37-85

EP.85 Balkan Civil War (3) 

Bang!! 

The Crown Prince’s private palace. The sound of a chair flying and the startled voice of Prinz filled his office early in the morning. 

“What? Is that true?” 

Startled by a report from a subordinate in his intelligence network, Prinz leapt to his feet. 

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s confirmed! A year ago, the person behind the attack on the Third Prince’s body change was the Second Prince. There was an incident where a family lost a Hellfire magic scroll they kept as an heirloom, but they didn’t report it until we pressed them, and then they confessed.” 

“And the head of that family is affiliated with Heinrich’s faction?” 

“Not the head, but one of the main heirs is known to follow the Second Prince.” 

“Good. Keep digging into Heinrich’s side. It seems he’s plotting more than one scheme.” 

“At your command, Your Highness.” 

After the subordinate left, Prinz sat back down and began discussing with Viscount Toys. 

“How do you think we should use this? It’s enough as circumstantial evidence, but we don’t have solid proof.” 

“But if we want to turn public opinion, even a little, we have to spread this. Of course, it means slinging mud at each other, which I know Your Highness doesn’t like…” 

Normally, the crown prince would have never resorted to such tactics, always preferring to face things head-on, but given the situation, he knew he had no choice. Moreover, Heinrich’s attempt to harm his own brother Yuno had ignited Prinz’s anger. 

“At this point, what do I have to lose? Besides, Heinrich tried to kill his own brother Yuno. I could understand if he just wanted the throne and tried to impeach me, but that I cannot forgive!” 

At Prinz’s anger, Viscount Toys closed his eyes for a moment, thinking, then suddenly opened them as if an idea struck. 

“Then let’s do this. Since they’re spreading rumors, we’ll counter with similar tactics.” 

“Hm? What do you mean? Explain in detail.” 

“We’ll say that the Second Prince’s attack on the Third Prince was part of a secret deal with Teseito to reduce our own masters. Since the Third Prince is close to you, Your Highness, it was a plot by the Second Prince’s side to weaken your power.” 

“Hmmm… will that work?” 

“When the incident happened, didn’t His Majesty the Emperor blame it on Teseito’s schemes? And the Third Prince became a national hero after the victory at Streve. That makes it a juicy bit of gossip, and the public will find it quite credible.” 

“All right! Let’s do it.” 

With the crown prince’s approval, Viscount Toys immediately explained the plan to his subordinates and issued orders, which were quickly carried out. 

Around noon that day, posters were put up all over the imperial capital, Adria. 

“Murmur murmur” 

“Why are people so noisy? Did another scandal about the crown prince break out?” 

A passerby asked, and another citizen looking at a poster replied, 

“No, there’s evidence that the Second Prince colluded with those Teseito bastards. If he became emperor, he promised to give back part of the Zenon Plains and received a high-level magic scroll to attack the Third Palace!” 

“What? Is that true?” 

He ran to check the poster on the wall, his face turning red with anger. 

“What! So the Third Prince, who captured Streve Fortress, was sent off to a remote territory near the Monster Mountains because the Second Prince insisted? And now the Third Prince is wounded from fighting monsters threatening the people, needing a year of recovery… How could anyone do such a thing?” 

“Exactly! Instead of honoring the Third Prince who bled and sweated for the empire, they tried to kill him! And I heard the Second Prince even denied military support for the Third Prince, saying there was no budget!” 

“This empire is a mess! Even if he’s only a half-brother, to collude with the enemy to kill one of our own masters!!” 

“And with those Teseito bastards! If we lose the productivity of the Zenon Plains, we’ll go back to the days when people worried about every meal!” 

Citizens vented their anger at Heinrich, and when someone shouted to go to the palace square, they surged toward it. 

In the square, crowds had already gathered, and several pillars with banners calling for Heinrich’s removal from the royal line had been erected. 

“His Majesty must depose the Second Prince!!” 

“That’s right!! For the empire to move forward, the Second Prince must be removed!!” 

As the protesters gathered in front of the palace, palace guards and knights tried to disperse them, but the crowd insisted they were acting out of loyalty to the emperor and began singing the imperial anthem. 

Unable to suppress the protest by force, the guards reported the growing crowd to their superiors. 

“It’s a success, Your Highness! The citizens of the capital are rallying in anger, demanding the Second Prince’s removal!” 

“You made good use of the agitators. I heard some of them even incited people to head for the palace?” 

