"I heard you called for me."
"Hmm."
As Lucian entered the office, the Grand Duke pushed a stack of documents to one side.
He remained silent for a moment, then spoke with a subtle expression.
"You caused quite a stir recently. Everyone is talking about you and Jordi."
It was hard to tell if the remark was a rebuke or a note of admiration.
Lucian bowed his head and gave a formal reply.
"It wasn't anything that significant. I merely disciplined a few servants who forgot who their master was."
"And in doing so, you humiliated your brother. He isn't the type to forget such a thing. Can you handle the consequences?"
"There is nothing to 'handle.'"
"What?"
"It was a matter of establishing hierarchy and upholding the law. If I were to shy away from such obvious duties out of fear of repercussions, how could I ever claim the name Valdek? I simply made a choice that would not bring shame to that name."
"...Ahem!"
The Grand Duke's lips trembled slightly. It looked as though he was suppressing the urge to smile.
Regaining his composure, the Grand Duke stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"But Jordi will likely keep coming for you. He has considered you a thorn in his side for a long time."
"...."
"If only he didn't have that inferiority complex regarding his maternal family, he'd be a man capable of soaring much higher. It's a pity his vision is narrowed by such trivial obsessions."
At those words, Lucian's eyes sharpened.
Information he had gathered since his reincarnation flashed through his mind.
'Come to think of it, my maternal family was the House of Grimaldi in the North.'
Though they held the title of Duke, the family had fallen long ago, barely clinging to their name. They lacked both power and wealth, and because their bloodline was so rare, there were very few members left.
In fact, the line had been completely severed when the last head of the family—Lucian's maternal grandfather—died without a male heir, leaving only a daughter.
However, regardless of the family's downfall, the name Grimaldi itself was quite famous.
Unlike the many families that had sprouted up after the founding of the Empire, the House of Grimaldi was an ancient royal family of the North that had existed long before then.
They had been demoted to a ducal house after surrendering in the Unification War, but in terms of history alone, they were even older than the Imperial Family.
Thanks to this, the Grimaldi family received a fair amount of respect from other nobles despite their lack of actual power. In a noble society that prioritized authority, history itself carried immense weight.
The fact that they were too weak to be a threat, and that a political marriage with them could add prestige to another family, likely played a role as well.
'On the other hand, Jordi's maternal family, the Hexen Baronial House, is undeniably of merchant origin. Their history only spans three generations.'
That alone was enough for others to look down on them, but the way they obtained their title was also an issue. They had been granted the rank of Baron in exchange for covering massive war expenditures during a rebellion.
No matter how large the sum, money was still just money. Who would truly respect a title bought with gold rather than earned through recognized military merit? Especially when the recipients were merchants who, until recently, had been bowing and scraping before them.
'Three generations is enough time to stabilize one's status, but it's far from enough to wash away the stigma of being a mere profiteer.'
A bitter smile played on Lucian's lips.
He wondered why Jordi had been so hell-bent on attacking him; now he knew the reason.
Even with the blood of the Grand Duke in his veins, the perception of his maternal family must have followed him like a shadow. Even if he didn't show it, it was likely a severe complex for Jordi.
Meanwhile, the maternal lineage of Lucian—the supposed failure—wasn't just clean; it was illustrious.
To Jordi, it must have been maddening. It was as if a priceless treasure he desperately craved was in the hands of a fool who didn't even know its value.
'Well, that doesn't mean I have any intention of just taking it.'
Jordi might feel his resentment was justified, but from Lucian's perspective, he had done nothing wrong to earn such spite. He had no reason to endure it; if anything, he had every reason to pay it back in kind.
After clicking his tongue for a moment, the Grand Duke let out a sigh and got to the point.
"If Jordi continues to pick fights with you, you are free to strike back. However, if the conflict escalates too far and brings trouble to the family...."
"I will ensure that never happens."
"Listen until I'm finished. If that happens, regardless of who is right or wrong, I will take Jordi's side."
"Pardon?"
What was he talking about all of a sudden?
The Grand Duke gave a cold smile as he looked at the bewildered Lucian.
"Why so surprised? Jordi may be impulsive and reckless, but he works hard for the family in many ways. He is different from you, who spent a year doing nothing but eating and sleeping."
"...."
"As the head of the house, it is only natural for my heart to lean toward the one who contributes, rather than the one who is of no use. Do not think this is unfair."
It was a biased statement, almost unbelievable coming from Grand Duke Sigmund.
Lucian narrowed his eyes for a moment, then, catching the hidden meaning, he asked back.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're saying that if I become more useful to the family, you will take my side."
"You catch on quickly. If you want this father to stand by you, build your strength and contribute to the house. If you intend to remain curled up in a corner, I cannot go out of my way to protect you."
Lucian swallowed a bitter smile. He thought he understood what the Grand Duke was thinking.
'He's trying to create a sense of crisis to make me run.'
The claim that he would unconditionally side with Jordi was likely a half-lie. As long as Lucian didn't return to his shut-in lifestyle, the Grand Duke would probably handle any incidents as fairly as possible.
