Chapter: 231
“So, have any of you ever beaten the ‘Dumb Prince’ against the gloomy loner prince?”
Nope, not even once. Not in any field, ever.
Cecil Soladin has been tasked with competing against Prince 1 since birth, but he’s never managed to gain an edge.
And if not gaining an edge was all, that would be manageable. But it wasn’t just that.
Cecil was always just hovering around Prince 1’s feet.
No matter how hard he tried, no matter what methods he borrowed, the overwhelmingly talented Prince 1 turned Cecil into something lesser than an average guy.
In the multitude of defeats, Cecil both hated and understood Prince 1, knowing that if he were in the same situation, he wouldn’t feel threatened by the other.
“Of course you’ve beaten him, right? Even a cute little girl like me could win against him.”
Thus, when Cecil heard the tidings that Prince 1 had lost to Lady Alrn of the Alrn family, he couldn’t help but ask the one bringing the news if they were joking.
He simply couldn’t imagine Prince 1 ever losing.
But every bit of that news was real.
Prince 1 had requested a duel first, then lost, and even faced humiliation at the hands of Lady Alrn.
The one deemed invincible, who never knew defeat, had a massive dent in his fortress-like reputation.
Cecil laughed upon hearing the news. He burst into laughter, thinking that not only he but also those following his family could see that even Prince 1 is just human. Even a mere child from the Alrn family could do it. No matter how incompetent you may think you are, surely, you should be able to accomplish something like that.
When he heard such stories from his parents, they were no different.
He nodded dutifully, forcing a smile, and promised that if Lucy Alrn didn’t seem to like Prince 1, it would yield good results to try and recruit her.
And then, one night, alone with his thoughts, Cecil pondered.
Was it true that he had never beaten Prince 1 simply because he was incompetent?
“Could it be that you’ve never beaten him at all? You think you’re better than me with that thought? Really?”
Now, even after considerable time has passed, Cecil doubts his abilities.
It’s not that Prince 1 was incredibly competent, but rather that he himself might be inadequate that prevented him from taking the crown.
“Well, if I challenge, you wouldn’t step back, right?”
Cecil’s uncertainty only grew each time the name Lucy Alrn popped up in the gossipers’ chatter.
Some said it was just a game from the festival—that if Prince 1 were serious, a little brat like her wouldn’t stand a chance against him.
Others mentioned having seen the festival scene and insisted it was all a trick possible only during festivities, and that in a real battle, she wouldn’t be a match at all.
Those who loved to babble claimed that Prince 1 was merely honoring Sir Benedict Alrn’s reputation. He was paying his tribute by lifting the honor of his underperforming daughter.
While their narratives differed, they shared a fundamental agreement.
If this was a fair game, Prince 1 wouldn’t have lost at all.
The reason Lucy Alrn managed to beat Prince 1 must be because the situation was entirely abnormal.
Listening to them, Cecil found himself wanting to ask them this:
If what you’re saying is true, then what does it say about me, someone who couldn’t beat Prince 1 using any dirty tactics—what am I?
What am I, lesser than such a girl?
“Well, the Dumb Prince can crush someone like me with ease. Right?”
“Prince 2?”
Startled by a fearful voice, Cecil opened his eyes, letting out a long, heavy sigh as he scanned the surroundings.
Everyone was watching him closely.
It was not hard to guess why.
They all expected that if Cecil reached out, Lucy Alrn would grab him.
Having established a rivalry with Prince 1, it was assumed he would come this way.
It was clear he hated Prince 1, so he surely wouldn’t just stand by while he watched Prince 1 rise to power.
They believed he would be captivated by the charm of Prince 2.
A lion must submit under its own kind; it was only natural he would follow a martial lineage.
And what was the outcome of that belief?
Not just being rejected, but suffering a crushing insult.
“Dumb Prince.”
“Dumb Prince, you say?”
That was a phrase Cecil was well familiar with.
It was something his parents would hurl at him whenever he lost to Prince 1.
Yet, he never expected to hear it from someone else’s lips.
As he nervously fiddled with his fingers, he didn’t even lift his head as he spoke, “Archie.”
“…Yes?”
“I’d like to hear about this situation.”
Archie was one of those who had raised their voice in anticipation of Lucy Alrn joining Prince 2’s faction.
