Imperial Guard - Chapter 60



Only Noblemtl

Who is most nervous about the competition for the throne?

The legitimate 1st prince? Or the less likely 1st and 2nd princesses?

No, it was the second prince.

Second Prince, Simon von Grandia.

He occupies what is called an ambiguous position.

If you were to ask the nobles of the empire to point their swords at one another and choose the one person they think would be most likely to become the next Emperor, everyone would pick the First Prince.

In an empire that maintained a dynasty, legitimacy was that important.

Besides, the fact that he was a prince was also a problem.

If he had been a princess, he might not have been so obsessed with the throne.

But since he was born a prince, his fate was decided.

Become emperor or die.

That was the history of the Kamen Empire.

“The Archduke’s return party? I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Your Highness the Grand Duke will also know the majesty of His Highness Simon.”

“Haha, I don’t know the Archduke’s mind. But… I have a feeling there will be good news.”

That’s why the second prince became even more dependent on the nobles.

To maintain and grow his power, he had to take action on his own.

[The 1st Prince enters.]

When the 1st prince entered the party hall.

Simon felt the mood in the entire party change.

‘I’ll take that seat someday.’

The first prince was a thorn in Simon’s side.

This is because many of the nobles who supported Simon were cautiously trying to get the First Prince on board.

‘I just need the Archduke’s support.’

If you receive the Archduke’s support, it is possible to significantly narrow the gap with the First Prince.

The only duke and archduke of the empire was someone with a position of his own.

[The Second Princess enters.]

However, Simon’s thoughts stopped there.

This is because the signal for the second princess’s entrance was heard out of nowhere.

“···Uriel?”

Simon frowned at Uriel.

I couldn’t immediately understand why she entered last.

“The Second Princess is the last to enter?”

“If it’s the last one, then shouldn’t you be representing His Highness the Grand Duke’s position?”

“That’s impossible. The order in which they arrived at the party may have been reversed. I heard that the Second Princess arrived first.”

“Perhaps it was out of consideration for the shabby second princess.”

The nobles, who had been nodding as if it was natural until the first prince entered last, began to object.

If you think about it, it sounds ridiculous, but surprisingly, there were many nobles who thought that way.

Most of the nobles present at the party didn’t even pay attention to the second princess’s presence.

A princess without any nobles to support her.

The only royal family member you cannot speak to at a party.

That was the position of the second princess.

It was absurd that the Grand Duke, who had returned after more than ten years, would support her.

But it was inevitable that there was a strange atmosphere at the party itself.

‘This… won’t do. I have to be at the center of this party.’

Simon gave a brief greeting to the nobles and then stood up.

The 1st prince alone is tricky, so other variables must not be added.

“Lauren, listen carefully. I’m going to talk to Uriel…”

It was time to teach my younger sibling whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

*

Crunch. Crunch.

Yuri didn’t care what the nobles said.

She sat in a corner of the banquet hall with a maid and a knight.

“Isabel. Are you okay?

“···Ahem. Yes. Lady Uriel. It’s okay now.”

Isabelle stood nervously next to Yuri.

She felt ashamed as a dedicated maid who had to assist the princess.

‘Sir Rael, you are truly a scary man···.’

For a moment, I was taken in by that man’s debaucherous face.

She vowed never to be fooled by that face again.

‘As expected, the noble children don’t react to things like this.’

Rael, standing behind Yuri, looked around.

Even though there was a major incident where the second princess entered at the end, the reactions were lukewarm.

‘That means there’s nothing that’s been built up until now.’

If His Highness the Grand Duke speaks to Yuri first after entering, those gazes will disappear, but…

This is the kind of ambiguous atmosphere that Rael wanted.

“Ms. Yuri, stay calm.”

“···Why?”

“I told you, 9 out of 10 people are idiots. That means you have to be careful with at least 1 person.”

Rael shut his mouth as he watched the approaching man.

She had blond hair and blue eyes like glass.

‘There’s a big catch.’

Rael took a step back as he watched the approaching First Prince.

In fact, it is very easy to prove the relationship between Yuri and the Grand Duke.

You can appear from the beginning with the escort of His Highness the Grand Duke.

But, there is something to do before that.

A man named Uriel must not hide behind the Archduke’s shadow.

Second Princess Yuriel had to leave the nobles with the impression that she was no longer a household name.

“Uriel.”

The man smiled as he looked at his sister whom he had not seen in a long time.

“···Damian Brother.”

Yuri swallowed.

1st Prince, Damien von Grandia.

The man closest to the Emperor stood before her with a smile.

“Your expression is still tense. Life outside the palace seems difficult.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I can take care of myself.”

Damian looked at the glass and raised the corners of his mouth.

