Shadow Court Magician Chapter 99: A Drink with My Superior

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 My name is Leon von Almarsh.

 

 I am a Court Magician, Court Librarian, and Strategist of the Libra Division of the Kingdom of Ernia.

 

 I am a civil servant and a military officer of the Kingdom of Ernia.

 

 My rank is major, no, lieutenant colonel.

 

 I was promoted from Major to Lieutenant Colonel for my efforts in defeating the Titan Force the other day.

 

 Incidentally, Princess Sicily has also been promoted a rank and is now a lieutenant general.

 

 She was as happy about my promotion as if it were her own, but she didn’t seem to be very moved by her own promotion.

 

 Originally, she had a gentle personality not befitting a soldier, and she was probably not interested in promotion. In fact, she seems to have a dislike for military service.

 

 She seems to think that rising through the ranks is synonymous with killing more people, and she can’t simply rejoice over an increase in salary like I can.

 

 When I talk to her maid, Chloe, she agrees with me, but she also has this to say.

 

 

“Leon-sama, it’s true that Her Highness is not pleased, but a promotion is still a promotion. We have to do something to celebrate.” (Chloe)

 

“That’s all right, but I’m surprised, I thought you wouldn’t be happy about it.”

 

“Of course, I’m not happy, but if Her Highness gets a promotion, it will bring her closer to her ambitions.” (Chloe)

 

“I see.”

 

 

 By the way, the princess’s ambition is world peace. Also a permanent one.

 

 In order to realize it, she became a soldier and took me under her command.

 

 

“She even took a troublemaker like me as her vassal.  

 

 

 I joked, and Chloe joked back.

 

 

“Yes, she added the librarian, also known as the Salary Thief, to her officers. I hope she seizes control as soon as possible.” (Chloe)

 

“Seizing power?”

 

“Yes.” (Chloe)

 

“Well, I’ll help you with that, but the princess has three brothers and a sister.”

 

“There are just two.” (Chloe)

 

“That’s right. I killed one of the three.”

 

 

 I remembered the unpleasant face of her second brother, Kerich. As unpleasant as it was to think about him, she had another brother who was absolutely as unpleasant as Kerich. Maxis, who was just as unpleasant now that I recall.

 

 

“Because you had some trouble with him. So, a confrontation is inevitable.”

 

“Fufufu, you punched him and knocked a tooth.” (Chloe)

 

“Yeah, even if I don’t want to, he’ll have enough for both of us.”

 

“As long as they are competing for the crown jewel, a showdown is inevitable. But I don’t think there will be any problem with the two sisters.” (Chloe)

 

“It’s true that both Sicily’s sisters are married right?”

 

“Yes, they are married to the Marquis and Counts, respectively.” (Chloe)

 

“In this country, those who marry into other families are stripped of their right to the throne, are they not?”

 

“That’s right. The two sisters are not rivals. And they don’t care much about power. They are on good terms with Her Highness Sicily, and it would be better to incorporate them into our ranks than to antagonize them.” (Chloe)

 

“I see. It’s true that it’s better to have as many allies as possible.”

 

“Of course.” (Chloe)

 

“But I’m glad Sicily was still unmarried. It’s possible for her to be queen.”

 

“Well, but I don’t think it’s that easy for Her Highness to become queen.” (Chloe)

 

 

 Sure, Sicily had declared that she would eventually become Queen, but she also professed that she wasn’t mature enough at the moment. It’s not only her own lack of ability but also the balance between the domestic situation and the military, especially with the imperial army, she seems to think it’s she’s still not enough.

 

 Besides, she doesn’t care about becoming Queen. What she wants is the “power” that can bring people happiness, not just the title.

 

 

“In this situation, I don’t think she’ll take the throne by choice.” (Chloe)

 

“She’s a very reserved girl, right?”

 

“Yes. Do you have any plans?” (Chloe)

 

“Yeah.”

 

“As expected, the Sage of Balance, can you tell me?” (Chloe)

 

“…………”

 

 

 The reason I was silent for a moment was that she was Sicily’s confidant. I was afraid that Sicily would know what I had in mind, but she was a smart girl, a girl who knew what to say and where to say it. I knew she wouldn’t blow the whistle easily, so I told her honestly.

 

 

“I knew the princess had the right to the throne, but I wasn’t going to use that to my advantage, actually.”

 

“Well, who will be the king?” (Chloe)

 

“Of course, it’s not Maxis. It’s not her two sisters.”

 

“—so it comes to Her Highness Sicily’s younger brother?” (Chloe)

 

“Correct. Chloe is truly wise.”

 

“Because the king’s children are not few.” (Chloe)

 

“Oh, Sicily’s younger brother, Prince Reinhardt, 13 years old, I’m thinking of making him the next king.”

