Harmony (4)

From the beginning.

I knew Kushan Adrian would attack me.

But why?

I've seen similar scenes in game.

I wasn't worried at all.

I didn't hear any poison at all, and it wasn't hard to spot the signs.

Besides, I have Christopher lurking nearby. He can jump into the fray at a moment's notice if something happens that threatens me.

And I have the Knights of the Black Sword, so I'm practically invincible.

And so, as I waited for night to fall, he approached.

The dagger stabs at me.

I gritted my teeth, stood up and told him.

"You are a fool. Trying to murder a member of the Reinhafer family."

Pupils flutter.

Lost, wandering eyes meet mine and scatter dizzily.

I turn the dagger in my hand.

His face crumples as a slight pain shoots through his wrist. I look at him and ask.

"Who's plan was this?"

"I… did this all on my own accord…"

"You think you'll hide it until the end. Christopher."

"Yes. Master. Your faithful Christopher is standing by, ready to do whatever you ask of him now...."

"The first thing I want you to do is to keep your mouth shut. The second thing I want you to do is get this guy on his knees."

"Chong!"

Christopher replied immediately, kneeling down.

I walked over to him, grabbed the black sword I kept at my bedside, and spoke again.

"You have eyes that want to accuse me. Let me ask you something: … what do you think destroyed you, this kingdom, and your sister?"

"...."

"You won't answer that either, so how about this?"

"Are you sitting where you should be?"

Kushan couldn't help but jump at the question.

Of course, in the face of the enormous, unknowingly powerful Christopher, even the slightest movement would be met with resistance.

"What do you think you… know…! You, the youngest child of a huge family who has never been a burden…!"

"You don't know a burden until you carry it."

This may be a cliche answer.

I said it even though I knew it might not resonate with him. I know it's the best I can do now to influence Kushan, to make him my unit.

"Do you know why I won't kill you?"

"That's it…!"

"For there is still value in that faded throne of yours."

"I never wanted… such a value…!"

"You were born with it, even if you didn't ask for it. If you don't take it, who else will, and who else will replace you?"

"That's…"

I watch his eyes go blank and then they connect.

"Become the new king of Tahalin, and if you do, I will tell you the truth."

With a cold smile, I give him the most important facts first.

He probably doesn't know.

[The target's loyalty to the Kramser is 80 percent.]

What a despicable lie you've been deceived by.

How the disaster it caused has left countless others in its wake.

But I made sure to prioritize the first part.

"First, let's get one thing straight. I didn't do anything to your sister."

I don't identify as a womanizer.

This is surprisingly hurtful.

No matter how bad Nox is, this isn't it.

I've never even made eye contact with a woman, and this is how I'm judged?

It was unbearable.

* * *

The basement of a palace in the kingdom of Tahalin.

It's a very secret place that's been under construction for a few years.

It was mainly used for high-ranking nobles and Kramser to gather and kill time by discussing important matters of the kingdom.

For example, it's good to take some gambles…

Information such as which slave masters were selling good slaves.

The place was closed to the public because it was filled with rotten people.

Even for Kushan Adrian, the prince and wise heir of the kingdom.

Just then, a voice rose from among the assembled nobles.

He has a cigar in his mouth and is playing poker.

The people are starving and don't care, and the vodka drinking makes you wonder if the word guilt has already disappeared.

A grizzled man who had lost a lot of money spoke first.

"So. Why the hell did this Nox come to Tahalin this time?"

"Well, I don't know. I checked with my sources, but I don't know and I'm getting nowhere."

"Funny thing is, you come to Tahalin with three hundred men in a rag-tag band, and you think you're something. He must be crazy with the prestige of his family."

"I want to, but… what can I do? I'm no Reinharbour Street bastard with Theo. We'll just have to send him on his way."

"Hagiya...."

"No, this could be an opportunity for all of us. Everybody listen."

A man listening to the lamentations of the nobles interrupted.

The de facto ruler of the palace. It was an old man, Kramser.

"This may be the best opportunity we've ever had."

"What? Old man, I don't know what you're talking about…"

"It's time to deal with the prince. I mean, now might be the time."

All the nobles' jaws dropped at the provocative suggestion.

I knew Kramser would set his sights on the throne one day, but I didn't think it would be now.

The response was a mixed bag.

"But it's still a little early for...."

"No, now might be a good time...."

"Hey, man, you can't say big words like that so easily!"

"Okay, everyone, listen up."

Kramser said, playing the part of a benevolent sage.

"Didn't all the people see the prince's scandalous behavior this morning? We just need to use it to stir things up a bit."

"By scandal… do you mean the where he got down on his knees?"

"Certainly… a prince of a nation, let alone an empire, bending the knee to the youngest member of a ducal family. It was an embarrassing thing to do."

The nobles agreed.

Kramser gained momentum.

"The people's discontent is also reaching a fever pitch at this time, so why don't you all get up and join Nox's crew in organizing them now?"

"But... you'd be in the position of attacking the youngest son of Reinhafer, wouldn't you, and if you got caught, you'd be all over the place...."

