‘As expected,’ Leon sighed to himself. ‘He caught on fast.’

Leon didn't answer right away. Instead, he calmly raised his hand and held up three fingers between them.

“I have three distinct reasons.”

The Duke leaned back.

“Let’s hear them.”

Leon lowered his first finger.

“First, it directly benefits my house,” Leon explained. “House Serpentine does not lack physical strength, but we are currently not in a position to ignore major opportunities. Forming direct ties with a military dukedom like Armathorne carries massive political significance, especially with how things are starting to shift around the empire.”

The Duke didn't interrupt his speech, so Leon kept going.

“The recent increase in demon sightings along the borders isn't normal. It is happening across multiple regions simultaneously, and the pattern is too consistent to ignore. The defensive barriers maintained by the Magus and Divinity factions have held for centuries, but if these border breaches keep up, it means the continental barrier itself is actively weakening.”

That specific statement caught the Duke’s attention.

“And when it weakens past a certain point, we will no longer be dealing with scattered monster incidents,” Leon pressed on. “It will rapidly turn into something much larger. A full-scale continental conflict.”

“Are you… suggesting the immediate probability of war?”

Zorack asked, his voice tightening.

Leon nodded. “It is no longer a mere probability. The Emperor has already sent envoys to several frontier regions under the official pretext of routine inspections. But they aren't just observing. They are actively reinforcing local supply lines, checking food stocks, and high-ranking military officials are being quietly reassigned to border forts.”

The Duke’s eyes narrowed.

This wasn't public information.

Leon continued without breaking stride.

“It hasn't been publicly announced because the Crown wants to avoid mass unrest, but major movements like that do not happen without a severe threat. The Empire does not shift military resources unless it expects a massive invasion.”

He rested his arm lightly against the armrest of his chair.

“And what exact sources do you possess to make such heavy claims?”

The Duke questioned, his tone deeply unconvinced.

Naturally, the Duke was skeptical.

This was highly classified intelligence that simply wasn't accessible to the public yet, outside of a few select families closely tied to the Imperial Bloodline.

House Serpentine was certainly not part of that inner political circle.

Frankly, neither was Armathorne, though their fate was meant to end before the war even properly began.

However, Leon had a cover story.

“House Serpentine operates as a massive continental service organization, delivering elite escort agents across all three continents of Lesselhia. Because of our role in tracking high-risk travel routes, we report directly to the Emperor's intelligence branch. Information such as these are relayed to our main office constantly.”

That was a lie, but it sounded believable given House Serpentine’s unique standing in the empire.

In truth, Leon only knew these details because he had lived through the start of the Great War multiple times, where the massive portals to the Demon World would inevitably tear wide open, exactly as the Saintess had prophesied.

The imperial government had hidden the truth from its own citizens under the classic excuse that panic causes unnecessary mayhem.

This would then eventually lead to thousands of unprepared citizens being brutally thrust onto the frontlines without warning, and House Serpentine was always forced to act as the vanguard.

Leon had been thinking of ways he could protect his people this time around.

To do that, he desperately needed much stronger, and heavy-hitting forces fighting by his side.

Forces such as the Armathorne dukedom.

Leon watched as the Duke leaned back into his seat, his thick fingers tapping once against the armrest before going entirely still.

“Relaying highly confidential information to me…”

The Duke rubbed his chin, seemingly uncertain.

“It is only a matter of time before the information becomes impossible to hide anyway,” Leon countered. “Which is precisely why I am sitting here today to discuss the next things with you.”

The Duke exhaled slowly as he considered the words. When he spoke again, his voice carried far less curiosity and much more scrutiny.

“So you are preparing your house in advance,” Zorack said, concluding the intention behind the reveal of the intel. “Looking for an anchor to stand with when that happens.”

Leon nodded.

“My secondary offer serves two purposes. It formally compensates your house for our earlier refusal, and it successfully opens the doors for a potential alliance.”

He didn't bother trying to dress it up further.

This was among the reasons he left for Armathorne.

Once the Great War officially kicked off, strength alone wouldn't be enough to survive.

Political positioning, secure supply alliances, and reach would ultimately decide how long a noble house lasted.

A dukedom like Armathorne wasn't just a powerful military force on its own. It held the balance of power and influence around it.

Leon had mapped this strategy out long before arriving.

If things played out the way he remembered, this entire family would be wiped out by Seraphina.

That was an outcome he fully intended to prevent this time.

Keeping Armathorne intact meant securing a massive and unbreakable shield for House Serpentine.

A single high-level master could turn the tide of a losing battle, and an entire house of Holy Swordsmasters could anchor an entire front line.

That was the immense value Armathorne possessed.

