Chapter . 29
The fledgling knights, full of vanity in their hair, liked him very much, saying that thanks to the First Prince, they could proudly enjoy having long hair. Those who were able to hide their bald heads with long wigs liked him as well. He must have done such a thing in advance because he was afraid that he himself would go bald later. It was cheap insurance, after all.
“You have finally come.”
Maximilian said, sweeping up his abundant hair carelessly.
If I became the Emperor, I would chop off all the long hair on men. Since Maximilian is my biological brother, I would show him special mercy by shaving only the crown of his head and leaving the surrounding hair.
“You are late, Leontes.”
“Your lower back must be hurting quite a lot. Seeing as you are lying down in broad daylight.”
“…Does it look to you like I am lying down because my back hurts?”
It was pathetic that he could not understand even when I spoke of his laziness in a roundabout way.
“I wish you a speedy recovery.”
“Ha, I am dumbfounded.”
He let out a scoff, and Reinhard coughed in vain.
“You stiff fellow, it is truly strange beyond measure that you are my younger brother. How can biological brothers be so different?”
While my brother said what I should have said, I looked at the portrait of our mother and brother.
Mother was holding my young brother in her arms. The faces and attire were excellent, but it was a more natural and beautiful painting than other imperial portraits because the love between mother and son was clearly visible. If Mother had been holding me, what kind of picture would have come out?
“You must covet that painting. Do you want to have it?”
Maximilian broke the mood. I shook my head.
“Where are the keepsakes of Her Majesty the Empress?”
“I suppose even if you had them, you would only be envious.”
“As for envy, I am more envious of your shameless way of speaking, Brother. Is it good to boast that you have been held by her to a younger brother who lost his mother as soon as he was born?”
“…You have changed. You are not that timid little boy from the past.”
“I received a revelation—”
“Do not think to deceive me. Did you think I would not recognize you no matter how much you changed? Do you think I am the same as that half-brother?”
As expected, he knew about the approach of our bastard brother. That would make talking easier.
“You are still you, but you have changed irreversibly. I will find out what brought about that change.”
My brother’s gaze was sharp.
“I wish you luck.”
I do not know if luck will be enough to find out about the regression.
Maximilian snorted and rose from his seat.
“Why is your face so pale? Do you still drink that medicine because you are afraid of the Empress?”
“This is originally my complexion.”
I retorted in anger, but Maximilian shook his head and walked over sluggishly, finally showing me Mother’s keepsakes.
There were many luxurious jewels, but they were not just jewels; they were artifacts.
“This pearl was a gift from our maternal cousin. If you wear it on your hand while dining, it reacts to poisons in the food touching your hand. This sapphire necklace has a detoxification effect, and this diamond reacts to the presence of intruders.”
Duke Grimiati had given many gifts to the Empress, but there were also many gifts from the Father Emperor. Aside from the heirlooms that returned to the national treasury after Mother died.
“This diamond crown makes the wearer stand out even in a crowd and cures headaches. These ruby earrings transmit one’s voice far and wide and reveal the wearer’s location. This emerald necklace allows one to teleport to the Imperial Palace.”
And there were dangerous jewels as well.
“If you detach a pearl from this pearl necklace and throw it, it explodes into flames. It can inflict severe burns if thrown at an enemy. This would be better for a frail one like you.”
‘I could just throw you at the enemy; why waste Mother’s jewels?’
There were many other artifacts as well. Maximilian only explained the ones he liked.
“Well, what will you choose? I will give you whatever you desire. These are things that arrogant bastard cannot give. It is beneficial for you to realize as soon as possible that you must join hands with me.”
Unlike my half-brother, my biological brother, who did not even suggest joining hands first, spoke arrogantly.
“Isn’t half of this originally mine? You are acting condescending while paying the price with my own share.”
“You are not qualified to possess Mother’s legacy. Consider yourself fortunate to finally possess even this much now.”
The guy growled and then snapped.
“However, there is only one choice. It is useless to change your mind after choosing. I am curious about how well you will choose and what your eye for things is like.”
“Then watch.”
Saying that, I reached out without hesitation.
I chose the shabbiest treasure, a ring of pure silver with no gems.
The silver ring had a flat center like a signet ring and was oval-shaped. However, instead of a seal, a portrait of my mother was engraved on it.
It was not a cameo depicting a silhouette by processing a seashell; it was just to the extent of a portrait engraved on a silver coin.
The craftsmanship was delicate, but that was all. It could not even be compared to the other jewels. It was too insignificant to be called a jewel of the Empress.
“This is absurd. Did you pick just that after pondering so much? If it were me, I would not even spare it a glance.”
Maximilian barked. I really wish he were a dog. Since he is already a proper dog in every aspect except his face. I can guarantee I would treat him more adorably than Michelon.
“I chose it because it is a jewel Brother would not even spare a glance at.”
“What?”
“Even if it is not luxurious like the other jewels, this too is Mother’s keepsake. Since Brother considers it trivial just because it is shabby despite being as precious as the others, I will keep it and cherish it.”
My brother’s mouth fell open, at a loss for words.
“Since Brother only cherishes flashy things and neglects things like this, can you truly say you cherish Mother’s keepsakes? Someday, it would be better for me to take charge of the other keepsakes as well.”
“Leontes, how dare you!”
My brother, having been lectured in front of several knights, gritted his teeth and approached. I did not pretend to avoid him and let him threaten me.
“Since you threaten your younger brother like this as an older brother, how can I even speak of the matter with Marquess Steiner? I am persecuted like this even before joining hands with you; I suppose I will not be able to say a word after joining hands.”
