Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 111

Lukas received the mask and examined it closely.

“Neive? I’ve heard that name somewhere…”

Miloa, who had approached him, stared intently at the mask and opened her mouth.

“Neive. The mysterious mage who wears a ghost mask commonly used in plays [a traditional theatrical mask], who subdued Radwan Runtia, the first target of the Tricolor Staff. So… he was an agent of our Crown Prince. Who exactly is he?”

She still didn’t suspect that Neive was me.

More people than I thought have witnessed me using magic. Aside from my close aides… the crew aboard the Kaikanik when dealing with the Cho Bayley pirates.

Satisfied that the secret was well kept, I answered Miloa’s question.

“He’s retired. Anything beyond that is a secret.”

He had just retired, so it wasn’t a lie.

Her brow furrowed as she failed to get a proper answer each time she asked. At this rate, she’ll soon have unsightly wrinkles…

“You want me to become Neive… last time, didn’t you tell me to live as a butler in a rural baronet’s family?”

“After careful consideration, I realized your talents are too precious to waste, Brother. But were you really considering becoming a butler?”

“I thought it was a pretty good position to watch over a child who shares my blood.”

I had just said whatever came to mind, but he seemed to have taken it quite seriously.

“Aim for a better position than a butler.”

“Like what?”

“How about the position of a father?”

“…Are you saying I’m allowed to have a family?”

“I tend to be generous to those who have contributed.”

“So, you’re saying I should wear this mask and make contributions under the name of Neive?”

Lukas, who was fiddling with the mask, stared directly into my eyes.

“You’re not sending me to a place to die, are you?”

“What do you take me for…”

“A ruthless guy who eliminated all his brothers in less than three years? Among them… there was even one you could have saved but stood by and watched.”

Is he talking about the Third Prince, Theor Lionel…?

I felt a little wronged. I had clearly advised him.

To break away from the First Queen and First Prince and become independent in the east. If he had followed that advice, he wouldn’t have met his end from the Red Star Fever like in the ‘future.’

Well, there’s no denying that I didn’t actively prevent his death.

“I have a surprisingly warm side if you get to know me. Didn’t I risk my life and stand up against Count Miloa just to find a single servant?”

“So, you’re warm to your own people, is that it?”

Was Alphonso on my side back then?

I briefly recalled the memory.

It’s ambiguous.

– Become one. Emperor.

If he hadn’t said that as he was being dragged away by the Defense Intelligence Command, it would have ended as a bad encounter there.

“What happens if I refuse to use this mask?”

“I have no intention of changing the promise I made to you, Brother. You can really just live as a butler in a rural baronet’s family.”

“The moment I wear this, it means I have to do work in the shadows, right? Do you have a public identity in mind separately?”

“How about a survivor from a baronial family that fell during the Hamel Empire’s northern invasion?”

“That’s also an identity I can only get if I wear this mask, right?”

I smiled faintly.

It would be a bit unseemly to directly say that if I refuse, a commoner identity without a ‘castle’ [backing or influence] in the back alleys is prepared.

“But even if I want to use the name Neive, isn’t there one problem?”

“What is it?”

“Wasn’t he a mage of outstanding skill who easily subdued the 6-star mage Radwan? As you know, I’m a knight.”

“It’s alright. Neive doesn’t necessarily have to be just one person. You don’t have to answer right away. Take your time to think about it and convey your answer through Count Miloa.”

***

After being treated to a sumptuous meal at the Cristi County, I returned to the royal palace and took a walk in the garden with Alphonso to digest.

I kept feeling like something was missing.

Suddenly, I remembered what it was.

“Alphonso.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve been so busy lately that I’ve neglected to give our cutie snacks. Have you been taking care of it?”

“I’ve been moving around with you, Your Highness.”

Jidragon, who would normally peek out and ask for snacks, was nowhere to be seen.

Is he sulking?

“Are you worried because you don’t see him? Maybe he’s hibernating because it’s cold?”

“A faceless dragon doesn’t hibernate.”

I bent my knees and placed my palm on the ground. I used magic to search for Jidragon’s location.

‘Found him.’

The stylish bow tie he gave me as a gift after subduing Chilmiho was sending a signal.

He was deep underground, not moving. It really seemed like he was hibernating, just like Alphonso said.

‘A guy who woke up after being asleep for nearly 500 years wouldn’t be sleeping this deeply… Ah!’

I remembered.

Moulting [shedding skin].

Jidragon was still in his juvenile stage, close to adulthood. It was time for him to shed his skin and grow.

I know that after moulting, they consume a lot of energy and fall into a deep sleep. At least a month, or even years.

‘Hmm…’

An unexpected situation.

If Julian failed to persuade the former Second Order Commander, Duke Derrick, I was even thinking of borrowing Jidragon’s power.

‘Alright, sleep well.’

There might be a way to wake him up if I looked for it, but I decided to let him rest comfortably. He needs to rest sometimes too.

After organizing my thoughts, I dusted off my hands and stood up.

“Did you find him?”

“Yeah, it seems like he’s moulting while we were neglecting him. He’s going to sleep for quite a while.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried he might have flown away outside the palace.”

“What’s with you? You were so eager to catch him and eat him.”

“I guess that’s what they mean by growing fond of someone you hate.”

“Like you?”

“Hey, I’m all about good feelings, good feelings.”

“Let’s go back, it’s cold.”

“Yes.”

After finishing our walk, I locked myself in my office until late at night, working.

Knock, knock.

“Your Highness, Count Clian and Julian have returned.”

At Alphonso’s voice announcing the return of the two, I put down the documents I was looking at on the desk.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Clian entered first.

No one in this world can tell whether things went well or not from that man’s expression. I immediately focused on Julian, who was following behind him.

He had a faint smile on his lips.

