The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 241

In a lavish room. Warm sunlight streamed in through the terrace. A vibrant teacup set lay next to a multicolored vase.

“Sigh.”

The woman in her late thirties, who had just taken a sip from the steaming teacup, let out an enigmatic sigh.

Ariella.

The only remaining queen of the Ruben Kingdom and the mother of the 5th Prince, Edrad. Although she still boasted remarkable beauty, what was the point?

Her husband, Thadeus II, was bedridden and on the verge of death, and the royal family was precariously walking on thin ice.

‘Can I never live a comfortable life…?’

She hadn’t sought the position of queen, nor did she have any particular desire for power or wealth. All she longed for was a life free from worry, a peaceful and ordinary existence.

It didn’t take long for what she once believed to be a given to crumble. Perhaps this fate was sealed the moment she stepped into the royal family.

As she was immersing herself in a bittersweet cup of tea, footsteps approached.

“Mother, enjoying your tea time?”

Her only child, the 5th Prince Edrad, approached with a smile.

“Yes, Edrad. Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?”

Edrad, who turned twenty-four this year, was, in truth, quite ordinary. Swordsmanship, academics, appearance, personality.

He excelled at none but lacked in none, often deemed average. In a peaceful era, he could have led an uneventful life. However…

“Grandfather visited again last night. He said we need your resolve, Mother.”

“…….”

Ariella’s lips tightened. Edrad’s maternal grandfather and her father. Beortio de Edmer was one of the three marquises in the kingdom.

Unlike the Five Great Martial Families, the Edmer Marquisate excelled in administration and commerce.

Because of this, it was said that if one considered their wealth, number of bureaucrats from the family, and the size of their territory, they could surpass even the Templeton Dukedom.

Their only shortfall was that, unlike the Five Great Martial Families, they had never produced a Master.

But in the Ruben Kingdom—a kingdom of knights—that single shortcoming was a significant shackle.

Perhaps that’s why. Marquis Beortio was determined not to let this opportunity slip away. He was eager to see his grandson ascend to the throne and to hear their family hailed as the greatest in the kingdom.

‘… Sigh.’

To Ariella, this was a heavy burden.

Her dying husband.

Her father, who desired even more despite already being part of an esteemed family.

Her young son, unable to hide his youthful vigor.

She could understand them, but she couldn’t help but worry. Having lived in the royal palace for a considerable time, she could sense it.

A formidable predator was laying in wait, ready to pounce on its prey. It wasn’t the 3rd Prince. Behind her stood the current head of the Marquis McNeil family, Clifford de McNeil, whom she feared greatly.

“Mother, I know what you’re worried about. But you also know we have no choice. It’s time to make a decision.”

Her son Edrad grasped her hand, speaking with a firm voice.

‘… He’s grown so much.’

Having always kept him close, she hadn’t realized the change. Seeing the resolute look in her grown son’s eyes, she understood she couldn’t hold him back any longer.

Shhh.

A richly decorated envelope emerged from her bosom.

“Take this. And… be careful.”

“Thank you, Mother! Please stay safe in the royal palace for a while.”

The envelope’s identity?

It contained King Thadeus II’s final will to pass the throne to the 5th Prince, Edrad. Though she thought it might be better to pass the throne to the 3rd Prince as was the order of things, her father and son thought otherwise.

Watching her son leave after kissing the back of her hand, she felt an instinct that this might be the end. Hoping her concerns were merely unfounded worries, she blinked back tears.

*

Whirr.

A group of figures in black nightclothes dashed through the dark underground waterway.

「Despite the previous invasion of the royal palace, these underground passages still remain. How fascinating.」

「These underground passages were built over centuries, both openly and in secret. Completely sealing them off without burying the entire underground of the palace would be impossible.」

Jake and Kane chatted through the guild communication line.

「How far does this passage lead?」

「This time, it will lead directly to the royal residences of the princes.」

Raul asked, and Kane responded with a meaningful smile. After the previous invasion of the royal palace, most of the underground passages were sealed off.

But if one passage was blocked?

Then a new one could be created.

This was something Raul entrusted to the First Knight Order’s capital branch and something Kane had been handling intermittently.

‘All for today.’

If there had been no significant incident, they would not have used this passage…. As the saying goes, bad predictions rarely miss, and the situation at the palace had turned to the worst.

Mid-April.

Raul hurriedly returned to the Ruben Kingdom. This was due to reliable news that King Thadeus II was critically ill.

Fortunately, the situation in the Brennan Republic was unfolding as Raul had intended. While the Delamian Household, who had lost a Master, was in disarray, the Gallegos family launched a full-scale offensive.

And in that process, new Masters emerged from each family….

The Delamian (2)-Boyd (2) alliance had four Masters in total.

The Gallegos (3)-McGregor (1) alliance also had four.

The number of Masters in the republic increased from three to nine in total (including one from the existing ruling Larsen family).

The balanced number of Masters restricted each family’s movements, and with the already superior number of votes, the Gallegos-McGregor alliance gained the upper hand.

Excluding Bae Dohyun, the members of the Purple Guild remained with the Gallegos side, ensuring no new variables emerged. Thanks to this, Raul could return to his homeland without major concerns.

Not long after Raul returned to his territory, events quickly escalated. King Thadeus II passed away.

The problem arose immediately after. The faction supporting the 5th Prince Edrad and the Edmer Marquisate revealed the King’s will.

