The Royals' Friendly Competition
"In a few days, there's going to be a friendly competition."
"A friendly competition?"
"It's a gathering where the imperial family members meet to exchange greetings and have their knights compete against each other... basically a show of strength."
Bellion explained that winning there was necessary. He needed to demonstrate his resolve to the other royals.
"Obviously, from this point on, you can't let anyone find out that you want to become emperor."
"Yeah, if that got out, the other royals wouldn't leave you alone."
It was important to appear uninterested in the succession. To show that while he had no immediate desire to become emperor, he still wanted to enjoy the benefits that came with being close to the throne. To pull off this difficult act, Kyle was the key.
"You need to show that while you possess strength that overwhelms everyone else, I'm the only one who can move you."
"Hmm... I see."
From that point on, Kyle stopped trying to understand the details and simply nodded along. Bellion, reading his thoughts, chuckled and looked at him.
The most crucial element in this plan was none other than Kyle himself. The reason was simple.
'If Kyle loses, the whole thing falls apart.'
Everything had been planned under one specific assumption: that Kyle Meyer was a Master. What if he wasn't? What if this plan failed? Then the throne would remain nothing but a dream.
"Kyle."
"Yeah?"
"...There's something I want to ask."
Bellion asked carefully. Whether Kyle was truly a Master. Kyle didn't answer. He simply smiled. Seeing that smile, Bellion felt his anxiety wash away.
* * *
"W-wow..."
Arthur's mouth hung open as she looked around. If anyone saw her like that, they'd probably think she was some country bumpkin who had just arrived in the capital. And they wouldn't be wrong.
Kyle tapped her arm lightly.
"If you act like that, you'll get looked down on."
"Ah, right... But is it really okay for me to be here?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Kyle had come to the imperial palace with Arthur. They had been invited because they were academy students like Bellion Dairos. Of course, that was just the surface reason. The real purpose was to show the other royals Bellion's value.
'I'm only doing this because we're friends, you bastard.'
Thinking that, Kyle looked around, taking in the palace. It was both a magnificent structure and a natural fortress.
'Hmm, this place would be hard to navigate.'
The layout deliberately repeated the same patterns to make people lose their way. Without prior knowledge of the routes, even someone like him would get lost. If a knight of similar skill blocked the path while soldiers surrounded them from all sides, it would be the perfect setup for a one-sided slaughter.
He could instinctively tell that the palace had been designed that way.
"Kyle!"
"Ah, Lion."
At that moment, Bellion appeared from afar. Perhaps because Kyle had casually shortened the prince's name inside the palace, the passing maids shot sharp glares their way. Not that it mattered. A Master could speak informally even to the emperor and be forgiven. A few dirty looks from some maids were nothing.
Brushing off their stares with a grin, Kyle only made their glares intensify. Arthur was the one who seemed bothered by it.
"Th-thank you for inviting me! Your Highness Prince Bellion!"
"Ahaha, no need to be so nervous."
"H-how could I not be..."
"It's fine. No one will say anything if you speak casually."
Kyle snickered at Arthur, who was too tense to speak properly. Arthur shot him a look that clearly asked if he had lost his mind, but Kyle had already convinced her to drop the formal speech. Bellion himself had said it was fine, but for Arthur, who had feudalism drilled into her bones, speaking informally to royalty felt like risking her life.
Inside the academy, an imperial decree made everyone equal, but this wasn't the academy.
If anything, Kyle was the one acting strangely by using casual speech.
"Come on, don't be so boring."
Kyle said that and looked at Bellion. Bellion nodded as if everything was ready and led them inside. Today was the day of the imperial family's friendly gathering. Though "friendly" was the word used, it was really just a place to show how much their power had grown.
Hide their strength? The royals weren't the type to conceal their power. This wasn't some drama where someone hid their strength until the very end to seize the throne. Hiding one's power only made others suspect they had ulterior motives—like aiming not for the crown prince's seat, but directly for the emperor's throne.
