⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Mihael Van Lheinhatz / 5th Circle High Mage]
Species: Human
Age: 36
Affiliation: Crown Prince of the Lheinhatz Kingdom / Deputy of the Lheinhatz Kingdom's Foreign Ministry
Talent: Intelligence (Highest), Learning (Highest), Administrative (Highest), Command (High), Political (High), Magic (Low), Aura (Low), Physical (Low)
Traits: Complete Memory, Commander of Schemes
Relationship: Interested / Neutral
Status: Favorable / Welcoming
Status: Currently under Face Change Magic.
It was unbelievable information unfolding before my eyes. I had to doubt my two eyes.
Whoa, this monster…
I thought he was just a noble who liked to play with girls by approaching Arsia lightly, but it turned out he was the Crown Prince and the real heir to the kingdom, the rival of the second prince.
As expected of a great mage and aura master. You figured out who I am? Well, the magic didn't work on my bear-like little brother, after all.
People have images of specific targets. But right now, looking at his appearance and behavior, I couldn't possibly think of him as the crown prince at all. And the feeling that came to me the moment I saw him.
It meant I absolutely must not make the person in front of me an enemy.
Can I assume we can expect a delicious meal?
Haha, your conversation skills are good too. Come with me. I will guide you.
His abilities were truly monstrous. Although most of his talents leaned toward administration and politics, the fact that the first person Arsia and I had seen with three highest talents was him.
No, his overall ability could even be said to be higher than Arsia's. Arsia's talents were concentrated on swordsmanship, so the rest were not that high.
Yet the Crown Prince had two high talents in addition to three highest ones.
Why has this person not been publicly known?
His administrative and political abilities made the 5th circle high mage title seem insignificant. Since his magic talent was low to begin with, perhaps the fact that he became a high mage was due to his exceptional intellect.
It seems you have many questions about me.
Well, you are a mysterious person who has less information spread about me than my brother.
He was currently hiding his face with magic. Of course, it did not work on me or Arsia, so his true appearance was fully visible. But for the sake of the Crown Prince who wanted to hide himself, I did not mention his name or title.
The place he guided us to was an ordinary room. When I realized its purpose, I tilted my head.
A teleportation room? But can't space movement magic be used inside the royal palace? I saw space movement disruption magic deployed…
Ah, you didn't know? There is a Tor Malin vein underground in the royal palace. Its energy sometimes collides with magic and causes temporary space movement disruption magic to malfunction.
Click.
As he said this, he took a button that looked like a switch from his pocket and pressed it, then guided us onto the teleportation platform.
Was the space movement disruption magic being released simply by coincidence?
Then, let's move.
The Crown Prince activated the teleportation magic circle with a smile.
Ah, this was a room that prevented magic from leaking out.
With my short impression, the surrounding scenery changed.
The place we arrived at was a closed space on all sides. When the Crown Prince knocked on one wall, the front side opened left and right like an elevator door, revealing a space decorated beautifully like a salon.
From here on, you may speak comfortably. Ah, right.
Click.
The Crown Prince pressed the meaningless switch button he had pressed before using teleportation again.
The space movement disruption magic that had been released temporarily was restored, enveloping the royal palace.
It seems the space movement disruption magic is working again. Lucky.
You were the one controlling it, weren't you?
Did the second prince, commander of the Second Royal Guards, not know that the Crown Prince was freely playing with the royal palace security? It felt like a feeling I had never dreamed of.
From the conversation with Luke Prince earlier, it seemed he had said that he himself was capable but the current Crown Prince was incompetent. No matter how I looked, the second prince seemed to be playing with the Crown Prince.
Pop.
The Crown Prince released the Face Change Magic. It was meaningless to us who had already seen his true appearance.
We exchanged handshakes and greeted each other belatedly.
I am Mihael Van Lheinhatz, Crown Prince.
Me too, nice to meet you. Prince Adrian Lawrence, Lady Arsia.
Is this the capital of a country after all?
Yes, it is. Our Crown Prince's chef is someone I personally recruited. He is a talent that the country can be proud of, ranked among the top.
The food must be delicious, of course.
Indeed? Haha.
While the food was coming out, the Crown Prince took fruit juice from the refrigerator in one corner of the room and placed one in front of each of us.
Do you know what this is? Followers of our online diary SNS.
Eh? Really?
Yes, see this? 'Scowled Eyes Best' is written here.
No way. In this world! I never thought the Crown Prince would do this.
Nobles ignore the virtual world, but I don't. I enjoy it very much.
Despite his heavy crown prince position, his actions felt light, like dealing with a friend. And his appearance was never fake. It was not like the second prince, who spent money to win people's hearts.
Although they are brothers, is it because their mothers are different?
