Game Fortune Becomes Reality Episode 41
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Game Fortune Becomes Reality Episode 41
13. Appearance Before the Audit Office (3)
"It's such a generous offer that I'm at a loss. Am I really worth that much?"
"More than enough. You also have a beautiful Aura Master by your side, don't you?"
What?
Things were going well, but the prince's gaze fixed on Arcia was incredibly grating.
Thanks to that, my mind, which had been half lost, snapped back into place.
"Would you grant me some time to think it over?"
Was it because I looked like I might cave in at any moment?
When I asked for time, he subtly furrowed his brow.
But soon enough, he nodded and said he understood.
"Well, mages are a cautious lot by nature. And someone like you, who has hidden himself so thoroughly, would be even more so."
No, it's simply because I don't like the way this man carries himself.
"I'll give you a week. That should be enough, shouldn't it?"
"I shall engrave Your Highness's consideration deep in my heart."
I bowed my head deeply and offered my respects.
Prince Luke let out a snicker, rose from his seat, and approached me.
Then he offered a handshake, and up close, his frame felt even more massive.
I'm 180 centimeters myself if you round up.
But Prince Luke looked like he easily cleared two meters by feel.
"The throne should go to whoever is capable, shouldn't it? If an incompetent crown prince ascends to the throne, the fortune of our Kingdom of Rhinehearts will decline. As a noble of this nation, think of the future, won't you?"
He shook hands with Arcia after me, and the two of them standing face to face was like watching Beauty and the Beast.
"Even smaller than I thought. And yet she's still an Aura Master—how fascinating."
"My apologies."
"Perhaps we can cross blades sometime later. You'd be the first female Aura Master I've actually met."
"Yes."
"You're quite a curt woman, aren't you. We'll meet again."
Despite Prince Luke's considerable attention, Arcia only nodded without a change in expression.
Even with Arcia's indifference, he seemed delighted, patting her shoulder with a smile before leaving the investigation room.
"Phew..."
Once he was gone, not just I but every other noble in the investigation room let out a sigh.
Prince Luke.
I don't know about anything else, but he certainly has a gift for suffocating people.
"Don't overthink it—it'd be best to accept the prince's offer. He's not used to being refused."
Marquis Hamington, the head auditor of the noble audit office, rose from his seat and tossed a warning my way before following after the prince.
"We're done, right? Can I leave?"
"Yes, you've worked hard. Get home safely."
After exchanging silent looks with the audit office officials still remaining, I was granted permission to leave.
Whether because of Prince Luke's offer or not, everyone seemed to be watching me cautiously, offering awkward smiles.
Stepping out of the investigation room with Arcia, I pondered for a moment.
Should I call my subordinates and head straight back, or since this was a rare visit to the royal castle and capital, take a brief look around to clear my head?
"Hungry?"
"Not hungry, but I do enjoy eating."
Isn't that the same thing?
Just then, I suddenly recalled how Arcia had held the second prince's handshake for so long.
"He touched you a lot. Let's wash your hands."
"He also touched my left shoulder."
"Right, right."
Arcia's reaction proved that she hadn't enjoyed meeting Prince Luke either.
I immediately used magic to disinfect every spot the prince had touched.
"Well then, since we're out anyway, let's grab a meal. I know a few good restaurants."
"Sounds good."
Having attended the academy near the royal castle, I knew what was around the area and where the good eateries were.
So I was about to take a stroll down memory lane.
"How convenient. I happen to know a place where the food is absolutely superb."
Suddenly, someone spoke up from behind.
I turned my head to see a blond, slit-eyed character—the kind that looks like he'd start squinting the moment he opened his eyes—greeting me with a fox-like smile and a casual wave.
Wondering what this was about out of nowhere, I checked his info...
[Michael van Rhinehearts, Crown Prince / 5th Circle High-rank Mage]
Race: Human
Age: 36
Affiliation: Linehart royal house Crown Prince (1st Prince) / Kingdom of Rhinehearts Minister of Foreign Affairs
Talents: Intellect (Supreme), Learning (Supreme), Administration (Supreme), Command (High), Politics (High), Magic Power (Low), Aura (Low), Physical Ability (Low)
Traits: Perfect Memory, Mastermind of Schemes
Relation: Interest / Neutral
Status: Favorable / Welcoming
-He is using a Face Change spell.
Unbelievable information unfolded before my eyes.
I had to doubt my own two eyes.
'What the hell is this monster?'
I'd thought he was just some pleasure-seeking noble eyeing Arcia since he'd approached so casually, but as it turned out, he was the Crown Prince—the rightful heir to this kingdom's throne and the Second Prince's rival.
"As expected of a Grand Mage and an Aura Master. You've figured out who I am, haven't you? Well, this spell didn't work on my bear of a younger brother either."
People carry a certain image associated with them.
But looking at his current appearance and behavior, I simply couldn't associate him with the station of Crown Prince.
And yet, the moment I saw him, one feeling surfaced.
That I must never make the man before me an enemy.
"So I'm allowed to look forward to some good food?"
