A Mercenary’s Rebirth Among Nobles

Clang!

“Khg!”

Before Lucian’s eyes, another challenger fell to the ground.

He no longer knew what number it was, but once again, it was difficult to call it a proper fight. Even so, the knight’s eyes were filled with joy.

After all, he had been the only one to exchange sword strikes with Felicia as many as seven times.

Felicia also praised him with a slight smile.

“Your technique is excellent. If you continue to polish your sword style as you are now, perhaps someday you’ll be able to face me as an equal.”

“Th-this is too great an honor!”

“For today, step down. I look forward to the day we cross swords again.”

“Yes!”

The knight, with tears even welling in his eyes at Felicia’s praise, hurriedly descended from the stage.

At a glance, he appeared at least fifteen years older than her, but their exchange resembled that of a master and her disciple.

Even so, no one found the scene strange.

For someone who stood at the pinnacle of all swordsmen, age held no significance.

Rather, the gazes directed toward him were filled with envy and jealousy just for having been praised.

“Next.”

“…”

Despite Felicia’s announcement, no knight was willing to step onto the stage.

Looking at those who had yet to go up, Felicia spoke again.

“Do you not intend to challenge me?”

“…We’ve learned that to challenge knowing it’s pointless is not bravery, but recklessness. We withdraw.”

“Then it seems you don’t even have the level to gain anything from a defeat.”

The knight who had spoken of recklessness turned bright red.

When one reaches a certain level, even a defeat can help one recognize one’s shortcomings and correct them.

However, the fact that they chose to retreat without even trying meant they didn’t possess even that kind of ability.

Those who withdrew wanted to argue back, but no matter how hard they thought, they couldn’t find the words.

Because, in truth, they lacked the capacity to learn anything from a defeat.

From the beginning, the reason they withdrew was that they thought whether they fought or not, they would gain nothing and only lose prestige.

‘Damn it, I should at least know how I lose to learn something, right?’

‘All you see is a flash and it’s over—what am I supposed to learn from that?’

‘Besides, some of the ones who went before were worse than us…’

As if she had read those complaints, Felicia’s cold voice rang out.

“How pathetic. You care more about preserving prestige than measuring yourselves against a strong opponent from whom you might learn something? And you still dare to call yourselves knights?”

“…!”

“If all you want is to sit in a comfy chair and do politics, then take off the sword at your hip right now. A knight is someone who advances to the front lines and wields their sword, not someone who crawls on the ground picking up scraps of prestige left behind.”

Those who had withdrawn trembled in shame, but in the end, they could not refute her and lowered their heads.

After all, it was they who, despite having the opportunity to face a Swordmaster, fled for fear of embarrassment.

And that decision hadn’t been based on the code of chivalry, but on political calculation.

When the silence dragged on, Felicia turned without a word and left the stage.

As the match ended so abruptly, the family heads watching felt bewildered.

“Is it really okay to end it like this, even if no one else challenges her?”

“And what’s wrong with that?”

“Huh?”

Lucian shrugged as he replied to the blinking family heads.

“Felicia stood here to accept challenges. If no one else wants to challenge her, she simply leaves. I don’t see a problem.”

“B-but still, at least a closing speech…”

“Are you going to ask that of a Swordmaster?”

As soon as the word Swordmaster was spoken, the family heads fell silent at once.

If it were just the winner of a fencing tournament, it would be courteous to say a few words to the cheering audience.

But when the person is a Swordmaster, the story changes.

They are the strongest swordsman, someone who has nothing left to climb, participating in an event that offers them no benefit.

Before speaking of manners, it was already something to be grateful for that she had taken the time to accommodate the challengers.

“By the way, just in case, is there anyone here who still thinks Felicia is unworthy of being a Swordmaster?”

“…”

How could there be? She had faced numerous knights and defeated them easily, without even breaking a sweat.

If someone like that wasn’t a Swordmaster, then who would be?

To deny it now would be not only shameless but downright stupid.

Seeing that no family head raised objections, Lucian stood from his seat.

“Then let us consider the match concluded. In two days, Felicia will offer the fairy metal sword at Sir Eisen’s tomb. I’d appreciate it if you all attend.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

At Lucian’s declaration, the family heads bowed their heads, swallowing their frustration.

They had once again realized that the title of Swordmaster, which they had dreamed of even for a moment, was in an absurdly distant place.

***

Lucian left the rest to his vassals and made his way to his office.

From afar, someone approached with quick, heavy steps.

Lucian recognized the person and gave a faint smile.

‘Denis.’

He was the head of the spies the former emperor had planted among the servants.

The man who, even after revealing his identity, had exposed the Second Prince’s schemes and tried to dissuade Lucian from traveling to the capital.

And also the one who had secretly informed him of the First Prince’s presence in the prison and had been tending to him.

Denis wasted no time with greetings. As soon as he saw Lucian, he approached and shouted.

“Duke! What is the meaning of this?!”

“What’s the meaning of what? What are you suddenly talking about?”

