“I’ll take care of it myself.”
“Really? Fine, you take care of it then.”
My father nodded his head. I’m appointed as the man in power for the next generation of the Yosrahim Empire. Therefore, if I send a word to the government officials, it’s easy for Viscount Tyben, who doesn’t have much connection in the central government, to be thrown out.
I took a glance at my father.
“Is there anything else you want to say by any chance?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Huh, that’s weird. He was supposed to expel me to the Divinum Temple.
“Excuse me, father. Aren’t I supposed to go to the Great Divinum Temple?”
Father raised his eyes sharply.
“How do you know about that?”
“I just heard from people here and there.”
“There are only six people, including myself, who know about that. Who did you hear from?”
He seemed a bit upset. I guess he was irritated that his trusted henchmen already lined up behind me.
Well, power isn’t something that can be shared even between father and son, especially if that son is the ugly duckling.
“Not too long ago, I communicated through magic with a friend who is already at the Great Divinum Temple to be the guardian and he told me that he saw my name on the list. And, I heard Princess Sierra is also going this time. I think it’s definite since it’s registered at the temple.”
Princess Sierra is my fiance and the youngest daughter of the king of Kerren Kingdom which is sharing the southern border with the Yosrahim Empire. We were supposed to get married next year but because of an incident that will soon happen at the Great Divinum Temple, our marriage becomes uncertain.
But that is not my fault.
It is because Princess Sierra enters the Divine Hall and becomes the owner of one of the seven sacred weapons of the continent, the Earth God’s weapon, Bermont. In other words, she became the Earth’s Great Holy Lady so I wasn’t at the matching level to marry her.
As a result, Kerren Kingdom kept pushing off our wedding and in the end, they decide to marry her to the grandson of the very wealthy country, Lobros Kingdom’s king, asking for a breakup with me.
However, this doesn’t work out either. Princess Sierra refused and kept our engagement together. She said something about being an honorable guardian who considers promises more important than life.
Anyways, she’s so full of herself.
Then she went off to practice asceticism while keeping our engagement then appeared in front of the world about 8 years later around the time the demon’s invasion began as the empress of the Great Earth and the commander of first sacred cavalry unit also known as the hope of the mankind.
I mean, if she’s going to act like that she might as well broke up the engagement. Damn it.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I got it.”
When father cut off the conversation, I asked him again.
“Then I should go to the Divinum Temple anyways, right?”
“No, now there’s no need to.”
“Huh?”
“The reason for you to go is now gone so take care of the property here and take successor classes.”
That’s right. I was escaping or getting kicked out to the Divinum Temple because of Lilia’s pregnancy incident. Since that matter was somewhat settled, there was no reason for me to go to the Divinum Temple.
I suddenly made an argument.
“But that’s not how it’s supposed to be though.”
“How so?”
“It was already all planned out so it doesn’t look good to cancel it and it’d be nice if I go and become a guardian.”
Father smirked. There’s a belief that only those chosen by the gods can become the guardian.
“You will become the guardian? The dog will laugh. Follow what I say and stay at the property quietly, not causing any trouble in front of Princess Sierra.
“I’m telling you I can do it.”
“Yan! I’m already busy enough with state affairs but should I also take care of the property? Now you are an adult so at least for your father, you should take care of it!”
Father was exasperated and even called out my name, evidence that he was furious.
If it was like any other time I was supposed to give in but I couldn’t. Right now, Yojo is at the Divinum Temple.
I extended my arm out and pointed at my brother Yosef.
“Yosef can do things like that.”
“What? How can I make 13-year-old take care of the property?”
I suddenly couldn’t say anything. That was true. Yosef is turning 13 this year and when this vacation is over he has to return to the Imperial Aristocratic School. In other words, he’s not the 20-year-old young man I saw not too long ago.
“If not, Helen can do it. There’s that regency thing.”
“Then what about your successor classes?”
“You can give that successor position to Yosef. I want to live freely from now.”
I said as I turned my head towards Yosef again.
“Yosef, from now on you are the Grand Prince of Carl. You will do it, right?”
Suddenly the atmosphere in the luncheon room became cold. Helen’s face turned white and Yosef was trembling as if he was afraid.
When I realized there’s something strange, my father stomped his fist down on the table and yelled out.
“Yan! What kind of reckless remark are you making!”
“What? I’m giving up the Grand Prince position to Yosef. Honestly, if I give up, can’t Yosef become the Grand Prince?”
Father’s piercing glare fired up like a flame.
“Even so!”
“No, father, why are you being like this? Honestly, you also wanted Yosef to become the Grand Prince, didn’t you?”
“What! Is anyone outside! Imprison this kid in the underground prison right now!”
Soon the knights of the 1st Unit came barging into the luncheon room and dragged me outside by my arms. I didn’t know the reason so I kept arguing but my father didn’t give in.
Sometime later, I was imprisoned in Hoton Prison which was next to the Carl property’s southern castle wall.
