Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 74 - Pawn in the Emperor’s Game

74 Pawn in the Emperor’s Game

It was a logical assumption. A rebellion of this scale would require a noble coalition, and the one who commanded it had to be a figure of great trust, war experience, and undeniable authority. If the Emperor himself was not leading, the only rightful candidate was Duke Sigmund.

"No," Sigmund said. "It will not be me."

Jordi’s eyes narrowed. "Then who?"

"The First Prince will lead the army."

The room fell into stunned silence before erupting into exclamations of disbelief. Even the wives turned toward the Duke in shock.

"The First Prince? He has authority, but he has no battlefield experience—!"

"If you are not advising him, then surely you will send one of your top generals—"

"No," Sigmund said. "The Emperor has requested that one of my sons serve under him instead."

The realization struck all at once.

This was not a military decision.

This was a political maneuver.

The Emperor wanted to force House Hern into an alliance with the First Prince, tying them together in the eyes of the nobility. It was a move meant to cement their loyalty—whether they wished it or not.

No one in the room wanted this.

The First Prince’s incompetence was no secret. If any of them were sent to fight under him, it would be seen as an endorsement. It would bind them to a sinking ship.

Sigmund exhaled. "I’ll ask only once. Do any of you volunteer?"

The silence was deafening.

Then, a voice broke through.

"Is there even a need to ask for volunteers?"

Veronica, with her fiery red hair—an unmistakable mark of her southern heritage—spoke without hesitation.

"What do you mean?" Sigmund asked, turning toward her.

Her eyes flickered to William.

"Isn’t it obvious?" she said smoothly.

"Send the Third Son."

Sigmund narrowed his eyes at Veronica’s sudden interference.

"Madam, I asked for a volunteer, not a recommendation. What do you think you’re doing?"

"This isn’t a recommendation," Veronica replied smoothly, unfazed by the Duke’s sharp tone. "It’s a process of elimination. There’s only one reasonable choice left. Just think about it."

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

Despite the rebuke, she remained composed, standing gracefully and fanning herself as if merely stating the obvious.

"This rebellion isn’t some battlefield where the boys can be sent to gain experience. Anyone going must have fought at least once before. That alone eliminates the second and fourth sons."

Sigmund frowned as if he wanted to argue, but after a moment, he gave a slight nod. It was true. A rebellion wasn’t a simple skirmish. There would be no guaranteed safety, and even if his sons weren’t meant to be on the front lines, unpredictable circumstances always arose. Whoever was sent needed at least some experience handling live combat.

"But if that’s the case, then the first son should be a candidate as well."

"Tristan has just returned from Bornholm on your orders," Veronica countered. "It’s too soon to send him away again. Not to mention, he’s already far ahead of the others in accumulating merit."

"Accumulated merit alone is hardly a sufficient reason."

"Oh, but it is," she said, eyes glinting. "Think carefully. Do you really want the Emperor’s favored heir to associate too closely with the leading candidate for the next Duke of Hern?"

Sigmund’s expression darkened.

"Even if Tristan and the First Prince become close, it won’t impact his claim to the Duchy."

"That’s not the issue," Veronica said, shaking her head. "The problem is perception. What if His Majesty gets the wrong idea? That would cause far more trouble than it’s worth."

Sigmund’s scowl deepened. She had struck a nerve.

Was the Emperor already considering Tristan as the next Duke?

The thought was aggravating. The Emperor was the ruler of the Empire, yes—but the Hern family was his to govern, not the Emperor’s.

"I make the decisions in this house," he said firmly. "The Emperor may rule the Empire, but I rule Hern. That will not change."

"Of course, dear," Veronica said, her voice laced with sweetness. "No one here doubts that. But the Emperor… well, you’ve seen how he’s been lately. We both know he’s been overstepping."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

No one could argue against that. Even this very meeting existed because of an unreasonable demand from the Emperor. There was no guarantee this would be the last.

"If His Majesty is trying to secure a future for the First Prince, he’ll want to tie him to Hern," Veronica continued. "Most of the sons won’t matter, but Tristan? If Tristan goes, it could convince the court that he is aligning himself with the First Prince."

And if that happened, it wouldn’t just be a misunderstanding. The Emperor could try to influence Hern’s succession, throwing external support behind Tristan’s claim.

Sigmund clenched his jaw. He could push back, of course. He could correct the misunderstanding. But doing so might strain his relationship with the Emperor beyond repair.

"…It does make sense," Veronica pressed. "Send the third son instead."

"I… I also think William would be the best choice," one of the other wives hesitantly agreed.

"I concur," the last added quickly.

Sigmund’s expression twisted in barely restrained frustration.

It was true that William was the most practical choice, but this had nothing to do with logic. It was obvious what was really happening.

They weren’t just choosing William—they were trying to sabotage him.

This wasn’t about safeguarding Tristan’s position or avoiding Imperial entanglements. It was about sending William away, away from the family, away from Hern, and into a dangerous battlefield.

Sigmund’s temper flared.

"You—!"

Before he could unleash his fury, another voice interrupted.

"You’re absolutely right. Who else but me could take on this task? Please send me, Father!"

The room fell silent.

Every head turned toward William, eyes wide in disbelief.

Sigmund recovered first, staring at his son as if he had lost his mind.

"William, do you understand what you’re saying?"

"Of course," William replied calmly. "You need someone to lead our forces and support the First Prince in suppressing the rebellion. I volunteer for that role."

"That’s… well, yes, but—"

Sigmund faltered. There were plenty of reasons why sending William was a bad idea, but he was the one who had presented this dilemma in the first place. How could he now turn around and say no?

And beyond that—one of his sons had to go.

William smiled.