Surviving As the 5th Prince of the Ruined Kingdom

036

For some reason, my throat felt parched.

I resumed the motion of my hand, which had paused on its way to the teacup. As I brought the cup to my lips, only one word filled my mind.

‘A marriage of political convenience······.’

It is an undeniably good method.

Past life and present life.

Past and present.

Countless men and women who didn’t even know each other’s faces have shared the same blanket for their mutual benefit.

In that sense, sister’s suggestion to have a cup of tea first could be seen as a kindness, allowing me to meet and decide.

‘I will have a fateful love,’ such a naive thought was of course not on my mind. It was not something to blurt out in front of sister either.

“Come to think of it, it’s sister’s coming-of-age ceremony this year.”

The Leonel Kingdom traditionally holds coming-of-age ceremonies in May for those turning 17.

“It’s already come to that. I’d like to have tea time looking at that garden again next year, but I don’t know if that will be possible.”

While it is a kingdom with considerably high human rights for women to the extent that even women have rights of succession, such benefits are only given to those who showed outstanding qualities as a ‘mage’ or ‘knight’ from a young age.

From noble mtl dot com

Most ordinary noblewomen get married by 19 at the latest to their betrothed chosen by their family. Many marry right after their coming-of-age ceremony at 17.

‘It’s not like there’s no way to avoid that.’

Options include becoming a nun after an annulment by being taken to a monastery, or taking a high position in government or military if exceptionally capable, or becoming the head of the household.

That’s why Countess Miloa, who took a government position after an annulment and won the succession fight against her brothers, is treated like a celebrity among young noblewomen.

Well, it’s a non-issue for the royals.

“A good relationship will continue. I will make sure of it.”

“hahahaha, reassuring.”

Sister smiled faintly as she raised her teacup.

“By the way, what do you think about what I mentioned earlier?”

“······ I will think about it.”

But what if I meet the person sister arranges and we get along well, could it really lead to an engagement?

In the past, the palace may have reacted indifferently even if I married a rural viscount’s daughter. But the situation is different now.

My throat felt parched.

I gulped down the lukewarm tea in one go.

“Don’t overthink it. Ah, are you thinking it has to lead to marriage? Rest assured. Not all arranged relationships have to end in marriage.”

“Cough, cough! Cough!”

I choked on sister’s open-minded words.

“Oh my, oh my. Evan, are you alright? Quick, bring some water.”

The next day.

I left the palace with Alfonso.

It wasn’t because of any special occasion.

I didn’t realize it, but it seems I was quite exhausted from the events that rushed in without a moment to breathe after becoming aware of my previous life. In the midst of that, the mention of a political marriage by my sister was the final blow that led to my burnout.

I woke up at the usual dawn hour, but I just couldn’t bring myself to get up. So I ended up staying in bed.

“How is it? The air is different, isn’t it? The palace is… well, it feels like the energy gets drained even when you’re just staying still. Now, take a deep breath. Like this—*suu-p*—”

Alfonso had to drag me out of the palace even after the time for breakfast had long passed, with me lying in bed.

Our current location was the Baronath Square of the capital.

We ditched the carriage midway due to a tail and walked the rest of the way.

I took a deep breath, just like Alfonso, while gazing at the water jets from the central fountain.

*Suu-p, haa-*

“It doesn’t feel much different, though.”

“Strange? It should be…”

Alfonso’s expression turned glum at my response.

Ah, he’s just acting. For sure.

Contrary to my grumbling, my chest, which had felt tight with every breath I took in the morning, did feel a little better, just as he said.

The slightly cooler weather and bright sunshine brought many people out. With the New Year’s festival just around the corner, all of Baronath was in full preparation mode. The square was already packed with street vendors.

“Mister! That’s my spot!”

“Hey, what’re you saying? Whoever got here first owns the spot.”

“Ah, this mister doesn’t know anything. Where are you from, some rural village? Don’t you know that during the festival, you need a permit from the palace to set up a street stall? Look, here’s the permit. This is my spot, isn’t it?”

“Tch, what kinda law is that? I didn’t know. Whoever comes first owns the spot.”

