Chapter 39

The Eve.

The camps of the three factions were separated by a considerable distance.

It was a distance just enough to barely keep an eye on each other's movements.

Even Secundus Debius' camp was no exception, busily preparing for the next day's contest, the ten-day war.

They were situated just below a hill, and even though it was approaching midnight, there was commotion in various places.

Under Secundus' command, the two hundred young men of the military.

Some stood guard with torches and spears.

There were also some who were watering their horses or sharpening their weapons.

There was almost no laughter.

It was because they were not so mad as to laugh, ha, haha, ha-, before a war like the northern warriors.

The young men of the military were still young.

It was hard to call them seasoned, but they could at least distinguish between delusion and reality.

They knew that war was not something to be waged so playfully.

However, they also knew that once it broke out, blood had to be shed.

Meaning they were also prepared to die, caught in the whims of the princes.

But no young man felt it to be harsh.

Those who had finished their tasks early were already asleep.

They could sleep soundly without worrying about a surprise attack, and they could even feed their horses to their fill without worrying about supplies.

Their nerves were too thick to call this harsh.

“Hmm.”

Secundus Debius walked around, looking at the young men.

He was three heads taller than the large men, and his forearms were as massive as support beams.

Just by walking with his lips firmly sealed and his thick neck held high, it was a source of will and encouragement for the young men.

He had the natural bearing of a general.

As the night grew deeper, the young men began to find their beds one by one.

Soon, only a few remained, standing guard with torches and spears.

Only after giving them a look did Secundus head to his tent.

Kateka Keshulei and I seemed to be already in bed.

“……”

Phew.

Only when he was alone could he let out a small sigh.

He was confident in battle.

Ferbias' entire battlefield experience consisted of a few subjugations for military merit, and Leniar, though skilled in military strategy, was not so in battle.

Especially now that Yosef Haider is gone.

“…It can't be that simple.”

The three factions had set up their camps in places visible to each other.

And it was obvious they would clash on that plain.

If so, there was almost no room for tactics.

The lack of variety in troop types also weighed on his mind.

“Above all, the numbers are disappointing.”

Ferbias' soldiers, a thousand.

Leniar's warriors, three hundred.

The young men following Secundus, a mere two hundred.

They were all skilled cavalry who had brought their own horses, but the same went for their opponents.

Especially on Ferbias' side, there were even a few magi-soldiers.

Secundus scratched his short hair.

He had never felt a lack of stamina.

He had to ponder, even if it meant staying up all night, and he had to create an opening even if there was none.

Secundus, who was racking his brain with an unfamiliar pen in hand, opened his mouth without even raising his head.

“Who's outside?”

It was a question thrown out at an unfamiliar presence.

But an unexpected answer came back.

“Yes, Your Highness. It is Amethus.”

“Hmm. Ame… what?”

A man entered without a word.

His eyes glinted with a jade-green light.

“Do you remember me, Your Highness?”

“…How could I forget!”

He was the man who had defeated his mother, the former Seven-Forged General.

He would probably never forget for the rest of his life.

But there was a more important fact than his defeat of Marina.

Amethus was the closest confidant of the First Prince, Ferbias Caseptus.

How could such a person be here?

“What brings you here?”

“He said he had something to tell you.”

“……”

Secundus' eyes sank heavily.

Soon, another man entered.

Blonde hair, golden eyes, very unwelcome features.

“…Brother Ferbias.”

“Yes, Secundus.”

The First Prince, despite barging into another's camp, smiled brazenly.

“Let's have a talk, this brother of yours and I.”

***

“Go back.”

“Don't be like that.”

Secundus was firm, but Ferbias plopped down.

Even after brazenly jumping into an enemy camp, he had no fear.

It was only natural.

With that jade-eyed man as his guard, who would dare to harm him?

He would have more than enough time to escape while they were waking the soldiers.

But he couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

It was because Amethus had even brought a bundle of late-night snacks.

Secundus snorted in displeasure, and Ferbias snickered.

“I'm trying to convey my intentions, so please listen.”

“Didn't you convey them all earlier?”

