A Famous Traitor and Treacherous Genius

5 – Going back to the beginning (4)

Naria Gio Nostrum.

This small, doll-like girl with blonde hair and green eyes is the princess of this country.

And she is the woman who will be called the ‘Princess of Ruin’ in the future.

“I heard that you are first in line for the throne.”

“…….”

I tried to strike up a light conversation with Princess Naria as we strolled through the garden, but she ignored me.

“I also heard that you have a divine blessing called ‘absolute memory ability’.”

“…….”

However, I continue trying to engage her in conversation.

Most men would give up and walk away in such a situation, but—

‘I know.’

This cold girl is actively participating in the conversation.

“You must have had a hard time coming all the way to Gibraltar. I sincerely mean it.”

“…….”

A slight bow of her head is the girl’s response.

Princess Naria is not very talkative.

Some say, “She’s too excessively silent,” but that’s just a misunderstanding.

“Do you happen to know who I am?”

“…Gray Gibraltar.”

For the first time, the princess opened her mouth.

“Eldest son of the two males and one female of the Crimson Gibraltar. The age is ten years old. Born with a very peculiar hair color and eye color even in the Gibraltar family, which became a topic of the controversy. He collapsed once from fever two months ago.”

Her tone sounded like she was reciting a report about me from her memory.

“…I see.”

With no expression on her face, she still looked at me with indifferent eyes.

“That is correct, Your Highness.”

“Okay.”

A conversation in short answers.

It might be suffocating for someone, but I didn’t show it and pointed to the center of the garden.

“Please have a seat. It will take some time for the conversation between His Majesty the King and my father to end.”

“…….”

I naturally pulled out the chair for her to sit.

“Your Highness?”

“…….”

She bowed her head slightly and sat down carefully.

One of the female knights who followed Princess Naria looked at me with displeasure, but I didn’t care.

‘It’s just like a folding screen.’

As long as I didn’t harm the princess here, the escort knight would just stand by.

‘She’ll probably report everything I said to the queen later, but there’s no problem.’

Reports to the queen, not the king.

An indirect proof that the hands of the queen, or more precisely, the Margania Archduchy, extend throughout the palace.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway.’

Looking at it in the long term, the Margania Archduchy may be dangerous, but ‘Carmen Margania, not Nostrum’ is not a dangerous enemy.

“Your Highness, do you happen to know the reason why His Majesty the King and the Queen have come here?”

“… Rebellion.”

Princess Naria’s quiet answer surprised the female knight.

“I heard that King Goguryeo was very angry because of His Majesty’s mistake.”

“Yes, that’s right. My father was very angry.”

The story spread to even a ten-year-old child like the princess, so it must have been a big scandal within the kingdom.

“Perhaps the queen has strongly urged you to come.”

“…Yes.”

And that political scandal was an issue significant enough that only Carmen could step in to handle it.

Even if the ‘truth’ was a secret known only by the two of them, it was already a matter the king needed to resolve due to its external impact.

“You must have had a hard time coming all the way here to change things.”

“Yes.”

The conversation still isn’t flowing smoothly.

It seems like they don’t quite understand each other.

To others, that is.

“However, your highness, I apologize, but we may have to part ways again soon.”

“……?”

Princess Naria tilts her head.

“It seems that you will leave this place before I can even boil the water for tea.”

“…….Ah.”

And only then did she realize that I hadn’t even prepared tea for her.

“…Why?”

There are so many questions within that single word.

While she is curious and she asks, she is probably guessing all sorts of reasons in her head.

‘Because you’re a genius.’

Naria possesses perfect memory.

That means her brain is outstanding enough to remember everything without any problem.

‘A versatile hero excelling in everything.’

She is like a great hero who will succeed in various fields based on that brainpower.

Although her country was ruined before her coronation ceremony.

“Ah.”

Our family is the one that ruined that country.

“I’m sorry. I just got curious for a moment.”

I managed to dodge the issue.

“I have one answer, but I was curious about how many options you might have, your highness.”

