Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: The Fallen Empire's Wastrel Fifth Prince (2)
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‘I didn’t even sense his presence…’
Even though the Fifth Prince was known as a wastrel with no real abilities, were his senses really this dull? But when he thought about the Royal Guard’s lore, it made sense. They were all superhumans of exceptional skill, one and all.
“I am Viscount Illusion of the Royal Guard. My title is viscount.”
“Pleased to meet you, Viscount Illusion.”
Raymond nodded in response.
“We weren’t prepared for such a sudden visit, so there’s no formal escort. But since I’ve come personally to guide you, please forgive any offense.”
Viscount Illusion bowed his head slightly as he spoke.
The other princes never got much ceremony when they visited the palace either—what made a wastrel any different? It was just empty flattery.
“Offense? No, it’s my fault for showing up unannounced. Don’t worry about it.”
‘He’s not like the rumors say.’
Viscount Illusion quietly revised his personal assessment of the Fifth Prince. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, but the mask hid it from Raymond’s view.
“I’ll escort you to the banquet hall.”
“Guidance from the Royal Guard… Now that’s reassuring.”
Raymond’s face broke into a genuine smile—not sarcasm, but pure delight.
The Fifth Prince’s vibrant tone brought a smile to Viscount Illusion’s lips as well.
Of course, the mask concealed it.
“Yes, Your Highness. Even if an assassin leaped out right now, I’d protect you.”
“They say the shield of the imperial family is unbreakable. I feel safe already.”
What kind of attack could happen in the imperial palace anyway? Still, Raymond’s earnest gratitude and good-natured smile warmed Viscount Illusion’s hidden face.
Even if it was just polite words, chatting with a Royal Guard like this wasn’t a bad experience.
The wastrel Fifth Prince wasn’t standing before him now.
“Even if the ‘Hashashin,’ guardians of darkness from the Kingdom of Edriger, the Land of Night, appeared, I would protect you, Your Highness.”
The empire had enemies in the Tripartite Alliance, sure, but sending their elite assassin class, the Hashashin, at a time like this?
The empire might be in decline, but this was deep within the imperial palace in the heart of the capital.
‘No way that’d happen.’
And yet.
Absolute statements didn’t exist.
“Assassins!”
“The palace is under attack!”
“Imperial Guard, protect His Majesty the Emperor!”
The empire seemed far more decayed than Raymond had imagined.
“Damn…”
He barely swallowed the curse.
Of all the times to visit the emperor after five long years, this had to happen.
His luck was rotten.
Still, he was only startled, not afraid.
Since it wasn’t in the lore, it had to be a minor incident where no major characters died.
And above all, Raymond Philius, the Fifth Prince, survived the banquet hall raid in the early parts of volume 1.
Of course, he did perish alongside the other royals in the climax at the end of volume 1, the Bloody Funeral—but not yet. He wasn’t doomed for now.
“Knights, protect His Highness the Fifth Prince!”
At Viscount Illusion’s shout, the imperial knights accompanying him as attendants drew their swords and clustered around Raymond.
As Raymond opened his mouth in confusion at the sudden chaos—
“Royal blood? Talk about lucky.”
An assassin sliced through space to appear. Even in a declining empire, assassinating the emperor in his own palace wasn’t easy.
This was just a probing strike to test the emperor’s defenses. But here was a royal—and lightly guarded at that.
Most of the Imperial Guard and Royal Guard were focused on the emperor.
“First time clashing with a Royal Guard.”
But the assassin was confident of victory. Seeing this, Viscount Illusion of the Royal Guard spoke up.
“A Hashashin.”
‘They actually sent real Hashashin?’
Raymond felt like he was losing his mind.
“But worry not, Your Highness.”
Shing.
Viscount Illusion drew his sword.
“I promised to protect you.”
His voice rang with resolve.
“The shield of the imperial family cannot be breached.”
“I trust you, Viscount Illusion.”
“I won’t disappoint.”
