Prince Louis couldn't read minds, so he maintained his formal, serious tone: “I have heard of Sir Levive’s quick wit and courage even back in Friedman, though rumors are always sparse. I look forward to hearing Sir Levive recount your experiences in person.”
Lynch quickly decoded what the little prince meant: he just wanted to hear a detective story. Give me a break. I’m not that bored. If I had spare time, I’d rather go back and catch up on sleep.
Before Lynch could even roll his eyes or open his mouth to decline, the little prince continued:
“My royal grandmother is deeply grateful for Sir Levive’s valor. Before I departed, she specifically instructed me to learn the full story from Sir Levive so I could tell it to her upon my return. Lande has always been a nation of gentlemen. A gentleman like Sir Levive certainly wouldn't let an old lady’s expectations go unfulfilled, would you?”
Do you seriously think I’m stupid?
If you want to hear a story, just say so. Dragging your own grandmother into this to pull a fast one—is there not a single kid in this world who doesn't cause a headache? If you want to listen, couldn't you just ask directly? Though if you asked directly, I... I definitely still wouldn't bother with you.
Ever since transmigrating, Lynch was still unaccustomed to close contact with these big figures. It always felt like opening his front door one day to find the president of a country standing there staring at him. It wasn't fear, just complete awkwardness all over.
Just as he was about to refuse, he saw Miss Diana behind the prince give him a subtle wink. Their implicit tacit understanding allowed him to grasp her meaning instantly, and he swallowed his excuse.
Only then did the little prince nod with satisfaction. Maintaining his dignified composure, guided by that beautiful servant of Joy, he met with the leaders of Lande’s four churches one by one. On behalf of the royal family, the little prince respectfully offered homage to the gods in a practiced, proper manner, not looking like a ten-year-old child at all.
“Louis Leon, ten years old, a member of the new generation of the Lion family, third son of King Carlos Leon VII of Friedman,” Miss Diana introduced in a low murmur after the prince walked away. “If he ascends the throne in the future, he will be Louis XVI.”
Erm... he really is named Louis XVI.
Hearing this name, Lynch honestly didn't know what expression to make. He could only inwardly wish that years from now, the kid wouldn't get bored and invent a guillotine for fun.
“This time, he is the sole representative of the Friedman royal family.”
“Huh? Making a ten-year-old kid the representative? Even if he’s royal, isn't that inappropriate?”
“For any other nation, it would indeed be inappropriate, but Friedman is an exception.”
Diana gave a slightly helpless smile. Listening to her explanation, Lynch finally understood the complex entanglements involved.
The Lion family did it on purpose. Given the feud between the two nations, if they sent an adult royal member for something involving owing a favor, the Lande people would surely seize the opportunity to mock and embarrass them. While they wouldn't cross the line, it would definitely be a blow to their pride. So, they simply sent the youngest prince.
It was a blatantly shameless move: try picking on a ten-year-old child if you dare, and see who ends up looking bad.
The key was that this shameless behavior was actually reasonable because the relationship between the two royal families was extremely complicated.
Though they had been arch-enemies for hundreds of years, they were also close blood relatives. Over a thousand years of frequent intermarriage, their blood ties had grown closer and closer.
By generational rank, Prince Louis should call Princess Sophia “cousin-aunt,” because King Carlos VII's second wife was Emperor Rudolph II's distant niece. Yet Princess Sophia should call King Carlos VII “uncle,” because Emperor Rudolph II's first wife was King Carlos VII's biological sister.
In short, relatives could beat each other up all they wanted, but if they sent their kid over to your house to play, you still had to treat him well without being impolite. It was indeed a bit shameless, but the Lande royal family couldn't say much because they had done the exact same thing in the past.
Thus, the ball was kicked back to Lande's court, and how to host him became the biggest dilemma.
Making it too grand would seem like fawning over an enemy; sending just an official like other nations' delegations would seem cold toward relatives. Setting the standard too high meant aiding the enemy, while setting it too low would humiliate the state.
No matter how they did it, someone could find fault with it. This had given Duke Vane and Princess Sophia quite a headache, which led to the present solution.
The little prince arrived on the church fleet, and the leaders of Lande’s four major churches stepped forward together to greet them. This was already the highest specification of courtesy—even Carlos VII himself wouldn't receive such treatment upon arrival. However, the main target of the welcome was the church leadership from across the strait, not strictly the little prince. The little prince was primarily handled by a member of a prominent noble family. Balancing it this way meant they had a ready excuse even if criticized.
To this, Lynch expressed... he expressed nothing at all. He had given up on thinking.
Palace intrigue dramas didn't have this many tangled messes. He was completely dizzy, his train of thought still stuck on untangling the relationship between the two families.
“Do not view him as a child, Mr. Lynch,” Diana said solemnly. “Especially when he shows his childish side.”
“Hmm?”
“To become the most favored prince in the Friedman court, he could never be just a willful child. People like us are trained from childhood to hide our true emotions to avoid giving others weaknesses to exploit. Of course, humans make mistakes, especially at his age, and occasionally reveal their true desires. Perhaps he really does want to hear an adventure story, but can you truly be certain that this was merely an accidental slip on his part?”
How the hell would I be certain? Better safe than sorry.
Lynch pulled out his pipe and popped it into his mouth to clear his mind. “So he did it on purpose. He used that as an excuse to create an opportunity to be alone with us. It seems he has something to tell us, but must guard against someone by his side. Hiss... Looking at it this way, this matter might be even more serious than I previously thought.”
“Your thinking remains as sharp as ever; a simple hint is enough for you to see the key point,” Diana said. “I think if he really came with a purpose and wants to contact us in private, he will always find a way. Rather than making trouble for ourselves, we might as well take this chance to hear what he has to say while all three of us are present. If anything comes up, we can discuss it immediately.”
“Mm, I’ll follow your lead,” Officer Natalie said. “This is our home turf, so at least we don't have to worry about him acting against us. Hearing him out won't hurt.”
The three quickly reached an agreement. Watching Prince Louis exchange pleasantries with the church representatives for a bit, they saw a mature smile flicker across his youthful face as he turned back and noticed the three hadn't left.
The smile vanished in a flash, and His Highness the Prince immediately resumed his willful act. He warmly invited the three to share his carriage to his hotel, completely disregarding his court protocol officer’s desperate attempts to stop him. The poor protocol officer couldn't override His Highness and ultimately had to yield, though he muttered indignantly that these Lande people were utterly rude, not even knowing how to decline such an improper request from His Highness.
Then let us enjoy the highest level of security measures for once.
The three boarded the luxurious carriage reserved for the Friedman royal family. Outside, hundreds of Governor's Guards and a group of Watchers provided tight escort. Lynch didn't look outside much; as soon as he got into the carriage, he activated his Phantasmal Sound ability to isolate the interior noise.
Sure enough, after a period of silence during the ride, Prince Louis suddenly spoke up.
“I come this time on behalf of my royal grandmother to speak with you regarding the Shadow Alliance. I—a member of Friedman's royal family, third son of His Majesty Carlos VII—need to ask for your help.”
Huh?
The three looked at one another, subconsciously holding their breath.
Rate on N.U.
