Chapter 72

"Loren! It's Loren!"

If you ask what the Empire's specialty is, most citizens would answer like this.

How could the Empire, which has everything, have a specialty?

However, if you ask gourmets the same question, you would probably get a completely different answer.

Everyone who heard that question would unanimously name truffles from the Loren region.

"Is that why the family is called Lorenz-because it rules the Loren region?"

In a quiet train station-one so small it couldn't even compare to Capital Vailsar's-Cain, who had come to meet them, burst into a hearty laugh at Yaan's question while looking at the landscape of Loren.

"Not exactly. It was the Duchy of Loren that ruled the Loren region, and it joined forces with the Empire back in its early days."

Cain's attire wasn't an Imperial Army uniform but an old-fashioned coat emblazoned with the Lorenz family seal.

Black garments, as befits a funeral, yet no shadow darkened Cain's face.

"Um, wasn't today the funeral?"

"Calm to the point of indifference-feels like a picnic."

When Dandel and Ren asked, Cain snorted a laugh and spoke.

"It is indeed a funeral. My father's a capricious man; he sometimes pulls stunts like this."

Saying so, Cain led the group to the carriage and began mingling with the others, describing the sights of Loren territory.

Ren, uninterested no matter what was said, stayed glued to Yaan. Dandel and Irene, seeing this unfamiliar land for the first time, lost track of time listening to Cain's tales of the scenery.

"The funeral starts tomorrow, so rest well today. Father will send word later-come down then."

"Ah, yes."

"Commander, I-"

"Go in first. Rest that banged-up body from training."

At Yaan's words, Irene and Dandel nodded and headed to their rooms.

"She grew that much in such a short time?"

"I was surprised too. She advanced faster than expected."

"Her mana aptitude meshes with her talent. In half a year she might be able to pilot a colossus."

Yaan nodded at Cain's remark-Cain being the most orthodox in mana usage-then walked toward the center of the Lorenz mansion.

"What of Glaepnir?"

"At the head's request, it should arrive by tomorrow."

"Ha-ha, let's hope the train doesn't explode like last time."

Trading banter with Cain after so long, Yaan slowly scanned the Lorenz mansion.

The old house, lavish only in restraint, showed at a glance what kind of family Lorenz was.

"For a ducal house, the mansion is rather austere."

"Ha-ha, you think so?"

Cain tried to laugh it off, but when he noticed Yaan staring at a corner of the building, he sighed in resignation.

"It feels more fortress than mansion, doesn't it?"

Yaan nodded and pointed around the building.

"Blast shields installed between the corridors. If the ceiling ornaments drop, they'd form a huge barricade..."

"The gate is triple-layered and can lock as one. Thick as a castle gate."

Cain chimed in with Yaan's terse assessment and started pointing out the traps and bulkheads.

"So? More to see than you expected?"

"...Yes. And everything is meticulously maintained."

Candlesticks concealing spearheads.

Gears for partition walls.

Poison on arrowheads.

Lorenz knights patrolling everywhere.

"It's like..."

"Like preparing for war, right?"

Cain said, slowly surveying his own home.

"And so, our ducal House of Lorenz prepares to fight-what, exactly?"

As Cain spoke in lament, a gravelly voice called to them from behind.

"As long as humanity's enemies exist, we must never slacken in readiness. That is the oath of Lorenz, the Empire's shield, and the pride of knights."

"The first head's maxim, I presume."

Cain turned as he spoke.

Yaan followed his gaze and, seeing the old man appear, bowed lightly.

"I greet Your Highness Duke Claude."

An elderly man with gray hair tied back-unlike his son Cain.

Apart from the face marked by time, his body stood straight, as if still in his prime.

'Isn't he the subject of the funeral? He looks neither dying nor even ill...'

"You don't bow rashly. I like that."

Duke Claude approached Yaan, bared white teeth, and grinned.

"What I just spoke is an old saying passed down in Lorenz. Do you know who said it?"

Yaan replied, puzzled.

"As you said, wasn't it the first head?"

When Yaan asked back, Duke Claude grinned and denied it.

"No! Those were not the words of the first head. They were said *to* the first head!"

"To the head? Who in Lorenz would say such a thing to the head?"

"In the Vailsar Empire, who else could?"

At Cain's retort, Duke Claude answered, and Yaan clenched his fist, recalling Emperor Cardias's piercing gaze.

"People think our House Lorenz are loyal vassals-companions of Emperor Vailsar at the Empire's founding, a knightly house that protected the realm for centuries."

