A Boorish Lot
“Rudolf……….why don’t you leave Brother Fredrik’s side, and join me instead?”
His words were more than enough to completely shock me.
To think………that Oscar would directly invite me to his side.
“You know it too right? Brother Fredrik is tremendously talented but currently lacks all the requirements needed to become the next Emperor.”
The thing Oscar was talking about was of course, Fredrik’s own disposition.
Because he was so overly capable of assessing things logically and pragmatically, Fredrik was utterly incapable of meshing together with others.
That was the same, even with his own mother Queen Alicia, and younger brother Robin as well.
As a result, it gave Robin an inferiority complex and caused him to betray him and join Oscar’s side instead.
Well, I was probably the main reason behind his double crossing though.
“Well, I agree in that regards as well but, if he can find a skilled subordinate to fill that gap, I think he can resolve that part as well.”
“It is indeed as you say Rudolf but, who exactly do you think is best for that role eh?”
“………………………”
From what I’ve heard from Maya’s reports, Fredrik’s camp had no one to that he could call a counsellor of sorts.
Which meant that in the end, that problem was still there, completely unresolved.
“Anyway, do think carefully about it.”
Oscar tapped my shoulder and then was about to leave.
“Brother Oscar……..may I ask you one more question?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Why try and bring me to your side, now after all this time?”
I asked a fairly honest question.
If he truly needed me, he could have brought me to his side a long while ago.
If he simply wanted the strength of the Fahlcrantz family, then he would have contacted me as soon as I got engaged to Liz.
But, he waited. Until I had entered the Academy before sending his invitation.
There had to be a reason behind it.
And so.
“It’s obvious. Here, no one could get in our way.”
The corners of Oscar’s mouth rose as he spoke.
I see………..certainly, it was as Oscar said, this was not the Imperial Palace, this was the Imperial Academy.
It’ll be difficult if Queen Alicia or Marquis Fahlcrantz could get interrupt our talk, the other noble kids couldn’t find fault with Oscar, an imperial himself, for talking with me here either.
And above all, Fredrik had already graduated from here.
Meaning, while I may be from Fredrik’s camp, currently I was alone here.
Then, it was only natural for him to come for me here of all places eh………
“See ya.”
Waving his hand, Oscar finally left the place this time.
“………..Lord Rudy, what will you do now?”
Liz nervously looked at my face.
Well,………Oscar had one big misunderstanding right now.
Because.
“Nothing special whatsoever. I will, simply do what I do best.”
My course of action was all dedicated to making Liz happy first and foremost.
That’s why, regardless of what Oscar does, and even Fredrik and Queen Alicia were irrelevant from the start. What I needed to do never changed.
“Ahaha.”
Looking in the direction where Oscar had left, I simply laughed.
.
.
“4998………..4999……….5000……phew.”
Late that night, I was finishing my daily routine practice.
Ever since the day I won against Liz, I had increased the number of swings to 5000.
Even Marquis Fahlcrantz said that perhaps I was rushing things a bit too much but, I simply wanted to protect my beloved Liz no matter what. Then, it was only natural that I hurried things up.
But.
“4999………5000.”
Liz too had started doing her spear thrust the same amount of times as me as well.
“The wind tonight really is quite nice……..”
While wiping the sweat off her forehead, Liz smiled.
She was of course beautiful in the dress she wore during our dinner but, even in her training garb, with her glossy black hair tied back into a ponytail, Liz was still stunning.
Seeing this look of hers, that you wouldn’t often see from other noble ladies, only seemed to make my heart throb further.
“Lord Rudy, why don’t we have a little bout as well, since the mood is so nice?”
“Sure! I’m definitely going to win against you this time Liz!”
“fufu! I won’t lose that easily!”
Even now, Liz was stronger than me but, I could get a win at least once in every three matches against her now.
The Marquis said that it’d take me three years to bring the odds to 1 in 10 against Liz but, because I worked much harder than even he expected, I had become this strong now.
When he heard that news, in a rare occasion, even the Marquis raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Even though he rarely showed any change in his expression normally……….ah.
“Owww!?”
“Lord Rudy, you can’t let your thoughts wander in the middle of a match. You’ll get hurt you know?”
Liz frowned, as she scolded me.
Certainly, I finally get to spend time alone with her, it’d be a damn waste to be thinking about other things.
“Come, one more round!”
“yes!”
I recollected myself, and then restarted my spar with Liz.
It was then.
“Prince Rudolf, may we ask for a bout with you as well?”
The people who appeared were Edgar and Ronnie, the two who tried to quarrel with me before class.