“How did you get here?”
The First Princess’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
At that moment, she recalled what had happened last time.
“Don’t tell me you came with a dragon again!”
“Well, I wonder?”
“!?”
The First Princess frowned at Ian’s ambiguous answer.
Actually, it was obvious how Ian came.
‘It took more than three weeks to get here on horseback. And yet, he arrived before me.’
He must have ridden the dragon of that time.
The problem was that it made no sense even if she thought about this.
There was a reason for it.
‘Dragon isn’t the name of some stray dog. How can it be so easy to ride every time?’
The dragon’s pledge inherently could only be used under one condition.
But Ian had already ridden the dragon twice.
No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn’t understand how Ian invoked the dragon’s pledge twice.
However, Ian didn’t lie.
In fact, an hour ago.
The moment he invoked the dragon’s pledge on the terrace of the Bahara palace.
A hole opened up in the sky full of dark clouds, and a humongous dragon revealed itself.
[What is it again this time, Human?]
The dragon, who said he would help only once, answered his call.
He looked around with an annoyed expression as if coming here was a hassle.
[Judging from the atmosphere, the fight is already over, I presume?]
“That’s right.”
[Then why did you look for me? Don’t tell me…]
“As you guess.”
[!?]
At Ian’s words, the dragon, Rio Banzaim, fumed.
[I’m not a carriage you can beckon to ride anytime!]
“What can I do? You’re the fastest.”
[Human, I’m a dragon.]
“I know that well.”
[Sigh… No human has made a pledge with me, yet you will be the first human in the long history of us dragons to use a pledge only as a means of transportation. No, was there another one?]
Rio Banzaim shook his head.
[It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve made a pledge, and a dragon can’t say two things in one mouth. How far should I give you a ride?]
“To the royal palace of Kaistein like last time, please, Mr. Driver.”
[You little human…]
Of course, unlike Ian and the dragon, who were having a leisurely chat, Bahara fell into a commotion.
The sudden appearance of a dragon.
A king who could comfortably have a conversation with a dragon that wouldn’t be weird if it was called a calamity.
An uproar broke out hailing him as a dragon knight who didn’t only stop at defeating the devil.
It was utterly shocking that even the key retainers, who were testing the Second Princess’ skills, could only gawk with mouths agape.
That was no wonder.
With Ian smiling on the Bahara palace’s terrace.
Flap!
The scene of the dragon flapping its wings and taking off was incredibly picturesque.
But at this moment.
Seeing Ian in front of her eyes, the First Princess could only feel her annoyance spike up.
‘I can’t nitpick him over that.’
Even she could not possibly argue the lightness of the dragon’s pledge.
No, it was the same for anyone in the royal palace.
However, the First Princess concealed her irritation.
Instead, she rebuked Ian in a loud voice.
“Nonetheless, you haven’t answered yet why you are here. As the king of Bahara, where do your responsibilities and duties go?”
It wasn’t just a reproach.
She raised her voice so everyone in the royal palace could hear her.
“Be it my late arrival to take care of the wounded or the fact that I handed over the post of supreme commander to you, all of it was to fulfill my responsibilities and duties as a leader!”
The First Princess straightened her back and exclaimed confidently.
“But how long has it been since you became the king of Bahara, and yet here you are instead of keeping your seat?”
She even gave up her position as supreme commander to keep her promise.
However, even though it was a vassal state, a person who was chosen as the king of a country gave up responsibility and duty and came to this place.
Even if he was the hero of the Northern Expedition, this was an unforgivable act.
The palace began to buzz with her words.
Her arguments certainly weren’t wrong.
“What the First Princess said is correct. Bahara is a newly conquered country. There must be a lot of pending issues that need to be dealt with urgently.”
“If he’s only going to have the sweet things without taking responsibility and doing his duty, he has to step down from his position…”
“Who did he leave Bahara to?”
“If the person is not to be trusted, he may lose his hard-earned country…”
This sparked the great officials of the palace to begin to speak out against Ian.
‘It’s a big problem if the Seventh Prince aims for the throne of Kaistein.’
