How the Prince Makes Friends - Chapter 192



Only Noblemtl

Episode 192

Sedes touched his forehead. It was a cause for celebration that his son’s friend had recovered, but there were still many things he could not understand, such as the messengers roaming around the palace of Wernus and the need to keep his friend in a safe place.

Moreover, my refuge is my office… Wouldn’t it be safer to go to a training ground full of knights?

But my son’s thoughts were different, as his curly blue hair was tossing and turning.

“The training ground is dusty and there are too many things to worry about, so my friend can’t rest comfortably.”

“…I see.”

“And there is no one else I can trust and entrust my friend to but Your Majesty.”

At those words, Sedes couldn’t help but raise the corners of his lips. He couldn’t be more happy to be trusted and entrusted to someone.

“Ahem, … well…, then I guess there’s nothing I can do….”

“Phew!”

“…….”

The corners of his mouth dropped at Abel’s laughter. Abel quickly came to his senses and wiped the laughter away, but he couldn’t avoid the sharp gaze.

“Your Majesty, go inside and do some work.”

“Ah, no, ahem, no, Your Majesty. Please continue talking. Oh, should I look after Neil? I can take good care of him.”

Sedes’s eyes narrowed at his confident response. It was obvious that as soon as he gave his son a friend, he would make a fuss and ask to be taught this and that. Just yesterday, he had been making a fuss about Sirentea bearing fruit.

“…It’s not about caring, it’s about being cared for.”

“Then, it can be well taken care of.”

“ha…….”

Sedes washed his face dry. Honestly, it didn’t really matter that his son had a friend, but there was a government meeting coming up soon.

At that moment, my son, the cutest and most lovable son in the world, looked up at me pitifully like a drowning kitten and asked,

“Can’t it be…?”

Sedes closed his eyes tightly.

“…Do whatever you want.”

* * *

“No matter how I think about it, it’s crazy! Apologize to the Empire right now…!”

“Be careful what you say. It was a legitimate request and a settled matter.”

“But if a war breaks out using this as an excuse, we’re finished…!”

“Certainly, the power of the Empire cannot be ignored……”

“You must step down now!”

“Why don’t you naturalize in the Empire?”

Sedes felt skeptical as he watched the political meeting, which was a mess as usual. How could there be so little progress?

But there was another problem. Yes, it was a mess, but the political meeting was no different from usual, and the problem was that today’s mess was a little quieter than usual.

Because everyone was busy looking at my son’s friend.

“Ahaha, you’re eating well, my friend. Here, have this too.”

“…….”

Clink clink clink clink.

Even in the midst of all this, he really eats well. He eats everything that is given to him, and it seems that the young Marquis who is offering him the snacks is happier than his son’s friend who is receiving them.

“…But who on earth is that kid….”

“…The Second Prince’s Concubine…”

“…The rumored one…….”

Some nobles were seen gossiping about their son’s friend. It must have been strange. If a commoner’s child were to sit in a political meeting where even a prince couldn’t attend, it would be impossible not to look at him.

What about his appearance? With his pure white hair and not even wearing a cotton shirt, his mysterious eyes sparkled like black opals.

‘… I asked you to wait in the office… … .’

Sedes glanced at his son’s friend who had sneaked in so confidently, then turned his gaze to the report. He certainly didn’t nod his head in agreement when asked, but… why would he follow him so blatantly?

Even though I tried to follow them without making any noise, the shadows must have caught my eye…

‘… That’s Abel’s doing.’

If the prime minister had taken care of it, the other servants wouldn’t have thought to stop their son’s friend who was following them around so openly. They would have thought he was taking them away on purpose. But what can you do? It’s already spilled milk.

Even the Marquise Francesca blew the chance to chase him away when she spotted her son’s friend and threw him into a commotion, forcing him to sit on her lap.

Not only that. Baron Allier, who has been on a roll recently, also pretended to know him and showed favor, so the other nobles must have been curious as well.

Above all…,

“Hehe, baby, try this too.”

“You’re a pretty girl.”

“You eat very well, don’t you?”

“…….”

The biggest problem was that some nobles, including the Duke, were late, thinking they would fight. Taking advantage of that brief gap, my son’s detestable friend attacked the old elders first.

