out to me.


    ¡°May I see it, Father?¡± Emmerich asked.


    Father nodded, before handing the journal over. Emmerich flipped through it and studied its contents, before nodding.


    ¡°This is the real thing.¡± He said, placing the journal on the table. ¡°With this, we can lure Valerie out of the Tower of Magic and capture her.¡± He frowned. ¡°The problem is, I don¡¯t know of any auctions that are occurring any time soon. We may have to wait a while before we can put our plan into action.¡±


    Father waved off his concern.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± He said. ¡°While I was busy securing the journal, your mother was dealing with the auction.¡±


    We all turned to Mother, who sipped her tea with a smirk on her face.


    ¡°Rather than wait for an auction to occur,¡± she said, ¡°Your father and I decided to host one of our own.¡± She smiled. ¡°Of course, we worked through several proxies to prevent anyone from realizing our involvement.¡±


    Everyone stared at her in surprise. Organizing and hosting an auction was no small feat, especially when working through a series of proxies. There were several factors to take into consideration, such as finding the right location, providing security for the event, and procuring items to be auctioned off. I studied Mother with newfound respect. Once again, I was reminded that she was once considered a contender for the throne. If things had worked out differently, she could have become Empress.


    ¡°I¡¯m still in the middle of organizing everything.¡± Mother said. ¡°However, it should all be ready within the next week. I¡¯ve even sent out a few invitations.¡±


    Wait a moment, she managed to put all of this together within two weeks? I¡¯ll be honest, that frightened me a little.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Emmerich asked, skeptical. ¡°If Valerie realizes that this is a trap, we may lose our chance to kidnap her. We would have to come up with a new plan to deal with the Tower of Magic. Maybe we should just wait for a real auction.¡±


    Mother gave Emmerich a derisive look.


    ¡°Who do you think you are talking to?¡± She asked. ¡°This is going to be a real auction. While the primary purpose of it is to lure out Valerie, I don¡¯t do things in half measures.¡±


    Emmerich looked abashed at her scolding and nodded in apology.


    ¡°If this is going to be a real auction,¡± Mika said, her eyes gleaming, ¡°Does this mean there will be interesting items up for bid?¡±


    This caught the attention of everyone in House Guld, including Lady Amalina, except for me.


    ¡°Indeed, Mika.¡± Mother said with a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you the exact details, since I want it to be a surprise. However, I will say this, there will be all sorts of strange and esoteric objects available. After all, this is an auction to lure out a magician. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find at least one thing that will capture your eye.¡±


    Mika wore an excited expression at this.


    ¡°In that case, we have our bait and our auction.¡± I said. ¡°That just leaves the actual kidnapping. What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    Father shrugged.


    ¡°Simple.¡± He said. ¡°After the auction, we¡¯ll lure Valerie into a private area on the pretext of handing the journal over. Once she arrives, we subdue her.¡± He nodded in my direction. ¡°We¡¯ll be relying on you for that part, Wulfram.¡±


    I nodded. While magicians were powerful, they fared poorly against Aura users in close quarters. Besides, I was an Aura master. Unless Valerie was a Grand Sage, she had no chance against me. Even then, I still had the advantage. However, that didn¡¯t mean I could grow complacent.


    ¡°Given Valerie¡¯s status within the Tower of Magic, she will have bodyguards accompanying her.¡± I said.


    Emmerich pursed his lips in thought.


    ¡°Maybe not.¡± He said. ¡°Valerie is confident in her own power, almost to the point of arrogance. She may come to the auction alone.¡±


    Father shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to assume the worst and prepare for it.¡± He said. ¡°Tower Master Katarina isn¡¯t an idiot, and I assume her disciple isn¡¯t either.¡± He looked at me. ¡°We¡¯ll have some of our knights assist you, Wulfram.¡±


    I almost suggested using the Coldsteel Knights, but decided against it. While I considered myself a member of both House Guld and House Kaltbrand, that didn¡¯t mean I could use the latter¡¯s resources on behalf of the former. If this was for something that affected both families, that would be a different story. However, this was a House Guld affair. It had nothing to do with House Kaltbrand.


    ¡°Very well, Father.¡± I said with a nod.


    We then spent the rest of the afternoon, discussing the details of our plan and hammering out the flaws.

 Chapter 63: The Auction

    The next week passed by in the blink of an eye, or so it felt like to me. I attended social events, continued preparing for Mom and Dad¡¯s arrival, and planned for the upcoming engagement party. Lina insisted on helping me with the latter. I tried resisting, but she was so persistent that I gave up in the end and let Lina have her way. I grumbled a bit, since I had wanted this to be a gift for her, but she soothed my ruffled feathers with ease.


    During that week, Prince Dirk and Duchess Galdur formally announced that Leopold would be marrying Lady Josepha Galdur, the Duchess¡¯ second daughter. This announcement made waves in high society, and it was all anyone could talk about for a while. A few people remembered that I had danced with Duchess Galdur at the House Wirt ball a few weeks ago and asked me if I had known about the engagement ahead of time. I just smiled at them and refrained from answering.


    While a few people were happy for Leopold and Lady Josepha, especially the romantic ones, the rest of high society was more ambivalent. Those who supported the other contenders for the throne in particular were unhappy about this development. Leopold had been an annoyance before, but not a serious threat. However, his engagement to Lady Josepha changed everything. With House Galdur¡¯s support, he now had a real chance at winning the fight for the throne.


    I heard from several sources, including the Blue Shadows stationed within Haven, that Prince Cornelius¡¯ supporters were already moving to curtail Leopold¡¯s growing influence. Despite this, more and more families were flocking to Leopold¡¯s banner. None of them were that powerful or influential on their own, but together they were a formidable power bloc. It wouldn¡¯t be long until the more prominent families joined his side.


    Meanwhile, our plan to kidnap Valerie, Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple, was moving along well. Mother finished all of her preparations and all that remained was the auction itself. Luring Valerie in proved easier than anticipated. Rather than send her an invitation, and risk arousing her suspicions, Emmerich leveraged his connections within the Tower of Magic to spread rumors about the auction. This attracted a lot of interest from the tower magicians, who all scrambled to secure an invitation for themselves, Valerie included.


    One thing that worried me was the lack of reaction from Tower Master Katarina. Despite all the rumors about the upcoming auction, she didn¡¯t say anything. This should have reassured me, since it meant that she didn¡¯t notice anything amiss about the auction, yet it had the opposite effect. I didn¡¯t know why. I mentioned this to Father and Mother, who decided to increase security for the event just in case. Still, I couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    The days passed, one after the other, until it was the night of the auction.


    ***


    I looked around at the converted ballroom, which served as the venue for the auction. It was a large rectangular room that stood two stories tall, with a balcony running along the upper floor. A stage had been built along one of the long walls and tiered seating had been installed for the guests. A red curtain hid the back half of the stage from sight. Private booths for high status guests had been built along the balcony.


    While there were a few mana crystal lamps located around the converted ballroom, Mother had decided to keep the lighting dim to add an air of mystery to the auction. By this point, most of the guests had arrived. They all wore cloaks and masks, provided by the auction staff, to hide their identities. Most of them remained quiet as they waited for the auction to begin, though a few chatted amongst each other in low voices. Golden Rose Knights, disguised as guards, kept an eye on everything.


    As for me, I kept an eye on one booth in particular. It was occupied by a young woman, a magician, accompanied by two bodyguards: Valerie, Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple. Like the other guests, she wore a cloak and mask to hide her identity. However, the staff who provided them to her recognized who she was and reported it. Our target was here, so now we just needed her to take the bait.


    It was late in the evening, a few hours after sunset, and the auction was scheduled to start soon. Employees of the Pink Orchid Trading Company, disguised as staff, moved about and offered refreshments to the guests. I was impressed. If I hadn¡¯t known any better, I would have mistaken them for actual employees for the auction.


    I was disguised as a guard, which would allow me to move around unhindered. Meanwhile, Lina and our siblings were scattered among the guests. Father and Mother decided to remain behind the scenes, to prevent anyone from realizing House Guld¡¯s involvement in the auction, though I had no doubt that they were keeping track of what was going on.


    The converted ballroom was situated inside a large manor located outside of Haven proper. It once belonged to a noble family who fell on hard times and had to sell all of their assets in order to pay off their debts. For the sake of our plan, Mother bought the manor. She even paid more than the asking price for it. According to her, the family who owned cried tears of joy when she made her offer.


    The manor was the perfect place to hold an auction targeted at magicians and bored nobles. It was located a short carriage ride from Haven, yet was still far enough away to ensure privacy. It amazed me that Mother managed to find such a place in such a short amount of time.


    A beautiful woman emerged from behind the red curtain, pulling me out of my thoughts. A bright light emerged from the ceiling and shone upon her, following her movements. Given how dim the rest of the converted ballroom was, it made her stand out. The woman was tall and thin, with pale skin and long red hair. She wore an alluring red dress, revealing just enough skin to tantalize without crossing the line into vulgarity.


    ¡°Welcome esteemed guests.¡± The woman said in a husky voice. She wore a seductive smile on her face. ¡°To tonight''s auction, held by the House of Shadows. I am your host, the Lady of Shadows.¡±


    She spoke at a normal volume, but her voice reached everyone in the converted ballroom. I assumed magic was involved.


    ¡°The items up for bid tonight are unlike the ones found at any other auction.¡± The Lady of Shadows said. ¡°Relics from ancient civilizations, artifacts created by powerful magicians, the remnants of rare creatures, and other strange and mysterious objects.¡±


    The auction guests buzzed with excitement at this.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re all eager to start bidding,¡± the Lady of Shadows continued, ¡°So, without further ado, let us begin.¡±


    Another woman, this one wearing the uniform of the auction staff, emerged from behind the red curtain. She carried a velvet cushion in her hands. A blood red crystal sat atop the cushion. Even from my vantage point, I could feel the mana emanating from it. I didn¡¯t know what this crystal was, but it felt like a powerful magical object to me.


    ¡°This is the Bloodheart,¡± the Lady of Shadows said, ¡°A magic item created by Mischa, the Crimson Witch.¡±


    Several of the guests gasped when they heard this.


    ¡°According to legend, drinking a potion created using shards of the Bloodheart can strengthen one¡¯s body and extend one¡¯s lifespan by up to ten years.¡± The Lady of Shadows grinned. ¡°Bidding will begin at one thousand gold and will go up in increments of ten.¡±


    I almost choked on my spit when I heard that. One thousand gold? One gold was enough to feed a commoner family for a month, while one thousand was enough to support them for decades. Even if the legends about this Bloodheart were true, who would spend that much money on-¡­?


    ¡°One thousand one hundred!¡± One of the guests called out. I recognized the voice. It belonged to Mika. I resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. Of course. I should have known.


    Mika¡¯s bid broke the ice and several other guests started bidding on the Bloodheart. The numbers they called out stunned me. Within minutes, the price for the Bloodheart reached ridiculous heights. In the end, Mika won the bid at two thousand five hundred gold. My heart hurt a little when I heard this.


    ¡°Now then, on to our next item.¡± The Lady of Shadows said as the auction staff took the Bloodheart away and brought out another item. This time it was a cube made from some kind of mysterious metal. Like Bloodheart, it emanated an astonishing amount of mana. ¡°This is Anton¡¯s Puzzle Box, a magic tool that¡­¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ***


    The rest of the auction continued along the same vein. Each item put up for bid was stranger and more mysterious than the last. Some were powerful magic tools, like Anton¡¯s Puzzle Box. Others were rare materials and reagents, like the Bloodheart. Some, such as the journals and research notes of powerful magicians, weren¡¯t magical in nature at all. Instead, their value lied in the knowledge they contained. The bidding for these journals and research notes was just as fierce as the bidding for everything else.


    Unfortunately, Mika almost ruined everything right from the beginning. She bid on every magic tool put up for auction. It didn¡¯t matter what it was or what it did. If it was a magic tool, Mika wanted to have it. Thanks to House Guld¡¯s deep coffers, she won every single time. When the other auction guests started to get upset by this, one of the auction staff delivered a message to Mika. Afterwards, she only bid on a few select items. The message must have been from Father and Mother telling her to stop before she ruined the auction.


    This entire time, I kept an eye on Valerie¡¯s booth. She abstained from participating in the auction for the most part, which spoke well of her self control. A lot of powerful magical items had been up for bid, yet she ignored all of them. Instead, she remained focused on her goal. The only time she participated in the auction was when Grand Sage Lambert¡¯s journal was up for bid.


    When that happened, she got into a fierce bidding war with several other magicians. However, she won in the end, though it cost her dearly. She ended up bidding two thousand gold for the journal, which boggled my mind. I knew that magicians valued knowledge and research, but I hadn¡¯t realized it was to this degree.


    After winning the journal, Valerie stood up and left her booth with her bodyguards in tow. Now that she had gotten what she wanted, it appeared that she didn¡¯t want to linger. That worked out for us since the sooner we captured her, the better.


    A few minutes later, one of the auction staff walked up to the Lady of Shadows and whispered something in her ear.


    ¡°Esteemed guests,¡± the Lady of Shadows said, ¡°Let us take a brief intermission here. Feel free to stretch your legs and enjoy some refreshments. We will resume the auction soon.¡±


    An intermission wasn¡¯t unusual when it came to auctions, some of which could go on for hours, so none of the guests found it suspicious. However, I knew better. That was the signal for the second part of our plan. I would be part of the group delivering the journal to Valerie.


    I made my way to the back area, where I found a group of four people waiting for me. Three of them were Golden Rose Knights disguised as guards, while the fourth was the Lady of Shadows herself. The latter carried a case, which I assumed contained Grand Sage Lambert¡¯s journal.


    I took this opportunity to study the Lady of Shadows. She served House Guld, but this was my first time seeing her. I doubted she was a Golden Rose Knight, so perhaps she was a spy working for the Pink Orchid Trading Company.


    From a distance, I thought the Lady of Shadows looked beautiful. However, when I saw her up close, I realized that she was even more beautiful than I first thought. That said, there was something familiar about her, though I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. Have I seen her before? Or was she related to someone I knew?


    ¡°And here is the final member of our party.¡± The Lady of Shadows said with a shifty, almost sly, expression on her face.


    I frowned when I saw it. For some reason, I felt the need to make sure that I wasn¡¯t missing anything. I checked and let out a sigh of relief when I saw that everything was still there. When she saw this, the Lady of Shadows chuckled.


    ¡°I see that old habits die hard.¡± She said, her voice even deeper than before.


    I blinked at her in surprise. She spoke as if she knew me.


    ¡°Have we met before?¡± I asked her.


    The Lady of Shadows smirked.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± She said. ¡°However, let us save the trip down memory lane for later.¡± She held up the case containing Grand Sage Lambert¡¯s journal. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep our esteemed guest waiting.¡±


    I reined in my curiosity and nodded. The mystery of the Lady of Shadows could wait until later. Right now, we had more urgent business to attend to. The three Golden Rose Knights and I fell into formation around the Lady of Shadows as she made her way out the back area. She weaved her through the halls of the manor, until she reached a door on the third floor. It led to a luxurious drawing room. Waiting for us inside was Valerie and her two bodyguards.


    I took a moment to study all three. They still wore masks and cloaks to hide their faces. Still, it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out which one was Valerie. In addition to her shorter stature and smaller frame, she had the mana signature of a Sage. Meanwhile, her bodyguards were both Aura Experts. All in all, they were formidable to be sure, but nothing we couldn¡¯t handle. Of course, there was always the possibility that one, or more, of them was hiding their true power. Still, even if they were, I was confident in my ability to deal with them.


    ¡°Finally!¡± Valerie said in an impatient voice. She jumped to her feet the moment we entered and marched towards us. ¡°Give me the journal!¡±


    Together with one of the Golden Rose Knights, I blocked Valerie¡¯s path. Her bodyguards drew their weapons. One wielded a short sword, while the other brandished a short spear.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Valerie demanded, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°I won the bid, so give me the journal! Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve waited for this moment?¡±


    The Lady of Shadows gave her a polite smile.


    ¡°All in good time, Esteemed Guest.¡± She said. ¡°However, there are certain formalities we must observe.¡± Her expression grew colder. ¡°Including the matter of payment. You won the bid for Grand Sage Lambert¡¯s journal, yes. However, until we receive payment for it, the journal belongs to the House of Shadows.¡± She gestured to the furniture. ¡°So, please have a seat.¡±


    Valerie let out a frustrated sound. For a moment, I thought she was going to attack us. However, she took a deep breath and gestured for her bodyguards to stand down. They obeyed and put away their weapons. Afterwards, Valerie sat down again. The Lady of Shadows sat opposite of her, the Golden Rose Knights and I standing behind her. A wooden table occupied the space between Valerie and the Lady of Shadows.


    ¡°Before I give you anything,¡± Valerie said, ¡°Can I at least see the journal? I want to make sure it¡¯s the real journal of Grand Sage Lambert and not a fake.¡±


    The Lady of Shadows mulled it over, before nodding.


    ¡°Very well, esteemed guest.¡± She said. ¡°However, you can only look. No touching.¡±


    Valerie waved off her concerns and nodded. The Lady of Shadows opened the case and revealed the journal of Grand Sage Lambert. Valerie leaned forward to take a closer look. Her hands twitched, as if she wanted to snatch the journal away right then and there.


