Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 128

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A king’s marriage is a major event for the nation.

It’s not as simple as Reina and I exchanging rings and vowing to be husband and wife for life.

‘The biggest concern is those elders, after all.’

There are stubborn old folks who insist on upholding the royal family’s history and traditions.

Reina, a commoner who spent her childhood with a troupe of prostitutes following a mercenary group. Announcing her as the queen would surely make them foam at the mouth.

They were a great source of support for me when the aristocratic faction was in power, but at times like this, they’re a headache.

‘Well, I could force the wedding through if I wanted to…’

It’s not like I’m doing anything inhumane, and I have the power to unilaterally declare this.

But it’s best to keep things amicable. A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event for Reina, so it should be celebrated with everyone’s blessings.

Once a decision is made, act swiftly and decisively.

I went to see Bert, a senior figure in the royal family.

“You’re going to make Reina, the Baroness, your queen? Are you serious?”

“I believe there is no one more suitable than her.”

“Hmm…”

Bert listened to everything I said and then fell silent. I cautiously asked, wondering if he, too, opposed making Reina queen.

“Does Councilor Bert also think she is inadequate?”

“That’s not it. Among the unmarried women in the kingdom, who is more capable than Baroness Reina? The ten-year age difference is a bit concerning, but as a 7-star knight, her physical aging will be extremely slow, so it shouldn’t be a big problem. I can vaguely guess His Majesty’s intentions in making her queen. However, the thought of the old geezers and hags who will object to her background gives me a headache.”

“Background…”

The fact that the queen of a nation grew up in a troupe of prostitutes will undoubtedly be a weakness that torments Reina even in later generations.

It’s a story that spread the moment she reached the realm of a 6-star knight, so it can’t be kept a secret.

But.

I had a trump card.

“It’s time to reveal Reina’s true birth secret.”

“Yes?”

“In fact, Baroness Reina is a surviving descendant of the Lozan family, the ducal family of the Ellenbeira region, which was destroyed by the Hamel Empire’s invasion 150 years ago.”

Bert’s eyes widened, and then he burst into a hearty laugh.

“Even if that’s true, no one will believe it without proof.”

“Ah, I have proof.”

“Yes?”

Bert’s eyes trembled at my confident words.

“The head of the Lozan family has been called the Sword Duke for generations. Have you ever heard of their swordsmanship, which is now lost?”

“…Are you talking about Snowflake Swordsmanship?”

The Ellenbeira region, where temperatures drop to -30 degrees Celsius in winter. Snowflake flowers bloom in the biting wind.

It’s a flower with a very clear fragrance.

“You’ve probably heard the story that a knight who masters Snowflake Swordsmanship to a certain level emits the scent of snowflake from their sword.”

“I’ve also heard that if you go further, snowflakes will bloom.”

“Soon, the scent of snowflake will bloom from Baroness Reina’s sword.”

“!!”

Bert was shocked by my words and remained silent for a while. Then, his mouth opened like a floodgate.

“S, surely! Is she really a surviving descendant of the Lozan family!”

“Of course, would I lie? Well, I’ll trust Councilor Bert and be on my way.”

As I left Bert’s mansion, I smiled inwardly.

There’s a saying that to deceive the enemy, you must first deceive your allies. Seeing that even Bert, a 7-star knight, was half-doubtful, it was clear that most people would be fooled.

The conversation I had with Reina before finding Bert came to mind.

-Reina, there’s a swordsmanship you must learn.

-Swordsmanship?

-Snowflake Swordsmanship, have you heard of it?

-Are you referring to the lost Lozan family swordsmanship? I’ve heard the story that if you reach a certain level, the scent of snowflake will emanate.

-Yes, that Snowflake Swordsmanship. I want you to make the scent of snowflake bloom from your sword as soon as possible.

-I understand.

Reina didn’t ask me where I got the Snowflake Swordsmanship or why she had to learn it.

