Chapter 27: It’s Not You

“Instead, I want to meet Duke Lavaltor in person. Where could he be?”

At Ian's sharp smile, the knight who identified himself as Chris flinched.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Of all things, why would he ask to meet Duke Lavaltor in person?

Even if he was a Lavaltor knight, the request was never easy.

Ian, who knew the reason very well, smiled inwardly.

‘Yes, Duke Lavaltor is terrified of Garcia.'

Duke Lavaltor was the most outstanding knight in the kingdom and a famous swordsman on the continent.

He was known for being very honorable and unyielding, so he was a stark contrast to Garcia, who was willing to do anything for his purpose.

‘It seems like something happened in the past.’

In any case, Lavaltor never wanted to have anything to do with Garcia.

If he ever got involved with Garcia, he would choose to withdraw from important things, at least in trade or the logistics industry. Because of that, Lavaltor even suffered heavy losses.

Then, if he met the successor pushed by Duke Garcia?

‘Originally, it's absolutely impossible.'

In the past, Duke Lavaltor did not bother to glance at Ian. He didn't even try to talk to him.

Unlike Ian’s legitimation ceremony, which was held modestly without the royal family, the coming-of-age ceremony was considered more important than any other event in Kaistein. Even at the coming-of-age ceremony of the royal family, where all the heads of noble families were legally required to gather in one place, Duke Lavaltor only sent his child with a title lower than the duke himself.

Even though it was then that Ian began to gain some recognition as a prince.

To that extent, Duke Lavaltor hated to even look at Ian, the person taking Garcia's hand.

But what if a knight of Duke Lavaltor offered to arrange a meeting with Ian?

Right then, the Second Prince shouted at Ian's suggestion as if he was speaking nonsense.

“What's your plan with Duke Lavaltor?”

The Second Prince was bleeding so much that color drained out of his lips. But he didn't stop talking.

He never imagined that Ian would mention Lavaltor out of the blue.

So, he was anxious inside, yet he did not show it and shot Ian a glare.

“I don’t know what you are plotting, but do you think Duke Lavaltor will agree to meet you?”

"Prince, you must not move…!"

“Shut up! Even though my arm was cut, I am one of the rightful heirs to the throne. Lavaltor will never betray me.”

Ian snorted at the words.

Well, the Second Prince had a reason for being so confident.

‘Because Duke Lavaltor is his father-in-law.’

Later, even after Lavaltor learned the true nature of the Second Prince, he could not lose him because of his daughter. That was why the Second Prince was confident enough that the duke wouldn't betray him.

But the Second Prince clearly misunderstood something.

The duke's loyalty?

‘That's assuming you didn't raise assassins.'

What if Duke Lavaltor found out that this guy stole Lavaltor's precious knight candidates and raised them into assassins?

That was not the only thing.

Although their status was still engaged, the Second Prince had done a lot of things he should never have done even with Duke Lavaltor as his father-in-law. If Ian remembered correctly, the engagement work was still in progress.

Of course, Ian had no intention of revealing it here.

Instead.

Chuck.

"Ugh!"

Totally ignoring the Second Prince’s words, Ian pointed the sword close to his neck again.

“I am not very patient. Should I cut your neck like this?”

"You crazy…"

It was then.

Chris nodded as if he had finally made up his mind.

“I will certainly send a message to Duke Lavaltor. So please put your sword back.”

"Chris! Are you out of your mind? He is just bluffing—”

"No. He is serious.”

Chris swallowed his saliva as he looked into Ian's determined eyes.

At first glance, it was hidden behind the warm golden iris, but it was literally the eyes of a person who was accustomed to murder.

A person like that wouldn’t hesitate to lop off his head on the spot.

But that was just Chris' imagination.

‘Great. Now it's over.'

Ian was relieved inside. He had no choice but to do so.

By the time his arm was gone, this bastard would already have his rights to the throne stripped off.

‘I must deal with this guy only after meeting with Duke Lavaltor.’

Duke Lavaltor must abandon the Second Prince first.

Otherwise, he would only be branded as the Second Prince’s murderer and become an enemy of Lavaltor.

Whatever the truth might be, in Lavaltor's eyes, it would only sound like an excuse for the murderer who killed the successor he supported.

‘Because of this jerk, there’s nothing to gain by turning the duke, the pillar of the kingdom, as an enemy.’

Once the Second Prince was betrayed, he was bound to fall on his own in no time. It was enough to put an end to it after he had completely lost the person he trusted.

‘And Duke Lavaltor, whom you believed so much, will be on my side.’

