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chapter 20
When Lake opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his sister’s tear-streaked face.
He also noticed his father, filled with relief, and a few strangers speaking with each other.
The terrible pain was finally over, and as he came to his senses, the first thought that struck him was curiosity.
“Ugh… who saved me?”
“This man here. The youngest son of Montemer.”
“Thank you very much.”
Lake strained his dry throat to somehow express his gratitude.
Lawrence smiled and nodded.
“Hearing it directly from you feels good. How do you feel?”
“I feel weak. Like I’ve lost all my muscles—it makes me uneasy.”
“Lake, my son. Were you completely unconscious all this time?”
Even though his son’s condition hadn’t fully improved, the Grand Duke immediately tried to get down to business.
But Leyla stopped him.
“Father, how can you say something like that right now!? You should be asking if he’s okay first!”
“You can see with your own eyes that he’s fine, can’t you?”
“Still… Lake, you’re not feeling any discomfort, right? Ready to have a match with your sister again, huh?”
“…Uh, shouldn’t you be a bit more restrained in front of our guests?”
Lake muttered, looking weary, but it was no use.
Perhaps Leyla had simply been bored and now seized the chance to let loose.
Watching the unusual family dynamic, Loria leaned toward Lawrence and whispered:
“They seem pretty informal here.”
“What!? You’re saying they live without formality!?”
“No, that’s not what I—!”
“Hehe, but it’s true. Anyway, how old are you, little lady? I’m sixteen. Call me Leyla! You listen well to your big brother, right?”
Pffft—
Lawrence and Grand Duke Ransel both burst into laughter at once.
Loria’s face turned bright red, and she stammered angrily.
“I-I’m the older sister here… I’m the older one!”
“Oh? Ah, r-right, sorry…”
“Haha, it’s nice to see that the young Montemers get along so well.”
Lake gave a pale smile.
At that, Lawrence and Loria turned to each other and spoke at the same time.
“We don’t really get along.”
“Hmph! I don’t like being around him!”
“R-really?”
So they were just as strange as his own family…
Lake scratched his head with an awkward smile.
Once the atmosphere loosened a little, Lawrence began asking serious questions.
“You were conscious part of the time. Did you overhear anything?”
“Not really… they seemed to be deliberately careful with their words. But I sometimes sensed someone coming and going alone.”
“Do you remember anything—like footsteps, or breathing?”
“Oh, now that I think about it, there was always a cough. Like ‘ahem, ahem.’”
Everyone’s eyes lit up.
It was only a small clue, but enough to narrow things down.
The Grand Duke spoke quietly yet firmly.
“The children’s part in this ends here. From now on, the adults will handle it. Be satisfied with the experience you’ve gained from this subjugation.”
“Will that be all right?”
“I am the king of the North. Whoever dares creep in… at the very least, they’d better be prepared to freeze to death.”
His overwhelming presence filled the room.
But he released it soon after, mindful of Lake.
Then he turned to Lawrence and gave a noble bow.
“To the youngest son of Montemer, I owe my life. I will repay this debt with my very own.”
“I may also end up owing quite a few debts here myself.”
“Whatever they may be, I shall repay them all.”
The Grand Duke had received something priceless and didn’t know how to repay it.
Lawrence just nodded with a cheerful smile.
But the problem wasn’t over yet.
“Phew… I feel quite heavy, probably from Father’s aura earlier.”
“That’s heart disease.”
“…Huh!?”
“What…?”
Once again, shock spread across the room.
Especially the Grand Duke, whose face went blank.
Even the golden monkey from some comic, powerful enough to destroy the universe, couldn’t escape heart disease.
No matter how strong a human is, an illness that takes root deep inside the body cannot simply be fought off.
Divine power wasn’t all-powerful.
It excelled at closing wounds and regenerating injuries, but poisons, curses, and diseases were areas where it faltered.
Only Lawrence’s modern knowledge could address that.
“It’s called a valve disorder. Simply put, the heart isn’t functioning properly, and blood might flow backward.”
“Then…”
“She sometimes has chest pains or trouble breathing, doesn’t she?”
“Y-yes. After a high fever years ago, it happens now and then.”
“That’s not just the weather or bad luck, Your Grace. Lady Leyla’s heart has been damaged.”
Everyone’s faces stiffened in shock.
The Grand Duke, who had almost lost both his son and daughter, broke into a cold sweat.
He asked in a calm but trembling voice that pierced everyone’s chest.
“Then… how can I save my daughter?”
“Help me create an artifact.”
“Will that alone solve it?”
“It’s not ‘just’—this will involve wielding Authority itself.”
The Grand Duke closed his eyes and nodded slowly.
Then he took off his fur cloak and draped it around Lawrence’s shoulders.
His two children looked on in astonishment.
“Father.”
