The King's Offer

Zen listened intently to the long conversation between Toma, Darton, and Gallahan. He tried to understand their intentions.

"So, you're asking me to lend Mitsuhide and Kiki to the Western Army to suppress the rebellion in Sakuramori?" Zen asked, trying to clarify their request.

"That's correct. With Mitsuhide and Kiki's abilities, the task will be much easier to accomplish. And if Your Highness Zen also joins them, it will be even more effortless," Gallahan said, smiling at Zen.

Mitsuhide and Kiki were among the strongest knights in the kingdom, their abilities were unquestionable. Although they were weaker than Zen, they were equivalent to an S-Class Wizard in strength.

"I've heard about the Western Army..." Zen furrowed his eyebrows as he continued to say, "They oppress the Sakuramori's people, raise tax prices unreasonably, force women to serve them and whip anyone who dares to oppose them. With that kind of Tyranny, I wouldn't be surprised if the Sakuramori rebelled. Or should I say, 'You reaped what you sowed!'

Despite not paying attention to state matters often, Zen was not completely ignorant of them. 

He lived as a prince not only to enjoy privileges but also to protect his people. 

That's why when he learned about what was happening in Sakuramori, he immediately wanted to intervene. However, several people in parliament unexpectedly prevented him from doing so.

This made Zen furious, and he no longer paid attention to this matter. He also stopped accepting any orders that parliament tried to give him. As a result, the dispute between the parliament and Prince Zen began, and it eventually became a hot topic among the nobles in the capital. 

Darton let out a deep sigh and spoke, "Undoubtedly, they are now facing the consequences of their actions. However, we must remember that Sakuramori's people are our own people as well. Although the report claims they colluded with a dark guild to fight the Western Army, I believe they had no other option but to do so. Similarly, the Western Army had no other choice but to retaliate. Ultimately, it is the innocent people of Sakuramori who suffer the most. If this continues, they may eventually fall into the darkness and completely side with the dark guild."

Zen snorted in response, "It's all because of that useless commander of the Western Army. Why doesn't he clean up his own mess and use his mighty family's influence? After all, that's what he always did. He can ask his father to get rid of that dark guild. I'm sure his father probably wouldn't want to hear that his beloved son had fallen into the hands of a wizard from a dark guild."

The commander of the Western Army, Gary Randolf, is the son of a Duke and a senior noble in the country. Due to his father's prominent status in the parliament, he is almost untouchable.

Moreover, the Randolf Family is one of the few ancient families still surviving in Fiore, and their influence is deeply rooted in the kingdom. Their long-standing status makes it difficult even for the royal family to deal with them.

Gallahan chimed in, "As a matter of fact, Duke Randolf has already assigned a mission request to several guilds, but none of them have responded so far." 

Zen expressed his confusion, "Why? Did he not pay enough money?"

Gallahan shook his head and explained, "I'm sure any Duke House will not be short of funds. The issue is that Duke Randolf's request for the guilds was to not only take down the dark guild but also the Sakuramori people. In other words, he asked the guilds to participate in the civil war. Unfortunately, neither guild is willing to involve themselves with government affairs."

Zen had an expression of realization on his face. That request was indeed unreasonable. No wonder the wizards from the guild refused to take on the mission.

Furthermore, the situation in Sakuramori was far from simple. Those who are unaware of the exact circumstances could easily suffer losses, or even lose their lives.

At this moment, Toma finally spoke up: "Zen, my son, I know you have a dispute with Duke Randolf, but I hope you can put that aside for the time being. As a prince, you should consider the bigger picture. Put responsibility first, and pride comes second. Of course, I won't have you go on this mission for nothing. As a reward for completing this task, I will grant you any wish you desire, such as traveling the world or something else."

Zen gazed at his father with a pensive expression. 

Although his father's wish-granting ability wasn't as potent as Genie's, Zen still couldn't let this opportunity slip away. 

He had always yearned to travel the world, but his identity had always held him back. 

Despite his seemingly carefree appearance today, Zen was usually preoccupied with a multitude of tasks. He had to attend to various matters and handle stacks of paperwork from different departments. 

It was a less intense version of his father's daily routine, but it still kept him quite busy. That's why father and son rarely had time to see each other since they were both occupied with their own affairs.

Given this, how could Zen resist the temptation of his father's reward? He chuckled and replied, "That's a fascinating offer, Old Man. Unfortunately, today is my day off, and I don't want to waste it on the mess that the useless commander created. However, it's not entirely impossible for me to accept your proposal, but with an additional term, of course..."

***

The East Wing of Mercurius Castle.

The East Wing is located in the eastern part of Mercurius, as its name suggests. 

After Zen turned fifteen and received the key from his father, some parts of the East Wing came under his authority. He frequently entertains guests who come to meet him in this hall.

