Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Wastrel Empire Prince
-----------------------------------------------------------------
💥 DEFEAT 💥 The game naturally ended in defeat.
The player [The World Tree is Just a Big Tree], who had been provoking Leo right up to the end, left the room without ever giving out his address.
"Uwaaaah! That bastard!!"
Leo screamed as he logged out of COL.
The knights guarding his room rushed in at the sound of his midnight scream.
"What happened, Your Highness?!"
"Ah, ah..."
Only after seeing the knights' startled faces did Leo snap back to his senses.
"Ah, it's nothing. Just had a bit of a nightmare."
Leo brushed it off with an excuse and sent the knights away.
"Hoo..."
It was truly time for him to sleep now.
Leo turned off all the lights and lay back down in bed.
Thinking it over again, it was actually for the best.
Even if he'd gotten the address, he couldn't have actually gone out to meet the guy.
Rumors of the crown prince heading out to fight over some in-game spat wouldn't do him any favors.
Leo took a deep breath and tried to fall asleep.
But sleep wouldn't come no matter what.
"No, that guy...! What the hell kind of person is he?!"
Even if he understood it logically, his anger wouldn't subside easily.
The more he thought about [The World Tree is Just a Big Tree]'s words and actions, the madder he got.
Because of that, he'd ended up throwing a game he could have won.
"If he'd just played properly, we would've won, but he went off raging by himself and ruined everything...!"
Unable to calm down, Leo rolled around in bed before eventually picking up COL again.
Just one more game, then sleep.
In the end, after six more games, he finally managed to catch a short nap.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...What the hell?"
About three months after COL's release.
As players gradually adapted to the game and rankings solidified.
Among the flood of daily COL articles, Rikal spotted one.
📰 Breaking News Spotlight on COL player [Wastrel Empire Prince]. Famous for crude chatting...? "Wastrel Empire Prince. Pulling wastrel crap in COL? Who the hell writes this shit...!"
It was an article that seemed to target Rikal directly.
Insulting royalty so bluntly was insane.
But upon closer inspection, it wasn't about Rikal at all.
"Recent buzz around COL player [Wastrel Empire Prince]. Gaining notoriety for rough chatting...? What chatting? Plenty of people chat like trash."
It was about some COL player.
Who had apparently chosen the nickname [Wastrel Empire Prince].
And he was infamous in-game for unhealthy chatting.
Truth be told, plenty of players in COL spouted nonsense in chat.
But [Wastrel Empire Prince] drew extra attention due to his nickname, sparking rumors he might be the Third Prince.
"...This isn't me? What asshole is this?!"
Rikal exploded in frustration, hurling the newspaper aside.
He desperately wanted to uncover and thrash whoever was impersonating him.
Of course, it wasn't really impersonation—just a nickname.
And "Wastrel Empire Prince" wasn't exactly false if you thought about Rikal.
Anyway, Rikal was pissed.
A few days later, media outlets started requesting interviews asking if he was really [Wastrel Empire Prince].
Rikal naturally refused them all.
Finally snapping, he yelled at the reporters loitering near the palace daily and headed to the Illusion Tower.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...So you want to know the identity of [Wastrel Empire Prince]?"
"Yeah."
Rikal had shown up out of the blue after lying low.
The topic was COL.
Now that time had passed since launch and rankings were settling,
Rumors were swirling that [Wastrel Empire Prince] might be Rikal.
"As I told you, even we can't know that."
I naturally refused, of course.
Revealing personal info carelessly is a given no-no.
I'd already made it clear that even we server operators couldn't identify users.
But Rikal wasn't one to back down easily.
"Don't lie. Then how'd you know my identity?"
Rikal was surprisingly sharp.
Since I knew who he was.
He figured I'd read the server logs to pull user info.
Of course, I'd never said that outright.
I'd always dodged and used his identity for light blackmail.
"You made it obvious, Your Highness. Anyone would guess if you come sniffing around like that."
"Cut the crap and spill it."
"No, I can't. Anyway, no. I've never told anyone your identity despite knowing, right? Well, I couldn't even if I wanted to. Point is, no. Can't misuse personal info."
Game companies obviously have user data.
They just don't misuse it.
...Though I'd lightly blackmailed Rikal a bit.
But I hadn't told a soul. Nor would I.
I kept my mouth shut to the end.
"By the way, an invitation from the palace arrived recently."
"Leo's birthday's coming up. Sending invites even to mages? Looks like they're fully pivoting toward Trinity."
The topic shifted to Leo's birthday banquet.
Nobles rarely invited mages to social events.
Mages weren't close to nobles anyway,
thanks to Trinity mages' independent stance.
But since the Zakum expedition, I'd gotten occasional invites.
I'm more open than most mages.
Probably due to being the developer of COL and Maple Leaf Tale.
I usually skipped them, but planned to attend this one.
Because I knew [Wastrel Empire Prince] was Leo.
I had no intention of exposing it.
I was just curious what changes had come over him lately to act like that in COL.
"So you're coming?"
"Thinking about it. By the way, Empire's Light, have you played with Crown Prince?"