‘The throne belongs to our prince. Even if it’s a dependent country, we can never give the throne to someone who has a lowly mother.’
‘It will be great if we take Bahara away and depose that boy who is still wet behind the ears.’
In an instant, everyone in the royal palace raised their voices toward Ian in one mind.
It’s the same with King Eloin.
“Answer me. Are there any mistakes in what they say?”
His eyes were frigid as usual.
The throne could not be given to those who did not properly fulfill their responsibilities and duties.
A hint of disappointment also flashed across his face.
Yet, Ian burst into laughter.
“Before answering, I would like to ask you one thing. Are you speaking to the Seventh Prince, Ian? Or is it to the king of Bahara, Ian?”
“!?”
The air stopped for a moment.
Everyone understood at once what Ian implied.
Despite Bahara’s status as a vassal state, Ian was now the king of a country.
In other words, the ministers had clearly crossed the line.
“If you ask the Seventh Prince Ian, I will answer. Now that the Northern Expedition is over, I am to report to His Majesty as supreme commander. Regardless of the victory ceremony, that is the supreme commander’s natural duty and responsibility.”
But, this time, a cold voice flowed.
“However, if you’re asking Ian Kaistein, the king of Bahara….”
Ian took a step forward toward the ministers.
Then he shouted at them with a livid look.
“By what right do you have to cross my authority? Should I forgive those of you who dared to interfere in the internal affairs of a country’s king?”
The ministers shrank at his voice.
Regardless of how strong they might be, Ian’s powerful and suppressive aura completely overwhelmed them.
Besides, he wasn’t exactly wrong.
Although it was a vassal state, as long as Ian was designated as king, they had no right to order him around.
Not to mention, Ian was a conqueror, not a member of the royal family of a defeated country.
No one could comment on the king’s responsibilities and duties with him.
“To whom did I entrust the throne, you ask? To my sister, the Second Princess in charge of the supply of the Northern Expedition, and Bahara is regaining stability under my reign.”
Ian’s eyes were calm, yet his voice was anything but.
It sounded like a growl, like that of a beast.
“Do those who did not participate in the Northern Expedition dare object to my decision?”
“N-no, it’s not that, Your Highness…”
“What do you mean by Your Highness? I’m the Seventh Prince, but now I’m King Ian Kaistein of Bahara. Use honorifics correctly.”
“It’s not that… Y, Your Majesty Ian.”
The ministers tried to make excuses while sweating profusely, but it was useless.
“Who dares to question responsibilities and duties to me? What did you do when I conquered Bahara?”
“I, as a former member of the Treasury Department, funded the Northern Expedition…”
“So, are you so confident, then? That you fulfilled your responsibilities and duties better than I did?”
“…”
A minister was about to open his mouth to speak up, but he hastily closed it again.
He could guess what would happen if Ian requested an inspection.
No one could boast to have done more than the one who conquered a country and accomplished great feats.
“What you have done to me now is not just a disrespect to the king but also an insult to the country. Tell me why I should bear with this any longer.”
Silence fell in the royal palace.
The ministers were unable to speak.
Right now, at this moment, their intuition tugged at them that a single misstep could put them in trouble.
It was even more problematic because the object was Ian, the hero of the Northern Expedition.
In addition, the person Ian brought as a prisoner of war was also another problem.
He was none other than Leonic Kahn, the crown prince of Cantum.
In a situation where war with Cantum might break out, what if Bahara pointed their sword toward Kaistein?
An unimaginable hell might unfold.
Then, King Eloin raised his hand with a dignified expression.
“Stop it, Youngest. You’ve gone too far.”
“However, Your Majesty…”
Ian paused.
Then he opened his mouth, locking his eyes with everyone in the royal palace.
“What could I do to those who did not even provide the king of a country a proper chair?”
“!?”
Ian’s question chilled the atmosphere again.
Regardless of the diplomatic disrespect the ministers did, they still showed such an attitude in King Eloin’s presence.
However, the look on Ian’s face was not one to call such rudeness a joke.
King Eloin also noticed.
‘This boy. He has set this stage ahead.’
No wonder he remained quiet even when he got a seat in the corner.
