Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 10

10.

I hardened my face at Ken’s words.

“The Deputy Head Butler?”

Ken nodded.

“Yes. After reviewing the Crown Prince’s household accounts, I discovered that a significant portion of the expenditures was missing. It was so blatant… they were openly embezzling money, and it was easy to deduce just from the ledgers.”

I leaned back deeply into my chair.

I was pleased that I could get rid of the Deputy Head Butler, maids, and servants with a perfect excuse, but the fact that they had embezzled the Crown Prince’s budget was shocking.

‘Should I be happy about this, or not? If this incident gets out, my incompetence will be even more evident.’

As I smiled bitterly, Ken added with a sigh.

“It wasn’t just the Deputy Head Butler who embezzled the Crown Prince’s budget. The Deputy Head Butler embezzled from the budget itself, but the maids and servants committed various irregularities, such as selling off the Crown Prince’s household goods or stealing food ingredients.”

Ken clicked his tongue.

“It’s the Crown Prince’s fault, but Gale is also at fault.”

I shook my head at Ken’s blunt remark. At least in this regard, Gale was not at fault. He was busy enough just guarding me.

“Gale is the Head Butler in name only; his real job is as a bodyguard. Someone with your intelligence can probably guess how dangerous it is for an incompetent person like me to be in the position of Crown Prince.”

Ken flinched.

“I didn’t think about that… I only considered Gale’s position.”

“He’s a talent that even the Emperor covets. I should be grateful that he’s by my side.”

Ken’s expression changed subtly.

I chuckled.

“Why? Is the expression ‘Emperor’ strange?”

“It’s not strange, but it felt somewhat disrespectful.”

I shrugged and continued.

“Anyway, now that we’ve found the evidence, tomorrow, arrest the Deputy Head Butler, maids, and servants with Gale. Just kicking them out isn’t enough.”

“Is there anything else you want to investigate?”

Ken seemed to think that the ledger and some circumstantial evidence were enough.

“They’re all from the Atran family academy. They must have ties to Ted.”

Ken agreed with me.

“Of course. Ted Carl Leon is the most likely candidate to be the next Emperor.”

Ken was blunt, even in front of me, the Crown Prince.

I knew he was like that, and I didn’t rigidly adhere to formalities. I, too, casually referred to my father as the Emperor.

Ken continued.

“Ted Carl Leon is known to be a just and humble person… Well, you can’t believe everything nobles and royals say, and seeing the situation in the Crown Prince’s palace, I realized that Ted Carl Leon’s public image is just a strategy.”

I was curious about Ken’s thoughts.

“Why do you think so?”

Ken smiled.

“If Ted Carl Leon were truly just, humble, and confident, he wouldn’t need to plant people in his incompetent brother’s palace, would he?”

I liked Ken. Maybe it was because I knew how he would grow up in the future.

‘It was good to snatch him before he met Karen. If I build relationships with not only Ken but also the main characters, it will be a great help in the future.’

I organized my thoughts and answered.

“That’s right. Anyway, since it’s clear that they’re Ted’s pawns, they must have reported to Ted about me in some form. Of course, they wouldn’t have reported directly to Ted.”

“Yes. The information about the Crown Prince’s palace probably flowed to someone below him.”

“Try to get evidence of that as well, but do it discreetly.”

“Yes.”

Ken bowed his head briefly.

“Gale is staying in the palace. You can’t come forward because you came in as a servant, and if I come forward, Ted, as well as the other princes and princesses, will focus their attention on me for a while. So, the most natural picture is for Gale to take the lead and direct the operation.”

“I’ll meet Gale right away.”

“Then I’ll look forward to tomorrow.”

Ken smiled brightly at my words.

Left alone again, I got up.

“Hoo. It’s progressing one step at a time.”

When I first became Arun Carl Leon, it didn’t feel real, but these days, I definitely feel like I’m adapting to this world.

Others probably think I’ve completely changed since I was cursed by the Orc Shaman.

‘The maids and servants don’t care about me at all, and only Gale knows that I’ve changed. Oh, and now Ted has been added, right?’

I opened the window.

The wind blowing every night was very refreshing.

My semi-basement studio in Korea didn’t even have proper ventilation, but my room in the Crown Prince’s palace overlooked the garden and always had fresh, clean air.

‘I will succeed as both a Spiritist [one who can summon and control spirits] and a Crown Prince.’

Unlike Karen, the protagonist of the original novel, I didn’t have the grand cause of conquering the continent and saving the weary and struggling people of the continent.

‘It’s not the time to dream of such things yet. I need to gain power and fully establish myself as the Crown Prince. And to stand against Karen, who will one day become an enemy… I have no choice but to make the Empire stronger.’

Born as the son of Ron Carl Leon, I am inherently incompatible with Karen.

I know his growth better than anyone else, and no one knows the extent of his resentment towards the Calpheon Empire as well as I do.

To stand against him, who will one day become an enemy, I couldn’t afford to rest for even a moment.

It was a bed for sleeping, but even as I lay down, I thought of the Breathing Technique of the Wind. The efficiency of absorbing mana [magical energy] was much lower than when sitting in a lotus position and breathing, but it didn’t matter.

It was more important not to stop training.

* * *

My body has definitely improved since I started learning the Breathing Technique of the Wind.

Of course, my previously weak body was improving because I was also managing my diet and exercising, but it felt like the effect was doubled.

In particular, the feeling when I woke up in the morning was completely different.

‘It feels like I have a new body.’

I thought as I got out of bed. Last night, I fell asleep while doing the Breathing Technique of the Wind in bed.

“Shall I take a walk before breakfast?”

I realized how weak I had been.

