Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 108

108

Seokham Island is a large island.

At its eastern end lies a prison for pirates. Surrounded by rugged cliffs and deep seas, escape is impossible.

The western side, which has relatively flat land and is connected to the mainland by a bridge, houses the largest naval base in the Lionel Kingdom.

There are two ways to become a naval officer in the Lionel Kingdom.

First, graduate from the Naval Academy of the Royal Military Academy.

Second, get a direct appointment [a position granted through influence rather than merit].

Royer Shin was the latter.

Dreaming of becoming a cadet at the Royal Military Academy, he met Evan, the 5th Prince of the kingdom, and achieved meteoric success.

He proved himself as a 3-star knight and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.

He helped Evan navigate the sea routes during the sinking of the Joe Bailey pirate crew and was immediately promoted two ranks for his contribution.

At just 17 years old, he was a captain.

Due to the circumstances of those above, he is known to the public as 18 years old, having celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony last year.

Royer’s job is to be the swimming instructor and second assistant to Derek Blant, a 7-star knight and the highest-ranking officer on Seokham Island.

Originally, this was a job that should be handled by at least a major.

An unprecedented rise to success despite being from a commoner background.

For various reasons, since Royer came to Seokham Island, the bullying has been unspeakable.

Because his backers were big names like Evan and Reina, no one dared to bully him openly… but originally, such things are more annoying when done secretly.

It was a trivial matter that his underwear disappeared after being hung out to dry, forcing him to survive on a single pair for nearly a month.

‘It’s gone again.’

Royer sighed softly as he looked at the empty laundry rack again today.

It was highly likely that a soldier did it.

They fear the fists of veteran soldiers far more than newly appointed officers like him. And most of the veteran soldiers on Seokham Island who can hold their breath for a while look down on newly appointed officers.

There was a time when Royer, enraged, raided the scene of the theft. He just sighed deeply at the sight of the new recruit crying and begging, saying that the veterans had ordered him to do it.

If he had severely punished the new recruit there, his military life would have become more difficult, not easier.

“Hoo······.”

Royer let out a big sigh.

It is a process that everyone goes through if they are a newly appointed junior officer, especially from a commoner background. He calmed his bubbling stomach and returned to his quarters.

He unwrapped the new underwear and socks that he had been saving. In the morning, he suddenly received instructions to assist Derek with his external affairs all day today.

Royer, dressed sharply in his naval uniform. After tidying up his uniform one last time in front of the mirror, he put on his naval cap and left his quarters.

It was better to leave early, even though there was plenty of time before work.

“Salute!”

“Salute!”

“Salute!”

“Salute!”

“Salute!”

.

.

.

Moving while saluting everyone he met often took up a lot of time unexpectedly.

Especially when he encountered aristocratic field grade officers who disliked him, it was a real ordeal.

Fortunately, as time passed, the number of times they subtly harassed Royer gradually decreased. Recently, some people even started acting friendly, as if they had never done such things before.

It must be because Evan was nominated as the Crown Prince.

While having such thoughts, Royer arrived at the Naval Admiral’s office.

Knock knock.

“Captain Royer, entering.”

After knocking and stating his rank and name, Royer opened the door and went inside.

A man with shaggy curly hair, dark skin, and mischievous childlike eyes was half-lying on the sofa in the aide’s office, reading a newspaper.

It was Naval Admiral Derek Blant.

“Salute! Did you have a good night?”

Derek, sniffing and asking a mischievous question, Royer responded skillfully without any change in expression.

“Of course.”

“You’re no fun. I don’t know why they steal the underwear of guys like you so much.”

Derek shook his head and shifted his gaze back to the newspaper.

Royer glanced at the seats of the chief aide and the first aide.

They were all empty.

There was no way to know where they had gone.

‘Also, why did he suddenly single me out to accompany him today?’

He hadn’t even received Derek’s afternoon schedule.

Many questions arose, but he didn’t ask.

In the military, you do as you’re told.

While Derek was reading the newspaper, Royer checked the routes he had to move along in the morning.

And soon it was time to move.

“Admiral, you should start getting ready.”

“Haaam~ I’m sleepy. It’s become a hassle.”

Derek yawned widely, lay down on the sofa, and covered his face with the newspaper.

“Cancel everything except going to see my pretty one. Ah! And have the chief cancel all the afternoon schedules in his drawer.”

“Understood.”

Snore, snore.

Derek’s snoring could be heard immediately.

Royer sighed softly and picked up the Tellestone [a magical communication device]. After taking a deep breath, he contacted each unit to cancel Derek’s visit.

Unit commanders who had been preparing for days since hearing the news of the admiral’s visit. Of course, it was Royer’s job to endure their curses and shouts.

Still.

The level of swearing has decreased significantly.

‘It’s all thanks to the Prince.’

Royer once again expressed his gratitude to Evan in his heart.

After checking if there were any additional tasks to be done and completing them all, he stretched out and recovered his tattered spirit.

‘Time is······.’

Click, he opened his pocket watch.

‘If I don’t wake him up now, I’ll be late.’

Royer hurriedly woke Derek up.

“Admiral, Admiral Derek. You need to wake up.”

“Umm······ Already?”

“If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.”

“Haaam~ I’m sleepy. But I can’t miss seeing my pretty one. Did you have the airship ready?”

“I told them to stand by right on time.”

Royer led Derek, who was lazily dawdling, out of the building.

Boarding the small airship exclusively for the Naval Admiral, they headed to the shipyard in Caros Port, the largest port in the Lionel Kingdom.

Key officials were lined up waiting.

“Salute!”

