Chapter 61
“Just do as you’ve been doing. It’s not like we’ll keep seeing each other anyway.”
“No, why? We’re pledging our lives to serve you loyally!”
Seeing his attitude instantly revert to his original way of speaking, I couldn’t help but laugh. Realizing his mistake, he cleared his throat and grinned.
Even when you smile, you’re not pretty.
“You seem to keep forgetting my status. What would I do with a group of Kans?”
“Ah!”
Did he really forget my status? It was so absurd that I was momentarily at a loss for words.
“…Besides, nothing is over yet. Until everything is resolved, you’ll have to live in hiding. So stop talking nonsense and answer my questions.”
“Well, if we could all live together without plundering, that would be ideal. We don’t want to live off stealing from others. Some might be inclined to do so, but at least my brothers aren’t.”
The leader opened his fist that had been loosely resting on his thigh. It was a hand full of calluses and scars. For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off that hand.
“I know a place where you can form a village and live safely. He won’t be able to find you there. You can farm, fish, and even raise livestock. However, there’s one problem.”
His eyes gleamed with a mix of hope and greed. But as soon as I mentioned the queen spider, the leader shook his head, showing disappointment.
“The queen spider is highly intelligent and difficult to deal with. She can control lower monsters as well as her spiderlings. That’s why we don’t even go hunting in that area.”
“That’s why it’s good. It’s a place even you avoid. So-”
“But it will be hard to subjugate. On the contrary, we might be wiped out.”
Just as I was about to start persuading him, the Second Prince suddenly entered, as if he had been eavesdropping outside.
“So I’ll send my men to help with the subjugation. If you succeed, the young lord will provide settlement funds.”
Who are you to decide how to spend someone else’s money?
In truth, I was planning to help since settling without support would be practically impossible. The Second Prince just beat me to it, stealing my thunder.
Petty bastard. He must be getting minor revenge because his sister found out about yesterday’s incident. It’s so trivial that it’s even awkward to get angry about it.
Ugh. This is even more infuriating. How can such a petty person be the male lead? Shouldn’t Luwen be the male lead?
“Really? I mean, is that true?”
Despite the Second Prince stealing my act of kindness, the leader’s eyes shone as he looked at me. Even though the prince offered to dispatch high-quality personnel, while I would only have to spend a little pocket money.
“Yeah. If you’re not going to plunder, you’ll need supplies to survive until you can be self-sufficient.”
“Young master… Thank you, really, thank you so much.”
The leader seemed determined to subjugate the queen spider. Still, just in case, I asked again and received a fiery, determined answer.
“We’ll do it. If it means my brothers can live safely and peacefully, we’ll definitely cut off the queen spider’s head!”
However, it would take time to subjugate the queen spider and prepare supplies, as it would be useless if the First Prince caught their trail. Officially, they were still the culprits who attacked the Duke and kidnapped me, so this also needed to be resolved.
Of course, there was a way.
“Your Highness.”
“Do you have a good idea?”
I didn’t say anything yet. Why are you reading my mind and answering? I really don’t like anything about you. So I boldly made my request without hesitation.
“If Your Highness could go through some trouble for us.”
“Me? Again? What is it this time?”
Despite his complaining tone, his eyes looked quite amused. I’m not sure which is his true feeling.
“There are two things in total. First, you need to buy time so that no conclusion is reached until they’re ready to relocate. Second, you need to persuade His Majesty to issue an order for exile abroad.”
Father is a knight trusted by His Majesty and a Duke, so surely His Majesty will make the decision without a trial. This would make it easier to steer things in the direction we want.
“I assume buying time means protecting them, and exile abroad means they can cross the mountains. It sounds easy, but do you think it’s possible?”
“With Your Highness’s abilities, yes.”
“The first part isn’t difficult. But the second is impossible. No country sends a group of criminals to another country.”
He knows how to do it but still tests me. He could just say he understands. Why does he need to hear my thoughts? Troublesome guy.
“They’re hunters, aren’t they? They just misunderstood that there were children in the Duke’s residence.”
I’m talking about the fathers of the children from the hunter village we rescued. Since it’s actually true, if the prince works hard, it should be possible to transform their identity. He’ll take care of the branding too.
“The investigation into Father’s cause of death will be thorough, so it will soon be revealed that it was poisoning. If we buy time until then, it will be easier.”
The injury was critical but not enough to be fatal. However, when sudden abnormal symptoms appeared, poison was detected upon examination. The Duke was assassinated.
This would significantly reduce the severity of the Kans’ crime. If we also emphasize that their purpose for infiltrating the Duke’s residence was not for plunder but to save their families, even my kidnapping could be considered for leniency. Above all, I’m unharmed and have returned safely.
Moreover, the First Prince would be pleased if these people were exiled. As someone who believes in uprooting any potential threats, he won’t give up, but even if he loses track of them, he’ll let his guard down thinking he only needs to monitor the borders well.
“You’re working me too hard.”
“It’s not me they need, but Your Highness. The one in need should do the work, right?”
“Even though you’re under my command?”
Since when did I become under the Second Prince’s command?
“I’m too weak to serve Your Highness, I’m afraid.”
“Then I could say that I need your brain, not your body. As a young lord, I could appoint you as my closest aide.”
I thought he was joking, but seeing him insist, it doesn’t seem good. As they say, every pest has its own specific remedy. The Second Prince’s remedy is obvious.
“I’ll consider it if my sister allows it.”
Go and get Irene’s permission.
It’s not just anything, but a struggle for the throne. He won’t drag me into political strife where a bloody, thorny path is expected.
“You really know how to use the people around you in many ways.”
“Use? What do you mean?”
I smiled brightly and continued.
“You’ve seen how much my sister worries about me, haven’t you, Your Highness?”
“Indeed.”
Somehow his tone became gruff. It was proof that the medicine I had administered was very effective.
“Ah, I can testify to His Majesty that they are hunters. I can also testify that they treated me well and apologized. Call me if you need me.”
“I’ll handle it.”
It was a signal as good as surrender. With this, I successfully repelled the Second Prince and passed on all the troublesome work.
‘Ah, that feels good.’
Now I just need to return to the mansion, go back to how things were with Luwen, and wait until Taran’s charges are cleared.
‘Come to think of it, I passed this on to the Second Prince too… I’ve caught a good fish.’
I smiled kindly towards the Second Prince. It was because his evaluation had slightly improved in my mind. The recipient of the smile, however, looked suspicious.
* * *
Two days later, I boarded the carriage first to return to the mansion. Only Luwen and I were going back.
My sister and the Second Prince said they would maintain their position to watch over the situation, as they still needed to protect the Kans. I invited Taran to come along, but he said he wanted to stay with the people he hadn’t seen in a long time, so I let him. It would be uncomfortable to bring him to the mansion before his false charges were cleared anyway.
Luwen seemed very pleased about returning alone with me. He was grinning the whole time. He looked so happy that my cheeks were aching from smiling along with him.
‘I’m glad to be going home too.’
A soft bed, delicious meals, and a cool interior are waiting for me. The messenger bird must have arrived first, so Merin would have prepared everything perfectly.
‘Ah, that’s right!’
On the day of the attack, I was very curious about why Merin was there, but I forgot about it because things unfolded so rapidly.
“Luwen. How did Merin end up coming along that day?”
