My jaw dropped and I stared at the Grand Duke in disbelief. He was the one who revealed that a vassal of House Arbeit had hired the attackers that tried to kill Lady Adelheid? Why? Everything that happened today, from Lord Wilhelm’s attack to the confrontation with Count Arbeit and Viscount Gerhard, was all his fault. Just…I couldn’t understand it.

“That was you?” I asked, incredulous.

“Yes.” Grand Duke Kaltbrand said. “Well, I ordered it and the Blue Shadows carried out my orders, but yes. At the end of the day, I am the one responsible.”

I stared at him for several seconds, unable to voice my thoughts.

“Why would you do that?” I asked, incredulous. “And if you were going to reveal the truth anyway, why not reveal the whole truth? We know that Fallen Leaves were the ones who attacked Lady Adelheid in an attempt to foster strife between House Gerhard and House Arbeit. Why not reveal that as well? You could have started a war!”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand jerked a thumb towards the door to his study.

“So I had an excuse to act like an overbearing tyrant towards those two.” He said. “House Gerhard is full of hot heads. While Lady Adelheid is the most well known, they’re all like that. I figured that something like this would happen if I revealed the truth to them, or at least part of the truth.”

His answer caught me off guard.

“Very well,” I said slowly, “I can understand why you would want to keep House Arbeit in check by keeping Lord Ulric hostage, but why House Gerhard?”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand snorted.

“To put them in their place.” He said. “You granted them a bit of authority, and they let it go to their heads. While they were obedient for now, it was just a matter of time before they started to act up. I wanted to nip that particular problem in the bud and remind them of who is in charge.”

I thought back to House Gerhard’s actions over the past few days. He wasn’t wrong, per se. House Gerhard lorded their new status over the rest of House Kaltbrand’s vassals. I even counted on this in order to secure their loyalty. However, thinking on it, I could see how that would lead to problems in the future.

“As for House Arbeit,” he continued, “The Blue Shadows reported that there were whispers of rebellion among the members of House Arbeit and their followers. They are just words for now, but words precede action.” He scoffed. “They think that they’re a match for House Kaltbrand just because they have a few soldiers. Fools. They’re lucky that I’ve decided to keep them around for now. Otherwise, I would’ve culled them a long time ago.”

I stared at him, surprised by his coldblooded attitude.

“What if your actions today just end up fostering resentment?” I asked. “Causing House Arbeit, and maybe even House Gerhard, to rebel?”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand shrugged.

“That will give me the excuse I need to clean house.” He said. “This isn’t too different from what you pulled with Lord Ulric when you humiliated him in front of a crowd. You wanted him to retaliate, so you would have the justification needed to eliminate him. What I’m doing is similar, just on a larger scale. Either I’ll cow them into submission, or goad them into action and crush them.”

The depths of the Grand Duke’s scheming surprised me.

“Surprised?” He asked, before walking behind his desk and sitting down.

“I… Yes.” I said.

The Grand Duke chuckled.

“That’s because you spend too much time with Sophie.” He said. “Your focus is too narrow. You need to expand your horizons and look at the bigger picture.” He nodded towards me. “Being the grand duke takes more than knowing how to swing a sword or learning from books and tutors. Spend more time with me, and you’ll learn what it means to rule the Barrens.”

I studied him for several seconds.

“Is that really necessary for me to learn?” I asked in a quiet voice. “After all, I’m just a mercenary, a fake, filling in for your real heir.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand leveled a flat look in my direction.

“If you haven’t figured the truth out already,” he said, “You’re either not as sharp as I believed, or you’re pretending not to know.” He looked thoughtful. “That, or you’re in complete denial.”

I clenched my fists and glared at him.

“Why don’t you just tell me then?” I demanded. “Instead of playing this stupid game?”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand sighed.

“I promised Sophie that I would let her tell you.” He said. “However, I never expected her to drag it out this long. Rather than let this go on, I decided to bend the rules a bit. I can still keep my word to Sophie if you figure out the truth on your own, even if I’m the one who nudged you in the right direction.”

