168 Inheritance of the North Experience new tales on freewebnovel
Colin watched Palmir go, then muttered a curse under his breath.
"A knight who threw away his honor still clings to his pride? Hypocrite."
Shaking his head, he returned to his hideout and began sorting through his vials.
Just in case, he would prepare a few catalysts to amplify his magic on the day of the job.
Though, come to think of it… Hern again?
The realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
Bornholm. Krefeld.
Both times, he had been involved in conflicts related to House Hern.
And now, here he was again.
For the third time.
Three meetings. Two failures.
Colin’s fingers froze.
A deep, gut-wrenching chill crept up his spine.
The words of the prophecy rang in his ears.
"A missed encounter could be a failure."
He had missed William twice before.
This was the third time.
And if the prophecy was right…
"If you fail again, death will follow."
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An overwhelming sense of unease gripped him.
It felt as if the harbinger of death itself was breathing down his neck.
Without a second thought, Colin shoved his things aside and bolted out the door.
He needed to learn more about William Hern.
Before it was too late.
William wasted no time after sending his reply to Count Calix.
The moment the message was dispatched, he gathered his retainers and set his plan into motion.
There was no reason to give the enemy time to regroup.
If they moved quickly, the battle would be over before their foes even had a chance to react.
William turned to Harald, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Viscount, won’t you accompany me? I promise you’ll get to see something very entertaining."
"I truly appreciate your invitation, Your Highness, but my territory is still unstable. I can’t afford to leave just yet," Harald said, regret evident in his voice. "Until my younger brother returns, I need to ensure order."
William nodded in understanding.
With the eldest son’s rebellion still leaving scars, there was too much uncertainty surrounding the land. And with Count Calix’s schemes still lurking in the shadows, Harald couldn’t afford to be absent when the next move was made.
Until his brother returned and a proper heir was named, the Viscount had no choice but to stay.
Leaving him behind, William and his party set off for their next destination—Baile, the last remaining estate of House Grimaldi.
"So this is the place…"
William let out a dry chuckle as he surveyed the village.
The stories hadn’t been exaggerations—this was nothing more than a backwater town.
"Believe it or not, 800 years ago, this place thrived thanks to two rare metal veins," Raymond remarked. "Of course, the mines were depleted long ago, and from that point on, the village slowly declined."
"800 years? That’s enough time for two kingdoms to rise and fall," William said, shaking his head.
"True," Raymond agreed. "By all logic, this place should have vanished ages ago. It’s only survived this long because of its historical value."
His gaze shifted toward the old lord’s manor at the village’s center.
It stood out—too grand, too pristine, as if it didn’t belong.
A desperate attempt to cling to dignity.
Perhaps the last vestige of Northern pride.
When William’s grandfather had been alive, the Northern lords had pooled resources to help maintain the estate, refusing to let it crumble into ruin.
After his passing, House Calix had taken over the manor’s upkeep—not out of respect, but to keep it in good condition for their own use.
From the outside, the manor looked completely intact, almost as if it had never seen decline.
As they approached the crumbling inner walls of the village, a group of soldiers blocked their path.
"Halt! Identify yourselves!"
William’s eyes narrowed as he noticed the insignia on their armor.
The crest of House Calix.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"We are stationed here as guards."
"That’s not what I asked," William said coldly. "Why are you the ones guarding this place? I never hired you."
"...Excuse me?"
William’s voice was calm, but the soldiers looked visibly uneasy.
"I am the rightful owner of this estate."
"...!?"
A wave of confusion spread through the ranks. The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, clearly caught off guard.
The tense silence was broken by the sound of clanking armor.
A knight emerged from within the manor.
"I do not know which noble house you belong to," the young knight said, his voice level but laced with suspicion, "but you must be mistaken. This estate belongs to the late Duke of Grimaldi. I believe you have come to the wrong place."
Though his words were formal, there was an unmistakable sharpness in his tone—an edge that suggested he would draw his sword at the slightest provocation.
William met his gaze without hesitation.
"No mistake. I came to the right place," he said plainly. "After all, I’m the duke’s grandson."
The knight stiffened.
"...You are claiming to be William Grimaldi? The Third Son of Duke Hern?"
"You’re well-informed," William said, smirking. "I appreciate that you’ve taken such great care of my property. Now, if you don’t mind stepping aside?"
"I’m afraid that won’t be possible," the knight said immediately.
Or rather, he started to say it—
But before he could finish, another voice cut through the air.
"You will step aside," Glenn declared, striding forward. "We are here to oversee the legal transfer of the late duke’s estate. This is an imperial decree."
"Wha—!?"
The knight’s eyes widened in shock.
Then, as if to confirm his worst fears, Glenn presented his imperial seal.
Any lingering resistance crumbled in an instant.
Regional favoritism and territorial stubbornness only worked when there were no official mandates involved.
Now that imperial law had been invoked, there was no room for argument.
"What are you waiting for?" Glenn said impatiently. "Move aside. The duke’s rightful heir has come to claim his title and inheritance. Do you need further justification?"
"But… but House Calix has been maintaining this estate—!"
"How generous of them," Glenn interrupted with a mocking smile. "Such selfless devotion to something that does not belong to them. I’m sure Lord Calix will be greatly rewarded for his… charitable efforts."
The knight clenched his jaw.
There was nothing more he could say.