Translator: AkazaTL
Pr/Ed: Sol IX
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Chapter 94: Taking the Stage (2)
“Greetings to His Highness the 1st Prince!”
Upon hearing the news that the 1st Prince had appeared, the people gathered at the place prostrated themselves all at once and prepared to welco Themia.
“The Prince says for everyone to get up!”
Instead of words, the 1st Prince raised everyone who was kneeling with a frivolous motion of flicking one finger.
“Drak, seems like sothing isn't going as you please?”
And he spoke to the red-haired man with that usual grinning smile.
“I-I greet Your Highness. Th-that is. Your Highness, it is not that there is a problem…….”
Unlike the appearance of driving the Bahmuts like catching rats, cold sweat flowed down continuously from the forehead of the red-haired man, ‘Drak Altaion’, in front of Themia.
“It-it is not a big enough problem for Your Highness to pay attention to, so you do not need to worry about such a trivial matter, Your Highness.”
“Is that so? In my view, the condition of the Bahmuts over there doesn't seem good. Well, still, if you, the best expert in the Empire regarding Lindworms, say there is no problem, then there must be no problem.”
“I am grateful for your words. Your Highness!”
Just as Themia said, the red-haired giant man Drak could be called the best expert in the Empire when it ca to handling Lindworms.
The tribe Drak belonged to, ‘Draco Tail’, were people who made a living by hunting and taming Lindworms, and Drak was the eldest son of the Draco Tail tribe chief.
“But you know, Drak.”
However, the mont he saw Themia's eyes narrow and the corners of his mouth spread peculiarly, Drak had to feel a sensation as if his chest was tightening.
Based on his past experiences, Themia making that expression ant there was sothing he didn't like.
“Since when did you beco able to decide which matters I should pay attention to and which I shouldn't?”
“Y-Your Highness. This lowly one was foolish and committed a sin, so please punish !”
Drak, who had a height well over 2 ters and a chest circumference like a giant tree, kneeling in front of Themia who had an ordinary physique, was sowhat comical to look at.
However, perhaps this composition was very familiar between the two, Drak's action of bowing his head was extrely practiced.
“Actually, I had quite high expectations. In my head, riding the wagon pulled by Bahmuts in my father's arms and roaming the Sacred Festival remains as quite a pleasant mory from my childhood. So I waited eagerly for this Sacred Festival which is being held grandly after a long ti. But the Bahmuts that are supposed to carry have beco like that?”
As Themia's finger pointed towards the groveling Bahmuts, Drak bowed his head repeatedly with a truly dying face.
“Y-Y-Your Highness! Please, please forgive this lowly one! I will definitely by the day of the Sacred Festival…….”
Before anyone knew it, Themia's foot was on the back of the bowing Drak's head.
“It is truly regrettable. Drak, you also know, but isn't your only use training these lizards quite well?”
Like crushing a cigarette butt that was smoked and discarded, Themia pressed down on the back of Drak's head with his heel without hesitation.
“I looked kindly upon this one talent of yours, who has absolutely nothing else to look at, and pulled you up to this position. But you can't even handle the only thing you do well and make bothered?”
“Y-Y-Y…… Your Highness…… please rcy…….”
“Try explaining. The reason why I have to tolerate your incompetence.”
As the conversation progressed, the smile hanging on Themia's lips beca thicker, while Drak's trembling increased in magnitude.
Themia, who was twisting his heel with the montum to burst the back of Drak's head right away, suddenly raised his head and looked around.
“Hoh!”
And Themia's eyes, discovering sothing, sparkled emitting a bleak light.
Soon he raised his hand high and shouted.
“Hey, you handso Grand Duke of Zodiac over there. Did you sleep well overnight?”
“Hein Reichart greets the 1st Prince.”
Hein, making eye contact with Themia, offered a simplified courtesy of folding one arm and placing it on his chest.
Themia beckoned with his finger towards Hein as if telling him to co to his side.
