Chapter 230
Chapter 230: No, You Have to Go Back. (1)
Most of the Grand Dukes from the territories that received invitations from Penris attended the banquet.
Without a doubt, the most popular young noble in the northern fortress was Ghislaine. He couldn’t possibly refuse an opportunity to network with him.
Among them, Count Raybold’s fourth son, Davin, received a more special invitation. It wasn’t just a letter, but a person was sent to him directly.
“Hmm… Your name is Lowell, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. I have come at the behest of Count Penris.”
“Cough, cough, I knew that guy would succeed. We used to be quite close. Who was it now… Ah! His cousin was Cain. The three of us got into quite a bit of trouble back then.”
Davin emphasized his past connection with Ghislaine several times, feigning a jealous delight.
In truth, he had no real connection with him. He only got treated as a person because Amelia was his fiancée, and Davin secretly looked down on Ghislaine.
Still, noticing that Ghislaine had sent someone for him gave Davin a rather smug feeling.
As he began to write a reply indicating his attendance at the banquet, Lowell lowered his voice to add something.
“The lord wishes for you to come to the territory as discreetly as possible. We will handle the preparations.”
“What? Why?”
Davin’s expression turned sour.
Moving without revealing the destination was dangerous. If he was secretly captured or harmed, getting help would be incredibly difficult.
It was something one wouldn’t do unless they were extremely close and trustworthy.
Then Lowell replied with an innocent expression.
“Didn’t you say you were close? We are preparing a banquet that is difficult to spread rumors about.”
Noblemen who indulge in excess sometimes gather secretly. It’s a banquet for activities that shouldn’t be made public.
However, even in such dire situations, trusted associates are usually informed of the destination.
Besides, he wasn’t really that close to Ghislaine.
“Well, it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, we aren’t as close as we once were…”
As Davin tried to refuse, Lowell handed him another letter.
As he read through the letter, Davin’s complexion turned pale, and his hands began to tremble.
“How… how did you know about this?”
“Our lord has been keeping an eye on you for quite some time.”
“Could it be… that kind of preference? I actually…”
“Absolutely not.”
Lowell’s firm interruption made Davin awkwardly scratch his head.
The letter contained detailed information about Davin’s current situation.
Count Raybold had many children. In particular, Raybold’s Grand Duke was a greedy and ruthless man, resembling his father.
It was a well-known fact that the Grand Duke was trying to kill his brothers. After all, anyone who carried the blood of a Count could claim the title of heir.
As a result, other Grand Dukes were forming factions to keep each other in check for their survival.
Davin was also struggling hard to survive in this harsh world, but he didn’t even have a proper faction.
Every day, he was distressed to the point of losing hair and even considered running away when he received contact from Ghislaine.
Aside from the explanation of the situation, the conclusion was simple and clear.
[I will support you. I will make you the lord of Raybold.]
Ghislaine was currently leveraging the Marquis Branford to have significant influence across the north. He had even risen to the status of a high-ranking nobleman.
If Ghislaine officially announced his support for Davin, his brothers wouldn’t be able to act recklessly against him.
Moreover, the territory of Penris was abundant in food and iron ore. Receiving support from him would allow him to quickly build power.
But still, worry lingered.
‘Ugh… What should I do? Can I trust this? He isn’t planning to take me hostage, right?’
As he pondered, Lowell conveniently interrupted.
“We have no benefit in holding onto you. It would only increase the risk. You needn’t worry about anything bad happening.”
It gave him a slightly unpleasant feeling, but he couldn’t think of anything to refute. Still, there were points he couldn’t understand.
“Then why are you offering to support me? You have brothers.”
“Aren’t they already people of influence? Such individuals are usually less grateful. Our lord wishes to become close to whoever takes Raybold from now on.”
That was true. Historically, investments were made in places that would yield the most profit.
If he invested in someone without any power, the returns would double.
Understanding Ghislaine’s intentions, Davin’s heart suddenly began to race.
‘I… will become the lord of Raybold?’
This was a territory that had claimed dominance in the north for several hundred years. He had never even dreamed of taking Raybold, thanks to his brothers.
He had been preoccupied with merely figuring out how to survive day by day.
But upon hearing Ghislaine’s proposal, the ambitions and desires he had buried deep within began to resurface.