Ian also couldn't just trust Duke Garcia. He didn't know when the Duke would backstab him again just as he did in the past.

Then, he must find another way to survive.

Duke Lavaltor would be a safe breakwater for him.

And realizing that the shadow the Duke attached to him had gone, Ian handed something to Chris.

“Tell Duke Lavaltor along with this. If he breaks his promise, who knows what will happen to the Second Prince while he is being treated here."

Eventually, Chris bowed his head.

It was then.

"Prince!"

“Are you okay? Are you injured anywhere?”

Ian flinched when he saw someone pop up in front of him out of nowhere.

It was none other than Galon who appeared so suddenly that Ian wondered what kind of human was able to move so quickly.

The Duke and his aides also arrived.

Nathan wanted to rush like Galon, but his face was full of dissatisfaction, probably because of the order as Karan’s escort knight.

And it was then.

“What the hell is this?”

Ian turned his head at the familiar voice. There was Duke Garcia.

Seeing his expression, Ian smirked inwardly.

‘Oh? The Duke knows how to make a face like that?’

The expression of the Duke, famous for his poker face, was crumbling.

Of course, it was only normal if he saw the blood on the floor and the Second Prince with an arm cut off.

‘In a way, it feels like I screwed him over indirectly, so it feels good.'

The Duke was the man who had mentally and physically abused Ian. He sent assassins, saying that it was a basic lesson, and criticized him for not always living up to expectations.

At that time, Ian believed that it was all for his sake.

“Prince, could you explain what happened?”

Duke Garcia, who had brought a healer to the Second Prince, looked at Ian with a sharp gaze.

Of course, he must be feeling refreshed inside to see the Second Prince, who was a thorn in his eyes, in this state, and it was better than the Seventh Prince's arm flying away.

His eyes glinted with anger, wary of being bitten by the dog he had raised.

But Ian said with a fearful expression on purpose.

“It was a mistake. I am still inexperienced with swords, so my hand slipped."

The Duke opened his eyes wide, and the Second Prince hatefully shouted.

“Mistake my ass! You aimed for my arm on purpose!"

Then Ian looked dejected as if the Second Prince had the heart to say such a thing.

“How can I defeat my brother with swordsmanship…! I only learned ceremonial swordsmanship.”

At those words, the Second Prince choked up.

Nobody was in the training hall, but that was a shameless lie!

“You surely did with that swordsmanship…!”

But, as he was about to say more, the Second Prince could feel the eyes around him.

‘The Seventh Prince certainly couldn’t have cut off his arm on purpose. The difference in age and experience is as vast as the ocean.’

‘Did he just lose to ceremonial swordsmanship?’

‘No way. The Second Prince?’

‘Then, isn’t the Second Prince a shame? He lost to that ceremonial swordsmanship?’

The Second Prince shuddered in dread. He even felt panic.

The knights did not voice it, but it was clearly felt by the Second Prince, who was good at reading and feeling people's gaze.

What kind of thought they had behind those gazes directed at him.

The Second Prince looked at Ian with rage.

This is all his schemes!

Thus, the Second Prince was carried away with teeth gritted.

Of course, only one of them knew the truth.

As proof, Nathan slapped Galon on the shoulder.

“Galon. What do you think of this situation?”

“About what?”

“Ceremonial swordsmanship is the best. Nothing can stop it, isn’t that right?"

***

The Duke’s castle was bustling. On the surface, everyone was worried about the Second Prince, but the truth was different.

“That’s impressive. He, a mere serf-born, managed to win against the Second Prince.”

"That's right. I didn't expect him to defeat the Second Prince who was taught by the leader of the royal knights himself. I heard that Duke Lavaltor also took care of his sword training from time to time.”

“I wonder what Lavaltor’s young lady, his fiancée, would think. She is not going to make any trouble, is she?”

Every time Duke Garcia’s people got together, all sorts of things were discussed.

Most of them were speculating about the impact of Ian's actions on future events.

But Duke Garcia was different.

“Did you call for me, Duke?”

A masked man appeared in front of Duke Garcia. He had been hiding in Ian's shadow until now.

The Duke asked without taking his eyes off the annex where Ian was.

“Report in detail.”

“Yes. At first, as you might expect, the Second Prince tried to start education by provocation first, but…”

As the masked man’s explanation continued, the Duke's face hardened.

In particular, the part about Ian's sword was shocking.

“Are you saying that the Second Prince really gave that sword to the Seventh Prince?”

"Yes, that’s right. Is there something wrong?”