***
I was trapped in a jail cell surrounded by iron bars as I was lost in my thought while picking my hair.
I couldn’t understand why I had to be imprisoned. No matter how much I thought, I didn’t do anything wrong. All I did was trying to give up the Grand Prince position to my younger brother, Yosef, for my father with an open mind.
But my father was furious and even appointed Count Myer, my swordsmanship teacher in the past who is also known to be obstinate, as the guard.
‘How did my father even think about having Count Myer next to me?’
Count Myer is a skillful swordsman who’s is at the mid-master level and a commander of all the soldiers and knights that the Grand Duke Carl possesses. Furthermore, the count has property in the northern area of the Grand Duke Carl’s property near the border of the Metaria River so he wasn’t in any position to come down to this side easily. It is because, on the other side of the river, there were orc tribes who kept their eyes on human land.
Although only Count Myer can handle me, he wasn’t someone who could be appointed easily as my guard or watchman. There was something weird.
Nevertheless, it felt a little good. I guess since he’s my father, he at least cares about me. If he didn’t, there’s no reason for him to be that furious when I said I’d give up the Grand Prince position to Yosef. I guess he can’t really do much about blood ties.
“Ah, I’ve been thinking wrongly about my father until now. We are father and son after all so he can’t do much about that. Hoo hoo hoo.”
Then a blonde man, looking like he’s in his 40’s, in armor walked in. He was Count Myer. The count looked at me up and down then said in a cold tone.
“Grand Prince, did you really had to do that?”
I raised my head slightly.
“What did I do?”
“I’m asking if you would be satisfied if you have your brother killed.”
At the absurd question, I glared at Count Myer with preposterous eyes. Me trying to have Yosef killed was ridiculous and something I never heard before. Honestly, when the generation of destruction comes, he’s going to be dead anyway so why would I try to have him killed now. It felt very unfair when I heard that.
“No, when did I try to have Yosef killed?”
“Not too long ago, I heard you tried to give up the Grand Prince position to Yosef?”
“Yes, I did.”
“But there’s only one intention for those in power to give up their power to someone else for reasons other than death.”
“What is that?”
“To see if the other person has any rebellious mind. If they try to accept the position, it can be seen as treason so they have to be killed. And if they try not to accept it then they have a deep heart so they must be killed.”
I closed my eyes tightly.
No wonder Yosef’s facial expression was weird when I first said I’d give up the Grand Prince position. Father was a great chancellor who experienced ups and downs so it was understandable but Yosef was just a young kid who was playing around like an old guy.
Ah, this is why I shouldn’t confront politicians. I mean, why do they misinterpret someone’s innocent intentions like that? In my mind, I just wanted to turn this household upside down.
“Ha, not everyone’s like that though, aren’t they?”
“Of course if you were a man of great virtue so great to go down in history then it could have been beautiful relinquishment of power. But you are no other than the Grand Prince, aren’t you?
“What did I do?”
Count Myer narrowed his eyes.
“Look back on yourself carefully in there. You will be in there for a month or two until you get rid of that unscrupulous mind, so that will be enough time.”
“Ah, seriously!”
I screamed loudly but Count Myer didn’t respond at all and left.
He died early because he’s that stubborn. Later, during the orc invasion, the count suffers terrible death by the orc’s greatest hero, Grolmorg’s ax blade. Because of that, most of Grand Duke Carl’s property experienced a horrible disaster.
‘Ha. See if I save you then. Bye forever, Count Myer.’
Soon my servant, Paul, came into the prison with plates filled with bread and meat.
“Grand Prince, it’s time to eat.”
“I’m not eating!”
“But you didn’t eat anything since last night, didn’t you?”
That was true. I skipped today’s breakfast from the shock of traveling back in time, and during lunch, I got kicked out by my father as soon as I had a spoon of the soup. Honestly, I’m not the person to starve anywhere but for some strange reason, I skipped meals today.
However, right now, the meal wasn’t the problem. I had to fight against this unfairness.
“From today, I’ll be fasting. Until my father lets me out of this jail, I will never eat.”
“But Grand Prince….”
When Paul pushed the plates towards me, I shook it off. Paul’s face turned blue as the plates shattered on the floor and I continued to scream.
“I told you I won’t eat! Get out quickly!”
“Ah, yes…. I understand.”
Paul picked up the broken plates and food covered in dust hurriedly. I looked at Paul who was cleaning the floor.
“Hey, why aren’t you leaving?”
“Because there’s one bread missing. I brought seven….”
“Do you think I hid that bread inside my pocket?”
When I flipped out my pocket, Paul got up waving his hands.
“No, that’s not what I meant…..”
“This rascal, who do you think I am? Stop talking nonsense and get out now!”
“Yes sir. I got it.”
Paul got out of jail quickly. I observed the activities of the guards carefully and picked up the bread I was stepping on with the heel of my shoes.
I took a bite of the bread and lied on the bed.
‘Damn it, this doesn’t even fill me up.’