Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 190 - A Game of Huntsmen

190 A Game of Huntsmen

William had treated him like a mere vassal, shutting him down before he could utter another word.

A faint smirk played on William’s lips as he watched Norbeck struggle to process the sheer audacity of the situation.

"I can already guess what you were about to say," William continued. "You were going to claim that discussing the Imperial succession is improper, and that we should all refrain from involving ourselves, yes?"

Norbeck flinched.

Because that was exactly what he had planned to say.

His entire strategy had hinged on positioning himself as the voice of neutrality, representing those who wanted to avoid Imperial entanglements.

But William saw right through him.

William shook his head.

"You misunderstand, Norbeck. This is not about what I choose to discuss. This is about what you choose to align yourself with."

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Standing with William meant pledging allegiance to the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Standing against William meant declaring opposition to the Empire itself.

William was no longer giving the lords the option of neutrality.

They had to choose.

He raised his voice once more, his words ringing across the grand hall.

"I will say it again! I stand with His Majesty the Emperor! I stand with the Crown Prince! It may be ambitious for someone of my age, but isn’t ambition the privilege of the young?"

He laughed, a rich, amused sound that filled the space around him.

But no one else laughed.

Instead, the room was filled with ashen faces—lords exchanging wary, hesitant glances.

And among them, the palest of all was Norbeck.

’This madman… He just redrew the entire battlefield with a single word.’

Calix’s faction had always positioned itself as semi-independent from the Empire—not seeking open rebellion, but advocating for the North’s autonomy.

That stance had made them appealing to the neutral lords, who wanted nothing more than to avoid getting tangled in Imperial politics.

But now?

William had destroyed that positioning.

By openly declaring loyalty to the Crown Prince, he had forced the opposing side—Norbeck himself—into the role of an Imperial enemy.

And the neutral lords?

They would never align themselves with a faction that was openly at odds with the Imperial throne.

Not because they supported William—

But because they despised the idea of a war against the Empire.

’Damn it… I thought he would at least hold back out of fear of alienating his supporters.’

Norbeck had assumed that William would avoid a direct confrontation with the Empire.

But after witnessing just how overwhelming the Empire’s magical capabilities were, even William’s own allies would support his decision.

If the Empire could transport entire armies across vast distances in an instant, then defying them was suicide.

Even the lords who would have criticized William’s declaration now saw it as the only logical choice.

William hadn’t just gained allies.

He had isolated Calix.

And William—watching it all unfold—tilted his head and grinned.

"What’s wrong?" he asked lightly. "This is a banquet. Shouldn’t we all be enjoying ourselves?"

Even as Norbeck’s gaze burned with fury, William remained unbothered.

A few lords forced awkward smiles, but no one could truly relax.

One wrong word, one misplaced comment, and their entire families could be dragged into a war they never wanted.

William sighed dramatically.

"This won’t do. A banquet should be lively, yet everyone looks so tense. Clearly, I’ve overlooked something."

He nodded to himself before clapping his hands together.

"But worry not! I have prepared a special form of entertainment for all of you."

The lords instinctively stiffened.

Given everything William had said so far, his definition of ’entertainment’ could mean anything.

And then—William grinned.

"A hundred-day hunt!"

"...What?"

For a moment, the lords simply blinked, wondering if they had misheard.

Surely, he wasn’t talking about that hunt—

"The traditional hundred-day hunt, of course," William clarified cheerfully.

One lord hesitantly spoke up.

"Your Grace… are you referring to the hunt where participants are left in the frozen wilderness for two weeks with no provisions…?"

"Exactly! And surprisingly, the proposal didn’t even come from me. It was originally suggested by Calix."

In an instant, every single gaze in the room snapped to Norbeck.

Norbeck clenched his jaw as the weight of suspicion fell upon him.

Even if an assassination attempt succeeded, his house would now be the prime suspect.

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William’s smile widened.

"Originally, Calix was meant to host this event. But now that I have reclaimed Asagrim, I thought it only fitting that I take over."

His expression was bright. Friendly, even.

But Norbeck could hear the warning beneath it.

Try anything, and all eyes will be on you.

But Norbeck—desperate and cornered—could not afford to hesitate.

’You’ve made a mistake, boy.’

If we do nothing, our house is finished.

Then there was only one path forward.

Norbeck forced a smile onto his face, though his grip on his cane tightened until his knuckles turned white.

"To revive such a time-honored tradition alongside Your Grace is a privilege indeed," he said smoothly. "I look forward to a fair test of skill."

As the sun set and the first day of the banquet came to an end, the invited guests retreated to their assigned chambers.

The White Palace’s guest rooms—untouched for nearly a thousand years.

It wouldn’t have been unusual for them to spend the night simply exploring their surroundings, marveling at the ancient architecture.

Yet, not a single guest stayed quietly in their chambers.

Among them was Baron Elvin, whose domain lay relatively close to Asagrim.

’What a headache.’

Pressing his fingers against his temples, Elvin sighed, trying to ease his growing migraine.

He had never been a man of ambition.

Nor had he ever been particularly loyal to anyone.

For over forty years, he had only wanted one thing—for this fragile peace to continue, undisturbed.

’And now I’m being forced to choose between the Empire and Calix?’

A deep sigh escaped him.

There was no right answer.

No matter which side he chose, war was inevitable.

Just then, a voice called out from behind him.

"Out for a stroll as well?"

Elvin turned to see Baron Stellan, an old friend and the ruler of a neighboring domain.

"Couldn’t sleep," Elvin admitted. "And judging by your face, neither could you."

"After hearing what we did today? Who could?"

Stellan’s reply was met with a bitter chuckle.