The grand banquet hall of the royal castle. As expected of an event commemorating the king's birthday, it was attended by all sorts of distinguished guests. High-ranking officials were busy seeking out King Deckard IX to pay their respects. After that, they were engrossed in conversations with those known as the real power behind the kingdom.
"......"
I quietly enjoyed the banquet while observing the four princes. I had already paid my respects to King Deckard IX. It seemed that he had reluctantly invited me at Izuel's request, as he only exchanged formal words with me before ending the conversation. I was treated as a perfect bystander. In truth, I had no particular desire to speak with the king, so it was convenient for both of us.
"Hahaha! How could I not know of Count Capri's loyalty to the kingdom? The time will come when the kingdom will make great use of your abilities."
"I, Capri, pledge my loyalty to the prince and His Majesty the King!"
The first thing I saw was the Second Prince Ptalin conversing with Count Capri. I hadn't expected to see Count Capri here again, but it seemed he had aligned himself with the Second Prince. It was a very reasonable decision. At present, anyone could see that the Second Prince Ptalin was leading the race for the throne.
"Cough, cough, cough."
"Prince, are you alright?"
"I'm fine. It's an old cold, so coughing is like a friend to me. Don't worry about it."
Right next to him was the First Prince Ian. Even at a glance, he looked pale, and according to Aki, he was suffering from a rare disease. It wasn't a life-threatening illness, but it wasn't something that would heal easily either, so he was having a hard time.
In fact, it was only natural for Prince Ian, as the legitimate eldest son, to be the heir to the throne. In a normal flow, Prince Ian should have been appointed as the crown prince early on, and the succession battle should have ended quickly.
However, King Deckard IX favored the energetic Second Prince Ptalin and the virtuous and wise Fourth Prince Izuel over the sickly First Prince Ian. Thus, the appointment of the crown prince was repeatedly postponed, and in the process, the support of the ministers was divided. The succession structure, which could have been smoothly organized, turned into a confrontation between factions.
Even just looking at the banquet, the difference in power was evident. Near the First Prince Ian were mostly elderly retainers or royal relatives, while the Third Prince Jess, who had the worst reputation among the princes, was surrounded by non-mainstream nobles who had been pushed out of the mainstream.
'Jess may not be as popular as Ptalin, but the military power of those non-mainstream nobles cannot be ignored.'
I kept recalling my memories. When the princes' rebellion occurs, the Second Prince and the Third Prince will engage in a full-scale war. This is because the two brothers have the worst relationship. Moreover, they are the two most ambitious individuals.
The First Prince is well aware of his own health condition, so he has little interest in the throne. In the actual story, Prince Ian was quietly living in a separate palace after being exiled, unlike Prince Izuel, who was sentenced to exile.
'Izuel's power is too weak. Even if someone wants to become his supporter, they can't help but be wary of Prince Ptalin's overwhelming influence.'
The situation doesn't look very favorable. If I truly want to support the Fourth Prince 'with everything I've got,' it's difficult with the current power. At the very least, I need to become a capable warlord governing more than ten small territories.
Just then.
"Oh?"
Ptalin and I made eye contact. It wasn't intentional, but somehow our gazes met precisely. With short-cropped hair, sharp eyes, and thin, slender lips, Ptalin's appearance seemed more suited to intrigue or betrayal than trust, even though I don't believe in physiognomy. In fact, right after becoming king, he purged all his top contributors by accusing them of treason.
With the sound of heavy footsteps, Ptalin gradually approached me.
[Ptalin – Lv. 77]
[Strength: 242]
[Stamina: 88]
[Magic: 13]
[Wisdom: 33]
[Agility: 39]
[Charm: 101]
[Physical Defense: 99]
[Magic Defense: 24]
[Special Traits: Cinders Vision Swordsmanship A / Umbra Theology B]
[General Traits: Throne, Ambition, Check]
'A follower of magic who specializes in swordsmanship and studies Umbra Theology... He managed to completely hide his religion until the king's death.'
Using my insight, I assessed Ptalin's state and realized he was not an easy opponent. He wasn't just a follower of magic; he had the sincerity to research and believe in it himself. In other words, he was in a completely opposite position to Prince Izuel.
Before I knew it, Ptalin had approached me and offered me a glass of wine, naturally starting a conversation.
"Hello, Lord Jared? Or would it be more comfortable to call you Viscount Jared?"
"Please call me whatever is comfortable for you, Prince. You can even just call me Jared."
"Care for a drink?"
"Yes."
Clink.
I drank the wine, not knowing if it went down my throat or my nose. Glancing sideways, I saw Izuel looking at me with anxious eyes. He seemed worried that I might be recruited by his influential brother.
"I heard you came at Izuel's invitation. I praised him quite a bit! I wanted to see Lord Jared myself, so I was wondering how I could find an excuse to invite you, and he boldly persuaded His Majesty to do so, didn't he?"
"I'm just a nameless lord, so I don't know where to put myself with such attention."
"Enough with the humility. Don't you know that Lord Jared is the most talked-about person in our kingdom right now?"
"Well, I've been so focused on managing my territory that I'm not interested in or aware of external news."
"Hmm, for someone who's not interested in external news, you moved like lightning when you annexed the Mallorca territory, didn't you? Such a move is impossible without thorough reconnaissance and preparation."
