Chapter 82 - Vol. 5 Chapter 11 - Pebble

The Prime Minister, who was awakened from his sleep, sighed as he heard about the assassination attempt on Cleo.

“His Highness Linus was too impatient.”

Disposing the small fry known as Cleo before confronting Calvin, his nemesis.

That was most likely what he was planning to do.

However, the results were devastating.

Not only had the assassination attempt failed, Linus received a fierce backlash.

Linus was a capable man in his own right and had done well in controlling his faction.

Nevertheless, although he wasn’t a buffoon, Linus’s future was set in stone due to this episode.

With the milk spilt, he had lost his chance of becoming the Crown Prince.

Rather than that, the Prime Minister was worried for another reason.

“—Who moved the Sword Saint?”

There were four Sword Saints recognized by the current empire, and one of them had been dispatched to assassinate Cleo.

Of course, the Prime Minister had nothing to do with it.

Although the Sword Saint might have cooperated in the assassination of Cleo for honor and prestige, it was unlikely for a swordsman who sought strength above anything else to display interest in authority to that extent.

The report stated that the Sword Saint executed the assassination at his own discretion, but it was highly likely that there was a mastermind behind him.

After reading the report, the Prime Minister smiled.

“Even so, I didn’t think he was this strong.”

Liam had come out on top after clashing with one of the Sword Saints recognized by the empire.

Such a person was acting as Cleo’s greatest supporter, and he had wielded his sword to protect the prince.

The Prime Minister got changed.

When he lightly tapped on his wristwatch, his sleepwear was instantly swapped with his work clothes.

“Busy days are ahead.”

The palace was in a tumultuous situation, not because of the assassination attempt on Cleo, but rather because of the Second Prince Linus’s blunder.

◇

-The Day after the Incident-

It’s already past noon, but I’m still stuck inside the palace.

Since last night, I’ve been undergoing an interrogation.

The location is inside a conference room.

As an upcoming Duke and a current Count, I am being received in a luxurious room.

The interrogation is being conducted while I’m sitting on a puffy chair and drinking tea made by a maid.

Not only am I surrounded by high-ranking officials, countless knights and soldiers that work for the palace are around me.

I can’t relax like this.

“—Hey, is lunch ready yet? I’m at the palace, so I’m expecting a full course.”

On a separate note, it’s pathetic how there’s only one maid here.

If you wish to keep me here, at least bring a dozen beautiful women over!

I’ll have you know that I’m a Count!

One of the high-ranking officials, a senior administrator per say, expresses frustration against my attitude.

“Count Banfield, are you aware of what happened yesterday night?”

A member of the Royal Family was the target of an assassination attempt inside the palace.

Out of context, it sounds like a critical matter, but in this world where blood is exchanged on a daily basis, such an event is nothing mindboggling.

In the first place, although it’s called a palace – it encompasses an entire continent.

That being the case, some accidents are bound to happen every day.

“What’s with all the fuss? There’s nothing special about it.”

“Do you have any inkling of an idea as to how big of an incident this is!?”

I sip tea gracefully in front of the senior administrator who tries to make me understand the gravity of the situation.

Hmm, aren’t the identities of these officials and military personnel gathered to investigate me a bit low? Where are the big shots?

I’m offended, so I don’t feel motivated enough to cooperate with their work.

“Haa… I have to attend a lecture later in the day. I’d appreciate it if we can finish this before then.”

The senior administrator grabs his head because of my uncaring attitude.

“His Highness the Second Prince’s future is at stake here. Please be more serious about this.”

“That is quite worrisome indeed.”

“— Or so you say.”

“My thoughts are genuine.”

No, really. I’m also worried for His Highness Linus.

He’s a pitiful person who made the mistake of picking the wrong fight.

I’m glad that he was someone who’s quick to anger.

Even though it was slightly troublesome, he came at us in a straightforward manner.

I was ready to invest a long time struggling over the succession rights, but thanks to Linus, we have one less rival to worry about.

This is the result of Linus’s own actions.

For the guys in front of me, this may be a pressing concern.

I, on the other hand, consider this a done deal.

The fate of His Highness Linus the Second Prince is already sealed.

He’s no longer my opponent.

Truth is, from the very beginning, there was no possibility of me losing.

What I did is no different from kicking a pebble on the road out of my way.

Regardless of what happens at this point, my victory is all but assured.

You can say that I’m going easy on them.

I’m just playing along with these palace officials.

“By the way.”

“Yes?”

I ask the senior administrator a question.

“How do I apply to be a Sword Saint?”

The title of Sword Saint is more important than the case with Linus.

“Count! Please stop joking around!”

