178 – [Side Story] Student from the East Continent – 37
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The place where Prince Joshua came to his senses was a quiet space.
Joshua’s vision gradually returned and he was able to check his surroundings.
Looking around, he could see where this place was.
“Prison…? Why…?”
Prison, it is not an ordinary prison.
This place was none other than a prison located in the imperial castle.
“Why on earth am I in a place like this…Ugh!?”
Prince Joshua trying to get himself together.
He screamed from the terrible pain that overcame him.
Only then did he remember what had happened to him.
Alyssa was captured by the student council and its leadership.
After hearing her story that she would receive her capital punishment, he set out with her friends to rescue her.
However, I remembered being overpowered by an unknown person in a maid outfit.
I don’t know what happened after being suppressed like that, but he is now imprisoned in the dungeon of the imperial palace.
Although he did not know why he was imprisoned, Prince Joshua endured his pain and cried out.
“Who…Is there anyone?!”
Then, it felt like a black shadow was moving.
At the same time, a shadow landed in front of the prison door.
“…You’ve come to your senses, Your Highness Joshua.”
“You…You…”
“I am a member of His Majesty’s direct unit. His Majesty is waiting for you.”
“Father…?”
I couldn’t understand.
If my father, the emperor, knows that he is here now, why is he being left in prison like this?
I couldn’t shake off this uneasy feeling.
“Now, please come out.”
“Yeah…Yeah…”
Despite having an uneasy feeling, Prince Joshua left the prison supported by the hand of a man.
While I was following the man, his familiar face caught my eye.
“You guys…”
“I…Your Highness…”
“Ugh…”
It was Prince Nord and Fortis who set out to rescue Alyssa with him.
They were also moving with a man dressed in the same clothes as the man guiding them.
“They…”
“They are heading to the same place, so you don’t have to worry about it.”
That actually bothered me more.
The place they were going now was the throne room, not their father’s private room.
“I brought His Highness Joshua, Nord Uboris, and Prince Portis.”
“Yes, please come in.”
It was the voice of my father, the emperor.
It was also different from usual, a very subdued voice.
With that voice, the door to the throne room opened, and the sight of the throne room came into view.
“Ah…”
As expected, the emperor was not the only one there.
Her mother, the Empress, was sitting right next to her, and her concubines were also positioned behind her.
That’s not all.
Starting with Joshua’s biological younger sister, Princess Runiel, the children of her concubines, such as Prince Willis, are all gathered together.
And below the king’s seat, there are numerous nobles, starting with the prime minister.
Among them, even the nobles of the faction that supported Joshua were standing with pale expressions.
Yoshua’s uneasy premonition became stronger.
“Joshua Rada Ardia, please stand in front.”
Hearing the emperor’s voice, Joshua hesitated, but came forward and stood in front of him.
“…You have disappointed me to the end, Joshua.”
“Your Majesty…Your Majesty…”
“Didn’t you think it was strange?”
At his father’s words, Joshua lifted his head and looked at him.
The voice was even colder than usual, as if it was freezing Joshua’s brain.
“Alyssa Leifert, that child’s crime is very serious.”
“……”
“But, didn’t you find it strange that the Academy was left in a lax state until internal disciplinary action was decided?”
In reality, it was guarded by an unidentified maid, but from the outside, only one female student from the leadership club was guarding the place.
Moreover, she was thinking of returning to her dormitory after the girl had just brought her her meal.
If she’s a regular rule breaker, that’s enough for her.
However, Alyssa Leifert’s crime was being dealt with so seriously that it was said that there was a possibility that it could develop into an international problem.
If you think about it, it’s strange that she would be treated like an ordinary rule-breaker.
Prince Joshua also seemed to have realized that fact, looking at the emperor with a blank expression.
“This was a test.”
“Test…You mean?”
“Yes, if you knew the severity of her sins and gave up on her, I thought I would watch you a little longer.”
“……”
Is that why they intentionally made it look like they were lax in management?
Prince Joshua bit her lip tightly.
At the time when I heard a report on the situation from Martina.
The emperor first planned to dispatch the imperial palace army to manage Alyssa Leifert.
