‘They don’t even seem willing to hear me out.’
“It’s better than not trying at all…”
“It’s impossible from the start. If it were possible, we would have requested support already. We need to find another way.”
Ian’s expression twisted sharply.
“Advisor Jurdan.”
“Yes, Young Lor— gasp!”
Jurdan suddenly felt as if the air had been knocked out of him.
Ian was glaring at him with eyes full of killing intent.
[Your intimidating gaze has seized the room.]
It was a skill Ian had dismissed as useless, thinking it only scared the maids when they made eye contact.
But in moments like this, it was incredibly effective.
‘W-what is this? What kind of killing intent is this…?!’
Perhaps it was because he had fought in wars against monsters and even killed people?
The fear he felt from the gaze of someone he had always dismissed as a troublemaker was overwhelming.
“I know how you see me, Advisor. I’ve given you plenty of reasons to look down on me. So, I won’t hold it against you for cutting me off just now. However.”
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Jurdan’s face.
“This is a crisis for the territory. I cannot tolerate dismissing a potential solution without even considering it.”
“Hahaha!”
While the other vassals’ faces were stiff with tension, Hugo suddenly burst into laughter.
‘I thought my son had changed, but he’s truly matured.’
If this were the old Ian, he would have thrown whatever was at hand or even drawn his sword at being ignored.
‘But instead of drawing his sword, Ian used charisma to change the atmosphere.’
While others were still unsure of Ian’s transformation, Hugo saw it clearly.
As his father, he knew better than anyone.
After returning from the monster hunt, Ian had changed unmistakably.
Glancing at Hubert, he noticed his son was also surprised by the situation.
Hubert had mentioned to him that he felt something different about his brother during their spar.
Of course, it wasn’t full confidence, but more of a cautious observation.
‘Did he have a moment of self-reflection?’
He didn’t know what Ian had gone through, but perhaps it had been a turning point.
‘It’s like he’s become a completely different person.’
Hugo, who would never have dreamed that Ian could change so drastically, soon stopped laughing and mediated.
“From what I’ve heard, it seems the advisor is more at fault here. What do you think?”
“I also think the advisor was in the wrong first. How about an apology?”
As everyone pointed out Jurdan’s mistake, his face turned red.
Apologizing to Ian was humiliating.
He never thought he’d be called out by the troublemaker young lord he despised more than anyone.
But his mistake was undeniable.
“…I apologize for my rudeness, Young Lord.”
After his apology, the oppressive atmosphere dissipated as if it had never been there.
“I accept your apology.”
Only then could Jurdan breathe easily again.
“I was also too worked up. I’m sorry. Let’s both be more careful from now on.”
Everyone in the room was stunned by Ian’s words.
‘An apology? From that troublemaker young lord?’
‘Am I dreaming?’
Meanwhile, Ian smiled proudly, though no one else could see it.
‘Good. Now word will spread among the vassals that I’ve changed.’
By showing his transformation, their perception of him would gradually shift!
It was going exactly as Ian intended.
‘And Advisor Jurdan. He’s an important figure in the territory, right?’
Despite his dislike for Ian, Jurdan was a highly capable individual.
If Oswell was the core of Schrantz’s military strength, Jurdan was the backbone of its internal affairs.
‘We need him to stay if the territory is to function properly.’
Whether things went perfectly or disastrously, Jurdan was indispensable.
With that in mind, Ian’s crimson gaze turned to Hugo.
“Father. The fate of our family hangs in the balance. Even as we speak, the rampaging monsters are advancing. We have no time to waste. Please make a decision now.”
Perhaps it was Ian’s confidence or the lack of other options, but Hugo decided to hear him out.
“I’ll ask you one thing. Are you confident you can persuade Duke Endran?”
Confident?
Ian probably knew Duke Endran better than anyone else in the room.
As someone from the Fried Empire, playing through quests often brought him into contact with Duke Endran, a key figure in Meta Pangaea.
So, naturally.
“I’m confident.”
“…Alright. Then let’s try it your way.”
Hugo didn’t elaborate on what the plan was.
Whether it was because he trusted his son, the urgency of the situation, or simply having no other options, it was unclear.
But the fact that he made the decision was enough for Ian.
“Thank you.”
Ian continued with a confident expression.
“By the way, how well-armed are the monsters?”
“There are goblins riding wolves and shooting arrows, and orcs with basic armor. Essentially, they’re all armed with iron weapons.”
“Hmm…”
Ian fell into thought.
If they were just wielding stone axes or wooden clubs, they might have a chance at victory.
After all, no matter how hard you hit plate armor with a stone, it wouldn’t do much damage.
