The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

It’s been a few days since Mia’s visit.

She has already returned to the north. Of course, with my letter to Duke Reinfeld.

Mia’s power is needed once I get to the Dominion and it is better to send Ted to study under the Duke

At the moment, Duke Reinfeld is governing the Dominion in the form of an assistant to Lize-aneue.

Most of their high-ranking nobles along with the King had been apprehended and sent to a prison in the Empire. They will be executed when the time comes.

That’s why the Dominion currently has no ruler. There is only Lize-aneue and her army there.

However, there are times when military power alone is not enough. Duke Reinfeld is making up for that. Even after Trau-niisan and I arrived, he will probably stick around to help us for a while.

There is no better time to send Ted to study under the Duke than this.

That’s why I sent Mia back to the North early.

“Seriously….why did this happen?”

I mutter while looking at the pile of portraits on my desk.

All of them are portraits with a certain modification.

“When they saw you with Mia-sama, it seemed that they misunderstood your preference to be like a simple village girl, sir. They will probably keep sending in women with a look as your fiance candidates now.”

“They didn’t listen to a word I said huh…….?”

Even though I said that much to them, they still haven’t given up on getting me to marry their daughters.

So persistent.

“That can’t be helped, sir. You are Leonard-sama’s elder brother. If Leonard-sama gains even more credit from the war with the Kingdom, he will be closer to the throne than His Highness Eric. His Highness Eric himself hasn’t been to battlefields lately after all. In times of war, strong rulers are more sought after. With that being the case, you will become the elder brother of the next Emperor. Furthermore, since you have proven your ability, any sensible aristocrats would want to make connections with you, sir.”

“If they push me too much then they might end up with a broken wrist you know?”

“You have been targeted for some time, sir. This problem simply emerged because they found an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?”

“It has to do with Finne-sama and Elna-sama, sir. Before, they thought that it would be useless to bring up such a thing with you since you are close to the two of them. However, you refused them both. That’s why they think that they’ve got a chance.”

“It would be better if they give up instead since I turned down both a ducal house and the Brave house though……well, I guess any nobles that ignored the succession war so far would act like that huh.”

The nobles who are trying to make connections with me lately all came from a neutral position.

It can be said that they are very late since they have not decided on who to support even though the succession war has reached its final stage.

If they remain neutral this far then the correct choice should be to remain neutral until the end.

The people that want to make connections with us after they see that we are gaining the advantage are nothing but those that sought to benefit themselves.

They should have waited until the final moment of the succession war and joined the candidate who needed their help and if that didn’t happen then they should have stayed neutral until the very end.

It’s their fault for making their move so late in the conflict.

However, it seems that they do not think that way.

They probably think that it is still a 50-50 chance.

Now that the faction has grown, adding more middle-class nobles to our ranks does not really benefit us though.

“How do you wish to proceed, sir?”

“It’s easy to turn them down but…….this is just right. I will have them leave me alone.”

“Have you come up with something, sir?”

“It will not be that effective but I should be able to make a good enough excuse.”

“I see.”

Understanding what I meant, Sebas repeatedly nodded.

A few days later.

Without a single knock, Elna entered my room.

“AL! WHAT DID YOU DO!?”

“At least give me a kno………well, whatever. So? What do you want?”

“Don’t ‘What do you want?’ me! There’s a rumor that you prefer simple village girls and the nobles are sending you portraits of their daughter one after another right!”

“That’s right.”

“Then hurry up and turn them down! Why are you leaving this alone!?”

“Even if I turn them all down, they will just keep coming right?”

“If you seriously refuse them then they will stop!”

If I get even more serious than last time then I will have to say that anyone who tries to send me portraits of their daughters will be punished.

As expected, no one would do it after that.

But.

“Personally, I would be troubled if they don’t send me more though.”

“What’s that!? Don’t tell me you really like plain village girls!?”

“It doesn’t matter what my preference is. All I need is quantity.”

“You are the worst……only the Emperor is allowed polygamy you know?”

“What are you imagining…….I am only trying to make an excuse here alright.”

Elna tilts her head at my words.

Seriously.

“Don’t let this slip to anyone okay?”

“Of course.”

“This is worrying…….well, I just need a bit more so I guess it’s fine. It’s unusual to have this many marriage proposals coming to me right? I am a prince after all. With so many middle-class nobles sending in marriage proposals one after another without consulting the Emperor first, one could say that they are making light of him, no?”

“That’s true. Their position is different from that of a ducal house or the Brave after all. So? What kind of excuse are you trying to make?”

“Something like this can happen not only in the Empire but the Dominion as well. Don’t you think so?”

“Certainly, the Dominion’s aristocrats should also want to make connections with the Imperial Family.”

“Exactly. It would be a hassle if they interfered with my work. That’s why I will revert back to my previous state.”

“Your previous state?”

“I need Finne at my side to drive these nobles away. That’s the excuse I will use to bring Finne with me to the Dominion. I can’t leave Finne in the Imperial Capital. If the situation turns bad, Leo will have to return to the border immediately. It’s possible that she will become a target.”

“Don’t tell me, you are planning to use Finne to drive away other women?”

“She can also use me to ward off her suitors. It seems that there have been a lot of marriage proposals coming her way lately you know.”

Recently, Finne isn’t with me much.

Whenever she has free time, she always goes to visit Therese-aneue at the east palace.

I felt a little bad for Therese-aneue but I will have to pull her back to my side.

“If the relationship between me and Finne is good, the number of nobles who are trying to push their daughters on me will decrease. I will use that as an excuse and bring Finne with me.”

“But you have already refused her once, right?”

“Even so, just having her by my side will influence them that way. The rest would be to spread the rumors. Even the aristocrats of the Dominion wouldn’t bother to bring up marriage talk with me with Finne at my side.”

“…….somehow it felt like I just lost so I kinda hate this.”

Elna whispered with a dissatisfied expression.

Why does she always think things in terms of winning and losing I wonder.

“Then just quit the Knight Order. If you do that then I will bring you to the Dominion with no hesitation.”

“There’s no way I can do that right? We have the Demons to deal with after all…….”

“So you already understand. Just like old days, if I have you by my side then I won’t have to worry about marriage. But…….now we have our roles to fulfill. We can’t be just childhood friends to each other like we are used to.”

“…….so Finne will do that job instead of me?”

“That would be the case.”

“Then I’m convinced.”

With that said, Elna doesn’t look dissatisfied anymore and turns back to leave.

It’s kinda amazing that she was convinced because of a reason like that. I wonder what kind of basis she operated on.

“For the time being, that’s one thing taken care of.”

“The rest would be to explain it to His Majesty, sir.”

“He would definitely allow it if I went to him looking tired with all from all the marriage proposals. Father probably doesn’t want Finne to remain in the Imperial Capital in this situation either. If there was a full-scale war with the Demons, Father would have to go to battle too after all.”

“Anti-Demon Covenant is it. If the Demons’ invasion is confirmed, each country will have to send in its strongest forces. That covenant hasn’t been used for the past 500 years though.”

“If the SS-rank adventurers can take care of them then that would be for the best.”

It would be better if no one had to be made a sacrifice.

However, this situation doesn’t allow me to be optimistic.

Thinking so, I quietly looked out the window.

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