Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Each defeat left him staggering on the brink of death, tormented by an unbearable sense of self-loathing. Each time, his thirst for an advanced sword technique grew more desperate.

And now, standing before him was not just any high-level technique—but the strongest of them all.

"I will report to the training grounds first thing tomorrow," William declared.

"Do not overexert yourself," the Grand Duke warned.

"It is not an excess. My body has already recovered. If I rest any longer, it will only waste the condition I have worked to restore."

The Grand Duke furrowed his brows at William's insistence. But rather than backing down, William straightened his posture even further, standing tall as if to prove his strength.

After a brief, assessing glance, the Grand Duke's expression relaxed. It seemed he had confirmed that William's confidence was not mere bravado.

"If you insist, do as you wish. However, any consequences from pushing yourself too far will be yours alone to bear."

"I will keep that in mind."

"I leave the matter concerning the Marquis Rogran's household to you. Stir the waters as you see fit. If your results prove satisfactory, you may expect a reward."

"You will not be disappointed."

"Go, then."

William bowed and stepped out of the Grand Duke's office.

Even now, his heart pounded wildly in his chest. From the moment he had heard the words Lionheart Sword, his pulse had refused to settle.

This is the beginning.

In his past life, William had lacked everything needed to fulfill his dreams. His bloodline, his swordsmanship, his physical strength—everything had barely risen above mediocrity.

No matter how hard he struggled, with such a weak foundation, he had never risen beyond the rank of a mercenary captain.

But now, everything has changed.

This time, the approaching era of chaos would not bind him.

Above all, his bloodline had been restored, eliminating any ceiling to his potential.

William was determined to push as far as he could go.

How high could he climb with this newfound knowledge and power?

Suppressing the grin tugging at the corners of his lips, he let his mind race ahead, sketching the shape of the future.

The Grand Duke wasted no time once William had left. Immediately, he summoned Edwin.

As Edwin scanned the documents detailing the Marquis's scheme, his face grew pale.

"Your Highness…"

"If you intend to apologize, save your breath," the Grand Duke cut in.

"It was my own incompetence..."

"I said, enough. It was my order to concentrate intelligence efforts on the border. Our counterintelligence division was already full of holes—what more could you have done?"

"I should have noticed sooner. This is Kelheim, the very heart of Hern. For an enemy to infiltrate our core and brandish a dagger without me realizing… That is my failure."

"A dagger? Hardly," the Grand Duke scoffed.

Edwin lowered his head, clearly ashamed.

"If it had been a dagger-level threat, you would have noticed. The only reason it went undetected was because it was nothing more than a dull prod—a mere nuisance, not an imminent danger. The fault isn't yours. Bernhardt simply found our blind spot."

"Do you truly consider an attempt to pollute our lands with drugs as nothing more than a nuisance?" Edwin asked incredulously.

"Keep reading."

Edwin's eyes returned to the documents.

Minutes passed as he pored over the details, and soon enough, he let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head.

"They devoted all their effort solely to avoiding detection. With such an approach, neither the spread of the drug nor the profits could have been substantial."

"Exactly. After factoring in distribution and manufacturing costs, there was barely any real profit. I doubt money was their objective. More likely, they sought to tarnish my reputation."

Drug trafficking within the Grand Duke's own domain—carried out right under his nose.

To his political opponents, it would be perfect ammunition to ridicule him, a flaw they could wave in the Emperor's face should he consider bestowing any greater authority upon Hern.

"Regardless, Bernhardt has crossed a line. Even as the Empire wavers, he dares to pull a stunt like this? This is borderline treason."

"He was never one to hold loyalty. This should not be surprising."

"In any case, thanks to my third son, we have avoided disgrace. A stroke of luck."

"...Wait. Did His Highness the Third Prince uncover this?"

"The distribution ring shifted its allegiance to him. My guess is that it was due to that new servant from the underworld he recently took in."

"Hugo, was it?"

"Yes, that one. But think about it—doesn't it seem absurd? That an underworld boss would switch sides just because one scheme was exposed?"

The Grand Duke leaned back in his chair, chuckling softly.

At first, he had dismissed it as a minor curiosity. But upon reflection, it was no trivial matter.

"What real power does my third son hold that would make a man like that swear loyalty? If he were going to switch sides, he would have chosen someone far stronger. Or simply cut his losses and vanished."

"...Which means His Highness the Third Prince must have approached him personally and convinced him," Edwin murmured.

"Convinced… yes, that must be it," the Grand Duke mused.

His gaze darkened slightly as he pondered just how William had done it.

"It is an honor to receive instruction from the Sword Saint. I may be lacking, but I will do my utmost, so please guide me with your wisdom."

William bowed deeply to Aizen, his posture conveying the utmost respect.

The old knight waved a hand dismissively, as if embarrassed by the formal display.

"There is no need to be so formal. A Sword Saint I may be, but I am nothing more than an old man waiting for his final days. Besides, Your Highness is a candidate for the next head of House Hern. How can you bow so easily?"

Despite the knight's humility, William did not allow himself to relax.

To be called a Sword Saint was no ordinary title. It was an honor reserved only for those who had reached the absolute peak of swordsmanship—warriors who had surpassed the limits of human potential, attaining enlightenment through sheer mastery of the blade.

Even in the long history of the Empire, there had only ever been a single instance when more than one Sword Saint existed at the same time. And even then, it was merely for a few short years before the previous Sword Saint passed away.