CHAPTER 92: GATHERING OF THE DUKES

The day of the Third Prince’s birthday had finally arrived, and the entirety of Caelhart was celebrating it.

The streets were festooned with banners bearing the royal crest, and music echoed from every district. Stalls lined the roads, offering sweetmeats, pastries, and toy soldiers modeled after the Crown’s elite. Children laughed, nobles paraded in their house colors, and even the stone-faced guards looked slightly less grim today.

But within the heart of the capital, within the towering palace walls, a very different atmosphere reigned. It was no longer just a child’s birthday. It was a gathering of power.

Inside the palace’s grand ballroom, gilded with gold filigree and enchanted chandeliers, Lucen adjusted his cuffs as he stepped onto the polished marble floor beside his father. With them were Sir Thalos, Robert, Harlik, and Mark, who were carrying the banner of the Thornehart household as well as the banner with Thornefang insignia.

Dozens of noble houses had already gathered. Lords, ladies, tower mages, and knights in ceremonial armor, all turning toward the Thorneharts as they entered. They were now staring at the heir of the Iron Duke, Lucen Thornehart.

The silver-haired, ruby-red-eyed person wearing an elegant-looking dress shirt was none other than Lucen. Once known as a sickly, talentless person, the person was now known by everyone in the Capital.

The body of the once-sickly Lucen had transformed into a powerful-looking body. Due to the change in perception, Lucen looked more handsome than usual.

The people started whispering to each other the moment they saw Lucen enter the ballroom.

"So that’s Lucen Thornehart? He doesn’t seem as intimidating as rumored."

"Hmph, I always thought that all those rumors were false in the first place. Just absurd propaganda by the North."

"That can’t be true, I was there during the arena fight, he was truly a strong fighter."

"Do you think he and a few mercenaries defeated a young dragon?"

"Yeah, that rumor must be an exaggeration sung by those bards. He should just have defeated a wyvern or something."

"I guess the only true rumor about him should be the one about the arena, and that he created the game Territory War that’s become popular."

"Becoming the arena champion should be true since there were many witnesses, and I guess the board game one is also true since that banner is the same as the one on the game board. As for the other things, who knows."

Everyone was speculating and whispering at one another. Lucen, who was the center of attention, felt a little uncomfortable.

Even though he’d already faced monsters and men on the battlefield, walking into a ballroom where every smile could be a mask, and every whisper a blade, was an entirely different kind of challenge.

He kept his back straight and maintained a composed expression, just as Vardon had advised.

Sir Thalos was standing behind his father, and Robert was standing behind him with a bored expression. Harlik and Mark were holding the banners, also feeling a little uncomfortable.

While Lucen was looking around, his battle instinct suddenly activated as he sensed danger. Without even thinking about it, he used gun creation and created his favorite revolver and jumped to the side, pointing in the direction he felt the danger.

The people were baffled by Lucen’s sudden reaction. Some of the knights and mages with the nobles also got into defensive positions. Only those truly strong did not react. Some of them even sighed as they knew what was happening.

"Hahaha, that’s interesting! You reacted quickly to that tiny release of killing intent. As expected, the rumors did not exaggerate your skills."

A tall, broad-shouldered man with a powerful frame built from decades of battle. He was wearing loose clothing, unlike the others, and had a giant sword on his back. Blazing red hair and sky blue eyes with a massive grin on his face. He stood right behind Lucen, who was now pointing his gun at him.

Lucen knew who this person was. One of the strongest named characters, a person who devoted his entire life to the sword, this was Duke Kaelvar Runescar. Behind Kaelvar was a beautiful girl around the same age as Lucen. She was Duke Kaelvar’s daughter, Elyra Runescar.

"Was there a need to test my son like that, Kaelvar?" Vardon’s voice was low but edged with steel. He stepped in front of Lucen, his posture rigid, eyes cold.

"Test? I just wanted to say hi. Since he’s your kid, I was curious how he’d react to a little pressure." Kaelvar answered, looking a little confused.

Lucen, still gripping his revolver, slowly lowered it, pulse steady despite the adrenaline. He looked at his Father and Kaelvar talking to each other.

"Tsk, as expected of a brute who only knows how to fight."

A tall man with an imposing, statuesque presence, like a pillar carved from stone, arrived. His silver-streaked blond hair was tied neatly behind his head, and he had an annoyed expression in his chiseled face.

Lucen could not recognize the man since he did not appear in the game, but the one behind him was familiar. A handsome young man, slightly older than Lucen, with golden-blond hair that was neatly swept back, and his emerald green eyes held the sharp, unblinking clarity. That was Evander Judicar.

’That would mean the person who spoke is the current Duke Judicar.’

"Oh, Elandor, it has been a while." Kaeldar happily greeted Elandor while waving his hands.

"If it were possible, I would have wanted to never meet you again," Elandor replied, sounding annoyed.

"Don’t talk like that. I’m sorry about last time, I really didn’t mean it."

"Damn it! How can you say you didn’t mean it?! You almost started a war since you suddenly attacked the swordmaster of the kingdom of Alvion. If it wasn’t for his great personality that even after getting defeated forgave you for attacking, things would have escalated!"

"Come on now, I did say I’m sorry. How can I resist not fighting when I see someone strong? I even gave that swordmaster one of my favorite swords. He seemed satisfied with that."

"Are you really saying that?!" Elandor shouted, his anger boiling.

"Oh my, what’s this, a gathering of Dukes. Why are you all having fun without me?"

The next person who appeared was an incredibly beautiful and sensuous-looking woman. Her long, glossy, dark purple hair, streaked with hints of silver mana threads, flowed like silk behind her, tied loosely at the end with a band inscribed in arcane runes. She was wearing a red dress that made her figure even more alluring.

Lucen also knew who this was, another one of the strongest named characters in the game, Duchess Seraphina Aeromont. Standing behind her was a doll-like girl, another named character, Mireya Aeromont.

’To think most of the strongest named characters in the game are gathered in Caelhart right now. I wonder how my Father matches up to these guys?... Since the battle-obsessed Kaelvar seems to treat my Father as an equal, they should be at a similar level.’

While Lucen was thinking about other things, the three children of the other dukes were staring at him. The other nobles were also staring at their group.

At this moment, the four dukes who hold the most power, second only to the king himself, were gathered.