Translator: Nox

Chapter 45

“……So, this isn’t a good situation, is it?”

“If Yuriene were the Crown Prince, there wouldn’t be any problem. But he’s the Third Prince. A member of the Imperial Family who shouldn’t shine is shining too brightly.”

“When you join the Azure Knights, your nationality changes, right? Strictly speaking, he’s no longer a member of the Imperial Family.”

“So, do the people of the Empire think of him as a foreigner?”

“……”

“He’s still a member of the Imperial Family. Even if his nationality has changed to Ajenka, as long as the Kirie Empire and the Harden Imperial Family remain in his name, as long as the people of the Empire consider him a member of their Imperial Family.”

Nicole picked up her spoon and stirred her tea. She began to draw a picture on the table with the tea. First, she drew a simple lion. The white lion, the symbol of the Kirie Empire’s Imperial Family.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor had two Empresses.”

She drew a small circle next to the lion.

“The first Empress, whom he married when he was Crown Prince. She was weak and passed away not long after His Majesty ascended the throne. The son born between her and His Majesty is the First Prince, the current Crown Prince, Kruen de Harden Kirie.”

A line was drawn between the lion and the first circle. Nicole wrote the number 1 below it. Then, a new circle was drawn.

“The Empress’s seat became vacant, and he married a second Empress. Two sons were born between her and the Emperor. The Second Prince, Kareem, and the Third Prince, Yuriene.”

Two lines were drawn between the new circle and the lion, with the numbers 2 and 3 written on each. Then, Nicole erased the circles with the tea.

“And the new Empress passed away while giving birth to the Third Prince. You know that the Empress’s seat in the Empire has been vacant ever since, right?”

“I know. It’s because His Imperial Majesty loved the Second Empress so much that he wouldn’t take another consort. There are three princes, so the ministers don’t say much either.”

“Right, the first Empress was a political marriage, but the second Empress was someone His Imperial Majesty truly loved and married. It was quite a scandal, since she was the daughter of a humble Baron family. There are even rumors that they were in love before he married the first Empress. So think about it, Eki.”

Nicole tapped the Third Prince’s spot with her spoon. Then, she pointed to the lion’s head.

“What does His Imperial Majesty think of the Third Prince? The Empress he loved so much died giving birth to that child. His Majesty didn’t need any more sons.”

“……Surely not.”

“I don’t know the detailed circumstances within the Imperial Family. But for sure, His Majesty doesn’t like Yuriene. No, he probably dislikes him quite a bit. It might even be close to hatred.”

“Even though he’s the son of the wife he loved?”

“He’s the child who was born by devouring that beloved wife.”

Eki frowned. It was a bitter story. She guessed that Yuriene’s upbringing hadn’t been very good. Nicole put down her spoon and rested her chin on her hand.

“And right now, the succession is quite complicated. His Highness the Crown Prince is the First Prince, the Crown Prince, and his maternal family is strong. He’s also married to the eldest daughter of the Diassant Dukedom, so his in-laws are also strong. But His Imperial Majesty favors the Second Prince, the son of the beloved Second Empress.”

“So, they’re competing for the throne?”

“Yes. Quite fiercely, too. The Crown Prince has a firm power base, but His Imperial Majesty is openly supporting the Second Prince.”

“It’s a dangerous situation in many ways……”

“Here’s the problem. There’s the Second Prince, who is supported by His Imperial Majesty, and the First Prince, who is supported by strong nobles from his maternal and in-law families and has legitimacy. If the two forces are similar, which one will be more advantageous?”

“The one with the people’s support?”

“Correct. So both sides are desperately trying to prove their abilities. They’re trying to win the people’s hearts by showing that they’re capable and care about the people. But what’s the result? Which prince do the people of the Empire know, care about, and praise right now?”

“……Yurien de Harden Kirie.”

Eki answered blankly. Her own life was too intense for her to care about the Imperial Family’s succession, so she didn’t know these behind-the-scenes details.

‘Come to think of it, who ended up becoming Emperor before the regression? After Ajenka was annihilated…… Was it the Crown Prince?’

As she searched her memories, Nicole continued calmly.

“The Crown Prince’s side and the Second Prince’s side both see Yuriene as a thorn in their side. He’s a common enemy. If he were just an Imperial Family member with no presence, there wouldn’t be any problem. You know, sometimes excessive talent becomes a curse.”

There wouldn’t be many people who understood those words better than Ekinesia. The tragedy her talent had caused was truly terrible. Eki closed her eyes for a long moment to hide her turmoil. Nicole didn’t notice her agitation and continued her explanation.

“Yuriene has been excessively talented since he was young. I asked the elder mages of the Magic Tower, and they told me right away. He achieved results in every field he learned that the other princes couldn’t match, so His Imperial Majesty was very displeased. That’s why he was sent to Ajenka, almost as if he was being exiled.”

“Wait a minute, Yuriene didn’t join the Azure Knights on his own?”

“That’s what’s known. In reality, it’s closer to being kicked out. They couldn’t kill or exile a prince without cause, so they sent him to Ajenka under the pretext that he had talent in swordsmanship. But the result was…….”

“……Master, and Giosa Owner.”

“Right. They kicked him out because they hated him, but he grew up dazzlingly. It must be sickening for His Imperial Majesty and the other princes.”

Nicole shrugged with a bitter smile. Eki stared blankly at the table where the tea stains remained.

She didn’t know at all. The Yuriene she knew was a noble and radiant person. She thought the only misfortune in his life was being involved with her, the Demon of the Demon Sword.

Nicole sighed deeply and leaned back in her chair.

