I wasn't beating the allegations anytime soon.

The baby faun cried for a minute before deciding it was too much trouble and falling asleep instead. His cheeks were perfectly round, his hooves firm but soft, and his horns wide and stubby, encompassing a good chunk of his scalp. Talindra said he would have huge, beautiful horns. His hair was red and curly like Talindra's, but a darker shade.

Faun newborns were way cuter than their human counterparts.

"Are you sure, Talindra? You are going to jinx him," I said.

"Look at him. You can tell he'll be much calmer than you," Talindra replied, her face covered in sweat.

I sighed. "Alright. You have my blessing… and my gratitude."

Talindra stretched out her arms, and I handed Little Robert back to her. I really needed to sit down. Not even my [Journeyman Biologist] had prepared me for the miracle of birth. I was still processing the idea that Little Robert had entered the world minutes ago.

"Wimp," Talindra said with a devilish smile.

"You clearly don't understand what I'm going through," I replied with a half smile. "This place doesn't even have a vending machine. How am I supposed to snack my anxiety away?"

After the masterclass I gave at the Library, everyone just assumed Connecticut had everything machines, so Talindra didn't even blink at the mention of vending machines. I was exaggerating, of course. The infirmary gnomes had taken good care of me while the royal doctors attended the birth.

I had to give it to Evelisse. She was sparing no effort to please me. Strangely, my regular visits to Althea at the royal palace didn't make her relent on her attempts to switch me to her faction. On the contrary, she seemed even more eager to seal the deal.

A healer assistant took Little Robert from Talindra's arms as Mildred, the doula, approached with a tray with several potions and a dropper.

"What are those?" I asked, eyeing the potions with suspicion.

"Saarinen's Breathwake, Vanala's Ambermilk, Purification Salve, Lowell's Iron Stomach, and Antler's Shot," Mildred said, reluctantly.

I used [Identify].

Saarinen's Breathwake. [Identify] Alchemy potion. Effect: High. Toxicity: Null. A high-grade potion created by the legendary Alchemist Saarinen Vedras. Clears the respiratory tract and allows breathing without difficulty at great heights.

Vanala's Ambermilk. [Identify] Alchemy potion. Effect: High. Toxicity: Null. A named potion created by Alchemist Vanala Vedras. Improves the immune system and overall health of newborns.

Purification Salve. [Identify] Alchemy potion. Effect: High. Toxicity: Null. A high-grade potion to cleanse infections from open wounds.

Lowell's Iron Stomach. [Identify] Alchemy potion. Effect: High. Toxicity: Null. A high-grade potion created by Alchemist Alaric Lowell of Mariposa. Aids digestion and prevents colic. In newborns, it helps with nutrient absorption.

Antler's Shot. [Identify] Alchemy potion. Effect: High. Toxicity: Null. A nutrient shot to develop strong osseous and keratinous structures. Rich in Vitamins D3, B1, B12, B7, E, A, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, and Copper.

It was the first time seeing a null-toxicity potion. Like fine dust, the environmental mana managed to get into the ingredients during the brewing. Even Elincia's potions had a small percentage of environmental mana in them. If high-rank potions were for the rich, null-toxicity potions were for a king.

The potions seemed safe, but after the purple potion disaster, I wasn't taking any risks.

"I'll test them," I said, jumping to my feet.

Mildred gave me a killing glance.

"Come on, Rob. They are standard; all the babies of the royal family have gotten them," Talindra said.

"Nothing will get into Faun Robert's mouth if I don't test it first. Are we clear?" I repeated, looking around the room.

Evelisse must have warned the medical team about me, because the head healer, a woman in an apron still covered in blood, was quick to appease me. One way or another, I was going to have it my way. The aide helped me with the dropper, using a spell to cleanse it in between potions. Saarinen's Breathwake tasted like mint water. Vanala's Ambermilk was slightly slimy. The Antler's Shot was as bitter as gall. Lowell's Iron Stomach tasted like cotton candy. None of the potions caused a strange reaction with my mana. If anything, it felt like I was truly breathing for the first time in my life. A minor heartburn I didn't even know I had also disappeared.

"Go on," I said.

"You are so dramatic," Talindra mocked me.

