Chapter Seventeen: The Iron-Blooded Duke

  The principal of Linde College couldn't answer a single question.

  Midi didn't need him to answer either.

  "Take it away." Midy sighed and said simply.

  To be fair, the college president who was always cautious and never dared to offend anyone didn't do anything wrong. He just chose the wrong stance at the wrong time, so the only outcome is his resignation. Of course, Midie won't really do anything to him, and the Hamilton family will probably generously arrange a retirement position for him.

  But at this moment, this poor guy who just got labeled as a congressman is the best example of killing a chicken to scare monkeys.

  Lind College Dean let out a long sigh, and without refuting, allowed his hands and feet to be shackled with iron chains. He then slowly walked away under the complex gaze of the students and instructors, his body hunched over.

  Fenrir's teeth were about to shatter with rage as he stood by.

  Lind College is nothing, just a chess piece. However, when he was shackled with iron chains, it was Fenrir's face that was slapped, and it was the authority of the Seth family that was shaken!

  How many years of time and how much manpower and material resources, how many transactions, compromises and backroom deals did the Seth family spend to finally gain equal influence with the Hamilton family at the Royal Academy of Magic? And now, the first team's dean is taken away in less than five minutes? Moreover, it was just after Finnley announced that he got the first place?

  This is more than just a clash between forces, this is simply a slap in the face!

  Felt the hostility, murderous intent and malice from Fenrir, Midei deliberately turned his back on him, revealing a huge opening.

  Although the Knights of the Principality were assembled in one day, and seized many senatorial forces embedded in the Academy with lightning speed, and also brought down a newly established Dean of the Academy, after all, this was just a surprise attack on the Sais family. The struggle between the two major factions in the Principality has been going on for many years, and so far there is no result. This sudden attack alone is far from enough to shake the foundation of the Sais family.

  But if Fenrir takes the initiative at this moment, that's a different story. Middy doesn't mind a counterattack that can kill with one blow.

  "Let's go!" was all that could be heard of Fenrir's gloomy voice, and then this proud heir of the Seth family, accompanied by three servants, hastily left the camp without even looking back.

  "After all, he's a young noble, so he still has some endurance." Midei let out a faint sigh in his heart.

  Although this has greatly weakened Fenrir's face, Midei, who has been a person for two lifetimes, is no longer the reckless young master of his youth. Even if Fenrir can tolerate such insults, Midei will not feel particularly happy about it. His mind has already begun to consider the next series of possibilities.

  "Troubled?" Fiona's voice came from beside him.

  "What's next... is war? No, a prelude to war?" Middy glanced at the red-haired girl beside him.

  Noticing his gaze, the girl smiled and said, "Don't worry, we're on the same team, I'll stand by your side."

  This sentence with full affirmation made Midy also turn out of his thoughts, and the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

  Is it really worth all the hustle and bustle since reincarnation just for this sentence?

  "Niflheim's Dragon Seal Array will take some time to activate, and the job change will have to wait until three days later. What do you plan to do in the meantime?" Fiona asked again.

  Midi's heart skipped a beat, was she going to invite him? Although in their past life, the two had already been intimate and shared everything, at this moment, when the red-haired girl sent out a probe, Midi's heartbeat still accelerated uncontrollably.

  "There's nothing much, just want to take a good rest." Meddie paused for a moment and gave an answer with great latitude.

  "That's perfect, after the trial graduation ceremony is over, rest and tidy up, come to Hamilton Manor tomorrow." Fiona nodded, her tone serious and solemn, "Although it's an informal invitation, my grandfather wants to see you."

  Fina Hamilton's grandfather, the current head of the Hamilton family, Heidrich Hamilton, holds the title of Grand Duke and is known as "Knight Before the Queen".

  In the Principality of Bellmare, his name was known to all, and in his youth he had personally led the defense against the Bantu invasion. He then single-handedly entered the Void Emperor's territory and finally reached a strategic agreement with him. Later, he killed countless pirates in the Faro Bay, earning himself the reputation as a legendary hero.

  But at the same time, he was also the most feared noble in the country.

  It is said that once a young nobleman at a banquet, after drinking too much wine, doubted the duke's bravery. On the second day, the duke led his troops to attack the other party's territory, captured all the family members, and forced the nobleman to fight with his only son until one of them fell down. Then, he took the stage himself and beheaded the winner with one sword.

  Harsh, dictatorial and unyielding, he was thus known as the Iron Duke.

  In comparison, the senatorial faction led by the Sais family may be sinister and cunning, but at least they don't have such terrifying rumors. The Aslex family would rather serve as cannon fodder for the senatorial faction than defect to the Queen's faction, which makes some sense.

  In his previous life, Mide had no contact with the Iron Duke, and his interactions with Feena only began after the destruction of the Principality. In this life, although Mide suspected that he would eventually attract the Duke's attention as he became more deeply involved in Feena's life, he did not expect that the day when he would face the Duke would come so soon.

  Even Medea would be a bit caught off guard.

  Perhaps this Iron Duke had calculated this point accurately, so he would propose such an informal invitation without any warning signs.

  A night's rest, nursing the wounds from the duel with the killer, and changing into the most formal attire, on the second morning, Middy rode in a carriage sent by the Hamilton family, directly from the academy to the mansion of this Iron Duke.