My lips also turned up.

“Looks like you persuaded him.”

“It took a little longer, but things worked out well. We have made an agreement to work together when the date and place for incinerating the trash are set.”

For the first time, I succeeded in persuading a necessary person by employing a subordinate without moving myself.

The past, when I moved my mouth to persuade countless people, flashed through my mind.

The pleasure of succeeding was exhilarating, but it was also exhausting.

My evaluation of Julian went straight up.

“So, how did you persuade him?”

“Duke Derrick’s rebellious spirit… well, it’s closer to a contrarian nature than rebellion. I stimulated that a little. I also informed him of his objective situation in detail.”

I want to hear more details, but it’s very late. Besides, Julian’s eyes were clear, but his cheekbones were more prominent in a day.

‘He looks like someone who hasn’t eaten for days.’

It was the behavior of a wise monarch to let him rest as soon as possible.

“It wouldn’t be right to keep the two of you who returned late at night for too long. Rest well today and let’s talk again tomorrow.”

***

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

『The Noble Honor Law! What exactly is in it?』

『The pilot application area is the southern region where the riots took place!』

The Noble Honor Law passed by the State Council caused a huge stir.

For the nobles.

For the people of the kingdom.

『The Southern Noble Federation, the Noble Honor Law is an evil law that oppresses the nobles. Request cooperation from the noble federations in each region.』

The nobles in the south, who were subject to the pilot application, naturally protested.

They constantly promoted that the implementation of the Noble Honor Law was just my scheme to suppress the power of the nobles in the future.

But.

『The Eastern Noble Federation. “We need to rethink the duties of the nobles again.”』

『The Northern Noble Federation vehemently criticizes the Southern Noble Federation for forgetting the sacred duties of the nobles.』

『The Western Noble Federation expresses its position that it should listen to the voices of the people of the kingdom.』

By bringing in Miloa, I was able to move even the Royal Defense Intelligence Command, and there was no way that a public opinion battle could be established.

I didn’t make up words that didn’t exist.

These were the words that the nobles of the East, North, and West directly said.

Other regional nobles also know that the Noble Honor Law may later return to them as a boomerang.

‘Regionalism isn’t that easy.’

Since the accession of the current king, the southern nobles, who have treated the nobles of other regions as country bumpkins, have long been marked as disliked.

Even knowing that they might get hurt, they sometimes throw a punch at such a disliked person.

If the world only revolved around reason, the kingdom would not have become such a mess in the first place.

“Julian is working really hard. I’m worried that I might really be pushed out of my position as Your Highness’s right-hand man.”

I chuckled and handed the newspaper I had finished reading to Alphonso.

The work of cleaning up the trash in the south was being carried out almost 90% under Julian’s leadership. I was taking a step back and watching with a relaxed mind.

Ah, it’s not that I was playing around.

I was also very busy.

I couldn’t help but be busy preparing for the 500th anniversary New Year’s party and inauguration ceremony. In particular, writing handwritten letters to the key figures of each country who were coming as envoys was really a chore.

Moreover, my insides, which had been shaken up during the sincere sparring with Lukas, had not yet fully recovered.

If Julian hadn’t taken over the cleaning of the southern trash in my place, I would have collapsed from overwork long ago.

‘I want to take a day off and sleep.’

I got up from my chair, stretched, and asked Alphonso.

“Is it almost time to go out?”

“Yes. Everyone is probably gathered.”

“Let’s go.”

I took [Barisada] [his sword] and went outside with Alphonso.

There are many important schedules today.

Among them, the one in the morning is to select the knights who will participate in the friendly competition at the New Year’s party.

A series of matches consisting of five 5-star knights.

A captain’s match of 6-star knights.

It will be conducted in two ways.

The friendly competition was passed by the Royal Committee with my strong insistence.

It’s not that there was no opposition.

– A friendly competition with the knights of the Hamel Empire?

– If, if we lose, we won’t be able to hold our heads up in front of the people of the kingdom.

– That’s right! His Highness the Crown Prince, how much the knights of the Empire….

.

.

Of course, Bert and the hawkish members also helped.

– Are you truly members of the Royal Committee of the kingdom who are afraid before even starting!!

– That’s right! If we are afraid in advance and do not pass this agenda, how can we face the knights who will be disappointed!

Decisively.

‘There’s Reina.’

I glanced at Reina, who was silently following behind.

She was said to be a 6.5-star knight.

The Royal Committee members were convinced that they would never lose, even if it was a series of matches, so they finally agreed to hold the risky event called the friendly competition.

As I briefly recalled the events at the Royal Committee, I arrived at the training ground where the knights were gathered.

The first selection was already completed by the knights themselves. I examined their faces.

The three who were in charge of my escort.

Adol, Vernon, and Berok all achieved the feat of passing the first selection.

Unless there is a major upset, it was certain that those three would be selected as the five who would participate in the series of matches.

Only two spots left.

I approached the bracket where the numbers of the number plates that the knights were picking would be filled in.

My expression slightly frowned.

“Alphonso, who prepared this?”

“Is there a problem?”

“There’s one spot missing.”

The knights and Alphonso, who were listening to me, widened their eyes.

“Pardon?”

“There’s no spot for me to enter.”

The knights and Alphonso, who were listening to my words, widened their eyes.

“I’m going out too, in the friendly competition.”

The purpose of the friendly competition is to reveal the hidden teeth of the future Red Emperor, who came as an envoy, to the world.

He will surely step back and try to watch leisurely.

To bring him into the friendly competition, I have to create a situation where he has to step up for the honor of the Empire.

Adol, Vernon, Berok….

Honestly, I still didn’t trust them.

If the Empire guys who readily accepted the friendly competition, they would obviously mix a 6-star knight into the competition as if they were a 5-star knight.