Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: A Teacher for the Prince
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"As the winner, tell me what you desire."
A intoxicating thrill boiled up, making me forget the pain wracking my entire body and the exhaustion sapping my strength.
There had only ever been one thing I wanted from the start.
"Grandpa, please become Prince Florian's second teacher."
I heard Florian gasp softly beside me, but I didn't turn to look at him.
I ignored the sensation of his hand, which had been gripping mine, growing cold with tension.
For Grandpa to become Florian's teacher after Dad meant the entire North had decided to protect him.
Ordinary princes' teachers were selected from among barons or viscounts.
It was said only someone like the crown prince could have a duke as a teacher.
"Are you telling me to make the Empress and the Second Prince my enemies?"
The spectator seats were so noisy that Grandpa's voice reached only me, barely above a whisper.
Grandpa was keeping the Southern Duke's family in check.
And I could never coexist with my uncle, who was backed by the Southern Duke's family.
So making Florian the next emperor and crushing the Empress and the Southern Duke's faction was the path that benefited us all.
'It's also a way for Florian to rise even higher.'
Having Grandpa, the lord of the North, as a teacher would let him learn so much.
He'd be protected even when Dad wasn't around.
Until now, Grandpa hadn't paid attention to Florian, but once he took him as a disciple, he couldn't ignore him anymore.
I met Grandpa's gaze without flinching.
"Yes."
When I answered firmly, Grandpa fell silent for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter.
His booming laugh echoed on for a good while, causing the vassals in the spectator seats to shut their mouths in stunned surprise.
Silence soon descended.
"Taking on a disciple at my age. Looks like I'll be busy for a while."
"Y-Your Excellency!"
One of the vassals standing behind him stammered in panic, but Grandpa silenced him with a raised hand without even turning around.
"This is the reward demanded by the winner of the friendly match. In the name of Duke Kalenberg, I guarantee the winner's rights."
Everyone held their breath in utter silence.
In the hush so deep you could hear a pin drop, I was the only one grinning broadly.
After the awards ceremony, we were moved straight to the makeshift infirmary.
The physician let out several cries of dismay as he applied a pungent salve to our bruises covering our bodies, then left.
"I'm already causing enough trouble for the Kalenberg Duke Family. Making even the Duke step forward..."
I confirmed no one else was around, then cut off Florian's defensive words.
"Without Habooji's help, it's hawd to suwvivwe. You know?"
I could see his red eyes blazing.
A child who had never once relied on others to survive.
Florian bristled sharply, just like when we first met.
"Who asked you to do me this favor? Look after yourself first—you're suffering just as much. Who asked you to stick your neck out for anyone?"
His words cut like a sharpened blade, a sign of how terrified he was of this situation.
Florian's fear stemmed from the worry that his presence might harm me and the Kalenberg Duke Family.
'Even with all those prickles, he's still such a good kid deep down.'
I could have bombarded him with all sorts of explanations.
I could have spun political tales about how the Southern Duke's family held the era's greatest power, leaving no choice but to seize it rather than share.
Or laid out the harsh reality that if Uncle and Marc seized the dukedom with the Empress's backing, our entire family was as good as dead.
"Before, Pewwi saved me."
But that wasn't my way.
"So now I hewp Pewwi. That's the deaw, wight?"
In moments like this, I had no choice but to strip away all the lengthy reasons and show my true heart.
Just as Florian had shown his to me.
The strength slowly drained from Florian, who had been glaring at me for a long time.
His hot, straight forehead thudded gently against my shoulder.
"I don't know what to do with you, really."
I felt the last walls of wariness he'd held onto shatter and scatter.
A few days passed since our flashy victory in the friendly match.
My body had recovered two days ago, but I was confined to my room until the physician gave the official all-clear.
Today, I finally regained my freedom.
"Wanna eat and pway with Detwii!"
Dietrich, despite being more badly injured than me, had recovered four days earlier thanks to his monstrous healing ability and returned to family lessons.
He must have gone for today's lesson too.
It was about time for it to end. Should I go welcome Dietrich?
Looking up at the nurse with that in mind, she smiled warmly. She'd protected me so fiercely these past few days that I hadn't even left the bed.
"Shall we go welcome Young Master together?"
"Yeah!"
Grabbing the nurse's hand, I hurried out of the bedroom I'd been trapped in for days.
In the meantime, the garden grass had grown even lusher.
The red flowers in the flowerbeds were in full bloom, with tiny bees buzzing among them.
"Is Mawwk back to cwasses?"
"No. All the other Blue Team members were released from confinement, but Young Master Marc is still confined. The Duke was furious."
Music to my ears.
"What about Hans?"
"That dog... The apprentice knight was sent to the Northern Penal Colony. He won't be released until after ten years of forced labor. And rightly so, for daring to harm the Duke's direct descendants."
Betty really did take after the nurse in subtle ways.
The nurse caught her slipping into rough speech and glanced warily at me.
Pretending not to notice, I asked what I wanted to know.
"Northern Penal Colony?"
"There's an iron mine there. He'll suffer plenty for a while. But they took into account the Araneo bite and reduced it to forced labor. Originally, the Duke wanted him executed right away... Oh dear."
Grandpa must have been really angry.
It was a friendly match, yet he tried to harm direct heirs Dietrich and me—not to mention Prince Florian. He deserved that punishment.
'Though it wasn't entirely his own idea.'
Still, he'd fought the kids in earnest even before the Araneo bit him, so I felt no pity.
Dietrich would have been badly hurt if he hadn't awakened his Divine Grace right on time.
"I hear the screening for shadow knights in future friendly matches will be much stricter too."
"Owwivew said that?"
"Yes."
Hearing that all the bad guys had received fitting punishments lightened my steps as I entered the small indoor training hall.
A space below the classroom made just for the kids.
All the training tools were sized for children, so it felt quiet since no other knights came here.
Of course, that quiet feeling...
"—that's why! I used my Divine Grace right then and lifted the pond water into nine streams!"
"Whoa, so cool, Dietrich!"
"No big deal. Now I can freeze this wooden sword solid anytime I want."
"Amazing, Dietrich!"
...shattered immediately with Dietrich's hearty laugh.
Business as usual today.
I shot a lukewarm glance at Dietrich, who was basking in the children's envious cheers while bragging about his Divine Grace.
Yeah, as long as you're happy...
Having broken Dad's record as the North's youngest Divine Grace manifester at age nine, Dietrich must finally have some confidence.
'But where's Erich?'
Having checked on Dietrich, I naturally scanned for Erich.
All the kids taking family lessons were gathered, practicing strikes on wooden dummies or listening to Dietrich's tales of valor.
Only Erich was missing.
I looked around the room several times, but there wasn't even a trace of him.
'Did he skip family lessons today?'
No way.
Erich was never one to miss class. Even with his pale complexion, he'd never skipped a single day.
He always studied for family lessons like his life depended on it.