Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: The Prince's Radical Proposal
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With greetings from Prince Julius and Princess Seira, my presence in the banquet hall became even more pronounced.
It must have looked like the Shield Family truly maintained close ties with the royal family, just as the rumors suggested. They were probably eager to forge even stronger connections through me.
I could understand their intentions. However...
Drag!
"Ugh, these damn clingy humans."
There was a limit to it. When they came at me so blatantly, even I started to feel worn out.
Though I'd experienced all sorts of trials as a merchant in my previous life, I still couldn't get used to the underhanded power struggles among these nobles, no matter how much I saw.
"Heh heh, you look beat."
Saladin chuckled at the sight of me, utterly drained, as I entered the room where our family's retainers had gathered.
"You sneaky bastard. Trying to slink away to save your own skin?"
"You're hardly one to talk, considering you dragged me into this when I was just minding my own business."
Well, that was true enough.
"Still, wasn't it better that we came together? Your younger brother was here too. It had been ages since you brothers met."
Saladin flinched visibly at my words but quickly changed the subject, pretending not to hear.
"Yeah, we'll have time to chat later if the chance comes up. Anyway, did you talk to Princess Seira? She didn't say much?"
His question brought back my conversation with the princess.
-With that much power, why pretend to be a mere worm?
"She saw through my strength."
Saladin didn't seem particularly surprised.
"As expected."
"What do you mean?"
"Before I was exiled from the family, when I attended the Spring Festival, Princess Seira read my latent Heterogenous Power—the Puppet—even then. I figured it wouldn't be any different with you."
One of my lingering questions was answered by his words.
'And that was before I'd even mastered my Heterogenous Power,' Saladin added.
Indeed, that made sense.
I nodded as I watched Saladin speak calmly.
As if reading my mind, he slowly opened his mouth.
"Right, you'd have guessed it already. She has a special power that reads not just the Heterogenous Powers one has mastered, but even their innate talents..."
"So the 'doll pervert' Princess Seira mentioned really was you."
"...Mastered... you little shit?"
Saladin's eyes narrowed sharply midway through his sentence at the sound of my voice.
"Oh, it's that time already. I should head out. Prince Julius wants to see me after the party ends—he has something to say."
"Hold it, you punk. Finish what you were saying. What did I say about dolls?"
I ignored Saladin's repeated demands for clarification on that specific word and turned to Beskin, who had been sitting silently.
"Sir Beskin, among the people accompanying Victor, the Sword Family's young master, was Baron Wolfgang, the one we met in Nile."
Even with just that, Beskin nodded slightly, grasping my intent.
"I'll make sure to warn the knights to stay vigilant against any mishaps or schemes. Don't worry."
As expected, the knight I'd chosen was competent.
Having heard his reliable response, I rose with a satisfied smile.
"Then, I'll be off."
"Hey, no, you punk—finish your sentence! Mmph...!!"
Saladin tried to say more, but Beskin's massive hand clamped over his mouth, silencing him completely.
Now it was time to uncover exactly what Prince Julius had in mind.
"Hahaha! There you are!"
At the door to Prince Julius's private chamber, the impeccably vigilant knights verified my identity before swinging it open. A wave of alcohol scent hit me immediately.
The prince's flushed face made it clear he was quite drunk.
It was understandable. He was overseeing the entire Spring Festival, after all.
He'd have had to entertain all the nobles who came to pay their respects.
Princess Seira was there too, but given her notorious(?) reputation, the nobles probably didn't linger long with her.
Naturally, Prince Julius had shouldered the burden alone.
"Come, come, sit here."
The prince, his steps a bit unsteady, led me to a table laden with bottles.
Despite the thick booze aroma wafting from him and his wobbly gait, his eyes remained sharp and clear.
"Care for a drink?"
He lifted a glass from before him and offered it to me.
"As I mentioned last time, I'm afraid I'm still underage, Your Highness."
I politely declined with some tact.
"Haha, I see. But even a minor would hesitate to refuse if they knew what this was."
Pop!
Before I could respond, Prince Julius smugly uncorked a sealed bottle.
No wonder he was so confident.
The refined aroma overwhelmed the room, eclipsing the miscellaneous odors that had filled it before.
The prince closed his eyes briefly to savor the extraordinary scent, then turned the bottle's logo toward me.
My eyes widened at the mark engraved on the side.
It was probably the first time since regressing that I'd been this shocked.
And for good reason—the drink Prince Julius offered was no ordinary liquor.
Sapphire Dragon.
A legendary brew said to have been gifted to the royal family by the kingdom's guardian dragon, passed down exclusively within the Ikenia royal house. It was exceedingly rare across the entire continent.
Even I, who had led the Carlos Merchant Group in my past life, had only heard tales of it—proof enough of its value.
"Even as a minor, you must know of this. Sapphire Dragon. Surely this is worth accepting, regardless of age?"
The prince offered it again with full confidence, but knowing what it was only made me hesitate more.
