It took an entire week to reach the Crimson Castle.
The carriage granted to Ethan was pitiful at best, old, creaking, and barely protected from the elements.
The journey grew even harder because of the castle's remote location.
The Crimson Castle stood at the northern border.
Endless snow and thick ice covered the land. Every step and every wheel turn became a struggle for those unfamiliar with the frozen region.
"Finally here," Ethan muttered softly.
He stood before the massive gate, snow dusting his shoulders and the cold wind biting at his skin.
"Open up the gate! The new lord waits outside!" one of Ethan's escorts shouted toward the guard high on the castle wall.
The guard stared down at them in silence. He acted as if he had heard nothing at all.
"Did you not hear him?" Nicholas shouted after several long minutes of silence. "Open the gate this instant!"
The guard on the wall still ignored them completely.
Ethan leaned out from the carriage. A cold, faint smile curved his lips.
The group waited for hours. The guards refused to move. Not a single gate chain stirred.
Only when dusk began to settle did a hunting party finally return. The guard above finally reacted.
The captain of the hunting team stared at the carriage and its imperial emblem with clear surprise. He understood immediately. The new lord had arrived.
The Crimson Castle had received official word from the empire a day earlier. They knew Ethan was coming.
"My lord," the captain said, offering a respectful bow.
"Captain. Why are you paying respect to that weakling?" one of the hunters mocked loudly. Annoyance dripped from his voice at the sight of his captain bowing to Ethan.
By then, Ethan had already stepped down from the carriage. His frail frame moved with deliberate calm.
"You. He is—"
"Nicholas. Kill him," Ethan ordered, his voice ice-cold.
The captain froze in shock. Ethan had cut him off mid-sentence and issued a command without hesitation.
He turned quickly, intending to protect his man.
But Nicholas was faster.
Before the captain could even raise a hand, the hunter's head rolled across the frozen ground with a dull thud.
Everyone stood speechless at Ethan's ruthless decisiveness.
No one looked more stunned than the captain himself.
A four-star knight. He could not mistake it. Nicholas was a rare four-star knight.
"If any of you draw your sword, you will be charged with treason for insulting the royal bloodline," Ethan warned coldly, his eyes sweeping over the hunting party before anyone could react.
"Nicholas. Kill anyone who draws a weapon."
Ethan's chilling words struck the hunters like a winter gale. Fear flooded their faces.
None of them dared reach for their swords.
The memory of their comrade's sudden death was still fresh. No one was willing to risk the same fate.
"Good. Now open the gate," Ethan commanded, his tone flat and unyielding.
The guard at the top of the wall, having witnessed everything, moved quickly. He shouted orders to the others below.
After what felt like an eternity, the heavy gates finally groaned open.
Together with the shaken hunting party and his small escort, Ethan passed through the entrance.
Every person inside the castle stared at him with open curiosity. The common citizens watched most intently, their eyes wide with questions.
"What is your name?" Ethan asked the captain.
"Christopher, my lord."
"Inform everyone," Ethan continued. "In the next three hours, there will be a general announcement. Anyone who is not present will be treated as a rebel and executed on the spot."
His face made it perfectly clear he was not joking.
The captain nodded sharply, acknowledging the order, and hurried off to carry it out.
"You. Lead us," Ethan instructed one of the remaining hunters.
The man nodded quickly and guided Ethan and his group deeper into the castle.
The Crimson Castle was far larger than Ethan had imagined. Its territory and population easily matched that of a baron's full domain.
Stone walls rose high, stained deep red from years of battle, while distant snow-covered mountains loomed under the darkening sky.
Ethan was escorted to his new chambers. Once inside, he collapsed weakly onto the bed. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him.
His frail body made even standing for long periods or speaking at length feel like a tiresome battle.
"My lord. Are you sure you want to make the announcement today?" Nicholas asked, worry clear on his weathered face. "You can always wait until tomorrow."
"No," Ethan replied firmly. "I need to make the statement today and plant it deep in their memory. That is the only way to gain temporary control over this castle."
He paused briefly, then added, "Three hours is more than enough time to rest."
Ethan lay back on the bed, his mind already turning. He plotted the future carefully, imagining exactly how he wanted things to unfold.
He sought revenge for every moment he had been treated like trash. The Crimson Castle was only the first step toward claiming what was rightfully his.