At the crown prince’s comment, Viscount Toys looked a bit guilty but quickly straightened up. 

“I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit after this is over. But for now, we must use this…” 

“No, I’m praising you. You’ve advised me about my mistress many times, and I always refused how could I punish you now? I know this is not the time to worry about appearances.” 

“Thank you, Your Highness.” 

“Hire more agitators and dig even deeper into Heinrich’s background! There’s nothing I won’t do to protect my family!” 

The crown prince’s side also discovered that dead girls’ bodies sometimes emerged from the Second Prince’s palace, tracked down their parents, and found some had sold their children or that some were kidnapped from slums. 

They used this to spread rumors about Heinrich’s perverse sexual desires, fueling further outrage against the Second Prince. 

Thus, the crown prince’s counterattack seemed to be going quite well. 

However, the Second Prince’s camp responded in kind, using their own agitators to accuse the crown prince of enjoying cross-dressing and being violated by a genderless beast, holding counter-protests. Over time, this spread not only in Adria but throughout the empire, splitting Balkan into two warring factions among both nobles and commoners. 

Meanwhile, deep within the palace, in the emperor’s chamber  

Karl III, who had collapsed from shock at the crown prince’s scandal, began to stir. 

“Mmm… mmm…” 

“Your Majesty! Are you awake? Secretary!! Secretary!!” 

Count Lichtenauer, captain of the imperial guard, helped the emperor sit up and gave him water, which the emperor sipped as he slowly regained his senses. 

“Mmm… Lichtenauer, is that you?” 

“Yes, Your Majesty! It’s me!” 

“How long have I been unconscious? What’s the situation?” 

“Almost two months, Your Majesty… It’s a relief you woke up!” 

Lichtenauer then explained the current political strife between the crown prince and the second prince. 

“Such fools!! Utter idiots!! Hoo… hoo…” 

The emperor vented his anger at his two sons, then, feeling a pain in his neck, took a deep breath to calm himself. 

“So… what about Yuno in all this? With his personality, he’d have rushed back to help the crown prince by now, wouldn’t he?” 

“Well… the Third Prince…” 

Lichtenauer explained that the Third Prince was missing. Though he had been contacted and was alive in the elves’ territory, he would be unable to move for a year due to injuries, which made the emperor sigh. 

“Tell the secretary to bring me paper and pen, Lichtenauer.” 

“Yes? Paper…?” 

“I’m going to write my will. I knew Heinrich hated Yuno and tried to kill him, and I knew Prinz had a secret lover. Though I didn’t expect it to be a girl with… well, you know…” 

“Your Majesty…” 

“I suppose the throne should go to Yuno. Of course, Heinrich will make a fuss, but… I’ll have to appease him by offering a territory with a trade route to Leon. If he refuses, I’ll have to take his head.” 

“What about the crown prince? Wouldn’t he also oppose the Third Prince taking the throne?” 

The emperor shook his head. 

“No… He’d probably yield the throne to Yuno. He’s always been soft on Yuno since childhood. And he’s more than capable of serving as chancellor or minister of the interior under Yuno’s rule…” 

The emperor sipped more water and continued. 

“So after I die, devote yourself to Yuno… Please, Lichtenauer. He’s plenty capable as a master, but anyone can get careless…” 

“Do you think the Third Prince can govern the empire well? He’s certainly capable, but…” 

Guessing what Lichtenauer was worried about, the emperor chuckled. 

“Hehe… He may not look it, but he’s quite thoughtful. The way he cares for his women shows he’s loyal, and he’ll be able to hold the empire together as emperor. Any lack in administrative skill can be made up by his ministers, so I’m not too worried.” 

“If that’s Your Majesty’s will, I will obey.” 

“Good… But that means I’ll have to live at least another year. And I’ll need to settle this situation… Just in case, I’ll write my will. Call the secretary, and bring Prinz and Heinrich here.” 

“Yes, Your Majesty. At once.” 

Lichtenauer went outside to summon Secretary Marquis Garcia, and, following the emperor’s orders, went to bring Prinz and Heinrich from their residences. 

The two princes asked what was going on, but Count Lichtenauer said nothing except that the emperor was calling for them. 

Hearing that the emperor wanted them, the crown prince and the second prince obediently followed him to the emperor’s chamber, but when they arrived, Marquis Garcia, in tears, announced the emperor’s passing, and Count Lichtenauer’s knees buckled beneath him.