    ¡°Open it.¡± Valerie said¡­ leering, for lack of a better word. ¡°Let me see the writing.¡±


    Goosebumps ran across my skin. For some reason, Valerie¡¯s attitude reminded me of an old man demanding that a courtesan show a little more skin. However, the Lady of Shadows obliged. She took the journal out of the case and opened it, revealing some of the writing inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s real.¡± Valerie breathed out. In contrast to before, her tone was now full of reverence. ¡°Finally, after all these years.¡±


    The Lady of Shadows nodded, before closing the journal and placing it back inside the case.


    ¡°Indeed, Esteemed Guest.¡± she said. ¡°All we need is your payment, and the journal of Grand Sage Lambert is all yours.¡±


    Valerie leaned back and nodded. She snapped her fingers.


    ¡°Pay them.¡± She commanded.


    One of the bodyguards gave a slight bow, before pulling out a small chest. He placed the chest on the wooden table, before opening it to reveal a small fortune in jewels.


    ¡°Altogether, these should be worth a little over two thousand gold.¡± Valerie said in an imperious voice. ¡°That should be more than enough to cover the cost of my bid.¡±


    With a serious expression on her face, the Lady of Shadow picked up one of the jewels and inspected it. The silence in the drawing room became stifling, since no one said anything or even moved.


    ¡°They will do,¡± the Lady of Shadows declared after several moments, ¡°Assuming all of the jewels in this chest are of the same quality as this one.¡±


    ¡°Of course they are.¡± Valerie scoffed. ¡°Now give me the journal.¡±


    The Lady of Shadows hesitated for a moment, before she nodded and handed over the case containing the journal of Grand Sage Lambert. The moment Valerie put her hands on the chest, I made my move. The bodyguards reacted right away, but it was already too late. I grabbed Valerie and pulled her towards me. Meanwhile, the Golden Rose Knights moved to subdue the bodyguards.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Valerie demanded.


    She pulled something from inside her cloak and swung it at me. I grabbed it with my bare hand, only to realize that it was a piece of paper. What in the¡­? I stared in confusion, before my blood ran cold. It wasn¡¯t just a piece of paper, it was a scroll; a magic scroll to be exact.


    ¡°Master was right.¡± Valerie said, a smirk in her voice. ¡°It was a trap.¡±


    I started to let go of the scroll, but Valerie tore it. It was just a small tear, but that was enough to activate the magic in the scroll. The worst part was that it took half of my mana in the process, even though I wasn¡¯t the one who tore the scroll.


    A purple light filled the room and the space around Valerie and I started to warp. My stomach fell and a sense of vertigo came over me. I ¡®fell¡¯, for lack of a better word, in an infinite void filled with nothing but darkness. Valerie was with me, which was a small comfort.


    When I stopped falling, I found myself in a dim stone chamber. That was all I could notice, before a silver chain appeared and pulled Valerie out of my grasp. I tried to keep hold of her, but I was still dizzy and disoriented from the unexpected warp. Still, I tried to chase after her. However, before I took more than a few steps, the ground around me lit up and a powerful pressure slammed into me, bringing me to my hands and knees. I tried to resist it, but the pressure was too strong. I tried to enhance my strength with mana, but my mana refused to respond.


    ¡°Hello, Lord Wulfe.¡± A familiar voice said. ¡°We meet again.¡±


    I looked over to find Tower Master Katarina standing off to the side with a smirk on her face. In that moment, I realized that we weren¡¯t the ones baiting Valerie into a trap. Instead, I had fallen into Tower Master Katarina¡¯s trap.

 Chapter 64: Trapped

    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to clear my mind. When the dizziness and disorientation faded away, I opened my eyes again and took a clearer look at my surroundings. Tower Master Katarina remained silent, no doubt content to let me realize the gravity of my situation.


    As I noted when I first arrived, I found myself in a dim stone chamber. It was about the size of my bedroom back in Kaltbrand Castle, with a metal door serving as the sole entrance. There were no windows. The single source of light in the entire chamber was a mana crystal lamp, which was located just above the metal door.


    The temperature inside the chamber was cool, suggesting that it was underground. I suspected that it was a holding cell of some kind. Magic circles were carved into the floor around my location. There were dozens of them, interacting and intersecting with each other in a complex and layered pattern. They were powered by several mana crystals. Given my current situation, it wasn¡¯t difficult to guess the purpose of these magic circles. They were there to suppress me and keep me from using mana. It was the perfect trap to hold an Aura Master.


    After inspecting the chamber, I looked back at Tower Master Katarina, who wore a smug smile on her face. She stood just outside of the magic circles keeping me suppressed. Valerie laid on the ground next to her, unconscious.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised.¡± I said. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was possible to use a warp scroll in order to warp someone against their will.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina shrugged.


    ¡°Despite the difficulty in making warp scrolls,¡± she said, ¡°Using them is rather simple. Everyone who is holding a warp scroll will be teleported when it is torn. They also all share in the cost of using it. However, not many people know this because of how rare warp scrolls are.¡±


    Including myself. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have touched the warp scroll in the first place. My ignorance was my downfall here.


    ¡°Is that why you gave the warp scroll to your disciple?¡± I asked. ¡°In the hopes of catching one of us?¡±


    Tower Master Katarina chuckled.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out that the so-called auction was a trap.¡± She said. ¡°Even a child would have realized it. When I heard that the journal of Grand Sage Lambert would be one of the items up for bid, I realized that it was a trap for Valerie. After that, it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out who was behind it all and why.¡± Her smug smile grew wider. ¡°At first I considered forbidding Valerie from participating. However, after giving it some thought, I realized that it was the perfect chance to end the stalemate between the Tower of Magic and House Guld. I figured that either you or Duke Guld himself would try to subdue Valerie when you captured her. So, I tasked her with bringing one of you here.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter to me which of you she brought. With either of you in my hands, I would have won.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°So, you used your own disciple as bait.¡± I said in a scornful tone. ¡°What a loving master you are. What would have happened if neither of us had been there? Your plan would have failed.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina scoffed.


    ¡°Then Valerie would have used the warp scroll to escape.¡± she said. ¡°She had enough mana crystals on her for that much at least. No matter what happened, she would have been fine.¡± She looked down at her disciple. ¡°Unfortunately, the fool girl decided not to use any when she brought you here. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t be unconscious right now.¡±


    I resisted the urge to curse. After everything we did, and all the preparations we made, we failed. We were¡­ No, I was too arrogant, too complacent. Even though I knew we were up against the Tower of Magic, I thought I was invincible against anyone who wasn¡¯t either a Grand Sage or an Aura Master themselves. This was the price of my hubris.


    ¡°What happens now, Tower Master Katarina?¡± I asked. ¡°What is your grand plan? Tell me, I¡¯m curious.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°All in good time, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said. ¡°For now, just be a good boy and behave.¡± She nodded to the magic circles that kept me suppressed. ¡°There are contingencies in place, to ensure that you don¡¯t try anything funny. This includes using your divine power. Do as I say, and you¡¯ll get out of this unscathed. I can promise you that much, Lord Wulfe.¡±


    With that, Tower Master Katarina summoned silver chains to pick up her disciple and left the chamber. I remained silent as she left. Of course, I had no intention of waiting around and doing nothing. Tower Master Katarina had caught me in an elaborate and well-thought-out trap, but nothing was perfect. I was sure that with enough time, I could escape.


    Unfortunately, that was the problem. I didn¡¯t know how much time I had. With me as a hostage, Tower Master Katarina now had leverage over both House Kaltbrand and House Guld. This was a disaster, and it was all my fault. The auction was my idea, and it was my job to capture Valerie. Instead, I was the one who ended up being captured. Now, if I failed to escape, both of my families would have to pay a heavy price. Guilt and shame filled me.


    However, I didn¡¯t have the luxury of wallowing in self pity. If I didn¡¯t want my families to pay for my mistakes, then I needed to escape and rectify things. Even so, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Because of the pressure on me, it took all of my strength just to remain on my hands and knees. Moving wasn¡¯t an option. That meant that I had to rely on the coldfire if I wanted to escape.


    Still, I needed to be careful. Recklessness wouldn¡¯t serve me here. I didn¡¯t know what contingencies Tower Master Katarina put in place, but they were no doubt formidable. She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to underestimate divine power. However, that didn¡¯t mean she knew what the coldfire was capable of.


    I studied the multitude of magic circles, to see if I could glean anything from them, but soon gave up. I was an Aura user, not a magician. I knew almost nothing about magic. This meant that if I wanted to escape Tower Master Katarina¡¯s trap, I would have to go through some trial and error. By some miracle, she hadn¡¯t posted any guards to watch over me. She must have had great faith in these magic circles. I wasn¡¯t going to complain. Her arrogance worked in my favor.


    I took a deep breath. When I exhaled, I imbued my breath with coldfire. Little blue sparks emerged from my mouth. The moment they appeared, flames burst out of the magic circles and filled the chamber with fire. Heat washed over me. However, none of the flames touched me. They remained far enough away to avoid hurting me. Even so, the heat felt unpleasant.


    To my relief, the sparks of coldfire remain unaffected. I grinned when I saw this. The flames from the magic circles weren¡¯t enough to melt the coldfire. In fact, I wasn¡¯t sure if the coldfire could be melted. After all, it wasn¡¯t ice magic. It was a divine power gifted to House Kaltbrand by the God of Darkness himself.


    I dispersed the coldfire and the flames from the magic circles faded away, though the heat still lingered. Sweat coated my body. I felt exuberant at the fact that my coldfire wasn¡¯t affected by the flames from the magic circles. However, I didn¡¯t let that exuberance go to my head. Tower Master Katarina mentioned contingencies, as in plural. The flames were just the first layer. Given the number of magic circles that I could see, there were likely dozens of contingencies that I would need to get through if I wanted to free myself.


    Worst of all, I didn¡¯t have too much time. Not only did I have to worry about the Tower of Magic using me as leverage against House Kaltbrand and House Guld, but I also needed to keep my body¡¯s condition in mind. While I could maintain my current position for now, it was just a matter of time before I grew tired. I had a lot of stamina, but I had my limits. Sooner or later, I would succumb to the pressure. After that, it would be difficult to push myself back up again.


    Using the coldfire to fight through the magic circles wouldn¡¯t help in that regard. I would exhaust myself trying. The coldfire was powerful, but it wasn¡¯t unbeatable. Rather than waste my energy, I needed to fight smarter. Using brute force wasn¡¯t the solution in this situation. I needed to destroy these magic circles and break through them, while conserving as much of my energy as possible.


    After all, once I freed myself from this chamber, I still needed to escape. I didn¡¯t know where this place was, but I assumed it was tied to the Tower of Magic somehow. In fact, this chamber might even be located within the Tower of Magic itself. In that case, I would have to deal with a large number of magicians in order to escape. Even if the chamber wasn¡¯t located within the Tower of Magic, I had to assume there were guards outside. Tower Master Katarina was arrogant, yes, but she wasn¡¯t stupid.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I studied the magic circles again. However, instead of trying to decipher their purpose, I focused on the mana crystals that powered them. These were the magic circles¡¯ biggest weakness. If I destroyed the mana crystals, then the magic circles would no longer work. The problem was, how would I go about destroying them? Could my coldfire reach them?


    As a test, I spat out a bolt of coldfire towards one of the mana crystals. Once again, flames erupted out of the magic circle. The bolt of coldfire remained unaffected. The moment it reached the inner boundary of the magic circles, a magical barrier formed and blocked its path. The two collided and the bolt of coldfire started to freeze the magical barrier; a crackling sound filled the air. I blinked in surprise when I saw this. Interesting. I hadn¡¯t realized that the coldfire could freeze magic. It never occurred to me to try. Maybe I could brute force my way out of this.


    Just as that thought occurred to me, silver chains shot out of the magic circles that surrounded me. They weren¡¯t affected by the flames and passed through the magical barrier with ease. The chains wrapped themselves around my limbs and pulled, trying to throw me off balance. It was difficult to resist both them and the pressure pressing down on me.


    I dispersed the bolt of coldfire, hoping that would make the chains stop. The flames burned themselves out and the magical barrier faded from view; except for the bit that had been frozen by my coldfire. That part fell to the ground with a clatter. To my relief, the chains stopped pulling me. However, they remained wrapped around my limbs.


    I took a moment to catch my breath, before I considered my situation. The chains were a big problem. If they succeeded in forcing me to the ground, then I would be helpless. Not only would the pressure keep me down, but it would be difficult to survey my surroundings. At that point, I would have no option other than to brute force my way out of this trap. I could break the silver chains using my coldfire, but I didn¡¯t want to do that.


    While the silver chains were a hindrance, they were also a blessing. I could use them as a medium to spread my coldfire throughout the magic circles. After all, they were made from magic and as I just witnessed, my coldfire could freeze magic. From there, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to freeze the mana crystals and destroy them. In fact, I could even freeze the magic circles as well. While I didn¡¯t know much about magic, I knew that destroying magic circles was a good way to stop them. The problem was the magic barrier. While the silver chains passed through it with ease, that didn¡¯t mean my coldfire would. Still, it was worth a try.


    For the third time tonight, I summoned my coldfire. However, instead of spitting it out of my mouth, I willed it to emerge near where the silver chains wrapped around my limbs. The flames from the magic circles erupted to life once again. I spread my coldfire along the silver chains, taking care not to freeze them all the way through. Thankfully, they remained slack for now.


    When the coldfire reached the inner edge of the magic circles, the magic barrier sprang to life again; except for the part that I had frozen earlier. It seemed that the coldfire could cause permanent damage to magical constructs. I grinned when I saw this. Perfect.


    To my disappointment, the magic barrier stopped the coldfire from spreading further. It appeared that using the silver chains wouldn¡¯t help in this regard. That said, I wasn¡¯t too disappointed. I could just freeze the parts of the magic barrier that touched the silver chains and remove them. And I proceeded to do just that. This caused the silver chains to grow taut and start pulling on my limbs again, but I managed to resist them long enough to freeze the parts of the magic barrier that impeded me.


    Afterwards, I dispersed my coldfire and everything grew still again. I took a moment to catch my breath. Continuous use of my coldfire, the heat from the flames, resisting both the pressure and the silver chains. All of these obstacles took their toll on me and sapped my strength. However, I couldn¡¯t give up. I couldn¡¯t let my families suffer for my mistakes.


    When I caught my breath again, I studied the magic circles once more. I was making slow progress in my escape, but I was making progress. Now I had reached the point where I could start attacking the magic circles themselves. However, I needed to be quick about it. Given what I¡¯ve seen so far, it was likely that Tower Master Katarina put in place some kind of contingency to prevent the destruction of the magic circles. I needed to freeze them, or destroy the mana crystals, before that happened.


    There was another factor I needed to take into consideration. So far, the contingencies had impeded me, but not harmed me. However, I didn¡¯t know how long that trend would last. I doubted that Tower Master Katarina wanted to kill me, since that would lead to war with both House Kaltbrand and House Guld, but she could injure me to the point where I couldn¡¯t escape. Once I started freezing the magic circles, there would be no going back. I would either escape, or fail trying.


    I took a moment to center myself, before I summoned my coldfire for the fourth and final time. This time, instead of taking it slow and steady, I willed it to race along the silver chains. The fire, the magic barrier, and the other contingencies Tower Master Katarina put into place all sprang to life. However, none of them could stop the coldfire. It bypassed the magic barrier, which now had holes in it, and soon reached the magic circle from which the silver chains emerged. They grew taut and tried to pull me down again. I took special care not to freeze them all the way through, since I didn¡¯t want them to snap.


    From the magic circle that summoned the silver chains, my coldfire spread to the rest of the magic circles that kept me trapped. More and more of Tower Master Katarina¡¯s contingencies sprang to life, though they were all centered on me. This allowed my coldfire to spread unimpeded and freeze the magic circles. Spells of all kinds hit me, all of them designed to incapacitate and subdue rather than injure or kill. In the end, I couldn¡¯t maintain my position and fell to the ground face first. However, it didn¡¯t matter at this point. My coldfire continued to run rampant, freezing the magic circles. A loud crackling sound filled the air. Soon, the spells keeping me in place started to die out one by one.


    After a while, the pressure keeping me down disappeared. I pushed myself up and looked around. By this point, most of the magic circles were frozen solid. I tried using my mana and found that I could. I grinned. However, I didn¡¯t stop there. I kept spreading my coldfire, until a layer of ice and frost covered the entire chamber. It even froze the fire and the silver chains summoned by the magic circles. The mana crystal lamp above the metal door was also frozen over. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t affect its ability to illuminate the stone chamber, otherwise I would have plunged into darkness.


    I let out a chuckle and snapped the silver chains to free myself, before dispersing the coldfire. Afterwards, I tried to stand, but a wave of exhaustion and dizziness washed over me. I sat back down. It looked like I had used most of my energy in order to break free from the magic circles. By some miracle, no one heard the crackling sound as my coldfire froze everything in this chamber. Destroying the magic circles hadn¡¯t alerted Tower Master Katarina either, which was something that worried me.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t stop here. Sooner or later, someone would come in to check up on me. I was a precious hostage, after all. They couldn¡¯t let anything happen to me. Also, it was freezing cold inside the stone chamber. While I wasn¡¯t affected by my coldfire itself, that didn¡¯t mean I was immune to the effects of it. I needed to get out of here before the cold sapped my strength even further.


