Grand Duke of the Heibern House

＜Episode 25＞

Ruin was staring indifferently at the confused sage Egios.

This wizard in front of me is the number one person in the kingdom of Lemadel that must be recruited.

Excluding some of the Bernese’s direct blood relatives, the mages of the Mage Tower were the only ones who knew the secret of their curse.

“We are welcoming the prince. I’ll get rid of it later.”

Egios awkwardly greeted Ruin, who smiled softly and showed the manners of a grand duke.

“ah. All right. Mr. Luin.”

As Ruin and Egios looked at each other in a strange atmosphere, Arahon, who was curious, quickly revealed his doubts.

“Are you old friends with the sages of the kingdom? That means it’s no ordinary knight. Reveal your rank and rank.”

In an instant, Egios’s elegant voice flowed again.

“Prince. He is the Grand Duke of Bern.”

“The Archduke?”

Arahon had a lofty expression all the time, but at that moment I couldn’t help but be surprised.

The existence of the Archduke, the next horseman of the Heibern family, was a matter of great concern even within the kingdom.

However, the Heibern family had never revealed the true identity of the Archduke to the outside world.

“Who is this?”

In the Hibern family, there is a Dane who is said to be the swordsman genius of the kingdom.

Even in the long history of the kingdom, he is the youngest knight to be found.

However, if you are a grand duke of the Heibern family, it is normal for you to feel at least more than that.

That is the weight of the family of Bern.

“… … .”

but i don’t feel anything

Except for the ominous feeling that I don’t know why, the speculation didn’t radiate a single sharp momentum.

Arahon smiled.

“A person who doesn’t even feel the skills of an ordinary escort knight is the Grand Duke of Bern. Is this lion’s family now becoming a family in name only? The honor of the Grand Duchess will fall to the ground.”

“Wow, Prince!”

Leaving behind the sage Egios, who was flustered, Arahon made a more sullen face.

“It’s done. I will meet and talk with the flag bearer of the kingdom.”

Ruin, who had been silently listening until now, opened his mouth with an expressionless face.

“I’m sorry for dirtying your eyes, Prince. However, the whole authority to welcome the prince belongs to this Ruin, the Grand Duke of Bern. Please, Prince, do not turn away.”

Arahon, who was stiff with an absurd face, burst into a hearty laugh.

“what? ha ha ha!”

I was curious about how the Grand Duke of Bern would turn out, so I deliberately made a humiliating provocation.

The valiant Grand Duke of Bern, or at least, if he were a knight, he could draw his sword and challenge for a duel.

But to endure the humiliation?

so easy?

Arahon, who was interested, looked at Ruin even more sticky.

“You say you have full power?”

“Even though I’m missing, I’m still the Grand Duke of Bern. For generations in our family, when the head of the family is absent, the grand duke represents the authority and authority.”

Arahon was silent for a while.

He soon twisted his lips.

“Well, okay. If that’s what the Bernese law is like.”

“Before that, there is something I want to ask the prince.”

“What do you want to ask for? What is it?”

Louin opened his mouth again with a calm face.

“It is private.”

At that time, Sir Dior, the head of the royal guard, shook his head resolutely and opened his mouth.

“No! It can’t be! The royal guard will not stop escorting the royal family under any circumstances!”

Arahon sharply glared at Dior, the captain of the escort.

“Hey, Sir Dior. Does this Arahon look so weak that he is afraid of even meeting someone like this?”

“Ha, but the prince… … !”

“noisy. Alone? good. I will accept your request.”

Louin bowed his head.

“I will see you.”

* * *

Arahon was looking inside Bernheneum with an admiring expression.

A place where heavenly light floods in all directions.

It is a kind of wonder to see hundreds and thousands of beams of light filling the huge hall.

Indeed, they said that Bernheneum in Berna was the most beautiful hall in the kingdom, and it was true to its name.

Ruin walked slowly and pulled out a chair from the large round table in the center of the hall and stared at Arahon indifferently.

“sit down.”

“… … do it what?”

Ruin laughed at Arahon, who was hardened with an absurd face.

“I heard that it’s not the style that hangs on etiquette. If you like to assert the authority of the royal family, how about treating them as courtiers again?”

Arahon is handling the courtesy sword of the royal family.

“think carefully. This is the land of Bern. Although it has become infamous, this is the land of an independent principality. The moment I pull out that sword and aim it at me, 8,000 troops will advance towards Lemadel. Of course, you and the escorts will die first.”

“You, you bastard… … !”

drooling.

Ruin sat down and put on a pod.

“The influence of the first lion king of this family on the founding of the country is no less than that of the founding king, Soro Lemadel. What would it be like if the first lion king had a little more power? Don’t you think that you and I have switched places now?”

“Everyone, shut up! I will kill… … !”

“try.”

Arahon grabbed the handle of the pre-sword and trembled without rest.

forgot for a while

What kind of family was the Hibern family?

The family of the flagbearer who holds half of the kingdom’s military power and absolute power.

For a moment it was forgotten what could happen when their allegiance to the kingdom was tampered with.

‘… … .’

The bastard did not tolerate insult.

As soon as I looked into his eyes, I could immediately sense how much anger he was letting go.

He is unhesitatingly giving his life to himself who insulted the Heibern family.

Was that why you asked for a solo?

‘bloke… … !’

He wasn’t a good guy.

Deliberately leading them to the splendid Bernheneum, exuding the prestige of the grand duke’s family, and shaking their cool with unhesitating words.

Besides, how dare you talk about the kingdom’s civil war in front of the first prince of the royal family.

meticulous and clever

He was also terrifyingly bold.

The pressure Arahon felt from Ruin was more than the cunning strategists of the royal family.

“I made a mistake. I apologize for insulting you and your family earlier.”

Arahon untied his hand that was holding the sword and sat down and smiled.

This time, Ruin showed curiosity about his attitude.

After all, he was not an immature prince who only asserted the authority of the royal family.

A guy like this ever-changing snarl can’t be a royal idiot.

Ruin thought that the reputation and rumors about him might have been intentional.

“Well, we don’t have to live with each other. Let’s get straight to the point.”

“hahahaha, even though Prince Vaughn apologized, are you still going to keep that arrogant attitude?”

Ruin didn’t care and continued talking.

“Seeing that the first prince was sent like this, it must mean that the royal family accepts the request of the main family, right?”

Arahon quickly erased the mischief from his face and put on a mask.

“Not necessarily.”

Ruin with a shy smile.

“Paneom Mine is one of the innumerable properties of the royal family. What kind of big decision does the royal family have to make to entrust such a mine to the grand duchess?”

“… … .”

“The fact that the Lemadel royal family refuses this family’s request means that we will place the honor of the Bern family under the Darione family. Can’t the Grand Duchess take over the mines run by barons or something? Wouldn’t that be a big burden for the royal family as well?”

Ruin took out a pen from his bosom and started fiddling with it.

“Only the governing body is different, and if it is a grand ducal family, iron ore will be given to the royal family according to the custom and tax rate, and this is just maintaining the current situation. From the royal family’s point of view, it’s actually not something that requires much thought.”

Arahon’s heart grew colder at Ruin’s attitude as if he were looking into the royal conference room.

“The reason why the royal family sent the first prince like this must be for a different reason. Granting the right to operate the Paneom Mine to the Grand Duchess is nothing, but what is the reason why the sweaty knight’s family, who lived only for the honor of the jockey on the outskirts, suddenly greedy for this right?”

“… … .”

“Iron is the power of war. Could it be that the grand duke was trying to increase his strength? Is it really helpful to the royal family for the Heibern family to become strong again? Or do you have another ulterior motive?”

“No nonsense. His Majesty is someone who has never doubted the rider’s loyalty.”

Louin laughed bitterly.

“I guess so. But do the servants think so too?”

widely.

Ruin put down the pen and put on the pod.

“Our family is the horse. He is the guardian of the kingdom, but at the same time he is a virtuoso. A group that can or should not be close. i know very well The old things the royal family has been doing to weaken the family.”

I’m sorry.

All of Arahon’s hair, which was called hair on his body, stood on end.

What Ruin had just said was something he had heard countless times from the elders of the Lemadel royal family.

The loyalty of the Bernese can be questioned and cannot be questioned.

Because the moment of doubt was the disaster of the kingdom.

Even more creepy was his last words.

The royal family’s efforts to weaken Berna!

The enormous secret was a secret that could not be known unless it was the backbone of the royal family, including a small number of servants.

“ha ha ha! No way? It is the nonsense of storytellers who love to make things up even if they don’t know what rumors they have heard.”

Ruin gave an incomprehensible smile before slowly opening his mouth again.

“As expected by the royal family, we, the Hibern family, are trying to grow in strength. I will increase the wealth of the Bon family with the steel of the Paneom mine, accept all the nomads of the Baron Darione as territories, and reclaim the abandoned fiefdom of the Bon family. It will regain its status beyond that of the Duchy of Bern.”

“what… … ?”

“But you can’t report that to the royal family. The kingdom’s standard bearer, the head of the Heibern family, simply takes care of the poor wanderers and stabilizes the bankrupt Darionega’s estate. When the barony area is settled, the management rights of the mine will be returned to Darionega.”

Arahon, who had been silent for a long time with a blank expression, struggled to open his mouth.

“Why? why should i… … ?”

The infinitely transparent pupil of Ruin.

“If you are a noble noble of the Lemadel kingdom, there is no way you don’t know why you, after coming of age, are still the first prince and not the crown prince.”

“… … .”

Ruin, who broke the pod, stood up from his seat.

“I will give you strength so that you can completely win His Majesty’s heart.”

rattle.

Arahon could not stand the agitation and jumped up.

“Lion of the kingdom! Are you saying that your Hibern family will stand by me!”

“no. It’s not the Bone Family.”

“What is that… … ?”

Louin smiled faintly and held out his hand.

“All I can get is me. 1st Prince Arahon. I, this Ruin, will be your friend and stand by his side.”

Tame it before it becomes a demon that will destroy the kingdom.

That was Ruin’s first plan for the Lemadel royal family.