Chapter 317

Lambert Earldom.

News of the Celtrine army’s unstoppable southward advance had already reached them.

As a result, Lambert Earldom was on high alert.

They were ready for battle at any moment.

It was into this tense atmosphere that a lone man on horseback arrived.

Max Celtrine, of course.

“Halt! Halt! Who goes there?!”

A guard shouted, his eyes filled with suspicion.

It was understandable, given the current situation, that they would be wary of any suspicious outsider.

“My, my. I’m not a suspicious person.”

Max said calmly.

“Then who are you?!”

“An envoy.”

“An envoy?”

“Yes, an envoy from the Celtrine family.”

“A-An envoy from the Celtrine family?!”

*Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank! Clank!*

The guards behind them nocked their arrows.

The guards in front raised their spears, forming a wall.

Their faces were grim.

They were elite soldiers, as befitting soldiers of a warrior family, but they weren’t bloodthirsty monsters who craved endless war.

They had all hoped that the Celtrine army would turn back.

Because conflict inevitably led to casualties.

But an envoy had arrived.

They realized that war was imminent.

“How dare you! Show your face here…”

“I have no business with small fry! Go and inform your lord! An envoy from the Celtrine family has arrived!”

Max’s voice boomed.

It was a roar filled with aura.

“Ugh!”

The guards staggered, their chests tightening.

They might be elite soldiers, but they were still just ordinary soldiers.

They couldn’t withstand Max’s aura, which had been tempered in countless battles.

“D-Damn it…”

It was an astonishing sight.

A single man overwhelming dozens of guards with his aura.

A knight, who had rushed over after hearing the commotion, frowned as he saw the scene.

The guards were being overwhelmed by an envoy.

It wasn’t good.

They were already losing the battle of momentum.

“Stop, stop! Let the envoy in! I’ll escort him!”

The knight calmed the situation, and Max was escorted to Count Lambert.

* * *

Count Lambert had an unusual appearance, more like a scholar than a warrior.

He didn’t look like the head of a prestigious warrior family.

And his personality matched his appearance.

He hadn’t neglected his martial training, but he lacked talent, and he knew it. So he had focused on his studies from a young age.

But he hadn’t become the head of the family just because he was the eldest son.

It was because they were living in a time of peace.

But the times had changed.

Count Lambert’s face was clearly showing signs of fatigue these days.

He was burdened by a heavy responsibility.

The fate of his family and his territory rested on his shoulders.

He had never wanted this.

He hadn’t even imagined it when he became the head of the family.

“…The Celtrine army is approaching. What are your thoughts?”

Count Lambert asked in a heavy voice.

Fortunately, he had someone he could truly trust and rely on.

His younger brother, Lawrence Lambert.

Also known as Lawrence the Greatbow.

He was also a professor at Saint Lepheria Academy.

He had rushed back to his family when the rebellion broke out in the empire.

It was a blessing for Count Lambert.

Lawrence was the best archer in the family.

His reputation as a warrior was known throughout the empire.

There was no one more reassuring than having Lawrence lead their army.

“I know Max Celtrine, brother.”

Lawrence said.

He had been Max’s professor for over three years, so his words were true.

“He’s not the type to make reckless decisions.”

Lawrence declared.

He saw Max as an incredibly intelligent man.

He always calculated his moves carefully.

Would such a man risk heavy losses and attack Lambert territory?

Impossible.

“Hmm, if you say so…”

Count Lambert’s face relaxed slightly.

But his relief was short-lived.

“Urgent report!”

“Urgent report?”

“An envoy from the Celtrine family has arrived!”

“What?!”

Count Lambert’s face darkened again.

* * *

I knew Count Lambert well.

He wasn’t incompetent.

But his talents were better suited for a time of peace.

He wasn’t the type of lord who thrived in chaos.

He must be under immense pressure in this sudden upheaval.

Constantly doubting his decisions, plagued by anxiety.

Especially in the current situation.

Why?

When Count Lambert had chosen to side with the Crown Prince, it had seemed like the obvious choice.

There had been no problem with his decision.

But,

The situation had changed drastically.

The Crown Prince’s influence was waning, while the princess’s influence was growing.

That was putting pressure on Count Lambert.

It was making him anxious.

Because it wasn’t just his own life that was at stake.

The fate of his family and the lives of all his people.

He wasn’t the type of man who could handle that kind of pressure.

‘That’s my target.’

He couldn’t sway Professor Lawrence.

But he could sway Count Lambert.

Because he was an ordinary man.

Especially if it was a letter from his beloved younger sister, filled with pleas and desperation.

I smirked.

The memory of that night, when I had met with Sister Marianna, flashed through my mind.

– I told you, didn’t I, Sister?

– Yes, the civil war…

– You said you received a revelation.

