Chapter 301

“Ah…”

Romandro gasped as if he’d been struck on the back of the head with a hammer. He had just realized that something was definitely wrong.

He carefully examined the unorganized tribute laid out before him.

Just as Ian had said. Though they had introduced the gifts as expensive and precious—diamonds and the like—when you looked closely at the pouches, they all belonged to the nobles of Burgos. Each one, and hadn’t they even received separate greetings?

“Good heavens, why this…?”

How had no one noticed this? There were countless officials in the reception room, after all.

Following that, Jin’s lips tightened. It was one thing that the officials hadn’t caught on, but the real problem was that Jin himself hadn’t realized it until Ian pointed it out. The true issue was their own failure to perceive the truth.

“There were issues with the attitude and the process, but even Luswena presented bows made in the royal palace. Since Your Highness sent them back, they’ll likely craft new ones suited to your physique. And as for Klipford, needless to say, they specially made three royal traditional instruments. But Burgos?”

Nothing.

They had put on a glossy show, bowing deeply and acting as if they’d put their whole heart into it, but in reality, it was all a facade. Ian crushed a dried leaf in his hand.

“Don’t be too disheartened that you didn’t notice. This was exactly what they intended.”

It wasn’t just King Damon acting alone. While the king faced the prince, the nobles standing behind met with the officials.

“There were many items, each loaded with meaning and stories. If these weren’t from the nobles, the quality would be astonishing. Moreover, every time an item was introduced, a noble was brought in to increase the number of participants in the conversation. Above all, they showed flawless etiquette and utmost respect to Your Highness. Breaking down your guard—every detail was a calculated move.”

And discerning that was yet another test, no doubt. A bold one.

Ian raised the corner of his mouth and brushed the powder from his hand. He smiled, but it was a chilling smile.

“Your Highness.”

This was more than rudeness—it was provocation, and beyond provocation, a declaration of war. Did they understand the meaning behind presenting the prince with the nobles’ tribute? Ian asked with a glance, and Jin lowered his head with a sigh—a breath mixed with self-mockery and despair.

“…I laughed without knowing.”

“…Your Highness.”

“I thought, ‘They’ve prepared well,’ and I laughed.”

“Your Highness, please look at me.”

Ian knelt before Jin and met his gaze.

“Shall I tell you something interesting?”

“…Interesting?”

“Mistakes, you see, are called mistakes because they can be corrected. Failures are merciless, but mistakes allow for a next chance. You merely made a mistake, so you can still make up for it. You said you didn’t know just now. You said you laughed because you didn’t know. But King Damon wouldn’t know either what your laughter truly meant.”

Just as Damon’s exterior and interior differed, couldn’t Jin’s as well?

Romandro caught Ian’s meaning and clapped his hands enthusiastically as he stepped closer. He too knelt to meet Jin’s eye level.

“That’s right, Your Highness! What does it matter if you didn’t know? What matters is that you know now. Though you laughed earlier, it was actually a calculated move to grasp the situation and look for an opportunity. Don’t worry about it. What does it matter if King Damon finds out?”

“So, you’re saying the banquet is the opportunity?”

“Exactly.”

The leaders of the three nations would all be gathered there. If they cleverly checked and attacked Burgos at that moment, King Damon would see Jin’s smile as deliberate.

But if no special action was taken at the banquet? Then he’d be seen as a naive young prince who didn’t understand the meaning behind the tribute.

“If there’s an opportunity, why leave a mistake as a mistake?”

Jin’s eyes darted between Ian and the tribute. Then, without realizing it, he asked,

“Has Sir Ian ever been in such a situation?”

“Such a situation…?”

“Where you made a mistake but covered it up as if nothing happened.”

Ian, who had never made a single mistake despite countless trials, was asked a rather intriguing question.

Romandro glanced sideways at Ian, and Xiaosi did the same. None spoke, but all waited for an answer.

“I have.”

Ian smiled brightly and said so. When Romandro’s eyes sparkled, ready to ask more, Ian immediately shut him down.

“But it’s a secret.”

“Gasp. Why?”

“Now, Your Highness, let’s return to the beginning. The King of Burgos presented tribute through the nobles. What do you think that means?”

“Oh dear, I wish Beric were here.”

If Beric had been present, Ian would have grilled him relentlessly. Romandro sighed and set down paper and pen before Jin.

“First, he ignored me and demoted Bariel.”

Daring to entrust the tribute to nobles rather than directly to the empire was tantamount to not recognizing Bariel as a great nation.

But to think further—

“Exactly. Moreover, the alliance of the three nations is strong. We expected a leading force to emerge. At first, we suspected Luswena, since they’re connected to Haiman and know Bariel’s internal affairs better than the other two. Remember?”

