Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 92

092

Today was the anniversary of my mother, Third Queen Iana Beyren.

I visited the royal cemetery with my sister.

I quietly watched my sister offer Moonlight Roses, which my mother had loved, and then I spoke.

“Do you remember Mother, Sister?”

“I have a very faint memory of her stroking my hair as I lay in bed.”

It was known that Mother’s health deteriorated significantly after my sister’s birth, and decisively worsened and led to her death when I was born.

I thought so too.

Until I regained the memories of the ‘future’.

During the First Liah War, the Kingdom of Arya pushed up to the royal capital, Barona, following the eastern and southern regions.

One of the activities they worked hardest on to stabilize the occupied territories was a massive campaign criticizing the Lionel Kingdom.

The corruption, malfeasance, and misdeeds of the royal family and nobles, which the islanders learned in the process of seizing the kingdom, spread to the public.

The long-term poisoning of the Third Queen by the Runtia Duchy was one of the accusations. In the process, they even propagated that I, who was supposed to have been miscarried, was the illegitimate child of a demon.

‘The illegitimate child of a demon…’

A chuckle escaped me.

It wasn’t just the islanders who thought so. Moria Runtia and the First Queen also seemed to think of me as something similar.

That’s why they falsified the mage’s report in charge of my mana sensitivity test, and after the Beyren Marquisate collapsed, they removed everyone around me and cut off my support.

“You seem very busy these days. It feels like it’s been a long time since we had tea together.”

“I have a bit of work. I’ll visit you often as soon as it’s settled.”

“The work… is it related to the First Queen’s family?”

“Well, yes.”

The hearing for Moria Runtia, the head of the Runtia Duchy, was not far off.

It was a hearing to which the eyes and ears of the kingdom’s people were focused. If it weren’t for my mother’s anniversary, I would have been holed up in my office preparing for the hearing today.

“If you’re busy, you can go back first.”

“No. I have plenty of time to escort you, Sister. Let’s go.”

My sister and I, after looking at our mother’s tombstone and saying goodbye until next time, traveled by carriage.

Inside the carriage heading to Akasha Palace, my sister’s residence, I asked about her recent activities.

“Have you met any gentlemen you like?”

After the Red Star Fever [a period of social unrest or a popular trend] subsided in the royal capital, the nobles’ banquets began again. I heard that dozens of invitations were sent to my sister every day.

The same is true now that Radwan Runtia’s incident has occurred. Someone’s misfortune is just an interesting topic of conversation for someone else.

Other regional nobles were very gleeful about the incident that had occurred in the south, which had been leading the banquet culture.

My sister glared at me at my question.

“You’re saying strange things.”

“Don’t you have anyone? That’s a shame… Come to think of it, I heard an interesting story. Ten out of ten couples arranged by my sister are continuing to have good relationships, right?”

“I just arranged meetings because I thought they would be good matches, and that’s how it turned out.”

My sister smiled and shifted her gaze out the window.

I opened my sister’s [Skill] window after a long time and examined it.

One is still [?].

I wondered if that was related to connecting people. [Legendary Matchmaking Master], or something like that?

While I was having such silly thoughts, the carriage arrived at Akasha Palace, my sister’s residence.

“Thank you. If you have time, let me know. This sister is thinking of hosting a banquet for our brother.”

“… I’ll be looking forward to it.”

After parting with my sister, I returned to Emerald Palace and was in the middle of working.

Knock, knock.

A hurried knock.

“Your Highness! Your Highness! Urgent news!”

It was Alfonso.

“Come in.”

The guy with a flushed face opened the door and came in.

“What is it?”

“Duke Moria Runtia has collapsed!”

My face naturally contorted.

“Why did he collapse?”

“It’s for health reasons. He had a hidden illness, but the stress from this Radwan Runtia incident has rapidly worsened it.”

Hidden illness, my ass.

A mage, though not as much as a knight, is a mana awakener, so ordinary diseases can’t even come close. Moreover, he is a 7-star mage whose body has been reconstructed twice.

