This Bastard is Too Competent

Chapter 41: An Irreversible Bet

Turn the curse into a blessing?

At that absurd remark, Ian smirked, urging him to elaborate.

However, Karan only withdrew with a meaningful smile.

"Well, you can't just do it."

Karan seemed to have something to wish for. He didn't want to work all the time.

Ian raised the conditions with a grin.

“I’ll give you one month off work for the next month.”

Karan got more excited at Ian's words. 

He was confident that he had the initiative.

"While you're at it, why don't you make it a little longer? Why only a month? So stingy."

Yet Ian curled up his lips when Karan said that.

"15 days."

"H-hold on. Why is it decreasing?”

"Five days. If you don't accept this, I'll just talk to Duke Garcia."

That was a matter of course.

There was no way Duke Garcia couldn't find out the information that Karan knew. Besides, Garcia was trying to grab Ian's hand somehow.

Even if he was not, he would automatically open Karan's mouth for sure if it was Ian's request. 

Well, he was not even Heinley, so he probably wouldn’t give in to his father that easily.

‘Then, I have to use another move.’

Recognizing Ian's cold eyes, Karan eventually declared surrender.

"Argh, I will tell you. I'll tell you!"

He realized that it was no use saying it as a joke.

Karan quickly unraveled his story.

"Here’s the thing. There's a back alley drug dealer I've known since I was a kid. I think she's a merchant from the Kingdom of Magicians."

The merchant told Karan this story.

“It's a drug I couldn't get at one time. It's more expensive than gold. Exploiting it has become a taboo.”

The scented candle was said to be made from medicinal herbs used in ancient sorcery.

And when one met someone who used proper sorcery. 

“It is said to be able to awaken one's hidden talents. Of course, swordsmanship talent might also bloom.”

But the problem now.

"They said the magic was lost in the past great wars. All the wizards were known to have gone."

Anyway, the royal family once tried to find them, but they couldn't find them all.

Still, there was hope.

"And by the way, my lord. Do you have any money?"

"Why the money?"

"Although we don't know any wizards who know the secret drug, there are objects left that make it possible to use it. But… it's a little expensive now."

All the few ones left already had their owners.

There was only one object left in the back alley.

And it took a lot of money to buy it.

"Are you sure about that?”

"M-maybe?"

Ian stared at Karan without saying a word. 

From what Karan said, the object was a necklace. If he lit the scented candle and wore the necklace, problem solved.

The only problem now was that it was difficult to get it even with the allowance of Duke Garcia’s third son.

With his allowance, he could even buy a shopping center in the heart of the capital.

And as Ian became interested, Karan smiled. 

"Anyway, I'll get it, so give me some money.”

"Why me?"

"Because it's what the prince needs…."

“Unfortunately, I don’t have that much money on hand.”

“?!”

Ian smiled.

In fact, until the end of the succession to the throne, there was no money given except for simple maintenance of dignity.

Who knew if he would ascend to the throne. 

In other words, the successors could not even think about touching the money of the royal family for the succession war.

That was Kaistein's law.

Of course, if he managed the things he currently had, he could rake in a lot of money.

"Anyway, I don't have the money to give to the young master right now, do I?"

“N, no, but if you use royal money….”

“I won’t do anything that will be left in the record. And since I am still at the bottom of the list, I have the lowest quota. Who knows if they are willing to give me that much money?"

Karan looked as if Ian was lying. He was not wrong, but even if he was at the bottom, the said maintenance cost of dignity that could be used would be astronomical!

Karan showed his empty pocket as if he had no money.

"Look, my father has cut off all of my allowances. I couldn't do any activities I wanted because of that…."

"Really? I heard you are quite famous at the gambling house."

"Pardon? That… how?”

Ian knew quite well about Karan. It was a famous story in the future that Karan swept the gambling house with his smart head.

It was because Ian knew that Karan had earned his wealth as the Adventurer King.

"Well, I know there's a fund that the third young master has set aside. Go get it."

Karan said as if begging for mercy.

"I'd rather ask my father…"

Ian ignored him. 

Borrowing money from Duke Garcia would never be free.

And above all, there was something that bothered him from a while ago as he listened to Karan.

‘No way. This isn't it, is it?’

What bothered Ian was the necklace in his pocket. 

Ian grabbed the necklace that the Third Prince gave him.