Speaking thus, Duke Claude circled Yaan and Cain, leaving Yaan momentarily speechless.

"But that is the victors' history. Cain, what is the true state of Lorenz as you see it?"

When asked, Cain gave a wry laugh and slowly began.

"We keep only the title and honor of duke, while Prince Gard steadily strips our rights."

"Exactly. Meanwhile, relocating to or pioneering within the duchy is forbidden, so mingling with citizens of other nations is difficult."

Yaan's eyes darkened at those words.

At that moment, Ren-still glued to Yaan-summarized Lorenz's plight.

"The ducal title is hollow. We're a colony, pouring out knights and resources, preserved since before the Unification Wars."

"Precisely!"

Duke Claude exclaimed, sounding delighted.

"Each succession saw the Empire erode us. That's fine-we accepted that when we clasped its hand!"

As he spread his arms, maids giggled in the background.

"Our lord's at it again."

"Thank goodness he doesn't do this in front of guests..."

Ignoring them, Duke Claude asked Yaan,

"So what do we rage against? What do we wait and fortify for? What do we prepare to fight?"

Yaan fell silent. Recalling his contract with Cain and Claude's invitation, he spoke quietly.

"Belkuth. They're intercepting the rights that should flow from Lorenz to the Empire, to strengthen their influence."

Duke Claude's mouth curved at that.

"Exactly. That's why House Lorenz is always ready-to exact a price from those who would steal our land and family."

His eyes fixed on Yaan. Though the hostility wasn't aimed at him, Yaan seriously considered drawing his pistol.

"Is that why you refused to send the knights, despite repeated requests..."

"To topple Belkuth. And we've had some success."

Ten times a month-that was how often duels between Lorenz and Belkuth knights were fought.

Remembering that now, it had been no joke.

Away from the front, Lorenz and Belkuth were still at war.

"But that ends here."

Like cold water on hot iron, Duke Claude's pronouncement snapped Yaan awake.

"Between constant duels and war, Lorenz-busy protecting stolen rights and lands-lost the people's support, and Belkuth took its place."

Wherever the front lines, Belkuth is there.

Belkuth knights are everywhere in the Empire.

For Imperials, what other house inspires such trust and confidence?

"The Lorenz I led has failed. I cannot deny that."

"...."

Cain, having watched his father's weakened form for a moment, soon bowed his head.

Duke Claude, tousling the hair of such a son, continued speaking while looking at Yaan.

"That is why I held a funeral. By announcing my death, I intend to hand the house over to the next generation."

"Does that mean you are giving up the fight against Belkuth?"

It was Cain, the acting head, who shook his head at Yaan's question.

"Belkuth has already seized most of the Empire's front lines. They are practically warlords. This is not a favorable situation for His Imperial Majesty either."

'He said he would find a vermin-catcher.'

Recalling the role the Emperor with the smiling face had entrusted to him when his desire for revenge against Belkuth had been discovered, Yaan nodded.

"News has arrived. The Imperial Army will personally support Prince Gard's front. The Imperial faction will now fully join the war."

Cain, nodding at Duke Claude's words, continued in his father's stead.

"Therefore, House Lorenz plans to devote all its strength to supporting the 13th Prince, which had been a secondary plan until now, to seal the front lines and eliminate threats in the rear."

Hearing Cain's words, Yaan grinned.

The reason Prince Klaus had created him and the unit. He recalled that.

'It did take quite a while for mere training.'

Unit operations, supply, tactical movement.

The Greyhounds, created by Yaan's coercion alone from the Penal Corps' mad dogs, now had its own cohesion and structure.

In other words, by Yaan's standards, they were finally ready for actual combat deployment.

'Lieutenant Dandel's unit operations have improved too. Once he grows through actual combat, he'll control the unit more efficiently than me.'

And the lacking firepower would be covered by Irene, who would later board the colossus. The Greyhounds as Klaus's original special unit would then be complete.

"The front lines will be sealed by Lorenz's knights. Lieutenant Yaan, you will...."

"Aye. I know well."

Eliminate enemies infiltrated in the rear, assassinate key figures, and frame Belkuth accordingly.

"Your unit, and I as well, will soon be complete."

"Tomorrow's funeral. I'm truly looking forward to it."

Yaan and Cain, saying so, looked at each other.

And Prince Klaus, watching the Greyhounds receiving weapons from the dwarves far off at the frontier front, smiled toward the night sky as well.

***

"Announcement! Count Hiram Belkuth, Lord of the Verka Territory, has arrived!"