The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 611: The House of the Sword-King

The House of Amsberg, the Duke's House, a lineage known throughout the continent.

This Ducal House has three branch families.

The first-generation Hero had one son and three daughters.

The main house was inherited by the son, and the three daughters were to support the main house as branch families. This was done to prevent the Hero's bloodline from dying out.

While they were nobles, their blood carried a different weight than other nobles. They were not as special as the Ducal House, but they were of a similar lineage.

These three families were given a special rank known as "Sword Marquis" to indicate their responsibility to become the next Marquis House if the main house were to cease to exist.

These three families owned territories near the Imperial Capital and had knights who inherited the Hero's swordsmanship.

The houses of the Sword Marquis, with their knights of unparalleled power, served as another line of "Imperial Guards" protecting the vicinity of the Imperial Capital.

They had the duty to eliminate foreign enemies approaching the Imperial Capital, serving as both internal and external guards.

During the rebellion in the Imperial Capital, they mobilized five thousand knights under the Marquis, but they never made it to join the Capital's forces. Instead, they held back the reinforcements from the north.

Everything is, of course, in retrospect.

"So, it seems Prince Arnold has been appointed as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces? Did you predict this, Marquis Emlert?"

Inside the mansion, the man called the Sword Marquis muttered unpleasantly.

"Of course I couldn't predict it. Who could have thought that the Prince who has been ridiculed as an incompetent prince for many years is actually a remarkable man?"

"I see. Only a few were able to see through him. The Duke’s family seemed to have seen through it, though."

The prickly words made Marquis Emlert even more disgruntled.

Being with the young man in front of him was unpleasant enough, but to be told that the main house had seen through what he hadn't was nothing less than humiliation.

During the rebellion in the Imperial Capital, Emlert had joined the forces under the Marquis. His force consisted of two thousand five hundred knights, half of the entire force.

Because of this, when Marquis Emlert advocated to intercept the forces coming from the north, it caused a disruption.

The delay of the Duke’s reinforcements was due to Emlert.

In the end, Elna resolved the issue in the Imperial Capital, and holding back the forces from the north turned out to be the correct decision.

Because he believed in Elna, he left the Imperial Capital to her and held back the other forces. His argument was not incorrect, so Emlert was not punished.

However, it is also a fact that he acted contrary to the Chancellor's private order to prepare the troops.

Many believed this happened because of his discord with another Sword Marquis, the Sword Marquis Stewart.

Marquis Stewarr is one of the three Sword Marquises and is considered the foremost among them.

This was due to their connection with the main house.

The current Sword Marquis of Stewart is Elna's mother, Anna's younger brother. In other words, Anna originally came from the Stewart Sword Marquis House.

Sending a family member to the main house is a matter of honor for the branch family.

And it is not often that the main house welcomes a spouse from the branch family.

Once a spouse from the branch family enters the main house, they can get closer to the main house and gain an advantage over the other Sword Marquises.

The Sword Marquises are also nobles. And they greatly respect the main house called the House of Heroes.

Therefore, when Anna was to be married, there was a dispute within the Sword Marquises. After all, the head of the House of Heroes, who can summon the holy sword, has an immeasurable influence.

The father of Emlert, the previous generation, pushed for his own daughter, the sister of the current generation, to become the wife of the Hero.

But in the end, it was Anna, the daughter of the Stewart Sword Marquis, who was chosen.

There was no politics involved in this.

The Brave just liked Anna.

If that was all there was to it, Emlert could have accepted being outdone.

However, Elna was born.

A prodigy of the House of Heroes. The second coming of the Hero.

A genius who is said to be the closest to the Hero in the history of the House of Heroes. And he had missed the opportunity to be the creator of that genius.

Realizing the enormity of what he had missed, Emlert started to view the Sword Marquis Stewart as an enemy.

Due to this hostility, Emlert disrupted the movement of troops. After all, he wouldn't be able to make a name for himself if he went to the Imperial Capital.

That's what people thought.

But, it was different.

"How long do you intend to stay here? The rebellion in the Imperial Capital failed, and the northern region was defeated. The Empire has recovered. The rebellion was just a pipe dream. Give up."

"I admit we were defeated in the Imperial Capital, but in the North..."

Marquis Emlert, who had returned, immediately dispatched a search party in secret.

And then, he found his predecessor.

In a small hut.

Seeing signs of cohabitation, Emlert was astounded.

The main houses of the House of Brave and the House of have an obligation to preserve their lineage.

The blood of the hero is powerful. Therefore, they have a duty to choose and keep track of the whereabouts of this blood.

Impossible.

Such a thing could not happen.

Emlert thought so and returned with his father as if nothing had happened.

It was hard to imagine that a man over seventy years old would have a child.

"I searched further out of anxiety. Then I learned that a suspicious witch in my territory was pregnant.... I immediately believed that it was my father's child. Even if it wasn't, there was still doubt. So, I intended to kill you without fail... but that witch put you in a place where I could not reach."

"Yes. My mother, who I am greatly indebted to casted a spell on me. It's a magic that changes the color of my hair and eyes. And then... she placed me where the emperor would find me by chance. Assuming that the merciful emperor would definitely protect me."

And so the boy named Raphael grew up healthy and strong.

The magic that falsified his hair and eyes lasted until he was ten years old. But, at ten, the magic lost its effectiveness.

Then the ones who panicked were from the house of Marquis Emlert.

Everything would be exposed.

Therefore, the house of Emlert made contact with Raphael, gave him a special drug, and made him continue to disguise his identity.

It was all for the sake of the house.

But,

"Betraying that merciful emperor... Even though he's my younger brother, what a pathetic man."

"Isn't it more pathetic on your part, brother? For the sake of the Empire and the lineage of the hero, you should have been honest. It's because you ran for self-preservation that I was born."

"Hmph... How dare a traitor..."

"Don't forget, you're also betraying the Empire, brother."

"You and I are different. I only helped you within my abilities. I did not betray anyone."

"Hiding me is a clear betrayal. I should have explained my intentions clearly."

"..."

"You're cooperating because you're also interested, aren't you, brother? To see how far the power of a branch family can reach the main family. Maybe there's a faint hope of taking over. That's what you're thinking, right?"

Emlert falls silent.

Everything Raphael said was correct.

The house of Emlert was indeed a branch family.

But, his brother, Raphael, was a prodigy, comparable to Elna.

He couldn't suppress his curiosity.

How far could this masterpiece go?

That's why Emlert was cooperating.

"When... will you make your move?"

"I'll wait a bit longer. There are too many nuisances in the alliance."

"Do you have a chance of winning? Can you really beat Lady Elna...?"

"Yes, there is. Besides, I'm not doing it alone. I have insurance prepared. Right? No-Name."

As Raphael turned around, there stood No-Name, dressed in a white outfit with a black mask.

TL's Notes:

Skipping Character Introduction unless you guys ask btw

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