"Haha, we understand each other well. Follow me. I'll show you the way."
His stats could truly be described as monstrous.
Though most of his abilities leaned toward administration and politics, he was the first person other than Arcia I'd seen with three or more supreme-level talents.
No, his overall stats could even be said to be higher than Arcia's.
Arcia's stats were all dumped into swordsmanship, so the rest of his figures weren't particularly high.
And Crown Prince Michael, besides his three supreme talents, also had two high-level talents attached.
'How has someone like this not become publicly known?'
Looking at his administrative and political stats, the title of 5th Circle High-rank Mage seemed almost insignificant.
His magic talent was only at a low level to begin with, so I figured it must have been his extraordinary intellect that got him to become a High-rank Mage.
"You seem to have quite a few questions about me."
"Well, you're a mysterious figure with far less known about you than your younger brother."
He was currently concealing his face with magic.
Of course, the disguise didn't work on me or Arcia—we could see his true form clearly—but out of respect for the Crown Prince who wished to hide himself, I refrained from mentioning his name or title.
A moment later, the place he led us to was an unremarkable room, but once I realized its purpose, I couldn't help but tilt my head.
"This is a teleport room, isn't it? But can't spatial movement magic not be used inside the royal castle? There's a spatial movement interference barrier set up…"
"Ah, you didn't know? There's a tourmaline vein beneath the royal castle, and occasionally its energy clashes with mana, causing the spatial movement interference barrier to temporarily malfunction."
-Click.
With that, he pulled a button out of his pocket that anyone could tell was a switch, pressed it, and guided me and Arcia onto the teleport circle.
Was it mere coincidence that the spatial movement interference barrier was lifted the moment he pressed the switch?
"Now then, let's move."
Crown Prince Michael activated the teleport circle with a smile.
'Ah, so this room was designed to keep mana from leaking outside.'
Along with my brief realization, the scenery around us changed.
The place we arrived at was sealed off on all sides, but when the Crown Prince knocked on one wall, the entire surface opened left and right like an elevator door, revealing a space decorated as lavishly as a salon.
"From here on, feel free to speak comfortably. Ah, right."
-Click.
With that, the Crown Prince pressed the mysterious switch button again—the same one he'd pressed before using the teleport.
At once, the spatial movement interference barrier that had been temporarily lifted was restored, enveloping the royal castle once more.
"Looks like the spatial movement interference barrier is working again. Lucky us."
'You're the one controlling it, aren't you.'
I wonder if the Second Prince, the commander of the 2nd Royal Guard Division, knows that the Crown Prince is toying with the castle's security as he pleases.
Somehow, I get the feeling he doesn't have the slightest clue.
From the earlier conversation with Prince Luke, he'd spoken as if he himself were capable while the current Crown Prince was incompetent, but no matter how I looked at it, it seemed the Second Prince was the one being played by the Crown Prince.
-Pop.
Then the Crown Prince released his Face Change spell, though it was a meaningless action for us since we could already see his true face.
We exchanged handshakes and belated greetings.
"I humbly greet Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Yes, it's a pleasure for me as well. Lord Lawrence, Sir Klein (Arcia)."
Is this what it means to be the royal castle, the heart of a nation?
Even though I hadn't moved around the royal castle much today, I met a great number of talented people.
Of course, the one at the pinnacle of them all is the person right in front of me.
"Have you returned?"
"Yes. Could you prepare some food? I plan to dine with our guests here."
"Certainly, I'll have it ready at once."
The Crown Prince's attendant who entered through the opened door was also a figure with top-tier administrative ability and high-level political skill.
"So this is the Crown Prince's palace?"
"Yes, that's right. Our palace's chef is someone I personally recruited with special care. I can proudly say he's among the best in the nation."
"It's no wonder the food here must be excellent."
"Right? Haha."
While waiting for the food to arrive, the Crown Prince retrieved fruit juice from a refrigerator set in a corner of the room and placed one in front of each of us.
"Do you know this? You're a follower of our Online Diary (SNS)."
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Yes, see here? 'Slit-Eye-Character-Strongest-Theory' is me."
"It really is you. Good heavens! I never would have imagined His Highness the Crown Prince would do something like this."
"Nobles tend to look down on the virtual world, but I'm not like that. I enjoy it quite a lot."
Though he bore the heavily weighty position of Crown Prince, his manner was utterly unceremonious, as if he were dealing with friends.
And that demeanor was by no means an act, nor was it the kind of showy benevolence the Second Prince displayed.
They're brothers, but perhaps it's because they have different mothers?
Crown Prince Michael and Prince Luke were two people with completely opposite dispositions.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is quite an amusing person."
"Lord Lawrence is amusing too. I thoroughly enjoyed the posts mocking the Marquis of Ereiven online."
"So you saw those. Thanks to them, my follower count skyrocketed."
"If I had to guess, I'd say your appearance played a large part in that, wouldn't you think?"
"I suppose it did have some influence."
"He knows he's handsome."