"Haha, don't worry. The Theo von Reinhafer I know is a cold-blooded man who wouldn't give his youngest son a second glance."

"That would be great, but...."

"Plus, it's just a matter of timing."

"What do you mean, when?"

"Already, I've laced his food with an insidious, ultra-poisonous substance that only grows here, the combination of [Sunflower] and [Silver Scorpion's Tail], so no other country will even be able to identify it as poison."

At his words, a nobleman let out an exclamation.

"Aha, so you're saying that Nox is already dead and that we should wait until then to rebel and take over the country?"

"Yes, it is. Kushan Adrian. The wretch came to me and told me that if I didn't immobilize Nox, he'd take his breath away himself."

A nobleman clapped his hands in response to Kramser's words.

"Ha-ha-ha! So we can blame the prince for Nox's sacrifice, and start a war to get rid of him. That's Kramsar for you. Excellent thinking."

"That's good to know."

Kramser smiled benevolently and gave instructions to the assembled nobles.

"Then let's set the deadline for tomorrow at dawn, and we'll all gather our armies and meet, and then we'll take down Kushan and sweep the kingdom in one fell swoop."

"Great!"

"We're only going to trust you, Mr. Kramser."

"Well, it's time for the foolish prince to step down."

Seeing the reaction of the nobles, Kramser scoffed to himself.

Who knew humans were such tractable creatures?

Those who are too greedy to make a single good decision.

They were scumbags, but they could help him with his plans now.

If all of them rallied, it wouldn't be too hard to take over the kingdom of Tahalin.

It's all in your hands.

"I will devour it, mouthful by mouthful… When the Archduke is soon to appear on the continent again, there will be a bloodbath once more.

Kramser smirked at the thought.

One, he didn't know.

Someone asked if [Silver Scorpion's Tail] should have a stamina boost, as well as other effects.

That is, they have the ability to enhance [invisibility], and of course some brilliant alchemist could create a drug that would erase their invisibility.

They realize that their story is being heard by a large, unspecified number of people.

Before long, all the nobles and kramsers are scattered.

The curtain lifted, revealing Nox, Kushan, Christopher, and others.

"How's that."

Nox continued, looking at the spot where they had been.

"What's the truth in your face?"

"...Disgusting, vile bastards."

Kushan Adrian gritted his teeth and stared at the floor, at the food the nobles had eaten and left behind, at the dregs that littered his stomach.

Knowing that his people were still starving in shantytowns, it was shocking that they were being pampered in these places.

Some were nobles who under-reported their taxes because they hadn't had a good harvest, while others were accused of beating a commoner slave to death and got off scot-free.

"I believed everything that ...Kramser said: if he was right, it was right, and if he wasn't, it wasn't."

"Blame it on your weak nature to leave judgment to others."

"That's why it's so painful, and now I'm wondering what the hell I can do… to make this all right...."

"Well, ask these two, not me."

Nox spoke in a calm voice and cast his gaze in one direction.

There were two women walking there.

The first was his sister, Aria Adrian, who he thought was unmistakably sold to Nox, and the second person to walk out was a girl he didn't recognize.

"Arya...."

"Hyung-nim…!"

Kushan shuddered as he pitifully called Aria's name.

I felt uncomfortable. Wasn't this the distanced sister that'd been calling him Crown Prince lately, allwhile distancing herself from him?

So why is she calling himself big brother today? (hyung-nim)

"Brother, are you okay…?"

The voice slowly extends beneath the surface, like paint dipped in water, and begins to worm its way into his mind, for it belongs to the brother he once remembered.

Kushan felt the corners of his eyes flush.

"Aria… how the hell is this...."

"You've been brainwashed by Kramser."

Nox crossed his arms, as if it were no big deal.

But Kushan still didn't understand. A man who could manipulate the minds of men by manipulating curses in this way could not possibly....

"Okay. You're right."

Nox answered his own question.

"He's a demon. A devil worshipper."

At that moment, everything that had seemed so disparate began to fit together like a puzzle.

His outrageous demands on himself in the past.

Also, how his parents had been quarrelsome since his father's time as king, and the war with House Reinhafer.

Plus… a change in her sister, Aria.

That's weird.

As he thought about it, a sudden headache began to pound through his head.

"Ugh…!"

Nox looked at him, staggering to his feet.

"You, too, have been somewhat brainwashed. Now that you know the truth, some of it is coming loose, and it's giving you a headache. It'll all be over in a little while. And you'll know what you need to do to calm down."

It was at this point that Nox spoke up.

Vwoosh!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a hand flew toward Kushan, and his head snapped back. It caught Nox off guard.

Who the hell…?

It's strength was actually meaningless to Nox.

There was only one human, or elf, who could give him a run for his money.

"If you don't think straight by now, I'll hang your head from the top of the city clock tower."

Liese.

Under the rule of Regent Kramser. Having lost her own friend to tyranny and Kushan's weakness, she spoke coldly and clenched her fists.

Tears pooled in her eyes, but they didn't fall.

Nox and Christopher know what's going on. Kushan's sister, Arya, watched the scene for a while, unmoved.