Episode 87: Alexander Apple (1)
Since that day, Oliver Apple’s behavior had changed dramatically.
“Your Highness, it’s time to wake up…”
“Sir Damian! Good morning!”
Damian, who had come to wake Oliver Apple early in the morning, was taken aback to find him already up and washed.
“Didn’t you always insist, Sir Damian, that I should start my day early?”
Damian was even more bewildered by Oliver’s words.
Oliver Apple had always been notoriously lazy, never rising before noon. No amount of scolding from Damian had ever changed that, yet here he was, suddenly transformed.
“Your Highness, this is impressive. You’ve finally realized the importance of a disciplined life.”
Oliver’s face broke into a wide grin at the praise.
And Oliver Apple’s strange behavior didn’t stop there.
“Your Highness, today we should continue studying the history of the Empire…”
“I’ve already finished it!”
“Already?”
“When discussing the continent’s history, the Empire is indispensable! I figured you’d assign it, so I got it done in advance.”
Damian furrowed his brow, staring at Oliver Apple.
Oliver was intelligent but infuriatingly lazy. It used to take an hour of prodding just to get him to start studying, and now he was doing it voluntarily?
“Well… you’ve done well. As expected of Your Highness.”
Oliver’s face lit up with Damian’s compliment.
By now, Damian was beginning to understand what Oliver Apple wanted.
Praise.
Oliver was improving himself to earn praise.
‘Was being acknowledged really that important to him?’
Damian could somewhat empathize with Oliver’s mindset. He, too, had once been a wayward youth.
‘He must have felt lonely, never being recognized by anyone.’
To be honest, Oliver Apple had brought it upon himself.
Despite being blessed with the status of a crown prince, and a king willing to do anything for his son, Oliver had squandered it all, isolating himself with his reckless behavior.
‘I was the same.’
Damian had been no different in the past, blaming his family without considering his own actions.
He had been oblivious to how much his family loved him and how much trouble he caused them.
In any case, Oliver Apple’s change was a welcome development.
Damian’s presence in the royal palace was to help mold Oliver into a proper king.
“Your Highness, you’ve mastered the etiquette you learned yesterday perfectly! Truly a model for royalty.”
“Your Highness, you’ve already grasped the swordsmanship I taught you. You have a natural talent for physical skills.”
Damian continued to praise the prince at every opportunity. With each compliment, Oliver Apple’s flaws seemed to diminish.
“Wow, the crown prince is studying on his own…?”
Even the king was astonished by Oliver Apple’s transformation.
“Sir Damian! How did this happen? The crown prince… Oliver…!”
“Calm down, Your Majesty. Everything you see is real.”
“Goodness!”
The king rubbed his eyes repeatedly, unable to believe the change in Oliver. Then he grasped Damian’s hands, expressing his gratitude over and over.
“Sir Damian, you are truly a blessing in my life!”
“I’ve done nothing. It’s all thanks to His Highness’s efforts.”
“Haha! So humble! Oliver, come here!”
At the king’s call, Oliver Apple stepped forward. The king embraced him warmly.
“You’re finally on the right path! Well done! I’m proud of you! Just like my son!”
Oliver’s face was a mix of surprise and joy.
It was likely the first time he had received such praise from the king.
Watching the father and son, Damian felt a rare sense of satisfaction.
‘Once we resolve the conspiracy, I can return.’
Oliver Apple’s conduct had improved significantly. The barriers between father and son were beginning to crumble.
All that remained was to thwart the conspiracy and stabilize the kingdom.
But as they say, things rarely go as planned.
Soon, a new incident arose.
That day, the palace staff were unusually busy.
Damian, curious about the commotion, wandered the palace in search of Oliver Apple.
He eventually found Oliver hiding in a corner of the garden.
“Your Highness, what are you doing here?”
Startled by Damian’s voice, Oliver turned to face him.
“Sir Damian…!”
“Did I not tell you that running away from studies is unacceptable?”
“It’s not that! I was studying here!”
Oliver waved the book in his hand frantically.
“Then why were you hiding in such a secluded spot?”
“I wasn’t hiding, I was just…”
Oliver sighed and changed his tune.
”…Yes, I was hiding.”
“Why?”
“Today is the day he returns.”
He?
Just as Damian was pondering this, a voice from behind interrupted.
“Your Highness Oliver! There you are! Lord Alexander is about to arrive at the palace! We must go!”
At the official’s words, Oliver’s eyes widened. He sighed deeply and replied.
”…Alright. I’ll be there soon.”
The official left as soon as he heard Oliver’s response.
“Who is Lord Alexander?”
”…He’s my uncle. The king’s brother.”
The king’s brother.
“So you’re avoiding your uncle?”
“He’s a rather… uncomfortable person.”
Oliver replied with a wry smile to Damian’s question.
“Sir Damian, I’ll be back shortly, so please don’t tell anyone…”
Damian frowned at Oliver’s request.
He didn’t know why Oliver was avoiding his uncle.
But avoiding a family elder, especially as the crown prince? That was unbecoming.
As someone tasked with shaping Oliver into a worthy crown prince, Damian couldn’t allow it.
“Enough nonsense. Let’s go meet your uncle.”
At Damian’s firm response, Oliver’s shoulders slumped.
Damian led Oliver Apple to the palace gates, where many nobles had already gathered.
“Ugh.”
Even now, Oliver’s expression remained unchanged. But with Damian by his side, he couldn’t voice his desire to leave.
“Lord Alexander is returning sooner than expected.”
“It seems he’s managed to eradicate the bandit groups.”
“Remarkable. The local lords couldn’t do it in months.”
Damian listened to the nobles’ conversations, piecing together an image of Alexander.
“Lord Alexander is arriving!”
With a shout, a group of knights began entering through the gates.
