Once the game was over, both Duke Blackwood and Leopold didn’t speak much. And the former congratulated him on the win and walked away, leaving the room to the two.

It was as if the old Duke needed time to process whatever Kai had hinted toward. He hadn’t outright proclaimed that he was running for the throne—doing so now would have been hasty and reckless. But he had given the Duke enough of a clue to set the wheels turning.

After seeing the man go, Kai and Leopold felt into an eerie silence which was broken when the latter stood up and said, “follow me,” and then continued to silently lead Kai through the winding halls of the estate to the guest room where he would be staying the night before leaving for Sylvastra.

The younger man’s usual composure was marked by an uncharacteristic solemnity.

At the door, Leopold finally spoke. “Count Arzan, this is your room. There should be everything you need but if there’s anything else, feel free to call for a servant… Make yourself at home, for the night.”

“Thanks,” Kai replied.

And with that, he departed, leaving Kai to his own devices.

The rest of the day passed peacefully. Kai spent the quiet hours speaking with Raven, gathering insights on the elf lands and the passages that led to them. He mulled over the information, putting it into the larger plans forming in his mind. There were too many pieces to fit together, but for now, he had time to think.

The next morning, Kai was summoned early to the estate grounds. The call came before the sun had risen fully, the sky still heavy with thick, grey clouds that hinted at rain.

Following Leopold’s steady gait, Kai walked through the halls and set his feet outside, where things seemed quieter than when he arrived.

But still, there were activities ongoing; the distant cries of guards training on the other side of the grounds, their sharp commands and the clash of faint metal echoes in the stillness. The familiar sounds reminded him of Veralt, and he thought back to the guards who would have already started their morning training.

Kai walked slowly, letting his senses take in every detail around him. The estate’s grounds stretched wide and were very well-maintained, but there was a heaviness to the atmosphere, as though something lingered just beneath the surface.

Soon, the silhouette of William came into view, his figure standing still in the distance. Leopold continued forward, leading Kai closer to the Duke.

Kai’s pace faltered as he noticed what William stood overlooking. His breath hitched slightly as his gaze settled on the object before the Duke—a grave.

As Kai watched, Leopold broke the silence. “I’ll leave you alone now,” he said quietly before stepping away, his boots crunching softly on the gravel path as he retreated.

With no other choice, Kai took a deep breath and moved forward, his steps slow but not faltering. The closer he got to William, the clearer the grave and its surroundings became.

Duke Blackwood stood tall, his hands to his behind and his shoulders rigid.

When Kai finally reached him, he turned, his face somber, but composed. Count Arzan, you’re here,” he said. “I hope I didn’t ruin your sleep.”

Kai shook his head. “No, you didn’t. I was already up by the time Leopold knocked on my door.”

The Duke gave a faint nod, and Kai’s gaze shifted past him to the grave. His eyes focused on the inscription etched into the stone, the name catching his attention. Degger Blackwood, it read, accompanied by a short epitaph: “A brave soul who stood against the darkness.”

Kai’s brows furrowed as he took in the name and its meaning. He looked back at William, his voice quiet. “This is…”

“Yes,” William interrupted. “This is where my nephew rests. I told you he died to the necromancer, but I never explained how it happened.”

Kai remained silent, sensing it wasn’t his turn to speak. He stood still, allowing the Duke to continue.

“He was a good man,” William began, his voice tinged with grief and pride. “I had plans for him. I intended to give him one of the outer villages to rule so he could gain experience before moving on to something greater. He was young, ambitious, but steady. He would have made an excellent leader.”

The Duke’s eyes drifted toward the grave as he spoke. “But fate had other plans. The necromancer attacked the village he was overseeing. Unlike many men who would have fled, he stood his ground. He fought against the abominations, rallying the villagers to defend themselves. But…” William’s voice tightened. “He was no Mage. Just a mortal. A brave one. And he paid for it.”

Kai’s jaw clenched, but he said nothing as William continued.

“When we found him,” the Duke said, his voice softer now, “there was almost nothing left. He had been reduced to a mere skeleton. The only way we identified him was the bracelet I gave him on his sixteenth birthday. He still wore it.” He exhaled deeply, his gaze hardening. “I buried him myself, ensuring he finally got the rest he deserved. That day solidified my hatred for necromancers and all their foul creations.”

The Duke paused, his expression grim. “This wasn’t my first encounter with necrotic beings—or, as you can call them, creatures of dead mana. During my years in the army, I saw what they could do. They’d corrupt entire regions, leaving the land barren, uninhabitable. They destroy everything they touch.”