It was a classic but very convenient method. I once considered using it too.

Second Prince Damian could not use that method.

At that time, everyone’s interests were aligned, so they were planning to hold the hearing without the person in question, whether he collapsed or not.

Not now.

Southern nobles would definitely want to stop the hearing.

Even if they prove that Moria didn’t know about Radwan’s misdeeds, there’s nothing left. No one wants to do something that’s break-even if successful and a fall to hell if it fails.

They, who occupy nearly a majority of the Noble Council, would surely postpone and delay the hearing schedule due to Moria’s health reasons.

Waiting for a new incident to divert public attention, or preparing for such an incident.

‘So that’s how you’re playing this…’ or ‘So that’s your strategy…’

It doesn’t matter.

If the opponent makes such a choice, I just need to respond accordingly.

“Alfonso, it seems like it’s time for you to become Osno again.”

“Ah, already?”

“Is the energy of the Original Bloodwood stable?”

“Of course!”

Alfonso, who used the Original Bloodwood, came to possess the five stars he had longed for.

At the time, I assisted him from the side, and as expected, using the sapling was the right answer. If it had been a fully grown Original Bloodwood, his body wouldn’t have been able to withstand it.

Weak guy.

“I’ll give you a little long vacation, so go play hard in the south.”

“… Is it really a vacation?”

Still, he’s good enough to send to hunt the pyramids [referring to a dangerous mission or task].

***

Royal Secret Service Information Department Director’s Office.

『Duke Moria Runtia, a disease breaks out?』

『Duke Runtia unconscious, what is the truth?』

『Exclusive! Is there a terrible disease that makes even a 7-star mage fade away? What is its identity?』
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Crush-!

Miloa crumpled the newspaper she was reading and threw it roughly on the desk.

All the media supporting the Fifth Prince.

Normally, she would have moved the Secret Service to scold them. But now it was not easy to move.

Some of her subordinates were raising the possibility of a civil uprising.

She put a cigarette in her mouth out of frustration and approached the window.

At that moment, the door opened without a knock.

She didn’t even need to see who it was.

Miloa didn’t turn around and lit the cigarette with a hiss, then opened her mouth.

“Did the First Queen go down south?”

It’s funny that the First Queen is sitting in the royal palace when her father is sick and on the verge of death.

“She took a private airship to the south a little while ago.”

“Okay.”

She smiled bitterly and exhaled cigarette smoke once, then turned her head.

First Prince Lucas was sitting on the desk, picking up the newspaper. Miloa watched him read the newspaper while smoking.

When the cigarette was half-burned, Lucas threw the read newspaper on the desk and looked at her.

“Did grandfather really not know about Radwan’s work?”

“At least he didn’t know he was running such a large-scale chimera workshop. If he had known, Duke Moria wouldn’t have let things get this big.”

“Yeah… that’s a relief.”

Lucas nodded, got off the desk, approached her, and held out his hand.

“Give me one too.”

“Didn’t you quit when you stopped hanging out with those gangster guys?”

“I was holding back.”

“That’s why I told you not to learn.”

Miloa grumbled and took out a cigarette and handed it to Lucas.

Hiss, she kindly lit it for him too.

The two people smoking silently.

When Miloa put out her cigarette in the ashtray after finishing it first, Lucas opened his mouth.

“Miloa, what do you think will happen in the future?”

“There are good and bad scenarios. Which one do you want to hear first?”

“It’s better to get hit first. Tell me the bad scenario first.”

“The influence that the Runtia ducal family has exerted in the center will be greatly reduced. Naturally, the voice of the Fifth Prince’s faction will grow. The balance that was about equal will begin to collapse rapidly. To the point where it’s hard to turn back.”

“… What’s the good scenario?”

“They will suffer a considerable political blow, but as always, they will be forgotten over time.”

Lucas, who was staring at Miloa’s eyes, chuckled.