“…Seven.”

“You considered seven possibilities for why the princess would leave soon?”

Nod.

“Amazing, Your Highness.”

It’s not a child’s guess.

I know it’s a truly logical and plausible inference.

“Really, it’s impressive.”

But I don’t ask further.

“Why don’t you ask?”

If I start asking one, she will tell all seven –

“Well, it’s already time for you to go.”

“…?”

“The talks have ended.”

Kwaaang!

There was a loud noise at the entrance of the mansion.

“Princess?!”

The escort knight rushed toward the princess, and I leisurely turned my head to the mansion where the explosion had occurred.

“I’ll bid you farewell, Your Highness. The king wishes to return now.”

“…Father.”

The man who broke through the front door of the mansion, the incompetent king, came out with one hand on his cheek and full of life in his eyes.

“……Tsk! Let’s go back!”

He yelled at the soldiers and hurried towards the carriage, disappearing quickly.

It’s obvious even for a child to see, but the situation is a bit unbelievable.

‘How can he endure that with just one punch to the face? Is it because we were once friends?’

Byung-gyeong Baek threw a punch at the king’s face.

Considering the honor of the royal family, this incident would never spread to the public.

‘If he had known the truth, it would have been Aura Blade flying instead of the punch.’

The father survived because he didn’t know.

But would the incompetent king know?

That the punch was the declaration of treason.

For now, it’s just a statement of ‘enduring it to this extent’, but later, it’s a pledge to use all one’s power for rebellion.

“I have no obligation to inform you.”

I am not serving the incapable king.

“Princess Nariya.”

I stood up from my seat and knelt on one knee in front of Nariya.

“Unfortunately, our meeting now is brief, but I hope we meet again someday.”

“……”

Nariya extended her left hand in front of me according to etiquette.

“I promise you here.”

A small 10-year-old hand.

In my memory, the hand of the ‘Princess of Ruin’ was bruised and full of wounds, but this hand is without a single scratch and pure white.

“Princess Nariya. No matter what happens in the future, please remember only this moment today.”

As a knight, I gently kissed the back of Princess Nariya’s hand.

“I, Grey Gibraltar, solemnly swear to always serve only you in any situation.”

I raised my head to look at Princess Nariya.

“……”

Nod.

Her expression unchanged, Princess Nariya lightly nodded her head.

* * *

Clattering, rattling.

Despite being a royal carriage, today it seemed exceptionally shaky.

“Tsk.”

Queen Carmen grumbled about the carriage’s condition, resting her chin on her hand.

“Your father seems to care more about himself than us, mother and daughter.”

“……”

Sitting silently across from Queen Carmen, Princess Nariya closed her eyes.

“He gets a punch in the face for his wrongdoing and runs away in anger without even looking back.”

There are multiple carriages that came to Gibraltar.

“Moreover, he didn’t even take care of his wife and daughter. Ha, was he embarrassed to show his disgraceful appearance to the countess? hahahahaha.”

But King Saint Geo boarded the royal carriage and headed straight for the royal road.

“… How can he not catch up even half of the pace at that age?”

Leaving the carriage that followed the Queen and the Princess.

“Why do people call your father the Incompetent King? At times like this, I want to join them in shouting it.”

“…….”

“Really, who do you take after? Sigh. It’s a relief that you don’t seem to take after your father, at least.”

Queen Carmen shook her head at her daughter’s reticence.

“…We must stay alert. Although he is your father and my husband, he’s a man who only became king because he inherited royal blood.”

If it weren’t for his bloodline.

“If there was even one more male successor, he would undoubtedly become the king, even if he was not the eldest.”

If only he wasn’t the sole heir.

“… But at least his face is on par with Duke Gibraltar. Sigh.”

If not for his royal blood making him handsome, who would revere him as a king?

“Keep in mind, your father is just a wastrel who sits on the throne. We have to support him well, along with the Morganian Duke’s family, the Council of Elders, and the like. At least this time….”

“Mother.”

“Uh, yes?”