    Despite how tired I felt, I pushed myself to my feet. Once again, exhaustion and dizziness remained washed over me, but I pushed through it. I used mana to enhance my strength, which helped a little. Afterwards, I walked over to the metal door. It was locked, of course, but I used my coldfire to freeze it. I then drew my sword, which Tower Master Katarina hadn¡¯t taken away from me, and used it to break open the door.


    Unfortunately, a loud sound rang out when I did this. If there was anyone keeping guard, that would have alerted them. Rather than wait for them to come to me, I burst out of the stone chamber with my sword at the ready. However, I didn¡¯t see anyone.


    On the other side of the metal door was a narrow corridor, lined with metal doors on both sides. This must have been a dungeon of some kind. Mana crystal lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating everything. One end of the corridor was a dead end, while the other led to a set of stairs that went up.


    With my sword in front of me, I headed towards the stairs. When I reached them, I looked up. At the top was a wooden door that looked thick and solid. Despite this, I heard muffled noises coming from the other side of the wooden door, thanks to my sharper senses. Taking care not to make a sound, I walked up the steps and pressed my ear to the wooden door. It took me a moment to identify the noises. It sounded like people fighting.


    All of a sudden, the noises stopped. When this happened, I stepped back and readied myself. Perhaps the people fighting on the other side were my allies, or perhaps they were my enemies. Either way, I was ready. If they opened the wooden door, then I would use that to my advantage. If not, then I would wait until they left and then open the door myself.


    However, I didn¡¯t have to wait long. After a few moments, I heard the sound of a key turning a lock and the wooden door opened, swinging outward. The moment this happened, I sprang forward and slammed my shoulder into the door. I heard a yelp as the person on the other side was knocked back. Beyond the wooden door was a well-lit stone chamber. It looked like a guard station of some kind, filled with rough wooden furniture.


    There were five people inside, all of whom were magicians. Two were laying on the ground. They wore the robes of the Tower of Magic. I couldn¡¯t tell if they were dead, or just unconscious. The other three wore hooded cloaks that hid their features; two were standing while the third was sitting on the ground. I presumed the last one was the person who I knocked back. It appeared that these three were enemies of the Tower of Magic. However, I didn¡¯t let my guard down. Just because they were enemies of the Tower of Magic didn¡¯t mean they were my allies.


    I pointed my sword at them. The two figures still standing summoned spells.


    ¡°Wait, stop!¡± The figure on the ground said in a familiar voice. ¡°That¡¯s Wulfram! He¡¯s the one we¡¯re here to rescue!¡±


    I stared as the figure on the ground stood up and pulled back his hood, revealing Emmerich. He grinned at me.


    ¡°Hey, Wulfram.¡± He said.

 Chapter 65: Escaping from Blackhold

    I stared at my brother for a moment.


    ¡°Emmerich?¡± I said. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    He scowled at me.


    ¡°Rescuing you, of course.¡± He said, before raising an eyebrow at me. ¡°Though, it appears you freed yourself without our aid. How did you manage that? I heard that the dungeons down here were powerful enough to contain Aura Masters and Grand Sages.¡±


    ¡°Divine power.¡± I answered.


    Emmerich¡¯s eyes lit up with understanding.


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± He said. ¡°I almost forgot that you¡¯re the heir to House Kaltbrand.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked. ¡°And how did you know to find me here?¡±


    Emmerich¡¯s expression turned serious.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a story,¡± he said, ¡°And we don¡¯t have much time. All I can say is that this is Blackhold, a prison built to contain criminals who break the Tower of Magic¡¯s laws, as well as enemies of the Tower.¡±


    The Tower of Magic had its own prison? I hadn¡¯t heard of that. Then again, I supposed that the Tower of Magic wouldn¡¯t want people to know about it.


    ¡°We should hurry,¡± one of Emmerich¡¯s companions said. He sounded like a man. ¡°The guards won¡¯t be distracted for long.¡±


    I gave Emmerich a questioning look.


    ¡°A force comprised of knights from both the Order of the Golden Rose and the Order of the Coldsteel Blade are keeping most of the prison guards occupied.¡± He explained. ¡°However, it won¡¯t be long before they send someone down to check on this place.¡±


    I let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°Let them come.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m in the mood for violence.¡±


    Emmerich¡¯s other companion, the one who hadn¡¯t spoken yet, shook their head.


    ¡°You may be an Aura Master, but you¡¯re in no condition to fight.¡± He said, also in a man¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before Tower Master Katarina arrives. We¡¯re better off fleeing before that happens.¡±


    I hesitated, before nodding. He was right. I couldn¡¯t let my emotions get the better of me. My mana reserves were low, and I was tired from using my coldfire. While I could hold my own against weaker foes, I wasn¡¯t a match for Tower Master Katarina in my current condition.


    ¡°Lead the way then.¡± I said, gesturing to the trio. ¡°You know this place better than I do.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡± Emmerich said. ¡°Follow me.¡± He turned towards the exit, but then stopped. ¡°Oh, before I forget. Let me get introductions out of the way.¡± He gestured to the figure on my right. ¡°This is my master, Gerolf. It¡¯s thanks to him that we even made it this far.¡±


    I gave Gerolf a bow.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, ¡°I will never forget this.¡±


    Gerolf grunted and jerked a thumb towards Emmerich.


    ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± He said in a gruff voice. ¡°I only helped because this one begged me to.¡±


    Despite his demeanor, I heard affection in Gerolf¡¯s voice. It appeared that he treasured Emmerich, though he pretended otherwise.


    ¡°This is my friend, Lord Christian Lehr of House Lehr.¡± Emmerich said, gesturing to the figure on my left.


    ¡°I¡¯m here because Emmerich promised me my weight in mana crystals.¡± Lord Christian said.


    I nodded at him.


    ¡°And you shall have them.¡± I said.


    Most of the mana crystals within the Reichwald Empire came from the Barrens, so finding enough of them to pay Lord Christian wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡± Lord Christian said.


    Gerolf gestured to the exit.


    ¡°Now that we¡¯re done with all the introductions,¡± he said, ¡°Let us get out of here.¡±


    We all nodded and followed Emmerich, who took the lead. Along the way, Lord Christian explained to me that Blackhold was an underground prison that consisted of four levels. Each level was connected to the others by a central staircase that led to the surface.


    The lowest level was reserved for the most powerful of the Tower of Magic¡¯s enemies, as well as those who had committed the most heinous crimes. The upper levels were for lesser enemies, or those whose crimes weren¡¯t as serious. I, of course, had been imprisoned in the bottom level.


    As we ascended the staircase, I expected us to go all the way to the top. However, contrary to my expectations, we stopped at the entrance to the second level. I gave Emmerich a questioning look.


    ¡°There is a hidden entrance in one of the cells that leads to a secret passageway out of Blackhold,¡± he explained. ¡°It was built in case the Tower of Magic ever lost control of the prison and needed to retake it.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Is it all right to reveal such a thing to an outsider like me?¡± I asked. ¡°Or to use it to break a prisoner out of this place?¡±


    ¡°Not everyone in the Tower of Magic agrees with Tower Master Katarina¡¯s actions.¡± Gerolf said, shaking his head. ¡°There is a reason why the Tower of Magic prefers to remain neutral when it comes to politics. It causes nothing but headaches, and distracts us from our true purpose. The last thing we need is to make enemies of House Kaltbrand and House Guld.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°Of course, I hope that you¡¯ll keep the existence and the location of the secret passage to yourself.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell a soul.¡± I promised.


    Gerolf let out a grunt, before turning away from me. Emmerich threw open the entrance to the second level. It led to a guard station similar to the one at the bottom level. Inside were two tower magicians, who I presumed were the guards for the second level. They must not have known what was going on, because they were both slow to react. By the time they realized what was going on, it was already too late. Emmerich, Gerolf, and Lord Christian subdued them before they even had a chance to fight back. I didn¡¯t have to do anything.


    After subduing the guards and knocking them out, Emmerich rummaged around in their robes and found a ring of keys in one of their pockets.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that a prison owned by the Tower of Magic uses such mundane methods.¡± I said. ¡°Why not use magic for everything?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because most of the prisoners here are magicians.¡± Emmerich said with a chuckle. ¡°Ironically, this means it¡¯s easier to keep them contained using mundane means rather than magical ones. Most magicians know how to break magical locks and restraints. Few know how to deal with mundane ones.¡±


    I mulled it over for a bit, before nodding. That made a certain amount of sense.


    The layout of the second level was identical to that of the bottom level. Emmerich took one of the keys from the ring, and opened the thick wooden door which led to the prison cells. The four of us went through the door and down the stairs, ending up in a hallway lined with metal doors.


    Emmerich¡¯s master, Gerolf, took the lead at this point. He brought us to one of the metal doors at the end of the hallway. Emmerich opened it using one of the keys he pilfered off the guards. On the other side was a prison cell similar to the one I had been in: a stone chamber lit up by a single mana crystal lamp with a magic circle carved into the floor. However, the magic circle here was far less complex than the one for my cell.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Gerolf rushed to the far wall of the prison cell and examined it.


    ¡°Where is¡­ Ah! Here it is!¡±


    Gerolf pressed a spot on the wall, which I realized was a concealed button. It had been so well hidden, I hadn¡¯t noticed it even with my enhanced senses. The moment Gerolf pushed the button, a grinding sound filled the prison cell and a part of the wall swung inward to reveal the secret passage: a stone tunnel leading off into the distance.


    ¡°Inside,¡± Gerolf said, ¡°Hurry!¡±


    We all entered the secret passage. The moment everyone was inside, Gerolf closed the door behind us. It was a little disorienting at first, since it was pitch dark inside the secret passage, but Emmerich conjured a ball of light to illuminate our path.


    The journey through the secret passage was uneventful. Despite this, or maybe because of it, my nerves grew taut with tension. We had almost escaped from Blackhold, but we weren¡¯t in the clear yet. There were a number of things that could still go wrong, so it was too early to relax and grow complacent. I remained alert, just in case.


    After traveling for an indeterminable amount of time, the secret passage led to a narrow spiral staircase leading up. At the top of a staircase was a wooden trapdoor. Emmerich tried to open the trap door. However, he couldn¡¯t. No matter how hard he strained, the trap door refused to budge. He turned towards me with an embarrassed expression on his face.


    ¡°The trap door is hidden by a thick layer of earth,¡± he explained. ¡°However, as you can see, I¡¯m too weak to open it. Wulfram, would you mind?¡±


    I gave my brother an amused smile, before I pushed the trap door open with ease. Emmerich sighed and slumped his shoulders at that. I went through first, before I helped the others up.


    The trap door led to a small clearing within a dark and misty forest. Perhaps it was because we were in the midst of an escape, but the trees appeared dark and sinister to my eyes. The smell of wet earth and vegetation filled the air. It was warm outside. After the cool and even temperature of Blackhold, I found it a little unpleasant.


    ¡°All right,¡± Emmerich said. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. We just need to regroup with the others at the meeting point and we¡¯ll be set. Not even Tower Master Katarina would attack a group of knights.¡± He grinned at me. ¡°Not with an Aura Master at our side.¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond, but another voice spoke out before I could. A chill ran down my spine when I realized that it belonged to Tower Master Katarina.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± She called out. ¡°Which is why I plan on dealing with you all right here and now.¡±


    Acting without thinking, I pushed Gerolf and Lord Christian aside before tackling Emmerich to the ground. Moments later, several spears made from silver light flew through the air where we had been. Afterwards, I jumped to my feet and summoned my Aura, before facing the direction where the silver spears had come from. Tower Master Katarina hovered in the air above the clearing.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯ve decided to go right for the kill.¡± I said, no longer bothering with honorifics.


    Tower Master Katarina snorted.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so dramatic, Lord Wulfe.¡± She said. ¡°None of those would have killed you or your rescuers. At worst, they would have crippled you.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t much better.¡± I said.


    The others pushed themselves to their feet and stood beside me.


    ¡°Gerolf,¡± Tower Master Katarina said, ¡°I should have known you were behind this. You always spoiled your disciple.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any position to criticize me for that, Tower Master.¡± Gerolf said in a wry voice. ¡°Not when your excuse for starting this whole mess was your own disciple.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina nodded after a moment.


    ¡°Fair enough.¡± She said, before turning towards Lord Christian. ¡°However, I am surprised to see you here, Lord Christian; surprised, and disappointed. I expected better of you.¡±


    Lord Christian shrugged.


    ¡°I am surprisingly susceptible to bribes.¡± He said in a nonchalant tone. ¡°Besides, I like Emmerich. Interesting things keep happening around him.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina let out an annoyed sigh.


    ¡°Enough chit chat.¡± She said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this short. Surrender. The four of you are not powerful enough to beat me, not with Lord Wulfe in his current condition. Even a blind man would see that he is on his last legs. However, you are all strong enough that I can¡¯t afford to hold back. I can¡¯t guarantee your safety. You may even die. So, make the smart choice and surrender. You can¡¯t win, so why take the risk?¡±


    ¡°Or you could let us go, Tower Master Katarina,. Emmerich pointed out. ¡°There is no reason to make an enemy of both House Kaltbrand and House Guld. I¡¯m sure Wulfram and I can convince our parents to forgive you, after receiving some suitable compensation, of course. We don¡¯t need to fight.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina narrowed her eyes at my brother.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you.¡± she said. ¡°None of this would have happened if you had just stayed put, like I wanted you to.¡±


    Emmerich let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I tried.¡±


    The moment the words left his mouth, Tower Master Katarina reared back and let out a pained grunt. Meanwhile, Emmerich stared at her with a look of intense concentration on his face. It took me a moment to realize that my brother had attacked her. Unlike most magicians, Emmerich specialized in mental magic. That meant his attacks were also mental in nature.


    ¡°You little-!¡± Tower Master Katarina roared. However, she reared back again and let out another pained grunt.


    I looked over to see Gerolf also staring at Tower Master Katarina with a look of intense concentration on his face. I decided to take advantage of this opportunity and leapt up to attack Tower Master Katarina with my sword, utilizing my limited amount of mana to enhance my strength. At the same time, Lord Christian summoned several balls of fire and launched them at her.


    Tower Master Katarina snarled and summoned several silver spears. She sent half of them to deal with Lord Christian¡¯s fireballs, while she launched the other half at me. Despite the situation, a part of me admired Tower Master Katarina¡¯s mental fortitude. Facing mental attacks from two Sages, while also fending off two other attackers, was no easy task, even for a Grand Sage.


    Tower Master Katarina¡¯s silver spears tore through Lord Christian¡¯s fireballs, before speeding towards Lord Christian himself. He summoned a magical barrier to block them, though it was clear this strained him. Meanwhile, I used my coldfire to create footholds for myself and dodged most of the silver spears heading towards me. I parried and deflected the rest using my sword, before rushing towards Tower Master Katarina. However, just as I reached her and swung my sword, she summoned a magical barrier around her entire body.


    Unlike most magical barriers, which were purely defensive in nature, this one consisted of countless tiny blades made from silver light. They blocked my sword, before they shot out towards me. I scrambled back to avoid them, which wasn¡¯t easy since I needed to create footholds using my coldfire in order to remain in the air.


    Tower Master Katarina took advantage of this opening to launch her own attack. She summoned a ball of silver light and shot it towards me. I dodged it. However, just as I thought the silver ball would pass by me, it exploded into even more tiny blades that peppered my Aura. None of them broke through, though the attack drained my mana even further.


    At this rate, it would be just a matter of time before I ran out. After that, we would lose. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to face Tower Master Katarina with my physical strength alone, and I didn¡¯t think the others were strong enough to face her without me. We needed to end this fight soon.


    Tower Master Katarina harried and harassed me by summoning dozens of silver spears and exploding silver balls. I dodged them all, while waiting for an opportunity to make my own move. I planned on taking a gamble and ending things with one attack. Risky, yes. However, it wasn¡¯t as if we had much choice.


    Lord Christian tried to attack Tower Master Katarina, but she fended him off with ease, even while keeping most of her attention on me. Once again, I found myself impressed by the woman.


    ¡°Emmerich,¡± I called out, after I barely managed to dodge a silver spear, ¡°I need an opening.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± My brother replied.


    He let out a roar and Tower Master Katarina screamed, clutching her head. Blood dripped down her nose. I didn¡¯t know what Emmerich did, but it clearly had an effect. However, it must have taken a toll on my brother, since he fell to the ground right after. Still, it gave me the opening I needed.


    I rushed towards Tower Master Katarina. Both Gerolf and Lord Christian intensified their own attacks, also taking advantage of the opening that Emmerich made. I didn¡¯t bother swinging my sword. Instead, I wielded my coldfire, pouring all of my remaining strength into one final attack.


    The moment my coldfire came into contact with Tower Master Katarina¡¯s barrier, it started freezing the latter. She gave me a stunned look, as if she couldn¡¯t believe what was going on. After a moment, she regained her composure and tried to break away. However, before she could do anything, Gerolf let out a roar of his own.


