Unless one is an eternal, undying transcendent, any legacy inevitably requires a place to store it.
And the greater the legacy, the larger that storage space must be.
If such a place is constructed in secrecy so others cannot find it, its possible locations become even more limited.
'In practice, there's nowhere suitable to hide something like that except a royal palace. The Imperial family must have more or less guessed that too—that's probably why they refused to hand over Asagrim.'
They couldn't very well massacre a royal house that had surrendered peacefully, so instead they stripped it of Asagrim, bestowed it with hollow honors, and drove it out.
Grimaldi must have accepted that outcome while dreaming of a distant future in which the family might rise again.
But just as his grandfather's journal said, the Empire endured for a thousand years and ultimately defeated Grimaldi.
It was Grimaldi whose line was severed first.
'No wonder they handed it over to me so readily. It felt oddly easy.'
Lucian had never once visited the North in his life, nor had he ever met his maternal grandfather in person.
More importantly, if the Emperor's letter was to be believed, Imperial legacies could be used only by those of the direct line.
They must have assumed that Lucian—being from a collateral line—would be unable to claim any legacy even if one existed.
As it turned out, however, the northern royal family's legacy seemed usable by collateral descendants up to three generations removed.
'Jackpot.'
Murmuring to himself, Lucian pretended to stroke his chin as he suppressed the upward curl of his lips.
If he relaxed now, he felt like laughter would burst out uncontrollably.
What had started as nothing more than a casual treasure hunt—and yet he'd uncovered a real treasure, no less than a clue to the legacy of an ancient royal house.
"My lord, I know you're pleased, but this is not the time."
Raymond urgently grabbed Lucian's shoulder as he stifled his laughter.
"We must burn all these records immediately. Leaving aside the soldiers on guard—even if that's manageable—if Sir Glen were to see this…"
Only then did Lucian snap back to his senses.
Asagrim was something the Empire had held onto for a thousand years, preparing for even the faintest possibility.
What would happen if it became known that Lucian had a legitimate claim to another legacy?
'If they just take Asagrim back, that'd be the best-case scenario. In the worst case, they might use me as a living key and seize the entire legacy.'
Even if it was designed to be usable only by blood relatives, transferring or lending it to others would likely still be possible.
After all, every member of the Emperor's personal Red Wing Knight Order wielded magic tools.
If things went wrong, Lucian could end up nothing more than a scarecrow—holding nominal ownership while endlessly lending it out to others.
"You're right. We should burn everything, right here."
"But these records are your ancestors'—"
"It's fine. There's nothing useful in them anyway. Even if we burn them all, once I have the key, I doubt my ancestors would complain."
To be honest, despite them being ancestral journals and all, he had no real desire to take them with him.
The contents were filled almost entirely with the history of a declining house.
With the exception of his grandfather, they were nothing but repeated despair and lamentation—clinging to a lost glory that would never return.
'If they'd at least written what's beneath the throne, or how to use it, I might've hidden a few volumes and taken them. But since they didn't, there's not a single reason to keep any of this.'
Fwoosh.
Lucian gathered all the journals together and set them alight with a torch.
The paper, thoroughly dried and not very thick to begin with, flared up in an instant and soon turned to ash.
Watching the annihilation of a fallen house's legacy that had endured for over a thousand years, Lucian's eyes gleamed.
With the inheritance from his maternal grandfather now concluded, only one task remained.
"You intend to invite the northern lords to Asagrim?"
"Yes."
Glen, who had just returned from touring the villages to gauge public sentiment in the North, blinked at Lucian's proposal.
Leaving aside the question of intent, they hadn't even arrived at Asagrim yet—and he was already talking about invitations?
"Your Highness, this may be a rude question, but how do you plan to cover the costs for something on that scale…?"
"I'd like to receive support from His Majesty the Emperor."
Glen stared at Lucian in disbelief.
The Emperor paying the expenses for an event hosted by someone else?
Lucian, however, continued without batting an eye.
