187 [187]

Lewis thought he was definitely loved. However, the fact that Lewis loved the most was the king of the country and his grandfather was accompanied by a great deal of pressure.

"You're working really hard. Good job, Lewis."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The royal order taught the young boy's study, which the teachers had just begun to learn. However, it was hard to keep up with the king's expectations.

The king's praise was good at first. The king gave Lewis a gift and awarded the crown prince's caregivers. But next week, next week, next month...The king wanted to confirm the growth of his grandson. I always wanted to compliment.

"This time, it's not much different from last time. I have to work hard."

"Yes…. I'll try."

"Yes, you are the hope of this country."

I didn't get angry, but just a slight sigh or frown was a big problem for the people around Lewis. Because even if the king looks a little uncomfortable, the people below him will lose their jobs.

Unlike Prince Gwiz, the current king had high expectations for Prince Louis, who had a high academic zeal. Prince Gwiz quickly lost interest in studying as a child and focused on hunting and drinking. The idea that the crown prince should be raised properly when he was still young captivated the king.

'Louis shouldn't be the same as Gwiz.’

However, the king was already old and the king wanted to see the growth of Prince Louis as soon as possible. The daily rush of growth was like pouring water on trees.

The tree was rotting away because it had too little water in its roots. Lewis was increasingly suffering from chronic fatigue. He was only eight years old.

"Your Majesty asked if you were too short of her class."

"Your classes are already fast enough for the aristocrats of your age....”

"But he said he was not making any progress compared to last month...Why don't we change the way we teach?”

"But Your Grace, you'll be calling again next month."

"I'm sleepy...My hands hurt."

Lewis held the pen continuously and raised her hand, which began to harden. Eventually, the teacher made me memorize the manuscript instead. That alone was too much for Louis, who was just eight years old, but it was better than trying to understand it all.

"Your opinion was presented by Eiles Lindbergh. But it's already considered out of touch with reality in the last Tacem case."

"I see…."

The crown prince was speechless when information he did not know came out. When the king saw Louis' face, he asked again.

"What do you think about the Tachem case?"

“…….”

"What about Lindbergh's first announcement on welfare expansion?"

"…I'm sorry. I'm not good enough to know."

"The welfare expansion plan is the most important part of Lindbergh`s theory.”

Louis was forced to confess in the end. The king was disappointed, but he did not get angry with the crown prince. Lewis was, of course, his only legitimate, normal child. Louis did nothing wrong.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"It's all right, Lewis, you didn't do anything wrong. The king does not do wrong. So... let's change all the teachers."

"Your Majesty!"

"You need the best education. …as soon as possible."

The king's orders replaced all of his teachers. The king knew the best scholars, the best scholars. There were also many people involved in politics. Just retired from the front line, they were veteran veterans.

"This is Prince Louis."

"…I know….”

"I saw you last time...So... 10 years ago?"

"You're still eight years old."

"Huh, you were just born. I saw it when you were born. And again... about five years ago."

As soon as they met the crown prince, the scholars smiled in vain, making eye contact with each other.

"I'm a good judge of grandchildren."

"No, I'm sorry, Count!"

The old man was embarrassed and angry at the response of the sour elderly scholars, but the elderly did not lift an eye. Most of them were old people who were not fit to teach young children.

The glory of being the king's teacher no longer had any merit in them. The king gathered the most scholars and bureaucrats he knew, but they were at least seventy years old.

It may be decades, perhaps more than 50 years, that Louis can rise to the throne. Even if Louis was a royal family, he was as young as a child and blood. It was clear that even if the old scholars put efforts into Lewis, they would never benefit from being the king's teacher.

"Your Majesty's orders, so I'm starting, but… You're too old to let her see you."

It was a common opinion of the old gods.

Louis knew here that he would be laughed at if he got angry. If he asks the king to change his teacher with tears, the king will comfort him, but he will be greatly disappointed.

"…I look forward to your kind cooperation. I'll do my best.”

That's all Lewis had to say to the elderly.

And Lewis worked hard.

***

"…wow, I'm going crazy. Does your Majesty know how old your Royal Highness is?"

The Marquis opened his mouth while looking at Prince Louise's hand. It was the godfather I saw for a long time. But because he was so shocked, Louis, the person involved, was a little embarrassed. And what made him angry was his grandfather and king.

"Lord Pancake, be careful with what you say.”

"The tone of the speech…"Huh… Your Highness Lewis, who do you think I am?"

"I didn't say it just now. My godfather and the Marquis of the Pancake. Don't be so frivolous.”

"You called it pancakes the other day. I feel awkward drawing the line...No, you're much thinner than that's all. Are you eating well?"

When the Marquis flustered, Lewis laughed.

"What's that tone? It's weird."

"…oh, you didn't taste good.

"The Marquis, no matter how much you're nephew, you're a prince, but your manners are terrible."

