Ch.139139. Richard Henry Infractus

Gilbert rushed to Seraphina after hearing from Ian that she was looking for him.

He had a rough idea of why she was calling him.

It was clear she wanted him to make a decision now that Prince Richard had officially begun his activities.

He was somewhat aware of the current situation at the academy. Richard’s inspection team was desperately searching for flaws in the student council, which Seraphina chaired.

They were viciously attacking even the tiniest imperfections that would normally be overlooked, and skillfully shifting all blame toward the student council. Frankly speaking, the situation wasn’t particularly good.

Of course, Seraphina wouldn’t be shaken by something like this. The foundation she had built until now was solid, and she had accomplished numerous achievements that could cover any shortcomings.

However, in succession disputes, evaluation depends less on how much one has accomplished and more on how few failures one has had. Achieving great feats was simply expected of an imperial successor.

What they needed to remember was that they could not fail even once. There were no second chances for an emperor who must be flawless.

“You called for me?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I heard you had something to tell me.”

“Yes. I have something important to tell my disciple. Listen carefully.”

Seraphina cleared her throat and looked at Ian with sparkling red eyes.

“Disciple. From now on, you shall be an honorary student council officer.”

What?

Gilbert almost frowned involuntarily at Seraphina’s strange announcement.

If it’s a student council officer, it’s a student council officer—what on earth is an honorary student council officer?

Moreover, as far as he knew, there was no such position as an honorary student council officer at Demeia Academy. In other words, this was a position Seraphina had hastily created just now.

“Your expression is disrespectful.”

“I apologize. But this honorary student council officer position seems too hastily created, Master.”

“You lack attention to detail. I have specially created this honorary student council officer position because I hold you in high regard.”

Gilbert stared at Seraphina without saying anything.

Perhaps because his gaze was piercing?

Seraphina finally let out a deep sigh.

“No matter how I look at it, you’re no fun.”

“Master.”

“I concede. I was trying to use you.”

Seraphina, who never intended to deceive him in the first place, frankly confessed that she had employed this tactic to use Gilbert. Perhaps because she was so brazen about it, Gilbert wasn’t even angry.

After all, it would be ridiculous for him to criticize the actions of an Imperial Princess.

“Is this because of Prince Richard?”

“Correct. It’s because of my brother, Prince Richard. He was quiet as a mouse, but he’s finally begun to act. So you must help me.”

Gilbert found it difficult to guess her thoughts at a glance.

He knew that Richard’s inspection was thoroughly aimed at Seraphina. It wasn’t hard to predict this since Richard had conducted similar inspections at Demeia Academy in the original Tactical Combat game when the time was right.

However, unlike before, he thought there wouldn’t be a major problem since Briana the Sword Saint, the Empire’s core military strength, hadn’t died. No matter how persistently Prince Richard tried to attack, it was a fact that they had successfully prevented the academy raid without major damage. He could make some scratches, but that would be the limit.

But Seraphina wasn’t the type to just take it. With her strong determination to become Emperor, she clearly wouldn’t tolerate even such minor blemishes. Moreover, this inspection incident had put her in a position where she was taking hits one-sidedly.

Given her personality of returning grudges tenfold or twentyfold, she was certainly preparing a counterattack.

Gilbert realized what she wanted from him.

“Are you thinking of showing that you’ve drawn me into your faction?”

“More precisely, the correct answer is that the student council prevented the attack. What’s the point of forcibly drawing you into my faction when you won’t be loyal to me? And if I had intended to do that, I would have done it long ago. I want your sincere heart.”

Her eyes gleamed mischievously.

“Twisted Possessors of Desire.”

Gilbert swallowed hard. The sub-scenario name came to mind naturally.

“Besides, Prince Richard must have made a recruitment offer to you, so this is a declaration of war telling him not to touch you.”

“I see…”

So she knew after all.

There was no place in this academy beyond Seraphina’s eyes and ears. She must have already heard about his meeting with Prince Richard several days ago.

He could feel the sticky possessiveness in her gaze.

Gilbert became convinced that the sub-scenario was related to her.

“Very well. If you insist, Master, I shall follow.”

