Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 152

<152>

With the northern front stabilized, a week had passed since I returned to the kingdom with Ranua and her younger brother, Jaryan.

Waging war was one thing, but cleaning up the aftermath was a completely different challenge.

‘Let’s just focus on retaking the Northwest for now!’

Thinking that way, I’d piled up tasks, leaving them for ‘future me’ to handle. There were moments when I resented my past self for passing everything on.

Anyway.

After working day and night, even skipping meals, I finally managed to extinguish the most pressing issues.

Thanks to that, I had some free time to have tea with Reina and visit Ranua, who was temporarily staying at the Emerald Palace.

Normally, Ranua would have been the one to move, but this arrangement was made out of consideration for her, given she’d only been in the royal palace for a week.

The weather was pleasant, so we decided to have tea outdoors.

“Harry, Harry, here’s your milk.”

Harryon, a small and delicate divine creature.

At some point, he’d naturally come to be called by the nickname Harry. He didn’t want to leave my or Reina’s side for even a moment.

“Nyaang~!”

The little guy buried his nose in the dish placed under the table and lapped up the milk. Reina watched him with a pleased expression and then looked up.

“Ranua, is everything comfortable for you here?”

While I was busy handling the backlog of work after retaking the Northwest, Reina helped Ranua and Jaryan settle in.

“Yes, it is. There isn’t anything…?”

Ranua, after answering, tilted her head. Having studied Lionel [the kingdom’s language] for only about four months, she seemed a bit unsure about the proper honorifics.

‘Well, it’s understandable.’

Even native Lionel speakers get confused.

The first meeting between Reina and Ranua was more uneventful than I’d anticipated.

After a period of silent observation, Ranua bowed her head first. In response, Reina nodded slightly, and that was that.

The atmosphere suggested a natural establishment of hierarchy.

“I’ve almost finalized all the instructors for Ranua. Classes can begin next week.”

“Thank you.”

“However, I haven’t been able to find someone to teach her our kingdom’s language yet. Please tell Jaryan to be patient a little longer.”

Ranua’s Lionel was still at a beginner level.

It seemed they hadn’t found a suitable teacher and translator yet.

That was understandable.

It was unlikely that there would be many people fluent in the Khan tribe’s language [Ranua’s native language] with the scholarly aptitude and qualifications to teach someone who would become queen.

“It’s alright. My brother, Jaryan, is a good teacher of the kingdom’s language.”

“I heard that Chief Nurugal [leader of the Khan tribe] also tasked Jaryan with other responsibilities. We can’t have Ranua staying in the palace, relying on him for language lessons indefinitely.”

“Ah, yes. That is, right.”

I felt like a background prop, listening to the conversation between the two women while sipping tea. Occasionally, I would play with Harry, who was being playful at my feet.

I was relieved that even if they didn’t become close friends, they didn’t seem likely to become enemies.

It seemed best to observe them from a distance.

I noticed Reina stroking her pregnant belly between sentences, and Ranua glancing at it.

‘…Would Ranua’s perspective change if she had a child too?’

There were many stories of close friends turning into bitter rivals after simultaneously having children.

There was even a famous play titled ‘Women Who Must Kill Each Other.’

If Reina and Ranua showed any signs of that, I had to maintain a careful balance.

I steeled my resolve once again.

“By the way, where is Jaryan?”

I also wondered at Reina’s question.

I had heard that Jaryan was always with Ranua, given her limited Lionel proficiency.

“He went to the annex early this morning.”

Ranua said that much, then averted her eyes, unable to continue. It seemed like she was hesitant to say more.

“It seems our schedules didn’t align?”

“Ah! Yes. Jaryan, he enjoys books a lot. He loses track of time when he reads.”

I thought I understood what was happening.

It seemed that Jaryan was reading a book in the annex and had lost track of time.

But….

‘Were there any books left to read there?’

The annex was the building that housed the research labs used by Fran, Isabel, and myself.

I paused to recall.

After Isabel left for the superconductivity research complex in the South, I had renovated and used the place, but I had thoroughly emptied it, leaving not even a small document behind.

Not even a trace of Titan [a research project or material].

Then the only place left was the one Fran used… That place was also used for Stella’s important research, so it was emptied as well.

I felt a sense of unease.

I wondered if I would have time to stop by the annex and check after tea time was over.

“Your Majesty, what are you thinking so intently about?”

I snapped my head up at Reina’s question.

“Ah, it’s nothing. I’ve been sitting in a chair all day lately, so I was just thinking about taking a walk in the Emerald Palace’s garden for the first time in a while.”

“The tea has cooled down anyway, so shall we all take a walk together then? What do you think, Ranua?”

“Good? Is good?”

“Both are correct.”

“Thank you.”

And so, a spontaneous walk began.

I wanted to enjoy a relaxed walk with the two women, so we dismissed the attendants and escort knights and strolled through the garden.

“Ranua, you’ve heard that this is where His Majesty spent his childhood, right?”

“Yes. There were many of His Majesty’s books in the study. There were also books from the Khan tribe. Jaryan, is always there originally. He was not there today.”

“Then shall we go check what Jaryan is doing in the annex?”

Reina seemed to have noticed that I wanted to go to the annex. Thanks to her, our steps naturally led towards it.

Jaryan was in the room right next to Fran’s lab. To be exact, it was the room that her disciple, Alice, used.

