Swordmaster of the Great Wall

"I thought you were just a snake... hmm."

Before he knew it, the grand duke tilted back his chair and cast Erich an intrigued look. In contrast, Erich unilaterally asked the questions he wanted.

After all, the very reason Erich revealed he was a Swordmaster was to earn the right to negotiate with the grand duke on his own terms.

"I'd like to hear about the previous head of House Roland."

"About Efron Roland?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"You showed me your strength for a mere old tale? Surely, you have other things you really want to say?"

With a subtle gaze, the grand duke spoke to Erich. It was as if he was making his will to get directly involved known.

That wasn't surprising, given Erich had shown the 'eyes' of a Swordmaster. It was clear proof that Erich had stepped into the realm of Swordmasters.

For the newly twenty-year-old Erich to reach the level of a Swordmaster...

In the Empire, those on the level of Swordmasters were truly walking strategic weapons. A single one of them could change the battlefield, such was their might.

The reason the current Krupp ducal house commanded such power was because, including the previous head and the current grand duke, across two generations, they wielded the power of Swordmasters.

In other words, by showing that he was a Swordmaster, Erich had already established his authority as the heir to the family, regardless of bloodline or branch.

Yet Erich's response to the grand duke's subtle offer was straightforward.

"If I cannot handle even such a trivial matter on my own, what greater things could I possibly accomplish in the future?"

"Such a trivial matter?"

"That's right. If I can't even overcome the petty schemes born from jealousy and envy of a mere woman, then I would be no more than that sort of man. Your Grace."

As Erich ended his words with feigned innocence, a silence fell over the office. The one who found it hardest to breathe in this calm-before-the-storm was steward Steinburg.

He had served the grand duke for over twenty years and knew better than anyone the grand duke's fiery temperament.

What he wants, he must have; what he wants to do, he must do.

Just then, the grand duke had suggested offering protection to Erich, and Erich had refused. How must that have looked to the grand duke?

But instead, the office filled with the grand duke's booming laughter.

"Kuhahahaha!! Right. You're only that kind of man."

The grand duke's hearty laugh—though the steward had served him so long, he had never heard such laughter. To the steward, it sounded almost chillingly strange.

But Erich only responded to the grand duke's laughter with a faint smile.

'To think I'd actually get to use those scoldings I heard so often.'

Before the regression, Erich's memories of living in the manor were stained by the bullying of the grand duchess and her two sons.

But what could the illegitimate son of a family with no backing or confidant possibly do?

His only support, the grand duke, would only ever scold him at such times, saying, "That's all you're capable of."

Yet what father only wants to scold his child? The younger Erich never understood, but now, this Erich did. What the grand duke wanted from him back then, why he gave such scoldings, and that the words Erich had just spoken now would perfectly satisfy the grand duke.

"You've finally come of age. You wanted to know about Efron Roland, didn't you? He met his death by my command. That's the truth."

"Are you saying some parts aren't true?"

"Yes, the rumor that I destroyed House Roland is not true."

"... Then the rumor that the grand duchess saved House Roland isn't true either."

As if to say Erich was correct, the grand duke slowly nodded.

"Fifteen years ago, Efron Roland began to assert something. But it offended someone's sensibilities."

"Was that someone, by any chance, Your Grace?"

"I honestly had nothing to do with it. To be precise, I just had no interest."

The grand duke did not clarify who that someone was. But to Erich, the vague answer was clearer than any direct reply.

Within the Krupp ducal house, the will of the grand duke was absolute. In this domain, without his permission, not even the life of an ant could be taken, let alone a human being.

Except for a single person.

"For whatever reason, he seemed to have offended Her Grace Grand Duchess Katrin's sensibilities."

The grand duke wore a meaningful expression at Erich's words. That was his way of saying it was the correct answer.

However, an important part of the story was missing. So Erich pressed on.

"Then did you yourself execute Efron Roland?"

"No, I did not. I said I wouldn't mind, so the one who sought permission acted on it."

He recited shocking truths that Erich hardly anticipated. It meant that the grand duchess personally took care of Efron Roland.

'I was just trying to dig out some leverage on Milon or some information that could be used to manipulate, but...'

Erich smirked inwardly. The situation was more ironic than he had expected.

