Chapter 143 — Veiled Strife (3)

The history was no different than a board with perfectly set process and result.

Although he didn’t knew it at the time, seemingly insignificant things often were the cause or the starting point of incredibly great events in retrospect.

And when such seemingly insignificant things and seemingly unrelated things pile up and up, they soon become the history.

‘The thing called history is much bigger and heavier than I had thought.’

Roan exhaled a short sigh.

He wanted to shake that perfectly set board called history.

No, to be exact, he wished to flip the board that would become history.

‘Prince Reitas cannot become the Pershion Kingdom’s king like in the last life.’

Because of that, he tried to save Manus Pershion.

‘Prince Manus doesn’t have to become the next king. But at least, he has to……’

When his thought reached that point.

“He didn’t even try to listen, sir?”

Harrison and Brian asked with slightly shocked faces.

Roan nodded instead of answering.

On the other hand, Clay had a rather composed look.

“If he had that much reaction to the words asking how much he trusts Prince Manus……”

He spoke in an indifferent voice.

“Then it must mean that Prince Manus has already recognized on his own the complex problem between himself and Prince Reitas.”

“As expected, is it so……”

Roan made a bitter smile and exhaled a short sigh.

The mood became heavy.

Clay, who had been still, opened his mouth with a little odd expression.

“My lord. This is something I wish to tell you now that the situation has became like this, and in truth, I had a one point of question ever since when I first heard of the work this time.”

Roan quietly stared at Clay as if to to tell him to say it.

Clay faintly smiled and continued his words.

“If the goal was for the principle of befriending a faraway nation and attacking the ones near, the current situation is enough. Although Pershion’s king is incompetent and the friendship between Prince Reitas and Prince Kallum is close, the ones who reconnected the severed connection between the two nations are us. Anyone and everyone will recognize that deed.”

This was the truth.

The incompetent Pershion King had granted them a letter with a content about strengthening the two countries’ friendship. This was because the royalty as well as many nobles felt danger at the Byron Kingdom and Istel Kingdom’ invasion this time.

As Clay had said, the situation was such that they would have raised big merit even if they returned right at that moment.

“There’s no need to go out of our way and be so concerned for an utter stranger, and especially for Prince Manus who is a prince of a foreign kingdom. Furthermore, Prince Reitas is currently aiming for lord’s life as well. Although Prince Manus’ situation is pitiable, our lord’s safety is more important from our position. I think it would be better for us to step back at this point and return to our kingdom.”

At those words, Harrison and Brian nodded their heads.

According to Clay’s intelligence, Reitas planned to ask Roan for an academy lecture.

Of course, that was a trap.

‘Also……’

Roan’s interest in Manus was on the excessive side.

Because his talent is outstanding?

Even so, he was a foreign kingdom’s prince.

From Rinse Kingdom’s position, he was an existence that could turn into an enemy at any time.

Clay’s words continued.

“With this much, even Prince Simon would be satisfied. If Prince Manus reacted that violently, then let us leave at this point. If we stay any longer, we may be done in by Prince Reitas’ side.”

At those words, Roan slowly shook his head.

“No. We must save him.”

His voice was calm but resolute.

Slightly creasing his brows, Clay cautiously asked.

“Is there perhaps another goal, sir?”

“That……”

Roan looked back and forth between Clay, Harrison, and Brian, then spoke in a quiet voice.

“I will tell you at a later date. Now, now isn’t the time just yet.”

“Hmm.”

Clay leaked a quiet groan.

On the other hand, Harrison and Brian slowly nodded their heads and then no longer held any interest.

Looking at them, Roan inwardly exhaled a sigh.

‘I can’t just thoughtlessly tell them about the future, and……’

A slightly complicated look reflexed on his face.

‘Once Prince Reitas climbs onto the throne, the next is Prince Kallum Rinse’s turn.’

The decisive reason that the third prince Kallum Rinse was able to step ahead of the two older brothers and climb to the throne.

That was because that there was Reitas’ help.

Reitas, who rose to the throne ahead of Kallum, extensively supported and backed his friend Kallum.

‘I didn’t quite realize it in the last life, but now that I looked at it……’

That was a very well-set up board.

When Reitas became the Pershion Kingdom’s king, Kallum used the principle of befriending a faraway nation and attacking the ones near.