"Wanna die?"
"No, but think about it. Just say no and be done. If you're not [Wastrel Empire Prince], expose him."
"Then they'd ask my nickname. If mine gets out, I can't play carefree anymore."
"Hmm..."
Truthfully, Rikal just didn't want to reveal [Empire's Light].
It'd link him to [Empire's Light] from Maple Leaf Tale.
So why pick the same nick?
"Anyway, no. Go home. See you at the banquet. If it bugs you, clear it up yourself."
I sent Rikal packing.
Leo's birthday banquet arrived soon after.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Leo had been born amid great expectations from childhood.
The previous emperor who led the empire's golden age, and the current one.
Everyone hoped Leo would follow as a mighty ruler.
Such gazes and voices shaped his early self.
As crown prince, Leo always had to be perfect. Soon he handled state affairs, hailed as the Empire's Light, an idol and exemplar.
He'd lived that life from birth.
A shining existence, praised by all.
"Happy birthday, Crown Prince."
"Thank you, Grand Duke. I always count on you."
Leo's birthday banquet.
As always, crowds came to offer blessings.
"The Third Prince is here too."
"Is the Third Prince really [Wastrel Empire Prince]?"
"No way he'd admit it outright."
COL talk echoed everywhere in the hall.
Including hot topic [Wastrel Empire Prince].
Leo forced his attention away, plastering on a fake smile.
"Do you play COL too, Crown Prince? I hear even Second Princess is into it now."
"Ah, I..."
But COL questions hit Leo too.
Leo sweated a drop, pondering his answer.
"...Yes. I've tried it. Don't have much time, though."
"Ah...! Really? What's your tier...?"
Velvet Duke probed immediately.
"Embarrassed to say—unranked. I'll tell you once I start ranked."
"I see. Must be busy with state affairs."
Leo actually had solid Silver 4,
but hid that much.
He continued greetings with nobles.
Same talks. Same smiles. Same pretense.
He usually endured, but today it grated extra.
Or maybe not just today.
Since starting COL,
he'd felt inexplicable anger living as the empire's future.
And venting freely in COL brought thrill.
He'd been cautious at first.
But months in, he chatted like any toxic player.
Wanna play COL soon.
Leo shook his head hastily at the stray thought.
His hidden expression had slipped.
-No, I said it's not-!
Rikal's voice rang out somewhere.
Rikal was yelling at a noble group.
As usual, Leo approached to prevent trouble.
"Rikal. Enough..."
"-Me, [Wastrel Empire Prince]? You think that Silver scrub matches my skill?"
"...!"
Leo's steps halted at Rikal's words.
Rikal was raging at the group whispering he was [Wastrel Empire Prince].
"Rikal. Stop."
Leo approached, masking his face.
"...Brother. Did you hear what this punk said? Called me [Wastrel Empire Prince]..!"
"N-no! No intent to insult, Your Highness! Just rumors going around..."
A young noble scion trembled in defense.
Clearly never crossed Rikal before.
"Insulting royalty to my face?"
"N-no. That's..."
The scion felt wronged, caught by Rikal.
Not like he was the only one talking.
Just bad luck being nearby.
But if Rikal decided to torment him, it wouldn't end well.
Then Leo spoke.
"...Enough, Rikal."
"Pardon?"
"He just mentioned a player called [Wastrel Empire Prince]. No need for a fuss on a good day."
"No, brother! But this...!"
For some reason,
Leo openly took the noble's side.
His face brightened from deathly pallor.
Maybe Leo secretly hoped Rikal kept taking the blame.
Letting him vent freely in-game.
"Just say it then. Your nickname. If you're not him."
"Th-that's..."
Or perhaps guilt over Rikal bearing false blame for him.
Publicly revealing would kill the rumors.
Logically, Leo preferred that.
"Th-that..."
Yet oddly, Rikal couldn't reveal his nick.
Uncharacteristically sweating and stammering.
-Wh-what...? For real...?
-See...
Nobles buzzed at Rikal's reaction.
Leo was baffled too.
Clearly he was [Wastrel Empire Prince]. Why couldn't Rikal speak?
"Ha, haha! Hahahahaha!"
Then Rye appeared, laughing awkwardly.
"Seems like a misunderstanding, everyone. Prince Rikal isn't [Wastrel Empire Prince]. We duoed recently."
"You...!"
Rye dragged Rikal out of the hall.
The suspicion cleared somewhat thanks to Rye, but without nick reveal, doubts lingered.
Anyway, the incident wrapped up.
Feeling bad for Rikal, Leo slipped out after them,
but
"Cr-Cro-Crown Prince. Wh-where are you going...?"
Count Popos stopped him.
"Ah, Count Popos. Just checking on Rikal—worried."
"Ah, th-then I'll, I'll go... see..."
"You, Count Popos?"
"Heh-heh... Got personal talk too..."
"Ah..."
Count Popos waddled off.
No idea when he'd gotten chummy with Rikal.
Thus, Leo stayed in the hall.
And soon after, Count Popos overheard Rye and Rikal's conversation.