I snorted.

“I doubt she will see it that way.” I said. “I don’t.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand shrugged.

“I’m willing to accept the consequences of that.” He said. “Sophie will forgive me in time.”

“You’re an ass.” I told him.

“You know,” the Grand Duke said, looking amused, “I think that’s the first time you’ve outright insulted me. You’re not as awed by me anymore.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“So, what do you plan to do next?” He asked. “I’m curious.”

I raised an eyebrow at him.

“About the vassals or about the truth you want me to figure out but refuse to tell me about?”

“Both.”

I took a moment before answering. The Grand Duke’s half baked efforts at revealing this supposed truth infuriated me. A part of me wanted to storm out of the study. However, I couldn’t. Either I was wrong about the nature of our relationship, which meant he was still my client, or I was right, which meant…Well, it meant that we were much closer than that. Regardless, I didn’t want to go too far.

“I’m going to visit Grand Sage Arend.” I said. “He’ll give me all the confirmation I need.”

Grand Duke Arend nodded, as if he expected that answer.

“As for the vassals,” I said, glancing over at the door to the study, “You just dealt with House Arbeit and House Gerhard, for now at least, which leaves House Steuben as the biggest obstacle. Once we take care of them, then my position as the heir to House Kaltbrand is secure.”

I worded that last sentence deliberately. I called myself the heir to House Kaltbrand. Not an imposter or a fake standing in for the real heir. The heir. I wanted to see the Grand Duke’s reaction. Anticipation and worry filled my heart in equal measure.

“How do you plan on doing that?” He asked. “I have a few ideas of my own, but I want to hear what you have to say first.”

At first his indifferent reaction disappointed me, and I thought that he hadn’t noticed my wording. However, when I took a closer look at him, I didn’t see indifference in his eyes. I saw acceptance. He had noticed, yet hadn’t reprimanded me.

My nerves thrummed with excitement, before I clamped down on my emotions. This proved nothing. Until I talked with Grand Sage Arend, I would continue to act as if the Grand Duke and I were just client and mercenary. However, no matter how much I told myself that, I couldn’t help but feel a glimmer of warmth.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“You goaded both House Arbeit and House Gerhard by revealing the truth,” I said. “Or at least a part of the truth. Why not try it again, but with House Steuben?”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand eyes lit up with interest.

“Go on.” He said.

“It needs to be something big, something that House Steuben wouldn’t hesitate to snap up, even knowing that it might be a trap.” I grinned. “What if we let them find out that I’m a mercenary you hired to pretend to be your heir? That will give them what they need to get rid of me, or so they will think.”

The Grand Duke’s eyes widened at that.

“Either we need to spread rumors and let public opinion run wild,” I continued, “Or we need someone from House Kaltbrand to let them know. A trusted servant, perhaps? Regardless, it needs to be someone whose word is beyond reproach. Afterwards, once House Steuben takes the bait and pounces, that will give us the justification we need to take them down a notch or two.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand wore a thoughtful look on his face.

“That might work.” He said. “It’s bold, but risky. If something goes wrong, House Kaltbrand’s honor will be tarnished and its integrity will come into question.”

This time, I leveled a flat look in his direction.

“Only if they prove that you lied and tricked everyone.” I said.

Grand Duke Kaltbrand grinned.

“That won’t be a problem.” He said. “I like that plan. We’ll go with it.” He paused. “Let’s go with both ideas, spreading rumors and having a trusted servant of House Kaltbrand inform House Steuben about my deception.” He looked over at Claus. “Who do you think we should use? Erik?”

I looked over at the spymaster. He had been so still and quiet that I had forgotten his presence. This irked me. Claus was adept at avoiding attention even without using his magic. No wonder he led the Blue Shadows.

“No, Your Grace,” Claus said, shaking his head, “Viscount Holtz, and House Holtz in general, is too loyal to you. No one would believe it if he pretended to betray you.” He took a moment to think it over. “I think Baron Kirch should do. He is a senior servant, but he isn’t as well known for his devotion for you as Viscount Holtz.”

