The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

After I finished talking with Finne, I have Lynfia join us.

Lynfia noticed that Finne’s eyes were slightly red and turned a sharp glance at me.

“What happened?”

“A Sea Dragon appeared in the south. If I tell you that, how bad do you think the situation is?”

“S, Sea Dragon!?”

“Would Silver-sama be able to move without the request from the Adventurer Guild……”

“The situation is different from when I defeated the vampires in the east. The two southern nations are starting to form an alliance. In this situation, if I intervene as an individual, it will make things more confusing for them. In the first place, even if it has the same S class as those two vampires, the Sea Dragon is much more troublesome to deal with than them. If I have to defeat it, I would want some reinforcement.”

“It’s natural if your opponent is a dragon.”

Lynfia immediately understood the severity of the situation.

As expected of a fellow adventurer. Well, a dragon is so dangerous that you can understand that even if you are not an adventurer.

“So what’s your aim here?”

“The holy sword user is in the south. If she can use her holy sword then she and I would be enough. That’s why I want the Emperor to send out his proxy.”

“The restriction that the holy sword of the Amsberg family cannot be used outside of the Empire. Where did you get this information? I didn’t know this until the princes told me though?”

“When you become an SS-class adventurer, you will get to know a lot of things that ordinary adventurers wouldn’t be able to know. Will you be satisfied with that explanation?”

“Including the Empire’s state secret?”

“The restrictions on the holy sword are not state secrets. The Empire is not hiding them, the information just isn’t that widespread. There are only a few opportunities to use it after all.”

“……I see. I understand.”

Lynfia still looks at me suspiciously but she gave up pursuing the matter.

She’s probably thinking that there’s no use trying to get it out of me now.

Rather than interrogating where I got that information from, it’s better to deal with the situation in the south after all.

“Since you came all the way here, you must have something to ask of Finne-sama correct?. Is it really okay for the upper crust of the Empire to intervene with the southern issues?”

“That’s a good speculation. Yes, that’s right. But somehow the internal secret of the Adventurer’s Guild was leaked to the Empire so the Guild is also being cautious of the Empire’s intervention right now. The Guild has no intention to let the Empire get involved in this but I personally want them to at least give permission to use the holy sword. However, as it is now, the Empire will probably send out one of the imperial family along with the army to intervene. That army is unnecessary. I want to get them out of the picture if possible.”

“You are here to ask Finne-sama to do that? Just what kind of hand do you expect us to use?”

“The three candidates for the thrones are all nominating their names. The most likely to be sent out here is Prince Gordon who is originally a general. Even so, the other two can also move the army as well. I want to avoid that. What I want to happen here is the Emperor to give his permission for the release of the holy sword and send a member of the imperial family as a proxy along with a few elite guards to deliver it. If it’s only that much then I can bring them all along with transfer magic. This case can be solved with only that much war potential.” 

“In other words, you want Finne-sama to persuade another imperial family member besides the three emperor candidates?”

As expected of Lynfia.

It’s very helpful that she understands things so easily.

When I nodded, Lynfia seemed convinced.

The question is who we should approach.

“The three who are actively participating in the succession war will never hear my proposal. They all want to get credit when the holy sword user resolved the incident after all. They will surely want to lead the force themselves. Even if the holy sword user succeeds, they will not be able to claim it as their personal achievement in the end after all. Desirably, I want a prince who has not participated in the succession war so far.”

However, there are few of such princes.

There are a lot of them who have connections with Eric, Gordon, or Zandra through their mothers.

Among them, there’s one that best fits that description.

“Then, His Highness the Fourth Prince is the most desirable person correct?”

“Yeah.”

She gave a pinpoint answer immediately. 

She probably studied the current succession war huh.

She’s a hard worker.

The mother of the fourth prince is the Empress. In other words, he has the same mother as the Crown Prince. With that being the case, he has nothing to do with the power squabbling of the inner palace.

He himself only has an interest in writing his book so he has no interest in the throne.

This might be a bad way to put it but he wouldn’t object to doing a simple task of delivering the holy sword.

The question is will he be willing to head outside the Empire, not to mention to the place where a Sea Dragon is rampaging for us.

This part will depend on Finne’s persuasion.

“Well then, let’s go.”

Finne said.

Her eyes motivated.

Now, let’s negotiate.

—————-

“Nah, don’t want to.”

A swift refusal from a large-framed man.

That said, his body isn’t a healthy fit body like Gordon. Well, his body size is quite close to him but his stomach is much bigger.

He is the man with the biggest and the fattest body in the imperial family.

