Chapter 134 : Chapter 134
Chapter 134. Tendency of Followers
“Ugh, I’m getting drunk!”
“Why do I feel so good today?”
According to Imperial Law, alcohol was not permitted for Academy first-years.
That should be the case, but something strange was happening. Everyone was getting drunk on something.
The beverages Radel ordered for each table were ordinary drinks made by aging fruits. Carbonation was added according to preference, but not a single drop of alcohol was included.
However, borrowing the power of that beverage, some friends approached Radel.
They were Leon’s followers.
“Prince, why on earth are you doing this?”
“Why do you keep bothering Prince Leon with every little thing? Just stop it!”
Radel chuckled seeing them, unable to tell if they were drunk on the atmosphere or carbonation.
It was absurd, but on the other hand, it was also funny.
Moreover, it seemed they thought he was bothering Leon, but since Radel had no such intention, their misunderstanding was amusing.
That, that unlucky laughter!
Leon’s followers were turning inside out.
“Do we look ridiculous to you? Is it funny?”
“Stop mocking us every time, just because you got 1st place doesn’t mean you can look down on people!”
As their voices grew louder, Gusto, who was watching, quietly placed his hand on his sword hilt.
Inette was also taking her hand out of her glove.
Radel pondered for a moment seeing the two’s quick response.
But it was a get-together prepared after a long time, and he couldn't escalate things here.
Wasn't it also a place for unity among the first-years?
Just then, seeing a follower of Leon whom he had fought in the final evaluation, he spoke in a deliberately affectionate voice.
“Was it that hard, Tutu?”
“Kuaaak!”
Then Tutu screamed and clutched his head.
Seeing that, Leon’s followers flinched and stepped back.
“Th, this devil-like!”
“Do you think we’ll be scared by that?”
“Let’s see later!”
Leon’s followers helped Tutu up from the floor and quickly disappeared.
By the looks of it, what they needed seemed to be the Necklace of Joy.
To call a benevolent person like him devil-like…….
Radel thought he should make more Necklaces of Joy whenever he had time.
“Prince!”
Next came the big friends who were taking mana training with Radel.
“Your words were correct, Prince. Our grades improved a lot at the end of the semester. It is all thanks to you, Prince!”
What…… did I say?
Radel was puzzled inwardly while receiving their greetings.
Then the big friends said with reddened eyes.
“You always told us to have confidence. We will live without forgetting it in the future.”
“Asking us to take mana training together was really helpful. If you hadn’t recommended it back then, I wonder what would have happened by now…….”
They expressed gratitude repeatedly and only disappeared after hearing Radel say let’s do well in the future too.
They even made a promise to take mana training together in the 2nd semester.
Inette, who was watching, said absurdly.
“Why are they like that? They really didn't drink alcohol, right? Only drank beverages, right?”
Inette rubbed her arms vigorously as if getting goosebumps.
“It seems everyone is excited to have finished the 1st semester safely.”
Gusto, who had seen similar sights in the Apprentice Holy Knights, answered.
Even as apprentice holy knights, they had to follow rules similar to formal holy knights, so they didn't even touch alcohol.
However, on days when long training ended, they would commit such acts after drinking only beverages. Picking fights as if suddenly drunk or abruptly saying thank you out of the blue was nothing unusual.
Radel didn't pay much attention either.
Rather than that, he was more concerned about how to spend the vacation starting from now.
“What is everyone going to do during vacation?”
When Radel asked, stories about vacation began.
While listening to Inette’s plan to go to the capital first and go shopping with her mom, someone came to find Radel.
“Prince, do you have a moment?”
It was Edward, who was chatting with friends at a table over there.
“There is something to discuss regarding future plans.”
He had a somewhat serious expression.
Radel went out to the 2nd-floor balcony with Edward.
“Future plans, what does that mean?”
When Radel asked, Edward took out something he had prepared.
It was a list with names of nobles written on it.
“I should have prepared earlier……. Although lacking, these are the nobles I found. I only selected families that do not officially support any imperial family member yet and families maintaining neutrality.”
Edward said he planned to increase Radel’s followers further during the vacation.
To do that, it seemed he intended to contact the nobles on the list.
“Just in time, my friends said they would help. Even if those guys look thoughtless, they are loyal friends.”
It seemed he had dragged his friends into this before he knew it.
Seeing Edward working so hard like this, Radel felt like he should do something too.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“Things like this are what followers should step up to do. There is no need for the Prince to step up directly yet either.”
Edward, who was dissuading Radel, added as if he remembered something.
“Since you are starting now, Prince, how about thinking about what kind of tendency you want for your faction? You can’t just accept anyone as a follower, after all.”
* * *
Tendency of followers.
I had never thought about it until now.
Radel pondered for a moment while returning to his seat after parting with Edward.
Whether big or small, all imperial family members had followers and factions supporting them. Among the imperial family members, he was the only one without a distinct faction.