  Under the personal leadership of the red-haired girl, the black-haired boy walked through the empty and spacious corridor of this mansion and came to the front of two huge oak doors.

  "Although it's unclear what the host wants to say to you, be cautious nonetheless." Fiona stopped in her tracks and gazed deeply at Midie, "Remember one thing, I am me, Hamilton is Hamilton, got it?"

  Midi nodded and walked forward alone.

  Even Fina couldn't proceed any further from here; only guests who had obtained the duke's personal permission could enter.

  He raised his hand and knocked on the door a few times.

  "Come in." A low and solemn voice came from inside the door.

  Mi Di pushed open the door and his whole body was immediately bathed in a soft golden light.

  This is an extremely spacious office, with red sandalwood bookshelves lined up on the left side, filled with all sorts of books on magic, military affairs, humanities, and classics, and even a few theoretical works on mechanical engineering can be found. On the right side of the office, war spears, double-bladed axes, giant swords, and other weapons are arranged in a row, each one showing considerable wear and tear, with some even having bloodstains that cannot be erased, clearly not for decoration.

  In the center of the office, in front of a half-opened heavy purple velvet curtain, there was a very large desk, behind which sat a person with their head down, writing quickly.

  No "hello", no "please sit down", the only sound in the room was the scratching of pen on paper, and Miti just stood there quietly waiting.

  The writer seemed to have forgotten that there was such a guest, and wrote for nearly ten minutes before finally lifting his head: "Midi Aslexis, let's skip the introductions, shall we?"

  His face had sharp lines carved by knives and axes, with a neat goatee beard. The wind and frost of the years and the long years of war had dyed his hair white, but even so, this man was still like a mountain, making people look up involuntarily.

  This is Heidrich Hamilton, The Iron Duke.

  Even with a pair of eyes reborn, Midei still couldn't see through his strength at all, which means that the level of this Grand Duke is at least about the same as Midei's twenty years later, in other words, a strong man who has undergone two awakenings.

  "Can you represent the entire family?" The duke asked straightforwardly.

  "Yes, Your Excellency." Medici replied immediately, realizing that the verbal sparring had begun and any hesitation would put him at a disadvantage in the time to come.

  "Very well. I'll get straight to the point, then. I need the Asrelex family to become vassals of our Hamilton family and carve out a territory for my troops to garrison." The duke said, spreading out a large map.

  This map covers the entire continent of Arad, with the Principality of Balmora being only a part of it.

  Beyond Gran's Forest, the Empire of Delos and the Principality gaze at each other across an endless sea of trees, while the territory of the Asreix family lies next to Gran's Forest.

  The duke placed a heavy bookcase on that piece of land, meaning this was the place he wanted, and with an air of being perfectly natural.

  Rescuing the future genius heir of the Hamilton family only to be asked for a piece of land in return?

  In an instant, Mei Di felt a surge of anger rising from her chest.

  He barely suppressed his emotions and asked in a cold voice: "Excuse me, Your Excellency the Duke, on what grounds do you demand that I cede territory?"

  The duke smiled, stroking his mustache, and said slowly: "Reliable intelligence suggests that the Seth family is mobilizing its troops, with your family's territory as their target. A small earl like you cannot withstand the army of the Seth family, you need help, and I have the strongest army in the duchy."

  "Hamilton helped us repel the attack of Senatorial nobles at the cost of ceding a piece of territory? How generous." Medici replied sarcastically.

  "Young man, face reality. There is no such thing as fairness in this world." The duke replied coldly, the other's stubborn attitude making him feel a slight displeasure.

  "Indeed." Mide nodded calmly, "There is no fairness in this world."

  "Of course, I won't treat you unfairly either. After your transfer, I'll provide you with the best resources for improvement and also grant you the identity of a Near-Guard Knight, serving by my granddaughter's side. Isn't this condition pretty good? It's clear that you like her, don't you?"

  "What does Fiona mean?" Middy asked again.

  "I'll make her agree." The duke replied directly.

  This time, Mei Di thoroughly understood the ruthlessness of this Iron-Blooded Duke.

  No gratitude, no thanks, not even a mention of what happened in Grenzen, just because he saw the crisis that the Aschereks family was about to face, he immediately proposed a high price chip, and even his own granddaughter was used as an emotional bait, this is the Iron Blood Earl.

  It seems like everything in this person's heart has a price tag on it, and everything is just his pawn?

  In an instant, Middy suddenly understood on a deeper level why Feena was so strong and independent.

  Because I have to, otherwise I'll become a puppet in the hands of Duke Ironblood and lose myself forever.

  If it were truly for Fiona's sake, Middy could have abandoned his territory, title, glory and even life without hesitation. However, at this moment, compromising with the Iron Blood Duke has no meaning.

  Just as Fiona reminded him in her last words - Fiona is Fiona, Hamilton is Hamilton, the former is the woman he misses most in his heart, and the latter is a greedy and huge beast.

  Midi still has a lot to do, and with the impending disaster and war, he doesn't have much time to spare, becoming a pawn of the Iron Blood Duke is clearly not an option.

  "May I decline your proposal, Your Grace," Midy said.

  His tone was calm and even, just as he had refused Fenrir before.