Chapter: 272
Boring. I fled to the Empire to escape this dull life, but the New Year has a peculiar power that even lures back a prince who is supposed to be gallivanting in the empire.
Honestly, I’m just a mere third prince. My presence at the New Year’s event is completely optional, but what can I do? When there is a seat available, the absence stands out like a sore thumb in the royal family. If I hadn’t attended this event, my father would personally draft a withdrawal letter from the academy for me.
‘There’s no excuse to skip it.’
Celebrating the New Year is a common trait across the continent. If I had stuck around the Empire during New Year’s, they would’ve looked at me like I was some kind of strange creature. “What are you doing in someone else’s country during the New Year?”
Plus, there’s the teaching of Enen about starting the year with community, meaning leaders of families and nations gather together for the New Year celebrations. As a monarch who constantly has to wrangle the nobles, I can’t let this New Year event fall by the wayside.
Even the founding day of the Armein Kingdom! It almost overlaps with New Year’s, making it all the more important to attend. Missing it would raise eyebrows not just among nobles but even among royals.
‘If only I could just celebrate New Year and head back…’
Of course, that’s foolish thinking. If I hadn’t returned to my homeland at all, maybe it’d work, but I’ve already been back once. Leaving early for the Empire would be a tough nut to crack. After all, my father wouldn’t allow it in the first place.
“How am I supposed to survive until March?”
I muttered to myself in frustration. The school term starts in early March. That means two whole months of enduring this tedious palace life.
It’s tragic. What on earth am I going to do for those two months? If Lather were here, we’d be testing out the new four bishop play, and if Erich were here, we would’ve attempted some mind-blowing subs. But there’s no one around. Humans are social creatures, so just how dreadful is this?
‘Should have officially invited them.’
That thought suddenly crossed my mind. If I had to return to my homeland, wouldn’t it have been better to formally invite the club members to the palace?
But I quickly dismissed that thought. The members should probably be with their families during the New Year, and if I can’t do that, they wouldn’t be able to either. It shows how strong the significance of the New Year is across the continent.
With a sigh, I leaned against the balcony railing. At least being outside alone and feeling the night breeze was somewhat calming my racing thoughts. If other nobles had been lurking around me, it would have been a bigger hassle.
“Having Sir Villar nearby is quite reassuring.”
“Your Highness, you honor me with your words.”
I threw a grateful glance at Sir Villar standing next to me.
I’m truly happy that Sir Villar is here. He is among the top knights in the royal order. With his serious demeanor next to the prince who is preparing to study abroad in the Empire, it makes the nobles think twice before coming back. They probably assume there’s some important conversation happening with the two of us hiding out on the balcony.
‘Thinking this way is more comfortable.’
But honestly, there’s no important conversation at all. Sir Villar always has that stern expression. Although it might be a bit stiff since I’m practically glued to his side.
‘It’s probably okay to let him go now.’
I redirected my gaze towards the inner banquet hall. After spending hours on the balcony making it obvious I wanted some alone time, no noble would approach. Though occasionally someone might still come if they had a good reason to ignore my hints.
I doubt there’s a noble desperate enough to approach me. The succession structure is pretty solid around my brother, the crown prince. There’s no real reason to get close to other successors, and I’m closer to knights than to the political scene anyway.
“By the way, I heard Sir Perosa came as part of the security detail.”
“Yes, Your Highness. I’m sincerely grateful for the excessive trust.”
At the mention of Sir Perosa, a slight warmth crossed Sir Villar’s expression.
This is a gathering where not just nobles but also the crème de la crème of the kingdom are present. To be assigned to security detail in such a setting indicates Sir Perosa’s abilities have been recognized. As a father, how could I not be proud of that?
That’s enough justification for me to send off Sir Villar, who must have struggled while staying beside me.
“Excessive trust? It’s only natural to assign roles that match competence. But let me say this—experience is something that can’t be solved merely by ability—”
As I trailed off, I noticed Sir Villar’s eyes widen slightly. It was as if he caught on to what I was hinting at.
“How about giving some advice to your junior as a senior?”
I suggested he go have a conversation with my daughter, who is likely struggling with work. Hearing that, he hesitated for a moment before nodding his head.
“Yes, Your Highness. I shall do so.”
His brief moment of contemplation followed by a swift response was surprising, considering his typically brash demeanor. But given the circumstances, it makes sense. He hasn’t been back to the homeland in nearly a year. With only March before he has to return to the Empire, he’d understandably want to spend as much family time as possible.
Of course, Sir Perosa will be going back to the Empire too, but there’s a big difference between staying with family in one’s homeland and dealing with life in a foreign land.
As I watched Sir Villar hurry away, I leaned against the railing again. Now, I can just catch a breeze and head back at a reasonable time.
I momentarily forgot that there were entities here in Armein that are far from normal.
“Your royal knighthood is the continent’s example. No knight could possibly rival you.”
“That’s very flattering.”
“Haha, so humble of you!”
