Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 106

106

King Philippe of the Lionel Kingdom exhaled the cigarette smoke he had deeply inhaled and looked at Evan, who was sitting across from him.

He was once called the Ghost Prince of Emerald Palace, possessing less power than a young lady from a rural barony.

Philippe retraced the path Evan had walked.

In the royal court trial where he was falsely accused, he dragged in the Second Prince, cornered the Fourth Prince, and shed the label of Ghost Prince. That incident was the starting point of the Fourth Prince’s assassination.

He exercised his immunity to save a servant, and in the hearing, he turned Beortio into a witch of the South, thoroughly warning what would happen if anyone rashly touched him.

He won the hearts of the Westerners through the development and distribution negotiations of the Black Anvil Tribe and Mana Stone Mine.

He annihilated the pirates, who were a headache in the East, to embrace the Northern Liberation Army. In the process, he sank the Joe Bailey Pirates, whom even the Stone Coffin [a powerful mercenary group] and navy avoided confronting.

He warned of the epidemic. When the Red Star Fever began to sweep the world, he developed the cure and established the Aitz Merchant Company, an unprecedentedly large merchant company in the kingdom.

He executed Amika Arya, the 7-star summoner of the Arya Kingdom, and the traitor Vice, who coveted the cure for the Red Star Fever. Immediately, he executed the mastermind, the Second Prince.

He uprooted the Tricolor Staff Order, which held dangerous ideologies, and cornered Moria Runtia, the most powerful figure in the kingdom, during the hearing.

And now.

Evan, who returned after resolving the Southern Rebellion, was now forcing Philippe to declare him Crown Prince.

‘Unbelievable.’

Were these achievements even possible?

It had only been a little over two years.

Moreover, that was only what Philippe knew. What hidden stories lay beneath the surface? He was incredibly curious about them.

“When do you plan to ascend the throne?”

“With Your Majesty alive and well, how could I possibly ascend the throne? You may step down when you feel it is difficult to oversee the kingdom’s affairs any longer.”

Philippe chuckled, tapping his cigarette into the ashtray.

“It would be best to hold a coming-of-age ceremony and then wear the crown.”

“As you wish.”

“I want to be alone, so go take care of your business. You look tired.”

There was no need for confirmation on what Evan had requested. If he wanted, Philippe would have to take off the crown as early as tomorrow.

“Thank you.”

Evan rose from the sofa, bowed lightly, and left the reception room.

Sigh- Whoosh-

Sigh- Whoosh-

Philippe stared at the door Evan had exited for a long time, finishing an entire cigarette in his seat.

“Cough, cough.”

As he stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, a hacking cough that stabbed at his lungs and a bitter taste of blood filled his mouth.

‘I don’t know if I can last until his coming-of-age ceremony.’

Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Philippe slowly approached the window. Through the window, he could see Evan’s back as he left Leon Palace.

It was the 모습 [Korean: appearance, figure] he had dreamed of as a child.

Philippe did not leave the window until Evan disappeared from his sight.

***

The First Prince’s funeral proceeded in a solemn atmosphere.

It was a small-scale event, attended only by the royal family and major nobles, not a national event.

It was because of suicide.

The situation I feared did not occur.

Like the First Queen grabbing my collar and trying to slap me.

It was thanks to Lucas’s letter.

According to Milroa, Lucas’s letters were delivered to important figures such as the First Queen and Commander Gallard immediately after the encoffining ceremony [placing a body in a coffin].

The contents of the letters were similar.

A more detailed account of what Lucas had said before stabbing himself in the abdomen in front of the Ronswell rebels was written.

At the end, along with a request to respect his choice, he asked them not to interfere, even if they couldn’t help me.

Thanks to the handwritten letter, which could not be denied as his writing, the funeral proceeded without any major disturbances.

The First Queen, she was a mother who had lost her child, fulfilling her son’s last wish today.

“Then, we will proceed with the interment!”

Lucas’s coffin was placed in his spot in the royal cemetery. Starting with the emotionless King and the First Queen, whose tears had dried up, the royal family members covered the coffin with handfuls of dirt, offering their final farewells.

