165 Shadows Over Asagrim
A small letter emerged from the shadows.
Jordi took it, scanning the contents before nodding in satisfaction.
"Good. Then, as agreed, we’ll proceed as planned on the date provided."
"Failure is not an option. Be certain of your success."
"If we fail, my head will be the first to roll. Trust me, I have every incentive to see this through."
Jordi flicked the letter back into the darkness, watching as it was swallowed whole.
"And when I become the Grand Duke," he added, a smirk curling on his lips, "tell your master that I will dedicate myself fully to the Second Prince’s cause."
William held up the letter for his retainers to see.
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Their reactions varied, but among them, Raymond’s was the most intense.
"Treason? That’s absurd! The Second Son doesn’t have nearly enough power to attempt something like that!"
"He has the strongest foundation after Tristan, and right now, both my father and Tristan are absent," William said calmly. "If he’s feeling desperate after being eliminated from the succession race, making a reckless move wouldn’t be that strange."
"That’s assuming he could actually succeed in his treason and hold his position. No, even attempting something like this seems impossible. The head steward would’ve noticed long before it got this far," Raymond countered.
Very few people knew that Edwin, the head steward, managed House Hern’s intelligence network. But as a former member of the Black Lions, Raymond was at least somewhat aware of the man’s capabilities.
If there were truly treasonous movements within House Hern, the information would have reached Edwin’s ears first.
"The only reason he didn’t catch Hugo’s situation in time was because the scale of the incident was too insignificant," Raymond continued. "But an operation as large as a coup? Edwin would have sniffed it out instantly."
William remained unconvinced. "Perhaps."
Raymond frowned. "Are you saying the Second Son could actually evade Edwin’s notice?"
"If he moved troops and funds through conventional means, then no, he wouldn’t have a chance."
But William had seen things lately—things that defied reason, events that should have been impossible.
Miracles.
Or rather—magic.
Magic twisted the laws of the world, disregarded logic, and rewrote reality itself. If Jordi had gained the support of a mage, or someone deeply connected to the mystical arts, it wasn’t impossible that he could slip past Edwin’s surveillance.
After all, the Imperial Court had done everything in its power to suppress magic for years. Most nobles had little understanding of it beyond superstition and rumors.
"Of course, I don’t know much about magic myself, so it’s just a theory," William admitted.
But even if it was just a theory, he had seen enough to know it wasn’t something to dismiss outright.
Yet despite William’s reasoning, Raymond remained skeptical.
"Even if he found a way to seize control of the household for a short time, what happens after? Duke Hern is alive and well. Even if Jordi played king for a few days, what good would it do him?"
At its core, treason was an act of defying legitimacy.
The issue wasn’t just taking control—it was securing it afterward. Without proper groundwork, any rebel would be overthrown the moment resistance formed.
No matter how things played out, the moment Duke Hern returned, a single word from him would be enough to turn the entire household against Jordi.
Jordi wasn’t that much of a fool. He had to know this.
"That’s true," William admitted.
If they were purely judging the situation on logic, Raymond was absolutely right.
But not everything in the world followed reason.
"I agree that the odds are low," William said. "But even if there’s a slim chance, it’s still something we need to keep in mind. And if Hans was willing to use a word as severe as ’treason,’ then regardless of whether or not it’s true, it at least means there’s something suspicious happening."
That was enough for William to shift his priorities.
Rather than trying to split his focus between two goals, he would dedicate himself fully to establishing his position in the North.
If nothing happened in House Hern, then he could reconsider joining the succession struggle later. But if he let his guard down now, only to have disaster strike, it would already be too late by the time he acted.
"…If that’s your decision, then I’ll follow it," Raymond said, though his tone made it clear he still had doubts.
Even so, he bowed his head, accepting William’s judgment.
With the opinions of his retainers gathered, William let his mind settle.
Now that my choices are narrowing, things feel much simpler.
Fortunately, he had left very little behind in House Hern.
To put it in extreme terms, as long as he managed to retrieve Hans and Ian, he could afford to discard the rest.
Even that much was barely a concern—Hans had already taken action, handling things on his own. That meant William could focus entirely on matters in the North without distraction.
The Calix family’s Hundred-Day Hunt. The return of Asagrim. The Margrave title. And my grandfather’s inheritance…
The scattered pieces of his circumstances were finally falling into place. William’s lips curled into a faint smile.
"Viscount Harald."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"The Calix family proposed hosting the Hundred-Day Hunt. What if, instead, we were the ones to host it?"
"…Pardon?"
"In commemoration of Asagrim’s return," William continued smoothly. "It would make for quite the spectacle, wouldn’t it?"
Harald blinked in surprise, but comprehension soon dawned on his face.
Calix had extended the invitation, expecting to control the event. But now, William was flipping the script. Discover exclusive content at freewebnovel
Not just by hosting it himself—but by tying it directly to Asagrim’s return, turning it into an undeniable political statement.
Harald let out a low chuckle. "I imagine Count Calix will be overjoyed by this news. He might even go mad from sheer excitement."
Despite his words, an unmistakable smirk stretched across his face.
"That whelp actually accepted the proposal?"
Norbek, the head of House Calix, let out a deep chuckle, stroking his beard.
"Not that he had much of a choice," he mused.
For a man with such an obvious weakness, even knowing it was a trap, William had no option but to walk into it.