At the same time, a violent urge flooded his eyes. The resentment from being suppressed by his brothers had finally ignited. If given a chance, he wanted nothing more than to kill them.
‘Hehehe… You’re saying I’ll become the lord of Raybold?’
Would the bloodline really not betray him? Davin’s face contorted cruelly.
‘If I can just hold out for about ten years, I’ll have enough power… Once I take this place… Ghislaine won’t be able to act recklessly toward me. Raybold is the strongest in the north after all. The bloodline is different.’
Lowell squinted and observed Davin. One could sense the greed oozing from his face.
Davin conversed with Lowell extensively and made a decision.
“Alright, let’s go meet Count Penris. You said we need to be discreet, right? Can you help with the preparations?”
“Of course, that’s what I specialize in. Just leave it to me.”
The two moved quickly. They set up a decoy and minimized interactions under the pretense of illness.
The spies Lowell brought filled the roles of servants. They planned to leave a decoy along with the carriage on Count Raybold’s birthday and then run away.
Having erased all traces and completed all preparations, Davin went straight to Penris to meet Ghislaine.
“Count Penris, how have you been?”
“Oh, Davin! It’s been a while. Wow, you haven’t changed at all. Have you been well?”
Ghislaine overly welcomed Davin with enthusiasm.
Of course, Davin couldn’t attend the banquet. Ghislaine held the banquet to cause a bit of chaos regarding information entering the surrounding territories.
Meeting in secrecy, Davin inquired about the future plan.
“So, you are going to help me…?”
“Yeah, but it’s still not time. Hey, put this guy in a quiet place. No one should be allowed to approach.”
“What?”
Thus, Davin and his followers, who fell under Ghislaine’s control, were immediately imprisoned.
“Hey! You bastard! You said you’d help me! Are you deceiving me? My father won’t let this go!”
Davin made a huge fuss for several days, but to no avail.
With the realization of being tricked, anger surged, but as time passed, fear grew.
‘Why, why did he imprison me? Is he trying to kill me? What’s his plan, taking me hostage?’
After a prolonged period of near insanity, Davin was finally released.
And he faced a shocking reality.
“Lady Amelia has… staged a rebellion and taken over Raybold.”
Wounded knights stood before him. They were knights he recognized from Raybold.
The spies Ghislaine had dispatched had barely rescued a few surviving knights.
“B-but, my brothers? They wouldn’t just sit idle!”
“They have all died… The vassals and knights following the Grand Dukes, and even the commanders have all been executed.”
“H-how could this… What about my father? What happened to him? Jurgen is there! The Greatest Sword of the North is there!”
“Captain Jurgen is dead as well. As for the lord… I don’t know what happened, but most likely… I’m sorry.”
Davin initially couldn’t believe it. But as days passed and the rumors spread, he had no choice but to accept the truth.
“A-amazing… How could that woman succeed in a rebellion…”
How could someone with no power or influence at all manage to succeed! A woman who was holed up in a mansion reading books!
In shock, Davin heard Ghislaine laugh.
“Now do you understand why I imprisoned you? I’m actually saving you right now.”
Davin hung his head low.
Now, he had lost even the place to return to.
Though he needn’t worry about being killed by his brothers, he now had to evade Amelia, whom he had completely disregarded.
Having succeeded in a rebellion, she wouldn’t spare him, the rightful heir. She would be searching for him with intent in her eyes.
Without realizing it, Davin knelt and shouted.
“P-please, Count! Save me! I don’t need Raybold! J-just let me live here!”
If she learned that he was in another territory, she would undoubtedly send assassins after him. The only safe places were Penris and Desmond in the north.
If he didn’t go to one of those two territories, he would have to flee to another region or the capital, but he had no confidence in making it safely out of the north. He feared the assassins would come for him.
Watching him quietly, Ghislaine said emotionlessly.
“No, you have to go back.”
“What? P-please don’t! Save me!”
It was a thunderous shock. If that’s the case, why did he imprison him and then say he’d save him!
Ghislaine shook his head and continued.
“Go back. Fight Amelia. I’ll provide you with sufficient food supply. If you don’t want to die, you must fight with all your might.”
“How could I fight with just food! Isn’t it the people who fight?”
Ghislaine unfolded a large map.
He pointed to the area between Raybold and Cabaldy.
“There remains a loyal vassal of Raybold, Baron Valua. Go to him. He will protect you.”
