Karl examined and moved his transford body.
A deeply alien sensation.
Since his body had completely changed into soone else’s, it would have been stranger if there wasn’t any sense of dissonance.
In truth, it wasn’t the first ti for Karl—this was his second ti experiencing such a thing, so it wasn’t completely unfamiliar.
When he first possessed a body in this ga, he had to adapt to an entirely new physique for a while as well.
In any case, it seed it would take quite so ti to adjust to this new body.
The internal mana was steadily being consud.
It was perhaps to be expected—maintaining the Polymorph state apparently required a continuous expenditure of mana.
‘There shouldn’t be any problems.’
But since the regeneration speed was faster, there seed to be no issue maintaining the transformation.
After completing a full status check, Karl turned his head again.
Jurein and Sephiel still hadn’t co to their senses and were staring blankly with dazed expressions.
“...Your Highness...”
Jurein, who recovered first before Sephiel, barely opened his mouth and asked hesitantly.
“Your Highness... are you, perhaps... a dragon?”
Karl nearly burst into laughter for a mont because of how serious the voice was.
The tale of a dragon taking human form and wandering the world for amusent was a legendary story, one whose truth remained uncertain.
Of course, it wasn’t unreasonable for them to misunderstand.
What Karl had just displayed was a power that went far beyond the bounds of common sense.
Among the known magic of the current age, there was no spell in any school’s archives that could completely alter one’s appearance like this.
“I’m human.”
Even after saying that, the two still looked at him with suspicious eyes.
Since Karl didn’t care how they misunderstood, he didn’t bother explaining further.
“Anyway, this solves the problem, doesn’t it?”
“Y-yes... as long as we don’t get found out...”
“There’s no need to worry about being discovered. Unless there’s an archmage at the Marhargel royal castle.”
Since only soone with a vastly superior rank could perceive Polymorph, there was little risk of exposure.
“Let’s finish the healing first.”
Karl cast healing magic again and treated the two of them.
Before long, their injuries had been healed enough that they could move without significant burden.
“Still, wouldn’t it have been better to keep them alive?”
Karl looked around at the corpses as he spoke.
They had killed them all at Jurein’s request, but if they’d only subdued them and spared their lives, they might’ve proven useful.
For example, dragging them to the royal castle and forcing a confession could have caused trouble for the prince or princess behind this ambush.
“Unless we had irrefutable evidence, doing sothing like that would only backfire on . That’s the position I’m in now.”
A prince in na only, with no power or backing.
Jurein gave a bitter smile and continued.
“They were probably sent by the Fourth Prince. He’s hated since we were children—unlike the others.”
“I see.”
“He seems to have connections with various underworld guilds... these n were likely one such link. If it had been assassins from another group, the threat would’ve been far greater.”
Far more dangerous.
Karl turned his head.
Toward the place where three assassins, who had stayed apart and observed the situation instead of participating in the ambush, had been caught and killed by Karl.
Those three were clearly more skilled than the ones who had directly attacked Jurein. Though to Karl, it was all the sa.
‘So those three weren’t sent by the Fourth Prince?’
If they were, there would’ve been no reason for them to observe from a distance instead of acting.
Since it didn’t concern him directly, Karl lost interest.
“But didn’t they say the current battle for succession is a three-way conflict between the Second Prince, the Third Prince, and the First Princess? What about the Fourth Prince or the other princess?”
“The Fourth Prince lacks ability and has supported the Third Prince from the beginning. The Second Princess is still too young—she’s not even of age.”
In short, the Fourth Prince was aligned with the Third Prince, and the Second Princess was too young to participate in the struggle.
After a brief rest, Jurein and Sephiel stood up.
“We should get moving again.”
Their journey had been halted at the very beginning due to the ambush, but they still had a long way to go to reach the summit.
To climb to the peak and receive the sword from the royal guardian knight waiting there—that was the mid-stage of the royal ceremony.
