The first person Carl encountered was Nero.
Nero skillfully controlled the hounds, who were excited by the sll of blood, and jumped off his horse when he saw Bilford with his bloody sword drawn.
"Carl."
"Yes, bro—"
Before Carl could finish speaking, Nero stretched out his large hand like a sword and viciously grabbed Carl's collar.
At only 19 years old, Bilford was still too young to stop Nero, who was stronger than most imperial knights.
"Do you know what you did?"
"Hmmm... Yes, I know."
Even though his body was lifted by Nero's hands, Carl spoke calmly and held out his hand toward Bilford to stop him.
If Bilford touched the third prince, Nero, he would be in trouble.
"Do you really know? Tell sothing, Carl."
"Are you talking about the greedy young prince who wanted to catch fine ga for Düren? Or about the brother who almost died?"
"..."
Nero was left speechless by Carl's relaxed voice. If it was the forr, Nero couldn't bla Carl, as he was also wary of his reputation improving while trying to escape the competition for the throne.
And for the latter...
"Please leave alone."
Carl calmly grabbed Nero's hand and dropped it. Even though Nero could have crushed Carl with one hand, he helplessly let him go.
If Nero was truly worried about his younger brother, he should have checked to see if Carl was okay rather than imdiately pointing out his actions.
Nero had no right to question Carl.
Click. Click.
Carl tidied up his disheveled clothes and approached Catherine, who was riding a horse not far from Nero.
"Are you okay?"
Catherine jumped off the horse and imdiately checked Carl's condition.
To Nero, the sight felt like a scolding.
"It's okay."
"Sorry."
"No, you didn't fall because I wanted to, did you?"
Carl smiled and got on the horse Catherine had brought. Only after Bilford joined them did Catherine clean his sword, sheath it, and mount his horse.
"Brother."
"..."
At Carl's call, Nero looked up at Carl with a bewildered face.
"But you ca to find first. Thank you."
Nero couldn't answer, and Carl didn't expect one either. Carl drove the horse and went back.
"... Shit."
Nero, left alone in the forest, rubbed his face with his hand and muttered.
It's the worst.
***
The hunt ended in a hurry. It was natural that there was an assassination attempt on the prince at a hunting ground managed by the imperial family.
Because Carl was the first to return to the imperial palace under protection, he was able to hear the full story of what happened later.
First of all, the assassin's body was not left behind. Only scattered blood stains remained. It must have been recovered in so way.
Therefore, other than Carl and Bilford's statents, there was no information about the assassin, and the 'bloody ring finger' was never identified.
Next, Azgoth had the audacity not to return straight to the imperial palace but instead perford a ritual of offering ga to Düren as prescribed.
Naturally, the bear that Azgoth personally killed was sacrificed.
Although Carl was unable to catch the big ga as planned, he left a deep impression by returning with a calm face without even blinking despite the assassination attempt.
"What have I to fear when Bilford is with ? Actually, I didn't get hurt at all."
He showed the courage to carry out his duty and a firm trust in his subordinates.
It wasn't a bad achievent. However, upon hearing the situation, Lilly fainted, and Carl was in great trouble. The night passed as he scolded Lilly, and she fell asleep, exhausted from crying.
"Harman. Do you have sothing to say?"
Carl quietly asked Harman, who did not leave even though he was ready for bed.
Carl's bright green eyes, reflecting the light of the burning candle, changed mysteriously.
Harmon did not dare to look into those eyes, so he slowly knelt down with his head down.
No matter how much Carl was ignored by everyone as the 4th prince with no power or background, he was not soone that Harman could dare to treat carelessly.
If he were to be abandoned by Carl, it would be sothing that Harman could never recover from.
Harman pondered the humiliation and spoke with trembling lips.
"Sorry. Mr. Carl."
"Shh... Lower your voice. Isn't Lilly sleeping?"
"..."
Carl cruelly trampled on Harmon's last remaining pride, saying that Cecil's sleep was more important than Harmon's kneeling.
"Harman, I want us to get to know each other a little more... I wish we could have trust. I think the sa goes for you. What do you think?"
"... You're right, Mr. Carl."
"Do you have any complaints?"
"No, there are none."
"It's okay to be honest."
"There really aren't any."
"Is that so? Thank goodness."
Carl whispered quietly in a gentle voice.
