The Extra Prince Sets Out To Conquer The World

After leaving the tobacco shop, Precia looked back and asked me, “Is it okay for us to leave like this?”

“It’s fine. At least they’re ready to have a conversation, so we’ve done enough.”

Both Divet and Aladrine had a stubborn side and wouldn’t listen to people, as if to prove they were from the same school.

In times like these, showing through actions was more effective than persuading with words.

“If anything, it would be bad for the old man if we stay.”

I could have stayed to try to persuade the Cure Master, but the reason I didn’t was for Divet’s sake.

Divet’s wounds weren’t so light that people like us who haven’t known him long could intervene.

Originally, emotional wounds are healed by those who share the same pain.

“Then shall we return to the palace?” Precia asked.

I thought for a moment before replying, “No, there’s still quite a bit of time left, so let’s briefly visit the Neslic Guild.”

The Neslic Guild was one of the top 5 guilds, and 120 years ago, half of the promissory notes were theirs.

“The guild?”

“Yes, there are some things I need to buy before leaving.”

I had obtained almost everything I could get from the capital.

*********

After Yuan and Precia left, Aladrine hesitantly asked Divet, “Is it really…you, Divet?”

At her disbelieving gaze, Divet lowered his head as if embarrassed.

“…Yes, it’s me.”

As he lowered his head, his trembling hands from drug withdrawal became visible.

Seeing his own hands, Divet felt so pathetic and miserable that he couldn’t utter a word.

He felt ashamed as he recalled ignoring Yuan’s playful suggestion to quit drugs and receive treatment so he wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of his granddaughter.

“If you’re Divet, you should be able to answer this. What was the name of the herb we caught in the valley when you and I were eighteen?”

“When we were eighteen, we didn’t go to catch herbs but a fish called cans. It was a fish whose scales were used as medicine.”

“That’s right, I remember now. Then when we were twenty…”

After several back-and-forth questions confirming their memories together, Aladrine could no longer deny that the haggard old man before her eyes was Divet, her junior classmate, rival, and first love.

“I’m glad you’re safe, Divet.”

“You’re the one who’s safe, Rene.”

The two elders exchanged glances mixed with lingering feelings and asked about each other’s well-being.

Being driven from the land that was practically their hometown and living a life threatened by those they considered family was more miserable and regretful than anyone else.

Even so, the reason the two of them were able to survive was thanks to Nedrian who was present.

It was no exaggeration to say that Divet lived to find his granddaughter whose death he couldn’t confirm, and Aladrine lived to protect Nedrian.

Both of them knew that fact well.

“I heard you saved Nedrian. I’m really…truly grateful.”

As Divet expressed his gratitude with tears in his eyes, Nedrian, who was hiding behind Aladrine, didn’t know how to treat her grandfather.

Nedrian had parted with Divet when she was only six years old. So to Nedrian, her only family was Aladrine.

Seeing Nedrian’s hesitation, Divet wiped his tears with his sleeve and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t pretend to be family now. Just you being safe is enough for me.”

At Divet’s words, Nedrian was rather taken aback, and Aladrine lost her temper.

“What nonsense is that! Blood ties don’t get cut just because you cut them! That’s why it’s called a heaven-mandated relationship! If you feel awkward, you can take time to slowly get closer!”

At Aladrine’s shout, Divet made a bitter face.

“But if my presence puts her in danger, it’s right to cut ties.”

Shocked by Divet’s words, Aladrine cried out, “What weak words are those! If we’re talking about danger, Nedrian is in danger being with me too! The Divet I know would have confidently declared he would protect her!”

“Rene, I’ve gotten old. I don’t have confidence anymore. Look at these hands. How can I save or protect anyone with these pathetic hands?! Not long ago, I almost let a patient die because I couldn’t properly diagnose their illness! What help can I be now?!”

Aladrine was more shocked than anyone at his defeated appearance.

The shrunken old man had no trace of the spirit from his younger days.

So Aladrine felt like he would disappear like smoke and desperately shouted as if grasping at straws.