“You're being so unwelcoming.”

Contrary to his words, his face was not unwelcoming at all.

He had expected this level of poor treatment.

Ferbias stroked his beard several times and then said.

“Hey, my dear brother. Do you think I'm trying to harm you? Not at all.”

Hmm.

Secundus' eyes sharpened.

He was slightly interested.

“Harming you wouldn't be the goal. However, if it gets in the way of your goal, you wouldn't hesitate to remove even a brother, would you?”

“That's what's unfair. Knowing that, why do you get in my way, my dear brother?”

Ferbias Caseptus' golden eyes were fierce.

“Neither you nor Leniar have a great desire for the throne. Aren't you just charging in with the intention of not letting me ascend to it?”

“……”

The First Prince's question was sharp.

The Second Prince did not answer.

Even if the First Princess had been here, she probably wouldn't have answered either.

It was because that question had accurately pointed out the truth.

Secundus' heart was on the battlefield, and Leniar's heart was in the Duchy of Volmark.

They wanted to become the ruler of Cordis, but if asked if they were desperate, well, it was hard to give a definite answer.

“I dream. Of you becoming the first general, and Leniar becoming the master of Volmark and if I sit on the throne, how could this Cordis not prosper?”

“Hmm. If there were brotherly love or trust between us, it would be a dream worth having.”

That dream was nonsense.

It was because he thought that the other's nobility might chip away at his own.

Ferbias himself held that feeling stronger than anyone, and therefore, he knew better than anyone that that dream was nonsense.

Secundus firmly sealed his lips.

“Did you also spout that nonsense to sister Leniar?”

“Haha. That one is scary. You tell her. You two are holding hands behind my back anyway, aren't you.”

“……”

Secundus fell silent once more.

They had indeed already established a direct communication magic line.

It was to keep Ferbias in check.

Ferbias Caseptus contorted his features, which resembled the Great Emperor's, and smiled.

“The older brother speaks of a dream, but the younger brother does not listen. Ah, the fate of the eldest.”

“It's natural since it's not a proper dream.”

“Still, consider it. You must know that your situation is not very good.”

Ferbias had an overwhelming advantage.

Even without moving his two thousand soldiers, he had a force of a thousand.

And the magi-soldiers and other such weapons were very troublesome.

What if Leniar and Secundus joined forces?

Even joining forces would not be easy.

“Are you done now?”

Frustration turned into annoyance and welled up.

Even the patient giant prince had no choice but to spit it out.

“Please leave now, I need to get some sleep.”

“Ah. In such a hurry. Wait just a moment. This is the main point.”

Amethus brought out a bundle.

He had thought it was just a bundle of late-night snacks, but there was something shiny inside.

“I wanted to show you something good.”

A knife and a mirror.

There were six knives and two mirrors.

“They're all precious items, but eight seems a bit much, so I'm thinking of removing about two, and I'd like your advice.”

“……”

Secundus' face hardened coldly.

There was no need to ask what it meant.

It was a metaphor for the six princes and two princesses who had entered the Succession War.

Ferbias showed a blatantly deep smile.

“There are only two mirrors, so it's a bit much to remove one yet. One of them is also scary to touch. I think I'll just get rid of about two knives for now. What do you think?”

“…Continue.”

He was saying he would get rid of two of the six princes.

Secundus' eyes became endlessly sharp.

“I've thought about it carefully. The first and second can't be removed.”

Ferbias stroked his beard and smiled.

He was acting as if he had already won, and in reality, it was highly likely to turn out that way.

A vileness born of arrogance was showing.

‘Damned brother, the very reason I can't trust you is revealing itself.’

Secundus cursed inwardly.

Amethus seemed to have noticed his thoughts, but he just let his jade-green eyes glint and remained silent.

Ferbias chattered excitedly.

“The third is hiding and not often seen and the sixth is too small to even be called a knife. They won't be a problem.”

The Third Prince, Kateka Keshulei.

He was reclusive enough to be called the Reclusive Prince.

It was surprising that he had even lent a hand to Secundus' faction.