“From now on, Lawrence Montemer may act as an equal to Ransel Gaudi. Command him, use him as you will… and save my daughter.”
Ransel Gaudi bowed deeply.
The tyrant, the King of the North, the Scourge of the Barbarians—bowing to a mere boy.
Lawrence bowed in return.
“Don’t worry. I will protect Your Grace’s family.”
“I entrust them to you.”
Late that night, Lawrence gained an incredibly powerful ally.
The ruler of the North had extended his hand.
#2
The next day, early morning.
A council meeting began.
Freya and the Montemer reinforcements attended, as well as the retainers of the ducal house.
There was no real power struggle here—it was just an annual event.
“Lord Freya, it’s been a while. You were here five years ago, weren’t you?”
“Yes. Have you been well, Sir Oberon?”
“Hahaha, I’ve been fine!”
The atmosphere was warm, with many already eager to finish quickly and enjoy northern mead afterward.
“But by chance, have you seen the young lord and lady?”
“No, I haven’t. Why?”
That was the problem—Lawrence and Loria, who should have arrived early, were nowhere to be seen.
Even Freya had no idea where they were.
They had been told clearly not to be late, especially for such an important meeting.
Just then, the doors swung open, announcing the true start of the session.
“The Grand Duke enters!”
With a booming announcement, the Grand Duke strode in.
And in his hand—something that dripped red drops onto the floor.
No one in the hall failed to understand what that meant.
“Th-that’s—?”
“Lord Rutin!?”
“H-how could Lord Rutin—”
James Rutin entered like a half-dead corpse, bloodied from head to toe.
Everyone held their breath, staring at the Grand Duke.
His expressionless face was that of the true ruler of the North, and the killing aura of one who had shed blood pressed down on the chamber.
He was not usually merciless even to subordinates, so what on earth…
“The mighty Wolf of the North! Lord Lake and Lady Leyla enter!”
“What!?”
“The young lord has awakened?”
Lake, still pale, walked in proudly.
Behind him came Leyla, fully armed, her expression icy.
All eyes went to Lake, who had been bedridden just the day before.
“How… how is this possible?”
“No amount of divine power could accomplish that…”
The priests whispered among themselves.
The two children took positions at their father’s right and left, like radiant guardian lions, filling the chamber with an oppressive air.
Then two more figures entered.
“The two children of the great magical house, Montemer, enter!”
At that shocking announcement, Lawrence appeared, dragging a fur cloak that trailed behind him.
Loria, carrying the Montemer name, also tried her best to look dignified.
Everyone froze in shock.
No one in the North failed to understand the meaning of that fur cloak.
Even Freya’s jaw dropped as she watched.
What had happened overnight?
Lord Lawrence… wearing the cloak…?
In the North, giving one’s fur cloak was an ancient custom signifying equality.
No one had ever been seen wearing the Grand Duke’s cloak before—yet Lawrence wore it openly.
Now, none would dare treat that boy carelessly.
As the two sat, the Grand Duke hurled James Rutin’s battered body onto the floor.
The bloodied man rolled limply.
“I was delayed because I went to slay his children. This man will be judged for treason.”
“…”
“No matter how much one covets the ducal seat, to curse my son and consort with black magicians—unforgivable.”
“I-is that true?”
“Do I look like a man who lies?”
“N-no, of course not.”
Someone had spoken up, but only worsened the tension.
Undead and black magicians—alliances with them weren’t unheard of.
Some places even used undead purely as labor.
But not here, in the North of the Empire.
At least under Gaudi’s walls, undead and black magicians were always enemies to be purged.
If Amon’s influence spread, demons would soon follow.
The Guardians had been wiped out, and it was left solely to humans, beastkin, and other races to defend the world.
“Tear this man’s limbs apart and feed him to the wolves. And now, I proclaim…”
The Grand Duke’s eyes flicked briefly toward Lawrence.
If he didn’t establish dominance here, opposition would eventually arise.
He would make his point clear.
“Lawrence Montemer, youngest son of the great house of magic, saved my son’s life. On top of that, he played a decisive role in finding the culprit. The House of Gaudi owes him an immeasurable debt.”
“Ohh…”
“As expected of our young lord.”
“I heard he even held his own against the lady in a duel.”
Murmurs spread.
The reaction was favorable.
Lawrence quietly stood and bowed politely to all.
“From now on, hostility toward Lord Lawrence will be taken as hostility toward me. If you dare, then come challenge me.”
Crunch!
The Grand Duke’s boot crushed Rutin’s skull.
It was brutal, but this was the North—the Empire’s frontier.
Here, everyone was accustomed to such displays and simply bowed their heads before the conqueror.
Hah… the Duke is fierce indeed.
Lawrence too marveled inwardly.
“Then, let us begin the council.”
And without even wiping away the blood, the meeting to plan the subjugation began.
