A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

Garlan once again returned to the ruling government in the center of Tweilur City, but this time he was not imprisoned in a dark dungeon.

Under the leadership of Lord Canile, he came to the huge and majestic castle behind the executive government.

In the spacious living room, sunlight shines in from the large floor-to-ceiling windows, filling the entire room and making it appear bright. Garlan was sitting on the soft sofa, and Heimos was sitting next to him, holding tea in one hand and drinking it with his head down.

A certain bard stood by the floor-to-ceiling window holding his lost bow, wiping it carefully in the sunlight. However, while he was wiping, he would peek at the sofa from the corner of his eye from time to time.

I don't know if it was his misunderstanding, but he always felt that there was something wrong with the atmosphere between the two.

Who is that black-haired guy?

Why does Gar...no, Prince Garlan look a little timid in front of this person?

Shulos peeked out of the corner of his eye and saw the black-haired young man taking a sip of tea slowly and then carrying the cup of tea to Garlan.

Garlan didn't react. As soon as something came close to his mouth, he subconsciously opened his mouth and took a sip, licked his lips, and took another sip.

After feeding Garlan a few sips of tea, Heimos' mouth curved slightly.

"Hey...uh, why are you here?"

"Coming to find you."

"But I left a note, saying you don't need to come to me."

"That's just your opinion."

"But didn't you just say that you wouldn't take me back?"

"Um."

"...You won't take me back anyway, so why do you have to come to me?"

"Follow you." Heimos said. He glanced at someone by the window. That glance made the person who was peeking turn his head away in surprise. Then, he pretended to cough dryly and walked out of the room through the floor-to-ceiling window. Standing on the big balcony outside, leaning on the railing and pretending to watch the scenery.

Withdrawing his sharp gaze, he said: "We cannot let you be abducted by others."

Garlan: "..."

Heimos took another sip of tea, the same tea cup that he had fed Garlan a few sips from.

He said: "Do you think I said 'I'll accompany you' to coax you to talk casually?"

"Heimos, you said that you want the throne..."

"But not a throne like this."

Heimos interrupted Garlan.

"I don't need what others give me, especially if that person is you."

The young man lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes cast shadows on his cheeks.

"Your self-esteem does not require me to give you the throne, so you require me to fight you with all my strength and use all my means to snatch it from you? For this, do we have to become enemies?"

"I never thought of it that way."

"But that's the fact. Heimos, someone has to back down, either you or me. If no one gives in, then we can only fight. You can't not understand this."

"Foreign enemies are still watching, and I don't think Aaron Landis can afford the consequences of internal fighting between the two of us."

Garlan pursed his lips and clasped his hands together.

The clenched fingers tightened hard, and scenes from previous lives flashed through his mind again at this moment, making his chest feel tight.

"But now you refuse to retreat, and you won't let me retreat, what do you want to do? I don't understand, you must force me to be hostile to you? For the sake of the throne, will I kill you or be killed by you?! Just Like the previous few——"

"Garlan!"

His shoulders were grabbed hard, and the shout suddenly woke Garlan up.

He almost blurted out the words but he swallowed them hard.

He paused and continued: "Just like last time... When you were a child, you were almost burned to death... At that time, it might have been me, right?"

"Look, Garlan, I never thought about it that way."

Heimos whispered, "I can't be hostile to you. You understand, you know why. I want the throne, but I can't trade it with you. This is the only thing I can't accept."

"But……"

"There's no need, you don't need to leave, because there won't be any fight, and you and I won't be hostile."

Holding Garlan's shoulders tightly, Heimos looked at him deeply.

"I do want the throne, but I will be recognized by everyone with my strength. Whether it is King Camos or others, I will use my strength and achievements to make them think that I am more suitable to sit on it than you." The throne—that’s my decision.”

His golden-red eyes reflected the young man's face, and he said, "I said, Garlan, no matter what happens, I will never hurt you. You know that, and you should understand."

"…………"

Heimos' fingers gently brushed Garlan's forehead.

"I'm angry, not because of anything else, but because you said you left to avoid the fight between us. You don't trust me. You should know my feelings."

His fingertips slowly rubbed his golden forehead, and his voice was low, sounding calm, but there seemed to be some bottomless emotion brewing in it.

He whispered: "You should understand better than anyone else that I am obsessed with you..."

"Wait, wait, wait!"

The young man who had pursed his lips and remained silent just now was already blushing.

He frantically tried to stop Heimos from continuing.

"Now is not the time to talk about this kind of thing. There are people nearby, and the Lord of Canile is coming soon! What should I do if I hear what you said?!"

"Do you think I would care about something like this?"

Heimos raised the corner of his mouth in a curve, but this curve looked a bit cold for some reason, which made people feel terrified.

Since the day Garlan disappeared before his eyes, his sanity was disappearing bit by bit.