No, in truth, that was closer to a military alliance.

Together with Reitas, Kallum attacked the Byron Kingdom from the South and the West and took tens of castles.

Word for word, it was an incredible military achievement.

‘As Prince Kallum won again and again in the war with the Byron Kingdom, Duke Francis Wilson, who had been a neutral faction, joined Prince Kallum’s faction.’

For generations, Duke Wilson’s house held incredible hostility towards the Byron Kingdom.

Especially in case of Francis, his hostility was incited especially greatly because his father had fallen in a war with the Byron Kingdom.

‘Prince Kallum could only look pleasant in his eyes.’

Ultimately, the balance between the kingdom’s four dukes fell, and the throne succession competition leaned towards Kallum.

‘And with Prince Tommy suddenly dying and King Reitas Pershion on a winning streak, the throne ultimately became Prince Kallum’s.’

And Simon became the Mad Monarch.

‘And if we look at Prince Reitas and Prince Manus’ current situation……’

It felt as if Manus and Tommy’s deaths were deeply related to Reitas and Kallum.

Manus’ death, Reitas’ ascension to the throne, Kallum’s meteoric rise, Tommy’s death, Kallum’s ascension to the throne.

And.

The Great Warring Era.

It felt as if the things that seemed seamlessly unrelated from a glance, the events that Roan hadn’t noticed in the last life were all twisted together as one.

It literally was an excellently set board.

And that became the history.

‘If Prince Kallum becomes the next king, I will be driven to a corner.’

There is no reason for him to keep Roan, who as Simon’s close aide, alive.

No, he was already trying to kill him.

‘I must keep Prince Manus alive.’

Manus’ death that became the starting point of everything.

He aimed to stop that.

He aimed to flip the history from the last life.

‘And……’

The light in Roan’s eyes calmly settled down.

There was one more reason that he was trying to save Manus.

‘If I will stay as Prince Simon’s subordinate, Prince Manus may not be necessary. Since I just need to check Prince Kallum like now. But for me to become a monarch……’

He needed Manus.

Roan’s dream was a monarch of a kingdom.

‘With the current situation, I should shape up a foundation with the Tale fief as the center.’

Meaning that if he ultimately raised up a country, he could only clash with the Rinse Kingdom.

Whether that was through a just process or treason, or whether that the person he clashed against is Simon, Tommy, or Kallum.

To Roan, Rinse Kingdom was a wall that he had to one day overcome.

‘The moment I raise a nation, the surrounding kingdoms will all thoroughly become enemy nations.’

If the situation became so, there would be a limit to finding a collaborator within the Rinse Kingdom.

And the situations for Istel Kingdom and Byron Kingdom were obvious.

Once it became a war of a kingdom against a kingdom, a monarch against a monarch, he needed an appropriate reinforcement.

To Roan, Manus was someone who had the possibility of becoming that very such collaborator.

‘The most outstanding person amongst those who I can currently form friendship with.’

Everything was a preparative move for the future.

A preparatory move for a future called a monarch.

Of course, he didn’t knew that the situation would flow like this.

It was truly an incredible danger.

But if he thought of it differently, it was also an incredible opportunity.

‘If I could just turn this issue around, the position of the Pershion Kingdom’s future monarch would be Prince Manus’ to take.’

Once he organized his thoughts, an even more resolute determination arose.

‘I must save Prince Manus.’

At that moment, he heard Clay’s voice.

“If you truly must save Prince Manus that much, we would need to hurry, my lord. It seems like Prince Reitas’ side is almost done with their preparations, you see.”

“Hmm.”

With a quiet groan, Roan nodded his head.

“I can only go back and meet him again.”

“Sir, you are going to go meet him again even though you’ve been chased out like that?”

Harrison slightly frowned.

To him, Roan was more important than Manus.

Roan faintly smiled and stood up from his seat.

“Something like face isn’t important when saving a person.”

“But my lord……”

Harrison and Brian called out to Roan with stiff expressions.

Roan nodded as if to say it’s okay, then turned to Clay.

“Clay. You watch Prince Reitas’ movements a bit more meticulously.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Clay lightly lowered his head.

Roan then moved his steps out of the office.

As the situation was such, he had to go find Manus once again.

When he just came out of the residence.

“Un?”

Roan’s eyes opened widely.