My younger brother, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, looked different than before.

“Uriel. How strange. Does that confidence come from the Archduke?”

“No, Brother Damian. I am the second princess, Yuriel. It is only natural for me to be confident as the future of the empire.”

Yuri met Damian’s eyes.

When was the last time I made proper eye contact with him?

She felt some inexplicable pleasure in this situation.

“Uriel. You’ve grown a lot since I last saw you at the palace.”

Then, another man’s voice was heard.

Yuri turned her head to check the man, then opened her eyes wide.

“Simon, your brother?”

2nd prince.

Simon von Grandia.

The second prince approached.

“It seems like only yesterday that you would bow your head when our eyes met, but you’ve grown so much already. Time really flies.”

He was looking at the glass and narrowing his brows.

The star of this party should have been you.

I had to create a structure where I could compete with the First Prince by being chosen by His Highness the Grand Duke.

That’s why I didn’t like the second princess.

“I have confidence in the future of the empire… My brother seems to have lost his sense of reality after spending his time leisurely away from the palace. His Majesty would be furious if he saw this.”

“···Brother. Do not try to understand His Majesty’s intentions carelessly.”

Yuri answered while looking at Simon, who was openly scolding her.

I felt a little better when I thought of him as an idiot, as Rael said.

“Huh, really? As a princess who does nothing, am I qualified to bear His Majesty’s name?”

“···.”

Yuri stared at the second prince who suddenly started spewing out malicious intent.

His voice was low but clear, so the other nobles also began to focus on him.

This is a gathering of three of the four royal family members participating in the race for the throne.

The other nobles naturally stopped talking, and the entire party’s attention was focused on the second princess and the second prince.

“Simon, you’re being too picky with your sister whom you haven’t seen in a long time.”

“Brother. Aren’t Uriel and I talking?”

Simon glanced at Prince Damien.

I am different from that nice guy.

He had to show off his presence at all costs.

And Uriel will be the sacrifice.

‘That’s a good thing to do to the next emperor.’

Rael, standing behind Yuri, quietly watched the situation.

I thought that a moderately stupid nobleman would come, but it turned out that a big shot like the Second Prince was involved.

If a situation arises where you can intervene, this will be your chance to make a proper impression.

‘What the hell. What kind of confidence is that?’

Simon bit his lip, suppressing his irritation.

Even though I was hurling bad words at Uriel, I still felt bad.

Because she still holds her head up straight.

‘This year, how dare she… does she really have the Archduke’s support?’

No, that can’t be true.

If the Grand Duke really supported the Second Princess, he should have revealed his intentions immediately.

Because there was no way he could allow the princess he supported to be subjected to such humiliation.

Simon looked up and down the glass.

There will definitely be more to catch.

‘By the way, who is that knight?’

It was my first time seeing her face, and I had never heard that Yuri was with a knight.

Even on his chest was visible the insignia of the Knights of the Silver Cross.

‘The Knights of the Silver Cross…? They can’t get involved in politics.’

Simon finished his brief contemplation.

He is the prince. If you have any questions, just ask him.

“It’s really interesting that you’re carrying glass. What family do you belong to?”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty, but I am not a nobleman.”

“···What? Then are you the knight’s son?”

The children of knights are often treated as semi-nobles.

Although he was very lacking as a knight of the royal family, if he had outstanding talent, that would be understandable.

“majesty.”

“Lauren? What’s going on?”

The answer to Simon’s question came not from Uriel’s knight, but from Simon’s aide, Lauren.

Lauren took the example lightly and continued.

He could immediately recognize the insignia of a knight of honor.

“He is an honorary knight of the Silver Cross, who has been appointed for the first time in decades. He is known to be a commoner from District 4.”

“A commoner···?”

The second prince trembled with disbelief.

And then he slowly looked over Rael.

He wasn’t bad looking, but he definitely didn’t seem to have learned the etiquette of a nobleman.

Even standing still, he felt undignified.

“Ha, the royal family brought a knight of commoner origin. I can see the level of the people.”

Only then did Simon smile bitterly.

The royal family has a commoner knight. Unless he’s a sword master, that’s ridiculous.

“···Please do not insult my article, Brother.”

“Uriel. Insulting is something I should say. Although it is lacking, you too are the future of the empire. As a member of the royal family, you must maintain your authority. Do you think it is right for someone like you to have a commoner knight?”

“Brother···!”

Yuri glared at Simon before he could finish his sentence.

Even if he is your brother, it is rude to insult a full-time reporter like that.

Damn it.

But at that moment.

Lauren, the knight behind Simon, took a step forward.

“Your Highness, Uriel. The Prince is still speaking.”

“···!”

As Lauren spoke, the surrounding nobles held their breath.