The meticulousness of running straight to authoritative-looking old people, shaking their hands, and smiling bashfully.

For a moment, Sedes shivered in horror.

When the noblemen arrived, it was already too late. The shit-eating expressions were truly spectacular. The best part was when my son’s friend waved to the duke.

“Friend, friend, I’ll bring you more refreshments…….”

bang-!

“What the hell are you doing!”

Then someone banged on the table and shouted. It was Count Calypse, who had been talking about paying reparations to the Empire.

“Marquis Francesca, please keep your composure. Can’t you see that we’re having a meeting? What kind of a meeting of sacred government is this, bringing a brat to it? What a sight!…”

So the young ones…, Count Calypse sat down roughly and clicked his tongue openly. It was a phenomenon that often happened to the Marquis because he was so young.

However, the young Marquis who lives up to his nickname is no slouch either… … .

“Haha, Count Calypse, is that how you submitted your report to the sacred political council?”

“What, what!”

“Our friend could write it better than that with his feet. Don’t you think so, friend?”

At that question, my son’s friend tilted his head, put down the cookie he was eating, and picked up the report shoved in front of him. Then, after roughly skimming a few pages, he nodded.

“Whoa, whaaa, whaaa!”

The young marquis burst into laughter. Sedes had to try not to touch his forehead.

“I, I’m so cheeky…!”

“stop.”

Just before Count Calypse exploded, Sedes opened his mouth.

“Let’s not stray from the topic of the meeting. Marquise Francesca, you too must concentrate.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The young marquis answered with a sly smile. Meanwhile, my son’s friend glanced at me and quickly stuffed the cookie he had just finished eating into his mouth.

Sedes glanced at his detestable son’s friend without a trace and nodded to Abel.

“Your Majesty, please continue.”

“Yes. After the Tower of Magic collapsed, we demanded compensation from the Empire and time has passed, but the Empire has not responded immediately and is trying to figure out the situation…….”

I explained it in detail, but the gist of it was this: Thanks to your strong stance, the Empire is moving cautiously, and even if there is retaliation, you are prepared, so just shut up.

“So you’re saying there’s a guild that can replace the Magic Tower?”

“Yes.”

The alternative guild I’m talking about here was my son’s friend’s guild. Of course, complaints erupted here and there.

“That’s ridiculous! How can you replace a magic tower that has hundreds of years of history?”

“That’s right. In the first place, there aren’t many temples in the home country that can purify magic stones. They’re selling magic stones to the empire for cheap and importing magic stones, so what’s the use of the guild? Does the Magic Association know about this?”

“Of course I know.”

“……?”

However, the conversation with the head of the Magic Association had already ended. The head of the association opened his mouth, looking at the laymen who did not even know the word ‘magic’ with pity.

“That guild has the technology to refine magic stones without using divine power. They also have a book of magic theory that is so well-organized that it is not even worth coveting the magic books that the Magic Tower has. Our country will soon become a magical powerhouse.”

“What is that…….”

“It won’t be long before the Empire’s bastards come to study magic in their home country. Hahahahaha.”

“……?”

A look of doubt appeared on the nobles’ faces, but the president of the association laughed heartily and patted the back of Baron Allier, who was sitting next to him.

“Do you all know that Ali has been supplying magic tools to the top recently?”

The faces of the nobles who understood the meaning of those words were filled with shock. This was because they had heard quite often that the Allie Group had recently reached out to magic tools. Everyone had assumed that the Allie Group had spent a lot of money to join hands with the closed magic tower, but that was not the case.

“Surely not from that guild…….”

“Ahem, that’s right. Thankfully, you contacted me first and signed an exclusive distribution contract.”

Morris smiled brightly, emphasizing the word ‘monopoly’. The faces of the few nobles who had even a small upper hand were hardened. In a situation where they were already on a roll, they even got to hold magic tools. Isn’t this the very definition of a monopoly?

“…Isn’t that too much?”

“No matter what, monopolizing such profits to oneself is…….”

“The royal family needs to step in and sanction this kind of thing…….”

The nobles were murmuring without hiding their discomfort. The only nobles who could participate in the political meeting were those of the highest rank, count or higher, except for Baron Allier, so it would be very easy.

“Ahem, both government and business are bound to rot when power is concentrated in one person.”