“Is there no possibility of Duke Gibraltar staging a rebellion?”

“……Do not speak carelessly.”

Queen Carmen approached Princess Naria’s face with a stern tone.

“That man, Duke Gibraltar, is an absolutely loyal subject who would never betray the nation.”

“…….”

“He, Gibraltar, would never betray the kingdom.”

“In that case, will future generations of Gibraltar be the same?”

“Of course. It’s a tradition and a covenant that has been handed down through generations.”

Tradition, covenant.

Princess Naria softly mulled over the two words.

“…Is it just a promise?”

“Yes. A promise. Men of the Gibraltar family do not retract what they have once said. Especially when…”

Queen Carmen, looking out the carriage window, cast a wistful gaze at the Gibraltar estate and smiled faintly.

“If it’s something a man of Gibraltar says while kneeling, even more so.”

* * *

13 minutes.

The king arrived at the marquis’s mansion, got punched in the face, and ran away in a hurry.

It was too short a moment to call it time, but I am satisfied that I’ve conveyed my intentions to Princess Naria.

‘If she knows the Oath of Gibraltar, it would be easier. If not, it doesn’t matter.’

I expressed my will to her.

All that’s left is for me, who has returned to the past, to do my part.

Kee-iik.

I open the firmly closed door to the study.

“Father.”

Abiding by a strict order not to let anyone in, according to the command, only ‘Gray Gibraltar’ is allowed in.

“Did you look for me?”

“Gray.”

Father was down on one knee, hands clasped together, praying toward the wall.

“Starting today, you are the Marquis of Gibraltar.”

“……”

“I am no longer the Marquis of Gibraltar.”

“Is it to break the oath of loyalty to the kingdom?”

“…Heh.”

Father did not look at me, but he let out a low laugh.

“You know well.”

“Until the day of the promised pledge you are thinking of, Father, you will continue to be a loyal subject.”

“That’s right.”

“This is a ritual. A declaration to our ancestors.”

“Yes. Whether the rebellion succeeds or fails, Gibraltar must be maintained.”

Father released his hands, tracing his own throat with his thumb.

“The day the rebellion fails, cut my throat.”

“…Father.”

“Then yell. That you’ve cut the throat of the traitor Crimson.”

“Are you telling me to become a prodigal child?”

“Even if you become a prodigal child, protect your mother and siblings.”

Although I had never been someone’s father, by looking into those eyes full of resolve as a parent, I could immediately guess their thoughts.

-“Please! Byungbaek! Save at least the lives of my daughter and son! If you are to kill, take me! Please!

-I will, I will work to death! Somehow, I will make money and pay taxes! I beg of you, at least save my daughter!

Plenty have witnessed numerous fathers offering their lives to save their children.

And among those fathers-

“If I had to choose to save either my mother or my sibling, who would you wish me to save, father?”

“…….”

“Mother, right?”

“…….”

Such is a father who prioritizes ‘wife’ over ‘child’, a mentality slightly different from ordinary fathers.

“Rest assured, father. I have no intention of sitting idle while the king disgraces our family.”

“…Hmm?”

I knelt on one knee next to my father.

“To ensure the rebellion’s success, I will thoroughly ruin this country.”

“…….”

“And to do so… I will have to loyally perform my duties, at least until the day you mentioned. Or, well, the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“I will become a traitor.”

My father looked at me with a stern, cold expression.

“Father, you remain loyal. I will side with the traitors planning to sell our country for gain.”

“You.”

“An imbecile who coveted the position of Byungbaek and secretly sided with the empire. Well, there might be other ways too.”

There are many ways.

“I will become the disgraceful son who sells out his country.”

Yet, if there’s one thing I’m good at, it would be ‘that’.

“I swear to heed your words in order to protect the one I love most.”

I

“Even if it means indulging in some disgraceful deeds.”

Spoke my sincere thoughts.

“Alright.”

For the first time in his life, my father gifted me with a comforting smile.

“You are, my hope.”

As a traitor, I will save the hope of this country.