I, too, joined the procession, throwing dirt from a shovel onto the coffin containing the fake corpse.

“The things you asked for, 형님 [Korean: older brother, used respectfully]. I will definitely achieve them.”

Perhaps it was because I was swept up in the atmosphere, but my acting didn’t seem awkward.

That’s how the interment was completed.

I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

Because today’s funeral included Moria Runtia and the major nobles of the South, who I would no longer be under the same sky with, and the royals who were attached to them.

A person cornered will not hesitate to commit unimaginable crazy acts. I was worried that they might open the coffin and shout, ‘We need to confirm if the real Lucas is here!’ My heart was pounding.

Now it was time for the King to give his final words of gratitude to those who attended the funeral.

“First, I would like to thank everyone who attended this event once again. Originally, I should tell you to return to your respective places, but today, there is something I must convey to you all.”

Tension filled the faces of the ministers.

“I believe there is no one who does not know what Lucas said before he died. Yes, the First Prince Lucas, who left us, renounced his right to the throne and declared that he would leave everything to the Fifth Prince Evan.”

The King took out a letter from his pocket and showed it.

“I know that many people received letters similar to mine on the day Lucas’s coffin was closed. It contains information that reveals that what Lucas did in Ronswell was not accidental. And in the letter he sent to me, there was also this request.”

The King paused for a moment, opening the letter.

“Your Majesty. Evan will be able to lead the Lionel Kingdom into one of the strongest nations in the world. When I am gone, please declare Evan as the Crown Prince.”

The King, having finished reading, folded the letter and put it back in his pocket.

The ministers began to stir.

– The Fifth Prince as Crown Prince······.

– Has the kingdom’s succession battle finally ended······.

– Can there be any opposition?

Most of them seemed to take it for granted that I would become the Crown Prince.

However, there is always an exception.

“That’s absurd!”

It was Duke Moria.

“Prince Evan’s succession ranking is only third!”

That was true.

Even if you exclude the First Princess and Fourth Princess, who were stripped of their succession rights when they married into other countries, there are still the Second Princess and Third Princess above me.

It would be a bit unseemly for me to refute.

I turned my gaze to where Bert and Cliang were. The two were communicating with their eyes, deciding who would step forward.

Just as Bert, who had a bit more influence, was about to step forward, the quiet older sister raised her hand.

“I, Annette Lionel, the Third Princess of the kingdom, swear to renounce my right to the throne from this moment on.”

Moria’s expression twisted, and his face turned bright red.

– Pfft.

Someone was heard trying to hold back laughter. Everyone’s gaze turned to the source.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Dust got in my nose······.”

It was Bert.

“Duke Moria, wasn’t the First Princess clearly first in line for succession before she got married? At that time, you clearly said that the First Prince, who was second in line, should be appointed as Crown Prince, didn’t you?”

Moria immediately retorted to his words pointing out his double standards.

“The order of succession is only meaningful to royals who have awakened their magical powers! At that time, the First Princess was an ordinary person who had not awakened her magical powers! There is still the Second Princess, a genius mage who precedes Prince Evan in the order of succession!”

“Are you talking about the Second Princess who didn’t even attend today’s funeral?”

“She is studying at a magic tower in a distant foreign country, so contact has been delayed! She will be back soon.”

“Oh, you speak as if you have been in contact with the Second Princess.”

Moria’s expression hardened at Bert’s words.

There would be no contact.

Immediately after returning to the palace, I heard from Milroa that the Second Princess’s whereabouts were unknown. According to her, she seemed to have hidden herself to avoid troublesome matters after receiving Lucas’s call······.

“Duke Moria.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to him at the King’s sudden words.

“Have you forgotten what is more important than the order of succession?”

Moria’s expression hardened at the King’s words, whose lips were turned up.

“It is my will as King.”

The King glanced at me.

He looked gleeful.

Until now, it was unimaginable for the King to oppose the opinion of Moria, the King of the South, something that would have been impossible in the past.

I nodded to him.

