Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: A Royal Challenge
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‘The Crown Prince himself...’
He had never met anyone from the royal family. He had always considered them part of another world, one completely unrelated to his own.
What caught Loan's attention was the idea of placing a wager on his skills.
As a participant in the awards ceremony, if the Crown Prince were to find fault with him and challenge him to a match with something at stake, what he would want to wager was...
‘I might just be able to go.’
Could this be fate?
Sensing a possibility, Loan took his place at the end of the line with his Faith Division seniors.
"Your contributions were outstanding. Why are you standing back here?"
"This ceremony is for you. Get to the front."
For some reason, the seniors' chiding felt pleasant.
Placing a fist over his heart, Loan moved to the front of the formation.
Lucas was already there.
"Loan, did you hear? The Crown Prince is awarding the commendations himself."
"I heard something about it. I thought an administrator would be here, but this is much more."
"It's the First Crown Prince himself. Second in line to the throne. Even the seniors were surprised."
Lucas whispered, glancing toward the central platform, which was still empty.
Loan had no particular interest in the hierarchy of power.
However, the fact that the Crown Prince was personally presenting the awards made him feel one step closer to his goal.
A short while later.
"His Highness, the Crown Prince, is arriving."
The announcement wasn't overly reverent, but its straightforwardness inspired trust.
Following Bureau Director Lazaros's introduction, the Crown Prince and his entourage appeared on the central platform.
‘So that's the First Crown Prince.’
Loan carefully studied the face of the royal he was seeing for the first time.
It was the first time since he had seen his own reflection that he had found another man handsome.
His skin was so pale that faint blue veins were visible. A gaunt frame made his tall stature seem even taller.
He looked incredibly frail, which seemed to deepen his dark, dignified air.
But what was more peculiar than his appearance was what lay within.
The light of the mana that filled his body, as if on the verge of igniting, seemed to fluctuate between brilliance and turbidity.
If this had been Olen's city hall—
‘I would have been interrogated by Sienna because of my choice.’
But this man was someone who demanded absolute respect.
Loan followed his seniors' lead and gave a slight bow to the First Crown Prince, Denian.
"..."
The Crown Prince silently swept his gaze over the grand training ground.
The only part of him that showed any emotion was his narrowed brow. A mix of boredom, fatigue, annoyance, and discomfort was packed into the subtle furrow between his eyebrows.
Just as Loan was thinking how his expressionlessness was, in its own way, impressive...
He met Loan's eyes.
Was it because of their similar appearances that their gazes lingered?
If the absolute ruler of the Union hadn't appeared just then, their exchange of glances might have turned into a staring contest.
"The Governor-General is arriving."
The moment Bureau Director Lazaros finished speaking, everyone had a fist placed over their heart.
Not even the faintest breath could be heard in the grand training ground.
A uniform reverence was directed toward the central platform.
Soon, the eyes of all present fell upon the simple, oat-colored dress worn by the Union's absolute ruler.
The one who had been the heart and soul of the Union from its very beginning.
She walked with the grace of a slender country maiden, her steps light as a gentle breeze, yet she was the one who had ended the long war, a powerhouse said to be the strongest on the continent, capable of facing a nation alone.
Loan thought.
‘There's no reason not to believe it.’
Taking her seat, she placed a transparent commission plaque on her lap and smiled faintly.
Though her eyes were bound by a strip of cloth, every member of the Union knew her gaze was fully upon them.
Loan felt a refreshing clarity, as if all his lingering fatigue had vanished in an instant.
"The Union, sword of the kingdom and its western bulwark, has purged the mayor of Olen, who colluded with Grave, and annihilated the Le Tell faction, thereby protecting the safety and peace of the people. Therefore, King Simon Gladwyn Grafton..."
Lazaros's low voice reached every corner of the grand training ground.
As the official document clearly outlined the recent merits, Loan's eyes were fixed solely on the Governor-General.
Things he hadn't been able to recall last time, due to his emotional turmoil, now came flooding back.
How much did he need to improve his abilities, how many merits must he achieve, to earn her recognition and wear the white uniform?
Furthermore, why hadn't such a powerful figure appeared in his visions?
Could the Union, with someone so strong at its helm, truly be destined for ruin?
‘She looks like she could beat anyone.’
He was so lost in thought that he only realized his name had been called when all eyes turned to him.
Lazaros sought the Governor-General's permission and called his name a second time.
"Oz of the Faith Division, Loan."
Even after hearing it, he tilted his head in confusion.
The commanders of the Faith and Honor Divisions, the seniors from various units who had displayed incredible martial prowess, and even Sienna, who had personally beheaded the mayor—with all of them present, why was his name called first?
Loan walked forward, feeling bewildered.
As he moved, he made eye contact with his seniors.
Sienna acknowledged him with a slight curve of her lips, Oscar with a nod as he stroked his beard, and Commander Adrian with a wink from behind his glasses.
A surge of strength filled his legs as he climbed the stairs.
"I greet you, Governor-General."
He placed a fist over his heart to show respect, and she returned a smile.
Guided by a bureau official, Loan stepped to the side, in front of the Governor-General.
Crown Prince Denian rose and approached Loan.
Loan offered a slight bow as a sign of respect, then met the prince's gaze.
He couldn't be more than twenty.
He was staring intently at Loan. While his expression was hard to read, his eyes were incredibly sharp.
‘They said he's good at finding fault.’
What kind of fault could he find with me?
Loan thought.
‘I'm more handsome.’
