I Became a Swordsmanship Instructor in a Romance Novel

“What are you talking about? Why is the Third Prince suddenly being brought up?”

Rosnante couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the name that suddenly came out of Ilios’ mouth.

The Third Prince. His half-brother, Licht Leonine.

The half-baked one who barely inherited half of the golden hair that proved the imperial bloodline.

A guy who was only obsessed with magic.

Of course, it was true that he received a lot of support because mages were rare in the Empire.

When he was a wastrel, even his father, the Emperor, met with him more often than himself.

However, that was the expectation of him as an engineer who created things beneficial to the world, not the expectation of him as the Crown Prince, who would inherit the great position of the Empire.

So, it had been implicitly spread as an almost confirmed fact that Ilios Leonine would be appointed as the Crown Prince.

‘But for him to come to the academy…….’

If that guy, who was crazy about magic, had given up on the past and now realized the necessity of Ramielli Academy and jumped into the imperial race…….

Certainly, it wasn’t unreasonable for Ilios to come to him like this.

This was a place that Ilios, who had been expelled from Ramielli Academy, could hardly touch.

‘Even so, to give me the imperial seal to warn me against that fool who can’t even speak in front of people……?’

Rosnante tilted his head, unable to understand.

It was too strange for the First Prince’s choice, the cunning snake who never made a losing deal.

“Is he telling me to be careful because he enrolled in Ramielli? Even so, there’s no way he can do anything here.”

“No, that’s not it, Rosnante.”

Ilios shook his head.

“……?”

As if he couldn’t believe it himself, he opened and closed his lips several times and spoke in an uncertain voice.

“He’s been appointed as a swordsmanship instructor at Ramielli Academy.”

“……What!?”

Rosnante was appalled at the absurd words.

What kind of position was the swordsmanship instructor at Ramielli?

One had to be among the top five swordsmen in the Empire and obtain the approval of at least the Captain of the Imperial Knights.

A superhuman who transcended human limits, that crazy position held by a monster like Zeke Clayman.

Even if one position was vacant, a swordsmanship instructor with hands that seemed to struggle to even lift a twig?

When Rosnante looked at Ilios with disbelief, he let out a sigh and continued.

“……I also obtained this information through a secret route.

That he……. defeated the Captain of the Imperial Knights in an unofficial duel with a sword and obtained the qualification.”

“N-no, that’s…….”

“Yes, I know. It doesn’t make sense. I’ve checked it several times.

It’s certain that he’s coming to Ramielli Academy as a swordsmanship instructor.”

Ilios caught his breath as if he was out of breath from speaking so much.

“Perhaps, he’ll be coming soon. No, he might already be here.”

“…….”

“Be careful, Rosnante. I don’t know what he’s hiding.

He must have done something suspicious.

But you know that the Captain of the Imperial Knights cannot lie about the outcome of a duel, no matter what means he uses.”

“…….”

Thud. Ilios tapped Rosnante’s shoulder.

“I bet on you between him and you. Remember that well.”

‘Of course, to be precise, it’s Zeke Clayman behind him…….’

Then he turned around and tried to leave immediately.

But Rosnante immediately grabbed Ilios.

“Wait a minute, Ilios. I understand your intentions, but I can’t just accept it.”

“…….”

Ilios’ expression hardened.

‘This bastard, did he notice something……! Damn it, I was too careless.

If he was the same as I knew him, I thought he would accept it at this point……. Rosnante, this guy has grown too……!’

Certainly, at this point in time when the Third Prince gained a new power and became a swordsmanship instructor at Ramielli Academy, it was too convenient a story to immediately visit Rosnante and side with him.

In fact, when Ilios obtained the information that the Third Prince had defeated the Captain of the Knights with a sword, he immediately planted people around him.

To make him his pawn if the Third Prince’s martial power was real.

So that he could dream of another leap forward.

It was a profitable deal if he could be used as a sword to stab Zeke Clayman, replacing the already half-destroyed Eustia.

However, the Third Prince he actually confirmed was a very dangerous person.

So much so that he had to be careful even approaching him.

His previously weak personality had been flipped 180 degrees and was overflowing with composure.

He even fooled the subordinate Ilios had planted around him.

If he hadn’t had the experience of the duel tournament with Zeke, he would have been caught.

‘It would have been dangerous if I hadn’t had the experience of being thoroughly defeated back then.’

The changed Third Prince was incredibly lucky.

As if everything around him was helping him.

He was recognized by his father who happened to visit his residence, and he was also recognized by the imperial family by solving the imperial family’s headache in an instant.

And wherever he passed, problems arose for those around him, and the Third Prince stepped up and solved them.

The Third Prince’s influence, which had been gradually spreading within the imperial family, suddenly gained momentum, and the main players of the imperial family began to gather around him.

Feeling a strange sense of incongruity, Ilios had someone plant a video communication device when he was out.

It was a precious item with only one use left, but Ilios had to confirm the identity of that incongruity.

‘……Monster. The Third Prince has become a monster…….’

Ilios’ mind raced.

Calculating how much he should tell Rosnante so that he could pull out at any time without any burden.

“Ilios?”

Rosnante called him again because Ilios didn’t answer, his back turned.

Then Ilios turned around.

His hardened face was relaxed as if nothing had happened.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment. So, what were you saying? Did you say you couldn’t accept my offer as it is?”

Rosnante nodded heavily.

“Yes, I believe you’re on my side. But there’s something you need to tell me.”

“……Yes, what is it?”

Gulp.

Ilios asked, swallowing his dry saliva.

“By any chance, um. What is it……. Do you know anything about the North?”

“?”

Huh? The North all of a sudden?

Ilios’ eyes were filled with questions.

* * *

Zeke Clayman returned to Selena’s mansion after leaving the academy.

When it was dinner time and he sat down at the table,

Selena, Yuri, and Iriel came in and sat down one after another.

But none of them opened their mouths.

It wasn’t because of the Saintess during the day, nor was it because of the new swordsmanship instructor, the Third Prince Licht.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Zeke and the children looked back and forth between the dining table and Selena with horrified faces.

Zeke had been eating the food given to him without complaint.

No matter how much the food wasn’t to his taste, the memory of hunger in the Dave Continent made him feel compelled to be grateful for even a piece of bread.

But this time, he couldn’t help but open his mouth.

“……Is this, moldy……. Is Yohaiden’s financial situation bad these days…….”

Zeke said, picking up a lump of bread that boasted a blue interior.

“No……. Is this, some new virus spreading in the food…….”

If it had just been the bread, Zeke would have probably eaten it without complaint.

But, just, blue.

Not just blue, but a light blue close to sky blue.

The dining table was covered in a feast of blue.

Blue pasta.

Blue pie.

Blue steak.

Salad with blue sauce.

And even a bluish drink.

As everyone was speechless with bewildered expressions, Selena smiled faintly.

“Hehehe. Ah, Instructor, you don’t know yet. This is a new ‘flavor’?”

“……Flavor?”

“Yes, at the place Princess Ira of the North took me to today, I truly experienced a new world of taste.”

“Princess of the……. North…….”

“Yes. It was a shock that I had lived without knowing this until now. This is an arrangement of it. I got the sauce from there and specially asked our chef to make it.”

“Arrangement…….”

Unaware of Zeke’s increasingly grim expression, Selena continued in a cheerful voice.

“It’s called the Mint Chocolate Set Meal!”

Zeke gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tightly.

‘Damn it……. That Saintess, she eventually released a terrible poison into Ramielli…….’