Chapter 27

“Young fools who act recklessly, relying solely on their youthful vigor— I thought they only existed in the Empire. It seems the Kingdom of Kettlin has its own troublemakers.”  

Tsk.  

Carian clicked his tongue, making no effort to hide his displeasure as he scrutinized Leopold from head to toe.  

Leopold stood at the base of the throne in the audience chamber, bowing respectfully.  

With his polished, handsome features, his smooth demeanor, and his air of freedom that bordered on frivolity, he seemed far removed from anything resembling nobility or dignity.  

“Prince Leopold. What was your purpose in concealing your identity and blending into the delegation to the Empire? Depending on your answer, you may very well be charged with deceiving the Emperor of the Empire.”  

Carian’s voice was stern and sharp as he questioned him.  

Leopold had come to the audience chamber and, without warning, revealed his identity to the Emperor.  

The First Prince of the Kingdom of Kettlin—Leopold Kettlin.  

The sudden visit from a royal left Carian feeling both bewildered and calculating. His mind began to turn over the possibilities.  

“I apologize, Your Majesty. As you may know, our kingdom is exceedingly closed off. When I heard that a delegation to the Empire was being formed, I couldn’t suppress my restlessness and secretly joined them.”  

“That explanation is insufficient. Fine, let’s say you joined the delegation to see a broader world. But why did you continue to hide your identity even after arriving in the Empire and meeting me, the Emperor?”  

“There are two reasons. The first is that I wished to interact with peers in the Empire without the prejudice that comes with my status.”  

Leopold’s cheeks reddened slightly as he continued, feigning embarrassment.  

“And the second reason… was that I feared my father might find out.”  

“What?”  

“I mean, Your Majesty, there is a Princess around my age in the Empire, isn’t there? I worried that, as a father himself, you might sympathize with my father’s anger and send me straight back to my kingdom.”  

Leopold scratched his head sheepishly, letting out a carefree laugh.  

“Well, by now, I’m sure my father has already discovered my whereabouts. That’s why I came to confess everything to you first, Your Majesty.”  

“Good grief! How can someone be this immature!”  

Carian shouted, exasperated by Leopold’s string of excuses.  

“To think that the only Prince of a kingdom could be so impulsive and childish! The King of Kettlin must have endless worries!”  

Unlike our mature and thoughtful Princess, this one is the complete opposite!  

That was the point that truly irked him.  

How dare anyone place this reckless, foolish Prince on the same level as their flawless Princess?  

“I have never— not even once in my life— had to deal with such troubles! Convey my deepest sympathies to the King of Kettlin for the headaches his son must cause him!”  

“My father has indeed suffered greatly because of me. Truly, it pains me as well. It’s so unfortunate.”  

Leopold shrugged nonchalantly, his expression showing no hint of regret.  

Carian’s already twisted expression grew even more contorted.  

It was clear he regarded Leopold as nothing short of a hopeless nuisance.  

Perfect.

Leopold thought. If only he could be seen as even more of a fool, a half-wit.  

The more the Emperor dismissed him as insignificant, the more likely he was to overlook any strange or incomprehensible actions.  

Leopold observed Carian’s reaction carefully before speaking again. His tone remained light, and he made sure to appear slightly dim-witted.  

“Your Majesty.”  

It was time to get to the point.  

“Life on the island was stifling, and though I’ve escaped, staying confined within the palace here feels equally suffocating. Time passes so slowly.”  

Leopold’s face twisted into an exaggerated expression of boredom, like that of an impulsive child unable to endure monotony.  

“I humbly request your permission to explore outside the palace and freely build friendships with the Empire’s youth.”  

For a moment, silence filled the audience chamber.  

“Very well. Since you’ve come all this way, it wouldn’t hurt to take the opportunity to interact with as many peers as possible.”  

After a long pause, Carian nodded seriously.  

“However, I cannot allow a royal like you to wander just anywhere. Let’s see…”  

Leopold subtly raised his head, meeting Carian’s gaze. Just as his lips began to move, Carian reached a conclusion first.  

“How about the Herrington estate? Duke Herrington and the Duchess are close to your age, after all.”  

Leopold quickly suppressed the gleam in his eyes and bowed deeply.  

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty.”  

“From what I can see, you and Duke Herrington seem to have much in common. I hope the rest of your time in the Empire proves fulfilling, Prince.”  

Leopold failed to notice the Emperor’s piercing gaze, which sparkled far more brightly than his own.  

