Then, King Krianes walked into the royal court. As he did, all the nobility in the court knelt on one knee. There were very few members of the nobility left, since the ones who had been involved in the rebellion were locked up in the jail in the basement; there was so few people that it was concerning whether the kingdom could be maintained.
“Everyone… Good work,” King Krianes said.
“We just did what had to be done,” Davey answered calmly.
Although the army’s leader was Marquis Peiltris, everyone knew that it was Davey who had ended this war with minimal damage. Davey, the weak and powerless prince, had become someone who no one in this kingdom could look down on.
‘I wonder if this is right.’
There were not many rumors spreading, since information regarding the rebellion had been controlled. However, now, all eyes would be on this kingdom no matter what they did from now on. Unless they were idiots, the surrounding kingdoms that were keeping an eye on this kingdom would have noticed.
“Although devastating, it must be done. We are here to decide on the punishment of the people involved in treason. Davey O’Rowane, the First Prince, raise your head.”
“…”
“During this battle, with unbelievable powers, you have achieved something great that initially seemed impossible.”
“…” Davey stayed quiet as he knew that it wasn’t just a compliment.
“I will ask: how do you want to punish the nobility who took part in the rebellion, their leader Duke Bariatta, and the two princes who have abandoned their role as royalty?”
Normally, this was for King Krianes to decide, but he did not do anything more; the answer to whether this was to test Davey or it was because he felt guilty toward Davey was only in his mind.
Davey stayed silent for a while, then said, “I will pull out their teeth.”
“Hmm…”
“Hm…”
It didn’t simply mean that Davey was going to take their teeth out; there was only one reason for pulling one’s teeth out, and it was to prevent suicide. Usually, this was for stripping someone who had committed a grave crime of all their titles and forcibly demoting them to do hard work as mine slaves.
‘I don’t particularly like slavery, but…’
Davey was going to use this torture if he wanted to inflict extreme pain.
King Krianes knew that Davey had waited for this moment, so he could not say anything more. He simply asked, “Do you…think you really have to do that? He’s once your younger brother.”
“Second Prince Carlus has shaken this kingdom, and he is still doing it. Not only that, but he has also challenged Your Majesty’s absolute authority.”
“…”
“This is my objective stance. I can still remember the moment I was pierced with an arrow and mocked at.”
“Davey…”
“I do not have siblings called Carlus and Benedict.”
After Davey spoke, all the nobility bowed their heads.
“Leniency is utter absurdity, Your Majesty!”
“Please do not ignore our request!!”
All the nobility said the same thing. Among them, some were probably trying to fill their own pockets by taking the rebels’ wealth. Some were probably trying to get rid of them for good, because they were afraid of potential retaliation.
“…All right. I will proclaim…” King Krianes, touching his forehead like he had a headache, slowly said, “Hear all, this incident was treason, the gravest crime of the kingdom. As such, I strip the titles of Duke Bariatta, Second Prince Carlus O’Rowane, and Third Prince Benedict O’Rowane, the leaders of the rebellion, and demote them to slaves. They will be sent to the Haoji Mines, the prison for the most heinous criminals, and work for the rest of their lives!”
Davey just silently bowed his head as King Krianes made a stern declaration.
* * *
“The queen is dead.”
-So, it has ended at last.
Davey ignored Perserque’s mumbling and asked King Krianes calmly, “Did you think about how I would react, Your Majesty?”
“Davey.”
“I hated Carlus and Benedict the most. Then, it was Queen Lynesse.”
‘Do you know who’s next? It’s you, Your Majesty.’
“How should I take this?”
“Davey. I had to be the one to let her go.”
“I have made it clear that I have no interest in your past, Your Majesty.”
King Krianes’ voice became firm, which was rare. He said, “I had to be the one to do it… The acts of the queen were evil, but this wasn’t right either.”
“If you were going to do it, you could have at least told me.”
“This was a promise I made with your mother as well. Davey, it’s the only promise Queen Lynesse kept even when she was forced out. So… Please just drop this.”
There was no father who could override his son, and Davey, who could not easily decline his father’s request, seemed to be a stupid pushover as well. Neither of them had the right to point out the other’s mistakes.
“…Baris will be the next crown prince.”
“…”
“But not yet. Resolve the many problems that exist right now.”
“Davey.”
“You do not have more than a few months to live, but…” Davey interrupted King Krianes and released some holy power from his hand. He added, “Don’t think of running away using your body weakened by some poison as an excuse.”
[Highness Heal]
Whoosh!!! An intense light surrounded King Krianes before flowing into him. It was an extremely advanced recovery magic spell that someone like the pope could use, but surely even the pope couldn’t use it as intricately as Davey.