But, when he heard from Rilu Arma the offer to keep her for himself, the emperor thought:
Wouldn’t this be an opportunity to reconsider Joshua’s position as crown prince?
Thinking so, she accepted Lilu’s offer and did not send the imperial army.
Rilu Arma, if she is skilled enough to casually enter and leave the imperial palace and leave behind her evidence, then she will be fine alone.
And, she was able to decide about Joshua’s future.
And now, in the end, Prince Joshua has made her wrong decision.
The emperor finally made up his mind.
“…But in the end, you were so caught up in that woman that you failed to properly consider the seriousness of the situation.”
“Your Majesty…I…”
“…Joshua Rada Ardia, I deprive you of the right to bear the name Ardia.”
“Yes…??”
Joshua gaped at her as if she couldn’t believe it.
The right to use the Ardia surname will be revoked.
That was no different from saying that they would exclude him from the imperial family.
And of course.
“You are no longer the crown prince or a member of the royal family.”
“Now…Wait…Wait a minute!”
“As soon as you graduate from the academy, I will grant you the title of baron and territory.”
“Your Majesty…Your Majesty…Father…!!”
No matter how many times we called him, the emperor continued his judgment with cold eyes.
“Ah…Father! What are you going to do if I’m not the crown prince?! No way, to Runiel, who’s still so young…”
After glaring at Joshua once, the emperor turned his gaze to Princess Runiel.
“Luniel Rafa Ardia”
“Yes…Yes!!”
Even young Runiel could sense that the situation was already getting serious.
In such a situation, when her name was called, Princess Runiel nervously stepped in front of her.
“With Joshua’s death, she will appoint you as the Crown Princess.”
“Yes…Four!!”
“…The formal announcement and procedures will be decided in the near future. …Can you do it well?”
“Please leave it to me!!”
Although she was still young, she knew about her position as the Crown Princess.
Although she was embarrassed, she soon nodded her head with a serious expression.
However, there were people there who were not happy about this situation.
Of course, it is Prince Joshua who looks desolate…No, it is as if his decomposition has now been decided.
“……”
And, the nobles who supported Joshua.
As they had foreseen this situation to some extent, they were not as shocked as Joshua.
However, he was just lowering his head with a sad expression.
“Take that guy out.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Those who brought Joshua captured him.
“Father! I am your son…I mean son!!”
“……”
“Father!!”
Joshua is dragged out like that.
Looking at that scene, Nord and Prince Fortis were kneeling with pale expressions.
“Nord Uboris, given your position, you would not have been able to refuse the crown prince’s orders, so Count Uboris will decide on the disposition.”
“…Yes.”
“However, it would be better not to expect a light punishment.”
Of course, Nord Uboris would come forward voluntarily even if Joshua did not ask him to.
But in reality, Joshua’s instructions were correct, so it was difficult for the emperor himself to impose a severe punishment.
“Prince Portis, you will be exiled in the near future.”
“……”
“In the Kingdom of Rudman, your disposition will be decided.”
“……I understand.”
Fortis is different from Nord.
Because there is no reason for him to listen to the crown prince’s orders.
However, he is a foreign student, and the greatest punishment that can be given for a crime of this level is an order of deportation.
But Portis’ expression was very pale.
His father, the King of the Kingdom of Rudman, is a man with a fiery temper.
If he finds out that he was expelled for this reason, it won’t end well.
Just like Joshua, they too were grabbed by the men and left the throne room.
“…Anyone who has objections to this decision should come forward.”
Hearing the emperor’s words, a young nobleman stepped forward.
“You were definitely Count Lideska.”
“Yes, my name is Alvit Lideska, and I am the new Count Lideska, succeeding my father.”
“Yes, Count Lideska. Do you have any objection to the crown prince’s ruin?”
“No, Prince Joshua has committed a serious mistake, so there is no objection to his destructive actions. However…”
“But, what is it?”
At the emperor’s words, Count Lideska spoke with a smile on his face.
“I am somewhat worried about Her Majesty Princess Runiel’s installation as Crown Princess.”
“…Okay, keep talking.”
“Yes, as you know, Her Royal Highness Princess Runiel is still young… Moreover, her support base is very lacking.”
