Former Fake Becomes Grand Duke of the North

The next day, the twins reported to me that the northern nobles were abuzz last night, when they noticed the absence of Dad and I during the banquet. They speculated about what it meant. Mom and Count Wirner attended the banquet in our absence and acted as if nothing was wrong, but this just further fueled the northern nobles’ speculation.

Many suspected that Dad and I were too afraid to show our faces, now that the rumors about me were running rampant. I almost snorted at the stupidity of that line of thinking. Dad? Afraid of facing a few nobles? What nonsense.

Others believed that Dad and I were scrambling to fix the situation, desperate to find a solution. House Steuben encouraged these rumors and took advantage of our absence to increase their influence.

Since this was what we wanted, in order to further fuel the rumors, I decided to not attend the rest of the banquet until the last day. I even stopped attending the meetings with the vassals. All this, in order to give House Steuben more rope to hang themselves with. The higher they rose, the harder they would fall. However, I never forgot that our real opponents were Prince Dirk, Prince Leopold, and Fallen Leaves.

House Gerhard and my other supporters grew more and more worried. However, Lina worked to reassure them. I let her, since the main reason why House Gerhard aligned themselves with me in the first place was because of my connection to House Guld. Lina kept a low profile, to avoid alerting most of the northern nobles to her presence in Kaltbrand Castle, but she met with key figures among my supporters. She even made time to meet with Lady Adelheid.

I didn’t attend the meeting itself, but Lina must have said something to the poor woman. The next time I saw Lady Adelheid, she seemed shaken and spooked. She treated me with extreme politeness, and even deference. So much so that she retreated whenever I drew near her. It was as if she were afraid to come close to me.

As for House Arbeit, holding Lord Ulric hostage kept them in check. While they grumbled about Dad’s tyrannical nature, they refrained from participating in the gossip and rumors. However, the Blue Shadows noticed some suspicious movements from their followers.

It seemed that some of House Arbeit’s supporters were meeting with nobles who had aligned themselves with House Steuben. We didn’t know if that meant that House Arbeit would lose more of their influence, or if they were trying to broker an alliance with House Steuben. Regardless, we kept an eye on them.

Now that I didn’t have to attend the banquet or the meetings with the vassals, I decided to test my newfound power and practice wielding the coldfire. To avoid alerting anyone, I practiced in my rooms.

Wielding the coldfire was an interesting experience. It responded to my will, acting like an extension of myself. However, I didn’t have perfect control over it. I had raw power, but little finesse. I couldn’t wield the coldfire with any degree of subtlety. It was like a blunt weapon in my hands, powerful and destructive, but little else. Like with any skill, I needed to train and hone my control.

This reminded me of when I first started learning the sword. Back then, I first built a solid foundation by training my body and practicing the basics. Only after I mastered the fundamentals did I proceed with more advanced training. I took a similar approach with the coldfire.

Dad was a great help here. He gave me solid advice, backed by decades of experience. I remembered how he froze Count Arbeit’s feet to the floor without the latter noticing, back when Lord Wilhelm ambushed Lord Ulric. I wanted to wield the coldfire with the same level of skill and finesse.

When I wasn’t practicing with the coldfire, I spent time with Lina and Mika. After three years apart, I missed them and wanted to spend as much time with them as I could. I even took the two of them shopping, something I avoided as much as possible when I lived at Guld Manor. Every member of House Guld, excluding myself, was a spendthrift. Whenever they went shopping, they tossed coin around without worry. I found the experience exhausting, so I stopped going with them on shopping trips.

However, House Guld didn’t spend money just to show off their wealth. When I asked Father about it, he told me that it was better to spend their coin instead of hoarding it, where it wasn’t doing anyone any good. The whole point of wealth was to use it, instead of letting it collect dust. House Guld enjoyed great prosperity as the rulers of the Riverlands, but they didn’t keep all of that prosperity to themselves.