“Take ten years to stabilize the kingdom first. And make it so that Baris can be a great king and lead the nation with confidence. Make it so that those things will automatically happen from Baris becoming king.”
“Is this…your revenge on this father who has abandoned you?”
“I will have faith in the little conscience you have, but if something like this happens again, I will take action.”
‘If that happens, I will not take this complicated route. So, what I want is for you to leave a painless path for your fourth son who will become the king after you. Although I have no interest in being the king, my beloved and treasured brother wants to be.’
Davey did not want to get into a political fight with Baris over a pretentious and garbage title like the king, and he wasn’t going to take on this obligation because of some stupid responsibility. However, since he was this kingdom’s First Prince, he was going to fulfill the responsibilities and duties that came with the right and privileges that would be rightfully returned to him, though it was a brazen conclusion.
This was the day Davey formally and publicly declared that he had given up all his rights as becoming a crown prince.
It was a perfect escape.
* * *
On his last day, Davey visited the royal palace’s basement jail before leaving for the Heins Territory.
“Davey!!!! Daveyyyy!!” Carlus, who was huffing while on the floor, charged at him like a mad dog.
Clang!! However, there was a tightly packed, hard metal cage between them.
Clang!! Clang!!
“I will kill you!! Ahhhh!! I will kill you!! Daveyyy!!” Carlus, who was screaming angrily with one bandaged eye, had enough fury in his remaining eye that he could shoot lasers out of it.
“You look good, Carlus.”
‘Were you hit on the way here or something? There’s a black spot on the sun on your head.’
“Davey!!!”
“You’re not a prince anymore. Nothing.”
“How dare!! How dare you deceive me!!” Carlus made a scene and rolled on the ground, shouting loudly in anger.
“You will be taken to the Haoji Mines as a mine slave. You will never be able to leave, and you will probably die working there.”
“W… What?!”
“The Haoji Mines. You should know it well. Do you remember how many innocent people you put in there just because you didn’t like them?”
It was a nasty mine for punishment, since it saw no light.
‘You reap what you sow, you dick.’
Carlus flinched at Davey’s words. There was no way he didn’t know as one of the many ways the Bariatta family tormented people was by sending people who defied them there. Davey was sure that probably a majority of them were filled with rage toward the members of the Bariatta family.
“Don’t worry, I’ve made sure that they will not kill you. There’s a long time left, and the time you will spend there will be longer than your time as a prince. You’re still young, right?”
As Davey mocked him, Carlus grabbed the metal bars with wide eyes. In a way, this punishment was worse than death. He screamed, “You think someone like you will be able to send me there?!”
“It has already been decided and executors will be here to stop you from killing yourself. I don’t think you have understood your reality yet, but…”
Davey trailed off and stared directly at him. A killing aura suddenly burst out of him for a moment.
“You are a heinous criminal who caused a rebellion.”
A heinous criminal; perhaps Carlus had just realized the magnitude of this situation or perhaps he was afraid of what that title might bring upon him, because he turned pale. He immediately yelled, “D—Davey! Don’t do this! We’re brothers! We share the same blood!”
“Brothers?”
“Y… Yeah! N—No! Yes, Big brother! The Haoji! Are you really going to send your blood-related brother to that horrendous place?!” Panicking that he was going to be a mine slave, Carlus desperately tried to reach out to Davey. “Big brother!! Brother! I am sorry! I was a fool! Please… Please!”
Watching Carlus, Davey calmly turned away. “I don’t know someone like you, asshole.”
* * *
The Heins Territory had been attacked once while Davey had been subduing the rebels. However, it hadn’t been a problem since they had made preparations: ten Swordmasters of Lyndis ready with armory and weapons made of pure silver, Rinne, a golem with an ego and Deus Ex Machina, the Decepticon Fleet, and the girl pretending to be a maid of the seigneur’s palace whom Davey was pretending not to know about. There had been more than enough firepower.
Of course, Davey hadn’t been able to ignore the fact that there could have been variables, but the vampires had all run away after being slashed.
“Thank you for your hard work while waiting here.”
“That’s all right. We’re just following His Majesty’s command.”
Davey chuckled as the old man humbly spoke with his head down.
“Actually, I wanted to speak with Your Highness.”
“Me?”
“Yes. Thank you so much.”
“I don’t think I did anything to receive your gratitude.”
The old man firmly shook his head. “Did nothing to receive my gratitude? You cured the disease of Her Highness, the only happiness in this old man’s life.”
-He is the knight of the small hamster-like princess.
‘Oh, is he?’
Davey had forgotten about it. He thought that this man was quite loyal.
‘I wish the Heins Territory had people like him.’
-The Heins Territory is already blessed with gifted people. You should know that.
‘Of course, I do.’
No one could do everything by themselves; Davey knew that very well, and that was why he had nurtured his own territory’s people.
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