“Right, did you receive the gift I gave you well?”
“I will not forget the heart Your Highness showed and will cherish it as the honor of the family.”
“What's with just that much? Kek, by the way, I heard from Isabella that you chose a very trivial object? That’s strange. In my view, you seem like a guy with greed that doesn't match this pretty appearance. Why did you act with modesty that doesn't suit you?”
After calling Hein to stand in front of him, Themia giggled continuously.
That expression resembled that of a child with a favorite toy in front of him.
“Well, let’s decide to think about this issue later, so what does our Grand Duke of Zodiac, who is handso and even good at fighting, think?”
“What are you referring to?”
“What do you an? I an tell exactly what you see.”
Themia, still grinning, pointed at his foot dancing on top of Drak's head and spoke.
“As you are seeing, right now I, who possess the most noble bloodline in this continent, am putting my foot on the head of this ugly guy, right?”
“……That is so.”
“But looking at books and such, they chatter that an Emperor ought to have generosity, magnanimity, tolerance, sothing like that befitting him. But I am a person with a heart the size of a bean, so I am crushing and insulting this guy who ruined my personal enjoynt like this. And in front of so many people at that.”
Themia made it clear that the reason he was insulting Drak was not because he poorly prepared for the Empire's major event, but purely due to personal disappointnt.
“In my opinion, if I, who is narrow-minded like this, ascend to the position of Emperor, big trouble will happen to this country. So I called you to this spot because I was curious what our Grand Duke, who saw this appearance now, would say. Why don't you give so high opinion. Grand Duke.”
Perhaps finding the fact that he threw a tricky question to the toy of interest enjoyable, Themia looking at Hein was beaming with a broad smile.
“Your Highness, it is presumptuous to say, but I am rely a subject of a small country. How could I dare to offer words carelessly on the matters done by Your Highness, who will lead a great nation, and furthermore, the Empire in the future?”
“Ehh?”
However, unlike Themia's expectation, Hein skillfully escaped the trap he dug.
If he had advised Themia to show tolerance, he would have been interrogated for being arrogant, and conversely, if he affird his actions, he would have received sarcasm for being a flatterer.
But Hein's answer, which neither denied nor affird Themia's action, made Themia lose steam.
“Ah, not fun. Still, I expected because you seed like a guy with a quite bold corner, but this is a little disappointing.”
As his expectation to enjoy the reaction by driving Hein into a corner was shattered, Themia's expression quickly beca sullen.
However…….
‘It’s still too early to give up. Because I have a separate way to make you have fun.’
Hein, after directing his gaze briefly towards Drak who was trembling beneath Themia's foot, spoke.
“Your Highness, if Your Highness permits, may I examine the condition of the Bahmuts once?”
“You? The Bahmuts?”
“……!”
When Hein said he would examine the condition of the Bahmuts, Themia and Drak's gazes headed towards Hein simultaneously.
“Hoh!”
However, while Themia's gaze looking at Hein sparkled and shone again.
Grind!
Drak's gaze was filled with hostility.
“Grand Duke, I’m telling you this just in case so listen well. The Draco Tail tribe this maggot belongs to is recognized for their contribution of taming wild Lindworms and offering them to the Empire, and receives recognition for their own autonomy and territory. In other words, taming Lindworms is the lifeline and livelihood for these guys. And regarding this guy lying face down, Drak, he is a guy whose innate talent in this field has been recognized since childhood.”
“Is that so?”
Although he asked back pretending not to know, there was no way Hein wouldn't know what kind of tribe Draco Tail was and what kind of guy Drak was.
During the Empire's civil war in his past life, Hein had fought countless battles with the Lindworm riders belonging to the Draco Tail tribe.
“Right. But right now, even this friend Drak, who is called a genius in lizard training, is in a situation where he can't grasp the reason why those guys are groveling like that. But you are saying you will resolve the situation that even a guy who lived entangled with lizards all his life can't do anything about?”
