Chapter 248: Crown Prince (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 248: Crown Prince (4)
Esid — Because I’m used to… being raided.
When the Imperial family first fell into a panic over the raid, Esid was different. Unlike the others, he was able to move with perfect composure.
And for good reason.
‘Raids… I’m used to them.’
If any other member of the royalty had heard him, they would have asked what kind of life he’d been living. But in this world, after a year at the Academy, this was practically the baseline.
Thus, as he effortlessly parried the enemies' attacks, Esid thought to himself:
‘This is too easy.’
In the expert opinion of Esid, a veteran of countless ambushes, the difficulty of this raid was Low. No, it was the Lowest of the low.
‘Was the Empire’s operation to wipe out the dark mages that effective?’
For a moment, he entertained the thought, but a sudden shout forced him to doubt.
“It’s a dark mage! A dark mage raid!”
Given the recent political climate, it was a natural assumption. However, the dark mages Esid knew weren't this pathetic. Furthermore, they weren't the type to let an opportunity like this go to waste.
People might describe a raid on the Academy as an attack on the heart of the Empire, but this place was the actual heart—the inner sanctum where the Emperor and the Crown Prince resided.
Before even questioning how they had infiltrated this far, Esid’s conviction that dark mages capable of reaching this point couldn't possibly be this incompetent amplified his suspicion.
‘Not only is their skill level abysmal, but I can’t feel that distinct dark mana signature. No, wait—these guys aren't even using magic in the first place!’
They were pure, orthodox assassins.
So why did someone shout that they were dark mages?
‘Of course, it’s not strange to equate a raid with dark mages these days.’
Even so, it was bizarre that the cry only went up long after the battle had already begun.
‘Maybe it’s just my imagination, but…’
There was something strange in the air. It was a matter of pure sensation, but the intuition he’d forged at the Academy was often more accurate than any physical evidence.
So, Esid decided to trust his gut.
He pretended to be overwhelmed by the retreating enemies and allowed himself to be taken hostage. Even he couldn't quite understand why a Prince of the Empire would go that far, but he did it anyway, emboldened by the certainty that he wouldn't actually die.
And as a result, he learned the truth.
“You should have brought Erild, not Esid!”
“Dammit, since it’s come to this…”
The faces were quite familiar. They were members of the Old Church faction, who had once wielded immense influence within the Empire.
However, their power had crumbled along with the fall of the Holy Kingdom’s Cardinals. It stood to reason that if their own families had been powerful enough, they wouldn't have needed to rely on the Holy Kingdom’s prestige in the first place.
Most of the Old Church nobles came from mediocre families, and with the fall of the Cardinals, they were left to face the consequences of their past deeds.
The nobles who weren't deeply involved cut ties as soon as the news from the Holy Kingdom broke. Those who were somewhat involved suffered massive losses.
But those gathered here—those who had mistaken the name of God for their own—were now facing not only the end of their lives but the total annihilation of their houses.
And so, they had staked everything on one final gamble.
“Our only way to survive is to side with the 3rd Prince!”
“Now that Erild has become the Crown Prince, our only hope is to install the 3rd Prince as Emperor!”
“……”
Esid felt a throbbing headache coming on. So, these people…
‘They’re committing treason?’
Technically, they had already committed it the moment they attacked the venue where the Emperor and Crown Prince were present. The problem was the fact that the intended figurehead was his own brother, the 3rd Prince.
‘My brother is ambitious, but…’
Was he really the type to commit treason?
Normally, hearing such a confession would have been enough to convince him, but Esid’s time at the Academy had taught him that the most nonsensical things could become reality. Under normal circumstances, no one would do something this insane unless they had lost their minds, but…
‘Did these idiots just do it first and plan to figure it out later?’
Esid thought about it objectively. Would a man who never hid his ambition suddenly pull a stunt like this?
The answer was: yes, it was possible. The fact that the 1st Prince, Erild, had become the Crown Prince was a sudden turn of events.
‘Of course, it wouldn't have been strange for my eldest brother to become Crown Prince at any time.’
In fact, that very thought made the delay feel even more pointed. If the Emperor had intended to make Erild the heir, he would have done it long ago. If he hadn't become Crown Prince despite his achievements and influence, perhaps he never would have.
Even Esid, who had little interest in the throne, had thought as much. How much more so for his other brothers who actually coveted the seat?
And then, the position was suddenly snatched away.
In that situation, if it were the hot-headed and fiercely ambitious 3rd Prince, Edra, he might have risked his life to…
“What?!”
Apparently, even he wasn't that crazy.
“What kind of madness is this?!”
When the 3rd Prince, Edra, appeared on the scene, Esid briefly wondered if he shouldn't have moved based on a mere hunch. But seeing Edra’s genuine, visible panic as he spotted Esid huddled in the corner and began shouting, Esid was certain.
‘They really were just crazy.’
“You must ascend the throne, Lord Edra!”
“Hey, you lunatics! I have nothing to do with this!”
The problem was that they were already past the point where "having nothing to do with it" would save anyone.
A RoFan Male Lead has been kidnapped.