How can a knight who is not even a nobleman interrupt the princess’s words?

This was an unimaginable level of rudeness.

However, if the article was about the second prince, it would be a different story.

“···.”

The nobles looked elsewhere, keeping an eye on the second prince.

He meant that he just didn’t see the rudeness.

The second princess will be eliminated from the competition to become emperor anyway.

If the First Prince had brought it up, it might have been different. Now that he is quiet, there is no need to build up a bad image for the Second Prince.

“Brother. What is this···.”

Just as Yuri was about to point out this ridiculous rudeness.

“Ahem.”

Rael cleared his throat.

‘Sir Rael?’

Yuri turned her head and looked at her article.

He was smiling as usual.

‘This is perfect timing.’

Rael looked around to see the reactions.

How could you commit such an act of rudeness in front of all the nobles, let alone in a place where you are alone?

Just because he is the second prince’s knight, such rudeness cannot be forgiven.

‘Do you think you’re worthy of being a second prince? Or are you just stupid?’

Maybe it was something the Second Prince ordered.

What mattered was not the intention.

The opportunity had come.

Only then did Rael take a step forward and open his mouth.

“Sir Lauren. It seems that your long life as a knight has made your mind hard.”

“···what?”

Lauren looked dumbfounded.

It was a blow to his pride that a knight of commoner origin dared to speak to him first.

“Don’t you know who is in front of you right now?”

Crunch-.

Rael glared at Loren, his hand on his scabbard.

Putting his hand on the scabbard meant he could cut you down at any time.

“La, Sir Rael?!”

Isabelle, who had been standing still, also looked at Rael in surprise.

But Rael did not stop and continued speaking.

“The people before your eyes are the future of the empire, Her Highness Princess Uriel and Her Highness Prince Simon. For a mere knight to interfere in the conversation between the future of the empire, you deserve to be put on your neck.”

It makes no sense for Yuri to point out the rudeness of the other knight.

The act itself is an act that undermines her authority as a princess, and there is a high possibility that it will be resolved by being crushed by the authority of the second prince.

However, if Rael, who is a full-time reporter, raises the issue as a problem between reporters, the story is different.

Rael didn’t take issue with Loren cutting off the second princess.

I focused on the fact that the second princess had interrupted the conversation between the two future leaders of the empire.

This is what Simon has been talking about, touching on the authority of the royal family.

Simon can’t defend Lauren because of what he said.

“Hey you! Do you know who I am and how dare you…!”

“Lauren!”

Simon looked at the article with a discontented expression.

He didn’t seem to notice, but from the moment that article mentioned the future of the Empire, there was no way Simon could win.

Here, I had to make the best choice.

“···Apologize to Uriel.”

Ppoduk-

Simon gritted his teeth and ordered Lauren.

You could step in and force the situation to end, but that in itself would be bad for your reputation.

Even if you defend the article here, you yourself will end up insulting the royal family.

“···I apologize, Your Highness Uriel.”

Lauren immediately knelt down at Simon’s words.

It was humiliating to kneel before a commoner knight.

Rael, who had been watching the series of events, smiled and turned around behind Uriel.

Fortunately, Uriel reacted quickly.

“I forgive you. As a knight, I wish you had been more aware of your lord’s intentions. Next time, please be more careful with your words. I also feel sorry for getting my knight excited.”

“······Yes. Thank you for your forgiveness.”

Lauren swallowed the bitter taste and lowered her head.

The second princess ignored the knight’s rudeness as if it was nothing.

Now that it was all over, there was no room for further debate.

In this short conversation, only the pride of the Second Prince and Lauren was hurt.

“Have a nice time, Simon.”

Yuri gave a brief greeting and then turned around.

The knights and maids followed her.

“La, Lord Rael. You are truly a madman. Do you have any idea what it means to put your hand on the scabbard at a party?!”

Isabelle, who had come to the corner of the party hall, grabbed Rael and quivered her lips.

Putting your hand on the scabbard means that he can cut you at any time.

It was a situation where it wouldn’t have been strange if a duel had taken place right away.

“I was just warning the knight who was rude to the second princess of the empire, Isabelle. And if you’re going to use honorifics, do it clearly. What kind of crazy man are you?”

“··· Ha. Where did this guy come from?”

Isabelle shook her head in disbelief, but smiled faintly.

What she just did was something she, as a dedicated maid, could not have done.

If it weren’t for Rael, Uriel would have been embarrassed at the party.

‘It seems right that it is better to be friends with a crazy person than to make an enemy of him.’

If the dog in front of the house barks at everyone who passes by, it is a mad dog, but if it is in your own yard, it is a loyal dog.

Although she hated to admit it… Isabelle couldn’t deny that this man was quite handsome.