Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 84

084

That evening, after Councilor Bert’s visit to Emerald Palace, I was in my office, utilizing the [Library, a mental space where I access and process information].

Knock, knock.

A hurried knock.

“Your Highness! Urgent news!”

“Come in.”

Alphonso entered, his face slightly flushed. He looked like he had been running.

“What is it?”

“His Majesty has collapsed.”

My eyes twitched involuntarily.

“Fortunately, the priests and healers took swift action, and he quickly regained consciousness, but…”

“Stop stalling and tell me.”

“He is showing symptoms of left-side paralysis.”

I slowly rose and walked to the window.

Gazing at the moon in the sky, I was lost in thought.

The king’s illness had broken out much earlier than in the ‘future.’ Almost two years earlier.

Why?

Was there anything among my actions that could have negatively affected him?

‘…I don’t know.’

I couldn’t grasp it at all.

About two years since I became aware of my past life.

I had already changed too much.

The king’s collapse felt like a warning that the future ahead would be completely different from the ‘future’ I knew.

‘About five years from now?’

Alphonso spoke urgently, as if the king might die any day, but it would last longer than he thought. The life-sustaining treatment from the priests and healers was tougher than the latest medicine on Earth.

‘Maintaining a clear mind for about two years.’

That was just an estimate.

Since the onset itself was more than two years earlier, it could be much shorter.

‘The king mustn’t collapse before I secure the succession. A civil war will break out.’

That’s what happened in the ‘future’ too.

Immediately after the king, who had been prolonging his life, finally passed away, a civil war erupted. It was self-destructive.

Such a tragedy, where people of the same kingdom kill each other, must not happen again.

“Alphonso, clear my schedule for tomorrow morning. I’m going to visit His Majesty.”

“Yes? Understood.”

***

Leon Palace.

Named after the founding king, it is where the King of Lionel resides.

King Philip Lionel is well aware that the blood shed by countless royals to claim Leon Palace over the past 500 years could easily fill a large lake.

“Your Majesty, the immediate crisis has been averted, but if you do not improve your lifestyle, your condition will quickly worsen.”

He slowly moved his lips.

The skill of the Bishop of Lundine, the goddess of water, was certainly exceptional. The paralyzed left side had improved significantly.

“I understand. I will be careful.”

The bishop sighed quietly and turned away, sensing that Philip had ignored his advice.

After the bishop left, Philip reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette case. It was the one the Second Queen had given him as a gift during the royal trial where the Fifth Prince was falsely accused.

With trembling hands, he put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it.

Sip— Haa—

“Cough, cough.”

One cigarette used to be enough, but now two were essential. His anxious feelings calmed down, and his trembling hands steadied a little.

Philip turned his eyes to the newspaper that the servant had brought.

『Aitz Trading Company Eyes the World』

『Fifth Prince Declares He Will Attract a Magic Tower to the Lionel Kingdom. Only Smiles in Response to Questions About Whether Its Owner is 8-Star Mage Fran』
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It seemed like half the articles were about the Fifth Prince.

Knock, knock.

“Your Majesty, Fifth Prince Evan has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

Evan entered through the door opened by the servant.

He wrinkled his nose at the smoke-filled room. Then, he frowned upon discovering the ashtray and cigarette case on the table next to the bed.

“The air is stale. May I ventilate the room?”

“Do as you wish.”

Philip watched Evan open the window and ventilate the room before speaking.

“So, what brings you here? It’s the first time since your nanny was arrested.”

“Didn’t you turn me away then? I was worried you wouldn’t see me today either.”

Philip shook his head at Evan’s pointed words.

“There was nothing I could do. Everyone wanted everything related to the Beyren Marquis family to disappear at the time.”

“I know.”

Philip looked into Evan’s eyes as he stood before him by the window.

What thoughts did he hold as he looked at him?

He didn’t know.

He couldn’t fathom what he was thinking at all. He only felt that it was deep. Philip subtly avoided Evan’s gaze.