“A joke, you say!? I can’t be more serious here. I have to spread the name of One-Flash to every corner of the world. By spreading the words of the world’s strongest school of swordsmanship, I’ll be paying back Master Yasushi for his kindness! That’s why I need the title of Sword Saint.”

“What on earth are you getting at?”

I’m a villain.

Still, I’m someone who knows how to pay back for other people’s kindness.

I’ve been under Master Yasushi’s care for a long time, yet the world sees One-Flash as a minor branch of swordsmanship.

Thus, I have no choice but to make the world know of its name.

I have to let them know that One-Flash is the strongest school of swordsmanship.

“Oh, how ‘bout this. Gather the remaining three Sword Saints. If I beat them all, the empire would have to recognize me as a Sword Saint, right?”

Once again, the senior administrator holds his head before me.

◇

-That Afternoon-

Linus was hanging around in a large room after the aristocrats had left.

Until a moment ago, the aristocrats in his faction were gathered here for a meeting to think of countermeasures.

Linus chuckled powerlessly.

“Don’t give up? Bullshit – It’s over for me.”

He understood that the aristocrats were merely putting up a front.

Nonetheless, Linus couldn’t find the energy within him to berate them.

Linus wasn’t so naïve to believe that he could jump back up from this catastrophe.

“I misjudged Cleo. No, I underestimated that brat, Liam. He is definitely the source of my defeat.”

He had belittled the kid, thinking that he was just a bumpkin from the frontiers.

That was his biggest mistake.

He should have either crushed Liam with all his might from the beginning or sucked up to him without letting go.

If he had known that this would be the result, Linus would have invited Liam into his faction, even if that meant he had to bow to the latter.

Such assumptions were meaningless now.

Nevetheless, there was one thing that Linus could not help but wonder:

– When did things begin to go South?

Without a doubt, it was when he decided to get himself involved with Liam.

“—The Prime Minister’s warnings were spot on. As expected of the man who has controlled the empire behind the scenes for many years.”

As Linus muttered this, a man slowly emerged from the floor.

The man wasn’t kneeling. Instead, he had a bottle of alcohol in his hands.

The masked man –– Linus was well acquainted with him.

Linus smirked.

“Here to dispose me?”

The masked man was someone from the organization Linus had allied with.

“Your Highness Linus, you are no longer useful for us. Our new master is heartbroken by this incident, and –– I was tasked to resolve the issue immediately.”

Linus leaned back on the sofa and his gaze landed on the sake that the masked man had brought.

“My favorite liquor. How considerate of you.”

Watching how composed and calm Linus was behaving, the masked man felt that it was unfortunate.

“You aren’t throwing a tantrum?”

“I’ve made such a mess out of everything. In the future, I’m for sure to be remembered as one of the fools in the history of the empire. I want to at least look cool in my last hour. Wait a minute, I’ll bring the glasses.”

When he touched a certain portion of the room’s wall, a gimmick activated, revealing a hidden shelf from behind.

There were various tableware and beverages inside.

Snacks to eat alongside the drink were also present.

“This goes well together with that sake.”

The masked man opened the bottle for Linus who was calmly preparing to drink.

Linus expressed his regret.

“You’re the last person I’ll be drinking with, huh? I’ve imagined this several times in the past.”

Linus drank the sake offered to him in one shot and presented his glass again, demanding for more.

He questioned the masked man as he munched on the snacks.

“Tell me two things as souvenirs for my trip to hell. From your perspective, which person is fit to be emperor? Elder brother? Cleo?”

The masked man chortled.

“Your Highness right now may have been suitable to become the emperor.”

Hearing the compliment, Linus happily gulped down the sake.

“I’ll accept your praise with a pinch of salt. –– Moving on, who was the mastermind?”

The masked man replied to his second question.

“Keeping our client’s identity confidential is part of my job.”

“…You’re right.”

Linus smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and drew in his last breath. It was as if he went into a deep slumber.

The masked man lamented.

“If you had shown this side of yours earlier, things might not have turned out like this.”

With the death of a foolish prince who ended his life after confessing his sins, the curtains fell on the turmoil caused by a reckless assassination attempt.

◇

A week has passed since the failed assassination attempt.

I’m having a meeting with His Highness Cleo inside the palace which has yet to regain its tranquility.

“Your Highness, you don’t seem well.”

“Is that so? No, maybe you’re right.”

Although his emotions don’t appear clogged up, he is clearly under the weather.

Will he be alright?

This is why kind people are no good.

They get depressed over the deaths of those that tried to kill them first.

Why can’t they just dismiss things?

His Highness Cleo opens his mouth to speak before I do.

“I’ve made few memories with my brother, Linus, but I’ve heard some things from a servant he sent as a spy.”