Instead, the Duke's face became heavy.

It was about that sword. Just from hearing its appearance, he knew what it was and what the Second Prince thought when he gave it to Ian.

But Ian picked it up and it listened to him?

Even swung it around?

Duke Garcia was dizzy for a moment.

‘The true successor of Kaistein. Is that legend really true?’

Since the first time he met Ian at Duke's Castle, he had felt some unexplainable uneasiness in his heart.

The Duke’s eyes turned sharp.

Initially, he planned to sit by until the important moment in the succession war, the decisive moment the Seventh Prince was finally made the crown prince of Kaistein.

But no matter how outstanding Ian was, if it was a troublesome guy he could not control in his grasp, the story would be different.

‘I'll have to tighten the leash somehow. Before he grows any more.’

He could make use of brainwashing. It was also a way to create weaknesses and shackle him.

Well, the Duke didn’t know how the king would come out on this, but it wouldn't pose a big problem. Some people seemed to think differently, but based on the evidence on the scene, it was simply Ian's mistake.

‘There is still a month left until the legitimation ceremony. Until then, it's possible to make the Seventh Prince a puppet.'

In the first place, the king was not interested in Ian.

It wouldn't be difficult for him to control Ian beyond the king’s gaze.

It was when the Duke made up his mind.

“Duke! This is an urgent telegram from the royal palace!”

The Duke opened the royal letter handed by the head butler.

And soon his face turned serious.

[Bring the Seventh Prince to the royal palace immediately.]

The royal letter was crumpled in Garcia's hand.

***

"Prince, the Duke wants to see you for a while.”

Ian had a honey-like break these past few days.

Originally, he had to go straight to the castle after getting summoned by the royal family.

“Prince Ian is currently lying in bed with aches and pains.”

Ian had been lying sick in bed for several days as the aftermath of the brief sparring.

Of course, the truth was different.

‘Is it the aftereffect of ? My body won’t move.’

In addition to the sudden use of , his body felt very heavy due to overuse. It was so bad that other people mistook it as a body ache.

It was this morning that the healer saw that it had improved.

Ian also received a summon to enter the royal palace immediately, but well.

‘This is not good. I will have to go pick up a weapon in the royal palace to use at the legitimation ceremony.'

It was like that in the past, too.

Back then, he only got to choose on the day before the legitimation ceremony, but now he might get some reprimand as a bonus.

So, he deliberately ignored the Duke's summon and lay down on the excuse that he was sick, but it seemed like it didn’t work anymore.

“Are you looking for me, Duke?"

Upon arriving at the Duke’s office, Duke Garcia handed something instead of answering.

“What is this?”

“An edict from the royal palace. Open it.”

When Ian saw the letter from the royal palace with a lion symbol on it, Ian was surprised.

[Eloin Kaistein]

This was not sent by the royal family; it was directly sent by the king.

Confused, Ian opened the letter.

The content was about the legitimation ceremony.

But it was no ordinary ceremony. Sure enough, Duke Garcia said.

“The ceremony that was originally planned to be held in the temple will be held in the royal palace. It seems like all the central nobles are summoned, and His Majesty will be directly participating.”

“…!”

“You will have to reserve a room in the royal palace before the legitimation ceremony, so you are ordered to enter even by now.”

Ian was a little flustered by the change from the past.

Just what crossed the king’s mind to look for him on a whim?

It was then.

Knock knock!

Someone came to the office.

It was a face Ian knew well.

“Sir Chris?”

“I apologize for coming to you so late, Seventh Prince.”

It was the knight who stood by the Second Prince’s side. Duke Garcia asked with a stern face.

"So, what other excuse do you have to look for me again?”

It was clear that Chris had been looking for the Duke since a few days ago. However, he must have been rejected because of his identity as a knight of Lavaltor.

Chris slowly revealed his purpose despite the Duke's annoyed expression.

“Duke Lavaltor has sent you a message.”

“Go back. I know he has a lot to say about the Second Prince, but I’m going to be busy with the legitimation ceremony.”

However, Chris didn’t back down.

"Yes. The duke told me to inform you that he will see you in the capital before the legitimation ceremony. Please go to the headquarters of the First Knight Order in the royal palace.”

The Duke opened his eyes wide. How dare he order him to come as he pleased!

“If he wants to see me, Duke Lavaltor must come in person.”

But Chris' next words completely took the Duke by surprise.

“I’m sorry, but Duke Lavaltor wants to see Prince Ian, not Duke Garcia.”

"What?"

Duke Garcia's face contorted.