He must have been silently waiting for this moment, even without a chair.
‘The hero who led the Northern Expedition to victory as well as the king of a country was not given a proper chair or seat.’
According to royal etiquette, even if he was the ruler of a vassal state, his seat would be next to King Eloin.
But his current seat was definitely at the far end.
Ian opened his mouth with a cold gaze.
“It is the Seven Prince who is here, and the supreme commander of the Northern Expedition. And he’s the king of Bahara. Is this the place where he should be standing?”
“…”
The ‘Seventh Prince’ was the one who had achieved first place in the competition.
The ‘supreme commander of the Northern Expedition’ was the one who would receive the glory of the victory ceremony directly from the king.
The ‘king of Bahara’ was a person who would be treated with dignity as the king of a country.
In any of the three positions, Ian’s current seat was absolute nonsense.
The most honored man was seated at the very end of the palace. This was unprecedented even in the long history of Kaistein.
King Eloin shut his mouth.
‘Foolish people. They shot themselves in the foot for trying to keep him in check.’
This totally rendered the king speechless.
The First Princess was equally embarrassed.
‘This guy. Don’t tell me he came with all this in mind.’
It was clear that her decision to hand over Bahara was the worst.
Even so, the First Princess couldn’t say anything.
It was because all the initiative was passed to Ian from a single word she had uttered.
Still, she had to put an end to this situation somehow.
‘If I let the initiative slip any further…’
She didn’t know the worst case that could happen.
And thus, she made the most gentle expression toward Ian.
“Stop it. I make you feel uncomfortable because of my unnecessary concern…”
“Sister, I have already told you to address me properly. I am the supreme commander and the king of Bahara before I am your brother.”
“…!”
“Those who treat others poorly should not expect to be treated well. Don’t you ever hear that saying?”
“…”
The First Princess narrowed her brows.
She already lost her tempo, and now, she was also adding momentum to Ian.
She could only bite her lip.
‘I made a blunder. I should have never given up the throne of Bahara.’
She couldn’t beat the youngest in this situation.
In the end, the First Princess concluded.
‘Only problems arise if I go any further.’
So, she slowly stepped back, her eyes glaring at Ian.
And thus, only King Eloin who had his head held up high in the palace.
Ian might be a king, but he was the king of a vassal state.
King Eloin spoke with dignity as the king of the suzerain country.
“Enough. It is all my fault to blame. In my name, you will be treated as you are due in the future, King Ian of Bahara.”
“Since His Majesty said so, I shall stop.”
Of course, Ian didn’t look convinced.
However, in the brief lull, the ministers quickly moved.
“I, I brought a chair here, Your Majesty Ian.”
“What are you doing instead of moving out of the way? Get out of my way.”
“Y, yes.”
Ian’s seat was quickly set beside King Eloin.
All the other ministers sat apart next to Ian.
They all looked afraid of reprimand.
However, the quick exchange sent through their eyes was different.
‘As long as he is the king of Bahara, he will have to return to Bahara anyway. Be patient, everyone.’
‘Well, how can a king of a vassal state aspire to be the king of a suzerain country? This humiliation is only temporary. Once he returns, we can pay this back manyfolds.’
‘We can demand an unimaginable tribute to him. What can the king of a vassal state do? He should kneel on his own.’
King Eloin noticed their expressions.
Then he smiled and whispered to Ian.
“Are you satisfied now?”
No one would look down on him now.
However, it would not be in his favor if he were to turn them into enemies. To put it in another word, he should stop here.
Ian smiled at his question.
“No, I’m not satisfied yet.”
“!”
King Eloin’s expression was one of a rare surprise.
Ian turned to the king and unhurriedly opened his mouth, but in a way that everyone present could hear.
“I will ask not as the king of Bahara, not as the supreme commander who successfully led the Northern Expedition, but as the seventh prince of Kaistein.”
“!?”
All looked at him with surprise.
Ian continued his words as if making a declaration to everyone.
“I cannot give up neither the king of Bahara nor the throne of Kaistein. So, everyone, please understand that.”
“What?”
A bomb was dropped in the royal palace of Kaistein.