I was about to give her a clever reply, but my mind went blank.

"Yeah, maybe I am."

The healer assistant gave Little Robert two or three drops of each potion. I couldn't help but laugh when the bitter drops touched his tongue. Little Robert's face wrinkled, and he cried a little bit until he got the drops of Lowell's Iron Stomach. I wondered if Mister Lowell had gone the extra mile to give the potion a good taste or if it was just a coincidental product of the base ingredients.

"You need to go. Lady Talindra needs to rest and feed the baby," Mildred said, almost pushing me towards the door. "And before you say anything, the answer is no. You are not going to test the food that's going into Little Robert's mouth."

It had been a while since the last time I blushed.

Talindra gave me a mocking look as I was escorted outside the room under the worried expression of the rest of the medical personnel. Mildred must have mighty political power if she could push out a high-level Prestige Class.

The Academy's infirmary didn't have a waiting room, so I sat against the wall for good measure. My legs still felt a bit weak, although I was going to be long dead before admitting it. In the end, everything had gone well, Faun Robert was as healthy as a baby could be, and Talindra seemed happy.

My moment of respite was cut short when [Foresight] brought the sound of armored boots approaching. A moment later, six royal soldiers dressed in heavy armor appeared around the corner. When I said heavy, I meant heavy. The metal plates must've been twice or thrice as thick as regular plate armor, and each of them looked like a miniature tank.

I stood up.

Healers and cadets peeked from the corner, watching the soldiers go by.

Instead of the usual green and gold, the soldiers wore green and silver. The captain's chestplate was imprinted with the crest of the emerald stag, crowned by a crescent moon looking upwards.

"Lord Robert Clarke, Prince Adrien requests your presence urgently," the captain said.

I recognized his voice.

"Captain Garibal?" I asked.

The man raised his visor, confirming my hypothesis. Still, after a nod of acknowledgment, he put it down and repeated his request.

"What is the matter?" I asked.

"Prince Adrien will make his first public appearance after his… illness, and he wants you to be by his side."

I examined the armored men. No wonder Adrien was reuniting his forces. If I had to guess, he was going to put his boot down on Evelisse's pretensions to the throne. I just hoped that announcing my Runeweaving Class wasn't part of the itinerary. No doubt it would help his faction, but I'd rather keep that a secret for now.

"Let's go. I need to change my clothes," I said.

I was escorted into the teacher's lounge. The Imperial Knights sitting on the armchairs near the windows weren't too keen on the royal soldiers' presence. Rivalry between branches of the army was a given. Not a minute later, I was ready, wearing my best fencing uniform with the capelet of the Rosebud Fencing Academy.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Not until I appeared dressed to the nines did the Imperial Knights notice something strange was happening. If I had to guess, Astur wasn't particularly invested in the succession to the throne. We exited without a word.

A carriage waited for me at the foot of the ramp. I hopped on, and two black Skeeths pulled forward. The royal soldiers jogged by the sides, seemingly unnafected by the weight over their shoulders. Outside the Academy walls, the scenery was completely different. The presence of royal soldiers dressed in war attire was impossible to miss. The emerald stag crowned by the moon hung from all the important buildings and towers of the inner city. Even the city guards wore a green and white handkerchief around their arms.

"This looks like a coup," I nervously said.

"There is nothing to worry about," Captain Garibal replied from outside the window.

Right.

The royal palace was surrounded by a nest of woven barriers. The barriers were so tightly packed that it was impossible for me to sense anything through them. Not even the dust-like environmental mana was able to pass through.

The bridge over the artificial lake surrounding the palace was packed with royal soldiers and Skeeth riders. We reached the barrier and four Sniffers approached us, but Captain Garibal scared them away, and we sped past the blockade. Sniffers still made my hair stand on end

Suddenly, every bell in the city rang out simultaneously. Unlike Farcrest's coded bell-chiming, I couldn't notice any discernible pattern. There was no way Cadria had a coup signal.

My carriage drifted to the side, and Captain Garibal dragged me into the palace through a small service door.

