Chapter 246: 245

Chapter 245

The Prince’s Virtue (1)

I would make sure they knew who the ruler here was. They would pay for those whose blood they spilled, for coming into this land without permission and harming the innocent. I had confidence in this — and I had prepared for this day.

Though my preparations were not complete, I had at least developed enough strength to wipe out the non-human things that have arisen in this land.

But then – “Not possible.”

The king did not allow it.

“Sire!” I shouted, feeling shocked by the unexpected answer.

“It’s something we can do without you.”

Seeing the king say this without hesitation, I again gave him my reason: I have been sharpening my blade in anticipation of a day like today. If he asked me to explain my plans right now, I could offer him countermeasures, and if I go and wipe them out, I would bring a faster end to this than anyone else.

“Others can do it, but I bet no one can do better than me.”

The king nodded at my words.

“Perhaps you are right. No – I daresay that you won’t be wrong. You’ve been weird enough to study the old histories.”

“Then-”

“But!” the king exclaimed, cutting me off as I tried to speak half-heartedly. “I will not allow it.”

“Why?”

When I asked why, the king looked straight at me and asked, “If something ugly and dangerous happens, are you always going to go ahead and solve it yourself, like you want to now?”

I almost asked what else could be done but instead kept my mouth shut.

“Whenever such unwelcome news arrives, are you always going to grab your sword and abandon your throne?” The king’s eyes spoke far more than his words.

“Is this country such a weak country that we cannot overcome even small difficulties unless you come out?”

I silently listened to the king.

“I’m not trying to blame you,” he said with a smoother expression.

“I know that you have struggled alone because the royal family is not strong, and the kingdom is not perfect. How can I blame you and say that you are wrong?”

However, he was still firm and strict in his way of speaking, leaving no room for dissent.

“But from now on, it must be different,” the king said to me.

“Now that the roots are deep and the stems are firmly stretched, it is time to spread your branches widely. Let those who live on this earth lean on your steadfastness. Let those tired of the winds rest under your benevolence.”

He said that my virtue as a prince is quite different from that of a knight. The king said it to me again and again.

“This is something you cannot achieve if you move lightly. Deep-rooted trees do not easily shake.”

I thought about the king’s wishes for me to become a deep-rooted giant.

Then I decided: the king was making a big noise about this and that, but in the end, he was telling me to stay still without moving my hips even slightly.

“Count Balahard.”

I was just about to challenge the king on this when he called Vincent.

“Yes, Sire?” Vincent addressed the king with full formal respect — with his eyes showing that his old grudge still remained intact.

The king did not rebuke Vincent for being unforgiving.

He just quietly got up from the throne and came down the dais, saying, “As the head of the Leonberger family and as the legitimate ruler of the Leonberg Kingdom, I hereby revoke the title of count that was handed down to the Balahard family.”

“Sire!” I exclaimed, gritting my teeth. I opened my mouth and protested the king’s decision. No, I tried to protest, yet I couldn’t. Despite the absurd king’s declaration, the expressions of the others were so calm. Those who knew better than anyone else about the devotion and sacrifice of the Balahard family did not resist the king’s actions. Only then did I realize that something strange was going on, so I kept silent.

The king, standing upright, glanced at me and turned to Vincent again.

“Vincent Balahard.”

Vincent was insulted to hear the king calling his name without even a title.

He had a cold, cold face that I have never seen before. The king spoke to Vincent again.

“I now award you the rank of Herzog Norden. You are now Duke of the North.”

Vincent’s expression, as cold as ice, cracked.

“In addition, in honor of the noble and unbreakable Balahard spirit that has not changed for hundreds of years, I give the middle name of Erhaben.”

“We honor the dedication and sacrifice of the Balahard family!”

The leaders of the kingdom, including the Marquis of Bielefeld, shouted as if they had been awaiting this moment.

“In addition, we give the title of Stärker Ritter, Great Knight, to the former Count of Balahard, Bale Balahard. We will remember him as a Paladin and honor his unstoppable spirit and integrity.”

“Honor to the indomitable knight! Honor to the Paladin of the Kingdom!”

The palace knights beat upon their hearts at once and expressed their utmost respect.

