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Chapter 78 - What To Choose
The Third Prince looked quite agitated, unlike his usual temperament.
It was inevitable.
A man held in his hands. To be exact, a royal healer was dangling in his grasp.
Ian knew who it was at a glance.
‘That must be the one over the crystal ball.’
The royal healer who was assigned to maintain the life of the woman captured by the Second Prince.
As a person of the Second Prince, he was called by Ian over the crystal ball and was on his way, but he was caught by the Third Prince.
The Third Prince, with his beast-like sense, immediately noticed him running in a hurry.
At once, the Third Prince growled right at Ian.
“Where is she now?”
“Currently in treatment. I guess it would be more helpful if you let him go first.”
The Third Prince furrowed his brows.
However, as he noticed that Ian’s words were not lies, he let go of the healer he was holding.
“Hurry and go. If something were to go wrong with her, I will never let you off.”
“I… I will save her.”
The healer scurried away, following Fiosen’s lead in haste.
The First Princess was surprised by the fierce aura exuded by the Third Prince, who was famous for his gentleness.
“It’s my first time seeing you not smiling. What happened?”
“You don’t need to know.”
The cold eyes and words exchanged. They were clearly wary of each other. Of course it went without saying.
It was apparent from how the other nobles gulped nervously, unlike how they acted in the audience room.
‘To think these three are gathered in one place.’
‘Is this the first meeting of the three closest to the throne? What kind of story will come out?’
Unlike the Second Prince, who was favored by the royal family, these three were the candidates who fully demonstrated their abilities.
With an overwhelming and solid faction, the First Princess who was heavily supported by the majority of the aristocracy for her austere demeanor.
The Third Prince who was deemed to resemble the outstanding King Eloin the most, although he was often targeted because of his genius.
And the Seventh Prince who rose up at an alarming pace these days.
The nobles who watched the three had no choice but to swallow their saliva.
Nonetheless, Ian smiled and sat down.
“Both of you will have a seat, no? We seem to have a long story ahead.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything to talk about.”
When the Third Prince tried to go back with his usual smile, Ian curled up his lips.
“Have you forgotten whose palace this belongs to now? Without my permission, you won’t be able to meet the person you so wish to meet.”
“!”
He’d got a point. The person the Third Prince was looking for belonged to Ian now. To be precise, the entire Sapphire Palace.
The Third Prince then wiped his expressions and pondered for a while.
Flop.
He sat with his arms crossed in the seat pointed by Ian.
The First Princess raised the corners of her mouth seeing the Third Prince giving in.
He was one of the outstanding candidates for the throne, though she didn’t quite understand this situation as it was so sudden.
‘The youngest must also have Louis’ weakness. Is it the nanny that I’ve only heard of?’
“What are you doing, Sister? Why don’t you sit down?”
However, the First Princess stood up in a good mood.
“I refuse. I’ve already finished my business here.”
The First Princess tried to leave this place. She had to.
The Third Prince was too sharp, and it was too dangerous to be in one room with him.
‘He shouldn’t know about the ring.’
Moreover, Ian was the most dangerous in a different sense.
“So, have a pleasant conversation, you two—”
“Then I will take it that the First Princess gives up the throne.”
The First Princess stopped in her tracks at Ian’s words.
“What did you just say?”
“If you leave just like this… that means I’ll consider you my enemy.”
What Ian was saying only implied one thing.
‘If you walk out, I’ll ally with the Third Prince and come at you first.’
The Third Prince jolted in surprise at the light in Ian’s eyes that he saw for the first time.
They were the eyes of a ruler which could not have been possibly seen in a child.
It was then.
The First Princess issued an order to the nobles following her with her face stiffened in contempt.
“Everyone, get out.”
“H… however, Your Highness…”
How could they take a step out in a situation where it felt like she was about to draw her sword at any time?
“Your Highness, now…”
“Did you not hear me? I told you to get out.”
All the nobles retreated at the First Princess’s cold words.
Right after the nobles left, the First Princess approached Ian with fierce steps.
The First Princess soon violently reached out her hand, and the servants closed their eyes tightly.
But.
“!”
The First Princess, whom everyone thought would brandish a sword, unexpectedly sat across from Ian while straightening her dress.
The Third Prince let out a smirk as he watched this unimaginable scene.
‘Oho?’
Was there something that would make that First Princess yield?
Shortly, Ian opened his mouth as he could finally speak up now.
