Chapter 53: Puppet Prince

The fireworks used in school festivals were divided into two main types: those that will be launched into the sky periodically, and those that will be used in the play. While the former would be brought in the day before the festival, the latter would be brought in first as it would be used for rehearsals.

In addition to student council members Felix and Elliot, Miss Mabel Haynes, who was also responsible for stage direction, was present at the delivery. The fireworks used in the play will be handled by specialized companies, but even those who were responsible for the play need to know how to handle them.

Mabel Haynes was a third-year student who gave the impression of being a smart person. Though she usually read books quietly with her glasses on, when she was involved in the play she was famous for her eyes would be blazing like a different person.

And now, such a girl was approaching Felix, who was supervising bringing in the goods, said ‘Your-High-Ness' in a sweet voice that did not hide her flirtation.

"Have you thought about what I said the other day?"

"Oh, the thing about me taking part in the play? I thought I turned you down last time."

"I did say, ‘please give it some thought'. But you haven't given any refusal of the thought itself. So I can take it as you're still thinking about it!"

Mable spoke her quibble as she glaring at Felix with her blazing eyes.

The pressure Mabel exuding was so strong, even Elliot, who was checking the list next to her, silently distanced away from Felix.

"I am aware of your busy schedule as a member of the student council. But only a little bit, juuuust a little bit, please. Take in part of the last scene, juuuuust the last scene of the Founder King, I hope you could you take that role, Your Highness."

"The play would not be perfect if the person who had been playing the role up to that point changed into me when the final scene came."

"Thaaaat's not true. I'm sure everyone who sees the play will break down in tears with cheers. I can even hear the sounds of the crowd cheering and applauding like the earth is about to break!"

What an exaggeration…, thought Felix as he brushed off Mabel's claims.

Mabel always kept her manner composed. But, when the play involved, she will talk too much.

"If I can be honest with you, I wanted you to play the role of the Founder King, Lord Ashley to play Sheffield, the Spirit King of the Wind, Lady Graham to play Lurchela, the Spirit King of the Water, and Lord Elliot to play Arklade, the Spirit King of the Earth… I wonder why is our student council members are so gorgeous. Simply having them standing on the play was enough to leave huge impressions! I'm sure of it!"

Felix pretended not to hear and continued to check the crate silently.

Mabel walked around to the front of Felix and looked up at him with a look that was even hotter than that of a maiden in love.

"Would you please reconsider? Even Lady Eliane, who's got the role of the queen, also expressed her desire for you to play the role."

"…"

Eliane. The moment that name came up, Felix's blue eyes darken just a little bit.

But as his gentle smile remained intact, he then told Mabel.

"Maybe I will give you a formal response here. We, the student council members, are not allowed to participate in any play. If you're still insisting any longer, I'll have to consider it as an attempt to disrupt the work of student council."

At the strong words of refusal, Mabel let out an unladylike "ugh" and bit down on her handkerchief.

In response to Mabel, Felix retracted his harsh attitude and gave her a gentle smile.

"I am sure the play will be a success even without me involved. I hope it will become a great play that will live up to my expectations."

With that being said, Mabel couldn't insist any longer.

Mabel could only nod her head before letting out a deep sigh.

As Felix went back to his work after successfully dealt with Mabel, Elliot, who had been watching from a distance, came back to join him.

"It was quite a feat to smart out the talk with Miss Mabel. As expected of Your Highness… but are you sure about it? Miss Eliane was hoping you'd be the prince, wasn't she?"

Eliane was Felix's distant relative whom Felix's grandfather, Duke Crockford, was considering her to be his official fiancee.

But Felix shrugged lightly, not caring deep down what he felt.

"Ignoring one of the three most beautiful ladies in the school, what an enviable situation is this."

Things that he hadn't intended, leaked out in a murmur as he looked down at his list.

It's not because Felix disliked having his potential fiancee prepared by Duke Crockford. He just has no interest in them.

Thinking about it, the things that Duke Crockford prepared were always things that he had no interest in.

Whether it was his fiancee candidate or the bright future that laid unfold by before him… All the things that were prepared for ‘Felix Ark Ridill', he had no interest in them.

…Regardless what I've become, I must become a king.

No matter if they call him Duke Crockford's puppet or not.

