Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Audience with the King
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1
“This is a bit of a hassle…”
“What’s the hassle?”
Before I could answer Leon’s question, a cool breeze blew in.
However, the wind carried no sand.
It had been half a day since we left Balamut.
Traveling with the Tekat Kingdom’s army, we had passed through Agrit Territory and arrived at the capital, Eset.
Had the Eset Central Railway Station ever felt more welcoming?
I just wanted to head straight back to the academy and do nothing for a day or two.
But thinking about what lay ahead, that wasn’t possible.
For preventing a war with an allied nation, we were being dragged to the Tekat palace.
It wasn’t like we were being executed, but being “dragged” to hear good news felt odd…
Already, the attention from others was starting to annoy me.
That’s why I envied Leon.
Ethan and Noel had long since gone silent and stiff with tension.
Only Leon seemed unfazed, showing no interest in what was to come.
Was it that wise and intelligent people shouldn’t think too much?
“…Theo?”
He’d been staring at me blankly for a while, so Leon called out.
I had nothing to say, so I just shut my mouth.
Instead, I placed a hand on Leon’s shoulder and patted it.
Sorry…!
I’ll use your name at the palace…!
It was the only way to make things less bothersome for me.
A cruel choice, but truly unavoidable.
In the end, Leon was destined to become a hero soon anyway, so I was just speeding it up a bit.
Oblivious to my inner thoughts, Leon simply tilted his head.
Just then, the knight leading us at the front came to a halt.
“We’ve arrived at Enenbra Palace. From here, please follow the royal steward’s guidance.”
Step, step, step—the knights marched off in unison, leaving us behind.
An elderly steward approached as if he’d been waiting and bowed formally.
“This way, please.”
The steward’s gait was dignified.
I wanted to slouch after him, but… the palace had eyes everywhere.
If they caught me slipping up, they’d harass me for life, so I forced myself to straighten up.
Even so, once we entered the palace interior, I couldn’t help but gawk.
Crystals meticulously cut from chandeliers spaced at intervals sparkled with light.
The palace, decorated predominantly in white, was utterly spotless—not a speck of dust in sight.
Even with all the traffic from official business, choosing white as the theme was proof of their intent to make any dirt stand out.
More eye-catching, though, was the ceiling.
It was adorned with countless gold sculptures, densely packed with paintings by renowned artists.
Scenes of the heavens, the world’s greatest vistas, divine manifestations, the birth of humanity…
Masterpieces lined up one after another.
It was magnificently grand no matter how many times I saw it.
Balamut’s palace was flashy, but it paled in comparison to Enenbra Palace.
That enjoyable sight-seeing didn’t last. The steward stopped before the massive doors of a golden grand hall.
Doors no single person could open.
The knights stationed solely to open them stood motionless like statues.
“The second son of the Hilfenberg Ducal Family, Leon Hilfenberg, and the eldest son of the Agrit Count Family, Theo Agrit, have arrived!”
The herald who took custody from the steward announced loudly.
At his voice, the knights swung open the grand hall doors.
The hall was ornate, long, and majestic.
The interior, decorated in pure white and gold, was clean and unostentatious yet brimmed with elegance and grace.
Passing the ministers lined in rows, a middle-aged man with long, white-streaked hair sat upon the jade throne.
Back straight, crown atop his head—he was Kursbeuk Sol Lionel.
The current king of the Tekat Kingdom.
I’d never imagined facing a king in my lifetime.
Even as kings, he exuded a presence utterly different from Balamut’s king, Marlon Cassius.
My mouth went dry, sparks racing down my spine.
I matched Leon’s stride.
Piercing through the ministers’ gazes, we reached the throne and knelt on one knee in courtesy.
“Raise your heads.”
At the voice laced with solemnity, I slowly lifted my gaze.
Up close, Kursbeuk resembled a stern king painted in a portrait, but his complexion was poor.
His sharp golden eyes still held vigor, yet his breathing was irregular, punctuated by occasional soft coughs.
His days were numbered.
It wasn’t publicly announced, but it was common knowledge among high nobles and ministers.
That was why the first and second princes were vying for succession rights.
“I’ve heard you used ingenious stratagems to safeguard our ally’s peace. Impressive. You are exemplars for the masses.”
“It’s all thanks to Leon Hilfenberg.”
Praising Leon calmly made my cheeks burn.
I could feel his puzzled look without even seeing it.
Normally, he’d deny it, but before the king, he held his tongue.
“As expected of Duke Lucius’s son. Unparalleled valor.”
The calm voice that boldly interjected came from the throne’s right side.
The gray-haired man, strikingly resembling Kursbeuk, blinked his sharp golden eyes as he regarded Leon.
His height matched mine, but he was leaner, exuding an otherworldly detachment.
His name: Clemens von Kursbeuk.
The first prince, bearer of the royal bloodline.
“What nonsense, brother? It was his own ability—his family had nothing to do with it, right?”