“How did you get here?”
The First Princess’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
At that moment, she recalled what had happened last time.
“Don’t tell me you came with a dragon again!”
“Well, I wonder?”
“!?”
The First Princess frowned at Ian’s ambiguous answer.
Actually, it was obvious how Ian came.
‘It took more than three weeks to get here on horseback. And yet, he arrived before me.’
He must have ridden the dragon of that time.
The problem was that it made no sense even if she thought about this.
There was a reason for it.
‘Dragon isn’t the name of some stray dog. How can it be so easy to ride every time?’
The dragon’s pledge inherently could only be used under one condition.
But Ian had already ridden the dragon twice.
No matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn’t understand how Ian invoked the dragon’s pledge twice.
However, Ian didn’t lie.
In fact, an hour ago.
The moment he invoked the dragon’s pledge on the terrace of the Bahara palace.
A hole opened up in the sky full of dark clouds, and a humongous dragon revealed itself.
[What is it again this time, Human?]
The dragon, who said he would help only once, answered his call.
He looked around with an annoyed expression as if coming here was a hassle.
[Judging from the atmosphere, the fight is already over, I presume?]
“That’s right.”
[Then why did you look for me? Don’t tell me…]
“As you guess.”
[!?]
At Ian’s words, the dragon, Rio Banzaim, fumed.
[I’m not a carriage you can beckon to ride anytime!]
“What can I do? You’re the fastest.”
[Human, I’m a dragon.]
“I know that well.”
[Sigh… No human has made a pledge with me, yet you will be the first human in the long history of us dragons to use a pledge only as a means of transportation. No, was there another one?]
Rio Banzaim shook his head.
[It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve made a pledge, and a dragon can’t say two things in one mouth. How far should I give you a ride?]
“To the royal palace of Kaistein like last time, please, Mr. Driver.”
[You little human…]
Of course, unlike Ian and the dragon, who were having a leisurely chat, Bahara fell into a commotion.
The sudden appearance of a dragon.
A king who could comfortably have a conversation with a dragon that wouldn’t be weird if it was called a calamity.
An uproar broke out hailing him as a dragon knight who didn’t only stop at defeating the devil.
It was utterly shocking that even the key retainers, who were testing the Second Princess’ skills, could only gawk with mouths agape.
That was no wonder.
With Ian smiling on the Bahara palace’s terrace.
Flap!
The scene of the dragon flapping its wings and taking off was incredibly picturesque.
But at this moment.
Seeing Ian in front of her eyes, the First Princess could only feel her annoyance spike up.
‘I can’t nitpick him over that.’
Even she could not possibly argue the lightness of the dragon’s pledge.
No, it was the same for anyone in the royal palace.
However, the First Princess concealed her irritation.
Instead, she rebuked Ian in a loud voice.
“Nonetheless, you haven’t answered yet why you are here. As the king of Bahara, where do your responsibilities and duties go?”
It wasn’t just a reproach.
She raised her voice so everyone in the royal palace could hear her.
“Be it my late arrival to take care of the wounded or the fact that I handed over the post of supreme commander to you, all of it was to fulfill my responsibilities and duties as a leader!”
The First Princess straightened her back and exclaimed confidently.
“But how long has it been since you became the king of Bahara, and yet here you are instead of keeping your seat?”
She even gave up her position as supreme commander to keep her promise.
However, even though it was a vassal state, a person who was chosen as the king of a country gave up responsibility and duty and came to this place.
Even if he was the hero of the Northern Expedition, this was an unforgivable act.
The palace began to buzz with her words.
Her arguments certainly weren’t wrong.
“What the First Princess said is correct. Bahara is a newly conquered country. There must be a lot of pending issues that need to be dealt with urgently.”
“If he’s only going to have the sweet things without taking responsibility and doing his duty, he has to step down from his position…”
“Who did he leave Bahara to?”
“If the person is not to be trusted, he may lose his hard-earned country…”
This sparked the great officials of the palace to begin to speak out against Ian.
‘It’s a big problem if the Seventh Prince aims for the throne of Kaistein.’