    Tower Master Katarina screamed again and more blood gushed from her nose. I took advantage of this to completely freeze her magic barrier, imprisoning her inside it. This must have affected her ability to fly, since she fell towards the ground. A moment later, I started falling as well. I had no more strength left, which meant I couldn¡¯t maintain the footholds that allowed me to remain airborne.


    I plummeted to the ground face first. However, I felt neither fear nor panic. While I didn¡¯t have the strength to move, I still had mana and my Aura still protected me. Even if I fell from a greater height, I would be fine. However, a strong breeze hit me from below and slowed my fall. Moments later, I landed on the ground without issue. I tried to move, but my body refused to listen to me, even when I used mana.


    I heard footsteps approaching, before someone rolled me onto my back. Lord Christian stared down at me with a worried expression on his face.


    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re still alive.¡± He said, relieved. ¡°If something had happened to you, Emmerich would have killed me.¡±


    I forced my lips to move, though it took tremendous effort on my part.


    ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± I said, my voice just a whisper.


    I would have been fine even without his aid, but there was no reason to tell him that.


    ¡°Just double my payment,¡± Lord Christian said, grinning, ¡°And I¡¯ll consider us even.¡±


    I gave him the slightest of nods. It wasn¡¯t as if the Barrens suffered from a shortage of mana crystals.


    ¡°Tower¡­ Master?¡± I asked.


    Lord Christian grimaced and shook his head.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± He said. ¡°She used a warp scroll just before she hit the ground.¡± He chuckled. ¡°For some reason, she brought her frozen barrier with her.¡± His mirth faded away. ¡°However, we should get out of here. It¡¯s just a matter of time before she returns with reinforcements, and none of us are in any condition to fight. Can you move?¡±


    I shook my head. Lord Christian sighed.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll have to carry everyone to the meeting point. Even with magic, that will be difficult.¡± He snorted. ¡°I changed my mind. I want triple.¡±


    Lord Christian¡¯s mercenary attitude amused me.


    ¡°Very¡­ well.¡±


    Lord Christian said something in response, but I started to fade from consciousness and I didn¡¯t him. Moments later, I fell into darkness.

 Chapter 66: The Emperors Letter

    When I came to again, I found myself in my rooms in Kaltbrand Manor. Based on the sunlight streaming through the windows, it was midmorning. It appeared that Lord Christian had succeeded in bringing me and the others to the meeting point. Otherwise, I would have found myself back in my cell within Blackhold. I took a moment to take in my condition. Other than my low mana reserves and some fatigue, I felt fine.


    I tried to sit up, but stopped when I felt something against my side. I peeked to find Lina half sitting on a chair next to me, half laying on my bed. She was asleep. I didn¡¯t want to disturb her, so I moved with care as I sat up. Afterwards, I studied her sleeping face. Even in sleep, my spring queen wore a worried expression.


    Something squeezed my heart when I thought about how worried she must have been after I fell for Tower Master Katarina¡¯s trap and ended up in Blackhold; how worried everyone in my adopted family felt. I berated myself for my carelessness, and swore to never fall for such a trick again. If Tower Master Katarina had intended to kill me, I could have easily lost my life.


    I shook my head to clear my mind of such thoughts and focused on Lina once more. Following an impulse, I reached over and stroked her hair. The lines of worry on her face eased. My heart swelled with an emotion too big and too complex to put into words. All I knew was that Lina was my world, and I would do anything for her.


    My stroking must have woken Lina, since her eyelids fluttered before opening. Our eyes met.


    ¡°Wulfram!¡± She said, before sitting up and launching herself at me.


    Lina pulled me into a tight embrace. It felt as if she would never let me go.


    ¡°When I heard that you had disappeared,¡± she whispered, ¡°I thought I had lost you forever.¡±


    Lina started trembling. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her onto my lap, holding her tight.


    ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± I said in a soothing tone. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    Lina¡¯s trembling eased, but didn¡¯t disappear.


    ¡°We should have never gotten you involved in our business.¡± She said. ¡°If we hadn¡¯t, this wouldn¡¯t have happened to you.¡±


    I pulled back, just enough to look her in the eyes, and gave her a stern look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m a Guld as well.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Besides, if it hadn¡¯t happened to me, it would have happened to someone else.¡±


    If Lina had been the one to fall for Tower Master Katarina¡¯s trap, I don¡¯t know what I would have done. No, that isn¡¯t true. I would have stormed the Tower of Magic and started a war. That¡¯s how much she meant to me.


    ¡°Even so,¡± Lina said, biting her lip, ¡°You are the heir to House Kaltbrand. If you were hurt helping House Guld, the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess would have held us responsible.¡±


    I opened my mouth to respond, but paused. She wasn¡¯t wrong, per se. I loved House Guld and considered them family, but that didn¡¯t mean my birth parents felt the same way. I grimaced when I thought back to how Mom and Lina argued with one another when they first met. If I suffered injury or died while helping House Guld, House Kaltbrand and House Guld might have ended in a feud with one another. That was the last thing I wanted.


    ¡°You have a point,¡± I admitted. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t regret my actions. I just regret falling for Tower Master Katarina¡¯s trap.¡± I paused. ¡°Oh, that reminds me. How are Emmerich and the others?¡±


    ¡°Emmerich and his master are both still unconscious, as far as I¡¯m aware.¡± Lina said. ¡°Emmerich¡¯s friend, Lord Christian, told me that the both of them suffered backlash from pushing themselves too hard. However, they will make a full recovery in a few days.¡±


    I let out a relieved sigh. Good. I felt guilty, since Emmerich and Gerolf suffered injuries while helping me escape from Blackhold. I made a mental note to visit them and thank them for their help when they woke up. Perhaps I could also pay them their weight in mana crystals as thanks for their aid. I could afford it.


    ¡°What happened after I¡­ disappeared?¡± I asked. ¡°Emmerich told me a bit, but he didn¡¯t have time to go into the details.¡±


    Lina¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°After you disappeared, everyone went into a panic.¡± She said, subdued. ¡°We captured Valerie¡¯s bodyguards and interrogated them, but they were just mercenaries who had been hired to escort her to the auction. They didn¡¯t know anything. In the end, Emmerich contacted his master, Gerolf. He suspected that you ended up in Blackhold, the Tower of Magic¡¯s prison. So, we contacted your bodyguard, Sir Kane, and put together a force to rescue you. You know what happened after that.¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t been in Blackhold?¡± I asked.


    Lina pulled back and looked me in the eyes.


    ¡°We would have attacked the Tower of Magic itself.¡± She said in a cold voice.


    A chill ran down my spine when I heard that. There was a reason why we went through all the effort to avoid open conflict between House Guld and the Tower of Magic. Both were among the most powerful entities within the Reichwald Empire. If they fought, a lot of people would have lost their lives, no matter who won.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that it didn¡¯t come to that then.¡± I said, giving Lina a reassuring smile.


    Her expression remained unchanged.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± she said, ¡°If I asked you to never risk your life like that again, would you?¡±


    My smile faded.


    ¡°No.¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°I would do almost anything for you, but that is one of the few things I can¡¯t. I am a Kaltbrand. We are the ones who protect the Reichwald Empire from the demonic beast incursions. We must risk our lives. Otherwise, the demonic beasts would run rampant and cause widespread destruction.¡± I paused. ¡°Even if that weren¡¯t the case, I am a warrior. It¡¯s part of who I am.¡±


    Lina¡¯s expression turned downcast. It hurt me to see it, but I couldn¡¯t lie to her about this.


    ¡°I see.¡± She said. ¡°I understand where you¡¯re coming from, but¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°When you disappeared, I was beside myself with fear. It was one of the worst experiences I had ever gone through. If you had died¡­ I don¡¯t know what I would have done.¡±


    I wrapped my arms around Lina and held her tight. She rested her head on my shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I said, though the words felt inadequate.


    ¡°Just promise me that you¡¯ll be careful.¡± Lina said. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to put down your sword or give up who you are, but please be careful. As long as you come back to me at the end of the day, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± I said. ¡°I won¡¯t take unnecessary risks, nor will I let my carelessness get the better of me. Not again.¡±


    If I had just been warier of Valerie, none of this would have happened. I would have dealt with her before she even had a chance to rip the warp scroll that sent me to Blackhold.


    Lina and I didn¡¯t say anything for several minutes. We just held each other, finding comfort in each other¡¯s warmth. However, after a while, a certain part of my anatomy reacted to the fact that I had a beautiful woman on my lap. Embarrassed, I tried to adjust my position, but that just made things worse. Somehow, I managed to avoid poking Lina.


    ¡°Wulfram?¡± Lina pulled back and frowned at me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I said, my face heating up. ¡°I was just getting into a more comfortable position.¡±


    Lina looked chagrined at this.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I must be too heavy.¡±


    I shook my head.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡±


    Lina gave me a wry smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to deny it to make me feel better, Wulfram. I won¡¯t get angry.¡±


    ¡°No, really. You¡¯re fine.¡±


    Lina snorted.


    ¡°Here, let me get off.¡±


    She started to push herself up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do-¡­¡±


    I stopped speaking and sucked in a breath when Lina brushed against my¡­ sword. She froze in place. Neither one of us said anything for several seconds.


    ¡°Wulfram,¡± Lina said, her voice taking on a strange quality. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. To my surprise, Lina settled back down on my lap. However, she made sure to maintain full contact with my body. I clenched fists in an attempt to maintain my composure.


    ¡°Oh, Wulfram,¡± Lina said in a husky voice, ¡°It was a mistake to show me this expression of yours. It just makes me want to tease you further.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Though, I find it flattering that I can elicit this sort of reaction from you.¡±


    I clenched my jaw.


    ¡°Please get off.¡± I said in a hoarse voice. ¡°Otherwise, I might lose control of myself.¡±


    Instead of getting off, Lina pressed herself harder against me.


    ¡°And what if I want you to lose control of yourself?¡± she said in a low voice. ¡°I thought I lost you last night. It made me realize that I don¡¯t want to wait any longer. I want to be with you, if not now then soon.¡±


    I placed my hands on her shoulders.


    ¡°I want to be with you too,¡± I said, ¡°However, I don¡¯t want to dishonor you.¡±


    Lina snorted at that.


    ¡°Why does that matter?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re going to get married anyway.¡±


    I gave her a pleading look.


    ¡°I want our first time together to be on our wedding night.¡± I said. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t care about that sort of thing, I do.¡±


    Lina studied my face for several moments, before she nodded.


    ¡°Very well.¡± She said, before giving me a wicked smile. ¡°But, only if you promise to reward me for my patience.¡±


    I stared at her in disbelief, before I chuckled.


    ¡°You are incorrigible,¡± I said.


    Lina looked thoughtful for a moment, before she shrugged.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± She said. ¡°Still, as long as you love me, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Always.¡±


    I leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. Lina¡¯s cheeks flushed red and covered her face with her mouth.


    ¡°Hypocrite.¡± She accused. ¡°You tell me to wait until our wedding night, but then you go and do something like that.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± I said, not sounding apologetic at all.


    Lina threw a glare my way, before she climbed off of me and stood beside my bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and tell everyone else that you¡¯re awake.¡± She said. ¡°That should ease their worries.¡± She grinned at me. ¡°Also, prepare for a scolding from Maria and Sir Kane. They¡¯re quite cross with you.¡±


    I flinched at that. Of course they were. After what happened last night, I didn¡¯t blame them. Sir Kane, in particular, would be unhappy with me. It was his duty to protect me. However, I left him behind last night and ended up being kidnapped by Tower Master Katarina.


    As Lina left, I climbed out of bed and prepared to face my reckoning. There wasn¡¯t any point in delaying things. I might as well meet it head on.


    <hr>


    Maria and Sir Kane ambushed me the moment I left my bedroom. It appeared that they had been waiting for me. The two of them proceeded to lecture me for the next half hour about my carelessness. As I predicted, Sir Kane was quite upset with me. For the entire lecture, he loomed over me with a cold expression on his face. While I was stronger than him, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little intimidated.


    In the end, I promised to be more careful in the future. I also promised to never leave Sir Kane behind again. This mollified them somewhat, but they were still upset with me. In fact, I suspected that the only reason why they stopped lecturing me was because my stomach growled.


    I headed to the dining room to eat a late breakfast, and found the rest of my adopted family waiting for me, with the exception of Emmerich. It turned out that they had all stayed at Kaltbrand Manor while waiting for me to recover. When I heard this, I made a mental note to apologize to the servants for the sudden increase in their responsibilities.


    For the first ten minutes of breakfast, my adopted family fussed over me. So much so that I couldn¡¯t even eat my food. Mika even clung to my arm and refused to let go. Even Lady Amalina, who I wasn¡¯t that close with, expressed her concern for me.


    After my adopted family stopped fussing over me, I thought that I would be able to eat my food. I was wrong. To my chagrin, they started lecturing me. However, I put up with it because I knew this was their way of expressing their worry and love for me. In the end, I mollified them the same way I mollified Maria and Sir Kane, by promising to be more careful in the future.


    That was when I was finally able to eat my breakfast, though it was a bit difficult with Mika clinging to one of my arms. Still, I made do. As we ate, everyone ignored the elephant in the room and talked about inconsequential topics. However, based on their tense expressions, I knew that the Tower of Magic was on everyone¡¯s minds. It certainly plagued mine.


    Our plan to kidnap Valerie failed in a spectacular fashion, so using her as a bargaining chip wasn¡¯t an option anymore. Not only that, but a force made up of Coldsteel Knights and Golden Rose Knights had attacked Blackhold. The Tower of Magic would retaliate. They had to, if they wanted to maintain their reputation. The conflict between House Guld and the Tower of Magic would escalate from there. It appeared that war was inevitable. Given that we tried so hard to avoid this outcome, this disheartened me. It even affected my appetite, though I forced myself to continue eating.


    After a moment, I shook off my despondence and began making plans. If war between House Guld and the Tower of Magic was inevitable, then I would do everything in my power to help my adopted family. If this meant dragging House Kaltbrand into the mix, then so be it. Mom and Dad might condemn me for my actions, but as long as my adopted family survived, that was a price I was willing to pay.


    All of our discussions came to a stop when Baron Kurz entered the dining room with a serious expression on his face. He carried a silver tray in his hands, atop which sat two letters.


    ¡°Lord Wulfe,¡± he said, ¡°Two letters arrived from the imperial palace: one for you and one for Lord Guld. They¡¯re both from His Imperial Majesty.¡±


    I frowned at him.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± I said.


    Baron Kurz gave me one of the letters. It bore the crest of House Reichwald. I opened my letter and scanned its contents. Meanwhile, Baron Kurz delivered the other letter to Father, who mirrored my actions. Tension filled the air and no one said a thing as they waited for us to finish. After I read my letter, I frowned and looked at Father. He finished reading his own letter at the same time and met my gaze. He frowned as well.


    ¡°What does it say, Wulfram?¡± Mika asked, breaking the silence.


    ¡°Yes, Karl,¡± Mother said, ¡°What does my brother want?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a summons,¡± I answered.


    Father nodded and handed his letter to Mother.


    ¡°The Emperor wishes to meet with Wulfram and I,¡± he said, ¡°As well as Tower Master Katarina. He wants us to come to an agreement, in order to keep the situation from escalating. To keep things fair, he offered to act as a mediator.¡±


    Mother, still reading Father¡¯s letter, snorted.


    ¡°Meaning he wants to take advantage of the current situation in order to reap the most benefit.¡± She looked up and grimaced. ¡°And he knows that we¡¯re not in a position to refuse his¡­ suggestion. After all, no one wants a war between House Guld and the Tower of Magic.¡±


    ¡°Still, isn¡¯t paying a small price to the Emperor better than fighting the Tower of Magic?¡± Lady Amalina asked.


    Lina frowned.


    ¡°It depends on what price he demands.¡± She said. ¡°I have a feeling that he won¡¯t ask for mere money. It¡¯s likely that he¡¯ll demand that we support his preferred candidate¡¯s bid for the throne in exchange for his help.¡±


    ¡°I thought that the Emperor wasn¡¯t allowed to interfere with the imperial succession,¡± Mika said.


    Mother shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s the custom,¡± she said, ¡°However, there is no law forbidding it. My brother prefers keeping to this custom, but he will break it if it means keeping the peace.¡±


    A solemn mood fell over the table. While we could refuse the Emperor¡¯s suggestion, no one wanted to. Not only would it mean war with the Tower of Magic, but it also meant earning the Emperor¡¯s ire.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re all forgetting one important detail.¡± Sieg said, grinning.


    We all looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°The Emperor wants to maintain the peace just as much as we do.¡± Sieg continued. ¡°We can use this to our advantage. Either we can mitigate the price he¡¯ll demand of us, or¡­¡± He paused for dramatic effect. ¡°¡­ if we play our cards right, we can demand a price of our own.¡±


    Everyone stared at him in disbelief for several long seconds. Father broke the silence by bursting out into laughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my son,¡± he said, ¡°We were so focused on the negatives, that we forgot to look on the bright side.¡± He smiled at Sieg. ¡°Good job.¡±


    I gave them both baffled looks.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you plan on threatening war if we don¡¯t get our way?¡±


    Father and Sieg glanced at one another before facing me again.


