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Chapter Two: The Prince’s Decision
The king and queen of Lionel had five children.
Leoniel was the oldest, followed by the first princess Hyaon, the twins Tygrim and Nanyao—respectively the second prince and second princess—and lastly the third prince Tigg.
A month had passed since Leoniel introduced his fiancée to high society, and the aftermath of the chaos that had unfolded at the party had almost been entirely dealt with.
On that day, the second prince, Tygrim Lionel, sat in the courtyard of the palace, deep in thought.
As a child, his older brother Leoniel had been clever and flexible, but had suffered from a weak constitution. Fortunately, his health had improved as he grew older, and their father, the king, had officially made him his heir.
W èḃn̈o ve̊_l̊ Е̃n̂ ùm̀а̌
Despite his cunning nature, the king was an impartial and honest man. Back when he hadn’t been sure that Leoniel would ever be strong enough to inherit the kingdom, he had explained the situation to them.
“You two are in difficult positions. Leoniel, you are clever but sickly, while Tygrim, you’re just as intelligent but only the second prince. To this day, it’s still unclear which one of you will become crown prince. You will both be raised as if the future of the kingdom rests on your shoulders, yet ultimately, only one of you will inherit the crown.”
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Neither the king nor Tygrim’s mother treated him like he was just a spare for his brother, and the king never hid anything from them—as long as it concerned them, at least.
“When that happens, the one who isn’t chosen might resent the other,” the king continued. “‘I’m the firstborn, so why wasn’t it me?’ ‘I’m smarter, so why can’t I inherit just because I’m younger?’ If that were to happen, you must not hide your feelings from one another. Unspoken grudges will fester and eat at your heart. You must always keep the future and stability of our kingdom foremost and be honest with each other. Do you understand?”
The two princes had nodded in unison.
From that point onward, Leoniel, who was three years older, never kept anything from Tygrim ever again.
Е̊n̈.u m̃ӓ.
“I will never resent you if you become king. But I intend to do everything I can to spare you from such a heavy burden,” Leoniel had told him, sincere and reassuring.
Tygrim had replied in kind. “If your efforts fail, I’ll shoulder that burden for you. I promise to study hard to that end, although I hope it won’t ever be necessary. I love you, brother.”
Leoniel beamed. “I love you too, Tygrim.”
Tygrim had felt like he and his brother had grown even closer from that point.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
They would regularly argue over the same topics. Even though their opinions sometimes clashed, they always thoroughly listened to what the other had to say. Tygrim’s twin sister, Nanyao, would sometimes join in on their debates, utterly crushing them both. She was ruthless and incredibly intelligent, to the point where the king had even seriously considered allowing her to inherit over the two of them. But Nanyao had quickly shut down the idea, claiming she was “not interested” and that becoming queen sounded like “a huge hassle.” She did still say that she would help Tygrim or Leoniel, whichever inherited, with their duties.
In the end, perhaps it was a miracle of nature, Leo’s efforts, or a mix of both that allowed his health to improve enough that the king felt safe naming him as his heir. From then on, Tygrim began to look for his own path in life.
Ēn um а
Fortunately, he had something his brother didn’t: a talent for healing, thanks to his silver eyes, which he’d inherited from their father. And Lady Theresalo Traff, the girl he had been assigned as his disciple, was his biggest treasure. Having studied to become king, Tygrim could easily imagine the future that awaited her. Having been born a commoner, she was a genuine, naive girl. Her extraordinary talent for healing magic and gentle nature made her perfectly suited for sainthood. But Tygrim quickly realized that she would be powerless if someone attempted to use her abilities for evil or to satisfy their own interests.
Therefore, when Tygrim learned of her recent ordeal, he made up his mind. He knew what path to choose for himself.
“Tygrim,” Leoniel said, joining him in the courtyard.
“Brother. I was waiting for you.”
There were no traces of the sickly little boy Leoniel had once been; the crown prince had grown into a determined, confident young man. If anything, Tygrim might’ve looked slighter and weaker than his brother, as he still hadn’t finished growing.
“I heard you’re going to Baslam?” Leoniel asked, taking a seat next to him. Unlike his appearance, his personality hadn’t changed. There was a hint of sadness in his expression. “You’ll become a member of the Holy Church?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Yeah. I’d like to become a cardinal. If everything goes well, perhaps even the pope, in the future,” Tygrim replied without hesitation.
His brother tightened his lips into a thin line. He’d likely say he’d hoped Tygrim would have helped him rule once he ascended the throne. But Tygrim had made his decision. It wasn’t something his father had decided for him; it was his own wish.