He could even feel the dark shadow surrounding him little by little...

Damn what feelings are always false, the throne is real!

If Garlan really disappeared from before his eyes...he himself didn't know what he would do if he completely lost his mind.

When Gallan met Heymos's eyes, his heart skipped a beat.

Although he didn't quite understand it yet, he keenly felt the danger seeping out of Heimos's eyes.

The golden-red hue sank deeply, as if it was shrouded in some kind of shadow.

Almost subconsciously, he reached out and touched Heimos' face.

Heimos was startled for a moment, but Garlan clearly felt that the dangerous aura leaking from his eyes disappeared, so he touched Heimos' face again.

Heimos stopped talking, pursed his thin lips slightly, and looked at him.

For some reason, that look reminded Garlan of the look of an abandoned animal.

"I know, Heimos."

He sighed.

"It was my fault, I shouldn't have done such a thing."

He said, "I'm going back."

"Um?"

"We have a special status, so we should stop running around and go back."

Heimos stared into Garlan's eyes with sharp eyes, as if he wanted to peek into Garlan's true thoughts.

Garlan did not look away and allowed the other party to inspect him.

He smiled at Heimos.

He said: "Let's go back together."

"……good."

Just when Garlan was about to stand up, the hand he was about to withdraw from Heimos' cheek was suddenly held.

Heimos held his wrist, stared at him, and whispered: "Speaking of..."

"What?"

"You said you left because you didn't want to be hostile to me. It's because I'm already very important to you, and you like me a little bit, right?"

"No! No! Don't talk nonsense! I don't like men!"

Garlan's hair instantly exploded at Heimos' words and he suddenly retracted his hand.

But Heymos didn't seem to hear Garlan's negative words at all. He raised the corners of his lips, rubbed the young man's head indulgently and dotingly, and looked at Garlan with a little smile in his eyes. Smiling, there seemed to be a slight light in his eyes.

"Did you hear me? I've said it many times, I won't accept it from you!"

"Okay, okay, I heard you."

"…………"

It doesn't look like I heard it at all.

…………

So what kind of atmosphere is that?

Something feels wrong!

Who is that black-haired guy?

Why do the two of them look so close?

Ahhhh, it really makes people care and curious! It’s simply heartbreaking!

On the balcony outside the room, the bard, who was lying on the railing and pretending to watch the scenery, continued to peek at the scene in the room from the corner of his eyes, the fire of gossip burning in his heart.

…………

……………………

When he heard Garlan say that he wanted to return to the royal city, Lord Kanile's expression improved a little.

He glanced at Heimos who was with Garlan. Although he didn't hear what Heimos said at that time, judging from their actions and behavior, he felt that the relationship between the two was still very close.

That's good, at least nothing bad will happen to the throne.

To be honest, he still prefers Heimos, who gives off a sharp and powerful feeling.

only……

He cast his gaze on the blond prince, and the deep wrinkles on his forehead wrinkled again.

"Prince Garlan, I owe you my life."

Lord Kanile said, looking solemn.

"From now on, I will be at your disposal as long as I do not violate King Camos's orders."

"Lord Kanile, you don't need to pay too much attention to this matter..."

"No." The old city lord said seriously, "I rarely owe others anything in my life, but as long as I owe it, I must pay it back. This is my principle. No matter what you ask me to do, as long as King Camos agrees , I will never refuse.”

"I understand, then, Lord Kanile, I have one thing to ask you now."

"You say."

Is it about supporting him to become crown prince?

The old city lord thought to himself.

"If the finances of Tweilur City are still sufficient, can the taxes for the second half of this year be exempted? After all, the earthquake caused widespread damage to the people. If taxes are still imposed, many families may go bankrupt. He even had to sell himself into slavery.”

In fact, it would be better to provide disaster relief or something, but in this era, this is almost impossible, so Garlan can only settle for the next best thing, at least exempting the victims from some taxes.

"…………"

He didn't expect that this was what Garlan was talking about, and the old city lord didn't react at all.

"Can't you?"

"No, it's not impossible...Okay, Your Highness Gallan, I will report this matter to King Camos. Once I get the king's permission, I will do it according to your order."

After saying that, Lord Kanile looked back at the staff behind him. The middle-aged staff nodded slightly and then took a step forward.

"Your Highness, what are you going to do about that team leader who was rude to you?"

He lowered his head and asked respectfully.

"Um?"

"I have sent people to imprison him secretly. I can bring him here now."

"No."

Garlan didn't pay attention to that kind of person at all.

He is just a villain who bullies his superiors, so why should he take it too seriously.

"But speaking of which, it seems like someone broke his hand last night."

"..."

Garlan glanced at someone next to him from the corner of his eye.

Heimos looked away, not meeting his eyes.

