Chapter 246: Crown Prince (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 246: Crown Prince (2)
Crown Prince.
It’s just one word added to "Prince," but the difference is absurdly vast.
As they say, you never know how things will turn out in this world.
A single war could kill off a whole line of royalty. A sudden plague could prove particularly fatal to a specific royal bloodline, leading to a string of funerals. Reality is full of all sorts of variables.
Thus, for a King, producing descendants isn't a choice; it’s a duty. It’s a duty so powerful that even our King, who was supposedly part of a "pure love" couple, had no choice but to take concubines.
Naturally, for an Emperor ruling an entire Empire, it wouldn't be strange if his "night duties" were more grueling than his morning ones.
Of course, having many children helps block variables and offers various benefits—like political marriages or sending royals to manage regions where the Imperial Family's influence is weak.
However, the line between an advantage and a disadvantage is paper-thin.
Having many descendants means influence is divided. Furthermore, since only one person can become King or Emperor, the moment a mediocre individual takes the top spot, all sorts of incidents and accidents occur.
This was why other royals still aimed for the throne, even though rumors said the 1st Prince, Erild, was practically guaranteed to be the next Emperor.
In fact, according to the "original work" Boradori mentioned, the 1st Prince Erild never actually became the Crown Prince. Instead, Esid—who spent that time "auto-hunting" (dark mages) to rack up achievements—was the one who ascended to the position.
“……”
But that future had vanished.
With the situation in the Empire and the Academy turning into a mess much faster than in the original work, the Emperor had finally appointed the 1st Prince—who was perfect in every way except for one thing—as the Crown Prince.
It was like giving wings to the 1st Prince, who already held the most influence among the royals.
Now, Crown Prince Erild was the Imperial Family’s representative gay… no, he had declared that, as a royal, he would fight against the enemies of the Empire.
Amidst the cheers and attention of countless nobles, the Emperor made his exit. Crown Prince Erild, as if taking the Emperor's place, stepped down and began to converse with the nobility.
And then.
“Senior.”
“This isn't the Academy, Princess.”
Taking advantage of the distraction caused by the Crown Prince, Princess Nea had slipped over to my side and spoke with a bright smile.
“It’s a bit hurtful for you to be so stiff with me.”
“……”
To say something like "between us" in a place like this.
“What do you want?”
“I really love how quick you are on the uptake.”
She said this, her smile vanishing instantly.
“The star of today’s show wants to see you.”
“……?”
The greatest danger of the year had arrived.
Regardless of anything else, the man was the Crown Prince of the Empire.
Although the Emperor had hesitated due to one major issue, looking at it another way, it meant Erild was a person of such caliber that the Emperor considered him for the role despite that issue. At the very least, he possessed the ability to distinguish between public and private matters.
“I truly wanted to meet you again.”
“……”
Or maybe not?
Now that he was the Crown Prince, did he feel he no longer needed to distinguish between public and private?
For a moment, I felt a threat to my chastity, but fortunately, Daisy was by my side.
“I felt the same way.”
Just then, the door opened and someone new entered. It was Hariel, the Crown Prince’s partner—now the Crown Princess—and his "soul partner" in a different sense.
As soon as she entered, she looked at Daisy with a peculiar expression.
“……?”
That look… it was like a hawk eyeing its prey.
It wouldn't have felt out of place if she’d dragged Daisy to a bed right then and there. Just as I was feeling a renewed threat to our collective virtue…
“I have been receiving constant reports regarding your contributions at the Academy,” the 1st Prince said.
Fortunately, it seemed he didn't intend to cause a scandal the moment he became Crown Prince.
“I’ve also been informed that you’ve been… quite thorough in collecting your rewards. However, it was our mistake to force danger upon someone from another country. Therefore, I intend to provide additional compensation.”
“I won’t refuse.”
If they’re giving more, there’s no reason to say no.
“I’m fine, though. I’m a citizen of the Empire,” Daisy added.
“The moment you became a Saintess, you gained dual citizenship.”
“…Is that so?”
“If you hadn't, the Holy Kingdom would have filed a formal protest over what happened there.”
As Daisy nodded in understanding, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess handed us a gift.
“……?”
I wasn't expecting anything massive, but what they handed over was tiny. So tiny it was actually a bit scary.
Usually, the smaller the size, the higher the value.
With a wary expression, I carefully accepted what the Crown Prince offered.
“…This is?”
I couldn't help but fall silent as I looked at the familiar contents written on a few sheets of paper.
Because…
“It’s a deed of transfer for a building in the Imperial Capital.”
“It’s a top-tier property that was managed directly by the Imperial Family.”
“……”
A building in the Imperial Capital was something ordinary people couldn't buy even if they had the money. Furthermore, a property managed by the Imperial Family was located in a place where even nobles couldn't buy their way in.
To hand that over to a foreigner, even if they did a good job…
These guys have realized that more trouble is coming our way.
“I look forward to working with you in the future.”
I reluctantly shook the hand of the smiling gay—no, the Crown Prince. I could barely manage to force my lips into a smile.
“When I was little, I thought I’d get my own house in the capital when I grew up…”
Daisy stared at the house deed in her arms with a dazed expression.
“I never imagined I’d get it like this.”
“How did you think you’d get it?”
