***

“Your Majesty, have you been well all this time?”

-Lord Setiria, have you been healthy? I’ve heard about the events in Kran. It was quite concerning, such a dreadful thing happening.

Despite the worrying words, Huswen smiled pleasantly. He knew that it was all a part of Ruel’s deliberate plan, and it felt quite amusing to him. Regardless, it’s like getting back at those Kran bastards.

“Your Majesty, may I have a moment to speak?” Ruel’s serious tone wiped the smile from Huswen’s face.

-Are you about to stir things up?

“Yes, exactly. Your Majesty will play a pivotal role at the beginning of this plan. Will you be okay with that?”

-I am ready. But before that, I must express my gratitude. Thanks to you, I have been able to rid the kingdom of lingering pests. I finally feel a sense of relief.

Ruel realized Huswen was referring to the information Treitol had provided, which Ruel had passed on to Ganien a few days earlier.

“No, it’s merely a gesture of trust in Your Majesty. Now, shouldn’t we aim for something bigger than dealing with pests?”

-I do enjoy hunting bears.

“I’m pleased to hear that. This time, our target will be larger than a bear.”

It certainly would be. The whole plan was to capture the Great Man.

-I’m looking forward to it. So, what should I do?

“In just a few days, it will be Your Majesty’s birthday, correct? Therefore, I would like Your Majesty to send someone.”

Ruel was suggesting to Huswen to provoke the Kran Kingdom. Currently, a scandal involving his attempted poisoning took place in Kran.

It was an incident that would damage the nation’s reputation, and if they sent someone from Cyronian to bring Ruel back under these circumstances, it would be nothing more than provocation.

However, Ruel had already been scheduled to attend Huswen’s birthday party, and from the perspective of the Kran nobility, it might be a good opportunity to create a stir.

-Ah…

Huswen laughed loudly upon understanding what Ruel wanted.

-I understand your plan. I will ensure your safe arrival in Cyronian. Well then, I look forward to the gift.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will see you then.”

Knock, knock.

Ruel smiled brightly at the precise sound of the knock. It seemed Adea was nearby by chance. Despite Adea’s royal status, he was merely a pawn in Ruel’s eyes. As expected, Adea entered when the door opened. Ruel leaned on his cane and stood to bow to Adea promptly.

“Your Highness, were you coming to see me?”

“No, I was just checking on the guards. I didn’t anticipate you calling for me.” Adea appeared tense upon entering, as if uncertain of Ruel’s intentions.

“You must have heard about the tense atmosphere in the Kran Kingdom, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I have. Please, take a seat here.” Ruel gestured for Adea to sit.

“Is it such a lengthy story that I need to sit down to hear it?”

“It’s a discussion best had while seated.”

Even after sitting, Adea’s expression remained stern. Ruel asked softly, “Your Highness, do you feel uneasy around me?”

“It’s not discomfort; I’m just a bit anxious about what you might say. Perhaps no one else around you reacted the way I did?”

Ruel quickly thought of Ganien but shook his head, smiling softly.

“There isn’t.”

“You’re quite good at lying. So, what do you wish to discuss with me?”

“After informing Your Highness about the fall of the Tonisk Empire, I can only imagine the distress it must have caused you.”

“Indeed. The power dynamics have shifted completely. The empire, once seen as a common enemy, has been vanished, with the Great Man orchestrating it all.” Adea clicked his tongue lightly.

“Now it’s time to disrupt the game he has set. I trust Your Highness will stand by my side in this endeavor.”

“That’s quite a bold request.”

After all, Adea was compelled to follow Ruel’s orders due to the magical contract. He was already so troubled trying to solve the poisoning case. He knew it was a conspiracy, but seeing the words written in the letter from Leponia, he felt a chill as if a war was about to break out. It showed just how significant Ruel’s position and power in Leponia truly were.

“Your Highness, do you remember when I previously mentioned that there was a secret space within the royal palace?”

“I remember.” Adea looked at Ruel with a significantly tense expression.

“Right now, in that space, black water is being created…”

“Then shouldn’t we destroy it immediately? Did you call me here to inform me of that?”

“No, Your Highness. Now is not the time to destroy it.”

“Not yet?”

“Yes. We are doing our best to destroy the magic circle right now, so please wait a little longer.”

