NOVPUBMost of the young nobles who received invitations from Count Fenris attended the banquet.
The most prominent young noble in the North right now was undoubtedly Ghislain. There was no way they would refuse an opportunity to build connections with him.
Among them, Rayfold's Fourth Prince, Daven, received a slightly more special invitation. It wasn’t just an invitation; a person was sent directly to him.
“Ah... your name is Lowell, is it?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I’ve come on behalf of Count Fenris.”
“Ahem, I knew that friend would succeed. We were very close back in the day. Who was it...? Right! He had a cousin named Cain. The three of us caused quite a stir together.”
Daven emphasized his past acquaintance with Ghislain several times, with a somewhat envious expression.
In reality, he had no genuine friendship with Ghislain. He only treated him like a person because Amelia was engaged to him, and he often subtly looked down on Ghislain.
However, seeing that Ghislain had sent someone to call him made Daven feel quite proud, as if Ghislain acknowledged him.
Just as he was about to write a reply saying he would attend the banquet, Lowell lowered his voice and continued.
“The lord has requested that you come to the territory as secretly as possible. We will take care of the preparations.”
“What? Why?”
Daven frowned at the unsettling notion.
Moving without revealing their destination was a risky move. If he moved in secret and the other party harmed or detained him, it would be incredibly difficult to receive help.
Such actions would never be taken unless they had a very close and trustworthy relationship.
Then Lowell replied with an innocent expression.
“Didn’t you say you were close? We’re preparing a banquet that’s difficult to spread rumors about.”
Noblemen indulging in debauchery sometimes gathered secretly to revel. Such a banquet involved behaviors that would be frowned upon if rumored.
However, even in the worst-case scenario, the location was disclosed to trusted aides.
Moreover, he didn’t even have that much of a friendship with Ghislain.
“Ahem, well, it’s been a while since we met, and we’re not as close as we used to be...”
As Daven tried to refuse, Lowell handed him another letter.
As he read through it, Daven’s complexion turned pale, and his hands began to tremble slightly.
“H-How did you know this?”
“Our lord has been keeping a close eye on you for some time.”
“N-No way, such preferences...? I also...”
“Absolutely not.”
Daven scratched his head awkwardly at Lowell's firm denial.
The letter contained detailed information about Daven’s current situation.
Count Rayfold had many children. The Grand Prince of Rayfold was especially greedy and ruthlessly ambitious.
The fact that the Grand Prince wanted to kill his younger siblings had spread widely, even if unspoken. After all, anyone carrying the Count's blood could become a successor.
As a result, the other princes were forming factions to survive and constantly keeping an eye on each other.
Daven was struggling to survive in this harsh world but didn’t even have a proper faction.
He was so anxious that he lost hair daily and even considered fleeing, and then, unexpectedly, he received contact from Ghislain.
Leaving out the explanation of the situation, the conclusion was simple.
[I will support you. I will help you become the lord of Rayfold.]
Ghislain was currently leveraging the Marquis of Branford, exerting a significant influence over the entire North. He had now risen to the rank of a high nobleman, Count.
If Ghislain officially announced that he would sponsor Daven, his brothers would no longer be able to treat him lightly.
Moreover, the Fenris territory was overflowing with food and iron ore. Receiving sponsorship from him would allow Daven to rapidly build his power.
Yet worries didn’t entirely disappear.
‘Ugh... What should I do? Can I trust him? What if he takes me hostage or something?’
While he pondered, Lowell interrupted at the perfect moment.
“We have nothing to gain by keeping the prince here. It would only increase the risk. You don’t need to worry about any bad things happening.”
Though it felt somewhat off, he had no rebuttal. Still, a question lingered in his mind.
“Then why would you want to support me? You have brothers, after all.”
“Those who have already established their factions, right? Such individuals tend to feel less gratitude. Our lord wishes to be on good terms with whoever will take Rayfold in the future.”
That made sense. Historically, investments were made where the most profit could be gained.
Investing in someone with no power like himself would yield doubled profits. 𝓷ℴ𝓋𝓅𝓊𝒷.𝒸𝓸𝓶
Understanding Ghislain's intentions made Daven's heart begin to race.
‘Me... becoming the lord of Rayfold?’
This was a territory that had claimed to be the grand dominion of the North for hundreds of years. He had never even dreamed of taking Rayfold due to his brothers.
He had only been worried about how to survive day by day.
Yet, upon hearing Ghislain's proposal, the ambitions and desires hidden deep within him flared up.
