Evil-like Duke Household

I, the Azolias Kingdom’s First Prince, Alto – Azolias, am vigilant.

Against whom, you ask? Well of course, it is against the [Ractos Household].

Everytime he exchanges words with my father, who is the King, with a haughty attitude – I am absolutely sure that Grid Ractos is trying to start something in our country.

However, the on whom I am most cautious against is that guy. Jake Ractos.

I always see him in a back alley where there aren’t a lot of people. It seems he is always planning something.

Although I don’t have any evidence – that expression.

I cannot say that that is the expression of someone who is sane.

Surely, he is biding his time, searching for an opportunity to begin his actions.

He is just like a poisonous serpent, hiding in the thicket.

Like every other day, I secretly followed after him today. (TL : umm… prince, “today too,” ….. aren’t you a stalker!)

Today, for sure, will be the day when I will get the evidence. The decisive evidence that your family is plotting something!

Just as I thought. Jake entered the back alley.

In order to remain unseen, I followed him while raising my vigilance.

However, I soon lost sight of Jake.

Dammit! Where did he go? No way, did he realise I was tailing him? With his shadow magic he……..?

As I searched the surroundings for any signs of him, I heard a man bellowing from an alley.

I suppressed my presence as much as I could and took a peek – There was Jake Ractos who confronted two men, grinning boldly.

[ Bastard ! What do you want, huuh !? ]

[We~ll…. i’m quite troubled here, you know. If you do such a thing here …… ]

The man shouted at Jake with a loud voice.

Deeper inside the alley, there was a girl whose clothing was tattered.

no way, did he intended to save that girl who is about to get raped ? That Jake is ?

No way. That….that Jake Ractos………was he intending to save the girl from being raped?!

[Haaah ! ? What do you mean ? ]

[You know…..that thing you are doing…….just do it in another place…..]

No, it seemed that Jake was only worried if they did something [in this area].

[ Oi! There are two of us. You’re just alone. On top of that, a weak looking person like you can only…. ]

[ Wai-Wait. This guy, perhaps……. he is the incarnation of the devil snake….!? ]

As soon as the men realised Jake’s identity, their faces became visibly paler.

Of course they would be afraid. The grandson of that [Sorcerous King of the Dusk], was one of the few who could use [shadow sorcery].

He was not an opponent you could defeat by mere brute strength alone.

[He-heeh! Wait, this demon snake uses shadow magic, right? This is an alley with no light. He won’t be able to use his prided shadow magic!]

As if to act strong, the man said that proudly.

That’s wrong, that’s totally wrong…..

[My grandfather is known as the 『 Sorcerous King of the Dusk』. Do you guys know why?]

That’s right, the exemplary user of shadow sorcery, Diebold – Ractos.

[When the sun goes down……..at night, he is truly invincible. It is fitting, then, to call him the Sorcerous King….]

[You do realise, at night, everything is basically one, big and totally enormous 『Shadow』…. ? By the way….in this dim place…..don’t you think this place itself is one big shadow?]

And as he quietly spoke, from inside the darkness of the alley, just like dark serpents, countless shadows took form and gradually rose out.

[ Hi, hiiih!?]

I wondered where the haughtiness of those guys went. They kept making pathetic cries; it seems they can’t move due to fear.

[Miss. I think it is better if you quickly leave here, you know? Inside this huge shadow, it’ll become a problem if you get caught, you know. After all, this is the belly of a serpent…..]

As he said it jokingly, Jake made a “kishishishi” laugh, like a snake.

The strong people around me. The Knight Captain, Spy commander, and my father, who is the king.

A fear that was different from what I felt in-front of their overwhelming power ran around my body. A fear that made me feel as if there was a snake coiled around me, a fear that made my body temperature plummet.

Perhaps it was because of that fear, that the girl who couldn’t say a word, frantically ran away from Jake, tripping as she went.

The matter was concluded in an instant.

Countless shadow serpents tightly constrained the men so that they could not run away, while blocking their mouths so they could not raise their voice.

Jake, ignoring those guys, took out a magic communication item from his pocket, and then made a call.

[ ….. that’s correct, two men. Across the street from Crescent Moon Pavilion. Yes, I can’t take them both over there, after all.]

It seemed like he had asked someone to do something about those men over the magic communication item.

I felt slightly restless. I was sure he was planning to do something to those men.

If I wanted to cut in, this would be the best time, right?

Jake continued to walk down the alley slowly.

Perhaps, this is the right time to catch him.

[ Oi, Jake – Ractos ….! What are you trying to do to those men? ]

My leg wasn’t shaking, right?

As Jake slowly turned his face towards me, cold sweat poured down my back.

[ Oh? So it was First Prince Alto. It’s dangerous you know~ . Coming to this place without any guards. ]

[Answer! Jake!! ]

I erased my fear by shouting.

[ … Of course, I want to give them to the guard. Properly …… and normally …. look?]

That’s clearly a lie.

This guy, I wonder what in the world he was planning to do with those poor guys.

[ …. Bastard, what are you scheming?]

Without answering my question, Jake silently gave a bow, then, without looking back at me, walked off deeper into the alley.

[ Your scheming…..I’ll surely expose it! I’ll not let you do as you please in this country!]