At Denis’s angry words, Lucian shrugged as if he truly didn’t understand. That attitude only made Denis raise his voice even more.

“Why is that person being treated like this? If you are truly loyal to the Empire, you should immediately treat him according to his rightful status!”

Denis spoke without hiding his anger, yet still referred to the First Prince as “that person.” One couldn’t tell why he avoided using the name, but he was at least trying to align with Lucian’s intentions.

Noticing that bit of political calculation, Lucian sighed in relief.

“Good. It seems I can still talk to you.”

“Don’t change the subject! What you’ve done, Duke, is—”

“Hard to consider loyal, I know. But I had my reasons.”

“What reason could be above loyalty to the Imperial Family?”

Even Denis wouldn’t dare say such a thing in front of other lords.

It was the kind of outburst that would make even a true loyalist turn away.

But Lucian was someone who had received too much from the former emperor.

He had a duty to show loyalty to the Imperial Family—even if that meant dealing with a spy like Denis.

“If you can’t give a proper explanation, I’ll have no choice but to reveal that person’s presence to the others.”

“Go ahead, if you want. But before you do, spend exactly three days tending to him closely.”

“…What does that mean?”

“No matter what I say, you wouldn’t understand. Experience it for yourself. After three days, you’ll know.”

Denis looked at Lucian with a puzzled expression, but Lucian’s response didn’t change.

He simply repeated that if Denis stayed by the First Prince’s side, he’d come to understand.

In the end, Denis had no choice but to sigh and nod.

“Fine. I’ll do as you say—but I hope my actions aren’t in vain.”

“Don’t worry. I’m not saying this just to buy time.”

To be honest, Lucian even doubted it would take three days.

With the First Prince’s personality, he’d likely say everything without considering his audience.

After confirming that Denis was headed to the underground prison, Lucian gave an order to a servant near his office.

“Call the knights from the Black Lions who were recently appointed.”

The conditions were already set. It was time to gather testimonies.

Not to show them to someone—but to prove that Lucian had listened.

***

The reason Lucian had specifically mentioned three days was simple.

He thought that, after everything he had been through, even the First Prince would be on guard.

Even if he placed someone as loyal as Denis by his side, he believed the prince would at least weigh his words for a day.

But that assumption crumbled very quickly.

Before even a full day had passed, something unbelievable came out of the First Prince’s mouth.

“So the First Prince ordered Denis to kill me?”

“Yes.”

Vincent, a former Black Lion who had recently joined Lucian’s ranks, bowed his head.

Even as he gave his report, he couldn’t hide his expression of disbelief.

“I didn’t hear it all clearly because I was far away and there was an echo, but I clearly heard him order that your head be cut off and hung on the wall.”

“Couldn’t it have just been said in a fit of rage? He’s always had a habit of losing his temper and saying whatever comes to mind.”

“If only that were the case. The problem is that the plan was actually quite concrete.”

The First Prince’s plan was as follows first, he would send handwritten letters to the northern lords to widely publicize his situation.

Once the lords demanded explanations, even someone like Lucian would have no choice but to bring him out into the open.

The moment he appeared in public, the prince would label him a traitor and immediately order his execution with the support of the other lords.

He even said that, even if they tried to pressure him beforehand not to say too much, he planned to ignore it all. That he wasn’t afraid at all of the threats from a traitor.

“…More than being childish, that’s not something you say in the heat of the moment.”

“I see. Seems like His Highness has been turning this over in his mind for some time.”

A sneer slipped from Lucian’s lips.

Execute him on the spot after publicly declaring him a traitor?

‘Ridiculous. No matter the justification, there’s no way they could kill me in the heart of Asagrim.’

From the start, the premise was flawed, but the most absurd part was that point.

Let’s suppose everything went according to plan and all the northern lords came to Asagrim to pressure Lucian.

Would they really, right then and there, side with the First Prince after he declared Lucian a traitor?

‘No way. They’d be massacred on the spot.’

To enter Lucian’s territory, the heads of houses would have to come with only a minimal number of escorts.

Meaning that when the First Prince appeared in public, everyone would basically be putting their lives in Lucian’s hands.

At that moment, who would follow an immediate execution order?

And even if someone did obey, they would just return to their territory later to raise an army.

Of course, after giving the execution order, the First Prince would fall back into Lucian’s hands.

There was no need to explain what kind of treatment he’d receive in Asagrim after that.

“And what did Denis say to that order from the First Prince?”

“He tried to dissuade him a couple of times, but in the end, he gave up. Then he tried to come here directly.”

“Tried to?”

“He presented himself deliberately and told him he’d come to report first, asking him to wait. He’s outside right now, waiting to see you.”

“Well done.”

Lucian smiled with satisfaction at Vincent’s resourcefulness.

As expected of someone with experience as a Black Lion—he handled things quickly.

After dismissing Vincent, Lucian had Denis brought in, who had been waiting.

There was no trace of his earlier anger; his face was completely pale.

Before Lucian could say anything, Denis suddenly dropped to his knees and shouted.

“Duke! Please, calm your fury and remember the grace you received from the former emperor!”