Chapter 104
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
Chapter 104
“Kwer-huek!”
First, there was the suffocating feeling in my throat and a slight pain. Next, the embarrassment of having unleashed astream of gibberish in front of others. Finally, the anger at the fact that the culprits were none other than those four idiots.
I wondered what the hell was wrong with them. I thought they had finally lost their minds.
So, I grabbed Shulifen’s arm, which was clutching my shirt, and threw him to the floor.
Then, I gave the rest of the guys, who had joined in on this ridiculous act, a taste of my own medicine with a series of throws.
“Kyaek!”
“Kkwak!”
“Ack!”
“Kkerok!”
“You damn Hydras! What the hell are you doing? And in front of our guest and junior, no less!”
If it had been Selena, or Eloise, or even Lav, I would have understood. We’re already close, and even if something embarrassing happened, we could laugh it off.
But this time, it wasn’t any of them. It was Lefia. The Fifth Princess of the Lasker Kingdom, a person belonging to a nation that has been vying for dominance with our Empire for a very long time.
It wouldn’t look good if the heirs of the Empire’s prominent noble families were to pull a stunt like this in front of her.
“But! We did it all for you, Karl!”
“That makes absolutely no sense, you damn fools.”
“Oh my! How could you, Friedrich’s Heir! You already have a woman promised to you in the future, how could you be thinking of another woman!”
What the hell are these guys talking about? Thinking of another woman? Me?
“Did you perhaps hit your head when you were thrown to the floor?”
“No!”
“Or did someone put drugs in your lunch today?”
“No!!”
“Then why are you spouting nonsense? Why would I need another woman when I have Selena?”
No matter how you look at it, there’s no woman who could surpass Selena for me.
I confessed first, and even though things got a bit messy, we grew closer again after going through some stuff together. We’ve both worked hard for each other for three years, and most importantly, even after being rejected once, she confessed to me and I didn’t hesitate to say ‘Yes!’
So, one thing is for sure. No matter how many women are around me, Selena comes first. If I break this rule, I deserve to be struck by lightning from the Goddess of Light herself. Honestly, if I pushed aside a woman who’s willing to endure even graduate school for me, I deserve to be beaten to death.
“…But, Karl, you two looked really close earlier.”
“Yeah. Calling each other senior and junior. Anyone could see I was looking out for her.”
“Do you two agree?”
Just to be sure, I asked Alexander and Joachim, and after a moment’s hesitation, they nodded.
Hmm. So if that’s the case, the reason these guys acted like that was because they thought I was cheating on Selena?
Their intentions weren’t bad. Okay, I’ll admit that much, to be fair.
But still, you damn idiots. Did you have to grab me by the scruff of my neck and drag me away like that?
“Let me make this clear, it’s not what you’re thinking.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Where should I start… Hmm. First of all, you all know what kind of person my father is, right?”
At my question, the four of them nodded and immediately answered.
The scourge of Lasker. The Knight Crusher. The Kingdom’s Nightmare. Ominous nicknames poured out, one after another. I prefer Baba Yaga, the name the Lasker gave him.
“Anyway. My father said a princess from Lasker came, and her maternal family has some connection with him, so he told me to go easy on her.”
“Count Friedrich have connections there?”
“Instead of crushing them?”
“…”
The sad reality is that I can’t deny it. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. There was a good reason my mother married my father.
The place my father beat mercilessly was Lasker. And the ones who got hit the hardest were none other than Lefia’s maternal family.
But after beating them like that, he’s now asking me to go easy on them. Not only me, but the four of them were also completely puzzled.
“Well, they say men become friends by fighting. It seems Count Friedrich wanted to look out for the granddaughter of his enemy-turned-friend.”
Joachim, the first to snap out of his confusion, reassured the others.
As expected of Joachim. Usually, he’s hardly noticeable, but when it comes to calming or persuading others, he steps up like a ghost and gets results.
“Wait, Karl. Does Princess Lefia know you’re the son of Count Friedrich?”
“She just found out.”
“Wasn’t she shocked or scared?”
“…Not really?”
I thought she’d be scared too, at first. But no. She was more intrigued, actually?
She even said something about how the son of Baba Yaga became a hero of the Empire, and that there was a reason her maternal family feared and revered him.
