Chapter 13
The Crown Prince That Sells Medicine Chapter 13
Episode 13. Prove your qualifications (3)
“Hmm.”
The emperor’s hand rested on his chin.
Everyone has withdrawn and he is left alone with the seat of power. The emperor, who sat there as if he were ruling, was smiling quietly.
“You and the 2nd prince… give me a chance to prove which one of you is worthy. haha. her.”
The Emperor thought of his eldest son, Rachiel, who had passed away a moment ago.
He recalled what his eldest son said to him. The more I thought about it and looked back on it, the more surprising it was.
It had to be that way.
“Did that child have that kind of side?”
The way he dared to stand up to himself so strongly. They did not bend under the authority and pressure of their rulers. Instead, he stood upright and received this gaze.
But what was even more surprising was that Rakiel did not show his fangs during the process.
“Usually we struggle to resist authority and pressure. In the process, I sometimes cross the line rebelliously. “If that were normal, that would be the natural reaction.”
Rakiel didn’t do that.
It wasn’t rebellious.
Rather, it was calm.
It didn’t show any signs of shaking.
As expected, he stayed within the line and accepted pressure from this side with a calm and rational attitude throughout. In other words, I didn’t feel pressured by this side’s momentum.
“Plus a counteroffer.”
In the first place, I thought he would kneel easily. It would quickly collapse in front of this proposal. It was a proposal made with that in mind.
But it didn’t collapse. In fact, he even presented a completely unexpected counteroffer.
“It’s an opportunity to prove your qualifications.”
Rakiel’s voice was still vivid. The eyes looked this way with a calm expression that wasn’t excited at all. As if he were confident that his counteroffer would definitely work.
‘…If you give me permission, I will have a sword fight with the 2nd prince in 15 days.’
Was it us who lost our composure at his words? It was so absurd.
‘fence?’
As soon as I asked, Rachiel answered.
‘Yes, Your Majesty. Currently, I am being questioned about my qualifications due to my sickly body and weak physical strength. They say that they will not be able to protect the crown prince and that they will not be able to bear the weight. So, I want to prove that I am worthy and that that view is wrong.’
‘Are you saying you want to let people know that you are healthy and sound?’
‘Yes, Your Majesty. So, I want to cross swords with the second prince.’
‘If you cross swords with the 2nd prince, do you think you’ll win?’
‘It is said that you have to try to know what is long and short.’
‘It’s absurd. You probably know that the 2nd Prince is a holder of the Single Circle of Swordsmanship and has been taught swordsmanship by a famous knight since childhood.’
‘Yes, of course I know.’
‘Then you must also be aware of the fact that you have been sickly since childhood and have not been able to run properly, let alone practice swordsmanship, right?’
‘of course.’
‘Still, you’re going to prove your qualifications by competing with the second prince?’
‘Yes, Your Majesty.’
‘I think it would be difficult to last even 5 minutes, let alone win.’
‘After all, isn’t the way to win a game by opening the lid?’
‘Are you that confident?’
‘yes.’
‘It seems like a cruel use to Jim.’
‘I have my own thoughts, so please look at me leniently.’
‘Is that so?’
‘Yes, Your Majesty.’
The moment my eldest son answered that way, I had a hunch. This guy is doing this on purpose. It means making a proposal with the possibility of losing in mind from the beginning.
So he willingly nodded his head.
‘good night. I accept your offer. The location of the showdown will be decided by me and notified to you, so you can prove your health by competing with the second prince in swordsmanship in 15 days as you wish. However, the condition for victory is not victory, but surviving for five minutes without collapsing.’
‘…Why?’
‘Consider it a small consideration from Jim towards you.’
It was truly considerate.
In fact, it is inevitable that the eldest prince cannot defeat the second prince. No, it would be a miracle to even last 5 minutes, let alone win.
“When the actual fight begins, will I be able to last a minute… or even 30 seconds?”
The emperor, who was lost in thought, muttered.
Soon he shook his head heavily.