And.

‘There’s no mistaking it.’

It had a particularly strange reaction in the area where the candle was lit.

That was why Ian had no choice but to be suspicious. 

‘Did the Third Prince know that things would turn out like this?’

What if the Third Prince had had the same thing happen? And what if this necklace turned the curse into a blessing?

Anyway, this necklace could be what Karan was talking about.

And as he said, all Ian had to do was put on the necklace and light the scented candle.

‘Then, can I awaken my talents that I never knew about?’

Of course, Ian wasn't sure. He couldn’t even check it in front of other people.

He needed to test it quietly and secretly.

“First, give me the scented candle.”

"What about the money?"

"I will make up for it depending on how you are doing."

"Y-you wouldn’t tell my father?”

"Leave it to me for now."

And Ian raised the corner of his mouth as if he was now getting to the main point.

"And I want to meet the merchant in person.”

"Alright, but maybe she'll say no. She doesn't like royalty. She's from the Kingdom of Magicians, so I don't know what she is going to do to the royal family."

Ian smirked as if it didn't matter.

Rather, his heart was pounding at the thought of finding the culprit.

‘It may be the culprit that stole my swordsmanship skills in the past.’

Ian's eyes flashed furiously for a moment.

He was determined to kill the perpetrator as soon as he found them.

Of course, the perpetrator was limited.

‘A person with a rank high enough to know about the palace I am moving to. Besides, he is someone influential who can bring scented candles without anyone knowing.’

In other words, one of the four royal successors. They could have been a direct subordinate to the king or the queen.

‘Of course, the biggest suspect is the First Princess. And…'

Sure enough, Ian asked Galon.

"What happened to the assassin earlier?”

"As you ordered, I've learned a few things."

It was not possible to dig up a lot of information because of the short time.

Still, he managed to dig up some essential information. Ian also learned for the first time that torture art was a refinement skill for a knight.

"First of all, what she was wearing was a royal servant's uniform. In addition, she was scheduled to be assigned there when the prince moved to Crystal Palace. And she knew about the existence of the candle."

Ian laughed at the remark. 

It was also as he expected.

‘The First Princess and the Second Prince truly are siblings.’

At first glance, the two looked like a dog and a cat when it came to the right to succession, but once they shared the same mind, they exchanged the benefits.

In fact, the poison that the Second Prince tried to use on him through the assassin or the match was the poison that the First Princess used well.

That was why Ian was suspicious.

‘Is the Second Prince also involved?’

Galon seemed to have the same thought.

“It seems that the Second Prince has almost arrived in the capital. She also divulged his location, his troop, and the other assassins. He probably intends to take revenge on you by using Lavaltor and the nobles, Prince.”

It didn’t stop at that.

Ian’s eyes widened at the following information that Galon whispered.

"I beg your pardon? The Second Prince also put a spy on the First Princess and the queen?”

Ian couldn't close his mouth for a moment.

‘The king wouldn't tolerate any of his children. Earning a spot in King Eloin's favor is not easy.’

Anyway, the Second Prince even dared to plant a spy on the queen. His hands and ears must be all over the palace.

And he was probably thinking of isolating Ian and disposing of him in his own turf, the royal palace.

He had Lavaltor, one of the great pillars of the nobility, on his back.

But.

‘I can't let you do that.’

Ian moved because of this. Of course, there was work to be done before that.

"How far are you going to follow me?”

"What?"

"I mean, don't you go to the merchant?"

"Hahaha. I have to finish my prince's schedule first and go. After you go back to Crystal Palace, I'll go and find out."

Ian smiled wickedly.

Karan was clearly trying to monitor his work with Duke Lavaltor.

Because Lavaltor was a family hostile to Garcia.

"Well, I don't care if you follow me, but give me a scented candle.”

"Ah. Almost all of it has been thrown away….”

A scented candle was sold at the same worth as gold. Karan must be greedy for it.

Ian quickly snatched the scented candle from Karan's hand.

‘I can't let him have this. I don't know how talented he might be.’

Also, it didn't matter if Karan followed him to watch over him. 

The reason was immediately apparent.

Clang!

Two spears blocked Ian's front. It was the soldiers guarding the entrance of the First Knight Order headquarters.

No, it was not exactly in front of Ian.

“No, why am I!”

Only Ian and Galon passed, but the guards blocked Karan.

