Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
Chapter 93: Taking the Stage (1)
“Thank you. If it wasn't for you, Brother, His Highness would have experienced great difficulty.”
“Don't ntion it. If it is for Older Brother, of course, I should make an effort.”
Isabella, who received the docunt Suleiman wrote, bowed her head with a lovely smile.
What Suleiman handed over was a report containing thods to prevent the epidemic that was spreading mainly around the border areas recently.
“Really, even if you weren't here, Brother…… just imagining it is terrible.”
“Haha, that’s not like you. It is naturally sothing I should do, why are you giving such praise.”
Except for the 1st Prince, the successors of the Empire each had one talent worthy of being discussed as the best on the continent, and the field where the 4th Prince Suleiman stood out was precisely magic engineering and research.
The research institute he personally supervised was a place worthy of being called the best on the continent in terms of level and scale.
The counterasures for this epidemic also ca from that research institute.
“By the way, Isabella, you look exceptionally tired these days. Aren't you overworking yourself too much?”
“Do I look like that? Sigh…….”
At Suleiman's question, Isabella shook her head side to side.
In fact, most of the problems Isabella was currently concerned with were things that the 1st Prince, Themia, should take responsibility for and supervise.
However, Themia was completely letting go of state affairs and just being lazy.
Since the situation was like this, Isabella, the 1st Prince's biological sister, ended up taking charge of those tasks, so her workload was inevitably always heavy.
‘But I can't show a gap to other princes who are waiting for Brother's position to be shaken, so I have to try my best.’
Thinking of the other princes who were eagerly eyeing the successor position occupied by her biological brother, her head throbbed again.
“Has anything interesting happened recently?”
Perhaps intending to change the subdued atmosphere, Suleiman smiled and changed the topic of conversation.
“Sothing interesting? Hmm…… actually…… ay, no.”
“Why? Don't be like that and tell . Did sothing happen?”
Although Isabella didn't notice, Suleiman's eyes urging her as she trailed off flashed with a bizarre light for a mont.
“Brother, by any chance, have you heard of Hein Reichart?”
And the mont the na of a ‘strange man’ ca out of Isabella's mouth, that brilliance beca even more intense.
“Un. I have heard of him. Hein Reichart of Zodiac, he made a contribution by repelling assassins this ti, right?”
“Yes. That’s right. But actually…….”
Making her trailing off earlier pointless, Isabella chatted to Suleiman about what happened with Hein today.
“……If what you say is true, he seems like quite an interesting person.”
Hearing those words, Suleiman nodded with an expression of interest.
“Yes. He seems like a very peculiar person. Actually, when I only heard rumors, I thought he would be a cruel person overflowing with desire for power.”
No matter how small a country Zodiac was, a young man who overturned a nation at an age just entering his 20s could not be an ordinary figure.
Because of that, Isabella had thought Grand Duke Reichart would be a despicable cold-blooded person overflowing with desire for power.
Just like…….
‘Like the 2nd Prince.’
However, Grand Duke Reichart whom she actually t was quite different from her imagination.
Of course, he did look sowhat cold like the rumors.
But seeing him personally save Grace and even the lowest crew mbers of the airship, he didn't seem to be just cold-blooded.
“But after talking a little, he doesn't seem like a person who is just heartless to that extent.”
Was it because the first impression was so intense? Unlike her usual self, Isabella laid out her impressions of Hein quite lengthily.
“Haha, sohow that friend nad Hein seems like a figure worth observing.”
“Brother thinks so too, right?”
“Seeing Miss Isabella, who never talks about n, chattering so excitedly. I also want to et that friend soon.”
Throwing a mischievous joke, Suleiman raised his hand to cover his mouth and burst into laughter like his usual habit.
Grind.
So Isabella didn't see.
Beyond the palm covering his mouth, the fact that Suleiman was biting his lip to the point of crushing it.
***
“Investigate every single piece of information about Hein Reichart thoroughly. Right now!”
“I will do so, Your Highness.”
Examining Suleiman's complexion which had beco pale without a trace of blood, Zephyros could guess.
The fact that the 4th Prince of the Empire was extrely furious.
And the cause of the anger towards Hein wouldn't stem from him nullifying the assassination plan Suleiman had set up.
Actually, when Suleiman heard the news that the attack he prepared was blocked by an uninvited guest.
“Really? As expected of my Older Brother. He has surprisingly good luck with useless things.”
He had let it pass nonchalantly saying that.
It was a life crisis for soone, but anyway, the airship attack incident was nothing more than simple entertainnt for Suleiman.
However.
‘My Isabella…… to speak of such a lowly bastard…… dare, how dare!’
Isabella was a different story.
To Suleiman, Isabella was an existence more precious than anything, and a woman who should rightfully beco his.
Also, her plump and lovely lips had to be solely his own.
But for another man's na to leak from those lips…….
Thud!
Eventually unable to overco his anger, Suleiman struck the armrest with all his might.
Veins bulged on the back of his hand as pale as his face.
“Then I will report as soon as I gather the information, Your Highness.”
Suleiman, who surrendered his body to violent anger, didn't see the trace of vivid mockery ford on Zephyros's lips as he showed his back to withdraw.
‘Right, it must be just a feeling. There is no way Isabella would have an interest in such a lowly bastard.’
But no matter how much he persuaded himself, this dirty feeling showed no sign of getting better.
No matter how much he tried to compose himself, he couldn't tolerate that expression Isabella showed while ntioning Hein Reichart at all.
Thud!
Eventually, Suleiman struck the armrest once again.
Crunch!
The armrest of the wooden chair which had undergone reinforcent treatnt broke off powerlessly.
Grind.
In the laboratory where cold chill hovered, the ugly energy emitted by a man who surrendered his body to jealousy lingered bleakly.