Carian leaned back into the throne after dismissing Leopold.  

Sending the Prince of Kettlin to the Herrington estate wasn’t driven by some soft emotion, like hoping for genuine friendship between Eric and Leopold.  

Though Leopold had acted thoughtless and carefree throughout the audience…  

‘Surely, there’s more to him than meets the eye.’ 

For the Prince of Kettlin to secretly journey to the Empire, there must have been an important purpose behind it.  

‘The spy I planted in Kettlin has proven quite capable.’ 

Carian had already caught on to Leopold’s true objective.  

When cross-referenced with the information he had provided Eric just before the victory banquet, it wasn’t hard to piece together.  

「His Majesty King Hubert’s lost daughter resides within the Empire. The hidden purpose of the delegation is to eliminate the Princess. If you ensure her safe return, His Majesty will undoubtedly reward you.」  

The information from the spy was less of a report and more of a plea.  

A lost daughter of the King.  

Why was the Princess of Kettlin within the Empire?  

Before investigating the circumstances, Carian first doubted the authenticity of the information.  

Though the Lockvela Empire wielded immense influence across the continent, its reach rarely extended to the isolated island kingdom of Kettlin.  

Having just resolved minor border disputes, Carian had been planning to gradually extend the Empire’s influence over Kettlin.  

His first attempt had been to demand the opening of Kettlin’s ports and exclusive trade rights.  

The sea routes of Kettlin were notoriously treacherous.  

Carian proposed that the Empire would improve their sea routes in exchange for exclusive rights to distribute Kettlin’s goods across the continent.  

Additionally, he offered to supply the isolated island nation with goods from all over the continent at reasonable prices.  

It had seemed like an appealing offer for Kettlin, but their response had been lukewarm.  

In fact, they had outright rejected it without any room for negotiation.  

Just as Carian was preparing to make another attempt at persuasion, Kettlin’s delegation arrived— at an oddly convenient time.  

If the spy’s information was accurate, Carian would inevitably have to oppose the delegation to protect the Princess within the Empire.  

If the information was false, he would become the Emperor who harassed a foreign delegation without cause.  

That would give Kettlin an excuse to completely sever trade relations with the Empire.  

‘I ordered Duke Herrington to investigate this for caution’s sake.’  

But with Leopold’s appearance, it became clear.  

Though he had spoken in circles, Leopold ultimately wanted to be separated from the delegation.  

The information that a Princess of the Kingdom of Kettlin exists within the empire has now become almost certain.  

Leopold’s true purpose was likely to find his half-sister ahead of the other members of the envoy.  

‘This is not the time for this.’  

Carian swiftly rose from the throne where he had been buried.  

It was to convey the information he had pieced together in his mind to Eric.  

If it was the Duke Herrington he knew—cold and unyielding, the kind of man who wouldn’t shed a single drop of blood even if stabbed with a blade—  

He would think more clearly and rationally than anyone about how to use this situation to his advantage.  

The Emperor trusted in the abilities of the man who had been likened to a thunderbolt.

***  

“Ugh, the wound from the dagger stings so much I feel like I’m going to die.”  

An unnatural groan escaped Eric’s lips.  

Just moments ago, he had been in the backyard of this ducal residence with Leopold.  

However, Leopold had vanished like the wind, leaving behind nothing but a baseless declaration of war.  

In the modestly designed, compact backyard, all it had taken was one step.  

And Leopold’s traces were nowhere to be found.  

But before he could even vent his frustration, another visitor arrived in the garden.  

When Eric discovered the guest standing before him, he exaggeratedly clutched his chest and slyly averted his gaze.  

“I need to rest a bit.”  

Euphrasia, who had rushed into the garden in a single breath, was repeatedly pursing her lips.  

She seemed to have a lot to say, but Eric ignored her.  

Anyone could see his behavior was awkward. Eric himself was well aware of it.  

Given his blatant attempt to avoid her, he expected sharp, biting words to come flying his way.  

No matter what kind of quarrel she started, he had completely lost the will to respond in his current state. He couldn’t help it.  

Even though his body had been half-dead in the drawing room, his mind had remained alive. Thanks to the antidote that had entered his system just in time.  

Eric remembered the faint voice of Euphrasia.

“…The Duke and I were having a, um, physical conversation. It got a bit more intense than expected.” 

“Don’t touch him. Look carefully at who you’re about to harm. Do you think you can handle the wrath of the Herrington family? Are you planning to make enemies of us?”