“That’s the background. Now, here’s the main point. Why was the Demon Sword delivered to the Roaz County? By the way, we haven’t found the definite culprit. Even if we did find the culprit, there’s nothing we could do anyway.”

“Because the Imperial Family is behind it?”

“Yes. His Imperial Majesty, the Second Prince’s faction, the Crown Prince’s faction. One of the three. Since His Imperial Majesty and the Second Prince’s faction are almost the same, you could say it’s two. It could be something they all agreed to do. Anyway, in conclusion, Roaz was sacrificed in a plot targeting Yuriene.”

“A plot…… you say.”

“I don’t know how the Imperial Family got their hands on the Demon Sword in the first place. Anyway, the Imperial Family wanted to put on a show with it. Using Roaz as a sacrifice. To say that a Giosa Owner is nothing special, that it’s all exaggerated rumors, that they handled the Demon Sword that Azure missed, that Azure isn’t needed. It depends on who the exact mastermind is, but they wanted to use that show to promote the Second Prince or the Crown Prince.”

Without realizing it, Eki gritted her teeth. She barely restrained the Mana that was overflowing with anger. She couldn’t even bear the murderous intent. Her purple eyes held a chilling light. She murmured in a coolly subdued voice.

“Just for that reason, they sacrificed Roaz? Why us of all people? Why?”

“Because you’re easy to deal with. And suitable.”

“……”

“You haven’t interfered in the capital’s politics, so you don’t have any power or connections, it’s not an important territory, so it’s okay if there’s some damage, and there are people with talent in swordsmanship, so there’s no concern that the Demon Sword will become too strong.”

Nicole answered gloomily. The handle of the teacup crumbled in Eki’s hand. Her stomach churned, and murderous intent filled her entire body.

[You’re really angry. Your murderous intent is amazing! Oh, but Master, I’m happy, but if this keeps up, you’ll have a hard time controlling yourself. Can I kill them?]

The Demon Sword was delighted by the murderous intent rising from her, but it was also watching her carefully. Eki barely took a deep breath and calmed her mind.

“……Are we the only ones who fit those conditions?”

“No, there are a few more. I don’t know why Roaz was chosen among them. Maybe they drew lots. Or maybe it’s because of me.”

“Because of you, Sister?”

“I’m the family that the disciple of the Sage is affiliated with. If that family suffers damage from the Giosa, and they blame it all on the Azure Knights for not managing the Giosa properly, I’ll get angry, right? Then my teacher, the Sage, will also take an interest. The scale of the show becomes just right, right? Not too big, not too small.”

Nicole twisted her lips. After thinking for a moment, Eki shook her head.

“It’s not your fault, Sister. If the Magic Tower takes an interest, the whole story might be revealed, so they wouldn’t have done that on purpose. Look, you tracked it down and eventually caught the tail. So Roaz…… was chosen for another reason.”

A hotter heat rose above the fever of her illness. Eki leaned back in her chair and buried her face in her hands. A deep, hot, Monster-like breath surged from her stomach, burning her throat as it leaked out. She soothed it with the self-control she had used to control the Demon Sword for nine years.

Now she understood why the Empire had excluded Azure and formed a subjugation force in her previous life, insisting that they could handle it themselves.

If Ekinesia Roaz hadn’t been an unparalleled genius, the Imperial Family’s show would have been successful. But because she was a genius beyond imagination, the plan was ruined. And it was achieved in a different way. The Demon of the Demon Sword destroyed Ajenka, including Yuriene.

Then what about this life? This time, the show was ruined. The Demon Sword vanished without anything happening. What would the mastermind, who might be from the Crown Prince’s side or the Second Prince’s side, do in response to this situation?

Nicole provided the answer. She stared at Eki for a moment and then opened her mouth.

“……Eki. Earlier, I said that Roaz would only be safe if Yuriene and Princess Diasante’s engagement was definitely realized.”

“Yes.”

“Princess Diasante is the Crown Princess’s younger sister. So this engagement is the hand that His Highness the Crown Prince has extended. It means that the Crown Prince’s faction has sent Yuriene an ultimatum.”

“An ultimatum……. Surely.”

“Whether he will bow down under the Crown Prince and become a loyal dog, or turn around and become an enemy. He has to decide. If he bows down and enters, the Crown Prince will use him to attack the Second Prince’s faction. Of course, the Second Prince’s side is trying to stop this engagement even if it means assassinating the Princess.”

“What does that have to do with Roaz?”

“Listen. First of all, if he refuses this engagement, the Crown Prince and Yuriene will become enemies. He will be completely at odds with the entire Imperial Family.”

“There’s His Highness the Second Prince. If he refuses the engagement, he can join forces with the Second Prince’s faction…….”

“No, the Second Prince’s side can never embrace Yuriene as their own. Because His Imperial Majesty, the Second Prince’s biggest supporter, hates Yuriene. Besides, the Crown Prince at least emphasizes administration, so he can keep Yuriene under his command, but the Second Prince is a Knight. If he accepts Yuriene, the Second Prince will be overshadowed by his aura.”

“……So if he refuses this engagement, it means that Yuriene will become an enemy of the entire Imperial Family.”

“That’s right. He’s already an enemy of the Second Prince, and there’s still a possibility with the Crown Prince……. If he rejects the offer sent by the Crown Prince, that’s what will happen. Refusing the engagement is the same as declaring that he will become an enemy of the Kirie Imperial Family. Then the first to be in danger will be the Roaz County.”

“Why is Roaz coming up here?”

Eki raised her head with a confused expression. Nicole chose her words carefully and adjusted her monocle.

“……The side that sent the Demon Sword is suspicious. They suspect that there is some kind of connection between Roaz and Yuriene.”