Outside the door, a familiar face could be seen.

“Prince Manus……”

The young man who was standing still in the darkness was Prince Manus Pershion.

Roan quickly lowered his head.

Manus, who was looking at Roan with a complicated expression, slowly approached and lowered his head.

“I’m sorry about what happened in the morning.”

His voice was quiet and deeply heavy.

As if he had resolved on something, he exhaled a long sigh and then spoke in a quiet voice.

“The story Baron Tale was going to say…… let me hear it.”

*****

‘Someone like me would’ve been better if I was a fool.’

From when he was young, Manus had such thought.

He cursed his preeminent talent.

The reason was simple.

‘Brother, my older brother Reitas is slowly distancing himself from me.’

As a member of royalty, and especially as a prince who was second in line to the throne succession, Manus was aware that his great talent would become a seed of conflict.

It was something unrelated to his own desire.

‘If I showed a great talent, people who follow me will definitely appear.’

A faction would be formed if people gathered, and tragic things, completely regardless of Manus’ will, would happen if a faction was formed.

That would also include that Reitas.

In the end, a situation where brothers who loved and cared for each other point their swords towards each other would arise.

‘To avoid such situation, I had lived a life where I only read books and went on trips.’

He didn’t went out of his way to show off his ability.

He also had no interest in politics or authority.

He simply wished to cheer his brother Reitas on and live a quiet and peaceful life.

But as the Byron Kingdom and the Istel Kingdom invaded, that dream was shattered into dust.

‘Since I couldn’t watch the sight of the kingdom falling down just to hide my talent.’

In the end, Manus went past the nobles who only voiced for surrender, led a legion by himself, and went on a counterattack.

He went through the west and the south and perfectly defeated the invading army.

As he wished, he saved the kingdom.

But because of that, he earned the fame, people, and power that he didn’t desire.

And.

‘As I had worried, I lost my brother.’

He strived to heal their relationship.

He ignored numerous offers and vows of loyalty from nobles and commanders.

In congratulatory celebrations and various banquets, he only showed his face and exited.

Instead, he went around the castle and lived along with the commoners.

Although he did form friendship with Roan due to a fated and strong pull, he avoided everything that his brother Reitas may be guarded against.

‘Of course, I knew that even so, I could never be close to my brother ever again.’

He was also aware that his brother Reitas’ guard had became even more intense.

But even so, he hadn’t expected even the situation that Roan had just told.

“Th, that’s ridiculous.”

The end of Manus’ voice shook.

His head felt dizzy.

Looking at Manus’ face that turned white, Roan spoke in a calm voice.

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s all true.”

“Hmm.”

Manus leaned his head on his right hand as he closed his eyes.

In a completely dispirited state, he murmured as if to whisper.

“I knew that brother was guarded against me. But only to that much. It’s just that we’ve became a bit far apart. Never, brother would never……”

Manus opened the eyes he had closed and stared at Roan.

“He would never kill me.”

Although he had spat out the words, his heart greatly shook.

It was a situation where even he wasn’t sure.

Roan exhaled a short sigh.

“Prince Manus, please listen well. When tomorrow lights up, Prince Reitas will probably call you quickly. And he would request you to go as a expedition commander to the villages in the Northeast region because monsters are attacking the villages.”

“An expedition commander?”

“Yes. It would be a request to go as a commander to command the regional troop of the Northeastern corp. And……”

Roan’s story continued on for a while.

But Manus would only continue to shake his head.

“Even so, I can’t believe it.”

That was a kind of defiance and rejection.

No, it was a vain hope that he wished to believe so.

“Ah! Could it perhaps be that corrupt nobles near older brother Reitas had incited him? Right, that should be right. This must be something that they had closed brother’s eyes and ears and schemed on their own.”

The vain hope paralyzed his reason.

‘His feelings for his brother were this deep.’

With a regrettable expression, Roan exhaled a short sigh.

“Okay. Then let us act like this.”

To persuade Manus, he spread out a new plan.

Manus, who had heard the entire story, nodded his head with a slightly tense look.

“Alright. Let’s do as Baron Tale said.”

“Thank you very much.”

At the success that he finally reached after a long talk, Roan exhaled a sigh of relief.

Once all the story was done, Manus stood up from his seat.

“Hhm.”

Momentarily, he lost his balance and stumbled.

