Chapter 13. Motherless Child

At the question about the 3rd Queen’s power, Chris gave a bitter smile. It meant she was quite powerful. Rodrigo, too, had been reluctant to even mention the 3rd Queen’s name before. In that case…

“How many families support the 3rd Prince?”

“Five families.”

“Including a Ducal house?”

“Yes. That is why the 3rd Queen’s power is substantial.”

For a Ducal house to be involved meant they had judged that the tables would turn.

“What kind of person is the 3rd Prince?”

“Hmm… he is someone befitting a general.”

“His personality must be shitty.”

Hearing my words, Chris' eyes widened as if to say, ‘spot on.’ It was an easy guess.

“He must be merciless and have a fierce side, so he’d be poorly evaluated as a monarch.

And yet, there are people who want to make him king. Am I right?”

“…You are correct.”

The royal court is quite rotten. I had a rough idea it would be. Then the 3rd Queen must be doing a lot to drain the Lebrong family’s power. That’s the only way she could push the 1st Prince from his position as the leading heir and place the prince she wants on the throne.

The 1st Prince, unless he’s a fool, would be well aware of this. If he has no intention of quietly stepping down, he must be struggling to protect his position. When I meet him someday, I should at least tell him he’s going through a lot.

Now then, I should look into the three families with ridiculously bad heads on their shoulders.

“Which families have sided with the 4th Prince?”

“The Willfords, the Dickens, and the Blaces. These three. And there is the Hoso Merchant Guild that cleans up their messy affairs.”

I had never heard of those families. That means they were families that hadn’t distinguished themselves in the war, probably families that hadn’t been around for long. If they were families with deep roots, I would have heard of them like the Lebrongs.

“Are the three dumb families looked down upon by other families? Because of their short history?”

Chris, upon receiving the question, did not answer and just stared at me.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because it is fascinating.”

“What’s fascinating?”

“You, Your Highness.”

Of course, it would be fascinating. I’m not the person he knew.

“Be fascinated inwardly. And could you please answer my question?”

“You are correct.”

Just as I thought. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to throw such a gamble.

And if it weren’t for a method like that, there would be no way for them to rise above the rank of Count. But there is something they should know.

‘You need to read the table before you place a bet.’

You have to size up your opponent before you pull any tricks. From now on, they will face a path of misery.

* * *

A blond young man with mismatched brown and blue eyes, the 4th Prince of the Poinus royal family, Hans Caesar, was laughing heartily. He was currently watching a desperate fight between two blood-splattered dogs.

“Tear it! Rip it apart!”

Bryn Willford, the eldest son of the Willford County, who was watching the dogfight with Hans, said.

“Dodge! Yes! Good job! Great! It bit him. It bit him!”

And next to him, Fioren Dickens, the only son of the Dickens County, cheered along.

The white dog, its ear torn and dangling and blood streaming from its ripped neck, growled weakly at the other dog. Then it staggered and collapsed.

“Aish, damn. I brought it because they said it was decent, but this is boring.”

Bryn frowned and spat at the dead dog. Fioren, on the other hand, was ecstatic that he had won.

“Ugh, fuck. Is that bastard pissing and shitting itself?”

Hans, who was looking at the surviving dog, covered his mouth and nose in annoyance.

Then, as if he couldn't stand it, he raised his sword and struck the dog’s head.

“A useless mutt like this is better off dead. Isn’t that right?”

Hans looked at Bryn and Fioren, smiling brightly as if relieved.

“That’s right.”

“His Highness' words are the correct answer.”

The two watched Hans' expression and chimed in.

“Call someone from outside to clean this up, and make sure it’s spotless so it doesn’t smell.

By the way, why isn’t that bastard Armand here yet?”

Hans was looking for Armand Blace, the youngest son of the Blace County. They had planned to hang out together before returning to school.

“Is that fat bastard being late a new thing?”

“That’s right. How about you give him a good scolding later?”

