Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 110 110 The Price of Ambition

110 The Price of Ambition

A private scolding was nothing more than a matter between father and son. It would not tarnish William's position in the slightest. If anything, this incident had only cemented his growing influence.

'He just keeps moving forward, doesn't he? A year ago, he wasn't even a competitor—he wasn't even an obstacle.'

'Now, even if the three of us work together, we can barely hold him back. Damn it... how did it come to this?'

Though the brothers lamented their situation, their frustration only fueled their competitive drive.

William had only been in the spotlight for a little over a year. The others had been involved in the succession battle for much longer—there was still time to catch up.

'For now, we wait. When the right opportunity comes, the board will shift in our favor.'

They all arrived at the same conclusion.

But there was one crucial fact they had overlooked.

Opportunities did not simply present themselves. They came at a cost.

If they wanted to turn the tide, they would have to take risks. They would have to step into danger first—otherwise, no opportunity would ever come their way.

Three days later, when the rumors had spread far and wide, William made his triumphant return to Kelheim.

The people, already aware of the soldiers' achievements, whispered among themselves as they watched the returning forces.

"I heard our soldiers fought bravely while the allied forces were collapsing around them."

"They even saved the First Prince at the most critical moment."

"Now that's something to be proud of. As expected of the Lion's sons."

The term 'Lion's sons' was typically used by the soldiers themselves as a boast about their allegiance to House Hern.

But on that day, even the citizens joined in, calling them by the title with genuine pride.

The soldiers, hearing the admiration around them, straightened their backs and marched forward with renewed confidence.

"I apologize. I should have reported to you first. But I feared that if I delayed our return to wait for a messenger, it would arouse suspicion. That is why I made the decision on my own."

"That's not the only issue here." Sigmund's voice remained cold. "Are you telling me you truly did not understand the meaning behind His Majesty's decision to forgo rewards? If you had any concern for the Imperial Family, you should have kept this matter buried."

"If I had done that, the soldiers who risked their lives would have received no proper recognition. I wanted to ensure they were given the honor they deserved. Even if there were no material rewards, at the very least, I could make sure they were not dismissed as mere remnants of a defeated army."

"Hmph. You've always been good with words."

The Grand Duke let out a few low coughs, his expression tense, before eventually moving on. The fact that he didn't push further revealed his true thoughts on the matter.

"We'll discuss this again later... For now, tell me. Setting the rumors aside, how exactly did this war unfold? I want to hear it from you directly."

The formal reprimand was over. The air shifted as Sigmund's sharp gaze locked onto William, signaling that it was time for a proper debriefing.

William straightened his posture before beginning his report.

"The allied forces were doomed from the start. The moment we gathered at the Horsen River, they handed us masks."

"...And so, His Majesty returned with the two Princes, and the allied forces were disbanded on the spot."

"Hah..."

The Grand Duke leaned back and exhaled sharply through his nose, an exasperated sound escaping him.

His expression was unreadable—a strange mix of emotions that were difficult to put into words.

"Incredible. The First Prince... he is truly... haah."

Sigmund ran a hand across his forehead as if trying to massage away an oncoming headache. It was clear that, even in private, he was forcing himself to hold back from openly cursing a member of the Imperial Family.

After a moment of silence, he let out a slow breath and turned to William with a gaze full of conflicted admiration.

"When I first heard the rumors, I thought they had been exaggerated. But now I see... the truth was even greater."

"You flatter me. In the end, it was a gamble—I could have easily been branded as insubordinate. But fortunately, it worked out."

"I do not believe results justify the means. What you did was a clear overreach of authority, one that could have been seen as disloyalty."

Sigmund trailed off and slowly opened his palm, staring down at it.