After his mother passed away, ties with his maternal family were cut off, and since he hadn't manifested an Ability in the meantime, there was no one to look after him either.
To survive in the future, he did need people to support him.
“What did Edward say?”
When Radel returned to his seat, Inette asked.
Since he intended to discuss it with Inette anyway, Radel answered briefly.
“He told me to think about what kind of followers to gather in the future.”
“Right, if you are an imperial family member, you should have followers. I told you, you were late all this time.”
Inette sighed enviously.
“Honestly, I’m envious too. I wish I could pick followers as I please too.”
Thinking about it, it seemed Leon and Inette’s followers also had distinct colors.
Leon had the Magic Supremacists, and Inette’s followers were mostly vassals of the Dastion ducal family, her maternal family, or from wealthy and historic noble families.
This wasn't a problem that could be solved just because they wanted it.
It was because bloodlines possessed from birth or interests were intertwined.
“It might have been like that at first, but you can choose now, can’t you?”
“Not really. Followers are intertwined between families, so if I carelessly accept someone, it might cause harm to Grandfather.”
Inette spoke like an imperial family member and shrugged her shoulders.
“The 3rd Princess seems a bit different though. Over there, most are from knight families.”
It meant that the family followers were largely attached to her older brother, the 2nd Prince, and the 3rd Princess’s followers had a different character.
They were families pledging loyalty to Shartea, the only imperial family member pursuing swordsmanship in an Empire that valued magic more.
“Well, since she likes swordsmanship, she must be close with people from that side. You are close with the Supreme Deity Order too. Close with apprentice holy knights as well.”
Radel recalled the Supreme Deity Order at Inette’s words.
Come to think of it, although unofficial, the Supreme Deity Order could also be said to be Radel’s faction.
“Of course, I’m close with Tunia too! Tunia, you are coming to play at the Imperial Capital this vacation, right?”
Inette asked Tunia implicitly.
She had an expression full of anticipation at the thought of playing in the capital with the first friend she made.
However, Tunia quietly shook her head.
“During vacation, I have to work at the Dice Shop.”
“What?”
At Tunia’s words, Inette raged and shouted at Radel.
“This evil employer! Hand over Tunia!”
Inette made a fuss saying she would hire Tunia instead of Radel and such, then accepted reality and made a crying face.
Like that, a boisterous night continued.
* * *
“Did everyone gather?”
Radel looked around.
The employees of the Dice Shop and Tunia were gathered after closing the shop.
“I have to leave for the Imperial Capital tomorrow.”
While Radel was away at the Imperial Capital, it was difficult to manage the Dice Shop and the House of the Undead in Marcellent directly, so he had to entrust them to someone.
It was fortunate that there was a suitable person just in time.
“I’ll leave this place to you during vacation, Tunia.”
Tunia nodded.
As she was the successor of the Black Fang Guild, there was no one who could match her in working while leading her siblings.
While Radel was back at the Imperial Capital, they decided that Tunia would work as the acting president and keep in contact with Radel. If anything happened, Cronin at the Spear Guild Marcellent branch would also help.
“I trust you will do well even without me. And how far has the work I asked separately last time progressed?”
When Radel asked about overtime work, a grim determination hovered on the employees’ expressions.
They worked at the Dice Shop during the day and worked overtime in the evening, diligently gathering information.
As Radel said, there was no need to kill people.
Recalling the time they received assassination training, a mission of this level was nothing.
Hailey, the leader of the employees, stepped forward.
“About half has progressed. May I report verbally?”
“Of course.”
Most of the information Radel instructed to gather was related to himself.
It was necessary to grasp how much inaccurate information about the 8th Prince was floating around in the world and what was spread accurately.
The ones that were generally accurate were information related to the Supreme Deity Order, and inaccurate information was related to Radel’s Ability.
Radel listened to the information the employees gathered and separately picked out only what needed reconfirmation to tell them.
It was a short time, but the progress was quite substantial, enough to be surprising.
If a mission of this level was possible, more things could be attempted.
Just in time, it was a situation where spreading information, not just gathering it, was necessary.
“Now we have to release information from this side. Can you do it?”
“Of course, Boss.”
“Leak the information that the 8th Prince is gathering followers. As secretly as possible.”
It wasn't about leaking it blindly.
“It would be better if you sell it for money.”
The employees understood Radel’s words.
This information shouldn't be known by many people. Wait until there is a seeker, then reveal it after making them wait.
It meant it needed to look like very secret and important information.
“You can proceed slowly with this. Since there is no rush.”
He had no intention of gathering followers openly.
After listening to Edward’s words, Radel decided on the tendency of followers to be with him.
Nobles who maintain neutrality or do not support an imperial family member yet.
Radel guessed there would be those among them who wanted to act without standing out.
What Radel wanted were those who wanted to make a connection with Radel while pretending not to support anyone.
They would become his secret followers in the future.