Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Translator: Penny
Chapter 56
Part 2
Count Kopellus hastily concluded the prize-giving ceremony and ended the banquet early.
He feigned illness, but everyone knew the real reason: the arrest of Second Prince Duran.
Imagine the Astraria Royal Family's reaction to nobles feasting while Duran was imprisoned in the royal palace.
What kind of impression would that make?
Thus, the nobles hurried back to their mansions, relieved the banquet had ended early.
No one knew where the fallout would land.
Agron, at the heart of this crisis, was also urged by Kopellus to depart for the Veilain Fief immediately.
"Since we're heading the same way, this is perfect, Brother," Kopellus said.
Belmond, his face flushed with excitement, alternated glances between Agron and the scenery outside the carriage window.
"Just a little further south from the Veilain Fief, we'll reach House Valter, which borders the Kazandor Empire," he said.
The Head of House Valter, Greffin Getty von Valter, was a Margrave of the Kingdom and one of the Five Golden Lions, renowned for having attained the pinnacle of martial arts.
Agron had agreed to escort Belmond only until they crossed the Veilain Fief's border and reached House Valter's territory.
This was because reaching the Kazandor Empire required passing through House Valter's lands.
"Speaking of which, I wonder who would win if you fought one of the Five Golden Lions, Brother?" Belmond mused.
"Hmm, I've never seen the Five Golden Lions in action, so I can't say. Does the Empire have anything similar?"
"We have something similar in our country. We call them the White Brigade."
"A brigade? That must mean they're incredibly numerous."
Belmond shook his head.
"No, there are only ten of them. But each one is said to be capable of taking on thousands of enemies, so they're called a brigade. They're true monsters, even to my eyes."
"One person against thousands...?"
Agron's eyes gleamed with competitive fervor, prompting Lawrence to intervene in alarm.
"Hey, don't start talking nonsense about needing to test whether you're a warrior or not! Your Grace, you shouldn't say such things to this guy."
"Puhahaha! My brother can handle it! He's the greatest warrior, after all! He's even saved my life twice!"
Once when he was kidnapped by Kobuul, and again when Demonic Beasts appeared during the hunting competition.
Belmond owed Agron two lives.
As soon as he returned home, he planned to report Agron's heroic deeds to his grandfather in full detail.
"What do you intend to do about Kobuul and Duran, Duke Belmond?"
"Hmm... If we pursue this politically, the Astraria Royal Family will have to prepare for massive reparations. My apologies, Your Highness Lawrence."
"Not at all, Your Grace, Duke Belmond. It's all Duran's karma."
Of course, they knew Duran hadn't directly ordered Belmond's kidnapping.
It was merely a series of coincidences that had led to the situation spiraling out of control.
But that didn't erase the fact that Kobuul had kidnapped Belmond, nor did it sever Duran's connection to Kobuul.
This was the karma Duran himself had sown.
"However, I... intend to defer entirely to my brother's wishes."
"My wishes?"
"If you desire it, I will speak to Grandfather and urge him to lodge a national protest. We could even attempt a localized war. In that case, Duran—I guarantee—would end up living as a hostage of the Empire, far from any secluded monastery, for the rest of his life."
This meant Duran would not only be eliminated from the succession race but would also spend his entire life under constant surveillance and oppression.
In reality, those taken as hostages were confined within a strict radius, their every move monitored and reported throughout the day.
They were essentially imprisoned for life in a cell without bars.
Belmond took a sip of wine from the glass beside him to moisten his lips before continuing.
"But if you wish for me to handle this quietly, Brother, I will do so. Without a single murmur. I swear it on the name of the Klaisen Family."
"..."
Lawrence swallowed hard at these words.
The fate of an entire nation now hung on a single word from Agron.
Belmond asked with a meaningful glint in his eyes, "Do you desire the head of Duran, who dared attempt to assassinate you? I will deliver it to your fief within a week."
"Hmm, I'll pass."
Agron flatly refused.
Lawrence unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.
One wrong word from Agron could have plunged the kingdom into war.
Belmond, however, seemed surprised, tilting his head and muttering to himself as if answering his own question.
"I never imagined my brother's loyalty to the crown ran so deep. My apologies for speaking so lightly."
"I have no loyalty to the crown."
"...Then why refuse?"
"Because I can take their heads myself."
"Puhahaha! Just like my brother! I shouldn't have even bothered making the offer!"
That lunatic...
Unlike the gleeful Belmond, Lawrence looked as uneasy as if he were sitting on a bed of thorns.
A noble of the Kingdom was openly discussing the possibility of executing the Kingdom's own Prince in front of a foreign noble.
And the Kingdom's Prince was sitting right beside them.
If anyone were to overhear this conversation...
...What's the point in worrying? I'll just pretend I didn't hear anything.
Lawrence turned his gaze out the carriage window, determinedly ignoring their conversation.
Dusk settled in, casting a dim twilight.
Seated at the balcony table, Taion swept back his golden hair and gazed up at the vast sky. Countless stars, scattered like gold coins, glittered across the expanse. Among these twinkling lights, one shone with a solitary, jewel-like brilliance. Taion's burning gaze remained fixed on the moon, his eyes locked on it for a long moment.
"Did you summon me, Your Highness, First Prince?"
A shadow emerged from the darkness.
