Caleb bent down and whispered between Zeno and Rudbeckia’s faces.

“So. Rudbeckia and I are thinking of committing treason.”

“What?!”

Zeno shouted in surprise, removing his hand from his forehead.

He too thought the imperial family and Greg deserved to be torn apart for their atrocities, but revenge and treason were actions as different as heaven and earth.

“Rudbeckia, why are you surprised?”

“I said we should take revenge by killing Adam Perron and Greg, not commit treason.”

Rudbeckia also looked around nervously, whispering in a small voice to make sure no one would hear. Caleb bent closer to her ear and said,

“Killing the ruler is precisely what treason is.”

“No! I have no intention of killing the emperor and sitting on that throne. Do you?”

She raised her voice in shock before whispering again.

“Didn’t you say you would kill the emperor with your own hands?”

“Anyway, both you and Rudbeckia intend to kill the emperor.”

At Zeno’s whisper, both nodded simultaneously.

“Then, you two kill Adam. I’ll sit on the throne.”

“What?!”

“Otherwise, I’ll go straight to the Imperial Guard and report you two?!”

“Know when to joke. We’re being serious.”

“I’m just as serious as you two. I’m also hurt that you discussed such a serious matter without me. How many years have we spent together? I still consider you two family, but do you not feel the same?”

Zeno blinked his blue eyes, expressing his hurt with his entire body.

“It’s dangerous. With you…”

“It’s not irrelevant to me. I too lost my family in that war, just like you. And not just family. Everyone in my village, who were like family, was slaughtered by them. Do you think an empire ruled by such a tyrant will flow in the right direction?”

Zeno’s village was located in a border region. They had stood at the forefront with the Grand Duke to lead local battles to victory in defense of the border and village, but couldn’t prevent the village from becoming ruins amid the flying arrows.

Someone who knows the pain caused by war could become a good leader. At least, they wouldn’t become a tyrant who spills blood according to their own whims.

“If there’s no suitable person, I’ll support Zeno as emperor.”

“If there’s no one?”

Zeno raised his tone at the end of Rudbeckia’s words with an incredulous expression. The three of them burst into laughter at the same time.

* * *

Early morning. The sound of metal clashing echoed across the training ground in the cold air, still considered dawn.

— Clang!

“Rudbeckia! Focus!”

Caleb and Rudbeckia always sparred at dawn, before everyone else woke up.

The knights of the Pergos Empire were divided into ranks according to their skills, and their salaries were determined by these ranks.

Skills were divided into Junior, Senior, Expert, and Equites levels, but Caleb wore the badge of an Expert level despite having Equites-level skills.

Therefore, it was better to practice at full strength when fewer eyes were watching.

“Anyway, about the lance tournament. Since it’s under the Minister of Military’s jurisdiction, we should keep in mind the worst-case scenario I mentioned. If they’re determined to kill, they could set dozens more traps. Eek!”

“Faster!! You need to move! And let them set whatever traps they want!!”

— Thud! Clang!

Rudbeckia jumped high into the air like she was doing a high jump, using her sword tip against the ground as leverage.

Using her light weight as an advantage, she soared high, aiming to plunge down at Caleb’s head with the added force of gravity… but Caleb easily deflected her sword with just the strength of his right hand.

She gripped her deflected sword with both hands and landed on the ground with a sliding motion. Her exceptional balance and speed were certainly not inferior to Caleb’s.

“Have you decided to stop hiding your skills now?”

She asked while moving at high speed, constantly disrupting Caleb’s field of vision without pause. Caleb blocked the sword tip that came dangerously close to his eyes with the blade of his sword and answered,

“Is there any reason to hide? We’re not fighting for the position of the next Grand Duke, nor for the position of Minister of Military— the considerate younger brother who always yielded to his older brother is!”

— Clang!!!

“Gone.”

Rudbeckia’s sword flew far away.

When people began gossiping about the successor to Grand Duke Sanders, he had hidden his true abilities. Back then, he naturally thought that the eldest son should inherit the title as had always been done, and he disliked the noise around such an obvious matter.

But now they had become strangers with no connection, and those old feelings didn’t even surface as memories anymore, so there was no reason to hold back or hide.

“Huff…… With this momentum, the lance tournament winner will definitely be you, Cal.”

“I have to win. The prize money and rewards are substantial, and I need to prepare thoroughly to go to Finis territory.”

After the lance tournament, he would move to his territory. It was a land of perpetual snow that never melts.

Though it was still clear autumn, that place would already be at the beginning of winter.

“Cal. I think you should focus more on building stamina during the remaining time. The tournament is written to look fair, but it says the number of matches could differ.”

“Yes, yes, the strategy of exhausting someone by making them fight continuously is really obvious but definitely a strategy they’ll use. My ears are going to get calluses.”

Caleb picked up her lance that had flown away, pretending his ears hurt. It was good that Rudbeckia was concerned for his well-being, but he worried that she might collapse from nervous exhaustion before the lance tournament even began.

“What else should we be careful about?”

“The lance. When receiving a lance, wrap it with a handkerchief, wipe it once, and then grip it. Discard gloves immediately after use. Request a replacement if the lance tip is too blunt. Um… also…”

“Don’t let the opponent’s lance touch your skin.”

Rudbeckia spoke in a serious and cold voice. Even when he threw jokes or played around, on this point alone she was like a frozen ice wall.

A massive wall made of ice that wouldn’t melt no matter what. When he tried to pat her head, she glared at him as if shouting, ‘Please take this seriously and remember!’

“Other injuries can be treated, but poison… even if I’m right beside you, poison can take your life.”

“I know. Don’t worry. I’m really keeping it in mind. I’m more worried that you’ll collapse first from worrying about me.”

“That won’t happen.”

Rudbeckia said as she took the lance from Caleb and organized it in the practice weapon rack at one side of the training ground.

“Are you already cleaning up?”

“Dame Elfleda sent a letter inviting me to visit the marquis residence.”

“Dame Elda did? Can I come along? I’m curious about what a marquis residence in Pergos looks like.”

Marquis Finis. Whether he wanted it or not, he was a marquis, and the place he would stay was a marquis’s castle. He was curious about the scale of the household a marquis could maintain and what spaces were absolutely necessary.

Though he disliked the position, he had no intention of avoiding the responsibilities and duties that came with it. Nor did he plan to neglect his territory’s people while focusing on treason.

He intended to do his best for the independent prosperity of his territory. Just as his father had done.

After preparing to go out, the two stopped by the Red Moon Knight Order to ask Zeno if he wanted to join them, and he gladly agreed. Since the Argen marquis residence was very close to the imperial palace, they decided to take a public carriage rather than ride three horses.

“Welcome, Rudbeckia! Oh my, you came together with Caleb and Zeno.”

“I’m sorry for visiting without prior notice.”

“No, you two are always welcome. Come in.”

Following Elfleda’s guidance, they entered the marquis residence, but the place was bustling with people moving busily as if they were moving house. Caleb carefully observed the size of the mansion and the number and attire of the people moving about.

“Is something happening in your household today? If you’re busy, I’m fine with rescheduling.”

Rudbeckia, who didn’t want to be a bother if they were busy, asked carefully.

“What do you mean reschedule? The reason we’re so busy is because of you.”

“What? Me??”