Chapter 493 - There’s Something I Need You to Do 2

There isn't a single person without ambition. Big or small, every human being wants to achieve something.

Zvalter was no exception. He, too, had a dream.

To stabilize the North, to see the people of his territory live in happiness, and to live a simple life surrounded by loved ones without major hardships.

That, he thought, would be enough.

"My dream was already coming true."

Thanks to his son, the territory was flourishing, and the troublesome Northern regions that plagued his family for generations had been pacified. The remaining barbarians had integrated with the people of Ferdium, forming growing villages.

For Zvalter, who had lived his life driven by responsibility, his dream was being realized.

The only thing missing was the presence of his departed wife, leaving him feeling slightly lonely. Beyond that, there was nothing he lacked.

"I thought this was enough."

And it was true. Once this war was over, he had planned to pass everything down to his son and spend the rest of his days in peace.

A life spent worrying was finally about to give way to the peace he had earned.

But now? He was being told to become king? As if such a thing were as simple as deciding to do it.

Zvalter tried to calm his whirlwind of thoughts, but his voice trembled as he spoke.

"I am a noble sworn to serve the kingdom."

"You know that no longer holds any meaning," Ghislain replied bluntly.

"..."

The king had allied with a cult responsible for countless deaths. If they did nothing, it would be their deaths next.

Meaningless, indeed.

"But... I have no desire to be king."

Zvalter truly had no ambitions that grand. Becoming the great lord of a prosperous territory was already more than enough for him.

The idea of becoming a king? He had never even considered it. Truthfully, he just wanted to retire and rest.

Ghislain, seeing his father still stunned, said firmly,

"The kingdom's people and nobles need a rallying point."

"Does it have to be me? Couldn't it be you instead?"

If someone were to rise as king, they would first have to overthrow the current order by force. And the only one with the strength to do so was Ghislain, leading the Northern Army.

By that logic, Ghislain himself was the most fitting candidate for the throne.

But Ghislain didn't see it that way.

"No. 'For now,' you're better suited than I am."

"Why?"

"Because I will continue to fight on the front lines with my retainers. I will also need to assist our allied nations. Managing the affairs of an entire kingdom, not just one territory, is beyond my capacity right now."

"Mm..."

"And the nobles will find you more agreeable than they do me."

Ghislain's reputation was overwhelmingly greater than Zvalter's, but among nobles, he was viewed as someone to be feared.

If the kingdom were overthrown, they might follow him out of fear, but they would never like or trust a young, brash warlord.

Zvalter, on the other hand, was different.

He was a high-ranking noble, older, and widely respected for his years of defending the North. He was not mocked for his character, only dismissed for his territory's past poverty.

To the nobles, Zvalter represented someone they could grudgingly respect while preserving their dignity.

Zvalter understood this reasoning.

"...I see."

This was no small matter, but no one could oppose it. If they didn't act, they would be the ones to perish.

In the heavy silence, Chancellor Homern hesitantly spoke up.

"If we succeed... does this mean I'll become Prime Minister?"

The room collectively shot him a sharp glare. Was that really the priority right now?

Even Ghislain, caught off guard by the question, blinked a few times before replying,

"Well... yes, for now."

After all, until the kingdom stabilized, key positions would need to be filled with people from Ferdium. The retainers of Fenris would remain engaged in the ongoing war effort.

Encouraged, Homern awkwardly grinned at Zvalter.

"My lord... well, I suppose we don't have much choice, do we?"

Next, Albert, the treasurer, cautiously asked,

"And me? Would I become the kingdom's treasurer?"

"Yes... for now..."

Albert, usually stoic, allowed a small, restrained smile to cross his face.

"My lord, it seems the young master has a point. There's no other way forward."

Randolph chimed in enthusiastically,

"So, does this mean I'll be the Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom's army?"

"No," Ghislain replied flatly. "That position will remain mine. But you can be the Captain of the Royal Knights."

Randolph grinned widely. That position was nearly as prestigious as Commander-in-Chief.

"Brother! It's clear the king and Duke Delphine won't leave us alone! Let's just topple everything!" Randolph exclaimed.

The retainers around Ghislain exchanged incredulous looks. He was casually distributing the kingdom's key positions as if they were his to give.

But... if they succeeded, they too might claim a seat of power.

As absurd as it seemed, the retainers had already come to a shared conclusion.

"If the young master says we're doing this, we're doing it."

"If we fail, we'll die anyway."

"He doesn't listen to objections, so what's the point?"

If they succeeded, a new dynasty would rise. If they failed, they would be branded traitors. Either way, there was no alternative.

All eyes turned to Zvalter.

"My lord, you must make a decision. The king and the Duke's faction will come for us regardless."

"The young master is right. If we are to fight, we must prepare thoroughly from this moment on."

"We can't just sit still and let them destroy us!"

"A king who has allied with a cult cannot be followed!"

The atmosphere was charged, and the fervor spread like wildfire.

In the past, they would have been paralyzed by fear, but now they felt emboldened.

"If we stand with the young master, we'll win."

"The Northern Army is the strongest in the kingdom."

"When have we ever lost?"

This newfound confidence was thanks to Ghislain. He had given them a reason to believe in victory.

They all looked to Zvalter with eager, expectant eyes.

Zvalter let out a deep, hearty laugh.

The retainers, once impoverished and timid, were now brimming with ambition, inspired by his son.

Despite his pride in Ghislain, Zvalter wrestled with inner turmoil.

"Must I really do this?"

He had always taken pride in being a loyal servant of the kingdom. His life was built on honor, loyalty, and responsibility.

If this were merely a power struggle, Zvalter would have refused without hesitation.

But the king had allied with the Salvation Order—a cult that created Rifts, waged war, and slaughtered innocents.

If the cult prevailed, the people of the kingdom would become nothing more than sacrificial offerings.

Zvalter's loyalty was to the kingdom's people, not to its self-destructive ruler.

Even if he wanted to shield the king from his mistakes, both the king and the Duke would seek to destroy the Northern Army regardless.

There was no choice.

"My love, who would have thought we'd see a day like this?"

What Zvalter didn't know was that his late wife, Annette, had once served to protect the royal family.

And Annette could never have imagined that her husband and son would one day seek to bring that same royal family to its knees.

History's tides often flowed in directions no one could predict.

After a long silence, Zvalter nodded.

"I'll do as you say."

With Zvalter's decision made, the retainers' faces lit up with resolve. Though they were nervous, excitement over writing a new chapter in history prevailed.

Belinda clenched her fists tightly.

"Our young master will truly become the 'Grand Duke of the North!'"

What had once been a reluctant title could now be claimed with pride.

Zvalter turned to Ghislain.

"When do we move?"

"Soon. We're currently gathering intelligence on the capital's situation."