Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

158 A Kingdom's Reckoning

Norbeck closed his eyes.

Then, softly—coldly—he spoke.

"We respond. If William thinks he can challenge House Calix…"

His eyes opened, filled with something dark and dangerous.

"…then we'll show him exactly who he's dealing with."

Norbeck's hands trembled slightly as he ran his fingers through his beard.

Godfrey, his eldest son and heir, watched him with a frown.

"It's true that he's humiliated us," Godfrey admitted. "But is it really worth such a reaction, Father? He's barely begun gathering forces. He's nowhere near a true threat."

Norbeck shook his head.

"The issue isn't his forces. The issue is that the dynamic between us has shifted."

"…Shifted?"

"William is a Hern. No matter how much he plays at being one of us, his roots lie in the South. That was our greatest weapon."

Up until now, William had been little more than an outsider with a famous name.

He might have been the grandson of the previous Grand Duke, but he was still nothing more than a Southern noble with no true connection to the North.

And that—more than anything—had been the reason the lords had hesitated to rally behind him.

"Think about it," Norbeck continued. "Even if he has a claim to the Grimaldi name, he's still Southern at his core. What self-respecting Northern lord would ever stand by his side?"

Godfrey scoffed. "None, obviously. They'd have to be insane to hand the Grimaldi legacy over to a man who's practically in the Imperial Court's pocket."

"Exactly."

Norbeck let out a slow breath.

"That was why I never saw him as a true threat. Even if he fought against us, he could never change where he was born."

Even when he had heard about the duel, he hadn't been particularly concerned.

After all—his opponent was Harald Osgaard, the Wolfslayer.

A warrior with decades of battlefield experience, one of the strongest men in the North.

It didn't matter that William was young.

Harald wouldn't go easy on him.

If anything, he'd try to break him.

Of course, Norbeck had considered the possibility that Harald might choose to throw the fight just to spite House Calix.

That was why he had sent Palmir—to watch. To ensure that didn't happen.

And yet…

"…Unbelievable."

His hands curled into fists.

A long silence stretched between them before, finally—

BANG.

Norbeck shot to his feet, his chair clattering backward.

His boot slammed into the table, sending it skidding several inches across the floor.

Godfrey flinched at the sudden eruption of fury.

"He's sixteen," Norbeck spat, voice thick with disbelief. "Sixteen! He should still be trembling at the sight of his first battlefield! And yet he defeated Harald! Not just Harald—Harald using his artifact weapon!"

Godfrey raised his hands cautiously. "Father, calm—"

"Calm!?"

Norbeck let out a short, bitter laugh.

"Do you know what people will call him now?" he demanded. "They'll call him an icon! A warrior of warriors! The heir of the Grimaldi legacy!"

That alone was enough to make his blood boil.

But it wasn't just that.

It wasn't just reputation at stake anymore.

"Palmir's stupidity made it even worse," Norbeck growled. "Before, William was just some noble boy playing war. But now—now, he's a direct rival to House Calix."

The entire balance had shifted.

William wasn't just a problem anymore.

He was the perfect alternative.

And the Northern lords, sensing opportunity, would soon start swarming him like scavengers to a fresh corpse.

Godfrey, for the first time, looked troubled. "…Then what do we do?"

Norbeck exhaled sharply, forcing himself to steady his breathing.

"We don't have the luxury of waiting," he admitted. "If we give him time, we risk losing everything we've built."

"Then let's go for the straightforward solution."

Norbeck blinked. "Straightforward?"

Godfrey smiled.

"He respects Northern traditions, doesn't he?"

The room fell silent.

Then—

Norbeck slowly sank back into his chair, fingers drumming against the table.

"…Go on."

In the aftermath of his duel with Harald, William had spent the next several days receiving guests.

Most of them were knights, sent by their lords to gauge where they stood in the growing conflict.

By now, he had begun to recognize three distinct groups.

The supporters. The cautious neutrals. And the ones who absolutely despise House Calix.

The first group was easy to identify.

They were the ones who had already viewed House Calix's unification efforts with suspicion.

They hadn't dared oppose it outright, but now that William had provided a viable alternative, they were flocking to his side.

One of the knights bowed low before speaking.

"My lord respects your rightful claim, Lord William. The Grimaldi name belongs to you by birthright."

"A wise decision." William nodded. "Convey my gratitude to your lord."

"It will be done, my lord. In truth, House Calix's claim to the Grimaldi name was laughable to begin with. They had no right to it."

Their support was valuable.

But in the North, reputation wasn't enough.

Without an army, their words wouldn't mean much.

Still, their public declaration alone was useful in solidifying his legitimacy.

The second group was more frustrating.

They were the lords and knights who weren't quite willing to oppose him… but weren't willing to support him either.

One of them folded his arms, speaking cautiously.

"We do not deny your claim, my lord. However, one could argue that House Calix also holds some degree of legitimacy. It is a complicated matter."

William raised a brow.

"So what you're saying is… you'll wait until the dust settles, then side with whoever wins?"

The knight cleared his throat, avoiding his gaze.

"We simply trust in the will of the gods. May the Eight Heavens guide us all."

William nearly rolled his eyes.

It was obvious.

They weren't staking their bets until it was safe.

He couldn't even blame them—House Calix was a major power.

If they made the wrong move, their entire territories could suffer for it.

Then there was the third group.

William hadn't expected them at all.

One knight in particular practically threw himself before William, eyes blazing with intensity. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire

"My lord! If you take up the Grimaldi banner and march against House Calix, I swear upon my honor—we will follow you! Give the order, and we shall bring them to their knees!"

William blinked.

"…Excuse me?"

"If you doubt my sincerity, then take this as proof of my loyalty!"

Before William could stop him, the knight suddenly grabbed his own arm and pulled a dagger from his belt.

"I will sever my right arm as a pledge of my allegiance!"

"Wait, stop—"

The blade had already descended.