Chapter 30
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: The Prince's Gift
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Beloved Ally
In the best light, it's someone who maintains harmonious relationships with everyone. In the worst, it's a neutral fence-sitter derisively called a bat.
Typically in stories, these types come off as uncool or slyly manipulative, earning them nothing but disdain.
But historically, the common thread among those who survived the longest was becoming this kind of beloved ally—never making enemies.
Avoiding enemies is an incredible skill.
People and organizations have thorns that inevitably create foes.
In such situations, those who hid their thorns, smoothed over conflicts as much as possible, and managed relationships so they weren't seen as enemies might not become heroes, but they survived as beloved allies.
Of course, there were downsides.
They often received stingy treatment compared to their efforts and achievements, and their fence-sitting for profit got them branded as bats and cursed out.
But that was fine.
Bat label vs. getting your head chopped off—which is the better option?
No contest.
And so, I decided to become a bat and started focusing on diplomacy.
I sent bribes to the Platinum Council and funneled 15% of Dreihart's profits to the Silla and Lion Families respectively, saving face for them.
Honestly, I wanted to ignore the Lion Family, but I did it for the prince behind them.
My relationship with the princess faction was going well, thanks to Rana.
Since I had nothing to hide from the start, I paraded Rana around openly and shared all my info.
I invested every coin I earned back into the territory's people and distributed Dreihart's profits as widely as possible, emphasizing I had no political ambitions.
I'm just a kind, humble lord without greed—make me an ally, not an enemy. That was the message I hammered home.
The princess faction, hearing this from Rana, would likely slot me as an ally or ally candidate.
The problem was the prince's side.
My only tie to the prince was that damn Lion Family, and our houses were on the worst terms.
Their fault, sure—but that was separate from this issue.
As I pondered how to mend things with the prince, someone knocked on the door.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in."
The door opened at my words, and a messenger stepped inside.
He looked even more tense than last time.
"What is it?"
"Yes, my lord! A letter has arrived for you from the imperial family."
"A letter from the imperial family!?"
I hurriedly took the letter from the messenger.
What could it be this time?
So many possibilities raced through my mind—I had no clue who sent it.
Maybe the prince. Or the princess summoning me for a face-to-face.
God, please not another one like that last event letter. I tore open the imperial seal and read.
To the Lord of Cron, Calix Cron.
Your name rides the winds of the empire to reach even me.
From expanding rewards for the common folk, to tax reforms, to quelling the Dreihart rebellion—your resolve and responsibility in these matters serve as an exemplar for all nobles.
Yet this also means your actions draw eyes.
Black hands of the Bloodkin stretch across the empire these days.
I hear you've faced assassination threats as well.
A talent like you must not fall to such schemes. Thus, I send one of my guard knights to your side.
A proven elite from the Golden Knight Order, more than capable of protecting you.
I look forward to meeting you safely one day.
First Prince – Kyros Sword Novarens
"…………"
After the princess's letter, this proper, formal one caught me off guard.
Right—isekai or not, letter etiquette wasn't that different. This was normal.
The princess was the weird one!
Hart asked as I finished reading.
"My lord, who from the imperial family sent it?"
"It's from the prince. Says he's sending a guard knight due to the assassination risks."
"No way! For His Highness the prince to send a guard knight—that's a tremendous honor!"
"Yeah, sure is."
After getting Rana, I'd looked into it: unlike the princess, the prince rarely sent his people to other lords' territories.
And he held the empire's largest faction, rivals be damned.
For such a prince to worry about my safety and dispatch a knight? Huge honor.
This could fix my prince relations—but it was also a massive burden.
The princess had subtly cozied up; the prince straight-up staked a claim.
Mishandle this, and I'd earn hate from both or get forced into one camp.
To stay a beloved ally earning favor from all and survive to the end, I needed flawless bat diplomacy from here on.
As I steeled myself over tea from Rana, she spoke.
"This is odd. With me by your side, my lord, why need another guard knight?"
Rana's combat prowess was recognized; she now served as maid-cum-bodyguard.
Knowing her skills, I'd set up a spar with Mark, one of my Cron Knight Order guards—and she trounced him.
Her moves screamed assassin or ninja, but she insisted it was plain martial arts, so we let it slide.
I summed it up for her in one line.
"Who guards me when you're at school during the day?"
"Understood. You absolutely need another guard knight, my lord."
Rana still taught at the school 2-3 days a week.
It suited her perfectly; she'd grown fond of the kids and kept asking permission. Seeing her pursue her passion made me happy, so I kept approving.
If she skipped school to guard me, no extra knight needed... but her reaction showed she loved teaching.
"Now we can improve ties with the prince."
"Indeed, my lord. If His Highness puts in a word, those Lion Family pests will quiet down."
From my brief playthrough, the prince was a pragmatist, not a villain.
He let Hadem run wild only within minimal rules; break those or if we'd been his faction, he'd have stepped in ages ago.
Why not rush to pledge to him? This world's nasty surprises—like the assassination event—kept lives on the line.
Survival here's brutal.
For now, we'd discuss prince diplomacy after his knight arrived.
Noah could've helped decide faster, but she was proxy-managing Dreihart hard.
I anticipated which knight it'd be, recalling prince faction ones from my past life.
A few days later, the guard knight arrived.
Unlike Rana, she rode a warhorse.
Her beautiful light-green long hair tied back, she exuded noble elegance and beauty as she reached the castle.
True to the Golden Knight Order, she dismounted with perfect knightly form, knelt on one knee before me, and declared,
"Uh... yeah, welcome. Azelle Tis..."
The knight introducing herself as Azelle Tis gazed at me with admiring eyes.
A beautiful girl admiring me like that? Cold sweat down my back.
Because, unlike Rana, I knew her all too well—for very different reasons.
Her name: Azelle Tis
The SSR knight character dubbed the Knight of Moonlight, top-tier guard with supreme abilities.
She had a wildly unique blessing, making her absolute against certain boss types.
The issue? Her sense of justice.
Playing with her as retainer,
rack up too much evil and drop your morality gauge too low into 'unjust lord' territory,
and she'd stab you in the gut then kill herself.
That insane act earned her nicknames:
"Justice Psychopath"
"Knife-Stab Knight"
"Kingslayer (Lord-Slayer)"
The prince sent a Kingslayer to our territory.