Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 71 - Treason and Transactions

71 Treason and Transactions

Moments later, they turned their backs on each other and walked away in opposite directions.

Edwin let out a slow sigh as he read over the sealed letter in his hands.

He had expected good news.

Instead, the contents of the report were… the opposite.

How will His Grace take this?

Duke Sigmund had been dealing with one problem after another lately. If this report only added to his frustrations, then…

Edwin exhaled again before knocking on the duke’s office door.

"Your Grace, it’s Edwin."

"Enter."

The response came far too cheerfully.

That was odd.

Edwin hesitated for a brief moment before stepping inside.

His instincts were correct. The duke, usually a man of measured composure, was smiling—and rather deeply at that.

Something happened.

"...Did something good occur, Your Grace?" Edwin asked carefully.

The duke’s response was to hand him another document.

"Read this," he said.

Edwin scanned the contents quickly, his eyes widening in shock.

"Third Young Master… accomplished all of this?"

"Impressive, isn’t it?" the duke mused. "I always knew he had a way with words, but I never imagined he could handle negotiations so flawlessly."

"The negotiations were indeed remarkable," Edwin agreed. "But what stands out even more is the battle at Greve City. Even if it was a small-scale engagement, his battlefield leadership was… flawless."

The duke chuckled. "I never knew he had such talent for military command. It seems it’s something he was born with. Of course, he’s still an unpolished gem—he’ll need experience—but the potential is undeniable."

Edwin nodded.

This was no mere father’s bias.

For someone’s first military engagement to go this smoothly… it wasn’t just talent. It was something more.

"Of course," Edwin noted, "this will be quite a blow to the First Young Master. According to this report, it seems he narrowly avoided making a critical mistake."

"That’s for the best," the duke said, unconcerned. "Frankly, Tristan had been growing overconfident lately."

His previous achievements, combined with the lack of real competition, had shielded him from criticism for too long. While William had been untested and the second son lacked influence, Tristan had risen largely unchallenged.

And the result?

A slow but dangerous shift into arrogance.

So in a way, this was a blessing in disguise.

"It’s a chance for him to reflect," the duke continued. "Now that he’s faced his own misjudgment, he can either learn from it… or ignore it entirely. That choice is his."

"If it’s the First Young Master," Edwin mused, "he will surely confront his mistakes. He may have drifted recently, but he is an intelligent man."

The duke smiled.

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"We’ll see."

"I certainly hope so. Now then—what is it?"

Edwin hesitated.

The news he was about to deliver could very well shatter the Duke’s rare good mood.

"...A sealed letter from His Majesty, the Emperor," Edwin finally said.

"The Emperor?"

"It isn’t good news. You should see for yourself."

Edwin handed over the already unsealed letter without hesitation.

Ordinarily, no retainer would ever dare to open an imperial letter before their lord. Such an act would be unthinkable— borderline treasonous.

But Edwin was different.

For him alone, Duke Sigmund made an exception.

Unconcerned, the duke unfolded the letter and began to read.

And then—

"…That bastard."

His face twisted into a deep scowl, and he crushed the letter in his grip.

"Bernhardt, that damnable snake… Always lands on his feet, doesn’t he? So long as he finances the suppression effort, his past transgressions will be forgiven? He’s buying his way out of treason? What a cheap price to pay."

"It won’t come without consequences," Edwin pointed out. "Krefeld is one of the most powerful vassal states under the Empire. The cost of putting down their rebellion will be astronomical—enough to cripple his finances and weaken his external influence."

"But not his political authority," Sigmund said, his voice cold. "He’ll still walk around the Imperial Court with his head held high. No matter how much money he loses, his power in court remains untouched."

The duke exhaled sharply, pressing his fingers against his temple before sinking into his chair.

He understood why the Emperor needed the support. The rebellion was urgent, and the situation demanded resources.

But some things—some people—were worth eliminating, even at great cost.

The Emperor he had once sworn loyalty to would have known that.

Yet here he was, making deals with traitors.

"Is this about money, or is this about the succession crisis?" Sigmund muttered. "He’s still clinging to the First Prince?"

"He has always insisted that maintaining the principle of primogeniture is crucial to Imperial authority," Edwin said. "It’s likely he wants Bernhardt’s political backing for that cause."

"Primogeniture, primogeniture…" Sigmund scoffed, shaking his head.

At this point, he no longer knew if the Emperor even believed in the argument he was making.

The entire court had seen it—incident after incident had proven that the First Prince was not fit to rule.

And yet, the Emperor refused to accept it.

His lips curled into a bitter smirk.

"Does he still mourn the late Empress?" he murmured.

Edwin remained silent.

"Perhaps he once had clarity," Sigmund continued, his voice growing quieter. "But now? I wonder if even he remembers why he clings so desperately to the First Prince."

The Emperor had once been a wise man. He had seen the bigger picture, had understood how to preserve the Empire’s stability.

His one flaw had been his hatred of bloodshed.

Because of that, the Empire had let opportunities slip through its fingers. Over and over again.

And now, perhaps—

This was the last opportunity.

And he had let it slip away.

The Duke let out a slow, weary sigh.

Silence filled the room.

Then, after some hesitation, Edwin spoke again, his voice cautious.

"Your Grace… There is one more thing."

Sigmund glanced up, frowning.

"What now?"

"It wasn’t included in the letter itself," Edwin explained. "But the messenger who delivered it carried an additional request."

"...Go on," Sigmund said, bracing himself.

"The First Prince will be joining the suppression campaign in person," Edwin revealed.

Sigmund’s expression darkened.

"And," Edwin continued, his voice tightening, "His Majesty wishes for one of your sons to accompany him."