“Ah, really.”

Just watching the woman and man bickering over the street vendor spot was an oddly energizing experience for my drained self.

The two burly figures, with their hoods flipped over their capes, realized we were watching them. The man quietly gathered his belongings and left. The woman setting up her stall narrowed her eyes, keeping a wary watch on Alfonso and me.

It felt really uncomfortable somehow.

If we stayed any longer, she might even report us.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes. I was about to suggest moving on.”

Ah, that’s right.

Since we were out of the palace, there was something I wanted to check.

“Alfonso, to the Pâtisserie Pérrigueux.”

“Ah, their chocolate cookies are truly famous. I’ll guide you there.”

Upon arriving at the bakery and paying for a bag of chocolate cookies, I asked the owner, “Have there been any thefts recently? Inventory discrepancies, especially with these chocolate cookies?”

Perhaps due to my suspicious question while wearing a deep hood, he scanned me up and down. Though not overtly noticeable, upon confirming I was dressed in fabrics favored by nobles, he responded deferentially with a somber expression, “There have been no such incidents.”

“I see.”

I remained curious whether the items obtained from the [Emporium] were brought from reality or created ex nihilo. I had suspected as much, but the baker’s response confirmed it.

After leaving the bakery, I wandered aimlessly, my feet guiding the way. An odd sense of being on a journey washed over me. Fleeting thoughts of abandoning everything and going somewhere else crossed my mind.

As I drifted along, Alfonso obstructed my path. “That way is a bit…unsavory.”

Looking around, the surroundings did seem rather grim. A gust of wind from the alleyway carried a foul stench of refuse.

An acrid odor I could never have imagined encountering in well-plumbed Varona.

“Is that a slum over there?”

“Well, yes. The narrow streets also make it risky if we were to be ambushed.”

“Didn’t you say we had shaken off any tails?”

“True, but…even a prince would struggle to escape such areas. And I’ve heard rumors of denizens deep within the slums that even I couldn’t handle.”

While curious, there were reasons for his caution. I’m not so senseless as to need to taste feces to know better.

I obediently turned back.

Still, for Alfonso to be unable to ‘handle’ them…

I felt the need for knight-level escorts.

And then—

– Your Highness! Even without magical talent, not at all! You needn’t worry!

– Of course. Your great-grandfather, the founder, was a knight himself. The blood of knights flows in you, Your Highness!

– Shall we begin training tomorrow? hahahahaha!

Simultaneously, the voices of childhood guards unjustly executed on false charges echoed in my ears.

Guilt gripped my throat as I recalled spending mornings wallowing in bed, using ‘burnout’ as an excuse.

“Let’s return to the palace.”

“Already? Let’s eat lunch first. I know a delicious place that relieves stress once I’ve eaten.”

“You can’t taste it?”

“I can taste the spiciness. Can’t you?”

Ah, spiciness is a matter of tactile sensation.

“Can’t eat it.”

Couldn’t eat because there was none.

The fellow who caught my gaze grinned and showed me the way.

And as we passed through the market.

“Don’t let it go!!”

((Let’s have a meal together for a bit, but it’s ridiculously expensive.))

We came across a noisy scene.

“You scoundrel.”

“Yes, a scoundrel.”

I frowned at the distinct accent of the Hamul Empire’s language grating on my ears.

“You lot! Do you know who this person is!”

((Hey, what’s that girl saying?))

((She’s asking if you know who that young lady is.))

((Put that wench in her place too.))

A fat man who appeared to be a noble of the Empire was harassing a beautiful woman. From the attendants accompanying the woman, she seemed to be a young lady from a noble family.

‘The guards are…… unconscious.’

The woman’s guards had been subdued by the Empire noble’s guards and lay unconscious on the ground.

“You lot!”

Pak!

A person who appeared to be the young lady’s governess, shouting until her throat was hoarse, was struck on the back of the head and lost consciousness.

“Kyaaak! Governess!”

“My lady, this person here is an honored guest from the Hamul Empire. Why don’t you join us for a meal and receive a precious gift before returning home?”

The Empire noble’s interpreter gave a sly smile as he dragged the young woman away.

