Chapter 80 : Chapter 80
Chapter 80. Let's Have a Word
A naked Dwight sat in a cross-legged position, gazing at the moon. A thick smoke emanated from his body, devouring the wandering mana. Dwight inhaled it, stimulating his heart. A single Mana Circle began to glow. Then, two circles, and then three circles, lit up. Dwight’s eyes widened. He pressed on his Mana Circles as if trying to awaken something.
“Keuheub!”
Dwight’s eyes turned bright red. The muscles all over his body swelled up as if they would burst.
“Kuaaak!”
He screamed, as if to forget the pain. The three Mana Circles shone with a strong light.
Then, a fourth circle, receiving that light, faintly revealed its existence.
The trembling of his muscles subsided. His bloodshot eyes returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
Dwight slowly exhaled.
“Is this the best I can do?”
“Still, you have completed the 3rd Circle in a short period and reached the 4th Circle. It is excellent.”
Gabriel Hoso, standing behind Dwight, said.
“Is it excellent?”
Dwight tilted his head. It was because the result fell short of his expectations.
“Taking a lot of Elixirs doesn’t guarantee an unconditional rise. It is because Your Highness’s ability is that outstanding that you have become a 4th Circle.”
“Is that so……”
Dwight, who had risen from his seat, grabbed his sword. Then he aimed it at Gabriel’s neck.
“It’s not that you brought me a fake Elixir?”
“If it were a fake, would you have become a 4th Circle?”
Even as the sharp blade cut his skin and drew blood, Gabriel’s mouth was full of a smile.
“We’ll see if it’s a proper 4th Circle or just one in name when we check.”
Dwight put on a gown and headed for the training ground.
Gabriel let out a sly smile as he watched Dwight’s briskly walking back.
“Hoo.”
Dwight, standing in the middle of the training ground, composed his breathing and rotated his Mana Circles. A dark brown light filled the Mana Circles one by one.
“Ink Forest.”
The sword fell from Dwight’s hand. A jet-black energy spread out from the sword stuck in the ground. Pitch-black trees shot up one by one.
Dwight’s pupils turned completely black.
The training ground was densely packed with blackened trees.
‘A forest?’
Gabriel, who was watching Dwight’s sword, widened his eyes. He felt as if he were trapped in a forest of death.
The black trees began to sway. Along with a rustling sound, black leaves scattered. They cut through everything they touched, as if to prove Gabriel’s feeling.
‘Just as the rumors say.’
Gabriel smiled brightly. It was because Dwight’s skill had met his expectations.
“It seems it is indeed the 4th Circle.”
Dwight, who had sheathed his sword, said as he looked at Gabriel.
“There is no reason for me to deceive Your Highness, is there?”
“I wouldn’t know. Because I don’t know what kind of person you are.”
Gabriel laughed out loud.
“Unpleasant fellow.”
Dwight ignored him and left the training ground.
Left alone, Gabriel nodded his head as he looked at the battered training ground.
“Grow more. So that you can be put to good use.”
He took out a glass bottle from his pocket. Inside it was a dark green bug. A bug that devoured mana.
***
“You’re looking well.”
A tone laced with sarcasm, somewhat insolent eyes, an untamable rough atmosphere, but in contrast, perfect table manners.
“It’s been a while, but your expression is rather poor. Are you not pleased to see me?”
The master of the borderlands, Count Edan Chris de Dorléans, had come to see me.
“If I say I’m pleased, will you even think so?”
“What do you think of me?”
“A stubborn old man who protects the borderlands?”
“……Yes, it’s good to see you too after a long time.”
Chris is definitely smart.
“Why did you come so early? There are still 5 days until the martial arts tournament.”
“The stories of Your Highness have been heard loudly all the way to the borderlands, so I came early. To see for myself how you are doing.”
“It wasn’t that loud.”
It was a little noisy, but I didn’t know it would reach the borderlands.
“2nd Star?”
Chris held up two fingers.