“Haha, I think so too.”

Maurice responded wittily to any nobleman’s criticism.

“Don’t worry too much. The only magical tools I have exclusive rights to are those made by certain masters and above a certain level.”

“What do you mean by that certain level…?”

“We do not treat magical tools that are easily obtainable from the Magic Tower as exclusive. Only rare magical tools that are likely to be auctioned are treated as exclusive. Um, I don’t have any magical tools right now, so I can’t show you any.”

Sedes opened his mouth as something came to mind at those words.

“Oh, I have one.”

“yes?”

“He said it was a birthday present.”

As he said that, Sedes immediately searched through his bosom. There was something he had received from his son’s friend this morning. It also included an apology for ruining his birthday, but Sedes had never really cared about birthday parties to begin with, so he just ignored it.

Click, he opened the small box. In fact, it was the first time Sedes had opened it. Inside the box was a simple ring.

“hmm…….”

When Sethe saw the ring, he felt like he had come out for nothing. It was densely engraved with something he couldn’t recognize, but it was a roughly carved wooden ring that could be considered a little rude to give as a gift.

At that moment, Baron Ali let out a short exclamation as he recognized the ring.

“Oh, that’s an elf neck.”

“…Do you know?”

“Yes. I brought it to you at the Master’s request.”

Cedes couldn’t tell if it was precious, but he liked the name Elf-neck. Maybe his son’s friend had made it for him in memory of his half-elf lover.

“Is it precious?”

“It’s not that hard to find. It’s just that…”

“…You certainly seem to have outstanding skills.”

Maurice was a little embarrassed by the curious question from a nobleman and stopped talking, but the head of the Magic Association, who had a serious expression on his face at the mention of the elf neck, intervened and continued the explanation.

“Your Majesty, elvenwood is very difficult to handle. Only a few high elves, who are said to be able to talk to trees, can handle it, and that’s why it’s called elvenwood. It has the power to amplify mana, so it’s often studied by wizards for use, but it’s so sensitive that there are still no results.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Even for the same tree, the strength varies depending on the location. Some parts are weak enough to be split by hand, while others are so strong that an axe blade cannot penetrate them. That’s probably why the ring is bumpy and rough.”

“I see.”

Sedes glanced at his son’s friend and nodded his head. If the tree was related to mana, it wouldn’t have been difficult for his son’s friend, who could see it with the naked eye, to handle the tree.

The nobles who had been looking suspicious also pretended not to notice what the chairman was saying and paid close attention to the ring. However, it seemed as if the chairman had not finished speaking, as he opened his mouth again.

“But…, maybe it’s not a magic tool.”

“…hmm?”

What is this? It was clearly a magic tool that my son’s friend gave me.

“Elfs also make bows and arrows. Oh, and it is said that bows and arrows made from elven wood can maintain their aura for a short while even when separated from the body, unlike regular bows and arrows. So each arrow has the power of a sword master firing their aura… ”

“That’s ridiculous!”

Then Count Calypse intervened. He glanced at the Duke, the Sword Master, and continued speaking.

“That’s an exaggeration. If each arrow had the same power as the Sword Master’s aura, the elves would have seized power. Wouldn’t they?”

“I’m not exaggerating. As I said before, only a few High Elves, who are almost extinct, can process it. From their perspective, it’s the ultimate weapon.”

The Chairman of the Magic Association frowned slightly, perhaps annoyed by the Count’s sudden intervention, and then called Sedes.

“your majesty.”

“anything.”

“That gift might be a secret proposal from the Meister.”

“What is that…?”

One of Sedes’ eyebrows rose at the unexpected, speculative remark. He glanced at his son’s friend and saw him slightly shake his head.

“This shows that I have the ability to process elf hair…!”

“No. That’s not true.”

Sedes quickly cut off the topic of going to the mountain. Then he took the ring out of the box and put it on his finger.

“This is a magical tool that my Aad, no, my Meister gave me. He said it had defensive magic engraved on it. If you put it on and infuse it with mana….”

“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty! Using unconfirmed magical tools is dangerous……!”

The association president tried to stop him, but it was already too late. The ring that he had infused with mana without thinking began to glow brightly.

Bassssss… … .

Scattered.