Chapter 113
Chapter 113
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 113
Chapter Title: A Refreshing Honesty
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“ Ah! ”
Duke Lloyd flinched, startled by his own words.
He looked flustered.
And Sion thought he knew why Duke Lloyd was reacting that way.
“ First time, right? Speaking your true feelings openly to another person. ”
“ …… ”
Duke Lloyd blinked his wide eyes several times at those words.
He soon pursed his lips as if greatly astonished and shook his head slowly.
“ Phew! So this is what it feels like. My first time experiencing it. It’s like… ”
“ Feels refreshing, doesn’t it? ”
“ Yes, exactly. Incredibly refreshing and exhilarating. Haha! ”
A bright smile filled with genuine emotion—not his usual fabricated one—bloomed on Duke Lloyd’s face.
“ Much better than before. But remember this, Duke. Someone might try to exploit that side of you. ”
“ Of course. Besides, shouldn’t good things be savored sparingly? If you indulge without restraint, you’ll get bored of it quickly. I don’t want that. ”
“ Huh. ”
Sion let out an involuntary chuckle. The words Duke Lloyd had just spoken were ones he had heard long ago from someone else.
‘ They say you can’t steal seeds, but he’s too much like his father and grandfather. ’
The current King had said something similar in his youth, and the Hero King—father to the King and a close friend of Sion’s—had said the same to Sion during the Demon Dragon War.
The two were lonely.
Because they were monarchs who had to bear the expectations of countless people and rule over them.
Even in democratic systems, politicians rarely bared their true hearts to voters, let alone a monarch in this medieval feudal world?
Moreover, even in democracies, politicians who openly revealed their true feelings (righteous or not) to colleagues and voters almost always met bad ends—in a world crawling with jackals?
There was no way they could speak their minds.
Revealing one’s inner thoughts was disqualification as a king or monarch.
Thus, father and son alike hid their true selves, partly by choice and partly by necessity.
They showed their true ‘human’ side only when alone with Sion.
And right now, Duke Lloyd was saying something similar with the very expression his grandfathers wore when facing Sion.
“ But, Duke Lloyd. ”
“ Yes. ”
“ You don’t know exactly who I am, do you? Is it really okay to reveal your inner thoughts so easily? ”
Even though he had led him to it, the old monster tossed out a mischievous question.
“ Yes? Of course it is. ”
“ Hmm? ”
“ His Majesty the King wouldn’t permit me to do anything bad, would he? When I said I was going to meet you, he even assigned his cherished secretary to come along. ”
It was a wise answer to a foolish question.
This guy truly had no shame, sharp instincts, and considerable brains.
“ Good, very good. ”
At first, he hadn’t wanted to get involved at all, but now he had to acknowledge it.
Sion quite liked this young duke.
Of course, that didn’t mean he’d treat Duke Lloyd like the current King’s ‘frequently annoying and irritating but ultimately beloved nephew.’
“ Yes, at least better than the foolish and incompetent crown prince. I think you’ll make a far better monarch than him, Duke. ”
“ Yes, of course. ”
“ But you came all this way because you think I can help you become that kind of king? ”
“ Yes. ”
“ Why did you suddenly decide that? ”
“ That’s… ”
The reason Duke Lloyd had changed his mind and resolved to meet the one known by the epithet ‘Whale.’
“ First, I should talk about Baron Botan. ”
When the story arose of the noble who had conspired with Lady Baretti in August Territory to pull off something foolish only to get his head smashed by Lloyd and die, Sion smirked.
“ You’re not going to accuse me of noble murder, are you, Duke? So? ”
Duke Lloyd subtly swallowed dryly.
He was one of the many short-legged capital nobles who rampaged on the prestige of his uncle the crown prince and Count Rundle, but Baron Botan was undoubtedly a legitimate noble.
Normally, investigators would be urgently dispatched from the royal castle for a thorough probe.
But the young collateral elder before him was utterly convinced no such thing would happen.
‘ No, convinced that someone would block it. ’
And that someone was none other than the King.