The voice casually refuting the first prince was brimming with warmth.
He too had gray hair, but seemed taller than Leon.
A sturdy build suited to his ornate attire, with sinewy muscles visible on his hands and neck—he resembled a warrior more than a prince.
His hearty smile, out of place in the hall, shone brightly.
Standing to the left of the throne was the second prince, Rainer von Kursbeuk.
Brothers opposite in features, voice tone—everything.
If the first prince was ice, the second was fire.
The third prince, Ludwig, belonged to neither…
Ludwig was a half-brother to both from the start.
One reason he’d lived in the shadows.
I quickly scanned the hall’s atmosphere.
The first prince’s side held the grand duke and royalist faction; the second’s, the noble faction.
These were the forces each prince had built—and the ones using the princes in turn.
Notably absent were Lucius and Johan.
Johan had no political ambitions, busy governing distant Agrit Territory; Lucius… was Lucius.
Neither was present in the hall.
Kuhn, attending as foreign minister, stood with the first prince’s side.
“Isn’t that right? Minister Kuhn!”
Just then, Rainer called out to Kuhn in a booming voice, demanding agreement.
As always, Kuhn smiled naturally and affirmed.
2
“You’ve stirred up quite the event again. Your actions never cease to amaze me.”
The moment we entered the small drawing room, Ludwig greeted me with a smile.
The audience ended swiftly, with promises of fitting rewards.
My stomach churned at lingering in a place where every word and glance brimmed with politics.
“It was nothing.”
“Stopping a federation army with just four of you—if that’s ‘nothing,’ then most worldly affairs are trivial.”
“It wasn’t just four. If the kingdom’s army Your Highness sent hadn’t arrived in time, the outcome would’ve been the opposite.”
The Tekat army’s timely arrival—and the federation army being like the Tang dynasty forces—had played a huge role.
“If you say so, I’ll drop it. The real matter is elsewhere.”
Ahem—Ludwig cleared his throat and withdrew his smile.
“Soon, my brothers will approach you.”
“What business would princes have with a mere dropout without a title?”
“It’s a stretch to call you a mere dropout. Such a lie wouldn’t fool them anyway.”
So my plan to dump everything on Leon didn’t work.
Guess I need to infuse more soul into the con.
“Those in the know already do. Among palace regulars, word of this incident has circulated. In the hall, before Father, they just played along.”
“Too bad.”
No way to stem info once it spread, no matter my efforts.
Hiding it seemed pointless in the short term… but long-term, Leon would shine more, so consistently hyping him would eventually obscure me.
“You plan to stay out of the spotlight? You could gain ample wealth and honor—why hide?”
“I want to live comfortably.”
Better tell Ludwig upfront; he’d get it.
At my honesty, Ludwig blinked his rare green eyes, showing a peer-like expression.
“Haha… you’re amusing as ever. An unimaginable answer.”
“I’m serious. I want to stroll festivals carefree, munch on chicken skewers, splash in the sea all day—fame and recognition? Pass.”
Money? Agrit Count Family’s vaults were flush.
Worst case, sell rare resources scattered continent-wide for lifelong leisure funds.
Honor? Never wanted it.
My goal was always rich NEET life.
What job satisfies more?
“A lofty goal. Comfort requires commensurate power. And power inevitably draws attention.”
Ludwig’s words rang entirely true.
In this unhinged world, without power, survival—not comfort—was threatened.
Be it physical might or social clout—lacking either meant dying anywhere, anytime.
“In that vein, I hope this aids your goal.”
Smiling again, Ludwig opened a small box.
Inside, an earth-toned gem emitted a dull glow.
“Hard to get permission. This incident finally allowed it. The earth dragon heart you wanted.”
Right—I’d asked Ludwig for this.
Forgot amid busyness, but facing it now made my head spin.
Finally, escape from blood-vomiting drudgery!
“Thank you.”
“Just keeping my promise. May it bring the peaceful life you seek.”
We smiled at each other.
Mutual favors, fair payment.
Purely business—and ideally so.
First or second prince—they’d want to recruit me for gain.
Utterly, extremely, gravely annoying—hard pass.
Status quo with Ludwig’s business-like ties suited me fine.
3
…Less than five minutes after that resolve, I stood before the first prince’s chambers.
Called immediately after Ludwig’s room—unavoidable.
No ignoring a prince’s summons without cause, hassle or not.
That said, the first prince’s doors were huge.
Twice Ludwig’s room’s size?
Makes sense: first and second princes were the first queen’s sons; Ludwig, the second queen’s.
Royals prized blood above all—hence the disparity among princes.
Why have two queens then?
Modern sensibilities couldn’t fathom it.
“The guest has arrived.”
“Let him enter.”
At the calm voice, the guiding steward opened the door.
As expected, the first prince—Clemens von Kursbeuk—sat in the larger-than-Ludwig’s drawing room, leg crossed, offering me a faint smile.
That smile didn’t just seem ominous to me… right?