– T-Then my family…

– Yes, your family is in danger. No, they won’t be able to avoid destruction.

– …Because the princess will win?

– Yes, that was also God’s revelation.

– Oh… Why must we face such a trial…?

– Be strong, Sister. The day of reckoning hasn’t arrived yet. God’s revelation cannot be changed, but you know that human hearts can be changed.

– W-What do you mean…?

– There’s still hope.

– Please, please tell me what I have to do.

– Just do as I say.

“Let the envoy in!”

The knight’s booming voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

I smiled and entered the room.

* * *

I saw a familiar face.

Professor Lawrence.

One of the people I didn’t want to meet as an enemy.

His face was filled with surprise.

He must have been surprised to see me.

He hadn’t expected me to come as an envoy.

“Max Celtrine… You…”

He muttered in disbelief.

At that moment,

The room erupted in commotion.

“M-Max Celtrine?!”

“T-The enemy commander himself?!”

“I-Is he crazy?!”

Everyone was shocked.

Count Lambert was no exception.

He was staring at me with disbelief.

“…Are you truly Max Celtrine?”

“Yes, my lord.”

I replied calmly and glanced at Professor Lawrence.

“My professor can confirm my identity.”

“…”

A strange silence fell over the room.

An old knight broke the silence.

“We must take him hostage! Then those Celtrine bastards won’t dare to invade our territory!”

“Yes, my lord!”

“Make a decision, my lord!”

Several other officials voiced their agreement.

It was taboo to harm an envoy.

But they were arguing that they had to prioritize their own interests, even if it meant abandoning their honor.

It was a valid argument.

Honor wouldn’t win them the war.

But,

I knew that there were people who would never abandon their honor.

They were usually the type who weren’t suited for a time of chaos.

And Count Lambert was one of those people.

“Silence! Taking an envoy hostage is against all principles!”

He roared, his voice filled with authority.

The officials fell silent.

They could sense his strong will.

I smiled inwardly.

It was going exactly as I had predicted.

It was then that,

“Yes, we can’t take him hostage.”

Professor Lawrence agreed.

Wait, why was he saying that…?

“We have to kill him.”

*Whoosh!*

Before he could finish his sentence, an iron arrow pierced through the air.

It was pure luck that I dodged in time.

If I hadn’t sensed something was wrong from his first word, I would have been killed by that massive arrow.

*Thud!*

The arrow grazed my shoulder, tearing through my flesh.

Blood dripped from the wound.

“Lawrence! What do you think you’re doing?!”

Count Lambert’s furious roar stopped Professor Lawrence from firing another arrow.

The officials were also shocked.

Professor Lawrence, who had been aiming at me, slowly lowered his bow.

‘Ah, I see what’s going on.’

I thought, wiping the blood from my wound with my hand.

It was all because I had shown too much of my abilities at the academy.

Professor Lawrence saw me as an incredibly talented individual.

And I had also achieved remarkable feats in the civil war.

It wouldn’t have been a problem if I was his student.

But as an enemy, I was a dangerous threat.

That’s how Professor Lawrence saw me.

So he had taken the opportunity to try to kill me.

He had probably planned to take full responsibility for his actions.

Fortunately, I had dodged his attack.

“That’s quite a welcome.”

I smiled, pretending to be calm.

Honestly, it wasn’t a bad thing.

In fact, it was helpful.

‘That definitely angered him.’

No matter how close they were as brothers, this was a formal setting.

Professor Lawrence’s actions had challenged the Count’s authority.

He had crossed a line.

He had been willing to risk it to kill me, but his attempt had failed.

All that remained was an angry Count Lambert.

‘This might go even better than I expected.’

There were only two people in the world that Count Lambert truly trusted.

His brother, Professor Lawrence, and his sister, Sister Marianna.

And he had just offended one of them.

So who was left?

‘Our dear Sister.’

I smirked.

“Lawrence! Calm down! Do you want to disgrace the Lambert family’s name?!”

“…Understood.”

Professor Lawrence stepped back, realizing that he had missed his chance.

“Treat the envoy’s wounds.”

Count Lambert said.

“No, it’s fine. It’s just a scratch.”

I politely declined.

I had been treating Count Lambert with respect from the beginning.

It was the natural way to behave towards someone you were trying to persuade.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Hmm.”

Count Lambert sat back in his chair.

“Alright, let’s continue our conversation. What brings you here?”

“It’s a personal request.”

“A personal request?”

Count Lambert’s eyes narrowed.

Professor Lawrence and the officials also looked puzzled.

And then, I finally revealed my trump card.

“This.”

I held up a letter.

A letter sealed with the Lambert family’s emblem, two crossed bows.

I saw Professor Lawrence’s expression flicker.

“Wait!”

‘Too late.’

“Bring it to me!”

Count Lambert, realizing who the letter was from, jumped to his feet and shouted.