The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 36

“Marco is like a nephew to me, so I couldn’t keep it from him. Well, he seemed to have figured it out before I even said anything.”

Hearing Si-on casually call the current king, who was over eighty, by his childhood nickname, Jenna was once again reminded that the man before her was someone who had lived on a level far above ordinary mortals.

“After that, I helped him out with this and that. You know, there are matters within the royal family that can’t be made public, right? I handled those issues for him. We shared various things… well, that’s how it was.”

“I-I see. So, when you said those people would be… disqualified…”

“If they touch me and my identity is revealed, it’ll put Marco in a difficult position too. Would he allow his subordinates to act recklessly? Of course, it doesn’t matter to me whether they send people or not—I’ll just deal with them as I see fit. But cleaning up the mess will be Marco’s job, and whoever sent people to me will lose major points.”

“That’s… certainly possible. No, given what we know of His Majesty’s temperament, it’s almost certain.”

Even as a snot-nosed kid, the king had lived through the era when the Dark Dragon’s terror engulfed the world, and he was known to have a fiery side.

It was widely known that he deeply respected his father, the former king, and one of the six heroes who vanquished the Dark Dragon.

But if someone were to scheme against Duke Si-on, who was like an ‘uncle’ and had fought the Dark Dragon alongside his father?

If the rumors about Marco’s personality were true…

“Given Marco’s temperament, he’d probably beat them half to death. Though, being old now, he might be a bit weaker…”

“You mean they’ll face severe reprimand?”

“No? He’d literally beat them half to death. He’s got his father’s strength and stamina, which is why he’s lived so long.”

“….”

It was hard to imagine an octogenarian king tossing around young crown princes and dukes, but Jenna nodded obediently.

Come to think of it, just twenty years ago, the king had personally led an army to crush several lords who had overstepped their bounds in the royal territories.

And until just a few years ago, he’d been hunting beasts and monsters with the Royal Guard at least once a year, so it wasn’t hard to believe he might beat his grandsons to a pulp if provoked.

“Why did the previous king pass away relatively early?”

Out of personal curiosity, Jenna asked, and Si-on responded with a slightly bitter smile.

“The injuries were too severe. Elvin had incredible stamina and recovery, but he was still human. Honestly, even living past forty was remarkable for him. Anyone else wouldn’t have made it.”

“Ah…”

Elvinio Oblas, one of the six heroes and the leader among them, was a knight of unparalleled fame.

Known for delivering the final blow to the Dark Dragon’s heart, Elvinio always led his comrades from the front, plunging into danger without hesitation.

Naturally, he suffered numerous injuries, and ultimately, complications from these injuries led to his death in his mid-forties.

“After Elvin passed, I helped Marco a bit. Not even Lena knew about this until her death, so keep your lips sealed.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Though Jenna didn’t know what a zipper was, if even the previous queen didn’t know, it was truly a top-secret matter.

‘I wonder if the guild knows about this.’

They probably did.

Si-on wouldn’t share information that even the guild wouldn’t know.

‘I wonder what sort of favors he helped with and what kind of matters they shared.’

As someone who worked in information, Jenna was dying of curiosity, but she held it in.

She figured that when the time was right, Si-on would share something again, just as he was doing now.

“Then I’ll forget about those people the Crown Prince or Duke Lloyd might send.”

“Yeah. Focus on the matters here instead. When the kid comes back home, there should be nothing in the way.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The young boy, who had been officially recognized as Baron August’s heir thanks to Si-on’s selection and the Baron’s approval, would accompany Si-on to the Duchy.

Though not a vassal relationship, it was customary for a new heir from a neighboring estate to visit the Ducal Family.

Moreover, the boy needed further education (or perhaps indoctrination or brainwashing) under Piotr for the time being.

“It’ll be two or three months at the shortest, and at most, it won’t exceed half a year. Ensure everything is perfectly set up by then.”

“Leave it to me.”

Though a new workload from hell awaited, Jenna steeled herself.

It was better to be buried in work—even if it made her eyes look like those of a panda—than to waste away in a rural backwater. At least now, she felt more alive as a person.

* * *

“What happened to you?”

Yonas, who hadn’t slept well from excitement, widened his eyes.

His nephew Sirvan, sporting a sullen expression, had a bruised and swollen eye.

“…It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Your eye is swollen like that, and you say it’s nothing? What happened?”

Though his nephew often tested his patience, Yonas cherished Sirvan.

Not only was he the beloved youngest son of Gede, but Sirvan was also a nephew who might one day lead Paloma—and he had clearly been beaten by someone…

“Don’t tell me… was it that guy, my cousin?”

Sirvan frowned at Yonas’s words, who now fully regarded Piotr as his own brother after learning the overwhelming truth.

“Brother? Since when did that guy become your brother, Uncle?”

“Ahem! That guy, huh? Piotr is a legitimate member of the Ducal Family. Don’t make mistakes in public, and even when we’re alone, call him by his proper title.”

