Lord of Caldera

"They've all left?" Willem asked, his voice echoing in the now-empty hall.

"Yes, they just departed," a servant confirmed.

"So… they're gone." Willem sighed deeply. In just half a day, he felt as if he had aged ten years. Suddenly, the face of his son, Walter, flashed through his mind.

"I should have listened to him."

A surge of regret washed over Willem. He summoned a knight who had been overseeing Walter's protection.

"Where is Walter now?"

"He just returned from seeing off Sir Sylas."

"What? Why on earth would he do that?"

The knight hesitated, then spoke carefully. "He said he intended to apologize personally for any trouble you may have caused, my lord."

"…Hah." Willem let out a dry, bitter laugh. He had always seen his son as a pitiful fool—immature and short-sighted.

"It turns out I was the one who couldn't see what was right in front of me."

With his schemes, Willem had nearly led his family to ruin. He had ignored countless warnings. His son, unable to prevent his father's mistakes, had chosen instead to clean up the mess afterward. Since he couldn't stop Willem beforehand, Walter had resolved to mend things afterward, running around to make up for his father's mistakes. How absurd, a son scrambling to cover for his father's errors.
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"Bring Walter to me. I have something to say to him."

"From today on, you are the head of the Bindelern family."

"What!?" Walter stared, taken aback. He had been summoned so abruptly, and now this?

"What's brought about this sudden decision?" he asked.

"You already know, don't you?" Willem replied, and Walter took a step back, startled. Gone was the hawk-like glint in his father's eyes. All that remained were the weary eyes of an old man.

Willem gave a bitter smile.

"It's true, I incurred Sir Sylas's wrath. I was humiliated and shamed, yet I couldn't say a word. I knew that if I defied him, everything would be over," Willem admitted, his voice thick with regret.

"Father…" Walter said, his voice filled with a mixture of pity and understanding.

"I should have listened to you from the start. I was a fool—so blinded by my own stubbornness that I ruined everything." Willem covered his face with both hands, his posture radiating remorse. Walter could say nothing, struck by the sight of his father's despair.

"Now I see it clearly. Trying to sabotage the bond between lord and retainer was the worst decision I could've made. I ended up provoking Sir Sylas's fury," Willem continued, his voice a mixture of bitterness and self-loathing.

Sylas had granted him one more chance, but it was just that—a chance. The Bindelern family might be spared, but Willem himself would never be forgiven. Every encounter would be marked by Sylas's merciless disdain. Willem realized he'd either have to hang himself or step down from his position as head of the family.

"So, I am entrusting the family to you. I believe you'll lead it well. You're better suited for this than I am."

"…"

Walter didn't respond, not because he was shocked by his father's transformation or the sudden shift in responsibilities, but because he found himself agreeing. He knew Sylas was a man of merciless resolve, especially when dealing with enemies. If his father had provoked Sylas, nothing good would come from remaining in charge. He realized that it would be better for the Bindelern family if his father's actions ended with him.

"If my father makes another mistake, the family might truly collapse," Walter thought grimly.

"…Understood. I have many shortcomings, so please, guide me as much as you can, Father," he said.

"Of course. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask," Willem replied with a weary smile.

Walter felt a shiver as he looked at his father's defeated expression. Just what had he gone through to change so drastically?

Walter couldn't officially take on the title immediately, as there were formal procedures to follow. For now, he would act as interim head of the family. His first task was to send letters to their allies.

"I'll get straight to the point. Sir Sylas's wrath has been incurred, and His Excellency the Count shares in his anger. My father, who instigated this crisis, has relinquished his title to me to avoid further fury. Sir Sylas will likely visit you as well, so I implore you—be cautious in his presence. I would hate to lose a long-standing neighbor…"

The two families who received Walter's letter were thrown into a panic. They knew that Ray was only the figurehead and that the real power behind the elven trade was Sylas. Yet, they had never fully grasped the extent of that power. For the first time, they were forced to reckon with what would happen if the true master of the west acted.

"A head of a viscount family replaced because of a knight's fury? Is that even possible?"

"Why not? The trade route itself is essentially an agreement between Sir Sylas and the Elven Grand Duke. We're just fortunate to receive the scraps."

"Precisely. If any of the western families fall out of favor, there are plenty of others who could replace us. All it would take is an oath of loyalty and some proven capability."

"If the trade is cut off now, what happens? Our economy has grown so large that a supply halt would ruin us entirely. Our family would be wiped out!"

Realizing their precarious position, the two families were gripped with fear. They felt the weight of Sylas Corleone's anger as if it were a physical presence. When Sylas finally arrived, just behind Walter's messenger, the two families greeted him by prostrating themselves. Fortunately, Sylas seemed willing to let it go. They had, after all, played more of a passive role, merely standing by as events unfolded. But he didn't leave them without a warning.

"Simply keep doing what you're doing. Don't try to take more or seize what isn't yours. Just focus on growing your estates with the profits you're given."

"And when the time comes that I need your strength, don't hesitate to step forward," he added.

The terrified lords nodded, understanding the implications.

After inspecting the other estates, Sylas left a final warning for Leon.

"Do not stir up conflict to satisfy old grudges, Deputy Count."

"Y-yes, I understand. I'll adjust the allocations and distribution immediately," Leon replied, visibly shaken.