Lion Hall, Stravburg, Principality of Bosque.
The nobles of the Northlands gathered once more, arranged along both sides of the opulent long table according to their rank and power.
Seated at the head of the table was unquestionably the convener of this assembly, the titular monarch of the Northern United Kingdom, and the current master of House Bosque—Grand Duke Leo Bosque.
Yet the atmosphere was exceptionally grim. This was no lighthearted, merry banquet of song and dance, but a council that concerned the fate of the Northlands and even all of Anzeta. Its importance surpassed even the Lionheart Alliance convened forty years ago.
At last, Grand Duke Leo spoke, his voice booming like a heavy bell and shattering the oppressive silence.
"My lords, since none of you care to speak, I shall state it plainly.
"The Northlands has arrived at a critical juncture of survival. The millennium-old heritage of us Scanians may very well end here. And the culprit responsible for all of this is none other than that greedy red dragon and his wicked kingdom!"
Grand Duke Leo's words carried formidable weight, striking down like a heavy warhammer upon the hearts of everyone present.
An uproar immediately erupted across the hall. The nobles wore varied expressions, and hushed whispers broke out among them.
In truth, most of the nobles had already guessed the Grand Duke's purpose in summoning them here, yet they had never anticipated that his tone would be so fierce. It seemed as though he intended to stake everything he had—perhaps even unleash a war of tremendous scale.
"Lord Leo, surely you go too far."
"Indeed."
"That red dragon hasn't stirred up trouble in five years. We could continue to placate him to buy a longer peace..."
"This may not be the ideal time."
"The Kingdom of Cinders is far too powerful and wealthy. I fear we require more adequate preparation."
After a brief murmur of discussion, several voices of dissuasion rose in succession.
Grand Duke Leo rose slowly to his feet. His searching gaze swept across the faces of every noble present. His thick, grizzled beard made him resemble a shrewd, seasoned old lion, exerting an overwhelming pressure over everyone in the hall.
Only when the hall fell silent once more did he enunciate each word deliberately:
"I know that some among you have accepted the filthy gold of the Kingdom of Cinders, shamelessly serving as their agents in exploiting our fellow Scanians—or even willingly making yourselves into dogs for that red dragon."
Grand Duke Leo paused deliberately, his piercing gaze sharpening once more, sweeping like a sword across several individuals.
In an instant, the breath caught in the throats of several nobles, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
Grand Duke Leo gave a subtle glance. Fully armed soldiers, prepared well in advance, swarmed forward and seized several defenseless nobles.
"Wait, don't touch me! I am a count!"
"Grand Duke, it wasn't me!"
"We never collaborated with the Kingdom of Cinders!"
"That is outright slander! You've been deceived by lies!"
"It wasn't just us! House Arles did it too! They must be throwing mud at me!"
The nobles wailed and begged for mercy, even attempting to drag other houses down with them.
Yet at another signal from Grand Duke Leo's eyes, the soldiers gagged their mouths with cloth and dragged the panicked nobles out of the hall without mercy.
*Thud!*
Soon, the sound of the guillotine blade crashing down echoed from outside the hall.
In reality, these few nobles had not had the most contact with the Kingdom of Cinders, nor did they hold particularly prominent ranks. The highest-ranking among them was merely a count from the Principality of Fano.
Grand Duke Leo's thinking was crystal clear. To borrow a phrase imported from the Kingdom of Cinders, this was "killing the chicken to scare the monkeys"—striking terror into the remaining northern nobles so they would no longer dare attempt to cooperate with the Kingdom of Cinders.
At the same time, nearly every principality had put forward a few scapegoats, pinning all the crimes of colluding with the Kingdom of Cinders entirely on their heads. This allowed the families with tarnished records to save face. Leo had already coordinated with the most powerful dukes in advance, and they had quietly consented to these executions.
This was not merely Grand Duke Leo's personal decree, but the outcome of a power struggle among several factions.
The hall fell completely hushed, so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.
Standing where he was, his authority cemented by several fresh deaths, Grand Duke Leo radiated a commanding aura that left representatives of smaller noble houses trembling.
Only then did they remember that this duke, hailed as the "Lion of the North," had once single-handedly brought the principalities to heel through force of arms, restoring the long-dormant Principality of Bosque to its place as the leader of the Northlands. Though Grand Duke Leo had maintained a low profile for years, his past glory was no empty boast; he was a true sovereign of might.
"As the monarch of the Northern United Kingdom, deeply though I regret it, I had no choice but to purge these pests.
"I hope you will... take this as a warning."
Shifting his tone, he continued, "Perhaps others among you have made similar errors. Yet with a great enemy before us, I can temporarily forgive your transgressions. You may have simply coveted petty favors while blinding yourselves to the immense peril behind them. But remember, that creature is no fellow noble—he is a greedy, brutal red dragon!
"Do any of you still remember House Lakeman?
"Regardless of what they did, House Lakeman was an essential pillar of northern nobility. Centuries ago, their ancestors rendered monumental service to the Northern United Kingdom. As such, House Lakeman inherently possessed noble status by birth—an undeniable fact and a truth recognized by all of us.
"And where are they now? Exterminated by that red dragon!
"The Kingdom of Cinders—I will not even dignify it as a kingdom, for it is more akin to a damned 'monster.' Every inch of that 'monster' is steeped in a terrifying, blood-drenched ideology that will impose the harshest order upon this world.
"It does not care whether your bloodline is noble or your birth legitimate. It cares only for growing stronger, and to that end, it will slaughter nobles at will, allow serfs to trample upon our heads, and even turn us all into nourishment for its growth! That will be an absolute nightmare for every noble of the Northlands!
"Over the past several years, not a single person has opposed the Kingdom of Cinders as consistently as I have. Closing your eyes to difficulties and dangers will not solve the problem. Standing idly by will not solve the problem. Adopting a policy of appeasement will accomplish nothing. What is needed now is an arrangement to resolve the crisis. The longer we delay, the harder it will become, and the greater the danger the Kingdom of Cinders poses to us.
"Remember this: do not let immediate gains blind your eyes, or the fate of House Lakeman will be your future! The thousand-year rule of the northern nobility will be brought to an absolute end!"
By the end of this impassioned speech, Grand Duke Leo had poured forth every ounce of his strength; every bristle of his beard and strand of his hair trembled with fervor.
And within the magnificent, grand Lion Hall, whether compelled by the grim circumstances or stirred by his words, the nobles erupted into thunderous, ceaseless applause—bearing an uncanny resemblance to the scene at the Lionheart Alliance nearly forty years ago.
Chapter 297