It wasn't the first time, but it was still a bit flustering.
“He got caught by a bunch like that? He’s a disgrace to our Academy.”
“A person has been kidnapped, for heaven's sake!”
“A Prince of the Empire, kidnapped from the Imperial banquet hall… Typical Empire.”
“That might be true, but you know those are fighting words, right?! If a war breaks out with Leon within ten years, your mouth will be the cause!”
Princess Nea was throwing a fit, but I remained dignified. Because…
“I can track Esid’s location.”
“…How do you know that? Are you an accomplice?”
“You know those are fighting words too, right?”
Without a word, I started to pull off my glove, and she immediately hid behind Daisy.
“For the record, Daisy is an accomplice too.”
“The Saintess? I trusted you!”
“…W-were we really that close?”
A flustered Daisy scratched her cheek, but she didn't deny it. And for good reason.
“Well, I did help a little bit…”
“…You were really an accomplice?”
“I-I’m not an accomplice to the kidnappers!”
What Daisy had done wasn't much.
“I just gave him a little gift.”
“What kind of gift?”
“An item engraved with a tracking spell.”
“And he just accepted something that suspicious? Unless he’s crazy…”
Of course, the engraving was subtle, but someone with the specs of a RoFan Male Lead should have been able to spot something fishy. Furthermore, he was a Prince of the Empire. Normally, experts would inspect any gift to ensure it wasn't dangerous.
I had even recruited Uncle Aeryun in advance to bypass that… but it seemed the RoFan Male Leads lacked the intelligence to doubt a gift from Daisy. No, rather, the concept of "distrust" simply didn't exist for them when it came to her.
“Think about Esid’s track record.”
“…I guess he is crazy enough to take it.”
While Princess Nea blinked in realization, I pulled out a receiving artifact and checked Esid’s location.
“It’s surprisingly close.”
“That means…”
“It’s an inside job, obviously.”
“……”
“Typical Empire…”
“If you’re going to stay, at least try to match the mood!”
Not a chance. I haven't forgotten your villainous attempt to ship me with the Crown Prince a few days ago.
“How petty! I thought people from Leon didn't hold grudges!”
When I brought that up, she shouted with a tearful face.
“That’s right. But that’s only after the grudge has been settled.”
The reason Leon people don't hold grudges is that they resolve them the moment they arise. If this were a place full of saints who just forgave everything, it would be the Holy Kingdom, not Leon.
“Come to think of it, the Holy Kingdom isn't exactly full of saints either.”
“We are doing our best to reform! Ten years! No, just give us five years!”
Ignoring Daisy’s empty promise, I pinpointed Esid’s exact location. It was a place not far from the banquet hall—a warehouse clearly used for storing supplies for the event.
“…How do you know that?”
My guess seemed to be right, given the suspicious look Princess Nea was giving me.
“The layouts are all pretty much the same.”
When I told her it wasn't much different from the Leon Royal Palace, save for the scale, Princess Nea nodded as if that made sense.
“Since he’s been stationary there for a while, he’s either dead or they’re doing something.”
“…What do you mean by ‘something’?”
“The retreating forces could be regrouping. They could be waiting for the mastermind. Otherwise, it could be a demon summoning ritual, or they could be using a magic circle to bombard the Imperial Castle…”
“…Aren't demon summonings and castle bombardments just a bit paranoid?!”
“I’d say we’re about due for one.”
Since demons have already appeared, it wouldn't be strange for someone to set up a National Land Formation Array to summon a Great Demon. And the Imperial Castle turning into a sea of fire… well, that’s a pretty common development.
“Don't say things like that! When you say it, it feels like it’ll actually happen!”
Apparently, to the person involved, it was a nightmare they didn't even want to contemplate. Then again, I’d probably react the same way if someone said that about the Leon Royal Palace.
“…Hang in there.”
“Stop making me nervous!”
Unfortunately, she seems to take this as WWE, but for me, it’s UFC.
As long as the Empire is the center of the RoFan world, it is destined for such things. Of course, there was one single variable… and that was why I was staying in the Empire even during the break.
As long as I stop the RoFan Female Lead from landing in Leon, Leon is safe.
“Your brother’s going to die at this rate. Let’s move.”
“Using logic only at times like this…”
Princess Nea looked frustrated, but rescuing Esid was the priority. She took a few knights under her name and moved quickly.
“Brother Edra…?”
The culprit she witnessed was her own flesh and blood.
“Nea. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not that. It’s really not!”
The 3rd Prince of the Empire stepped forward, holding a blood-stained sword, looking panicked as if he’d been caught red-handed.
“Lord Edra.”
“Do not move!”
The knights quickly drew their swords and moved in. Pointing a sword at a Prince was an act of high treason, but the story changed if the target was a rebel who had started an uprising.
“No…!”
The 3rd Prince realized the gravity of the situation and looked distraught.
“I’m innocent! I’m really innocent!”
There wasn't a single person who believed those words.
“He’s telling the truth.”
Well, except for one person.
“……?”
“……?”
“Brother Esid?”
There was just the minor issue that the person believing him was the one who had been kidnapped.