After saying that, I came out without looking back.
“Leontes! Will you not stand there! Will you not speak the truth about what you discussed with that bastard!”
“Your Highness, please calm down!”
Whether my brother threw off his usual mask and got angry behind me, or whether the other knights were shocked, I felt completely relieved inside.
Only after returning to my quarters did I put Mother’s ring on my hand.
This ring was the only keepsake of Mother I received before my regression. When various keepsakes fell into Rhiannon’s hands during the civil war, the greedy Empress Dowager took everything and gave me only this.
As soon as I received it, I recognized that this was the artifact my teacher had spoken of.
-Roncer educates the imperial princesses sent to marry into other countries to always be loyal to Roncer. That is why there were those who committed treason by focusing only on Roncer’s interests regardless of their own status. Their ends were miserable, though.
When I complained that I had no keepsakes of my mother, my teacher told me about the artifacts possessed by Empresses from Roncer.
-One of those Empresses was falsely accused of assassinating the Emperor, and even after she became Regent, the rumor did not cease. It was because the Emperor suspected the Empress Dowager. In fact, the Empress Dowager possessed an artifact with the power to assassinate the Emperor.
-But the Emperor also possesses artifacts that prevent assassination. It is difficult to kill the Emperor with an artifact rather than other methods.
-That means it was an artifact powerful enough to do so.
-It is true that Roncer is spurring the production of artifacts instead of having a dragon. Even so, how could they surpass the artifact possessed by the Emperor of Armatia?
-There is a rumor that the artifact was made by inserting dragon byproducts stolen by an Empress from Roncer. It looks like a common silver ring, but that is just a disguise. That ring interferes with other artifacts.
-By what principle is that possible?
-The mages of the time were ordered to research the ring, and they estimated that the ring’s magic power was so strong that it caused disturbances in the magic power of other artifacts in close proximity.
-Then actual assassination would also be possible.
-However, that Empress probably did not actually commit assassination. That artifact is so well disguised that it cannot be handled unless one is a mage or has magic control comparable to that level. In the hands of someone who cannot do so, it is nothing but a trivial silver ring. Even if the Empress wanted to use it to neutralize the Emperor’s artifact and kill him, it is useless if she does not have the ability to use it. It is an artifact that has reached the realm of art, but it has such a blind spot.
It was a ring I also could not handle back then. Even that was lost when I was nearly caught by Maximilian, who tried to kidnap me.
‘But now it is different.’
I put on the ring and infused it with magic power. The ring rejected it at first. I recalled my teacher’s words again.
-Since its owners could not use it properly, its history was forgotten. However, it has been passed down in the Roncer imperial family as part of tradition. Since it was included in the trousseau of an Empress from Roncer, it was passed down to daughters-in-law from Roncer or nieces from their maiden family. I believe they never passed it down to the imperial family members of Armatia.
Since Mother’s death, where she could not even leave a will, this ring could not return to the Roncer imperial family.
I focused on the ring.
“Your last owner was my mother, and I am the legitimate heir. Obey me.”
As I said that, I injected magic power. Magic power stronger than the ring’s magic power.
Light frosted over the ring, and Mother’s face slowly changed. It was becoming my portrait.
As expected, just like the Throne Magic Circle, it accepts well once tamed by feeding it my magic power.
I felt proud looking at the ring where my ancestor clearly emerged. When I become Emperor, I should stamp my face on gold coins like this.
“Tess.”
When I called the name with love, Tess, which manifested immediately, wrapped around the ring in the shape of a golden tower rising higher and higher. Like that, I analyzed the ring’s authority.
This Portrait Ring was truly a powerful artifact. It neutralized other artifacts while hiding its own existence.
Although the reason for making artifacts into flashy ornaments is said to be to hide their existence, once they manifest, they can no longer be hidden. Traces of magic remain, so they are easily detected by other artifacts.
However, this ring required the caster’s magic power but hid the manifestation of that magic power. That secrecy was also the best defense.
‘Even if I use magic while wearing this ring, I won’t be easily caught.’
Just thinking about it made me happy. Just like when my Father Emperor’s mage dug up the holy relic, I could deceive one mage with less magic power than me, but deceiving many would be difficult. However, with this ring, I could hide my power for much longer.
Grimiati must not have been completely ignorant of this ring’s history, but since Maximilian greedily took all of Mother’s keepsakes, he probably could not take it out either.
‘The loyal subject of today is you, Maximilian.’
Because he has safely kept Mother’s most outstanding keepsake for me until now.
At that moment, the door flew open with a bang, and Sir Rolf entered in a hurry. Then, seeing me, he stopped abruptly in his tracks.
“Where have you been, Your Highness the Prince? You were not here when I came to work in the morning!”
Ah.
Usually, an escort knight is given a room in the quarters to live together. However, since I had no room, I had told Sir Rolf to come back to work in the morning.
“Ah, I went out because I had some business for a moment.”
In the morning, I had been busy going to find Mother’s keepsakes.
It was not that I forgot, but since my nanny died, let alone an escort knight, I was not used to living with someone else. When I was Emperor, I was surrounded by such people, but they were all watchers, so I always wanted to escape. Recently, being alone again, the solitary life was comfortable too.
‘Even if I didn’t forget, did I unconsciously avoid Sir Rolf…….’
“Ah, I was worried because you were not here…….”
Sir Rolf, who seemed to have wandered everywhere looking for me, spoke while wiping the sweat dripping down. He had never been anyone’s escort knight, and I had never led a real escort knight either.
“I am sorry.”
Words that came out fluently when fighting with my brothers did not come out well when talking to a normal person. Because I did not know what else to say.