Chapter 11

"Right, you guys."

Gardeners, maids, housemaids, butlers, and even the lower-ranking nobles involved.

They all seem to be of various kinds.

If I had tried to catch them directly, half of them would have escaped, so it's a good thing I staged this situation.

Except for the maid Amy, who was originally supposed to work here, they took the opportunity to run away while I was in a coma for a long time.

Even amidst this, they were embezzlers who never missed a single penny of their salary.

When our eyes met amidst the rumors that I had gone mad, their faces turned pale.

"Vesper, the head butler."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What is the punishment in this case?"

"They are heinous criminals. Originally, their immediate family members would be beheaded as well."

Without a moment's hesitation, he answered, and the faces of those bound turned blue.

"Y-Your Highness! We have committed a crime worthy of death!"

"P-PLEASE spare us!"

Trembling, they approached, grabbing my legs and begging for mercy, and most of the people bowed, pleading for forgiveness.

Perhaps they thought that, despite the rumors of my madness, I might be a soft-hearted person who might show mercy.

Or perhaps they were grasping at straws in a desperate attempt to survive.

"There's an interesting rumor going around the palace recently."

"What rumor, Your Highness?"

Ignoring those clinging to my pants and begging, I looked at the head butler Vesper and said,

"That I am mad with bloodlust."

"Such rumors do circulate."

He spoke firmly, as if he couldn't bear to hear any euphemisms.

Indeed, with the priest who came to treat me in the palace being killed by a sword, it's not surprising that such rumors would spread.

Immediate execution without investigation.

Of course, that doesn't give them a reason to do anything to me right away.

Queen Liness only imposed a ridiculous punishment of house arrest and quietly observed, which is essentially the reason.

If my position becomes more precarious and my behavior more tyrannical, things might change.

For now, I am merely punishing those who have broken the law.

"Then I should act according to the rumor."

"..."

In response to my words, Vesper, the head butler, silently bowed his head.

Then he turned to the soldiers who had brought the bound and kneeling people and said,

"Have you heard the order of His Highness?"

"Yes!"

"Take them away. They are heinous criminals who have embezzled the precious treasury of the Kingdom of Rawn. Do not give them a single drop of water and lock them up. They will be beheaded in four days!"

"Oh, Head Butler!"

"Please spare us!"

Ignoring those who clung and wept, he sternly shouted,

"They have drained the blood of the kingdom's citizens to fill their own bellies. What are you doing! Take them away!"

With that, the soldiers firmly dragged away the crying and screaming people.

"Then I will take my leave."

"Was it by the order of the Queen?"

"Yes. They say she has been catching and bringing in those who embezzled the treasury."

"How ridiculous."

At my words, Vesper's face showed a bit of shock.

But he quickly regained his composure and wiped the expression away.

"Your Highness, please use more moderate language considering your position."

I'm sorry, sir, but I've already seen everything. Even when I was young, you often smiled at me and gave me snacks.

"I will select new staff and assign them from this afternoon."

"Assign Amy as my personal maid. She has worked hard, so promote her to head maid, and the bonus I can give will come from the inner palace budget, right?"

"Yes."

"Give her a generous bonus."

"I will take care of it."

Saying that, he bowed deeply.

"And one more thing."

I stopped him as he was about to leave.

"Is it still impossible to request an audience with Father?"

At my words, he fell silent.

"I apologize."

"Is it by Father's order or the Queen's?"

He laughed hollowly, perhaps finding it amusing that I had already grasped the situation to some extent.

"I merely convey the orders."

"That's right. Thank you for your hard work. You may go."

At my words, he silently turned around.

Then he stopped again and quietly said,

"Your Highness, you must be patient. The palace is..."

"Enough, I know what you're trying to say. I will be patient... and endure."

Smiling, I showed him that I had no regrets, and he retreated without any further hesitation.

Vesper, the head butler, is not one of Queen Liness's people.

I knew that his words were not just a warning but advice born from experience.

Indeed, from his perspective, my situation is precarious.

A prince with nothing to his name is too fearless.

But there is one thing he doesn't know. I am not without resources.

* * *

Cutting off the tail.

Queen Liness is systematically getting rid of things that could become liabilities.

Under the pretext of our deal.

By cutting off one by one the things that could serve as evidence, she will eventually have nothing to fear.

She is likely waiting for that moment.

I thought she would have acted immediately, but for some reason, she is being quite cautious.

While I was quietly reading a book, Amy cautiously entered.

"Your Highness, here is your snack."

"Thank you always."

Smiling at her, her face turned red.

"Your Highness, Prince Baris and Princess Winry have returned to the palace."

