WMT | Chapter 9

However, Wiss didn’t have much time to dwell on the pathetic state of his descendants.

“What are you looking at? When I call, you should come over.”

“Do you think someone will come to help you?”

One of the men grabbed Wiss’s wrist and pulled him. The hood flipped back, revealing his pale face.

“…”

The men were momentarily speechless.

They had guessed he was attractive just from the lower part of his face visible under the robe. But Wiss’s appearance was beyond their imagination.

Wiss didn’t miss the opportunity and struck the closest man’s chin with his hand. There was no need to use much strength against such lowlifes.

Even without a powerful blow, if the head is shaken, a person can’t remain unscathed. The man’s legs gave out, and he collapsed.

But the direction wasn’t good.

He fell towards Wiss.

‘Damn. Can’t I dodge this?’

Wiss was pinned under the man’s body. This frail body couldn’t handle even one falling person.

The one who caught him from falling was an arm that reached out from behind.

“Are you alright?”

A strong arm grabbed Wiss’s shoulder and set him upright like a child. Wiss staggered and leaned back. The chest of the person behind him supported him, preventing him from falling.

‘…Duke Akazel?’

Why was he here?

“Step back. This is not someone you can mess with.”

He said to the thugs.

Wiss saw the men blocking the way retreat. But one brave guy remained.

“Did you hit me? Are you crazy…?”

Duke Akazel didn’t warn twice. It happened so quickly that Wiss didn’t even see him grab the sword hilt.

In the blink of an eye, the brave man was on his knees.

Thud!

“Ugh… Ugh…”

He gagged as if he was about to vomit his guts out. He had been hit in the stomach with the sword hilt.

‘He went easy on him.’

If the knight had hit properly, there was no way he’d just be vomiting without breaking something.

Only after the brave thug fell did the others notice Duke Akazel’s appearance. The duke was clearly a knight, not someone street thugs could take on.

“A n-noble.”

“Run!”

The thug’s companions fled without looking back. Wiss didn’t bother watching them.

The duke commanded.

“Catch them and hand them over to the guards.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Two of the duke’s guards went after them. Wiss knew they wouldn’t be able to escape.

The problem Wiss faced wasn’t the insignificant gang but the duke who was staring at him.

The duke spoke.

“What brings you here? This doesn’t seem like a place for Your Highness.”

“Why are you here, Duke?”

And why are you here?

The duke looked at Wiss for a moment at the clear retort.

Wiss maintained an innocent expression. He hadn’t done anything strange here.

Though the person he came to meet was up to something strange…

“I was chasing a criminal who entered the palace without permission.”

The duke said.

Wiss almost bit his tongue.

“…A criminal, you say?”

“Yes. The detection magic set up in Summer Castle showed traces of someone ‘banned from entering the palace’ coming and going.”

The fact that the duke was here meant the intruder had fled here.

Someone banned from entering the palace, who had been sneaking in and was now hiding here.

Count Morre.

He had heard the king banned his entry.

Was it a magical ban?

‘Does this guy have no sense?’

Wiss feigned ignorance.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know their identity. But there are indications they fled here, so I was pursuing them. Do you know anything?”

The duke asked formally. But his eyes were fixed on Wiss.

‘I’m being suspected.’

Someone had infiltrated the palace and fled, and the prince was at the place where the fugitive was hiding. Isn’t that suspicious to anyone?

Wiss considered lying but decided against it. His robe seemed noticeable, and so did Count Morre’s. There were many witnesses at the tavern where the count was. Wiss didn’t have a habit of telling lies that would be found out.

“Yes.”

“…You know something?”

“Yes. It seems there’s a misunderstanding. The person who entered the palace didn’t do so with ill intentions.”

Wiss asserted.

“You know who it is.”

Wiss nodded.

“The count came to my room. It was so sudden that I forgot he was banned from entering the palace. I’m sorry I didn’t report it immediately.”

The way to successfully lie is simple. Tell half the truth.

“What did you discuss with the count?”

“It was a personal matter…”

The duke looked at Wiss as if he couldn’t believe it.

“…Did you come to the place where the count fled for personal reasons too?”

“Yes. It’s difficult to explain.”

“…”

Wiss pretended to be embarrassed.

‘I must look like a clueless prince.’

As Wiss expected, the duke frowned and spoke seriously.

“Your Highness, Count Morre is under suspicion. I understand your desire to protect him, but if you remain silent now, it will be hard for you to avoid suspicion as well.”