Adea’s eyes widened momentarily. He must have felt horrible knowing he couldn’t help. Obviously, there were magicians in the Kingdom of Kran. If they worked together to study and analyze the magic circle, they might be able to find a solution sooner.

But in the Kran Kingdom, they hadn’t even managed to rid themselves of the Red Ash and those who had joined them. It was a bitter situation to realize, even though he understood the circumstances were unavoidable.

“I feel ashamed.”

“Your Highness, I intend to help you ascend to the throne completely.”

“What do you suddenly mean by that?”

Out of the blue, the talk shifted to the throne.

“Presently, the obstacles to Your Highness’s ascension are Princess Jayel and the Red Ash. Isn’t that so?”

Adea couldn’t answer ‘yes’ to that. It was something he had thought about at some point, but when it actually came to it, it was not a matter he could take lightly.

Adea’s body suddenly felt heavy, as if it was being oppressed by something. More than anything, the idea that he had to kill his blood-related sibling with his own hands made his heart throb like it was going to burst.

“Your Highness has already weakened Princess Jayel’s position to some extent. Yet, she remains a formidable rival.”

Jayel’s power was strong enough to match Adea’s, so it couldn’t be severed all at once.

“Your Highness.”

“Speak.”

“I misspoke. I apologize.”

Seeing the confused expression on Adea’s face, Ruel corrected himself. He should have asked if Adea was prepared for this. Unlike in Leponia, this time it would truly be a bloody struggle for the throne.

“Are you prepared to seize the throne, Your Highness?”

“That throne was never meant for me.” Adea spoke calmly.

“…?”

“Perhaps Jayel is the true rightful ruler.”

Jayel had a higher and greater desire for the throne, and a more forward-looking vision than he did. What had obscured that vision was none other than the Kran Kingdom itself.

“This has long been the tradition in the Kran Kingdom. The firstborn… the firstborn…! Isn’t it excessively unjust?” Adea chuckled bitterly. “I realize how hypocritical this may sound. But as the eldest, I keenly perceive how my younger siblings regarded me.”

“Your Highness, all that injustice can only be changed if you take the throne. No, perhaps it will still be a difficult task even after ascending.”

“That was quite a verbose statement.”

Just as Ruel had extended a helping hand to Adea initially, Adea reciprocated with a wry smile, reaching out to Ruel. “Assist me. I, the unremarkable prince, require your aid.”

“I too require your assistance, Your Highness.” Ruel grasped Adea’s hand.

“What must I do then?”

“You must first claim the title of king.”

Adea needed to drive out the Great Man who was ruling over Kran so that he could become king.

“Though not immediately.”

“I understand.”

Adea let out a long sigh along with his words. He had been anxious, thinking perhaps he would have to take action today. He was relieved to have a grace period, at least.

“Your Highness, do you still have the powder I gave you before?”

Adea swiftly retrieved a pouch from his attire, displaying its contents. “I always carry it with me.”

“Thank you, Your Highness, I may provide you with more later, as the quantity could be insufficient.”

“So, you intend to sever the link with the one controlling His Majesty.”

“Yes.”

The king of Kran was different from the first Setiria. The king was not a devotee of darkness, and since he was an ordinary person with a physical body, it was sufficient to sever the connection with just the powder.

“And there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

Adea gripped the pouch tightly at Ruel’s next statement. He felt anxious about what might come next.

“I plan to stage a grand performance from here on.”

Adea licked his lips at the ambiguous words.

“A performance?”

“Yes, precisely. It’s a show intended solely for the Great Man and the Red Ash as the spectators.”

Adea shuddered at Ruel’s suspicious smile. He could not guess what kind of plan might come out of that mouth, and his mouth grew increasingly dry.

***

Two days later.

Crunch.

Ruel sat in silence, nibbling on a meat pie, a fishing rod in hand, gazing blankly at the frozen lake. The chilly water seemed capable of sending shivers down one’s spine with just a glance. In the midst of it all, Leo frolicked, showcasing his belly and fluttering his short legs.

—Hehehe. This body has become an otter!

“Ha.” Seeing Leo so cheerful made Ruel exhale deeply. It felt like he could finally breathe again.

