Chapter 119: Doubts Follow Doubts

Duke Alito Kright had just been watching the procession entering the castle from the left spire of the royal capital.

Naturally, he could also see the three princes conversing at the castle gate.

For a brief moment, he had sensed an unusual tension in the air.

However, it quickly dissipated under Raion’s indifference.

Step. Step.

“Grandfather, we’ve returned.”

Ashuran and Valet, who had been part of the procession, stepped inside.

At the sight of them, Duke Alito turned his gaze from outside to in.

“You’ve both worked hard.”

“Not at all. You’ve been the one working hardest, Grandfather.”

“What happened below?”

At the duke’s question, Ashuran stepped forward to answer.

“There was a minor misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Raion acted rather sharply toward us. Well… it’s understandable. After all, he must’ve struggled quite a bit in Kanas.”

At that reply, Duke Alito tilted his head slightly.

He seemed to have no knowledge at all about the affairs of the Kanas Territory.

“You didn’t hear any rumors about that place in your domains?”

“Rumors?”

“What rumors do you mean?”

Ashuran and Valet both looked genuinely puzzled.

The duke’s doubts deepened.

A sense of foreboding began to rise within him.

“You truly mean to say you’ve heard nothing at all?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, Grandfather. Did something major happen in Kanas?”

Rumors, once born, spread like an epidemic that cannot be contained.

Especially since Kanas’ revival had caused quite a commotion even in the royal capital.

It made no sense that such news hadn’t reached territories as prosperous in trade as Virand and Dolianche.

It would be impossible—unless someone had deliberately blocked it.

“You two should go prepare to greet His Majesty.”

“Why, Grandfather? Is something wrong?”

The two of them exchanged uneasy glances at the duke’s murmuring.

“It’s nothing. Go on now!”

“Understood.”

“Yes, sir.”

Without waiting to ensure they had gone far, Duke Alito returned to the window.

The knights and soldiers who had welcomed the procession earlier were now back to their usual posts at the castle gates.

“The rumors were cut off? How could that be…? Is such a thing even possible?”

No matter how he thought about it, too many things didn’t add up.

Amid that unease, a certain face flashed through his mind.

“Surely not… the Third Prince? No, that can’t be.”

Even for Duke Alito, the royal chancellor, it wasn’t easy to control the flow of information.

To do so required both enormous capital and intelligence power that transcended even the borders of the kingdom.

Naturally, in his view, there was no way Raion could possess such means.

“Is something the matter, my lord?”

His escort knight, Aspar Daker—also the captain of the Black Lion Order—approached him.

“Ashuran and Valet know nothing about Kanas.”

“…Pardon? How could that be?”

“Do you think such a thing is possible?”

“The rumors about Kanas should have spread to every territory. It’s impossible not to have heard.”

“I thought the same. Yet they truly didn’t know.”

During the princes’ test period, they were not allowed to correspond with family.

Letters could compromise the fairness of the trial if advice were exchanged.

Of course, Duke Alito knew that rule—but he had still sent a few letters secretly.

However, even in those letters, he hadn’t bothered to mention the rumors from Kanas.

He had assumed they already knew.

“Something feels wrong.”

“Even if Their Highnesses didn’t know, would that change anything?”

“Perhaps not directly. But had they known, they might have put more effort into managing their territories.”

Arrogance breeds carelessness, and carelessness often leads to death.

This situation could easily bring carelessness upon the princes.

The duke’s sense of foreboding only grew heavier, and his brows furrowed.

“We must strengthen our vigilance to ensure no disruption to the plan.”

“I’ve already made preparations to prevent any setbacks.”

“Our most critical opponents are His Majesty the King and the Royal Knight Commander, Sir Trine Diego.”

Those two were the Swordmasters who symbolized the Canel Kingdom.

A single Swordmaster was said to rival an entire knight order in strength.

Of course, with overwhelming numbers, they could still be defeated.

However, the title alone commanded reverence.

“I’ll take care of it as you instructed.”

“Still, leave nothing to chance.”

“Understood.”

The central hall of the royal capital was filled with people.

After the banquet began, guests wandered about, enjoying themselves.

Then, the grand doors of the hall opened as Ashuran and Valet entered.

“His Highness Prince Ashuran and His Highness Prince Valet have arrived!”

At the herald’s announcement, all eyes turned toward the entrance.

The tall, broad-shouldered Ashuran, whose rugged charisma radiated strength, and the refined, noble-looking Valet immediately drew the attention of many young noble ladies.

Especially Ashuran—he was widely regarded as the most likely successor to the throne.

His unmarried status made him all the more desirable to noble families.

“How can someone be that handsome? Look at those shoulders!”

“Don’t you think Prince Valet is better? The calm tactician of the Canel Kingdom, with those clear eyes! Even His Majesty praises his brilliance!”

The murmuring of the young noblewomen rippled through the hall.

Smiling proudly, Ashuran and Valet approached King Laskan and Queen Elina.

“First Prince Ashuran has returned, Your Majesty!”

“Second Prince Valet has returned, Your Majesty!”

“Well done. You’ve both endured much. Enjoy the banquet at your leisure.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

As if by agreement, the two moved to stand beside Queen Elina.