During our shopping trip, I spent hours following Lina and Mika around. They explored the various shops and stores located in Frostheart. Mika, in particular, was over the moon when she saw how many of them sold magic tools and enchanted items. She made sure to buy at least one from every shop we visited. More often than not, she bought more than one. We had to bring a separate carriage with us just to transport all of her purchases. The shopkeepers and store owners were, of course, happy to serve such a generous customer.

Lina focused more on accessories and other things she would need for the upcoming ball. She planned on attending as my partner, revealing to the world that she and I intended to marry one another. This worried me a little, since I wasn’t sure how the rest of House Guld would react. Lina said that Father and Mother blessed our union, but that was before they knew that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand.

Our marriage would have far reaching consequences. She was a daughter of a prominent ducal family, and I was the heir to the second most powerful family in the Reichwald Empire. The union between our two families through our marriage would rearrange the political landscape of the entire empire.

So much so, that I suspected that we would be pulled into the battle for the throne between the scions of House Reichwald. In fact, House Kaltbrand was already part of that battle thanks to Prince Dirk and Fallen Leaves. I feared that Father and Mother would change their minds when they realized all of this.

Still, even though the path before us was difficult, not once did Lina and I consider breaking our betrothal to one another. I loved her, and she loved me. I was her winter king, and she was my spring queen. If Father and Mother objected to our marriage, we would just have to find a way to change their minds. As for the imperial succession, we would deal with that when the time came.

The days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for the ball. I stood in my dressing room, looking at myself in the mirror and making sure that nothing was out of place. I wore an outfit in the colors of House Kaltbrand: black, blue, and silver. If I hadn’t found out that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, I would’ve felt uncomfortable wearing this outfit, as if it didn’t belong to me. However, since I knew that I was the heir to House Kaltbrand, I felt no awkwardness or discomfort. It felt as if I was always meant to wear the colors of House Kaltbrand.

It was funny how one’s perspective could change everything.

As I examined myself in the mirror, fixing any mistakes or flaws that I found, the door to my dressing room opened and Mom walked in. She wore a severe dress, also in the colors of House Kaltbrand, reminiscent of the uniform the Coldsteel Knights wore. How fitting. Even though she was set to become the next grand duchess, she was first and foremost an Aura Master and the knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights. Any dress she wore should reflect that.

Mom walked over to my side and met my eyes through the mirror. She smiled.

“How do you feel?” She asked.

“A little nervous.” I admitted. “After tonight, everything will change. I will become the undisputed heir of House Kaltbrand.”

Mom snorted.

“You’re already the undisputed heir of House Kaltbrand.” She said. “It’s just that only a few people know it.” Her smile faded away. “You’re right, however. After tonight, everything will change.” She gave me a serious look. “Are you ready for that?”

I nodded. Securing my position as heir to House Kaltbrand was just the first step. In addition to aiding Dad in ruling the Barrens and defending against the demonic beast threat, I would have to deal with the various political factions within the Reichwald Empire. The scions of House Reichwald vying for the throne, the ducal houses who ruled the regions, the Church of Light and Darkness, the Tower of Magic, etc. Each of them had their own agendas, allegiances, and interests.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache, and that was on top of my personal issues. I still needed to resolve things with House Guld. Until I did, I would continue to feel ill at ease. They were my family and I loved them, but I feared that they would turn away and reject me. I also needed to find a way to reconcile my birth family and my adopted family.

After their heated first meeting, Lina and Mom maintained a cold politeness towards one another. However, lurking beneath their superficial civility, a tension existed between them. I feared that a similar situation would occur with the rest of House Guld. I loved both of my families and I wanted them to get along. However, if Lina and Mom were any indication, that would be no easy task.

Mom wrapped her arm around my waist and laid her head on my shoulder. She let out a contented sigh.

“I never thought I would ever see this day,” she said, “When I would be able to stand by your side and watch you take your rightful place.” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “I’m proud of you, Wulfe. You’ve become a fine young man.”

“I was raised by a good family.” I said.

Mom grimaced.

