Chaotic Dice
How did you know that?
I have my ways, you know. It's that irritating AI Kyungtaechang. [System: Stop being so irritating, Kyungtaechang.]
I don't like that Kyungtaechang. I enjoyed the confusion on the Orc King's six face right in front of me.
The very moment I got discharged, this boss dropped a line I couldn't understand at all. His eyes were rolling like they might pop out of his head from sheer panic.
When the Alhunburg incident began, the king of the Orc Khanate was none other than Amur Hersun. Even if Kyungtaechang had thrown a tantrum about why a khanate would have a king, it was still useful.
Compared to the pre-fire beatings, Hersun had changed so much he dressed with proper formality.
I don't know how the boss figured that out, but...
For now, we're just trash talking. No need for all that etiquette, right?
As if he had caught on to the serious royal tone, Hersun straightened his posture.
Tch, it's easier this way.
The Empire's heir prince is far above the king of the Orc Khanate. You know that, don't you?
And the Empire has a grand duke, not a king.
Exactly the same rank as the heir prince.
It felt like he was testing my patience, but the expected reaction came.
Even Katrin at my side nodded with a satisfied grunt.
In the end, Hersun shook his head and spoke.
You already know I'm the six prince, so-
My brothers are many, so I fled to the Imperial Academy to survive?
That's right-
But that's not enough. I was acting like a delinquent too?
Wait a second-
I didn't hear that! If I ally with the Empire's grand duke, I can at least survive, and with luck become the next king? He cut himself off before I could strike first.
Even when I used aggressive words, Hersun only grumbled without saying a thing.
I had to decide who had the upper hand and who was at a disadvantage right now. No room for later excuses.
And strike while the iron is hot.
The Emperor won't live long. At best, two years.
Suddenly?
At that time, if I'm unlucky I'll be the grand duke, or if I'm lucky a rising core noble. Either way, it's better than you right now.
He kept his composure outwardly even as his status dropped. Impressive.
Alliances may weaken, but he still maintained cold dignity.
If I ally with you, survival is guaranteed, and better yet you can return home. It's an easy choice, isn't it?
The status penalty vanished instantly.
It seems the answer is decided. So, what do you want?
For now, I need to build my own power too. A flashy noble debut as a delinquent?
You want me to work with these lowlifes?
His stats were straightforward as always.
For now I can't leave the academy, but gather some of the delinquent friends you know.
They'll be gentry, though... fine. I'm in the same boat.
He probably came with his teeth knocked out by an orc fist.
No time for sympathy, though. Christina's wide-eyed gaze from the side was far more important.
After all, hearing the Emperor was about to die would rattle anyone.
You didn't even know that, did you?
Then stop asking so deeply.
You're cold, huh.
Hersun grumbled and stood up.
Move quickly. There are too many things to do with just Katrin.
The moment Hersun left, I stroked Christina's hair on the chair where she sat frozen.
Stay calm. This is something you'll have to get used to soon.
Hey, you're stealing my actions!
Who knows? Maybe the orb.
I wasn't even stroking her head for fun, Katrin.
But Christina's condition didn't disappear.
If that's the case, standing up is better than petting her.
More importantly, today is a holiday! Is there anything you want to do?
Kyeongtaechang won't help calm a startled daughter.
In the end, I had to move like an idiot.
How about a movie? I've heard it's popular lately. Of course Ostheer has theaters.
The movie theater runs exactly the same. Too perfectly.
Excuse me. Since it's been a while.
At the entrance to the noble VIP section, a theater staff member looked flustered and spoke.
After all, it's been years since I've been to a theater? I don't remember.
Katrin added, Six months? How many years has it been for you, brother-in-law?
Now Christina held an ice cream in her hand.
I could never dream of that in an opera house, but in a movie theater it was still freedom.
A new generation culture that young nobles cared about.
The stares toward Christina, however, hadn't changed.
Regardless of age, it was taboo for a commoner to enter the noble VIP section.
What are you going to do, you little nobles?
The Jethalungi family had been buying special seats since the theater was built.
What reason could there be to interfere with my daughter being honored with the family name?
The nobles would gossip, but Christina could watch without worry.
The movie content was simple. A poor player becoming champion.
Even that surprised the first-time viewers below.
While they cheered, I cautiously spoke to Christina.
Are you feeling better now?
Th-the ice cream, Father-
She was too absorbed in eating.
Better than trembling at every little thing. Asking and spilling a bit, and smiling widely was better.
In the box seat I could just wipe her if needed.
After thirty minutes of the movie, Christina's anxiety had clearly lessened.
But this time Katrin's frown didn't soften at all.
Is this not a funny joke? One light and the other dark?
Katrin whispered low, You still haven't noticed, brother-in-law?
Before I could react, Katrin placed a letter on my lap.
Where did you find that?
You've been too immersed in taking care of the little one?
Saying that in a sarcastic tone didn't suit her seriousness.
But the seal on the letter was clear. Katrin was the type to say that.
It was a letter sealed with the Cherison grand duke's insignia.
According to the Grand Duke's Game event, it was a letter that would come any time.
I just hadn't imagined it arriving here like this.
The theater staff had quietly placed Morits's blackmail letter in the box seat? Damn.
Now my forehead was wrinkling like Katrin's.
Katrin was thinking how many theater staff to fire under pressure.
But first, I had to read the blackmail letter's content. The lighting inside the theater was too dim.
Thanks to the burning scene lighting, I barely managed to read the words.
Grand Duke Gerhardt! Your exploits are already spreading within Alhunburg.
Even a gorgeous candy wrapper wouldn't have revealed the meaning.
