Chapter 6

Amy stood there, her face showing disbelief at the skilled dissection. When she tried to stop him, he threatened to kick her out if she interfered again, and she reluctantly backed off, sniffling. Yet, the moment the knife's tip came close to danger, she would scream in terror.

Is she still trying to protect me in this situation?

Is it excessive loyalty or just cuteness?

It's not entirely bad.

I've survived for nearly several decades, learning from the self-proclaimed survival king Heracles. For me, catching and dissecting wild animals is a piece of cake.

Of course, if someone else saw my actions, it would be a massive headache.

Who would believe that the prince, who has only just woken up and can barely get out of bed, crawled all the way to the hunting grounds and caught a wild boar?

To begin with, it's not normal for the first prince to be doing real survival training within the palace.

Even if it means leaving behind unnecessary risks, I have to eat and survive somehow.

The Queen Regent Liness did assign a surveillance team, but...

I've had their eyes turned for a long time.

How can I be so sure?

Command magic isn't just for show.

Command mana grows at an incredible rate compared to other types of mana or holy power.

The foundation of command mana is to confuse the opponent.

From the moment they couldn't grasp the situation and assigned a rookie to watch me, your eyes were as good as closed.

I gave a cold smile as I looked at Queen Liness's palace in the distance, then cut the meat appropriately and sprinkled the herbs and salt I had prepared.

"By evening, the gamey smell will be mostly gone. Amy, can you do me a favor?"

"Y-Your Highness..."

Now she sends me pleading glances, but it only makes me feel more sadistic.

"Go to the head butler Vesper and ask him to arrange an audience with His Majesty the King."

"B-But..."

"Even if you know it's impossible, just ask once."

"I understand."

She bowed her head and left, her steps heavy.

She seems to have some misunderstandings, but honestly, even if we shared blood, I have no intention of reconciling with that man.

I don't know what he was thinking when he abandoned me and didn't investigate the truth of my condition.

From the moment he did nothing when my mother passed away, it was clear...

'You are no longer part of this family.'

They say a rigid mind leads to rigid thoughts.

Even if someone calls me immature, I will continue to make this choice.

What if I went to see him at night? What I want is a proper private meeting, not to sneak in like an assassin and grab him by the collar, demanding answers.

He once loved only my mother and claimed to love only her.

My mother's diary was filled with his affection and love, and the belief that he would never forget her even in death.

But he was different. His love was only this much. The man I saw through my mother's eyes was ultimately just this kind of person.

So, I just observe him, for my own judgment.

In the past, I thought that even if my half-brothers treated me coldly, they would eventually understand if I approached them sincerely.

But at the age of ten, I was betrayed by them and fell into a coma.

Surviving a blind arrow was almost a miracle. Or rather, I knew it wasn't a blind arrow.

It happened at the hunting grounds inside the palace, during a hunting competition to foster camaraderie among the royal and noble families.

There, I was hit by an arrow shot by the second prince, Calus, who was a year younger than me.

Queen Liness claimed she didn't see the culprit, but the sneer on Calus's face after he shot the arrow at me is etched in my memory.

Even if he's my half-brother, he tried to kill me.

Isn't that ridiculous?

Still, the lack of evidence, the overwhelming power of Queen Liness, and the fact that I hadn't woken up meant Calus faced no punishment.

When Queen Liness, the second prince Calus, and the third prince Benedikt rushed to see me upon my awakening, it was because of this.

I couldn't risk my life, so I pretended not to know, but the cunning woman wouldn't have believed me easily.

The surveillance team was likely assigned for this reason.

Perhaps the various excuses to prevent me from seeing the king are due to her concern that I might have seen Calus.

"Or... it's 100% the truth."

I finished salting the meat and cleaned the blood with a Clean spell. Then, I burned the rough clothes I was wearing and the cloth on the floor, leaving no trace.

Just a little.

I needed to appear as a weak and lucky prince struggling to survive, one who is brought game by someone every day.