 

“Isn’t he too young? No, I’d say for sure he’s too young.” (Chloe)

 

“That’s the point. A king who is too young will need a regent.”

 

“-I see, the Regent of the Kingdom of Ernia, Sicily von Ernia, right?” (Chloe)

 

“Oh, that has a good ring to it.”

 

 

 Chloe smiles back at me when I ask her to agree.

 

 

“Yes, I think you’re right. It’s quite a wonderful title.” (Chloe)

 

“I think so too.”

 

 

 As soon as I said my honest opinion, I began to think about how to make Reinhardt succeed to the throne.

 

 

 

 

 As I mentioned earlier, there is a Right of Succession to the throne in this country.

 

 When a king is found, the one with the highest rank ascends to the throne.

 

 Basically, the order of succession is determined in such a way that the king’s children are born.

 

 The king’s eldest son comes first, the second son second, and the third son third. However, the system is somewhat disadvantageous for women. Women are placed in a lower order than boys of male descent. Even older sisters were usually placed below their younger brothers. Furthermore, once a woman married into another family, she was stripped of her right to the throne.

 

 This is a system that feminists in the Otherworld would be outraged to hear, but in this country, it was the norm.

 

 Now that we’ve gotten into the nitty-gritty of the subject, to put it simply, Sicily’s younger brother, Reinhardt, is now second in line to the throne. If we can get rid of Maxis, he will inevitably become the next king.

 

 

“It’s easy in theory.”

 

 

 I mumbled to myself in the library, my “other” workplace.

 

 My boss coughs in annoyance, but I ignore him and continue thinking.

 

 

“However, I don’t really want to take this approach. It would be easy to get rid of him, but the princess would not like that.”

 

 

 Princess Sicily is an honorable and pure princess, and she abhors assassinations.

 

 She deeply grieved when her “scum” second brother died. At that time, it was a self-defense measure after the evil Demise Cult tried to influence her second brother Kerich and even demonized him, but she was still deeply hurt.

 

 But even so, she was deeply hurt. Assassinating her brother, who was currently a “mere mortal,” was not in her thoughts. So, as her vassal, it was up to me to follow her heart.

 

 

“…Well, at first glance, assassination seems to be the best and most efficient way, but it’s not.”

 

 

 Since ancient times, there have been many who have gained the throne through assassination. However, it is highly doubtful that they have been made happy by it. Some were tormented by the heavy sin of killing their relatives, some were executed by their own relatives, and some were ruined by all sorts of fates.

 

 I don’t want to prepare such a fate for the princess. Besides, the princess is the Princess General of Salvation. The reason why the people support her is because of her pure and innocent character.

 

 She is a virtuous person who quietly participates in soup kitchens in the slums.

 

 Her righteousness and willingness to give her life for the people of the frontier.

 

 Whenever she walks the streets in seclusion, a circle of children forms around her before she knows it.

 

 It is precisely because she is such a saintly girl that the people of this country support her and have high hopes for her.

 

 If we easily resorted to assassination and got her hands dirty, her hands would turn black.

 

 It will stain her heart as well.

 

 If she did that, the people’s support would recede like the tide.

 

 That would be a bad move.

 

 Unlike Maxis, Sicily had no support base within the court.

 

 She could not expect support from the noble families, and her own domain was also sparse.

 

 The only weapon he had was “the trust of his people”.

 

 With that as her only weapon, she had to compete with Maxis, who boasted of a vast territory and enormous military might. It might be like challenging a bear with only a stick, but that stick might also serve as a trump card.

 

 A stick may be able to fall a bear if it hits a vital point. A stick may be able to blind a bear if you hit it in the right spot or take its life if you stab it in the heart.

 

 It’s not like lamenting is going to bring us any territory or military power, so for now, I’m trying to devise a plan to make the most of the weapon, but then I realize something.

 

 

“??? By the way, what kind of person is Reinhardt?”

 

 

 He is Sicily’s youngest brother and the youngest of the current King Wallace’s children.

 

 What I heard of him was the common impression within this country, or by Sicily, but I had never seen him.

 

 I put my hand lightly on my chin and asked my boss, who was looking at me viciously.

 

 

“Chief Librarian, I’m sorry to bother you.”

 

“Your request for paid leave has been denied because you have already used all of it.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“I’m a reflection of the workers here, but that’s not what I want to know.”

 

“A promotion is even more unlikely. Your work evaluation is ‘E.’” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Thank you for your generous assessment, but that’s not what I’m asking. I’m just asking for some common sense of the general public.”

 

“The general public calls a bad librarian like you a deadbeat… So, what do you want to ask?”

 

 

 Although he never forgets to be sarcastic, he seems to be willing to answer questions. I was grateful, so I asked without any sarcasm.