And it was the exact alliance opportunity Leon had failed to secure in his past ninety-nine attempts.

In his previous loops, he had tried approaching the Duke before through formal letters, proposing an alliance outright, and had been turned down every time.

This escort contract, while indirect, was his very first legitimate opening to speak with the man in private.

It wasn't an ideal setup, but it was more than enough to start with.

The Duke rested his chin lightly against his knuckles, staring deeply at him.

“…So this is your chosen method of approaching an alliance.”

His tone was neutral, but the lack of reaction said more than his words.

“Through an escort request.”

Leon met his sharp gaze straight on.

“It was the only opportunity I had to speak with you directly without being immediately dismissed.”

The Duke didn't respond right away. His fingers tapped the edge of the wood once more.

“I see,” he said at last.

There was no approval in his voice, but there was no immediate rejection either.

If anything, it sounded like he was acknowledging the attempt rather than entertaining it.

Leon picked up on that immediately.

‘Not interested,’ he noted. ‘At least, not yet.’

In a way, Leon completely understood the reaction. At this point in time, the Duke had no reason to accept a formal alliance request from a teenager who had arrived here as an escort.

Doing so would be entirely undignified for someone of his standing.

A sigh escaped his lips.

‘This was going to be difficult.’

The Duke let the alliance topic drop without giving a definitive answer, then gestured with his hand.

“And your second reason?”

Leon lowered a second finger.

“I will be personally enrolling in the Imperial Academy. Since your escort commission specifically involves guarding your daughter on her journey there and protecting her on campus, the contract aligns with my own plans. Choosing Armathorne was simply the most practical option available to me.”

Zorack narrowed his dark-green eyes.

“Practical…”

He repeated the word slowly, as if testing how it felt on his tongue.

He tapped his index finger against the desk.

“If that is the case, then why bother taking on an escort contract at all?”

Leon reached into his inner coat pocket and retrieved the official acceptance envelope the Duke had sent to his family. He placed it down on the center of the desk.

“You requested an Aura Knight of the highest order,” Leon said. “That specific requirement severely limits your available options across the continent.”

The Duke’s gaze shifted down to the envelope, then slowly snapped back up to lock onto Leon's face.

“I will admit, I was deeply surprised when I read the acceptance letter,” the Duke confessed. “The second son of House Serpentine being an Aura user of that caliber was not something I ever expected to see.”

He paused.

“What order are you currently holding?”

“High Knight.”

That single, two-word answer completely shattered the Duke’s icy composure.

The Duke’s eyebrows shot up instantly, and for the very first time since Leon had entered the room, his reaction wasn’t restrained.

“…A High Knight?”

The Duke repeated, his voice laced with genuine shock.

“At your age?”

The coldness in his demeanor evaporated, replaced by an expression of pure disbelief as he stared at the young man sitting across from him.

“That is… not something one sees in a century.”

His hand came up, resting against his mouth as he entirely reassessed the teenager before him.

“…A generational talent.”

Leon didn't react to the praise. It was the reaction he had anticipated. At this point in the empire's history, there were less than three High Knights, and that count now included him.

Leon was, once again, glad that the system had granted him a permanent carryover of his physical power in exchange for the hundreds of years of agonizing training he had endured across his regressions.

The Duke, now visibly interested, leaned forward over his desk, a sharp glint appearing in his eyes.

“Then let me ask you something I cannot understand. With that immense level of strength, why are you wasting your time going to the Academy instead of carving your name onto a battlefield?”

There was no hostility in his tone anymore.

It was just a straightforward question that seemed to be backed by his own beliefs.

Leon met his gaze calmly.

“There are still things I need to learn. True survival isn't just about swinging a sword. The Imperial Academy offers resources, and knowledge that I cannot obtain while standing in a muddy trench on the border.”

That was a complete lie.

Leon was sick and tired of attending that Academy after doing it dozens of times.

The Duke didn't look entirely convinced by the answer either.

“Still sounds like a waste of talent,” he muttered under his breath, clicking his tongue in annoyance. “Especially when that level of strength is being used to escort a girl who cannot even properly—”

The Duke abruptly cut himself off, exhaling a sharp breath through his nose.

“…A useless wench of a girl,” he finished roughly, his tone turning harsh and bitter.

Leon’s eyes narrowed slightly for a moment before returning to their normal state.

‘A useless wench of a girl?’

‘Was he talking about… Seraphina?’

That was… harsh.

And more importantly, it was strange.

If he was talking about Seraphina, then something about this wasn’t lining up with what Leon expected.

Zorack didn't dwell on his slip of the tongue.

