Surviving As the 5th Prince of the Ruined Kingdom - Chapter 40



040

Miloa has good intuition.

She was unparalleled at distinguishing truth from falsehood. That was what led her to become the head of the Christy Count’s household and the chief of the Royal Intelligence Bureau.

Yet, throughout the conversation with Evan, she struggled to hide her bewilderment by managing her expressions.

“It hasn’t been long.”

From the answer to her very first question about when I had started contacting and associating with the Northern Liberation Army, her senses seemed to malfunction, screaming that it was the truth.

“I have received favors from Brother Damian, so how could I do anything to harm him?”

But now.

Miloa finally felt her malfunctioning intuition returning to normal as she let out an inward sigh of relief.

That statement was undoubtedly a lie.

“How unfortunate. You seemed to share such a close bond with the 2nd Prince.”

“Thank you for understanding. It seems I’ve spent too long in private conversation with Count Milloa. I’m afraid there may be whispers behind my back. I should probably head inside soon.”

“Indeed. We’ll continue the unfinished truth game another time.”

“You’re welcome anytime. Well then.”

Evan turns to leave.

As he watches Evan depart, Milloa’s mind begins to race.

‘The marriage of the 4th Princess to an imperial prince must be prevented at all costs.’

Whether the 4th Princess appeals to her or not, the mere fact of the engagement would release a large influx of magic stones to the kingdom suffering from a chronic shortage.

This is due to the imperial custom of giving an immense dowry to the bride’s family. If they play up the prince’s extravagance well enough, they may even secure high-grade magic stones.

‘It’s not a bad thing, the bad thing is…’

The problem is that this would be an extremely unpleasant development for the Crown Prince’s faction.

It goes without saying that the beneficiaries would develop strong favor towards the Second Prince.

While not entirely free, as some would be disadvantaged, minority voices have never been important in the grand scheme of national governance.

The ideal would be for a princess born to the First Queen to marry an imperial prince, but that is impossible. The Crown Prince faction’s preferred alternative is for the 3rd Princess Annette Lionel to marry an imperial prince.

Had the 5th Prince not shed his “Ghost Prince” stigma, Milloa too would have pursued that course.

‘No, that cannot happen.’

Her instincts whispered as much.

Suddenly, she wondered – what?

She furrowed her brow once more, lost in deep thought to find the answer.

Milloa felt the urge to smoke rising within her. As she patted her thigh, she recalled discarding her cigarette case earlier. Her gaze drifted to the trash bin.

***

After my conversation with Milloa, I returned to the banquet hall. It seemed my extended absence on the terrace with her raised some eyebrows, as many shot furtive glances my way while whispering amongst themselves.

‘I hope no strange rumors spread.’

There is a 10-year age gap between us. Surely nothing untoward could happen.

I shook my head and checked my watch.

‘About two hours left.’

With time before the arrival of the King and his two Queens, I decided to grab a bite, feeling peckish.

Just as I was putting some meat on my plate at the buffet, the murmuring around me abruptly ceased.

I set down my fork and looked up.

An elderly man with silvery hair and an imposing stature approached me.

Bert Lion, the head of the neutral faction in the Royal Council. Where has he been hiding until now?

“Prince, I heard you had a conversation with Count Miloa just a moment ago. Would you care to take a stroll with this leisurely person and keep me company for a while?”

“Of course.”

Bert turned away with a satisfied smile. He handed the bowl of food to the surrounding attendants and followed him into the garden.

He glanced back at the terrace where he had briefly conversed with Miloa. She was gazing at the full moon, elegantly exhaling puffs of cigarette smoke.

Was she a smoker?

For some reason, he had faintly smelled cigarette smoke earlier.

The cigarettes of this life were bound to be more lethal to the body, with more additives than those of the previous life.

Smoking had not yet become a noble pastime for long, so its ill effects were likely unknown.

‘Well, what do I care?’

I lost interest in Miloa and followed Bert’s footsteps.

But where was this man leading me?

As we ventured into an increasingly dimly lit area without street lamps, a chill ran down my spine.

Just as I was about to speak up, he stopped in his tracks.

“hahahaha, this should do. There were so many passionate youths around here.”

Hmm…

If that was the reason, I had no objection. Moreover, it seemed there might have been other motives. Perhaps a clingy rat was involved.

Suddenly, I realized I had been too oblivious to my surroundings during the conversation with Count Miloa.

I briefly recalled that exchange.

‘Nothing too incriminating, it seems.’

Even if I wasn’t consciously cautious, my subconscious must have been vigilant.

More importantly, at that time, a third language beyond words was the primary means of communication, and the capable Miloa had likely taken care of securing the perimeter beforehand.

Was this a case of trusting a capable enemy over an incompetent ally?

“What are you pondering so deeply about?”

“Ah, my apologies. I was having an embarrassing thought.”

Unable to come up with an excuse, I blurted out whatever came to mind.

“hahahahaha, you’re at that age too, Your Highness. As a member of the royal family, you should start looking for a suitable match.”

“If possible, I’d prefer an only daughter.”

My flippant response made him roar with laughter. Was my answer that amusing?

