After being released from confinement, I headed to the royal rose garden with Katyusha.
“It’s a beautiful garden whenever you come.”
“Considering the amount of mana poured into this, we should do this much.”
Basically, in Iron Blood, which is cold, cold, and barren, it is actually impossible to grow even a single rose, let alone a rose garden. The reason this rose garden could exist was because the Earth Sorcerer was ruthlessly pounding his magic into the ground of the garden.
For that matter, this rose garden is terribly unpopular. It is cold and chilly, so naturally, most banquets are held indoors. Ultimately, it’s a waste of energy. If you have the magic to do so, it would be nice to write it in the land of farmers, just like the words of Eugene, the main character of the original work.
“Don’t you like the young master?”
“I think you are pretty. I think it’s a waste.”
In the drama, the rose garden was treated as a place that symbolizes the beautiful but corrupt Iron Blood, but when I saw it in real life, it was beautiful, so I was a little disturbed.
“Roses have thorns. You’d better be careful not to get stabbed.”
“what the. I know it even if you don’t tell me.”
And Katyusha looking around the rose garden became quite a picture. The sight of Katyusha with dark blue hair standing against the background of red roses made me want to take a few pictures if I had a camera.
But there was no time to dwell on such sentiments.
“… … there is also corps commander.”
“It is as you said.”
In the middle of the rose garden, a table on an empty terrace. Corps commander Alexei was alone with tea.
“Oh oh. Aren’t you the crown prince? Such a coincidence.”
A man in his late 20s with black hair, which is rare in Iron Blood, who was surprisingly young to be a corps commander, and who was as popular as Mikhail at the time of the original serialization.
That was Corporal Commander Alexei.
‘You’re handsome, you’re handsome. Hmm.’
At the time of the serialization, he was much more handsome than what was depicted in the illustrations that he went inside several times. I feel intimidated for nothing.
“okay. What a coincidence.”
I brushed off my thoughts and sat across from Alexei.
“The corps commander, who must be extremely busy, must have come to visit the rose garden, which is out of place and has few visitors compared to the effort he put in.”
And gave Alexei a cheeky hello. Katyusha flinched and panicked at my blatant sarcastic remark, while Alexei narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
I, Mikhail, am the arrogant prince of Anhamuin. And it is naturally accepted by the characters in the work.
So there is no need to be polite. Rather, there is a risk of appearing complacent.
“Sometimes you just want to come.”
Alexei, who was looking at me gently, replied with a smile. … … To be honest, I was a little worried that I would get angry.
“After sending me a telegram?”
“You know me well.”
“He was very bad at writing.”
“There is no choice but to put a deep meaning into it.”
However, Alexei’s attitude was also not very polite, he was staring straight at me with his chin resting. I feel a strange intimidation from that figure, and I feel like I will inadvertently avert my eyes. Of course, if I avoided it, it was obvious that I would be looked down on, so I was glaring at it.
“Wouldn’t it be troublesome to find out what that means?”
I changed the tone of my voice and asked seriously. Alexei immediately corrected his posture with interest.
“… … If that’s the case, please rest assured. Because I’m notorious for not being able to write. Everyone will think it’s your usual disorganized writing.”
“You mean you put up a smoke screen as usual?”
“You understand quickly.”
It seemed that there was a solution of its own. To be honest, I didn’t think that someone the size of a corps commander would put a vertical clip in a telegram, so I was worried that if someone else found out about this, we would end up in trouble.
“Then, let’s say hello and let’s have a little talk together.”
Alexei looked at Katyusha, who stood upright next to me.
“Katyusha. Come and see the garden.”
“All right.”
I figured out Alexei’s intentions and sent Katyusha. Katyusha politely bowed her head to Alexei and left. I looked at Katyusha’s back for a while, then turned my gaze back to Alexei when I was out of sight.
“… … Your Majesty also has such bad taste.”
Then Alexei said with a wry smile.
“What do you mean?”
I asked, frowning at the sudden incomprehensible sound. Alexei looked in the direction where Katyusha had disappeared and continued.
“I can’t help but think that there is some intention in putting in an assassin trained in the ‘organization’ as my son’s handmaid.”
“… … hmm.”
“As if you could remove it if you wanted to.”
It was a reasonable doubt. However, such a development did not appear in the original story. On the contrary, Katyusha is a woman who can disobey even the will of the emperor for my sake.
“Are the words you say as soon as the two of you are gossip from someone who isn’t there? It’s a big deal that a man of the level of a Sangvis army commander is so narrow-minded.”
So I got a little annoyed and sarcastically.
“It’s a joke. Could it be that His Majesty thought so? Oh, are you going to point your sword at me, judging this as treason?”
Alexei accepted as if he would not give up.
“Well, this is the car I was scolded for not doing that yesterday.”
“That, indeed, is a relief to me.”
I was about to inadvertently get hot. He is a very tired person to deal with.
“Then why did you call me?”
When I asked, getting frustrated, Alexei was silent for a moment, as if choosing his words.
“Do you intend to advance into politics, Crown Prince?”
Then he leaned forward and asked with an excited expression.
“okay.”
“Do you want to inherit power from your father? iron-blooded?”
“well. To put it bluntly… … .”
I averted my gaze and pondered.
“Because I don’t want to meet a miserable end.”
And answered honestly.
“… … .”
Alexei’s eyes widened in surprise at my answer.
