A Tale of Strategies For the Throne

Just after noon, the sun was in the sky, and the blazing sunlight fell, making the earth feel warm.

The stone statue of Isdar, the star goddess, has white jade feet on her feet. The spring water spilled from her skirt gathers into a gurgling stream. The water vapor from the fountain splashes in the air, bringing some coolness to the hot afternoon.

The tree-lined courtyard is quiet, with only the melodious sound of the flute coming from the room and surrounding it.

After the song was played, the bard put down the flute in his hand.

He was sitting cross-legged on the light-colored carpet on the ground. He turned the flute in his hands, inserted it back into his belt, and then looked up at his audience with a smile.

"If you like what I hear, can you give me some reward?"

His slightly hooked peach blossom eyes looked at the blond boy sitting on the slightly higher platform with a smile.

"The travel expenses for my next trip are not enough, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Garlan."

His behavior of directly asking for reward from Garlan made the female official Taputi standing aside frown, but she didn't say anything.

Garlan, who had been quietly listening to the melodious flute with his eyes closed, opened his eyes and looked at Shulos.

He asked: "Are you really not going to stay?"

"There are already many excellent court musicians in the palace. I, a little bard, will not compete with them. After all, I am still young and have to respect the elders. If I stay, I will definitely take away their music. Work, how embarrassing it is~"

The bard who was obsessed with himself and believed that he alone could conquer the entire crowd spoke so boldly.

"Stop talking about it. For someone of your level, I could slap any palace musician on your face and swell your face."

The boy unceremoniously pierced someone's bullshit.

"That means you can still use your archery skills."

"...Your Highness, seeing through others without telling them off, and criticizing others without slapping them in the face are good virtues. As a wise crown prince, you must learn this."

Shulos rubbed his forehead and said, then he raised his head and smiled at Garlan.

"Your Highness, I like you very much. To be honest, I don't like those arrogant nobles very much, but you are a strange crown prince who is really not like those nobles at all. So, During this period of time with you, although I was a little unlucky and always encountered all kinds of troubles, I was still quite happy."

He didn't notice that when he said the words 'I'm a little unlucky', the young man's eyebrows moved inconspicuously.

"But, Your Highness, a vulgar bard like me is really used to being wild and can't stand restraint. He can't be the canary in the golden cage, but can only be the sparrow fluttering all over the mountains and forests. "

Shulos spoke calmly.

"Furthermore, although you are different from ordinary nobles, the people around you, including this beautiful lady official, are all very orthodox nobles. When I stay here, I am out of tune with everyone, and there are many barriers. Although I have your protection, Your Highness, it will always cause friction over time."

And this kind of friction, whether he is dissatisfied or the people around Garlan are dissatisfied with him, will bring trouble to Garlan.

Maybe Garlan wouldn't care, but he was unwilling.

The human heart is complex.

He could imagine that over time, when he had been unhappy, he would slowly feel that he had wronged himself because of Garlan, and would demand more from Garlan, thus causing Garlan to The people around him were even more dissatisfied with him... Such a vicious cycle, in the end, he might even be resentful towards Garlan.

Shulos didn't want to get to that point with Garlan.

He is a believer in Avdmir and he admires beauty.

Instead of letting their sincere friendship become irreparably flawed due to various frictions and troubles, he would rather part ways and keep the best impressions of each other in each other's memories for a lifetime.

This is not a kind of beauty.

Hiding these thoughts deep in his heart, Shulos smiled at Garlan again.

"The reason why I wait until now is just to see with my own eyes the moment when you are established as the crown prince. That is a moment of great significance. Maybe it will be a significant event in history in the future. I am destined to become the most important person in the future. Of course, a great bard must experience that scene for himself - Gal, just wait, it’s up to me to write a poem that will make you famous throughout the ages!”

Aaron Landis, the greatest (future-scheduled) bard, smacked his chest in assurance, completely unaware of the indifferent look from the female official next to him.

"and……"

Shulos raised his head, skillfully flipped his forehead and turned his face to his most perfect and handsome angle.

His peach-blossom eyes widened and he smiled, all kinds of charm gathered in the corners of his eyes.

"Wouldn't it be a pity not to let more beautiful girls see this handsome face?"

The female official looked expressionlessly at the peacock displaying its feathers coquettishly, not wanting to speak.

Garlan really wanted to complain, 'It's useless no matter how many people see it, you're still...', but thinking about it, he really wasn't qualified to say such a thing.