“ Until then, it was just vague curiosity. Something like, he might be helpful to me? But after learning you had dealt with—no, punished—Baron Botan.
And then, astonishingly, seeing no follow-up measures at all, my view shifted. He became someone I absolutely had to meet if the chance arose. ”
“ I see. Go on. ”
“ Then recently, rumors circulated in the royal castle that Uncle Phylon and Count Rundle had a major argument. I thought it was about Baron Botan.
But no. A noble from Gooselander Kingdom sent a letter to Uncle Phylon, and they clashed fiercely over differing views on it. ”
“ About Sauden, huh. But why bring that up? ”
Not expecting Sion to admit it so openly, Duke Lloyd faltered but quickly regained his composure.
“ Yes, from what I heard, it was the Galen Count family, not Sauden. Anyway, shortly after, I heard that the heads of Sauden’s old noble houses had all headed to Duke Sion’s territory. Even Yajan’s proud merchants.
And right then, other news came too. Everything about Duke Sion’s territory over the past few months. What incidents occurred around the ducal seat, how they were resolved, who did what. ”
As second in the line of succession, he undoubtedly had a golden straw in the information guilds—one that never spoiled, unlike flimsy paper ones.
“ That very moment, I completely changed my mind. I had to meet Sir Sailun—the one called Whale, the collateral royal whose identity baffles not just me but even Uncle Phylon—as soon as possible. ”
Unlike the still impassive Sion, Duke Lloyd continued, slightly excited.
“ From your appearance in Burgos up to this very moment, I learned everything you’ve done. How could I sit still?
His Majesty the King’s warning not to get involved with you? Terrifying. It terrified me. But. I felt certain that disobeying His Majesty’s warning and facing the fallout would bring less regret than failing to meet you in person.
So I came myself. To avoid a greater—no, a once-in-a-lifetime—regret. ”
“ …… ”
Sion quietly gazed at Duke Lloyd’s face—eyes vividly sparkling with sharp intellect, expression brimming with conviction rather than arrogance.
‘ He looks just like that guy, but his actions are a dead ringer for Marco’s. ’
“ Alright, Duke Lloyd. ”
“ Ah… ”
Duke Lloyd brightened.
This enigmatic young collateral elder, who clearly wielded no small influence even over the King, had finally decided to help hi—
“ I’ll clear away the pesky obstacles for you. Whether you can wear the crown afterward depends on your own abilities. ”
“ …Yes? ”
* * *
“ …Sir Teber. ”
“ Yes, Your Grace. ”
An hour into the carriage ride, escorted by elf rangers, Duke Lloyd finally spoke, and Teber snapped out of his reverie to turn.
“ Earlier… did you hear what that person said to me? ”
“ Yes, I heard. ”
“ Won’t you tell me what he said? No matter how I rack my brain, it feels like I misheard… ”
“ He said the next king of our kingdom will be Duke Geo Lloyd. ”
“ Gasp! ”
Duke Lloyd’s face drained of color in an instant as he unconsciously clamped his mouth shut.
“ Breathe properly. You’ll cause a disaster before you even wear the crown. ”
“ Ah, no! Does that even make sense!? Who is he? Of course, I know he’s accomplished incredible feats. I know he’s a royal of exceptional talent whom even His Majesty holds in high regard. That’s why I came to meet him myself.
But even so, that, such… No, before that—you’re His Majesty’s secretary. How could you just sit there hearing such impudent words? ”
“ Because he’s someone who can say them. ”
“ No! So who the hell is that Whale fellow… ”
“ Even if His Majesty had been there, he could say the same. ”
“ ……!!! ”
Duke Lloyd’s eyes bulged before he let out a sigh.
“ Phew. It sounds absurd, but since I saw and experienced it myself, it somehow makes sense. But. ”
Even knowing only two were in the carriage, he lowered his voice as if fearing eavesdroppers.