The guards only let Ian and Galon pass and stopped Karan.

A soldier said with a stern face, "This is an order from His Excellency Duke Lavaltor not to accept Duke Garcia's men."

"If you want to go in, send a messenger first."

Ian smiled at Karan, who was unable to follow suit.

"Oh my, there’s nothing I can do. Just take care of what I asked you to do and wait for me."

"Prince!"

"It can't be helped, can it? Third Young Master Karan is from the Garcia family."

"Argh!"

Ian followed the soldiers inside, leaving Karan with an innocent look on his face.

"Welcome, Your Highness the Seventh Prince."

Lavaltor welcomed him. 

***

"Your Majesty, please think again. What do you mean Crystal Palace!”

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please understand. He is the one who cut off the arm of the Second Prince, who was nominated as the crown prince."

At the king's palace.

The nobles were shouting in unison.

It was because Ian was assigned to the Crystal Palace.

“It is also a place of significance for the successors to the throne. This is the palace Your Majesty used before ascending to the throne. Please reconsider!"

It was a flash of a bolt out of the blue to the nobles who were pushing other royal families.

But the king flashed a sly smile.

“Hence I gave it to him. A child who defeated the Second Prince who fought for the first and second place among my successors. Don’t you think he is worth it?"

"Ho… However, Your Majesty!

"Stop! That's enough. It won't change my decision.”

The nobles groaned at King Eloin’s affirmation. The king, who usually didn’t take the initiative, behaved like this.

This was obviously a problem.

‘Are you sure you don’t intend to hand over the throne to the Seventh Prince? What are you working on already?’

‘This is absurd.’

Of course, they also regarded Ian as an outstanding person.

It happened at the legitimation ceremony.

That was why it was more of a problem.

‘We can't give the prince more wings.’

Thus, the nobles of the faction had no choice but to look at Marquis Adeles.

If it was Adeles, who had hegemony in the east, the king would also listen. 

The head of the Administration Ministry, Marquis Adeles, sighed.

‘These stupid guys. We have to step back here.’

But the water had already been spilled.

And if Ian was recognized as the owner of the Crystal Palace, it would be difficult.

‘Anyway, there is neither Garcia nor Lavaltor here now. There may be no other chance but now.’

He had instructed his son, Nathan, to be loyal to the First Princess.

"Your Majesty. Pardon my impertinence, but I dare to say that it is an unthinkable act in the honor of Lavaltor, who is engaged to the Second Prince. Please think of the vassals serving Your Majesty.”

"That's right, Your Majesty."

“I ask you not to forget the loyalty of Lavaltor, one of the pillars supporting Kaistein. We are all at peace thanks to him and his family taking charge of the north.”

But the king's response was lukewarm.

Marquis Adeles, as if helpless, pulled out the last card.

"Your Majesty, a month later, envoys and distinguished guests from various countries will come to the Foundation Day.”

"So?"

“Doesn't the owner of Crystal Palace have the duty to receive envoys and distinguished guests from all over the world? I am worried whether the Seventh Prince, who is still young, will be able to bear that heavy weight.”

In other words, would Ian be able to control the distinguished guests who would visit this country a month later?

"Of course, we will be relieved to see if he has the capabilities and abilities as a royal family and the owner of the Crystal Palace."

Etiquette, art, culture, history, even kingship studies. All exams.

He was demanding it.

"If he passes the test, we will acknowledge him as the owner of the Crystal Palace and apologize to him."

In addition, they would forget the crime of cutting off the Second Prince’s arm.

That's what the Marquis of Adeles was saying.

Well, he didn't care much about the case of the Second Prince as long as he was serving the First Princess.

At the same time, he was thinking.

‘Of course, Garcia will make it through somehow. But even so, one or two days of education won't do. Education will take up all his time, so the prince won't even care about the Battle of Ranking.’

In addition, Lavaltor would never stay still.

While they were dragging the prince’s feet, Lavaltor would try to deal with Ian.

Wouldn’t he think so?

The Seventh Prince had cut off the arm of his soon-to-be son-in-law, after all.

‘The moment Lavaltor takes care of the Seventh Prince is the signal.’

Marquis Adeles had intended to take this opportunity to solidify the First Princess’s position as the successor to the throne.

"All right. I'll do that."

And at the king's declaration.

An irreversible bet was about to begin.