While Lin Ling and the others were enjoying a leisurely lunch, at the border—
“Damn it! Can any of you bastards find someone who can still use magic?!”
Keith clutched the letter in his hand, glaring at the soldiers before him.
Just moments ago, news had arrived from the capital.
The Emperor of Camillaya, his father, was dead!
Keith looked down at the few short lines on the paper, a grin plastered across his face that he couldn't wipe off.
“I must return immediately! Right now!”
He looked at the battered soldiers in front of him. Most of their armor was cracked, and many were pale, barely able to keep themselves standing.
It was easy to tell they had just survived a brutal battle.
“Y-Your Highness, everyone just repelled a surprise attack from the demons. We've completely run out of mana for now.”
The deputy looked at the crazed Keith and stepped forward, shielding the soldiers behind him.
“Please, give us some time to rest.”
“Rest? At a time like this, how can I possibly give you time to rest?!”
Keith whipped his head around to glare at him.
His imperial father was dead. This was the most critical moment in the struggle for the crown.
Yet here he was, still stuck at the border...
At the thought of Kainster, Keith's grin instantly twisted into disgust.
As royalty, as a noble, that fellow actually went to help those trash at the bottom of society?
It was so disgusting it was laughable.
With that thought, he grabbed his deputy by the collar.
“I don't care if you have to charge straight into the demon lines to absorb mana or squeeze every last drop from your magic circuits—you must cast a teleportation spell for me right now!”
Looking into those bloodshot eyes, a cold sweat broke out down the deputy's back.
“Your Highness! If we forcibly squeeze our magic circuits...”
“...the caster might never be able to use magic again!”
“So what?!”
Keith shoved the deputy aside and drew the sword at his waist.
The cold blade swept past the faces of the surrounding soldiers.
“You are nobles too! Even without your magic circuits, you still have your families backing you!”
“Once this prince returns and ascends the throne, your families will naturally receive the Emperor's favor!”
Hearing Keith's words, some of the younger noble soldiers began to waver.
But just as they were about to step forward, the older soldiers beside them reached out and held them back.
“What are you doing?! This is a golden opportunity for our families to rise!”
A young soldier tried to slap away a veteran's hand.
But the veteran only gripped tighter.
A sharp slap echoed.
The young soldier saw stars from the blow, stumbling back a few steps.
“Hey! What are you doing?!”
The slapped soldier flared up instantly.
Clutching his cheek, he glared fiercely at the veteran.
“Kid, use your head. Do you really think this prince will keep his promise?”
The old soldier pointed to his own temple, as if urging the young soldier to think things through.
This left the young soldier momentarily dazed.
“For this prince to stay at the border for so long and keep so many magic-wielding noble soldiers here, who knows how many damn contracts have already been signed behind the scenes?”
Hearing this, the anger on the young soldier's face instantly vanished.
He looked toward Keith, who was still standing at the front.
He was still loudly promising land, titles, and prosperous futures for their families.
But these words...
How many people had this prince already said them to?
And how many of those promises had actually been fulfilled?
The veteran let go of his arm.
“If you burn out your magic circuits, you'll never be able to use magic again.”
“When that happens, a noble who has lost his power...”
“...how much value will you still have?”
Hearing this, the young soldier snapped out of it completely.
The other soldiers who had been about to step forward also halted their steps.
Keith ranted in the clearing for a long time, yet still, no one came forward to help him.
The expression on his face gradually twisted into a grimace.
His tyrannical eyes swept across the sea of soldiers standing with lowered heads, and his grip on his sword tightened involuntarily.
But in the end, Keith's remaining shred of sanity prevailed.
Killing people now would only drive the remaining men to open rebellion.
Gritting his teeth, Keith spun around.
He stormed off in the direction of the stables.
Watching his departing figure, the soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“I was almost brainwashed by that idiot prince's words.”
The young soldier who had just been slapped rubbed his cheek.
“You'll thank me for that slap in the future.”
The veteran looked at him.
“At least it saved your magic circuits.”
Meanwhile...
Keith had already walked into the stables.
He grabbed the reins and swung himself onto his warhorse.
Glancing back at the noble soldiers who were already beginning to look smug, his anger flared up once more.
“Damn it! Once I become the Emperor, none of you—nor your families—will escape!”
His bloodshot eyes glared death at the soldiers. First the Silver Legion, and now even his own men were starting to rebel.
Keith yanked the reins sharply, and the horse let out a loud neigh.
Then, it charged out of the stables.
What he failed to notice was a bat hanging from the edge of the stable roof, watching everything unfold.
It waited until Keith's figure had completely vanished into the distance before spreading its wings and flying toward the demons' temporary camp.
...
“Heh, Baroque, it seems your surprise attack was indeed very effective.”
The bat landed inside a small tent at the border, and Aliviel's voice echoed from its mouth.
“That idiot prince, hmph!”
Watching the images transmitted by the bat, Samuel merely let out a cold snort.
For a leader to give such a terrible order to men who had just finished fighting...
“If a guy like that becomes the Emperor, that country is going to be fucking doomed sooner or later.”
Samuel's tone was filled with absolute disdain for Keith.
Having clashed with Keith for so long as old rivals, she was certainly qualified to make that judgment.
“Heh, that prince's brain is even worse than that of the demon who loves to spout cheesy trash talk.”
Aliviel's voice sounded from the bat once more.
But while she was talking about Keith, she also happened to roast a certain demon currently idling around the Demon King's Castle.
At this moment, Cecil was standing beside the clock tower.
He watched the two below him—Phelan and Niya—who were still talking, as the recording stone in his hand captured everything.
“Oh, Phelan, Phelan. This time, it's Lord Cecil's turn to help you record your beautiful romantic encounter.”
He rubbed his nose.
“I can't help but feel it's a bit chilly here. Could that damn succubus be muttering about charming, handsome demons again?”
“Oh, my irresistible charm.”
Rate on N.U.
