37-83

EP.83 Balkan Civil War (1) 

While Yuno was spending every day in obscene bliss with his mother, wives, and maids, the capital of Balkan, Adria, was swept up in political turmoil a power struggle between the crown prince and the second prince. 

Bang!! 

"I, Second Prince Heinrich, hereby move to impeach my brother Prince Prinz from the position of Crown Prince, staking my own right as a prince of the Balkan Empire!" 

It began when Heinrich impeached Prinz from the crown prince position at the end of a state council meeting. 

Murmur murmur 

All the ministers were flustered and murmured among themselves, and both the crown prince and the chancellor, who were presiding over the meeting, looked at Heinrich with alarm. 

"W-wait! Your Highness the Second Prince, on what grounds are you impeaching the Crown Prince? State your reasons!" 

When Chancellor Marquis Mark demanded an explanation, Heinrich answered slyly with a relaxed expression. 

"Reasons? Of course I have them. But should I state them here? My brother surely knows why I’m so confident right now." 

As Heinrich looked at him with a confident gaze, Prinz glared back at his younger brother. 

'You... you dare come at me like this?' 

Heinrich gave his brother, who looked as if he wanted to kill him, a sly smile. 

"Hahaha! If you quietly yield the crown prince position, I won’t spread your secret. I’ll even let you enjoy your later years in a quiet countryside like Yuno." 

Heinrich was delighted that, as he had planned, Yuno had quietly gone off to the Monster Mountains, and even the empress and princesses had followed Yuno. 

'Besides, I’ve received intelligence that Yuno is currently on an expedition to the Monster Mountains and won’t be able to return to his territory for at least half a year. I can’t miss this chance! I must unseat my brother this time!' 

But Prinz did not yield easily to Heinrich’s threats. 

"I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no idea what secret you’re referring to. If you want to impeach me, you should do it in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor. I’ll request that His Majesty attend the next state council meeting." 

'I need to buy time. I don’t know how Heinrich found out, but if my secret gets out...' 

"Haha, very well. But! Since you might try to destroy the evidence, I ask the ministers to guard the third annex of the Crown Prince’s Palace. See you at tomorrow’s council meeting, brother!" 

At Heinrich’s words, Prinz closed his eyes, and Heinrich left the hall with a loud laugh. 

"Crown Prince! What is the Second Prince talking about? What’s in the third annex of the Crown Prince’s Palace?" 

"You must tell us, Your Highness, so we can help you!" 

"I’ll explain later. I must go now, please excuse me." 

Prinz pushed past the ministers crowding him with questions and headed for the third annex of his palace. But it was already surrounded by enforcers sent by the Minister of Justice, Count Redbruck, so Prinz hung his head. 

"...Could you let me through?" 

"Sorry, Your Highness. This is procedure. We can’t enter, but we’re required to secure this place." 

"...I understand. Since an impeachment has been filed and Heinrich requested evidence protection, you must do your duty. Sorry for the trouble." 

Prinz turned away with his head down and returned to his office. 

'I can’t let Heinrich get away with this. I need a card to counterattack...' 

He summoned his aides, reactivated the investigation into Heinrich he had paused after the Streve victory, and began devising ways to minimize the damage at the next day’s council meeting. 

The next day. The now-ailing Emperor Karl III entered the throne room and sat on the throne, and as Prinz, Heinrich, and the ministers entered, the council meeting began. 

"Today, we’ll first proceed with the impeachment trial of Crown Prince Prinz, as raised by Prince Heinrich. Tower Master, please cast the 'Mouth of Truth' spell over the entire throne room so only the truth can be spoken." 

At the chancellor’s request, Imperial Tower Master Jennifer cast the spell, and the impeachment trial began, with both Prinz’s crown prince position and Heinrich’s own at stake. 

At the mention of impeaching the crown prince, the emperor clutched his head and leaned back, and attendants brought him cold water to revive him. 

"Fine! Heinrich, what is your reason for impeaching your brother? If it’s not valid, I won’t let you off!" 

