Lord of Caldera - Chapter 236

Chapter 236: Chapter 236

Leon was the son of a concubine, once disregarded by his own family. But when he gained power, they only sought to use him. Now, with the concubine’s child in a position of prominence, the family dynamics had been entirely upended. To the other three families, this situation was a golden opportunity. They knew that even the slightest offense could cause Leon to be dismissed from his position as the count’s proxy.

“They aren’t making any drastic moves,” Leon explained, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “They just want to show that I can’t control the vassal families, which would be enough for Lady Rey to see me as incompetent.”

“And what did Rey say when you explained this?” Sylas asked.

“She said, ‘You’re quite aware of the situation,'” Leon replied, looking dejected. Rey’s words carried an unspoken warning—’That’s your issue to handle, but if you can’t get it together, I won’t tolerate it.’

Sylas couldn’t help but laugh.

“It was a sound strategy, and it worked perfectly, didn’t it?”

“This is no laughing matter!”

“It is for me, Proxy,” Sylas replied, his tone suddenly icy. Leon froze at the chill in his voice as Sylas looked at him with a serious expression.

“I chose to keep a family member you dislike as my vassal. Do you know why?”

“N-no, I don’t.”

“Because the Winslow family is painfully aware of the consequences of their actions. You and your father know it well,” Sylas continued. “The position of a count’s proxy wields significant authority, so normally, I would have secured a solid leash. But with Winslow, no such leash was necessary. The consequences of their past deeds are enough to keep them in line.”

“The Winslow family has certainly been helpful,” Sylas continued. “I remember clearly how they assisted in eliminating Count Valdemar.”

“Yes, of course…,” Leon murmured.

“But if Winslow hadn’t accepted my offer, I would have let Rey do as she pleased—even if that meant the end of your family,” Sylas added, watching Leon closely.

Leon’s eyes widened as the memory came rushing back—the day before Count Valdemar’s downfall, Rey had visited and warned him that Winslow would face ruin if they didn’t support Sylas. Remembering that moment, Leon swallowed nervously.

“Don’t think for a moment that I’d side with Winslow because I’m rational while Rey is consumed by irrational anger. Her anger is entirely justified. If the Winslows forget their place, I’ll cast them aside myself.”

“Y-yes!” Leon lowered his head, his face pale. His attempt to complain had backfired spectacularly. But before he could dwell on his mistake, Sylas spoke again.

“However, I’ll handle this situation for now.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m not pleased with needless power struggles disrupting our work.”

“Thank you very much!” Leon exclaimed, overwhelmed with relief.

“That’s enough. Just keep doing things as you have,” Sylas advised.

“Of course! The Winslow family will remember its place!”

Sylas chuckled at Leon’s trembling promise. With this, he’d kept the Winslows in check. Now, it was time to deal with the other three families.

‘Seems they still haven’t learned. Do they think I’m a lenient lord who can be defied without consequence?’

A bit of behind-the-scenes rivalry was tolerable, but attempting to exploit Rey’s anger was not. These vassals had sworn their loyalty, and yet they dared to manipulate someone they shouldn’t even look at.

‘It’s time to remind them of their place.’

Sylas’s eyes glinted with a cold, determined light.

Sylas immediately began preparations to leave. While there had been plenty of relaxed time when nothing was happening, visiting all three territories within a limited timeframe made things tight. Within a day, his party was ready, and before departing, they stopped by Arathion’s quarters.

“Something’s come up, so we’re planning to leave soon,” Sylas informed him.

“That’s unfortunate. I was hoping for a bit more conversation,” Arathion replied with a hint of regret.

“Once I settle down, there will be plenty of time for that, I’m sure.”

“The higher you rise, the harder it is to find time,” Arathion remarked with a wry smile.

The two men continued conversing easily, yet they both sensed it—this would be the last time they would speak so informally. The next time they met, it would be as leaders of their respective factions.

“Before you leave, be sure to see Eldira.”

“I planned to,” Sylas replied.

“It seems you’ve grown close already,” Arathion noted.

“I’d rather not leave without saying goodbye and risk being resented later,” Sylas admitted. He could no longer rely on his previous excuses of not having had much experience with romance. Arathion laughed, commending his choice.

Surprisingly, Eldira’s farewell was calm and composed.

“You’re quite busy,” she remarked.

“Sorry. There’s a lot to handle, so it’ll be some time before we can spend much time together.”

“No need to apologize. Those with aspirations are always busy. Don’t let trivial attachments deter you from your path. I’ll be waiting, as ever.”

“….”

Her words reflected a mindset worlds apart from the typical woman of the era. Sylas found himself momentarily captivated by Eldira’s confidence. She truly embodied the image of a woman who could leave a lasting mark on her time. Sylas regained his composure and let out a faint chuckle.

‘Perhaps we’re better suited to each other than I thought.’

Even if this was a political marriage, it might not be a bad match after all. With that thought, Sylas and his party departed from the Herning estate.

Their first destination was the Bindeln estate, primarily because it was the closest of the three from Herning. As they traveled, Sylas recalled some of the history between the Bindeln and Winslow families.

“I remember hearing that the Winslow and Bindeln families have been at odds for a long time.”

“Yes, they grit their teeth just at the sight of each other,” one of his companions replied.

The reason for this enmity was simple. Bindeln bordered the monster-infested region and, as such, often acted as a buffer for Winslow, which lay further inland. Monsters would have to pass through Winslow territory before they could threaten Bindeln, effectively making Winslow’s sacrifices the reason Bindeln enjoyed relative safety.