Then, King Krianes walked into the royal court. As he did, all the nobility in the court knelt on one knee. There were very few members of the nobility left, since the ones who had been involved in the rebellion were locked up in the jail in the basement; there was so few people that it was concerning whether the kingdom could be maintained.
âEveryone⊠Good work,â King Krianes said.
âWe just did what had to be done,â Davey answered calmly.
Although the armyâs leader was Marquis Peiltris, everyone knew that it was Davey who had ended this war with minimal damage. Davey, the weak and powerless prince, had become someone who no one in this kingdom could look down on.
âI wonder if this is right.â
There were not many rumors spreading, since information regarding the rebellion had been controlled. However, now, all eyes would be on this kingdom no matter what they did from now on. Unless they were idiots, the surrounding kingdoms that were keeping an eye on this kingdom would have noticed.
âAlthough devastating, it must be done. We are here to decide on the punishment of the people involved in treason. Davey OâRowane, the First Prince, raise your head.â
ââŠâ
âDuring this battle, with unbelievable powers, you have achieved something great that initially seemed impossible.â
ââŠâ Davey stayed quiet as he knew that it wasnât just a compliment.
âI will ask: how do you want to punish the nobility who took part in the rebellion, their leader Duke Bariatta, and the two princes who have abandoned their role as royalty?â
Normally, this was for King Krianes to decide, but he did not do anything more; the answer to whether this was to test Davey or it was because he felt guilty toward Davey was only in his mind.
Davey stayed silent for a while, then said, âI will pull out their teeth.â
âHmmâŠâ
âHmâŠâ
It didnât simply mean that Davey was going to take their teeth out; there was only one reason for pulling oneâs teeth out, and it was to prevent suicide. Usually, this was for stripping someone who had committed a grave crime of all their titles and forcibly demoting them to do hard work as mine slaves.
âI donât particularly like slavery, butâŠâ
Davey was going to use this torture if he wanted to inflict extreme pain.
King Krianes knew that Davey had waited for this moment, so he could not say anything more. He simply asked, âDo youâŠthink you really have to do that? Heâs once your younger brother.â
âSecond Prince Carlus has shaken this kingdom, and he is still doing it. Not only that, but he has also challenged Your Majestyâs absolute authority.â
ââŠâ
âThis is my objective stance. I can still remember the moment I was pierced with an arrow and mocked at.â
âDaveyâŠâ
âI do not have siblings called Carlus and Benedict.â
After Davey spoke, all the nobility bowed their heads.
âLeniency is utter absurdity, Your Majesty!â
âPlease do not ignore our request!!â
All the nobility said the same thing. Among them, some were probably trying to fill their own pockets by taking the rebelsâ wealth. Some were probably trying to get rid of them for good, because they were afraid of potential retaliation.
ââŠAll right. I will proclaimâŠâ King Krianes, touching his forehead like he had a headache, slowly said, âHear all, this incident was treason, the gravest crime of the kingdom. As such, I strip the titles of Duke Bariatta, Second Prince Carlus OâRowane, and Third Prince Benedict OâRowane, the leaders of the rebellion, and demote them to slaves. They will be sent to the Haoji Mines, the prison for the most heinous criminals, and work for the rest of their lives!â
Davey just silently bowed his head as King Krianes made a stern declaration.
* * *
âThe queen is dead.â
-So, it has ended at last.
Davey ignored Perserqueâs mumbling and asked King Krianes calmly, âDid you think about how I would react, Your Majesty?â
âDavey.â
âI hated Carlus and Benedict the most. Then, it was Queen Lynesse.â
âDo you know whoâs next? Itâs you, Your Majesty.â
âHow should I take this?â
âDavey. I had to be the one to let her go.â
âI have made it clear that I have no interest in your past, Your Majesty.â
King Krianesâ voice became firm, which was rare. He said, âI had to be the one to do it⊠The acts of the queen were evil, but this wasnât right either.â
âIf you were going to do it, you could have at least told me.â
âThis was a promise I made with your mother as well. Davey, itâs the only promise Queen Lynesse kept even when she was forced out. So⊠Please just drop this.â
There was no father who could override his son, and Davey, who could not easily decline his fatherâs request, seemed to be a stupid pushover as well. Neither of them had the right to point out the otherâs mistakes.
ââŠBaris will be the next crown prince.â
ââŠâ
âBut not yet. Resolve the many problems that exist right now.â
âDavey.â
âYou do not have more than a few months to live, butâŠâ Davey interrupted King Krianes and released some holy power from his hand. He added, âDonât think of running away using your body weakened by some poison as an excuse.â
[Highness Heal]
Whoosh!!! An intense light surrounded King Krianes before flowing into him. It was an extremely advanced recovery magic spell that someone like the pope could use, but surely even the pope couldnât use it as intricately as Davey.
