The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

After Leo left the castle, the night of the day Leticia was abducted.

I was visiting the inner palace by myself.

“—–that’s how it is. In case of emergency, please be prepared to evacuate together with Christa.”

“Even if you told me that, I don’t know what to think though.”

When I told my mother, The Sixth Consort, Mitsuba, I received a vague reply.

“You don’t believe me?”

“I do believe you. It’s not that I don’t think Gordon would ever start a revolt. If he is going to do that it would be on the last day of the festival, in other words, it’s tomorrow right.”

“Yes, tomorrow we will have a fighting tournament in the arena. Including Father, many people will leave the castle for it. He must be aiming for that timing to start the revolt. He can greatly limit Father’s options if he can occupy the castle after all.”

The Imperial Sword Castle is the cornerstone of the Capital defense.

Firstly, it is a strong and fortified castle. If he can seize control of this castle that can easily withstand a siege battle for several months, Father will not be able to engage in a long-term battle. Gordon has much control over the Imperial Army but it doesn’t mean that he has complete control of them. In a prolonged battle, reinforcements will eventually arrive at the Emperor’s aid.

And secondly, the Imperial Sword Castle is also the key to activate the huge barrier that can cover the entire Imperial Capital.

Firmament ・Kugel

(The Great Celestial Sphere)

It is a magic that covers the entire Imperial Capital with a huge spherical barrier centered on the Imperial Sword Castle.

In terms of category, it is something similar to ancient magic. This is because it was reproduced from a spell found in ancient magic tomes. With that said, it is only a deteriorated form since originally it is a spell that has to be cast by a person but that was replaced by a certain mechanism. The barrier can be activated by placing high-purity jewels to supply it with magic power.

Even so, once it is activated, nothing can enter the barrier from the outside. Well, that is only in the case that it was activated at full-power though.

A large number of ancient magic tomes were collected in the process to create this barrier. Gramp and I studied ancient magic from those tomes. Of course, some of them were collected personally by Gramp but most of the tomes were collected during that time.

If the Celestial Sphere is activated, I will not be able to enter the capital from the outside. That’s why I stay back in the Imperial Capital.

“Will it really go that well?”

“Considering the current turmoil, it is possible.”

“Right. I agree with you on that point. But what I am wondering is if can Gordon really pull it off.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know about how he was in the past but right now he doesn’t listen to any of his follower’s advice. He prefers brute-forcing his obstacles while ignoring the detailed planning right? With that child acting alone, I can’t see him pulling this off at all.”

“…..someone is working with him?”

“I don’t know. But I don’t think that Gordon alone would be able to successfully launch such an attack. He is not the type that can accomplish such a detailed plan after all. By that line of reasoning, it is possible that there is someone who is pulling the strings from behind the scenes.”

Her evaluation of Gordon could be said to be terribly harsh but she is entirely correct.

My mother also knew Gordon since he was a child. She wouldn’t misread his personality either.

“This plan probably involves the Kingdom and the United Kingdom. Gordon is a friend with the Dragon Prince of the United Kingdom. Perhaps they are in cahoot? Or maybe it is someone from the Kingdom side. Either way, there is no use thinking about it now.”

“The possibility of that is certainly high but I think that it is someone from the Empire side.”

“Someone other than Gordon? Please don’t say that it is Eric okay?”

“That child is different. He would never give away his possession to anyone.”

That’s right. For Eric, the Empire is his. He has full confidence that the throne will be his and he has already started thinking about what will happen after he ascended the throne.

That Eric will never go out of his way to invite outsiders to intervene with his own Empire’s affairs.

If that’s the case then.

“Don’t tell me……it is those two?”

“The possibility is not entirely non-existence right?”

I frown at Mother’s words.

It is true that those two would feel rejoice from such a crisis.

However, they are in a situation where they shouldn’t be able to move freely.

“Zuzan and Zandra are currently under house arrest by Father’s order. No one can visit them as they are under guard. I don’t think that they would be able to be involved with Gordon’s plan.”

“Normally it is certainly impossible since they can not make contact with each other. But one of Zuzan’s maids is still never caught, no?”

“……it is not uncommon for Zuzan’s maid to disappear so it was something that they overlooked huh.”