-Aren’t you curious where I got the Snowflake Swordsmanship and why you have to learn it?

-I don’t think His Majesty would order unnecessary things.

She replied with a faint smile.

Suddenly, a scene from the ‘future’ flashed through my mind, where I asked her to go to a dangerous place to save the refugees.

Even then, she had agreed to my request without hesitation.

‘I won’t make such a request again.’

And two weeks later, the royal committee was convened.

The scent of snowflake that spread from Reina’s sword during the demonstration filled the conference hall, and the proposal to make her the queen of the kingdom was unanimously approved.

***

『Reina Jeanne, the Queen of Lionel Kingdom. Who is she?』

『The Grand Wedding of the Lionel Kingdom』

『The Royal Couple of Lionel Kingdom Touring the Capital After the Wedding』

The wedding of Evan and Reina took place amidst the blessings of the people of the Lionel Kingdom. However, there was someone who couldn’t congratulate them at all.

Yandercia, the first princess of the Arya Kingdom.

Her hands trembled as she read the newspapers that had made a big deal out of the wedding in the neighboring country.

『Reina Jeanne, the Queen of Lionel Kingdom. Her shocking birth secret』

Reina, who was known as the daughter of a prostitute whose mother was unknown, and who was living proof that anyone, no matter how lowly their origins, could rise in status if they had the ability.

Yandercia couldn’t bear it any longer and burst out when she read the article that she was actually a descendant of the Lozan family, who had ruled the Ellenbeira region and had been destroyed during the Hamel Empire’s invasion 150 years ago.

“Th-this! This can’t be true!”

Yandercia tore the newspaper to shreds like a madwoman.

After a long time, she finally calmed down and headed to her study. And behind the bookshelf, she opened a secretly hidden secret room.

The place was filled with Evan’s pictures.

“Hoo, hoo…”

The Evans in the pictures greeted Yandercia with bright smiles. A bright smile bloomed on Yandercia’s face, which had been like a demon.

Suddenly, the image of Reina holding Evan’s hand and smiling brightly flashed through her mind.

A murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

“That’s… my place… my place…”

Yandercia had never known why Evan had filled her heart.

It had just been that way since she first saw his picture in the article about sinking the Joe Bayley pirates.

Now she felt like she knew a little.

It was inevitable.

It was as natural as a plant craving sunlight and a butterfly seeking a flower. To her, Evan was the sunlight and the flower.

Yandercia sat down at the desk in the center of the secret room.

Scribble, scribble.

She wrote a letter.

The sender was Evan.

The recipient was… Yandercia Arya, herself.

She wrote the letter with empty eyes for a long time. As soon as she put the pen down and put the letter in the envelope, the light returned to her eyes.

“Ah! Evan’s reply has arrived.”

Yandercia carefully took out the letter and read it.

It contained Evan’s long and detailed excuses that he had no choice but to make her queen because he had fallen for Reina’s dirty tricks.

The end, as always, ended with the words that he loved only Yandercia.

“Ah… I see. I guessed that the lowly thing would do that.”

Yandercia read the letter over and over again and carefully put it in the envelope. Then she opened the drawer and opened the letterbox.

His ‘replies’ to the letters she had sent since Evan’s crown prince enthronement ceremony were tightly packed.

Yandercia neatly placed the newly arrived reply in the letterbox and closed the drawer.

“What must I do for our love to be fulfilled?”

She muttered quietly as she left the secret room.

She wanted to secretly take Evan and lock him in the secret room. To disable his magic so he couldn’t escape, and cut all the tendons in his heels…

“Ha, what nonsense am I thinking?”

Yandercia was startled and shook her head violently.

It must be because she had gone crazy from the news that Evan, who had fallen for the lowly thing’s tricks, had held a wedding.

It was by no means because she was reminded of Evan’s slash that had destroyed the mental realm of Charles, the 19th prince of the Hamel Empire.