“The boy who came with you! He said he needs you! He even said he would kill me if I killed you!”

“…!”

“And don’t say sad things like you’re of no help. You’re needed by both Nedrian and me.”

“But…!”

Seeing Divet’s hesitation, Nedrian stepped out from behind Aladrine as if resolved.

“…Grandfather. Honestly, I feel awkward with you. I hardly have any memories from when I was young.”

At Nedrian’s words, Divet laughed self-deprecatingly.

He wasn’t a very close grandfather even when they lived together.

“But, you’re still my grandfather, right? I heard many stories about you from Grandmother. You didn’t have the best personality, but you loved me and my late mother more than anyone.”

Nedrian slowly and carefully took Divet’s hand.

“So…let’s slowly get to know each other again. Even if we can’t become family right away, we can take time to regain what we lost.”

“Nedrian….”

Divet was overjoyed at his granddaughter’s words.

But at the same time, he felt extreme fear.

She had been so precious that she sustained his life all this time, so he was afraid of losing everything again because of himself.

So he felt the urge to pull his hand away immediately.

“I’m so scared. If I lose you again, I won’t be able to bear it. So slowly…let’s take it slowly like you said.”

However, Divet decided to face his fear.

Ironically, he couldn’t let go of the hand holding his because it was so warm.

Once the atmosphere calmed down a bit, Aridrene asked Divet, “Who was the boy that came with you? He revealed that he’s royalty.”

At her question, Divet made an ambiguous expression.

“To be honest…I don’t know either. He has immeasurable information-gathering abilities and undeniable wealth, and judging by how he could give a royal knight’s ID tag to someone else, his claim that he’s this country’s First Prince isn’t unbelievable.”

At Divet’s words, Aladrine was rather puzzled.

“First Prince? The First Prince shouldn’t be in such a good situation.”

It was a story famous enough that anyone with some connections in political circles would know – that the First Prince has no backing forces and doesn’t have a good relationship with the current Queen.

“And his eyes when he said he would kill me did not match his age and were eerily devoid of emotion. It was as if he had no heart.”

Recalling Yuan’s eyes, Aladrine felt an inexplicable fear.

*********

“Whew!”

I returned to my room in the annex through the ventilation passage and stretched.

The sky outside was still blue, so it seemed there was quite a bit of time left until evening.

Before returning to the palace, I had put on a mask and stopped by the Neslic Guild to request some necessary items.

Even if it’s one of the top guilds on the continent beyond just this kingdom, a single branch office doesn’t keep all items in stock.

Naturally, if there was something needed, one had to make a request and go pick it up at the designated time.

Personally, I wanted to sell off the items stolen from the Boutique to clean things up, but if the Boutique’s items entered circulation, there was a risk of them being traced, so I decided to just organize them and sell them somewhere else.

“You look a bit regretful, did you not accomplish everything you aimed for?” Precia asked.

In response, I asked with a playful smile,

“Hahaha, is it that obvious?”

“Ahem! But I’ve served you for several years, Your Highness!”

Precia bragged and showed off in response to my question.

Although the inner contents had changed.

“Well, I’ve still accomplished my primary goals. I’m satisfied with that alone.”

The reason I specifically visited the Neslic Guild instead of other guilds was because I thought the illegitimate child of the future guild master who would swallow up the Neslic Guild would be there.

However, perhaps because what I know is a story from at least 3 years later, they weren’t currently working at the capital branch.

Just as unexpected connections like Yard arose, there were also instances where I couldn’t make a connection despite my intentions, like with Neslic’s illegitimate child.

Even if I can’t meet them now, there will be another opportunity later, so I have no choice but to look forward to that time.

As I left the bedroom, my old attendant, who had been waiting restlessly in the living room, greeted me.

“Your Highness! You’ve returned.”

“Did something happen?”

At my question, Herion hesitated before handing me a letter.

“Today around 2 PM, the Queen’s confidant suddenly came and insistently requested an audience with you.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Finally, that fox of a Queen took my bait.

It seems Horazon didn’t keep his mouth shut as I told him to.