“Uncle!”

“Hmph! Watch your tone, you brat!”

Yonas’s scolding, having learned ‘the truth’ the night before, left Sirvan flabbergasted.

Still, unaware of his uncle’s sudden change of heart, Sirvan raised his voice, overcome by frustration and indignation.

“That guy used a sparring match as an excuse to hit me! Not even Father has ever hit me!”

“Oh? So you’re already sparring together? Is that the vigor of youth?”

“No, I mean…”

For reasons unknown, Sirvan suddenly wanted to ‘correct’ his uncle’s statement, clenching his fist tightly. But he quickly relaxed, realizing that if he hit Yonas, he would surely be the one getting ‘corrected.’

“It’s not uncommon to spar with a senior family member, and I hear Piotr is quite a strong knight. I heard he defeated over five bandits and robbers on his way here.”

“What’s so great about taking down a few lousy bandits?”

“Well, you still lost to the guy who took down those lousy bandits, didn’t you?”

“Tsk…”

Sirvan gritted his teeth at his uncle’s pointed remark, who seemed like a completely different person after just one night.

“Besides, you’ve never experienced a real battle. Do you even know what it feels like to kill someone, even if they’re a criminal?”

“…!”

Sirvan flinched at Yonas’s question.

“Killing someone is different from hunting beasts or monsters. You know that some soldiers can’t adjust to military life after returning from bandit hunts, right? But their comrades never call them cowards. Killing a person is like that. And your uncle has that experience; he’s a warrior who’s overcome that burden. Show him the minimum respect he deserves.”

“…Yes, I made a mistake.”

“Good, that’s settled.”

Though still immature and brash, Sirvan wasn’t a completely hopeless case.

The Si-on Ducal Family’s martial spirit, passed down since the days of the Founding Patriarch, begins with respect for those who wield weapons and fight.

As a member of the Si-on Ducal Family, whether a direct or collateral descendant, Sirvan had been educated with this spirit since childhood and thus acknowledged his mistake.

“Anyway, how did you get beaten?”

Even though he was his nephew, Sirvan wasn’t someone easy to handle.

Before reaching adulthood, he had already sparred evenly with the knights of Paloma, without them holding back, and he had managed to exchange a good five or six moves.

Everyone recognized that he would become an excellent knight as his experience grew.

And yet, here he was, bruised.

Moreover, judging by the size of the bruise, it was clear it had been caused by a punch.

“Hah! He fights so dirty.”

“Dirty? How do you mean?”

“Well, he spits like it’s nothing, pretends to roll on the ground, grabs dirt, and throws it. Is that knightly? Those are tricks used by filthy back-alley thugs. And those mercenaries who were watching cheered and clapped like they enjoyed it…”

“He learned it from the mercenaries.”

“Pardon?”

“That dirty trick you fell for, he learned it from those mercenaries.”

“Hmph! I knew it! No proper descendant of a noble family would ever stoop to such cowardly…”

“Hold it! Our revered Founding Patriarch himself took his first steps as a mercenary, so watch what you say.”

“…!?”

“Your uncle is teaching you the way of the Founding Patriarch. He’s showing you firsthand that sticking rigidly to knightly combat can be foolish. Instead of whining about getting hit during sparring, be grateful and keep close to him.”

“But Uncle…”

“Let’s see… In fact, why don’t you move to the room next to your uncle’s and stay together until you reach the Ducal Castle? There’s nothing better for bonding between men than roughing it out together. Oh! Maybe I can…”

Yonas trailed off, a peculiar smile spreading as if a thought had just struck him.

“With him… haha, haha…”

A strange, almost chilling laugh that hinted at something disturbing.

“Ah…”

Seeing his uncle completely transformed in just one day, Sirvan felt chills run down his spine.

‘Could it be…?’

Sirvan, who had a sharp mind, began to logically trace the changes in his uncle Yonas.

He quickly arrived at the answer.

Until last night’s dinner, Yonas had been the same as ever.

But since this morning, he had been acting in a way Sirvan couldn’t comprehend, and between dinner last night and this morning, only one thing had happened to Yonas.

“Uncle Yonas.”

“Hehe… Hm! What is it?”

Yonas, who had been grinning with glazed eyes, hurriedly straightened his expression.

Seeing this, Sirvan grew even more certain and, holding back his anger, asked,

“Did you receive some kind of bribe from that guy?”

“…What?”

“I’m talking about Salen. Did you receive something from that mere collateral branch of the royal family?”

“You insolent brat!!!”

Bang!

Yonas’s eyes blazed with fury as he slammed the table as if to break it.

If Si-on had been present, he would have recalled one of his friends from nearly a hundred years ago upon seeing Yonas.

—“The guy you’re so obsessed with, isn’t he kind of lame?”

—“How dare you!!!”

In the distant past, one of Si-on’s friends had roared in fury when someone belittled his favorite idol.