When I explained this to the guys, Schlieffen and Wilhelm were the first to understand.
Alexander and Joachim followed, saying it made sense if they were knights from Lasker. They’d heard that Laskerians give high praise to insurmountable foes or something.
“Still, be careful, Karl.”
“Yeah. We might understand, but Selena might not.”
“That’s true. So I need to talk to her about it…”
Wait a minute. Stop right there.
“Hey, you four. Freeze. Stop.”
“Huh?”
“Repeat what you just said.”
“About being careful?”
“No, the next part.”
If I heard correctly, I think I heard it right.
“Uh… We understand, but Selena might not?”
“Yes. That’s it.”
I immediately drew my greatsword. It’s a weapon blessed by the Radiant Church, specifically the Empire’s 1st and 4th dioceses, practically a holy sword.
“This is strange. I haven’t told Selena anything. But the way you’re talking, it seems like you’re certain Selena knows everything.”
“Uh, huh?”
“Am I mistaken? If so, tell me quickly. Otherwise, tell me how far you’ve spilled the beans. Be honest.”
Let’s see. Their reactions… Alexander and Joachim look like they have no idea what I’m talking about.
They’re not con artists who lie through their teeth. They’re people whose emotions are written all over their faces. So, they’re off the suspect list for now.
“…If we’re honest, you won’t get mad?”
On the other hand, there’s Schlieffen, who just said that, and Wilhelm, nodding beside him.
Those two are obviously the culprits. They can’t hide their nervousness.
Hahaha. You guys. At least you’re not denying it. You’re not bad kids.
For your sake, I’ll give you two merciful options.
“I don’t know about that. But you can choose whether I’ll stab you gently or cut you gently.”
“I don’t want either!”
“Me neither!”
“You guys who don’t want either of those told Selena everything?”
“Hey, Karl! I didn’t tell Selena anything!”
What’s he saying? Did I hear wrong?
“I only told the elf! Junior Eloise!”
“…”
Change of options. Let’s make it a little painful. Come here, you damn bastards. Come here!
* * *
Since ancient times, the Kingdom of Lasker has been called the Land of Knights. Knights were the foundation of this country.
From nobles to ordinary citizens, people loved those who were strong and honorable. They loved the Founding King the most, also known as the Knight King.
But aspiring to be knightly and living honorably wasn’t something just anyone could do.
There’s a reason why those things are considered the highest honor. Not everyone can do it. No matter how much one desires it, the difficulty of achieving it is the reason for the intense longing.
Sometimes, one has to be more ruthless than necessary. There are times when one has to choose something else over upholding honor.
Even if it’s not knightly, there are times when one has to walk a different path.
And that was exactly why Lasker was currently experiencing unprecedented chaos.
“I’m not sure if this is right. The Second Princess drove out even the Crown Prince…”
“Oh my. This person. The Crown Prince can’t even move. So will he inherit the throne? That’s not possible, is it?”
“But to eliminate all the others… I think that’s going too far.”
The chaos in the royal family wasn’t something that could be resolved simply with chivalry and honor.
So the Second Princess showed a side of herself that no one had seen before and pushed forward aggressively.
As a result, the chaos in the royal family subsided to some extent, but the chaos in the kingdom increased.
Whether this situation was befitting the name of Lasker, the Kingdom of Knights, both nobles and commoners began to watch closely.
From the Second Princess’s perspective, it was frustrating. Did they want things to be this way? They had no choice.
It wasn’t something given to them by the king like the Crown Prince—it was something they had to seize with their own power. In that situation, they couldn’t afford to worry about chivalry or honor.
To seize power, you have to strike first, not draw swords simultaneously. To avoid being pushed back, sharpness is needed more than honor. Chivalry is of no help.
“Wouldn’t the Fifth Princess be better? I heard she remained neutral until the end.”
“The Fifth Princess didn’t intervene, like a true knight, but the Second Princess took advantage of that and destroyed the Fifth Princess’s faction. I think that’s wrong.”
It might have been just idle talk. It could have been a mere expression of dissatisfaction.
But to the Second Princess’s faction, which had just seized power, it appeared as a serious threat.
They feared that if the Fifth Princess had any other intentions, it could lead to another civil war.
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
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