His eyes met Kai’s, the weight of his words pressing heavily on the morning air. “When you spoke yesterday, I sensed the same hatred in you. Tell me—am I right?”

It was time for him to speak. The pain in the Duke’s voice, eyes and especially the hesitation in his demeanor—it all made Kai think about what he’d gone through. A village worth of pain.

Kai finally broke the silence, his voice steady. “Yes. I’ve had my encounters with them, and none of them have been good. Every meeting with creatures of dead mana has only solidified my resolve. I’ve sworn an oath to fight against them and to ensure that they are in their best possible state—dead.”

William’s gaze sharpened as he studied Kai, his intense eyes probing for any hint of hesitation. “Does that oath require you to fight for the crown?” he asked, his tone testing, almost goading, as if trying to size Kai up.

The tension hung for a moment before William chuckled, his deep voice reverberating across the quiet grounds. “Though I know your decision hasn’t been made yet, no matter what you try to make me believe. I know of the medallion,” he said, leaning back slightly, his arms crossed. “It caused quite an uproar in the court when King Sullivan granted Valkyrie that honor. But its noise has since quieted. And I wonder…” His lips curled into a knowing smile. “Do you have the courage to cause an uproar again?”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Kai met William’s gaze, unmoving, as the Duke continued. “I called you here to get these answers before you leave for whatever reason brought you to my lands.”

The silence that followed was heavy, yet it carried no animosity—only the weight of unspoken truths. William didn’t seem interested in prying into the details of why Kai had ventured into his domain. Instead, his focus was on Kai’s goals and his intentions regarding the throne.

Kai’s thoughts churned. The idea of fighting for the throne had plagued him daily, and each time, he reached the same conclusion. Looking into William’s eyes, he spoke one truth that he knew. “I will do whatever I need to do to fulfill my oath—even if it means taking over the throne. As for causing an uproar, I’m prepared for it. But as you’ve already guessed, I haven’t yet decided to pursue the throne. Nor have I spoken to my retainers about it. I will, though. Soon. The only reason I’ve put it off is that there’s too much left to do. If I’m going to fight for the throne, I need more power than I have now. Far more.”

“And that’s why you sought me out,” he said knowingly.

“I believe it was you who wanted to meet me,” Kai said in a beat.

The Duke shook his head, a faint grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, but I wanted to evaluate you. To see what kind of man this rising noble—the one who managed to make himself a count—truly is. I never expected to find a prospective king.”

Kai raised an eyebrow at William’s assessment, but his tone was calm. “Is that a bad thing? You don’t seem interested in the current factions anyway.”

“Maybe it is, maybe it’s not. It’s not easy to evaluate a man in one meeting. What I’ve heard of you so far is honorable—but there’s enough bad mixed in with the good. Your past doesn’t give me assurance, and your present… well, I can’t quite figure it out yet.”

Kai winced inwardly, feeling the thoughts of Arzan’s shadowed past pressing down on him once again. It was a past he couldn’t escape entirely—especially with the ‘useless’ title that previous Arzan had carried, the one to always be in the shadows and never outshine, but one he had worked tirelessly to leave behind. With a slow breath, he looked William in the eye. “My past is something I detest,” he admitted. “It’s not who I am anymore. As for my present… I believe you’ll have plenty of opportunities to evaluate me sooner or later.” His gaze sharpened. “Though I also think it would be in your best interest to choose me, Duke Blackwood.”

William tilted his head slightly, intrigued. “Oh? And why is that?”

Kai’s expression didn’t waver. “With Queen Regina hellbent on seizing the throne and willing to use dead mana to her advantage, and with the other princes lacking in your eyes, I’m the only one you can rely on.”

William studied him for a long moment before replying. “And do you not lack?” His voice carried a faint hint of a challenge.

“If I do,” Kai said without hesitation, “I’ll find someone to fill that lack.”

The Duke huffed. “Trusting others so easily? That’s a dangerous path. You might end up with a knife in your back.”

“I don’t trust just anyone. If I want to be a ruler loved by my people and feared by my enemies, I need to know who to trust—and who not to. A good monarch might not be the strongest or the wisest, but he must have a good eye for people.”

“Wise words,” William remarked, his tone laced with irony. “For someone who hasn’t even decided if he wants to run for the throne yet. Indecisiveness doesn’t make a good ruler. If you can’t even decide your own path, why should I, or anyone else, support you?”

Kai almost grimaced at the pointed observation, but he quickly masked it. He paused, thinking carefully and taking his time. “Let me make it simple.”

He knew that after coming all this way he couldn’t mess this up, especially not with a foul answer and a foul mouth. He needed to know what he was talking about and by considering all he knew about the Duke—he loved action rather than words.