This battle is unconditionally the victory of the 2nd prince. That is a fait accompli. And perhaps Rachiel also knew that fact from the beginning.
The emperor thought so.
“Huh. I saw you wrong. “Your firearm has not been disturbed yet.”
Somehow, I felt like I knew Rachiel’s intentions.
The eldest son would have chosen ‘succession’ through a fair confrontation rather than the soft ‘concession’ suggested by this side. He probably plans to lose in a confrontation without any interference and hand over the crown prince to the second prince.
By doing so, they are trying to give greater symbolism and legitimacy to the second prince…
“You chose to sacrifice.”
Emperor Asterion clutched his throne tightly with a crushed heart. There was a complicated smile on his lips.
I was proud.
The first one always brought disappointment. So, before I knew it, the eldest child was giving up. I was extremely happy and proud that I had made such a great choice.
At the same time, it was sad at the same time.
The eldest son, who is so smart, should inherit the throne. I was saddened by the fact that realistically, that wasn’t possible. Also, the fact that he was willing to sacrifice himself was a pity. This was even more true from the perspective of a father rather than an emperor.
But the emperor had no idea.
The fact that he was now properly misunderstanding Rakiel’s intentions. So, Rakiel is now….
♣
‘Sacrifice is a piece of cake. Why do I lose? ‘I have to win, no matter what.’
In the carriage going back to the villa, rattling rattling.
Rachiel was laughing.
He thought of the emperor he had encountered a moment ago. He recalled what the emperor had said to him. The more I thought about it and looked back on it, the more I laughed.
It had to be that way.
‘I think that guy misunderstood my suggestion.’
He proposed a swordsmanship battle with the second prince. However, the emperor, who at first reacted as if it were absurd, gradually smiled happily. The look of pride that was sent in this direction was a bonus.
I wonder if he thought of this proposal as a huge self-sacrifice.
‘Maybe that’s what it is.’
It was better.
It’s comfortable to be misunderstood like that.
Thanks to this, the emperor immediately asked about our proposal.
However, it seemed that the emperor was not the only one who misunderstood. On the evening after returning from meeting the emperor, an unexpected visitor came to the villa.
He was the 2nd prince.
“It’s been a while, brother. “No, His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“….”
“Actually, I heard some unbelievable news today… so I came straight to you out of concern.”
“….”
“majesty?”
“Tsk.”
Rakiel clicked his tongue.
There was no other reason.
The guy who came to the villa and appeared before my eyes. It is clear that he is the 2nd prince. Because it is the same as the illustration in the novel Demon Sword Emperor. But for some reason, this guy also seemed to completely misunderstand our proposal.
“What are you worried about?”
Rakiel’s response naturally became blunt. The 2nd prince sat across from me with an earnest expression.
“I was wondering if you were overdoing it.”
“swarm? I?”
“yes.”
“What on earth is impossible?”
“You don’t have to go that far. It’s a swordsmanship battle. “As soon as I heard the news, I started to feel afraid.”
“What are you afraid of?”
“Aren’t you already having a hard time because of your chronic illness?”
“So you’re saying you’re worried that I might get picked and fall while preparing for a sword fighting match?”
“majesty. “No, brother.”
“why.”
“I’m sorry to say this, but anyway… you know the result, right?”
“result?”
“yes.”
“Are you going to win?”
“If a confrontation really begins, it will have to happen.”
“Well, I guess that’s true.”
Rachiel nodded.
It is a battle that will take place over the throne of the Crown Prince. There will be no room for even a single seed of clumsy consideration or concession.
While I was thinking that, the 2nd prince continued speaking.
“As you know, there will be no change in the results. I can’t bear for you to sacrifice your health for such a result. You don’t have to do that. “You don’t have to deliberately make such a sacrifice for me.”
“….”
“Actually, I know. I came to see His Majesty a little while ago. Your Majesty seems to have similar thoughts to me. “My brother is intentionally creating an unreasonable confrontation and trying to give me greater legitimacy through that confrontation.”
“….”
