Chapter 145 |
Thump, clatter.
A carriage rumbled down the darkening streets. Inside, Raciel gazed blankly out of the window.
Suddenly, the carriage passed by a familiar location.
“…Lloy-Javi Bridge.”
The Majena River, spanning the Royal Road, with its grandest bridge.
Constructed by the renowned city planner Lloyd Frontera nearly three centuries ago, it was also the site of his fateful duel with the second prince over the crown prince title.
‘What a coincidence to be passing this place on my way to meet the second prince.’
A bitter smile played on his lips, as he contemplated the irony. Upon reflection, he realized it had been quite some time since he had last encountered the second prince.
‘Is this our first meeting since that duel?’
He had occasionally heard news about the second prince through others, but today marked their first face-to-face reunion since that eventful day.
Even when the Emperor suffered a stroke and was incapacitated, it remained the same.
Whether through strange happenstance or deliberate avoidance, the second prince only visited the Emperor when Raciel was absent.
And he would promptly depart, seemingly anxious to avoid any confrontation.
‘Well, I’ve been occupied as well.’
Looking back, he had been remarkably productive.
He had rescued Demian from the arena, established the Star Palace Clinic, recruited nurses, journeyed to Cremo for fundraising, and had an even busier schedule in Anbouaz.
He hadn’t found the time to seek out the second prince for a casual conversation.
‘And… we weren’t exactly known for our social visits in the first place.’
That had always been the case.
Thoughts of the novel “Devil Sword Emperor” crossed his mind.
Raciel and the second prince, Theodor, were half-brothers. Both had lost their mothers at birth.
Interestingly, both had endured challenging births, and after two consecutive tragedies, the Emperor left the Empress’s throne unoccupied.
In any case, Raciel and Theodor grew up without mothers. However, this shared experience did not bring them closer together.
‘It was an inherent rivalry, whether we liked it or not. By birth.’
Furthermore, he wasn’t the real Raciel; he was simply pretending to be him—a complete stranger to Theodor, when you got down to it.
He had no desire to visit the prince and act hypocritical.
It would be uncomfortable, and he would feel disgusted with himself. He preferred to maintain his distance.
‘I’m not Raciel.’
He had no familial connection to the second prince.
“…”
Thiking about it, what had happened to the original Raciel? A thought crossed Raciel’s mind, or rather, Lee Han’s mind, as he clenched and then loosened his fist.
He was curious, and to some extent, he felt guilty. After all, he had taken over the guy’s body, whether intentionally or not.
That’s why.
Suddenly, he became curious. He wanted to investigate. A place to inquire also came to mind. He posed the question internally.
‘Hey.’
There was no response, but he didn’t stop trying to communicate.
‘Can you hear me? Respond, will you?’
Then, a response came soon after.
Ding dong!
[Your attempt to communicate has interrupted the leisure activities of the internal organs.]
[The heart has turned off the TV.]
[The liver has stopped deep breathing.]
[The intestine has stopped skipping rope.]
[The kidney is wiping its sweat in the kidney field.]
[The stomach is washing off its military camouflage cream.]
‘… What were you guys up to?’
He couldn’t help but chuckle. However, he sensed it. The organs that had been resting(?) were now paying attention to what he was saying.
‘Do you guys know that I’m not the original owner of this body?’
He asked his internal organs.
The response came back immediately.
Ding dong!
[Heart: Of course. We are the custodians of this body, how could we not know? lol]
…As expected.
They knew.
Raciel continued to ask questions.
‘So, I’m talking about the original owner of this body. The true Crown Prince Raciel Adria Magentano. Do you happen to know what happened to his soul?’
The original Raciel’s soul. He wanted to know its whereabouts. And once he knew? Honestly… he wasn’t sure.
‘Depending on the situation, I could be of assistance. Or if he attempts to reclaim this body, we could reach an agreement that satisfies both parties.’
It was a given, but he didn’t want to simply relinquish the body. After all, he was the one who had revived and nurtured a body that should have been lifeless.
So he intended to have a proper discussion or negotiation with the genuine Raciel’s soul.
No, at the very least, he wanted to be somewhat prepared for that possibility. It would put his mind at ease.
Nevertheless, with these thoughts in mind, he inquired about the whereabouts of Crown Prince Raciel’s soul from his internal organs. However, the response he received was…
[Heart: We don’t know~]
“Huh?”
[Heart: Seriously, we don’t know. How could we? The owner suddenly changed overnight.]
“To me?”
[Heart: Yep, to you. We didn’t even have a chance to intervene. The transition was so natural.”
‘…Could you elaborate a bit more?’
He asked once again.
The organs emitted a mischievous laugh.
[Heart: Sorry, but we genuinely have no idea lol]
“…I see.”
[Heart: Yep.]
“…”
Sigh.
Could it be a false impression? It seemed as if they knew something but were subtly concealing it. It was certainly uncomfortable, but there was no more time to inquire. The carriage had already come to a halt.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived.”