âTake ten years to stabilize the kingdom first. And make it so that Baris can be a great king and lead the nation with confidence. Make it so that those things will automatically happen from Baris becoming king.â
âIs thisâŠyour revenge on this father who has abandoned you?â
When you're just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
âI will have faith in the little conscience you have, but if something like this happens again, I will take action.â
âIf that happens, I will not take this complicated route. So, what I want is for you to leave a painless path for your fourth son who will become the king after you. Although I have no interest in being the king, my beloved and treasured brother wants to be.â
Davey did not want to get into a political fight with Baris over a pretentious and garbage title like the king, and he wasnât going to take on this obligation because of some stupid responsibility. However, since he was this kingdomâs First Prince, he was going to fulfill the responsibilities and duties that came with the right and privileges that would be rightfully returned to him, though it was a brazen conclusion.
This was the day Davey formally and publicly declared that he had given up all his rights as becoming a crown prince.
It was a perfect escape.
* * *
On his last day, Davey visited the royal palaceâs basement jail before leaving for the Heins Territory.
âDavey!!!! Daveyyyy!!â Carlus, who was huffing while on the floor, charged at him like a mad dog.
Clang!! However, there was a tightly packed, hard metal cage between them.
Clang!! Clang!!
âI will kill you!! Ahhhh!! I will kill you!! Daveyyy!!â Carlus, who was screaming angrily with one bandaged eye, had enough fury in his remaining eye that he could shoot lasers out of it.
âYou look good, Carlus.â
âWere you hit on the way here or something? Thereâs a black spot on the sun on your head.â
âDavey!!!â
âYouâre not a prince anymore. Nothing.â
âHow dare!! How dare you deceive me!!â Carlus made a scene and rolled on the ground, shouting loudly in anger.
âYou will be taken to the Haoji Mines as a mine slave. You will never be able to leave, and you will probably die working there.â
âW⊠What?!â
âThe Haoji Mines. You should know it well. Do you remember how many innocent people you put in there just because you didnât like them?â
It was a nasty mine for punishment, since it saw no light.
âYou reap what you sow, you dick.â
Carlus flinched at Daveyâs words. There was no way he didnât know as one of the many ways the Bariatta family tormented people was by sending people who defied them there. Davey was sure that probably a majority of them were filled with rage toward the members of the Bariatta family.
âDonât worry, Iâve made sure that they will not kill you. Thereâs a long time left, and the time you will spend there will be longer than your time as a prince. Youâre still young, right?â
As Davey mocked him, Carlus grabbed the metal bars with wide eyes. In a way, this punishment was worse than death. He screamed, âYou think someone like you will be able to send me there?!â
âIt has already been decided and executors will be here to stop you from killing yourself. I donât think you have understood your reality yet, butâŠâ
Davey trailed off and stared directly at him. A killing aura suddenly burst out of him for a moment.
âYou are a heinous criminal who caused a rebellion.â
A heinous criminal; perhaps Carlus had just realized the magnitude of this situation or perhaps he was afraid of what that title might bring upon him, because he turned pale. He immediately yelled, âDâDavey! Donât do this! Weâre brothers! We share the same blood!â
âBrothers?â
âY⊠Yeah! NâNo! Yes, Big brother! The Haoji! Are you really going to send your blood-related brother to that horrendous place?!â Panicking that he was going to be a mine slave, Carlus desperately tried to reach out to Davey. âBig brother!! Brother! I am sorry! I was a fool! Please⊠Please!â
The Heins Territory had been attacked once while Davey had been subduing the rebels. However, it hadnât been a problem since they had made preparations: ten Swordmasters of Lyndis ready with armory and weapons made of pure silver, Rinne, a golem with an ego and Deus Ex Machina, the Decepticon Fleet, and the girl pretending to be a maid of the seigneurâs palace whom Davey was pretending not to know about. There had been more than enough firepower.
Of course, Davey hadnât been able to ignore the fact that there could have been variables, but the vampires had all run away after being slashed.
âThank you for your hard work while waiting here.â
âThatâs all right. Weâre just following His Majestyâs command.â
Davey chuckled as the old man humbly spoke with his head down.
âActually, I wanted to speak with Your Highness.â
âMe?â
âYes. Thank you so much.â
âI donât think I did anything to receive your gratitude.â
The old man firmly shook his head. âDid nothing to receive my gratitude? You cured the disease of Her Highness, the only happiness in this old manâs life.â
-He is the knight of the small hamster-like princess.
âOh, is he?â
Davey had forgotten about it. He thought that this man was quite loyal.
âI wish the Heins Territory had people like him.â
-The Heins Territory is already blessed with gifted people. You should know that.
âOf course, I do.â
No one could do everything by themselves; Davey knew that very well, and that was why he had nurtured his own territoryâs people.