Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 175 - A Calculated Gamble

175 A Calculated Gamble

At the familiar voice, Glenn immediately knelt and bowed his head.

"Your Majesty, I—"

— Enough with the formalities. I am in the middle of something. Speak plainly. Has something happened in the North?

"No, Your Majesty. But I bring a proposal from Lord William. More accurately… a proposal for Your Majesty."

— A proposal?

There was a subtle shift in the Emperor’s tone.

— I granted him the Duchy of Grimaldi, the title of Margrave, and Asagrim itself. And yet, he still wants more?

The once-calm voice began to harden with irritation.

He had known better than to expect gratitude, but at the very least, he had thought the young lord would feel some sense of obligation.

Before that misunderstanding could fester, Glenn quickly interjected.

"It is not like that, Your Majesty. Lord William merely asks for Your Majesty’s assistance in unifying the North."

— Explain.

With careful precision, Glenn relayed William’s request.

The invitation to the Northern lords. The military display necessary to establish authority. And, most importantly, the public declaration of support for the First Prince.

At the end of his report, Glenn hesitated.

"I… was unable to determine whether accepting this proposal would be wise. So I sought Your Majesty’s wisdom."

Silence fell for a long moment. Then, suddenly—

— Hahaha!

A booming laugh rang through the room.

Glenn flinched, momentarily stunned. The irritation from before had completely vanished, replaced by genuine amusement.

— Good! Tell him I accept. And ask how many troops he requires. If he wishes, I will even send some of the Imperial Knights.

"Y-Your Majesty? Are you certain?"

— Why wouldn’t I be? He has simply taken an idea I abandoned and made it his own.

"I… beg your pardon?"

Glenn was still reeling when the Emperor spoke again, his voice laced with wry amusement.

— I may have granted him Asagrim, but do you think the traitorous elements—like House Calix—will simply bow their heads and accept that? No. The boy needs a force capable of dealing with opposition.

The Emperor’s tone turned pragmatic.

— Armies do not simply appear overnight. Raising one from nothing takes time, and time is not a luxury he has. He must borrow troops from someone. And if he cannot rely on House Hern, then there are only two real options: the Imperial Family… or the lords who support him. The latter is possible, but that would leave him deeply indebted to them. And considering how much he already owes me… I assumed he would never request military aid from the throne.

It had seemed unthinkable.

William had already received so much—his noble rank, his title, his land. To ask for soldiers as well? The burden of debt would become impossible to ignore.

And yet, rather than hesitate, the boy had requested troops directly from the Emperor himself.

Not only that, but he had offered to declare his allegiance to the First Prince immediately.

— Truth be told, I was somewhat concerned.

The Emperor’s voice softened, as if speaking to himself.

— I forced Asagrim onto him. I wondered if he might resent it, if he would treat it as an unwanted burden. But now? He is asking for an army to defend it. He cannot back out of this later.

"Then… this is a good thing?"

— Of course. You need not concern yourself with logistics. The Imperial forces remain strong, even as we suppress the Krefeld Rebellion. We have more than enough to support him. Discuss the details with him and report back.

The Emperor’s projection flickered, his voice lowering into something almost reassuring.

— You have done well, Sir Glenn.

The red stone dimmed, and the image vanished.

For a long time, Glenn remained kneeling, staring at the now-dark stone in his hands.

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By all logic, the Emperor’s words made perfect sense. Every point was rational.

And yet… a shadow of unease still lingered at the edges of Glenn’s mind.

Your Majesty… William must have realized all of this as well. He knows the cost of this request. And yet, rather than worry about the debt, he is prioritizing his immediate need for an army. He wants time. Time to grow. Time to remove his enemies.

If William’s ambitions truly matched his potential—

If he succeeded—

Then, by the time the Emperor came to collect his debts, the balance of power might have already shifted.

Perhaps, in that future, it would not be the Emperor issuing demands of William…

But William dictates terms to the throne.

The thought sent a chill down Glenn’s spine.

But he shook his head, forcing the idea away.

It was a useless fear.

The Empire was vast. The weight of history was behind it. There was no way a single noble, no matter how talented, could rise so quickly.

No—unless he had some great inheritance from a past age, something beyond mortal grasp.

But Glenn dismissed the idea.

With a quiet sigh, he stood, securing the red stone before removing the soundproofing artifacts.

There was work to be done.

The Emperor had accepted the proposal. Now, it was time to negotiate the finer details.

And so, Glenn set off to find William.

"Hah, to think things would fall into place so perfectly."

Inside the command tent, Emperor Karl let out a quiet chuckle.

The red stone he had been using to communicate with Glenn rolled across his palm, its surface still faintly warm from the residual magic.

"At least that’s one less thing to worry about," he murmured. "I was wondering how to keep a leash on him, given how wary he is."

The Emperor had taken an interest in William.

A sharp mind, quick instincts, and talents worthy of a future legend—he had all the makings of a pillar upon which the First Prince’s rule could be built. If properly guided, he could help bring order to these turbulent times.

But one concern remained. His ambition.

So long as the Empire stands, he will serve loyally. But if the Empire crumbles, he will not sacrifice himself to restore it.

William was not the type to betray his own nation. But if the constraints around him disappeared, he would not hesitate to climb as high as he could.

A man with that level of ability, left unshackled… there was no telling how far he could rise.

And then there was his lineage.

Hern.