"His offense to you is unforgivable, and that kind of treasonous behavior is really... Lord Canile means to be executed directly." The staff continued, "Also, the captain of the city gate guard, and those soldiers who were disrespectful to you at that time , they have all been arrested and are waiting for your disposal."

"Forget it and let go of the city guard captain and those soldiers. They are just obeying orders. They don't know my identity, so it's not an offense."

"I thank you for your kindness on their behalf, Your Highness. So, which one do you think should be put to death directly? Or should you give him a more severe punishment..."

Garlan thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Confiscate all his family property other than his normal income, refund the taxes he overcharged without authorization, and then send him to the village to let him live there, and declare his crime to everyone, so that he can live in the same place as he once did. He is put into hard labor in those villages where he has committed the crime and is not allowed to leave until he has paid off all his debts.”

The staff member was startled for a moment, then nodded and retreated.

Later, Garlan and the others rejected the old city lord's proposal to send a thousand cavalry to escort them back to the royal city.

After all, he ran out secretly, so it wouldn't be good to go back in such a big way.

Lord Canile sent them outside the city.

He looked at Garlan and said, "Your Highness, in half a month, I will go to the royal city to congratulate you."

Half a month later, it will be the date of the crown prince's canonization ceremony announced by King Camos.

…………

Riding a horse and trotting on the flat road, a certain bard who had been holding back for a long time finally couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I said, Gal... uh, Your Highness, what is your relationship with that person?"

"you guess?"

"...Don't dare to make wild guesses."

What if, like last time, he accidentally talks bad words again?

"Then don't guess. You'll know when you return to the Royal City. But do you really want to follow me back to the Royal City? Don't you like places where nobles gather?"

"Tsk, I saved the prince of Aaron Landis. I should give him a large amount of Aaron's gold coins as a reward, right?"

Shulos clicked his tongue.

"But, having said that, I just thought you would let the team leader go as well. After all, you said that those who don't know are not guilty. After all, you are the kind and tolerant prince who is rumored~"

He shrugged.

"For a person like him, let him work for the civilians he once looked down on and pay for his crimes until death. For him, this kind of punishment is more painful than death..."

“Kindness is only to be given to those who also have a kind heart.”

Garlan said, understatement.

"Some people don't have it themselves, so naturally they don't need to give it to them."

………………

On the way back to the royal city, the three of them did not walk very fast, mainly because Garlan did not want to return to the palace so quickly.

Anyway, the Lord of Canile City has already rushed to report his whereabouts and plans to return to King Camos, so Brother Wang will not be so anxious.

One day, three people who had stayed in a small town for one night left the small city. When they reached a fork in the road, Heimos, who had been silent all morning, suddenly spoke.

"Garlan, this is not far from the royal city. You go back first. I have some business and need to go somewhere else."

After he finished speaking, he turned his attention to Shulos.

"Escort him back nicely."

The sharp eyes made Shulos nodded subconsciously.

Heimos raised his head slightly, turned his horse's head, and galloped away towards another road.

"What is he going to do in such a hurry?"

Shulos couldn't help but ask as he looked at Heimos's almost disappearing figure.

"I don't know, I haven't heard him say it."

Garlan shook his head.

But in retrospect, Heimos had always looked a little preoccupied after meeting a few people in that small city last night.

He asked: "Where is this direction going?"

"This direction? There are many places to go, including Lake Yasi, Philothemi, Coda, Mount Arma, Theadari, Menestre, Musir, etc. It’s all in this direction.”

The living map Shulos rattled off a long list of names of cities or famous mountain lakes. Anyway, Garlan had never been to any of them and didn't know any of them.

Forget it, I'd better go back to the royal city first.

Garlan thought as he set foot on the road leading to the royal city.

After riding for a long time, we saw that it was evening and there happened to be a small town in front of us.

Shulos said: "I'll rest here today, and I'll arrive at the Royal City at around noon tomorrow."

Garlan nodded, and as he was about to return to the royal city, he still felt a little regretful.

He has never been to the places and cities Shulos mentioned, which is really a pity.

Those cities………

…………

Wait, I feel... there is a name that seems a bit familiar...

That is……

Just as he was about to reach the gate of the small town, Garlan suddenly reined in his horse.

"Schulos!"

"ah?"

"Did you talk about Meneste City at noon? Is the road he took going to Meneste City?"

"Yes what's the matter?"

His heart suddenly pounded, and without saying a word, Garlan suddenly turned his horse's head and galloped back in the direction he had just come from.

…………

...The terrifying His Majesty Heimos...

He is as cruel and vicious as a snake in the night.

Everyone knew that he had killed his uncle and his cousin with his own hands.

He is the son of the devil.

He is violent and cruel.

Everyone knew that he killed his relatives with his own hands.

He will be cursed by the gods——