Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 78 - The Weight of Command

78 The Weight of Command

"Who knows? Maybe it’s favoritism. Or maybe he just has good instincts."

Hans blinked. "What do you mean?"

William shook his head.

"There are simply people in this world who are extraordinary. My father is one of them."

Hans looked confused, but William ignored him.

Instead, he focused his mana once more, watching as the Mage Armor reacted instantly—flowing back into its original form as a simple breastplate.

He ran a gloved hand over the metal, lost in thought.

He had to apologize.

His father had given him priceless treasures, hoping they would keep him safe.

And yet, William knew he was about to do something reckless.

But there was one thing he could promise.

No matter what happened—he would return.

Even if he sought glory. Even if he took risks.

Glory meant nothing if there was no one left to claim it.

A wry smile tugged at his lips.

"I wonder how my brothers are going to react when they hear about this."

An adamantium sword and a Mage Armor—there was no doubt they were treasures.

Yet, they weren’t the kind of treasures worth risking a political dispute over.

Depending on how things played out, such a gift could shape the future… or ruin it.

Sigmund clicked his tongue as he regarded his eldest sons, unimpressed.

"The way you all are reacting explains perfectly why William is the one worthy of this reward."

His voice was sharp, cutting through their silent resentment.

"No one wants to carry a burden. And a burden that no one is willing to bear is a hundred times heavier than one that already has a willing carrier."

None of the three brothers could refute that.

One by one, they fell silent.

And just like that, any further discussions about William’s rewards ended.

Two days later, a royal envoy formally arrived to request reinforcements from the Hern family.

"To suppress the unruly forces of Krefeld, the Imperial House requests military aid from Duke Sigmund Hern."

"We will carry out His Majesty’s will."

The exchange was purely ceremonial.

The real preparations had been completed long before—this was simply a formality.

William had already assembled the troops outside the outer fortress gates.

One thousand soldiers.

It wasn’t a massive force, but every single one of them was a standing army elite.

A well-trained, hardened force. More than enough.

And more troops didn’t always mean better.

Sending too many soldiers to a coalition force was a political move, not a strategic one.

The House of Hern already commanded enough authority—if they also contributed the largest army, their influence in the coalition would become undeniable.

To the Empire, such a situation wasn’t reassuring—it was uncomfortable.

Too many soldiers, and the coalition’s balance would tilt toward Hern. Too few, and it would be disrespectful.

Finding the perfect middle ground—that was politics.

William let out a quiet chuckle.

"So this is what my father meant. If I ever want to rule, I need to learn how to navigate this battlefield too."

Sigmund’s lessons were taking root.

As William finished the final preparations, a middle-aged knight stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

"It is an honor to meet you, Third Prince. My name is Gerard Luden. I have been assigned as your strategist for this campaign. If you have any questions regarding the army, please do not hesitate to ask."

William studied him for a moment before nodding.

"I’ll be relying on you, Sir Gerard."

His tone was polite. But Gerard’s expression… was stiff.

William smirked.

"He must be uncomfortable."

After all, William had absolute authority.

Gerard may have been assigned as a strategist, but if William decided to ignore his advice and act on his own, there was nothing Gerard could do about it.

If anything, being ignored was the best outcome for him.

William could just as easily remove him from his position entirely.

It was a difficult position—rather than guiding a young commander, he had to focus on not getting on William’s bad side.

"Not my problem."

If Sigmund had intended for William to be truly guided, he would have chosen a more prominent strategist—someone William wouldn’t be able to ignore.

Instead, he had assigned Gerard.

A man with experience, but no great reputation.

It was a clear message from Sigmund.

"Advice is there if you want it. But ultimately… this is your command."

Gerard, however, didn’t seem to realize that.

William decided to leave him in the dark.

There was no reason to explain.

He officially acknowledged Gerard’s position, keeping him at his side as an advisor. As long as their views didn’t clash, there was no need to make an enemy out of him.

For now.

A familiar voice called out from behind him.

"Well now, what did I do to deserve such a cold welcome?"

William turned, already sighing.

"I have no idea why you’re here, Raymond."

The blond knight grinned. "Is that any way to greet an old comrade? We fought together, after all."

William narrowed his eyes. "Stop squinting like that. It’s disgusting."

Raymond chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"I’m thirty-five, you know."

William waved a hand dismissively. "Not interested. Just tell me why you’re here."

"The answer should be obvious." Raymond grinned. "I’m here as your personal bodyguard."

William snorted. "With this many soldiers?"

"Even so, it’s always good to have one dedicated protector. Originally, I wanted to bring some of my men along, but that was too much, apparently. So I came alone."

His grin widened.

"Aren’t you glad to see me?"

William couldn’t hold it in—he laughed.

"So it’s not surveillance after all."

Raymond hadn’t been ordered to come. He had volunteered.

It was genuine.

William shook his head. "Well, I suppose having a competent knight nearby isn’t a bad thing." His eyes flickered with amusement. "Are you going by Raymond here as well?"

"As long as I’m not hiding from anything, I’m always Raymond."

"Good. Would’ve been annoying to get used to another name."

A trusted knight and a loyal soldier were two entirely different things.

William didn’t completely trust Raymond just yet, but compared to the others, he was far more reliable.

William’s final task was to check in with Hugo, the knight he had personally appointed as a Squad Leader.

"How’s the position treating you?" William asked.

Hugo sighed. "The men finally accept me as their commander… but damn, it wasn’t easy. I thought securing a leadership role would be simple, but these bastards are ruthless."

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William chuckled.