The psychological shock was that great.

“Your highness, are you okay?”

Roan quickly supported Manus.

Manus tapped the back of Roan’s hand that held his arm.

“Baron Tale.”

“Yes. Prince.”

When Roan replied, Manus quietly murmured in a completely dispirited voice.

“I wish that our plan will become something pointless tomorrow. No, I wish there won’t be a call from older brother Reitas tomorrow. No……”

His expression was sorrowful.

“I wish that tomorrow wouldn’t come.”

Roan couldn’t say anything.

He could only, quietly, stand and support Manus.

LIke that, the two hushed their breathing as they stared at the passing time.

*****

“Is that true?”

Reitas made a slightly surprised look.

Baron Baite Inges, who acted as his close aide, brightly smiled as he nodded his head.

“Yes. Baron Tale said that he wished to participate in the monster subjugation expedition instead of participating in an academy lecture.”

“Hhm.”

Reitas nodded his head with a slightly odd expression.

The things were flowing in a direction he hadn’t even thought of.

‘I had requested him for an academy lecture because asking Roan Tale, who is a foreign diplomat from another kingdom, to participate in the subjugation expedition was too willful, but……’

While asking Manus for the role of commander to the regional troop of the Northeastern corp, he had separately requested Roan for a special lecture at the Distou Academy.

Distou Academy, located about a half a day away northeast of the capital, Althus Castle, it was the best academy in the Pershion Kingdom.

Because it was located deep within mountains for the academy students’ study, it wasn’t easily accessible.

‘I planned to take care of Roan Tale and Manus separately and then tie them together to disguise it as an assassination, but……’

Thanks to Roan choosing to participate in the expedition rather than the special lecture, the work actually became easier.

Reitas faintly smiled and nodded his head.

“Good. Send him a good horse and an armor, and pass on a message thanking him.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Baite cheerfully smiled as he immediately exited the office.

Reitas stared at the sunlight pouring down through the office’s window outside.

“The winter sun is truly nice.”

His voice was somewhat elated.

The smile that hung on his mouth became slightly thicker.

“Is the hazy throne becoming slightly clearer……”

His heart raced.

It felt as if an enormous wall that stood in front of his eyes had disappeared.

“Manus. Forgive this brother.”

He resolved to kill him and even raised a plan to kill him.

And today, he would carry out the plan.

Although he had intentionally and firmly resolved himself, it couldn’t be helped that a corner of his heart ached quietly.

But even so, he had no plan to stop.

Reitas couldn’t take his eyes off the sunlight that poured down.

Outside the window, there wasn’t a speck of cloud in the sky.

Without even a small movement, he sat on his seat.

He only waited for a happy news.

Like that, the time passed and passed again.

The sun that was in the east leaned towards the west.

But from the window facing the south, the sunlight still continued to pour down.

At that moment.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

With a sound of knocking on the office door, Baite appeared.

His face was slightly elated.

He hesitated for a moment, then carefully opened his mouth.

“A news that the work was successfully carried out arrived. Would you like to depart now?”

It was the news that he waited and waited for so.

But for a while, Reitas didn’t answered.

With his eyes still full of turbulent light, he was looking at the winter sunlight.

“Prince. Should we simply tell them to transport the corpse here?”

Baite once again asked carefully.

Reitas only then faintly smiled and shook his head.

“No. We should do according to the plan. I’ll depart now.”

“Yes. Then I will have the horses ready.”

Baite lowered his head and then exited the office.

Reitas, who was left alone, slowly stood up from his seat.

His eyes were still on the sunlight.

With a quiet voice, he murmured as if to whisper.

“At least, it’s good that the day he left isn’t cold.”

Reitas inhaled deeply, then slowly moved his feet.

A step, a step.

With each step, his face full of smile blossomed.

‘It’s a step I’ve already made.’

He made the decision.

The consequence following the decision was also something that he had to carry.

‘I cannot stop or go back now that I’ve come this far.’

In the first place, he wouldn’t have even started if his resolve was only that much.

His steps became faster.

Exiting the office, he unhesitantly stepped towards the mansion’s front door.

Strong steps as if he would never stop.

Reitas clenched his fist.

‘I will become the Pershion’s king.’

In front of the throne, ties of blood were insignificant.

His eyes were already blinded by authority.

End.