When faced with Cecil’s inquiry, he hesitated, unable to provide a proper explanation.
Letting out a sigh as if to say “listen up,” Cecil called on another.
“Tommy.”
“Uh, uh… Prince 2… it’s just…”
“Explain yourself.”
“W-well…”
As this call-out continued, the thoughts among Prince 2’s faction were mostly the same.
They thought they had merely relayed what Prince 2 wanted to hear.
When expressing their honest opinions, they would receive loud rebukes, all while being coerced to only speak the desired words—ultimately, they made the choice themselves. Why were they being blamed for it?
“Holden.”
“Y-Yes, Prince 2.”
“Speak.”
“I’m sorry. This situation was unforeseen.”
How could any crazy person predict that a prince would be called dumb and that after that, they would say they didn’t want to serve anyone deemed inferior?
“Clearly, we didn’t investigate Lady Alrn thoroughly enough.”
“Right. Insufficient indeed.”
“Everyone will have that feeling. Please forgive us.”
Prince 2 ground his teeth together, letting out a long breath.
“Fine. I’ll forgive you. But from now on, you’ll have to train alongside me.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Thank you very much!”
This “training” was less about training and more akin to punishment or torture.
Among the physically superior second-years at the Academy, it wouldn’t be unheard of for students to faint from it.
As soon as they heard the mention of training, everyone in Prince 2’s faction reacted in panic, but none dared to refuse him.
To object would mean being subjected to direct dueling with Prince 2 and facing a day of torment.
“Now, let’s move on to the challenge proposed by Lucy Alrn.”
Lucy Alrn had claimed that if they wanted her to join them, they must prove their superiority over her. Accept the challenge and beat her.
“We’ll compete to see who can conquer the Academy dungeon first. Surely, you’re up for it, right?”
Cecil nodded at her challenge.
It wasn’t that he believed he could win; he hadn’t considered that at all.
He agreed out of anger from the insult Lucy Alrn had dealt him.
Though his status was higher, in reality, he found himself depending on Lucy.
And it was because he couldn’t let her last words slide.
“You can run away if you want. If the gloomy stalker prince couldn’t beat me, there’s no way you could.”
If Prince 1 couldn’t, then neither could you.
You’re a loser.
I’m a loser.
“If you beat me, I’ll become your subordinate. Though it’s unlikely, I’m generously allowing you to dream big. Seriously, I think I’m really nice.”
No way.
I’m not a loser.
I’m not incompetent.
I can beat Prince 1.
I can take the throne.
I am.
I am.
The metallic taste in his mouth snapped Cecil back to reality.
He wiped the blood from his torn lip, realizing what had happened.
He had bitten down hard in frustration.
With the red smeared on his finger, he groaned and said, “Bring me a foolproof way to absolutely defeat that girl. Right now.”
I will definitely triumph over Lucy Alrn.
By defeating her, I will prove that I’m not incompetent.
I will achieve what my brother could not.
Then I will gain my recognition.
Absolutely.
“Even if it’s dirty tactics, as long as I can win.”
Whatever it takes.
*
The last weekend before the entrance to the Academy opened.
I visited Alsetin’s shop and received various items he had prepared for me.
Each item he handed over exceeded my expectations in quality.
With Karia by my side, I wondered if Alsetin’s skills had also improved?
After leaving the shop, I couldn’t hide the grin on my face, remarking to Alsetin that he was not bad for an info seller.
Whoa, it seems like tackling the dungeon is going to be smoother than I thought.
As soon as the dungeon entrance opens, conquering it should be entirely doable, right? Shall I give it a shot?
After all, the old man asked for results that could blow everyone away.
So that instead of turning arrows towards Prince 2, I’d be praised for my abilities instead.
If I can conquer the dungeon as soon as it opens, I should be able to meet that demand exactly.
Moreover, the faster I tackle the dungeon, the quicker the pathetic god will dish out the rewards.
And this time, the rewards are quite enticing for me. That is…
“Boss.”
As I recalled the quest the pathetic god had given me, Karia’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
She appeared from an alley, gesturing for me to follow and pointing out several men sprawled out in the alley.
“Seems like Prince 2 is eager to take you down himself,” she said.
“It looks like he’s so keen on beating the boss that he’s forgotten he’s supposed to recruit.”
Those guys were the ones who intended to ambush me.
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
