episode_0125

The Crown Prince.

That name carried immeasurable weight.

Though he claimed to have never trained in swordsmanship or magic,

he was the second most revered figure in the empire, next only to the emperor himself.

That was the Crown Prince.

Though he lacked talent in both sword and magic,

his gift lay in the mastery of utilizing his Gifts.

Yet, this came with a fatal flaw.

The Gifts, hailed as divine blessings,

would shorten his lifespan the more he focused solely on honing them.

The current emperor had surpassed a hundred years of age.

And yet, he still thrived.

His martial prowess was so terrifying that even among the dukes, some revered him as divine.

It was expected that he would live for centuries more.

Such was the emperor of the empire.

Thus, the Crown Prince would never ascend the throne.

To those even slightly familiar with imperial affairs, this was an open secret.

Yet, he remained the emperor’s most cherished child.

And so, his authority was immense. Because he understood the struggles of the people, he enjoyed formidable support even from the cradle.

But.

There were always those who despised it.

‘……How pathetic.’

The princess watched the Crown Prince with a smile. Nobles were meant to be dignified. How could the empire’s second-in-command stoop to such a level?

So, she provoked him.

But then—

‘……This is irritating.’

At some point, she noticed the Crown Prince’s gaze drifting elsewhere.

She realized he found her provocations bothersome.

And worse—she recognized that the man he was paying attention to was the same one she had recently taken an interest in.

She had seen him before.

The most talked-about figure in the empire right now.

Han Yuseong.

If Cheonsa-sal was the hottest topic in the empire,

then Han Yuseong was the hottest topic in the cradle.

From Cheonsa-sal’s preferences to the types of swords she favored,

countless details had been gathered.

But when it came to Han Yuseong, very little was known.

The only confirmed fact was that he had started from a small town near the cradle.

‘……And even that is far too vague.’

When the Imperial Intelligence Bureau attempted to deduce his Gifts based on his actions, the number was absurd.

‘At least seven, wasn’t it?’

It was ridiculous.

Even among the empire’s Five Great Dukes, the Black Nether Duke was famous for his few Gifts.

Yet, even he possessed only four.

Gifts.

Divine talents bestowed by the heavens.

The moment one was born with even a single Gift, they gained the qualifications of an adventurer.

And with three, they became a candidate for Hero.

That was the nature of Gifts.

Yet, he was estimated to possess at least seven.

For a moment, she wondered if the head of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau had lost his mind.

But then—

‘……What kind of monster is that?’

The imperial bloodline carried its own legacy.

It was no trivial matter.

They were born with Gifts related to space.

Though the power diluted as blood mixed, Gifts did not.

Because it was a covenant.

A pact binding the Gifts of space.

And one more Gift was added.

Eyes.

The imperial bloodline was born with eyes.

The manifestation varied from child to child,

but they all shared the ability to glimpse a person’s latent potential or fragments of their abilities.

“…….”

The princess forced a smile.

The Crown Prince wore an expression of utter boredom.

Along with a look that said this was a mistake.

Swiftly, the princess approached Han Yuseong.

“Grrrrrr!!”

She was bitten by a dog.

No—almost bitten.

—

Startled by the sudden attack, I quickly restrained Cheong Yurang.

‘What’s gotten into her?’

I glanced around awkwardly.

The Crown Prince, looking rather amused.

And the princess, wearing an expression of utter defeat.

Wait—she was about to get bitten, yet she looked defeated?

-Truly a Fenrir. To reject even the slightest threat to its master…

‘What the hell does that mean?’

-One of Fenrir’s abilities. Once it acknowledges a master, it instinctively reacts with hostility toward anything that threatens them.

‘……So, it’s treating me like its real master.’

-You imprinted ownership on Cheong Yurang and then left her to her own devices, didn’t you? At this point, isn’t it time to accept it?

‘…….’

The Holy Sword chuckled, sounding oddly pleased.

Well, more importantly—

I turned my attention to the woman before me.

Long, golden hair cascading down her back.

Her trembling eyes locked onto me.

“Handsome sir, might you grace me with your name?”

The princess bowed elegantly, smoothing the hem of her dress.

Terrifying.

Someone of her status—waited on hand and foot by countless attendants—

‘……To act like this so boldly is impressive.’

At the same time, it was unsettling.

Beings like her didn’t extend goodwill without reason.

She was undoubtedly trying to pull me into her faction.

And in the process, she’d find a way to indebt me to her.

……This feels rotten.

