"No, no!"
The group quickly refused in unison, shaking their heads like rattles.
"If such an order were given, even the Queen could end up in prison!"
"Prison?"
"Just because the succession war has started doesn't mean it's a free-for-all with no legal consequences," Ronnel explained to the slightly puzzled Kurapika.
"Didn't the Kakin Empire officially sanction the succession war?" one of the three Hunter Association specialists asked.
Ronnel nodded. "They did—but the king never said that killing another prince would be pardoned or exempt from prosecution~"
"Is that so…"
Everyone went quiet, reflecting on the rules of the succession battle. It was true—the announcement had only stated that the last one standing would inherit the throne. It never clarified whether or not a prince would be punished for killing another.
Of course, if only one person survived, no one would be left to question them. But if a prince was killed too early—especially in a blatant way—it was very likely the perpetrator would become the target of public outrage and punishment under Kakin law.
If that's the case...
"The princes can only resort to assassination—an assassination without a trace. So clean that no one has proof, or even if they do suspect you, they can't act on it," Ronnel said plainly, laying out the cold logic of the situation.
"So, the method to achieve that kind of assassination... I don't have to spell it out, do I?"
The three guards from the Association, including Kurapika, all nodded solemnly.
What else could pull that off but Nen?
Seeing Ronnel's clear grasp of the situation, the other seven guards—those assigned by the royal family—gave a stiff, bitter smile, uglier than crying.
"You also know that, without the king's explicit authorization, harming the princes and Queens is a serious crime. We're just guards. We're not crossing that line."
"After all, it's our lives on the line too~"
"Then if not you... who would move against the other princes?" asked Queen Oito, her voice sharp with tension as she cradled the Fourteenth Prince in her arms.
The guards glanced at one another, uneasy. Eventually, one of them spoke up, finally yielding under pressure.
"It's... the princes themselves."
"What?! What are you saying?!" Queen Oito looked horrified.
The princes had carefully divided up the palace to avoid direct conflict, and now these guards were claiming the princes themselves didn't need assassins?
Another guard responded calmly: "They've already undergone the egg-in-the-pot ceremony. That's not just a rumor—it's how they received Nen abilities."
"That's just gossip!" the Queen snapped, her nerves fraying.
Kurapika stepped in with a timely question:
"Nen takes time to cultivate. Why would ordinary people suddenly be able to use it? And when exactly was this ceremony held?"
"About a month ago…"
A month? That's far too short.
By conventional training methods, no one could go from zero to battle-ready Nen user in a month... unless—
"They're parasitic Nen beasts," Ronnel said matter-of-factly.
"They feed on the host's life energy—using their aura as nourishment. Most of them are conjured by Transmuters or Manipulators. The host isn't aware and can't control the beast at all."
"This type of Nen creates beasts that reflect the user's traits—some protect the host, others attack. It doesn't matter if the host can use Nen. In fact, it's often better if they can't."
"No matter how much aura the parasitic Nen drains, the host only feels a vague fatigue."
...
This was the truth behind the beasts born from the egg-in-the-pot ceremony.
Back when Ronnel studied under Bisky, she'd once told him about these kinds of Nen phenomena during one of her stories from the field.
Parasitic Nen is ancient. It still survives in isolated regions—remote villages, tribal clans, deep in the mountains.
It's like cultivating the next generation through brutal survival of the fittest—similar to the Gu-raising practices in folklore.
The three Association guards clearly recognized what Ronnel was talking about. But even they hadn't expected this ancient and cruel practice to be embraced by a modern powerhouse like the Kakin Empire.
Now that the truth was out, the pieces began falling into place.
While suspicion still lingered around the royal guards, it was clear that much of what they said was true. Their presence was no longer hidden, and Queen Oito—already feeling overwhelmed—was now even more anxious about the future.
...
"In any case," Ronnel said gently, "since the royal family assigned you to protect Prince Woble, forget about your previous allegiances. From now on, know your roles and carry them out properly."
As he smiled kindly, the seven guards felt their hearts skip a beat. Something about that smile... it was too kind.
"Of course, I won't make things difficult for you. If anyone still wishes to remain loyal to their original prince—"
Ronnel leaned forward slightly, voice calm, yet heavy with meaning.
"—I'd be more than happy to fulfill that wish~"
He emphasized the word just enough for the message to land.
The seven guards weren't stupid. They quickly caught the implication, froze for a moment... then began nodding frantically.
"We'll swear loyalty!"
"We're completely committed to Prince Woble's safety!"
"And to the Queen! We'll protect you with our lives!!"
...
"Good."Ronnel nodded with satisfaction.
"Her Highness is very generous. But—"
Without warning, a row of strange capsule-like tubes appeared in Ronnel's hand. There were exactly seven of them.
"You'll still have to pay a small price... for keeping secrets~"
The guards paled.
It was already clear that these weren't just party favors.
"I'm sorry! We apologize for hiding the truth! We'll dedicate ourselves to guarding the Fourteenth Prince!"
"And the Queen! We'll give everything we've got!!"
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Fanfic is completed on patreon.com/FanficsHub (799 chapters in total)