    ¡°Yes.¡± they said in unison.


    ¡°There is a time for caution,¡± Father explained further, ¡°And there is a time to be bold. This is one of the latter.¡± He gestured to me. ¡°Of course, we have an advantage here because of you, Wulfram. You¡¯re the heir to House Kaltbrand, which is a beneficiary of the Pact and the second most powerful family in the entire empire.¡±


    I blinked at him in surprise. He was right. I had been so disheartened by the potential war with the Tower of Magic that this slipped my mind. In fact, now that I thought about it, we were in a better position than I first realized. When Tower Master Katarina kidnapped me, she didn¡¯t just kidnap a scion of House Guld. She kidnapped the heir to House Kaltbrand.


    I wanted to slap myself across the face. Why had I been so worried? The Tower of Magic was powerful, but it couldn¡¯t contend with both House Kaltbrand and House Guld. We had the advantage here, not the Emperor. I was ashamed that I needed Father and Sieg to point it out to me. It appeared that I still needed to learn more if I wanted to become a worthy Grand Duke.


    ¡°When is the meeting?¡± Lina asked.


    ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡± Father answered. ¡°It appears that the Emperor wishes to finish this as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± I said. ¡°The sooner we get this over with the better.¡±

 Chapter 67: Return to the Imperial Palace

    After breakfast, I made sure to visit Emmerich and Gerolf. The two of them were in one of Kaltbrand Manor¡¯s many guest rooms, being watched over by a healer. Both were still unconscious. According to the healer, they were just resting after pushing themselves too far. They would wake up when they recovered. I stayed with them for a bit, before I thanked the healer and left.


    Afterwards, I visited the Coldsteel Knights to thank them for their part in rescuing me. Like Sir Kane, they were upset with me for my carelessness in getting kidnapped. However, they were more upset with themselves. As Knights of the Order of the Coldsteel Blade, it was their duty to serve and protect House Kaltbrand. They considered my abduction at the hands of Tower Master Katarina a source of great shame, despite my words to the contrary. No matter what I said, they refused to change their minds. In the end, I gave up.


    I spent the rest of the day resting after that, though not by choice. I tried to work on the various tasks that I needed to do, such as preparing for Mom and Dad¡¯s arrival, as well as the engagement party. However, my loved ones insisted otherwise and refused to let me work. This included House Kaltbrand¡¯s servants, such as Maria and Baron Kurz. To be fair, they had a point. I was still recovering after pushing myself yesterday, when we fought Tower Master Katarina.


    In the end, I acquiesced to their demands and rested all day. It was¡­ odd. For as long as I could remember, I was always busy with one thing or another. Even during my time as Wulfram Guld, I was busy training and learning everything needed to be a proper scion of House Guld. I spent some time on leisure, but never for more than a few hours. I didn¡¯t remember the last time I spent an entire day relaxing. In fact, I don¡¯t think I ever had.


    Mika stayed by my side almost the entire time. She didn¡¯t cling to me, as she had during breakfast, but she never strayed too far from my side. Not that I minded. I loved my little sister and enjoyed spending time with her. However, I also knew that she needed this. My disappearance had scared her. Perhaps because it reminded her of the time when I ran away from House Guld.


    Lina spent the day helping Baron Kurz and the servants at Kaltbrand Manor finish with the tasks that had been mine. I thought they would have balked, since she was an outsider who was acting as the lady of the house, but my fears were unfounded. Then again, they had gotten used to her over the past few weeks, so it wasn¡¯t that surprising.


    The rest of my adopted family, except for Emmerich, returned to the House Guld townhouse. They had their own duties to attend to and couldn¡¯t put them off for long. After some discussion, they decided to leave Emmerich behind, since Lina and I could watch over him.


    When the time grew late and neither Emmerich nor Gerolf woke up, I grew worried about their condition. However, the healer who watched over them assured me that this was normal for magicians who had pushed themselves too hard, especially magicians who specialized in mental magic. Despite this, I remained worried. So much so, that I ended up keeping an eye on the two well into the night. Mika, of course, joined me. The two of us only left when Lina arrived and dragged us away.


    After night passed and morning arrived, it was time for the meeting with the Emperor.


    <hr>


    Father and I arrived at the imperial palace in two separate carriages, which we had discussed the previous day. While the conflict with the Tower of Magic mostly involved House Guld, we thought it was best if I came as a representative of House Kaltbrand. This would hammer in the seriousness of the situation, and the depths of Tower Master Katarina¡¯s sins.


    Sir Kane accompanied me, not that I could have stopped him if I tried. After what happened, he insisted on keeping an eye on me whenever I left Kaltbrand Manor. I no longer had a choice in the matter. Well, I could have forced him to stay if I wanted to. However, doing so would only destroy our friendship, which I didn¡¯t want. So, I remained silent on the matter.


    When Father and I arrived at the imperial palace, we found Knight Commander Bennett waiting for us. He told us that the Emperor had commanded him to escort us to His Imperial Majesty¡¯s study. I wondered if there was any hidden meaning behind this, since Knight Commander Bennett was the leader of the Imperial Guard. Either the Emperor wanted to show that he took this situation seriously, or he was warning us not to cause trouble. Perhaps it was both.


    Except for the palace servants, the three of us didn¡¯t encounter anyone on the way to the Emperor¡¯s study, for which I was thankful. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with nobles or members of the imperial family.


    When we arrived at the study, I took a moment to look around. The Emperor¡¯s study was large, with tall windows that let in plenty of sunlight. However, it was sparsely furnished. It had the bare minimum, but little beyond that. This gave the study a rather spartan atmosphere. This surprised me. As the ruler of the Reichwald Empire, I thought that the Emperor would have furnished his study with all sorts of rare and expensive decorations.


    The Emperor himself waited for us from behind his desk, a wooden monstrosity that occupied a good portion of the study. He was as imposing as ever. Unlike my previous meeting with him, where he seemed almost warm and friendly, his demeanor was much colder now. It reminded me that he was the ruler of an empire that spanned a good portion of the continent. His divine power roiled beneath the surface, contained but ready to burst out into the open when necessary.


    After Knight Commander Bennett left, Father and I bowed to the Emperor and gave him the appropriate greetings. However, he didn¡¯t respond right away. Instead, he studied us through narrowed eyes. I resisted the urge to fidget. The seconds stretched on, until the Emperor opened his mouth and finally spoke.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯ve caused another mess that I have to clean up, Duke Guld.¡± He said, before glancing at me. ¡°Not only that, but you managed to drag the heir to House Kaltbrand into this nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Father said, putting on a meek facade. ¡°My family and I are the victims in this situation. If you want to blame anyone, blame Tower Master Katarina for attempting to kidnap my son in order to further her political agenda.¡±


    The Emperor looked unamused. He reached into his desk, pulled out a stack of papers, and began reading them out loud.


    ¡°Destruction of imperial property,¡± the Emperor said. ¡°Hosting a fake auction, with the intent to kidnap Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple. Attacking Blackhold, the prison where the Tower of Magic holds some of its most heinous criminals.¡± He glared at Father. ¡°Need I go on, Duke Guld?¡±


    Father¡¯s meed facade faded away, replaced by something cold and harsh.


    ¡°In that case, let me list off some of the Tower of Magic¡¯s crimes.¡± He said. ¡°Attacking House Guld and its employees on several occasions, attempting to kidnap me in broad daylight¡­¡± He paused for dramatic effect. ¡°¡­ kidnapping one of my other sons and holding him in Blackhold.¡± He let out a derisive snort. ¡°If we compare the two, it¡¯s clear that the Tower of Magic is the biggest sinner here.¡±


    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± the Emperor said, ¡°Both House Guld and the Tower of Magic have caused enough trouble in my empire. I intend to put a stop to it all, before the matter escalates.¡±


    That was my cue to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I said.


    The Emperor turned his eyes towards me. It took a great deal of my self control not to flinch.


    ¡°And why is that, Lord Wulfe?¡± He asked.


    ¡°This is no longer just a matter between House Guld and the Tower of Magic.¡± I said. ¡°Tower Master Katarina kidnapped me and held me in Blackhold, with the intent to use me as leverage. I am the heir to House Kaltbrand. My family cannot, will not, let this stand.¡±


    The Emperor leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers.


    ¡°It was my understanding that you acted as a member of House Guld when you aided them in their spat against the Tower of Magic.¡± He said.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I said. ¡°What matters is what my parents will think when I tell them of this matter. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t be happy if it ends on a less than satisfactory note.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The Emperor¡¯s divine power flared up and pressed down on me, similar to how Aura users and magicians could use pressure. It affected me, even though I was an Aura Master and I had my own divine power. I remained on my feet, but only just. Father remained unaffected.


    ¡°Are you threatening me, Lord Wulfe?¡± the Emperor asked, an edge to his voice.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± I said, through clenched teeth. ¡°I am merely pointing out the obvious. You know how my father is.¡±


    ¡°I should point out,¡± Father interjected. ¡°That House Guld will not stand idly by either. Wulfram is the heir to House Kaltbrand, yes. However, he is also my son. I do not easily forgive those who target my family.¡±


    The Emperor glared at the both of us. He opened his mouth to say something, but then someone knocked on the door to the study.


    ¡°Enter.¡± the Emperor called out.


    The door opened, revealing Knight Commander Bennett, who wore an odd expression on his face. He was alone.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The Emperor asked.


    ¡°We have a¡­ situation, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Knight Commander Bennett said. ¡°Tower Master Katarina is here.¡±


    The Emperor frowned.


    ¡°Where is she, then?¡± He asked. ¡°I told you to escort her here when she arrived. Why isn¡¯t she with you?¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett glanced at me before answering.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty,¡± he said, ¡°She can¡¯t fit through the doors.¡±


    We all blinked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The Emperor asked.


    ¡°She can¡¯t fit through the doors.¡± Knight Commander Bennett repeated. ¡°She¡­ It would be better if you saw for yourself, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    The Emperor studied him for several seconds, before he sighed and stood up.


    ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll trust your word on this.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°However, you will suffer the consequences if this turns out to be a waste of time, Werther.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett nodded.


    ¡°You two may as well come along.¡± The Emperor said, gesturing to Father and I.


    The three of us followed Knight Commander Bennett as he led us to the front entrance of the imperial palace. Due to my enhanced senses, I heard the commotion long before I saw it. Tower Master Katarina was yelling, while another woman cackled, like a witch from a fairy tale.


    When we arrived, we found a scene that could have come from a comedic play. The first thing I noticed was Tower Master Katarina. She was inside a hollow sphere made of ice; the magic barrier that I froze when we fought one another near Blackhold. There were holes in the sphere, but it otherwise remained intact. It was large enough that Tower Master Katarina couldn¡¯t fit through even the largest doors of the imperial palace. However, its size also made it possible for her to use it as a method of transportation.


    At the moment, Tower Master Katarina wasn¡¯t doing much moving around. She glared up at Duchess Galdur, who hovered several feet in the air. The latter held a recording crystal in her hands, pointing it at the former. She was also the one cackling like a witch. A small crowd of servants and nobles had gathered around to watch.


    ¡°Ingrid!¡± Tower Master Katarina said. ¡°Stop recording me this instant and hand me that recording crystal! Otherwise, I swear to the gods that I will make you pay!¡±


    Duchess Galdur laughed.


    ¡°You may try, Little Sister,¡± she said, her voice filled with malicious glee, ¡°However, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re capable of doing much in your current condition. You never listened to me whenever I warned you not to underestimate divine power. Look at you now. You reap what you sow, Katarina.¡±


    I glanced at the Emperor, who wore a pained expression on his face. After a few moments, he let out a soft, almost imperceptible, sigh. I felt something for him that I never expected: sympathy. He ruled one of the largest empires on the continent, but that also meant he bore a proportionally amount of responsibility. This included dealing with the nobles of the Reichwald Empire. I imagined it was like herding cats, except far more exhausting.


    After his sigh, the Emperor straightened his shoulders and cleared his expression, before striding forward. Knight Commander Bennett followed him, while Father and I remained behind. The servants and nobles who had gathered to watch the spectacle started when they saw the Emperor, before bowing and giving him their greetings. Tower Master Katarina and Duchess Galdur were too busy with each other to notice.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± The Emperor barked out.


    Tower Master Katarina and Duchess Galdur turned towards him. The former¡¯s expression fell, her face turning red with shame. The latter blanched, looking like a child who had been caught doing something naughty.


    ¡°The two of you are supposed to be examples to others.¡± The Emperor scolded. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to comport yourself with dignity and virtue. Instead, I find the two of you squabbling like children; in front of the imperial palace no less. You should be ashamed of yourselves.¡±


    Duchess Galdur floated down to the ground and, alongside Tower Master Katarina, bowed to the Emperor.


    ¡°I apologize, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Duchess Galdur said in a contrite voice. ¡°I let my feelings towards my younger sister get the better of me.¡±


    ¡°I apologize as well, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Tower Master Katarina said. ¡°I did not intend to cause a commotion.¡±


    The Emperor let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°And yet the both of you caused one, regardless of your intentions.¡± He said. ¡°I will decide on your punishment at a later time. Right now, I have something more urgent to attend to.¡± He glanced at Tower Master Katarina. ¡°Speaking of which, let me get you out of there.¡±


    The Emperor raised his hand and a mote of golden fire, which resembled concentrated sunlight, emerged from his palm. It burned with such intensity that I felt the heat from my current position. The mote floated over to Tower Master Katarina. The moment it came into contact with the ice sphere, the mote of golden fire melted and burned it away. To my surprise, there wasn¡¯t any sound. I expected there to be hissing, similar to when a blacksmith dunked a red hot blade into water, but there wasn¡¯t. The mote of golden fire burned the ice sphere, until it was as if the latter never existed in the first place.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Tower Master Katarina said, standing up from her bow. She wore a relieved expression on her face. ¡°The last few days have been¡­ trying.¡±


    ¡°Of that I have no doubt,¡± the Emperor said in a dry voice. ¡°Come along, Tower Master Katarina. Let us get this matter over and done with.¡± He looked at Duchess Galdur. ¡°You may go now.¡± He paused. ¡°Actually, what are you doing at the imperial palace?¡±


    Duchess Galdur stood up from her bow and gave the Emperor a polite smile.


    ¡°I am here to meet with Prince Dirk,¡± she said, ¡°In order to discuss the marriage between his son and my daughter.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s expression frosted over.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said in a neutral tone. ¡°Give my brother my regards, Duchess Galdur.¡±


    The duchess nodded.


    ¡°I will, Your Imperial Majesty.¡±


    She started walking in the direction of Prince Dirk¡¯s palace. The Emperor turned towards the crowd of servants and nobles.


    ¡°Leave.¡± He growled, which had them scrambling away.


    Afterwards, the Emperor walked in the direction of Father and I. Tower Master Katarina trailed behind him, glaring at me.


    ¡°Thank you for the show, Tower Master Katarina.¡± Father said in an amused voice. ¡°It was quite entertaining.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina¡¯s nostrils flared and she opened her mouth to retort, but the Emperor cut her off with a gesture.


    ¡°Don¡¯t test me further, Duke Guld.¡± He said to Father. ¡°My patient is running thin.¡±


    Father studied him for a moment, before nodding in acquiescence.


    ¡°Let us return to my study and get this over with.¡± The Emperor said.


    However, as we all turned to enter the imperial palace once more, the sound of running footsteps came from within. Knight Commander Bennett placed himself between the Emperor and the doors to the imperial palace. A few seconds later, Prince Jeremias emerged. He looked disheveled, as if he had run all the way here from his palace.


    ¡°I apologize for being late, Father.¡± He said, bowing to the Emperor. ¡°I would have arrived sooner, but Leopold kept me busy with¡­ Well, never mind. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    The Emperor raised an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Jeremias?¡± He asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t summon you.¡±


    Prince Jeremias smiled at him.


    ¡°Does a son need a reason to visit his father?¡±


    The Emperor scoffed.


    ¡°The only one of my children who ever visits me for my company is your sister.¡± He said in a disgruntled voice. ¡°You and your brother only come to see me when you want something. So, what is it this time?¡±


    Prince Jeremias¡¯ expression turned awkward.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said after a few seconds, ¡°I¡¯m here to offer my support to the Tower of Magic in its conflict with House Guld.¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s how it was. Now that things had come to this, Prince Jeremias and the Tower of Magic weren¡¯t bothering to hide their alliance anymore. Hmm, I wonder if Duchess Galdur knew about that. I doubted it was a coincidence that she arrived at the imperial palace on the same day that the Emperor summoned Tower Master Katarina, Father, and myself. Also, Prince Jeremias mentioned that Leopold had occupied him, making him late for the meeting. I wondered if that was also planned. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that you were so interested in the Tower of Magic¡¯s affairs, Jeremias,¡± the Emperor said in a somewhat sardonic tone.


    ¡°Of course I am, Father.¡± Prince Jeremias said. ¡°The Tower of Magic is an important institution within the Reichwald Empire, and I am a magician myself.¡±


    The Emperor studied him for several moments, before sighing. I noticed that he had done that a lot today.


