Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 189 - The Gathering Storm

189 The Gathering Storm

The soldiers standing guard were unquestionably elite.

The knights in their midst moved with the ease of seasoned warriors.

Even the dishes being carried out looked extravagant—far beyond what should have been possible in a place like this.

"How remarkable," one of the lords murmured. "To think the young duke managed all this in such a short time… Truly impressive."

"Bah. It’s obvious he borrowed everything. This isn’t his doing."

"Even if that’s true, the fact that he was able to borrow this much is impressive on its own."

"…Hmph."

The skeptics had no response to that.

No creditor would lend such an overwhelming amount of resources without absolute confidence that they would be repaid.

Which meant that someone out there believed that William had the means to pay them back.

Or that he was worth the investment.

And that thought led them to a more troubling question.

’Who has enough wealth to provide all this? Even Calix couldn’t have managed this much…’

’If he borrowed from multiple sources, we would have heard about it. But it was done in complete secrecy… That leaves only two possibilities.’

’Either there’s a hidden power backing him… or he brought this from his own house.’

They didn’t even consider the idea of spatial magic.

To them, the only possible explanation was money.

Whispers and theories spread among the lords as they speculated about William’s true capabilities.

And as they debated, the last of the invited guests finally arrived.

It was then that William stepped forward.

A mere child.

That was the thought running through the minds of every northern lord as they laid eyes on him.

Not just those allied with Count Calix—even those who supported William were momentarily taken aback.

His abilities were undeniable.

But his face…

There was no disguising his age.

’So he really is just sixteen.’

’He’s still in his growth years. And he’s already the Lord of Asagrim?’

’That frail-looking boy defeated Harald? That can’t be right…’

Disbelief. Doubt. Suspicion. Even disappointment.

William could feel their emotions washing over him.

He grinned.

"So quiet," he mused. "I haven’t even started my speech, yet it’s already this silent."

The air tensed.

His voice was neither loud nor aggressive, yet it cut through the murmurs like a blade.

"Tell me," he continued. "Where are your manners?"

"…!"

"Have you forgotten? I am the Duke of Grimaldi. The Margrave of Asagrim. Surely, there’s something you all should be saying?"

There was a brief moment of hesitation—then, one by one, the lords bowed their heads.

"I-I pay my respects, Your Grace!"

"Your Grace, it is an honor!"

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William chuckled as the greetings poured in.

"There. That’s better! Welcome, my lords! I bid you all enjoy yourselves. Oh, and do let me know—how is the food?"

One of the guests, still caught up in the flavors, muttered in awe.

"This is incredible. I’ve never had a meal like this before."

His words were honest.

In the harsh northern lands, true delicacies were rare.

"What an impressive spread," another lord mused. "How did you manage to obtain such fine ingredients? I’d love to replicate these dishes in my own domain."

A casual question.

But William wasn’t fooled.

They were testing him.

If he answered carelessly, they would use it to determine who was backing him.

A subtle silence fell over the hall.

William merely smiled.

"Why should I hide anything?" he said easily. "It’s all thanks to His Majesty’s generosity."

"…His Majesty?"

"What do you mean by that, Your Grace? Transporting this much food alone would take months—"

"Ah," William interrupted, raising a hand. "I see you misunderstand. You must not be familiar with spatial magic."

The entire hall fell still.

Spatial magic.

Had he just said… spatial magic?

"That’s how we moved everything," William said lightly. "Soldiers, supplies, all of it. In an instant."

The silence stretched.

And then—

"…Impossible."

The thought rippled through the room like a wave.

They had considered wealth, influence, hidden backers…

But magic?

And not just any magic—long-distance teleportation?

Their disbelief was written across their faces.

Was such a thing… truly possible?

’If that’s true… then he could summon an entire army right to my doorstep.’

’This is insanity. I knew he had hidden strength, but this? I never imagined it would be to this extent.’

The gathered lords exchanged wary glances, their minds racing.

And then, William’s voice rang out once more, loud and unwavering.

"Thanks to this, I am able to welcome you all properly, without shame! It is only by the grace of His Majesty, the Emperor, and the Crown Prince, that this was made possible! And I intend to repay their kindness with my utmost loyalty!"

"…!"

A second shockwave rippled through the hall.

It was an unspoken rule—any mention of the Imperial succession was forbidden territory.

Yet here William stood, declaring his support for the Crown Prince without hesitation.

And what was even more alarming—

Not a single Imperial knight reacted.

Which meant this wasn’t just William’s opinion.

The Emperor himself had already made his choice.

And William, with full Imperial backing, had declared where he stood.

The lords, caught off guard, barely had time to process the implications when—

Thud.

A cane struck the ground.

A single man stepped forward.

William turned his gaze toward him, already knowing who it was.

Norbeck Calix. Your adventure continues at novelbuddy

Head of the Calix family.

The thief who had dared to claim the Grimaldi name for himself.

The very reason William had come to the North.

Silence.

Heavy, suffocating silence.

No one spoke.

No one needed to.

Everyone in the room knew exactly what these two men represented.

One wrong move, and this banquet would become a battlefield.

William, lounging with an air of nonchalance, was the first to break the quiet.

"If you intend to speak, shouldn’t you introduce yourself first?"

Norbeck gave a stiff smile and nodded.

"My apologies. I am Norbeck of House Calix. May I be permitted to speak, Your Grace?"

William tilted his head.

"No, you may not."

"...What?"

For a moment, Norbeck simply blinked, as if he had misheard.

His request for permission had been a formality—not something he had actually expected to be denied.