Lord of Caldera - Chapter 242

Chapter 242: Chapter 242

Ray’s statement froze everyone in the room. Willem’s flushed face instantly turned ashen.

“Y-Your Excellency…”

“Ray, hold off on that,” Sylas interrupted.

“Yes, my lord.”

Willem stammered, desperate to say something, but Sylas’s command stilled Ray immediately, as if he hadn’t just made a threat. As Willem wiped the sweat from his forehead, Sylas muttered casually.

“Actually, should I just stop the supply altogether?”

“I’ll carry out your will.”

“On second thought, perhaps tripling the supplies here might be appropriate.”

“I’ll inform Leon at once.”

“Hmm, isolating them to let them wither away might also be a good idea.”

“At your command.”

With each exchange, Willem’s entire body shook. These were decisions that could determine the rise or fall of his family, yet Sylas was discussing them as casually as if deciding on breakfast. Only then did Willem truly understand.

It’s not the Count. This man holds all the power.

Walter had been right. It was Willem himself who had failed to grasp the situation, and now the consequences were immense.

“S-Sir Sylas, just a moment ago I—”

“A brilliant idea just came to me!” Sylas suddenly clapped his hands, flashing a wide smile.

“We’ll halt the supply of goods but phase it out gradually. We’ll reduce the volume by half and distribute it to other families.”

“…!”

“I’ve heard there are some up-and-coming families recently, right? Let’s spread the wealth among them. Once they’ve had a taste of real prosperity, they won’t know what hit them.”

“S-Sir Sylas.”

“And from there, we’ll choose selectively. There’s bound to be a family ready to replace Bindelern. After a thorough review, we’ll take them as vassals and reallocate all of this family’s supply…”

“Nooo!” Willem cried, collapsing to his knees in front of Sylas. His hawk-like eyes were now wide with fear, more like those of a frightened rabbit.

Willem’s forehead struck the floor with a loud thud as he sobbed. “My lord! Forgive me! Please, forgive me!”

“My lord? I thought you swore loyalty to His Excellency, the Count. You’re speaking nonsense.”

“I was wrong! I’ve done wrong! Please, show mercy!”

“Hahaha, why are you kneeling before a mere knight? Someone might misunderstand. Stand up already.”

“Ohhh! My lord! My loooord!” Willem wailed like a madman as he crawled forward, grabbing the hem of Sylas’s trousers. Somehow, he understood. This was his last chance. If he didn’t secure Sylas’s forgiveness now, the Bindelern family was finished. Tears rolled down his face at the horror of that future.

“F-forgiveness… Please… forgiveness…!”

Sylas looked down indifferently at the trembling, pleading lord. After a long pause, Sylas finally spoke.

“Sit back down. Don’t cling so desperately.”

“Sob…”

Willem wept, his tears now of relief, grateful for this slim chance of survival.

In less than half a day, the roles of host and guest had been completely reversed. Willem Bindelern knelt, his trembling hands holding out a set of documents.

“P-please, take these,” he said.

“And what is this?” Sylas asked coldly.

“It’s the record of the trade goods distribution we received from the Count’s Deputy.”

Sylas snatched the documents and gave them a quick, cursory glance. Detailed accounts of the goods received, how they were distributed, and where they had been hidden were all meticulously documented. It was practically a confession from Willem. But Sylas’s response was nothing but cold disdain.

“What a pointless gesture.”

With a swift motion, Sylas tossed the papers into the fire.

“W-what…?” Willem’s mouth dropped open as he watched the documents turn to ash in seconds, leaving him speechless.

“I don’t care how the Count’s Deputy distributed the goods or how much you embezzled.”

“Are you saying…?”

“There’s only one thing I care about—the stability, development, and order of the west.”

Willem clamped his mouth shut at the lofty words. Was he supposed to believe that? But then, Sylas continued, and his next words made everything fall into place.

“Conflict breeds chaos, and chaos makes governance difficult. I want a western region that moves smoothly and loyally under Ray’s command, without disruption. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“No, I don’t think you do.” A sharp smile curved at the corners of Sylas’s mouth. “A little competition is fine. But you crossed the line—you used your lord, instigated conflict among estates, and let greed blind you.”

“There’s no excuse…” Willem began.

“There shouldn’t be. Nor could there be.” Willem felt cold sweat trickling down his face and chin. Sylas’s anger was no mere display; it was real. The man before him was genuinely deliberating whether to completely eradicate the Bindelern family.

“I’ll repeat myself. The documents don’t matter. What matters is whether you can repair the damage you caused.”

“I can fix it! I’ll ensure that our estate flourishes even more than before!”

“I doubt that. Nothing’s changed—the Count’s Deputy is still in place, and neither your allotment nor your distribution order has improved. So how exactly do you plan to recover?”

Sylas’s words hit Willem like a hammer. It was true; the reputation of Bindelern estate had plummeted among outsiders. The one solution he had banked on was replacing the Count’s Deputy, but his schemes had long since fallen apart.

“If I admit that it’s impossible, it’s the end of me,” Willem thought desperately. He had already lost too many points in Sylas’s eyes. If he admitted failure, the punishment would surely be merciless.

“Please, just give me a chance…!” he begged.

“I’ll speak to the Count’s Deputy and ensure that your allotment and order are on par with the other families from now on.”

“…!” Willem’s head shot up, hope flickering in his eyes. Having equal distribution terms offered a glimmer of hope.

“Thank you!”

“There’s no need to thank me. If you can’t manage even with this concession, then there will be no further leniency.”

“I’ll restore it to a standard you’ll be pleased with. I swear on the name of Willem Bindelern!”

Tears welled up in Willem’s eyes. He was alive. Many hardships lay ahead, but for now, he had survived. Both he and his family had been granted a second chance, and that alone filled him with overwhelming relief.