I looked around the surroundings.

There were soldiers who appeared to be law enforcement, but they didn’t know what to do. It seemed they were waiting for their superior’s orders, suspecting the fat man was a Hamul Empire noble.

Well, in fact, those who weren’t even knights didn’t seem like they would be of much help.

No matter how much those scoundrels denigrated and mocked the Kingdom of Rionel as a small country, I became curious about the identity of the fat man who dared to harass a noble young lady in the middle of a foreign kingdom.

If he treated a noble lady like that, he would have forcibly knocked out a commoner and dragged them away.

He immediately struck the bastard’s forehead with a ghostly hand.

━━━━━━━━━×

Glurt One Hise

Gender: Male

Age: 22

Race: Human

[Stats]

[Skills]

[Relationship: Ordinary]

━━━━━━━━━

‘Huh?’

His expression naturally frowned.

Although not a direct descendant like the royal family of the kingdom that takes Rionel instead of Rion as their dominion, he was of the imperial family of the Hamil Empire.

It seemed he had come to attend the New Year’s banquet.

“Alfonso, can you subdue that bastard’s guards?”

“Ah… If I provoke the prince, I will buy you time to flee for your life.”

As expected, I desperately needed skilled guards until I could raise my own strength.

Is the leader the only one I can trust for now…?

After surveying the surroundings once more, I told Alfonso,

“I believe those words.”

“Huh? You’re going to step forward now?”

As a prince of this country, I could no longer watch the people being harassed by a fool from the Hamil Empire.

((Stop it.))

Although a bit clumsy, I enunciated in their language.

((Who are you?))

I took off my hood and opened my mouth…

“It’s the 5th Prince!”

“It’s Prince Evan!”

“Your Highness! Please throw those bastards in the slammer right away!”

“Waaah! Get those bastards out of here!”

Before I could open my mouth, the people in the market who had been watching silently raised their voices.

I had merely uttered a single word a bit clumsily, but it seemed like my [support] had shot up to the sky. I felt a strange sensation.

((What’s with these petty fools acting like this?))

((I am the prince of the Lionel Kingdom.))

((So what? Are you telling me to back off here?))

((……The atmosphere is not right. Let’s go back today. I will guide you to an amazing place.))

((Tch, guide me. You’re lucky.))

Still, the fool didn’t seem to have lost his mind enough to subdue even me, the prince of the kingdom, as he left the scene with his belongings on his back.

As he led his gang away, the people surrounding me cheered again.

“Waaah! Long live the 5th Prince!”

“Long live!”

“By the way, what did you say?”

“How would I know that?”

“5th Prince. I felt it during the recent hearing too, you speak their language so fluently. You seem incredibly intelligent, don’t you?”

From noble mtl dot com

I slightly pushed down my [support].

[Barona: 12%]

It increased by 2%?

“Ma’am, ma’am. Wake up. Hey, you too, come to your senses.”

Even without Alfonso’s instruction, he woke up the unconscious woman’s maid and guards on his own.

“Miss!!”

“These bastards!!”

“Maid, Sergeant Belkas, have you regained consciousness?”

“Miss, what about those bastards?”

“Kill this fool who failed to protect you!”

“It’s okay. It’s not Sergeant Belkas’ fault.”

After confirming that the two had woken up, Yeonae heaved a sigh of relief and approached me.

“Thank you very much, 5th Prince.”

“I merely did what I had to do, no need to thank me.”

Saying that, I looked at the security forces. They couldn’t meet my gaze and hung their heads low.

It’s fine, what crime could mere soldiers commit?

“You were reckless.”

Huh?

“Duke Velkas may seem that way, but he’s a four-star knight who graduated with excellent grades from the Royal Military Academy. What were you thinking, taking on someone who subdued such a person as your escort? What if you provoked the prince as well?”

Though I didn’t act without a plan like Younga said, hearing her worried nagging made me feel differently.

Still, a woman escorting a four-star knight as her guard… The clothes she’s wearing don’t look that expensive.

I was a little curious about her identity.

I tapped her forehead with my ghostly hand.