Prince Adrien stood like the centerpiece of a marble fountain while two gnome ladies dusted his cheeks with an almost translucent powder. His emerald robe was long. Like ten or twelve meters long. His hair had been ironed flat. I blinked repeatedly just to ensure I wasn't seeing things. Prince Adrien looked like an elf, his hair combed back, face powdered, sleeves down to the floor, and the Runeblade in his arms.

The great hall was so packed it took me a solid minute to absorb the details, even with [Foresight] helping me filter the information.

In the back of the room, equally overly-tailored, was the rest of the royal family. I recognized a lot of them from Evelisse's visits to the Cabbage Classroom and from the parties I had been invited to. Evelisse was nowhere to be found. All of them were wearing some combination of green and white. It was pretty clear that the most important one was the one holding the Runeblade.

Next to the royals stood a more colorful group. I recognized several faces from the tournament nearly three years ago. Nobles and warlords charged with protecting strategic points along the frontier from Monster Surges representing the marquisates.

Even among them, the Marquis Tauron of Farcrest managed to stand out. The density of the fiery mana dancing inside his chest was frightening. It almost felt like seeing an armed bomb from close up. The other Marquises and their bodyguards weren't too far behind him in strength.

I expected to see Izabeka, but standing by the Marquis's side was Istvan Kiln, dressed in the black armor of the captain of the city guard. Izabeka's nephew had grown since the last time I saw him. Instead of the teenage boy I used to know, he resembled an adult bison.

The Kiln genes were scary.

Past the Marquises, Althea was guiding a large retinue towards Prince Adrien: Lord Vedras, Lord Sellen Jorn, and, considering the raven over the silver field stamped on the chest of the third member, he must've been Malkah's father, Lord Kigria. The three dukes were being followed by their respective escorts.

Althea seemed to be grinding those Diplomat levels.

I approached Prince Adrien unimpeded. His body showed no sign of Corruption, although the high-necked robe only left his face and hands visible. It was good progress considering how tight on time we had been.

"What is going on?" I whispered.

The gnome ladies scattered.

"I regret to announce that my father has peacefully passed away in his sleep," Prince Adrien said in a solemn voice.

I gave him a quizzical look. If what Althea told me during the night we met Prince Adrien was right, the king should've died when he passed the Runeblade to Prince Ragna. The Curse could only be undone by death.

"His old body couldn't withstand the effects of the Curse anymore," he added, putting special emphasis on the word 'body'.

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief as I made the pieces of the puzzle fit. Regular people didn't know about the dead clause of the Runeblade. Nobody expected a king enshrouded in corruption to make public appearances. The royal family had kept the clause a secret, and with that, the death of the former king, to bolster the stability of the kingdom.

"My condolences," I said.

In the end, it was a coup, in a sense.

"How is Lady Evelisse doing?" I asked.

"She's in shock," he said, unable to hide his smile. "But she will recover."

Prince Adrien's recovery couldn't be considered anything less than miraculous.

"What is the plan?"

"You, my friend, will walk by my side," Prince Adrien replied, placing his free hand on my shoulder.

The gesture didn't pass unnoticed.

I didn't recall ever seeing him so excited since the time I told him I could turn orphans into Imperial cadet material. Glancing back at Althea and the dukes, my brain put every piece in place. This wasn't a meeting or a party; it was a procession. Prince Adrien was the centerpiece, followed by his most powerful allies, his family, and the protectors of the frontiers. Closing the parade were minor nobles, Imperial Knights, and the high ranks of the army who didn't fit in any upper rank.

"I can't walk ahead of the Marquis. I'm his Thane," I said.

"You like him a lot, huh?"

Truth was, I had been blackmailing the Marquis by holding his secret alliance with Janus and the Osgirians against him. I saw him less as a human being and more as a ticket to a stable life in the countryside. That, however, didn't take away from the fact that I would rather keep our relationship frictionless.

"I'm serious. Even if everyone at Cadria is freaking out about my passing rates, I doubt that matters for the outside world."

Prince Adrien ignored me.

"I bet Tauron will love that one of his underlings is so close to the king."

I highly doubted it.

Prince Adrien crossed his arms and frowned. "Sure, do what you want. I'm not stopping you," he said with a quiet, heavy inflection.

His tone reminded me of my ex.

I sighed. "I'd be honored to walk by your side."