“In not a long time, my brother, Duke Kellius, will march for my lands.”

William raised an eyebrow at the claim, and huffed. “A bold statement.And how are you so sure of this?”

Kai exhaled. “You won’t find this information anywhere, not in court whispers or noble rumors. But from what I know of him—and of Regina—he’ll find a way to claim my lands and destroy me. His patience has thinned. It’s only a matter of time before he marches. For what reason? How he’ll justify it? I can’t say. But I’m confident he will.”

William folded his arms. “It’s still just an assumption. Even if I entertained the thought, how do you plan to stop him from doing so?”

Kai shook his head, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “That’s where you’re mistaken, Duke. I don’t plan to stop him.”

The Duke’s brow furrowed slightly. “You’re not going to stop him?”

“No,” Kai replied. “I’ll protect the lands granted to me by King Sullivan. But I won’t just stop him—I’ll use his actions to make my point. I’ll defend Veralt, and when the dust settles, you’ll see what you’re looking for.” His gaze locked onto William’s. “Decisiveness.”

William regarded him in silence for a long moment, tilting his head slightly as if what Kai said was absolute mockery. “And you believe that will be enough to sway me?”

Kai nodded calmly. “You can make your decision after that. But I’ll show you what kind of man I am, not through promises or assumptions, but through action.”

***

Francis leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples as he surveyed the group gathered in his office. The room was filled with young, eager faces, each bearing a mix of determination and nervous energy—a lot of it. These were his apprentices, the seven he had personally selected to shoulder the weight of an ever-growing workload.

A lanky boy named Siton stood near the corner, his ink-stained fingers fidgeting with a quill. Next to him, Mina, a red-eyed woman with her hair tied in a no-nonsense braid, clutched a ledger close to her chest. Darran, broad-shouldered and looking like he belonged more on a battlefield than in an administrative office, leaned against the wall, his expression a mixture of boredom and attentiveness. The others—bright, unseasoned minds eager to prove themselves—completed the group.

Francis sighed. Seven apprentices had seemed like enough when he started, but as Veralt and Verdis grew, the weight of administration proved heavier than anticipated. He’d need more people soon. The workload wasn’t just expanding—it was threatening to outpace them.

Breaking the silence, Mina stepped forward. “The work on the roads is underway. We’re making decent progress each day. As per your instructions, while the city is our priority, we’ve shifted focus to connecting the villages to each other and to Veralt and Verdis.” She hesitated, her eyes briefly darting to her ledger. “But we’re running into financial issues.”

She glanced at the others before continuing. “Also, I’ve prepared a contingent to go to the barbarian territory. They’re ready to leave anytime.”

Francis leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, fixing her with a steady gaze. “Hold off the merchants until the payments from the mana cannon sales come through. We’re not in a position to stretch our resources further just yet.” He let his words sink in before adding, “Talk to Malden. Most of the materials we need are either from him or from merchants he has connections with. He’ll know how to handle it.”

Mina nodded, scribbling down his instructions.

Francis sighed again, leaning back in his chair. “As for the contingent, hold it off for now. I’ll handle the barbarians myself once I’ve dealt with more pressing matters here.” His voice softened slightly, though his weariness was evident. “What else?”

The group exchanged glances, hesitant but ready to dive into the next set of issues. Francis braced himself, knowing his day was far from over.

Before Francis could utter another word, Siton stepped forward. “It’s about the slums’ redevelopment. We’re getting backlash from… certain groups. People who were involved in criminal activities there are stirring up the locals. They’re spreading rumors that we plan to evict everyone instead of improving the area.”

Francis closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through his nose. “Parasites,” he muttered. “Send Knight Killian and the Enforcers to deal with it. Make it clear there will be no mercy for those who thrive on exploiting others.”

Siton nodded, stepping back into the group.

Francis straightened in his chair, ready to move to the next item on the agenda, but before he could speak, the door to his office swung open. A guard entered, his face pale and his hands shaky. Maybe from the run or maybe from whatever the issue was.

“Administrator Francis,” the man began, “we’ve got trouble brewing in one of the villages near Verdis. Baron Idrin, who controls the nearby lands, is attempting to halt the road construction. He’s also trying to lay claim to those lands for himself.”

Oh, Goddess Lumaris!

Francis sighed loudly, taking a second to comprehend the man’s words before shooting out of his seat. “Get whoever is free to take their horses out. We are leaving to deal with it.”

***

A/N – You can read 30 chapters (15 Magus Reborn and 15 Dao of money) on my patreon. Annual subscription for both of them is on too.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep