Chapter 111: The First Prince and the Madman

Narea showed me a look full of curiosity before safely returning to the Holy Kingdom of Lium.
I’ve thrown out the bait.
They’ll naturally come asking about it.

Baek Mok-gong dragged the utterly ruined Sentriole by the scruff of his neck and handed him over to the army.
He’ll also safely return to the Holy Order.
Moreover, matters related to mysticism will soon emerge worldwide.

“Young man, you’ve been through a lot.”
“I did a little, I guess.”

Baek Mok-gong raised a hand and playfully ruffled my hair.
“As I thought, I do have an eye for people.”
She looked at me with eyes sparkling with the expectation of a hero in the making.

It’s overwhelming.
Please don’t do that.

“So now, it’s time for you to face the rightful punishment for your actions.”

Clink–
Handcuffs were fastened on my wrists once again.

Come to think of it, my punishment wasn’t over yet.
The capital of the Hyserion Empire.
I’m being taken to Serion.

* * *

The imperial capital, Serion.
As the capital of the empire, it was the most developed and densely populated city in the world.
The city was built in layers around the massive imperial palace at its center.
The closer to the palace, the more grand and extensive the infrastructure became.

Not only were the mansions of pro-imperial nobles lined up, but also the sheer number of people active within the palace was astounding.
From gardeners to maids, attendants, knights, squires, and administrative officials—all of them contributed to Serion’s thriving economy through their daily consumption of resources.
As such, Serion continued to diversify its products to meet the high demand, truly becoming the city that led the new era worldwide.

Within the imperial palace of Serion,
Carriages were arriving.
Just two carriages.
But no one dared to ignore them.

Every time the carriages moved through the palace grounds, maids would halt their tasks and bow their heads.
This was because the carriages bore two distinct crests.

One symbol belonged to one of the empire’s four dukes,
A pure white tree representing Baek Mok-gong.
The other displayed a blue hawk, symbolizing the empire’s foremost magic tower, the Blue Tower.

The empire’s living hero and its greatest mage.
Their arrival was practically a state of emergency within the palace.

Inside one of those carriages,
I sat before Baek Mok-gong, my wrists bound in handcuffs.

I wonder if the people outside are aware.
That inside this carriage is a criminal who, under imperial law, could be executed on the spot without any issue.
If it were known that such a criminal was sitting face-to-face with Baek Mokgong, it would cause an absolute uproar.

“Young man.”
“Yes, Your Excellency Baek Mokgong.”
“Are you feeling nervous?”

I’m not nervous at all.
Baek Mok-gong and the Master of the Blue Tower personally escorted me to the imperial palace.
At this point, it’s safe to say that I won’t be executed.

But revising the established law will take some time.
I’m just wondering how to spend that time.

“No. I’m shameless enough not to feel nervous.”

“Keh heh heh, that’s right. If you dared to try and use me, you should at least do that much.”

I gave an answer that was perfectly tailored to Baek Mok-gong’s taste.
It seemed that Baek Mok-gong had taken quite a liking to me.
After all, there hadn’t been many figures in the empire lately who could be called heroes.
She was keeping an eye on me as I boldly walked the path she desired.

‘Originally, that was supposed to be Lucas’s role.’
I was merely filling in for that role.

Clatter–
Just then, the carriage came to a stop.

“Your Excellency, we have arrived at the imperial palace. May I open the door?”
Baek Mokgong’s aide, who was leading the carriage, knocked on the door and asked for permission.

“Yes, go ahead.”
At Baek Mokgong’s cheerful reply, the aide opened the door.

For a brief moment, he gave me an unpleasant look before adjusting his expression.
Being someone who valued etiquette, he likely didn’t appreciate how I had failed to show proper respect to Baek Mokgong on the first day.
However, since Baek Mok-gong was present, he couldn’t openly express his displeasure.

“Let’s get off.”

Baek Mok-gong gracefully stepped out of the carriage, taking the aide’s hand.
Whatever her true nature might be, outwardly, she possessed an aura so enchanting that she was considered one of the most mystifying figures in the empire.