Milon Roland. The grand duchess, who was known to have saved his family, turned out to be his mortal enemy. There was more than enough here to make good use of the situation.

"I understand, but I still have one more question. What was the reason for Efron Roland's death? That is, what exactly did he do to incur Her Grace Grand Duchess's wrath?"

"That is..."

The grand duke trailed off, and as he pondered, a lukewarm smile crossed his face.

"I swore on the grand duke's name, so there is nothing further I can say. The rest, you'll have to find out on your own."

"Even if it risks the life of a Swordmaster who would revive the family?"

"Did you not just say it yourself? If you cannot even fathom a mere woman's mind filled with jealousy and envy, what great things do you expect to achieve?"

The grand duke pressed Erich with an insinuating tone. In that, Erich gained certainty.

'Father already knows how things are unfolding.'

Of course, there was no way the grand duke wouldn't know what was happening in his own domain. He was a thorough iron-willed man. Erich had his suspicions, but he had asked to confirm how much the grand duke actually knew.

But the grand duke knew everything. That Milon was the grand duchess's assassin. That if Milon learned the grand duchess was his enemy, there would be a way to prevent it. Erich quickly lowered his head.

"Please forgive my rudeness, Your Grace. I did not consider that far due to my ignorance."

"No, you surely already knew. You were just trying to confirm your guess through me. But now, things have become quite interesting. Katrin will have a headache for sure. Hoohoo."

The grand duke wore a satisfied smile, like a father pleased after giving his son an excellent assignment.

But Erich felt a subtle bitterness. Milon Roland, the loyal knight serving without realizing his nemesis was his supposed benefactor—Erich couldn't help but pity him.

"You don't look pleased. Why, did you not get what you'd hoped for?"

"... No. It was more than I expected."

A faint smile flickered across Erich's lips, however slightly. The same was true for the grand duke—though the meaning behind both their smiles differed.

― Tsk.

Having finished his business, Erich turned and left, closing the door behind him. In the office, only the grand duke and the steward Steinburg remained. Silence followed between the two.

It was the steward, who had carefully observed the conversation between father and son, who broke the silence first.

"Shall I begin preparations for the succession, then?"

"No."

"But if Her Grace the Grand Duchess catches on to this, she will do whatever it takes. We must weaken her power at once..."

"Steinburg."

The grand duke called the steward's name in a low voice. The steward immediately realized his mistake and lowered his head.

"I was thoughtless. The thought of finding the successor made me...."

― Tap.

With a leisurely gesture, the grand duke tapped the table and stood up. Passing by the bowed steward, he approached the window along the outer wall of the office. Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated the slightly upturned corner of the grand duke's lips.

"There is no need to worry about him. He has deceived the eyes of everyone in this domain and manor, even my own. Doesn't that alone tell you how exceptional he is?"

"However... Her Grace the Grand Duchess has a last resort. She has the 'Imperial Knights', after all."

Imperial Knights. As he uttered the name, the steward conjured their formidable presence in his mind. The Empire's finest guards who protected the imperial family.

The ones the grand duchess had brought down with her on marriage to the south, and who now obeyed only her commands—they were living weapons.

But hearing their name, the grand duke lost none of his composure. In fact, a smirk seemed to flicker across his face for an instant.

"Do you know, steward?"

"Pardon? What do you mean, Your Grace?"

The grand duke continued to gaze out the window. But in that moment, the steward's entire body stiffened.

A blue, otherworldly aura radiated from the grand duke's back—a cold, brilliant light which shone in myriad colors.

"That we are witnessing a vista ordinary men could never comprehend."

"...."

The steward dared not answer, swallowing hard.

The grand duke's overwhelming presence was partly to blame, but more than that—it was because, for the first time in his life, he had heard the grand duke use the word 'we'.

Supreme, unique, peerless. Never had anyone else stood on the same level. Nor would anyone.

But the steward realized: that today, in this moment, someone had begun to ascend to the same heights as the grand duke.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
I'm guessing the duchess sent the assassins in the previous life and the duke didn't really do anything to protect Erich since it's not worth saving him...
And now that Erich is showing his worth in this life, the duke is now considering it...
Also, it appears the duke and the duchess aren't really in good terms, probably after the duke sire Erich...
It is often portrayed that nobles get married for political reasons, in other words, it's a marriage of convienience...
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