The voice of Demian broke through his thoughts. He looked up abruptly and saw a splendid building through the window.
A building he had never seen before. He recognized it instantly. It must be the palace of the second prince.
“Alright, let’s go.”
He stepped out of the carriage and, despite the chilly winter wind, entered the main palace building. An elderly steward greeted him.
“I am the steward responsible for the second prince’s palace household. I welcome Your Highness, the legitimate heir to the empire.”
It was late in the evening, and this visit was unexpected.
However, the steward displayed no signs of panic or disarray. Was he working at this late hour? The question was soon answered.
“May I inquire if Your Highness has any business with the second prince?”
“Hmm.”
“Very sorry to ask, but the second prince is currently having a meal.”
“A meal? At this hour?”
Isn’t it too late for dinner? Was he having a late-night snack? Raciel tilted his head.
A faint sense of awkwardness crossed the face of the elderly steward.
“Yes, Your Highness. The second prince has been spending a lot of time eating lately…”
“Eating for an extended period?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
‘Hmm, taking one’s time to eat slowly isn’t a bad habit. It’s less taxing on the digestive organs. In fact, it’s beneficial for the body.’
Raciel offered a faint smile. He now understood why the steward was dressed formally at this hour.
He must have been tending to the second prince’s meal until a moment ago.
He spoke as though it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Then, let’s wait until he finishes his meal. It would be impolite to interrupt him while he’s eating, especially since I arrived unannounced.”
“Very sorry, Your Highness.”
“It’s alright. Just inform him of my visit when he’s done eating.”
“I shall comply.”
The steward bowed respectfully and withdrew. From that moment on, Raciel quietly contemplated his plans in the reception room.
‘I need to deliver the marriage proposal to the second prince.’
The so-called ‘marriage proposal handoff operation.’
It seemed quite feasible. A practical execution plan was within sight. With the second prince’s consent and the cooperation of the proposed partner, he believed he could succeed.
‘After all, I have no intention of ascending to the throne. As long as we establish a stable royal life, I will pass the throne to the second prince. Therefore, it’s only right to connect the women who have sent marriage proposals to become empress with the second prince. That’s the correct path.’
He was convinced.
Of course, there would be no shortage of tangled obstacles.
‘The Emperor’s reaction will be quite intense… well, that’s a separate matter.’
He was confident enough to overcome any obstacles. In fact, he has meticulously devised plans to win the Emperor’s favor.
There’s no particular need to be concerned about the Emperor’s response. Instead, he was likely to receive high praise from him for this endeavor.
So, they should organize a banquet at the Second Prince’s palace. They can invite all the ladies from the families who have submitted marriage proposals. Once they lay eyes on the Second Prince in person?
The game is essentially won.
It will undoubtedly be a resounding success.
The ladies will be utterly charmed.
‘The Second Prince is taller than me, possesses a commendable physique, well-proportioned features, is handsome, athletic, has a diligent personality, and refrains from smoking or drinking. He’s absolutely exceptional.’
Furthermore, he was born into privilege.
Upon closer examination, he is the ultimate top-tier husband material. This is his winning card.
To put it figuratively, he has the looks of a world-class idol like a member of BTS, the wealth equivalent to Mansour, and the social status akin to the son of a U.S. President.
…such were his thoughts at that moment.
“Ah, I apologize for hearing the news late. What brings you here at this late hour?”
Suddenly, a deep voice reverberated in Raciel’s ears. He raised his gaze.
A massive man, drenched in sweat, hurriedly entered the reception room. No, ‘massive’ doesn’t quite capture it.
At first glance, he appeared to weigh at least 150 kilograms. It was almost a marvel that he could walk.
Beneath his chin, five layers of fat wobbled, surpassing even a slab of pork belly. His stomach, flanks, and entire physique were inflated to the point of near bursting.
‘Do I recognize him? Or is he a servant employed at the Second Prince’s palace? But would they hire someone of such considerable girth?’
He was entirely unfamiliar to him.
“…Who are you?”
Raciel found himself perplexed. He had been awaiting the Second Prince, so why had this exceedingly obese man, drenched in sweat as though he were sorry, walked in?
In response to his question, the obese man offered an awkward smile, his cheeks puffing up.
“It’s me.”
“……Hmm?”
“It’s me.”
“……Uh?”
“Hahaha……”
“……”
With an awkward smile, the obese man was initially challenging to identify. However, upon closer scrutiny, some vaguely familiar features began to emerge, as if hidden within the layers of sedimentary rock from the Cambrian period.
So those features belong to…
“I am Theodore, your brother.”
“……”
“It’s been a while.”
“……Ugh.”
In less than a year, the Second Prince had astonishingly, almost grotesquely, grown robust. Witnessing this spectacle, Raciel could only let out a groan.
(To be Continued)
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