Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Royal Possession (3)
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After the commotion with the pollutant discharge had been sorted out, I spoke to Albert and Ridel over breakfast.
"I'm going to start exercising from today."
"Exercising, you say?"
"Yeah. Ever since that stuff came out of my body, I feel incredibly light. I bet even a little exercise now would yield great results."
"I'm all for Your Highness Aren exercising. Reading books all day isn't good for your health. But please don't overdo it."
"Got it, Ridel."
The 9th Prince, Aren Eldiad, had no talent.
Of course, it was relative, but while the other princes and princesses each displayed exceptional talents...
I had none to speak of.
I wasn't gifted in swordsmanship, and my magic was limited to firing basic mana bullets.
For an empire built on the foundation of victories in the Great War, weakness in martial prowess was as good as lacking the talent to be emperor.
I'd never been interested in becoming emperor to begin with, and my position as the 9th Prince was ambiguous at best.
Unlike my other siblings, overflowing with talent and fierce ambition, I'd chosen to live here, far from the capital, precisely to avoid getting dragged into the succession struggle.
With no power to my name, butting in blindly would only sour relations between siblings.
Besides, since everyone knew I lacked talent, they didn't see me as a rival and treated me decently enough.
So, it would be ridiculous for a prince like me to meddle in the succession fight against my own wishes.
Of course, I had no intention of doing so even now.
'But right now, I need to do whatever it takes to get stronger.'
At the very least, I had to prevent myself from becoming some grotesque freak toyed with by the evil gods.
No matter how I'd opted out of the succession struggle, I was still a prince.
So when I decided to live away from the capital, the imperial family built me a grand mansion and assigned servants.
They even provided a knight order for my safety.
It was only five knights strong, but they were all veterans from the imperial knight order, with skills to match.
And naturally, the mansion came equipped with a training ground for their drills.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
"Hey, Gillek."
When Ridel and I arrived at the training ground, I ran into Gillek, the captain of my personal knight order.
The other knights were tied up with guarding the mansion and patrolling the perimeter, so the training ground was empty except for us.
Gillek had a shiny bald head and a scar across his forehead.
He looked fierce, but he was a loyal knight devoted to me.
'He even showed up as a mid-boss in the 9th Prince's mansion stage in the game.'
His intro line was something like, "I must... protect... His Highness..."
"Is Your Highness's noble body alright?"
"I'm fine. Got treatment, no issues."
"To think Your Highness would fall from a tree... I, Gillek, must remain by your side from now on."
"You're always with me when I go out. This was my fault, so no need."
"Understood. If that is Your Highness's will."
Gillek was a faithful knight.
He prioritized my safety but backed off immediately if I told him otherwise.
I hoped he wouldn't get played by those evil gods either, given his loyalty to me.
"So, what brings Your Highness to the training ground?"
"Came to exercise. I want to get healthier."
"I see! Then I, Gillek, shall assist Your Highness in your pursuit of health!"
"Thanks."
As the knight captain, Gillek surely knew proper training methods.
And an hour into starting...
"...?"
Gillek stared at me like I was some bizarre creature.
I stretched to warm up, then ran laps around the training ground.
My body, used to lounging peacefully with books and little exercise, was out of breath in under five minutes.
Gillek and Ridel didn't comment or act surprised.
They'd spent enough time with me to know my stamina was poor.
But...
'Huh? Not out of breath?'
I'd stopped after five minutes, exhausted, but my breathing normalized in less than a minute.
"Gonna run again."
"Please don't push too hard, Your Highness."
"Exactly, Lady Ridel. It's been barely any rest."
"No, I think I can. Feels like the fatigue's gone."
"Pardon?"
If anything, I felt more energized than before running.
Previously out of breath after five minutes of light jogging, now it took ten minutes at full sprint.
And whenever fatigue set in, a short rest restored my stamina—faster and allowing longer runs than before.
Thrilled by my growing endurance, I ran obsessively.
But from Ridel and Gillek's perspective, watching from the sidelines, it must have been baffling.
'If stamina's like this, maybe muscles build faster too?'
With that thought, I alternated endurance and strength training. Two days later...
"Whoa."
My abs now sported perfect, chiseled six-pack.
And it wasn't just that.
My pecs had bulked up and firmed, while my slender arms now bulged with defined muscles.
It was like the body of someone who'd trained consistently and systematically for years without missing a day.
'This is Supreme Physique?'
Gazing at my dramatically transformed body in just two days, I thought...
This could get me out of this ridiculous situation.
Gillek Rapile, captain of the Black Eagle Knight Order—His Highness Aren Eldiad's personal knights—vowed to dedicate his life to protecting the 9th Prince.
He was experiencing a mix of joy and bewilderment.
'What in the world happened to His Highness?'
The Aren Eldiad he knew had no talent for martial arts.
Yet Gillek believed his true strength lay in his gentle, kind heart, and swore to protect him with his life.
But then...
Two days ago, His Highness suddenly declared he'd start exercising, and strange phenomena began.
At first, his stamina was the same as always.
After a short rest, though, he ran faster. Another brief pause, and he was covering distances that would normally leave him collapsed.
"Y-Your Highness! Are you truly alright? You're not overdoing it!?"
"I'm fine, Gillek! Feeling great! Ah! Let's try strength training now!"
Aren Eldiad's face showed no sign of strain as he replied energetically.
It wasn't a forced smile, nor was his skin pallid from overexertion.
But the astonishment didn't end there.
After endurance work, they moved to strength training.
Just like with stamina, exercises he could barely manage a few reps of at first became effortless after a short break, surpassing his initial counts.
The next day, Gillek could scarcely believe the sight of his liege returning for more training.
'Muscles already taking shape?'
To Gillek's eyes, Aren Eldiad's formerly frail, bony frame was starting to show muscle contours.
From his initial condition, it was the kind of transformation that would take months of rigorous training, if achievable at all.
Stunned, while Aren joyfully lapped the training ground, Gillek asked Ridel,
"Lady Ridel, what on earth happened to His Highness Aren?"
Though she was a maid, she was the daughter of a count, so he used formal speech.
Ridel shook her head.
"I don't know either. After he fell from the tree that day... he broke out in a massive sweat of black ooze, and then he became like this."
Gillek had heard many tales as a knight, but never of someone growing stronger after sweating black.
If he had to guess the most likely cause...
'Could His Highness Aren's talent have finally awakened?'
Everyone in the imperial family possessed special talents.
Speeds like the wind, senses for wielding multiple magics at once, strength to crush steel, swordsmanship that overwhelmed knights after mere days of practice.
Aren Eldiad alone had shown no such gift.
Some irreverent souls even called him the "fallen prince" for it.
Thus, Gillek had always believed his liege's embraceable nature was the true talent.
'If it's an awakening, that would explain it.'
The black sweat could even be a sign of it manifesting.
But that very thought worried Gillek.
What if his liege, enthralled by his newfound talent, now entered the succession struggle?
'That... that would be far too dangerous.'
No matter the talent, Aren was still far weaker than the other princes and princesses.
Besides, succession wasn't decided by might alone.
Each had factions behind them, but Aren had none.
If he truly jumped in, countless factions would target him like hyenas on a weak cub.
His life would be at risk.
'No, His Highness Aren is just happy about his improved health. It's unlikely he'd suddenly covet the throne now.'
Comforting himself and resolving to rejoice in his healthier liege, the very next day...
"Gillek! Teach me swordsmanship!"
Hearing Aren Eldiad's words, Gillek immediately prostrated himself on the ground and cried out.
"Please reconsider!!!"
For the first time in his life, Gillek refused his liege's request.