“I’m glad to see you’re in better condition than I expected.”

“Don’t worry. I plan to hold on until it’s determined who will wear the next crown, at least. I want to see who will enter this palace.”

“Then you should cut down on alcohol and cigarettes. At least… you should change your cigarettes.”

“I’ll take it to heart. If you’ve confirmed that I’m not going to die immediately, why don’t you leave? The First Prince will be here soon.”

“You mean Brother Lucas?”

“Yes, he must be curious about how long I’ll last too.”

Philip gave a bitter smile and reached for the cigarette case.

Evan quickly reached out and snatched the cigarette case.

“What are you doing!”

Philip’s face turned red with anger.

“Instead of smoking that cheap stuff made by islanders, smoke this.”

Evan reached into his pocket, rummaged for a while, and then took out a luxurious-looking cigarette case.

“The imperial family of the Aimen Empire smokes these. It’s so rare that you need the same size in gold to get a pack. I got it with difficulty.”

“…I understand. You may leave.”

“Then, goodbye.”

After Evan bowed and left, Philip put the cigarette Evan had given him in his mouth.

Chiiik, sip— Hoo—

“Well, it’s not bad.”

***

The quarterly cabinet meeting was held.

I entered the conference room with the Minister of Finance and Economy, Count Clian, on my left, and the Minister of National Defense, Councilor Bert, on my right.

The Fifth Prince faction, who supported me, eagerly rose and bowed. Count Royce, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, seemed to be the first to rise. The First Prince faction also reluctantly rose and nodded.

It was a truly moving change, considering the days when I was the ghost prince of Emerald Palace.

“Your Highness, who would you like to sit next to?”

The Fifth Prince faction’s figures’ eyes gleamed at Councilor Bert’s question. Unfortunately, my choice was not them.

“I would like to participate in the meeting with that person.”

I walked over.

“May I sit next to you? Count Lance.”

He, with greasy hair, thick-rimmed glasses, and dark circles reaching his chin, opened his mouth with a flustered expression.

“Uh… yes. Please, sit.”

– Why did he sit next to Count Lance?

– Is the agenda he’s bringing to this cabinet meeting related to the Ministry of Justice?

Whispers were heard here and there.

Count Lance Chambers, the Minister of Justice.

A representative neutral figure.

In the Lionel Kingdom, positions related to law and justice are mainly held by figures who advocate political neutrality due to the nature of their work.

“Count Lance, was the agenda you’re bringing to this cabinet meeting the establishment of a specialized department dedicated to criminal cases?”

“Gasp! How did you…?”

How did I know? I knew through the [Library].

“I just overheard it somewhere. It seems like a good idea. I heard that violent crimes have increased recently as the Red Star Fever subsides. If a dedicated department is created, the kingdom’s people will be able to sleep soundly. I actively support it.”

“…Thank you.”

I gave him a smile as he answered with a reluctant expression.

Not long after I took my seat, Count Miloa, the Director of the Royal Intelligence Agency, entered.

I waved to her with a smile.

She flinched once upon seeing me sitting next to Count Lance and nodded.

‘Didn’t the First Prince come?’

The First Prince, who had knelt before the wall of a 6-star knight last year and wandered for a while. He had been engrossed in swordsmanship day and night again after recently having an audience with the king.

What on earth did he talk about with the king?

Anyway, if he’s skipping the cabinet meeting, it seems like he’s at a crossroads again. It feels like he might overcome the wall this time.

‘A 6-star knight is a great existence too….’

There are fewer than ten in the country. It’s not for nothing that they’re called transcendents. Gerd, the commander of the 3rd Knight Order, is also a 6-star knight.

Well… if it were a year ago, I don’t know, but now, even if he becomes a 6-star knight, it doesn’t seem like there will be a big change in the succession battle.

Because there is an 8-star mage’s laboratory in the corner of Emerald Palace.

Fran, who is officially unrelated to the Lionel Kingdom. But from the perspective of the First Prince’s camp, her existence itself is an enormous burden.