“I know.” She said. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I know. Still, I hate the fact that you spent half your life calling another woman ‘Mother’. It feels like she stole you away from me somehow.” She let out a derisive snort. “Foolish, I know. After everything that happened, I have no right to feel that way. And yet, I feel it all the same.”

“Think of it this way,” I said, “If it hadn’t been for House Guld, you and I might not have ever met. We could have gone our entire lives without finding one another.”

Mom’s grip on my waist tightened.

“I know.” She said in a quiet voice. “A part of me fears that this is all a dream, and when I wake up, you’ll be gone.”

I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her into a side hug.

“I’m not going anywhere.” I said. “You and Dad owe me, and I intend to collect my due.”

Mom laughed at that.

“Besides,” I continued, “You played a significant role in my life, even before you found out that I was your son. I picked up the sword and became an Aura user because I wanted to be just like you. You were, and still are, my hero. Finding out that you were my birth mother did nothing to diminish that.”

Mom wiped a tear from her eye.

“Thank you.” She said. “I needed to hear that. I love you, Wulfe.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

With that, any lingering feelings of awkwardness and resentment I felt towards Mom melted away. We remained silent for the next few minutes, taking solace in each other’s presence.

“I still don’t like that fiancée of yours.” Mom said, breaking the silence. “I only just reunited with you and told you the truth. Yet, from the moment she arrived in Kaltbrand Castle, she’s monopolized your time.”

I sighed.

“I’m sorry.” I said. “We haven’t seen each other in years and we’ve missed each other.”

“I know.” Mom said. “Just don’t forget your dear old mother.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Mom gave me one last squeeze, before letting go.

“Good.” She said. “I’ll hold you to it.” She hesitated for a moment. “There’s something you should know, before we head to the ball.”

I frowned.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

Mom shook her head.

“No.” She said. “However, Anselm and I decided to get married as soon as the banquet ends and everyone returns home. You wield the coldfire, but someone may take issue with your illegitimacy. We figured it was best to nip that particular problem in the bud.”

Her words surprised me, but they weren’t totally unexpected. My illegitimacy was a problem. The sooner we fixed it, the better.

“When did you decide this?” I asked.

“When you went shopping with Lady Lina and Lady Mika.” Mom said. “Anselm and I also decided that, as a family, we would spend the social season in Haven this year.”

That caught me off guard. The social season started towards the end of winter and lasted until the end of summer, just before the autumn harvest. During this time, any noble that could afford to do so flocked to Haven. They formed political alliances, made trade deals, and arranged marriages with one another. The social season also gave those same families a chance to interact with those higher than them on the social ladder, including the imperial family. One’s actions during the social season often decided the fate of one’s family.

Most noble families returned to their domains for the autumn harvest in order to prepare for winter. However, some noble families remained in Haven all year round. These families were sometimes called central nobles. A few central nobles wielded tremendous political influence and were key figures in high society. The remaining central nobles were their lackeys, hoping to earn scraps.

There were a rare few nobles who never visited Haven, even during the social season, except when necessary. They kept to themselves and refrained from participating in high society. Dad was one of these few, and had been ever since the late grand duchess, my aunt, passed away. Not that he needed to participate in high society. Dad was already one of the most powerful and influential figures in the entire Reichwald. Only House Reichwald stood above him.

“Why?” I asked.

“Anselm realized that staying neutral in the fight for the throne was no longer an option,” Mom said. “We need to pick a side. To do that, we need to go down to Haven and get a better feel for the situation.”

I thought it over. What she said made sense. Staying neutral didn’t guarantee anything. Prince Dirk already proved that even if we tried to stay out of the fight for the throne, someone would drag us into it. Rather than wait for someone to make the choice for us, we might as well take the proactive approach.

“What about the Barrens?” I asked.

“Teacher will stay to look after things.” Mom said, indifferent.

I nodded. Count Wirner was a respected figure and the former knight commander of the Coldsteel Knights. He was the perfect person to hold down the fort, so to speak, while we were in Haven.

