Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 61 61 A Fateful Revelation

61 A Fateful Revelation

During his time with the Black Lions, he had seen countless promising young warriors. Some flourished as expected, while others met unfortunate ends before reaching their full potential.

But this?

He had never encountered someone whose future was impossible to predict.

'I need to petition His Grace... I want to serve as the Third Prince's personal guard.'

A sixteen-year-old with this level of foresight? There was no telling what William would become as he matured.

And if Raymond could witness that journey firsthand?

It would be a sight worth dedicating his life to.

"...Impressive."

That was all Tristan said when William presented his results.

It wasn't a lack of praise—it was the only thing he could say.

To speak further would have been redundant. The results spoke for themselves.

To pretend otherwise would be foolish, and to offer excessive praise would be unbecoming of a rival.

So instead, he simply acknowledged the accomplishment for what it was.

Even so, the weight of that single word was enough for those around them to grasp the magnitude of William's success.

'A man as stingy with praise as Tristan... If even he speaks of it, then the results must be undeniable.'

"I'll leave the mercenaries under your command from now on," Tristan continued. "I'll be leading the knights to investigate suspicious areas near the border."

His expression was more at ease than before.

Even though the victory belonged to William, it was clear that Tristan was relieved just to have the problem resolved.

"Of course, the knights alone won't be enough to cover the entire region," he added. "Some areas will still require mercenaries. I'll provide a map—allocate them as you see fit."

"Understood." William nodded, taking the map from a nearby knight. "I've heard rumors that the Imperial Liberation Front and monsters have been appearing in the same areas..."

"I've marked them separately," Tristan replied. "Red for the rebels, blue for the monsters."

William's eyes scanned the military map carefully.

As expected, the border region was vast—far too extensive for the knights to patrol on their own.

Now that the mercenary issue was resolved, things would finally return to normal.

But something caught his attention.

His brow furrowed.

The locations of the rebels and monsters... they overlap.

"This matter is not to be escalated. The Empire is already in turmoil—do not spread unnecessary rumors."

William didn't reply.

"His Grace has entrusted this issue to me," Tristan continued. "You've done well, but don't overstep your bounds. Your role is to manage the mercenaries and ensure they don't cause trouble. That is all."

Tristan didn't wait for a response. He rose from his chair and strode toward the door.

The conversation was over.

William exhaled through his nose, frustration simmering beneath his composed exterior.

Before Tristan left, William spoke one last time.

"What about the six prisoners we captured today?"

"...They have not been interrogated yet."

"Make sure they talk," William said. "They may have the answers we're missing."

Tristan didn't respond.

The door shut behind him.

William let out a slow breath.

At this rate, Tristan wouldn't investigate properly. He'd either rush the interrogation or dispose of the prisoners before the truth could be uncovered.

'Looks like I'll have to move on my own.'

A bitter smile touched William's lips.

This situation wasn't going to resolve itself anytime soon.

"Magic..."

Raymond and the Black Lions exchanged grim looks.

The revelation had changed everything.

Up until now, they had assumed the Imperial Liberation Front and the monster threat were separate issues.

Annoying, yes. Dangerous, certainly.

But just problems—not mysteries.

Now, however, there was a new factor in play.

Magic.

Which meant this wasn't just a crisis.

This was a plot.

And William was about to walk right into the middle of it.