I had forgotten about the minority faction, who cares nothing for social norms and are more intent on expanding their influence. They are, in many ways, the beasts of the political world—the Fifth Empire. And I had let them slip from my mind for a moment.
Before long, Count Gaderro approached. I distinctly remember him as one of the leaders of the Fifth Empire’s action team. Each member is as loud as can be, but he stood out even more among them.
What terrible luck to have him approach me today.
“There’s no knight superior to Your Highness in Kradelfen either.”
I nearly burst out laughing at that one. Those who claim Kradelfen doesn’t qualify as an empire contend that Armein must rise to true imperial status, yet they still hold Kradelfen as their benchmark. They must know deep down about Kradelfen’s strength as well.
I just wish they’d keep that knowledge to themselves. Kradelfen hasn’t lost its mandate like Apels before; sure, it’s faced crises and challenges, but it’s overcome them. There’s no reason to pick a fight with such a nation over mandates. Only the blinded by the title of “empire” would make such claims.
‘What a nuisance.’
It’s tedious enough just to throw back an appropriate response to someone talking nonsense. Even though the Fifth Empire is ostracized from the political scene for its ridiculousness, it’s still a recognized noble house. Ignoring them out of annoyance might raise doubts about the royal family’s capacity for tolerance and generosity.
Of course, other nobles are well aware of how tiresome the Fifth Empire can be, yet the gossip that arises from it doesn’t stem from looking at the issue. Their exclusion of the Fifth Empire is often factionalism; for the royal family to shun particular nobles would be seen as oppression. That subtle difference matters greatly.
Thus, I bore the thought that I could be drafting a withdrawal letter from the academy if I caused trouble—
“A strong leader must lead the way for the rest, don’t you think?”
Suddenly, remarks that cross the line began to surface.
When I turned my polite smile towards the Count, he continued his speech. Though it was laden with flowery language and indirect phrasing, the underlying message was quite blatant.
The notion that Armein should act before the Empire recovers its strength after being exhausted by the nomads’ war and internal purges, and that I should be in the forefront of that movement instead of the moderate factions represented by my father and brother.
‘The nerve of them.’
That grates on my nerves. Their ignorance of the strength of another nation coupled with their arrogance aiming to use a royal as their chess piece is intolerable.
While they’re trying to make it sound beneficial to have someone like me leading the cause, all I see is them trying to throw me in front of a battalion while they holler their claims from the back. If things go well, they’ll likely push my moderate brother aside and put me forward as the crown prince.
‘Perhaps it’s time to make my exit.’
I quietly reorganized my thoughts. The reason nobles acknowledge the Fifth Empire as a faction, and the royal family recognizes them as nobles, isn’t merely because of appearances. They are kept around because they tend to serve a purpose.
There are various factions within the political scene, and some of them are quite extreme. The Fifth Empire is undoubtedly radical and extreme, but simultaneously, it also serves as a haven for radical elements.
Without the Fifth Empire, those radicals would be running wild everywhere barking madly. Yet if they have a cozy, familiar home base, they tend to gather there voluntarily without any force.
‘It’s best if they stay stuck there forever.’
Some sort of waste bin for crazy dogs.
But if a rabid dog escapes the bin to bite people, or waste spills over and begins to stink, then action must be taken. My father has instructed that should strange occurrences begin to surface from the Fifth Empire, I should report it immediately. He’ll take the necessary actions, no doubt.
What would be my justification? They sought to lead our country into an unreasonable conflict and subtly tried to interfere in the royal succession—it would be straightforward to provide a premise.
*
“Deception, mocking the royal family, denying the mandate… whatever we can pin on them. Just as the nobles’ gaze was tied up at the New Year’s party, the third prince struck with a surprise attack.”
“…Indeed.”
Just having one of those terms applied would likely get anyone on a fast track to a one-way trip to the gallows. If they gambled it all like a buffet, then it shows they were truly swinging for the fences.
Impressive, I wonder what on earth has happened…
‘Guess they can still muster that much energy among the royals.’
And it was surprising to hear that it was none other than Rutis leading the charge on such a sudden purge.
Armein’s crown prince holds a strong position, and the family gets along well enough, so the competition among the other princes isn’t as fierce. I had never imagined the third prince would wield the power to execute these noble heads.
Though it must be done with the king’s authorization, the mere fact that they felt confident enough to allow a third prince to handle a purge speaks volumes of Rutis’s abilities.
‘Abilities?’
I instinctively recalled Rutis from the academy—the one with the destructive tongue, as oblivious as a brick wall to the moods around him…
What’s going on? Could it be that the Rutis I know from the academy is not the same Rutis in Armein? Could it be he has a twin hiding away somewhere?
‘…Who cares.’
I brushed away the meaningless thoughts and decided to think positively instead.
Yeah, whether Rutis has a twin, multiple personalities, or where his strength comes from doesn’t concern me. What truly matters is that he took care of something I needed to deal with.
Thanks, I suppose… even a broken clock tells the right time twice a day; this troublemaker seems to be somewhat useful this year after all…
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