‘The throne belongs to our prince. Even if it’s a dependent country, we can never give the throne to someone who has a lowly mother.’
‘It will be great if we take Bahara away and depose that boy who is still wet behind the ears.’
In an instant, everyone in the royal palace raised their voices toward Ian in one mind.
It’s the same with King Eloin.
“Answer me. Are there any mistakes in what they say?”
His eyes were frigid as usual.
The throne could not be given to those who did not properly fulfill their responsibilities and duties.
A hint of disappointment also flashed across his face.
Yet, Ian burst into laughter.
“Before answering, I would like to ask you one thing. Are you speaking to the Seventh Prince, Ian? Or is it to the king of Bahara, Ian?”
“!?”
The air stopped for a moment.
Everyone understood at once what Ian implied.
Despite Bahara’s status as a vassal state, Ian was now the king of a country.
In other words, the ministers had clearly crossed the line.
“If you ask the Seventh Prince Ian, I will answer. Now that the Northern Expedition is over, I am to report to His Majesty as supreme commander. Regardless of the victory ceremony, that is the supreme commander’s natural duty and responsibility.”
But, this time, a cold voice flowed.
“However, if you’re asking Ian Kaistein, the king of Bahara….”
Ian took a step forward toward the ministers.
Then he shouted at them with a livid look.
“By what right do you have to cross my authority? Should I forgive those of you who dared to interfere in the internal affairs of a country’s king?”
The ministers shrank at his voice.
Regardless of how strong they might be, Ian’s powerful and suppressive aura completely overwhelmed them.
Besides, he wasn’t exactly wrong.
Although it was a vassal state, as long as Ian was designated as king, they had no right to order him around.
Not to mention, Ian was a conqueror, not a member of the royal family of a defeated country.
No one could comment on the king’s responsibilities and duties with him.
“To whom did I entrust the throne, you ask? To my sister, the Second Princess in charge of the supply of the Northern Expedition, and Bahara is regaining stability under my reign.”
Ian’s eyes were calm, yet his voice was anything but.
It sounded like a growl, like that of a beast.
“Do those who did not participate in the Northern Expedition dare object to my decision?”
“N-no, it’s not that, Your Highness…”
“What do you mean by Your Highness? I’m the Seventh Prince, but now I’m King Ian Kaistein of Bahara. Use honorifics correctly.”
“It’s not that… Y, Your Majesty Ian.”
The ministers tried to make excuses while sweating profusely, but it was useless.
“Who dares to question responsibilities and duties to me? What did you do when I conquered Bahara?”
“I, as a former member of the Treasury Department, funded the Northern Expedition…”
“So, are you so confident, then? That you fulfilled your responsibilities and duties better than I did?”
“…”
A minister was about to open his mouth to speak up, but he hastily closed it again.
He could guess what would happen if Ian requested an inspection.
No one could boast to have done more than the one who conquered a country and accomplished great feats.
“What you have done to me now is not just a disrespect to the king but also an insult to the country. Tell me why I should bear with this any longer.”
Silence fell in the royal palace.
The ministers were unable to speak.
Right now, at this moment, their intuition tugged at them that a single misstep could put them in trouble.
It was even more problematic because the object was Ian, the hero of the Northern Expedition.
In addition, the person Ian brought as a prisoner of war was also another problem.
He was none other than Leonic Kahn, the crown prince of Cantum.
In a situation where war with Cantum might break out, what if Bahara pointed their sword toward Kaistein?
An unimaginable hell might unfold.
Then, King Eloin raised his hand with a dignified expression.
“Stop it, Youngest. You’ve gone too far.”
“However, Your Majesty…”
Ian paused.
Then he opened his mouth, locking his eyes with everyone in the royal palace.
“What could I do to those who did not even provide the king of a country a proper chair?”
“!?”
Ian’s question chilled the atmosphere again.
Regardless of the diplomatic disrespect the ministers did, they still showed such an attitude in King Eloin’s presence.
However, the look on Ian’s face was not one to call such rudeness a joke.
King Eloin also noticed.
‘This boy. He has set this stage ahead.’
No wonder he remained quiet even when he got a seat in the corner.