“Ah…” Vincent looked at them for a long time with a blank face.

“Vincent Erhaben Balahard,” the king called Vincent.

“Yes? Yes, Sire?”

“I solemnly express my deep gratitude for your family’s dedication and sacrifice, and I bow my head and apologize for the suffering and misery that the Balahard family had to endure due to the incompetent royal family.”

These weren’t just formal words. The king actually bowed his head, albeit slightly, giving the greatest possible gratitude and apology as a monarch of a country. Vincent, whose face had become half-dead when he heard his new titles, now had a completely soulless face.

He stood there for a while, at last looking at me, trying to whisper. He moved his lips several times, but in the end, he couldn’t say a word. I was no different.

Seeing the passions and countless other emotions raging in his eyes was perhaps what left me speechless, or it might have been those self-same emotions that had risen inside of me. I clenched my teeth and forced myself to endure such blessed feelings.

I couldn’t even open my mouth and congratulate him — all I could do was give him a small nod of the head. I stretched my shoulders and stood straight, and Vincent, looking at me, also straightened his shoulders and raised his chin.

It was ridiculous: his chin stood so high as if it would touch the sky were it to be raised an inch more.

I could not stop myself from laughing. He looked like a fool, but even so, without knowing when, my chin rose just as high as his. No longer was my vision faint as I energized my eyes and opened them wide. Inside my mind, I felt nostalgic, seeing a person I had thought I would never see again. If only he had lived a little longer, that would’ve been great. How proud would he have been, how much would he have enjoyed the moment when his son became a duke?

There was no answer — only the cries of the king and the others were heard.

“Long live the Northern Duchy! Long live Duke Balahard!”

The people of the kingdom called the name of Vincent Balahard, a man who was reborn as a duke.

“Honor to the indomitable knight!”

“Homage to Great Knight Bale Balahard !”

The palace knights pounded their hearts and shouted the name of the Paladin, the first to bear that title in a hundred-and-twenty years.

I closed my eyes tightly as I heard their fervent cheers.

Something hot and wet was crawling down my cheeks.

* * *

The cheers ceased after some time had passed.

However, a fire still raged inside of me, and I saw that the situation was no different for Vincent.

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“I’ll do my best,” Vincent stated in a light tone, his eyes blazing with great intensity.

There was no sign of his earlier resentments, no sign of his old grudge. He had received not only a title, but also an apology and an appreciation for his family’s sacrifices.

Maybe someone would curse Vincent for being a snob; maybe they would say that a few words of congratulations were enough for him to forget his grudge and sell his soul.

But I knew — Vincent had never been a snob. He wasn’t a fickle person who could easily be swayed by a few words. Vincent was just simple enough to be honest.

I knew that he had had not wished for a huge reward or a grand apology in the first place. He just wanted people to know of the existence of the stalwart defenders of the stormy walls, the dedication and sacrifice of his family, who were the forgotten defenders of this land.

Vincent just wanted others not to forget.

What he wished for in return for hundreds of years of dedication and sacrifice was so small. And not only Vincent was like this; his father had been the same. I’m not sure, but his ancestors would have been like this as well.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have fought for a long time in that harsh land without anyone knowing of their sacrifice. They were a family with blazing hearts, and their valor did not disappear in the face of the harshest winters. The Balahards were very dear to me.

But then, something happened that I had not expected.

“I will take over this task.”

Once again, Vincent proved that his fire would not be doused in the face of winter.

“The monsters that have appeared in the County of Brandenburg- I guess I’ll wipe them out.”

I didn’t expect Vincent to swallow the dinner that had been set in front of me.

“There are thousands of capable trackers serving under me who have seen every shape and size of footprints, and they shall track these monsters. There are also hundreds of courageous knights who do not retreat, no matter what monster they face.”

“Indeed. That is very true. No one knows more about monsters than you and your army, who have fought with those coming from the north for generations,” the king praised Vincent.

“If your Majesty allows me, I will head north right now and end the corrupt seeds that are the monsters that have appeared in Brandenburg.”

Vincent spoke fast as he beat his fist upon his chest, almost ranting.