That was the reason Jurein had co all the way to the Dragonbone Mountains.
They took care of the assassins’ corpses, and Seion’s body was buried with care.
Then, the ascent toward the summit began again.
* * *
The mountain path beca increasingly treacherous the higher they climbed.
Even though Karl offered to fly them up using magic, Jurein stubbornly insisted on climbing with his own strength.
After several more nights and days passed, they finally reached the summit.
“I see it.”
Just as Karl said, a figure gradually ca into view in the distance.
A knight, clad in full armor, stood frozen like a statue in front of a giant boulder.
He was a royal guardian knight.
Jurein paused briefly, then resud his steps, slowly approaching the knight.
As he drew close, the knight’s expression beca visible.
He was looking at Jurein with a strange gaze.
Surprise, a bit of disbelief, and a faint trace of pity.
Without a word, he drew the sword at his waist and raised it straight toward the sky.
Jurein, too, said nothing. He knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
“......”
Karl and Sephiel stood a short distance away, quietly watching the scene.
The knight seed to be reciting a passage as part of the ceremony. The atmosphere felt solemn.
Soon, the brief ceremony ended. The knight lowered the sword, and Jurein stood up.
Shrrrk.
Receiving the sword from the knight, Jurein sheathed it into the scabbard he had prepared in advance.
After a simple, respectful bow, he turned around without hesitation—but then the knight’s voice rang out.
“Your Highness, I beg you to hide yourself instead.”
Jurein froze.
“Even if you return to the capital and complete the ceremony, nothing will change. So please... do not go back. Flee the country and hide sowhere, as if you were dead.”
Jurein turned his head back toward the knight.
Beneath the impassive eyes, traces of emotion could be seen. He was genuinely concerned for Jurein.
Jurein also spoke.
“You’re overstepping, Sir Chephon.”
“......”
“Just do not stand in my way later. If you were truly loyal to my late father.”
“...This is a battle you cannot win. It will end with your miserable death.”
As the knight spoke in frustration, Jurein glanced sideways for a mont.
He saw Karl, still in the form of Seion.
Jurein turned away and muttered, so softly it was barely audible.
“It’s not such a hopeless battle anymore.”
A journey that nearly cost him his life in an ambush.
But the crisis had turned into an opportunity—he had gained a powerful ally.
As Jurein returned with the sword, Karl asked,
“Is it finished?”
“...Yes.”
To avoid future mistakes, Jurein was now deliberately speaking to Karl with informal speech.
Because from now on, Karl would act as Seion, a close aide to the Fifth Prince.
Now it was ti to return to the capital and fully complete the ceremony.
* * *
The royal capital of Marhargel.
The grand plaza, which was usually empty and desolate, was now surging with an enormous crowd.
That was because today was a special day.
It was the coming-of-age day of the Fifth Prince, and also the day he returned to the capital after completing the ceremony at the Dragonbone Mountains.
It was both the kingdom’s greatest festival day and a rare chance for the common people to catch a glimpse of the noble lords and royals, even from afar.
That was why so many citizens of the kingdom had gathered in the grand plaza like this.
The princes and princesses—
They sat on an elevated platform in the center of the plaza, surrounded by layers of soldiers and knights forming a tight periter.
Not far beyond that, the vassals of the royal house and high-ranking nobles of count-level and above could be seen as well.
It was a majestic scene, as if every mber of the kingdom’s ruling class had gathered in one place.
The Fourth Prince, Thayns Marhargel, clicked his tongue as he looked out at the crowd, packed to the brim.
“What a far too grand a welco for such a pathetic little brother, don’t you think, brother?”
Thayns addressed the green-haired man seated next to him.
The Third Prince, Kaivern Marhargel, only glanced at Thayns briefly without responding. His face, as always, was expressionless.
Even though it was practically a gesture of dismissal, Thayns continued speaking without pause.