The 2nd Prince’s assault was no longer just an unproven rumor, but served as a clear political justification.

At this point when the conflict between the King and Queen was intensifying, it was a move that could become a dagger piercing the heart if handled poorly.

“I persuaded them that you were asleep due to the shock and sent them away when they tried to barge in.”

“Good job.”

I tore open the letter and checked it.

It was filled with grandiose wording, but in summary, it was an invitation to meet immediately.

I laughed as I read the Queen’s letter.

“Kuk kuk kuk! So she cherishes her own child, huh.”

Actually, it wouldn’t have been strange for the Queen to take action much earlier.

My actions were clearly disadvantageous to the Queen, so she should have either intimidated or enticed me.

Perhaps the reason she didn’t recklessly act until now despite the simultaneous pressure from various rumors and finances was because of the 2nd Prince.

If I, the 1st Prince, got involved in a political battle, it could become an opportunity for the children’s generation, who haven’t been given real power yet, to be embroiled in the strife.

She doesn’t care if someone else’s child dies, but she absolutely hates the possibility of her own child getting hurt.

Conversely, that also meant the reason that sly fox started moving now was because of the 2nd Prince.

If what happened today becomes a political topic, it will clearly revolve around me and the 2nd Prince.

“What do you think about this letter?”

In response to my question, Precia and Herion gave the same opinion.

“Your safety comes first, Your Highness. I don’t think there’s any need to go into the enemy’s den.”

“I agree with Lady Precia. I will try to buy time. Then His Majesty will deal with Her Majesty the Queen.”

I answered their opinions with a playful laugh.

“No, buying time isn’t good. We move right now.”

It would be foolish to give a fish that has taken the bait time to remove the hook and escape.

******

The Queen anxiously looked at the problems laid out before her.

She had three major issues.

One was that the annex budget was temporarily blocked due to the King’s full-scale check after finding fault with it.

Another was that she suddenly received unknown bills and complaints from her business partner, the Boutique, necessitating a huge sum of money.

Lastly, rumors were implicitly circulating throughout the entire palace that the Queen and 2nd Prince assaulted and abused the 1st Prince, and the political offensive continued.

Among them, the last political offensive was the most problematic.

“Is Yuan not here yet?”

At the Queen’s impatient question, her confidant bowed his head apologetically.

However, the Queen clicked her tongue with a frown.

“Tsk!”

No matter how much authority the Queen possessed, enough to bring down even a bird flying in the sky, it was ultimately derived from being the King’s first wife.

Now, with the Crown Prince not yet decided, the rumor that she abused the 1st Prince, who had the highest right of succession to the throne according to the principle of primogeniture, was inevitably a major weakness in the virtues and qualities the Queen should possess.

Amidst that, the 2nd Prince openly assaulted the 1st Prince, creating evidence to support the rumor.

Thus, the Queen had no choice but to stop waiting patiently for the rumor to subside and take action immediately.

“Well, with the King behind this, he wouldn’t recklessly act.”

If the Queen herself forcibly tried to quell the rumor, it would backfire.

No matter what moves Yuan made in the future, it would be impossible to avoid suspicion that the Queen intervened.

So she had to somehow make the 1st Prince Yuan come to her on his own.

Just as the Queen, her mind in turmoil, was about to curse while holding her forehead, an urgent voice was heard from outside.

“Your Majesty! Prince Yuan requests an audience!”

At the court lady’s words, the Queen jumped up from her seat.

“What?! Where, where is he?”

“We have escorted him to the reception room!”

At the court lady’s words, the Queen headed straight to the reception room without delay.

The Queen couldn’t help but laugh at the foolish 1st Prince who acted recklessly.

“Welcome, Your Majesty.”

The Queen tried to calm her emotions at Yuan’s greeting as he leisurely drank tea in the reception room.

“Yes, thank you for coming.”

Focused on composing herself, the Queen failed to notice the upward curl of Yuan’s lips.

“Hohoho, I’m the one who should be thankful.”

She had no way of knowing the dark intentions that existed within the boy before her eyes.