Proof

“Aunt!”

When Phillena reflexively shouted, Pernok smirked.

“Perhaps there’s something left I must prove, so you’re treating me this coldly?”

At the mischievous words, everyone’s gazes focused on Phillena.

Everyone witnessed the brilliantly shining sword, so only her choice remained now.

“If there’s something I must prove, please tell me. I’ll show you however much.”

Blood and sword acknowledged him.

What more could be confirmed from here?

With Flemyr watching, no tricks would be tolerated.

She didn’t want to acknowledge it. But many witnessed it, and she could no longer retreat.

Phillena lifted the sword still emitting light and shouted.

“All here have seen! Pernok inherited the previous king’s blood and was granted qualification to unfold legitimate competition! However, if he doesn’t wish it himself, I won’t mind if he abandons this right!”

To that, Pernok solemnly declared.

“I will fulfill the duty given to me.”

A bastard son squeezed between three children.

Barely holding onto her dizzy mind, Phillena fulfilled her duty as observer.

“Then at the beginning of next month, we’ll gather all contenders at the royal palace to question the qualification of true king. Pernok must attend the royal palace and prove your qualities!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

Pernok immediately knelt on one knee.

Now only the rights given to contenders remained.

“What do you desire?”

Following old tradition, just as the previous king asked his children, Phillena also gave Pernok an opportunity.

“I wish to have Marquis Falkion’s territory.”

“Why do you want a frontier territory?”

“Because I struggled between life and death there, I beheaded the one who insulted me, and I cannot turn away from territory residents who lost their ruler.”

The crime of trying to kill royalty.

Words piercing coldly into the chest had absolutely no gap to refuse.

“Marquis Falkion exercised force knowing you were royalty!”

“That is correct! There are those who can prove this!”

“Who is that?”

“Joseph!”

From inside the castle gate, Joseph in full armor jumped out and knelt.

“I am called Joseph, knight commander who served Marquis Falkion!”

“Then did you also point your sword at Pernok?”

To that, Pernok denied.

“No. Knowing it was wrong, Joseph tried to protect me. Saying a knight’s pride lies in justice, he took the lead in beheading the dishonest Marquis Falkion.”

When Pernok defended him, Joseph prostrated fully.

‘He’s truly opening a path to life for me!’

Not knowing that was an excuse to work Joseph as a hunting dog.

Suppressing his surging chest, he faithfully laid out words for Pernok.

“I watched from beside what Marquis Falkion said. He clearly tried to silence him by selling Prince Pernok to the dishonest place called the Fighting Pit, knowing he was a bastard son. And I and the knight order clearly saw all these facts written in the ledger!”

“Did the duke see the ledger?”

Flemyr came out, bowed lightly, and spoke.

“Yes. I confirmed the ledger with team members. Those related to it are currently confined.”

“However, why haven’t you judged yet?”

“Only after going through the sword’s proof will Guild Master Pernok finally be acknowledged as prince. We’ve been postponing until now due to the possibility the ledger might be fabricated. But now that Prince Pernok proved himself, I’ll believe all that content as fact and thoroughly dig out the truth.”

Phillena nodded.

“Good. Then Pernok’s royal contempt crime is judged appropriate! Marquis Falkion’s death, who committed the great crime of turning away knowing this, was just treatment, and granting that territory to Pernok is appropriate qualification! From today, Marquis Falkion’s territory is Pernok’s!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Pernok naturally predicted this result would come when killing Marquis Falkion.

But there were still more things to receive.

“They say there’s a crowd in the castle now plotting ambush without trusting Pernok’s qualification, so team leader, dispatch the truth investigation team to punish all the wicked crowd!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

And Pernok stopped Phillena who was about to turn around.

“Your Majesty, I still have something left unacknowledged.”

Phillena turned her head sharply.

With wrinkles bunched, it was a vicious-looking impression.

“Already proven as prince and I acknowledged your actions—what more do you want from here?”