“As you know, I have what you two want.”
“!”
The First Princess’s and the Third Prince’s eyes changed upon hearing Ian’s words.
And they raised the corners of their mouths in ridicule. They realized the meaning of what Ian was trying to say.
“I guess you want to threaten me with my nanny. You’ve made a bad decision.”
“I agree. It’s only possible if you can keep them.”
In any case, they were strong candidates for the throne. The murderous intent they let out was beyond the norm. It was such a thick bloodlust that they seemed about to slash Ian’s neck right then and there with their escort knights if Ian dared open his mouth just the slightest bit.
In fact, each of the knights who sensed their lords’ killing intent looked ready to unsheathe their swords right away.
Yet Ian laughed lightheartedly.
“You must have misunderstood something. I don’t intend to grab your weaknesses and swing them around like a leash like a certain older brother.”
“!”
The First Princess and the Third Prince widened their eyes.
“As an heir to the throne, I have no intention of becoming a slave trader. Shouldn’t the competition be fair?”
Then the brother and sister looked at Ian with great surprise.
Of course, he could tell from their eyes that they believed he would use that as an excuse to grab their weakness.
But Ian snickered inside.
In fact, it was half sincere, half lying.
‘My base is still shallow.’
The Second Prince grabbed them and swung them around, but Ian was practically different from the Second Prince, who had built a sturdy wall as a crown prince.
To put it bluntly, it would be really difficult if the two of them were to have a change of heart and attack him in earnest.
‘I won’t lose, but I am weak enough to be targeted by other brothers.’
And anyway, handling both things would bring him more loss in the long run.
That was why he offered a deal moderately.
Pay the price, and he would untie the leash the Second Prince had bound them.
‘A leash is useless for the Third Prince anyway.’
He was a person who would bite him even if he had a leash.
In fact, it was the same in Ian’s previous life.
The Second Prince tried to deal with the Third Prince with the life of his nanny but was beaten back instead.
He heard that the Second Prince’s limbs were torn to pieces and burned.
The same went for the First Princess.
She pretended to follow the Second Prince, but it was she who personally shoved a dagger into the Second Prince and eventually drove him to a dead end.
Therefore, he could only make this suggestion.
“If you pay for it, I’ll give you what you want.”
The First Princess looked at Ian with disbelief.
The Third Prince also tilted his head for a moment but soon nodded seeing that it was not a bad suggestion.
“What do you wish for?”
Ian raised the corners of his mouth when the Third Prince bit the bait.
“Very well. I’m telling you in advance just in case you misunderstand. What I’m going to trade is the management rights of this Sapphire Palace.”
“What?”
The two stared at him dumbfoundedly.
Management rights instead of the Ring of Promise or what they wanted?
They shot him a wary look thinking he might be joking, but Ian responded with a smile.
“I’m not kidding. If you want to have what you want, you should buy the management rights first.”
“Ha!”
To put it in another way, it was a forced sale.
Of course, he didn’t intend to give them what they wanted, but Ian hid his true intention and continued.
“I don’t have much yet. Please think of it as your little brother’s cute joke and buy it as a bonus.”
“Ian…”
This must have been a child’s shallow move anyway.
They were about to brush it off, but Ian’s next words were the problem.
“I would like to give this management rights along with their desired thing to the one who buys it.”
“…!”
At that moment, the expressions of the First Princess and Third Prince hardened.
Because there was no way that they didn’t understand what he meant.
‘This bastard got the alliance deal this way.’
In other words, they were free not to buy it, but if they did not, Ian would side with the other person.
They could clearly tell such an intention within that condition.
Of course, the First Princess and Third Prince could simply ignore Ian and join hands instead.
But the two knew too well.
The First Princess, the Third Prince, or the lurking dragon closest to the throne.
There was no loyalty between the two who were enemies from the beginning.
That’s why it was better to join hands with Ian to address their weaknesses and defeat potential rivals rather than join hands.
The choices that the First Princess and the Third Prince, who couldn’t trust each other, would make were too obvious.
So, the two’s faces hardened.
‘This guy uses this kind of trick?’
They both had already fallen into Ian’s trap the moment they stepped foot here.
Ian smiled at the expression of the two as if he had expected it.
“Just in case you don’t buy it here, I’ll give it to others right away.”
“What?”
“This is the only opportunity I have for you. So, hurry up and make up your mind.”
“…!”