I’ll renounce my claim to the throne and become a servant of the gods.
He was determined to jump into that crucible where people from all around the world competed for power. This was the best place for him to make use of the kingcraft he’d learned since he was a child.
But Leoniel said something he hadn’t been expecting at all.
“Are you doing it for Lady Theresalo Traff?”
Ŵе̄ b̂ ňo v ӗl Е n̊ ú m̃а́
Tygrim paused. “I didn’t think you’d find me out.”
While Leoniel never kept any secrets from him, the same couldn’t be said for Tygrim. He would never lie to his brother, but he didn’t tell him everything either. Even though he often listened to his brother daydream about his beloved Lady Iora Ernest, Tygrim never talked about his own romantic feelings. That just wasn’t the kind of person he was. Leoniel knew that, so he didn’t press him.
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His brother shrugged and confessed, “I’m not the one who saw through your feelings. Iora and Wellmy did.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is. Those two sure are perceptive,” Tygrim said, impressed that the pair of sisters had found out so much about him when they’d barely interacted. “It’s true I’m mostly doing it for Lady Theresalo. If the kingdom refuses to hand the Holy Church both a prospective saint and me, despite my potential to become a cardinal, they likely won’t take it well.”
“Lionel has gotten much stronger thanks to father. We should be able to handle the church’s ire,” Leoniel pointed out.
“We don’t know that, brother. Besides, if I become pope, it’ll solidify your position as well. That’s why I have to go.” Of course, Tygrim wished he could remain by Leoniel’s side and support him, but he could leave that task to his twin sister.
Еnu m̊а . і́ ď
“What if something were to happen to me?” Leoniel asked after a brief moment of hesitation.
“Hyaon will probably be married by then, but Nanyao could inherit with her future partner. Tigg could be an option too. To be honest, I’d actually like to see Nanyao become the first queen of Lionel. She’d hate it.”
“I kind of want to see that too,” Leoniel replied, and the two of them chuckled.
Recognizing her potential, their father had given her the same lessons as Leoniel and Tygrim. Not only had she received an education fit for a queen, she actually had the potential to make the best of it. Tygrim and Leoniel often discussed how she would make a better ruler than either of them, but she vehemently disagreed.
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The king of Lionel was a truly impartial and flexible man. There must’ve been only a handful of people like him on the entire continent. As such, he had even agreed to honor Nanyao’s wish not to marry beneath her rank.
“I think Malefident Abaccum would make a great match for Nanyao,” Tygrim said.
Ӗn̊.u.ḿ ӓ
Leoniel raised an eyebrow. “What would become of the Abaccum duchy if he were to marry into the royal family?”
“It’d fall under the crown’s direct control, and he can continue to administer it as he has. House Abaccum is a bit of a troublesome one due to being relatives of the previous king, so we should make our move while they are still loyal to us, and create blood ties between our families this generation.”
That would be a surefire way to avoid unnecessary conflict. Besides, the lord of security had repeatedly demonstrated exceptional ability. If Malefident were to marry Nanyao and Leoniel became unable to perform his duties as king, the lord of security would likely choose to be king consort and let his wife rule. He didn’t seem to have any intention to fulfill his father’s delusion of seeing his son ascend the throne.
“The lord of security is quite a bit older than Nanyao,” Leoniel pointed out. “She might not like the idea.”
“You don’t know? Nanyao has been wishing to marry him for years now.”
“Wait, what?!”
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“Ah, I wonder if she’ll yell at me for spilling her secret... Age doesn’t matter when it comes to love, and the lord of security is not only talented, but handsome too. His personality seems like it would mesh well with Nanyao’s.”
“I mean, you have a point, but... Oh, well. It’s not like either of us has a say in the matter.”
“That’s true. I’ll be sure to communicate my idea to father later, then.”
Knowing the king, he likely already knew of Nanyao’s feelings for the lord of security, but had chosen not to say anything about them until she brought the topic up herself. Or perhaps their mother had made sure he wouldn’t find out until the time was right.
As the two brothers’ conversation died down, Leoniel awkwardly scratched his head and looked up at the bright, clear sky.
“Um... Back to the matter of the church. Couldn’t you have chosen to accompany Lady Traff there?”
Ӗn̈u mа̇
“No. That option would have dimmed her smile, brother,” Tygrim replied with a strained smile.
He loved the way Lady Theresalo’s face lit up when she talked about her fiancé, Lord Sofoyl. It was when her smile had begun to wane that he’d realized his feelings—back when her engagement had been nulled, Lord Seyfalt had been harassing her, and Lord Turgis had been threatening her. Tygrim had asked if something had happened, but she wouldn’t tell him, no doubt because of their difference in station.
