Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 44

44.

Austin subtly demeaned me with his words, hindering the smooth acceptance of my opinions.

Austin employed truly contemptible rhetoric.

“Though this occurred before he fell under the Orc shaman’s spell, doubts about His Highness’s mental state at the time remain. Did you truly understand the Orcs’ account correctly?”

He attacked the credibility of my information by questioning my own reliability.

The nobles were shaken.

Indeed, Austin’s words resonated with their memories, and in their recollections, I was the epitome of incompetence.

There was no way they would believe what I said.

I was not flustered.

I didn’t expect all the nobles to agree with me.

“My memory from that time is clear, and the mere fact that the Orcs have formed a legion is enough to suspect the rise of a king.”

I continued calmly.

“The western lords have already reported on the Orc legion, stating that its size is beyond their ability to handle alone.”

Austin did not back down easily.

“Your Highness, the lords of the provinces invariably exaggerate problems when they arise. You may not be fully aware of this due to your inexperience, but their primary concern is their own wealth and glory. They might inflate the number of Orc legions to secure support from the capital, fearing damage to their territories.”

Before long, only the voices of Austin and I echoed in the grand hall.

“Regardless of any exaggeration, it remains true that I heard about the rise of the Orc King, and it is also true that an Orc legion supporting him has entered the southwestern part of the Dark Forest.”

I emphasized the facts.

“Your Highness…”

The moment Austin tried to retort once more, my father spoke.

“Yes. At least what has been revealed so far is undeniable truth.”

At my father’s words, Austin fell silent.

“A knight order or an organization suited to the type of ability will be formed with those selected from this spring’s evaluation competition, and the winner will be placed in command. The alliance of western lords will also be placed under the command of that organization’s leader.”

The nobles nodded.

In any case, it was as good as my father taking a step back.

The spring evaluation competition was rumored to attract many talented individuals, and among this year’s participants were those whose names were known throughout the continent.

The nobles were likely to have detailed information on the famous figures who had already come to the capital.

The nobles were more wary of them entering an organization directly under my father than of not having them under their own command.

“The Imperial Knights will be deployed to the Pieron Kingdom conquest war as planned. The western expedition will be limited to the organization created after the spring evaluation competition and the western lords’ alliance.”

With that, the Grand Council meeting concluded.

No one, including Beregon, Austin, the other two dukes, and the other nobles, could object to the decision my father made.

I understood why the nobles feared my father.

His voice contained an irresistible power.

I, too, simply bowed my head and listened to my father’s voice.

I saw Duke Beregon subtly clenching his cloak beside me.

‘He is the one who wants to surpass Father more than anyone else… He must regard being ordered around as an insult in itself.’

Beregon, who had great pride in his family and a sense of privilege in his pure aristocratic lineage, could not accept the fact that my father, from an unknown family, had become the emperor.

Helping my father in the process of building the empire was one of the means for the family’s benefit in accordance with the trend of the times.

At the time, he had been watching for an opportunity beside my father, who had already gained the public’s favor and possessed great power, with the intention of taking over the empire himself.

‘Well, that’s blocked by Karen in the first place.’

In any case, the Grand Council meeting ended with my father’s command.

My father came down from the throne and said briefly to me.

“Come to my office.”

I bowed deeply.

After my father left, sighs of relief flowed out from here and there.

Duke Beregon spoke to me first.

“Your Highness has certainly changed a lot.”

I smiled brightly.

“I wonder.”

Duke Austin interjected.

“It seems I was mistaken about His Highness the Crown Prince. I never imagined you would attend the Grand Council meeting and speak. I thought the Crown Prince’s palace was the only world for Your Highness.”

I felt like I knew who Chen resembled. The sarcastic tone, even while addressing me as Crown Prince, was palpable.

Perhaps that’s why?

Dealing with Duke Austin was much easier than dealing with Duke Beregon.

“Whether it’s the Crown Prince’s palace or anywhere else, the palace and the world outside it belong to His Majesty, and that will continue to be the case.”

Austin’s expression, as well as Duke Beregon’s, hardened slightly.

The fear they had of my father was so deeply rooted that it was hard to uproot.

‘They don’t seem to know it themselves, though.’

I smiled more intensely.

“No matter where you look in the world, Your Grace, you cannot escape the name Leord. And I am also Leord. My father bestowed the surname Leord upon me long before Chen, regardless of what abilities I may have.”

The moment Austin tried to open his mouth, I turned around and concluded.

“The Crown Prince shall now withdraw to the Crown Prince’s palace.”

* * *

In the office, my father and Jin were waiting.

My father was looking at documents, and Jin offered me a seat and brought tea. The fragrant scent refreshed me.

My father soon closed the documents and took a seat in front of me.

“You seem confident in winning?”

I flinched at the sudden remark.

“Everything you said at the Grand Council today was tantamount to saying that you should be appointed as the commander-in-chief of the western expedition.”

My father’s words were correct.

I wanted to prevent Goran’s resurrection.

‘There isn’t much time. Karen killed Goran before his power became complete. She stopped him before he fully resurrected.’

Even the hero Karen could not have defeated Goran with his full power at that point.

The Goran I set was that only someone at my father’s level could kill him once he had found all his power.

‘Or the Fairy King.’