"Baris and Winry?"

It was unexpectedly good news.

Looking up at her, she nodded quietly.

"Yes, they heard that Your Highness has awakened and immediately came from the provinces."

"That's quite good news."

"They say they will come here directly after their audience with the King."

"Can I just let them pass? Prepare some refreshments. And some good tea."

At my words, she smiled and nodded.

* * *

The current king, Crianes Ol Rawn, has one wife and two concubines.

The first is the current Queen Liness.

And the first concubine, Anisha, and the second concubine, Ellis.

Originally, my mother should have been the queen, but she passed away when I was young.

For some political reason, all records of my mother are being erased.

In the end, the only records of my mother remain in this 1st Prince's palace.

Looking silently at the photo, I saw a beautiful woman with black hair smiling lovingly while holding a small me.

Though I may be biased, I have a rather soft and handsome face.

My mother, who passed on many of her genes to me, was also a beautiful woman who suited black hair.

"Thanks to the genes I inherited, I'm living well."

Speaking to her, of course, there was no response.

"Is it a good place to live?"

The souls of the dead are supposed to follow the path of pilgrimage and be reborn.

Perhaps my mother has been reborn and is living somewhere in this world or another.

There is no way to find her, so the option of seeing her again does not exist.

"Please wait a little longer. I can't just let those who killed my mother die easily."

"Brother Dave!"

"Brother! It's Winry! I'm here!"

After preparing cookies and tea and waiting quietly, two urgent voices were heard.

"I'm here, you guys, come in."

Hearing their voices, which I hadn't heard in a long time, I smiled and gave permission. The door burst open, and two young children rushed in.

Adorable teenagers in their mid-teens with green hair that suited them.

14 years old.

Prince Baris, the 4th Prince, and Princess Winry, the 2nd Princess, who is his twin.

"It's been a while."

"Brother! When we heard that you had awakened, we managed to make time and immediately rode to find you. It's really fortunate!"

I patted Baris's head, who was shouting cutely, and Winry came over, wanting the same.

"Have you both been well?"

Smiling, I asked, and they nodded vigorously.

"Of course. Who am I? I'm your brother. What's so difficult about provincial life?"

"Ha! You, who always complain about how hard it is."

"What? Hey! Brother! And you were also grumbling about the bandits!"

"Stop it! Just because I was born 5 minutes earlier, I'm your brother?!"

"Ha!"

Their lively banter made me smile.

These few are not my enemies.

In this royal family, they are the ones I trust, as I did in the past.

7. Ambush.

Unlike the foolish and thoughtless 2nd Prince Kalus or the sinister and twisted Benedict, the two in front of me are so cheerful that it's almost hard to believe they are royalty.

They are more like a pair of bickering twins.

The two, with their strong and impulsive personalities, seemed to be so engrossed in their argument that they didn't even notice me.

It felt like I was really seeing young teenagers.

They are only 14 years old.

Still at the age where they can act spoiled and play.

By my standards.

"It's good to hear that you've been well. Look at how much these little ones have grown."

"It's been six years. After you collapsed, we immediately went to the provinces."

Barris muttered, and I smiled.

"Right. I've heard the general situation."

Queen Liness likely removed him as a candidate for the next king.

The same queen who sold her first daughter, Princess Tanya, to a foreign country without hesitation to boost the status of her own children.

It makes sense that she would also remove the impulsive and travel-loving Baris and Winry.

"Have you seen Father?"

"Yes."

"How is he?"

"He looked a bit tired. And..."

Barris hesitated.

At the same time, Winry tilted her head.

"Brother Dave, you haven't seen Father?"

"It happened that way."

At this, Winry's expression crumpled, as if she was disappointed.

"Goodness..."

Your son was in a coma for six years and woke up.

Five months later, he hasn't seen his father's face.

"Perhaps you will see him soon."

"Brother..."

Though they are half-siblings, unlike the 2nd and 3rd Princes, Kalus and Benedict, these two have always been supportive of me.

Because they have a kind and affectionate nature, like me. However, they are also strong-willed and persistent.

That's why I like and trust them.

If the next king were to be chosen, Baris would be the best candidate, and that fact won't change.

"Queen Liness is really too much..."

Winry pouted and clung to me, and I patted her back without a word.

"Are you well? I saw the state of the palace on the way here..."

At Barris's voice, which couldn't continue, I nodded.

"There were embezzlers who drained the treasury. I caught them all just before you arrived, and things will return to normal soon."

At my words, Barris ground his teeth.

"No matter what... How could they just ignore it! Using the fact that you were on your sickbed!"