Tell Moria, who had never been able to raise his voice, to shout as much as he wanted until his ears fell off.

“I! Philippe Lionel, the King of the Lionel Kingdom! Hereby declare Evan Lionel, the kingdom’s only prince! To be the Crown Prince of the kingdom!”

The King looked around at the crowd.

“No objections will be allowed. Crown Prince, Evan Lionel’s first task will be to oversee the 500th Anniversary New Year’s Conference, which was postponed due to the Southern Rebellion. Evan, can you do it?”

I bent my knee and looked up at the King.

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

A moment of silence.

“Long live His Majesty the King! Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!”

Starting with Bert and Cliang, most of those gathered began to shout cheers.

I turned my head and stared with cold eyes at Moria, who was trembling without joining the ranks.

***

The next day.

『Prince Evan Appointed as Crown Prince!』

『When is the Enthronement Ceremony?』

『His Highness the Crown Prince’s First Debut at the 500th Anniversary New Year’s Conference?』

Originally, the New Year’s Conference is held every year on January 15th, but this year it has been postponed indefinitely.

Logically, no sane country would hold a New Year’s Conference when such a large-scale rebellion has occurred in the South.

In previous years, now that it was delayed, it might have quietly passed without a New Year’s Conference.

But this year, it can’t be done.

It’s the 500th anniversary.

In the ‘future,’ the 500th Anniversary New Year’s Conference was held, albeit modestly, even as the Red Star Fever swept through the kingdom.

“You’re incredibly passionate.”

The guy said something out of the blue to me, who was reading the newspaper Alfonso had brought while signing off on a mountain of documents.

“About what?”

“At the beginning of the year, you said that the 500th anniversary wasn’t a big deal and that you were very annoyed with preparing for the New Year’s Conference, weren’t you?”

“My Crown Prince enthronement ceremony is also there. Besides, the kingdom’s people are in turmoil due to the large-scale rebellion that occurred in the South following the Red Star Fever. We need to refresh the atmosphere.”

I handed the newspaper I had finished reading to Alfonso.

“Take it and bring Julian here.”

“Yes.”

After Alfonso left, I continued to sign off on documents. When I was reviewing the plan to deploy some of the Topaz Palace personnel, whose places had disappeared, to Emerald Palace.

Knock, knock.

“Your Highness, I have brought Julian.”

“Okay. Let him in and Alfonso, you take care of your work.”

“Understood.”

The door opened and Julian entered.

I put the documents I was reading on the desk and looked at him. In the past few days, his complexion, which had been pale and dark, seemed to have become a little darker.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“Have you been well while I was away?”

“I asked the child Alfonso assigned to me and read a lot of books I wanted to read.”

“Really? What field did you mainly read? Politics? Administration? Diplomacy?”

“I don’t particularly have a preferred field, but I found the history of war especially interesting.”

A deep regret was evident in his eyes.

“Are you disappointed? That there isn’t much time left?”

“······ I’m frustrated. I resent the heavens for giving me such a short fate. I want to see it too. The future that Your Highness will create. I am frustrated that I cannot participate in the process. I want to see the tree I planted grow into a giant tree myself. Your Highness’s retainers······ I’m insanely··· envious.”

Julian’s clenched fist trembled.

I leaned comfortably back in my chair and waited for him to finish speaking.

“······ I know it’s greed. I, who stirred up the Southern people and caused a rebellion, should have originally disappeared as dew on the guillotine [execution device]. Thank you once again for allowing me to prepare for my end in such luxury as now.”

“It’s compensation for devising a useful plan. I tend to be thorough with rewards and punishments. There’s no point in tormenting a person who doesn’t have much time left to live; it would only make my sleep restless.”

“The thrill I felt when the plan that I devised with Count Cliang and Count Milroa worked will be remembered even in death.”

I leaned my body, which had been stretched out, towards Julian.

“Do you want to live?”

“Yes?”

“Imagine that I have two options. One is to create an 8-star knight for the kingdom, the other is to extend the lifespan given to you.”

His pupils shook violently.

“Julian, do you think you are more valuable than an 8-star knight?”