The air was thick with the smell of sweat and earth. Their armor was dented and dirty, evidence of recent battles.
It wasn’t a pleasant sight, but no one grimaced.
‘They seem experienced.’
Damian observed the knights. Experienced knights often performed beyond their rank.
‘Hmm?’
Among the knights, one figure stood out with an unusual aura.
Damian’s gaze settled on the knight at the forefront. The middle-aged man exuded a formidable presence.
‘A high-class knight? No, there’s something lacking…’
The middle-aged knight also looked at Damian. Or rather, at the person right next to him.
The knight pulled his reins, stopping in front of Damian.
“Well, if it isn’t my nephew.”
The knight addressed Oliver Apple. Oliver forced a smile and replied.
“Uncle… how are you…?”
Alexander Apple, the middle-aged knight, grinned at Oliver’s greeting.
“I’m always well. As for you, my dear nephew… well, there’s no need to ask. You must be cooped up in the palace as usual.”
At Alexander’s words, the knights burst into laughter. Some officials joined in.
“I told you, didn’t I? At your age, you should be out in the world. Haven’t you heard that youth is the time to endure hardships?”
“I’ve heard it…”
“Then how can someone who knows that waste time so pathetically? You should be ashamed in front of your subjects.”
“I’m sorry…”
Oliver Apple was flustered by each of Alexander’s remarks.
Even as an outsider, Damian couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.
No matter how senior a family member, to publicly belittle the crown prince like this?
“And the young man beside you is…?”
Alexander’s gaze shifted to Damian, his eyes widening slightly.
“You must be Damian Haxen, correct?”
“Yes, my lord. It’s an honor to be recognized.”
Damian replied briefly. Alexander examined him with growing interest.
“To have reached the middle class at such a young age, and to have helped the church defeat a dangerous dark sorcerer? I thought the rumors were exaggerated, but seeing you, they seem true.”
“You’re too kind.”
“But I hear you’re still single. Is that true?”
“Yes, it is.”
Alexander Apple clicked his tongue in disapproval at Demian’s response.
“Foolish, utterly foolish. But then again, young men your age often are. They tend to overestimate their abilities.”
Demian felt a wave of irritation at those words, though he kept his composure given the setting.
“Sir Demian, as someone with more life experience, let me offer you some advice. You should find a lord to serve as soon as possible. The more capable a knight, the sooner he should secure a place to belong.”
Alexander Apple snapped his fingers as if a thought had just occurred to him.
“Sir Dunbell, isn’t there an opening in our Baekchang Knights?”
“Yes, Your Excellency, there is.”
“Sir Demian, why not join our Baekchang Knights? No need to thank me. It’s a pleasure to welcome talent like yours.”
Demian couldn’t help but let out a small, incredulous laugh.
Deciding everything on his own, making judgments without a second thought.
Alexander Apple was exactly the kind of person Demian Haxen despised.
“Your Excellency, I’m sorry, but I have no desire to join any group at the moment.”
“That’s the problem with young people today. Didn’t I just say not to overestimate your abilities? A knight’s duty is to serve a lord and—”
“I’m well aware of my own abilities.”
His irritation and displeasure were reaching a breaking point.
Demian glanced over at Alexander Apple and the knights behind him before speaking.
“Not a very appealing offer, I’m afraid.”
A tense silence followed, quickly broken by the knights’ outburst of anger.
“How dare this whelp speak so insolently!”
“Draw your sword! I’ll teach you some manners!”
But when Alexander Apple raised his hand, the knights fell silent.
“It’s been a while since I’ve encountered such a bold young man.”
Unlike the knights, Alexander Apple didn’t appear angry. In fact, he seemed rather calm.
Yet Demian could see it—the simmering anger deep within Alexander Apple’s eyes.
“If that’s your decision, so be it.”
Without a hint of regret, Alexander Apple turned away, his knights following in his wake.
“Sir Demian! How could you say such a thing?”
As soon as Alexander Apple departed, Oliver Apple grabbed Demian, his voice rising in distress.
“You’ve embarrassed my uncle in front of so many people…!”
“He seemed fine to me.”
Demian replied nonchalantly, though he knew better.
“Besides, it seems your uncle is quite popular.”
Recalling the reactions of the officials when they entered the palace, it was clear Alexander Apple was no ordinary figure.
“My uncle always takes the lead whenever the kingdom faces trouble. That’s why so many people follow him.”
Oliver Apple gazed at the retreating figure of Alexander Apple with admiration.
“Plus, he’s been talented with a sword since he was young, so many knights are drawn to him. Enough to form his own order.”
“Impressive.”
“Did you know? Sir Liam Bluegreen was also trained by my uncle. He learned swordsmanship at the Bluegreen Marquisate.”
This was an unexpected connection.
“Your Highness!”
At that moment, an official hurried over to Oliver Apple.
“In two hours, His Excellency Alexander will have an audience with His Majesty. You should prepare to attend as well.”
Oliver Apple’s expression hardened once more at the news.
“Understood. I’ll make sure His Highness is present.”
Demian addressed the official, causing Oliver Apple to look at him with a betrayed expression.
“Sir Demian…? I’d rather not attend if possible…”
“Your Highness, you mustn’t be stubborn about this.”
Demian spoke firmly, and Oliver Apple looked dejected.
‘Something feels off.’
Demian was here to prevent an impending coup.
In his past life, the coup had led to an attack on the palace and the king’s death.
Oliver Apple had ascended the throne in haste, causing great turmoil in the Apple Kingdom.
This was the extent of Demian’s knowledge. He didn’t know who orchestrated the attack or what exactly transpired, as the Apple royal family had covered it up.
‘A situation so dire that even the affected royal family had to conceal it…’
Demian gazed intently in the direction Alexander Apple had disappeared.