Bryn and Fioren responded. Hans just snorted and didn’t reply. After all, once Armand arrived, he would be the one to receive all sorts of abuse.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door. Hans wiped the blood off his sword with a cloth from the table and looked at the door.

“What?”

“His Highness the 3rd Prince has come to see you.”

At the servant’s words, Hans' face hardened. A sense of tension filled the air.

Click.

Before Hans could say whether he was pleased or not, the door opened. Dwight Caesar, boasting long blond hair and blue eyes, walked in. He scanned Bryn and Fioren with a cold gaze. Then he looked at the two dead dogs and the floor, which was filled with blood and filth.

“A disgusting hobby.”

Dwight immediately realized what they had been doing.

“What brings you here?”

Hans asked, watching Dwight’s expression. Dwight looked at Hans as if he were pathetic.

“Mother is looking for you.”

“Mother? Why all of a sudden?”

Dwight shook his head and let out a sigh. He ran a hand through his hair, frowning as if annoyed.

“Come to the 3rd Palace before evening.”

He made it clear that he had no intention of giving a tedious explanation. Then he left the room, exuding a cold wind.

“Haa.”

“Hoo!”

Once Dwight had completely disappeared, Bryn and Fioren let out the breaths they had been holding. Seeing them, Hans' face crumpled. He was annoyed that they were wary of Dwight, not him.

“You idiots. What are you so scared of?”

At Hans' words, Bryn and Fioren just gave awkward smiles.

“Let’s call it a day. As for this place… clean it up yourselves before you go. Back to its original state.”

Hans spat on the floor in annoyance. Then he let out a frustrated ‘Agh!’ and left the room.

Bryn and Fioren watched Hans walk away and let out long sighs.

* * *

A handmaiden used a lit stick to light the candles in the room. The 3rd Queen Barnetta, sitting in a chair watching this, smiled brightly.

“Your Majesty, I have lit them all without exception.”

The handmaiden who lit the last candle reported to Barnetta.

“It’s neat. It was worth the effort. You’ve worked hard. Your father is Count Locasolano, wasn’t he?”

“Yes? Yes. That is so.”

“Right. I’ll give you a week’s vacation, so go and see your father and mother.”

At Barnetta’s words, the handmaiden’s eyes reddened. Barnetta gave the handmaiden a tight hug.

“You said you haven’t been home for a year, right?”

“Sob, sob.”

“Your mother isn’t well?”

“Yes, that is correct, Your Majesty.”

The handmaiden shed thick tears like chicken droppings. Barnetta wiped the handmaiden’s tears with her hand.

“I apologize. I have shown an unsightly side of myself before Your Majesty.”

The handmaiden said, her voice choked with tears.

“It’s alright. You must have been through a lot emotionally, but you never showed it once. I’m proud of you. I have spoken to my physician. He should be examining her by now.”

“What? Y-Your Majesty!”

The tears flowing down the handmaiden’s cheeks turned from sorrow to joy. To have a central physician, who was superior to a provincial one, personally arranged by the queen, who was a true power among powers—she couldn’t help but be moved.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“It’s what I should do, of course. You work for me, so I should take care of you. Isn’t that right?”

“It is an honor. It is truly an honor to be able to work for Your Majesty.”

“An honor? Then please tell your father I would like him to visit me. And…”

Barnetta covered her mouth with her hand and gave a mysterious eye-smile. The handmaiden knelt and waited for Barnetta’s next words. Her eyes were sparkling as if she would do anything she was told.

“Did you say Count Locasolano is highly respected? That he has many families who follow him?”

“Yes, my father enjoys making friends.”

“Regardless of their titles, I would like to meet them all. I must treat them to a meal sometime.”

“Yes! I will be sure to tell my father that Your Majesty wishes for this.”

Hearing the answer, Barnetta smiled with satisfaction. She patted the handmaiden’s shoulder, cheek, and head with a gentle gaze. It was as if she were looking at a pretty doll that moved according to her will.

“I have returned.”

