Due to the vast territories swallowed through numerous wars, the Newiton Empire had many nobles with titles, and the history of each family was diverse.

Among them, the only Grand Duke family of the empire, the Gwendhill Grand Duke family, was special.

“The Gwendhill Grand Duke family is said to have an absolute relationship with the Newiton Imperial family.”

“That’s because the Gwendhill family has been protecting the Newiton Emperor for generations.”

“Who could defy the Newiton Emperor who possesses the invincible sword?”

As long as they maintained this symbiotic relationship, the Newiton Emperor allowed any crime committed by the Gwendhill family, except for treason.

On the other hand, the eyes and voices envying the Gwendhill Grand Duke family, who had the Emperor’s favor and the backing of the Imperial family, grew more secretive and persistent.

“Why do you think the Imperial family has been lavishing favors on the Gwendhill Grand Duke family until now? They’re promoting a noble they don’t have to worry about backstabbing them.”

“Even when they’re sent to war like hell, they return alive like ghosts.”

“Because of that, all the spoils of war go to the Gwendhill Grand Duke family!”

The Gwendhill Grand Duke family had everything and showed no weaknesses. Naturally, as time passed, it was inevitable that the power of the Gwendhill Grand Duke family would increase.

Yes. That’s the reason.

“No matter how hard we try, no matter how much we lick the boots of the Imperial family, we’ll remain stagnant in our positions.”

“Isn’t it unfair that the balance of power is tilted so much to one side?”

“The Newiton Empire has been stagnant for a while. That’s because one power has been suppressing other powers for a long time.”

Admiration, reverence, and longing are the share of the common people.

Isn’t greed, envy, and jealousy to stand shoulder to shoulder, or rather to step on and rise above, the share of the nobility?

The nobles gathered their intentions.

“No weaknesses? Humans, people, everyone has flaws. If they’re human beings who bleed, isn’t that natural?”

The primal desire to have more and higher was human nature. It was an evil that the Grand Duke of Gwendhill, called a ghost without emotions, would neither know nor understand.

“I hear the war is about to end soon.”

“It won’t be long now. We need to start moving.”

“If the Grand Duke returns, he’ll be hailed as a hero who led numerous wars to great victories. It’ll be too late after it’s completed. We should eliminate him right before completion.”

As the long war finally showed signs of ending, the noble faction of the Newiton Empire grew impatient.

The noble faction banded together to maintain the power structure they had easily occupied while the Grand Duke was away at war.

“We only have one chance. Let’s strike properly.”

The sinister schemes of the noble faction, who were fattening themselves regardless of the war, proceeded silently underwater.

* * *

Five years ago, the great war that the Newiton Empire had declared on a large scale, simultaneously with swallowing the Kingdom of Crianet, was finally coming to an end.

“Commander, are we returning to the Grand Duke’s territory now?”

“Hey, what’s with ‘Commander’! You should call him ‘Lord Commander’!”

“I’ve been serving him as Commander since childhood, so it’s stuck to my tongue.”

The Newiton Imperial army was excited at the thought of finally returning home.

Thanks to the Grand Duke of Gwendhill, who took overall command, they had survived countless wars.

Especially for the Gwendhill family’s knights and the territorial people of the Grand Duke’s domain, who made up more than half of the Newiton Imperial army, the emotions were even more profound.

“Thanks to the Commander-in-Chief, all the wounded soldiers will be able to survive and return home.”

“Even providing expensive potions that even lowly soldiers can use, courtesy of the Grand Duke’s family.”

Contrary to popular belief, the reputation of Grand Duke Leodelt Gwendhill within the Imperial army was excellent.

The Grand Duke of Gwendhill respected the personality of each soldier in the Imperial army, regardless of status or rank, and valued their lives.

Although he always had an expressionless face, spoke little, and had an unapproachable atmosphere, no soldier doubted the Grand Duke’s character.

“Enough. Maintain strict vigilance until we reach the capital.”

“Yes, Commander!”

Leodelt’s gaze quietly settled as he watched the Imperial army swept by joy and relief.

Beyond the Harb Mountains, with its impressive massive waterfall, is near the border of the Newiton Empire.

Ache, ache.

“Lord Commander, where are you going?”

“Do I need to report my movement route?”

“Ah, no. I spoke out of turn.”

Leodelt moved his steps, ignoring the gazes of soldiers from other families fixed on his back.

The teal eyes looking beyond the dizzying cliff created by the waterfall flickered.

“…It’s vast.”

The view looking down from the cliff of the Harb Mountain waterfall was breathtaking enough to make one’s heart flutter. The wide and fertile land came into view at once.

When he delivers the news of victory he’s brought to the Emperor, that border will expand even further.

“It’s vast.”

Leodelt hid a self-deprecating smile.

The capital must be busy preparing for the return ceremony by now.

Now the Imperial army he leads must head to the Imperial Palace amidst a cumbersome return ceremony. And they’ll have to stay at the Imperial Palace for quite a while, going along with the formalities.

“You see, Grand Duke. I intend to make you a hero of my empire. So that no one dares to touch my empire, on a grand scale. Ha ha-. Then even the noble faction will be cautious for a while. They won’t unnecessarily open their mouths before me, and I won’t unnecessarily have to bloody my hands through the Grand Duke’s hands.”

Despite being the owner of the largest piece of land in the world, the current Emperor of the Newiton Empire was greedy for more land.

The fortunate thing was that he was a monarch with enough capacity to embrace surrounding lands and more. Because he was an emperor who cared more about public sentiment than the moods of the nobles, Leodelt was also going along with his tune.