“If you have already secured your own place at the Academy, continuing this escort contract will only overcomplicate your life,” the Duke stated. “Won't managing her actively interfere with your own personal priorities?”

“The timing of our travel simply happened to overlap,” Leon replied. “And completing a high-profile contract for House Armathorne is still useful professional experience. If I plan to take escort roles in the future, this is a good opportunity to refine myself.”

It wasn’t the real reason, but it was solid enough.

Besides, backing out of the contract now would cause far more headaches than simply finishing the job.

It would create issues with his brother Levyn, and more importantly… with his father.

Leon pushed that thought aside. He didn’t want to think about it now.

The Duke studied him for a few more seconds before giving a slow, reluctant nod.

“…I see.”

He picked up his porcelain teacup, took a slow sip of the warm liquid, and set it back down on the saucer.

“I will admit, your rank is undeniably impressive. At your level of strength, I have no reason to reject your service. However…”

The Duke gestured lightly toward his butler.

Harold stepped forward instantly, picked up the red acceptance envelope from the center of the desk, and slid it into his coat pocket without saying a single word.

“Consider that I never officially sent that acceptance letter,” Zorack stated flatly.

Leon’s eyes narrowed.

“You are discarding a formal contract after explicitly accepting it?”

“Do not misunderstand me,” Zorack said, his voice calm. “I had no intention of entertaining your political ideas to begin with.”

He leaned back into his chair, his posture relaxed but his gaze was sharp as a razor.

“I put out a commission for an escort, not a political alliance.”

His green eyes returned to their original coldness.

“I completely fail to see what in the letter gave you the ridiculous impression that you had any say beyond the security services requested, or that you could use my daughter's travel as a convenient pretext to raise a topic as heavy as a military alliance.”

He clasped his thick hands together on the desk.

“I cannot agree to it. My conditions were clear from the very start.”

He tapped his finger against the desk.

Once.

Tap.

Twice.

Tap.

“And more importantly, the Armathorne Dukedom does not require allies.”

His gaze hardened completely.

“Especially not one that would struggle to stand on its own two feet during a war.”

A suffocating silence immediately settled between them.

Leon didn't respond right away, and neither did the Duke.

A full minute passed in total silence before Zorack spoke again, his tone completely shifting as he dismissed the matter.

“Harold, see to it that our young guest is properly taken care of before he leaves the territory. If there is anything else he requires for his return journey, you may—”

“Ah, that changes things a little bit.”

Leon cut right through the Duke's dismissal with a soft sigh, raising his hand to rub his temples.

“Why do you have to make this so difficult for me?”

The Duke froze mid-sentence.

For the very first time, an expression of clear and unedited confusion flashed across his face, quickly followed by a visible hint of deep aristocratic offense at being so casually interrupted in his own office.

Leon caught the reaction perfectly, and it amused him far more than it probably should have.

He calmly picked up his teacup, took another relaxed sip, and set it back down on the saucer before leaning comfortably back into his seat.

“I stated that I had three reasons for coming here,” Leon continued, his voice relaxed. “I have only given you two.”

The Duke stared at him in stunned silence for a moment, then let out an irritated breath.

“…I fail to see how a third reason would change anything, but proceed.”

Leon leaned forward, resting his forearm against the edge of the table, closing the physical distance between them.

“Whenever I take on a client, I always make one fundamental rule clear,” Leon said, his eyes locking directly onto the Duke's. “This job is never just a financial transaction. True escort work is built entirely on trust.”

Zorack raised a thick eyebrow, remaining silent.

“Just like how you trusted me with your daughter’s physical safety when you chose to accept my contract,” Leon pressed on, his voice dropping to a low and serious tone. “In return, I expect absolute honesty regarding any hidden variables that could put my life, or the contract, at serious risk.”

Leon held his gaze.

“I chose to take on this specific job myself. So, I expect that baseline of trust to go both ways.”

The Duke’s facial expression didn't change, but it was clear he still didn't see where Leon was going with this lecture on professional ethics.

Harold remained still in the shadows beside the desk.

Leon didn't bother dragging the suspense out any longer.

“Ever since I first stepped past the golden gates of your estate, my senses have been picking something up,” Leon stated. “It is incredibly faint, and it has been hidden very well, but it is definitely there.”

Zorack remained completely motionless.

Harold didn't even blink.

Leon crossed his arms over his chest, a small, knowing smile playing at the edge of his lips.

“It feels like demonic energy.”

The silence in the office instantly shifted in a way that was incredibly subtle, yet completely unmistakable.

The air grew freezing cold in a matter of seconds.

Leon tilted his head slightly, watching the Duke’s reaction.

Then he added, almost casually—

“And if I had to guess… it’s coming from your daughter.”