A man’s voice cut in. It was the 3rd Prince, Dwight. He was standing at the door, watching what Barnetta was doing.

‘Do we need to secure the provinces as well?’

He judged that it was not easy to push out the 1st Prince with just the central nobles.

Otherwise, there was no reason to be concerned with the provincial nobles, he thought.

“I will take my leave now.”

The handmaiden hastily gathered her belongings and left the room. Dwight meticulously scanned the handmaiden’s face and body.

“Do not touch her.”

Barnetta, seeing Dwight’s gaze, said firmly.

“I have no such intention.”

“I will say it again, she is a child you must never touch. She is the daughter of the Locasolano County.”

“The family that manages the southern port?”

“Yes. We do not know what will happen in the future, so we must secure our rear. As a family in charge of supplies, they will also have good connections with other countries.”

“Do we need to worry about such things now?”

At Dwight’s words, Barnetta’s eyes turned fierce.

“You fool. In the capital, hearts waver over a single position. But the provinces are different.

You can win their hearts just by promising they can continue what they have been doing.

And those hearts do not waver easily.”

“What need do we have of the provinces to push out the 1st Prince? We just need to handle the capital well. Besides, families like the Locasolanos have no history, do they?”

“That is why it is easy. Even such families become a force when gathered. Also, the Locasolanos have a lot of money. And troops.”

As a family in charge of the port, their income is substantial. And under the pretext of managing the port, they have a private army.

“You are clever.”

Dwight said curtly to Barnetta, who only saw him as an immature son. Barnetta approached Dwight with a small smile. She caressed his face and looked at him as if he were lovely.

“You are my masterpiece. So follow this mother’s words well. I will place this country in your hands.”

“……”

Dwight was uncomfortable with Barnetta’s words and actions. He thought he was plenty capable himself. But his mother did not seem to see it that way.

“Hans will be here soon.”

“He must come. This mother wants to see her handsome sons, isn’t that only natural?”

Barnetta, letting go of Dwight, wore a happy expression. Just then, Hans walked in, yawning.

“I’m here.”

Barnetta smiled brightly at Hans. And so, they took their seats at the table and waited for their meal.

“Why did you ask us to come today?”

As the dishes were being set out one by one, Hans asked Barnetta.

“Haa… Son. Have you already forgotten?”

“……”

“There isn’t much time left before you return to school. I said we should meet every week for dinner since we won’t see each other for a while once you go back.”

“Ah… did you?”

Hans reacted as if he had no memory of it. Dwight let out a sigh as if he were pathetic.

Barnetta simply watched the two of them.

“You are the only brothers you have. Get along.”

“Yes.”

“Yeees.”

Curt answers. Still, Barnetta was satisfied that her sons did not refuse.

“What are you going to do about Maxim?”

Just as he was about to eat the first dish, Dwight spoke. Hans, who was about to put food in his mouth, froze like a broken machine.

“What do you mean by that?”

Hans asked.

“Why? Did you think he was dead?”

“What?”

“Seeing your reaction, you clearly don’t know. Tsk, tsk.”

“What are you talking about? That bastard Maxim… is he alive?”

Hans asked fiercely, breathing heavily.

“That’s enough.”

Barnetta said in a heavy voice. At this, Hans lowered his head. Dwight continued his meal as if nothing had happened.

“Was Maxim’s serious injury related to you, Hans?”

Barnetta asked.

“It wasn’t me who…”

“It must have been the idiots you play with.”

As Hans hesitated, Dwight interjected. Barnetta sighed and stared at Hans.

“So you couldn’t even clean it up properly and just made a clumsy attempt?”

“No… it’s just… ah, damn. What happened?”

Feeling troubled, Hans put down his cutlery and scratched his forehead. Barnetta clicked her tongue at Hans' behavior.

“To not even know that a motherless child is pitiful. It cannot be helped. I suppose I will have to ask him to join us for dinner next week. So that everyone can get along.”

Barnetta said with a smile that seemed gentle, but held a chilling quality beneath its surface.