"You've come?" Taion greeted the figure with a flawless smile, his face radiant under the moonlight.
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"Please treat me as you usually do... I feel uneasy."
At these words, Taion slowly let his smile fade.
"Very well."
The smile vanished completely from Taion's face, and he spoke in a chilling voice.
His opponent seemed relieved by this change, even showing signs of relaxing slightly.
"Sit down."
"Yes."
Taion flicked his hand toward the chair opposite him, and the woman seated herself.
"What brings you here, Benenosa?"
"...I heard Your Highness summoned me..."
"Ah, that's right."
The woman called Benenosa answered cautiously, while Taion responded with an air of utter indifference.
"There's been a slight snag in the plan."
"What kind of snag?"
"Duran has committed an act of unparalleled stupidity."
"Is it serious?"
"Very. The throne is now beyond his reach. If he's lucky, he'll only be beheaded."
Taion spoke as casually as if he were saying, "The soup was on the menu this morning."
"But thanks to that... or rather, because of it, I proposed Lawrence as a candidate for the next heir to the throne."
"Prince Lawrence, Your Highness?"
"There was no other choice."
To prevent interference from the Kazandor Empire, Duke Belmond had to be appeased first.
Since Duke Belmond and Count Agron had grown close during this expedition, sending Count Agron as an ambassador seemed like the appropriate course of action.
Therefore, as compensation for Count Agron's efforts, we could elevate his close friend Lawrence.
"Still, are you sure about this? It seems like a significant loss..."
"Hey, Benenosa. What do you take me for?"
Taion grinned, his eyes curving into crescent moons.
"...Forgive me, Your Highness."
Benenosa loathed that smile of Taion's.
Anyone else might have been charmed by the smile on Taion's handsome face, but to Benenosa, who had seen his true nature, it was nothing more than a chilling grin.
It felt like the pure malice of a child tearing the wings off a dragonfly and tossing it into an ant nest.
"There's no need to apologize," Taion said, his smile fading as he crossed his legs and sank deeper into his chair. "Lawrence was never going to be a central player in this game. At best, he'll be a three-point bishop or knight."
"What about Count Agron?" Benenosa asked. "What are your plans for him?"
Taion's lips twisted into a sneer. "Agron? He's just a one-point pawn. I don't waste my time on disposable pieces."
"Understood..."
"Tell 'The Master' that I have a firm grasp of the situation here. Assure him that if I become King, his influence will undoubtedly expand."
"I will convey your message."
"But why hasn't that blind warrior arrived yet?"
Benenosa's face momentarily stiffened.
"Heukchigang is currently undergoing treatment."
"Treatment? Has he fallen ill?"
"...His arm was severed."
"That monster's arm?"
For the first time, Taion showed genuine surprise.
To him, Heukchigang's injury was far more unexpected than Duran's blunders.
"He was cleaning up after Ananta when it happened..."
"Who was the opponent? You didn't encounter the Kingdom's Golden Lion, did you?"
"No, Sir. The injury occurred beyond the Gate, so the exact opponent is unknown, but we suspect it was a Dragon."
"A Dragon..."
Taion muttered, "What a peculiar turn of events," and gestured for her to leave.
Benenosa vanished as silently as a shadow, leaving Taion alone to imprint the night's scenery upon his mind.
He felt enveloped by the particles of twilight.
Taion reached his hand high into the sky.
The moon shone brightly, as if it could be grasped within his palm.
"This entire nation belongs to me."
After safely escorting Belmond to his destination, Agron returned to his own fief.
"You're back sooner than expected, Elder," Elena said as he entered his study. She and Baek Woon had arrived before him.
"The matter concluded more quickly than I anticipated," Agron replied.
"Did you capture the Kobuul Branch Managers?"
"We located them using my tracking talisman and Elena's abilities. Three should suffice, don't you think?"
"That will be sufficient. Thank you for your efforts."
"Master, that child's abilities were insignificant. We captured them entirely thanks to my skills."
"Hmm, well done."
Agron patted her back, and Elena blushed, her face flushed with a pleased smile.
"So, what are your plans now?"
Lawrence leaned back in his chair, half-reclining, and popped a dessert into his mouth as he asked, "What do you mean?"
"Well... you must have some desired outcome in mind. Like what you want to do with Duran, or what kind of deal you want to make with the Empire..."
"Not really."
"Then why did you make such a big deal out of this?"
"Let's be clear: I merely uncovered the mess Duran had already made."
"That's... true."
Agron's only involvement had been discovering Duran's attempt to find and kill the assassin.
Creating Kobuul, planning the assassination after being offended by the cigar smoke, and trying to dispose of the failed assassin—all of it was Duran's doing.
"So, Agron, whose side will you take?"
"What do you mean, 'whose side'?"
"Which Prince will you support?"
"Isn't the answer obvious?"
Agron's piercing blue eyes flashed as he stared at Lawrence.
Lawrence swallowed nervously, unnerved by Agron's unwavering seriousness.
"Hey, I appreciate the thought, but..."
"I will support the strongest warrior."
"...What?"
"A true King must be strong."
"What about me?"
"What about you?"
"Master, ignore this whelp. I will make you King of this land."
These bastards...!
Lawrence glared at Agron and Elena, grinding his teeth.
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny