Grand Duke of the Heibern House

＜Episode 26＞

Arahon glared at Ruin with a distorted face.

What on the subject of daring to ask for a report of deceiving the royal family against the first prince of Lemadel?

The price for that is just being a friend?

If they became friends with each other, it was rather him who would benefit more.

Prestigious aristocratic families are sending all sorts of courtships to please them even at this moment.

He is none other than the first prince of Lemadel.

A powerful presence as the next king of Lemadel.

Before Arahon, who had been angry, could stop his rhyme, Ruin opened his mouth first.

“Are you sure you are counting on me?”

“It’s ridiculous. No matter how much you are the Grand Duke of Bern, you have had no presence in this kingdom until now.”

The young sneer on Arahon’s face deepened.

“A truly unknown aristocrat whose abilities are unknown. It may be the full support of the Bern family, but you can’t buy my favor.”

“Ability… … .”

Ruin laughed strangely as if he was dumbfounded.

Soon, Ruin’s cold voice resonated throughout the hall.

“Evaluating ability is possible only when the competency of the person who evaluates it is thoroughly comparatively superior. You are not the one who can measure me. 1 Prince.”

“what are you talking about?”

Ruin’s eyes shone even fiercer.

“The pettiness of insulting and testing the opponent’s honor in the face of a formal face-to-face with the standard bearer of the kingdom.”

“that… … !”

Ruin dismissed Arahon’s objection with a light gesture and opened his mouth again.

“The composure collapsed due to the opponent’s sudden rude words. Poor thinking ability to believe in nonsensical situations like a civil war in the realm.”

“… … What else does that mean?”

food.

“Hibern is the kingdom’s honorable standard bearer. Do you think that a famous swordsman full of loyalty to the royal family and the faith of a knight would turn the kingdom of Lemadel into an enemy just because one grand duke died?”

In an instant, Luin’s eyes became more intense.

“You are overwhelmed by all my actions and have lost your normal thinking. But most disappointing of all.”

“Disappointment?”

The corner of Ruin’s mouth draws a strange smile.

“That I was afraid. If you’re a royalty, no, if you’re a person who’s going to become a king, it’s an emotion you shouldn’t show carelessly.”

Arahon bit his lip until it bleed.

It’s true that when he talked about 8,000 troops, my heart felt cold even for a moment.

In that brief moment, he read the fear on his face.

“Of course he wasn’t afraid of me. What you fear is losing His Majesty’s trust. If the results of your incompetent negotiations arouse the Bernese’s hostility toward the royal family… … .”

“… … .”

“Because Your Majesty’s infinitely benevolent heart towards the 6th Prince, Kettus, will change to confidence.”

“Well, how are you?”

Arahon was more surprised than usual.

Of course, he was well aware of the gossips of the nobles.

It was none other than the royal family that put forward the principle of succession to the eldest son to the aristocrats.

Even so, it was rare for the royal family to not appoint a prince well past the age of majority as crown prince.

Naturally, nobles have no choice but to look at it with strange eyes.

However, it was a completely different matter to make a vague guess and directly refer to the sixth prince, Kettus.

The father’s warm gaze towards Kettus is felt only by himself.

A look of anticipation.

benevolent speech.

A father who always finds emotion when looking at Kettus in the daily life of a boring king.

No matter how knowledgeable they were of the secrets of the royal family, it was a fact that could never be known in this distant grand duchy.

“… … Have you seen my brother Kettus?”

“no. at all.”

It was natural.

Prince Ketheus has yet to make his name known to the social world.

He was young, and above all, Kettus did not like to be in front of people.

Only a few of his extremely limited subjects have seen the real life of Kettus.

“How can you, who have never seen Kettus?”

Ruin let out a polite laugh.

“It doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you were once again easily shaken and proved my expectations in a bland way.”

Kettus, the ‘gloomy king’ in Ruin’s past.

The unfortunate king who had to endure the destruction of the kingdom with all his body.

If there were no other variables, he would be the next king of Lemadel.

“Your Majesty’s heart… … I expected… … ?”

A person who has never met the king’s face can guess the king’s heart?

Is such a thing truly possible?

A person’s mind was not something that could be easily guessed even if he kept it by his side and looked at it for the rest of his life.

Because the human mind is not a realm of thinking and discernment.

It was Arahon who had lost his temper for a long time because of his father’s ambiguous attitude and meaningless words.

But he was talking as if he knew his father better than himself.

“Your consent or not will be replaced by news from the royal castle later.”

Unexpectedly, the guy had eyes full of conviction.

As if he had no doubt that he would make a normal report to the royal family.

However, Arahon’s surprise did not end there.

“Before that, let me give you one piece of advice. There must be someone who has intentionally undermined your reputation within the kingdom. From your point of view, finding him is an urgent priority.”

Arahon’s eyes widened.

“There are people who intentionally damage my reputation… … ?”

Ruin silently nodded.

“I must have added a plausible lie to the truth. Bondi instigation is like that. They exaggerate small blemishes to create facts that do not exist.”

“that… … !”

Arahon’s attitude as if he didn’t know at all made Ruin’s expression full of energy.

“Have you never been out on the run?”

Secretly.

The act of hiding one’s identity and getting along with the people without fault.

There was nothing quite like it in examining the public sentiment of the kingdom, but there were many restrictions due to escort issues.

Because all the escort knights had to disguise their identities along with the royal family.

“No.”

Arahon that Ruin looked at.

The feeling of a typical royalty who likes to assert their noble status.

He did not bother to hide his prestige by disguising himself as a traveler or merchant.

“I recommend getting out of the shadows right away. It would be better to first find out what kind of first prince, no, what kind of human you are called in the kingdom of Lemadel.”

closed mouth.

As if he had said everything, Ruin softly shut his mouth, and now Arahon was the one who was frustrated.

“whoever! Is there no expected person this time?”

When Ruin was silent for a long time with an incomprehensible face, it was Arahon whose father overlapped for some reason.

Ruin, who had been organizing his thoughts for a short time, indifferently opened his mouth.

“Being angry, afraid, curious, and revealing desire… … you are so hot-blooded You show all your emotions too openly.”

Ruin seemed to understand now why the king of Lemadel didn’t regard Arahon as his king.

“Revealing emotions means being read by others. If a predictable person becomes the king, the royal authority will inevitably be weakened and the power of the subjects strengthened.”

For a moment, Arahon thought of his younger brother, the 6th Prince, Kettus.

A knight’s talent, academic achievement, artistic sense, nothing special, just a simple and talkative guy.

However, the moment he heard Louin’s words, everything about Kettus, which he usually considered foolish, turned into extraordinary things.

pale face.

However, the eyes cannot easily read emotions.

A simple personality who only says what is necessary.

A desire that is not easily revealed.

Calm, unbecoming of his age.

All other understated actions.

‘so… … !’

All of Kettus’ qualities of a king.

Even if he resembles his goddamn father, the king of Lemadel, he is very similar.

Ruin’s nonchalant voice is heard again.

“People cannot change easily. But if you want to become a king, you will definitely have to change that character.”

Arahon has been silent for a while without saying anything.

He had been contemplating for a long time, and before he knew it, his eyes had become deeper.

Arahon’s eyes toward Ruin.

It was no longer a look of contempt or wary of the other person.

“I will make myself your friend.”

food.

“Louin Bern. Under the lion’s protection, the spirits of the Montdelilla Mountains, I will accept that will.”

Ruin had a strange smile on his face, but Arahon didn’t sound light for some reason.

“It’s like an oath.”

Ruin is still silent with a smile on his face.

The great mage Ruin’s name was a promise greater than an oath made in blood.

It was as important to Ruin to tame the demon that would wipe out the entire kingdom in the future.

“I will come to see you again. It won’t be very long.”

“Look forward to having fun. When we meet again, I want you to be the crown prince.”

Arahon, who was about to get up from his chair and go back, also smiled.

“Are you already thinking of using the crown prince to eat?”

“Because it is the way of the world to receive if you give.”

Staring at Ruin, who meekly acknowledged his desire without any objection, he thought that Arahon was indeed an unusual guy.

Certainly, what I received from him was great.

Words you wouldn’t hear even if you lived your whole life in the royal family.

It felt like all the complicated minds that had been tangled up like a thread were being released here in Berna.

“I will see you again. Grand duke of the Hibern family.”

Luin’s expression became serious.

It was the first time Arahon respected his family as High.

Ruin respectfully follows the manners.

“Please, goodbye. 1 Prince.”

Arahon was rather upset by Ruin’s manners.

Soon he turned around and left Bernheneum.

After confirming that Arahon had completely disappeared, Ruin gave off a cold gaze.

“Come out now.”

Ruin’s cold voice resonated calmly inside the Bernheneum.

In the deep curtains of the hall, Yukain, who had been hiding himself with his speculation completely erased, revealed himself with agitated eyes.

“Grand Duke. how… … ?”

Louin’s low-pitched voice.

“You worked hard.”

No matter how perfectly fighting spirit and mana were removed, Ruin’s attention could not be avoided.

As long as humans have a soul, Gyrobel, who drank it, will surely be able to smell its scent.

“I’m sorry if you were offended.”

“It must be your father’s will.”

Uncle Yukain is a knight of the Heibern family’s royal guard and a close friend of his father.

If he was the one to decide the mission alone without his father’s order, Ruin would surely be accused of overhearing.

“Because it’s dealing with the Lemadel royal family. Please understand the family lord.”

“I understand. Just report what you see and hear.”

Yukain, who hesitated for a moment, opened his mouth with difficulty.

“too… … It was dangerous.”

Claiming to be an aristocrat of the Lemadel kingdom, he dared to speak ill of the royal family, especially the first prince.

Moreover, the words exchanged with him were extremely dangerous and bold.

“It was necessary. If the ability of the family is changed by clearing the Paneom mine, there will be no way to avoid the attention of the nobles, especially the Rencia. We have to defer the attention of the nobles, at least for the time being.”

“but… … .”

“Also, for a long time, we, the Hibern family, have estranged ourselves from the aristocracy and only insisted on the purity of knights. To put it very realistically, there is nothing but the honor of a jockey.”

Ruin’s eyes deepened.

“Other aristocrats, even common local barons, hold each and every string in the royal family. 1st Prince Arahon is the minimum string that the Heibern family must have.”

“But my friend went too far.”

Ruin silently nodded.

“yes. It was reckless and rushed. Admit it. But can’t we just watch the current family, which has no influence on the royal family, forever?”

Faced with the stark reality of the Heibern family, Yukain, the knight of the Royal Guard, could no longer argue.

Ruin’s logic like a blade.

Gradually, a look of eagerness began to appear on his face.

“… … Couldn’t you continue to be the grand duke of the Hibern family?”

Ruin was silent, only looking at the chandelier breaking in the sunlight.