Chapter 272 : Chapter 272

Chapter 272. Secret Friend Operation (1)

"That is absurd. The 9th Prince did his best as a representative in the Sports Festival and debate."

"For someone who dislikes Radel, he seemed quite docile."

"And what do you mean following his major? It is natural for an excellent mage like the 9th Prince to pursue an integrated major."

"But it is still true that Radel applied first."

"Urgh, t-that is...!"

No matter how much Armandy made excuses, it was a fact that Leon was conscious of Radel.

Tunia's thoughts were firm.

And above all, her senses as an assassin were telling her.

"He does not know how to become close. Because they have been apart for over ten years."

"There is some merit to that."

Gusto nodded his head.

Then Inette's shrill scream was heard.

"No! Do not talk about him like he is some kind of guy who felt lonely being separated from his older brother since childhood and ended up with longing turning into hatred because he could not handle it—like he has that kind of delicate sensibility!"

"Princess, you yourself seem to be interpreting it in exactly that way..."

"Not at all!"

Inette shuddered and immediately went into rebuttal.

"Everyone knows what Leon is like! What siblings or friends exist in his head? He is just crazy about magic, you know?"

"...Being crazy about magic is a good thing for a mage."

Having heard Inette's words, Armandy carefully defended Leon.

Then Inette shouted in anger.

"You are a Radel follower, so whose side have you been taking from earlier?"

"F-follower?!"

As Armandy jumped up and Inette got angry, the meeting room became noisy.

Radel fell into deep thought in the midst of that commotion.

If he only listened to Tunia's words, it did sound plausible.

'I suppose it could be seen that way.'

Well, Leon acted viciously, but he was still a seventeen-year-old boy.

To Radel, who had lived the life of an adult, Leon's clumsy appearance was clearly visible.

There were parts where he was more mature than his past life self, but the high-handed and arrogant attitude characteristic of the imperial family was ingrained in him.

His personality was also twisted...

He was sensitive and easily angered...

He kept saying he would kill him... and followed him... and released killing intent... and actually cast spells to kill him.

Looking back, there were only things that made it impossible to think Leon liked him.

However, Tunia's opinion brought a new perspective.

'Was he like that because he was denying his own heart that wanted to get close to me?'

If Tunia, a third party, felt that way, there was a possibility.

Sometimes the perspective of someone who had nothing to do with it was more accurate than those involved.

"...I see. I did not understand the heart of my adolescent younger brother."

Radel nodded and muttered.

"From now on, I should try to get closer to him."

At the conclusion he reached, the meeting room fell into shock again.

* * *

'Will that even work?'

Armandy suppressed the impulse to scream.

He wanted to refute Radel's words right away, but he held back with superhuman patience.

He had watched the 9th Prince, Leon Silvert Cretian, longer than anyone else in this room.

Leon was not someone who was swayed by affection as Tunia said.

'He is someone who only knows magic and the throne.'

The Leon that Armandy had watched after becoming an official agent of the Ability Management Bureau truly could only be described as perfect.

The passion to delve into magic day and night despite having the tremendous Ability called Dragon's Blessing.

Even when there was no one watching, Leon sincerely devoted himself to magic.

Watching Leon's endless efforts made Armandy reflect on his own passion.

His qualities as a monarch were also outstanding.

He treated his followers without discrimination and did not lose his discernment to personal feelings.

And what about his personality?

Even his ruthless, blade-like disposition was itself that of a ruler befitting the Emperor's position.

To describe such a perfect 9th Prince as a fool who was lost because he did not know how to get along with his siblings!

Moreover, the plan Radel set up after that was so absurd.

"Hoo... I must endure."

He remained in the meeting room after everyone had left and calmed his breathing for a moment.

He had to keep his wits about him and devise a way to stop this ridiculous plan.

Until now, Radel's absurd plans might have worked out of luck, but as long as the 9th Prince was involved, it was hard to hope for such good fortune.

If things went wrong, it might truly be irreversible.

'First, I must report this to headquarters.'

That was when Armandy opened the door and stepped into the corridor.

Someone was leaning against the wall in the corridor.

It was Gusto with an inscrutable expression.

Surely he did not wait until I came out...?

As Armandy tried to pass by him, Gusto, who had been standing still, opened his mouth.

"Please do not have any unnecessary thoughts."

'Wh-what?'