“This won’t do.”

Yandercia knew that the old men of the Arya royal family had recently been busy trying to find her a marriage partner.

They were obstacles.

They had to be eliminated.

First, she had to deal with them and then think about it.

***

4 a.m.

A time long before dawn.

Alfonso’s day begins then.

Knock, knock.

“Chief Steward, it’s time to wake up.”

Alfonso opened his eyes wide at the voice of the youngest servant. He jumped up and opened the window.

The cold autumn wind cleared his sleepiness.

Alfonso, who straightened his clothes and stood in front of the mirror, smiled contentedly and left his room.

“Have you woken up, Chief Steward Alfonso?”

“Good morning, Chief Steward.”

The royal palace servants, who woke up early in the morning and swept and cleaned the King’s residence, Leon Palace, greeted him.

Alfonso nodded with a smile, responding to them, and moved to the royal couple’s bedroom.

The servants, maids, and royal couple’s escort knights who should have been waiting in front of the bedroom were nowhere to be seen.

‘They haven’t been around for a few days, so they must be working hard to have an heir again.’

Evan was secretly embarrassed about such things, so he didn’t allow anyone to come near the bedroom whenever he was doing the deed.

Their wedding was already three months ago.

For the first month, the roar of the lion echoed through Leon Palace every day.

‘It’s not like you can’t hear it just because you’re not around the bedroom. I don’t know how His Majesty has been holding back all this time.’

Alfonso smiled lewdly.

Anyway, thanks to that, the strange rumors that Evan liked men or had problems with his function disappeared.

‘…Yes, the rumors about His Majesty disappeared.’

Alfonso frowned, knowing that the outrageous rumors about himself had not disappeared at all. The youngest servant, seeing his expression, carefully opened his mouth, looking at him.

“Chief Steward? Did I make a mistake…?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I was just reminded of the strange rumors about me circulating in the world.”

“Ah…”

“Ah…? Did you hear something?”

“Not at all! I didn’t hear anything.”

“Hmm… is that so…”

Alfonso’s narrow eyes widened slightly and stared intently at the youngest servant’s eyes.

The youngest servant froze.

Alfonso, who had recently contained the poison of the Primal Bloodwood and become a six-star poison master, was not something that the youngest, newly appointed servant could withstand.

“T, actually, I heard a story that Chief Steward and Lord Verroc were in that kind of relationship while passing by the laundry area a while ago. I, I definitely didn’t believe it!”

“Who said that in the laundry area?”

“Th, that’s… because it’s a men-forbidden area where the maids work with their skirts rolled up… Ah! I definitely wasn’t trying to peek. I just happened to pass by, really happened to hear it.”

Alfonso gritted his teeth.

He failed to identify the culprit again.

“You didn’t spread the story anywhere, did you?”

“Of course. I’ve been keeping in mind the words you told me when I first met you, Chief Steward, to pretend I didn’t see it even if I saw it, pretend I didn’t hear it even if I heard it, and keep my mouth shut like a lock.”

“Good, from now on, if you hear such a story, report it to me immediately. You can unlock your mouth only at that time.”

“I understand.”

Alfonso, who had firmly warned the youngest servant, put his hand into his pocket and took out his pocket watch to check the time.

‘He’ll skip the morning swordsmanship training and come straight to the office.’

He put the pocket watch back in his pocket and looked at the youngest servant.

“I’m going to look at the translated foreign news today, so tell those who were dismissed by His Majesty to start working again.”

“Yes.”

Alfonso headed straight to the chief steward’s office.

The foreign news, which the secretaries of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had translated at lightning speed, had already arrived.

Alfonso sat down in the desk chair and unfolded the newspaper to quickly scan the titles of the articles. He could roughly grasp how the world was turning just by looking at the titles, without reading them all.

A headline of an article caught his eye in large letters.

『The Emperor of the Hamel Empire Collapses!』