* * *

"Your Highness David, I have brought your meal."

I smiled at her as she bowed, and her face turned red.

"Would you like to eat with me?"

"T-That's not possible!..."

"Just eat."

It will help spread the rumors.

If they see me as a foolish and unaware prince, they will underestimate me, making it easier to manipulate them.

"But..."

"I said not to make me repeat myself."

"I-I'm sorry."

"Come and sit."

I spoke calmly, and she hesitantly sat across from me.

She is currently my only ally in this palace. This treatment is the least I can offer.

"Eat well. Managing this palace alone is not a normal situation."

"It's my duty."

"No one in this palace works as hard as you."

"That's not true! I only do what you ask..."

"Which is a lot."

Managing most of the palace is a task she can't handle alone.

That's why I've given up on managing the palace.

The more rumors spread, the better.

The more rumors of my incompetence spread, the safer I will be.

Even Queen Liness can't immediately dispose of me without a valid reason.

At most, she can only scold me.

I'm not afraid of that.

"It's delicious. You'll be loved by your husband for being so meticulous."

"T-Thank you."

"I will definitely repay you later."

Maids don't usually do menial tasks; that's the job of the servants. Even as a fallen noble, she shouldn't be doing such work.

But she does it all because these bastards abandoned the palace and ran away.

Now, some are trying to show their faces, fearing future repercussions, but I'm confident that when they return, it will be their last day in this palace.

I was generous, not foolish.

They all have their own backing, so they are making excuses to stay away.

"What about the response to the request for an audience with the king?"

"It's... as expected, another rejection."

"I see. What about what I asked you to find out?"

"I already did, but... why would you want to know such a thing?"

She bowed her head again at my silent gaze.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked..."

"No, it's fine."

I chewed and swallowed the meat calmly. Thanks to the Restore spell, my appetite is quite strong.

Of course.

'Gh... my stomach again...'

The problem is that my digestive system is too active.

To be clear, unless I can convert waste into nutrients during my transformation, my digestive system will continue to act up.

Thinking about this made me feel a bit melancholic.

* * *

"What is he thinking?"

Queen Liness, sitting at the table and sipping tea, stiffened.

"Is there a possibility that he's acting?"

"The priests who examined Prince David say his body is in a precarious state, barely able to move. They estimate that he needs at least a year of convalescence at his current recovery rate."

A woman in a maid's uniform replied quietly.

She looked like an ordinary maid, but she was different.

A top-tier information agent of the Black Moon Assassins' Guild in the capital of the Riston Kingdom.

Her status as an A-rank agent was significant.

Liness sipped her tea, watching the woman silently.

Her composed appearance.

Though she looked like a skilled maid, Liness could see the arrogance and malice in her eyes.

Her ability to conceal her killing intent, even when not directed at a specific target, was impressive, but Liness had always been a keen observer.

She was a top-tier information agent, capable of being recognized anywhere on the continent. If needed, she could assassinate a high-ranking noble in a single day.

Liness had the Black Moon Guild assign her to her side long-term.

There might be better assassins on the continent, but in this kingdom, her skills were among the best.

With her, Liness could protect herself and eliminate any nuisances without hesitation.

In fact, when she gave her a target, she would return with the head within days.

A killing machine.

That's how Liness saw her. If she was involved, the information was almost always true, and if she was involved, most targets would be found dead the next day.

So why does it feel so unsettling?

"Is there a possibility that your agent missed something?"

When the first prince, David Riston, who had been in a coma for six years, woke up, she was genuinely surprised.

But she quickly assessed the situation and realized he could do nothing.

Even if David knew he was almost killed by Calus's arrow at the hunting competition, it didn't matter.

She could easily bury the truth with threats.

The king had no interest in his son.

So, she always held the leash on David.

She was just looking for a reason to deal with him.

At Liness's question, the A-rank agent, Shari, of the Black Moon, gave a strangely cold look.