Lord of Caldera

"Today, we celebrate two victories. First, those vile elves have come to us begging for negotiations!" he proclaimed.

Cheers erupted among the soldiers, relief flooding them as they realized they might not need to shed blood after all. The commanders shared similar sentiments, sensing the opportunity to claim magical artifacts without costly losses.

"So, the count's gamble has paid off. We'll secure the magical artifacts and keep our forces intact," they mused silently, congratulating themselves on bringing reinforcements.

As everyone reveled in the prospect of profit without losses, the count raised his voice again.

"But there is more cause for celebration! Today, I have gained an heir!" he announced.

This revelation left everyone stunned. While they had been briefed about the negotiations, this was the first anyone had heard of an heir. Savoring their surprise, the count turned towards Sylas, beckoning his "daughter" forward.

"Come, my daughter!" he called.

"Yes, Father," Rey replied, stepping onto the platform, causing the crowd's shock to deepen.

Could it be that he has chosen Sylas's knight as his heir?

Facing Rey, who knelt before him, the count's voice rang out.

"Do you swear to become my daughter?"

"I swear."

"Will you bear the responsibilities of the heir to this house?"

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"I will bear them gladly."

"Then, you are no longer Rey Winslow but Rey Hernig, my heir and daughter! Rise and declare your name!"

Standing tall, Rey addressed the assembled onlookers.

"I am now Rey Hernig, heir of the Hernig family, and I call upon you all to witness this oath."

"Blessings upon Rey Hernig and the Hernig family!" a voice cried from the crowd, quickly followed by others repeating the chant in unison, solidifying Rey's position as heir.

The count glanced at Sylas, a hint of smug satisfaction in his expression.

Is this sufficient for you?

Perfectly, Sylas's calm gaze replied.

Emboldened, the count declared, "Today, I will face the elves alongside my daughter and show them the strength of humanity!"

A deafening cheer erupted from the soldiers, their voices resounding with excitement as if they were heralding a golden age. Overcome with his imagined future victories, the count remained oblivious to the subtle, calculating look in Sylas's eyes.

Despite the fanfare, the march toward the elves' territory was uneventful. This was not a full-fledged battle but rather a show of force to set the tone for negotiations.

"Still, it's quite a sight," Walter muttered, glancing over his shoulder. It wasn't just the number of soldiers; the sheer number of knights was astounding.

"With this many troops, we could challenge for dominion over the West."

"Still dreaming? Go back to sleep," Damien snorted.

"Oh, quiet. Just an idle thought," Walter grumbled. But they all knew such a force could only be assembled once. Without the tantalizing prize of magical artifacts, even the Hernig family would hesitate to muster this many men.

"I never thought we'd all be marching together like this," Stefan mused.

"Strange, isn't it?"

"Life's full of surprises," Stefan muttered, and the others agreed. Normally, the four families would unite only to restrain one another when any single family became too ambitious. Ironically, it was the Winslow family, of all families, that had broken this balance. Now, an unspoken tension lingered between Leon and the other three young heirs.

"Damn, Leon lucked out with that sister of his," one of them muttered.

"Still, making her the heir is going too far. It's one thing to strengthen ties with Sylas, but this?"@@novelbin@@

The murmurings of Stefan and Walter were interrupted as Damien clicked his tongue, giving them a look as if they were clueless children.

"Are you two really that dense? Can't you see what His Excellency is aiming for?"

"What?" Walter asked, baffled.

"No matter what titles she holds, Sir Rey is still an outsider. She's been appointed heir by the count, but she has no birthright within the family. In other words, she can be replaced at any time."

Birthright meant inherited privileges from birth, like the rights to inheritance or succession based on bloodline. Rey, however, had none of these. While formally recognized as an heir, her title could easily be stripped away if the count chose to withdraw it.

"She's not even a native of the Hernig family. With no influence within the household, the count could remove her as heir without much trouble."

"But he made such a public announcement…"

"Who's going to argue if he decides to change heirs later?" Damien asked pointedly.

Walter fell silent, realizing Damien was right. Even if Sylas and the Winslow family took issue with the change, it wouldn't amount to much. With the Corleone family being so distant, any drastic intervention would be seen as outright invasion, not legitimate succession.

"When the count eventually passes, Rey will inherit the Hernig estate," Damien continued, "but that also means she'll be bound to him until then."

"True," the others muttered in understanding.

Damien's explanation painted the arrangement in a new light: far from a gift, it was a leash that kept Rey — and Sylas by extension — tightly bound to the count. The count retained the upper hand, despite appearances. As the realization settled in, Walter's expression darkened.

"But what if the count were to, well… have an unfortunate accident?" he ventured hesitantly.

Silence fell as the men glanced uneasily at one another. Speculating on the count's death was a dangerous topic. After a tense pause, they seemed to reach a mutual understanding.

"Let's leave it at that," one muttered.

"Yes, we've said enough," another agreed, and they parted ways in silence. Watching them go, Damien murmured to himself, "If, by some chance, His Excellency did die unexpectedly, then Rey would take the entire Hernig estate, and Sylas would reap the rewards through her."

For now, all Damien could do was pray fervently that Count Valdemar would live long and healthy, sparing them from such a turn of events.

Within the ranks of soldiers heading to the negotiation, two unusual figures stood out: a male elf in an iron cage and Eldira, seated atop a horse near Sylas with her head covered by a hood. Her appearance had been disguised so that from a distance, she didn't appear elven.