The Weeds Have Been Pulled (3)
“Your Majesty the King, do you remember the story I told you before?”
“Do you remember the part about the Empire planning to forcibly merge with us Solea?”
“Of course I do. Even though you’re still young, I understood every word you said back then. I was already frustrated about it, and now it seems the perfect time to ask.”
“Ask me anything, Your Majesty.”
“I’m puzzled about how you knew about those things happening in the Empire.”
“That’s…”
Sien cut in.
“I’m curious too. How did you know Seria was a spy from the Empire? Even the Tower Master had no idea.”
How did I know?
It was the single decisive reason my life in the previous one had been so difficult—because the Empire had forcibly annexed Solea.
But I couldn’t tell them the truth. I wasn’t in the previous life anymore; this was my second chance. I couldn’t explain that I was speaking from memory of what I had already endured.
I couldn’t explain it, and honestly, I didn’t even have the knowledge or ability to do so.
I didn’t know how my master had done it.
So I took my chance right here.
“There is someone I can trust.”
“An assistant?”
“Yes. The fact that I could turn my entire body into one grand circle was all thanks to his help.”
“Is that possible? Who exactly is this person? Could it be that the prince was hearing the voice of a god?”
I quickly glanced at my master, just in case.
He was smiling, clearly enjoying the situation.
“Ho. Using your own student like this?”
‘Is that not allowed?’
“Of course it is. I simply won’t overstep. If I get too involved in this world, things could turn dangerous in more ways than one.”
‘Of course I won’t make my master uncomfortable. Thank you.’
My master nodded.
Since permission had been granted, I could let my tongue run free.
“I couldn’t ask him too many questions, but everything he told me was true.”
“Your Highness, I wish I could have met that person even once. Maybe there’s a way…”
Sien’s desperate eyes.
I sent him a warning glance, knowing it was impossible. My master, however, shook his head firmly.
“My only student is enough. Do you know why I’m asking?”
‘Understood.’
Not a single one of my regrets, but I deliberately wore a deeply sorrowful expression.
No matter how devoted Sien tried to be to me, I didn’t want to share a powerful master.
“I’m sorry, but that seems difficult. I wasn’t the one who sought him out. Still, if you meet him again, please tell him a sincere and competent magician longs to study under him.”
“I beg you! Please, please! If you could just let me meet that person once, I’ll do anything for you, Your Highness!”
“Oh, now that you mention it, he did say his name.”
The two of them perked up even more.
“What name? What did he say his name was?”
“He called himself Merlin.”
Sien’s face turned pale the moment he heard the name.
His eyes widened in shock, and he practically shoved his face right up to mine.
“Merlin? Your Highness, did you just say Merlin!”
“Yes, he definitely said that.”
“Oh no… This can’t be. How is this possible! Merlin, Merlin… Hehe… Merlin…”
The moment the name left his lips, Sien muttered “Merlin” over and over, laughing darkly to himself.
The sixty-year-old elder who was usually kind and wise looked nothing like himself now.
My father had pulled the name Merlin straight out of his mind.
“From what I know, there’s only one person with that name in all of legend…”
“That person is the ideal we magicians dream of. I’ve thought about how the prince could become like that, but I could never figure it out. If Merlin helped him, that alone is enough! If he can’t even do that, then he can’t possibly be Merlin. That’s simply impossible! Because Merlin…”
“Sien.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I know you’re excited, but do not interrupt me.”
“Understood. I’m sorry.”
Sien finally calmed down after hearing his father’s words.
“Honestly, I still can’t quite trust that assistant who calls himself Merlin. I won’t be sure until I meet him in person.”
I nodded sincerely.
After all, this was a matter that could decide the fate of the kingdom. It was only rational not to blindly trust someone whose identity we didn’t even know.
“But I’ve decided to trust him. Not the unknown existence, but you.”
“I’m grateful.”
“If this had been said a few months ago, I would never have believed it. But on the day I told you that story, I felt absolute certainty. The you I thought I knew and the you of that day were completely different.”
My father took my hands in both of his.
“I beg you. Solea has only reached the second generation. For the people of this kingdom and for you, who will inherit the throne—protect Solea from the Empire’s claws.”
“Your Majesty the King, that…”
Right now, I had already established my right to the throne.
Though it hadn’t been officially announced, my father wouldn’t break the promise he had just made.
Unless I went back to the days when I only knew sword techniques.
“I will do everything I can.”
“Thank you. Now, what should I do for you?”
There were two things I needed to do immediately.
First was a public matter that my father, as king, could resolve.
“If the Wiz is captured, the embassy will try to cover it up. So you must lead the knights right now to the Imperial Embassy and stop them. There is much work ahead, but this must be handled at once.”
“I will do as you say.”
“And Sien.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
If Seria is taken, the other rats hiding in the Tower will panic and stir up trouble.
“Besides Seria, there are several other spies hiding in the Solea Tower. The moment Seria was thrown into prison today, those spies will have rushed to hold an emergency meeting.”
“What should I do then?”
“At three o’clock in the morning today, go alone to the headquarters of the Kingdom Knights. Bring the knights on duty and head to the Tower. Knock on the wall between the fourth and fifth rooms on the third basement floor. They will open the door from inside. Capture them if you can, but if you can’t, exterminate them.”
The reason I had to bring knights on duty was to keep this secret.
The place I had told them about was where the Empire’s spies in the Solea Tower gathered.
The Tower Master, Sien, who supposedly knew everything, looked stunned.
“There was a secret location inside our Tower?!”
“The utmost secrecy is required. Do nothing until I give the signal.”
“Understood.”
After dumping all my instructions, I finally let out a sigh of relief.
“We will move according to our own plans, but what about you?”
“First, I’ll keep pretending my body is ruined. Even with a stain on my name, the fact that I harmed the crown prince will be the chain that stops the Empire from moving freely. For whatever I do next, I’ll inform you through my nanny Delia.”
My father and Sien both nodded.
“We are grateful that you have acted according to our wishes.”
“That’s not right. All the citizens of Solea, including me, should be thanking you. Still, the situation is urgent. If there’s nothing more to say, let’s call the knights.”
“I’ll keep pretending I’m not worried. Even though I’m not, I still have to act.”
After a quick farewell, the two of them left the room to put their plans into action.
‘It’s started. It began earlier than I expected, but I must not make any mistakes.’
I reinforced my resolve.
The most important thing was secrecy, and then swift and precise movement.
And among those, secrecy was the most vital.
A little while later, Delia carefully opened the door and entered.
I quickly hid behind the door and clapped my hand over her mouth.
“Eep—mmph!”
“Shh, shh! It’s me, Delia. Please be quiet!”
Delia immediately silenced her voice at my silent plea.
But even with her voice muffled, she was furious.
“What is going on, Prince Erewon!”
“What’s going on? It was all acting. I’ll keep pretending from now on, so please help me.”
“I’ll tell you the full story later. By the way, I had no idea you were so good at acting. Look at you right now—what a sight!”
Delia shoved me forward by the back and pushed me in front of the mirror.
“What’s wrong with my appearance? Ah, it’s a bit messy.”
My body had been stirring up my own mana wildly, and every part of my face and body was swollen, unable to withstand the internal heat.
“I need to sit down and calm myself first. Wait, though… Uh?”
The thing I’m looking at right now…
It’s a mirror.
“Oh no. It’s ruined.”