However, Harman was not foolish enough to think that this was the sa tone Carl used when he treated Catherine, Bilford, and Cecil, whom he regarded as his mother.
"I trust you. Becoming an imperial servant is a very difficult task."
"Thank you."
Carl gave Harman one last chance. And he was reminded once again that with just one word from Carl, Harman could be thrown into the abyss.
"You can just take a break."
"Yes, Master Carl."
Harmon quietly got up and walked away for fear of waking Lilly.
"..."
Carl quietly looked at the sleeping face of Lilly, who worried about him, cried for him, and always loved him unconditionally.
If Carl beca emperor, Cecil would no longer remain just a nanny from a lowly family.
'I couldn't offer large ga, but it would be perfect if I could give her the position of mother of the emperor instead.'
Carl carefully held Lilly's hand, which had beco rough from supporting him.
He will also make these rough hands as fine as silk.
'I will do it so that no one can dare to ignore it. '
In addition to the desire for life, there was another reason to beco emperor.
***
Carl thought Adrian would co. But unexpectedly, Adrian did not co.
"..."
"..."
Instead, Nero, whom he thought would not co, arrived. Carl, who was learning swordsmanship from Bilford, took off his gloves and wiped his sweaty face with his sword at his side. Before he knew it, Catherine and Bilford had retreated.
"... Really, it's pretty great."
Nero said that while looking at Carl with deeply sunken eyes. To be honest, he thought it might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but surprisingly, Carl had beco a great warrior in that short period of ti.
"I'm not as good as you, though."
"... Ha ha ha..."
Carl spoke calmly as if the conversation at that ti had never happened. Nero burst out laughing at Carl's attitude and absurd nonsense. Then he closed his mouth, looked at Carl seriously, and spoke.
"Sorry, Carl."
"..."
Surprisingly, Nero bowed his head and apologized to Carl.
"It's not that I wasn't worried about you. But I thought you were safe, so I acted like that."
Carl took a step back from Nero with his eyes wide open.
Anyway, he never imagined Nero would apologize so honestly. There are degrees of pleasantness, but how can a person be this upright?
"Can you accept my apology?"
To Nero, who said that, Carl finally opened his mouth after hesitating.
"To be honest, I just said that because I don't like being nagged. I don't really feel anything."
"... Is that so?"
Nero raised his head and laughed, wondering what was so funny. Just like a child.
No, Nero is a child by Lucas's standards.
Nineteen years old is a very harsh age for a young man trying to survive while protecting his mother in this imperial palace.
Even for Carl, who has mories of being in his late 20s, Nero has been going through a painful situation since he was young.
So, for his age, he had no choice but to beco a strong young man.
"Carl, it would be better to take a closer look at your surroundings. Because the imperial palace we are in, and this world, do not give us enough trials to overco alone."
Nero spoke worriedly and sternly.
Carl, who realized a lot from what happened last ti, also sympathized with that.
He was able to realize this thanks not only to Azgoth and Adrian's actions but also to the process of Nero leading and protecting Carl.
"Yes, I will keep that in mind."
When Carl answered seriously, Nero grinned and roughly ruffled Carl's hair.
"Yes, please keep that in mind. Because it's my brother's advice. I will try my best to be a good brother from now on."
"Yes, please."
Nero chuckled and left just as quickly as he ca.
"... That's 19 years old..."
Carl slapped his forehead in admiration.
Nero was a really cool older brother.
This is true even if he have mories of Lucas in his late 20s.
' Anyway, my brother is my brother, and age is not important.'
... Isn't it?
And after a few days, Carl was called to Azgoth.
"What do you want?"
To Azgoth, who took precious ti to call Carl and ask him that question, Carl thought for a mont and then spoke.
"What can you give ?"
Azgoth raised his eyebrows at those words. It wasn't the sa.
"Anything, whatever you want."
To ask such a question to the emperor of an empire, there was indeed sothing immature about it.
"I want the support of the military."
Sure, I'll complete the text for you. Here's the continuation:
"I want the support of the military."
Carl told Azgoth straight away what he wanted. Military support.
In other words, when a civil war breaks out between princes over the right to succeed to the throne, a position where they can hold the most power is needed.
"But I don't want what Your Majesty gave ."
Carl said sothing unexpected.
At those aningful words, Azgoth finally smiled for real.
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