‘Is this enough?’

Wiss lowered his head. And counted to five. Even a frightened fool would take a moment to think.

Wissmia wasn’t a pathetic fool. A timid royal would find it hard to keep a secret under such questioning.

“Then I’ll tell only the duke. It’s a personal matter, so please keep it confidential.”

“Go ahead.”

“I… came to inform the count of our breakup. The count seems to find it hard to accept, but I’ve found a new love. I thought properly ending things was the right thing to do for an old love.”

The duke’s expression became ambiguous as he listened seriously.

“That new love is…”

“Yes. It’s you, Duke.”

Wiss said with a smile.

‘Try questioning me now.’

For now, it was fortunate that Wissmia was a fool in love.

“…?”

Suddenly, Wiss’s vision was half-covered. The duke had pulled the robe over Wiss’s face.

“…I’ll confront the count when he’s caught. In the meantime, please refrain from actions that might arouse unnecessary suspicion.”

The duke seemed surprised by his own actions, looking at his hand before releasing Wiss.

Only then did Wiss realize he had been leaning against the duke’s chest.

To be precise, he had been treating the duke as a pillar to lean on.

‘Sturdy.’

Wiss thought with a hint of bitterness.

Had he ever allowed anyone other than his adjutant to stand behind him?

That was the adjutant’s place. Even when he entrusted his guard to another knight in the adjutant’s absence, he never forgot that someone else was behind him.

This body was not only frail but seemed to be lacking in many ways.

“I will. I only have the duke in my heart, so I really don’t want to be suspected of harboring another man.”

The duke sighed.

“Where is the carriage you came in? This place is dangerous, so please return.”

Then he extended his hand. Wiss looked at it, then realized.

‘Is he offering to escort me?’

Living long enough, you see everything.

Wiss didn’t take the hand and asked.

“Are you returning with me, Duke?”

“I’ll escort you to the carriage. Is that inconvenient?”

“I’m delighted.”

Wiss placed his hand on the duke’s. Even with the playful gesture, the duke’s expression soured.

“…”

‘Well, whatever.’

For now, he had cleared the suspicion.

Wiss decided to leave the place quickly. Since the duke offered to escort him, he couldn’t stay in such a suspicious place any longer.

‘I’ll have to investigate the tavern next time.’

── .✦

The duke assigned one of his guards to Wiss. Thanks to that, Wiss couldn’t slip away on another path.

The reason for sending Wiss alone in the carriage was obvious.

The duke wasn’t returning to the palace. He would stay and continue investigating the palace intruder.

‘He’ll probably catch Count Morre first.’

There was no need to worry.

As long as the count wasn’t completely foolish, he could coordinate his story and get out of it. Wiss had personally made him out to be the fool of the century.

The problem was after the count got away.

How would the King of Palatine plan to attack the duke?

The Summer army was under the duke’s control.

Even if Count Morre gathered people personally, it was hard to imagine a significant number would join.

Wiss frowned.

The count was confident. He wasn’t someone who couldn’t do basic math, so there must be some plan.

‘I don’t know.’

Wiss pushed the unsolvable problem out of his mind.

What he knew was something else.

When the attack would happen.

“Yeah. Waiting for Your Highness to marry that person is nonsense…”

Didn’t the count say it himself?

He wouldn’t wait for Wiss’s wedding.

‘This guy is going to cause trouble.’

Regardless of the King of Palatine’s intentions, the attack was likely to happen urgently.

“Your Highness. His Majesty wishes to dine with you.”

Upon returning to the palace, Wiss received a summons from the king.

“Wiss! Are you in your right mind?”

As soon as Wiss entered the dining room, King Jeremiah shouted.

“…?”

“You… It wasn’t you, was it? Surely you didn’t bring your lover into the palace…”

“The intruder was indeed Count Morre.”

“What!”

The king jumped up.

‘This wasn’t a dining invitation.’

Wiss looked at the empty plate.

“I thought you had come to your senses when you went to see the duke. Why are you doing this? You’re an adult now. You’re the heir to the kingdom. You should have at least a minimum sense of responsibility.”

‘Are you one to talk?’

Wiss held back his words, considering that King Jeremiah was this body’s father.

The king clenched his fist and, as if making a decision, squeezed out his voice.

“This won’t do. Even if I care for you, there’s a limit. Prepare yourself.”

“What do you mean?”

“An engagement!”

‘Damn, what is this now?’