Mihael Van Lheinhatz and Luke Prince were opposites in personality.
The Crown Prince is quite an interesting person.
Prince Lawrence is interesting too. The posts where he was mocking Raven Change Back were really fun to read.
You saw that? Thanks to that, my follower count exploded.
In my opinion, it might be that the prince's appearance had a big effect.
That probably influenced it to some extent.
You know that you are handsome, right?
I couldn't not know. I met a fan club when I entered the royal palace.
We continued talking with endless exchanges.
If I had to choose between the two princes, the Crown Prince would be a better match than the second.
But unlike his intimate appearance, I and he kept rolling our eyes to watch the other's reactions.
Since we were not close enough to show goodwill with just a few words of conversation, there was nothing we could do.
If it does not disturb you, may I ask the reason for inviting us?
How long had we been talking?
The flow suggested it was time to get to the main point, so I asked him seriously.
You already know the reason, don't you?
You mean the recruitment offer?
Correct.
This situation had been predicted since the second prince offered recruitment.
Even if the Crown Prince's abilities in front of me were great, if Arsia and I switched to the second prince's camp, it would create an irreversible situation.
What do you want from me, Your Highness? And what will you give me?
This tone would be treated as insolent toward the second prince, but the Crown Prince did not seem to care about such things.
Despite the direct question, he did not lose his relaxed smile.
Unfortunately, there is nothing I can give you right now.
Then are you saying you will promise benefits after becoming king?
That is right.
As a person, I liked him, but the reward difference between the two camps was too great.
The second prince was offering the marquis title immediately, while the Crown Prince was offering nothing immediately.
If I were a merchant, I would have frowned at the incomparable fight. But I had one certainty. The proposal of the person in front of me would not be the only one.
In exchange, I will receive the marquis title but will not interfere.
Eh?
The conversation felt inconsistent.
But soon I caught his intention and laughed softly in front of the Crown Prince.
You are sharp-witted.
Because I ate too much eye bait.
Originally, the title of marquis is not something given and received easily. Especially when the kingdom's power is divided like now, it is even more so. The second prince probably promised the title thinking his words would carry weight, but if we from the camp shout total opposition, it will inevitably fail.
There was truth to that.
The reason the Crown Prince could not say he would give the marquis title like the second prince was because he knew he could not keep the promise.
Who would just watch quietly as the forces of the opposing camp grew?
Whether I moved to the Crown Prince's camp or the second prince's, if I met opposition from the opposing camp, the marquis title would ultimately disappear.
So he was offering to help me receive the marquis title. Right in the middle of the second prince's camp.
Prince Lawrence, join the camp of Luke Prince and receive the marquis title. Our camp will not oppose it, so you can easily obtain the title.
And after gathering what you can gather…
Yes, I will be grateful if you switch to our camp.
His plan was based on betrayal.
A fresh and interesting plan.
After facing the second prince directly, I realized I could not stay neutral. So I had to choose one side.
Join the hand of the second prince or the hand of the Crown Prince.
Yet the Crown Prince had added a choice: join the second prince's hand, get what you want, and then drop the hand again.
It is not bad?
As someone who did not like the camp of the second prince and Raven Change Back, this proposal was very tempting.
I am the Joker now. No matter which way I go, the way I head will gain the upper hand.
If I accept his proposal, I will get the marquis title and be able to team up with a prince whose heart matches mine a little more.
On the other hand, if I refuse, they will vigorously reject the marquis title descending to me, so I will get neither the title nor the team with the second prince I dislike.
The options have increased, but the answer is a predetermined choice.
What do you mean?
Yes, I will do that.
Can I not give you time to think?
I was confident. The throne suits the Crown Prince better than the second prince.
What if I only make a promise like this and receive the marquis title without staying in the second prince's camp?
That will not happen.
Between the Crown Prince and the second prince. Even if the two of them fight without me, I thought the Crown Prince would win.
I cannot betray my followers.
Haha! Good.
Thanks to that, the atmosphere became cheerful again. In this atmosphere, the food prepared with the Crown Prince's chef's touch came in.
Lady Arsia seems to like eating.
Yes, watching her move without stopping is somehow interesting.
Prince, Lady Arsia is a lady before she is an aura master. Observing a lady's eating is not proper etiquette.
Ah, that is true. Thank you for telling me.
But do you not need to ask Lady Arsia's opinion?
The Crown Prince naturally showed interest in Arsia.
But unlike Luke Prince, whose interest contained other mixed emotions, the Crown Prince's was pure curiosity.
I asked Arsia about his words.
What do you think, Arsia?
If Adrian-nim is happy, I am happy too.
Really?
But her answer sounded oddly clingy, making me feel awkward for no reason.