Ptalin's words sharply hit the mark.
"It was just good luck."
"Well, I think differently. The moment I heard about the Mallorca territory, I felt it. Lord Jared is quite an ambitious person with something in common with me, I thought."
"It was merely a desperate struggle to survive the invasion of a neighboring territory."
"Enough with the humility. I know it was a trap where you hid your claws and sharpened your sword for a long time."
"Is that so? If you say so, Prince, then it must be."
I neither confirmed nor denied it. No matter what, I didn't want to get involved with Ptalin. Throughout playing <Paradiso>, I had an extreme aversion to the Demon King's army and hated those who persistently harassed the protagonist. For someone like me to join forces with a faction destined to become the Demon King's minions? I didn't even want to think about it.
Moreover, the continent of Nas is still a world where the influence of the Holy Union, led by the Radius Church, is firm. I didn't want to stand on the side of evil and make my future a path of hardship. I had no desire to sell my soul to the Demon King.
"There are many people I need to meet today, so unfortunately, this glass of wine will be the end for now. Let's arrange a meeting soon. I have much to discuss with you, Lord Jared."
"Yes, Prince. Thank you for the drink."
I quietly bowed and stepped back. I had thought he was just an ambitious person relying solely on his own strength, but he wasn't. He showed a more cunning nature than I had expected.
'I can see why the Second Prince ascended the throne in the story. He must have already finished investigating all the other princes as well. He must have made his own estimates.'
I felt that a quite capable adversary had appeared. If Prince Izuel was like a finely crafted brush, Prince Ptalin was like a sharply honed sword.
'I need to roll the dice soon... For now, it's definitely a 1, and at best, it might be a 2.'
I calmly assessed the situation. There were still many areas where Izuel was lagging behind.
'But if I can become a proactive kingmaker, the future will change dramatically.'
I was at a crossroads. Would I rise to become a major player in this world with Izuel, or would I remain a mere extra?
After that, Jared met with other princes as well. Izuel kept his distance, waiting for his turn, while Ian and Jess came and went. As well-known, Ian didn't look very well. Even during conversations, he coughed painfully several times and eventually left before the banquet ended.
It was none other than Prince Jess who bothered Jared. Feeling pressured by the fact that his influence was weaker than his brother Prince Ptalin's, he actively courted Jared.
"I have quite a few connections in the military. If I set my mind to it, I could order them to buy the military supplies produced in your territory at high prices."
"Prince, unless it's a high price agreed upon by the working-level officials, I don't want transactions influenced by external pressure."
"Lord Jared, my brother Ptalin has extensive connections. There are lines of nobles trying to align with him. No matter how much you try to please him, you won't get much in return."
Jess had completely misjudged the situation. He thought there was some rapport between Ptalin and Jared after seeing their conversation.
'The interest of three princes, such popularity.'
Jared laughed. Somehow, he had attracted the attention of not only the three princes but also the nobles connected to them. When he wasn't paying attention, he hadn't realized it, but looking around, he saw many nobles observing his every move. With a little focus, he could even hear their conversations.
"Is that lord Jared? I heard the development of his territory after annexing the Mallorca territory is remarkable."
"They say he's raking in gold coins with the exclusive supply of the Ronella disease cure. Just a few months ago, his military barely exceeded 200, but now it's close to 5,000?"
"Over 5,000 soldiers? That's almost like gathering troops indiscriminately, isn't it? Mercenaries are a given! Does he have the budget?"
"Of course, he does! Cure, mines, pesticides, magic stone sales, and even dungeon entry fees... He's raking in money while sitting!"
'News travels fast.'
It seemed the word had spread far and wide. The work of expanding the military had been ongoing since the annexation of the Mallorca territory. Since recruiting within the territory alone couldn't achieve the goal, he even hired mercenaries and foreign troops at a premium. There was a next target in mind. The Ronella territory. Although a ceasefire agreement had been reached at Count Capri's recommendation, the expiration date was approaching. And Jared had no intention of extending the ceasefire agreement. Perhaps sensing this, Lord Bartman of the Ronella territory was also gathering troops early on.
"Lord Jared, are you listening to me?"
Distracted for a moment, Jared missed Jess's words. Jared didn't want to get involved with Jess at all. If he became king, he would almost certainly, no, definitely become a tyrant, as he had all the elements for it.
"Prince, as I repeatedly mentioned, I am not a subject of the kingdom. I'm merely a guest who received an invitation. Please don't concern yourself."
"Haha, are you trying to embarrass me? Even though I'm showing interest in you first."
"The one who should be embarrassed is not you, Prince, but rather me. You're giving too much attention to a mere local lord."
"So, you don't want a connection with me. Is that how I should take it?"
The voice rose, and the tone turned cold. Jared decided to provoke Jess a bit. If he could ignite Jess's inferiority complex towards Ptalin, the conflict between the Second Prince and the Third Prince would deepen significantly. For the Fourth Prince Izuel to benefit from this, the two princes needed to be at odds with each other.
"Yes, it seems to me that Prince Ptalin can offer me more than you, Prince Jess."
"What? This bastard!"
At that moment, Jess spat out a curse and grabbed Jared by the collar. The atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly turned icy.