“What have you heard?”

“He held me in contempt, but he was sympathetic to me as well. If I had lain low, I think my brother would not have tried to remove me.”

How kind of him.

Unfortunately, there’s no meaning to kindness in this world.

I have experienced terrible betrayals in my previous life.

At the time, I convinced myself that I was partially in the wrong and bore with the unreasonable treatments.

As a result, I became the laughing stock of the villains.

“It was His Highness Linus who ignited this conflict. That’s why Your Highness need not feel guilty about his passing. Please remember that a similar fate will befall on Your Highness if you were to lose. To avoid that, Your Highness must fight back.”

His Highness Cleo looks at me.

“Count, you are a strong man… So strong, in fact, that you fail to understand the feelings of the weak.”

I can sense some toxicity mixed in with his words.

However, let me tell you one thing.

I do understand the feelings of the weak.

After all, I was a weak person in my past life.

A weak person whose only purpose was to be exploited by the villains.

I’m repulsed by my past self.

“I understand the feelings of the weak better than anyone else. Even if you’re weak, when you’re presented the opportunity to rob others, you should do so instead of having yourself robbed. Your Highness regards weakness as a virtue, but weakness is a sin by itself.”

His Highness Cleo stares at me with squinted eyes.

“Do you? You think a man who was born strong can understand the feelings of the weak?”

“At least I do more than you.”

Tia enters our conversation the moment I drop the honorifics.

She has a report for me.

“I’ll pour new cups of teas. Also, Brian-dono wishes to speak with you, Lord Liam.”

She hints at us to take a break.

I stand up from my seat.

“To request my presence so casually. If he wasn’t Brian, I’d have executed him.”

I leave the room in this manner.

◇

Cleo, who had his conversation interrupted, turned to address Tia.

“I was rude to the Count. I’ll apologize when he returns.”

Cleo knew of Tia’s reverence towards Liam and believed that she would be angry at him.

Contrary to his expectations, Tia giggled.

“Did I say something strange?”

Tia gazed at the door that Liam used to leave the room.

“How much does Your Highness Cleo know about the Banfield Family?”

“I heard that ever since he was a child, Liam-dono has been improving the state of his territory which was managed poorly by the previous generation. Did he manage to secure a planet with an abundance of rare materials?”

That was the extent of the public’s evaluation of Liam.

They were only interested in Liam’s current prestige and military prowess.

Aside from that, they assumed that the territory was being rapidly developed thanks to the rare metals.

“What I’m about to say is something I read from the records. Lord Liam apparently became the Count at the age of five.”

“——I’ve heard rumors about aristocrats pushing their territories onto their children. To think that the rumors were true…”

Cleo, who remained oblivious to most occurrences outside the palace, was shocked by the validity of the rumors.

In his defense, he had only recently begun to interact with the other nobles.

Furthermore, despite their scary appearances, the aristocrats that made up his faction were lords that had serious personalities.

As such, they didn’t intend on burdening their children with their territories.

“The condition of the Banfield’s territory was at its all-time low. The previous lord had demanded so much tax and labor from his citizens that they were at their breaking points. He even borrowed money from other places to satisfy his vanity. I was stunned when I read the materials. I wondered whether people can actually stoop so low.”

“What a cruel story. I often hear similar tales about other territories. Are these stories true?”

“They are. It’s unthinkable considering the present state of Lord Liam’s territory. Despite so, there are countless people in the empire that are suffering on their planets.”

Tia’s heart ached when she imagined what Liam must have felt when he saw his territory in such shambles.

“Witnessing the state of his territory, what did the noble Lord Liam think? What did he do? Even though his life wasn’t easy, he endured for decades on end. The young Lord Liam must have been very dashing indeed! He must have been cuter and more precious than he is now – yet Lord Liam persevered through his difficult life and spared no effort in bettering his territory! He trained himself to the point where he obtained the strength to defeat a Sword Saint! – Ah crap, the drool won’t stop!”

She imagined Liam as a child and thought, “If I was by your side at that time!”

Cleo took his eyes off Tia out of courtesy and respect.

(The Count has some weird knights serving under him.)

Tia was competent alright, but she was a disappointing knight.

Cleo’s gaze returned to Tia when her delusion ended.

Tia apologized.

“Please excuse me. What I wanted to tell Your Highness is that there was a time when Lord Liam wasn’t as powerful. As a matter of fact, he was in a worse position than Cleo-sama.”

Cleo hung his head down.

“—I see. I’ve been impolite to the Count.”

(He had a tougher life than I thought. I guess that’s why he was incensed by my remarks.)

Cleo who had reflected apologized to Liam when he came back.