So it’s better not to hurt each other with Shulos.

He turned his head and looked at the female officer.

"Tapti, give him the stuff."

Tapti hummed, stepped forward, and handed a small black velvet bag embroidered with gold patterns to Shulos.

Shulos' eyes lit up when he looked at the small bag, and he couldn't wait to reach out and take it. While taking it, he kept talking about it.

"What? Is it a reward? Is it a lot? Let me tell you, you are the crown prince now, so you have to be generous. If you are too stingy, you will be laughed at..."

As soon as he weighed the small bag, he was startled.

Although the weight is not light, it feels like a square piece inside and does not seem to be a gold coin.

As soon as he opened the bag in confusion, the golden token appeared in front of him.

The gold token has a lifelike relief of a young lion carved on the surface, and the surrounding laurel branches and leaves are embedded with green malachite.

From the corner of the golden token, cyan velvet tassels fell from between his fingers.

Shulos looked at the golden token in his hand and didn't come back to his senses for a long time.

"I've already guessed that you don't want to stay in the palace, but as a laborer caught by me, you still have to work for me even if you leave."

Garlan said, "So, I give this to you, my Excellency the Inspector, please make good use of it."

"...Supervision history?"

After a long while, Shulos finally found his voice.

"Yes, Shulos, you want to travel across the continent, then become my eyes and tell me everything you see among the people, so that I will not be deceived by my ministers, and let me always be aware of Remember the time I spent with you as a civilian."

"My eyes often can only see the prosperity in front of me and the people in the royal city living and working in peace and contentment. Therefore, I need to use your eyes to remind me all the time that in this land of Aaron Landis, there are still There are a lot of people suffering.”

"But, I...with my identity..."

Shulos frowned and hesitated in his answer.

Even if he vaguely felt that there was something wrong with classifying people into hierarchies, the concept of class was still deeply rooted in his heart, and the conflict between these two concepts made him very contradictory.

On the one hand, he felt that this seemed good, but on the other hand, he felt that it was inappropriate. He was just a commoner, but now he suddenly has the power to act as the crown prince's authority. It seems...

"Identity? Well, yes, you are the first official I appointed and dismissed after becoming the crown prince, so you must not embarrass me."

Garlan put his chin on his hand, tilted his head and smiled.

Even though he has worn the halo of the crown prince, he is still the young man with a clear and bright smile.

"Next time you encounter something unsightly, show your token. It's very useful to scare some dishonest people."

He seemed to have remembered something and warned again.

"Remember, design a more handsome posture for showing off the token. It's best to use this posture every time, do you understand?"

Tapti: "..."

Shulos: "…………"

The bard's frown relaxed and he couldn't help but asked curiously.

"Your Highness, aren't you afraid that I will do bad things with this token?"

Garlan spread his hands.

"The purpose of doing bad things is nothing more than glory and wealth. You can easily get these things as long as you stay with me, but you have to go through such a roundabout way to get them. Are you stupid?"

Shulos laughed.

Well, when you think about it, it's really stupid.

He thought this and let out a long, gentle breath.

"As you wished."

The bard leaned forward.

Holding the golden token in his hand, he knelt on one knee and bowed his head deeply to Garlan.

"I will serve as your eyes to see the land you protect and your people."

Shulos spoke softly, but his tone was solemn as never before.

"I swear by the glory of Avdmir, I will hold this golden token in my hand with the piety of serving the goddess, and I will not let it be stained in the slightest throughout my life."

Having said this, he paused for a moment, raised his head, and looked at Garlan.

"A bard is a traveler whose life has no destination and will not stop at any one place in the world."

He said,

"But, my Crown Prince, no matter where I am, at any time, as long as I hear your call, I will return to your side."

He looked at Garlan with a smile.

"May Avdmir always protect your beauty...both in appearance and in mind..."

…………

As the first person appointed to an official position by Garlan, the bard and overseer Shiros left.

After watching the attendants send Shulos away, Tapti, who had endured it for a long time, finally spoke.

"Your Highness, King Camos's token is made of lapis lazuli, and you are also allowed to use lapis lazuli to make the token. Why do you have to use gold?"

Lapis lazuli is called the Shamash gemstone because of its sky-like color. It is also a gemstone that symbolizes the emperor.

Generally, nobles can use it as ornaments, but they must not use lapis lazuli as tokens. This is an act of provocation to the royal power.