Anyway, his body is both big and round.

That is the Fourth Prince, Traugott Lakes Adler.

Blue eyes, brown hair and ugly pair of glasses.

The person that is the most looked down upon among the imperial family is probably me but the person that is the laughingstock of the imperial family is probably him. Since our eldest brother was that much of an Ikemen, everyone ended up wondering how he turned out like this.

“But, Your Highness.”

“Even if it’s a request from Miss Finne, what impossible is still impossible you know. And right now I am in the middle of finishing my masterpiece too.”

Saying so Trau-niisan shows us what he is writing.

Politely receiving that, Finne gives it a light reading and closes it immediately. That’s right. It’s a shame but Trau-niisan has no talent. Compared to that, he is more talented in horse riding and swordplay. At the very least his motor nerves are better than mine. I wonder why……

Trau-niisan turns to look at the silent me.

“Are you perhaps Mr.Silver from the rumor?”

“Indeed. It’s my pleasure to meet you.”

“The request this time is from Mr.Silver, am I correct to assume that?”

“Mostly. In the situation that a Sea Dragon emerged in the south, It will be troublesome if the Empire dispatch the army too after all. If it’s you, you can act as the Emperor’s proxy to deliver the holy sword and head to the south with only a few elite guards.”

“I am exactly what you are looking for huh. But right now I am working on this masterpiece so please allow me to decline.”

Trau-niisan might look like a fool but that doesn’t mean his mind is the same. Rather, he is the little brother of that eldest brother of mine. He is not that stupid. 

After fully seeing through my intentions, he used that stupid reason to turn me down.

Why is that……

“Your Highness! I beg you, please do this for the people of the south as well as the soldiers of our imperial Navy!”

“I wanted to accept Miss Finne’s request but I am a member of the imperial family and the people of the south are not my citizens. I don’t have any obligation to do anything for them you know. Moreover, the soldiers all willingly doing their job, correct? There will be no end to it if you prevent them from doing that just because it is dangerous isn’t it?”

A simple and to the point reply.

I wonder why he can’t write something like this in his book.

“That is…..”

“Please accept it. I don’t have any intention to move after all.”

“…..what are you going to do about your brothers in the south then?”

Finne still hasn’t given up after being turned down.

Knowing that he wouldn’t move for the people nor the soldiers, she brought up me and Leo.

This time there’s a bigger reaction from Trau-niisan.

“You put it where it hurts huh. But both Arnold and Leonard are already adults. They will do something about it by themselves.”

“Then what about those who are not an adult? If you declined, I will have no choice but to ask this from those who you must protect, Your Highness.”

Finne is probably talking about Christa and my youngest brother.

She is saying that if he refused her here she will have to get either one of them involved.

The moment he heard that Trau-niisan sharply stares at Finne.

“Are you going to threaten me with my brother and sister?”

“I don’t mind if Your Highness takes it like that.”

“….my youngest brother aside, Christa is the treasure of my imperial family. I will not let anyone send that cute little blonde girl into danger. If something like that happened, it would inevitably be cursed by all mankind.”

“Y, Yeah……”

That’s an exaggeration, he is saying something crazy again.

Moreover, he doesn’t care about his younger brother? He’s still 10 you know?

I almost let out a sigh but I managed to hold it in.

“But it’s also true that I am working on this masterpiece too……this is troubling.”

“If you are worried about your masterpiece then it’s all the more reason you need to move! From ancient times, all the good writers have their fair share of great experiences! Isn’t this a great opportunity that you can both help your little sister and gain an exciting experience at the same time!? Moreover, if Your Highness saved the south your fame will definitely attract more fans to your work! Won’t that be more beneficial than finishing your masterpiece!?”

Pressing for a positive answer, Finne lists all the things that would benefit him.

Hearing that, Trau-niisan is a little swayed.

And.

“Can I ask you one question? Miss Finne.”

“Yes.”

“Why would you go so far for this Miss Finne? Is it for the succession war? Or was there another reason?”

“Do I need any reason other than saving the people who are important to me?”

That was a straightforward answer.

After hearing that, Trau-niisan was a little surprised and gave her a single nod.

“Precious, that’s precious. All right. That beautiful straightforward answer of yours. If that doesn’t move me, I, Traugott, would be a shame as a man of culture. Those words, I have accepted it. You can consider that to be my reward as well.”

Saying so, Trau-niisan stands up and pushes his glasses.

I have no idea what is going on but it seems something inside Trau-niisan must have been moved.

Thus, by Finne’s persuasion, we got ourselves the key-man.