After the king had chatted with Vincent for a long time, he departed to further discuss countermeasures — along with the marshal and Vincent; everyone except me.

I had to silently stand by and watch them disappear.

“It feels like my foot was just severed by an ax I had forged.”

There was probably no expression that better suited the situation. I cursed Vincent, but that changed nothing. Eventually, I had to go back with my shoulders drooping.

When I arrived at my palace, the knights and champions were waiting for me in the middle of the training hall.

I didn’t even change my clothes and went straight to them and said, “It might be a bit harder today. It is only because of my desire to strengthen the kingdom. Please do not resent me.”

I just wanted to make sure that our campaigns would be short and swift; there was no other reason.

That was why my sword had more power than usual and why the battle continued longer than usual — it was the only reason. Really, it was.

* * *

On that very night, Vincent came to me.

“Why does someone who should be busy defeating monsters come to this place?”

I stood whilst leaning against the door, making sure he saw how I felt through my posture.

“I ran here bearing news that your Highness would like, but it seems you aren’t happy.”

My ears pricked up when he said he brought me likable news. So, I stepped away from the door and pointed to the sofa.

“Why not come in? Come in and sit down.”

Vincent chuckled as he stood by the door and then took his seat.

“What’s this news I’d like to hear?”

“If your Highness hadn’t asked me, I would’ve told you right away.”

Contrary to his statement, Vincent didn’t open his mouth immediately. He just smirked at me, seeming to enjoy the way I wriggled in anticipation.

Then, just before my irritation exceeded my curiosity, that is, just before I ordered him to tell me, Vincent began speaking.

“If it was just confined to the County of Brandenburg, the rangers alone would be able to solve it. But as your Highness said, if something similar happens across the kingdom, your Highness must be there to reduce the damage.”

I suddenly grew impatient and asked, “So? So? What did his Majesty say?”

“His Majesty heard me out, and then pondered for a long time.” Vincent laughed. “He said he would allow your Highness to leave.”

I clenched my fists, then got up and cheered.

“Dear Vincent! I never gave up on my expectations!”

At that moment, the sense of betrayal I had felt toward Vincent was no longer there.

“However, there were conditions,” Vincent said as he looked straight at me. “The official position of your Highness in this extermination team is not as a combatant, but as an escort. Your Highness’s main task is to appease the public sentiment, which has been ravaged by these sudden surprises.”

My smile quickly soured.

“Did I hear you right?”

Many times I asked Vincent to reaffirm it to me.

“Non-combatant. Escort the target. The mission is to appease the ugly public sentiment.”

Each time I repeated my position and role.

“Is your Highness regretting what has come about? You can choose not to come along, but then you will miss our glorious struggle. Should I go back to his Majesty and overturn what I said earlier?”

Hearing Vincent’s words brought me pain, so I quickly ranted out an acceptance.

“Do not worry about it. I intend to be faithful to my mission.”

“That lie, really?”

“Do you know me to cheat with words? I hope not.”

I didn’t tell Vincent of the various possibilities that ran through my head, for he looked at me with doubtful eyes. Our enemy is so strong that it was inevitable that an escort must also draw his sword and fight… or for a noncombatant to accidentally get involved in the battle.

Even on the day that the campaign was launched, Vincent still couldn’t shake off his anxiety and whispered in my ear.

“Once again, please focus on your mission. I mean, don’t think about anything else, just focus on stabilizing public sentiment.”

Even the king came out to the gate, and as he joined me, he started nagging.

“Your task this time is to cultivate the virtues that you need as a crown prince, and you should, above all else, be devoted to taking care of the hearts of the fearful people.”

“I will remember! I will keep it in mind! My head is now full of thoughts on how to quickly stabilize public sentiment!”

I wasn’t lying. I had thought about it all before leaving my palace. And after a bit of worrying, I had finally managed to set up my own plans.

There was nothing that stabilized public sentiment faster than removing the original threat. I didn’t doubt it.

So on the very, very, very rare chance that one duty overlapped with the other, then I would have to fight the monsters. After all, it was one of the ways in which to mollify the public.

“Ha, what’s this then?”

And that moment came much earlier than I expected.

“I really didn’t want to do this.”

I gently drew Twilight.

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