Chapter 83
Chapter 83
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: Crown Prince (2)
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“You’re the crown prince! The man who will one day shoulder this kingdom—how long do you plan to live so dissolutely!”
“Dissolutely? Father’s the only one who’d begrudge a son stepping out for a bit of fresh air!”
“Drinking and whoring around is how you get fresh air? You’re just ruining your life!”
The more their argument dragged on, the more a sickening disgust welled up in Demian.
It was because the crown prince’s attitude and speech reminded him of his past self.
“I won’t tolerate this any longer! From today, you’ll receive the education befitting a crown prince!”
“Dragging in a bunch of old fogeys to make me read books—that’s your idea of education? Even a stray dog would laugh!”
“Is that how you speak before your father!”
“Forget your outdated nonsense—I have my own way!”
Crown Prince Oliver Apple shouted that before slamming the door and storming out.
Once Oliver Apple was gone, the king bowed his head deeply and covered his face with his palms.
“……Sir Demian, I’ve shown you an unseemly sight.”
Demian said nothing. Sometimes, silence was the best answer.
“As you’ve seen, the crown prince’s conduct is far from proper. He wasn’t always like this…… I just don’t know where it all went wrong.”
The king sighed with a troubled expression.
“What I wish to ask of you is to guide him onto the right path.”
As expected, the king had summoned Demian to entrust him with reforming his wastrel son.
It was proof that Demian’s reputation had reached even the king’s ears.
“I already know about your past. I heard you turned your life around splendidly after abandoning that way of living…… Couldn’t you use that experience to change the crown prince?”
The king gazed at Demian with pleading eyes. That look filled Demian with weariness.
‘Ah, what a hassle.’
From Demian’s perspective, it was a request he had no desire to accept.
The crown prince’s behavior felt just like gazing at his past self, which soured his mood terribly.
He wasn’t confident he could endure the stress of watching that spectacle throughout the reform process.
As Demian showed no sign of answering, the king hurriedly added,
“Of course, I’m not asking this for nothing. If you can set the crown prince straight, I’ll reward you beyond just a viscountcy.”
The king opened a drawer in his desk and took something out.
There were two vials that looked as if they’d been carved from stone.
“Alecto’s royal jelly.”
*Cough.*
Demian coughed involuntarily. He kept coughing, unable to calm down.
“Your Majesty! That’s too much!”
Liam Bluegreen was just as shocked. He cried out in alarm.
It was only natural for Liam Bluegreen to react this way. Even master-class experts coveted such items.
Alecto was an insect-type monster resembling a house-sized hornet.
A single one was more dangerous than most large monsters, and they always hunted in swarms of dozens.
Despite the danger, Alecto had originally been an obscure monster to humans.
Because they were extremely rare, people rarely encountered them. Even those who sought them out might see only one or two in a lifetime.
The incident that made Alecto famous involved an adventurer who stumbled into an Alecto hive and consumed the royal jelly inside.
Royal jelly was originally used to birth queen bees. When a human ingested it, it granted extraordinary effects.
Immunity to poison. And regenerative abilities.
The adventurer who ate it was thereafter unharmed by any venomous insect bites, and even lost body parts regenerated in short order.
Of course, the amount the king offered wouldn’t provide such dramatic effects. The adventurer had drunk until his belly nearly burst.
Even so, Demian couldn’t help showing great interest in the royal jelly.
‘It pairs perfectly with the Bee Star Radiance Elixir.’
The Bee Star Radiance Elixir was an incredibly useful mana cultivation method, but it placed a heavy burden on the body.
That was why Demian had only ever used it briefly when necessary.
But with royal jelly, he could greatly reduce that burden.
No, it went beyond mere reduction. It would allow him to unleash the elixir’s power on an entirely new level.
“Your Majesty! Please reconsider!”
“If it can change the crown prince, nothing is too precious.”
Liam Bluegreen looked at the king with regret.
“Sir Demian, if you accept this task, I’ll give you one vial upfront. If the crown prince changes, you’ll get the other.”
Passing up an item even masters coveted would be idiotic.
Demian promptly dropped to his knees and declared,
“This unworthy one will do his utmost to carry out Your Majesty’s command!”
The king’s face brightened at Demian’s response.
“Thank you! Truly, thank you!”
The king personally helped Demian to his feet, expressing his gratitude.
* * *
The king held Demian back, repeating his thanks several times.
Finally freed, Demian stepped out of the study.
In his pocket was the vial of royal jelly from the king.
“Sir Demian.”
Just then, Liam Bluegreen followed him out.
“What are your plans now? Unpacking at your lodgings?”
“No. I intend to pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince first.”
