I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

025. Encounter (1)

There was a guy named Liam.

He was a ten-man leader in the prisoner unit I commanded. His personality was cheerful, and his language was a bit foul.

If there was a characteristic, it was that he enjoyed mingling with others even in a unit with a strong individualistic tendency, and he liked alcohol.

That was the reason I could get close to him.

– Lieutenant! How about a drink today?

– Do we have any?

– I rummaged through that collapsed house over there. Guess what, there was some homemade liquor in the basement.

– Oh.

After the battle, he would rummage through the nearby collapsed houses and find alcohol from somewhere.

Usually, he would come to me and have a drink together, and I wasn’t the type to dislike alcohol either.

Even if it wasn’t for that, it was wartime.

The battlefield was a place where people would go crazy if there wasn’t such fun.

Anyway, for that reason, we had a drink together.

And every time, I felt puzzled by him.

– But why don’t you ever get a hangover? I can push it away with mana, but…

Liam never suffered from a hangover, even if he drank until he threw up.

I wondered if it was because he was a heavy drinker, but it was beyond understanding, so my curiosity grew.

To my pure curiosity, he gave such an answer.

– This necklace is the secret.

—-

I still vividly remember its appearance, as it was shown off with such pride.

He called it the “Necklace of Hangover Relief.” It was an ancient artifact that converted mana into healing power to invigorate the body.

Of course, the amount of conversion wasn’t infinite, and the efficiency of the transformation wasn’t particularly high, but the fact that it allowed civilians to use healing power made it undoubtedly a divine object.

Even I coveted it.

Surely, using that on the battlefield would be a great help in preserving stamina.

So, there was a time when I tried to obtain it from him.

But in the end, I couldn’t get it.

“No, you can’t. It’s something my father left me.”

He’s a cheerful fellow.

But think about our identity.

The prisoner squad.

Everyone who shared joys and sorrows there was a criminal.

Everyone has a shadow in their heart.

Liam’s father was a common knight serving in the Royal Knights, an unfortunate man who lost his life during the purge of the second prince.

Liam, who was a cadet at the time, experienced his father’s death and, in anger at the royal event, took up his sword and infiltrated the palace alone.

He couldn’t do anything.

No matter how dark the times were, it was the imperial capital.

There’s no way a mere cadet could breach the security.

The cadet, driven mad by anger and dreaming of revenge, became a prisoner and was locked up, eventually reaching the level of an expert and joining the prisoner squad.

“My father was a real knight, different from me. He had beliefs and was righteous. I just… don’t want to forget someone like him.”

I know how deeply the helplessness of losing family can pierce the bones.

After hearing such words, I could no longer covet the necklace.

Thus, he kept the necklace until the end.

Though the conclusion was death.

‘Still, he was alive until the last battle.’

He was a seasoned one who survived until the siege of the capital where I had returned.

I remember he eventually rose to the rank of Expert Lieutenant.

Thinking of him suddenly reminded me of that too.

– Lieutenant, what will you do when the war is over?

– I will rebuild the family.

– Oh! Then please make me a knight of that family!

– No. Pharos cannot have knights. It’s problematic to have armed forces due to its political position.

– Huh? Where is that? Then who is supposed to protect the family?

– The Imperial Knights took turns acting as family knights. Didn’t you know? There was a knights’ barracks under the Pharos garden.

– I lived in the south of the capital…

– What, you lived in a rich neighborhood.

What was it, I explained why it couldn’t be done when he asked to be made a knight if I rebuilt the family.

His response was quite amusing.

– Then I will become an Imperial Knight and take charge of Pharos!

– I don’t know if they will allow it. It’s like twisting things to create a personal army.

– If not, I’ll just be a gatekeeper. It’s fun being with you, Lieutenant.

He was a pleasant fellow in many ways.

I was quite attached to him as I was closer to him than other squad members.

Someday, if time allows, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to find him.

Since we’re in the same system, it should be easy to meet.

Of course, that time is not now.

There are pressing issues to deal with first.

That’s the story for now.

“Sorry, Liam.”

The necklace, in this life, I must have it.

Father is still alive, and the second prince is not rampaging, so it can’t be Father’s keepsake, can it?

In that case, the artifact should go to the one who can use it best.

The burden on my heart could be eased through such thoughts.

* * *

Above all else, acquiring that necklace is the top priority.

Given the unknown future and the potential for further bodily harm, nothing is more important than a safety measure.

For that reason, I pondered many things.

What is the surest way to obtain the necklace?

Should I participate in the auction?

But soon, I shook my head.

“There’s a risk.”

Liam’s father was a common knight of the royal order.

Considering he bought that necklace as a gift for his child, it probably wasn’t that expensive.

But, in the end, it’s an auction, isn’t it?

There are too many variables.

First, the possibility that the auction participants are the same as in the past life? Approaching zero.

The future is something that twists even with the smallest things.

Right now, with the crown prince walking around alive and well, discrepancies are occurring in the details from what I knew.

In such a situation, let’s say I participated in the auction to buy that.

Wouldn’t it be troublesome if someone with a lot of money and time who hates losing shows up to interfere?

As desperate as the desire is, I hope the method is more certain.

So, I came up with a method.

I came to the Dawn Palace.

“So you called me? Just to steal an auction item?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“…Do you think it will work?”

“Why wouldn’t it? The auction is hosted by the royal family, and the person in charge of the items is the first princess under the crown prince. And that item. It’s not even a main item.”

There is a calculation of sorts.

At this point, it seems no one knows the value of the necklace.