Grand Duke Kaltbrand nodded.

“Good idea.” He said. “I’ll discuss it with Edmund myself.”

“To destroy House Steuben’s credibility and undermine their influence, we need to definitively prove them wrong.” I said. “We need to do another lineage test, one conducted by a neutral party. That way, no one can claim that we tampered with the results.”

The Grand Duke nodded.

“You’re right.” He said. “In fact, I have the perfect person in mind. It will take some time to bring them here from Haven, but if we hurry, they should arrive just in time for the ball.” He chuckled. “I never thought that postponing the banquet would work out in our favor like this.”

I noticed that the Grand Duke had all but outright stated the true nature of our relationship. I wanted to grab him and force him to tell me, yet I refrained. Regardless of who I was to him, he was still the Grand Duke and the head of House Kaltbrand. There were certain lines that shouldn’t be crossed.

Besides, I feared he would give me a beating if I tried. As Knight Commander Bardin illustrated whenever we sparred, there was a significant difference in strength between a new Aura Master and an experienced one.

“I’ll have the twins spread the rumors once Rosalind recovers.” I said. “As my personal maids, they will have more credibility than most.”

The Grand Duke nodded.

“Very well,” he said, “I’ll leave that in your hands.” He smiled. “Now then, I believe you were on your way to meet with Arend.”

At this clear dismissal, I nodded and headed towards the door to the study. However, before I opened it, I turned back towards the Grand Duke.

“Did you ever think about me?” I asked.

I didn’t need to explain to him what I meant by that, at least I hoped not. The Grand Duke studied me for a moment, his expression solemn, before he gave me a single nod.

“Every single day.” He said. “Ever since Sophie and I lost you.”

Tears pricked my eyes and I felt a lump in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. Before I lost control of my emotions, I left the study.

----------------------------------------

The meeting with Grand Sage Arend was short and to the point. After all, the whole point of talking to him was to confirm what I already knew, deep in my heart. Of course, when I first arrived, he berated me for interrupting his work and wasting his time. However, due to my status as heir to House Kaltbrand and an Aura Master, he couldn’t just kick me out.

“What was special about the lineage testing magic tool that you created for the Grand Duke?” I asked him. “The one he used in front of the senior servants?”

Grand Sage Arend snorted.

“You’re finally asking about that,” he said. “Took you long enough. I expected you to come here weeks ago.” He shrugged. “Of course, what can I expect from a muscle head who only knows how to swing a sword?”

My left eye twitched.

“Just answer the question.” I said.

Grand Sage Arend narrowed his eyes at me.

“Careful, boy.” He said. “I like you. Unlike most people I deal with, you have a spine. However, don’t cross the line.”

I snorted.

“I could say the same to you, Grand Sage.” I said.

The two of us stared each other down, before Grand Sage Arend sighed in irritation.

“Fine,” he said, “If it will get you out of my tower, I’ll answer. The only thing special about the lineage testing magic tool that the Grand Duke used that day was that I made it. Otherwise, it is like any other lineage testing magic tool.”

I sucked in breath at that, and my heart raced. It was one thing to suspect the truth, and another to hear it out loud.

“That means…” I trailed off, unable to finish my sentence.

“That you’re the Grand Duke’s son, yes.” Grand Sage Arend said, sounding annoyed. “No need to be so dramatic about it.” He gestured to the door to his tower. “Now get out so I can resume my research.”

Dazed, I nodded to Grand Sage Arend before making my way out of his tower. After that, I wandered about. I was the Grand Duke’s son. That sentence repeated itself in my head over and over again. I was the real heir to House Kaltbrand, not a fake. Everything I accomplished to make things easier for the real heir after I left was actually to my own benefit. I found that funny, in an ironic sort of way.

