Chapter 74

Chapter 74 Episode 74 Is that all? Theres worse. What could be worse? I wondered what could be worse than the high nobles fighting at the state council meeting. The trouble began when 1st Prince faction member Falun Davis was promoted to Finance Minister, which led 2nd Prince faction rival, Larry Cret, to expose Faluns corruption to the king. Count Davis does not suit the role of the incorruptible Finance Minister! Then Falun exposed Larrys corruption, and what followed was a vicious cycle of mutual accusations. Ironically, during the process, it was revealed that many nobles from both the 1st and 2nd Prince factions were implicated in the corruption. Both parties promptly withdrew their accusations, exchanging apologies as if it were merely a joke, destroying the evidence as well. It was as if they had mocked the royal family in the name of factional fighting. Idiots. And the royal family just let this slide? What can they do? They lack power. At least it seems the king is benefiting somewhat from the competition between the two groups. It seems like not a bad move for the royal family. That is one way to see it. Upon reflection, Roger Bifrosts behavior could be interpreted in the same light. I confirmed that there were no immediate issues with the king, but it didnt exactly feel like good news. No matter what, the road ahead felt daunting. Of all things, the reasonably decent 3rd Prince is the one without power. Thats the problem. Logan sighed in dismay. The current king, in his youth, had no heirs; as he approached the age of forty, at the nobles urging, he took several concubines, which is where the problems started. It seemed as though the heavens heard the desires of two dukes to solidify their power by producing a royal heir, as the daughters they had placed as concubines each gave birth to sons around the same time. This signaled the stirrings of future turmoil, and nearly a decade later, 19 years ago, the queen conceived past the age of forty and gave birth to the 3rd Prince. He was a legitimate child of the queen with no external family influence. It was imaginable to anyone that his birth was not exactly celebrated. Moreover, the talents and disposition the 3rd Prince exhibited as he grew led some to believe he might be the reincarnation of the founding king. And this was in stark contrast to his hot-headed, arrogant older brothers, who alternately caused trouble yearly. No wonder rumors started that the 3rd Prince was the true heir to the throne. The king did favor the 3rd Prince, but the two dukesthe external relatives of the 1st and 2nd princeswould not let him be. They found every excuse to impede his rise to power. Even the king tried to support the 3rd Prince, but there were limits to his influence. Perhaps things would have been different if the king had lived longer, but with the kings sudden death just before the 3rd Prince reached adulthood, a civil war erupted. For the 3rd Prince, the worst scenarios unfolded consecutively. The 1st Prince was backed by his grandfather, Duke Juan Douglas, a 6th circle magician. The 2nd Prince rode on the might of the largest noble in the kingdom and his grandfather, Duke Yordan Valtermine, the kingdoms youngest hero. Ultimately, the 3rd Prince, unable to compete with either, was the first on the list for purging when By the previous kings will, should you promise to preserve the life of the 3rd Prince, I shall become the sword of the new king. With the declaration of a neutral noble, coveted by both major factions, the 3rd Prince barely managed to save his life. Though he would be confined to the palace for life, never permitted outside his room. And so, through the civil war, the 1st Prince and Duke Juan Douglas ascended the throne, purging all opposing nobles and weakening the country to its foundation. Five years later, when the empire waged war, they continued ruining the nation with their tyranny. Even during the war, the king exploited Ronyan recklessly, failing to protect his own lineage, and ultimately abandoning Gran as a shield while he fled. Ill never let that man become king. There was no way he could allow the history of his past life to repeat itself. Somehow, he needed to twist the current flow of events. The 2nd Prince isnt much better than the 1st. If anyone is to become king, it must be the 3rd Prince. It was a difficult path, but one that had to be taken. He had to quickly put an end to the devastating three-year war incited by the factions of the 1st and 2nd princes. Many things had to be done to achieve both goals. Of course, he had plans in mind Its going to be an incredibly tough journey. Yes? Nevermind, youve worked hard. Wrap up things in