"I could hardly not know. After all, I ran into a group calling itself a fan club when I entered the royal castle."
We kept the conversation flowing without pause, exchanging words back and forth.
If I had to choose between the two princes, the Crown Prince suits me better than the Second Prince.
But despite our seemingly amicable demeanor, both he and I kept rolling our eyes, continuously gauging each other's reactions.
It couldn't be helped, since we weren't close enough yet to show goodwill over just a few exchanges.
"If it's not too rude to ask, may I inquire as to why you invited us?"
Just how long did we talk like that?
Feeling that the flow now allowed for getting to the main point, I asked him with a serious demeanor.
"You already know the reason, don't you?"
"You're referring to the recruitment offer."
"Correct."
Ever since the Second Prince made his recruitment offer, this situation had been foreseeable.
No matter how impressive the Crown Prince before me might be, if I and Arcia defected to the Second Prince's camp, an irreversible situation would unfold.
"What do you wish from me, and what do you intend to give me, Your Highness the Crown Prince?"
To the Second Prince, such a tone would be dismissed as discourteous, but the Crown Prince doesn't seem like the type to care about such things.
Even at such a direct question, he didn't show any sign of displeasure and kept his relaxed smile.
"Regrettably, there's nothing I can give you right away."
"Then are you saying you'll promise benefits after you become king?"
"That's right."
As a person, I did find him likable, but the gap between what the two factions offered was far too wide.
The Second Prince, who would grant a marquisate immediately, versus the Crown Prince, who would grant nothing for now.
Had I been a merchant, I might have frowned at such a lopsided contest, but there was one thing I was certain of.
That the offer the person before me would make couldn't possibly end at just that.
"Instead, I won't obstruct you from receiving the marquisate."
"Pardon?"
A statement that seemed to make no sense at all.
But soon catching on to his intentions, I let out a low laugh even in the Crown Prince's presence.
"You're quite quick on the uptake."
"I've survived on reading the room for a long time."
"A marquisate isn't something that can be granted and received so easily to begin with. Even more so when the kingdom's power is split as it is now. It seems Prince Luke, believing he holds the upper hand in influence, rashly promised a marquisate, but if our faction cries out in total opposition, it's bound to fall through in the end."
That made perfect sense.
The reason Crown Prince Michael, unlike the Second Prince, couldn't say he'd grant a marquisate was because he foresaw that it would be a promise he couldn't keep.
Who would just sit back and watch the opposing faction's power grow?
Whether I headed to the Crown Prince's faction or the Second Prince's faction, if the opposing side objected, the marquisate would end up flying away anyway.
So he's offering to help me receive the marquisate.
Right from within the Second Prince's faction.
"Young Lord Loren, join Prince Luke's faction and secure the marquisate. Our faction won't oppose it, so you should be able to obtain the title without difficulty."
"And once you've taken what you need..."
"Yes, we'd be grateful if you'd then switch over to our faction."
His plan was built on betrayal as its foundation.
A novel and intriguing plan.
Having faced the Second Prince directly, I realized I couldn't stay neutral and mind my own business, so in the end, I was in a position where I had to choose a side.
Take the Second Prince's hand, or take the Crown Prince's hand.
But the Crown Prince added another option: take the Second Prince's hand, get what I wanted, then let go.
'Not bad, is it?'
For me, who didn't like the Second Prince himself or the faction Marquess Raven belonged to, this was a very tempting offer.
Right now, I'm a joker.
Whichever way I turn, the side I choose will gain the upper hand.
If I accept his proposal, I get the marquisate and get to team up with a prince who suits me better.
On the other hand, if I refuse, they'll fiercely oppose the marquisate being granted to me, so I'd lose the title and have to team up with the Second Prince I don't like.
"The options have increased, but the answer is already set."
"What do you mean?"
"Yes, I'll do it."
"You don't need time to think it over?"
"I'm certain. The throne suits Your Highness the Crown Prince far better than Prince Luke."
"What if I just promise this, snatch the marquisate, and then stay with the Second Prince's faction?"
That won't happen.
The Crown Prince and the Second Prince.
Even if the two fought without me, I felt the Crown Prince's side would win.
"I can't betray my followers, after all."
"Hahaha! Excellent!"
Thanks to that, the mood turned warm again, and in that atmosphere, food full of the Crown Prince's palace chef's touch was brought in.
"Sir Klein seems to enjoy eating."
"Yes, watching her mouth move without stopping is oddly amusing."
"Young Lord, Sir Klein is a lady before she is an Aura Master. Observing a lady while she eats is not proper manners."
"Ah, that's true. Thank you for telling me."
"But don't you need to ask Sir Klein's opinion?"
Crown Prince Michael naturally showed interest in Arcia as well.
But unlike Prince Luke, whose interest was tinged with other feelings, the Crown Prince's interest was pure curiosity.
At his words, I asked Arcia.
"Arcia, what do you think?"
"If Adrian-nim is fine with it, I'm fine with it too."
"Is that so?"
But her answer somehow made me cringe, and I felt a little embarrassed for no reason.