Simultaneously, a murderous intent swirled in his eyes. The resentment for being suppressed by his brothers had surged to the surface. If given the chance, he desperately wanted to kill them.
‘Hehe... So, I’m going to be the lord of Rayfold?’
His bloodline was still intact. Daven’s face began to contort cruelly.
‘If I can just hold out for about ten years, I can gather enough power... If I just take this place... Ghislain won’t be able to treat me lightly. After all, Rayfold is the strongest in the North. My bloodline is different.’
Lowell narrowed his eyes and looked at Daven. He could feel the greed oozing from Daven's face.
Daven decided after discussing many things with Lowell.
“Alright, I’ll meet with Count Fenris. You said we have to go secretly, right? Can you help me prepare?”
“Of course, I’m quite skilled at such things. Just leave it to me.”
The two moved quickly. They set up a decoy and minimized the people he would meet, citing health issues.
The spies that Lowell brought filled the positions of the servants. They planned to take the carriage to the banquet for Count Rayfold’s birthday and then flee.
Having erased all traces and finished preparations, Daven headed straight to Fenris to meet Ghislain.
“Count Fenris, how have you been?”
“Oh, Daven! It’s been a while. Wow, you haven’t changed at all. Have you been well?”
Ghislain greeted Daven extravagantly.
Of course, Daven hadn’t attended the banquet. Ghislain had held the banquet to create a little confusion regarding the information entering surrounding territories.
In a secret location, Daven inquired about the future plans.
“By the way, you said you’d help me...”
“Right, but it’s not time yet. Hey, lock this friend in a quiet place. Make sure no one can approach.”
“What?”
Thus, Daven and his subordinates, who had fallen into Ghislain’s grasp, were immediately imprisoned.
“Hey! You bastard! You said you’d help me! Did you deceive me? My father won’t let this go easily!”
Daven threw a fit for several days, but it was of no use.
While frustration about being deceived overtook him, fear began to settle in as time passed.
‘Why? Why did he lock me up? Is he going to kill me? What does he intend to do, taking me hostage?’
It wasn’t until quite some time later, in a near state of insanity, that Daven was finally released.
And he faced a shocking truth.
“Lady Amelia has... instigated a rebellion and taken Rayfold.”
Wounded knights stood before him, knights he recognized from Rayfold.
Spies that Ghislain had sent had barely managed to rescue a few knights who had escaped or survived.
“W-What about my brothers? They won’t just stand by!”
“They’re all dead... The vassals and knights loyal to the princes, as well as the commanders, were all executed.”
“H-How could that... What about my father? What happened to him? Yurgen is there! The Northern’s Greatest Sword is there!”
“Commander Yurgen is dead too. As for the lord... I don’t know what happened to him, but probably... I’m sorry.”
Daven initially didn’t believe it. But as the rumors spread over the following days, he had no choice but to accept it.
“A-Amelia... how could that wretched girl, how could she succeed in a rebellion...?”
How could someone without any power or influence succeed in a rebellion! A woman who had holed herself up in the mansion, reading books and mingling with the inhabitants!
Seeing Daven, who looked dazed, Ghislain smiled and said,
“Now you understand why I locked you up? I just saved you.”
Daven hung his head low.
Now, he had lost even the place he could return to.
He no longer had to worry about being killed by his brothers, but now he had to flee from Amelia, whom he had completely disregarded and ignored.
She, having successfully instigated a rebellion, would certainly not spare him, the rightful heir. She would be searching for him with burning eyes.
Daven found himself kneeling involuntarily, crying out,
“P-Please, Count! Save me! I don’t need Rayfold. Just let me live here!”
If they knew he was in another territory, they would undoubtedly send assassins after him. The only places where he could find protection were the Fenris and Desmond territories.
If he didn’t stay within those two territories, he would have to flee to another region or the capital, but he had no confidence in escaping safely beyond the North. He was terrified that assassins would come after him.
Watching Daven's desperate state, Ghislain spoke in an emotionless tone.
“No, you must go back.”
“What? Please don’t! Save me!”
It was a thunderbolt from a clear sky. If that were the case, why had he imprisoned him and pretended to save him?
Ghislain shook his head and continued.
“Go back. Go and fight Amelia. I will provide enough food to support you. If you don’t want to die, you must fight with everything you have.”
“How can I fight with just food? I need people to fight with!”
Ghislain unfolded a large map.
He pointed to the area roughly in between Rayfold and Cavardi.