Many royals wanted the item, even if it wasn’t the First Princess and the Third Prince.
It didn’t matter if the two joined hands on the off chance. There was no point in trying to take it away in the Battle of Ranking.
He would sell it before then.
“I haven’t met them yet, but I think the Fifth Prince, who is aiming to become the youngest cardinal, and the Sixth Prince, who is studying abroad in the empire, will also want these.”
“…”
The First Princess scrunched her brows.
She honestly felt like being led by the nose, but it wasn’t a bad condition.
Ian was dangerous, but he was still a cute brother compared to the Third Prince Louis.
If only Louis, who had a strong private force, was dealt with, she would surely have a chance to deal with Ian.
Even without the Ring of Promise.
Thus, she quickly made a decision.
“What do you want?”
“What do you wish for?”
The two answered at the same time.
Ian grinned at the sight.
“You should think about that on your own from now on, isn’t that right, my dear brother and sister?”
“!?”
It was time for collection from now on.
***
The Third Prince was deprived of his loved one as a child.
Likewise, the First Princess was deceived by her brother’s sugarcoat as a naive child and made a vow she should not have taken.
It was obvious how much they would have wanted to break free from the shackles of the Second Prince.
The Third Prince and the First Princess read each other’s faces.
They had to wager as much as they could, but they intended to give the bare minimum without showing their hidden cards to the other person.
But Ian, who noticed it, put one condition on it.
“If I don’t like it, forget our business here.”
The First Princess and Third Prince glared at Ian and his resolute will, but they soon stopped.
It was because of Galon, who was standing next to Ian with his hand on the sword hilt.
It’s not that they didn’t have faith in their knights, but facing one of the Three Great Knights, Galon, was too great a risk. They would have to give up one of their arms at the very least.
In the end, it was the First Princess who spoke up first.
“I heard you’re leaving soon. I’ll send a military escort to aid you on your mission. One thousand horses. And I will also support the funds needed for the mission.”
Ian smiled. It was a considerable benefit. The First Princess indeed took things on a different scale.
If she had 1,000 cavalry soldiers, she would have to have 4,000 soldiers to follow. She must have been busy preparing for the Northern Expedition, but she could easily give up that many troops.
However, even the Third Prince didn’t lose to her when it came to generosity.
“My side will support you with knights. In addition, I will give you 1,000 skilled archers.”
“!”
Ian’s eyes twinkled. The fame of the Third Prince’s knights was second to none. They were professionals in warfare, distinguished for their unique steel armor and breakthrough power.
And 1,000 archers to support the knights to boot.
Archers were more difficult to obtain than ordinary soldiers. They were a troop capable of reducing most territories to nothing more than a wasteland.
But the First Princess, on the other hand, shouted in surprise.
“Louis! Since when did you ever have such a force?”
“Don’t you have a lot of hidden troops, too? If you don’t keep up, you’ll lose more cards.”
“…”
She knew she jumped straight into Ian’s trap, but she could never afford to lose this war of nerves.
Finally, the First Princess clicked her tongue as if she was fed up.
“Fine. Then, as the commander of the Northern Expedition, I will offer the position of deputy commander to the youngest.”
The Third Prince’s face stiffened.
“Sister, are you out of your mind?”
“That’s how much I need. If you’re not confident, stand back.”
Ian smiled.
The First Princess simply made a big deal. It was a surprisingly strong offer not only to Ian but also to the Third Prince.
Even if she held the position of commander, she was trying to put Ian, who was not yet an adult, as the deputy commander.
That meant.
‘It means to share the credit of the Northern Expedition.’
If the nobles of her faction learned this, complaints were bound to flood in.
However, the First Princess smiled as if she was confident of silencing that level of backlash.
“Youngest, if you want, I’ll guarantee you the right to command the Northern Expedition as well. What do you think?”
It was an absolutely extraordinary condition. Independent command authority that allowed him to ignore the commander’s instructions.
It looked like she was challenging him.
The Third Prince, who had been agonizing for a while, shot Ian a determined gaze.
“All right, then I’ll spare your life just once.”
“?”
“What do you mean?”
When Ian asked, the Third Prince smirked like a beast.
“It means that I will not lop off your head under any circumstances, just for once. Even if it leads to my death.”
“!?”
Surprised, the First Princess stared at the Third Prince.
Both conditions were nothing to sneeze at.
Ian replied with an amused smile.