The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 563

Chapter 563: There's No Time

After leaving the throne room, I was heading for the inner palace.

To meet with my mother.

However...

"Arn-sama!!"

"Finne? What happened?"

"Lady Mitsuba's condition has...!"

Upon hearing Finne's news on the straight path leading to the inner palace, I began to run.

The distance wasn't enough to justify teleportation.

Using magic to enhance my physical abilities, I quickly ran down the straight path towards my mother's room.

When I opened the door, the maids were frantically running around the bed.

"Lady Mitsuba! The palace doctor will be here soon! Please hang on!"

"Quickly bring some water!"

"Check what she ate quickly!"

Loud voices were flying around.

On the bed, my mother was gasping for breath.

Seeing that, I took a deep breath.

And then...

"Calm down. There's no need to call for the palace doctor. You all leave the room too."

"Prince Arnold?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just... do as I say."

With an imperative tone, I informed the maids.

Seeing me behaving completely differently from usual, the maids held their breath and left the room as instructed.

After confirming they had left, I immediately made my mother drink some medicine while she was lying on the bed.

I didn't know if it would work.

This medicine can only delay the symptoms. It's not a fundamental solution.

If the poison has seriously begun to take her life.

There's nothing I can do.

Sweat burst out from all over my body.

My mother's rough breathing didn't change.

My anxiety grew as her condition remained the same.

Not knowing what to do, I could only hold her hand.

This alone didn't change.

No matter how strong I became, I couldn't cure my mother.

Every time my mother's health deteriorated, a severe feeling of powerlessness overwhelmed me.

What value does a son who can only hold her hand have?

My sense of self seemed to waver.

At that time, someone gently took hold of my empty hand.

"--- It's okay. Lady Mitsuba won't leave you yet, Arn-sama."

"Finne...?"

She must have rushed over.

She was sweaty, and her breathing was rough. Even so, Finne gave me a gentle smile.

Seeing that smile, my mind gradually regained its composure.

At the same time, my mother's breathing began to stabilize.

The medicine had worked.

Relieved, I slowly sat down in the nearby chair.

"...There might not be as much time as I thought..."

"Even so... doesn't that mean what we have to do doesn't change? The only way to victory is to continue to play what we believe is our best hand. It seems cruel... but in this situation, the only person who can help Arn-sama is Arn-sama himself."

"Absolutely, you're absolutely right."

Finne denied my thinking that someone should help me.

That was correct.

How nice it would be if someone could gallantly rush in to help during a pinch.

I'm always the one in that position, so there's no harm in hoping that someone could help me.

But, I'm not helping everyone in the world.

I'm only helping a portion of them. Most people are overcoming their difficulties on their own.

They're still gritting their teeth and living despite that.

Even if giving up would be easier, they're striving because they don't want to give up.

I'm stronger and smarter than others. I have confidence in that.

I also have a position. I'm blessed with the people around me.

It would be arrogant for someone like me to sit and wait for someone else's help.

Besides, I'd rather help someone who's struggling than someone who's sitting and waiting for help.

"I wish... I wish I could help more..."

"It's okay. You're already helping me enough."

I responded to Finne, getting up from the chair.

There's no time to rush, nor to wait here for someone's help.

Unless I do what needs to be done, I can't save anyone.

If I don't exterminate the demon, I can't save my mother, and if I don't use the kingdom war to demonstrate my existence, I can't save Leo.

All I can do is pray my mother hangs on until it's all over, and keep running.

Stopping would be a waste of time and a wasteful expenditure of my mother's life.

"Finne, please stay with my mother. I'm going to the capital to finish what I need to do."

"Understood."

As the temporary marshal, I have a role to play in launching an invasion from the sea into the kingdom.

I can't stay in the capital forever.

I need to finish what's best done while I'm still in the capital.

The hidden room in the Imperial Sword Castle.

That's where I found the old man living.

"Hmm... It's a more grand conspiracy than I thought. Annoyingly petty for a demon."

I had told the old man everything I had heard so far.

This was his response.

He was pretty high-handed for an emperor who had his body stolen by a demon.

"Humans are cornered. There are two ways. Either we go to the source and kill it, or we have it come to us and kill it."

"If we knew how to get to the demon world, we wouldn't be in this mess. Even ancient texts don't describe how to get there. If anything, the latter is more realistic. If we're cornered, it'll likely appear triumphant."

"How cornered are we talking?"

"If the Empire collapses, it'll likely come out. It's nearly a certain victory."

I sighed at the old man's words.

If the Empire falls, it'll be a significant chaos.

Well, to drag an opponent who's nearly guaranteed a victory in the demon world, we might have to go that far.

"However, it doesn't have to completely collapse. It's sufficient if half of the Empire falls into the enemy's hands. Demons are always arrogant. That should be enough to draw them out."

"Half, huh..."

The quickest way is to seat Leo on the throne, then rally the rebels under my banner. Of course, in alliance with the demon.

In that case, they will support us. All we have to do is defeat Vepar, who holds the power of the virus. If we can draw him out, we win.

After that, Leo and the others may struggle, but as long as we can defeat Vepar, our forces should be sufficient.

We have a hero and SS-class adventurers. We can do it.

But there's an obstructive power.

It's Erik, who's vying for the title of crown prince with Leo.

Currently, Erik controls about half the Empire. If I don't deal with Erik, I can't use my plan.

"...Do you think everything was set up? Old man."

"I don't know. I don't have enough information to make a judgment. But it's certain that preparations to draw the demon are complete. Among the three great powers of the continent, the Empire and the Kingdom are at odds. Whichever wins, humanity's weakening is inevitable. It must look like a good opportunity for the demon."

"Do you think it'll come? From the demon world."

"I don't know that either. But... if they think they can do it, they will come. They must be at their limits, and they're not sure if they can kill the descendants of the hero with their powers."

They must think they can kill us. There's no doubt that this is their strategy.

But there's no 100% guarantee. So if they think they can eradicate humanity now, they might come.

"Yeah... That was informative. By the way... why didn't you tell me this silver mask is something incredible?"

"I didn't know it was something incredible. On the contrary, didn't you feel uncomfortable wearing something that suppresses magic?"

"I felt it a little, but I thought this was normal. How about you, old man?"

"I never had to fight full force with that thing on. I had no way of noticing. You should realize just how abnormal you are."

"Are you saying I'm insensitive...?"

When I first started learning magic, I didn't feel as constrained as I do when I wear the mask.

But I quickly got used to it. I didn't think much of it because I thought it was just like that.

Even though I felt the constraint, the power of my magic was stronger than when I first started learning. Who would think that they're being limited while they're growing?

"That's why people like you should wear masks. Remember that. If you don't feel discomfort with that mask, it means your power is comparable to the royal family of the ancient magical civilization. If you take off the mask and fight with all your might, you could shake the world. Think carefully before you take it off. Once the magic power that's been suppressed by the mask overflows, I don't know if it can be returned to normal."

The old man warns me with a serious face.

I understand what he's saying.

The people of the ancient magical civilization disappeared.

Because they had no choice.

I could end up the same way.

I understand that well.

Even so.

"If I have to... I won't hesitate."

"...I suppose."

The old man doesn't say anything more, as if saying more would be pointless.

He's still my master, after all. He knows me well.

I left the room, thankful for his understanding.

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