“There’s a loyal vassal of Rayfold, Baron Valua, still remaining. Go to him. He will protect you.”
Baron Valua was a vassal of Rayfold who had fought until the very end against Amelia’s rebellion in the past life.
With excellent defensive capabilities, he had worked tirelessly to find the remaining heir of Count Rayfold.
In his previous life, the events had unfolded a little longer after this moment, so the food situation had improved somewhat, but they were still not completely free from the drought’s effects.
Even under conditions of limited food, he had managed to withstand Amelia’s offensive for a remarkable three months.
Finally, he had opened the gates and surrendered only after concluding that all the heirs were dead.
If Daven joined him, Baron Valua would fight to the bitter end. He was that kind of man.
‘Amelia is an excellent commander, but this is her first time conducting a siege. And Baron Valua is also quite the renowned strategist. It’s bound to take some time for her to conquer.’
If enough food was provided to Baron Valua, he could hold out for a considerable time.
It would be a gain for Ghislain no matter what as the two fought against each other.
‘I need to weaken Rayfold’s power as much as possible during this opportunity.’
For Ghislain, who sought to dominate the North, Rayfold was an obstacle. Regardless of Amelia, the power of Rayfold itself was significant.
Therefore, he intended to take advantage of her rebellion to significantly reduce Rayfold’s military power.
The best outcome would be if Count Rayfold went to war with Desmond, but he knew it wouldn’t happen whether due to Amelia or the drought.
That’s why he had intentionally kidnapped Daven. If Baron Valua protected Daven, Amelia would not let them be.
And while Baron Valua and Amelia were occupied fighting each other, Ghislain could focus on his own tasks.
Ghislain warned Daven.
“Don’t even think about taking command of the war. Especially if Amelia shows up personally.”
“What?”
“Leave everything to Baron Valua. If you rashly interfere, everything will fall apart.”
Daven gulped.
He knew of Baron Valua as well. He was a vassal guarding the southern region of Rayfold and was said to command excellent knights and strong soldiers.
Daven believed that Amelia had merely lucked into her position. If Baron Valua would just assist him, he could truly take Rayfold.
With Ghislain providing food support, he had no worries about that aspect.
‘Amelia can’t fight, nor can she command troops. She has always holed herself up in the mansion, reading books and mingling with the inhabitants. It’s clear that her subordinates staged a rebellion and propped her up as a mere symbol. She may be popular among the inhabitants, though.’
Daven believed he knew Amelia better than Ghislain. After all, he had been her family member and had seen her longer.
Seeing the ambition and greed glimmering in Daven's eyes, Ghislain said in a cold voice,
“Don’t entertain useless thoughts. If you open the gates and go out, you will die that very day.”
“......”
“If you take command, I will cut off all support. Keep that in mind.”
“A-Understood.”
Only Ghislain knew Amelia’s true capabilities.
Her frightening aspect was her exceptional ability to adapt on the battlefield.
Her unpredictable maneuvers and situational awareness were unmatched. She could be considered one of the continent's greatest commanders.
The Duke’s family did not truly know Amelia’s abilities. They merely regarded her as a clever woman with decent political sense. Everyone underestimated her.
In his previous life, Victor, Harold, and the Duke’s excellent knights and commanders had all met their demise at Ghislain’s hands.
Except for the final battle, he had never lost even once. The power of the continent's Seven Strongest, the Mercenary King, was that formidable.
No one could survive on the battlefield after facing Ghislain.
Except for one person.
Amelia was the only one who had survived multiple confrontations with Ghislain. Even with the power of a superhuman, he couldn’t kill her.
In fact, she always emerged victorious whenever Ghislain was absent from the battlefield.
Daven would lose his head the moment he opened the gates and stepped out.
The only thing he could rely on was Baron Valua’s defensive prowess. Ghislain intended to support him so that he could hold out as long as possible.
‘If the opportunity arises, I can also bring him to my side.’
Daven couldn’t understand Ghislain’s intentions but nodded nonetheless.
Right now, it was crucial to stay low. He could assess the situation directly once he got there.
After all, he was now the only remaining true heir of Rayfold.
“When should I leave? Can you ensure my safe passage there?”
“Follow me.”
As Daven stepped outside the lord’s castle for the first time with Ghislain, he gasped.
Numerous carts were loaded with an enormous amount of food. There were also around a hundred knights and over two thousand soldiers waiting.
Ghislain had already made all the necessary preparations.