Peace. And the sturdy influence of the Gwendhill family that no one could covet. For these two things, Leodelt was merely moving according to the imperial orders.

“……”

The sound of the waterfall pouring down refreshingly accompanied a moment of contemplation.

Leodelt quietly caught his breath, ignoring the persistent throbbing pain in his thigh.

How could he have gone through countless battlefields without a single injury? Of course, this injury wasn’t due to the skill of a worthy opponent.

“Die!! You devil’s servant who worships that murderer!!!”

“C-Commander!!”

As luck would have it, the most inexperienced and youngest soldier in the Imperial army caught the eye of an enemy soldier. At the moment when the neck of the boy, who was an apprentice knight of the Gwendhill family out of admiration for the Grand Duke, was about to be taken, Leodelt offered his own thigh to the enemy’s sword to save the boy.

“Commander! We need to stop the bleeding right away……”

“Be quiet. It’s nothing.”

There were subordinates of Leodelt who had noticed early on, but they couldn’t dare to open their mouths.

The Grand Duke of Gwendhill, the Commander-in-Chief, had to be a flawless being without weaknesses.

For the morale of the Imperial army, and to remain as a symbol of the Newiton Empire.

“…Tch.”

The slash wound on his thigh had deepened due to increasing the speed of the horses for the sake of the soldiers who wanted to return as soon as possible.

Of course, this kind of injury wasn’t a big deal, but the smell of blood wafting wasn’t very pleasant.

“……”

Swish-. Amidst the waterfall sound pounding the eardrums, a presence was detected.

“You’re late.”

A cold smile without mirth brushed Leodelt’s lips.

He slowly turned his body to face away from the edge of the cliff.

“I wondered when you’d come.”

As Leodelt muttered ominously, the bushes around the waterfall shook all at once. Soon, shadows in human form emerged from the bushes.

“Now that the war is won, you’re going to catch the hunting dog. That’s what His Majesty said. That the noble kind never changes.”

The end of Leodelt’s indifferent voice was filled with self-deprecating contempt.

The shadows holding blades gradually closed the distance, trying to push Leodelt to the edge of the cliff.

“Come.”

Leodelt quietly drew his sword and nodded slightly.

Whoosh-! Blades containing poison flew towards Leodelt’s vital points all at once.

Clang-. Clang!

The shadows’ bodies were split by Leodelt’s sword, which easily deflected the blades.

But the shadows didn’t disappear. Rather, they clung tenaciously, spewing killing intent.

Leodelt’s brow furrowed at the formless combination aiming only for vital points.

“There’s a magician.”

No matter how much he cut or stabbed, there was no end.

Dealing with the magician controlling the shadows had to come first.

“Unnecessarily.”

Leodelt, who had torn the shadows to shreds with his sword aura all at once, tilted his head. His teal eyes, devoid of emotion, scanned beyond the shadows.

That’s when it happened.

“Commander-in-Chief!”

Imperial army soldiers came running. With the soldiers joining, the number of shadows quickly decreased.

“How dare they target the Commander-in-Chief!!”

“They’ll be damned!!”

These were soldiers whose lives had been saved by Leodelt on various battlefields. They shouted in anger, trying to protect Leodelt.

The waterfall swallowed all those sounds.

“Huff, it’s all over!”

“This is the last one, Commander!”

The soldiers who had cut down the last shadow approached Leodelt with broad smiles.

Leodelt looked around before speaking.

“Were you on patrol?”

“Yes. We can’t let our guard down.”

A soldier grinned.

“At any time.”

At that moment, the soldiers swung their swords at Leodelt as they got closer.

“Argh!”

Of course, Leodelt wasn’t someone who would believe their clumsy acting.

However, the point was that Leodelt had developed something that could be called a weakness.

“Hee hee, our Commander is wounded, isn’t he? I can smell blood from here.”

“Your loyal subordinates won’t be able to come. There should be a bloodbath on that side by now.”

“Even for a moment! Aim for the thigh first!!”

Even as their shoulders were carved by Leodelt’s sword, the soldiers persistently pushed forward.

That’s when Leodelt saw the soldiers’ bodies starting to swell strangely.

“…!”

The magician controlling the shadows had finally used the soldiers’ bodies as bombs.

Boom-! As Leodelt’s body tilted for a moment trying to avoid the explosion, the enemies didn’t miss this chance.

All the soldiers clung to Leodelt’s body and recklessly plunged their blades into their own bodies.

“Foolish.”

Even in the pain of his abdomen being torn, Leodelt showed no sign of agitation. He just swung his sword with an annoyed expression.

Thud. At that moment, one soldier swung the hilt of his sword, striking Leodelt’s forehead.

“For the Newiton Empire!!!!”

As blood flowed from the wound on his forehead, Leodelt frowned. At the same time, the soldiers, on the brink of death, all clung to Leodelt and jumped off the cliff.

Crack-. Before being swept away by the waterfall, Leodelt alone avoided falling by stabbing his sword into the cliff.

The problem was that the magician, who peeked over the cliff, summoned the shadows again.

“…Do you intend to end it?”

It was a determination not to let their guard down for perfect disposal.

The decision was quick.

Leodelt pulled out his sword and fell towards the bottom of the waterfall.

A hazy sky, violently churning waters.

And the impact on his entire body.

The death he had always longed for was right in front of him.

However, as always, God did not accept him.

Grasping only a faint unconsciousness, Leodelt survived the crisis.

And his last memory, it was inside a damp and dark cave.