‘To think I was at a level where I couldn’t even take a walk in the garden.’

I clicked my tongue as I thought of my body.

Before going out to the garden, I checked the notes where I recorded my memories, as usual.

I had to read them every day so that I wouldn’t be flustered when I encountered new characters or settings.

A passage that I had overlooked caught my eye.

-Arun Carl Leon couldn’t bear the insults from the other princes and princesses and chased after a legend in the Dark Forest. After being cursed by an Orc Shaman [a tribal magic user], the spell imprinted on his soul awakened after three years. Due to the spell that addicted and fascinated him with the power of darkness, Arun Carl Leon began to walk the path of a Necromancer [one who practices dark magic] in earnest.

“Why… did I overlook this?”

The reason Arun Carl Leon left the Imperial Palace and became a Necromancer started with the curse of the Orc Shaman.

I frowned as I went outside.

The maids and servants, who started working before sunrise, hurriedly bowed, but I went straight to the garden without acknowledging their greetings.

‘A spell imprinted on the soul… the soul has been replaced by me. Then has the spell disappeared?’

I guessed that it was likely, but I couldn’t be sure.

“How did I set up the spell again?”

I rubbed my head.

It was a novel that mixed all the elements that seemed fun and amazing from this novel, that novel, this movie, and that drama, so there were many inconsistent and absurd settings.

Usually, fantasy mainly consists of magic and swordsmanship. There are also Spiritism and some unique abilities, but the concept of spells doesn’t appear much.

“I’m saying that I dealt with spells in quite detail.”

I should read a book about spells today.

After finishing my thoughts, I started walking comfortably in the garden. As the morning sun slowly rose, the dew on the leaves and flowers in the garden sparkled.

‘Beautiful.’

As the environment changed, my emotions became richer.

Soon, I arrived at the fountain in the center of the garden.

The fountain also sparkled in the sunlight.

I approached it as if drawn by something.

The Breathing Technique of the Wind started on its own, and the mana hole [a source of magical energy within the body] wriggled.

As the wind blew, the water in the fountain trembled.

And then, two Sylphs [spirits of the air] appeared without me summoning them.

-Wind and Water.

-Fire and Earth.

The two Sylphs whispered in my ears, respectively.

What does it mean?

Feeling curious, I reached out to the water.

The familiar system voice of the status window gently landed in my ear.

-Due to the effect of S Breathing Technique of the Wind, hidden talents are unlocked.

-S Guardian of Water is unlocked.

Before I could be surprised, I instinctively took a breath and recited the spell required for the contract with the spirit.

“According to the primordial covenant, I wish to become the Guardian of Water, so answer my call.”

Gooooooo-!

The water in the fountain began to gather.

Mana poured out of the mana hole at a terrifying rate. In the blink of an eye, it revealed the bottom, and I felt immense pain because I felt like the mana hole was tearing.

‘This is.’

The memory that flashed through my mind reminded me of when I first summoned the spirit of the wind.

‘I have to stop it.’

It wasn’t a problem that someone knew, but at this rate, my body wouldn’t be able to withstand the mana storm and would be shattered.

I desperately clutched my chest and operated the Breathing Technique of the Wind.

Mana flowed through my blood vessels like a raging wave, causing constant pain.

The water in the fountain spread into the air and began to transform into a shape.

Last time, I lost consciousness and couldn’t see the appearance of the highest-grade spirit of the wind, but this time it was different.

The pain was terrible, but my vision was still clear, and strangely, my mind was fine.

The shape, much larger than the two-story fountain, soon transformed into a form not much different from a human. However, unlike humans, it looked down at me with mysterious, warm feelings and dignified eyes.

-Successfully summoned the highest-grade spirit of water ‘???’.

At the same time as the voice of the system window, the voice of the spirit was also heard.

-Companion of the wind, guardian of the water, and one who follows the primordial covenant that has not yet awakened. I hope to have many conversations with you next time.

I desperately clung to my fading consciousness.

The benevolent voice and warm touch of the highest-grade spirit of water continued.

-You are still lacking.

The pain disappeared as if washed away, and the spirit that had been there a moment ago also disappeared.

The water in the fountain regained its peace as if nothing had happened.

The same was true for me.

‘Was it a dream?’

No.

It could never be a dream.

I unknowingly repeated the spirit’s words.

‘One who follows the primordial covenant? Guardian of Water?’

The only thing that could explain this situation was the status window.

Talent

-S Guardian of Water (Lv1)

Quest

-F First contract with the spirit of water

Newly added talent and quest.

S-grade talent and F-grade quest, but I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at the quest reward.

-Random skill unlock.

“Could it be… that an A-grade skill will be unlocked?”

At this point, I believed it was a reasonable inference.

Arun Carl Leon, or rather, I, must have had tremendous talent beyond what I imagined.

Not once, but twice, the highest-grade spirit was summoned. Moreover, they were spirits of different attributes. Even a great Spiritist would have difficulty controlling two spirits of different attributes to the highest grade at the same time.

But I, a lowest-grade Spiritist, summoned the highest-grade spirit of wind and the highest-grade spirit of water.

While unlocking an S-grade talent!

‘Not only has the pain disappeared, but the mana hole has grown at least… three times larger.’

The unbelievably large mana hole was filled with mana, bringing me joy.

I forgot everything and was only fascinated by the spirit.

More confidently than ever, I recited the spell.

“According to the primordial covenant, I wish to become the Guardian of Water, so answer my call.”

From the fountain, the lower-grade spirit of water, Undine [a water elemental], shyly appeared. The small Undine opened her mouth as if it were natural.

-It is an honor to meet the Guardian of Water.

I was no longer flustered.