The Regressed Prince Holds Many Secrets Chapter 12 : Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Oh, Athus! We've t before, haven't we?”

I greeted him brightly.

I was unusually energetic for a child in the middle of the night.

“I didn't expect you to visit so suddenly, in the middle of the night.”

“Now that you ntion it, I feel embarrassed.”

“I said it to make you feel embarrassed, so I'm glad you are.”

“……”

Athus closed his mouth.

“First, have so. It's pumpkin pie. As you know, it's veeery sweeet and deeelicious.”

I held out the crispy pumpkin pie to Athus.

‘Stop teasing !’ Pies jumped up and down beside , but I paid him no mind.

“Why aren't you eating? Do you think I poisoned it? It's an offer from a prince, you know.”

“You are right. I have been disrespectful.”

Athus accepted the pumpkin pie.

Then, with a stiff expression, he took a bite.

He looked as if he were eating poison and he was probably thinking that he might really be.

Yet he didn't refuse. That tough bastard. I clicked my tongue inwardly.

“Isn't it sweet?”

“…Yes, it's very sweet.”

“I like sweet things. Anyway, it's about ti you told .”

I sipped my tea.

Actually, it was a bit of a stretch to call it tea; it was closer to sugar water with a hint of tea leaves.

It was so sweet that Athus grimaced after taking a sip.

“Why has the closest aide to my busy brother Ferbias co to visit lowly Zionis in the middle of the night?”

“I believe you already know.”

His jade-green eyes flashed.

I shivered.

Ah.

I really hated those jade-green eyes.

They were eyes that no one with a secret could ever welco.

I pretended to drink my tea, avoiding Athus’s gaze.

My fingertips trembled, but I forced myself to endure it.

He had only exerted the slightest pressure, yet my child's body was already starting to scream.

Even 19 years in the past, that fortuneteller bastard is still a monster.

I can't stand him.

The position of one of the Ten Great Generals of the Empire was not one you could reach just by having good intuition.

Hidden behind the nickna 'The Fortuneteller', the Athus from before my regression boasted swordsmanship that ranked among the top five in the Empire.

Even now, in his youth, his sword would not be dull.

Even though I've obtained Valziart... it'll still be difficult.

Facing him, it was clear.

Athus was younger than before my regression, but he was still very much a monster.

Why on earth was a man like this in the Security Bureau?

Even though he was hiding it, my body trembled from his leaking aura alone.

But I concealed my trembling.

“Yes, I found a Treasure.”

I put on a smile.

The more dangerous it was, the more composed I acted.

It was the basic requisite of a liar.

“You ca because of that, didn't you?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Athus nodded.

The news that another Treasure had been discovered, and that its owner was the Fifth Prince Zionis, had reached Ferbias's camp.

Although, it was unlikely they knew that the Treasure was Sen Sorti's masterpiece from 400 years ago.

“You sure hurried. Brother Ferbias's palace is quite far from here.”

“I just happened to be nearby.”

“Were you perhaps loitering around my residence because of a strange sense of unease?”

“……”

Athus remained silent.

That alone was a sufficient answer.

What a leech of a man.

He was just as botherso before my regression.

I clicked my tongue, tsk.

“Even considering that, you arrived too quickly.”

“Because it is a matter that warrants it.”

The Ten Treasures.

The three factions were searching for them with fire in their eyes.

They couldn't help but be sensitive to every single one.

Athus’s expression hardened even more.

At the sa ti, his eyes also took on a deep jade hue.

“Since it is such an important matter, I would like to hear Your Highness Zionis's story.”

Athus continued.

“Honestly, it was very surprising. Everyone who heard the news must have felt the sa.”

“That a half-wit like got his hands on a Treasure, it's certainly sothing to be surprised about.”

“It is difficult to say otherwise.”

“You're not denying the half-wit part?”

I laughed.

Athus did not laugh.

He kept his jade-green eyes deeply settled from beginning to end.

“Alright, you want a story. I'd like to ask why I should... but I mustn't be misunderstood by our great brother Ferbias.”

Ferbias Caseptus, the First Prince.

The man closest to the Imperial Throne and the one who truly beca the fiftieth emperor before my regression.

Moreover, he was arrogant and sensitive, so there was no reason to get on his bad side.

“If I were to be misunderstood……”

I made a throat-slitting gesture and chuckled.

“……”

“Co on, take a joke.”

Athus's face remained inorganic.

That expression, as if it were the personification of strictness, gravity, and seriousness, never once broke.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling drained.

Then I stared blankly out the window.

The raindrops were still pattering down.

“Alright, Athus, I'll tell you the truth. Without a single secret or lie.”

I sighed once more.

A deep look of contemplation was on my face.