In any case, my goal was to go on an expedition to the west, kill the Orc King before Goran resurrected, and seize the opportunities that Karen had in the process.

Of course, preventing Goran’s resurrection and solidifying my position as Crown Prince were just additional bonuses.

“You’ve only just reached the intermediate level, but do you have something to believe in?”

I couldn’t fool my father after all.

It felt impossible to hide anything from my father in the first place.

‘I understand a little why Beregon and Austin instinctively fear Father.’

When I looked at my father, I felt like everything about me was being stripped bare by his gaze.

That was no different for me, a mere intermediate-level spirit mage, or for Beregon, who had reached Sword Master, or for Austin, who had reached 7th Circle Master.

That’s why they were afraid.

“What I believe in… is just myself.”

There were many excellent individuals, but I was determined to win the spring evaluation competition to save Gale and for my own sake.

There was still time.

Because I had the status window, I was confident that I could grow much faster than others, and I had actually grown so fast that it was hard for the people around me to believe.

“The path of a great spirit mage is never easy. Even I have not reached it.”

I looked at my father with a thought of, ‘Could it be?’

“One who communicates with spirits, one who makes special covenants with spirits of all attributes.”

It was my story.

How did he know?

My father didn’t even have a status window.

‘From the sparring last time, he could have noticed that I communicate with spirits through consciousness, and a special covenant? Is he talking about affinity?’

My questions grew, but my father was not one to explain things kindly.

“Even the light race, the fairies, have not been promised the path of a great spirit mage. Even the one among them who is called the king only handles spirits of two attributes.”

“Is that so.”

“Yes. Since the beginning of the covenant between humans and spirits, there has been only one person besides you in history who has summoned the highest-level spirit from the first spirit summoning.”

My father stood up.

“I will see if you are indeed like him.”

That was the end of the explanation.

I wanted to ask more, but my father had already sat back at his desk and unfolded the documents.

Jin began to clear the teacups.

I, too, stood up.

My father said without giving me a glance.

“Keep one thing in mind.”

I stopped just before bowing.

“Talk to the spirits more. That’s the first thing.”

I bowed to my father and went outside.

* * *

Seeing the two knights who had returned from the Crown Prince’s palace, Ted offered his condolences.

“How much you must have suffered!”

Baren and Soljar knelt down.

“We are sorry, Your Highness!”

Ted patted their shoulders and helped them up.

“No. It was my lack of virtue that made the two of you suffer. I heard the story.”

The two men trembled.

Ted continued to speak with a smile.

“I would have been very sad if you had been executed for your sins. But I heard that you returned with my brother’s mercy? Through sparring.”

Baren and Soljar had already sensed it.

After losing to Arun, Arun had given them the greatest punishment.

The insults they had habitually directed at Arun at Ted’s behest were coming back so greatly.

“Go and rest. Recover your strength and see your families. It hasn’t been long since you haven’t been able to see your families, has it?”

Baren asked without realizing it.

“Are my family members okay?”

Ted nodded.

“Your families are all buried in the same place. It’s a sunny spot. I spent a lot of money. They were criminals, so they couldn’t have a funeral, but still.”

At those words, Soljar rushed at Ted with a groan like a scream.

Swish-!

Before they knew it, Silon’s sword, which was behind Ted, cut through Soljar’s waist.

Ted turned his gaze to Silon.

“Silon, watch the blood! They have to see their families off.”

Silon clicked his tongue.

He shook his head at Ted’s terribly cruel personality.

When the two were caught by Arun, Ted had already beheaded their families.

He had first held Baren and Soljar’s families accountable for insulting the imperial family.

And the two of them were also scheduled to be beheaded in front of their families’ graves while they were wailing.

Baren trembled.

He looked alternately at Soljar, who had been cut in half at the waist and died, and at the ruthless Ted.

“Y-Your Highness, forgive…”

“My brother forgave you, but how can I, as his younger brother, forgive those who have insulted the imperial family? My brother showed mercy and compassion, but there must be someone among the imperial family who enforces the rules, right? That’s how the dignity of the imperial family is established. You’ve suffered a lot. Go and see your families.”

Baren tried to plead once more, but knights had already entered from outside and were dragging Baren away.

Ted opened the window.

“Damn it.”

Sending the two knights back alive was Arun’s clear provocation.

“Arun led today’s Grand Council meeting?”

It was a Grand Council meeting that he hadn’t even participated in yet.

“That moron stood side by side with his maternal grandfather and other nobles and held a meeting, and Father sided with him…”

Silon corrected.

“His Majesty did not take sides. It’s just that His Highness the Crown Prince’s logic was perfect. It was a proposal that satisfied not only His Majesty but also the nobles.”

Ted didn’t like Silon’s sneering tone, but he didn’t bother to point it out.

He was just his bodyguard, not a knight who had sworn allegiance.

Ted’s voice lowered.

“I heard that my maternal grandfather is shaking Chen’s side. I’ll lend a hand too.”

Silon narrowed his eyes.

Ted’s words continued.

“Take care of the disposal of those trash-like guys, and I’ll go see Chen.”

The aftermath, the groundwork for Ted’s perfect mask, was always Silon’s responsibility.

Silon nodded without much complaint.

“I will.”

Silon added a word.

“Oh, and the eldest son will be coming up soon.”