‘But if they’re armed with iron weapons and have mobility…’
They weren’t enemies you could recklessly charge at.
After some deliberation, Ian reached a conclusion.
“Please give me five knights, including Sir Oswell, and 100 soldiers. I’ll hold them off until reinforcements arrive.”
“Gasp!”
The vassals were stunned, not expecting Ian to volunteer for such a dangerous task.
“Do you really have to go? Didn’t you say you’d persuade Duke Endran?”
As a father, Hugo couldn’t help but want to stop his son from jumping into what seemed like a pit of fire.
“I proposed this, so I should take responsibility. I’ll persuade the duke through correspondence.”
The word “responsibility” coming from Ian’s mouth.
The vassals thought it was a word they’d never expected to hear from him.
“Didn’t you hear what I said? You may have distinguished yourself in the last hunt, but this is on a completely different level in terms of quality and armament.”
Ian shrugged.
“Whether I stay here and fight or go there, over 1,000 monsters are coming either way. If I don’t go, the damage to the villagers left behind will be even greater.”
It was clear that the villagers who couldn’t evacuate in time would suffer horribly at the hands of the monsters.
“And if I fight well, it’ll reduce the burden here, won’t it? Even if I fail, it won’t affect the territory.”
As someone who wasn’t even the heir, his death wouldn’t matter since Hubert was already recognized as the successor.
That’s what Ian was implying.
“……”
Hubert stared silently at Ian.
‘Is he serious?’
It was as if he was walking willingly to his death.
There was no trace of fear in his demeanor.
The brother who had caused trouble every single day.
The brother who had no accomplishments but an inflated ego, easily provoked by the slightest provocation.
The brother who was endlessly strong against the weak and endlessly weak against the strong!
The person he had refused to acknowledge as family was now preparing to face monsters, ready to die.
“Sigh… Alright, do as you wish.”
The saying that no parent can win against their child felt especially true to Hugo today.
“I’ll prepare to depart immediately.”
Ian stood up and left the meeting room without another word.
“What’s gotten into that troublemaker all of a sudden?”
“Did he hit his head during the monster hunt?”
“Has he finally come to his senses?”
“Or is he planning to flee with the soldiers?”
Opinions about Ian’s decision varied widely.
Some were impressed by his changed demeanor, others remained skeptical, and some wore serious expressions, considering the possibility of the succession dynamics shifting again.
Whatever his intentions, Ian’s decision had stirred up the officials.
But Hubert was different from the others.
Hubert had seen Ian’s eyes.
Those eyes belonged to a knight who had already made up his mind.
The drastic change in his brother left him deeply confused.
Departure
Ian and the 100 soldiers set out for Vilcen, the northernmost village of the Schrantz territory, as soon as preparations were complete.
It was the first place the monsters would reach if they entered the territory.
Of course, Ian didn’t forget to send a letter to Duke Endran’s household during the process.
While on the move, Oswell reported to Ian.
“I had Dwayne tested to confirm, and his stamina, strength, and agility are impressive. Based on that alone, he’s on par with novice knights.”
The report was about Dwayne.
“However, his swordsmanship and spearmanship are average, and he’s never ridden a horse, so his horsemanship is nonexistent.”
Ian glanced back.
There was Dwayne, struggling on horseback, clearly in pain.
Just a few days ago, he had been a mere soldier, and now he was heading to the front lines as a knight.
‘If it weren’t for me, he’d be safe in the rear.’
Dwayne’s life was both tragic and pitiable.
In the end, Ian’s decision to bring him along had put him in danger.
Though Dwayne himself didn’t seem to think that way.
But more importantly…
“Why is Dwayne, who just joined, here?”
Oswell let out a deep sigh.
“He insisted on protecting you, Young Lord. And Lord Hugo happened to witness it.”
“Ah…”
That made some sense.
Hugo, being a doting father, must have been moved by Dwayne’s determination to protect his son.
“But even so, I doubt that was the only reason.”
‘It’s clear Dwayne is deeply grateful to me, but his loyalty isn’t so high that he’d risk his life.’
Oswell nodded, confirming Ian’s speculation.
“Of course, that wasn’t the only reason. He’s originally from that village. He has family there and has hunted in the area, so he knows the terrain better than anyone. He convinced Lord Hugo with that.”
“Is he thoughtless or just bold?”
For a mere soldier to act so boldly in front of the lord, who was like a king within the territory.
An ordinary person would be nervous, but Dwayne clearly wasn’t ordinary.
“Should we discipline him now?”
Ian chuckled and waved his hand.
“Discipline? My father probably didn’t mind. And you’ve already warned him, so let it be.”
“Agh! Ugh…!”
As Dwayne groaned in pain, Ian spoke softly.