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Fortunately, Lady Wellmy Liroud had managed to bring back Theresalo’s bright smile, so Tygrim didn’t end up having to intervene.
“Brother, I think I’m in love with a girl who loves another man,” Tygrim confessed.
His first love had been Lady Darristea. But back then, she had been at the top of the list of his brother’s potential fiancées, making her completely out of reach. All she’d ever thought of was how to comport herself and fulfill the duties she would assume if she truly became queen.
Then Tygrim developed feelings for Lady Theresalo. Like Lady Darristea, she loved someone else and dreamed of spending her life at that man’s side.
E ṅ ŭ m̂ а .і̇_d
Tygrim enjoyed nothing more than listening to the women he loved speak of their feelings for other men.
“You...have some weird tastes,” Leoniel remarked with a grimace.
Tygrim flashed him a smirk. “Don’t you think that makes me perfectly suited for clergy life? Women have a relatively high standing in the Holy Church, due to the concept of saints. There are tons of nuns living humble, simple lives over there too.” He shrugged. “In other words, it’s a place full of blushing ‘brides’ who dedicate their love, virtue, and prayers to that harem lord they call ‘God,’ and who won’t give me the time of day.”
“The Holy Church’s supreme deity is a goddess, not a man,” Leoniel pointed out. “And you’d do well to watch your mouth if you don’t want to get divine retribution.”
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“Oh, so it’s a goddess who doesn’t care about gender then, hmm? Fine by me—lesbian romances are charming in their own right too.”
“If you ever become pope, the Holy Church is done for,” Leoniel said, shaking his head exaggeratedly. He was smiling, though.
Е n̊umâ.
“Perhaps it is,” Tygrim replied, his face softening. “But it’s still in our best interest for me to go rather than remain.”
Leoniel could always count on him and Nanyao, but he also had Countess Ernest and Marquis Ormirage to support him, as well as Lady Wellmy Liroud—the young woman who had been causing mayhem since her society debut, all while swiftly resolving the kingdom’s issues behind the scenes. She likely hadn’t even realized it herself, but that girl had tremendous potential.
“I’m leaving the kingdom in your hands, brother. Once you force father out of power, the throne is yours.”
“Yeah, I don’t think he’ll go down without a fight. But I’ll do my best. In exchange, you have to shut up the Holy Church and the empire, you hear? You and your worst enemy, Zumiano Olbran.”
“That’s the only regrettable part of my plan. Why do I have to work with the man who caused Lady Theresalo such grief?” Tygrim bemoaned.
But if it was for Lady Theresalo’s good, he would do it. While he would never marry her, if he ever became pope, he would be able to speak to her on behalf of the faith’s believers once she was a saint. That level of closeness would suit him best.
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And if the people he’d mentioned before remained on the side of the Lionel Kingdom...
“In a dozen or so years, the entire world might belong to you, brother,” he said.
“That doesn’t sound all that appealing. It would be one heavy crown to wear.”
“Indeed. I sure am glad I won’t be the one wearing it. I’m looking forward to the day you’re known as the world’s supreme ruler,” Tygrim said, holding out his fist toward his brother.
Leoniel bumped his brother’s fist with his own.
“Oh, speaking of Lord Zumiano, that reminds me—he asked me to do something for him. I need your help, brother,” Tygrim said.
Ŵe̊ b̀ ñо̌v̈ е l̀ Ӗ n üm á
“What for?”
“I would like you to write a letter to Lord Seyfalt. One that will bear yours and Lord Ormirage’s signatures.”
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A flicker of caution crossed his brother’s face. “What kind of letter?”
Tygrim explained everything to him.
※※※
“Brother!” Seyfalt’s younger half brother, Furi, who would be of age to attend the noble academy next year, called out to him as he was walking down the hallway toward the front door.
We b ǹö vе ĺ Е ńum a
Seyfalt turned around to find Furi staring at him, a hint of sadness in his expression.
“I heard everything. Are you sure about this?” the boy asked.
“It’s fine. I always thought I wasn’t cut out for it anyway. I’ll be foisting that responsibility onto you, Furi. Sorry about that,” Seyfalt said with a bright laugh.
His brother grimaced.
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“Seyfalt, I—”
“Furi,” Seyfalt interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. This is how it should be, he thought, but didn’t voice it.
Е̌n̊ ûṁ а.. і d̂
After all, the right to succeed their father was something he had stolen from Furi and his stepmother in the first place. He might have been the oldest, but he was still an illegitimate child. His brother had just gotten back what was due to him.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll do my own thing in life. If anything, what I did might cause you trouble in the future. I’m sorry.”
