Lord of Caldera - Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Chapter 166

“It’s absurd. Completely absurd,” Bjorn muttered to himself. When someone mentions northern blood and land, it implies a family rooted deeply in this region. Clearly, just having a hint of northern blood and land wouldn’t be enough to qualify for this.

“What’s with that look? Worried I won’t get acknowledged?” Sylas asked, grinning.

“To be honest, yes,” Bjorn admitted, nodding in agreement with Henrik beside him.

“Moreover, a matter as important as the Platinum Council isn’t something one can simply attend on their own,” Bjorn added.

“Then how would one attend?”

“You’d need an invitation from someone of high standing.”

In official events, it’s rare for doors to be open for just anyone. Most of the time, entry is strictly limited to invitees, especially when it involves politics and power.

“I’ll certainly receive an invitation, but as for you, my lord…”

“They’ll just ignore me?”

“More accurately, they probably won’t even know you exist. A baron chased to the outskirts like Falun doesn’t have much presence.”

If a prominent figure had been ousted, at least their name would be known. But someone who was never noteworthy in the first place might vanish without anyone noticing. Besides, those in charge of a gathering as significant as the Platinum Council wouldn’t concern themselves with minor details.

“So the best approach would be for me to get invited and have you accompany me,” Bjorn suggested.

“No,” Sylas rejected the idea outright. “Then I won’t have a voice there.”

“A…voice?”

“You’re the one invited, so technically, I wouldn’t have the right to speak. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, yes… but I could be your voice, couldn’t I?” Bjorn replied. Though he would technically hold the voice, Bjorn could be a reliable spokesperson for his lord, Sylas, if he wished.

But Sylas shook his head, reading Bjorn’s thoughts.

“I had originally planned to do that, but…” Sylas’s initial idea had been to let Bjorn take center stage and rule as the northern king, while he remained in the background to support him. However, his encounter with Ragnar had changed his mind.

Bjorn isn’t ready for this yet.

Sylas could handle Ragnar, but that was thanks to the experience gained from both his past and current life. Ragnar, as Sylas observed, was already at a level fit for ruling as a monarch. For Bjorn, who had only recently begun seeing himself as a ruler, Ragnar was too daunting an opponent. Therefore, Sylas needed to secure a voice in this Platinum Council himself. Even if Bjorn could act as his representative, there were limits in a real-time meeting, especially one involving numerous lords where he’d need to demonstrate his worth.

“So there’s only one solution,” Sylas decided. He needed to ensure he was invited directly. With his mind made up, Sylas stood up from his seat.

“I need to write a letter.”

“A letter? To whom?”

“To Marquis Serge,” Sylas replied.

Bjorn’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

Marquis Serge, head of the Leiningen family, was the most powerful lord in the North and the only one capable of challenging the Chief of Chiefs. Even that Chief had to meet with Serge before the council could be convened. If the Marquis refused, summoning all the lords would be unthinkable.

“So, I just need to move the Marquis with my letter.”

“That’s not incorrect….”

Just as the Chief had united all the northern tribes, Marquis Serge would act as the de facto representative of the northern lords under the Empire. He would also likely decide who attended the council. If Sylas could sway him, he would receive an invitation.

“But do you really think he’ll be moved by a letter?” Bjorn asked skeptically.

The Marquis was a major noble. Why would he be inclined to invite someone like Sylas, an outsider from the East?

He’d probably find it offensive.

In these times, regional loyalty was especially strong. Outsiders were already at a disadvantage in any first meeting. And a noble from the East ousting and replacing a northern one? That was almost an invitation to draw swords.

“Honestly, it’d be a miracle if he didn’t draw his sword,” Bjorn added.

“Perfect.”

“Excuse me?”

“Annoyance or not, it means he’s paying attention.”

Right now, attention was what mattered most. Whether it was negative or not, if Sylas could gather his gaze, that would be more than enough. A hundred times better than being ignored.

“Great. Then I know what the letter will say,” Sylas said, swiftly writing out the message and handing it to a messenger.

As the messenger rode away, Bjorn and the others looked at Sylas with puzzled expressions.

“What did you write in the letter?” someone asked.

“Wait and see,” Sylas replied, a mysterious smile on his face.

And in less than a week, the knights appeared.

“They really came!” Henrik exclaimed in shock, recognizing the snowflake insignia on their banner, the symbol of the strongest armed force under Marquis Serge—the Snowflake Knights.

“What in the world did you write to bring the Snowflake Knights here?”

“It’s rare for the knights to escort anyone who isn’t a truly high-ranking guest,” one of Sylas’s retainers observed as the knights approached. Toby, watching the approaching force, murmured to himself.

“Something’s off.”

“Off? What do you mean?”

“The atmosphere… it feels like they’re here for a fight.”

“Haha, no way!” While it was true the Marquis had no reason to favor Sylas, dispatching his strongest armed force over a mere letter seemed absurd.

“That’s nonsense. Look, one of them is stepping forward, so we’ll know soon enough—”

“Sylas Corleone, traitor to the Empire, come forth at once!”

“…”

Everyone on the wall froze. Did they hear that correctly?

“If you do not come out, we will take it as an admission of treason and proceed to subjugate you!”

They had heard right. The soldiers around turned their eyes to Sylas with questioning gazes.

What did you do?

Sylas shrugged lightly and turned away.

“Well, they’ve sent me an invitation. Let’s go,” he said, as if this were any normal summons.

An invitation? The retainers swallowed their immediate objections and followed Sylas.