 

 

“There are two princes in this country, what is their reputation? —I’d especially like to know about the youngest son.”

 

“I don’t know about them personally. Moreover, I only know what I can get from the newspapers.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“That’s what I want to know.”

 

 

 I wanted to confirm information that can be obtained without knowing a person’s personality, in other words, the common understanding of the whole nation. My boss stroked his bald head lightly and let out a breath.

 

 

“The eldest son, His Highness Maxis, does not have a good reputation. I’ve heard he’s a greedy lecher. I’m afraid that if he were to ascend to the throne without undergoing any trials, the country might not be able to survive.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“I see, I agree with that.”

 

“This is just our private conversation. Don’t tell anyone.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Of course, I agree. Since I admire you very much.”

 

“Hmm, no, you just don’t want me to be replaced by a boss who’s tougher than me.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“You’ve seen through me, I’m impressed. So what about the youngest child, His Highness Reinhardt?”

 

“Oh, nothing good there either. Of course, as a child of 13 years old, he cannot be accused of lust or greed. But I’m worried about him in a different way than his brother.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“His Highness Reinhardt has always been sickly. He had a serious illness when he was a child and now, cannot walk well.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“I see—he’s that kind of person?”

 

“Yes, this is a critical moment in the war against the Empire. If the king is that feeble, the military won’t follow him.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“That may be true, sir. We are at a critical stage of the war against the Empire and the bloated military.”

 

“The military is therefore promoting His Highness Maxis as the next king, as it is justified by the order of succession.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“But the military is not a monolith.”

 

“There are countless soldiers who are upset with His Highness’s arrogance, and the so-called “sensible” generals are at odds with him.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“You know a lot, don’t you.”

 

“I’ve been a government official for many years, and I’m always checking the Sun Elfism newspaper to see what’s going on with the royal family.” (Chief Librarian)

 

 

 My boss, with his pompous facial hair, was proud of himself. I thought he was reading an intellectual newspaper, the Sun Elfism. I thought he was a fan of the Tusupo.

 

 I thought so, but without telling him, I then cut the conversation short.

 

 

“I understand it quite well. This is a valuable opinion from a citizen. Thank you very much.”

 

“As for me, it would be better if you could do your job.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“We’ll talk about it later. Oh, I have one last question.”

 

“What is it?” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Between you and me, who do you think is more qualified to be the next king, His Highness Maxis or His Highness Reinhardt?”

 

“That’s quite the difficult question.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“A wicked king or a sickly king, that’s the only choice.”

 

“If so, a wicked king.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Well, can I ask you why?”

 

“His Highness Maxis is not a good person, but the King is not a person. As long as the result is to make the people happy, that’s all that matters.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Hmmm.”

 

“If he is a lecher, he may be blessed with children. One of the duties of a king is to preserve the royal line.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“That point is quite excellent.”

 

“And if you change your perspective on greed, it may align with national interests.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“When the king’s interests are aligned with the national interest, things start moving.”

 

“So, it is. As far as we can see right now, the eldest son, His Highness Maxis, is more suitable to be the king.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“Indeed.”

 

“That’s why if I have two choices, I will choose His Royal Highness Maxis.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“I’m glad this country isn’t a democracy. I don’t want to have any political conflicts with my superiors.”

 

“Get out. You don’t give a shit.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“That’s what I’m talking about. Well then, this von Almarsh, will get back to work.”

 

 

 Then I headed for the archives. Not to take a nap, but to organize the books. I didn’t really want to work, but I had to do something for my boss today. To lower his blood pressure, I decided to work diligently.

 

 The sight of me baffled my boss and in turn, raised his blood pressure, but he seemed to sense my concern and came to the shelves on the way, coughing and clearing his throat, saying,

 

 

“Looks like you’re doing your job well. You seem to be working diligently, though I can’t give you much credit for this.” (Chief Librarian)

 

 

 The boss shyly said this and continued.

 

 

“The previous question has only two choices, so that’s why, but if I can have a choice of my own, I’ll choose a different answer.” (Chief Librarian)

 

“What kind of choice will you take?”

 

 

 When asked with interest, he asserted:

 

 

“If I can choose the next ruler, I will choose your princess. Sicily von Ernia, she will become the leader of this country.” (Chief Librarian)

 

 

 When I heard those words, I smiled and replied,

 

 

“It’s a strange coincidence that I was thinking the same thing.”

 

 

 After nodding to each other, my boss and I went to a bar for the first time in a long time. We had a drinking party. The two of us drank until morning and then went to work at the library still smelling of alcohol. When a female staff member saw them, she rolled her eyes and said,

 

 

“I feel like something bad will happen.” (Female Staff)

 

 

 

 Then–.


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