As I studied Mom’s face in the mirror, it occurred to me that this was a good time to try and help mend the rift between her and Count Wirner.

“Mom, about Grandfather,” I said, “Have you considered-”

Mom held up a hand, cutting me off.

“Don’t.” She said, a warning in her voice. “Just… Just don’t. You are my son and I love you, but my relationship with Teacher is none of your business.” Her expression turned somber. “There are some things that just can’t be mended.”

I considered trying again, but the look in her eyes told me that it would be a bad idea. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, I kept my mouth shut.

“Now then,” Mom said, “We should get going. Otherwise, we’ll be late. You don’t want to keep that fiancée of yours waiting, do you?”

I smiled at the thought of attending the ball with Lina. Despite what may occur tonight, this was our first time attending a social event as a betrothed couple and I looked forward to it.

“I’m going to go find Anselm.” Mom said. “We’ll meet you at the ballroom.”

I nodded. With that, the two of us left my dressing room to find our respective partners.

When I arrived at Lina’s rooms, I found her finishing up with her makeup in her dressing room. Rosalind helped her. Rather than assign a regular maid to Lina, Dad decided it was best to assign a Blue Shadow instead. Part of this was for her protection, but part of it was to keep an eye on Lina herself. Dad didn’t trust her as I did.

I objected to this. However, Lina accepted the situation without complaint. She mentioned that she would have done the same, had the situation been reversed. As a compromise, we chose Rosalind as Lina’s maid since she was loyal to me and was more discreet than her sister.

Lina in front of a mirror as Rosalind applied makeup to her. A few moments after I arrived, she finished and took a step back.

“There we go, my lady,” Rosalind said, “All finished.”

Lina observed herself in the mirror for several moments, before she nodded.

“Excellent.” She said, smiling. “You have a deft hand.”

Rosalind nodded.

“Thank you, my lady.” She said.

While she feigned indifference, I saw that Lina’s praise pleased her.

“What do you think, Wulfram?” Lina asked.

She stood up and presented herself. I sucked in a breath. Lina wore a deep green dress that reminded me of Mother’s gardens in Guld Manor, verdant and full of life. The color matched her eyes. A few tasteful accessories adorned Lina, giving her a bit of sparkle. She wore her makeup light and subtle, which accentuated her natural beauty. The scent of her rose perfume teased my nose.

All in all, she looked like some kind of fairy queen or spring goddess who had descended to bring warmth and vitality to this cold land. If I wasn’t already in love with her, I would have fallen for her right then and there. I stood there in a daze, just staring at her.

“Wulfram?” Lina asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

I shook myself out of the daze.

“I apologize.” I said. “Your beauty overwhelmed me and I couldn’t help but stare.”

Lina smiled at that.

“Thank you for the compliment.” She said. “Shall we get going?”

“Yes, we shall.” I said.

I took her by the arm and escorted her out of the dressing room. However, before we left, I glanced back at Rosalind and mouthed ‘Thank you’ to her. She nodded in response.

“How is Mika?” I asked as I escorted Lina to the ballroom.

“Still sulking.” Lina said in a dry tone.

Mika wanted to attend the ball with us. However, since she hadn’t come of age yet, Lina and I forbade her from going. This upset Mika and she locked herself in her rooms in protest. To make sure nothing happened, I tasked Maria with keeping her company.

“That’s better than getting her involved in tonight’s events.” I said in a grim voice.

Lina nodded, a serious expression on her face.

“Agreed.” She said. “However, we should make it up to her when we have the chance. Otherwise, she’ll hold a grudge against us for the next several weeks.”

I nodded. We remained silent for the rest of the journey to the ballroom. We found Mom, Dad, and Count Wirner waiting for us just outside. Dad wore an outfit similar to mine, while Count Wirner wore a plainer, more somber outfit. Everyone nodded at us when we joined them, before we all entered the ballroom as a group.

Time for the show to begin.