Capturing a Prisoner and Hostage

The corners of Laimost's mouth curled up slightly.

He could not suppress the waves of excitement surging through his heart.

Riding a fine horse and humming a little tune, he wore a confident expression, as though victory were already his.

"My lord, you seem to be in an exceptionally good mood!"

His attendant fawned over him.

"Of course, Amann!"

Laimost threw back his head and laughed, waving the riding crop in his hand.

"I'm about to infuse the Bradley Family with noble royal blood. What could be more significant than that?"

A look of yearning appeared on his face.

"As long as I can marry Princess Catherine, my chances of becoming the Bradley Family's heir will increase tremendously. No! That position is destined to be mine. If I father a child with royal blood, what qualifications will my so-called elder brother have to compete with me?"

Since everyone around him was a trusted subordinate, Laimost had no scruples at all.

The attendant merely smiled. He had long known of his lord's ambitions.

Laimost was unwilling to remain beneath his elder brother. He intended to seize the highest authority in the family.

Unfortunately, as the second son, the power he controlled was far inferior to that of his brother, who was ten years older.

His father, Grand Duke Bradley, had always yearned to form a marriage alliance with the Royal Family. If he had a descendant carrying Rhodesney blood, the Bradley Family's legitimacy in carving out a kingdom of its own would undoubtedly be much stronger. Although such an act would still be considered rebellion in normal times, any ambitious man could see that these were not normal times.

Unfortunately, that wish had never been fulfilled.

The lack of a descendant with royal blood had not curbed Grand Duke Bradley's growing