Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 78 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.

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."

William chuckled.