The Sixth Prince, Babato Lurudis.

He was still a new born baby and couldn't even move without a wet nurse.

He might be a problem when he grew up, but there was no reason to go out of his way to make an enemy of the Lurudis family.

“As I thought, the fourth and fifth are the problem. One is noisy and the other is questionable, isn't he?”

The Fourth Prince, Nebulo Le Etier.

His sneering personality caused endless trouble.

The Fifth Prince, Zionis.

He was originally the weakest and quietest, but strangely, he had been getting on my nerves ever since the Succession War began.

He couldn't be left alone.

“Then what should I do with these two knives?”

The First Prince's hand did not hesitate.

He threw two knives on the floor and gestured with his eyes at Amethus.

At the kick of the swordsman who had defeated the Seven-Forged General, the two knives shattered with a clang.

Looking at the shattered pieces, he smiled in satisfaction.

“Now I feel refreshed!”

“…Hmm. You handle them roughly.”

“Because they're useless and get in the way.”

“Was there a need to break them?”

As soon as Secundus Debius' words fell, Ferbias smiled brightly.

Only then did Secundus realize his damned brother's inner thoughts.

“Then may I ask you to do it? If so, perhaps something like brotherly love might grow between us.”

“……”

“If you don't want to, that's fine. But I'm impatient and can't stand things that get on my nerves. I might have accidentally… you understand, right?”

Secundus recited inwardly.

‘So that's why you came.’

Get rid of Nebulo and Zionis.

Make them disappear from this Imperial Palace, I don't care where.

You don't have to, but if you don't, the two will surely die.

From Secundus' perspective, it was a proposal he couldn't refuse and it felt as if Ferbias was showing a bit of mercy.

“…I will make them disappear. Where should I get rid of them to.”

“Do you have to ask me that too?”

Ferbias stood up.

“I'll be on my way, Secundus. I hope you understood.”

He took the overcoat that Amethus held out and snickered.

“I wish we were a little closer.”

***

Secundus Debius walked quickly.

It was right after he had confirmed that Ferbias was returning to his camp.

He strode to my bed.

“Zionis!”

“What is it,brother?”

Even while everyone was asleep, I was waiting for him, awake, as if it were natural.

Secundus opened his mouth with a serious face.

“Brother Ferbias came to visit.”

“Why did he ask you to kill me or something?”

“…Hmm!”

Secundus Debius firmly sealed his lips.

My eleven-year-old younger brother was sometimes surprisingly quick-witted.

He forced down the question of how I had known and continued.

“There's no time for a long talk. I'll prepare a horse, so pack your things……”

The muscular prince's words stopped.

He looked at me.

Light clothes, not the attire of a prince, and sturdy leather shoes.

My luggage was already neatly packed.

I had already finished preparing to leave.

“……”

There was a presence.

Uh, P-P-Prince Secundus?

A trembling voice.

My imperial guard, was his name Pies Roesti?

Secundus quietly waved his hand and sent Pies away.

Then he slowly looked at his half-brother.

“You, Zionis……”

The brothers' eyes met.

Secundus' black pupils trembled slightly, but my blue eyes were calm.

It was as if I had already known this moment would come.

The black pupils trembled even more violently.

Ah.

Secundus soon realized.

“…So. That's what it was. I finally understand.”

Everything fits together perfectly.

The actions that I, the Fifth Prince Zionis, had shown began to be explained one by one.

The fact that I had joined Secundus' faction, the fact that I had yielded the Treasure even after arriving first, the fact that I had been helpful by offering good opinions from time to time.

“Zionis, you wanted the fight to become more intense. That's why you gave me strength, right?”

No matter how weak my power was, I was a prince.

If I disappeared suddenly, it would be noticeable.

But what if it was in the midst of the three factions shedding blood?

It wouldn't be that strange for the weakest prince to disappear.

“So that it wouldn't be too obvious even if you slipped away. Yes, the proclamation of the Succession War, from that day, from the very beginning, you were always……”

Everything, for this moment.

Secundus Debius raised a trembling finger and pointed.

“…You were only thinking of running away.”

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