“It’s the results of territory war.”

Phillena frowned.

Come to think of it, Pernok occupied three count’s territories: Charles, Bolte, and Pukis.

That disposition was also properly supposed to be done by the nation, but when Pernok directly mentioned it, she felt ominously uneasy.

“I’ll confiscate the territories and distinguish all rights and wrongs.”

“I apologize, but they’re a crowd who profited dishonestly by extorting my territory residents. Please also entrust that disposition to me.”

“What?”

“Isn’t the rule of territory war to leave all judgments to the lord who occupied that territory?”

“That’s…”

“Though I said I was royalty, they couldn’t believe it like Falkion. I’ll just pass over this part since it was when I wasn’t yet proven. But I can’t hand over the counts who not only plundered territory residents but also pointed swords at me conducting armed demonstrations.”

When Pernok’s eyes became indifferent, Phillena’s shoulders flinched.

Calm eyes felt like a powder keg that didn’t know when what incident would occur.

“This is what Illumina’s national law established, and I judge it as compensation for waging territory war as royalty and lord. I’ll receive all three count’s territories and manage them peacefully.”

“Duke!”

She called hoping he’d stop it, but Flemyr didn’t particularly object.

It’s natural for the victor of territory war to have full authority over that territory.

But usually, they receive the lord’s and retainers’ lives back with money.

If it were a dispute among nobles, it would’ve ended here, but Pernok is royalty.

He has qualification to demand greater rights.

Actually, during the time when the 9th King was a prince.

He killed assassins targeting him and found and disposed of those who instigated it.

At that time, lords of prominent factions were mixed in, but after disposing of all, he directly ruled those territories.

The 9th King, fearing he’d be recorded as a tyrant in later generations, inserted an additional clause into territory war.

Territories that harm royalty or commit greater crimes accept all that royal’s dispositions.

After that, territory war didn’t occur in Illumina.

Because they thought if they waged territory war with factions, the moment royalty got involved, they might lose everything.

As peace lengthened, people remembering this additional clause gradually decreased.

In this time when territory war hardly occurs, only Flemyr, who values discipline, remembered the old rule.

‘Did he know a story over 150 years old?’

While staying together before Phillena came, he felt it.

The fact that there’s a beast-like temperament that persistently bites opponents with trivial pretexts.

‘It won’t be easy for Prince Vans.’

It was the moment the previous king’s retainer, who hadn’t paid attention to royals, noticed Pernok.

“Duke!”

When Phillena repeatedly urged, Flemyr answered resolutely.

“There’s already such precedent.”

“I’ve neither heard nor seen such a clause in territory war.”

“More people won’t know, but it’s a clause the 9th King made.”

“Then…”

“All three count’s territories are Prince Pernok’s.”

“Aren’t you being unreasonable?”

“Your Majesty.”

Flemyr’s eyes became indifferent.

“I’m this nation’s noble. I’m devoting loyalty to the nation enough to willingly take on investigation team leader and come all the way here.”

“But the judgment to hand over all count’s territories isn’t words that should come from the truth investigation team leader!”

“Everyone seems to have forgotten. Illumina always followed victors’ history.”

Just as the 9th King newly added territory war rules to grant legitimacy to his violent actions.

“And don’t you also know that well, Your Majesty who was with me?”

Phillena’s words were blocked.

The previous king had also changed several laws to grant legitimacy to his dissoluteness.

Recalling that ugly memory, Phillena bit her lips firmly.

Pernok interestedly examined the two people’s war of words.

‘For people who waged succession war together, the relationship seems uncomfortable.’

Though he’d thought there was no neutral faction in this nation, Flemyr who stayed together always emphasized fairness.

It was puzzling enough how meticulous Flemyr led the succession war to victory together with the dissolute previous king.

“Prince Pernok’s words are appropriate.”

When Flemyr spoke resolutely, Phillena barely suppressed her twisting lips and looked at Pernok.

