Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 48

048

Even before attempting to converse with Barisada, my mind was preoccupied with the ‘trials’ I had undergone.

What came to mind first was the possibility that it was a real dream.

During that fleeting moment, less than a second in real-time, I had a dream that felt like 30 years of reality. The will of the Founding King within [Barisada]? A lingering thought? Whatever it was, it might have observed that dream and judged whether I was worthy to wield [Barisada].

‘No, there are too many things that can’t be explained.’

From the fact that the techniques I learned in the dream were registered in my skill window and actually manifested in reality.

No historical record exists of the three individuals who used [Barisada] after the Founding King acquiring swordsmanship or magic after passing the trials without having learned them beforehand.

Okay, let’s be honest, I can concede that my ancestors might have hidden it. I’m not foolish enough to go around bragging about ‘Evan-style Lionel Imperial Swordsmanship’ right now.

Until I recover some of the mastery from my life as King Lionel, there’s no benefit to attracting unnecessary attention.

The decisive contradiction that the trial I experienced was not just a dream was something else entirely.

Namely.

┕ Tell me about the Titans.

「Your current RP is insufficient to answer that question.」

It was knowledge of the unknown future.

A new weapon that would change the paradigm of war, like the guns, tanks, and fighter planes of my previous life.

The steel giant, Titan.

I have nearly 70,000 RP [Relationship Points]. That’s a considerable sum, equivalent to 700 million in my previous life’s currency. Yet, I couldn’t acquire any information through the [Library].

It’s not that the information doesn’t have a ‘record.’ It clearly exists, but it’s top-secret information that I can’t obtain due to insufficient RP.

Until I drew [Barisada], I had never encountered the word ‘Titan’ anywhere.

I even considered the possibility of it being a prophetic dream.

That’s not it either.

As King Lionel, I couldn’t even enter my ID and password into the login screen until the very end.

In the trial, I was living a completely separate life from my current one, where I’m aware of my previous life on Earth.

「Tell me. What kind of dream did you have?」

“It’s too long to tell; I’d have to stay up for days. To put it simply, I lived as the last king of the Lionel Kingdom for about 30 years.”

「······ A life of over 30 years?」

“Yes.”

「Th-that can’t be!」

Barisada seemed bewildered.

“Did my ancestors have different ‘dreams’?”

「The trials should only last about 10 days at most, but 30 years?」

“Can you tell me more about it?”

「Alright, listen. That moron who drew the sword before you…」

She began to explain the trials one of my ancestors had undergone.

She seemed somewhat excited.

「…Do you know what judgment that guy made when two women claimed a child as their own? He killed all three of them, including the child. Said it was because the filthy commoners were giving him a headache? Isn’t that hilarious?」

She was talking and laughing to herself.

Was it because she hadn’t been able to converse with anyone for almost 500 years?

「Do you know what he was like on the battlefield? As soon as things seemed to be going against him, he immediately led the Royal Knights back to the castle. Saying that the country could only survive if he was alive?」

I felt like I had heard enough about the moronic ancestor’s trials.

“So, you’re saying that whether or not my ancestors awakened depended on how they handled the situations they encountered during the ‘trials’?”

「Yes, the dream lasts for about 10 days at most, usually around 5 days. If the process pleases him, they awaken.」

“By ‘him,’ are you referring to the Founding King?”

「Yes. That bastard.」

The historical records stated that the Founding King had subdued Barisada, but she didn’t seem to harbor as much animosity towards him as I had expected.

Rather, when she mentioned him, I sensed a complex and subtle emotion that was hard to describe with a single word.

It seemed like there was a hidden backstory, but I didn’t think it was something I could ask about right now. I wasn’t even sure if she would answer, so I decided to save it for later.

“So, if the Founding King decides whether or not someone passes the trials, does that mean his ego remains in the sword?”

「Strictly speaking, it’s not him who decides. It’s the trial itself that he designed that determines whether or not someone passes.」

Something I was curious about arose.

“By any chance, the ancestors who failed the trials and had their mana go berserk…”

「That’s right. That’s what happened when I forcibly awakened them. I couldn’t just leave them sleeping in the same space as me forever, could I? I tried to wake them up as carefully as possible, but I feel sorry for the unlucky ones who died.」

Her tone didn’t sound sorry at all.

‘Hmm…’

Conversing with Barisada, I became certain of one thing. Even if I explained the ‘trial’ that happened to me to her, it wouldn’t be easy to find an answer.

「Tell me more about the dream you had.」

“……”

I hesitated a bit.

Barisada’s foundation is that of a half-demon. Although she’s only half, she has demon blood mixed in her. Could I tell her what I experienced in the dream?

“Guoh, guoh.”

Crunch, crunch.

In the vacant lot, where only the sound of the faceless dragon chewing on iron ore like a dog eating a bone could be heard, I looked at [Barisada] bathed in the moonlight.

I thought I was worrying too much.

What kind of catastrophe could Barisada, who had been sealed in the sword and chattering alone for nearly 500 years, bring about?

She must know a lot, having lived for so long, and I also thought that I should get closer to her if I wanted to borrow a lot of mana from her in the future.

“It’s going to be a bit of a long story.”

「Yes, yes. Tell me quickly.」

“Where should I start… Well, the beginning…”

Once I opened my mouth, it flowed out like a stream.

I realized as I spoke.

Ah! Just like the bamboo grove where the barber could shout that the king had donkey ears [a reference to a folktale about secrets], I also needed a place where I could tell stories that I couldn’t easily tell others.