Perhaps feeling reassured by their presence, Queen Elina looked visibly pleased—more so than before.

“ You’ve become even more handsome since I last saw you.”

“You flatter me, Mother.”

“You, on the other hand, seem to have grown even more beautiful.”

“Valet, you’ve gotten quite good at flattery, haven’t you? Hohoho!”

The warm, cheerful atmosphere continued.

The banquet grew livelier by the minute.

Everyone’s attention seemed fixed solely on the two princes, as if they had completely forgotten the last one.

At that moment—

The doors opened once more, and Raion entered.

“His Highness, Prince Raion, has arrived!”

At the herald’s announcement, all eyes turned again.

But the heavier, more solemn air surrounding Raion compared to two years ago quickly spread throughout the hall.

Step. Step.

Raion was dressed in a crisp black formal uniform.

He was about the same height as Ashuran, though slightly slimmer, yet there was nothing frail about him.

“Your Majesty, Third Prince Raion pays his respects.”

“I was surprised when I saw you again before you left years ago, and now I find myself surprised once more.”

“…You honor me too much, Your Majesty.”

“Too much? You’re too modest. Very well… Let us talk in detail after the banquet. For today, set aside all heavy thoughts and rest.”

“I shall keep that in mind.”

As their conversation ended, the banquet resumed.

Raion stepped away and found a quiet spot in the corner of the hall.

He had no intention of enjoying the party.

He stayed only because, as a prince, attendance was mandatory.

‘Not much has changed….’

[Target Information]

Name: Ashuran Canel

Age: 25

Occupation: First Prince of the Canel Kingdom

Vitality: 670 / 670

Stamina: 1,720 / 1,890

Mana: 160 / 160

Abilities:

Swordsmanship Level 7

Horsemanship Level 5

At that moment, I used “Specific Analysis” to examine Ashuran’s information.

There wasn’t much difference from two years ago—aside from his swordsmanship improving slightly.

‘Valet isn’t much different from before either.’

There was no need to even check the tactician Valet’s status; the aura radiating from his body told enough.

‘Still, it seems Duke Alito truly intends to make his move.’

That was because strange presences could be sensed all throughout the royal capital’s interior.

Of course, they weren’t members of the Royal Knight Order.

Raion had already confirmed the knights’ energy signatures through his Perception ability.

‘It’s remarkable they didn’t try to ambush me when I left the Clamen Mountains.’

In truth, Raion had even anticipated such a scenario.

But Duke Alito was not a man to be underestimated.

Rather than moving large forces from other territories or the capital and drawing attention, he had chosen a straightforward approach instead.

‘As long as everyone moves according to plan, there shouldn’t be a problem.’

Muttering inwardly, Raion swept his gaze across the hall.

A large crowd had gathered around Ashuran.

It already felt as if his succession to the throne was a foregone conclusion.

However, the final authority rested with King Laskan.

If he were to name one prince and none of the ministers or nobles dared oppose his reasoning, the decision would be sealed.

The banquet continued in that fashion.

Amid the noisy commotion, no one even noticed when Raion disappeared from sight.

Of course, that was because Raion had deliberately erased all traces of his presence.

‘By tomorrow, it will all begin.’

The next day.

At dawn, the nobles and ministers gathered in the Great Hall—none with pleasant expressions.

They had concealed it during the banquet, but the image of the Third Prince Raion greeting the King lingered vividly in their minds.

‘He seemed far heavier in presence than two years ago.’

‘He’s only nineteen, and yet… how could one radiate such pressure?’

‘If the rumors about Kanas are true, then perhaps Prince Raion possesses true potential after all.’

All sorts of speculations raced through their minds.

Of course, it wasn’t as though Duke Alito was unaware of their thoughts.

After all, allies could only remain so when their thoughts were in alignment.

Once those thoughts began to diverge, suspicion of walking different paths began.

Step. Step.

King Laskan entered the Great Hall.

Overnight, the air had changed completely.

“It has been a day since the princes returned to the palace. Have the ministers who oversaw the examination properly assessed their governance over their respective territories?”

He got straight to the point.

At that, one minister stepped forward.

It was Count Warren, who had overseen the evaluations.

“We have reviewed them, Your Majesty… but the results are difficult to judge.”

“How so?”

“The starting points of the three territories were vastly different, and the extent of their involvement in administration is unclear.”

“Hmm… unclear, you say? Do you believe that is the answer I seek?”

“My apologies, Your Majesty. However, I believe we require a little more time.”

“How much?”

“At least… seven days would be needed.”

“That is far too long. You will have two.”

King Laskan’s tone grew firm.

Count Warren found it difficult to respond.

“However, Your Majesty…”

“There are already stacks of reports from the territories. The period has been long enough—we cannot keep the people waiting.”

“This concerns the selection of the prince who will inherit the throne. Such a decision cannot be made hastily.”

“Then three days. No more.”

At those words, cold sweat trickled down Count Warren’s neck.

The discussion within the Great Hall did not continue much longer.

It concluded swiftly, and the ministers and nobles soon poured out of the chamber.

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