Half acting, half sincere.

A deep smile, a steeled heart.

It was ti for lies and secrets.

“Would you believe if I said it was a coincidence?”

“Coincidence?”

His jade-green eyes were fierce.

“Did you say it was a coincidence?”

“Yes, a coincidence.”

“A coincidence, you say, a coincidence……”

A frown ford between Athus’s eyebrows.

“I don't know if you're aware, but I worked at the Security Bureau for quite a long ti.”

His tone was serious.

“I was in charge of various tasks, and among them was interrogation.”

“Are you saying you're going to interrogate , Athus?”

“Depending on the situation, I may have to commit such a discourtesy, Your Highness.”

I made a subtle threat, but it had no effect, so I clicked my tongue softly.

Athus was here as Ferbias’s representative.

The authority of the Fifth Prince Zionis was useless against him.

“Where did you find the Treasure?”

“A secret bookshelf in the Imperial Grand Library.”

“How did you find the secret bookshelf?”

“By coincidence.”

“How did you pass the trial?”

“That too, by coincidence.”

“I suppose you'll say that you went to the library by coincidence as well?”

“Of course.”

Athus’s expression did not change.

“According to your words, Your Highness, a Treasure was coincidentally hidden in the library you always visited, you coincidentally found it and you coincidentally passed the trial to obtain it……. That sounds quite strange.”

He looked at sharply.

“At the Security Bureau, we used to call this inevitability.”

“Hey, I'm just as bewildered as you are.”

I shook my head.

“Why else would I only frequent the library? It was to avoid standing out! I didn't want to get involved in my siblings' fight. How was I supposed to know a Treasure was there?”

“Couldn't you have just turned back without passing the trial?”

“I would have, if the door hadn't closed right after I entered.”

“……”

His jade-green eyes sank deep.

“You're staring at like that, aning my explanation is insufficient, right?”

This was a pain.

I scratched my head.

What a ticulous and sharp man.

He wouldn't let things slide.

But there was no problem.

I was used to lying, and as used to it as I was, I was skilled.

“I had no choice. I thought it led to the underground archives and stepped inside, but the door closed. Only then did I realize it was a place where a Treasure was hidden and that I wouldn't be able to return unless I passed the trial.”

I had heard from Ferbias, who had already obtained a Treasure, that once a trial begins, you cannot escape.

There were wounds all over my body and the signs of fatigue were also strong.

For an eleven-year-old kid, I was in quite a shabby state, looking pitiful for a prince.

A hint of pity flickered in Athus’s eyes. I did not miss it.

“Don't tell you're going to say I should have never returned from the underground?”

“…I could not say that. I have been disrespectful.”

“It's not disrespectful. You're just following orders.”

I sipped my tea once more.

“Anyway, how was it? Was that a good enough excuse?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Liar.”

Athus’s hand froze, his inner thoughts exposed.

The liar prince snickered.

“You have no intention of being convinced, do you? You're thinking that it might be a plausible fabrication, and even if it's true, it only makes more dangerous.”

Athus, whose thoughts were suddenly laid bare, shut his mouth.

“Sending you back like this will only raise more suspicion……. I have no choice.

Saying so, I stood up. I took a sip of tea, gulp.

My face was deep with worry.

I turned my head this way and that as if thinking, then sighed again.

Only after a long while did I part my lips with difficulty. Of course, it was all an act.

“If I show you the treasure I obtained, perhaps so trust will be built.”

“…The Treasure, you say?”

“If there's another way to gain your trust, then speak up.”

The Succession War.

A battle to find the Ten Treasures, to take and be taken from one another.

If so, one must thoroughly conceal their own Treasure.

If one aid for the Imperial Throne, that was the natural course of action.

“I keep telling you. I don't want to make an enemy of brother Ferbias.”

I gave a faint smile.

Before Athus could stop , I stretched out my hand and summoned my Treasure.

From my hand, from deep within my body, a mud-like shadow began to stir.

Before Athus had a chance to stop , I brought out the Treasure.

“Watch closely.”

A black shadow leaked out.

It clumped together on its own.

Soon, it beca smooth like tal, yet tough and hard, in the shape of a black blade.

“The na of this Treasure is the Black Sword, Zamuk.”

I gripped the sword that ca from my hand and spoke.

“It hides within my body and I can change the length and shape of the blade as I wish.”

Of course, it was all a blatant lie.

The na of the Treasure I obtained was Mana Armor Valziart.

Not the Black Sword, Zamuk.

It wasn't a re sword, but a noble of the shadow dinsion.

But who would know?

Not even Hermai rhes knew.

“Is it the type that binds to the body?”

“Yes. I can't even transfer it at will. Do you understand why I'm telling you all this in such detail?”