Count Lidesca smiled.
“… Even if you appoint her as the princess like this, will the nobles of her empire be convinced…? I’m rather worried that something might happen to Her Royal Highness.”
At first glance, these words seem to contain concerns about Runiel, who became the crown princess without any support base.
But the emperor already knows.
Count Lideska is third in line of succession and belongs to the faction that wants to elevate Prince Willis to the throne.
As he said those words, there was a mixed meaning behind them.
‘If Runiel is appointed as the Crown Princess like this, she will not be safe.’
Of course, the emperor was not a fool and could not have known the hidden meaning behind those words, so he glared sharply at Count Lideska.
From Noble mtl dot com
“I understand your concerns well, Count Lideska.”
“…Yes.”
“But you don’t have to worry about that.”
“Yes?”
“Did you think that I would appoint Runiel as her crown princess without any preparation?”
The emperor smiled.
In response to the emperor’s reaction, Count Lideska made a subtle expression.
I’m sure you thought you were either going to get angry or get angry.
So far, the number of nobles supporting Runiel has reached almost zero.
Of course. Among the nobles, there are those who swear loyalty to the imperial family, but they basically prioritize their own interests.
As long as there is no ‘benefit’ to be gained by supporting the still young Runiel, it is as if no one wants to support Runiel.
But, what if there is a ‘benefit’ that she gets from supporting her?
“…?”
The one who raised his hand was none other than one of the great nobles of this empire.
“Duke Wilthard.”
“Your Majesty, I’m sorry I’m still talking to Count Lideska, but do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Permission, let me tell you.”
“… Are the rumors going around all the time about Her Highness true?”
At those words, he said, all the nobles present gave a questioning look.
I had never heard of any rumors about Princess Runiel.
To begin with, Princess Runiel almost never appeared in public.
What’s more, there were people who saw Princess Runiel for the first time at the banquet the day before yesterday.
“I can’t tell if you answer so vaguely.”
“That…Actually, I heard a rumor that His Highness Runiel is going to study abroad on the Eastern Continent when he gets older.”
Eastern Continent.
Those words were enough to make the nobles in the room agitated.
The Emperor smiled and answered the Duke’s words.
“hehehe, the story spread before you knew it.”
“I have surprisingly many ears to listen to.”
Princess Runiel on the East Continent.
With those words, there was a scene that came to mind among some of the nobles.
During a banquet the day before yesterday, Princess Runiel had a friendly chat with a young girl whose name I did not know.
Some nobles took interest in this appearance and asked about the identity of the young girl.
The girl’s identity is none other than the daughter of Ms. Liliana Wentos, a woman who came as a special envoy from the East Continent.
So, although it was only for a short time, it was a story that became a bit of a hot topic within the banquet hall.
“If that’s true, Io, I actually received a suggestion from Lady Wentos asking if I would be interested in sending her princess to the East Continent to study.”
“Oh, if you study abroad in the East Continent… I’ve only heard about that.”
“That’s right, I’m thinking of sending the princess to study at the Grand Seine Academy, the largest academy on the eastern continent. Lady Wentoth said she will actively support it.”
If this happens, the story changes.
If Princess Runiel were to study abroad in the East Continent, and it was the largest academy in the East Continent, she might make some connections there.
There is no greater weapon than personal connections.
Even now that the national power of the Western Continent has been weakened due to disaster, the connections with the powerful countries of the Eastern Continent are a force that can never be ignored.
The fact that a person worthy of coming as a special envoy actively supports it means that one of the connections has already been obtained.
“hahahaha, I thought no one would know yet, so I’m planning to surprise everyone, but it turns out that it’s Duke Wilthard.”
“hehehe, that’s too much praise.”
The sharp-witted nobles were already aware of this situation.
Duke Wiltard already knew everything.
No, he probably had this conversation in coordination with the emperor.
And in this place where many nobles gathered, he made a loud declaration.
Princess Runiel was able to take her powerful power and foundation into her hands.
Duke Wilthard stepped back, and the Emperor looked towards Count Lideska again.
“Now, Count Lideska… Let’s go back to the story we talked about earlier…”
“……”
“What did you say about Runiel’s support base?”