The maids, who had bowed their heads upon her arrival, instinctively held their breath.
However, when I followed behind her with handcuffs on, they looked puzzled.
It seemed that word of my situation hadn’t yet spread to the maids.

When I looked back, I saw the Master of the Blue Tower and Sharin getting out of the other carriage.
Sharin, who followed her adoptive father, wore a perpetually sullen expression.
It was only natural since she wasn’t fond of him.

When our eyes met, her expression softened a little.
Then, she stuck out her tongue slightly.
Even in this situation, she acted like herself.

“…Sharin?”
The moment the Master of the Blue Tower noticed her, she quickly changed her expression.
As if nothing had happened, she wore a languid look.
She was probably even more shameless than I was.

“Your Excellency Baek Mok-gong, Master of the Blue Tower, Emperadion Sazaris, thank you for visiting the imperial palace.”

While this was happening, the Imperial Chief Chamberlain approached and greeted the two.
The elderly man was from a family that had managed the imperial household for generations.
Since he worked directly alongside the emperor, he held a considerable position within the palace.

“Oh, you’ve worked hard. I’ve requested an audience with His Majesty, so could you guide us?”

“Yes, His Majesty has prepared a place upon hearing the news in advance.”

“Let’s hurry then. We shouldn’t keep His Majesty waiting. At this rate, His Majesty will grow old just like me.”

With that, Baek Mok-gong swiftly followed the chamberlain.
In this world, she was probably the only one who could speak so casually about the emperor.

“Your Excellency Baek Mok-gong, do you need me for anything?”
“Not particularly. I only brought you to the palace as a formality, so you’ll just wait until the decision is made.”

There was no reason for me to have an audience with the emperor.
So, a maid escorted me to a private room.

“Sir Haon Airei, please wait in this room.”

The room the maid showed me was unmistakably a guest room.
It was probably the most luxurious room I had ever been in.

‘It seems they’re treating me as a guest because I came with Baek Mok-gong.’
However, since I was still labeled as a criminal, knights were stationed outside my room.
I was also still wearing the handcuffs.

I sat quietly in a chair, waiting.
All I could do was hope that Baek Mok-gong and the Master of the Blue Tower would defend me well.

‘Still, I have a moment to catch my breath.’
Just as I was thinking that,
For some reason, I sensed a commotion outside.
An uneasy feeling started to creep over me.

“Y-Your Highness!”
And uneasy premonitions never miss.

My head snapped up.
Confident footsteps, as if this place were his own front yard,
And someone who could be called ‘Your Highness’ in the imperial palace.
There was only one person who fit that description.

Clatter!
Without even knocking, the door swung open in an instant.
And a man walked in with the same confident stride.

His red-gold hair fluttered.
Eyes that were a strange mix of red and blue gleamed menacingly.
In those eyes was an overwhelming confidence that no one could ever break.

A man born as a prince and who had lived his entire life as one.
The heir to the throne who shared imperial power with the Third Princess, Iris Hyserion.
The First Prince.

Lucrayzen Hyserion.

This madman appeared before me, a criminal, with the status of the First Prince.
I could see the knights and attendants who followed him wearing dazed expressions.
None of them dared to stop the First Prince’s actions.
All they could do was silently swallow their tears, imagining the trouble this would cause.

“I greet His Highness, the First Prince of Hyserion.”
I quickly stood up and bowed.
Even I was taken aback by this situation.

‘I knew the First Prince would be keeping an eye on me.’
From the moment Hanon’s report was submitted, the First Prince must have been watching me closely.
On top of that, I had wielded the magic of an elder dragon.
It was no surprise he would try to make contact, considering I came to the imperial palace.
But I never expected him to show up so recklessly in person.

The prince looked me up and down before waving his hand.
“That’s enough. I don’t expect such excessive formalities from someone in handcuffs.”

With that, he nonchalantly moved to the chair in front of me and sat down.