Of course, I was dying to taste it. Terribly curious.
But Sapphire Dragon was a royal treasure bestowed only upon the kingdom's most loyal vassals.
For the prince to pull it out on his own whim? For a private meeting like this?
Impossible.
In other words...
'This comes from King Horn's will, not Prince Julius's.'
The current wise king, Horn van Ikenia, whose wings had been clipped by the Sword Family, preventing him from realizing his ambitions.
How should I interpret the meaning behind this gift from him?
Noticing my hesitation, Prince Julius gently set the Sapphire Dragon back on the table.
"From your expression, it seems you've grasped the significance of this liquor."
"I won't deny it, Your Highness."
In response, he silently poured some into his own glass.
"What did you feel upon arriving in Edirne?"
His sudden question was obvious in its intent.
"Excessive hospitality. Not for the 'Shield Family,' but solely for one man named 'Jerome.'"
"I won't deny what you felt either."
Glug glug glug!
He emptied his glass, then poured another without offering me one.
"You're sharper than the rumors suggest, so I'll be frank. You probably think I hosted the Spring Festival to flaunt the Shield Family's ties to the crown. Isn't that right?"
"..."
I affirmed with silence.
"Unfortunately, that's only half correct. It's not the Shield Family I want."
Thud!
He downed the fresh pour in one gulp and met my eyes steadily.
"It's you I want."
Hm.
I'd deliberately avoided that egotistical assumption, but hearing it outright left me flustered.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness. As you know, my family has served the kingdom loyally for generations. That loyalty naturally extends to you as well."
I tried to sidestep subtly.
"Are you truly unaware of my intent? If so, that's rather disappointing."
His gaze never wavered, fixed on me.
"...Your Highness. Surely you know what your words imply."
Under that earnest stare, I straightened up and asked directly about his intentions.
Right now, Prince Julius was extending his hand to me.
If I'd become Banten's lord and he the king of Ikenia, there'd be no issue.
Unlike Prince Julius, who had long been the anointed heir to Ikenia, I hadn't yet claimed my place as family successor.
On the contrary, as I rapidly gained influence, Ares and Mercy might redouble their checks on me.
In this situation, the prince openly reaching out could be seen as the crown meddling in the Shield Family's succession.
'Someone of Prince Julius's stature wouldn't overlook that.'
"You're misunderstanding. I'm not trying to interfere in your family affairs. I wouldn't dare such insolence with a prestigious house like the Shield Family."
"...?"
"Haha, even someone like you swings and misses sometimes. That's what makes it fun—everyone has their own thoughts."
The prince laughed heartily, amused.
"There's a way to bring you to my side without interfering."
What came from his lips next far exceeded my expectations.
"Become independent from your family."
"...Pardon?"
I blurted out dumbly. His proposal was that shocking—utterly unprecedented.
"I'm not saying this lightly. I've thought it through seriously. I'll grant you a territory. Go independent and join me."
His serious expression made it clear he wasn't joking. That made it all the more problematic.
"Your Highness, what do you mean? I'm not even of age yet. For someone like me to receive a fief without a title?"
"What does age matter? You're already a hero who saved the kingdom from the great famine. Title or not, you've earned it."
He took another sip and continued.
"I still remember what you said to me. 'Think far ahead and look far beyond.' Didn't you?"
"I did say that, but..."
'This is way too extreme, damn it,' nearly slipped out.
Glug glug glug glug!
Ignoring my input, he filled the empty glass before me and slid it over.
"No need to overthink. You said you're loyal to the kingdom anyway. In my view, you're too valuable to waste time fighting within your family."
"...!"
An offer I'd never anticipated.
My original plan was to seize control of the family, then strengthen the alliance against the southward Empire.
'Does Father know about this?'
I couldn't read his intentions.
What on earth was he thinking?
He wouldn't seriously plan to expel me now, would he?
'No, jumping to conclusions is dangerous.'
In this uncertain situation, my choice was clear.
"...I'll consider it, Your Highness. Please understand I can't give a firm answer right now."
The prince nodded as if that sufficed.
"Haha! Good, very good. I'm grateful you didn't reject outright."
He offered the glass again.
"Fortunately, I can share one with you before it runs out. Let this one be not for sworn loyalty, but from one friend to another."
I met the eyes of the prince who said this.
Clear, unclouded by deceit.
Who could look into those eyes and call him the king who sold out his kingdom?
'Everything is starting to change, bit by bit.'
Did that mean the history I should choose must change too?
Not yet, I wasn't sure.
But one thing mattered.
'Nothing beats a wise king ascending the throne.'
Being on good terms with that king was even better.
Finally, I brought the Sapphire Dragon he'd offered to my lips.
"Haha! What a joyous day! Since it's come to this, enjoy the festival to the fullest!"
As Prince Julius laughed heartily...
The modest drinking session marking the end of the Spring Festival's first day drew to a close.