Gilbert thought it would be best to accept Seraphina’s proposal that wasn’t really a proposal. Not only was the sub-scenario ominous, but refusing here would put him at odds with Seraphina.

He had already received much help from her, so refusing would not look good. While the position of honorary student council officer wasn’t particularly appealing, he had no other choice here.

However, there was one thing he needed to make clear.

“However, as an honorary student council officer, I will only lend my name. As always, my loyalty is directed toward the Empire.”

“Are you refusing again? Disciple, men who only refuse aren’t popular.”

“Scoundrels aren’t popular.”

“Very well. This too shall be interesting.”

Seraphina readily accepted Gilbert’s condition.

***

The heated inspection issue was quickly resolved by Seraphina’s declaration. Public opinion reversed after Gilbert’s position as an honorary student council officer was announced.

The inspection team had criticized the student council’s incompetence, but with Gilbert being part of the student council, even if only in an honorary capacity, they could no longer denounce the student council as incompetent. Attacking Gilbert, whom even the Empire was promoting as a hero, would bring more harm than benefit.

“Seraphina used her head.”

Richard calmly listened to his retainer’s report.

He never thought he could bring her down with this inspection; he was merely trying to create a small crack.

While he had been wandering battlefields, Seraphina had stepped to the forefront. That was already several years ago, and during that long time, she had firmly established her position.

Richard closed his eyes and measured the difference between them.

Suddenly, he recalled a battlefield where he had been at a disadvantage.

The overwhelming difference in military strength and isolated allies.

The gloom he felt when starvation deaths began due to insufficient food supplies.

Richard gently opened his eyes. At the same time, a smile formed on his lips.

“How interesting. How very interesting.”

“Your Highness.”

“Do you know? For me, battlefields are now no different from playgrounds. It would be the same even if famous strategists from the continent came. Those who proudly declared they would defeat me have all gone to the gods’ side. How can I not lament this?”

The retainer prostrating before him pressed his body flat against the floor. An ominous aura was swirling around Prince Richard.

“I thought there would be a worthy opponent. I thought there would be someone who could teach me a painful defeat. But all of that failed. Do you understand how I feel?”

Richard’s red pupils lost their intelligence and became cloudy.

The retainer, keeping his body pressed to the floor, didn’t dare to rise and shouted:

“I am too ignorant to understand Your Highness’s feelings.”

“I felt bored. I grew tired of the battlefield. The battlefield that I had enjoyed so much became so disgusting that it made me nauseous when I thought there was no one who could match me.”

It was tedious. Richard, who had loved war so much, no longer found joy in the battlefield.

“But this is interesting. I feel alive in a way that makes me feel foolish for not thinking of it until now. If there is no worthy opponent for me, if my bloodline is so excellent, then I need not look far, right?”

The retainer shuddered at Prince Richard’s madness. He had long known that he loved the battlefield. He also knew that he enjoyed defeating enemies with superior strategies and tactics.

But what Prince Richard had just said was dangerous. Until now, they thought he hadn’t intervened in the imperial succession because he was waiting for the right time, but that wasn’t it.

“Seraphina, that child, was my worthy opponent all along.”

He had simply been waiting for an enjoyable battlefield.

He was pursuing only entertainment while betting the lives of all his followers.

Infractus Empire’s First Prince, Richard Henry Infractus.

He was a madman obsessed with the battlefield.

“Let me ask you, do you think those two, Gilbert and Ian, will accept my offer?”

“I believe Gilbert will follow the same path as he is now.”

The retainer composed himself. Even if his lord was a battlefield-obsessed madman, he was not lacking in what it took to become the Emperor of the Empire.

That alone was reason enough to forget fear and follow him.

In these times when giant monsters ran rampant, a tyrant was more praised than a weak ruler.

“That too is interesting. What about Ian?”

“In my opinion…”

– Your Highness, Cadet Ian is requesting an audience with you.

“There was no need to hear. The answer was already there. He may enter.”

With Richard’s permission, the door opened.

He saw Ian entering with a determined expression through the open door.

“Welcome, Cadet Ian.”

“I pledge my loyalty to Your Highness.”

Richard smiled coldly at the sight of Ian immediately kneeling upon entering the room.

A useful card had been placed in his hand.