LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 51
The royal palace’s service was nothing but a burden for a commoner like me.
Honestly, everyone working in the royal palace is just a servant; they’re all nobles hanging out outside. I mean, they must be at least counts, right?
Plus, since they all adore Seria, I figured they wouldn’t have any fondness for a commoner like me who just happened to roll in.
But it seemed like Seria had given a word or something, as everyone was watching my every move.
It got so bad that when I said I wasn’t going to eat breakfast, I was bombarded with questions.
“Were you uncomfortable sleeping? Are you feeling unwell? How about a simple soup?” flurry of questions ensued
I simply told them I wasn’t eating. No reason, just wasn’t.
In the end, I ate. I figured it would be more of a hassle not to eat.
Who knew breakfast would cause so much fuss?
Thanks to that meal, I was wide awake.
Since I couldn’t go back to sleep, I decided to read the book I had dozed off on yesterday.
Let’s see… I barely turned a page yesterday, so I was still in the beginning.
I thought it was probably a bunch of unnecessary world-building, so I flipped to the back.
– The stars distributed across a vast expanse cannot be proven finite from an observational standpoint…
– If we apply this to the fluid-geometric magical energy distribution relations revealed in recent academic conferences…
– In other words, we can understand that this intangible energy resembles the components of magical power, and is confirmed to be outside the limits proposed in form-switching distortion problems related to magical power.
…Is this really a novel? Did I accidentally grab a thesis or something?
The part I could actually read was just this, and the rest was just incomprehensible jargon.
What made Seria find this entertaining enough to read multiple times?
I flipped a few more pages and maybe the protagonist would show up soon, but just from glancing at that one page my focus scattered.
thud
So I closed the book, and quickly washed up in the guest bathroom prepared in my room.
The clothes I wore yesterday were torn, so I changed into the outfit set out in the guest room.
Hmm… So this is what royal guests wear. It looks a little too flashy for just strolling around.
To be honest, thanks to the appearance of this body, it’s manageable, but a slight slip-up and it could turn into a complete eyesore.
Well… If you’ve been invited as a guest in a royal palace, this level of flamboyance must be the norm.
With no other choice, I stepped outside while wearing that outfit.
I had planned to stay holed up until the afternoon… but just a moment ago, a servant told me the crown prince wanted to see me.
The outside of the guest room basically leads straight into the first-floor hall.
I had to face many people right after I stepped out, which was overwhelming.
“Lord Rudion! Good morning!”
“Just treat me casually.”
“It’s the princess’s order….”
What kind of order did she give that everyone is acting so timid?
Seeing how they’re acting this way even when Seria isn’t around, I have to say they’re professionals… But then again, to hold such a position, you’d need some serious social skills.
Being petty and seeking revenge just because of a personal dislike isn’t how a great adult would act.
As I was trying to find an opportunity to slip away… someone approached me and spoke.
“I heard some commotion, and here you are, a precious guest in the palace.”
The royal palace’s first son… the crown prince had personally come to see me.
“I cannot let you roam alone. Follow me.”
“…Yes.”
He had a nonchalant posture like nothing had happened between us yesterday, and since following along seemed like the best way to evade the servants, I decided to go along with it.
But… perhaps because of our previous encounter last night, it felt quite awkward.
The place we arrived at by following the crown prince was the reception room used to welcome guests.
He casually indicated a seat for me across from him, and I went to sit down. Oh, this sofa is soft as heaven!
As I marveled at the sofa’s quality, he opened his mouth.
“I acknowledge your skills. I may not possess great power, but I was top tier at the academy; this is a bit embarrassing. Well, you must have emerged intact after sparring with Lux, though.”
“I apologize for what happened yesterday. I had… trouble controlling it.”
“No, it’s fine. That was my rash behavior.”
Despite that embarrassment, he didn’t show any resentment or inferiority towards me.
Anyway, while these people are obsessed with Seria, they seem decent enough that I can’t hate them.
“But Seria is ours, after all.”
“…Huh?”
“I consulted with my younger brothers yesterday, and we simply cannot accept you. I recognize your abilities, but taking Seria away from us is unforgivable. She’s family.”
As the crown prince said this, the door of the reception room swung open, and two men confidently stepped in.
I didn’t even have to look to know who they were. The second and third brothers.
“Absolutely right, brother!”
“No matter how strong he is, he’s just a commoner. Let’s show him that sheer strength isn’t everything!”
Is this really happening?
Suddenly, I recalled the conversation Seria had with me in the carriage on the way to the royal palace.
-“If my brothers start bothering you… just run away. They’re stubborn enough that if you give in, it won’t end.”
Back then, I thought, “No way would they do that,” or “Even if they did, how would anyone stand against royalty?” but facing it now, my desire to run away surged.
But for now, I decided to hold it in. Let’s listen to what they have to say.