“Sit down, Haon Airei.”
He addressed me by the alias I was using.

With his piercing eyes fixed on me,
It was just like the First Prince to speak as if he didn’t know my true identity, even though he clearly did.

I quietly sat back down, maintaining the same posture as before.
The prince leaned back in his chair and let out a short sigh.

“I’ve finally escaped from my duties. Thanks for giving me an excuse.”

Unlike Iris, the First Prince worked directly within the imperial palace.
Striving relentlessly to inherit the throne, he was buried under a mountain of paperwork every day.
In a way, meeting me was his version of a little escapade.

“I’m glad I could be of service to Your Highness, the First Prince.”
“Haha.”

At my shameless remark, the First Prince burst into laughter.

Those gleaming eyes were incredibly unsettling.
Yet he had no intention of hiding his gaze.
It felt like he was genuinely trying to see right through me.

“Haon Airei, every time I heard news about you, my curiosity grew. I kept wondering who the gutsy bastard was that dared to act like this.”

Political affairs were shaking the entire Hyserion Empire.
I was standing at the center of it all, in place of Lucas.

This course of action was gradually shaking the foundations of the Empire.
There was no way the First Prince, who stood at the heart of the Empire, wouldn’t know that.

“But now that I’ve seen you in person.”
A smile formed on his lips.
“You’re a much more interesting person than I expected.”

“Jokes aren’t my specialty.”

“That brazen attitude of yours. To not show even a hint of fear in front of me means you either have powerful backing or you’re just insane.”

The First Prince was a man who valued the present.
To him, the future only held value when it was built on a solid foundation in the present.
That was his philosophy.

Because of this, he allied himself with the current power holders to solidify his standing.
However, even he did not stop investing in the future.
A prime example was his support for the magic that reversed Nia Cynthia’s aging.

A man who fortified the present while investing boldly in the future.
That was why people evaluated him as:
The Prince of Stability.

“And I quite like madmen. My specialty is fortifying the present. Reforming the future isn’t my strong suit.”

The First Prince knew exactly what his strengths were.
Therefore, he maximized his talents, and boldly abandoned the areas he wasn’t good at.

Instead, he entrusted those areas to capable people.

“But madmen are the ones who reform the future. From what I see, you’re no different from those kinds of people.”

“I’m glad I’ve made a good impression.”

“Of course.”

The First Prince’s voice turned sharp.
“I only like madmen who come under my command.”

His affection was conditional.

The reason he could maintain his position as the heir to the throne wasn’t just due to his talent, but also because he was as ambitious as Duke Robliaju.

The position of Emperor is one of desire.
It is a role that involves protecting the nation and striving to make it the greatest.
Therefore, the Emperor’s seat must be occupied by someone driven by ambition.

Because of this, the First Prince was also someone who would do anything for his desires.
If someone wasn’t his ally, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut them down mercilessly.

An Emperor is not merely human.
An Emperor transcends human norms and wields the world itself.
Only then can the nation prosper, and the means to provide for its people increase.

That was the role of an Emperor.

Therefore, the First Prince asked me,
Are you my ally?
Or are you someone else’s?

A choice between two options.
Once one was chosen, there was no turning back to the other side.

The First Prince’s natural charisma weighed down on me.
Even one wrong word could mean losing my head.

But the First Prince didn’t know.
Ever since the emotion of love had been lost through the veil bandages,
I had long since lost all sense of fear.

Fear is merely a defensive instinct to protect one’s own body.

“Your Highness, the First Prince.”
As someone who did not value my own life, his charisma had no effect on me.
If he truly wanted to intimidate me, he would have needed to embed murderous intent into his very being, like Sentriole.

“I believe Your Highness’s question is somewhat misguided.”

The First Prince’s eyebrow twitched.
He never expected someone to claim that his question was wrong.
However, I stood before him with a shamelessly bright smile.

“Shouldn’t Your Highness first explain what benefits I would receive by siding with you?”

If you wish to rein in the dragon, you must pay the appropriate price.