“Ah! Your Majesty, and even the Queen! Ah! Has it already been that long!”

He checked the time after noticing us and was startled. Ranua glared at him with fierce eyes.

“I apologize. Your Majesty, Queen.”

Well, honestly, Jaryan wasn’t there as her translator, and he hadn’t done anything wrong to us.

“Ranua seems to have been very anxious because Jaryan wasn’t there. The Queen will arrange for someone to assist her soon, so please be patient a little longer.”

I glossed over the situation smoothly and turned my gaze to the book he was reading.

『The Origin of Fire』

It was a magic book that stirred up memories.

The basic magic book of the Red Tower that Alfonso stole from Alice. I found the message Fran hid there.

Number 34-231, Queen’s Crossroads, Barona, Royal Capital. Wasn’t it definitely, ‘Beautiful magician, please accept me as a disciple!’ while bowing nine times in front of the door?

But why is that still there?

“Jaryan, where did you find that magic book?”

“Ah, are you talking about this? It was dropped under the bookshelf.”

“Were you reading it?”

Jaryan was said to be weak since he was young. I heard that he couldn’t even become a disciple of a sorcerer because his mana sensitivity was weak.

“Ah, yes. It was so interesting that I lost track of time while reading it.”

He was saying that he understood the contents of the magic book.

No matter how basic 『The Origin of Fire』 is, most ordinary people would be disgusted as soon as they read it.

Ah, wait a minute.

In the first place, losing that means he knows Rune [ancient alphabet used in magic].

“When did you learn Rune?”

“Ah, I learned it while helping out with chores for the tribal shaman.”

“I see. Feel free to ask anytime if you want to read more magic books.”

“Thank you. But… May I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“I found something strange about this magic book… I was wondering if there was a secret.”

······.

“Are you perhaps talking about the strange sentence that tells you to bow nine times in front of the beautiful magician at 34-231 Queen’s Crossroads and ask to be accepted as a disciple?”

“Ah! Since you know about it, I guess it was just a prank.”

I opened the [List of Personnel] and reviewed Jaryan’s information again.

15 years old, relationship is [Friendly].

It didn’t change to [Trust], but the green letters became a little darker, perhaps because he was satisfied with his life in the royal palace.

Perhaps because of that influence, or because I had been figuring him out, one of the locked [?] in his [Skill Window] was unlocked.

[Genius]

It seems I’ve found a talent who will become a slave—no, an assistant professor in the Magineering Department of the Royal Military Academy in the future.

Wait, he’ll have to return to the Khan tribe later, what should I do about that?

I don’t know.

Let’s think about it then.

***

In the basement of the Emerald Palace, there is a secret that must not be revealed to the world.

The highest-ranking monster, Faceless Dragon, which is known to be extinct. The last individual is deeply asleep.

His name is G-Dragon.

G-Dragon had been having very bad dreams lately.

Because of that, he woke up from his sweet sleep. Chasing away his drowsy sleepiness, G-Dragon carefully moved to the surface.

And he flinched.

Because unknown humans had taken over the Emerald Palace.

G-Dragon was really surprised.

‘G, Groo!’

It seemed like he had slept for too long.

Smart G-Dragon knew that the time given to humans was limited.

G-Dragon, who was restless, realized that the energy of some humans was familiar. They were the humans who were groveling to his subordinate, Alfonso.

‘Groo… Grooo…’

Relieved, G-Dragon decided to observe the situation for now.

The new owner of the Emerald Palace was an unknown woman.

‘Groo?’

Where did Evan go?

G-Dragon briefly considered leaving the Emerald Palace to find Evan, but soon stopped. Evan had repeatedly told him to be sure to tell him in advance if he wanted to go out.

In the end, G-Dragon decided to quietly wait for Evan. He believed that he would come and find him soon.

G-Dragon’s thoughts were not wrong.

As expected, Evan appeared a few days later.

‘Groo!’

G-Dragon wanted to run out right away with joy, but there were too many people around.

There were only a few who were allowed to see G-Dragon’s appearance.

‘Groo…’

It must be because of his appearance.

Faceless Dragon, who has magic organs that replace his eyes even though he has no eyes. G-Dragon knew that his appearance was ‘grotesque’ according to human standards.

But it’s okay.

Evan always called him cute.

G-Dragon decided to wait quietly for Evan to find him. He turned his attention to Reina. She was a woman that Evan often brought with him.

He felt a familiar energy from her belly.

A baby!

Evan had made a partner and had a baby while he was asleep for a while.

G-Dragon wanted to curl up into a ball and dance to congratulate him right away.

Bu. T!

“Nyaang~!”

A tiny little thing that wasn’t even a mouthful rubbed its face against Evan’s leg and acted cute.

‘G, Groo, Grooo… Grooooo!’

It was an action that G-Dragon couldn’t dare to imitate. He wasn’t as small or cute as that little creature.

When drinking tea.

When taking a walk in the garden with women.

Even when talking to a small man at the house of the magician who looked at him with unkind eyes.

The thing lingered around Evan.

And Evan didn’t look for him until he left the Emerald Palace.

‘G, Groo…’

G-Dragon became sad.

He was no longer Evan’s cutie.

Late at night.

G-Dragon, who peeked out at the place where he often ate snacks, stared at Leon Palace, where Evan was, for a long time.

It was time to say goodbye.

“Groo…”

Goodbye.

G-Dragon disappeared back into the ground.