The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

A few days after Christa and Finne were chosen to receive the elven dignitary.

Eric, Leo, and I were summoned by Father.

I understand why he called Eric and Leo. After all, he will probably tell them which dignitary of the two major countries they will be assigned to welcome.

But why was I summoned too?

Orihime already nominated me as her entertainer so my assignment is set in stone already. If Father goes out of his way to cancel that, not only it will lower the Empire’s reputation but Orihime will not be so favorable toward the Empire as well.

While thinking about such a thing, I finally arrived at the throne room.

Father, Franz, Eric, and Leo were already waiting for me inside.

“You are late, Arnold.”

“I was intending to be here early though.”

“If you are fine with me being tired and couldn’t talk then I will do so.”

Father raised his brows at my reply but from his side, Franz cleared his throat to remind him to start the meeting.

I guess this is no time to discuss such a topic huh.

“Hmph…..Eric, Leonard. I am going to decide which country you will be assigned to at the ceremony now. Do you have any requests regarding that?”

“As long as  it is Father’s decision, I have no qualm against it.”

Leo gives a safe answer first.

To that, Eric immediately replied.

“I wish to welcome the dignitary from the Sokal empire.”

“Hou? And what is your reason?”

“It is a country that I have visited many times as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, they should be more familiar with me than Leonard.”

“So you think that they would not be so favorable toward Leonard?”

“Eleven years ago, the dwarves have fled the Sokal empire to our Adraxia Empire. They know that at the time Leonard’s mother, Mitsuba-dono was involved in allowing them into our country. Still, they shouldn’t know the exact details of what happened.”

Saying so, Eric glances at me.

He is probably trying to imply that ‘it was the mess you made’ but well, it’s already in the past. There’s nothing I can do about it now so I just shrug and let it pass.

Seeing that, Eric lightly exhales and continues speaking.

“With the dwarves incident, there are probably many who don’t have good feelings toward Mitsuba-dono so I think that it would be better for me to entertain the guests from the Sokal empire myself.”

“Hmm, what do you think? Franz.”

“It is as His Highness Eric said. We do not have time to cause extra problems as well.”

“I see. Then Eric will be assigned to the dignitary from the empire. Are you alright with that? Leonard.”

“I do not mind.”

Saying so, Leo bows without saying anything more.

He knew that it would be like this, that’s why he gave Father a safe answer. Between the empire and the Kingdom, the people of the Empire are more favorable toward the Sokal empire. The duty to entertain the dignitary from the empire is important but Eric has many acquaintances in the Sokal empire. If we can’t win no matter how much effort we put in then it would be better to not take that fight in the first place.

After all, there are only two choices here. It’s not a bad thing for Leo to be left with the leftover one.

“Then Leonard, you will be assigned to the dignitary from the Kingdom.”

“I think that is good. The representative from the Kingdom also wanted either His Highness Leonard or His Highness Arnold to be their host as well.”

“Me and Leo?”

I unintentionally reacted since it piqued my interest.

The Kingdom has been at war with the Empire since eleven years ago. Since then, we have been gradually deepening the relationship with each other.

We have been dispatching people to go to their side while the other side also sent someone over. It should be someone who they sent over in the past but, was there anyone who got along with me and Leo that well?

For a moment, I dive into the sea of my memory.

But before I remembered that person, Leo arrived at the answer.

“Don’t tell me…..[Saint]-sama will be coming to visit us?”

“Exactly. So you immediately know who it is huh?”

“…….I still remember her after all. She only stayed with us for 2 days though.”

“That’s right. It seems that she still remembers her time here. Arnold seems to have forgotten it though.”

“If you mention her I would remember.”

That’s right.”

Five years ago. At the time when we were only 13 years old, we spent two days with a girl from the Kingdom.

The girl who was one year older than us was called the [Saint].

Two years before we met, the girl who was 12 years old at the time held a legendary staff in her hands and saved the Kingdom of Perlan which was at war with multiple countries.

As the Kingdom and the Empire were locked in a stalemate, that Saint came to visit the Empire as the Kingdom’s ambassador.

It was a coincidence that we were able to become acquaintances. The two of us met her when she happened to be talking with our mother.

I still remember how I enjoy those two days.

I see. So she still remembers us huh.

“The Saint Saviour of the Kingdom of Perlan, Leticia. So, she will be representing the Kingdom this time huh.”

