The Prince from Another World Wants to Save the World

Chapter 7: An Unexpected Opportunity (4)

“I’m glad to hear your health has improved. Thank you for coming so promptly on such short notice,” Jess said, his face unreadable.

“Of course, Brother. You called for me, so it’s only natural that I would come at once. However, I heard that there was quite the commotion in the palace last night. I hope His Majesty is well.”

“His Majesty is the same as ever, still bedridden,” Jess replied coolly.

“And how are my other brothers and sisters? What exactly happened last night?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

What happened was that I blew up Albert and our cousin along with the whole palace wing.

Jess, I know you’re secretly sweating, wondering what went down, but you’re keeping that calm facade up well.

“The incident from last night will be addressed in full once the damages have been properly assessed. You need not concern yourself with it for now,” Jess said, not batting an eye.

But I noticed his caution. Standing to his left was Knight Master Firen, as still as a statue, and behind him were about twenty imperial mages, all on high alert.

Through nine regressions, I’ve learned that Jess’ extreme prudence is one of the most annoying things about him.

He’s smaller than Albert but lean and wiry, with sharp features and cold eyes that make anyone in front of him feel inferior.

Jess is ruthless, methodical, and holds significant power—traits that ensure no one dares cross him lightly.

With his connections to the empire’s most influential nobles and support from the military, he’s a nightmare of an enemy.

He’s also the man who drove me to ruin and orchestrated the downfall of both the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

Just as I anticipated, the room began to murmur in response to my presence.

“Is that really Prince Claude?”

“Why is he here? Does today’s important meeting have something to do with him?”

“He looks calm—completely different from last year. Is that really the same person?”

“Even so, a scoundrel doesn’t change. I can still remember what he did last year as if it were yesterday.”

Despite the slight shift in their tone, I could tell the court’s disdain for me remained strong.

And I couldn’t really blame them. After all, I had done something unforgivable.

One year ago, when I was still 15 and before I was summoned into this world, Claude—my predecessor—found a blue bottle on his table.

It was a high-end liquor beloved among the empire’s nobles.

No one knows who left it there, but Claude, being thirsty and careless, drank it without a second thought.

The problem? That liquor was over 40% alcohol.

Claude had no memory of what happened next.

He vaguely recalled smashing the bottle on the floor, but the rest was a blur.

What came after was recounted to me later. Claude, in a drunken stupor, had run through the palace screaming like a madman and barged into a meeting room, attacking the gathered nobles.

Two nobles were gravely injured, and a servant who had tried to stop him nearly bled to death.

So yeah, even if I wanted to defend myself, it was hard to refute the label of “scoundrel.”

Sure, Jess’ poison combined with the liquor probably triggered the rampage, but no one would care about that.

In the end, it was Claude who had smashed the bottle and gone wild in the palace.

One of the injured nobles, a highly respected figure who had served under the late emperor, retired from politics shortly after.

But not before actively spreading the word that “Prince Claude is an irredeemable, uncontrollable menace!”

And now, here I am, the target of disdain and whispers in the imperial court, unable to even accuse Jess of poisoning me.

On one hand, there’s the highly respected prince, Jess, who governs the empire in the absence of the Emperor and Crown Prince.

On the other hand, there’s me, the problem child who’s been causing trouble since birth.

Naturally, no one would believe me. Hence, I’m stuck enduring these glares and whispered insults.

“Once a scoundrel, always a scoundrel.”

“Just having him in the palace is an insult to the imperial family.”

I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to cast magic.

My inner Archmage was screaming for me to unleash a Tempest and blast not just the nobles but Jess and Firen out of the room.

But if I do that, this final regression will go up in flames before it even begins.

“Claude,” Jess said, finally getting to the point. “I’ve summoned you here today to give you the opportunity to restore the honor you’ve tarnished.”

He spoke with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, barely suppressing his amusement. This bastard was relishing the thought of watching me fail miserably.

“Earlier this morning, we received a request for aid from Count Elston, who defends the eastern territories of the empire.

As you may know, the Elston territory has been at war with the necromancer’s army for over a year now, and the situation has become dire.”

The necromancer’s army is a force composed of undead, led by a necromancer named Krok.

It’s another potential route I could explore in this regression—though my goals would be quite different this time.

“The imperial government has decided to send reinforcements to aid Count Elston. You, Claude, will lead these forces as their commander and win this war for the empire.”

“You want me to command the army?”

Jess’ lip curled ever so slightly, clearly enjoying the discomfort on my face.

“Yes. Leading the empire’s forces against foreign threats has always been a duty of the imperial princes. Prove yourself in battle and redeem the honor you’ve lost.”

Around the room, sighs of disbelief echoed.

“This can’t be serious…”

“That scoundrel? Leading an army?”

“Prince Jess must be trying too hard to save face for his little brother. This is reckless.”

“It’s not like Claude will actually fight. The knights will handle the battle while he sits back and takes the credit.”

The nobles were torn between praising Jess’ magnanimity and bemoaning the fact that I, of all people, had been entrusted with such an important task.

Still, it bothered me that all the criticism was aimed solely at me. Shouldn’t they be questioning Jess’s judgment as well?

The worst part is that they’re completely wrong about the situation.

They seem to think that just sending troops to the battlefield will guarantee victory.

In reality, the necromancer’s army currently invading Elston is overwhelmingly powerful. Ordinary knights would be wiped out in an instant.

“…I will do my best to carry out the mission you’ve entrusted to me,” I said, intentionally letting my voice shake as I avoided Jess’ gaze. He was too perceptive.

If I met his eyes, he might realize that the poison in my system was starting to wear off.

“You have the right attitude. To aid you, I will assign you the most prestigious knights in the empire. I expect you to give it your all.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

Of course, the so-called prestigious knights were from the Imperial Guardian Knights, a unit in name only.

It was little more than a collection of nobles’ second-rate children, desperate for a way to earn the title of knight.

Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, Jess. I inhaled deeply, forcing myself to keep my composure.

“I’ll return to my estate to prepare for the campaign,” I said.

“No need,” Jess cut in. “The reinforcements have already been prepared. Stay here in the palace and depart with them when the time comes.”

This bastard. He’s in such a rush to send me off to die.

Fortunately, I expected this. I had already packed what I needed when I left the estate this morning, including the detoxifying elixirs Rania had prepared for me.

“Understood, Brother. I’ll wait here in the palace until it’s time to depart. Cough, cough…”

I threw in a weak cough for good measure. Jess, ever the actor, put on a concerned expression.

“Take care of yourself and return safely. If you succeed, I will grant you any wish within my power.”

“Thank… Thank you, Brother. Cough…”

Perfect. This is going just as planned.

In the previous regression, I pulled the same stunt, tricking Jess into making all sorts of promises.

He never expected me to return alive, so it was easy to get him to agree to anything.

But I’ve already mapped out exactly what I’ll ask for when I return victorious. Everything is set in motion.

Now, it’s time to head to Elston and begin my rise to glory.

Let’s see how the most infamous scoundrel in imperial history transforms into the empire’s savior.