Liam Bluegreen’s eyes widened slightly at Demian’s answer.
“You truly mean to reform His Highness.”
“It’s a promise to no less than His Majesty the King, so of course I must keep it.”
Liam Bluegreen’s lips curved into a faint smile, pleased by the response.
“In that case, allow me to guide you. We can talk on the way.”
Demian was still unfamiliar with the palace layout. He quietly accepted Liam Bluegreen’s offer.
“Forget what I said earlier. It wasn’t that I was reluctant to part with the royal jelly.”
Liam Bluegreen spoke as they walked. He still seemed bothered by having tried to dissuade the king.
“I’ve already forgotten. And I’d have done the same as you, Sir Liam. It’s an incredible item.”
Liam Bluegreen burst into loud laughter at Demian’s reply.
“Haha! It might have looked that way. But what troubled me was that His Majesty offered such a treasure over the crown prince issue.”
Liam Bluegreen added suddenly.
“His Majesty seems to believe His Highness can change…… But I think otherwise.”
Demian regarded Liam Bluegreen silently.
“Many have tried before you. Persuasion, intimidation, every method imaginable. Yet His Highness never changed.”
Deep fatigue appeared in Liam Bluegreen’s eyes.
Liam Bluegreen had likely been among those who’d tried to reform the crown prince.
“But I changed.”
“You can say that because you did. Are you suggesting we pin our hopes on His Highness because of you? I can’t.”
Liam Bluegreen spoke coldly. He seemed to have abandoned all hope for the crown prince.
“All we could do was…… endlessly cover up His Highness’s actions to keep the royal family’s honor intact.”
Now that he thought about it, it was odd. A crown prince’s scandals should spread like wildfire, yet Demian had heard nothing.
That explained why Demian had never heard rumors about the crown prince.
“That’s His Highness’s residence.”
Liam Bluegreen stopped and pointed to a massive building.
“He may or may not be inside. He’s always slipping out of the palace.”
“If not, I’ll track him down separately.”
“One piece of advice: giving up early is an option too.”
Liam Bluegreen patted Demian’s shoulder a few times before leaving.
As if he wanted no part of meeting the crown prince.
“So that’s where the brat is.”
Demian looked up at the residence. Fitting for the crown prince, it was enormous.
Demian headed inside.
“Wait. Who are you, barging in like this?”
A servant blocked him upon entry. Demian replied nonchalantly.
“I’m Demian Haksen, assigned to instruct His Highness in swordsmanship.”
“P-Pardon?”
“I’ve come to see His Highness—could he step out for a moment?”
Demian brushed past the servant and entered. The servant followed in a panic.
“W-Wait! You can’t go up. His Highness said no visitors…….”
“Understood. You follow orders exactly: let no one in.”
“E-Excuse me? But you’re going in…….”
A normal person couldn’t keep up with Demian’s pace.
The servant could only stare blankly as Demian Haksen vanished in an instant.
* * *
Shaking off the servant, Demian headed to the top floor. He sensed the crown prince’s presence there.
Without knocking, he flung the door open.
“Who is it! I said no one enters!”
A shout rang out the moment the door opened. Accompanied by the pungent stench of alcohol.
Crown Prince Oliver Apple glared at Demian, bottle in hand.
His face was beet red from how much he’d drunk in the meantime.
“You……?”
Confirming Demian’s face, the crown prince scowled deeply.
“You’re that guy from earlier? The one Sir Liam brought?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Demian bowed his head slightly.
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Demian Haksen. I’ll be instructing Your Highness in swordsmanship for the time being.”
Hearing Demian’s name, a flicker of interest crossed Oliver Apple’s eyes.
“Demian Haksen? The former wastrel?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I wondered who Father called…… Ha! Never dreamed it’d be you.”
The crown prince snickered and chugged straight from the bottle.
“I was curious what kind of man you were. Nice to meet you? Heh?”
“It’s an honor to meet Your Highness as well.”
“What bullshit!”
Suddenly, the crown prince hurled the bottle. Demian dodged with a mere tilt of his head.
“Because of you tagging along with Sir Liam, do you know how much trouble I’m in!”
The crown prince bellowed. Demian let the words flow in one ear and out the other.
“Haksen Viscountcy? No idea where that dump even is! Stuck in some backwater village, got curious about the capital, huh? That’s why you came crawling after Sir Liam!”
The longer it went, the more the crown prince ranted.
“Go tell Father! Tell him I’m quitting and heading down right now! Or else I’ll make you regret ever coming here! Wait—what are you pulling out?”
Demian was slowly withdrawing a massive club from his subsace.
To the crown prince’s question, Demian replied casually.
“Nothing at all. Please, continue.”