“ In your view as secretary… do you think that person can really make me king? ”
“ Precisely, he said he’d remove the greatest obstacle standing in the way of you becoming king. Whether you wear the crown after that depends on Your Grace’s abilities. ”
“ Hmm. Right. It sounds similar at a glance, but they’re actually different words. Anyway, does that mean he’ll… deal with Uncle Phylon… like that? ”
Rivals for the throne or not, he couldn’t casually speak of his blood uncle’s death from his own mouth, so Duke Lloyd’s words were cautious.
“ With that person’s abilities, he could. But… in this case, I doubt he’ll handle it that way. ”
“ Ah, is that so? ”
Duke Lloyd’s expression lightened a bit.
A response that would cost points for a would-be king who should be pitiless.
But convinced this true nature was one key reason behind ‘that person’s’ decision today, Juang replied in his usual businesslike, impassive tone.
“ That’s what I think. He’ll likely deal with the greatest barrier to Your Grace wearing the crown in a way everyone can accept. ”
“ Then that’s fine. If so, I can handle the rest. ”
Back to his usual poised and confident self, Duke Lloyd asked slyly.
“ But you have no intention of telling me who he really is? ”
“ No, not until he permits it. ”
“ Tsk. ”
“ And the reason he didn’t tell Your Grace more about himself is that he judges Your Grace not yet qualified. Or perhaps he wants you to figure it out yourself. ”
In truth, it stemmed from the old monster’s lingering wish not to get more deeply entangled, but Juang had no way of knowing.
“ Qualified…? What do you… ”
“ But the mere fact he spoke casually means Your Grace has greatly pleased him. And. ”
To the now slightly sulky Duke Lloyd, Juang flashed a meaningful smile.
“ It seemed Your Grace quite—no, greatly—liked that person too? ”
“ Huh? ”
As Duke Lloyd tilted his head and squinted one eye, Juang cleared his throat.
“ Ahem. No matter what anyone says, I can become an outstanding king. At least not as incompetent and foolish as someone who couldn’t even rule a small village… ”
“ Uwak! Wak! ”
Leisurely dodging Duke Lloyd’s frantic hand aiming for his mouth with weaves and sways from his seat, Juang kept talking.
“ Utterly incompetent and foolish Phylon! Heh! I’m better than my uncle! Hot! No matter what, I will become an outstanding king, keup!! ”
Impossible to evade forever in the cramped carriage without touching the royal body, Juang’s annoyingly yapping mouth was finally silenced by Duke Lloyd’s palm.
Face beet-red, eyes blazing with blue flames as he glared at the king’s secretary, Duke Lloyd gnashed his teeth.
“ If word of today leaks out, it’s definitely the secretary who spilled it. Then you die, and I die too. Got it? ”
“ Mmph, mmph. ”
To the threat from today’s ‘next king (more easily embarrassed than expected)’—who, thanks to someone’s earth-shrinking technique(?), had skipped 99 of the 100 steps to the throne—the secretary nodded vigorously.
* * *
At the moment Duke Lloyd and Juang’s carriage, escorted by elf rangers, passed through the eerily silent forest.
Sion reunited with the Yajan and Sauden figures who had endured a grueling five nights and six days under Hander (Great Demon King) Yonas and Dwarf Mine Foreman (Hell’s Maw) Smirnov.
“ Grooo… ”
“ Huh, huhuh… ”
No idea what had happened to them (actually he did), they looked one step from turning human to zombie when Sion handed each a single sheet of paper.
Reading it with their deathly pale faces, they—
“ Gro… Gyaaah!? ”
“ Huh… Huck!? ”
Resurgence or deathbed lucidity—whatever it was—they bolted upright from their limp seats in the chairs.
“ That’s information from Yajan and Gooselander Kingdom, cross-verified and confirmed by Obla Kingdom’s intelligence guild. ”
“ Th-this… ”
To them—hands clutching the papers and eyes scanning the contents trembling fiercely—Sion nodded.
“ Undeniable fact. Monsters have multiplied two- to fourfold, regardless of type. Not just your hometowns—the entire world. ”
(Continued in the next installment)