The aftermath looked messy. I didn’t want to get entangled, but I had no choice.

A deep sigh escaped me.

Should I have just run?

But then again—

‘I’d have to face them eventually if I’m going to the empire anyway.’

Registering as a Hero Candidate left me no choice.

Whether for propaganda or not, the empire required candidates to demonstrate their abilities before nobles and royalty.

Those deemed worthy would then be courted by the aristocracy.

Given the system, a confrontation was inevitable.

‘Might as well use this chance to gauge their intentions.’

Finishing my deductions in an instant, I offered a faint smile.

“A pleasure, Your Highness.”

“Oh? You know me?”

“How could I not? The empire holds no beauty as radiant as yours.”

-Ugh.

The Holy Sword made a retching noise.

You little—

“My, such flattering words.”

“Grrrr…”

Cheong Yurang growled.

I lightly stroked her head, and she settled down.

-Is she really a dog?

‘She’s a beastkin.’

-Even for a beastkin, that level of animal instinct is…

‘But she’s cute.’

-You… are you some kind of creep?

‘……?’

Well, I was a little suspicious.

But the Holy Sword couldn’t have meant it that way.

For now, I set it aside.

“My, how different from the rumors.”

“What rumors would those be?”

“They say a Sword Demon recently appeared in the cradle. Yet you don’t seem to match such a fearsome title.”

I didn’t exactly look menacing.

If anything, I had a refined air about me.

“I suppose I have a bit of an elegant look.”

“……Hohoho, rumors truly are unreliable.”

My shameless reply left the princess slightly flustered.

‘Fast. Too fast.’

No—if anything, showing even a hint of hesitation in this situation was clumsy.

I really can’t keep up this brazen act.

“Rumors are hardly trustworthy.”

“Yes, the rumors about you, Yuseong-ssi, are especially unreliable. If they were true, you’d rival Cheonsa-sal in skill.”

She smiled ambiguously.

“Do you know? The empire’s Hero Tournament is essentially a power struggle among nobles and the imperial bloodline.”

Of course I knew.

Why else would nobles extend connections during the competition?

And why would other races participate in a human empire’s tournament?

‘Because massive interests are at stake.’

The human race had always produced a Saintess without fail.

The same went for Thieves and Mages.

Only the Sword Hero had eluded them.

That was why expectations for So Yeonhwa were so high.

The one who could seize the title of Sword Hero—

That was So Yeonhwa.

“If it’s not too forward, might I have this dance?”

“Wouldn’t that be forward?”

Clack, clack.

The Crown Prince approached.

“Apologies, but I called dibs on this one first.”

He winked at me as he drew closer.

“Dibs…?”

“Yep. We’re already friends.”

I stared blankly at the Crown Prince.

Since when were we friends?

“Judging by his expression, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“Ah, he’s just a little shy. Anyway, I’m getting tired of dealing with you. Mind scooting along?”

The Crown Prince grinned, dismissing the princess outright.

“And where should I scoot to? If you let me dance with Yuseong-ssi, I’d be delighted.”

“Hmm, sorry, but I doubt he’d react to that body of yours.”

The princess’s brow twitched at the Crown Prince’s words.

Seems she’s confident in her figure.

“That’s not for you to decide, is it, brother?”

“Of course not. But doesn’t he look uncomfortable?”

But here’s the thing.

Both of them seemed to be under a major misconception.

‘They both think I’m participating in the Sword Hero competition.’

-Pfft… Well, of course. Only a fool wouldn’t compete in the most lucrative tournament.

‘But it’s also the most high-profile. Too much attention.’

-You’re truly unbelievable.

‘Thanks for the praise.’

Honestly, the attention was burdensome.

In my past life, I’d grown accustomed to being in the spotlight—enough to brush it off effortlessly.

‘But I still hate it.’

Even those accustomed to enduring pain don’t enjoy it.

They just endure it.

That’s what attention felt like to me.

“Excuse me, but there’s something I must clarify.”

“Oh? What is it, my friend? If it’s your request, I’ll grant almost anything.”

“Hoho, I can promise you many benefits. As the Crown Prince, appearances matter—and so does sharing with your subordinates, no?”

The Crown Prince frowned at her words.

Seems that part’s true.

But that wasn’t the issue here.

“My apologies, but while I am participating in the Hero Tournament, I’m not competing in the sword category.”

“Of course, you’re—……Huh?”

“Naturally, that’s—……What?”

“Because, you see—I’m the Thief Hero.”