"I knew you'd come around, my friend." He lively patted my shoulder. "How's your son doing, by the way? I heard the birth was a success."

"Little Robert is doing great. Unlike me, he seems more… even-tempered."

Prince Adrien smiled, and I wondered if he could see through my half-truths.

One way or another, the allegations weren't going anywhere.

"They are in good hands. The royal physicians are under a Hex that prevents them from harming their patients," Prince Adrien said, just as Althea and the ducal retinues approached.

Vedras greeted us, Prince Adrien first, although he seemed a lot more excited about shaking my hand. Almost three years had passed, and he hadn't changed in the slightest. Behind him, Halessia, his spymaster-lover, gave me a slight bow.

Duke Jorn also shook my hand and thanked me for looking over Lyra and sharing my knowledge with the Jorn Dukedom. The knowledge in question was a few early-warning systems based on Morse Code, gliders, and suspension bridge architecture. Most of it was designed to move troops on time in the jagged geography of the Jorn Dukedom.

Sellen Jorn was as scary as the last time I spoke to him. Even Rup's puppet was more expressive than the man, and that was saying something, considering that Wooden Rup didn't even have a proper face.

Lord Kigria was a huge man whose frame rivaled even Lord Herran's. High-level people were big in general, but he looked like a hundred-ton boulder. His face and scalp were covered in scars, and one of his eyes was milk-white. He looked somewhat like a Viking from a non-historically accurate series. Other than his gray eyes, Malkah had inherited very little of his father. He didn't speak a word.

"It's time," Prince Adrien said as the main doors opened.

Lord Vedras stood by the Prince's right, so I positioned myself to his left.

If I knew what was coming, I would've prepared a special outfit.

Throughout the afternoon, we paraded across the inner city and even stepped outside the wall into the South Ward, as it was apparenly customary for the commoners to see us. As exposed as I felt, I soon realized the anti-nobility movement wasn't going to make a move. Every single person in a ten-meter radius around me should've been easily above level thirty, with a lot of them having broken into the 50s.

I made my best effort to look strong, just in case a master painter captured the scene for posterity.

"Was it really necessary for me to be here?" I asked as we re-entered the inner city.

"If you ever reveal who you really are, this is going to be crazy foreshadowing," Prince Adrien replied with a smile.

As the sun was about to set, the parade reached the System Church's cathedral. The building looked the same as the Gothic churches back on Earth. Now that I knew the System fed those same ideas to architects and builders, the similarity didn't surprise me anymore.

The High Priest, escorted by a hundred Zealots, greeted us from the top of the white staircase, and with a movement of his scepter, he opened the gates. Inside, there were no benches, paintings, or stained glass decoration. If I had to guess, this wasn't a place for prayer. The columns were stylized and the moldings were exquisite, but the only decoration was thousands of small lightstones floating near the ceiling, depicting a night sky.

In the place of the altar was a massive System Crystal floating a meter above the marble floor. The blue surface shone brighter than any other crystal I had seen before. Was this Shrine one of the System proxies, or was it part of the main hardware? I toned down my mana sense just so I would not be caught in its depths. A river of mana flowed through the Shrine.

The High Priest guided us in silence to the base of the stairs.

There, the parade stopped.

"Come with me," Prince Adrien said, leaning over to whisper into my ear.

"Are you supposed to bring a companion?" I cautiously asked.

"Do the people of your country always try to contradict the word of their king?"

"Yes, that's exactly our thing."

I followed him up the stairs without looking back. There had to be a couple of hundred people inside the cathedral. I was more used to thirty or forty kids per class. As we approached the crystal, I felt the air pressure changing, and suddenly the sound of the people behind us disappeared.

"Being the ruler of Ebros has its perks," Prince Adrien said, laying his hands on the System Shrine. His eyes went out of focus, and I knew he was reading an invisible prompt.

"Like what?" I whispered, feeling like the stone walls amplified every sound.

"The census tool."

Censuses had to be mighty powerful tools to properly collect taxes.

"It helps hunting traitors," Prince Adrien explained.

With a subtle movement of his hand, the prompt became visible to me.

"Find Liev Fletch of Cadria," Prince Adrien said.

I held my breath.

Liev Fletch, Human. Location: 50 meters, south-southwest.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.