Chapter 46

"Alright, do it."

The next afternoon, in the open courtyard of the mansion, I took a deep breath, prepared myself mentally, and then ordered my opponent.

In front of me was a dragon enveloped in flames. It was the physical manifestation of the ring of Lutiera, the awakened Bahamut.

Bahamut opened its mouth wide and spat a swirling flame from deep within its throat at me.

In the next instant, my body was engulfed in flames.

"Ugh..."

While being burned by the inferno, I made my body remember the sensation. I endured the burning sensation on my skin and counted in my mind—one minute.

"Ha!"

Using the power of Leviathan, I blew away Bahamut's flames.

The ground was scorched, and the earth was melting and falling off, emitting a burnt smell. Having a rough idea, I moved on to the next step—

"Kyaa!"

A scream was heard. Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw Jiji, the maid, sitting on the ground, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. Next to her, something that looked like an envelope had fallen.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you alright, my lord?"

"Hmm?"

"That... incredible flame..."

"Oh, that's Bahamut. I burned myself with it."

"Eeeeh!?"

Jiji was thoroughly surprised, her face showing that she didn't understand what I had said.

"Burn yourself... Why?"

"I thought I'd take it now while I can."

I glanced at the status in the corner of my vision.

----------------

Name: Noah Ararat

Prime Minister Prince

Gender: Male

Level: 10/∞

HP D+SSS Fire E+SSS

MP E+SSS Water D+SSS

Strength D+SSS Wind E+SSS

Stamina E+SSS Earth E+SSS

Intelligence E+SSS Light E+SSS

Spirit E+SSS Darkness E+SSS

Speed F+SSS

Dexterity E+SSS

Luck E+SSS

----------------

The Prime Minister Prince who handles the empire's affairs in place of His Majesty. Being given this role, my "plus" is probably due to the entire empire being added to it.

In simpler terms, I am currently invincible.

That's why I thought I'd take Bahamut's and Leviathan's attacks now while I can.

"Why now?"

"Jiji, have you had the smallpox vaccine?"

"Eh? Ah, yes. All of my lord's maids have received it."

"It's the same thing. The smallpox vaccine is called variolation, which means deliberately transferring the pus from a patient—essentially a weak form of the disease—to make the body remember it. It's the same principle."

"Ah, I see..."

Jiji finally understood and nodded. She slowly stood up, but she still seemed shocked.

"Even so, such a strong attack... such incredible flames..."

"Thanks to this, I now know that being burned all over makes it hard to breathe. This way, I won't be surprised if it happens in an emergency."

"Ha... My lord is truly amazing..."

"Anyway, what did you bring?"

"Ah, yes! A letter for my lord."

Jiji hurriedly picked up the letter and handed it to me.

"Who is it from?"

"I don't know."

"What?"

"The person who delivered it didn't say anything. Just 'for the prince.'"

"Hmm..."

I took the letter and examined it closely.

At least, it didn't seem to have any ill intent.

I broke the seal and took out the letter inside.

"This is..."

"What's wrong?"

"Take a look."

I showed the letter to Jiji.

"This is... a menu. The person who wrote this must be a big eater."

At a glance, the content of the letter was a menu. It listed the basic three meals a day and occasional snacks, for about a month.

Apart from the menu, there was a simple note: "To my savior." The handwriting was that of someone not used to writing.

I stared at the letter intently.

Is it some kind of code? I wondered, but tried various possibilities from simple line-by-line reading to complex ciphers. None of them revealed any meaningful content.

Suddenly, I noticed something.

The texture of the paper.

Once I noticed the texture, I realized something. A series of possibilities flashed through my mind.

"Cruise, huh?"

"Eh? You figured it out?"

"Yes, this is probably His Majesty's... menu for the past month."

"I see. Indeed, it does look like the royal menu... Wait, but His Majesty's health is..."

Jiji's eyes widened in surprise. Everyone in the mansion knew that His Majesty's health was not good, which was why I was appointed as the Prime Minister Prince until he recovered.

"That's the point."

"What do you mean?"

"First, I recognize the texture of this paper. It's the paper used exclusively for His Majesty in the palace."

"Ah..."

"That's how I knew it was His Majesty's menu. And the only person who would use it and call me a 'savior' is Cruise."

At that time, I had advised to reduce the punishment of a eunuch who couldn't write, which could have been interpreted as a death sentence for Cruise. Calling me a savior is not an exaggeration.

Cruise is His Majesty's confidant, and he is probably under strict orders not to talk about His Majesty's health to anyone. Indeed, he didn't say anything when he delivered the imperial decree.

However, His Majesty seems to have overlooked the menu.

The menu Cruise brought was clearly that of a healthy person.

A person suffering from summer fatigue wouldn't eat that much.

Cruise, and the concubine Ada, have given me indirect information, which has made me even more confident that His Majesty is in good health.

"Ah... That's amazing. To identify the sender just by the texture of the paper. My lord is truly amazing."

I smiled at Jiji's admiration. I thought I should thank Cruise the next time I see him.

☆

After changing out of my scorched clothes, I was about to head to the study I had built in the outer garden to handle today's affairs when I noticed a commotion at the main gate. Curious, I approached to see what was happening.

"What's going on?"

"Ah! I apologize, Your Highness. I'll chase him away immediately."

The young gatekeeper was flustered, pushing the chest of the man he was arguing with, ready to chase him away.

"Wait, what's the commotion about?"

"Are you the thirteenth prince?"

The man who was arguing with the gatekeeper spoke to me in a bright voice.

His appearance was that of a beggar. His hair was unkempt, his clothes were tattered, and his body was covered in mud. As I approached, a pungent odor assaulted my nose.

"Good timing, I have something to talk about. Can you listen?"

"You, what are you saying? That's incredibly disrespectful."

"...No, it's fine. You have something to say, right? I'll listen."

"Eh?"

The gatekeeper was surprised, not understanding what was happening.

"Follow me."

"Sure thing."

I led the man back to the mansion. Once inside, I had a maid prepare tea and led the man to the reception room.

I sat on the sofa, and the man followed suit.

"Indeed, you understand, Your Highness."

"More importantly, what brings you here?"

"Right, I'm Leon. I have a business opportunity for you."

"A business opportunity?"

"A business deal."

"I see? What kind of business?"

"That's a secret. Your Highness has many servants, right? Something about the walls."

"Will it be a loss if it's revealed?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"Hmm. How much do you need?"

"100 Reen. That should be enough."

"Hmm."

I looked at Leon. Leon was staring at me intently.

"If I invest in you, what will I get in return?"

"I'll return ten times the amount in a year."

"I see."

I noticed the expression of the maid who had entered the room. She was looking at Leon's back with a wry smile.

That kind of crude scam won't fool anyone, her face seemed to say.

Well, that's what most people would think.

"Alright. Bonnie."

I called the maid's name.

"Yes?"

"Tell Dylan to give this man 1000 Reen."

"Eh?"

"Eh?"

Leon and Bonnie's surprised voices overlapped.

"Is 1000 Reen not enough?"

"N-no... it's not... not enough..."

"Then there's no problem. I'm counting on you."

"A-ah."

Leon, with a bewildered expression, was led out of the reception room by Bonnie. After a while, Bonnie returned.

"My lord, I gave the money to the man and sent him away."

"Ah."

"Um... why the money? And ten times that amount. That kind of fraudster will never come back if you give him money."

"Did you see the man's head?"

"His... head?"

"His head."

"Ah... it was unkempt."

"Not that. His hair was unkempt, his clothes were tattered, he was covered in mud and smelled. But..."

"But?"

"His scalp was clean."

"Eh? That's impossible."

"Do you understand?"

"Yes! I was an orphan saved by my lord and became a maid."

I nodded slightly. Most of the maids in this mansion were people like that. They or their families were saved by me and became maids. Bonnie was one of them.

"Someone in such a state with a clean scalp is impossible."

"Right. So, it was a disguise."

"...Yes."

Bonnie, with a bitter expression, nodded in agreement. And... though it doesn't matter to Bonnie, Leon only looked at me when he entered the room.

This is the reception room of the thirteenth prince's mansion, where expensive furnishings are placed to entertain nobles. Even a layman can see their value at a glance.

Yet, Leon paid no attention to them and only stared at me.

"He came all the way here in disguise to ask for money, so there must be something."

"Yes..."

"I don't know what it is."

I held out my palm and shrugged.

"But people are valuable. If you think of it as an investment in a man who went to such lengths, it's fine. Even if nothing happens, the loss is only financial. If something does happen, I'll gain a man who came to me in such a state. That's the kind of money it is."

"I see... As expected, my lord!"

☆

Outside the thirteenth prince's mansion.

Leon, who had left the mansion, met up with another man waiting in the shadows. The man was well-dressed and handsome.

"How did it go?"

"...I got it."

"Why the strange face?"

"Look."

Leon took out a leather bag, and the man was surprised.

"How much is this?"

"1000 Reen. The prince gave me ten times the amount."

"...Why?"

"I don't know. He just stared at me, and then ordered a maid to give me 1000 Reen."

"Stared at you?"

"Yes."

The young man stared at Leon for a moment, then suddenly realized something.

"...His head."

"His head?"

"He saw through your disguise. Your clean scalp under that unkempt hair."

"...Ah."

Leon touched his head—his clean scalp under the unkempt hair—and had the same realization.

"That's why he thought there was something."

"There's nothing. We just wanted to observe the prince."

"Yet, he gave ten times the amount. It seems the prince is a bigger catch than we expected."

"Yes..."

The two young men looked at the thirteenth prince's mansion from the shadows.

Noah had spent 1000 Reen to catch an interesting man.

But his action, contrary to his expectations, caught two promising young men.

Thanks to everyone, we are back in second place, and the next ranking update will show a 400-point difference from first place.

This might be the last chance to reach first place...

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