The necklace was classified as an item to liven up the early part of the auction, and there was no reason for it to be put up for auction.

Besides, I am directly under the crown prince.

Why should I avoid using the power I can borrow at times like this?

The crown prince narrowed his eyes at my words.

“···Does that necklace have some mysterious power? Something you know of?”

“I just want it. Saw it in a catalog, it’s my taste.”

“Have you always been interested in accessories?”

“I am now.”

He looked suspicious.

Well, that’s understandable.

The prince’s mind is quite sharp.

When it comes to matters of profit, it’s only right to be this astute.

If he judges it to be a valuable item, he’ll reassess its worth.

He might even think of keeping it for himself.

He wouldn’t have come without such precautions.

“I’m not asking for it for free.”

“Oh?”

The prince smirked.

He knows, and I know too.

What card will be effective in our negotiation.

I pulled out a piece of paper from my pocket and waved it.

“Don’t you need the recipe?”

“The burger recipe?”

“If it were any other recipe, I wouldn’t bring it up as a negotiation card.”

It was an effective card.

After tasting a cheeseburger for the first time, the prince had been pestering me almost daily to give him the burger recipe.

Having something I desperately wanted, I endured the annoyance, thinking that one day I could use it as a bargaining chip. And now, hasn’t that opportunity arrived?

‘He can’t refuse this.’

The essence of negotiation was ultimately to accurately grasp the value of what the other party wanted and what I wanted.

What I desired was the necklace.

But what the Crown Prince desired was a greater benefit.

Let’s think from the Crown Prince’s perspective.

Relics or artifacts? The Dawn Palace is already filled with relics, and there’s nothing the Crown Prince wears that isn’t an artifact.

Even if its value is exceedingly high.

So what?

When the Crown Prince ascends to the throne, all the national treasure-level artifacts will be his.

In contrast, this recipe is known only to me in the world, and the Crown Prince desires it intensely.

I am someone the Crown Prince cannot coerce.

In terms of value, the recipe has the advantage of ‘uniqueness.’

‘I am above you, Crown Prince.’

The Crown Prince’s hesitation was brief.

He extended his hand to me and said,

“Give it to me.”

“Once I receive it, that’s the end.”

“I don’t go back on my word.”

“Don’t investigate the necklace separately. The moment you hand it over, it’s mine.”

“I promise.”

Still, humans do not lie.

He has his creed, and having lived a life where he felt no need to lie, he can be trusted in this regard.

Only after securing the promise did I hand over the recipe.

The prince carefully tucked it into his bosom and said with a beaming face,

“It was a good deal. You are indeed my best ally.”

“Of course.”

To think that a day would come when I would face this man and laugh together.

That was what I was thinking.

“Shall we go to receive it right away? The items have already been moved to the auction house. How about we go together to collect them?”

“Oh.”

What a refreshing way to handle things.

I am very satisfied.

* * *

We came out to the street.

Following the prince’s suggestion to move quietly, we wore robes.

The first thing that caught my eye was the liveliness.

With three days left until the founding festival, the south of the capital was bustling with preparations for the upcoming event.

It was a nostalgic sight.

“Was it the second night?”

“Hmm? Ah, you mean the night market.”

“Yes, the drinks are really good then.”

“···You really do like your drink.”

Before I was imprisoned, I used to come out and drink on the streets during this festival.

Let’s erase from my mind the times I got into fights with passersby.

The moments when laughter and shouts, and the brilliant lights adorned the streets all night long, had a beauty that could only be felt during the festival.

At times like this, people become quite sentimental.

Like the moment I first returned, thinking all of this was a dream of the past as I gazed at the capital.

The peaceful and comfortable moments inexplicably evoked a pleasant sentiment.

But, the aftertaste of that sentiment was always bitter.

‘So this scenery has been ruined.’

It’s not a grand cause.

The cause I must achieve is the revival of my family.

However, if I indulge in sentiment, I wish this scenery wouldn’t fade away.

I want to see this liveliness for a longer time.

Then I realized, perhaps I quite liked this system.

A hollow laugh escaped me.

My gaze turned to the Crown Prince.

‘This man better do well.’

Of course, the worst has been avoided, so he will surely do well.

With the Crown Prince’s mere existence, the dark age of the empire will vanish, and even if war breaks out, it will never be the same as before.

But still, it’s good to be well-prepared.

The Crown Prince is the foundation.

In terms of a building, he is the solid ground and pillars.

However, a house is not complete with just that.

Walls and roofs to be erected with pillars, and things like fences and household equipment are necessary.

Those who correspond to that are the knights of the golden age.

Now, they are fools enchanted by commoner women.

‘How should I stop them…’

I know what kind of trouble they cause.

It’s just that I don’t know the timing, but if I keep a close watch and detect the signs, I can prepare adequately.

The process would be easier if the crown prince were here.

If I could borrow his power for both pre-processing and post-processing, I could handle it as cleanly as possible.

‘First, Beatrice.’

In terms of order, I should deal with that woman somehow.

It was at that moment.

A woman’s voice, small but unmistakably clear, was heard.

“…Your Highness?”

Stop—

The crown prince’s footsteps halted.

I, too, stopped in my tracks.

I turned my head.

I knew this voice well, too.

Shortly after, the Crown Prince spoke in a trembling voice.

“…Rebecca.”

Before my eyes stood a woman with pink hair.

She gazed at the Crown Prince with an innocent face.

Then, our eyes met, and she flinched.

A beauty that could topple a nation.

With the woman who brought down a country before me, my heart began to grow cold.

End

ⓒ papapa.

—-