The Three Musketeers? Why Is the Third Prince Here?

Even though the semester had started, no one had moved in as Amaen's roommate. Was it because of some circumstance delaying their arrival, or had he ended up with the room all to himself? I'd considered various possibilities.

But who would've thought that spot belonged to the third prince.

A royal should've easily gotten a private ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠room—or at least shared with some noble scion like Kal. Why go out of his way to Amaen's room? Complicated thoughts raced through my mind like a flash flood.

But Philly was just as shocked. Due to his father's strict orders, the prince received no special treatment—including sharing a two-person dorm like a commoner.

He'd been a bit tense about it, but that was all. Ordinary folk would surely fawn over and serve the prince anyway.

But that commoner on the opposite bed—Amaen—was different. He'd blocked the prince with a curt "That's enough." And during the lecture, when the professor was whipping the prince's thigh, hadn't he shouted, "That jerk moved!"?

This was a sealed room—no eyes watching. That commoner might bare his fangs viciously. Philly, whose anxiety and sensitivity ran higher than most, thought that way.

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That's why he'd flinched when Amaen suddenly moved. But unexpectedly, words I never anticipated came from Amaen's mouth.

"I apologize for what happened earlier, Your Highness."

"……Apologize?"

"For saying you moved."

That had gotten him three extra lashes, and now an apology out of nowhere?

"It was a misunderstanding. I wasn't tattling that you moved, Your Highness."

"Then……?"

At first, I thought Amaen was spouting nonsense. Or maybe toying with the prince. But his expression was too earnest for that.

"Well…… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it might be hard to believe."

"Speak."

"The snake…… on the staff. It seemed like it moved. That's the honest truth."

"What? Ha, haha……."

At first, it was so absurd I let out a hollow laugh.

"Hahaha, what a funny guy."

"Haha……."

Then it got funnier and funnier until I burst out laughing. Amaen laughed along. The tension eased.

Such quick mood shifts were probably a privilege of young boys.

"Why didn't Your Highness take a private room and come here instead?"

Feeling better, the prince answered Amaen's question honestly.

"Father's orders. Live normally and make friends, he said."

"Friends……?"

"I told you. I want to make friends."

Yeah, he'd said that. When Vex begged to be his lackey, he'd talked about wanting friends. Though he'd harshly rebuffed Kal when he volunteered.

"He said the last chance to make casual friends without formality is in childhood. Make friends you can drop honorifics with…… Wanna try dropping them with me?"

"Me?"

It was surely a whim.

"Got it."

But Amaen switched to casual speech without hesitation.

"Nice to meet ya. We're roommates, after all. I'm Amaen Riddle, and my dream is to become a great mage."

"Uh……."

Philly felt strange. Awkward, but not bad.

"……A great mage?"

"Yeah. But…… is calling you 'you' really okay?"

"Sure, whatever. Calling me 'Your Highness' while going casual would be weird anyway."

"Cool. So, what's your dream?"

"Dream?"

Hmm…… He pondered.

A prince's dream might be becoming a fine king. But Philly was low in the succession line. There was the first prince, and the second already enrolled at Emerald School.

"……Dunno."

"Yeah? Guess you'll find it while living here."

So casual. But oddly, a smile tugged at Philly's lips.

"By the way, do you follow that professor too? Like the others?"

"Professor Obern? Nah."

I'd asked on a whim, but Amaen denied it flatly.

"I don't particularly respect him or anything. Though I do think he's impressive."

"Impressive how? Mages like that are a dime a dozen at court. Don't get dazzled so easily if you wanna be a great mage."

"Is that so……."

Truth was, what Amaen admired was the snake on the professor's staff. But that was too soon to reveal.

The two chatted amiably. Their backgrounds had zero overlap.

Maybe that's why it worked. The prince was hooked on Amaen's tales of traveling merchants and carriages. Amaen sparkled at stories of the crystal library in the palace. Philly even promised to take him there someday.

Mid-chatter.

Thwack.

A pebble hit the window. Philly jumped; Amaen stood and approached.

"Ah-ha."

Amaen opened the window, waving hello outside. Curious, Philly joined him.

"Ah-ha, Martaine's poor little daughter."

"You know Lania?"

"Of course. She's Gerard Marquis's heir."

Philly glanced between Amaen and Lania below.

"No way…… this?"

He held up his pinky with a serious face.

"What's with the pinky? Lania's a friend."