He must have been silently waiting for this moment, even without a chair.
‘The hero who led the Northern Expedition to victory as well as the king of a country was not given a proper chair or seat.’
According to royal etiquette, even if he was the ruler of a vassal state, his seat would be next to King Eloin.
But his current seat was definitely at the far end.
Ian opened his mouth with a cold gaze.
“It is the Seven Prince who is here, and the supreme commander of the Northern Expedition. And he’s the king of Bahara. Is this the place where he should be standing?”
“…”
The ‘Seventh Prince’ was the one who had achieved first place in the competition.
The ‘supreme commander of the Northern Expedition’ was the one who would receive the glory of the victory ceremony directly from the king.
The ‘king of Bahara’ was a person who would be treated with dignity as the king of a country.
In any of the three positions, Ian’s current seat was absolute nonsense.
The most honored man was seated at the very end of the palace. This was unprecedented even in the long history of Kaistein.
King Eloin shut his mouth.
‘Foolish people. They shot themselves in the foot for trying to keep him in check.’
This totally rendered the king speechless.
The First Princess was equally embarrassed.
‘This guy. Don’t tell me he came with all this in mind.’
It was clear that her decision to hand over Bahara was the worst.
Even so, the First Princess couldn’t say anything.
It was because all the initiative was passed to Ian from a single word she had uttered.
Still, she had to put an end to this situation somehow.
‘If I let the initiative slip any further…’
She didn’t know the worst case that could happen.
And thus, she made the most gentle expression toward Ian.
“Stop it. I make you feel uncomfortable because of my unnecessary concern…”
“Sister, I have already told you to address me properly. I am the supreme commander and the king of Bahara before I am your brother.”
“…!”
“Those who treat others poorly should not expect to be treated well. Don’t you ever hear that saying?”
“…”
The First Princess narrowed her brows.
She already lost her tempo, and now, she was also adding momentum to Ian.
She could only bite her lip.
‘I made a blunder. I should have never given up the throne of Bahara.’
She couldn’t beat the youngest in this situation.
In the end, the First Princess concluded.
‘Only problems arise if I go any further.’
So, she slowly stepped back, her eyes glaring at Ian.
And thus, only King Eloin who had his head held up high in the palace.
Ian might be a king, but he was the king of a vassal state.
King Eloin spoke with dignity as the king of the suzerain country.
“Enough. It is all my fault to blame. In my name, you will be treated as you are due in the future, King Ian of Bahara.”
“Since His Majesty said so, I shall stop.”
Of course, Ian didn’t look convinced.
However, in the brief lull, the ministers quickly moved.
“I, I brought a chair here, Your Majesty Ian.”
“What are you doing instead of moving out of the way? Get out of my way.”
“Y, yes.”
Ian’s seat was quickly set beside King Eloin.
All the other ministers sat apart next to Ian.
They all looked afraid of reprimand.
However, the quick exchange sent through their eyes was different.
‘As long as he is the king of Bahara, he will have to return to Bahara anyway. Be patient, everyone.’
‘Well, how can a king of a vassal state aspire to be the king of a suzerain country? This humiliation is only temporary. Once he returns, we can pay this back manyfolds.’
‘We can demand an unimaginable tribute to him. What can the king of a vassal state do? He should kneel on his own.’
King Eloin noticed their expressions.
Then he smiled and whispered to Ian.
“Are you satisfied now?”
No one would look down on him now.
However, it would not be in his favor if he were to turn them into enemies. To put it in another word, he should stop here.
Ian smiled at his question.
“No, I’m not satisfied yet.”
“!”
King Eloin’s expression was one of a rare surprise.
Ian turned to the king and unhurriedly opened his mouth, but in a way that everyone present could hear.
“I will ask not as the king of Bahara, not as the supreme commander who successfully led the Northern Expedition, but as the seventh prince of Kaistein.”
“!?”
All looked at him with surprise.
Ian continued his words as if making a declaration to everyone.
“I cannot give up neither the king of Bahara nor the throne of Kaistein. So, everyone, please understand that.”
“What?”
A bomb was dropped in the royal palace of Kaistein.