The Marquis sighed as he grabbed the shoulders of his great-grandfather and nephew Prince Louis.

"Well, Your Majesty is really too much....”

He was taller than his peers, but he had no complexion on his face. The prince's face was tired out of his youth.

The way people around me spoke was slightly different because they were all old people, and I felt at odds because my posture and behavior were not even 10 years old. If the Marquis of Pancair is aware of it, it will be even more so among peer aristocrats.

The Marquis of Pancair seemed to understand why the king was doing this.

This is because Prince Gwiz, who will become king, is overreacting. In his private space, the number of bodies was increasing, and there were more days of violence and drug use.

He would rather be dismissed as soon as he became a dead man, but that's not the case, and Gwiz was selling his place for money and filling up key posts with his own aides. The nobles' titles were also taken or sold by the crown prince.

Even among the general public, voices of discontent began to grow. Fifty years ago, their words could have been ignored, but times have changed. As railways were built and industries and commerce began to develop, people were as rich as the royal family and the existing aristocrats.

Prince Gwiz was far from sufficient to deal with the growing number of voices that could not be ignored. His weaknesses, such as murder, drugs and rape, were endless, and few competent people were loyal to him.

The time was not right. A wiser and stronger king was needed. It was thanks to the current king's long reign that he could barely calm down without bursting into discontent. The king has been in power for more than 50 years. For more than half a century, the people of this country were accustomed to the current king.

I couldn't think that the king would change, and I had a great respect for him.

But if Prince Gwiz becomes king, things will go out of control. And his bad taste will be a perfect number for those who oppose the monarchy.

It is an era in which war is frequent internationally. There is a fierce battle going on over a single mountain range. The country beyond the mountain range wanted to cross the border and there was a high possibility that the country would be engulfed in flames. Even though I knew it, I couldn't even attempt to overthrow Gwiz for a long time and establish a strong monarchy. Prince Gwiz was the only prince.

But now there is Prince Louis.

a legitimate successor

"But he's too young!’

The Marquis sighed. The current king is too old. And Prince Louis is too young. He is only eight years old.

I understand the king's desire to raise and educate Prince Louis as soon as possible, but it didn't seem like the boy would live long because he was stuck in a room talking to the elderly and reading books.

'We don't have enough time...This doesn't make a child an adult.’

It takes at least 10 years to become an adult and officially act.

However, even at the age of 18, he just took off his young clothes. Only young heroes emerge from beyond the mountain range during the war, but it takes more time to be crowned stably in this seemingly peaceful country.

Even the king was old and all the retainers worked too long. I could feel that the palace was slowly declining without seeing it.

At least 20 years are needed. Prince Louis will not be recognized as a king until he is 28. Ten years is not enough. After 15 years, I'll barely get rid of my greenness. And the knowledge in the book alone was not enough to govern a country.

'I'd rather... take my place.’

The Marquis shook his head. As he was a relative not far away, he was after Prince Gwiz, but if he took over the throne, Prince Louis, who would grow up after him, was the problem. Obviously, once the throne comes as the Marquis of Pancair, it will not be possible for Prince Louis to be succeeded by due process, and it will be difficult for Lewis to give up the throne.

The most stable method was one. He supports Prince Louis himself and puts him on the throne even at an early age.

But he was also too young. Children die in the cold. Prince Louis, now eight years old, is past a very dangerous time, but at this rate, it seemed difficult to welcome his coming of age. I couldn't eat properly and didn't exercise properly. In addition, the exchange relationship was a problem.

"What are you thinking?"

"I think about how to raise you as king."

"There's still a long way to go. They're all in a hurry. Take it easy."

The Marquis looked down at Lewis, saying, "I'm being naive." However, looking at Prince Louis' face looking up at him with a stiff face, I found that he was indeed much more mature than I thought.

"…you know the situation."

"I don't know. Because my teachers keep talking like they're passing by."

Lewis knew that the king was preparing to make him king on behalf of Prince Gwiz. The crown prince was not so foolish as to not know the meaning of ascension beyond generations. Lewis knew that his father, Gwiz, was his enemy and could never get along, and that if he died, he would rather like it. So he couldn't afford to be a child.

"I have no choice but to know....”

The Marquis thought he needed a gun teacher.

***

"This is Sir Raymond. How do you feel about being your shooting teacher?"

"Good to see you, Your Grace."

He was a tall handsome man.

Lewis, who continued to stay with the elderly, was shocked. There was no young man around Lewis. Lewis's escort was middle-aged, and the Marquis of Pancair was of the same age as Prince Gwiz.

"Take care of me, Lord Raymond."

He reached out his hand. Their hands were strong and warm. He was a young man who seemed to resemble Prince Gwiz, but he was full of good faith. He seemed to define the ideal image of a man as this. Healthy, soft, full of energy.

He wanted to be himself.