“…Yes.”

Athus nodded.

He felt a slight sense of displeasure.

It was because his intuition sensed my lie.

However, the unpleasant feeling emanating from the black blade confused him.

He couldn't properly distinguish whether this displeasure was due to my words or the black blade.

This too was my aim.

“That's a relief. It seems you're sowhat convinced.”

I returned the black blade.

And gave a bitter smile.

“Tell brother Ferbias that Zionis just wants to live. While eating sweet pumpkin pie.”

I picked up a piece of pumpkin pie and brought it to my mouth.

It had gotten cold in the anti.

Still, the sweetness was intense.

Looking at the eleven-year-old prince stuffing his cheeks with pumpkin pie, Athus opened his mouth.

“…Your Highness, you are different from the rumors.”

“What rumors have you heard?”

“I heard that you weren't much different from other children your age. When I saw you before, you were indeed like that.”

Right after the proclamation of the Succession War.

He was talking about the ti I was caught by Ferbias but escaped using pumpkin pie.

Back then, I really did look like nothing more than an eleven-year-old kid.

“But now……”

Athus did not say more.

But his aning was conveyed clearly enough.

The current did not look like a child.

I was reading the other's intentions as if it were natural and giving only appropriate answers.

And yet, I was clearly conveying my own will.

What eleven-year-old could do such a thing?

…. Athus stared at intently.

His gaze was unpleasant.

But my composure did not break.

15 days since the regression; for the man who was called a hero, it was enough ti.

That's why I burst out laughing, ha ha ha.

“Athus, I heard you recently entered the palace. How long has it been?”

“It has just been four months.”

“Late for soone of your skill. You said you were in the Security Bureau before, so it's understandable that you wouldn't know.”

With Athus’s skill, he could have risen to the position of the top elite in any legion.

The reason he insisted on being in the Security Bureau must have been due to his personal beliefs.

It wasn't strange, as he was a man who boasted of his foolish loyalty even before my regression.

“You should know from now on, Athus.”

I chuckled.

“Here, in the Great Palace of Cordis, this is what a normal eleven-year-old is like.”

***

The rain had stopped at so point.

I could see Athus's departing back.

I had overco the biggest hurdle.

I wore a triumphant smile.

What I had shown was only a tiny fraction of Valziart’s abilities.

But Athus had left believing it to be the entirety of the Treasure.

So I couldn't help but smile.

That bastard Athus!

He had always given trouble, even before the regression.

Athus, a man with a ghost-like intuition. He couldn't be deceived with re lies.

What was needed was to deftly weave between truth and falsehood.

To make him unable to trust his own senses and the result was a success.

The next guest would probably co after daybreak. I should get so sleep for now…….

“Y-Y-Your Highness Zionis!”

Pies rushed over.

He had been listening to the conversation between Athus and the whole ti.

“You're admirable, truly admirable!”

“Ugh, I can't breathe, Pies!”

“To think you obtained a Treasure! When on earth did you beco so admirable……!”

Pies Roesti hugged and started stroking my head.

He was a prince's imperial guard, after all.

He had considerable strength, so I choked from the tightness.

Pies paid no mind and kept stroking my head, then suddenly grew sullen and pouted.

“But still, to hide it even from Pies……. I'm a little hurt…….”

“You heard, so you know. It was a coincidence. I didn't even have a chance to tell you.”

“That may be so, but……”

Between them was sothing stronger and more intimate than a simple master-servant relationship.

Sotis like friends, sotis like family.

They ate together and were companions in conversation.

“…Huh, the fact that you hid it even from , could it be……. A secret plan to aim for the throne……!?”

“As if.”

Thump.

I tapped Pies’s forehead.

Then I slipped out of his embrace.

That was still a long way off.

Reaching the Imperial Throne could not be so easy.

Even though I had obtained one Treasure, the forces of the three princes and princesses were massive.

First, I had to protect my body.

Valziart would be a great help to this weak body.

With a living shadow armor, even the body of an eleven-year-old child would beco sowhat useful.

And if I didn't obtain at least one Treasure, they wouldn't even let sit at the negotiating table.

Ferbias, Leniar, Secundus.

The three largest factions.

Before I obtained the Treasure, they wouldn't have given a second glance, but now, it was finally worth talking about.

I had no ti to waste on useless checks.

I needed to grab onto a faction that could act as a shield.

I couldn't hide forever.

It was ti to move.

To move freely, I needed a backer.

But I didn't want to be bound by a faction either.

Especially Ferbias's faction, which was out of the question.

He would try to control with the ‘Prince’s Eye’ at every opportunity.

A faction with weak power and a slightly foolish master would be the best!