As it was the crown prince on trial, the emperor led the meeting, and Karl III demanded an answer from Heinrich in a voice full of anger. 

Despite the emperor’s fury, Heinrich spoke confidently. 

"Shouldn’t the emperor who leads Balkan have the duty to produce many heirs? But look at my brother! He’s so thin, and after seven years of marriage, he still has no children!" 

"Surely that’s not a reason to impeach the crown prince, Your Highness?" 

"Would I try to impeach my brother for something so trivial? Let me ask here. Sister-in-law Hiriya! Forgive me, but how many times have you and my brother lain together? Or have you ever entered his bedchamber?" 

Suddenly questioned, Hiriya’s heart sank. 

"...That’s too personal. I refuse to answer." 

She couldn’t say that she and Prinz hadn’t been together since their wedding night, or that she’d never entered his bedchamber, so she refused to testify. 

"Very well. Since you won’t answer, I’ll be direct. Brother, what is in the third annex of your palace?" 

"....." 

When Prinz didn’t answer, the emperor spoke up. 

"Prinz! Answer! What’s in the third annex that has Heinrich so worked up?" 

Unable to stay silent before the emperor, Prinz finally confessed the truth. 

"...There are clothes I like, and a hidden lover..." 

The emperor tilted his head. 

"Hmm? Is that all? Is it such a big deal for the crown prince to have a concubine or two? You’ll have many concubines once you’re emperor!" 

"Haha, Your Majesty! Would my brother be so shaken over something so minor? Minister of Justice, please bring the evidence from the third annex!" 

At Heinrich’s request, Marquis Redbruck gave the order, and enforcers brought in a large box and a delicate-looking woman. 

"Hmm? What could be in that box...?" 

"What evidence does the Second Prince have?" 

"She looks normal enough. What’s the big deal about having a mistress?" 

To answer the nobles’ curiosity, Heinrich personally opened the box and dumped it out. Dozens of dresses spilled out, and Prinz hung his head. 

"Brother Prinz! Are these dresses the ones you secretly enjoy wearing?" 

Prinz remained silent, which was as good as admitting it, and the nobles were shocked. 

"No way?" 

"Are you saying the crown prince wore those?" 

"Not the woman, but the crown prince?" 

The emperor, too, looked at Prinz in shock. 

"Prinz, is it true? Do you secretly wear women’s dresses?" 

"...Yes, Your Majesty... But that’s just to relieve stress..." 

Heinrich cut off Prinz’s attempt to explain. 

"That’s not all! This so-called woman is not a woman!" 

The emperor and nobles tilted their heads in confusion. 

"What do you mean?" 

"She clearly has breasts... a pretty face... anyone would see a woman..." 

Heinrich approached the owner of the third annex, tore off her dress and underwear. 

"Kyaaah!!" 

She screamed and tried to cover herself, but Heinrich grabbed her arms and exposed her body. 

"Second Prince! What are you doing in the sacred throne room!! Huh?!" 

"What... what is that?" 

Revealed to the throne room, her lower body had both male and female genitals, and she had small breasts, leaving the nobles stunned. 

"This is the truth about my brother Prinz! He enjoys cross-dressing and has intercourse with this creature, whose gender is unclear! Is such a person fit to be crown prince?" 

The throne room fell silent at this shocking truth. 

"Based on this, I, Second Prince Heinrich, formally request the impeachment of my brother Prinz from the position of crown prince!" 

"Uhh..." 

Thud! 

Emperor Karl III, who was to deliver the verdict, fainted from shock at the truth about his trusted crown prince and collapsed to the floor. 

"Your Majesty!! Please wake up!!" 

"Call the royal physician!!! Bring a healing mage quickly!! His Majesty hit his head when he fell!!" 

Karl III was carried away to his quarters by the royal physician, and the council meeting was suspended due to the emperor’s collapse. 

No conclusion was reached regarding Prinz’s impeachment, but the incident shook the Balkan Empire to its core, and the political storm plunged the empire into chaos.