“Huh? Well… by working hard?”
“Do you have any idea what the market price here is?”
“……A girl can dream! And I said it was when I was little!”
True. In my past life, I thought I’d be able to go to Seoul National University when I was in kindergarten. Honestly, I thought it was doable until elementary school.
But as if to prove that dreams are called dreams for a reason, most people fail to achieve their childhood aspirations.
“Well, you achieved it anyway.”
“…Now I just need to live here with my family.”
“Your parents are here right now, aren't they?”
“That’s true, but…”
Even if it’s a rural countryside territory, a Lord is still a Lord. Leaving the territory vacant for this long was unusual…
“Oh, that’s not it.”
“…It’s not?”
“It’s winter anyway. There’s nothing to manage.”
“Isn't there more to manage in the winter…?”
“The residents are actually better at those things than we are. To be honest, unless it’s something like sending taxes to the Imperial Family… my parents hardly have anything to do…”
Aside from the occasional monster appearance, there was nothing to handle. Apparently, her parents didn't need to rush back to the territory.
“Is this… what a rural territory is like?”
In the territories I knew, the subordinates would be worked to the bone if the Lord was away for even a day. It seemed the rural territories of the Empire, where the Lords held farming tools more often than pens, lived in a different world entirely.
“Most people on the continent live like us! It’s you who’s the unusually high-ranking noble, Adam!”
When I expressed my shock, Daisy shouted with a flushed face.
“Miss Daisy. Do you know something?”
“What?!”
“Most of the people here are those high-ranking nobles.”
“……”
It was like a one-eyed man wandering into a two-eyed village and getting angry. As I looked at her with that sentiment, Daisy silently scanned her surroundings.
“…You’re right.”
Senior Loreliya, who was approaching from over there, was one of the top nobles in the Empire. Esid, who was glaring at me gloomily from a corner, was an Imperial Prince. And the rest of the crowd were all people significant enough to be invited to the Imperial New Year’s festival.
“Sorry for being a country bumpkin!” Daisy replied, her face full of discontent.
“Well, that country bumpkin is now standing on equal footing with the people here. You’d better get used to it.”
She just hadn't realized it yet, but Daisy was already one of the most important figures not just in the Empire, but on the entire continent. No, she was the RoFan Female Lead, the center of this world. It was more of a problem that she didn't realize it.
Therefore.
“I should probably give her a wake-up call.”
“…Huh?”
As a Saintess, it wouldn't be strange for her to face threats or bribery at any time.
As Senior Loreliya mentioned, there were the Old Church faction nobles glaring from the corner, and the New Church faction nobles who supported the current Holy Kingdom on the other side. Even among the nobles currently focused on the new Crown Prince, many would flock to Daisy the moment he disappeared.
In fact, there might be more people targeting the naive Daisy than the experienced Crown Prince.
That was why Esid, despite his hostile gaze toward me, was staying by the noble factions to block them from approaching Daisy. Senior Loreliya had also stayed by our side until we were pulled away by the Crown Prince, fending off most of the nobles' advances.
No matter how much I avoided politics, I’d spent enough time in a royal palace to notice these things.
However, our RoFan Female Lead—who had somehow noticed the feelings of the RoFan Male Leads, which she shouldn't have—seemed completely oblivious to these political maneuvers.
“There will be many events like this in the future.”
Parties are common in RoFans. Even outside of fiction, they were events one had to attend several times a year in noble society.
However, due to her chaotic Academy life, Daisy was more familiar with dark mages than parties. She had spent every major event handling large-scale incidents, so her party experience was bound to be lacking.
“First, I’ll teach you the simplest way to handle things.”
“W-what is it?”
What else?
“First, go stand over there by yourself.”
“O-over there?”
“Yes. Then, naturally, a man will approach you and make some kind of proposal.”
“Uh, um. What?”
I left the bewildered Daisy alone in a suitable spot.
As expected, a pest immediately came buzzing around.
RoFan Party Law Number One: If the RoFan Female Lead is alone, a persistent man will inevitably appear.
Well, even if she wasn't a RoFan Female Lead, a woman with Daisy’s looks would attract men. Even without that, her status as a Saintess was enough of a draw. Some might even try to woo her just to spite Esid after hearing rumors of his interest…
Whatever the reason, it didn't matter.
“So, if you would care for a dance…”
“……?”
Daisy’s panicked gaze met mine. She was used to the awkward distance of the RoFan Male Leads, but this was her first time being approached so aggressively, and she seemed quite flustered.
Well, at least this Extra #1 seemed better than the RoFan Male Leads.
“Hmm.”
I nodded with satisfaction and slowly walked over. Honestly, I’d always wanted to try this.
With a slightly fluttering heart, I pulled off one of my gloves and threw it straight at the face of the man hitting on Daisy.
Thwack!
The sound was a bit louder than expected, but I continued my line.
“To touch another man’s lover… huh?”
Normally, this should lead to a duel with the man looking humiliated.
But it seemed the loud sound hadn't been my imagination.
“……Adam?”
Daisy looked at me as if to ask what on earth I was doing as she stared at the man, who had collapsed straight onto the floor.
“I mean…”
Who passes out from being hit by a glove?
T-this must be a plot by the dark mages.
“……”
Anyway, that’s my story.