“Very well. Of course.”

He seemed to be in a good mood.

Soon, I realized the reason.

My response to Bert might have sounded like I intended to stand alone as a third force, not under anyone else.

From his reaction, it didn’t seem necessary to deny that thought or clarify that my words didn’t mean that.

“The last hearing was interesting.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Bert, who had been smiling, suddenly stopped and looked at me with a serious expression.

“Prince 5. I am a person kneeling before an insurmountable wall, but once a knight.”

I nodded.

I knew that Bert Lion had become a 6-star knight at a young age, and Lionel’s kingdom had hoped that an 8-star knight would finally appear.

But that’s it.

Among his contemporaries, the first and only one to have seven stars in his heart was my great-grandfather, Richard Beirne, the Northern Sword.

“By setting foot in the Royal Commission and turning over all sorts of filth, I have become such a cantankerous old man, but I still prefer frank conversations without empty words. How about having a chat with me?”

Is this a kind of truth game? Today, many people are asking me to reveal my true feelings.

Well, Councilor Bert could be a worthy opponent.

From noble mtl dot com

“Okay.”

At my answer, he truly became a knight.

Unlike the conversation with Miloa, he didn’t ask if I could lie. That would have been an insult.

I also think that I have developed the discernment to judge whether someone is sincere or not, having tenaciously survived in the royal family.

‘If I’m wrong, that’s my limit.’

In such cases, it’s only right to disappear like countless others who have vanished into history.

“I don’t like Prince 5.”

He starts off strong from the beginning.

“But because I don’t like that aspect of you, I like Prince 5.”

He prefers frank conversations, yet he uses a way of speaking that’s hard to understand. Is it a habit he picked up while serving on the Royal Commission?

“That ruthlessness, cutting down Beortio with a single stroke without batting an eye.”

“He deserved to die.”

“I know. But you’re Prince 5, who has never even wrung a chicken’s neck in the palace, right? Were you really not bothered at all while pinning crimes he didn’t commit on that witch? Didn’t you think that punishment should fit the crime?”

“Not at all.”

He smiled wryly at my firm answer.

“Or, if it had been someone truly respected by the people of the kingdom instead of Beortio, would you have done the same? Just for political interests?”

“……”

This time, he couldn’t answer right away and closed his lips for a moment. He had thought of an answer to the question, but he was conflicted about whether to say it or not.

At that moment, he let out a hearty laugh.

“hahahahaha, it seems I’ve judged you correctly. My eye for people still seems to be decent.”

I don’t know what answer Bert heard from my silence. It’s highly unlikely that it was what I was thinking, but what made him so pleased?

I moved my lips to open my mouth.

***

From Evan’s tightly closed lips, Bert was reminded of a former king.

He was an excellent king.

He was renowned and had outstanding knightly abilities. He even had the grand ambition of one day launching a northern expedition to create the “Lionel Empire.”

**’If only he hadn’t lacked one thing.’**

Ruthlessness.

He lacked the ruthlessness to shed tears when necessary and behead even his loyal subjects. In the end, that was his undoing, and he fell pathetically.

“I……”

“You don’t need to say it.”

Bert stopped Evan, who was moving his lips.

The fact that he was conflicted was a great answer for him. Of course, he was curious about the answer, but wouldn’t it be too boring if he knew it in advance? He decided to leave it as a future pleasure.

“As I said earlier, I like you, Your Highness. Personally, I’d like to be a solid support for the Fifth Prince, but in reality, it’s not that easy.”

The neutral faction of princes and nobles gathered around Bert. If they rashly declared their support for the Fifth Prince, the factions of the First and Second Princes would undoubtedly unite to crush them.

Fourteen years old, still too young.

He was a young lion cub found in a corner of the palace where hyenas reeking of rot swarmed. He had to be protected until he grew into an adult and could tear those hyenas apart.

“But I’ll give you a small gift. Your escort knights will visit Emerald Palace soon.”

This much was within his power.

His heart sank when he heard that the rascal had confronted the Merton Count’s daughter without any escort.

Evan’s eyes sparkled at Bert’s words.

“Are you serious?”

“Of course. I swear on the six stars in my heart. However, it might be a bit difficult to get nobles.”

“They’ll be from the Third Knight Order, then? Commoners who rose through the ranks?”

Bert nodded.

“If so, may I choose someone I want as my escort?”

“Ho, I’ve heard you frequent the training grounds of the 3rd Knight Order quite often. It seems you have someone in mind there. Is that so?”

“First, Adol Smith and Vernon Steiler.”

“They graduated from the Royal Knight Academy last year as the salutatorian and the third-ranked, respectively. But why specifically the probationary knights?”

“The last request might be a bit difficult.”

“Who could it be…? Oh no, don’t tell me!”

“Reina Jeanne. I know she’s currently affiliated with the 3rd Knight Order, albeit temporarily. Appoint her as my escort knight.”

Bert’s mind was muddled, wondering how to break the oath he had just uttered moments ago.

“Surely you’re not thinking of breaking your oath, are you?”

Evan smirked as he looked at him.