Everyone in high society knew of the scandal Seyfalt had been involved in. Upon learning of it, Count Aulgim had made the decision to name Furi his heir, excluding Seyfalt from his succession.
His father and stepmother were in a marriage of convenience, and there was no love between the two of them. However, Countess Aulgim was such a capable woman that even if Seyfalt’s mother had still been alive, her position as the lady of the house wouldn’t have been threatened. Count Aulgim had never been serious about his mistress anyway; he’d had made it very clear that he would never have taken her as his legitimate wife.
That was what had sent Seyfalt’s mother spiraling. And so, when Seyfalt’s father wasn’t around, she had taken out her frustrations on her son, verbally and physically. Years of being beaten black and blue by his mother had taught Seyfalt to read people’s moods, and he now excelled at it. That skill had made it easy for him to make himself as inconspicuous as possible when his father took him in, so as not to get in the way of his kind stepmother and clever, adorable little brother. Playing along and laughing with Furi was much more peaceful than living in constant fear of his mother’s violent outbursts. Despite his skill, he had never been able to tell when those would come, nor when they would end.
Still, if only that epidemic hadn’t taken his mother’s life and that of his father’s eldest legitimate son, if only Count Aulgim hadn’t taken him in—Seyfalt wouldn’t have caused these people any problems.
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“Where are you going, brother?” Furi asked.
“Mm? Oh, I’m just going out for a bit. A friend gave me tickets for the theater, so I’m taking a girl on a date.”
That was a lie. Seyfalt often told harmless little untruths like that.
“You’re coming back, right?” Furi added, visibly anxious.
“Of course. This is my home. Besides, I don’t intend to drop out of the noble academy.” Regardless of what the future had in store for Seyfalt, having an education wouldn’t hurt.
I’m pretty shameless, huh? he thought as he winked at his little brother. “See you.” He waved at the boy with practiced nonchalance and left, choosing to walk rather than take a carriage.
Е̂n um̈ а̌
Seyfalt rarely chased skirts, even with Zumiano. He never refused the ladies who approached him, though, and enjoyed idle chitchat with the girls he met in the commoners’ taverns.
Let them gossip. It’ll show my father just how irresponsible I am, he mused as he made his way to the commoners’ district, haphazardly greeting acquaintances he met on the way.
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He soon reached his destination: the Londart Trading Company, a major trading firm. It belonged to Viscount Londart, a merchant who had capitalized on his territory being a harbor to focus his efforts on imports and exports.
“Hiya,” Seyfalt greeted the receptionist.
“Lord Seyfalt. Have you come to pay us another visit?”
“Yup, to see you-know-who. Is she here?”
Ën̄u m ӓ
“Indeed. You will find her in the office.”
“Thanks.”
The staff knew him, so they would’ve let him pass without question, but Seyfalt still preferred to go through the regular formalities before making his way to the office.
“Heya. Do you need any help?” he asked as he stepped into the room.
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“You’re here again?” Lord Londart’s second daughter asked without even glancing at him, efficiently reading and sorting through some documents.
With her green hair and sharp features that betrayed her fierce will, she never bothered with false niceties. The dress she wore was evidently of fine quality, though its color was rather subdued.
Ѐ nùm а.
She was Karla—a young woman two years older than Seyfalt and Countess Iora Ernest’s closest friend.
From what Seyfalt knew, Karla had been quite busy as of late, serving as the point of contact between Lady Iora and the people involved in the creation of the magic item she had developed—namely, the suppliers and manufacturers.
“I don’t even have time to look for a fiancé,” she would occasionally grumble.
But Seyfalt knew that she had received tons of proposals and turned them all down, claiming she had other things to do than screen suitors.
“I heard your father excluded you from his succession. What in the world did you do?” Karla asked.
“Information sure travels fast to you, huh? I didn’t want to inherit in the first place, so everything is going according to plan.”
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“Are you an idiot or what?” Karla always spoke her mind without reserve. Seyfalt found her bluntness incredibly comfortable.
The corners of his mouth reflexively tugged upward. “Is there anything I can help you with?” he asked.
“Nothing at the moment, no. We’ll be receiving a ton of packages and letters soon, so I might have you help me sort those out.”
“What a shame.”
The work Karla gave him had become a steady, valuable source of income for Seyfalt.
As he plopped himself down on a nearby chair without bothering to ask for permission, Karla glanced up at him.
Еnũ m а̇
“What is it?”