“Unexpected, but compelling reason.”
And he nodded as if he liked it. I didn’t have anything in mind, so I replied, “I don’t know,” but luckily, I don’t think I’m wrong.
“I liked it. I, Corps Commander Alexei, will cooperate.”
It seems that the answer was not wrong, but a perfect answer. There’s nothing more reassuring than the cooperation of a corps commander… … .
“why? I don’t know why.”
I do not know the reason. If it was someone like Alexei, the commander of the corps, it would be possible for him to aim for the emperor himself. There must be enough factions formed inside.
“No matter how bad the relationship is, the arm bends inward. It’s all about helping the person with the highest chance of becoming the next emperor.”
Alexey closed his eyes and replied calmly to my questioning.
“No matter what others think, the Emperor won’t hate it too much.”
Then he added, narrowing his eyes. Just looking at it, it’s an expression that looks like there’s something going on.
“So, are you going to pretend to be a bigwig once I get power someday?”
“You know that. You have to do as much as I helped.”
It was Alexei’s way of speaking honestly without denying it. He does not hide his ambition for power.
“So, then you won’t accept my cooperation?”
Alexei asked, elbows resting on the table and interlocking.
I thought for a moment and nodded.
“Let me accept it.”
At my answer, Alexei smiled in satisfaction.
“The intentions are impure, but it’s much healthier than sending your little sister to your father as a concubine.”
But at my words, that smile soon disappeared.
It’s a remark that would feel like an insult that goes beyond the limit if someone you don’t know hears it, but in fact, it’s not like that.
Because Alexei really did.
Alexei sent his sister, who was less than 20 years old, as a concubine to the emperor, who was three times older than her.
It’s something that hasn’t happened now, and it’s changed to helping me.
“… … You are joking.”
Alexei, who had glared at me fiercely for a while, smiled and passed it over. But the eyes are not smiling at all.
wouldn’t be angry. It is to doubt how I know my own intentions.
Alexei is not the type of person who feels guilty about passing his sister off as a concubine.
“Enough with this story, now let’s get to the point. Do you want to be acknowledged by the Emperor?”
As if doubting was futile, Alexei changed his expression and asked. It was a calm attitude, as if he hadn’t said anything.
“Well, yes.”
I answered the question thinking that there was no need to provoke any more. Now is the time to get to the point.
“To do that, you have to be strong.”
Alexei said in a firm tone that felt confident.
“The secret that I was able to rise to the position of corps commander at a young age is simple. Because it is strong.”
It was true. Alexei was the only man in Sangvis Iron-Blood who was able to achieve a ‘fight’ rather than an ‘execution’ with the emperor.
“For Iron Blood, strength is the most important virtue. If you become stronger, you will be recognized by the Emperor.”
It was a theory. I was thinking that too. Lately, I’ve been losing to Katyusha, but… … Still, confinement was lifted and I was recognized in other ways, so it should be fine.
“Right. But do I look that weak?”
“Compared to me, you must be weak.”
It was an assertion without a moment’s thought. To be honest, I was a little stunned. He’s really a spitting guy. If this is a charm, it’s attractive, but in the position of actually dealing with it, it’s quite annoying. Although true.
“I say that only those who are likely to become strong should become strong. The magic displayed at the banquet hall was impressive. I thought he was also the one who inherited the emperor’s blood.”
“It’s a belated compliment. So, how are you going to help?”
“I will assign you a swordsmanship teacher.”
“A swordsmanship teacher?”
“yes. As a competent person within the Knights Templar. It’s okay if the crown prince chooses it himself. It’s safe to say that no one would refuse to be the Crown Prince’s swordsmanship teacher.”
It was a rather attractive proposition. Although he sparred with Katyusha from time to time, it was more like training his quickness and reaction speed. If possible, it was clear that it would be good to learn from a proper swordsman as a teacher.
“I don’t care if you want to be a female knight, but I’m afraid you’ll fall for women.”
As I was thinking about it, Alexei said with a smirk that he must have mistaken it for something else.
“You sound funny.”
Of course, it’s not that I didn’t consider it, but after hearing that, I couldn’t choose even more.
“Of course, there is no such thing as a pretty female knight. Sometimes, even decent people sprout from a drought… … .”
Alexey blurted out with a strange smile.
“It belongs to me.”
And he said with a playful grin.
“… … A person like this is a corps commander, so I’m worried about the future of Sangvis.”
You didn’t mean to make fun of me, did you mean to make me not choose? Really, he’s a terrible guy in many ways.
Afterwards, after talking about this and that, Alexei left, saying that time was dangerous. I sat down on the table and sighed deeply.
‘Swordsmanship is also a swordsmanship, but to be honest, I want to learn the art of life… … .’
It just feels like being swung around. As a result, it was only a story that benefited, but did it feel like the initiative was almost taken away?
‘Well, if you think about it calmly, it’s natural. There’s no way that the crown prince, who was imprisoned until recently, and the military corps commander who is doing well on active duty are equal.’
Even if there is no initiative, just hearing the answer that they will cooperate is a great benefit. Let’s use what’s available. After I caught my breath, I looked over the list of knights Alexei had given me.
From noble mtl dot com
“… … !!”
And there I found an unexpected familiar name.
Mustafa. Examination of brown skin from colonies.
There was a man who became the main character of the original work, Yujin’s teacher.