The reason he said such things was to provoke Lucian. It was both an invitation and a warning to properly demonstrate his capabilities now that he had started acting.
'Seeing him do things he wouldn't normally do, I suppose the competition for succession is starting to solidify.'
It seemed the Grand Duke wanted Lucian to seize this final opportunity. If he didn't show his worth now, he wouldn't even be able to participate in the race for the succession.
"You may leave now. And do not forget—if you hide your claws for too long, they may rust away before you ever get the chance to use them."
Seeing that Lucian understood, the Grand Duke issued a dismissal.
However, Lucian did not leave. Instead, he continued.
"What if I have already achieved a merit worthy of the family?"
"What?"
The Grand Duke frowned at the sudden claim. A merit? When he had only gone out once in the past week?
"Do not let your impatience drive you to bluster. Merit is not something so easily earned. If you intend to pass off some random rumor you heard on the street as a merit...."
"I have found evidence that the House of Roglan has been interfering in our territory. They intended to spread drugs through the underworld."
"...!?"
"I have already gathered the evidence. Would you like to see it?"
Lucian immediately called for Hugo to bring the prepared evidence.
Since Hugo was the one who had been carrying out the plan, there was an abundance of material. Where the workshop was established, how the distribution routes were set up, when they planned to start sales, and how they intended to evade searches.
The Grand Duke, initially skeptical, could only stare wide-eyed as the evidence poured in.
"Bernhardt! That scoundrel dared to pull such a stunt in my own backyard!"
Slam!
Grand Duke Sigmund struck the table as he shouted the current Marquis's name. He was so enraged that a crack appeared in the lapis lazuli table, which was said to be as sturdy as steel.
After huffing for a while, the Grand Duke slumped back into his seat, trying to suppress his anger.
"Damn it! My instinct is to report this to His Majesty immediately and put that disgrace to the Empire on trial, but...!"
"It would be difficult. All the involvement was done under the names of merchant groups beneath him. If you present this data, he will simply cut them loose."
"That is exactly what I mean! That cunning bastard!"
The Marquis had crossed the line, but he wasn't a fool; he would never use his own name directly. While anyone seeing this evidence would know the Marquis was behind it, it remained in the realm of suspicion. It wasn't quite enough to suppress the power of a Marquis and bring him to trial.
"...Still, with this much evidence, he will have no choice but to dismantle his subordinate merchant groups just to prove his innocence. You have done well."
Praise came from the Grand Duke as he regained his composure, but his face remained clouded. He could deal a blow to the Marquis, but it felt like a far too small a price for what the man had attempted.
Sensing the Grand Duke's mood, Lucian spoke up.
"Are you satisfied with just that?"
"How could I be? But if he notices our movement, he will destroy even the remaining evidence. It's regrettable, but we have no choice but to settle for what we can get and end this quickly."
"We just have to make sure he doesn't notice. No matter how sharp the Marquis is, how could he suspect anything if House Valdek doesn't move directly?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"The executor of this plan surrendered to me a few days ago. To be precise, it's more like a mercenary who has finally decided where his loyalty lies."
"...!"
"No matter how suspicious a man is, he won't suspect the very person executing his plan. No, especially not in a matter like drug trafficking—he would never imagine someone would switch sides."
Because there was no way a traitor would be treated well.
The man was a commoner, from the underworld, and involved in selling drugs. Even if someone took his information and then discarded him like a used tool, no one would say a word. In fact, people would find it strange if a noble actually rewarded such a person.
Given the situation, the Marquis would see betrayal as a foolish move, and since Hugo didn't seem like the type to do something so stupid, he wouldn't easily suspect him. Even if he did, it would only be after he had been thoroughly bled dry.
"So, there is no need for you to move personally, Father. If a traitor stirs things up from the inside, it will cause the Marquis unexpected damage. If we play this right, we might even obtain decisive evidence of the Marquis's direct involvement, not just the merchant groups."
The Grand Duke fell silent at Lucian's explanation. He seemed to be weighing whether the plan was truly feasible.
After a long silence, the Grand Duke spoke heavily.
"Can that man be trusted? I don't know his background, but he's someone who was willing to touch drugs."
"It's not that I trust the man, but rather the dream he holds."
"A dream?"
"He said he wants to become a knight and gain fame. He wants to carve his name into history."
"A presumptuous dream for a back-alley thug."
"But it is also a dream that a man would crave to the point of madness."
Lucian knew because he had once shared that same dream.
Hugo would not betray him. A lord who openly promised a knighthood was someone a man might encounter only once in a lifetime. As long as he didn't lose that dream, he would risk his life to protect Lucian.
"And if you have misjudged him and everything is ruined?"
The Grand Duke's sharp gaze pierced him. Lucian answered immediately, without flinching.
"I will offer my head."
"Hoo."
A smile finally touched the Grand Duke's lips at that answer. After a moment of thought, he turned his back and spoke.
"Once your body has recovered, come to the training grounds."
"Pardon?"
"I will teach you the Lion Heart Sword. You are now one of the candidates for the next head of the family."
"...!"