Perhaps the reason the Crown Prince, who had everything, was staring so intently at him was because of his looks.
Loan didn't avert his gaze in the slightest; instead, he offered a faint smile. The Crown Prince's brow twitched.
Lazaros's voice continued.
"For discerning the treason of the Olen official and for taking the lead in dismantling Le Tell's magic, Oz Loan is hereby commended. He shall be awarded a bonus equivalent to one year's salary and is granted the right to select one Grade 4 item from the Union's treasury."
Hearing this didn't move him much.
Even with a large sum of money, he had no particular use for it. The preparation funds he'd received before his first salary were still untouched.
The Union's treasury, said to be filled with precious elixirs, magical artifacts, and weapons.
He had heard that elixirs were considered Grade 2, so a Grade 4 item would likely be useless to him.
He was only somewhat satisfied with having his contributions recognized before his seniors. In any case, it would certainly help with his promotion to Runner.
Loan reached out with both hands for the document the Crown Prince held out.
With their hands holding opposite ends of the wooden plaque to which the document was affixed, the Crown Prince spoke.
"I'm giving this to you because I was told to, but it's all just incomprehensible nonsense. You. Do you really use magic?"
His voice was like a scrape against the floor.
It was a question demanding an answer.
"I learned from Dean Arthur of the Union Academy's magic department."
"Never heard of him. But I do know the mayor of Olen, the one who was beheaded."
"..."
"I have rather fond memories of him. He would always bring soft cookies whenever he visited the royal palace. His taste in sweets matched my own."
His strange words seemed to defend a man who had plotted treason.
His intention was clear.
As expected, he was starting to find fault.
"Isn't it odd that such a faithful man would commit treason? They say you uncovered it with some unique magic, but no one even asked what it was. What kind of commendation is this?"
"..."
Loan knew from instinct when to remain silent.
It was not yet his place to interfere.
Loan's judgment was correct.
A clear voice spoke up from the side.
"I was the one who acknowledged Loan's merits. Is there a problem, Your Highness?"
As if he had been waiting for it, the Crown Prince turned his head toward the Governor-General.
His hand remained on the wooden plaque.
Loan didn't let go either.
"I am merely pointing out what I cannot accept. His Majesty said I would have something to learn here, but I highly doubt that."
He couldn't speak down to her openly, not even as the second-most powerful figure in the kingdom.
Their ages were vastly different, and the gap in their martial prowess was as wide as the heavens and the earth. Above all, the Governor-General's authority here surpassed even that of the king.
He continued, speaking loudly as if to himself.
"An inexplicable award for a newcomer who just joined. I knew the Union was lax, but I never imagined it was this bad. I wonder if it's still right to call you the sword of the kingdom, or if I've just grown soft from staying in the palace for too long. I really can't tell."
In an instant, dust swirled up from the grand training ground.
Over a hundred of the strongest members had simultaneously released their energy.
But they all remained stone-faced. Not a single expression changed.
Their hearts were stirred by his excessive rudeness, but they were giving great consideration to his status.
The Crown Prince frowned at the rising dust.
"Are you all stirred by my little monologue? If we're talking about treason, isn't this closer to it?"
Loan found the Crown Prince's words unpleasant, yet he was also pleased with how the situation was unfolding.
A wager was a contest where both sides put something they desired on the line.
Could this be his chance to get what he wanted?
As his heart fluttered with anticipation, the Governor-General spoke.
"So you wish to meticulously scrutinize whether his merits are just. Those are the words of the Crown Prince, so if you wish it, we must oblige. However..."
Having set the stage, the Governor-General turned her head slightly toward Loan.
"I am more concerned that the heart of a new member might be wounded. Is he not a precious resource of the kingdom?"
"..."
The Governor-General's words served as a suitable provocation for both sides.
The Crown Prince let out a dry chuckle.
"A resource of the kingdom, you say. May I test whether he is useful firewood or just useless weeds, not even fit for kindling?"
To test him personally was to demand a duel.
It was an extraordinary demand, yet one that everyone had anticipated.
As if things had finally gotten interesting, the Crown Prince let his feelings show freely on his face.
The Governor-General turned her head toward Loan and spoke.
"The members of the Union are those who must always prove themselves. Do you understand what I mean?"
He couldn't accept carelessly just because there was something he wanted.
If he failed to display his skills properly, it would only prove the Crown Prince's claim that the Governor-General's decision was unjust.
This was a match he had to win.
But Loan felt no pressure.
He had been constantly feeling her warm regard for him.
In front of the Governor-General, the thought of losing simply didn't cross his mind.
"I will do it."
"Depending on the outcome, I will grant you one more request. That would be fair. The Crown Prince will agree as well."
The Crown Prince gave a silent nod, and Loan pretended to think for a moment.
He couldn't ask for something excessive like a promotion. So, there was only one thing he had been hoping for recently.
Loan said calmly.
"As a member of the Union, I only wish to do my best for those who are groaning in suffering throughout the world. However, my perspective is still very narrow. If you would send me to Shiong, I believe it would add more depth to my current training."
From a distance, Oscar let out a low sound of admiration.
The Governor-General smiled.
She nodded and said.
"I will assign you a mission that allows you to achieve your goal. Do not worry."
Only then did Loan release his hand from the wooden plaque.
Since the one bestowing it did not acknowledge him, it was not yet his.
"Shall we begin now?"
he asked, unbuttoning the buttons he had fastened for the ceremony.
His neat movements were filled with spirit.
Here and there, sharp intakes of breath could be heard.