I feel a sense of relief inside.
Talking about school life is much more comfortable than bringing up Nicolaus.
Before I could open my mouth again, the King gestured toward the teacup.
I took a sip of tea and answered his question.
"I'm getting along well with him. I can only be grateful for all the help he provides."
"Isn't it the other way around?"
"Sorry?"
"Is the Crown Prince not giving you a hard time?"
Hard time?
I couldn't believe my ears. The person I read about in the novel wasn't someone who would disparage his own child like this.
"Not at all."
"That can't be right."
As he stared at me with a face that seemed to ask why, he continued speaking.
"Hasn't the Crown Prince told you about his magic?"
"…Ah."
Now I understood what he was talking about.
Come to think of it, of course, he would know about Leo's passion for magic.
"He has."
To be precise, Leo never mentioned it, but still.
The King burst into laughter with a more relaxed expression.
"Hahaha! I thought it was strange when he insisted on making a citizenship card for his classmate, and it turns out that his friend is Lucas Askanian, so it makes sense."
"Does it?"
"He must have been fulfilling a childhood wish. Since he got all the teachers he wanted when he was young, he thought he could make friends the same way."
I already knew from the novel's description of Leo's inner thoughts, but saying this out loud wouldn't be good from a child's perspective.
If Leo were here, he'd want to shut his father's mouth.
'Well, the only person we both know is Leo…'
Until we get to the main point, it seems we'll continue having conversations that are unfavorable to Leo.
The King smiled as he looked out the window and then spoke again.
"I said I've already met you as Lucas Askanian."
"Yes."
"I remember people being delighted, thinking you would become the pillar of your family since you showed the greatest magic potential in the history of the family from such a young age. Especially the Duke of Anhalt."
"...."
Now, even if he tells me these dreamlike stories…
Although I'm not Luca, listening to this story now when I am perceived as him by everyone and must live as him makes me uncomfortable.
Hearing about lost glory isn't something everyone can do comfortably.
"Come to think of it, do you know that the Hohenzollerns wanted to adopt you because of your outstanding magical talent?"
"...Excuse me?"
A question slipped out unintentionally.
In truth, it's common for a strong mage born into a lower family to be scouted by wealthier or higher-status families.
Generally speaking, it's common for requests to be exchanged between families of similar ranks.
It's purely for political purposes. Magical strength translates directly into wealth, honor, and social standing.
But even if it's common, the royal family is still the royal family.
Since the direct line already has a successor, they must have wanted to adopt Luca into some branch family. Still, it seems wasteful to pass up such a great opportunity and raise him like this.
'...Phew…'
It reminds me of the cigarettes I quit a long time ago.
Anyway, those who are of no help in life are always family….
"You're quite agitated."
"No, I'm not…."
"I figured you wouldn't know since Askanian rejected it outright. Come to think of it, it was never seriously considered, but we also discussed it once on our side."
He squinted his eyes, recalling the memory.
"It was right after the second visit, but it wasn't the right time as there were already bad rumors about you."
"...."
If it was the second visit, I would have been six years old, when rumors spread about Luca killing someone.
Although the rumor about Pleroma spread throughout the empire across all classes a few years later, in aristocratic circles, doubts that Luca might be a Pleroma began circulating right after the murder incident.
Did they discuss it at that time?
'I know who brought it up.'
The only one who would bring up adoption by the Wittelsbachs after the murder incident is….
It can only be young Leo, who visited our duchy.
'Scary words to make a friend.'
No matter how legitimate Leo's blood is, in a world where magic is everything, taking in the wrong person could lead to a succession fight, ending everything. Trying to make a friend could create a lifelong rival.
Still, six-year-olds don't usually think that far. It's a fitting idea for someone his age.
The King laughed heartily as if he understood my thoughts from my expression.
"Hahaha, I can tell what you're thinking."
"Yes…. Let's say I didn't hear it."
"That's fine. I'm not telling you to change sides now, so it doesn't matter."
The King immediately continued.
"Do you know why I'm telling you this?"
"I have an idea."
"Good. It's from the time between your first and second visits. I remember hearing that the second son of Askanian killed someone, born with Pleroma's nature."
I nodded slightly.
I had nothing to say.
"Strong magical power is only revered when it's on our side, but not when it's on the side of evil. Isn't it obvious what someone with that kind of magical power would eventually do? I also don't need to say what happened to Askanian after that… I'm sure you know."
"I do."
The King silently drank his tea and then spoke calmly.
"Are you still doing well? Drink it before it gets cold."
"...."
Although I said I was okay, my words were getting faster.
