The Return of the Limited-Time Sword Master

Chapter 40: The Crack (2)

‘This is a trap.’

Martin’s proposal was irresistibly enticing.

That’s why Mateus von Gustin was certain—it was a sweet poison.

The problem was, even knowing this, he couldn’t simply ignore it.

‘He’s perfectly struck at the elders’ deepest desires.’

Aren Cruse, Marius Protal, and Oriana Flores—everyone knew that these three elders of the Adalbert family harbored a longing to acquire their own territories and become true nobles.

The branch family heads had already promised the elders that whoever became the head of the family would divide the main estate and grant them lordships.

That was enough for the elders to cooperate without hesitation, but now, Martin had openly dangled the Rustal family’s land as bait.

Naturally, the elders were sincerely shaken, and seeing this, Mateus closed his eyes with a troubled expression.

‘If we’re not careful, the alliance between the elders and the branch family heads might fall apart.’

Just then—

“Are you serious, heir?”

It was Oliver von Bitenfeld, head of the Bitenfeld family, who posed the question.

Waking from his thoughts, Mateus opened his eyes and looked at Martin again.

“How could I joke during such a grand meeting, especially here in the White Dragon Chamber? You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Even so, the heir doesn’t have the right to dispose of the Rustal family’s territory. According to noble law, the land of a branch family that commits rebellion is returned to the main family. Perhaps once you officially become the head, but for now, you don’t have the authority.”

“You’re absolutely correct. Right now, I can’t. But future me is a different story. Why not use this meeting as an opportunity to appoint me as the head? Then everything will be resolved.”

Martin deftly countered Oliver’s words with a sly grin.

Oliver could only respond with a bitter expression.

“…We can’t make such a major decision in the middle of this chaotic situation. Surely, the heir would prefer to be officially appointed with everyone’s blessings.”

“In chaotic times, we need a clear leader, and that leader is the head of the Adalbert family.”

“Well…”

“Don’t worry. I won’t rush anyone here.”

Martin’s calm tone didn’t waver as he spoke.

Frustrated by Martin’s brazen response, Oliver managed to maintain his composure, though he couldn’t stop himself from tightly clenching his fist.

Martin secretly mocked Oliver’s reaction.

Then, with a bombshell announcement, he opened his mouth again.

“As I mentioned earlier, a lord has a duty to reward those who swear loyalty and achieve great merits. In that regard, I’ve always felt a certain regret about the previous heads of our family—they’ve exploited the branch families too much.”

Both Martin’s supporters and his opponents alike were left speechless.

The heads of the Three Great Families, including the Adalbert family, were essentially like kings.

Even hinting at criticism in vague terms could stir political turmoil, yet Martin had gone straight to the point with a blunt accusation.

‘His confidence is astounding.’

Vincent chuckled quietly.

Normally, someone would step in to challenge such a statement, but no one dared to.

Martin had already solidified his position as the heir.

To try and pick a fight with mere words at this point? That wouldn’t be confidence; it would be recklessness.

‘To assert his authority in this way… He really does have the makings of a true head of the family.’

That’s why Vincent was even more intrigued to see how Martin would deal with the elders and the branch family heads next.

“It’s been a thousand years since the Adalbert family has reigned over the continent. In that time, countless branch families have risen and fallen, all while devoting themselves to the main family. That’s why I feel remorse. Despite their power, they’ve been disregarded by lesser nobles simply because they are part of a branch family.”

The noble laws were clear.

Branch family heads could not be granted a title higher than an earl.

And while they had the right to appoint lower-ranking nobles, they could not establish their own branch families.

They were half-nobles.

For any branch family head within the Three Great Families, it was a title they would hear at least once in their lives. While they weren’t openly disrespected due to their power, the feeling of resentment was still there.

“That’s why I’m giving you all an opportunity. Destroy the core. And I will uphold the promises I made earlier.”

Martin then turned his gaze to Mateus, Oliver, and Wilhelm, before shifting it to the elders, Aren, Marius, and Oriana.

Their expressions were all complex.

‘Indeed, sowing discord is always the best tactic.’

Martin had succeeded in creating the perfect stage.

Even now, Elders Aren and Marius were glaring at Oriana with intense, menacing eyes, clearly believing that she had struck some under-the-table deal with Martin in exchange for the Rustal family’s land.

Meanwhile, the distance between Aren and Marius had subtly grown.

It was just a slight gap, but it was enough to show that they had shifted from collaborators to competitors.

‘And you’re no different.’

The branch family heads all harbored ambitions of becoming the head of the Adalbert family.

However, there was one prerequisite for their dream to come true—Martin needed to be disqualified from becoming the head.

In fact, after he had fallen into disgrace and been reduced to a commoner, they had fiercely competed among themselves for the position of head.

But that was in the past. It was a story that no longer mattered.

Now, they couldn’t become the head of the family through normal means.

The only path left was rebellion, but with Valdemar von Rustal’s swift and humiliating defeat, they were hesitant to act.

In this situation, Martin had offered them a new option.

Given only one chance, would they cooperate or compete?

‘Either way, I’m the only one who stands to gain.’

