Ch#44
***
The war against the Southern Kingdom was over.
It was a long war that had lasted over three years. It was the Knights of Morte, the Black Lion Knights, who ended the war half a year after joining the Imperial Army.
The Knights of Morte became the greatest heroes of the Empire, and upon their return, they were met with tremendous acclaim. They were positioned majestically at the forefront of the triumphal procession.
Carlz grumbled as they passed through a boulevard strewn with petals.
“What have they done to deserve this triumph with us? Without them, the war would have ended a year earlier.”
What Carlz was referring to were the nobles who had formed the command. Knights and lords, mainly from the South, were marching triumphantly beside them on the road. Victor turned his head.
“It’s all over now.”
“Well, yes. We’ll never have to see them again.”
“You’re a Southerner, so of course you’ll see them again, right?”
At his master’s words, Carlz replied bitterly.
“What do you mean? I’ll live in the North for the rest of my life. Now I hate hot and humid weather.”
“Weren’t you slowly getting used to it?”
“Does it matter? We’re going back to Morte.”
Victor laughed.
Actually, he didn’t really care.
It felt good to be back.
However, he could barely bring himself to talk about Mortheon.
It was a name he couldn’t utter because it hurt just to hear it.
But Mortheon wouldn’t have wanted to be forgotten like that.
So he spoke of his older brother, sharing stories of their childhood the entire journey back. And he held onto hope.
If he remembered Mortheon like this and stayed with his comrades and friends in his hometown, one day everything would return to how it was before. Peace would come to his life again.
Soon, the procession ended.
Victor Morte, of course, met the Emperor before anyone else.
Seeing the young Grand Duke, the nobles in the audience roared in surprise. They were voices of excitement, jealousy, and admiration.
Victor was not surprised.
He knew his appearance seemed quite dubious to others.
The Emperor greatly praised the new Grand Duke. He applauded his great achievements and bestowed a huge monetary reward. It was a small sum compared to the war reparations he would receive from the Southern Kingdom, but Victor happily accepted it.
Then the Emperor asked what other reward he desired.
Victor thought for a moment. Normally, he might have requested a marriage to the Imperial family or more land, but none of that was necessary. He just wanted to live quietly in his hometown.
So he answered honestly.
“I don’t need anything else. It is an honor to serve the Empire and to see Your Majesty.”
The Emperor chuckled, seemingly satisfied.
“You are a true knight, sir! Let me know if you want anything later. I’ll grant one request.”
Victor bowed respectfully and withdrew.
***
Invitations poured into Victor’s Capital mansion. Everyone wanted to meet the war hero, the Grand Duke of Death.
However, Victor didn’t stay long in the Capital and headed straight to Morte. He brought only the belongings of his father and Mortheon, who had stayed in the Capital mansion for a time.
He felt much more comfortable on the return journey than when he had left. They were welcomed wherever they went and provided with sumptuous banquets and good beds. Victor let his knights rest.
They had suffered greatly. His knights needed time to laugh and relax.
He felt much better, and he slept much better too. Eating and drinking every day, they slowly reached Morte.
His hometown was the same as before.
A cool wind blew through the tall trees. The march of the knights was a spectacle in itself. The knights entered the village, announcing their return noisily.
At the sound of the trumpet, villagers flocked to the roadside and cheered. Seeing the colorful roofs and the pale-skinned people of his estate, he felt a sense of familiarity.
Victor smiled and waved.
The war would remain in his memory like a wound that would never heal, but for now, all was well.
The vassals would bring him a lot of work, and his nightmares would be forgotten little by little in his mundane life.
The knights proudly entered the castle.
The vassals waiting for him bowed their heads as soon as they saw him.
“We greet the new Grand Duke.”
Victor nodded, feeling suffocated. It was only then that he realized he had taken Mortheon’s place.
He spoke to them sincerely.
“You have suffered greatly while I was away. I may not measure up to my older brother, but please support me going forward.”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
Victor smiled at his vassals.
He didn’t like them much, but he knew how well they had worked with Mortheon. To follow in Theon’s footsteps, he had to trust his vassals and collaborate with them.
He wanted to take responsibility for the land his older brother loved.
