BXBX NOVEL Chapter 89
Chapter 89
Chapter 89: Reunion (1)
***
“Sir D-Damien! What on earth are you doing?!”
As soon as the meeting ended, Oliver grabbed Damien and complained.
“Sir Damien help me! I-I couldn’t possibly do such a big task!”
Damien smiled.
“Then why did you say that you couldn’t do it in front of King?”
“H-How could I can say that! Everyone was looking at me with such expectant eyes!”
Oliver protested loudly. But when Damien raised his hand, Oliver stepped back in surprise.
“Still, it’s quite remarkable how the attitudes of the officials have changed, isn’t it?”
Oliver fell silent at Damien’s words. It was also a sign of agreement.
“Didn’t it feel good to see His Majesty pleased?”
Oliver nodded silently.
Oliver was a man who wanted recognition more than anyone else.
Such a person wouldn’t dislike the situation just now.
“There’s nothing to worry about. Just get it done. Then everyone won’t dare to ignore you again.”
“But…”
It was when Oliver spoke with a lack of energy. An official approached Damien and spoke.
“Sir Damien, His Majesty requests a separate audience with you.”
“I’ll go right away. Your Highness, I’ll see you later.”
Guided by the official, Damien headed to the king’s chamber.
“Sir Damien, what’s going on all of a sudden?”
It seemed that the reason the king summoned Damien was to inquire about Oliver’s situation.
“I know about the Crown Prince very well. He’s not the type to get involved in such matters.”
The king wasn’t reprimanding Damien; there was pure curiosity and concern.
It couldn’t be helped. His son had gotten himself into a risky situation.
“Your Majesty, that’s a misunderstanding.”
Damien said to the king.
“The Crown Prince has a strong desire for recognition. Moreover, he respects his uncle, Alexander, deeply.”
The king listened to Damien’s words in silence.
“So he always wished to contribute to the kingdom like Alexander.”
“So is that why he supported the orc extermination?”
“That’s correct.”
The king pondered for a moment.
“…As a king and as a father, it pleases me to see Oliver taking direct action. I want to help in any way I can. But as you know, Oliver’s position as the Crown Prince is precarious.”
Oliver had lived as a spoiled brat for a long time. King had tried to hide it within the royal family, but it wasn’t perfect. The officials already knew.
“All I can offer is basic support. Doing more would only tarnish Oliver’s reputation.”
The king’s words were correct. Favoring an incompetent Crown Prince could reflect poorly on the king.
“Compared to that, Oliver bears too much risk. If this expedition fails, it could lead to a catastrophe.”
As Damien had seen with his own eyes, Oliver’s position was precarious enough for nobles and officals to openly ridicule.
In such a situation, if he volunteered for the orc extermination and failed? Perhaps the Crown Prince’s position would be in jeopardy.
“Don’t worry. I’m here.”
Damien said nonchalantly. The king found great trust in his indifferent attitude.
“With Sir Damien by his side, I feel reassured. But… I still don’t understand. Why go to such lengths for Oliver?”
The king’s question left Damien in thought.
The reason Damien was helping the prince was for the sake of the family.
In the future, due to rebellion, the king dies and Oliver suddenly ascends to the throne.
The inexperienced king couldn’t handle the affairs of the kingdom properly. The kingdom trembled greatly, and the suffering of people increased. As a result, the Apple Kingdom fell too easily in the war against Dorugo.
Damien came here to prevent that.
After all, the Apple Kingdom was where his family lived.
But it wasn’t just for such pragmatic reasons.
‘I couldn’t just stand by and watch.’
Damien never expected to develop such affection for Oliver, of all people. At first, he found him annoying.
“With you taking the lead, I can’t just stay still.”
The king opened a drawer and took something out. It was a small chest made of ebony.
When the lid of the chest was opened, a scent like pine needles spread in all directions. Inside, blue beads were wrapped in silk.
“This is the Core that the Sea Serpent possessed.”
The Core referred to a clump of mana generated within the body of certain monsters.
Some monsters used these Cores to manifest various abilities.
The Sea Serpent was one such monster.
The Sea Serpent was a large monster that inhabited the sea. Not only was it enormous in size, but it also possessed the ability to control water.
Because of this, it was regarded by sailors as a minion sent by the demon of the sea.
“What a fascinating item.”