“That’s right. The Kingdom seems to want to conclude the treaty with us soon. The reason that the Saint herself will be coming here is the declaration of that.”

“It was always her who lessened the tension at the border after all. Her decision in nominating her entertainer here might be a political one as well.”

“I will do my best.”

Leo said with a face full of motivation.

Seeing him like that, I lightly sigh. The important talk should be over now.

“So? Why did you call me here?”

“……there is a little troublesome matter.”

“Another troublesome thing again huh………please don’t push something like that to me anymore.”

“A dignitary from the Cornix Dominion will be coming, Your Highness.”

The moment Franz said that my head went blank for a moment.

The reason is that I just heard the name of a country that has no business coming here.

I, Leo, and Eric silently give Father a sharp gaze.

Father slightly narrowed his eyes and took it.

“Are you sane?”

The voice was so emotional that I was surprised that it was Eric’s voice.

The emotion imbued in that voice was anger. Both mine and Leo’s anger also doesn’t lose to him

“The Cornix Dominion…..It was them that killed Wilhelm three years ago you know!?”

“That’s right! Even if they are now a part of the Egret United Kingdom, a country that tried to evade the responsibility and blame what happened on some random vassal has no right to be here!? Father!! They took Wilhelm’s life!!”

The throne room is heating up.

That was how hated the country that took the life of the Crown Prince is.

The Cornix Dominion is a country to the north of the Empire. It used to be an independent nation but since its defeat by the United Kingdom of Egret (TLN: Kanji read the Alliance of Island Nations), it was now incorporated into the United Kingdom. However, because they are now a semi-independent country, they still have a certain degree of autonomy.

Our eldest brother, Wilhelm the Crown Prince, died in the battle that took place at the border of the Cornix Dominion. Their explanation was only that some of their vassals went out of control and only offered us the head of some random vassal as an apology.

Of course, the Empire was furious. Many voiced their opinions that we should destroy their whole country but the death of the Crown Prince, who was the excellent successor, took a toll on Father and he lost the energy to make a counterattack on them.

Apart from that, Father thought that what happened might have been an assassination that would have been unrelated to the Dominion. One could say that he spent so much time investigating that and eventually missed the chance for the counterattack.

That’s why the root of the problem is still unsolved.

To the mass, they see the Cornix Dominion as their sworn enemy

Even Leo who was usually calm was angry at the Dominion’s response when they denied all responsibility and blamed everything on their vassal. 

His anger from that time probably resurfaced.

“That matter——is already in the past. We must set our sights forward from now on. The other side wanted to reconcile with us. Brushing them off would be ill-mannered.”

“However!”

Leo was still unconvinced but he didn’t say anything more when he saw Father’s eyes. Even Father still couldn’t fully come to terms with this. That was what his eyes were saying.

“So you want me to be their entertainer for the event?”

“Can I ask you to do that? A VIP from the United Kingdom will be coming as well. I am intending to have Gordon take care of that.”

“…….Can I have some time to think it over?”

“Very well. If you don’t think that you can do it you can refuse. I don’t mind.”

Father said so and dismissed us.

————

I and Leo are silently walking down the hallway of the castle.

“……you should refuse.”

“You think so?”

I finally smiled when Leo opened his mouth.

He’s still having a sour look on his face. This is rare.

“You don’t want to do it right?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to do it. I asked Father for time to think it over because I want to know if that person is okay with this.”

“That person?”

“We aren’t the ones who are the angriest at them. I’m sure the angriest one among us is Trau-niisan. If Trau-niisan is okay with it then I will take the job.”

The day Trau-niisan, the real younger brother of our eldest brother, known of his death.

It was the first time that I ever saw Trau-niisan get angry.

Back then he even said that he would personally lead the army to attack the Dominion himself.

I can’t decide what to do with this case before asking Trau-niisan first.

“I am fine. It’s not that I am not angry. But Father was also enduring his anger. If Trau-niisan is willing to endure that anger too then I will also do the same. That’s why you can just forget about this.”

“But……”

“Are you planning to welcome the Saint with that kind of face?”

Leo’s face that was clouded by anger is different than he usually is.

That is not a good face to show her.

Leo takes a deep breath and finally notices what kind of face he is making.

“—–Okay. I will leave this to you, Nii-san.”

“Do that. You can just think about how you should welcome the Saint. After all—-”

She is your first love.

When I said so with a grin on my face, Leo turned his blushed face away and turned silent.

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