Armandy quickly looked around the empty corridor.

No matter how much he looked around, there was no one but himself.

Armandy asked in confusion.

"Did you just say that to me?"

"That is correct. Then who else would there be?"

Gusto opened his eyes, which had been closed, and looked at Armandy.

"I know that you admire the 9th Prince. And I also know that you are drawn to Prince Radel."

"That is ab-ab-absurd."

Armandy stammered wildly, unable to hide his bewilderment.

Gusto shrugged his shoulders.

"That would be natural. If you know Prince Radel's character, you cannot help but be influenced."

"So the premise that I am drawn to him is wrong!"

"I understand. Until now, many have denied their own hearts. And they regretted it later."

"Are you even listening to me?"

Armandy's face turned as red as a beet.

Perhaps because he was an apprentice holy knight with excellent faith, the blind trust Gusto had was sometimes appalling.

Armandy barely calmed down and asked Gusto.

"So what do you want to say to me?"

"Do not interfere with what the Prince is doing. I understand that you are confused between the 9th Prince and Prince Radel, but..."

So that is not it...!

Armandy, who no longer had the energy to deny it, just opened and closed his mouth.

"I am telling you this because it seems you will not stay quiet this time. There is no need to make things bigger unnecessarily."

Gusto added in a low voice.

"You just need to believe in the Prince."

Gusto's face was full of confidence as he said that.

Why can he believe in the 8th Prince to that extent?

Armandy firmly closed his mouth that had been opening and closing.

Radel's relaxed face came to mind.

...Somehow he felt he knew the answer.

* * *

Summoning Magic class.

Leon, who had been summoning spirits inside the World Tree, flinched and trembled his shoulders.

He felt an unpleasant gaze.

As if someone was secretly watching him...

'Are those fellows?'

Leon glanced at the followers gathered on one side.

It was Leon who had ordered his followers not to even come near him recently.

His followers showed a reaction as if the sky was falling when Leon declared he would go around alone.

'Wh-why...! Your Highness, if we have done something wrong, we will fix it, so please change your mind!'

'That is right, Your Highness! If something happens to Your Highness while we are not there, we will have no face to show Duke Silvert...'

Leon's mood worsened at those words.

'Are you saying that I am an incompetent person who cannot even walk around the Academy alone?'

'N-no! That is not what we meant. We are just worried...'

'Even if you all attack together, you cannot beat me, right? Do not say presumptuous things and shrivel up.'

When Leon came out strongly, the followers could no longer cling to him.

Then they kept following Leon from afar with moist eyes.

"Your Highness...! It seems you have contracted with new spirits in the meantime."

"That spirit? The spirit of sand that can only be met after mastering the energy of fire and earth...!"

"Ah, beautiful! As expected of Prince Leon...!"

Leon glared at the followers who did not stop praising him even from afar, then turned his head.

And he discovered a small note placed at his feet.

'Since when has it been there?'

Leon was startled but picked up the note without showing it.

The note read as follows:

To Leon,

Is something wrong lately?

If you have worries, you can share them anytime.

From your secret friend who is always watching over you.

Leon's face hardened as he read the note.

"Burn."

He burned the note and ground his teeth.

To dare play such a prank on him.

He would not let whoever it was go once he caught them.

However, during the next class, Leon could not figure out the culprit.

Instead, he only felt a gaze watching from somewhere unknown.

'Is it that direction?'

Leon turned his head toward the direction where he felt something suspicious.

But there was only one Hippogriff eating its meal.

SCREECH!

Moreover, this time the major was Cryptozoology.

It meant there was not a single follower watching him from afar in this class.

Then what was this unpleasant gaze...

Leon unconsciously stroked the scales of the Salamander he had been tending to in the wrong direction.

KIYAAK!

The startled Salamander spewed flames from its entire body.

WHOOSH!

Of course, since Leon usually wore layers of magic, nothing happened except one auxiliary spell breaking away.

What surprised Leon more was something else.

Roll.

Leon discovered a potion that had rolled to his feet and frowned.

On the surface of the potion, it was written:

'Burn Treatment'

What kind of trick was this again?

It was a moment when it became clear that someone was watching his every action.

And the someone with the unpleasant gaze was smiling and stealing glances at Leon.

"Just now was appropriate even by my own estimation."

It was Radel, faithfully executing what was called the "Secret Friend Operation."