Apart from being a place to host guests, Zen has also registered the names of his close aides, Mitsuhide Louen and Kiki Seiran, as residents of the East Wing. They often spend their free time reading, napping, or chatting together in this area.

When Zen arrived at the East Wing, he saw his two close aides entertaining a thin and tall man wearing informal clothes and a brown scarf on his neck.

Mitsuhide waved his hand casually and greeted Zen with a friendly "Yo, Zen~".

He is a tall man with a lean and toned build, short grey sea-blue hair, and hazel eyes. He wears a well-tailored tunic and gambeson over his undergarments and carries his sword on his waist. 

Kiki, who stands by Mitsuhide's side, also greets Zen with a smile. 

She has mid-length blonde hair tied into a low ponytail, blue-grey eyes, and is of average height. She is dressed in a smart formal royal attire that is neither revealing nor inappropriate.

Mitsuhide and Kiki are not only close aides to Zen, but also his childhood friends and the three of them are as close as siblings. 

"Yo, Kiki, Mitsuhide~" Zen raised his hand and apologized, "Sorry I'm late from the meeting."

Mitsuhide rolled his eyes and said, "Really? I think you are just late from oversleeping."

"Te-hee~" Zen tapped his head while sticking out his tongue adorably.

A cross-popping vein appeared on Mitsuhide's forehead.

"Don't be too hard on him, Mitsuhide. Today is supposed to be his holiday," Kiki said as she patted his shoulder.

"As always, Kiki, you know me the best!" Zen raised his thumb at her.

"You're too lenient with him, Kiki. Never mind, he's a prince. He can do whatever he wants," Mitsuhide sighed, shrugging his shoulders. He turned to Zen and said, "Anyway, Zen, let me introduce someone to you." 

Finally, the thin and tall man took courage and greeted Zen respectfully, "It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness Zen. My name is Randel."

He also secretly stole glances at Zen.

The kingdom was aware of the existence of a prince, but not many had seen him. Even the people of Crocus were unfamiliar with Prince Zen and considered him a mysterious figure.

He was known for being low-key and rarely made a public appearance, which made his appearance and abilities unknown to most. However, Randel had heard rumors that Prince Zen was highly respected among the knights and royal guards. 

Randel suspected that it was due to his noble status as a prince.

Despite this, Randel never dared to act impolitely towards the prince. After meeting him in person, Randel's impression of the prince changed slightly. 

This man had a unique charisma that stood out, apart from his good looks! 

That was the thought that crossed his mind.

Zen gave a gentle smile to the man standing in front of him and asked, "So, you're Randel, the messenger from the Western Army?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I was instructed to wait here for further orders," Randel confirmed.

Zen nodded and inquired, "Did you get enough rest?"

"I rested last night, and I'm ready to leave at any time," Randel replied energetically.

"Great, it seems like we don't need to delay our mission," Zen said. He then let out a sigh and softly added, "Oh, my vacation..."

Mitsuhide and Kiki snickered knowing Zen's holiday was ruined, causing Zen glared at them.

"We?" Randel repeated, confused. Suddenly, it dawned on him, "Does that mean Your Highness Zen is also joining us as our reinforcement?"

Randel was surprised. He thought only Mitsuhide and Kiki would accompany him to Sakuramori. He never expected Prince Zen to participate as well.

"Fighting against the dark guild, Mitsuhide and Kiki may not be enough. That's why I decided to come along," Zen explained kindly.

"Don't forget about me~"

Suddenly, Genie appeared behind Zen and scared Randel so much that he almost fell off the ground. 

"Don't scare our friend, Genie! And where have you been? You weren't there during the meeting," Zen scolded Genie. 

"I didn't want to show myself in front of the old geezers. Sir Gallahan is an exception, of course, if we're alone," Genie replied with a perverted grin. 

Zen looked at Genie in disgust and said, "You are a hopeless Genie."

"You'll only scare Sir Gallahan if you're alone, Genie. You should consider it with Mitsuhide instead." Kiki said with a chuckle.

"Ah, you're right, Kiki." Genie floated towards Mitsuhide with a flirty attitude and asked, "Are you busy tonight, Mitsuhide-Chan? For your information, I'm free~" 

Mitsuhide replied with a fake gentle smile, "If accompanying Zen is considered busy, then I am." 

"Hmph, the only thing on your mind is Zen!" Genie exclaimed. 

Zen retorted, "Oi, don't make it sound ambiguous!" 

Kiki laughed in response.

Randel felt both confused and relieved as he observed the playful conversation between the four of them. He realized that the blue creature was not some kind of ghost or monster. Hesitantly, Randel spoke up: "Who or what is this?"

Zen turned towards Randel and said, "This is Genie, my spirit companion. He is also part of the team."

"You're not my type, but I can get along with you," Genie said with a prideful attitude.

Despite his bafflement, Randel introduced himself: "I'm Randel. Please take care of me."