248 The Blood Law’s Verdict

Gunstein flinched at the sudden interruption, his lips parting slightly as if to protest.

But Helen’s voice was ice-cold as she continued.

“This man disregarded my mediation, insulted my master’s guest, and lost in a fair duel. Even if you were to execute him here and now, it would not violate tradition.”

“H-Helen, wait a moment—!”

“There is no need to worry about any misunderstandings, either,” she added. “Our master himself will vouch for His Highness. Therefore, you may deal with him as you see fit.”

“Helen! What the hell are you saying?!”

Gunstein paled.

They weren’t strangers. They had met before.

And yet, instead of pleading for his life, she was treating him as if his death was of no consequence.

Her expression was utterly indifferent.

“You ignored my intervention, humiliated my master’s guest, and lost a one-on-one duel,” she said flatly. “There is no reason for you to live, only reasons for you to die.”

Gunstein opened his mouth to argue.

But the truth was undeniable.

He had made his own bed. And now, there was nothing he could say to change that.

William, meanwhile, had already picked up his sword.

“Any last words?”

Gunstein clenched his eyes shut.

This… this wasn’t how he was supposed to die.

Not in glorious battle against a true enemy.

Not in defense of his people.

But as the fool who had tried to enslave the wrong warrior.

Future generations would remember him as “Gunstein the Idiot,” a cautionary tale for children to laugh at.

Damn it. I don’t have a choice.

Taking a deep breath, Gunstein spoke his final gamble.

“I failed to recognize a great warrior. That is my crime. And only you can cleanse me of my sins.”

William narrowed his eyes.

“What are you saying?”

Gunstein lowered his head.

“I offer my service to you,” he declared. “If you permit it, I will follow you as my lord and cleanse my sins through servitude.”

William blinked.

The words sounded genuine.

But the timing… it was almost absurd.

Shouldn’t a man begging for his life be offering rewards instead of swearing loyalty?

Frowning, William turned to Helen.

“What does he mean?”

Helen hesitated, then gestured for him to follow her a short distance away.

Once they were out of earshot, she explained in a hushed voice.

“A warrior who defeats another in battle gains the right to claim their rank,” she said. “The defeated warrior’s status is stripped from them and transferred to their victor. It’s an ancient custom—one designed to prevent unnecessary bloodshed among the strongest warriors.”

William’s brows furrowed.

“So, if I take him in, I’ll be recognized as a warrior of his tribe?”

“Yes.”

“And his rank?”

Helen leaned closer and whispered in his ear.

“He is the chieftain’s son.”

“This is… tricky.”

William muttered under his breath, his expression clouded with reluctance.

The son of a chieftain—certainly not a low-ranking position.

As an outsider, gaining status from the start wasn’t necessarily a bad thing either.

But William’s ambitions were far too grand for such a minor gain to matter.

“I came here to bring the entire tribe under my command, not to serve beneath its chieftain. If accepting this means being ranked alongside the chieftain’s son, then I’d rather be recognized as a ruler from another land.”

There would be plenty of opportunities to prove himself in the future.

But first impressions were the most important.

To arrive in a foreign land and immediately be placed just one step below the chieftain? That would set the wrong precedent.

It was better to carve out his own position through force, even if it meant earning hostility and spilling some blood.

But Helen shook her head.

“My lord, you have it backward.”

“Backward?” William frowned. “Are you saying it would be better to accept this offer and take a position equal to the chieftain’s son?”

“The one who subjugates a warrior doesn’t simply receive equal treatment. They inherit everything that warrior once held—authority, command, even succession rights. Everything.”

William’s eyes widened.

If that was true, then by defeating Gunstein, he wouldn’t just be considered an equal to the chieftain’s son. He could take his place entirely.

No matter how capable he was, as an outsider, he would always be seen as a conqueror.

But if he followed their traditions, he wouldn’t be a usurper—he would be a rightful ruler.

“Are you sure about this? It’s not just some old law that no one actually follows?”

“It is the Blood Law, honored by all tribes of the frozen lands. No one would dare defy it, no matter your origins.”

William exhaled slowly, processing the implications.

“A rule like that… surrendering means giving up everything?”

Helen smiled faintly.

“My lord, the people here are few. Killing one’s enemies without restraint would only bring disaster. But at the same time, if an enemy refuses to surrender, there are no other options left.”

William nodded.

That made sense.

A ruler’s power was determined by their people—taxes, labor, military strength.

More people meant more influence.

Unlike the Empire, where the population could grow naturally or be replenished by migration, these tribes had no such luxury.

They were locked in a closed system.

If they killed their enemies too recklessly, they would only shrink their own future.

More than that, their entire economy was built on interwoven trade networks between the tribes. If one tribe was wiped out, its resources and trade routes would be lost, and everyone would suffer for it.

‘So they don’t just fight over territory—they fight over people. And when the dust settles, they have to make sure there’s something left to rule.’

William smirked wryly.

In a way, it was practical.

If an army could replenish itself after victory, they wouldn’t have to fear internal collapse.

But no matter how much they wanted to absorb their enemies, there would always be those who would rather die than submit.

“It’s a form of mutual agreement,” William mused. “The victor is recognized as the legitimate ruler, in exchange for sparing the defeated and granting them equal treatment.”

“Exactly.”