Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke-Chapter 108 - Tales of Victory

Gerard, ever the strategist, frowned.

"But… wouldn’t that mean exposing the Imperial family’s mistakes? Even His Majesty avoided a formal commendation ceremony to keep certain matters quiet. If we go around spreading the truth, won’t that be seen as a challenge to the throne?"

William chuckled.

"And what will you do if we are lumped in with the rest of the defeated army? Are you willing to be treated as a disgraced soldier, your contributions buried along with the failures of the war?"

Gerard flinched.

William had struck exactly where it hurt.

The truth was, they had fought bravely. They had earned recognition.

But if they remained silent, history would erase their efforts.

The common soldiers would be fine—as long as they received their pay, they wouldn’t care.

But for knights, honor and reputation were everything.

And in the political battlefield, silence was as good as surrender.

William’s voice remained calm.

"If you’re thinking that the truth will eventually come out, let me correct you now. The other princes will work tirelessly to bury our achievements. This is your last chance to make sure your names are remembered."

The knights, who had been hesitant, visibly stiffened.

Their expressions hardened as they exchanged glances.

Then, one by one, they spoke.

"The Third Prince is right. If we don’t claim our victory, it will be stolen from us."

"There’s no merit in keeping silent and accepting unjust criticism."

"I will follow your plan, my lord."

"As will I."

One by one, every knight pledged their support.

William leaned back in satisfaction… but his work was far from finished.

"Good. Now, the real challenge begins."

He crossed his arms, deep in thought.

"The hardest part is making sure the story spreads without it seeming deliberate. Raymon, any suggestions?"

Raymon frowned. "I’m afraid I’m not the best person to ask. My expertise is in staying hidden—not making noise."

William sighed.

Raymon was a master of stealth—an expert in vanishing without a trace.

But a whisper campaign required precisely the opposite skill set.

William himself had experience in manipulating public perception, but those past efforts had always been personal.

This time, he needed someone else to act as the mouthpiece.

His gaze shifted, landing on Hugo—who was relaxing nearby.

"Hugo," William called. "How are things as a company captain? Are you managing well?"

Hugo sat up straighter, grinning with pride.

"Better than I expected. At first, the soldiers only followed me out of duty, but after the last battle, they’ve started treating me as their leader for real."

William smirked.

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That was good.

Hugo had started out as a street thug, but now he was respected by trained soldiers. That meant he had built credibility—which was exactly what William needed.

"And what’s the real reason you called for me, my lord?" Hugo asked, raising an eyebrow. "You told me you wouldn’t summon me until we returned, to avoid showing favoritism."

William chuckled.

"I did say that, didn’t I?"

Hugo’s gaze sharpened.

"…You have something in mind, don’t you?"

William’s smile widened.

"I do. And I believe you’re the perfect man for the job."

Hugo’s grin turned mischievous.

"Now this… sounds interesting."

"There’s a small problem."

William explained the situation to Hugo.

He wanted the story of the battle to spread naturally—without it being obviously orchestrated.

But he had no one suitable for the task.

Hugo listened to his concerns before breaking into a wide grin.

"You came to the right man. I know someone perfect for the job."

William raised an eyebrow.

"You? That makes sense, considering your past in the underworld. Spreading rumors and shaping narratives should be second nature to you."

"No, not me. One of my subordinates."

William blinked.

"A soldier in your unit?"

Hugo nodded.

It was unexpected, but not impossible.

The army attracted all kinds of people—some of whom had peculiar talents.

"He used to dream of becoming a bard, but his father forced him into the military instead. Turns out he’s actually good at being a soldier, so he stayed. But when it comes to storytelling? He’s got real talent."

William was intrigued.

If Hugo was this confident, the man must be exceptionally gifted.

But there was one concern.

"Can he do it discreetly? If it’s too obvious that I ordered this, it will backfire."

Hugo chuckled.

"Why give him orders at all?"

William frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Men love telling stories about their own accomplishments. Just give them an excuse to travel, and they’ll spread the tale themselves."

William’s eyes lit up.

Of course.

Men naturally boasted about their achievements.

In focusing on strategy, he had overlooked something so simple—a basic human desire.

Even he, in his past life, had been eager to recount his own exploits.

William smirked.

"Hugo, as Commander-in-Chief, I am issuing you an order."

Hugo’s grin widened. "Oh? Not my men, but me?"

"I suddenly have a craving for salted venison. Take your unit and travel as widely as possible in search of the best cuts."

Hugo let out a low chuckle, placing a hand over his heart.

"Understood, Commander. I shall conduct… thorough inquiries along the way."

William deliberately delayed their march.

Meanwhile, Hugo led his squad of ten across the Hern lands, making stops at inns, taverns, and villages.

"Wait, the war is already over?"

"That’s right! Those bastards broke the Grand Pact—what else could we do? If we stayed any longer, they would’ve poisoned the supplies!"

"Poison?! By the gods, are you all unharmed?"

"Harmed? Hah! If anything, we fought alongside Lord William and crushed them!"

Using the funds William had provided, Hugo’s men drank freely, ate heartily, and talked loudly.

No explicit orders were needed.

Simply not stopping them from talking was enough—the soldiers boasted naturally.

Especially the bard-turned-soldier, who spun tales of William’s brilliance.

"…I heard that the First Prince insulted him—told him to stay out of the way like a coward."

"No!"

"It’s true. Lord William had only been offering advice, out of concern for His Highness, yet was brushed aside."

"So what happened?"

"What else? He backed off. But even then, he foresaw what would happen. That’s why he secretly followed from behind, watching over His Highness all the way to Bodiam Castle."

"Wasn’t that risky? If caught, he’d be accused of disobeying orders."

"Exactly. But Lord William understood what was at stake. And just as he predicted—flames erupted, signaling a desperate plea for help. At that moment, he simply turned and said, ’We ride.’"

Details may have been exaggerated, but the essence of the story remained true.