With the rare permission from King Camos, His Highness Gallan could use lapis lazuli to make the Crown Prince's token, but His Highness chose gold instead. The female official of Tapti felt strange and regretful about this.

"Jade tokens are too fragile. It's troublesome and expensive to replace them with new ones every time."

Garlan replied with a shrug.

"……ah?"

The female official was confused.

"So, gold is better. It can't be broken or smashed. It's durable."

Tapti: “…………”

…………

……………………

While the bard was leaving, in the palace of Heimos, Heimos and his loyal subordinate were having a conversation.

"Your Highness Heymos, your unauthorized actions have resulted in the current consequences."

The priests of Nanna, the god of night, strongly disapproved of Heimos' behavior.

"Now, His Highness Gallan has been established as the crown prince. You should know that this is very detrimental to you."

He rubbed his temples, frowned and kept thinking.

"I have told you many times that feelings are just a passing cloud. They will disappear and will be of no benefit to you. They will only hinder your..."

"Suojia."

Heimos sat by the window, a thick parchment book on his lap.

He held his cheek with one hand and flipped through the pages of the book casually with the other hand. He glanced at his subordinate who was earnestly persuading him to instill in him the concept of 'the uselessness of emotions'.

"I asked someone to invite your lover over. Are you going to say these words again in front of her?"

Heimos glanced at Suojia and said, his thin lips slightly raised. The bright afternoon sunlight shone on his brown skin, and his fine black hair was scattered on his cheeks that slightly raised the corners of his eyes, making him look even more handsome.

A handsome young man reading quietly in the sunshine is sitting by the window. The light and shadow intertwined with the sunlight coming in slantingly create a beautiful scene like a painting.

However, Suojia could not feel the beauty of this scene at all.

He was like a big black goose that was suddenly strangled by the neck, with his mouth open for a long time without making a sound.

He knew it.

如果他真敢在他那位身为女骑士的情人面前说出这些话，一定会被揍得三天下不了床。

...maybe five days?

Suojia struggled for a long time before reluctantly saying: "This is different, Your Highness. My private affairs have no impact on the overall situation, and they do not hinder me. But Your Highness, you are different. Your goal is the throne. What do you think about 'that'?" Bit' feelings are bound to get in your way."

"Your Highness, you are different from me. You are someone who will achieve great things. In the future, you will become the king who rules Aaron Landis."

"The King does not need personal feelings. It will become the King's weakness and will affect your judgment... No, it should be said that it is already affecting you, and it is very serious."

Suojia looked deeply at his master.

"The king sitting on the throne should be like a god, calm and ruthless. As long as he has no emotions, he will not be influenced by emotions and will never make mistakes..."

Heimos interrupted Suojia.

"Then why doesn't the infallible god himself rule this kingdom?"

Suojia opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to answer.

As a priest of the God of Night, he naturally believes in the existence of God.

But if the gods are wise and infallible, why let Aaron Landis, a human being who is fallible by emotion, rule?

“For Aaron Landis is the kingdom of men, and gods cannot rule over the kingdom of men.”

Heimos stared at his subordinate.

"Suojia, don't forget that even if he inherits the blood of the gods, the king of Aaron Landis is a human being, not a god."

"Only man can rule the kingdom of man."

His feelings for Garlan were already part of his soul.

It's part of Heimos' existence in this world.

Dig out that part of his soul and he would no longer be Heimos.

And Heimos, who is no longer Heimos, has no meaning even if he ascends the throne.

…

Suojia lowered his eyes, thinking deeply. He did not completely agree with His Highness Heymos' words, but these words did make his mind a little confused at the moment.

What is the idea about the king that he has always adhered to...

At this moment, Heimos suddenly asked him.

"When you successfully courted your lover, where did you choose?"

While trying to sort out his messed up mind, Suojia didn't have time to think too much and answered smoothly.

"Where we first met."

"Why did you choose that place?"

"A place with commemorative significance can bring back to the greatest extent the beautiful memories of when the two first met, so it is easier to succeed."

"That's it..."

Touching the pages with his long fingers, Heimos nodded thoughtfully.

Suojia, who answered His Highness two sentences without paying attention, suddenly woke up and looked at Heimos in horror.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Your Highness, what are you... planning to do?

The author has something to say: When he was a child, he could not put on a handsome posture and hold up the token to pretend to be a b, which was an eternal pain in the heart of the little prince...

…

And, Suojia, the priest of the God of Night, who specializes in cheating masters of love affairs for ten thousand years.