Imporik as soon as possible and come to the Swordmasters residence. Ill be staying there for a while. Yes? The first sight greeting him was a radiant blond middle-aged man with a beaming smile and a full-bellied noblewoman standing by his side. Both looked radiantly happy, especially the man who looked closer to middle age than seventy, seemingly bursting with vitality compared to when Logan about saw him last. Its a pleasure to see you well after so long. Logan bowed respectfully, but the first to respond was not the Swordmaster, but his wife. So youre Prince Logan. Ive heard a lot from my husband. We owe you a great deal. The duchess, with her tender and warm impression, blushed ever so slightly. Ive heard shes close to forty, yet her bashful demeanor seemed as youthful as a young girls. It is I who am honored to meet you, Madam. Indeed, you are as beautiful as I had heard. Now I understand why Master has spoken so highly of you. Oh my, really? Looking at her husband in disbelief, he retorted with a flushed face, Dont start with nonsense the moment we meet! If I hadnt acted, you wouldnt have bothered to come, you heartless fellow. Come now, I would have visited regardless. Perhaps not right now, though. As the master and apprentice exchanged glares momentarily, the wife became puzzled. Then, almost in unison, they both burst into laughter. Haha, truly, what was Rogers face like? You should have been there. It was priceless. Hahaha. Their second face-to-face meeting, an association formed through one-sided magi-phone communication a deep connection had been forged, independent of time spent together, through significant shared experiences. Anyway, I again congratulate you on your coming heir. Oh, have you not settled on the childs gender yet? Well It doesnt matter. Boy or girl, its the precious child who has healed our regret. Well raise them with love. The Swordmaster soothed his wifes hand, beaming contentedly. A difficult sentiment in a society that fiercely favored sons, especially for a noble in the Grandia kingdom. Yet there was genuine warmth in his smile, and his wife looked nothing but happy. This is good. The act, although meant for his own ends, had yielded unexpectedly positive results, bringing a strange sense of satisfaction. Ultimately, is everything the same? His own goal was to save his family and preserve their legacy. Fulfilling that alone would increase the likelihood that the citizens of this kingdom would be happier than in his previous life, where they were sold into slavery and wandered as refugees. A newfound perspective, the modest epiphany, involuntarily brought a grin to his face. The joyful countenance of the Swordmaster and his wife seemed to whisper that Logan was on the right path and encouraged him to maintain that course. Your views are indeed unique, Master. Admirable. Oh, stop it with the flattery. A guy whose skills have improved rapidly but whose manners degrade as he ascends. If you truly aim for higher mastery, align your behavior with your ambition. Keep your words in check. The rush of hopeful sentiment was fleeting, as the Swordmasters subsequent advice stung a bit. Its in that vein that theres something Id like to ask of you. Yes? By all means, tell me, Madam. Our unborn child would you name the child? Excuse me?! Caught off-guard, Logans eyes widened in surprise. My wife and I have discussed this for a long time. Since youre responsible for it all, we thought youd best to open the childs fate too. You wouldnt refuse, would you? In the culture of Grandia, the act of naming was akin to opening ones destiny. There was a belief among the people of the kingdom that a name held power over the life and fortune of the child. Because the act of naming was regarded with such significance, nobles would immediately seek distinguished individuals to name their child upon birth, even organizing a naming ceremony, known as Naming Feast. Now they were entrusting Logan with such a crucial task? Even if it was thanks to Logan that the child was to be born (?) in the first place, essentially it was a gift no less. A gift that would elevate Logans status in the social circles. Although burdensome, there was no reason to decline. Of course. Logans grave expression brought relief to the couples faces. Thank you. Now go and rest. I told you theres no need to come out. But its only proper manners when were asking Favors ultimately lead to reciprocation Ah, Im clearly not much of a talker. Lets simply show it through actions. Excuse me? In this short time, how did you manage to improve so much? Im utterly curious. Show me your skills first. Taken aback by the Swordmasters sudden challenge, Logan answered warmly. Yes!