Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 177 - The White Walls of Asagrim

177 The White Walls of Asagrim

"No, that’s not what I meant—!"

"There’s no need to be defensive. I’m not upset. If anything, I regret that I haven’t earned your trust yet. I know your concern comes from a place of sincerity."

Glenn found himself at a loss for words.

William spoke so naturally, so effortlessly, that it was difficult to doubt him.

Who is William, after all? Glenn thought to himself. A man who defied the First Prince’s favor and risked disgrace to save him.

Someone like that wouldn’t recklessly bury himself in debt.

A wave of shame washed over Glenn. How could he have doubted William, even for a moment?

"I spoke out of turn without understanding Your Highness’s intentions. I apologize."

"Raise your head. It’s fine," William reassured him with a gentle smile.

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And he meant it.

The Emperor had granted him much. So long as the Empire endured, William had no qualms about repaying his debts, no matter how long it took.

But in the end, debts were meaningless if one lacked the power to demand their repayment.

A creditor only held power so long as they could use the debt as leverage. If a situation arose where the lender needed the borrower more than the borrower needed them, then repayment became a request rather than a demand.

And William had every intention of reaching a point where the Emperor would have to ask him for support.

The era of chaos is approaching. Soon, the Empire will find itself desperate for truly loyal nobles. When that time comes, would they dare act high-handedly toward the ruler of the North? Especially one armed with the lost legacies of an ancient kingdom?

He wasn’t expecting to amass a force equal to the Imperial Army.

But if he could build an elite force on par with the Red Wing Knights, then even the Imperial Family would have no choice but to treat him with caution.

In the end, the Emperor’s final decision was to send two thousand elite soldiers and the Order of the Blue Rose Knights.

Not an insignificant force.

But not enough to overwhelm his enemies in a single stroke, either.

William studied the numbers and smirked.

So that’s your plan, Your Majesty.

If William needed more troops, he would have to ask for them.

Even though the Emperor had granted him a substantial force, asking for reinforcements would signal that he was in dire straits.

It was a way of testing William’s desperation.

A way to tighten the leash.

But William had no intention of playing along.

More troops would have been useful, but this is enough. Enough to buy me time to raise my own army.

He had no desire to give the Emperor the impression that he was dependent on his support.

If His Majesty began to see himself as indispensable to William’s survival, he might start making excessive demands before William was fully prepared.

That was why he had initially asked for five thousand.

It had only ever been a bluff.

A way to ensure that when he accepted two thousand, the Emperor would think he had reached his limit.

"The soldiers will be transported via enchanted artifacts for immediate deployment," Glenn reported. "However, His Majesty expects you to prepare a suitable station for them first—"

"So I’ll need to contact him after I arrive in Asagrim," William finished, nodding. "Understood."

He accepted the condition without resistance.

Without further delay, he and his retinue set off for Asagrim.

The Grimaldi estate was left in the hands of hired caretakers, purely for the sake of maintaining appearances.

In truth, the estate had outlived its usefulness.

William had only kept it as a courtesy to his grandfather’s memory.

Asagrim has replaced it as my symbol of authority, but abandoning the estate outright would attract unwanted attention.

He cast a final glance at the fading silhouette of the manor before turning to Glenn.

"By the way, how exactly is Asagrim being managed? It’s an unclaimed land, but I heard travelers are still allowed entry."

Glenn hesitated.

"Unfortunately, I’ve never been there myself. I can’t provide a detailed answer."

"I know a little about it," Raymond interjected. "I visited once before."

Glenn looked relieved to let someone else take over.

Raymond, having traveled extensively through the North, had made a stop in Asagrim during his journey.

"Technically, there aren’t any permanent residents," Raymond explained. "But the number of people passing through is massive. Some travelers even set up camp outside the city walls and stay for months at a time."

"In this kind of weather?" William frowned. "Why would they do that?"

"Asagrim is considered a sacred site in the North. Since it surrendered without a fight during the Unification Wars, its historical structures remain intact."

"Still… that kind of dedication is surprising."

"To be honest, I understand the sentiment. The White Palace of Asagrim rivals the Imperial Palace itself. No matter how many times you look at it, it never loses its charm. It may not be as grand in scale, but in terms of beauty—"

"Ahem!"

Glenn cleared his throat loudly, cutting Raymond off before he could say something inappropriate.

Praising another noble’s estate over the Imperial Palace—even if it were true—was a dangerous thing to say.

Realizing the misstep, the group subtly steered the conversation away from Asagrim’s grandeur and continued their journey in silence.

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Several days passed.

And then, at long last—

Asagrim appeared on the horizon.

William’s eyes widened.

It’s the exact same as the Imperial capital, Tibron.

The walls of Asagrim, gleaming white under the sun, were identical to the ones surrounding Tibron.

William wasn’t the only one stunned.

The entire group stood frozen, their gazes locked onto the towering walls before them.

But the most shocked of all was Glenn.

"W-What is this…?"

His voice trembled, his body shaking as he struggled to process what he was seeing.

The White Walls were one of the defining symbols of Tibron, the Imperial Capital.

A structure that had been praised as both an impregnable fortress and a masterpiece of artistic beauty. A wall that no army could breach, yet one that could captivate the hearts of all who beheld it.

Every noble who had ever laid eyes upon Tibron’s White Walls had declared them to be the one and only supreme fortress.

And yet—

Why is there an identical wall standing here in the North?

As the group remained frozen in stunned silence, William was the first to recover.

"Raymond."