“Haha, the wheel of the carriage broke on the way, so I was a little late. I’m sorry.”

Prime Minister Heo finally entered.

“As everyone knows, His Majesty the King needs rest for the time being, so I, the Prime Minister, will proceed with the quarterly cabinet meeting.”

The king I met a few days ago came to mind.

When I think of him, I feel emotions that are hard to describe. Resentment, pity, anger… emotions mixed up in a strange way.

– Your Highness. His Majesty’s servant came. He was looking for the cigarettes that the imperial family of the Aimen Empire smoke?

Judging from the fact that the king’s servant came this morning, it seemed like he had decided to change his cigarettes.

‘To think he would be smoking that.’

When I met the king, I almost fainted when I saw the cigarette case next to the ashtray.

It was a cigarette that would be banned from sale in about two years when it was discovered that one of its ingredients was fatal to the human body.

Where on earth did he get it?

Fortunately, I was able to purchase the highest-grade cigarettes that had just arrived from the Aimen Empire through the [General Store, a system interface that allows me to buy items] .

‘At least he won’t die suddenly, right?’

“Hahaha, then shall we first look at the agenda of the Ministry of Health and Welfare?”

I decided to stop thinking about the king and focus on the cabinet meeting.

“The royal capital, Barona, seems to have regained its daily life, but still…”

“…So, what solutions does the minister have…?”
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There was a slight difference from when the First Prince and the Second Prince were in conflict. Quite a few constructive agendas that would help the kingdom’s development began to come up.

“Hahaha, next is the joint agenda of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the Royal Intelligence Agency. Who will speak?”

Count Miloa raised her hand.

“I will. Magic superconductor, everyone must have heard of it. Recently, the workshop of the Runtia Duke family, the First Queen’s family, succeeded in creating a magic superconductor with a magic loss rate of 26%, which is superior in performance to ‘Lak’ announced at Horizon last year!”

Hmm… is it about Lak 3 level?

It’s unfortunate news for Miloa, but Isabel, who is researching magic superconductors in the corner of Emerald Palace, has already created Lak 11.

Magic loss rate of 16%.

“The Red Star Fever is subsiding domestically, but foreign countries are still in turmoil! Now is the opportunity! We must also focus on investing in the development of magic superconductors! We must foster this as a national industry. It’s not too late yet.”

There was no need for me to step in.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Royce, refuted her opinion.

“I heard that the desire for magic superconductors in the great powers is beyond imagination. I know that they have not stopped investing at all, even in the midst of the Red Star Fever sweeping the world. Even if we foster it as a national industry from now on, the scale of human resources and capital invested will be different.”

“We can’t just do nothing! The country that leads the magic superconductor will seize the hegemony of the future.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to focus the nation’s capabilities on the bio industry led by its own Aitz Trading Company rather than the belated development of magic superconductors? Isn’t it right to do what we are good at and can do well? Recently, what was it, vaccine?”

“Vaccine, Count Royce.”

“Ah, thank you. Fifth Prince. Recently, I heard that research on vaccines, which prevent diseases in advance, has also begun. I think that’s more amazing than magic superconductors.”

“Th, that’s…”

Miloa shut her mouth.

It was true that her agenda was mixed with personal interests, but it wasn’t that she didn’t care about the future of the kingdom at all.

I decided to give her some help.

Everyone’s attention was focused on me as I raised my hand.

“Haha, please speak, Fifth Prince.”

“It doesn’t seem like Count Miloa’s words are particularly wrong. It would be a problem to just give up on the core industry of the future just because we are behind. I think we should provide at least minimal support.”

“Fifth Prince… are you serious?”

Miloa asked with a somewhat uneasy expression.

“I’m serious. I’m also willing to invest privately. I don’t know if you’ll accept it, though.”

Eventually, it would all be mine anyway.

The thought of producing the magic superconductor developed by Isabel in the completed infrastructure made the corners of my mouth rise involuntarily.