"This way. Kyle, you can speak casually with me, but with the others..."
"Do I look like someone who doesn't know that much?"
"...Right, got it."
Bellion gave Kyle a worried look before stepping inside. Waiting for him were four other royals.
"You're late."
The First Prince, Lichto Dairos, glared at Bellion, Kyle, and Arthur as they entered. Bellion laughed apologetically and took his seat. Kyle naturally sat beside him.
"...?"
"?"
Kyle tilted his head at the First Prince, who was staring at him in confusion. What? Got a problem? Lichto let out a dumbfounded chuckle, shook his head, and turned to the others.
"Since everyone's here, let's begin."
As soon as the First Prince finished speaking, the royals exchanged greetings. It had been a while since they last gathered like this. After the pleasantries, they soon moved on to discussing international affairs and the empire's problems. They didn't just talk—they seemed to be actively working on solutions.
Kyle, listening to the conversation that made him yawn, was glad he had taken a seat. If he had been standing in the back like the others, he wouldn't have been able to hold back his yawns.
While they were deep in discussion, footsteps echoed from afar.
"His Imperial Majesty, the great Emperor of the Empire, is entering."
At those words, the royals who had been talking immediately stood up. Realizing he couldn't stay seated either, Kyle rose and bowed as well. Moments later, the emperor entered. Kyle inwardly marveled at the powerful aura emanating from him.
'Oh, not bad...'
It wasn't an aura he had cultivated through training, but it wasn't something to be ignored either. As expected of an emperor, even on his deathbed. How much good stuff did he eat to radiate that kind of energy?
'If you've got that much, share some with me.'
If the emperor could fully control the aura he possessed, he probably wouldn't lose to most Experts. Impressed that someone with no time for training could reach such a level, Kyle stared at him. The emperor noticed Kyle sitting in a seat reserved for royals and tilted his head.
"And you are?"
"Kyle Meyer, Your Majesty."
"Ah, so you're that one."
Recognizing Kyle's name, the emperor nodded and overlooked the rudeness of him sitting among the royals. The other royals were the ones shocked. Their strict emperor showing such leniency? It made them certain Kyle was someone special.
While the royals pondered Kyle's identity, the First Prince continued the discussion that had been paused.
"So, about those black mages that appeared this time..."
"Support for the eastern part of the empire..."
"The seafood harvest has decreased..."
Various topics were discussed, and finally, the moment Kyle had been waiting for arrived.
"Well, I think that's enough talk. Is there anyone who wants to take charge of handling a policy?"
All the royals except the Second Princess raised their hands. When opinions were this divided, there was only one way to settle it.
"The First Emperor founded this great empire with a single sword. As his descendants, we should follow in his footsteps."
However, the noble royals couldn't personally wield swords and shed blood. They could appoint proxies to fight in their place. Whoever won would be entrusted with the issue they wanted to handle. Solving difficult problems would earn the emperor's favor, so those aiming for the crown prince position always took on the hardest tasks.
"Sir Gleymore. Would you mind taking this on?"
"Of course."
At the First Prince's words, the empire's knight order commander, his sponsor, stepped forward. As one of the few Aura Masters in the empire appeared, the other royals began lowering their hands one by one. The only ones who didn't were the First Princess and Bellion.
'Kyle, I'm counting on you.'
Meeting Bellion's gaze, Kyle grinned and stood up. He could feel the knight order commander's eyes on him. Kyle met his stare. The two Masters' gazes clashed in the air, and the knight commander recoiled in shock.
"You, don't tell me..."
"Bellion, who is this?"
"He's my friend. A first-year academy student named Kyle Meyer."
"Hmm... A student?"
However, the First Prince, who had no martial talent, didn't seem to care that Kyle was just a student. Before the knight commander could say anything else after sensing Kyle's level, Kyle quickly spoke up.
"As an academy student, I'm grateful for this valuable experience, Sir Knight Commander."
"Uh, um..."
"Well then, shall we go?"