All of Zuzan’s maids were captured. Except for one.

However, it did not become a big problem.

Zuzan and Zandra often violently abuse their maids. It is not unusual for those maids to disappear inside the Inner Palace.

The officials probably think that the maid either escaped or was already killed by Zuzan.

It was an oversight but at the time the priority was given to find out how Zuzan and Zandra were involved in the Southern Rebellion.

“Are you thinking that Zuzan’s maid is working from behind the scenes, Mother?”

“I think so.”

“And what is your basis on that?”

“I want to call it a woman’s intuition but that will not make sense to you right?”

“That’s obvious.”

“Yeah, then I will give you my reasoning. Gordon has launched a military campaign on the Kingdom before. It’s hard to imagine Gordon and the Kingdom joining hands unless someone is acting as their middleman. Moreover, Zuzan is Duke Kruger’s younger sister who started the rebellion in the south. Do you think that Duke Kruger would simply start a rebellion without expecting any kind of reinforcements?”

“I see. So Duke Kruger and Zuzan originally have a connection with the Kingdom. If the rebellion was prolonged, the Kingdom would have moved. However, they failed.”

“That’s right. They are commencing the plan that they originally expected launch in conjunction with Duke Kruger’s rebellion as the centerpiece. With that line of thinking, it is natural to arrive at this conclusion. After all, with Zuzan’s aide as their middleman, it is not strange of a conclusion at all.”

The maid who escaped is Zuzan’s pawn that moves at her command.

So she is someone like Sebas to me huh.

That person connected Gordon with the Kingdom.

A joint effort with multiple countries on such a scale is difficult. Gordon doesn’t have that the skill nor anyone on his side that can pull that off.

However, that would be possible for Zuzan’s aide who is proficient in moving behind the scenes.

In that case, this situation would be much more troublesome than I thought.

“That would be like both Zuzan and Zandra joining hands with Gordon though?”

“That would be impossible considering their characters but Zuzan no longer has any choice. If Gordon understands that then it is possible for them to try to use each other. Of course, either of them will surely betray one another along the line though.”

“Two candidates for the throne are joining hands……the Kingdom, the United Kingdom, and the Dominion might even be involved. Their cooperation can explain why so many countries are willing to lend them a hand.”

Because they have a chance at winning, they decided to cooperate.

Even if it benefits them, I thought that the other countries are overestimating Gordon’s value for quite a bit but with an added-value like Zuzan and Zandra, I am convinced.

“Back to the original topic, with Zuzan and Zandra involved, I think that the Inner Palace will become the frontline. Moreover, they will probably try to target me too. I am your and Leo’s mother after all.”

“That is certainly so……..”

It could be said that it was because of Leo and me that Zuzan and Zandra lost their positions.

The two are currently being confined deep inside the inner palace but if they are cooperating with Gordon then they will soon be freed.

Right now, the inner palace is dangerous.

“Christa is Lize’s little sister. Zuzan’s first move will surely be capturing her as a hostage. It would not be a good plan to leave her with me.”

“……then you have to evacuate too, Mother.”

“I can not leave the inner palace without permission. The Empress will attend tomorrow’s fighting tournament, and the other consorts have already decided to stay back in the inner palace.”

Only the Empress will sit next to the Emperor tomorrow. If another consort appeared beside him, there might be some unnecessary rumor floating around about the succession war.

In that respect, the Empress has nothing to worry about. It is a well-known fact that the Crown Prince has already passed away and Trau-niisan has no intention to succeed the throne.

I can understand that they want to dispel unwanted rumors in this time of instability.

However, right now I am resenting Father for making that decision. It is exactly because of that, that Mother has to stay behind in such a dangerous place.

“Then I will strengthen your escort.”

“Nothing good will come from that. You must focus on protecting Christa. I will manage by myself.”

“BUT!”

“I will be fine. I am your and Leo’s mother after all. Besides, I am not the one who you need to save.”

Saying so, my mother looks at the door leading to the room next door.

“You can come in now.”

“……Yes.”

“You are…….”

A brown-haired woman came out from the room next door.

That woman is the Seventh Consort and the mother of the Tenth Prince.

“Gianna-sama……”

“Your Highness Arnold….please save my son……..”

Saying so, she bowed to me.

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