Two days prior, Ruel had cleverly shifted the burden of Jayel’s punishment to Adea under the pretense of feeling unwell. It was a natural choice since Adea was the prince who would succeed to the throne. Thanks to that, he was no longer entangled in bothersome matters.

And now, two days later, Ruel had come to the royal villa, pretending to take a break and accompany Adea. However, Adea was not here at the moment. He had taken the opportunity to leave the palace to meet with nobles who were not connected to the Red Ash.

—Ruel, Ruel!

Leo called out, waving his paw.

Setting down the meat pie momentarily, Ruel returned the gesture.

Crunch.

Seeing the frozen lake, the fever that had been lingering for two days and the annoyance that had stuck to him like gum suddenly disappeared, making him realize how stuffy the palace really was.

Kuroo kuru.

He didn’t know where they had gone, but the spirits had stuck to him again, chattering excitedly. It was peaceful. He didn’t know how long it had been since he felt this peace, and it was truly nice.

“Ruel,” Ganien, sitting beside him, chuckled and called out.

“What?” Ruel responded sharply.

“I hate to say it, but you’re really not good at fishing,” Ganien remarked proudly, nudging his brimming fish basket closer.

Annoyed, Ruel kicked the basket away, causing it to roll on the frozen lake, catching Leo’s attention.

‘Nice!’

Ruel silently cheered. If Leo saw that basket and didn’t do anything, he wouldn’t be Leo. With a curious look, Leo used the wind to grab the basket.

“Hey, Leo, wait!” Ganien shot Ruel a glare before rushing towards the basket.

Leo looked at the basket with curious eyes and was startled.

—Oops! The fish are dying! This body will help!

Before Ganien could reach the basket, Leo knocked it over.

Splash!

The soft sound of the water echoed, concluding the situation perfectly, much to Ruel’s satisfaction.

“You see, Ganien, as a knight, there’s much to learn about respecting life from Leo,” Ruel remarked.

“You, you cheating bastard!”

“Aren’t you the one who was showing off against an ordinary person?”

“You’re not an ordinary person; you’re a magician!”

“No, that’s the magician over there.”

Ruel pointed at Aris.

With his incessant mumbling as he eagerly dug into a magic circle, he looked just like a high school senior preparing for college entrance exams.

“See?”

At Ruel’s confident remark, Ganien frowned and suddenly held up all ten fingers.

The look in his eyes suggested he was letting Ruel off because he was still a kid, but Ruel didn’t want to deal with him any longer. He knew they’d just end up bickering like children.

Ruel grabbed his fishing rod again and focused. However, no matter how long he waited, there was no sign of a bite.

“Ruel, perhaps it’s time to head back?” Cassion suggested with a hint of mockery in his smile.

That smile felt like it was mocking Ruel for having spent the entire day holding a fishing rod without catching a single fish, causing Ruel’s tone to turn sharp again.

“I’ll catch at least one before leaving.”

“You might end up staying out all night,” Cassion teased.

Ruel tightened his grip on the fishing rod.

—This body will help you!

Leo said with a big smile, approaching Ruel. But Ruel immediately stopped him.

“No, I must catch it with my own power.”

Kuroo kuru.

The spirits tilted their heads at each other. Soon, one of the spirits detached from Ruel and hopped eagerly toward the lake. It approached another spirit that was watching Ruel from where the ice had cracked and pointed back at Ruel.

Kuroo kuru.

They exchanged words, and soon the spirit nodded as if it understood.

“…!”

As Ganien’s yawn echoed nearby, Ruel felt a tug on his line.

“I, I got one!” Ruel stood up, carefully reeling in the line.

“You’re reeling it in too slowly. You have to reel it in faster… huh?”

Suddenly, a fish leaped out of the water and landed on the ice. Ganien looked at Leo with a bewildered expression, but Leo was just happily splashing in the water.

“Cassion, is that even possible?” Ganien questioned in disbelief.

Although the fish had taken the bait, it seemed to have leaped out before Ruel could even reel it in, as if deciding to be caught.

“No, it’s impossible.” Cassion shook his head immediately.

“See? I told you I could do it.”

Despite the confusion, Ruel was overjoyed after successfully catching one. The fish was being dragged across the ice, but a catch was still a catch.

“I finally got one! This is what they call the thrill of fishing!” When Ruel smiled so widely that he showed his teeth, the spirits smiled too.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read