    ¡°Very well.¡± He said. ¡°You can come along.¡±


    Prince Jeremias flashed a triumphant grin towards Tower Master Katarina, and joined us as we returned to the Emperor¡¯s study.

 Chapter 68: The Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess Arrive

    The Emperor led our group back to his study. Knight Commander Bennett accompanied us, but didn¡¯t go into the study itself. Instead, he remained out in the hallway while the rest of us went inside. Despite the addition of two more people, the Emperor¡¯s study didn¡¯t feel cramped or uncomfortable. If anything, the minimal furniture and the lack of decorations gave the room an empty feeling.


    Tower Master Katarina looked around in surprise when the five of us entered, acting as if she had never been here before. I found that unusual. As Tower Master, it wouldn¡¯t have been unusual for her to meet with the Emperor for one reason or another. Perhaps they had met outside his study.


    ¡°Now then,¡± the Emperor said after he sat behind his desk, ¡°I am not in the mood for any more nonsense, so let us get this over with.¡± He glared at everyone else. ¡°This little conflict of yours ends today. I don¡¯t care how you do it, or what kind of agreement you come to, but none of you are leaving this room until it is done. Is that understood?¡±


    We all glanced at one another, before we faced the Emperor again and nodded.


    ¡°Good.¡± He said. ¡°State your cases.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina stepped forward.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty,¡± she said, speaking with deference, ¡°I implore you to order House Guld to hand Lord Emmerich Guld over to the Tower of Magic.¡±


    ¡°Over my dead body.¡± Father said, glaring at her through narrowed eyes.


    The Emperor ignored him.


    ¡°Why would I do that?¡± He asked instead.


    Tower Master Katarina gestured to Father.


    ¡°This whole conflict started because Lord Emmerich put my disciple, Valerie, in a¡­ compromising position.¡± She said. ¡°Rather than taking responsibility for his actions, he decided to run away and hide. I simply wish to see justice done.¡±


    To her credit, she put on a good performance. If I hadn¡¯t known any better, I might have believed her.


    ¡°I thought this conflict started because of negotiations over the price of magic tools in the Riverlands.¡± The Emperor said, raising an eyebrow at her.


    Tower Master Katarina shook her head.


    ¡°That was a deception, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± She said. ¡°An attempt to lure Lord Emmerich out into the open. We believed that if we pressured his family, he would reveal himself in order to aid them.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Father said, ¡°You tried to kidnap me. How do you explain that?¡±


    Tower Master Katarina flashed him a glare.


    ¡°That was our back up plan.¡± She said. ¡°If Lord Emmerich refused to show himself, we planned to exchange you for him.¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Father said, gesturing to her. ¡°She admits to attempting to kidnap the head of one of the ducal families. If you leave this unpunished, not only will it damage the honor and dignity of the nobility, but it will also weaken imperial authority.¡±


    That was a fair argument. If word got out that the Tower of Magic attempted to kidnap the head of one the empire¡¯s most prominent noble families, and the Emperor did nothing about it, it would cause discontent among the other nobles.


    ¡°Father,¡± Prince Jeremias said, stepping forward to stand next to Tower Master Katarina, ¡°While I understand Duke Guld¡¯s perspective, Tower Master Katarina was simply trying to protect the dignity and honor of an innocent young woman: her disciple.¡±


    I resisted the urge to snort at that. Valerie was a young woman, but she wasn¡¯t innocent.


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Prince Jeremias continued, ¡°We should take Valerie¡¯s status into consideration. Though she may not be a noble, as Tower Master Katarina¡¯s disciple, her rank is no less than Lord Emmerich¡¯s.¡±


    The Emperor looked thoughtful at that. Father¡¯s left eye twitched. I wondered why he didn¡¯t refute the original charge, that Emmerich compromised Valerie¡¯s honor. Then again, if he did, it would turn into a mire of ¡°He said, She said¡±, which would just distract from the real problem.


    ¡°In that case, why not have Lord Emmerich and Valerie marry one another?¡± The Emperor said, a small smile on his lips. ¡°That should be enough to restore your disciple¡¯s honor, Tower Master Katarina. In fact, if we invite both of them here, we can go through with it today. I¡¯m sure we can find a priest lurking about in the imperial palace if we search hard enough.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina¡¯s eyes bulged out and she gaped at the Emperor. Meanwhile, Father¡¯s expression turned unsightly.


    ¡°Father,¡± Prince Jeremias said, a nervous expression on his face, ¡°There is no need to be hasty-¡­¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± the Emperor said. ¡°You wish to restore Valerie¡¯s honor? This is the quickest way to do so.¡± He nodded towards Father. ¡°Yes, Tower Master Katarina could punish Lord Emmerich for his¡­ Actions, but I doubt that House Guld would let that happen. Having Lord Emmerich atone for his actions by bringing Valerie into House Guld seems like a suitable compromise to me.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina clenched her fists so tight, her knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Your Imperial Majesty,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t-¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me reiterate,¡± the Emperor said, cutting her off, ¡°I don¡¯t care how this matter is resolved, only that it is resolved today. Making Lord Emmerich marry Valerie is one such solution.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy about that, then drop the act. Everyone here knows that you¡¯re merely using Lord Emmerich¡¯s actions as an excuse to hold him hostage and use him as leverage against House Guld. However, if you insist otherwise, then I will take you at your word and act upon it.¡±


    When the Emperor said that he wasn¡¯t in the mood for nonsense, he meant it.


    ¡°I will say this,¡± he continued, ¡°If the Tower of Magic and House Guld can¡¯t settle the matter themselves, then I will hit both with sanctions.¡± He pointed a finger at me. ¡°And don¡¯t even try to bring House Kaltbrand into this, Lord Wulfe. You acted as a member of House Guld in this matter, not House Kaltbrand. Unless I hear otherwise from the Grand Duke himself, I won¡¯t change my mind on this.¡±


    Ah, so that¡¯s why he wanted to settle this matter today. Mom and Dad were still a few days away from Haven. If we dragged this out until they arrived, it would become an even bigger headache for the Emperor. While he could somewhat ignore me, he couldn¡¯t ignore Dad. I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, but Dad was the Grand Duke.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡± The Emperor started to say, but stopped when we heard a commotion outside the study.


    It sounded as if a bull were charging towards us. Everyone turned towards the door just as Knight Commander Bennett¡¯s voice rang out.


    ¡°Your Grace, you can¡¯t-¡±


    The door to the study exploded inward with enough force to almost knock it off its hinges. A massive figure stepped through the threshold, like a beast from some ancient legend. My heart lit up with joy when I saw who it was.


    ¡°Dad!¡± I said.


    Dad nodded towards me and smiled, before he turned towards the Emperor and his expression hardened. He marched forward, each step as loud as thunder. Mom walked into the study behind him, a calm expression on her face. Knight Commander Bennett followed behind them, looking helpless.


    ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand!¡± the Emperor thundered. ¡°What the blazes do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    He stood up and his divine power exploded out, flooding the study with heat. Everyone had to back away from him, lest they be burned.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that, Your Imperial Majesty.¡± Dad growled.


    His own divine power exploded out and met the Emperor¡¯s. The study became simultaneously burning hot and freezing cold. Everyone tried to protect themselves as best they could, with varying degrees of success. The weakest among us, Prince Jeremias, fared the worst. He summoned a barrier to shield himself, but it looked ready to collapse at any moment. The rest of us fared much better, including Father.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    When it became clear that neither would back down, the both of them withdrew their divine power and the study returned to normal.


    ¡°I received word not too long ago that Tower Master Katarina dared to kidnap my son.¡± Dad growled while glaring at the Emperor. ¡°However, imagine my surprise when I heard that instead of punishing her, you let her walk around free.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t excuse your actions, Grand Duke Kaltbrand.¡± The Emperor said. ¡°How dare you barge into the imperial palace like this? Your insolence borders on treason!¡±


    I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Mom standing by my side. She gave me a quick smile, before she turned her attention back to Dad and the Emperor.


    ¡°If it bothers you that much, feel free to punish me however you like.¡± Dad said, before nodding towards Tower Master Katarina. ¡°However, you must do the same to her. Her actions went beyond the pale when she kidnapped my son.¡± He gave the Emperor a savage smile. ¡°Otherwise, I will march upon the Tower of Magic, put every magician there to the sword, and turn it into a frozen tomb.¡±


    Silence filled the study following Dad¡¯s declaration. Everyone stared at him, their mouths agape. The Tower of Magic was an institution almost as old as the Reichwald Empire itself. The magicians there and the magic tools they created played a fundamental part in our society, especially for nobles. Not only that, but the Tower of Magic was protected by the Pact. Threatening to turn it into a frozen tomb was too much, even for Dad. At this rate, we risked making enemies of everyone, including House Reichwald.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I said, stepping towards him, ¡°There¡¯s no need to go that far. Yes, there are plenty of magicians in the Tower of Magic who deserve punishment. However, there are just as many who don¡¯t. A few of them helped Emmerich rescue me from Blackhold.¡±


    Dad turned towards me and blinked at me in surprise.


    ¡°You call him by his first name?¡± He asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two were so close. Wasn¡¯t he the reason why you ran away from House Guld in the first place?¡±


    I stared at him in disbelief. That¡¯s what he decided to focus on?


    ¡°We can discuss that at another time, Dad.¡± I said. ¡°Right now, we have more important things to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Your well-being is more important to me than anything else.¡± Dad said. ¡°Otherwise I wouldn¡¯t have even bothered coming down this far south.¡±


    His words warmed my heart, but this was neither the time nor the place.


    ¡°Dad,¡± I said, ¡°Please focus.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina, who looked like she was about to have an apoplectic fit, pointed a finger at Dad.


    ¡°You brute!¡± She yelled. ¡°How dare you threaten the Tower of Magic?! I will-¡­¡±


    Dad waved a hand and engulfed her in a gout of coldfire. It froze her magic barrier, imprisoning her within. I felt a little envious. It took me great effort to incapacitate her, while Dad did it with ease.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough out of you.¡± He snarled.


    ¡°Like son, like father,¡± the Emperor muttered.


    He waved a hand at Tower Master Katarina. As he did earlier, he freed her with a mote of golden fire. Once free, Tower Master Katarina backed away from Dad, her face pale.


    ¡°Anselm, enough.¡± The Emperor said, sounding exhausted. ¡°You¡¯ve caused enough trouble. Don¡¯t make it worse. I already have enough of a headache.¡±


    Dad crossed his arms.


    ¡°Fine.¡± He spat. ¡°But only if you punish her for her sins. Otherwise, I will.¡±


    ¡°Compensation from the Tower of Magic wouldn¡¯t hurt either.¡± Father piped in.


    Dad eyed him and pursed his lips. However, he didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°I think I preferred it when you stayed in the Barrens.¡± The Emperor said, pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Fine. Tower Master Katarina, you are banned from entering Haven and participating in high society for a period no less than five years.¡±


    Tower Master Katarina nodded, moving her head up and down so far that I feared she would pull a muscle. Prince Jeremias, on the other hand, looked horrified.


    ¡°Father!¡± He said.


    The Emperor ignored him and continued on.


    ¡°The Tower of Magic must also compensate House Guld for the trouble they¡¯ve caused,¡± he said. ¡°However, House Guld must do the same. While the Tower of Magic started this whole mess, House Guld is not completely innocent either. You two can discuss the details later. Understood?¡±


    He glared at Father when he said this. After a moment, Father nodded, though he looked unhappy.


    ¡°As for you, Grand Duke Kaltbrand,¡± the Emperor said, ¡°As punishment for barging into the imperial palace and making a nuisance of yourself, I order you to participate in every social season for the next five years.¡±


    Dad stared at him in disbelief.


    ¡°What?!¡± He exclaimed. ¡°Why not just banish me from the capital for five years?¡± He jerked a thumb towards Tower Master Katarina. ¡°Like you did with that one?¡±


    ¡°That would be a reward, not a punishment.¡± The Emperor said, giving Dad a sadistic grin. ¡°And, to make sure that you don¡¯t just hole up in your home the entire time, you must participate in at least one social event a week.¡±


    Dad gave him a horrified look.


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster.¡± He whispered.


    The Emperor let out a derisive snort, before he regarded everyone in the study.


    ¡°This matter is over and done with.¡± He said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever hear about it again. If I do, I am going to punish whoever is responsible.¡± He pointed to the door. ¡°Now, all of you get out.¡±


    No one moved right away.


    ¡°Out!¡±


    With that, everyone rushed to leave the Emperor¡¯s study. Mom and I had to grab Dad and pull him along, since he seemed dazed. The moment everyone left the study, the Emperor slammed the door shut behind us. Tower Master Katarina scurried off without looking back. Prince Jeremias threw me a venomous look, before he ran off to chase after her.


    ¡°Tower Master Katarina!¡± He cried out. ¡°Wait!¡±


    I let out an amused chuckle. Tower Master Katarina¡¯s banishment from the capital was a serious drawback to Prince Jeremias¡¯ plan to become the next emperor. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Tower of Magic broke their alliance with him. This particular foray into politics had ended rather poorly for them. They might just give up altogether and stay holed up at home.


    ¡°Grand Duke Kaltbrand,¡± Knight Commander Bennett said, ¡°I¡¯ll escort you out of the imperial palace.¡±


    He was smiling, but his eyes burned with anger. I¡­ didn¡¯t blame him for that. Dad¡¯s actions earlier had humiliated him in front of the Emperor. There were sure to be repercussions for this, both for him and for us.


    ¡°Thank you, Knight Commander Bennett.¡± Mom said, speaking up since Dad was still dazed. ¡°We appreciate it.¡±


    Knight Commander Bennett turned towards her and his expression softened somewhat.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to see you again, Knight Commander Bardin.¡± He said. ¡°Or rather, Grand Duchess Kaltbrand, I should say. I wish it had been under better circumstances.¡±


    Mom nodded, before she looked at Dad.


    ¡°Come along, Anselm.¡± She said in an amused tone. ¡°Let us go before they chase us out of here with torches and pitchforks.¡±


    Dad nodded, but otherwise didn¡¯t respond. He wore a lost look on his face.


    ¡°Grand Duchess Kaltbrand,¡± Father said, ¡°May I join you? I think it would be a good idea for us to get to know one another¡­¡± He glanced at me. ¡°¡­considering the circumstances.¡±


    Mom regarded him with a neutral expression on her face, before she nodded.


    ¡°You may, Duke Guld.¡± She said.


    With that, the four of us left the imperial palace, shooed out by Knight Commander Bennett.


    <hr>


    Half an hour later, the four of us were in the same carriage, heading towards Kaltbrand Manor. An awkward silence filled the air, and it appeared that no one was willing to break that silence. Dad still wore a lost look on his face, no doubt still in a daze after the Emperor¡¯s punishment for him. Mom held her hands in front of her while looking out the window. This did nothing to hide her tension. Father tried to appear relaxed and nonchalant. However, like with Mom, it did little to hide his uneasiness.


    And then there was me, stuck in between all of them. I let out a sigh as I considered how we got to this point. After we left the imperial palace, I learned that Mom and Dad hadn¡¯t come here by carriage. When they heard about what happened to me, thanks to a message from the Blue Shadows, they decided to run here on foot. Since they were both Aura Masters they could run faster, and for much longer, than any horse in existence. They even left their escort behind.


    While their concern for me warmed my heart, I scolded them for their recklessness. While they were both Aura Masters, that didn¡¯t mean they were invincible. My recent kidnapping was a perfect example of that. Of course, that was a result of my own complacency and carelessness, but still. It didn¡¯t hurt to be careful.


    After I finished scolding them, Mom just smirked and mussed my hair. I narrowed my eyes at her, but otherwise didn¡¯t respond. Instead, I invited them to join me in my carriage. Father joined us as well, after sending his carriage back to the House Guld townhouse. No one said a word after we all climbed into my carriage, thus leading to the current state of affairs. Sir Kane, who had been waiting by the carriage while I met with the Emperor, ended up riding with the driver.


    I sighed. This wouldn¡¯t do. House Kaltbrand and House Guld were going to be joined together through the marriage between Lina and myself. It would be unbearable if things remained awkward between my birth parents and my adopted parents. Though, I supposed it was better than them hating each other and arguing with one another.


    I opened my mouth to say something, anything, to break the silence. However, Mom beat me to it. She took a deep breath, as if to steel herself, before facing Father.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Mom said, her expression of a mix of gratitude, shame, and relief.


    Father blinked at her in surprise, taking off guard.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Thank you for looking after Wulfe, and raising him to be the fine young man he is today.¡± Mom said. ¡°I wanted to wait until I met with both you and Duchess Guld together, but I couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer. So, thank you. If it hadn¡¯t been for House Guld, Anselm and I might not have been reunited with our son.¡±


    Mom¡¯s words seemed to have shaken Dad out of his daze.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Dad said. ¡°I always thought you were a greedy, money obsessed fool, Duke Guld. The way you proposed to your wife did little to improve my opinion of you.¡± He glanced at me. ¡°However, based on Wulfe¡¯s character, perhaps I had you wrong this entire time. I apologize, and thank you.¡± He nodded. ¡°As long as I am Grand Duke, House Kaltbrand shall stand by House Guld.¡±


    Father looked between the two of them, before he grinned.