“I don’t want that kind of sacrifice. “I’m not happy at all.”
“….”
“older brother?”
“uh. why.”
“Are you sure you don’t trust me?”
“What do you mean by not being trustworthy?”
“After handing over the Crown Prince to me. “If you’re worried that I might harm you or purge you, so you’re trying to incur a political debt to me in advance… then you don’t have to worry about that.”
“….”
“I swear that I will never harbor any other feelings toward you. I will not even think about keeping my brother in check. I will simply focus on my duties with a greater sense of responsibility for the position of power that my brother passed down to me. So, brother, if you doubt me….”
“I never doubted it.”
Rakiel cut off the 2nd prince’s words.
As I continued to listen, it felt like he was self-diving into an endless sea of misunderstanding.
‘Whoa. ‘Everyone clearly misunderstood.’
The emperor and the second prince.
I am interpreting this proposal for a swordsmanship match quite arbitrarily.
‘I have no intention of losing, tsk.’
Raquiel’s image is so sickly. No, actually, I’m weak enough to do it tomorrow. No one would be looking forward to a swordsmanship battle with the second prince.
That’s normal.
Rachiel just chuckled.
“I understand how you feel.”
I really get it.
The second prince in the novel, ‘Theodor Palermo Magentano’, was a really good guy. He was a very sincere, intelligent, and responsible person. He was one of the few characters who was truly sad when Crown Prince Rachiel died.
‘It would have been great if we had responded properly to the Great War.’
A character who ends up failing because he fails to fulfill his most important role.
That was the second prince Theodore in front of me.
I said looking at that guy.
“That’s it. No matter what you think, it has already happened and cannot be undone. I made a proposal to His Majesty, and He accepted it. But now you’re saying you’re going to buy it back? “You’re welcome.”
“Brother….”
“Go back. I want to rest.”
“Are you really going to choose such a fleeting sacrifice?”
“That’s it. Let’s see the day we face off.”
He waved his hand.
The Royal Guard politely escorted the 2nd Prince outside. As the 2nd prince retreated from the bedroom, he cast a sad look in this direction. A bitter smile naturally flowed from those eyes. That bitter smile became even deeper because of Lord Gardin, who was dreaming in the corner of the bedroom.
“Lord Gardin?”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, as you can see, I’m packing my bags.”
It’s not that it wasn’t, Sir Gardin was suddenly organizing things in his small room. Rachiel frowned one eyebrow.
“us?”
“yes.”
“What luggage?”
“Moving luggage.”
“…movers?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“explanation.”
“Oh, that’s… “Aren’t you going to have a sword fight with the 2nd prince in 15 days?”
“yes.”
“Yes, so once the sword fighting match is over, the Crown Prince’s throne will be handed over to the 2nd Prince, and at that time, His Highness will no longer be the Crown Prince….” “The
Crown Prince will pack up his belongings from this villa where he is staying and move to another palace. ?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“aha. “So you’re packing your bags in advance?”
“Yep, Your Highness.”
Sir Gardin looked proud.
Like, did I do well? It was a look like that.
“Hey. Our Lord Gardin is thoroughly prepared to save money, isn’t he? “It’s very rough, huh?”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Okay. But what should I do?”
“yes?”
“If I win the battle, I’ll have to fire Lord Gardin.”
“…yes?”
“Cut it.”
“…Yes?”
“Take your pick. Should I cut off your job or your hair?”
“But your highness?”
“uh. why.”
“No matter what you cut me, it’s fine. Just-”
“Just?”
“Isn’t it too much to ask for a sword fighting match with Your Majesty’s physical condition?…”
“…Tsk.”
Today is a day full of misunderstandings.
Even Sir Gardin said the same thing.
Rachiel clicked her tongue at Sir Gardin, who was in tears.
“The crowd is going to win.”
“yes?”
“There is a way to win.”
Rakiel grinned.
Confront the 2nd prince and survive for 5 minutes.
A way to break everyone’s expectations in that match.
He told me the secret he had in mind from the beginning.