The Core was not something easily come by. Cores from rare and powerful monsters like the Sea Serpent were even more scarce.
The amount of mana contained within the Core matched the Sea Serpent’s notorious reputation.
“If you manage to finish this task safely… No, even if you don’t finish it, I promise to give this to you.”
Damien’s chronic issue was his lack of mana.
If it was the Core of the Sea Serpent, it could neatly resolve that problem.
It was a generous reward for taking on such a bothersome task.
“Please trust me.”
***
It was when Damien finished his business and left the study.
“Sir Damien, did the audience with His Majesty go well?”
Liam was waiting for Damien outside the chamber.
“Someone wants to see you. Can you spare a moment?”
A person who could use a high-class individual as a messenger.
Only one person came to Damien’s mind.
“After you, sir.”
Damien followed Liam. He guided Damien to the royal garden.
A small artificial lake.
A small pavilion was erected on it.
Someone was sitting there.
“Sir Damien, it’s good to see you again.”
Alexander spoke with a friendly smile.
“Please, have a seat.”
He gestured to the seat opposite him. Damien took out a chair and sat down.
“Your Majesty, what can I do for you?”
“I called you to give advice to a promising young man who is walking into a trap.”
Damien raised an eyebrow.
It seemed he was planning to engage in useless small talk like last time.
“Sir Damien, it seems you’re still inexperienced in worldly matters.”
“While I believe I’ve reached an appropriate age.”
“Hahaha, is such a friend taking the nephew’s side?”
Alexander laughed loudly.
“Sir Damien may not know, but Oliver’s situation is quite dire.”
Damien listened to Alexander’s words vaguely and brushed them off.
“My nephew… That child isn’t trustworthy even with empty words. His conduct is not commendable.”
He continued, oblivious to Damien’s lack of attention.
“At first, everyone tried to change Oliver. Haven’t you heard the saying ‘No fruit under the canopy is without a worm’? But he didn’t change. He always stayed the same.”
Damien didn’t pay much attention to Alexander’s words.
It wasn’t because he trusted Oliver. It was because he believed that if he didn’t listen, he could always resort to using a club again.
“Now, everyone has completely given up on him. There are hardly any people who believe in him anymore. Instead…”
“It seems uncomfortable for Prince Oliver to receive attention.”
Damien interjected. Alexander nodded.
“You suddenly say strange things. Why would he be uncomfortable with that?”
Damien smirked. Alexander thought he hid it well, but Damien had already noticed.
The moment he said those words, Alexander’s eyes trembled slightly.
“I appreciate your concern, but it seems like unnecessary advice.”
With that, Damien stood up. Before leaving the pavilion, he glanced at Liam.
“Sir Liam, I didn’t expect you to be on this side.”
Liam smiled faintly at Damien’s words.
“It’s a choice for the kingdom.”
“In that case, there’s nothing to be done.”
Damien left without further ado.
As Damien disappeared, Alexander clenched the teacup tightly. The cup shattered, turning into dust.
“That arrogant brat.”
Alexander gritted his teeth and muttered.
***
After that day, notices were posted recruiting troops for the orc extermination.
However, no matter how much time passed, no volunteers showed up.
Even after sending letters in Oliver’s name, it was the same.
Noble families cited various reasons for refusing participation.
“…It seems to be because of my reputation.”
Oliver said with a dejected face.
“The noble families close to the royal family all know how pitifully I’ve been living. So it seems they have no intention of sending troops.”
The fact that the Crown Prince was an asshole was undoubtedly known by nobles and knightly families connected to the royal family.
If the knightly families didn’t come forward, there was nothing Oliver could do.
He could force troops out by invoking the king’s name. But as the king had said, receiving such support would only tarnish Oliver’s reputation.
“W-What should we do? If we can’t even start the expedition like this, and if it ends…”
Oliver’s face turned pale. He already looked fearful of others’ ridicule.
“Well, there’s no helping it.”
“T-That’s right… There’s nothing we can do.”
“I’ll have to sell my name.”
“Pardon?”
Damien said nonchalantly.
“Put my name on the notice. Damien Haksen is recruiting troops to join in the orc extermination.”
So another line was added to the notice.
And not even two days after Damien’s name was included, a knight led troops and joined the expedition.
“Brother! I’m here!”
Michael Ryanbloom.
The eldest son of Marquis Ryanbloom.
The future Swordmaster had arrived.
***