"If possible, I'd also like support in the form of elite troops and a knight order. I'm not asking for permanent command—just to borrow them for a few months. As a border marquis, I should at least have a force worthy of displaying my authority. And I'll need time after the inauguration to establish my base."
"Your Highness, even so, that seems like an excessive request. His Majesty has already provided ample support—"
"At that gathering, I intend to publicly declare my official support for the First Prince."
At Lucian's bold declaration, Glen froze on the spot.
It was true—the Emperor's support up to now had indeed been aimed at securing Lucian's backing for the First Prince.
But Lucian also had to deal with House Calyx, so taking on a massive political burden right away wasn't an easy prospect.
He had intended to leave things as they were until he had firmly established himself in the North—yet here he was, proposing an open declaration of support from the very start.
"Do you understand what you're saying right now?"
"Of course."
Lucian grinned broadly at Glen, who was unable to hide his bewilderment.
"I'd be the first to openly mention the succession—something that's been practically taboo. All eyes in the Empire would turn toward me, and in the worst case, it could even affect the competition for the next head of House Valdeck. Without my knowing it, enemies could emerge within the Imperial Palace itself."
"You know all that, and you're still doing this? When your foundation isn't even stable yet?"
"Isn't this exactly what the Imperial family wants? The heir of Grimaldi and the lord of Asagrim publicly declaring support for the First Prince. The North has always been indifferent to the succession struggle, so naturally, they'll lean in the direction I indicate."
"Well… that's true…"
Glen trailed off, unable to deny it outright.
For Lucian's sake, he had said it would be enough if Lucian supported the First Prince later on—but in truth, the earlier such a declaration was made, the better.
Once declared publicly, it couldn't be walked back, and it also showed others that a power base was already forming.
Above all, the clear endorsement of the North's foremost figure alone would make it far easier to draw in those still wavering.
'It's certainly an attractive proposal. I should accept it immediately and report to His Majesty… so why does it feel so unsettling?'
Lucian was someone who had once thrown himself into danger for the Emperor and to protect the First Prince.
He bore personal goodwill toward him, and the Prince's competence at such a young age naturally inspired respect.
But at the same time, Lucian was ambitious—and he wasn't the kind of blind loyalist who would throw his life away for the Emperor without question.
This proposal, too, must surely carry some benefit for him.
'The problem is, I can't see what's in it for him. What on earth is motivating this offer? For Duke Lucian, it's nothing but risk, while the Imperial family stands to gain everything.'
Seeing Glen hesitate, Lucian spoke with a reassuring smile.
"Sir Glen, you seem to have a lot on your mind. For now, please just report it to His Majesty. In the end, the decision will be his anyway, won't it? If His Majesty does not grant permission, I won't press the matter further."
"Hmm… very well."
At Lucian's words, Glen nodded heavily.
As a knight through and through, Glen lacked the knack for reading hidden intentions.
Rather than making clumsy guesses and leaping to the wrong conclusions, it was better to report directly to the Emperor and leave the judgment to him.
"Please give me one day. I will report to His Majesty and return."
Glen returned to his quarters, placed a red stone at the center, and set soundproofing magic tools around it.
Once all preparations were complete, he touched the red stone, which began to glow with a faint vibration.
Several dozen minutes later, a figure formed in midair amid a burst of light from the stone.
—Sir Glen? What is the matter?
At the voice flowing out of the red stone, Glen immediately dropped to one knee and rendered a knight's salute.
"To the august and exalted His Majesty—"
—That will do. I came out despite my busy schedule, so spare me the formalities and get to the point. Has something happened in the North?
"No, Your Majesty. Duke Lucian has made a proposal to me. More precisely, it is a proposal directed to Your Majesty."
—A proposal? After granting him the Dukedom of Grimaldi, the border marquis title, and even Asagrim, is that still not enough?
The previously calm tone began to frost over with anger.
He hadn't expected heartfelt gratitude for something given at his own discretion—but at the very least, he'd thought Lucian would feel some sense of obligation.