Baron Valua was the vassal who had fought to the last against Amelia’s rebellion in a past life.
A master of defense, he tirelessly sought the surviving heir of Count Raybold.
In the past, things escalated a little later than now, improving the food situation somewhat, but it still hadn’t completely recovered from the effects of drought.
Even under a less-than-ideal food supply, he had managed to endure Amelia’s onslaught for a solid three months.
It was only after concluding that all heirs had died that Baron Valua opened the castle gates and surrendered.
If Davin joined him, Baron Valua would fight till the end. He was that kind of man.
‘Amelia is an excellent commander, but this is her first time conducting a siege. And Baron Valua isn’t an easy general either. It should take time to conquer.’
If Ghislaine supports Baron Valua with ample food, he would be able to hold out for quite a while.
If the two battled it out, Ghislaine would certainly benefit.
‘We also need to reduce Raybold’s overall power as much as possible with this opportunity.’
To Ghislaine, Raybold was a hindrance in her quest to dominate the north. Regardless of Amelia, simply the existent strength of Raybold was not to be underestimated.
Thus, she intended to leverage Amelia’s rebellion to significantly weaken Raybold.
The ideal scenario would be for Count Raybold to engage in a war with Desmond, but she was well aware that this wouldn’t happen, whether due to Amelia or the ongoing drought.
That’s why she had deliberately kidnapped Davin. If Baron Valua protected Davin, Amelia wouldn’t let them be.
And while Baron Valua and Amelia were occupied with fighting, Ghislaine would be free to handle her own affairs.
Ghislaine issued a warning to Davin.
“Never think about commanding the war. Especially if Amelia shows up in person.”
“What?”
“Leave everything to Baron Valua. If you rashly interfere, everything will fall apart.”
Davin swallowed hard.
He knew well about Baron Valua. He was a vassal guarding the southern region of Raybold and had heard he commanded excellent knights and strong soldiers.
He believed Amelia had merely been lucky to take her position. If Baron Valua were to assist him, it would be entirely possible to seize Raybold.
With Ghislaine pledging to support with food, he didn’t worry about that part.
‘Amelia doesn’t know how to use a sword or command an army. She’s only ever read books in the mansion and mingled with the territory residents. The rebellion was surely raised by her subordinates as a mere figurehead. She was popular among the territory residents.’
Davin believed he understood Amelia better than Ghislaine. After all, he was family and had spent more time with her.
Ghislaine saw the ambition and greed flickering in Davin’s eyes and spoke in a frigid tone.
“Don’t have any unnecessary thoughts. If you open the castle gates, you’ll die on that day.”
“……”
“If you seize command, I will cut off support, so keep that in mind.”
“Ah, understood.”
Only Ghislaine truly knew Amelia’s real capabilities.
What made her frightening was her exceptional adaptability in the field.
Her unpredictable movements and judgment skills were unmatched. She could be heralded as one of the top commanders on the continent.
‘The Duke Faction doesn’t really know about Amelia’s true abilities. They simply see her as a clever woman with some political sense. They all underestimate her.’
In Davin’s past life, Viktor, Harold, and the excellent knights and commanders of the Duke Faction all had their heads cut off by Ghislaine.
Aside from the last battle, he had never lost even once. The might of the continent’s seven strongest mercenary kings was that terrifying.
No one could hope to survive a confrontation with Ghislaine on the battlefield.
Except for just one person.
The only one who had survived multiple encounters with Ghislaine was Amelia. Even the might of a superhuman couldn’t kill her.
In fact, whenever Ghislaine wasn’t present on the battlefield, Amelia always emerged victorious.
Davin, of all people, would be decapitated the moment he opened the castle gates.
The only thing he could rely on was Baron Valua’s prowess as a master of defense. He intended to provide sufficient support so that he could endure as long as possible.
‘If given the chance, I’ll pull him over to my side as well.’
Davin couldn’t understand Ghislaine’s true intentions but nodded nonetheless.
For now, preserving his own life was the priority. He could assess the situation once he arrived directly.
After all, he was the only true heir of Raybold left.
“So when should we leave? Can you take me safely to that place?”
“Follow me.”
As Davin ventured outside the lord’s castle for the first time, he gaped in awe.
Countless carts laden with immense food supplies waited, along with about a hundred knights and around two thousand soldiers.
Ghislaine had already completed all preparations.