I didn’t talk about my previous life on Earth, but I told Barisada about the important moments that happened while I was living as the last king of the Lionel Kingdom in the trial.

And the contradictions that arose when that life was just a dream.

“…Well, those are the reasons why I don’t think it was just a simple dream.”

「…….」

Barisada seemed lost in thought, silent.

I stirred the bonfire and waited for her thoughts to be heard again for a long time.

「…The trials are structured based on the life the test-taker has experienced. You wouldn’t suddenly be given a situation where you become a tribesman from a remote region of the Eastern Continent or a fisherman from a neighboring island nation. This is a really absurd thought, but…」

I could guess what Barisada was trying to say.

“Are you saying that the life I lived as the king of the Lionel Kingdom was structured based on my experiences?”

「Yes, no matter how much I think about it, that’s the only absurd thing that comes to mind! How, how could such a thing be possible?」

After judging that the life I experienced in the trial was not a dream.

I had two hypotheses that I had thought of.

One, I experienced the future of a parallel world.

Two, it was a real life I had lived.

I felt like I had found the answer in my conversation with Barisada.

‘It’s the latter.’

I, who had faced my end as the last king of the Lionel Kingdom without realizing my previous life on Earth, had returned to the past.

「This is a really absurd thought, but, did you, by any chance, return from the future to the past? Is that it?」

To that moment when I woke up after getting my head smashed by Akard.

In other words, regression [returning to an earlier state].

Moreover, while being aware of my previous life on Earth. However, for some reason, I had completely forgotten the memories of that life.

It might be a delusion.

But many things could be explained.

The reason why I felt such a sense of familiarity when I discovered [Limitless Mana Cultivation Technique] in [Skills], to the point where it felt artificial.

The reason why I immediately knew Alfonso’s last name was Einberg, even though it’s normal for the secrets the other person wants to hide to be shown as ? when the ‘relationship’ is not good.

The reason why I was so sure that Reina would become the kingdom’s treasure sword. Well… this just seems like my good judgment.

Anyway.

「Why are you so calm? Say something!」

I don’t know if it’s the right answer, but suddenly, physical and mental fatigue washed over me as I felt like I had come up with my own answer.

I quietly opened my mouth.

“Don’t you sleep?”

I wanted to rest a bit.

***

The next day.

I drew a line on the vacant lot, about the size of a futsal field, and looked at the faceless dragon.

“What happens if you go outside this line?”

“Guoook! Oook!! Oook……”

The guy twisted his body to the side as if he had been cut by a sword, then fell to the ground and trembled intermittently. It was an excellent act of playing dead.

Indeed, an individual with both wisdom and courage.

According to what I learned from the [Library], his intelligence is quite low, but he seemed smarter than the dogs raised by the 3rd Knight Order.

Should I give him a name?

He’s one of the more intelligent faceless dragons….

‘G-Dragon?’

I chuckled at the name that suddenly came to mind.

I decided to decide for sure when I had completely tamed him.

While I was thinking that.

“Having fun, I see~.”

Fran appeared with the chieftain. She looked at the faceless dragon and me with a displeased expression.

Although the result was good, she was still a little angry that I had drawn [Barisada].

“Do you really think you can tame that thing?”

“Honestly, isn’t it a waste not to even try?”

“Yeah, that’s true, but… it’s also dangerous.”

“Guok, guoooook!”

The faceless dragon shook his head as if to say he wasn’t dangerous at all.

“He says he’s not.”

“He seems more intelligent than you said?”

“Not everyone has the same brain, right? It’s the same for those guys.”

“Tsk.”

Fran clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“Work hard. But if an accident happens, know that you’ll die if you come looking for me.”

“Of course.”

That’s what I said, but if a real accident happens, I’m planning to find her first.

When the conversation with Fran ended, the chieftain opened his mouth.

“Yesterday, I had a meeting with the tribe’s elders all night long.”

I know.

I waited for the words to follow with a thrilled heart, wondering what the result would be.

“Thanks to you, seven children were saved. On top of that, we protected a place that we were about to lose. Our Black Anvil Tribe are dwarves who know loyalty. It’s not that there weren’t elders who opposed it, but…”

His gaze briefly turned to the faceless dragon. It seemed that there were those who were dissatisfied with not having dealt with him properly.

“In conclusion, we’ve decided to try proceeding with the mine development together with you.”

I smiled brightly.

“Thank you.”

“Listen to the end. We’ve decided to work with ‘you,’ not the ‘Lionel Kingdom.’

“I’m even more grateful then.”

The Black Anvil Tribe blocked the situation where the 1st Prince’s faction might try to covet the mine’s shares.

I felt like dancing for joy.

All I did was find a replica of [Barisada] and swap it out, and they’re trying to covet the mine’s shares? It’s shameless, but surprisingly, even worse things happen in the political arena.

“Also, the moment that guy causes even a little bit of trouble, it’ll be immediately called off.”

Hmm, this is a bit worrying.

“Guok! Guok!”

The faceless dragon, sensing that the atmosphere was strange, curled up into a ball and acted cute.

Well, it’ll be alright.

“So, the shares are…”

“I don’t think we need to talk about complicated things right now. I might be able to provide even more help with the mine development.”

I said, looking at the faceless dragon, who was rolling around as if trying to appeal that he wasn’t dangerous at all.

“Hmm, do you really think you can tame that guy?”

“Just watch.”

I said with confidence.

I taught him to ‘play dead’ in just one day. In a week, [Beast Taming] will probably appear in my skill window.