＊ ＊ ＊

"…I can't let Duke Crockford's puppet… be king."

Casey spoke in a strained voice.

The absence of her usual vivacious smile on her face, replaced by dark despair emitted in her eyes.

With a slight tinge of sadness in her despair, Casey pointed the tip of her thin knife at Monica.

Finally, She had understood.

The reason Casey had toppled down the lumber in the east warehouse and caused an accident she had staged on was to create an alibi.

If two incidents occurred on the same day in two different places, most people would assume that both incidents were the work of the same person who wanted to assassinate Felix.

So, by getting involved in one of the cases, she can avoid the suspicion of the people from her surrounding.

If the toppled woods had succeeded to cause Casey injuries, no one would think that Casey was the culprit.

…but why do you have to do such dangerous things…

One wrong move and she would have been crushed to death by the wood.

Casey's desperate attempt to walk the tightrope sent a chill down Monica's spine.

Casey… why did you have to go that far…

Why did Casey have to go that far to take Felix's life?

She went as far as carrying dangerous magic tools. Even faking an accident on purpose to create an alibi.

To Monica's bewilderment, Casey laughed wryly, her face turning to despair.

"If His Highness Felix becomes the next king, Duke Crockford, who stands behind him, will start a war with the Randall Kingdom. As the Duke's puppet, His Highness Felix will not be able to stop him."

The Kingdom of Randall—the birthplace of the First Prince's mother—was a small country situated between the Kingdom of Ridill and the Empire.

Felix told her when they drank the chocolate together. He said that the First Prince faction had strong ties to the Randall Kingdom.

…But Felix didn't say what kind of sentiments the second prince faction had for Randall.

"My hometown is bordered by the Randall Kingdom. It's always been hard for us because of all the damage caused by the dragons, but since we didn't have enough money, we can't rely on the other nobles."

The Dragon Knights, who work directly under the king, would take a while to arrive.

Asking for help from neighboring nobles to sent their military power always cost an enormous fortune.

Some of them, such as the Count of Kerbeck, able to provide military support to neighboring nobles, but with a cost. And to maintain an army need an enormous amount of money.

"… we had neither soldiers nor money. After all, our people and land had been exhausted from fighting the dragon. And the one who had helped us was the Randall Kingdom. For many generations, our family has been in contact with Randall Kindom… we had brought those people— the knight they had dispatched—to cross the border of the kingdom to help our hometown."

Of course, bringing in the knights from the Randall Kingdom that dispatched secretly crossing the border of the kingdom was against the regulations between nations.

But for Casey and the others who lived in fear of the dragon, it would have been a blessing.

The kingdom's Dragon Knights were always dispatched to places that got the highest priority. It's not hard to imagine that the remote countryside with few financial resources was put on the back burner.

No wonder Casey felt so much more indebted to the Randall Kingdom than to her kingdom and neighboring nobles who would not help them.

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"His Highness Felix's maternal grandfather, Duke Crockford, had been planning to initiate a war against Randall. Since the Duke has his sights set on the Empire, he intends to use Randall as a stepping stone."

The knife glinted ominously in Casey's hand.

The knife with its mirror-like polished surface showed Monica's frightened figure.

Casey said to Monica with a dark smile.

"Do you think I would let them do that? Of course not, whether it's Duke Crockford or his puppet, the Second Prince."

"Is that why you set up [Conch Flame]… to assassinate him…?"

The [Conch Flame] was a magic tool made for the purpose of assassination. Its size was about the size of a brooch that fits in the palm.

Once activated, it will absorb the mana of its surroundings to store it inside, and when the accumulated mana has reached a certain amount, it will burst the flames out.

The name [Conch Flame] came from the fact that flames would rotate at high speed like a screw, piercing through the target.

What makes it unique was its high killing power. The flame of the [Conch Flame] can easily penetrate ordinary defensive barriers and leave the target full of holes.

The disadvantage of this tool was its limited effective range. The [Conch Flame] was very powerful, but it had a narrow range.

But what if it exploded in the warehouse where the gunpowder was stored? There would undoubtedly bring tremendous damage.

The thought made Monica paled, then Casey spoke.

"I don't know how did you know about the [Conch Flame]… I wish you hadn't known about it… if so, I wouldn't have to make a move to silence you."