“I cannot guarantee that I can resolve it. However, I have a guess regarding the Bahmuts' poor condition, so I intend to seek Your Highness's permission.”
“Kuhaha!”
Eventually, Themia burst into laughter.
And he removed the foot that was pressing down on Drak's head.
“Hey, get up.”
“Th-thank you. Your Highness!”
“You also heard what this friend said just now. He says he has a guess.”
Themia grabbed the jaw of Drak, which had a rectangular shape, and spoke.
“How would you like it? Would you like it if the Grand Duke of Zodiac makes those guys groveling over there stand up straight? Or would you like it if the Grand Duke also fails?”
“Y-Your Highness…….”
“It would be very difficult to answer if I were you. If the Grand Duke succeeds in making those guys stand up, you can preserve your life, but instead, your incompetence will be revealed to the whole world, right? Because it will be proven that the petty talent you took as your specialty is not even as good as the insight of the Grand Duke who saw a Bahmut for the first ti. Kek.”
Is this situation that enjoyable?
Themia burst into laughter for a while gripping Drak's jaw.
“Right, try doing whatever you want. Grand Duke.”
And he permitted Hein to examine the Bahmuts.
“Thank you.”
Hein, having obtained permission, strode towards the Bahmuts lying face down in a group.
Behind Hein's back as he moved his steps,
“Oh my, will it be okay? Considering the 1st Prince's temperant, if he fails to treat the Bahmuts, sparks will fly to that person…….”
“By the way, who is that young gentleman? He seems to be acquainted with the 1st Prince.”
“Ah, Hein Reichart? Then is that person the one who overturned the country with a coup…….”
Sounds of nobles and delegations from each country whispering ca from here and there.
Just with this, the goal of making his na known to nobles across the continent was achieved.
‘With this, the 1st goal is achieved. But this alone is insufficient.’
Kuururuk-
As a stranger approached, the Bahmuts spat out cries and took a guard.
Although there were differences by individual, the normal size of a Bahmut was between 3 to 5 ters.
They were guys boasting massive physiques that couldn't even be compared to humans, but since they looked so lacking in energy, their usual vigor couldn't be found anywhere.
‘Sorry. Bear with it a little.’
Hein smiled bitterly in secret and carefully touched the joints and bones of the Bahmuts.
“Hoh! Those guys aren't showing rejection?”
Themia, who was watching this appearance, let out a gasp.
Although Bahmuts had gentle personalities, it didn't an they were devoid of wariness.
But to allow a stranger's approach so easily…….
“Wow, uses the sword well, is smart, and on top of that is handso, but he even handles those guys well. Hey, he is much better than you? You also use the sword quite well, but instead, you are terribly stupid and look similar to those lizards too, right?”
As if intending to provoke Drak on purpose, Themia mocked Drak while saying words he didn't necessarily have to say.
“I am only ashad. Your Highness.”
Drak, unable to even think of shaking off the dust on his head, only glared at Hein's back as if to kill.
Truly comically, the place Drak's anger was directed was towards Hein, not Themia who was mocking him.
“…….”
Hein examined the condition of the Bahmuts with delicate hand movents.
No, he pretended to examine.
Because what was important right now was his mory, not the damage to the muscles or joints of the Bahmuts.
‘Being like this reminds of old tis. In the early stages of the Empire's civil war, I had quite a hard ti dealing with Lindworm riders.’
The first advantage Lindworms including Bahmuts possessed would be that superhuman strength, but as important as that strength was the point that these guys didn't discriminate terrain.
Forests, plains, riversides, and even swamps.
Lindworms could be active in almost all terrains in all weather, and the side that had to deal with the 1st Prince's forces had to suffer great damage because of these guys.
However, from the point the Empire's civil war entered its 3rd year, the Lindworm riders were neutralized rapidly.
And the protagonist who made them powerless was none other than-
‘Now it is ti to wake up from sleep. Lizard troops.’
It was ‘Alexar’.
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