Then they unfurled a scroll in front of me.
“First, look at this test list we made.”
“A test? Is it similar to the ‘Qualities of a Suitable Man for the Princess’ the knights hold?”
With those thoughts, I began reading the contents, my jaw dropping in disbelief.
– A schedule of tests required to stay with our Seria
– 10:00 AM: Poison resistance training
– 11:00 AM: Knight’s hell training
– 12:00 PM: Listening to, memorizing, and singing the Seria Anthem
– 1:00 PM: Lunch
– 2:00 PM: Last an hour against fire magic
– 3:00 PM: Spar with the captain of the guard
– 4:00 PM: Last an hour against water magic
– 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM: Spar with the commander of the knights
– 7:00 PM: Dinner
– 8:00 PM to 12:00 AM: Five sets of knight’s hell training
– 12:00 AM: Sleep
…What is this, some kid’s crafted military schedule? You guys are adults; isn’t this a bit childish?
But what’s this Seria Anthem? Why does such a thing even exist?
I was curious to learn it, but to find out, I’d have to endure the poison resistance training and knight’s hell training, so I decided to live in ignorance.
That’s right. I chose to run away.
CRASH!
I hurriedly opened the window and jumped outside. It was a bit high for the first floor, but my stats weren’t abysmally low, so I was fine.
“Brother! He’s escaping!”
“Hey you! Where do you think you’re going! Brothers, pursue him!”
Both the second and third jumped out the window after me, and they started chasing me like madmen.
The crown prince wasn’t jumping out of the window; instead, he stood watching me like a dark lord. What’s he up to?
For now, I decided to focus on escaping.
Though my specs might not quite match the world level, I’m a man who graduated from the academy with excellent scores. I didn’t know their agility stats, but they were pretty fast.
Right now, I was using dash cancels to run, but I wouldn’t last long before they caught up.
So, I turned toward where I thought Seria might be.
It was late morning, and breakfast should’ve been over by now.
Once Seria finishes breakfast with her parents, she won’t go anywhere else.
“Where is he going all of a sudden?”
“Looking at the direction, it seems to be the greenhouse!”
“That’s where Seria is!”
With them confirming it as the right answer, I just needed to race to that location.
They seemed puzzled by my sudden change in direction, but soon realized I was clutching the scroll they had been holding, causing them to panic.
“I’m heading to Seria with this schedule!”
“That’s unforgivable!”
From their reactions, they themselves must recognize that schedule is insane.
As I was running, the scent of flowers became more fragrant.
The decorated trees and flowers outside the greenhouse told me I was close.
Lo and behold, the beautifully arranged greenhouse appeared ahead.
I was almost caught, but since I made it this far, it was my win.
I opened the greenhouse entrance and threw myself inside. The Emperor, Empress, and Seria, who were enjoying tea time inside, looked at me in shock.
“Rudion? Why are you suddenly here…?”
While Seria was wondering, I handed her the scroll and dashed back outside.
As I brushed past the two brothers chasing me, they stopped in their tracks, despair etched on their faces at the sight of the scroll in Seria’s hands.
“This can’t be happening.”
“We’re done for.”
Don’t react like the world’s ending just because this got discovered.
And if you didn’t want to see such a sight, you shouldn’t have created something like that in the first place.
“…What is this?”
“Seria, that’s….”
“What’s this ‘Seria Anthem’ written here?”
“….”
“I see it’s in my second brother’s handwriting. Why aren’t you answering?”
“You know my handwriting. I’m deeply moved.”
“Stop dodging the question and answer me!”
They were having a conversation that seemed engaging, but to my ears, it was just fading away.
But whatever it was, it probably wasn’t anything good.
‘It’s all their karma.’
I thought that and finally got away.
I thought I was finally alone, but the crown prince appeared again, blocking my path.
“Hehe. I knew this would happen, so I didn’t chase after you.”
What a total psycho. He sold out his siblings?
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s a misunderstanding. I had nothing to do with that schedule.”
“Just a moment ago, you made it seem like it was all part of your plan… didn’t you?”
I nearly responded casually, but the crown prince continued undeterred.
“I figured you’d fall into a trap if I said that. And look where we are now.”
…So it wasn’t selling them out but trapping me instead, huh?
What’s his goal in doing this? The crown prince finally spoke about the reason.
“Rudion, the reason I called you is simple. That is… well, um…”
He hesitated, pondering how to articulate his thoughts, then finally continued cautiously.
“Could you teach me the technique you used on me yesterday?”
Um… Sorry, but I think that’s going to be a bit difficult.
I don’t even know how it works; I use it without understanding why.
“Please! Can’t you at least attempt to teach me?!”
“It’s definitely a futile effort… but fine. Let’s go somewhere people aren’t around.”
He didn’t seem like he’d give up until he experienced firsthand why it wouldn’t work, so I relented for now.
What a tiring person…