"Coming to the dorm to tap the window…… never mind."

Philly felt awkward for bringing it up to such an innocent face.

"She's calling. Let's go."

"Me too?"

Amaen nodded. Fine, whatever. Following Amaen out.

Lania waited in the garden.

"Eek."

She grimaced at Philly. Even if she disliked him, making it so obvious on sight? Philly regretted coming.

"Lania, this is Philly. The prince, yeah. Turns out he's my roommate."

"Philly?"

"We agreed to drop honorifics. Philly, say hi. It's Lania."

Caught off-guard, Philly extended a hand to greet her.

"……Philly Aden. You can drop them too."

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"Ah…… sure."

Awkward, but like Amaen, Lania agreed without hesitation. No wonder they got along. Philly waved awkwardly.

Very awkward.

But that was the start of their friendship.

"Haa."

Obern sighed.

'Don't worry about it.'

Too much fuss over just scolding the arrogant prince a bit.

'But the court mage asked me to stay by the prince's side…….'

For some reason, that corrupt old court mage had requested it of Obern. A patron's request was as good as a command.

'Guys like that need to be put in their place from the start.'

My stance was firm. Comparing the prince to a monster, he was like a long-tailed monkey with flashy fur and butt—vicious even to his feeder. Put them down early, and they'd get along better.

Obern knew the nuances of human relations. He nodded.

'You're right.'

'Good. Now focus.'

Obern resumed his cross-legged pose for meditation. I was teaching him magic.

-Your magic acquisition so far has been crude. Your mana circuits are too narrow for high-output spells.

'Your method of learning magic is crude. Too narrow for blasting big spells.'

More precisely, Pellelian was teaching. But as a fellow mage, Obern quickly grasped how sharp and helpful my advice was.

'Your talent isn't bad.'

'Really……?'

'Yeah. Not a genius, not a dunce. Train properly, and you might make mage tower material.'

Pellelian saw it that way, so it must be true. He didn't rate Obern low.

'If only you hadn't dabbled. Puffed up your skills with too many odds and ends.'

'…….'

That was the issue. Obern often used reagents as catalysts to compensate for weak mana. But it stunted growth. Fix the bad habits now, and he'd become a proper mage.

'Why go this far for me?'

Obern's mental question trembled. I answered.

'I'll be leaving soon. You can't keep professoring like this.'

'……!'

Obern's face twisted. Had I said something wrong? No offense taken.

'To go this far for me…….'

Clearly moved. What a big deal.

'No need to overdo it. It's in the contract.'

'Thank you, thank you.'

Even his eyes moistened. A bit burdensome.

-It's a big deal. What mage shares knowledge so freely?

'Is it?'

Guess so.

Obern's感動 wasn't faked. Gaining dignity like this—unintended, but nice.

'Meditate then.'

'Yes……!'

I slid off Obern's shoulder back to the staff. Using dignity once to link via Crown of Connection let me do it freely after without cost.

Focusing on the staff.

Tssst-

It spewed lumpy hell mana again. Corrupted mana acted like poison to normal beings.

But I had Isil. He devoured the black mana like a snack.

What I aimed to absorb: Hell Magic. Mastering it would let me corrupt mana too—unleashing Hellfire, Corruption, etc. Pellelian called it huge; even a prodigy snake couldn't normally learn it.

Forgotten, but my Potential is 20. Nothing I can't learn.

'About 20% absorbed.'

The staff was stubborn. But boosting Crown of Connection with dignity sped it up. Farm more via Obern, and it'd be mine in months.

Then…… I eyed the cube.

Shockingly, the cube's name had "Emperor's" as a prefix. Cool.

But knowing changed nothing. Its nature was a mystery—no clue what it did or held. Tried smashing; too tough.

But I had a way to uncover it.

'Absorb the staff, then crack this open.'

Use dignity for Crown of Connection. Wanted to try now, but only one at a time—like Steal Crown. Staff first.

No rush. Planning snake-style.

Suddenly, a sharp sense pinged.

"Saaak!"

I warned Obern quick. Meditating, he grabbed the staff and stood.

Something shattered the window.

Clang- Thud!

A stone tied with a letter. Peering out, a masked figure below stared up.

Then, warning-like, he slashed his throat with a finger gesture before fleeing.

Crazy bastard.

Peeing-!

The Ray hit the fleeing man's calf. He screamed "Argh!" and tumbled.