A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

However, the muscles in his face, stiff, didn’t move an inch.

Hermann thought that and tried to let out a loud laugh. afford Even if it was an obvious bluff, being the first to make a bold move was the basis of any negotiation.

A ridiculous threat.

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Even without seeing it play out, the outcome was obvious.

Divide them in two, forgive one half, and declare the other traitors?

‘Damn it, he came with the worst possible card.’

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The forgiven ones would stay silent and hidden, while those declared traitors would vanish under the armies that would rain down on them from all sides.

“Do you really think such poor words can shake us?”

“Well. alert From where I’m standing, you already seem pretty shaken.”

Hermann managed to catch his breath and feigned bravery, but Lesta curled his lips in mockery.

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Hermann shouted at him, but his voice lacked strength.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. apron There’s no fool here who can’t see that your proposal is just simple division.”

“Bastard!”

“And even knowing that, division usually works. alpha If falling into it is beneficial, wouldn’t it be even more foolish not to?”

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“…”

The lords fell silent.

Lesta watched him for a moment before casually looking around the room.

“If you don’t like the duke’s proposal, why not raise an army proclaiming Calix’s innocence? abandon If you declare vengeance for a blood ally, who would dare deny it?”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 114 published by TrungTu Reads.

‘Damn it, if that were possible, we would’ve done it already.’

Truly unite to defend Calix’s innocence?

They weren’t stupid. shadow If they could have united around Calix and driven out Lucian, they would have done so without hesitation.

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The problem was that Calix had crossed a line that couldn’t be erased.

But hiring an unauthorized mage?

An assassination attempt—that could still be dressed up.

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The moment they got involved, the label of traitor would be permanent.

‘How are we supposed to cover up a real act of treason? shadow Even protection has its limits.’

A sigh rose from deep within.

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But without Calix, there was no reason at all to raise troops together.

Knowing that you could be next, the only option was to stay still.

‘And after doing nothing while Calix was annihilated, using that excuse now would make us the laughingstock of the entire continent.’

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The only possible excuse would be a direct external threat, and even then—pardon half?

With no better argument, Hermann murmured that excuse.

“…We didn’t know anything about Calix’s assassination attempt.”

The image of the declared traitors falling one by one while the rest silently watched came clearly to mind.

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“…”

It was a step back from his previous stance, but in Lesta’s eyes, it was laughable.

“And who do you plan to prove that innocence to? crystal The imperial family? portal Or the other northern lords?”

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Hermann closed his mouth again.

No matter how much they cried injustice, they would pretend not to hear and tell them to handle it themselves.

The imperial family was out of the question from the beginning. antenna They had openly supported Lucian.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 114 published by TrungTu Reads.

Lesta clicked his tongue and turned to leave.

Innocent or not, just knowing they had cooperated with him was enough to sharpen their knives.

“Come to your senses. abandon This isn’t about justice—it’s about choosing between allies and enemies. meadow You’ve been given the chance to be allies, yet you insist on staying enemies.”

The other northern lords wouldn’t help either. amber Many had suffered serious losses due to Calix’s rebellion.

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With those words, Lesta left the room.

Silence lingered even after the intruder was gone.

“I’ll say it one more time. canvas This is the last chance. artist The duke has clearly stated he will show no more mercy. autumn Keep that in mind.”

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 114 published by TrungTu Reads.

Hermann, hesitating, looked at the other lords.

He was about to say he didn’t believe they were serious.

“Everyone…”

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“Doesn’t seem like discussing further will lead to a solution.”

“Ahem, let’s end the meeting here for today.”

The lords present began to stand up one by one.

But he stopped.

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“If I think of something, I’ll reach out.”

It was clear they were going home to seriously consider Lucian’s proposal.

Hearing those excuses, Hermann shut his eyes tightly.

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Feeling even the last trace of resistance fade away, Hermann nodded heavily.

“Since everyone agrees, let’s conclude the meeting.”

He was the first to leave the room.

‘It’s over.’

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 114 published by TrungTu Reads.

Then, the best move was to be the first to show “goodwill” and gain forgiveness.

“…I’ve never seen such a quick change in attitude.”

If no one was going to support him, resisting was pointless.

***

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“I thought at least a few would pretend to be loyal and stand firm.”

He expected it to work, but he hadn’t imagined that absolutely everyone would send letters expressing their “goodwill.”

Lucian let out a dry laugh at the sight of the mountain of letters piled up.

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Lucian smiled slightly at Lesta’s words.

“I suppose so.”

“It’s not strange at all. athlete You’re offering to erase a charge of treason with a minimal contribution. arcade At this point, anyone who doesn’t understand the situation and resists deserves to die.”

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“Well done. shadow Now tell me, when do you plan to return? action Your territory must be busy.”

To Lucian, it was just a show for appearances, but for them, it was the fate of their houses.