Viscount Illusion stepped forward.
An extraordinary aura emanated from him, forcing even the overconfident Hashashin to tense up.
“So this is a Royal Guard viscount…”?
As the Hashashin muttered in intrigued tones, Viscount Illusion swung his sword.
A short, razor-sharp dagger sprang from the Hashashin’s sleeve.
‘Fast!’
Only after their blades clashed over ten times did Raymond realize the fight had begun.
‘No talent, my ass—didn’t expect this level.’
Amazed by the duel of titans, Raymond sighed at his own body’s limits—he couldn’t even track their afterimages.
He’d felt it watching Viscount Illusion earlier, but it was pitiful that such a soul was trapped in this flesh.
The Fifth Prince was a minor antagonist in volume 1 with barely any involvement in the main plot, so the novel barely described him. Raymond hadn’t realized he was this talentless.
‘Practically an extra.’
A fleeting character who provoked the protagonist, got brutally wrecked, slunk away pathetically, and later died in Danchi under the royal purge plan.
‘And that day, the Philius imperial family was wiped out.’
His thoughts didn’t last. A shard of blade stabbed into the ground at his feet.
The imperial knights surged forward in a panic.
“Your Highness! You must retreat!”
“It’s too dangerous here!”
But Raymond shook his head and spoke.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
It might look like the wastrel’s stubbornness.
“The blood of the Philius emperors does not flee.”
But not today.
No wastrel stood here now—only the Fifth Prince, heir to the Philius imperial blood.
“Your Highness!”
“We’ll protect you with our lives!”
The imperial knights fussed again.
Ignoring them, Raymond kept his eyes locked on the two fighters.
He couldn’t even read the afterimages, but his gaze stayed fixed.
It was the least he could do to honor Viscount Illusion, who stood as his shield.
‘Not like the rumors.’
Feeling Raymond’s gaze, Viscount Illusion was quietly moved.
‘Can’t disappoint him.’
His eyes sharpened. He gathered his aura and reset his sword. Only then did the Hashashin realize he’d underestimated the Royal Guard.
“Oh no…”
As the Hashashin tried to retreat, Viscount Illusion’s swing scattered aura.
“So this is the Royal Guard…”
Raymond saw it clearly: blood erupting from the Hashashin’s body.
He collapsed like a puppet with cut strings.
“Your Highness, I’ll escort you to safety.”
Raymond smiled at Viscount Illusion’s courteous bow.
Declining or not, it was still an empire.
No one had expected the imperial palace—the safest place in the capital—to be breached, even temporarily.
The intruders’ target was obviously the emperor.
Over thirty Hashashin ambushed him en route to breakfast in the banquet hall, but they were annihilated.
The palace defenses had been pierced, but the emperor was surrounded by the shield of the imperial family: the Royal Guard.
It was a raid doomed from the start.
The empire’s leadership judged it not an attempt on the emperor’s life, but a probe of their defenses.
“Report the palace casualties in detail.”
Emperor Ronald was old and frail, but his voice carried the clear dignity of a sovereign.
The kneeling Royal Guard raised his head slightly to deliver the report.
“Hmm.”
Ronald’s expression eased. The damage was lighter than feared— a relief.
The Royal Guard relaxed a fraction and prepared to continue—
“…And His Highness the Fifth Prince was attacked by one Hashashin.”
“The Fifth Prince was in the palace?”
“Yes, sire.”
The emperor, who’d maintained his composure, faltered.
“It seems he accepted Your Majesty’s invitation to breakfast.”
“Ah…”
Every morning for five years, Emperor Ronald had invited his Fifth Prince, Raymond, to breakfast. He’d never once appeared—not even a shadow.
‘But he accepted today’s invitation?’
“Raymond…”
Moisture tinged the emperor’s quiet murmur of his son’s name.
“Where is the Fifth Prince now?”
“Under the protection of one Royal Guard and several imperial knights in a secure area near the banquet hall. He’ll return to the Fifth Prince’s Palace once the palace is cleared.”