“Aish, how long has it been since we met, and you’re trying to get a freebie? You should speak first.”
Chris let out a smirk and held up four fingers.
“4th Circle. You’re fast, as expected.”
“It’s not fast, it’s slow.”
“Then say it’s slow. If the person himself says so, what can I say.”
“……Ahem! How many stars has Your Highness achieved?”
“You already guessed it.”
“Already the 2nd Star? What on earth do you have to do to achieve that? Did you eat something good behind my back? A panacea like a high-concentration Elixir.”
“Was there something like that?”
Chris shrugged his shoulders. Whether he didn’t know, or he was pretending not to know even though he did. He would be second to none in being mysterious.
“Is Michelle well?”
“She’s become less talkative, but everything else is the same.”
Chris nodded and slowly exhaled. A hint of regret was evident. It seemed the fact that he couldn’t teach her magic was still on his mind. That man really doesn’t know how to give up.
“How is Bethel doing?”
“He asked me to send his regards, as a matter of fact. I don’t know where he got the guts to send a messenger to the commander.”
“Still, you did it for him.”
“I have to. He’s become a decent person. What on earth happened between you two?”
“A struggle for survival?”
Whether it was enduring the Necromancer’s attack or hunting the Devil Bear, it was all to survive.
“It seems he wasn’t exaggerating.”
“I don’t know what he said, but it’s true that we came back from the dead. What circle is he at now?”
“He’s passed the 2nd Circle. Since he overcame his limit once, his growth is fast. With a few more battles, I think the 3rd Circle is also possible.”
Bethel also fought while being pushed to his limits, so it’s not strange that his growth rate is fast. By the way…….
“There was a battle?”
“There were a few small-scale battles.”
“With Uresra?”
“They were mercenaries, so I couldn’t know for sure. But I’m looking into it.”
It was probably a force sent from Uresra. Chris also says he doesn’t know, but it seems he thinks similarly to me.
“As a matter of fact, I found a spy within the unit.”
Seriousness clouded the face of Chris, who had been calm until a moment ago.
“Did you find out anything?”
“No. He committed suicide as soon as we caught him, so I couldn’t ask anything.”
Just like Homilia Sotolts.
“By the way, was the 4th Prince also their doing?”
“What are you asking about? That the 4th Prince is connected to the Hoso Merchant Guild? Or……”
As I asked for the specific content of the question, a strange smile spread across Chris’s face.
“It was your doing.”
So he was asking why the 4th Prince ended up like that.
“I didn’t know he was that weak.”
“The 4th Prince was weak? That’s surprising.”
Judging by his expression, it seems he was genuinely surprised.
“What was the reason for suddenly doing that?”
“He brought a bunch of people to kill me. He had tried to kill me continuously before, too.
Using a Uresra spy.”
Chris let out a hollow laugh as if in disbelief.
“What did the 3rd Queen do? If she knew the truth, she wouldn’t have stayed still.”
“It seems the 3rd Prince is covering it up appropriately.”
“Yes? Why would the 3rd Prince……”
I pondered that part. Dwight would probably try to kill me in front of everyone. That stage would be the martial arts tournament.
‘He’ll say I should be punished for crippling Hans.’
It’s obvious. A picture where he kills me like that, gets acknowledged by the 3rd Queen, and is praised as a hero by everyone. He must be drawing it very diligently. But there’s something that bothers me.
‘If that’s all there is to it, it’s too amateurish.’
He punishes me for crippling Hans? He becomes a hero by killing me like that? It might be a perfect pretext in his own mind. But it’s far from enough to persuade others. A fight between brothers, and he publicly executes me for it? It was just a fight between the 5th Prince, who was farthest from the throne, and the 4th Prince. It’s obvious that they would applaud on the outside but laugh on the inside.
‘He’s probably not unaware of that.’
There is definitely something.
“What do you think of the 3rd Prince’s abilities?”