***
Click.
“Shall I prepare refreshnts?”
“It’s fine.”
When the servant attending the al asked about serving dessert, Hein shook his head and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
It wasn't that he didn't have a lingering attachnt to the dessert prepared by the Imperial chef, but there were many things to do this morning so he didn't have the leisure to eat slowly.
“Rather than that, there is one thing I want to ask.”
“Please speak, Your Excellency.”
“We should be doing the rehearsal for ‘Roxanne’ soon, is there no schedule delivered regarding that?”
‘Roxanne’ was a ceremony that played the most key role even among the Sacred Festival, and it was a large-scale ritual where all delegations from each country had to participate.
Because of this, it was common for the delegations to gather together and do a rehearsal before the main ceremony began.
“Your Excellency, that is…….”
“Even setting aside those who haven't arrived yet, I know it is customary for those who have arrived to practice first. Has there been no contact yet?”
“Originally, as you said, there would have been a place to prepare for the Roxanne ritual around today. However…….”
“However?”
“I understand that the occasion has been postponed a little due to a slight accident.”
Although he wore the title of servant of the Guest House, the middle-aged man in front of Hein was not of just humble status.
Taking responsibility for and receiving a representative of a nation visiting the Empire was not as easy as it sounded, and the middle-aged man was also one of the veterans who experienced decades of Imperial Palace life.
But…….
“An accident?”
“I do not know the exact details either, but I understand that a slight problem occurred in the departnt in charge of ‘Carriages and Horses’.”
Seeing that even the servant who was a veteran among veterans couldn't give a clear answer, the problem that occurred on the carriage and horse side seed to be unusual.
“I understand. You may leave.”
Sending out the head servant, a faint smile ford on Hein's lips left alone.
‘It seems to have worked properly.’
If a director or playwright preparing for a theater performance had seen Hein just now, his acting was perfect enough to imdiately offer the lead actor role.
Because the ringleader who caused the ‘problem’ hindering the Roxanne ritual was none other than Hein.
‘By now, that stupid boar-like guy must be quite angry. He must have co with a firm determination to lick Themia's ass with this opportunity, but things got twisted from the start.’
The appearance of the red-haired giant witnessed last night ca to Hein's mind.
Probably by now, that guy wouldn't be able to overco his temper and would be throwing fits everywhere.
If soone provoked him around now, it was certain that he would go on a rampage without being able to distinguish front from back.
‘Soon, the delegations will gather to grasp what problem occurred. That much is not bad.’
Right, the prepared sacrifice and stage, both were not bad at this level.
That red-haired boar was very suitable in size and appearance to use as a sacrifice.
The prepared stage was also perfect as a stage to announce that Grand Duke Hein Reichart of Zodiac was a brave and wise figure.
‘Shall I get going slowly?’
Hein got up from his seat and moved his steps with a leisurely gait towards the direction where the roar was heard last night.
***
“You pig-like things! Why? Now that I fed you full and let you sleep, you don't want to earn your keep?!”
Slap!
Kuururuk-!
“You maggot-like lizard bastards! At this important mont, these dog-like things. These bug-like things!”
Slap!
Kuururuk---!
Shouting sounds emitted by a man who seed extrely angry burst out consecutively from one side of the Imperial Palace.
“Just all of you drop dead. You rice-maggot-like lizard bastards! Just completely drop dead!”
Slap!
Kuururuk--!
What followed the man's shouting was the sound of a whip with a sharply raised edge.
Sorrowful screams emitted by the ‘Bahmuts’ directly hit by the whip were also heard together.
“Haa haa!”
The red-haired man, who finished a round of harsh whipping, soon reached out again and pulled the reins tied to the Bahmuts' necks.
He thought the Bahmuts would now get up from their spots since he showed them this much spicy taste.
Kuururuk-
However, the Bahmuts couldn't get up this ti either and collapsed with a thud.
“These disgusting lizard bastards! Hey, bring a thicker whip. One engraved with a curse of deadly poison and lightning!”
Seeing this appearance, the red-haired man frowned even more and shouted at his party.
“Let’s see if you guys can be lazy even after getting hit by this.”
And the man who received a new whip wound the handle around his hand with an even more vicious expression.
“Oh my, how pitiful.”
“What do we do about those children? It seems big trouble will happen if we leave them like this…….”
From the lips of noble ladies watching this appearance from a distance away, worried sighs burst out continuously.
‘Bahmut’ was a type of ‘Lindworm’ that inhabited groups in the ‘Blue Thistle Forest’ located in the northeastern part of the Empire.
Unlike other Lindworms that had the appearance of ferocious large land reptiles, they enjoyed quite high popularity among noble ladies due to their elegant appearance and beautiful scales.
And thanks to this beautiful appearance, they were in charge of the role of pulling the wagons ridden by the Imperial family of the Empire in the Sacred Festival.
“Anyway, it is a big problem. The Sacred Festival is not far away, but the Bahmuts who have to pull the wagons are unable to move like that.”
“That is true. Even if we catch other ones now, it wouldn't be an easy task to find wild Bahmuts that are handso and well-trained like those guys over there…….”
Whether sothing happened overnight, the Bahmuts who had to take charge of a significant role were unable to get up from their spots all at once.
‘So far so smooth.’
Hein, who was listening to the conversation shared by the nobles standing next to him, smiled secretly.
Things were working out exactly as he thought.
The Bahmuts couldn't get up like sick chicks, and the guy responsible for supervising the Bahmuts was extrely heated up.
‘Now only the figure to pull the trigger needs to appear.’
Grin.
And a mont later. A vivid smile ford on the lips of Hein who was asuring the timing to appear.
“His Highness the 1st Prince is arriving!”
A thunderous sound that couldn't even be compared to the shouting of the red-haired man rang out everywhere.
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