The ministers and officials who confirmed the will, naming the 5th Prince Edrad as the successor, were shocked by two facts.

Firstly, the much-rumored will actually existed, and the 5th Prince had indeed been named heir.

-If that’s the case, shouldn’t the King have empowered the 5th Prince instead of the 3rd Prince from the beginning?

But with the King now deceased, no one could provide answers.

Secondly, a new Master had emerged in the kingdom.

Simultaneously with the disclosure of the will, it was announced that one of the Edmer Marquisate’s bloodline had become a Master.

The new Master demonstrated their aura blade on the spot, making it impossible for the nobles of various factions present, including the 3rd Prince, to easily deny the existence of the will.

It seemed the 5th Prince would smoothly ascend to the throne, but…

That very night.

Clang! Clang!

“Arrest the traitor, 5th Prince Edrad, and Marquis Beortio!”

“What the hell… Ugh.”

The retainers of the 3rd Prince Herdian and the forces of the McNeil Marquisate stormed the palace. The Royal Knight Captain and the Royal Knight Knights, who were supposed to protect the palace, did not obstruct their path.

Only the 5th Prince’s guard and the private soldiers of the Edmer Marquisate resisted. The Royal Knight Captain and Royal Knight Knights had already been co-opted by the 3rd Prince’s side.

Swish~, thud!

“You scoundrels! How dare you defy the King’s will! I, Metaor de Edmer, shall not forgive this!”

The prowess of a Master was indeed unparalleled. The invaders who recklessly intruded into the prince’s palace, whether they were soldiers or knights, bled under his aura blade.

Clap, clap, clap.

“Indeed! So, that incompetent Edrad had a reason to covet the throne, huh.”

“You are….”

The one clapping and revealing himself in front of the blood-soaked Metaor was none other than the 3rd Prince, Herdian.

“I like your swordsmanship. How about considering working under me? Kneel now, and I will forgive your past offenses and use you well.”

The 3rd Prince spoke nonchalantly, kicking aside the corpse of a knight that lay at his feet, seemingly unbothered by the fact that the knight had died following his orders.

“You jest. You should have never shown yourself before me!”

Swish!

Metaor had no reason to converse with the instigator of this invasion.

Launching himself off the ground, Metaor charged at the 3rd Prince, slashing fiercely with his aura blade.

“Tsk tsk. Fools never recognize opportunities even when they’re handed to them.”

Despite the imminent threat of the aura blade, the 3rd Prince stood unfazed, with his hands clasped behind his back. Indeed, his pluck and courage were commendable.

Chazzza!

Boom!

“… Krrgh. Who the…”

Not only was his aura blade blocked, but the substantial rebound force pushed Metaor several steps back. His words of inquiry about the enemy’s identity were cut short.

Whirr. Flash.

Behind the 3rd Prince Herdian, four fearsome aura blades flared menacingly.

“… Ha.”

Metaor let out a sigh of frustration. But soon, the aura blade on his sword began to burn fiercely again.

“Hamond, finish this. Ah, and bring Edrad and Marquis Edmer in alive.”

Herdian nonchalantly sat on a chair brought to him by his servant, crossing his legs and holding his chin in a smug posture as he looked down on the scene.

“Haah!”

Boom! Thud!

The final flames of resistance flared up in the 5th Prince’s palace.

The next morning.

In the plaza of the Second Outer Wall. Guarded by the Royal Knight and the Royal Knights, a multitude of citizens and nobles gathered before the stage.

And onto the stage were dragged two individuals, bruised and bloodied from head to toe.

“… have been clearly revealed. Therefore, the 5th Prince Edrad and Marquis Beortio de Edmer are condemned for regicide and forgery of the royal will. They are to be executed!”

Murmurs and gasps spread through the crowd. There was no time for the public to assess the situation.

As the executioner raised his greatsword to behead the two, someone on the stage seized the weapon.

“Whoever defies Us shall meet the same fate!”

Swish! Swish!

The 3rd Prince Herdian executed his brother and the marquis with a single sweep of the greatsword. The sight was broadcasted not just across the capital but throughout the entire kingdom.

-This is an outrageous act of tyranny!

-Claiming the will is forged? On what grounds?

-My God! How can we serve such a tyrant as our king?

Naturally, there was an outcry of opposition, but it did not last long.

Swish.

Another execution. This time, it was the former queen, Ariella.

The combined forces of the central army and the knights of the Marquis McNeil family raided the Edmer Marquisate.

Despite being one of the largest military forces in the kingdom, the Edmer family’s troops and knights were significant in number.

Yet, the subjugation took only a few days. As a result, Queen Ariella, who had taken refuge with the Edmer family, was captured.

Even though she wasn’t his biological mother, it was shocking to see Prince Herdian personally execute the former queen.

But what was even more shocking was the presence of five Masters standing behind him. Clifford de McNeil, the head of the McNeil Marquisate.

The Royal Knight Knights’ commander, hammond. And the three newly ascended Masters from the McNeil Marquisate.

Nobles in the capital and across various domains could only keep silent in despair, witnessing the aura blades emerging from the swords of the five Masters.

“In fifteen days, there will be a coronation in Thurium. All nobles with titles are to come to the capital unarmed to swear loyalty to me. Those who do not attend…”

Crack.

The head of the former queen burst under Herdian’s boot. The 3rd Prince’s threatening proclamation.

It was why Raul and his group, dressed in nightclothes, were forced to traverse the underground passageways of the royal palace.

(To be continued)