“What specifically are you asking about? If you’re asking if he’s fit to be king, I would say no.
He would be a fitting general.”
“Is he martially skilled?”
I had a feeling even in the bathroom that he wouldn’t be easy.
“Isn’t he said to be the greatest talent since Philip III? I don’t think he’s that great, but it’s true that he’s a decent talent.”
“His mind?”
“Not bad. His comprehension is also good. He’s also good at using people. Now that I see it, it seems it’s because he resembles the 3rd Queen.”
If so, he won’t act foolishly like Hans. The Hoso Merchant Guild also seems to be moving closely with Dwight, not Hans.
‘Ah! Is that it?’
Unless Dwight is a fool, there’s no way he doesn’t know about the Hoso Merchant Guild. He owes them, but he probably has no intention of repaying them. If so, he’ll try to get rid of it with a single incident…….
“Our dear Count.”
I smiled benevolently and looked at Chris pointedly.
“Why are you being so creepy?”
“When the prince you cherished so much smiles gently, you should take it well. You really are a stubborn old man.”
“That’s enough. What is it?”
“I need to do a background check on the 3rd Prince. It seems he’s trying to screw over me and our dear Count using Homilia Sotolts.”
Chris’s face stiffened. His gaze also sharpened. He knows from the letter I sent that Homilia Sotolts has infiltrated deep into the royal family. So he wouldn’t be unaware of what being screwed over means.
“Time is tight.”
Chris threw the remaining tea into his mouth.
***
Saint-Denis Military Academy was bustling. There were three days left until the martial arts tournament, the day the distinguished guests would visit the school.
“Why are we out here at the entrance, clapping?”
Piontek grumbled, his nose wrinkled.
“Because they’re someone’s family, someone’s friend. So it’s not bad to gather like this and greet them, is it?”
Adellian patted Piontek’s arm as if soothing a child.
Piontek, trying hard to suppress the rising corners of his lips, said, ‘Hmph, I should be training more. To get good results.’ He was trying his best not to show that he was happy, but anyone could see he was thrilled to death.
“Son!”
“Mom!”
“My child! Have you been well?”
“I have been healthy, Father.”
The faces of the cadets meeting their families after a long time were full of smiles. On the other hand, starting with Adellian and down to Michelle, they watched the joy of others with expressionless faces. It seemed that due to their own circumstances, their families couldn't visit for the martial arts tournament. Needless to say, the same went for me.
“M-Maxim.”
Odekerkh pointed to a large fluttering flag. On it were embroidered the royal family’s blue Iris, a golden crown, and a sword and staff.
“Are the royal family members coming today?”
This time, Adellian asked.
“I don’t know. Even if they were, they wouldn’t tell me. But wouldn’t those people come on the day of the event?”
“Really? When that flag appears, the royal family members usually show up……”
The 1st Prince wouldn’t come because of work. The king, even if he came, would come on the day of the event. The 2nd Queen doesn’t engage in public activities. If so, the most likely person to appear is the 3rd Queen, but with Hans in that state, I don’t think she would move in advance. There is Dwight, but I don’t think the 3rd Queen would worry about him.
Ppuuuu! Pu! Pu! Pu!
As soon as Adellian’s words ended, the sound of a trumpet echoed. A long blast followed by three short ones meant it wasn't the king’s arrival.
“Y-Your Majesty the Qu-Queen?”
Just as Odekerkh said, the 3rd Queen appeared. She was not in a carriage but on a horse.
Not in a dress, but in armor. People, unfamiliar with this side of the 3rd Queen, couldn't take their eyes off her.
“I think she’s coming to you.”
Just as Piontek said, the 3rd Queen was approaching me.
‘What is it? Did the 3rd Prince fail to hide it?’
It doesn’t matter much even if the 3rd Queen knows. If the commotion grows, attention will be diverted, making Chris and Olivier’s investigation easier.
“5th Prince.”
The 3rd Queen stood before me.
I looked up at her.
“Let’s have a word.”