“Mm... Zumiano wrote me a letter of introduction. I was wondering if I could maybe work here.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“That’s the place where you want to be, isn’t it?” Zumiano had asked when he’d handed him the letter. All Seyfalt had been able to do in response was smile awkwardly. He’s seen right through me. He knows I’d love nothing more than to be by her side.
Karla was a dignified, strong-minded young woman with incredible business acumen, always true to herself. Seyfalt deeply admired her.
“I was thinking I’d like for you to hire me once I graduate. I would be fine doing menial labor.”
Karla paused, her fountain pen hovering above the paper, and looked up sharply. “Stop joking around.”
Ẁ е̊ b n̄ о̀ vë l Е̊ n̊u ma
Seyfalt shuddered under the green glare of her eyes.
“We have no need for a man who doesn’t even understand his own potential,” she declared.
“Aw, that’s mean. But it does imply you think I could do better than grunt work, huh? Your expectations are a bit heavy, but I’m happy to hear it.”
He had met Karla when he was still a small child. Viscount Londart, who had always been a much better merchant than nobleman, had come to sell precious jewels he had acquired overseas to Seyfalt’s mother. She herself had been quite well-off. Karla had insisted on accompanying her father, and Seyfalt had invited her to play with him in the garden while their parents talked.
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In other words, Karla was very familiar with Seyfalt’s situation.
“If you have such high expectations of me, what would you say to taking me as your husband?”
Ӗ.n̆ uma
Karla often said that she wanted her father to help her open her own branch of the company that she would manage herself. The work she was doing to help Lady Iora manufacture her magic item was proof that she was heading toward her goal.
“Absolutely not,” Karla immediately shut his proposal down. “Try again when you’ve fixed that frivolous attitude of yours and achieved something with your own two hands.”
“How harsh.”
“Besides, I don’t like boys younger than me.”
“Aw, you wound me.”
“I wouldn’t really care that a potential partner is younger than me as long as he’s reliable, but I’ve yet to meet a dependable younger man.”
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“Do you know many dependable older men?”
“I suppose my father would be the closest one in age to me.”
In other words, that was the level of resourcefulness Karla expected of a potential partner to meet her standard.
“What a shame. Guess I’ll try again later then. Until then...could you remain on the market?”
“You really are an idiot.” Karla frowned and jerked her chin toward the envelope in Seyfalt’s hand. “If you want to get some actual results quickly, use that. You know my father can’t refuse a demand from Marquis Olbran’s son. I’m telling you to develop the ruthlessness to use the cards you’re given, regardless of the other party’s opinion.”
“Oh, the letter?” Seyfalt said, smirking inwardly, as he made his way to Karla’s desk and set the envelope down. “I’m glad you said I could use it. How about you give it a read?”
W е̂ b ñòv е l̂ .Ёn u m̌ а̇
Karla must’ve felt that something was up, as her expression immediately soured. She reached for the envelope, took the letter out, and—uncharacteristically for her—froze.
“That’s why I figured I would just give up if you refused to, ah, ‘hire’ me,” Seyfalt said, emphasizing the second to last word.
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“You little— So that was your plan all along!” Her perfectly manicured fingers suddenly flew toward Seyfalt’s face, grabbed his nose, and gave it a sharp twist.
“Owww.”
Karla was a serious young woman; she would never pretend not to have seen what she’d seen, even if it put her in a bad mood.
Seyfalt sometimes told harmful little untruths like that, if he had something to gain.
Е ǹ ùm̃а̊ . îd̆
“Ah! What is His Highness thinking?! Just you wait, you damned prince. The next time you come to place an order on behalf of Iora, I’ll squeeze you dry as compensation for this,” Karla grumbled.
“Hey, Karla?” Seyfalt asked.
“What now?!”
Rubbing his nose—which Karla had finally let go of—Seyfalt looked her in the eye. “I’m serious about this.”
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A pause. “Come again once you’ve graduated from the noble academy in A class. Until then, I’ll hold on to this,” she said, gesturing at the letter.
“Thanks for giving me a chance.” With that, Seyfalt bent over the desk and dropped a kiss on Karla’s cheek.
Еn_ù m̆ ǎ . iď
“Wha—?!”
“It’s a promise, then. I won’t give up, so don’t you run away on me, okay?”
Her face as red as a tomato, Karla gave Seyfalt a vigorous slap. “You shameless—!”
The letter Seyfalt had brought was not, in fact, an introduction letter from Zumiano.
It was a formal request for a marriage interview between Karla and Seyfalt, bearing the joint signatures of House Ormirage, House Olbran, and the crown prince.