“Saluuuuute!”

After the boisterous welcome, the master shipbuilder approached Derek. He was the head of the shipyard and held the rank of colonel.

“Thank you for your hard work in coming, Admiral Derek.”

“What hard work? It’s just a moment on the airship. How is my pretty one doing?”

“Please, see for yourself.”

The master shipbuilder smiled brightly and guided Derek.

A large warship came into view of Royer, who accompanied Derek.

‘The Joe Bailey pirate crew’s ironclad ship?’

No.

It was similar, but much larger.

“Oh! Last time, it was just a skeleton, so there was nothing to see, but now it looks like a proper battleship.”

“This is the result of the shipbuilders who were dragged to the island nation and returned to their homeland. It would have been absolutely impossible without the half-destroyed ironclad ship of the Joe Bailey pirate crew and the immense support of the Ayts Trading Company.”

The master shipbuilder, overwhelmed with emotion, continued to talk excitedly, spitting as he spoke.

“Finally! Finally! We can now build a battleship-class ironclad ship capable of carrying 1,000 crew members using only our own technology! The standard displacement is close to 18,322 tons······.”

Derek quickly cut off the master shipbuilder’s words.

“Okay, okay. Calm down. You know I don’t know much even if you rattle off the specifications of the battleship. Anyway, when will that pretty one be completed?”

“It’s in the final stages. A month will be enough.”

“The envoys from the island nation will definitely be coming by ship, so I think it would be good to complete it before then. Keep up the good work until the end.”

“Understood! Salute!”

“Uh, uh. Salute.”

After finishing the conversation with the master shipbuilder, Derek looked at Royer. He was staring at the ironclad ship with a dazed look.

“Royer, what are you staring at so blankly?”

“······.”

“Royer? Royer!”

“Yes, yes!”

“What were you looking at so intently that you couldn’t even hear this Naval Admiral?”

“On the deck! There is a girl wearing a red dress on the deck! It’s dangerous!”

At Royer’s words, Derek glanced at the deck of the ironclad ship.

There was no one there.

“Huh?”

Derek, alternating between looking at the flustered Royer and the deck, felt a chill down his spine.

He has a secret that he thoroughly hides.

That the kingdom’s 7-star knight, who slices through high-level magical beasts with a single slash, cannot fall asleep alone on nights when he hears scary stories about ghosts and spirits, is something that must never be revealed.

“Haha, haha······. You silly fool! Who said there’s anyone on the deck? The air seems stuffy, I need to get out of here quickly.”

Derek hurriedly began to move away from the ironclad ship. Royer hurriedly chased after him as he left the shipyard as if running away.

Having confirmed that the construction of the ironclad ship was proceeding smoothly, the group.

It was almost lunchtime.

Royer looked at Derek.

“Admiral, will you have your meal back at Seokham Island?”

“No, I’ll take care of it here. I know a fantastic restaurant. Follow me, Royer. Ah, the crew can use this to eat on their own.”

Derek handed a generous sum of money to the captain of the airship.

“Salute! Thank you!”

“Saluuuuute!”

“Okay, okay.”

“Admiral, we are here to escort you······.”

“Who’s escorting who? You guys eat with the crew too. Royer, you come with me.”

Derek, leaving the escort knights behind, strode away. Royer hurriedly followed him.

Derek took Royer to a truly splendid restaurant.

After being guided to a private room by the staff, Royer’s eyes widened as he confirmed the person waiting.

“It’s been a while, Admiral Derek.”

“Oh, it’s been a while, Count Clian. But who’s next to you?”

“I’m Julian.”

Royer nodded slightly to Clian and then looked at the person who introduced himself as Julian.

A skinny man with a scraggly beard.

He looked like he would fall over if you poked him.

However, his eyes were shining so brightly that it was strange.

***

Clian, Julian.

Around the time the two arrived at Caros Port, I finished my morning routine and headed to the State Council Chamber.

Today, I sat in a slightly different seat than the Chairman of the Emergency Countermeasures Committee.

The head seat where the chairman of the meeting sits.

Originally, it was the King’s seat.

Usually, the Prime Minister would sit in place of the King, who was absent due to health reasons, but even Prime Minister Heo was absent today.

He said he had a bad cold?

That must be an excuse.

The order of the State Council is King, Crown Prince, Prime Minister. The King has nominated me as Crown Prince, but I have not yet held the coronation ceremony.

There is room for debate as to who should preside over the State Council. The stubborn royal elders could talk about that topic for a month.

So Prime Minister Heo neatly excused himself with a cold. As expected of someone who rose to the position of Prime Minister in the kingdom’s political arena with a hearty laugh, he had a good sense.

“It seems like it’s time. Then I will begin the meeting.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I struck the gavel to announce the opening of the meeting and then scanned the seats of the State Council members.

There were quite a few departments where the vice minister was present in place of the minister.

With the exception of Clian, who was absent due to an unavoidable business trip, most of them were southern nobles who had gone down to their territories under the pretext of stabilizing the regions where the riots had occurred.

······Stabilizing the territories?

‘Bullshit.’

They are probably gathered in a secluded secret space right now, racking their brains on how to preserve their power.

Foolish bastards.

I am grateful that these people who oppose for the sake of opposing are vacating their seats.

“As you all know, I requested this convocation of the State Council. I have brought a revised version of the previously incomplete agenda. I want everyone to pay attention to the screen.”

Ttaak-!

As a signal for me to snap my fingers, letters appeared on the screen.

『Nobility Honor Law』

It was the first step to keep the promise I made to them while disbanding the rebel army in the south.