Lord Summoner's Freedom Philosophy: Grimoire of Love
Chapter 343: Let The War of Nobles Begin

Chapter 343: Let The War of Nobles Begin

"We managed to extract valuable information from the assassins," Ravia began, her voice steady and clear. "The assassins were sent by Lord Hektor Ravalos, as we suspected. His orders were simple: infiltrate Grafen, gather intelligence on our defenses, and identify any weaknesses that could be exploited.

Raine, who had been silent up until now, added with a wry smile, "They also mentioned that Lord Hektor is growing increasingly paranoid about our rapid rise to power. He sees Grafen as a threat to his ambitions and is desperate to find a way to bring us down before we become too powerful to challenge."

Lyan listened intently, his expression unreadable as he processed the information. The room was silent, the atmosphere tense as the implications of Ravia and Raine’s words sank in. The threat from Lord Hektor was real, and it was growing with each passing day.

Wilhelmina, ever the strategist, leaned forward, her fingers drumming lightly on the table. "If Lord Hektor is paranoid, we can use that to our advantage. Paranoia breeds mistakes, and if we play our cards right, we can manipulate him into making a move that will expose him."

Josephine nodded in agreement, her eyes sharp with determination. "But we need to be careful. If we push him too far, he might act out of desperation, and that could lead to a full-scale conflict before we’re ready."

Alina, her gaze focused on the map spread out before them, spoke up. "What if we let him believe that Grafen is weaker than it actually is? We could feed him false information through the assassins, make it seem like our defenses are stretched thin or that we’re facing internal strife. That way, when he does decide to strike, he’ll be walking into a trap."

Xena, always eager for action, grinned at the suggestion. "I like the sound of that. We could even stage a few ’accidents’—minor skirmishes that make it look like we’re struggling to maintain control. It would bait him into attacking when we’re at our strongest."

Surena, ever the diplomat, raised a hand in caution. "But we must consider the repercussions. If we deceive Lord Hektor and lure him into a trap, it could provoke a larger conflict with the other nobles. They might see it as an opportunity to band together against us, and we could end up fighting on multiple fronts."

Lyan, who had been listening quietly to the discussion, finally spoke, his voice calm but authoritative. "All of your points are valid. We need to be strategic in how we handle this. I believe that Alina’s suggestion has merit—we should let Lord Hektor believe that Grafen is vulnerable. But we must be careful in how we present this information. It needs to be subtle, believable. We don’t want to tip our hand too early."

He paused, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Here’s what we’ll do: we’ll brainwash the assassins, implanting false memories and information that they can take back to Lord Hektor. We’ll let them ’escape’ and return to him with reports of internal strife and weakened defenses. At the same time, we’ll start preparing our forces for a potential conflict. When Lord Hektor makes his move, we’ll be ready."

Wilhelmina frowned slightly, her concern evident. "But what if Lord Hektor manages to rally the other nobles against us? We’re still only a barony, and while we have powerful allies and defenses, a coordinated attack from multiple fronts could stretch us thin. We don’t want to provoke a war that we can’t win."

Lyan smiled faintly, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement. "I anticipated that concern, which is why I’ve already taken steps to secure our position."

He reached into his coat and pulled out a small, elegantly folded note. The seal on the note was unmistakable—royal, bearing the crest of the Astellia Kingdom. He unfolded it and placed it on the table, letting the others see the contents.

The room fell silent as the council members read the letter, their expressions shifting from curiosity to surprise. The letter was a formal order, granting Lyan the authority to retaliate against any noble who attacked Grafen, with the full backing of the royal family. But what was most surprising was the signature at the bottom—it wasn’t from Erich, the crown prince, but from the king himself.

"This letter," Lyan explained, "gives us all the authority we need. The king has granted us the right to defend our territory and retaliate against any aggression. If Lord Hektor and the other nobles decide to unite against us, they will be doing so in defiance of the crown. And that will give us the leverage we need to not only defend Grafen but to expand our influence."

The implications of the letter were clear. With the king’s backing, Lyan’s actions would be seen as legitimate, and any noble who moved against Grafen would be risking not only their own lands but also the wrath of the crown. It was a powerful position to be in, and it gave Lyan and his allies the upper hand in the coming conflict.

Alina leaned back in her chair, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "Well, that changes things. With the king’s support, we can afford to be more aggressive in our tactics. We can set the stage for Lord Hektor’s downfall and ensure that when he falls, the other nobles fall with him."

Josephine nodded, her eyes gleaming with resolve. "And once we’ve dealt with Lord Hektor, we can use the momentum to solidify our control over the surrounding territories. We’ll turn Grafen from a barony into a power that even the most ambitious nobles will think twice about challenging."

Ravia, ever the practical one, added, "We’ll need to coordinate our efforts carefully. The timing of the information we feed to Lord Hektor, the positioning of our forces, and the political maneuvers we’ll need to make to keep the other nobles off balance—it all has to be flawless."

Lyan stood, the meeting effectively concluded. His gaze swept over the faces of his closest allies, the people he trusted to carry out his plans. "We have our path forward. We’ll begin preparations immediately. Let the assassins return to Lord Hektor with their ’information,’ and in the meantime, we’ll fortify Grafen and prepare for the battle to come."

As the council members began to rise, ready to put their plans into action, Lyan felt a surge of determination. This was his moment, the culmination of everything he had worked for. Grafen would not only survive the coming storm—it would thrive, and in doing so, it would set the stage for a new era of power and influence.

"Let the war of nobles begin," Lyan murmured to himself, the weight of the words settling over him like a mantle. It was a war he intended to win, no matter the cost.