Before the Emperor's misunderstanding could deepen further, Glen hurriedly added,
"That is not the case. Duke Lucian merely wishes for His Majesty to lend a small measure of assistance in unifying the North."
—What do you mean?
"He told me the following…"
Glen relayed Lucian's proposal exactly as he had just heard it:
that he intended to invite the northern lords and host a banquet,
that he wished to borrow troops to display his authority,
and that at the gathering he planned to openly declare his support for the First Prince.
" …And so, I found myself unable to judge the matter on my own and contacted Your Majesty to seek your wisdom."
—Hahahahaha!
At the burst of laughter coming from beyond the red stone, Glen flinched.
The anger from moments ago was nowhere to be found—only clear amusement remained.
—Excellent! Tell him I accept. Ask how many troops he needs as well. If he wishes, I can even dispatch part of the Imperial Knight Order.
"Y-Your Majesty? Is that truly acceptable?"
—Why wouldn't it be? He's making the very proposal I was considering myself before deciding against it.
"Pardon…?"
Seeing Glen's confusion, the Emperor continued in a voice laced with laughter.
—I may have personally granted him Asagrim, but agitators like House Calyx won't suddenly bow their heads now. At this moment, he needs a military force capable of crushing those who would raise their banners against him.
But armies do not simply spring from the ground or fall from the sky.
Raising one from scratch takes enormous time—so borrowing one becomes the only option.
—House Valdeck is out of the question, of course. As the maternal family of my third son, this is effectively an external matter unrelated to the house itself. Who would hand over precious troops for something like that?
"Then the remaining options would be…"
—Either rely on me, or on the lords who already support him. He could rely on both—but then the debts he'd incur would be far too great. The problem is, the debt he already owes me is considerable.
From the Emperor's perspective, it was only natural to assume that Lucian would never borrow troops from him.
To have already received a ducal title, a border marquisate, and Asagrim—and then to ask to borrow an army on top of that?
Wouldn't that only make the already-mounting debt snowball even further?
And yet he had personally requested troops and even promised an immediate public declaration of support.
—To be honest, I was a little uneasy. I wondered if he might see the land I arbitrarily handed over as nothing but a burden. But now that he's asking for troops to defend it, he won't be able to say otherwise later.
"I-is that so?"
—Thanks to that, one worry has been put to rest. We're in the middle of suppressing the Krepfeld Rebellion, but the Imperial family's strength is still more than sufficient. We have enough to support him, so there's no need to worry. Discuss the details with him and contact me again.
The Emperor's voice, gentle as if reassuring him, reached Glen, who was still somewhat dazed.
Moments later, the red stone dimmed and the apparition vanished. Glen rose from his kneeling position.
Even after hearing the full explanation, his expression still wouldn't relax.
Given that the words came from a supremely wise Emperor, there was surely nothing amiss in them.
And yet, one lingering unease remained—something Glen could not bring himself to voice aloud.
'Your Majesty… Duke Lucian surely understands all of this as well. And yet he still requested your support—perhaps not because of the size of the debt, but to quickly eliminate his enemies and buy himself time to grow.'
If so, the Emperor would likely have answered like this:
that no matter how much potential a territory held, developing it always took immense time;
that before its power could grow enough to threaten the Imperial family, Lucian would be forced to repay his debts first.
'But if Duke Lucian is borrowing troops because he's confident he can grow that quickly… if he grows to the point that, when the debt is called in, the Imperial family must make requests rather than demands…'
Before his thoughts could go any further, Glen shook his head from side to side, casting away the speculation.
If he started imagining worst-case scenarios one by one, there would be no end to it.
And a single vague anxiety was far too flimsy a basis on which to offer counsel to the Emperor.
'Yes… it's just needless worry. Unless he has some great ancestral legacy like the Imperial family does, how could he possibly develop his territory that fast?'
Placing the red stone away and collecting the soundproofing magic tools, Glen headed to report back to Lucian.
Since the Emperor had accepted the proposal, working out the detailed arrangements now fell to him.
READ MORE CHAPTERS HERE : https://shinchan2.podia.com/