“You’re sure that won’t happen, right?”

“Did I get caught? Yes. There’s no way the Fifth Prince will leave this incident alone.”

“Do you have a plan?”

“A plan… I’m moving the Tricolor Staff [a shadowy organization] to suspect that he is behind the exposure of Radwan’s atrocities. No, I’m sure!”

“Is it a hunch?”

“It’s not just a hunch. It’s a long story to explain, but I’ve gone through a reasonable inference. But I don’t think it’s wrong at all.”

“Really? If that’s true… if Evan is really behind the Tricolor Staff, the nobles won’t stay still.”

“That’s right. That’s the part we can counterattack. Duke Moria is lying in bed on the pretext of illness, so we’ve bought time for the time being. We need to find the connection between the Tricolor Staff and the Fifth Prince as soon as possible. Before the hearing is held.”

“Are you already investigating?”

“Yes. This time, definitely! I won’t let things proceed as the Fifth Prince thinks. So you hold on tight so that other humans don’t shake.”

“Okay, I’ll trust you.”

Lucas tapped Miloa’s shoulder, waved his hand, and left.

Miloa, who was watching his figure moving away from the Royal Secret Service building from the window. She recalled the face of the Fifth Prince and bit her lip tightly.

I will definitely break that arrogant nose this time.

Knock! Knock!

“Countess Miloa! Urgent news!”

She, who was determined, was startled by the urgent voice of her subordinate.

***

『Tricolor Staff, reappears!』

『Baron Malus executed at the top of the Lord’s Castle』

『Where did the children in Baron Malus’s basement come from?』

A pervert who only kidnapped young boys and inflicted mental and physical abuse.

『Tricolor Staff reappears in just two days』

『Baron Grus naked and hung on a cross. What atrocities did he commit?』

A psychopath whose hobby was human hunting.

『Tricolor Staff appears again!』

『Who this time?』
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Alfonso’s vacation is over.

“Your Highness! I had a good rest!”

The guy with half a face came back.

The eyes that flashed with murderous intent between the narrow eyes seemed to have seen a lot of blood during the vacation.

“You worked hard. Here.”

I threw a book at Alfonso.

“Huh? What is this? ······ Black Blood Poison Sword?”

“It was once passed down to the Black Blood Squad, the most successful assassin group in the Hamel Empire. You take it.”

“Oh, oh, oh. I will learn it with gratitude.”

Alfonso happily took it into his arms.

I am a person with clear rewards and punishments.

Thanks to the work he did in the south with the Tricolor Staff, the First Prince’s approval rating plummeted. Naturally, my approval rating is soaring.

I chose something appropriate from the [Skill] window, purchased it, and transcribed it myself.

“Above that, there’s also the Black Blood Poison King Sword, which was passed down to the master of the Black Blood Squad… I might get it depending on what you do?”

“Chief! Aide! Alfonso! I will dedicate this one body to Your Highness.”

I chuckled and opened my mouth.

“Okay, then go to the Royal Secret Service now.”

“Yes?”

I rummaged through the documents piled up on the desk, pulled out one, and showed it to him.

“Yesterday, the Royal Secret Service sent an arrest warrant for you. I sent you back, saying that I would send you quietly when you returned from vacation.”

“Net [slang for ‘trap’]?”

“The claim is that you are a member of the Tricolor Staff wearing a sly mask that splits your eyes. That’s why I told you to choose something that doesn’t stand out. Or change your weapon like Reina.”

Alfonso is silent for a moment.

“U, using the privilege of immunity from arrest…”

That won’t do.

If I use that again, I’ll be attacked for having something to hide. The other side was desperate to create a new issue and divert public attention.

“Don’t worry and go. Surely they won’t torture my Chief! Aide! Will they? Go, shut your mouth and exercise your right to remain silent. Got it?”

“… Really, there won’t be torture?”

“… Yeah.”

The corners of his eyes trembled roughly at my half-beat late answer.