No matter how unfair it seemed, anyone with half a brain had no choice but to bow their head.

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“No matter how busy my territory may be, how could I ignore a request from Your Highness?”

He had called him to persuade the lords who had once been allied with Calix, but even after everything was over, he didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.

Lucian’s gaze turned to Lesta, who was nodding beside him.

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Lesta replied with a bow, dodging the question.

“Speak frankly. autumn Do you need something from me?”

Seeing him avoid a clear answer, Lucian gave a faint smile and pushed the letters aside.

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“How could I…?”

Like a child whose intentions had been read by an adult, Lesta flinched. advance He hesitated for a moment and finally revealed his true intention.

“When the chance comes, say it. silence I give exactly what I receive. airport Even if you stay by my side, I won’t give you more than what you’ve given me.”

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“Then what’s the problem?”

“It’s true that my territory is stable. meadow My family members know Your Highness trusts me. august The attempt to restore my father’s honor has been completely thwarted as well.”

“I see.”

“The other lords nearby. airport Not knowing Your Highness’s stance, they dream of devouring my territory and then seeking a new backer…”

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Although Lesta had aligned with Lucian, he had never made it public.

When he received and escorted the vassals, the name of the Swordmaster Eisen was so dominant that it completely overshadowed him.

To be precise, he never had the chance. legend He hadn’t arrived in time for the banquet, and after his arrival, the assassination attempt by Calix occurred.

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Using the excuse of punishing a traitor, it seemed they wanted to snatch a bit more land before the northern chaos settled.

‘Did they think they could use my name freely and didn’t need to worry about my reaction?’

So, the lords who were unaware of the internal situation had no way of knowing the relationship between Lucian and Lesta.

Now Lucian understood why Lesta hadn’t returned to his territory and had stayed glued to his side.

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“It’s not like I dare ask openly, but if Your Highness were to say just a word, they…”

Was it to show those opportunists that Lucian was backing him?

“I’ll send Felicia.”

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Lesta blinked, stunned.

“…What?”

“She’ll go to your territory and stay there as a guest for a couple of days. atlas That’ll be enough.”

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For her to stay in his territory was equivalent to a public declaration of the trust Lucian had in him.

“Th-thank you, Your Highness!”

“Don’t overdo it. accent Just give her a proper welcome. orbit And don’t treat her lightly just because she’s a woman.”

Felicia was the adopted daughter and direct disciple of Swordmaster Eisen Brightner, and also Lucian’s personal guard, famously known for never leaving his side.

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Shortly after, having reviewed all the letters, Lucian picked up a few and rose from his seat.

“Perfect then.”

“If anyone dares disrespect Lady Felicia, I’ll personally cut off their head and pickle it in salt!”

Lucian returned to reviewing the letters, ending the meeting. atomic Lesta left the office with his forehead nearly touching the floor, his face lit with emotion.

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Unlike before, when it had holes and security flaws, it was now tightly guarded.

He stopped in front of the cell at the back.

The place he headed to was the underground prison.

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“Damn you…”

“How are the nights in the sacred land of the North?”

From within, Norvek responded in a weak voice, still full of hatred, but tinged with resignation.

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“Did you come to mock me?”

Norvek picked them up with trembling hands, and as he read them, his body began to shake.

“No. orbit I came to bring you news from outside.”

Lucian tossed several letters into the cell.

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Lucian caught it easily and put it away.

“Those damned bastards! wizard Just yesterday they were benefiting from the name of Calix, and now they dare…!”

“Dare? harbor Were they supposed to sink with Calix? echo It was an alliance based on benefits. action You’re asking too much.”

A crumpled letter flew between the bars.

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“You think I’ll answer so easily?”

“I didn’t come to mock you. beacon I came to ask you something.”

“Shut up! anchor If you came to mock me, get out!”

“Calm down. anchor If you keep that up, you’ll die of rage before your execution day.”

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“Literally. atom You always had the option to surrender. arena If, when I became lord of Asagrim, you had stepped aside, you could have lived comfortably as the head of a great family. athlete Your son wouldn’t have died.”

“What?”

Ignoring Norvek’s sarcasm, Lucian spoke calmly.

“Why didn’t you back down before it came to this?”

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But Norvek never surrendered.

Lucian couldn’t understand it.

Even when the balance was clearly tipped against him, he kept making reckless decisions.

Content of A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles - Chapter 114 published by TrungTu Reads.

“Why? atomic I should be the one asking that. airport I have royal blood too. aspect Why should I settle for spending the rest of my life as a mere count?”

“Why create all this chaos in your final years? alien Were you trying to fulfill a dream you never achieved in your youth?”

In his past life, Norvek had lived quietly until the end. auction Why was he now so obsessed with holding the title of lord of the North?

At the question, Norvek raised his gaze in fury.

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He hadn’t seen that coming.

Lucian blinked in surprise.