“Thinking of how that feverish commotion will soon turn into emptiness and disappointnt... it truly disheartens . Jurein, that fool, will never return to the capital—not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”
At that, the blue-haired woman seated just one spot away turned toward Thayns.
It was the First Princess, Chloa Marhargel.
Noticing the attention, Thayns grinned slyly and said to her,
“Are you curious, sister? Why he won’t be returning?”
“......”
“You and brother should both be grateful to . I’ve dealt with the botherso insect first, sparing you the trouble of dirtying your own hands.”
The Third Prince, Kaivern, watching Thayns ramble so excitedly, clicked his tongue quietly.
‘Pathetic bastard.’
He already knew Thayns had sent his hounds from the shadows to kill the Fifth Prince, Jurein.
He didn’t particularly care one way or another, but Thayns ought to have exercised more caution in his words and actions.
“By now, he’s probably a corpse rotting sowhere in the mountains. Or maybe the beasts have already torn him apart, leaving only bones—”
It was then.
“Are you sure you actually caught that insect?”
A black-haired man seated in the most central seat opened his mouth.
The Second Prince, Camon Marhargel.
As his voice rang out, those nearby all flinched and turned toward him.
Camon was known for almost never speaking unless it was absolutely necessary.
“W-what do you an?”
Caught off guard, the Fourth Prince Thayns stamred.
Camon motioned silently with his chin. The commotion was growing louder.
“...!!”
Everyone—especially Thayns—opened their eyes wide in complete shock.
“What! What the...?!”
Along the grand avenue leading from the castle gates to the plaza—
From afar, a young man was walking toward the center of the plaza with two people at his side.
The Fifth Prince, Jurein Marhargel.
He had completed the ceremony and returned to the capital, alive and well.
* * *
Waaaaaaaaah...!!
A roar of deafening cheers that shook the entire plaza.
Voices so loud they felt like they were tearing the sky apart.
Karl followed behind Jurein, sweeping his gaze over the figures seated on the platform.
Three princes and two princesses.
Each looked down at them with different expressions.
Among them, Karl could imdiately tell who was radiating hostility without even needing confirmation.
‘That dumb-looking one must be the Fourth Prince.’
Karl turned his gaze to the other princes and princesses.
The Second Prince looked indifferent, the Third Prince appeared intrigued, and the First Princess had her eyes wide open in genuine shock.
And finally, the Second Princess, seated at the far end, didn’t even glance their way—she seed completely uninterested in the situation.
Turning his head, Karl now looked toward where the nobles were gathered.
They, too, were watching Jurein with a variety of expressions.
Two middle-aged n stood out in particular.
[Lv.62]
[Commander of Marhargel’s Royal Guardians]
[Lv.60]
[Head of House Seinpier]
Two of the kingdom’s Royal Knights.
Devan, the commander of the Royal Guardians, and Duke Seinpier, who had once betrayed the First Prince.
Countless gazes rained down. Among them, hidden malice and hostility mixed in.
Enemies to the left, to the right, in front, behind. Nothing but enemies.
Not a single person among them stood on Jurein’s side.
Jurein paused for a mont ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) in his steps.
Karl quietly stared at his back.
For a second, that figure overlapped with another image in his mind.
A poor Earthling who had lived a comfortable modern life, only to lose all his family and friends and be thrown overnight into a wild, unforgiving world—with not a single soul around he could trust—who had rolled and crawled just to survive.
“Half a year.”
Karl spoke quietly.
Jurein turned his head, looking puzzled, as if to ask what that ant.
“For at least that long, no one among them will be able to threaten Your Highness’s safety.”
“......”
“So don’t shrink back. Keep walking. Don’t you hear the cheers starting to fade?”
Jurein gave a faint smile and nodded.
Once again, he turned his gaze to the princes and princesses on the platform, and to the gathered nobles.
With steps that had been so heavy to lift, he finally began to walk, one foot after the other, toward the center of the grand plaza.
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