Martin wanted to tell them outright to tear each other apart from now on.

But he held his tongue.

* * *

Martin declared that tomorrow’s meeting would decide how the forces would be deployed in the dungeon.

With that, the first day’s meeting came to a close, and everyone returned to their respective accommodations.

But Martin remained alone in the White Dragon Chamber.

There was still work to be done.

“I’ve seen all I need to see, so I think it’s time for you to come out, don’t you?”

Martin spoke, his gaze fixed on a specific point in the room.

Whoosh!

At that moment, blue flames flared up in the air, distorting the atmosphere around them.

A man appeared from within the shimmering air, his golden hair subtly tinged with red and his amber eyes gleaming.

His face bore a playful smile, so strikingly handsome that anyone would have to admit it.

Even compared to Martin, who was considered one of the most handsome men in the Altaria Empire, the newcomer wasn’t lacking in the slightest.

‘Though, what’s more impressive than his appearance is his power.’

His presence was so intense that it felt like fire itself was flickering in the room.

This was Christian Havertz.

At 34 years old, he had reached the level of a 7th Circle warrior and was an A-ranked adventurer.

Recognized for his outstanding skills and achievements, the Adventurers’ Guild had bestowed upon him the title of “The Fire Dragon Swordsman.”

“Wow. To pinpoint my location right away, I guess it’s true that it’s hard to fool a spatial ability user.”

“If I couldn’t find you knowing you were here, I’d have no right to hold the position of heir. But you were impressive as well, refracting the air with your flames to perfectly conceal your presence.”

“This is just a simple trick.”

“I wouldn’t call a technique that fooled the elders and the heads of the branch families a mere trick. Perhaps a marvel.”

Of course, it had only been possible because they were off their guard.

Who would have imagined that an outsider would be present at a meeting meant exclusively for members of the Adalbert family?

“Haha, thank you for the compliment, Lord Heir.”

“I’m only stating the facts. So, how did it feel? You’ve just become the first outsider to witness the Adalbert family’s grand meeting.”

“The Lord Heir is a rare genius, one of the most talented in the continent’s history. But beyond that, I’ve come to realize something—you’re a truly frightening person.”

“Me? Why do you say that?”

“You shook the relationships between the elders and the branch family heads by offering them the bait of the Rustal family’s territory, didn’t you? Of course, they probably know it’s a ploy. But how many people can resist their greed when such an alluring offer is placed before them?”

Martin grinned, locking eyes with Christian.

Christian didn’t shy away from the gaze.

“Watching that, I couldn’t help but think—wherever people live, it’s always the same. Seeing them tangled up in various interests and desires.”

“Well, it shows just how messy the main family has become. Something like this would never happen in the Ferdinand or Klaus families.”

“The heads of those families are among the most powerful figures, not only in the Altaria Empire but across the entire continent. Naturally, anyone who wants to stay alive keeps their heads down.”

“That’s true.”

The smile on Martin’s face deepened.

In his previous life, he had only ever heard about Christian, never meeting him in person.

He’d heard that Christian was a pleasant person, but he found that talking to him was even easier than he had imagined.

It wasn’t just his strength—there was something trustworthy and familiar about him.

“By the way, the fact that you responded to my call means you’re considering becoming a vassal of the Adalbert family, right?”

“Hm, to be precise, I’m thinking of it as one of the options.”

“Aren’t you being a little too honest?”

“Well, I’m quite popular, you see. Honestly, I’ve had more than a dozen requests to become someone’s vassal. But I’ve turned them all down. Do you know why?”

“Because you want to become a lord yourself?”

“You’ve got it right. My dream is to become a lord. The last thing I want is to be bound to a single family.”

“And yet, offering land to someone I’ve just met for the first time is a bit much. The moment you’re granted land, you’ll become an independent lord. How could I trust you enough to give you that?”

“Indeed, trust is something we’ll need to build.”

“Exactly. That’s why I want you to serve as a vassal of the Adalbert family for a while. And don’t worry—I have many cards to play. Once you’ve proven your trust, I can give you anything.”

“Hm, you’ve only got the Rustal family’s land to offer, don’t you?”

“Are you sure that’s all I have?”

“…Are you planning to wipe out even the branch families?”

“There are plenty of others to deal with besides the branch families.”

“My, you’re telling me quite a lot for someone you’ve just met.”

“To recruit someone of your caliber, I need to be this open. It’s the only way to put you at ease, right?”

“Thank you for seeing me in such a good light. But there’s still one condition I haven’t mentioned yet.”

“What’s that?”

“The person I serve must be stronger than me.”

“That’s not an easy condition.”

While noble lords were typically powerful, it was rare for them to reach the 7th Circle, let alone surpass it to the 8th Circle.

So yes, Christian’s condition was quite the challenge.

“Does their Circle have to be higher than yours, or do they just need to beat you?”

“I don’t care about the method… but you’re making it sound like you could beat me.”

“You’re seeing it right.”

Martin nodded without hesitation.

“If I beat you, that means you’ll serve as a vassal of the Adalbert family… that much should be easy.”

He sealed the deal with a confident smile.

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