“No.”
“Your Majesty?”
The words slipped out before Ronald could stop them.
He felt the reporting Royal Guard’s gaze and spoke with a stern face.
“I’m going to the banquet hall. Have the first kitchen prepare breakfast.”
“Your Majesty! The palace isn’t fully secure!”
“Indeed! There could be stragglers.”
The Guard Captain and Knight Order Commander stepped forward.
“It’s been five years.”
The emperor’s calm voice echoed softly in the audience chamber, laced with unyielding strength.
The eyes of his gathered retainers fixed on him.
“Are you saying I can’t even feed breakfast to the son who’s come home after five years? Or…”
His gaze swept the Royal Guard leader, Guard Captain, and Knight Order Commander.
“…has the shield of the imperial family grown so weak it can’t protect a father and son’s morning meal?”
His words pierced their hearts like sharpened spikes.
The emperor’s statement held layers of meaning.
‘Has the empire fallen this far?’
It felt like an accusation.
And it was time to show everyone the empire still stood strong.
His retainers understood.
“Your Majesty, the palace is secure now. We’ll make it so. Please proceed to the banquet hall without worry.”
It was Marquis Blizzard, acting head of the Royal Guard in the absent grand duke.
“Five years, indeed. We’ll send extra escorts to bring His Highness the Fifth Prince to the banquet hall.”
The moment of father and son’s reunion drew near.
“Could you explain that again?”
Fifth Prince Raymond couldn’t wrap his head around the situation. He asked the imperial knight before him to clarify.
“We’ve received an imperial order to escort Your Highness to the banquet hall.”
“The entire Sixth Imperial Knight Order—the Golden Heart Knights—are escorting me?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Over twenty Golden Heart Knights, the whole order, assigned as his escort.
Raymond hadn’t imagined his return after five years would cause such a stir.
‘Now I can’t back out…’
He hadn’t expected an attack on the palace. He’d wanted to hole up in the Fifth Prince’s Palace again, but the emperor had other plans.
“Your Highness…”
Alex prompted cautiously from the side.
Raymond wanted to bolt but kept his composure.
“Lead the way to the banquet hall.”
“We’ll ensure your safe passage.”
It wasn’t far to the banquet hall. Perhaps due to the recent attack, armed figures were everywhere along the path.
At the entrance, two Royal Guards stood watch.
“His Majesty the Emperor awaits.”
The Royal Guard murmured softly, slowly opening the doors to reveal the grand banquet hall.
At the head seat sat Emperor Ronald.
“Come in, my son.”
Their reunion after five years. Affection shone in the emperor’s eyes as he gazed at his returned son.
Breakfast ended quickly. The emperor watched Raymond eat with a pleased look but said little.
For all it was five years apart, their talk was minimal—mere small talk at that.
As the meal concluded, Raymond watched the emperor rise first, accompanied by the Royal Guard, with a hint of regret.
With the palace under attack, no one was busier than the emperor. Yet he’d carved out time for this breakfast.
It drove home how much the emperor cherished Raymond.
‘But the emperor is old and ailing.’
His eyes still held vigor, but he was a setting sun all the same.
The throne would likely go to the First Prince, Second Prince, or Third Prince.
[The First Prince, gifted in swordsmanship, is upright but hot-tempered like raging flames, backed by the military and knights. The Third Prince reached senior mage level young, talented in magic with support from the Crimson Tower and Imperial Tower of the Mage Tower Alliance—but unlike before, he’s lost his wit, seethes with jealousy, and acts rashly.]
Princes backed by mages or knights was standard fare. The problem was the Second Prince.
[The Second Prince is unique. With vast wealth and insidious schemes, he commands the empire’s shadows. Assassins lurk in his service.]
The ruler of the empire’s darkness.
“What are you thinking so intently about?”
‘This guy’s no saint either.’
Raymond hadn’t expected him to time his entrance so perfectly.