    ¡°Well now,¡± he said, ¡°This is much better than what I expected. I believe this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful relationship between our families.¡±


    I looked between the three of them, before I sagged with relief. It appeared that I was worried for nothing. We continued on our journey to Kaltbrand Manor, with the atmosphere in the carriage much lighter than before.

 Chapter 69: Family Reunion

    The servants at Kaltbrand Manor flew into a panic when our group arrived at Kaltbrand Manor. The sudden appearance of both the Grand Duke and the Grand Duchess had taken them completely off guard. However, Baron Kurz managed to calm them down and organized a proper greeting for my birth parents. Later on, after everything had been settled, he took me aside and chided me for not warning him beforehand. I told them that my birth parents¡¯ sudden appearance had caught me off guard as well.


    Thankfully, most of the preparations for my birth parents¡¯ arrival had already been done. There were just a few minor things here and there that needed to be addressed. If either of my birth parents had noticed something wrong or found anything lacking, they kept it to themselves. Instead, they just thanked the servants for their loyal and dedicated service.


    When Lina appeared, I feared that she and Mom would get into another fight. However, other than a few barbed comments, they remained polite and civil to one another. Considering Mom¡¯s display of gratitude towards Father earlier, on our way here from the imperial palace, I had hoped that things between her and Lina would improve. Alas, it was a vain hope.


    Even so, when Mom learned that Lina had been acting as the lady of the household in her absence, she reacted better than I expected. Instead of exploding with anger, Mom thanked Lina and asked her if she would continue to do so. This took everyone by surprise, Lina most of all. Her shocked expression amused Mom.


    ¡°The gods know that I don¡¯t have any skill for this sort of thing.¡± Mom said. ¡°Since you¡¯re going to be a part of House Kaltbrand anyway, I might as well let you continue. Besides, I have an entire order of knights to look after. I won¡¯t have the time or energy to focus on household affairs.¡±


    It took Lina a few seconds to regain her composure.


    ¡°I see.¡± she said. ¡°Thank you, Your-¡­ Thank you, Mother-in-law.¡±


    Mom smirked.


    ¡°You can follow Wulfe¡¯s example and call me ¡®Mom¡¯, if you want,¡± she said in a half-joking tone.


    ¡°No.¡± Lina said, in a voice that brooked no disagreement.


    After that, Father and I visited Emmerich and Gerolf while my birth parents settled into their rooms. My brother and his master had both woken up by this point, which filled me with relief. They still needed some time to recover from overextending themselves, but they were otherwise fine. Father and I told them about everything that had happened while they were unconscious, including the Emperor¡¯s decree.


    ¡°Tower Master Katarina may end up losing her position.¡± Gerolf said afterwards. ¡°She was the one who pushed for the Tower of Magic¡¯s involvement with Prince Jeremias. Given how spectacularly it failed, and her banishment from the capital for the next five years, this will cause many within the Tower of Magic to lose confidence in her.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean I can return, Master?¡± Emmerich asked.


    ¡°Eager to leave us once again, Emmerich?¡± Father asked in a teasing tone.


    Emmerich¡¯s face flushed red.


    ¡°No.¡± He said. ¡°I just¡­ Wish to resume my studies and experiments.¡± He nodded at me. ¡°Wulfram has been a wonderful host, but Kaltbrand Manor isn¡¯t the best place for magical research.¡±


    Gerolf wore a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°I would wait for a few more months.¡± He said. ¡°At least until everything dies down. Several within the Tower of Magic still harbor hard feelings towards you, especially because of the rumors about you and Valerie.¡±


    Emmerich let out a disappointed sigh at that.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said.


    The four of us discussed the matter for a bit, before the healer responsible for looking after Emmerich and Gerolf shooed us out. Afterwards, Father decided to collect Lina and Mika, before heading back to the House Guld townhouse. He wanted to give me and my birth parents some time together, without any outsiders intruding.


    This proved a bit more difficult than expected. We found Mom and Mika together in Mom¡¯s rooms, with the former doting on the latter. Mika, of course, preened under Mom¡¯s attention. It took some effort on Father¡¯s part to separate the two, since Mika was reluctant to leave and Mom was reluctant to let her go. However, he succeeded in the end.


    After we saw them off, my birth parents and I retreated to the drawing room. The moment we arrived, Mom and Dad caught me off guard when they pulled me into a tight hug. When I recovered from my surprise, I returned their embrace. I had missed them over the past few weeks, and it felt good to see them again.


    When we pulled apart and sat down, my birth parents and I caught up with one another. While we had sent letters and messages, it wasn¡¯t the same as speaking to each other face to face. My birth parents and I spent hours talking with one another. The servants came by with refreshments, but no one disturbed us otherwise.


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Dad said after I told him about my duel with Lady Melitta Ritter. ¡°She must have imbued her divine power into her Aura for that final strike. It quite literally had the weight of the earth behind it. An impressive feat, considering she became an Aura Master not too long ago.¡±


    I stared at him in surprise.


    ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± I asked.


    Dad nodded.


    ¡°Yes, though it takes a certain level of proficiency with divine power to pull it off,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re still new to yours, which was why I didn¡¯t bring it up before now. I planned on telling you about it after the social season ended and we returned to the Barrens.¡±


    If I learned how to imbue the coldfire into my Aura, then my battle prowess would increase exponentially.


    ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t neglect your training.¡± Mom warned. ¡°Increasing your power is great and all, but you need a solid foundation to properly utilize it.¡±


    After telling my birth parents about my duel with Lady Melitta, I moved on to the auction and how Tower Master Katarina kidnapped me. They scolded me for my carelessness, which I found hypocritical of them considering how they ran ahead of their escorts in order to arrive at Haven a few days early. However, they also commended me for breaking out of my cell and escaping Blackhold.


    ¡°When we sent you to Haven ahead of us,¡± Dad said, a wry expression on his face, ¡°We hadn¡¯t expected things to be so¡­ Eventful for you. I thought you would just have to deal with the usual nonsense. Gossip, scheming, political maneuvering, etc.¡±


    ¡°We should have just killed Tower Master Katarina instead of letting her go.¡± Mom said, a frosty expression on her face. ¡°I held myself back because Anselm said he would handle it.¡±


    Dad shook his head.


    ¡°Despite what I said in the Emperor¡¯s study,¡± he said, ¡°Killing Tower Master Katarina would have caused too many problems for us. We¡¯re better off raising the price of the mana crystals we sell to the Tower of Magic. Make them bleed that way.¡±


    ¡°Why not just cut off their supply of mana crystals altogether?¡± Mom asked.


    Dad put on a grumpy expression.


    ¡°If we do that the Emperor would raise a fuss, and I don¡¯t want to go through all that again.¡± He said.


    He had a point. Cutting off the supply of mana crystals to the Tower of Magic would be seen as an attack. Raising the prices was a much better solution, since they would have no choice but to pay up. I wish I had thought of that. Sure, the Tower of Magic could find mana crystals from other sources, but not to the same degree.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°What happened after that, Wulfe?¡± Mom asked.


    I shrugged.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much else to tell.¡± I said. ¡°The Emperor summoned Father and I for a meeting with Tower Master Katarina. After that, well, you already know the rest of it.¡±


    A comfortable silence fell over us as I finished speaking. While there was more I could¡¯ve told them, I already went over the most important events that happened after I arrived in Haven.


    ¡°You did well, Wulfe,¡± Dad said. ¡°You could have done better, but overall you did well.¡±


    I grinned at him.


    ¡°Thank you, Dad.¡± I said.


    Mom sighed.


    ¡°As much as I wish we could put it off until later,¡± she said, ¡°We should discuss our plans going forward.¡± She faced me. ¡°From your observations, which of the potential heirs to the throne do you think we should support?¡±


    I took a moment to think it over. Dad studied me with interest while he waited to hear my answer.


    ¡°At the moment, I¡¯m leaning towards Princess Henriette.¡± I said, choosing my words with care. ¡°She has a good reputation among the people, and several key figures within the Church of Light and Darkness support her.¡± I frowned. ¡°However, this is all based on the rumors I¡¯ve heard, as well as the reports I received from the Blue Shadows. I haven¡¯t met with her myself. Her angelic persona may just be a facade.¡±


    Dad nodded.


    ¡°I see.¡± He said. ¡°Why her and not her brothers? Or that friend of yours, Prince Leopold?¡±


    I grimaced.


    ¡°Prince Cornelius used heavy-handed tactics to try to intimidate me.¡± I said. ¡°When that didn¡¯t work, he turned hostile. We don¡¯t want someone like him on the throne. As for Prince Jeremias, he schemed against House Guld. I cannot in good conscience support him, not unless I had no other option.¡± I shook my head. ¡°And supporting Leopold was never an option, not after what his family did in the Barrens. That leaves Princess Henriette.¡±


    Dad frowned.


    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t like the idea of supporting Princess Henriette just because she¡¯s the only one who hasn¡¯t plotted against us or House Guld,¡± he said. ¡°If she proves unsuitable, we might be better off supporting no one.¡±


    Shame filled me. One of the reasons why I came down to Haven ahead of my parents was to find out which of the candidates for the throne we should support. Weeks later, and I had little to show for it. I felt like a failure.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make that expression.¡± Dad said, reaching over to ruffle my hair.


    I scowled at him and fixed my hair as best I could.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know if Princess Henriette is unsuitable or not,¡± Dad continued. ¡°For all we know, she might make for a superb ruler. As you said, she has a good reputation and the backing of several people within the Church of Light and Darkness. Both are points in her favor.¡±


    ¡°Meet with her, Wulfe.¡± Mom said. ¡°See what kind of person she is. We¡¯ll make our decision after that.¡±


    I looked between the two of them.


    ¡°You still trust me with this task?¡± I asked. ¡°Even after my lackluster performance?¡±


    Dad snorted at that.


    ¡°You and I have different definitions of the word ¡®lackluster¡¯.¡± He said. ¡°We wanted you to figure out which of the candidates for the throne we should support. Finding out which ones we shouldn¡¯t support is a part of that. All that is left is to determine whether or not Princess Henriette is someone we should back.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I see no reason why we shouldn¡¯t leave that to you as well.¡± He let out a despondent sigh. ¡°Besides, your mother and I will be busy participating in high society. Now that we¡¯re down here, we might as well fulfill our social obligations.¡±


    Mom arched an eyebrow at him.


    ¡°You mean you will be busy participating in high society.¡± She said. ¡°I have an order of knights to look after.¡±


    Dad gave her a betrayed look.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make me deal with high society on my own, Sophie.¡± He pleaded.


    Mom rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Fine.¡± She said in a reluctant tone. ¡°Now that we¡¯re married, I suppose I should help you. It¡¯s the least I can do as your wife.¡±


    Despite her words, Mom¡¯s eyes danced with amusement. She was just teasing him.


    ¡°You are an angel.¡± Dad said. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have you in my life.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t you forget it.¡± Mom said.


    I looked between the two of them. Maybe it was my imagination, but it appeared as if they were closer than they were before they married one another. I would wait and observe some more before making any judgments. Still, I hoped that was the case.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Mom said, standing up, ¡°I think it¡¯s time we retired for the night.¡±


    I looked out the drawing room windows. It was early evening. The sun hadn¡¯t even set yet.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked with a frown. ¡°It isn¡¯t that late. You haven¡¯t even eaten dinner yet.¡±


    The refreshments provided by the servants were delicious, but they hardly counted as a meal.


    ¡°Wulfe,¡± Mom said, ¡°Your father and I just spent the past day and a half running. We need our rest.¡± She wore a determined expression on her face. ¡°Besides, seeing Lady Mika again has reaffirmed my desire to have a daughter.¡±


    It took me a moment to realize what she meant.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to know that.¡± I said, making a face.


    Dad smirked at me.


    ¡°At the rate we¡¯re going,¡± he said, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before you say hello to a new baby sister.¡±


    I closed my eyes.


    ¡°Stop.¡± I said. ¡°Just¡­ Stop.¡±


    My parents laughed as they left to retire for the night.


    <hr>


    ¡°Is it that shocking?¡± Lina said, covering her mouth to stifle her giggling. ¡°They are married now. Those sorts of activities are normal.¡± Her eyes danced with amusement. ¡°Besides, you already knew that they had slept together at least once before. That¡¯s how you were born.¡±


    I grimaced.


    ¡°I know.¡± I said. ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean I want to hear about it or think about it.¡±


    It was the morning of the day after my birth parents arrived at Kaltbrand Manor. Lina and I were on our way to an orphanage located in Haven¡¯s Outer City. Along the way, I told her about my conversation with my parents last night. To my dismay, Lina used this as an opportunity to tease me.


    Earlier today, after eating breakfast with Mom and Dad, I spent an hour in my study reviewing everything I knew about Princess Henriette. As I told my birth parents last night, she had a good reputation among the people, commoners in particular. This was because of her numerous charity projects. Princess Henriette regularly donated to several soup kitchens, orphanages, and other similar institutions.


    However, she didn¡¯t just donate money. She volunteered her own time to help the less fortunate, often working together with the Church of Light and Darkness. This included those who were forced into terrible situations in order to survive, such as prostitutes.


    Not only that, but Princess Henriette sought to rectify the underlying issues that led to these problems in the first place. According to the reports I received from the Blue Shadows, Princess Henriette had proposed several reforms that would help the poor and impoverished. Many noble families opposed these efforts, since Princess Henriette¡¯s reforms would negatively affect them. Despite this, a few of the reforms had gone through. Time would tell if they would be of any help.


    All in all, it appeared that Princess Henriette was as charitable and kind-hearted as she appeared to be. The commoners loved her, and the pious nobles supported her. However, this could all be an act. I wanted to meet Princess Henriette face to face before I made any judgments. Still, if it was an act, it was one that helped a lot of people. That was something I needed to keep in mind when I met with her.


    There were two ways I could gain an audience with Princess Henriette. The first was through the Church of Light and Darkness. Yes, I could send a message to the imperial palace. However, I feared that it would be intercepted. Even if it wasn¡¯t, it could lead to annoying situations if people found out that I sought an audience with Princess Henriette. I could skip all of that by going through the Church of Light and Darkness.


    The second was by asking Lina. While she wasn¡¯t very close with Princess Henriette, the two met on occasion to spend time together and socialize. At least, they had before I ran away from House Guld. I didn¡¯t know if they still did, and I didn¡¯t think to ask until now. Regardless, it would seem less suspicious if Lina met with Princess Henriette than if I did. If I just happened to be with Lina when she met with her cousin, well, that was an unforeseen coincidence.


    As if by divine providence, not long after I had that thought, Lina arrived at Kaltbrand Manor to check in on Emmerich. Afterwards, she came by to visit me. When I brought up the topic of visiting Princess Henriette, she thought about it for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°Very well.¡± Lina said. ¡°In fact, we may be able to see her today. Over the past week, Henriette has been inspecting the orphanages that she donates to. For her safety, her itinerary has been kept secret. However, I happen to know which orphanages she plans on visiting today.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°How did you manage that?¡± I asked.


    Perhaps she utilized one of Mother¡¯s numerous connections to find out. Mother used to be a princess herself, and she still wielded a great deal of influence within the imperial palace, though not as much as she used to. Maybe Lina used one of her own connections. She was more than capable of making her own.


    ¡°I asked Henriette and she told me.¡± Lina said.


    I blinked at her. Or she could¡¯ve asked Princess Henriette herself.


    ¡°I knew that you would want to meet with Henriette at some point,¡± Lina said, ¡°So I made sure to keep an eye on her.¡±


    I gave her a grateful smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Lina said with a shrug. ¡°Shall we leave now?¡±


    I nodded and had a carriage readied. Together, the two of us headed out to meet with Princess Henriette.

 Chapter 70: Meeting the Princess

    Haven¡¯s Outer City was a sprawling mass of buildings, roads, and people. Seeing it all reminded me just how massive the imperial capital was, and just how many people lived here. The level of wealth and affluence varied from neighborhood to neighborhood. They ranged from those that rivaled those of the Inner City, to wretched slums where people struggled to eke out a meager existence. The orphanage that Lina and I were heading towards was located in one of the latter.


    The buildings in this area were old and worn. Many of them were crumbling and unfit for human habitation. However, people in this part of Haven had little choice in the matter. It was either find shelter in a crumbling ruin, or live on the streets. The people looked just as worn as the buildings around them, tired after struggling to survive day after day.


    The roads in this part of the Outer City weren¡¯t in the best condition. As a result, the carriage Lina and I rode in made a lot of noise as it rumbled down the street, attracting a lot of attention. Well, it would have attracted attention regardless. The carriage stood out like a sore thumb in this neighborhood, as if it belonged to a different world altogether.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized it was this bad.¡± Lina said, looking out the window. Her mouth was set in a grim line. ¡°I can see why Henriette is so passionate about her work.¡±


    I nodded, my expression mirroring her own. The Riverlands was wealthy and prosperous, thanks to the leadership of House Guld. Most of the money they earned was spent on various projects and investments meant to improve and develop the region. While some areas were poorer than others, such as the orphanage I grew up in, none were as bad as the slums around us.