Like Mortheon, he wanted to become a Grand Duke beloved by his knights, vassals, and people.
Victor made another vow.
***
He began work the very next day.
Though he faced resistance, he reviewed the vassals’ reports and dispatched knights to slay monsters.
He also accepted his vassals’ request to arrange a beneficial marriage as soon as possible. Mortheon would have done the same.
It had been his childhood dream to marry someone he loved, but that became impossible the moment he became Grand Duke.
The names of women he had never heard of before were bandied about in the conference room. They were ladies from prestigious families who would benefit the Grand Duchy.
Victor paid little attention. Whoever she was, they were all the same to him.
Weeks passed, day and night.
His insomnia, which had not fully subsided, kept him working late.
His knights worried, but Victor didn’t mind. The more he worked, the better life would be for the people of Morte.
Then, one night, he secretly went out for a walk.
It was past midnight, and he couldn’t sleep. When he finished the day’s work, the moon was already high in the sky.
He wondered if a short walk might help him sleep. So Victor quietly walked down the hallway without a lamp.
Whispered gossip drifted from somewhere.
“…Lord Mortheon, you say the Grand Duke killed him?”
‘What?’
Victor froze as if struck by lightning.
Victor’s senses were extraordinarily sharp.
That was the secret behind his astonishingly precise swordsmanship. The whispering voices reached the Grand Duke’s ears all too clearly.
“…Our elders said that while everyone else was away, Lord Mortheon and his knights were annihilated. The only survivor was Victor. Isn’t that strange?”
“Hey, the Grand Duke is incredibly strong. Of course he survived.”
“But then why couldn’t he protect Lord Mortheon? Why did he let his brother die when he survived without a single wound?”
Every word pierced Victor’s chest like a blade.
Another maid whispered.
“The two of them were really close. Everyone in the castle knows it.”
“No. Before leaving, Victor was plotting to take the position of Grand Duke with Gillard’s help.”
“No way!”
“Really! He said it openly. Besides, now he’s boasting about how well it turned out!”
Victor tried to piece together the situation.
They were probably maids working in the castle and serving the vassals.
‘Gillard…’
Victor recalled the vassals he had spoken to in the weeks before the war.
Those who had said they would support Victor to keep Mortheon in check.
He had never had a proper conversation with them beyond that one day in the hallway.
‘Why…?’
Their voices continued gossiping like excited field mice.
“Wow, that’s scary. Is power that tempting?”
“How could we understand the minds of those in high positions? He’s heartless, unlike his older brother who was so kind to us.”
“Hey, the one who died was a fool. What other noble has such a strong successor?”
“Yes, Mortheon was a fool.”
“Poor thing.”
Suddenly, his stomach churned.
It felt like darkness had swallowed his body whole.
He wasn’t even angry.
He was just empty.
Victor ignored the voices and slowly returned to his bedroom.
***
The next morning, he summoned Leonard and Carlz.
The extremely sleep-deprived Grand Duke asked slowly.
“Are there rumors going around that I killed him?”
Leonard was shocked, and Carlz wore a sour expression. Their reactions confirmed it for Victor.
“That’s right, rumors are circulating.”
“Your Highness, all the knights know it’s nonsense…”
“I’m not talking about the knights.”
The words of servants reflected those of their masters. The people he had overheard yesterday were vassals’ maids. They said they had heard it from their masters. If the vassals were saying such things, the rest of Morte must feel the same.
Victor turned to Leonard.
“You’re probably in touch with your family.”
“My lord.”
“Tell me, Sir Leonard of Odo. What are they saying?”
The Odos were Morte vassals with territory outside the estate.
They rarely went to the Capital, but due to their loyalties, they often accompanied other vassals to the castle. They must have heard something.
Leonard bowed his head deeply. No matter how difficult, he could not disobey his master’s order.
“…The rumors started circulating the moment we announced Lord Mortheon’s death. They claim his body was burned to destroy evidence.”
“It seems the vassals, especially Gillard, have been spreading them. They say they persuaded the new Grand Duke to take the seat… Unlike Lord Mortheon, they say you are not indecisive…”
“…”
“You know it’s all nonsense, don’t you? It’s just rumors.”
Victor said nothing for a long time.
***