The actual content was: I know everything you're doing. It's more suspicious that you protected the commoner more than the nobles.
As I thought that, my eyes stopped at the next sentence.
I'm worried your maid wasn't injured in that situation. Did you not burn her eyes?
A blindfold had been sent along with the letter as if to prevent misunderstanding.
If it bore the Jethalungi family seal, no need for noble translation.
Whoever sent this letter used Christina as blackmail material.
Stop rattling, brother-in-law.
The movie was still playing, so my voice hadn't risen.
I should have shattered that rat Morits's jaw-
Keep reading. That's the person you were thinking of right now, brother-in-law.
Katrin pointed to the part I missed with her finger.
Next to the Cherison seal... an unexpected seal was overlaid.
The Emperor's command seal? You have to be kidding. Morits? The Emperor himself is blackmailing me?
Katrin took out her pocket watch, Then... you have to leave in thirty seconds. Little orb? Please take care of Christina.
As she adjusted the wheelchair wheels.
If it hadn't been a rough clang, I might not have noticed Katrin was angry.
Christina was slightly startled, but there was nothing to do. She had eaten the ice cream skillfully.
Sorry, but Christina? I think I have to go.
Don't look at me with those eyes. I wish you were throwing a tantrum.
Rather, looking at me helplessly would hurt more.
Let's come see the movie again someday, my daughter. But for now, it's dangerous.
I'll buy you ice cream again then. With a clatter, I opened the theater door and stepped out.
Normally, people who couldn't enter this theater were waiting in the hallway.
Even Katrin had to politely say excuse me while pushing the wheelchair.
You don't use an electric wheelchair?
The nobles prefer traditional things.
The Jethalungi family is the spirit attendant of this era, aren't they?
Katrin's taste, I cut off the words that were about to drag on.
If it was a messenger from the Emperor, even the grand duke couldn't laugh it off.
A man in a top hat and formal attire glared while putting the pocket watch back in his pocket.
You recognized the letter. I thought you wouldn't notice until the movie ended.
A delinquent who gets distracted by the movie still has his head?
Get to the point. The blindfold gift would suit the late Otto Konrad too.
He's the Emperor's son, you idiot.
Such harsh expression in noble etiquette was rare.
But since he had scraped Christina, this was restrained.
Even the messenger bit his lip in surprise for a moment before speaking.
Prince Sigmund III's son was indeed a rebel who died.
The Emperor had only tried to bribe the Orc chieftains he was personally friendly with.
That's a good point, Katrin.
It wasn't just that. He had rebelled, but the messenger's face was indeed turning red.
The messenger who had been suppressing his anger said, Let's get to the main point. It's too ridiculous.
Without diplomatic formalities, the Emperor's words were: My grandson is alive, and now he's contacting the Orcs? I'm furious.
In other cases, I would have nodded. Morits learned from his father's rebellion.
The relationship between grandfather and grandson had no meaning when the Emperor was killing rebels.
To avoid being swept away, Morits should draw a line.
But he refused.
With a grandfather and grandson pair both scraping my daughter, where was the reason to laugh?
If Katrin hadn't pinched my arm to calm down, I might not have spoken.
The grand dukes' authority is guaranteed by the charter. As Emperor, you should protect it even more, shouldn't you?
It's annoying. The grand duke title isn't lost.
I know. Her Majesty even said it was a recommendation.
So this is indirect pressure?
A few more words full of spite were exchanged.
After exchanging words for a long time, the messenger finally said, Opinion exchange seems sufficient.
As he raised his hat to greet, the sound of the movie ending rang out.
In an instant, the messenger slipped into the crowd.
After a while, only Katrin and I remained, and Christina who didn't know what had been said.
Father, what were you talking about?
Her gaze didn't explain, but she was clearly saying it's fine.
Father looked uncomfortable, so she chose the best words.
But Katrin cut her off sharply, You don't need to know, nephew.
At that moment, the hand holding Katrin's wheelchair handle was pale.
After all, when I rammed into her, if it was old Katrin she would have stopped me immediately.
Touching Christina was something she couldn't endure, so it was natural.
Anyway, brother-in-law knew it would be like this, so you suggested recruiting the six prince, right?
Katrin regained her composure instantly and clicked her tongue.
The imperial bastards can't be trusted right now.
The old man will probably die in two years, and Morits is his final rival for the throne.
Katrin's expression was subtle.
She had read that I knew it would be like this, but... what did the terrible anger and fear after that mean?
Kyeongtaechang had been quiet for a while, but I realized it might have been something he could have noticed.
Or... that Kyeongtaechang had shown [System: This is an opportunity to recruit Katrin.]
Recruit Katrin? There was more I could do? The thought stopped immediately.
The image in the Red Rose King event was someone I knew.
Hubert Silonglusariu, my father. Hubert was naturally a father to his children.
He would visit his son's hospital, of course.
However, his position made even that heavy.
In the end, the free time was only the few days right after discharge.
In that short time, the fact that the Emperor sent a messenger was no problem for him.
The free time around the Alhunburg Grand Theater was something he could use.
But the three who were extremely angry came out of the theater door... three?
Yes, three. One person I definitely didn't want to see would have been enough.
As Katrin pushed the wheelchair, Hubert was trying not to see the smallest child.
Around this time, Hubert stood up.
From a distance that Gerhardt and Katrin could notice, the Red Rose King waved and greeted.
Don't be scared, maid-
That makes your granddaughter even scarier.
A sharp voice replied instantly. It was only natural.
The grand duke was designed to show his own daughter to his father for the first time.