112 The Birth of a Faction
"And let make one thing clear—don't expect to rely on . A faction built on soone else's power is like a castle built on sand. The allies who stand by your side must be yours and yours alone."
"I understand."
"Then go."
William bowed deeply and quietly closed the door behind him.
Left alone in his study, the Grand Duke leaned back into his chair and let out a slow breath, his thoughts growing heavy.
'Am I rushing this decision? The others have yet to show their full potential.'
His eldest son, Tristan, was too much of a rigid idealist and prone to giving up too easily. But at the sa ti, he possessed an unshakable determination when needed and a keen sense for quick judgnt.
Jordi, his second son, was ruthless with his subordinates and frequently broke his word. However, he was ticulous in calculating risks and always found ways to minimize losses in crises.
Joshua, the fourth, had yet to display any outstanding qualities—but neither had he shown any glaring flaws. For now, the Grand Duke had chosen to observe him further before passing judgnt.
'They are all still immature, which ans they still have room to grow. If things were proceeding as expected, I should be watching and waiting before making my decision…'
But reality had deviated too far from expectations.
There were too many unpredictable variables at play.
He could not afford to wait patiently for his children to mature while the tides of the world threatened to crash upon House Hern.
It was too soon to make an official decision, but at the very least, he needed one strong candidate he could na at a mont's notice if necessary.
'William.'
A few years ago, he had been nothing more than a timid boy, avoiding even his own brothers' gazes and shifting bla onto others at the slightest hint of trouble.
But sothing had changed.
In just a single year, he had transford.
He had beco bold—reckless, even—but none of his actions were without reason. His sense of strategy and foresight far outstripped that of his siblings.
While the others still needed ti to grow, William was already a fully realized noble.
"They say extraordinary tis call for extraordinary choices."
Sigmund muttered bitterly to himself, staring up at the ceiling.
The world, it seed, had no intention of waiting for him to make a careful, asured decision.
William had returned to the estate, but rest was a luxury he could not afford.
The knights, who had once hesitated to approach him, now sward around him openly.
"Third Prince, if you have a mont, I would like to speak with you."
"Do you rember ? We t briefly so ti ago."
"Please rember my na—you'll be seeing again soon."
They each had their own approach.
So bowed with polite deference. Others pretended to be familiar with him over the most trivial of past encounters.
The worst of them were those who tried to fra their eting as destiny, feigning an air of mystique as if they were exceptional individuals.
'Do these n have no pride? And to think they belong to a great noble house—using such cheap tricks?'
William smirked in disbelief before turning to Hans.
"From now on, filter these kinds of people out."
"…Excuse , Young Master? But they're knights!"
"And?"
"I'm just a servant. If a knight insists on forcing his way in, what can I possibly do?"
"If he's the kind of fool who would pull rank like that, I'll throw him out myself. Not that anyone with a brain would dare to try."
The Empire's hierarchy was absolute, but authority was not always dictated by rank alone.
Hans had stood by William's side even when he was overlooked and ridiculed. His loyalty and presence were far more valuable than the hollow words of unknown knights.
And if those knights dismissed Hans simply because of his status?
'That only proves they have no political instincts whatsoever.'
Such people weren't worth even a second of his ti.
Despite his concerns, Hans followed William's orders and intercepted the approaching knights.
Fortunately, most of them had at least so experience dealing with the entourages of William's brothers and knew better than to brush off Hans entirely.
Watching the knights turn away one by one, William exhaled, rubbing his temples.
"It's good to have recognition, but at this rate, I'll be wasting all my ti sorting through the rabble."
His gaze drifted toward the window, watching the last of the knights disappear into the distance.
At that mont, his father's words echoed in his mind.
'A faction, huh…'
There was no denying its usefulness. Right now, he had the opportunity to build one.
But if this was the kind of crowd he had to work with?
'I refuse to create a bloated, useless faction just for the sake of appearances.'
He had seen it too many tis—large factions crumbling from within as rot spread beyond the leader's reach.
No, he wouldn't make that mistake.
His faction would be small.
It would be precise.
And every single mber would be worthy of standing at his side.
'The real problem is the reward I can offer them. Anyone who knows their own worth won't co running based on reputation and empty promises alone.'
The knights swarming him now were nothing more than opportunists chasing the possibility of a brighter future.
But true talents—those who truly understood their value—never sold themselves cheaply.
They knew that others would gladly pay a fair price for their skills.
And right now, William had nothing to offer that would be worthy of attracting such people.
'I was able to win over Hugo and Felicia because their abilities were being stifled by their circumstances. They had no choice but to follow . But I can't rely on that thod forever.'
Not every talent was trapped in an unjust situation, after all.
William pondered the issue for a long ti, searching for an answer.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, inspiration struck.
There was still one treasure—one of the greatest ever known—that remained untouched, its potential dormant.
If he could discover its whereabouts and claim it before anyone else…
'The odds are slim. There's almost no information to go on. But it's better to try than to sit idle.'
His mind made up, William wasted no ti and went straight to Grand Duke Sigmund.
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