After Casey regained her grip on the knife, she closed the distance in an instant, aiming to slash Monica's neck.

However, Nero stopped her attempt by grabbing Casey's arm and held her down. He then twisted her arm and yelled.

"Hey, Monica! This is no time to dawdle! We've got to do something with the west warehouse!"

"……….."

Various conflicts swirled in Monica's mind. Casey's words and despair caused Monica's thoughts to fray.

And the only person who could resolve this situation was Monica.

If Monica doesn't do anything, a lot of people are going to die.

Although the area of effect of the [Conch Flame] was narrow, there was no doubt that if the fireworks ignited, it would cause a huge catastrophe.

"The costumes for this year's play will be really amazing! After all, I supervised them myself!"

‘So you should watch the play,' it was what Lana told to Monica.

I don't want it… to be ruined.

Monica slowly raised her head and reached out to Casey, who was struggling against Nero's grip on her arm.

Then, without chanting, a weak electric current flowed through into Casey's body, causing her strength to weaken, allowing the knife to slip from her hand.

"What… was… that…"

Casey probably had no idea what was going on. After all, the spell that Monica cast didn't use chant.

Although Casey hadn't lost consciousness yet, since she was unable to move her numb body, she can't do anything but slumped down. After that, Nero carried her body lightly on his shoulder before glaring at Monica.

"Hey, that current tingled me as well, you know!"

Ignoring Nero's complaint, Monica pondered on how to overcome the situation.

Should I use a voice amplification spell to alert the entire school to evacuate? No, I can't. My words are not convincing enough for everyone to believe me. How about using a wind spell to send only the [Conch Flame] into the sky? …no, it's a stationary magic tool, so it will be attached to the wall or floor, and since it has the property of absorbing the surrounding mana, if I am not careful, it will explode the moment I cast my spell.

As expected, the best option would be to trap the [Conch Flame] inside a barrier to suppress its flames.

Since Monica can use remote spells, she can set up a barrier just at the right distance from her location.

The problem was the strength of the barrier.

The [Conch Flame] has enough destructive power to penetrate most barriers.

If I put all my magical power into it, I can reduce the strength of the [Conch Flame]… but that won't be enough. If I don't completely block it out, it will ignite the fireworks and cause a huge disaster… unless I can create a barrier as powerful as Louis'…

At that moment, an idea crossed Monica's mind like a revelation.

Monica rushed over to the window and focused her mind.

"Oh, what are you planning?"

Nero was looking at Monica with great interest.

Monica then spoke to Nero.

"Nero, I'm going to attack the academy."

"…………what?"

"Didn't I tell you before? When this school is attacked from the outside, Louis's defensive barrier will be activated. I want you to find out where the source of the spell when the barrier is activated."

Without waiting for Nero's reply, Monica created several powerful wind spear spells without chant.

Fundamentally, offensive spells usually generate around the caster before it flies towards the target.

However, Monica used a higher level of "remote spells" to create wind spears outside the academy grounds to attack the academy with them.

This academy has a large protective barrier set up by Louis Miller of [Barrier Magician].

When Monica unleashed her wind spears, Louis's barrier had recognized it as an ‘attack from the outside' and immediately wrap the entire school in a protective wall. The powerful barrier easily repelled Monica's wind spears.

As expected of the barrier that had needed [Barrier Magician] to set up for years. It has incomparable strength.

"Nero! Where is the source of the spell!?"

"It's close from here. Oh, I think it's at the old garden."

"Bring me there!"

In which Nero replied lightly with, "Right away." As Casey was carried on his left shoulder, he had to carry Monica on the other shoulder.

With that, Nero lightly jumped over the window frame and started running towards the old garden.

As Nero was running at the speed which made it hard to believe that he was carrying two people at the same time, he asked Monica.

"So, what are you planning to do once you find out the spell location of that devil magician's barrier?"

"I'm going to borrow Louis's barrier."

"Hah?"

"I'm going to rewrite Louis's defensive barrier to contain that [Conch Flame]."

At Monica's words, Nero blinked his golden eyes and looked at Monica.

"Is that… even possible?"

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"I've never done it before, so I don't know… but I have to do it."

Squeezing her shaky hands, Monica said to herself.

"After all, I am the [Silent Witch]."

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