The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

“Fuuu……that was tiring wasn’t it.”

“Y, Yes….”

Night.

Leaving the party venue, Leticia and Leo are walking together in the outer area of the castle.

Leticia is in a good mood while Leo was far from it.

On the balcony, Leo told Al that he didn’t know how to propose but Al told him that he doesn’t have that kind of experience either.

“Well, Nii-san is not be experienced in that field too huh……”

Leo sighed. He doesn’t know what to do since his brother doesn’t know what to do in such a situation either.

Since they were children, Al was like a consultant to Leo. He would always consult him if he has a problem and Al would always give him a helpful answer.

Al who has a different perspective than the adults around them always knows what needs to be done. That’s why Leo has been relying on Al.

However, this time he did not give him the answer. It’s not that he couldn’t. Leo knows that he chose not to give it to him. After all, he wanted him to think for himself.

After thinking through it, he still doesn’t know what to do. In the end, Al gave him advice but he didn’t go into detail about it. Still, Leo wanted him to be more specific here.

Thinking that it is too much for him, Leo follows behind Leticia.

The place they arrived at is the stable housing the griffons.

“Fufu……have you been well? Blanc.”

Leticia said as she stroked the head of the white griffon she rode on her way here.

From behind, a black griffon, who did not have any rider when she came here, pushed its way out as if to say that it wanted to be patted too.

“Yes, yes. How are you, Noir?”

“Um….Leticia.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Uhh, you rode on the white griffon on your way here didn’t you? Why did you also bring the black one along?”

“Rather than bringing this child with me, he simply came along you know.”

Saying so, Leticia started stroking the head of the black griffon named Noir with a bitter smile.

Hearing that it came along with her, Leo has a puzzling expression on his face.

Griffons are Phantom beasts that live in the Kingdom of Perlan. They do not attack humans unless they are provoked, that’s why they are being treated as a rare animal rather than a monster.

The clever, brave, and proud griffons rarely recognize anyone as their master. That is one of the reasons why there are only a small number of griffon knights.

Then how comes a griffon willingly followed her here?

“The first griffon I rode on was the mother of these children. She died from illness but after that, I was the one acting in place of their mother, that might be why these two got attached to me……..especially Noir, this child only accepted me so he followed me everywhere I go.”

“You are acting as their mother…….”

“Noir has a rough temper and I didn’t want to bring him to other countries so I left him behind at first but it seemed like he somehow escaped……”

“I see……the bond you have must be very strong.”

“Yes, this child can find me anywhere I go. In front of me, he is simply a good child though……”

Saying so, Leticia pats Noir’s chin and Noir happily purrs.

As far as he can tell, Noir seems to be well behaved. That being said, the idea of touching him never crossed Leo’s mind. After all, the gaze that Noir is giving him is like one that he uses on an enemy.

There’s no way he can propose to her here. If he does that, he might be bitten by this griffon after all. With that prediction in mind, Leo proposes to change places.

“Le, Leticia. Uh….would you like to take a walk with me?”

“Take a walk, is it?”

“Yes. there is a place where you can see the entire Imperial Capital…….”

Leo notices his mistake.

Leticia who often rides through the sky on her griffon should be tired of appreciating such a view.

The place he suggested is the one that provides the best view of the imperial capital from the castle. He is not sure whether Leticia would be impressed by such a view.

Leo started having a headache mid his sentence.

Seeing Leo like that, Leticia lightly smiles at him.

“I’m fine with appreciating the scenery but there is a place that I’d like to visit. Would you take me there?”

“Y, Yes! Gladly!”

“Then let’s go!”

Saying so, Leticia took Leo’s hand and started running.

————————

“Wow! So there really is a hidden room here!”

Leticia joyfully said so as she looked at the secret room in the castle.

It was a hidden room that was not generally known and it was located on the lower floor of the castle.

The entrance can be opened by pressing the switch hidden behind the portrait of the past emperors. It is a hidden room that you can’t usually find.

“This is where you want to visit?”

“Yes. Do you remember? Five years ago, when I was talking to Mitsuba-sama, you and Al-sama were talking about finding secret rooms inside the castle.”

“Ah, so it was that time.”

Around 5 years ago.

Al and Leo were obsessed with finding these kinds of hidden rooms in the castle.

The Imperial Sword Castle was modified by the emperor of each era and there were many unknown secret rooms and passages.

Finding the secret room that even the Emperor does not know about. That was what tickled the boys’ sense of adventure.

“When I heard you two talking about them, I thought that I would like to go find one with you too……I couldn’t say that because of my standing back then but I have always been interested in them.”

Saying so, Letiticia walks into the secret room.

The fairly large room had simple but expensive furniture and a large bed at the center.

“According to Nii-san’s research, it seems that this room was built by the emperor of five generations ago. We think that he might be using it to meet with his mistress.”

“For an emperor, I think taking in a concubine would be normal though?”

“I don’t know the exact details but when we were researching in the library, Nii-san found a letter you see. Judging from the content, we think that she was a mistress.”

“What was written in the letter?”

“To be short it was, [To my unrequited love, please wait for me inside the secret room]. Since it was known that the emperor of five generations ago never took in any mistresses, we were surprised you know.”

“I don’t think that it was praiseworthy but……I think that it was wonderful. He must have created this room just because he wanted to meet her.”

“I think…..if it was allowed, he would have married that person. But in the end, he chose to live as an emperor for the sake of the Empire.”

As a part of the imperial family, he should be praised.

By not taking in any concubine, it can be said that he intended to strengthen the bond with his empress. It must have been important to do so during that time, that was Leo’s speculation.

However, apart from that, his love must be one that he couldn’t give up. That was why he created this room.

