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Three years ago in winter.

On a night when the snow was falling heavily.

Marquis Garcia hurried back to Winterfell City.

As he entered Lion Roar Castle without even changing his clothes, he headed straight for the Duke’s study.

“Knock knock.”

“Come in.”

Marquis Garcia entered the room. The Duke St. Hilde was alone in the study. “You must be tired from the journey. Sit down, have a malt beer to warm up.” Marquis Garcia took the wine cup that his brother handed him and drained it at once.

Only then did the frost and cold from the journey dissipate from his body.

“Why did you urgently call me back?”

“How’s the situation on the frontline?”

“As usual, Gambick is scared of me, hiding in the fortress and not daring to fight in the field.”

“Ha-ha, that old turtle!”

Marquis Garcia poured himself another malt beer, sipping it slowly while waiting for his brother to continue.

He knew clearly that the Duke had urgently summoned him back, surely not just for the conversation they’ve had so far.

“Someone suggested a strategy to me that could help you lure Gambick out of his shell.”

“Oh? Let’s hear it!” Marquis Garcia was immediately interested.

“First, you must retire from the frontline.” “Just that probably won’t be enough.’ “True, your Dark Cavalry must also withdraw.” “Who will take over the frontline defence?”

“Charles. ”

Hearing this, Marquis Garcia frowned deeply. He hesitated for a while before carefully replying: “Charles… I fear he lacks experience.”

“Hehe, how else would we get Gambick out of his shell if not by sending a greenhorn to the frontline?”

“But war is not a game. Trying to outsmart may backfire and result in a significant defeat for the North Territory! ”

“Success comes at a fair price!” The Duke St. Hilde’s eyes hardened ominously, “I am prepared to sacrifice an Army this time!”

“What?” Marquis Garcia was startled, almost thinking his brother had gone mad.

But the seriousness on the Duke St. Hilde’s face indicated he was not joking. He continued:

“Tell me, if the Dark Cavalry encounters Gambick’s Troll Army in the open field with no prepared defences, what odds do you give for our victory?”

“If Gambick is unprepared, and if there are no nearby castles to take refuge in, then, I can assure a complete victory!” Marquis Garcia’s tone revealed intense confidence.

“Good! Then we’ll put all our eggs in one basket!” The Duke St. Hilde slammed his fist on the table, determined, “I’ve had enough of these persistent Trolls. I want to cut off their claws reaching into the North Territory!

So, you step down, and Charles steps up.

Let him suffer a defeat and give Gambick a taste of victory.

When Trolls plunder the North Territory after that, they will naturally want to take their spoils and glory back to their Troll Royal City.”

“At that time, you can lead the Dark Cavalry to follow them and catch them off guard!”

Marquis Garcia was still frowning, “Even if you are willing to sacrifice an Army and allow the Northern cities to be pillaged by Trolls, how can you be sure that the Trolls will make a careless retreat?”

“We will have to stage a play for that.”

“How?”

“When I redeploy you from the frontline, astute observers may perceive it as an act of my distrust towards you. Therefore, you may display some dissatisfaction with me…

Furthermore, many of the forces that Charles will sacrifice are private armies of the Lords. This will inevitably incite dissatisfaction amongst the North Territory families. At that time, people may easily be instigated into believing you’re attempting to gather discontented Lords to oppose me.

The Trolls will then undoubtedly think we’re too busy with internal strife to lay guard…’

“Have you forgotten a key issue?” Marquis Garcia interrupted abruptly.

“Which issue?”

“Will I truly become dissatisfied with you?” Marquis Garcia’s eyes twinkled, “If

Charles really suffers a severe defeat on the frontline, sacrificing a Northern

Army, wouldn’t my Dark Cavalry become unstoppable?”

Duke St. Hilde laughed suddenly, “You know, when Talos Uman proposed this strategy to me, I also considered the possibility of you turning this staged dissatisfaction into a real one.

“So Count Uman proposed this? Ok, then what do you think? Will I take this too seriously?”

Duke St. Hilde did not directly answer this question, but continued from where he left off: “I was then thinking, if Talos didn’t consider the chance of you taking this too seriously, then it’s fine.

If he did consider it, yet deliberately kept it from me…

Then either, he has the utmost confidence in our bond, believing we couldn’t possibly turn against each other, or, he harbours ill intentions, pretending to plot against the Trolls while actually aiming to instigate civil unrest in the North Territory!”

Marquis Garcia paused for a moment, then lowered his head to look at the wine cup in his hand, as though contemplating the true intentions of Count Uman.

But Duke St. Hilde didn’t give his younger brother more time to think and expressed his thoughts directly:

“Regardless of what Talos Uman’s real intentions are, I know you will not betray me.”

“Are you that confident?” Marquis Garcia responded indifferently, “When I have the power to change the situation in the North Territory, how can you be certain I won’t be tempted?”

“Of course you will be tempted. But betrayal is just a sign that the price of loyalty is not high enough. So, I will raise the stakes for your loyalty!”

“What stakes will you raise?”

“After Charles’ defeat, his position as Marquis will be stripped.”

“Just that?”

“Of course not.” Duke St. Hilde smiled, then continued, “Vera will be given the position of Marquis!”

Marquis Garcia’s eyes narrowed.

He was finally moved.

But then he felt deeply puzzled, “To eliminate the threat of the Trolls, you’re willing to pay such a high price?”

“No, it’s not just about the threat of the Trolls.” Said Duke St. Hilde with a serious face, shaking his head.

“Who else then?”

“Do you know where the biggest threat to our North Territory comes from right now?”

“Isn’t it the Trolls?”

Duke St. Hilde shook his head again, saying solemnly:

“External threats only make us stronger and more united, they will not defeat us.

It’s internal threats that can truly corrode the ruling foundation of the St. Hilde family!”

It took Marquis Garcia a moment to apprehend what his brother was saying,

“You mean the lords of the North Territory?”

“Exactly!” Duke St. Hilde ground his teeth, “Do you know how many territories the St. Hilde family directly controls?

Do you know how many years the family has been living beyond its means?

Do you know why I have always refused to ban trade with the Trolls?

Don’t I know that this trade is actually aiding the enemy?

But what can I do?

The family needs these profits!

It seems like the entire North Territory is mine, but I hesitate even to grant a minor baron title!

And you!

My dear brother!

Keeping the Trolls out of the North Territory is of course a good thing.

But it also completely stops the renewal of the Northern lords!

If the Trolls cannot invade, no one will lose territories and be stripped of their titles, thus, there are more and more nobles in the North Territory, and less and less land under the family’s control!

You’re always complaining that I’m not willing to reward your meritorious subordinates, but have you ever thought about what I have to reward them with?

Why don’t I just give you this Dukedom!

You can take charge of this North Territory!”

Marquis Garcia looked at his brother who was seething with rage, at a loss for words for a moment.

In the silence, an abnormal flush crossed Duke St. Hilde’s face, which Marquis

Garcia noticed: “Big brother, your injury…”

“I won’t die yet!” Duke St. Hilde took a breath, “But I won’t live much longer either.”

Marquis Garcia looked melancholy.

“Brother, help me this once!

I’ll bear all the costs, all the infamy!

If you help me, the St. Hilde family can surely be reborn through the ashes!

And this revitalised North Territory will be handed over to your own daughter!” Marquis Garcia did not speak.

Duke St. Hilde continued to stare firmly at his brother’s eyes, as if he wouldn’t give up unless he agreed.

The room fell into a protracted silence.

The only sound was the crackling from the fireplace as the wood burned into two.

After a considerable while, Marquis Garcia finally heaved a long sigh:

“Fine, I’ll help you..”