“Can you rule the count’s territories alone?”

“I’ve already selected those to fill in.”

“They must be this nation’s nobles.”

“Though not nobles, they’re those who’d be treated preciously going to any nation. And they’re not hesitating to become Illumina’s nobles now. Don’t worry. Named’s power will become Illumina’s.”

Phillena barely opened lips that wouldn’t fall.

“Do as you wish.”

“Your grace is immense.”

When Pernok bent his waist halfway and smiled, Phillena turned her body as if she didn’t want to see.

“Your Majesty, though lacking, we prepared a place inside. Since you must be tired from the long journey, please rest deeply today and leave.”

“I’m pressed for time, so I’ll return.”

“It’s regrettable.”

Phillena spoke as if spitting out.

“Duke, finish this place’s work and return to the castle!”

Without even giving a warm glance, Phillena returned to the main force.

Seeing Phillena’s face, nobles closed their mouths.

It seemed if they brought out even one word, she’d immediately draw her sword.

“Return to the royal palace!”

When the royal guard knight commander shouted and commanded, troops withdrew like ebbing tide.

Phillena ground her teeth while recalling Pernok’s leisurely appearance.

‘This castle will return to the children again.’

All actions proceeded business-like.

She didn’t touch anything besides quickly doing only necessary procedures.

It was to prevent gossip from arising when the children obtained territories by the same method in the succession war.

‘In the end, a bastard son.’

She confirmed the S-rank guild’s substance.

Pernok was clearly a Magus.

Though there are excellent mages under him, compared to children who’ve already established positions and built diplomatic relations with each nation, he’s far lacking.

The day contenders gather at the royal palace, Pernok will keenly feel.

What the wall of royalty is.

Early next month when succession candidates gather.

The clever children will cook, boil, and swallow the variable called Pernok.

As if that future was before her eyes, Phillena raised her lips’ corners.

‘Nothing changes.’

Time is on the side of those prepared.

An outsider has no qualification to join this stage the children have built since childhood.

But what is it?

For some reason, Pernok’s confident smile keeps flickering in her head.

“Your Majesty, are you uncomfortable anywhere?”

“No. It’s nothing.”

Phillena was looking at the flowing scenery as if to shake off Pernok’s appearance.

* * *

“Truly regrettable. I planned to raise a toast on a day like today.”

Pernok looked at Flemyr.

“How about the duke? Will you hang out with me?”

“I’ll just finish official business and leave.”

“Hahaha, all results already came out, yet why are you acting so stiffly? I quite liked the duke’s decisive appearance.”

Flemyr met Pernok’s smile.

“Do you feel like you’ve gained everything in the world?”

“I haven’t obtained it yet, so I’m continuously looking for good talent. I thought there’d be no more people in the kingdom. But a strange existence remains that’s neither neutral faction, nor prince faction, nor serving the Queen. That’s even the highest-positioned noble.”

“Now as Prince Pernok who became this nation’s prince, I’ll give one advice as this nation’s subject.”

When Pernok stared as if to speak, Flemyr spoke calmly.

“Don’t create justification for Magus to interfere in royal authority. This is the shortcut heading toward the nation’s chaos and collapse.”

“Hasn’t it become time to overturn at least once?”

“You speak words that invite misunderstanding without hesitation.”

“Do you think this structure of living parasitically on other nations is the proper form of nation?”

Flemyr looked silently.

“I’ll also give one advice, Duke.”

Pernok stared at Flemyr.

“The more those with strong power stay silent, the more they make people wary. If there’s passion, you should reveal your intention. Hiding yourself with the word observation is useless.”

“Haven’t you thought turmoil would disturb order?”

“Rooted tumors must be handled with a blade. Chaos is the process for establishing new order.”

Pernok smirked and passed by Flemyr.

“If you want to go on adventure, say so anytime. I’ll take you wherever you want.”

Flemyr stood vacantly watching Pernok enter the castle.