It means that the emperor as well, is a human being.

“It’s kind of sad isn’t it……”

“Yes…..”

Leo replied. 

After all, he also thinks the same.

However, Al is different.

He laughed. At the emperor of five generations ago. At how stupid that emperor was.

“Nii-san said that it was the mistress who hid that letter inside the book.”

“The mistress?”

“It was a secret letter from the emperor himself. That is something you would normally get rid of once you received it. However, the mistress chose to hide it inside a book. Nii-san thinks that the mistress wanted it to be discovered.”

“The story turned quite muddy hasn’t it…..”

Leticia said with a troubled expression.

Leo also had a similar look when he first heard it.

According to Al, the mistress probably wanted the emperor to take her in as a consort when their relationship was discovered.

However, the relationship between the two did not appear in any record. Regardless of what happened at that time, Al judged the emperor of that generation as a fool.

“How could he protect the Empire without being able to protect the one he loved.”

“Is that Prince Arnold’s words?”

“Yes. Nii-san thoroughly criticizes him since the emperor couldn’t even take his loved one in as a concubine. I thought that he went too far when he said that but……right now, I can understand. The emperor of that time was indeed a fool.”

The emperor must devote everything to the Empire. He must always think about the Empire first and foremost. That is only natural.

However, at the same time, an emperor is also a human being. No matter how hard one tries, there still is a limit.

It is the duty of an emperor to protect those who support him. It was a show of magnanimity.

He doesn’t know what kind of position the mistress was in. Perhaps, she was from another country. Perhaps, she has a complicated position.

However, the one who can do something about that is the emperor.

If the emperor loved her, he should have enough capability to take her in as a consort. Sneaking around and meeting up in secret is simply miserable.

How much does a whisper of love worth inside a secret room?

Leo raises his head up and looks straight at Leticia.

“Leticia. I have something to tell you. Can you hear me out?”

“Yes? What is it? You are being so formal.”

Leo took a deep breath.

He thought that the emperor of five generations ago was a fool but the current him is even below that.

Although it was inside a secret room, that emperor was brave enough to proclaim his love, unlike Leo who has been holding it inside his heart.

How much does a word of love worth confining inside your own heart?

Perhaps some love can shine through without needing any word. However, Leo is different.

He can not relay it to her without telling it.

Leo remembers the conversation he had with Al.

“Y, You don’t know…..Nii-san, that’s too cruel…..”

“It’s your problem right. Don’t ask me.”

“B, But……I might get refused, you know……if that’s the case then everything will go to waste……. I will not be able to save her……the relationship between our countries, the relationship between me and her…..it will all go to waste…… I’m scared……..if I give it my all and she refuses……”

On top of the position he is in, the pressure he is carrying is heavy.

It is not the same as a commoner proposing to another commoner.

However, Al replied with the same atmosphere as usual.

“You are being noisy. Give it your all first then think about that later. If you leap off a cliff and shatter on impact, I will help you pick up the fragments.”

“It’s, it’s not like this is my matter alone……”

“We are twins but this matter is yours alone. It’s obvious right. She is the person who will be standing beside you from now on after all.”

“Nii-san……”

“With that said, it will trouble me if you fail. So I will give you a piece of advice.”

Then Al left him with some advice.

With that advice in mind, Leo took a quick breath and said to her.

“Leticia. Will you become my wife?”

Leo has squeezed out more courage than ever to say that short sentence.

While clenching his hands, he thinks that facing a demon is much easier than this.

He was so scared that he couldn’t help but think so. 

After all, if she refuses, many things will be lost to him.

Even so, if he didn’t say anything, he would lose even more.

To advance this relationship means that you have to abandon the current relationship he has. The bigger he tries to move forward, the more he has to abandon. That’s why it requires courage. After all, people are afraid of throwing away what they have.

‘However’ Leo murmured in his heart.

Think about it after you tell her. That was what Al said to him. 

To think about what to do after he moved forward.

If he had time, he would have done it little by little. However, Leo had no such luxury.

Does he want to stay still, or does he want to move forward? With only 2 choices available to him, Leo’s answer was already decided.

However.

“…..it is to save me, isn’t it. If I were to marry a prince of the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Empire would not go to war. Even though there will be problems along the way, the symbol of the strength of the Kingdom will disappear. The voices that support the war in the Kingdom will diminish. I’m sure that it is a good political move…….but.”

“You are wrong.”

“Wrong……?”

Leticia opens her eyes in surprise.

The last Advice Al gave him.

It was a question.

‘Will you propose to her because you only want to save her or will you propose to her because you love her? Be clear about that.’

That was what Al said.

Leo had a clear answer to that question. He managed to arrive at it.

“Five years ago……I’ve always liked you since the first time we met. I’ve never forgotten that day. And…..I understood it today. I love you. Ten years, twenty years, from now on, always, I want you to stay by my side. I am no good without you. I can’t think of losing you. If someone were to rob you away—–then I will take you back. No matter who it is, I will never hand you over to anyone.”

The clan of golden eagles.

The Imperial family, the Adler family is sometimes called as such.

The golden eagle, the emblem of the Empire, was originally the family crest of the Adler house.

This clan sometimes danced elegantly in the sky and sometimes hiding their talon, and sometimes creating a huge ripple that runs across the continent.

Their nature is close to a hunter. The Adler house never missed their prey. With the nature of the imperial family, if there is prey in front of their eyes, they can be very forceful.

Even in the age where the Demon King appeared, and the world was thrown into chaos, they remain strong. Their enemies who saw how they strengthened themselves during such times ridicule them with a moniker.

The Plunderer.

TLN: Shit, wrong series……

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