Every time the past is brought up, I feel my mood sink. It's probably because I have to bear the weight of that name all by myself now. I briefly thought of an appropriate response and made a short apology.
"I apologize, Your Majesty."
"No, it's a natural reaction."
He's doing this even though he knows….
I tried my best to wipe the sullen expression off my face as I pondered.
"I still remember how the Imperial family repeatedly warned Askanian to hand you over. From their perspective, they couldn't stand idly by while the strongest successor in Askanian's history turned out to be a Pleroma. Of course, they would do whatever they could to stop it. Isn't that right?"
"Yes."
"As a result, Askanian had to swear a solemn oath that they would never cause any trouble in the Empire before they were allowed to keep you at their estate."
The moment Luca was sent to the imperial family, the fact that he wasn't a Pleroma would be revealed. My brother desperately protected Luca and made that oath with the imperial family.
This is the first time I've heard this from someone else, but it's already a well-known story.
However, I don't think I was called here just to talk about things Luca already knew.
Before I could finish that thought, the King looked me in the eye and spoke quietly.
"And, one of the monitoring countries that participated in that oath was Bavaria."
I met his icy blue eyes and contemplated.
'A monitoring country, huh?'
So Askanian and the imperial family weren't the only ones involved in the oath.
This is definitely new.
"Bavaria was the first to join after the imperial family brought it up. From that day on, Bavaria was in charge of monitoring you, a Pleroma."
"...."
"Do you feel betrayed?"
The King clasped his hands together on the table and smiled leisurely.
I stared at his face for a moment and then smiled.
Why would I feel betrayed?
I actually feel grateful for this.
"No, I don't."
The King burst into laughter.
"I was curious to see if you'd be surprised or if you'd realize it immediately. As expected, you figured it out right away."
"Of course I did. My life was at stake."
"Yes, it would have been strange if you hadn't realized it right away. I sided with Askanian to stop the imperial family from killing you. That's the significance of a monitoring country and a monitoring family."
Considering that no one knew the Pleroma rumor was false, I can think positively that the countries that volunteered to monitor Luca in exchange for not killing him bore no ill will toward him.
In fact, if I had been captured by the imperial family, my brother's plan would have been completely ruined, but….
It's hard to say that the monitoring countries were an important factor in making his plan succeed.
The imperial family had no reason to refuse the oath proposed by Askanian in the first place.
Since Askanian declared responsibility for Luca with the oath, if any problem arose in the future, the imperial family could hold Askanian accountable for everything.
"I have no interest in whether you inherited the characteristics of a Pleroma or not. Whatever you've inherited, your future will change depending on Askanian's education and support, so I judged that you have a chance to live an ordinary life. But…."
"...."
"To think that you didn't even have those characteristics?"
Now the smile had completely disappeared from his face.
Just as I was wondering about his reaction, he cleared his throat and continued.
"Adrian Askanian plotted against his four-year-old brother to become the ruler of the Duchy of Anhalt…. It sounds like nonsense, like a ridiculous story you'd hear in passing. After all, fourteen years ago, he was only eleven years old."
I didn't respond, only nodded slightly.
That's understandable.
But regardless of how it seems, it's something that already happened.
At eleven years old here, you're twelve in Korea.
Saying things like, "How could a twelve-year-old think that way?" or "How could they plan so meticulously?" are meaningless.
Just because you're young doesn't mean you're less intelligent, and my brother had a nature that would lead him to be a politician if things went well, or a conman if they didn't.
And if you question how a twelve-year-old could have such thoughts… when you look at it retrospectively, you find the answer.
Seeing as he killed someone simply because he wanted to succeed instead of his brother, it's clear that, from the foundation, he's different from others.
The imperial family should have executed my brother, not me.
"But considering that the offer from Wittelsbach to examine you personally was repeatedly rejected, and the fact that Adrian Askanian was never regarded as a successor to the title of Duke of Anhalt after your magical power manifested, it doesn't seem like such an impossible story."
The King spoke immediately.
"Of course, that's not to say I was certain of the Crown Prince's words. Until I saw your true identity with my own eyes, in other words, until just yesterday, I wouldn't have believed this story, no matter who told it to me."
"I understand."
"So, I have no right to scold you and the Crown Prince for not telling the truth. After all, I wouldn't have believed that our empire was fooled by lies for over ten years."
How honest.
In fact, that's a normal stance to take.
After a long pause, he opened his mouth to speak.
"But since things have turned out this way, there's no reason to stand idle with folded arms. So I'd like to make a proposal to you."
"Please go ahead."
He clasped his hands together gently and smiled.
"Before that, let me ask you one thing. When do you plan to reveal your identity? Would you do it now if you had my help?"