However, my breath hitched when I realized something else. I was the Grand Duke’s son… and Knight Commander Bardin was my mother. She was my teacher, and the one I respected above all others. To find out that she was my mother left me feeling confused and conflicted.

A storm raged inside me. I felt joy, anger, and a cascade of other emotions. Joy because I had found my birth parents, or rather they found me. As an orphan, I always wondered about them and how I ended up in an orphanage. Did they give me up? Did they die? These questions plagued me ever since I was a child, and now I knew the answer to some of them.

However, I also felt angry at my birth parents’ deception. Why go through this whole charade of hiring me? Why not just tell me the truth from the beginning? A part of me wanted to storm into the Grand Duke’s study and demand answers, but I refrained. It was better to wait until Knight Commander Bardin, my birth mother, returned to Kaltbrand Castle.

One question loomed above everything else. What happened now? In the beginning, the Grand Duke hired me for a year in order to pose as his heir. Since I was his actual heir, the contract was meaningless now. Yet, the entire reason why I took this job in the first place was to earn a title so I could marry Lina and become a real member of House Guld.

As much as I have come to love the Barrens, Guld Manor was my home, and House Guld was my family. To them, I had been nothing more than a substitute for their real son, Emmerich Guld, but I refused to believe that everything had been a lie. I wanted to believe that I held a place in their hearts, even if it was a small one. However, as the heir to House Kaltbrand, I could never become a Guld.

An icy hand squeezed my heart when I realized that. Most would feel overjoyed to find themselves the heir to the second most powerful family in the entire Reichwald Empire. More than that, I had reunited with my birth parents. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel bittersweet about it. Everything I had done in the Barrens up to this point, the years I spent working as a mercenary, meant nothing now.

I tried to console myself by saying that this was for the best. After all, I had been nothing more than a substitute. House Guld didn’t need me, and I didn’t need them. If anything, I was better off now than I was before I ran away from Guld Manor. Instead of being the adopted son of House Guld, I was the heir to House Kaltbrand. Once I inherited the title of Grand Duke, I would outrank even Fath-…

My thoughts stopped in their tracks.

Ha.

I was a fool.

A greedy one at that.

What was the point in lying to myself? I should just admit the truth. I wanted it all. House Guld and House Kaltbrand. My adopted family and my birth family. Why should I have to pick between the two? Why couldn’t I have both? In fact, now that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, maybe Father and Mother would finally see me as their real son, if only to benefit House Guld.

Gods, how pathetic. I hadn’t realized just how desperate I was for Father and Mother’s love until this moment.

“My lord?” a voice called out, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I turned to find one of the Coldsteel Knights watching me. We were standing in the western gardens. I must have wandered here without realizing it. My cheeks heated up. I cleared my throat to hide my embarrassment.

“What is it?” I asked, pretending nonchalance.

The Coldsteel Knight studied me, his eyes full of concern, no doubt confused about my current state. However, if he had any questions, he kept them to himself.

“It’s about the boy you brought back from Meyers Castle.” The knight said. “He… Well, Sir Viktor caught him trying to break Dame Elise out of her cell. We took him into custody. Sir Viktor is with him now. However, since he is your guest, we thought it was best if you dealt with him.”

Right. We hadn’t revealed that Ellen was an imposter. While everyone knew that she was imprisoned, no one knew why. As for Thomas, with everything going on, I had completely forgotten about him. Guilt filled me. Regardless of what happened, that shouldn’t have happened. Thomas was my responsibility. I should have looked after him. Wait a moment…

“What happened to the knight I assigned to watch over Thomas?” I asked, frowning.

The knight before me flinched.

“It seemed that Thomas tricked him into thinking that he was still lying in bed.”

A Coldsteel Knight managed to fall for such a trick? I sighed. It seemed that I needed to talk with Knight Comman-… Mom about the knights’ training.

“Very well.” I said. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll head to the dungeons now.”

I sighed. The world wouldn’t stop just because of my personal troubles. It marched on, regardless. I could bemoan my fate later. For now, it was time to get back to work.