How could he forget? It was the conversation before meeting King Eriponi. Jin muttered thoughtfully.

“You mean Burgos is the main force behind the alliance?”

“Yes. Not recognizing Bariel as a great nation is to demote us, but at the same time, it elevates Burgos. It also sends a message to Luswena and Klipford.”

Look closely. The alliance of the three nations can stand against Bariel, and Burgos is leading the charge. Having drawn the bowstring first, the other two will surely follow.

Romandro, who had been quietly listening, cautiously added,

“Your Highness, now that I think about it, the nobles of Burgos are no ordinary people. No matter the king’s orders, they wouldn’t easily send such precious jewels or rare crops—things even they don’t use—to a foreign prince. Now that I realize it, it’s clear.”

Nobles are masters at weighing gains and losses. Offering family heirlooms means they expect a significant return, but what that is remains a mystery.

Just as Ian was about to elaborate, Xiaosi, who had been quietly sitting, raised a hand.

“…Xia?”

“Your Highness, I apologize, but may I say a word? It’s a humble experience, but I feel compelled to share it.”

“Experience isn’t divided into high or low. Speak.”

Ian was a little surprised. He had never seen Xiaosi add anything before. Judging by Jin’s natural reaction, this wasn’t the first time.

‘He’s doing better than I thought.’

Without Ian, Xiaosi seemed to be fulfilling his role well beside Jin. Ian gestured for him to come over, signaling his agreement.

Xiaosi sat down on the sofa with the three and cautiously began.

“When I was very young.”

“When exactly?”

“I don’t know my age precisely, but it was when I was shorter than the reeds—quite a long time ago.”

Romandro closed his mouth, worried he’d touched a painful memory. Xiaosi didn’t seem to mind.

“At that time, my master was a loan shark. Even I could see he lent large sums to those who couldn’t repay, and he even helped them find land and houses.”

He didn’t remember how many masters he’d had, but one phrase had stuck in his mind over the years.

“One day, the master’s child asked him the same question I had: why lend money and goods to such people? The master answered this.”

“…What did he say?”

“That it would come back anyway.”

He lent so freely because he was confident he could recover it. This psychology likely applies to the nobles of Burgos as well.

“They sent tribute because they could reclaim it later. Also, it suggests the king’s power is strong enough to propose such a matter.”

“Right. No matter how powerful the king, he can’t just raid the nobles’ warehouses in distant provinces. I heard he recently ascended the throne, but he’s showing considerable influence…”

“Showing off? What is it, Romandro?”

Jin urged Romandro to continue, but he only parted his lips slightly and made no sound.

To establish a correlation between confidence in recovery and strong royal authority, only one assumption was needed.

“Your Highness.”

Romandro swallowed hard, unable to say it. Ian took over.

“The reason the three nations haven’t formed an alliance until now is because they were wary of Bariel. That wariness meant tension between the countries, which implies national sanctions in many areas.”

“Then…”

“Political, economic, cultural sanctions. Or war.”

War.

If you consider that, it becomes much easier to guess the nobles’ calculations.

If the palace falls, not only would they reclaim their heirlooms, but they could also be rewarded with larger fiefs and wealth for their contributions. There’s no other gain worth such an exchange.

“…War?”

“Don’t be surprised. If the three nations form an alliance, some form of physical conflict, big or small, is inevitable.”

If war was truly on their minds, then everything about Burgos made sense—the provocative attitude, the refusal to part with even a single coin of the kingdom’s wealth.

“Hmm. Makes sense. If the royal treasury were empty and they were begging nobles for help, this tribute is excessive. It’s not the kind of loyalty a penniless king would inspire.”

Romandro clicked his tongue, arms crossed, as if his mind was tangled in endless calculations and schemes. But how could anyone sitting here truly see through King Damon’s intentions?

Ian closed the lid on the box of tribute and spoke to Jin.

“Your Highness.”

Just when it seemed the tension had eased through their conversation, a cold smile crept back to Ian’s lips.

“This isn’t the place for this. We should return. It would be wise to prepare a proper banquet—and to ready a response to send back to Burgos.”

To dare insult the great Bariel Empire, and at the very ceremony marking the dawn of a new era with Jin’s appointment—this was no trivial matter. Ian couldn’t let it slide, and without thinking, he took the child’s hand. Jin didn’t pull away. For a moment, Ian realized how long it had been since they’d held hands like this.

“…Understood. We’ll be firm.”

“Of course. Your Highness, you can do this. It’s time to change the meaning behind that smile.”

He would help. After all, the mind that saw the future was, in essence, his own.

Ian nodded and rose from his seat.