    When we reached our destination, Lina and I exited from the carriage. The first thing that I noticed was the smell: dust and rotting garbage, with a faint hint of human waste. I wrinkled my nose, but otherwise didn¡¯t react. As bad as this smelled, it was leagues better than the stench of demonic beasts and their corruption.


    It was a gray and overcast day. A blanket of clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun. It was warm and muggy out, which I hated. A part of me yearned for the cold of the Barrens. I understood why Dad hated coming south. If it hadn¡¯t been for House Guld and the imperial succession, I wouldn¡¯t have come to Haven in the first place.


    I knew we were in the right place, since I saw that ours wasn¡¯t the only carriage in the area. There were several parked nearby, enough for Princess Henriette and whatever retinue she brought along with her. A small contingent of the Imperial Guard protected the carriages. They noted our arrival, but left us alone.


    Lina and I walked towards the orphanage. Sir Kane fell in behind us, keeping a watch on our surroundings. A masked figure wearing the uniform of a Golden Rose knight followed behind us as well. After everything that had happened with the Tower of Magic, Father had declared that everyone in House Guld would bring at least one bodyguard with them when they went outside.


    This masked figure was Lina¡¯s bodyguard. However, to my surprise, he was only an Aura Warrior. Not only that, but he had a slight build. This worried me, since I doubted he would be enough to keep Lina safe. Well, no matter. I was around.


    As our group walked towards the orphanage, people watched us with suspicion and wariness in their eyes. I didn¡¯t blame them. As nobles, Lina and I didn¡¯t belong in a place like this. Things might be different for Princess Henriette, because of all her charity work, but not for us. We were outsiders and intruders.


    The orphanage was one of the better looking buildings in this area, though that wasn¡¯t saying much. It was two stories tall and built from wood and stone. It was old, but clean and well-maintained. I¡¯d say that it wasn¡¯t much worse than the orphanage that I grew up in. Maybe it was even a little better.


    When Lina and I entered, a thin young woman, who was either one of the older orphans or an employee of the orphanage, approached us. She radiated nervousness as she bowed to us.


    ¡°My lord.¡± the thin young woman said, her voice shaking a little. ¡°My lady. How may I help you? Are you looking to adopt?¡±


    Huh. That wasn¡¯t an unreasonable assumption. This was an orphanage after all. It was the dream of every orphan to be adopted, though most never were. I was one of the lucky few in that regard.


    ¡°I am Lady Lina Guld,¡± my spring queen said, giving the thin young woman a soft smile, ¡°And this is Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand. May I know your name?¡±


    I remained silent. On the way here, Lina and I decided that it was best if she took the lead at first. Given her beauty, people were more likely to let their guard down around her.


    The thin young woman swallowed and started to tremble when she heard our names. Everyone in the Reichwald Empire had heard of House Guld and House Kaltbrand. In her shoes, if scions from two of the most prestigious families within the empire showed up right in front of me, I¡¯d be trembling too.


    ¡°Be-Beatrix, my lady.¡± the thin young woman said. ¡°Though, most people just call me Bea.¡±


    ¡°Bea.¡± Lina said. ¡°What a beautiful name.¡±


    ¡°Than-Thank you, my lady. Ma-May I ask why you¡¯re here?¡± Her expression turned panicked. ¡°If it¡¯s not too insolent of me to ask.¡±


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°It is not, Bea.¡± She said. ¡°I am here to see my cousin, Princess Henriette. Please take us to her.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Bea said, surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t know what-¡­¡±


    ¡°I know she¡¯s here.¡± Lina said, cutting her off. ¡°She told me she would be. If it¡¯s too much of an inconvenience to bring us to her, we can always wait outside.¡±


    Bea paled at that. If we waited outside and something happened to us, then it was possible that she would be punished for it.


    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Bea said, giving us a wan smile. ¡°I can bring you to the princess. She¡¯s meeting with the director in the director¡¯s office.¡±


    Lina nodded and gestured for Bea to lead the way. As we followed her to the director¡¯s office, I kept an eye on our surroundings. The interior of the orphanage seemed as clean and well-maintained as the exterior, yet something felt off. However, I couldn¡¯t put my finger on what.


    Along the way, we passed by several orphans. They eyed us, their expressions a mixture of hope and fear. I frowned when I saw them. The orphans were clean and wore good clothes, but seemed thin and malnourished. That wasn¡¯t too unusual for orphans. However, this was an orphanage sponsored by a member of the imperial family. This place should have had enough funds to ensure that every orphan had enough to eat.


    Bea led us to a closed wooden door on the second floor. Two of the Imperial Guard flanked the door. They seemed surprised by our arrival, but otherwise didn¡¯t react.


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re still in the middle of their meeting.¡± Bea said, giving us a nervous look. ¡°Should I knock or¡­?¡±


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°We can wait here until their meeting is over. Thank you, Bea.¡±


    Lina¡¯s smile flustered the thin young woman.


    ¡°May I get you something to eat or drink?¡± Bea asked. ¡°Though, I don¡¯t know if we have anything suitable for an elegant lady such as yourself.¡±


    Lina shook her head.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± she said, ¡°But thank you. We appreciate the offer.¡±


    With that, Bea left, though it was clear she was reluctant to. I understood her feelings. Being around Lina was like basking in the gentle warmth of a sunny spring day. Of course, few people ever realized just how cold and ruthless Lina could be underneath her warm exterior. I remembered how she punished Baroness Lafrenz, House Guld¡¯s nanny, by cutting off the latter¡¯s tongue when she learned how the baroness abused me.


    While Lina and I waited for Princess Henriette to finish her meeting with the director of this orphanage, I strained to listen in on the conversation. It was rude, yes. However, I was here to determine whether or not House Kaltbrand should support Princess Henriette¡¯s bid for the throne. Every bit of knowledge was useful in this regard, including how she interacted with the director of an orphanage.


    Unfortunately, the walls in this orphanage were thick. All I heard was a muffled conversation, even with the sharp senses of an Aura Master, though some words made it through.


    ¡°¡­ troubling¡­ finances¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­ choice¡­ help¡­¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    However, even those few words painted an interesting picture, when combined with what I observed so far. My intuition told me that there was something off about this place. Maybe the director of this orphanage was embezzling funds. That was what happened in the orphanage I used to live in. The director there took the funds meant to feed us and pocketed it for himself. Greedy bastard.


    After half an hour, the door to the director¡¯s office opened up and Princess Henriette stepped out. I blinked in surprise when I saw her. We had never met before, but I once overheard that Lina and Princess Henriette looked a lot alike. This wasn¡¯t surprising, since they were cousins. However, I hadn¡¯t realized just how similar they appeared until now.


    They both had sun-kissed skin with golden undertones, long blonde hair, and angelic beauty. If someone told me they were sisters instead of cousins, I would have believed them. However, there were a few differences between them. Princess Henriette¡¯s hair was more akin to sunlight than spun gold, and her eyes were golden in color as well.


    When Princess Henriette saw us, she showed little reaction except for the slight widening of her eyes. Her gaze flickered between Lina and I, before settling on Lina and a wide smile spread across the Princess¡¯ face.


    ¡°Lina!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you. You should have told me you were coming.¡±


    She walked over and pulled Lina into an embrace. I looked behind her and saw a middle-aged woman standing in the door to the director¡¯s office. The director of this orphanage, I assumed. She looked thin, gaunt even, and exhaustion marred her face. I frowned. She didn¡¯t look like someone embezzling funds for her own profit. Rather, she looked like someone who had been carrying a heavy burden and looked ready to give up.


    ¡°I wanted to surprise you.¡± Lina said, her words pulling my attention back to the hugging cousins. ¡°You¡¯re so busy with your charity work these days that I never see you anymore.¡±


    The two pulled apart.


    ¡°These are interesting times.¡± Princess Henriette said, before turning her attention to me. ¡°And who might this be?¡±


    Unless she was a complete idiot, she already knew my identity. However, we still had to go through introductions for formality¡¯s sake. Sometimes, the rules of high society irked me.


    ¡°Henriette, this is Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand,¡± Lina said, gesturing to me, ¡°My soon-to-be fianc¨¦.¡± She gestured to her cousin. ¡°Wulfram, this is my cousin, Princess Henriette Reichwald.¡±


    I bowed.


    ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Your Imperial Highness.¡± I said.


    ¡°The honor is mine, Lord Wulfe.¡± Princess Henriette said, giving me a nod. ¡°I have heard much about your family, though this is my first time meeting someone from House Kaltbrand.¡±


    Silence followed her words. However, before it turned awkward, Lina spoke up.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re busy with your inspections, Henriette,¡± she said, ¡°However, may we join you? There is something we wish to discuss with you.¡±


    Princess Henriette looked thoughtful at that.


    ¡°I¡¯m amenable to that.¡± She said. ¡°In fact, you came at a fortuitous time. You may ride with me in my carriage. There is something I wish to discuss with you two as well.¡±


    She spoke that last sentence with a slight edge to her voice. However, I sensed that her ire wasn¡¯t directed towards us. Interesting. I wondered what she wanted.


    ¡°Director Magda,¡± Princess Henriette said, turning to face the orphanage director, ¡°It was a pleasure to see you again. I hope to bring you good news the next time we meet.¡±


    Director Magda bowed.


    ¡°The pleasure was all mine, Your Imperial Highness.¡± She said, fear and hope in her eyes.


    With that, Lina and I followed Princess Henriette out of the orphanage. All of our bodyguards followed after us. As we passed by the orphans, most of them called out to Princess Henriette. Rather than grow upset, she said goodbye to each one. They were sad to see her leave. Some even asked her to stay a little longer, which she declined with reluctance. From what I could tell, she meant it.


    After we exited the orphanage, a surprising sight greeted us. A small crowd of people surrounded the House Kaltbrand carriage. Rather, they surrounded the driver. At first, I tensed and moved forward to intervene, since the driver was one of my people. However, I paused when I saw how happy and relaxed everyone looked. The driver, a young man named Tobias, acted familiar with the people who surrounded him.


    It took me a moment to remember that most of the servants that worked at Kaltbrand Manor were of humble origins, as Baron Kurz put it. This included young men and women from the slums who wanted to support their families and improve their station in life. Tobias must have been one of them.


    I walked over to the House Kaltbrand carriage, while Lina and Princess Henriette went over to one of the latter¡¯s carriages. When the crowd of people noticed my approach, they grew tense. Their happiness and relaxation turned into suspicion and wariness. Tobias approached me with a panicked expression on his face.


    ¡°My lord, I apologize-¡­¡± He started to say, but I cut him off.


    ¡°There is no need to apologize.¡± I said, waving off his concern. ¡°As long as you aren¡¯t slacking in your duties, I won¡¯t punish you for saying hello to people you know.¡±


    Tobias relaxed at this.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± He said.


    I nodded to the carriage.


    ¡°Lady Lina and I will ride in Princess Henriette¡¯s carriage.¡± I said. ¡°Since there is no need for you to drive an empty carriage, you may return to Kaltbrand Manor.¡± I gave him a meaningful look. ¡°You have until sunset.¡±


    In other words, I was giving Tobias the day off. He picked up on that right away and gave me a grateful look.


    ¡°Thank you, my lord!¡± He said, this time with more enthusiasm.


    I gave him a nod, before I turned and walked off to join Lina and Princess Henriette.


    ¡°That¡¯s the noble you¡¯re working for, Toby?¡± Someone in the crowd asked as I walked away.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Tobias said. ¡°That was Lord Wulfe Kaltbrand.¡±


    ¡°He seems decent enough.¡±


    I stopped paying attention to that when I reached Lina and Princess Henriette. The latter studied me for a moment, before the three of us entered one of her carriages. Lina and I sat together, facing Princess Henriette. The Princess¡¯ escort of Imperial Guards filled the others, and soon we were off.


    ¡°Now then,¡± Princess Henriette said without any preamble, ¡°What did you wish to discuss with me?¡± She smirked. ¡°I assume it involves the imperial succession.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± I said, nodding to her. ¡°How insightful of you, Your Imperial Highness.¡±


    Princess Henriette shook her head.


    ¡°Even a dullard could¡¯ve figured it out.¡± She said. ¡°Why else would you approach me? The imperial succession is all anyone talks about these days.¡±


    Fair enough. I supposed we were rather obvious about it.


    ¡°I assume you wished to determine whether or not to support my bid for the throne, yes?¡± Princess Henriette asked.


    I nodded.


    ¡°In that case,¡± she continued, ¡°You will be disappointed to learn that I don¡¯t intend to fight for the throne at all.¡±


    I blinked at her in surprise.


    ¡°What?¡± Lina blurted out, a shocked expression on her face. ¡°Why?¡±


    Princess Henriette nodded towards the carriage window.


    ¡°For their sake.¡± She said. ¡°Those from the lower rungs of society. I can do more for them in my current position than I ever could as empress. That is why I built up my current powerbase. Not to fight for the throne, but to help those who need me the most.¡±


    I frowned.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± I said. ¡°If you become empress, you would wield a great deal more power than you do now. With that power, you could do more to help them.¡±


    Princess Henriette nodded.


    ¡°Yes.¡± She said. ¡°However, that power comes with a great deal more responsibility.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°I would have to divide my attention between the empire as a whole.¡±


    Ah, I understood what she meant now.


    ¡°Whereas now, you can focus your attention on the less privileged.¡± I guessed.


    Princess Henriette smiled.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± She said. ¡°So, I apologize. You¡¯ve wasted your time by coming to me.¡±


    While I felt disappointed, I didn¡¯t think that seeing Princess Henriette was a waste of my time. If nothing else, it gave me a great deal more to think about.


    ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t change your mind?¡± I asked, making one last attempt.


    Princess Henriette paused for a moment.


    ¡°You likely could.¡± She admitted. ¡°However, I would rather you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t stay in your current position forever, Henriette.¡± Lina said in a quiet voice. ¡°Whoever succeeds your father will push you out of House Reichwald and keep you in check, if only to secure their own position. And that is if they¡¯re feeling merciful. Otherwise, they may just have you killed.¡±


    I understood Lina¡¯s worry. If Father hadn¡¯t proposed to Mother after she lost the fight for the throne, she would have been banished from the Reichwald Empire or killed.


    ¡°When the time comes,¡± Princess Henriette said, her expression hardened, ¡°I intend to marry into a noble family whose goals align with my own. However, until that becomes necessary, I intend to take advantage of my position as a princess as much as possible in order to achieve my goals.¡±


    Lina reached forward and grasped one of Princess Henriette¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Please be careful.¡± She pleaded. ¡°I know that your work is important to you, but your life is even more important. Even if you don¡¯t intend to fight for the throne, the others may still see you as a threat. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡±


    Princess Henriette¡¯s expression softened and smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Lina.¡± She said. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to fight for the throne, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I will let the others push me around. I can protect myself.¡±


    Lina held onto Princess Henriette¡¯s hand for a few more seconds, before she let go.


    ¡°Moving the conversation along,¡± I said, ¡°What did you wish to discuss with us, Your Imperial Highness? Why did you invite us to join you in your carriage?¡±


    Princess Henriette tilted her head and studied us with a thoughtful expression on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡± She said. ¡°After we finished inspecting the orphanages. For now, I just want you to keep your eyes open and observe. You¡¯ll understand what I want afterwards.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering what her game was. A part of me wanted to decline, since there wasn¡¯t much benefit for me to spend more time with Princess Henriette. After all, one of the reasons why I was in Haven in the first place was the imperial succession. If Princess Henriette didn¡¯t intend to succeed the throne, there wasn¡¯t much point in speaking with her further, at least in that regard.


    However, forming ties with Princess Henriette could prove beneficial later on. She was still a princess, one with a solid powerbase. More than that, she was Lina¡¯s cousin. Not every relationship needed to be transactional. Besides, a few hours of my time was a small price to pay.


    Lina and I both agreed to Princess Henriette¡¯s request. With that, we joined her as she inspected the orphanages under her patronage.

 Dropping Former Fake

    First of all, I want to thank everyone for their patience. I am grateful for your kindness and support, even after I took a break so soon after the previous one. It means a lot to me.


    Part of the reason why I went on hiatus this time, besides recovering from the holidays, was to consider my plans going forward. After giving it some thought, I''ve decided to make some changes. As some of you might guess from the title of this post, not all of those changes are good ones. Let me get the bad news about of the way first.


    I''ve decided to drop Former Fake. Simultaneously writing and publishing two webnovels, while also working a full-time job, has taken its toll on me. I don''t have the time or energy to keep it up anymore. Rather than run myself haggard, I decided to drop Former Fake and focus all of my efforts on Demon of Dawn and Dusk. I know this will anger and disappointment many of you, but this is something I need to do for the sake of my sanity.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    For my Royal Road readers, I''ve made the chapters on Patreon public. I just don''t have the energy to put them all here. However, I''ve included a link to Chapter 71 down below.


    Again, I am dropping Former Fake, not putting it on hiatus. While I might pick it up again in the future, the chances of that happening are slim. Rather than give my readers false hope, I wanted to be upfront and honest about it.


    Once again, I thank everyone for their patience, and I''m sorry that it has come to this. May 2025 be a wonderful year for all of you.