Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 126 - The Fall of a Coward

126 The Fall of a Coward

"I never imagined he’d be such an ungrateful wretch. I took in a dying orphan, gave him everything, and this is how he thanks me?!"

William barely resisted the urge to scoff.

’To anyone listening, he’d sound like a heartbroken master betrayed by a beloved disciple. But the truth? He never even mentioned Ian’s name in connection to Nectar.’

William could already guess what had happened in Ian’s past.

The young alchemist had likely continued his reckless self-experimentation until it eventually killed him. Heide must have panicked upon discovering Ian’s lifeless body—only to uncover the formula for Nectar while searching through his research notes.

Given how detailed Ian’s records were, reconstructing the process wouldn’t have been too difficult.

’Though whether he actually replicated it properly is another question. If it were as effective as the original, the diluted version alone should have yielded an enormous supply—but there were constant shortages.’

Since no one else knew the truth, Heide had likely claimed credit for Nectar’s creation, basking in the fleeting glory of stolen achievement.

But stolen knowledge could only carry him so far.

Without Ian, he had made no improvements, no further breakthroughs—just squandered his ill-gotten success. It was only a matter of time before the deception unraveled.

’Perhaps he was even executed by furious guild elders who realized they’d been swindled.’

"Thinking about it just makes my blood boil," Heide fumed. "I raised that boy as if he were my own, only for him to steal from his master! He was rotten from the start!"

William clicked his tongue, eyeing the alchemist with mild disdain.

"If it bothers you that much, I’ll compensate you for the stolen funds," he said.

"…What?"

"I’ll pay you back," William repeated. "In exchange, you hand over your apprentice to me."

For an orphan with no known family, a master was effectively the closest thing to a legal guardian. If Heide agreed, no one would challenge William taking Ian under his wing.

Heide blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected offer.

"What exactly do you plan to do with him?"

"I plan to employ him," William replied smoothly. "He seems to handle Moonlight Grass quite well, and I have a particular interest in the subject."

"Hmph." Heide coughed, his lips quirking slightly.

The greed in his eyes was unmistakable.

After a brief moment of faux contemplation, he stroked his chin, pretending to deliberate.

"Still… losing Ian would be quite troublesome for me. Ungrateful wretch he may be, but he was useful—handling everything from alchemy to housework."

William remained unfazed.

"What do you want in return?"

Heide smirked, spreading his fingers.

"This much."

New novel chapters are published on freewёbn૦νeɭ.com.

William cocked his head.

"Five gold coins?"

Heide scoffed. "What nonsense. Five platinum coins."

William nearly burst out laughing.

Raymond, who had remained silent up until now, looked equally dumbfounded.

They had anticipated some level of greed—but this was downright absurd.

"Are you being serious?" William asked dryly.

"Of course I am," Heide said smugly. "I may not be a full alchemist, but I am still a guild member. You’re essentially poaching talent from an institution directly under the Emperor’s jurisdiction. A mere five platinum coins is a bargain."

Ah.

So now he was dragging the Emperor into this.

William smirked.

Heide was trying to escalate the matter into a political power play—turning a private negotiation into a clash between House Hern and the Imperial Court.

A clever move, considering William’s precarious position as the third son in an ongoing succession battle.

If William hadn’t participated in the recent rebellion suppression, Heide might have had some leverage.

But unfortunately for the alchemist—

He had miscalculated.

"I don’t have five platinum coins for you," William said coolly. "But I do have this."

He pulled something from his coat and tossed it onto the table.

Heide sneered at first, but the moment his eyes landed on the emblem, his expression froze.

The crest of the Black Scale Knights, the personal guard of the First Prince.

Heide visibly paled.

"What… What is your connection to the First Prince?" he stammered.

William’s smirk sharpened into something far more dangerous.

"Who am I?" His voice rang out, filled with unmistakable authority.

"I am William Hern. I led a thousand elite soldiers under my father, Grand Duke Sigmund, during the Krefeld Rebellion. I fought alongside Marquis Bernhardt and held mutual debts with Duke Vlasker.

"I marched with the First Prince in his hour of need, standing beside the Second Prince as we rode into battle. I wielded my blade alongside Sir Jurgen.

"And I have spoken with the Emperor himself."

The weight of those names crashed down on Heide like a hammer.

The color drained from his face.

William leaned forward, his voice turning ice-cold.

"So tell me again, you lowly bastard—what did you say about the Emperor?"

Heide fell to his knees with a thud, his face pale as a ghost.

"L-Lord William! Please, calm yourself! That wasn’t my intention!"

"Oh?" William arched a brow. "Then what exactly was your intention? Because it sounded to me like you were implying something. Are you saying my hearing is faulty?"

"N-no! Not at all—!"

Despite the escalating humiliation, there wasn’t even a trace of anger in Heide’s expression. All that remained was fear—crippling, suffocating fear.

Because the real issue wasn’t just that he had spoken carelessly.

It was who he had mentioned.

’Invoking the Emperor’s name over a fabricated excuse… That’s blasphemy. Even for a prince of House Hern, or rather—especially for a prince of House Hern, it’s an incredibly dangerous thing to do.’

House Hern was one of the great families, intimately tied to the Imperial Court. Anything that happened within its ranks was far more likely to reach the Emperor’s ears.

At the same time, the mere mention of the Emperor’s name in the wrong context could ruin a noble’s standing in the succession race.

Yet William had done more than just mention the Emperor. He had openly referenced the First and Second Princes, along with their closest retainers.

Which could only mean one thing.

’Everything he said… is true.’

And then there was the insignia.

The emblem of the Black Scale Knights—the elite order that served as the personal guard of the First Prince.

Heide’s mind whirled in panic.

If the Black Scale Knights had given William their insignia, that meant—

"I can practically hear your brain rattling," William said coolly. "What are you scheming now? Thinking about what else you can demand from me?"