Chapter 62. The Day Before the Founding Festival
“Hm?”
Tiring.
[Skill, Superhuman Intuition activates.]
[Someone's killing intent is felt.]
[The threat of death approaches!]
Radel quickly looked around upon hearing the familiar alert.
Coincidentally, the skill had activated in the cafeteria, but looking around, he couldn't see anything that could be a threat to his life.
But the activation of Superhuman Intuition definitely meant danger.
Radel's gaze shifted to the meal placed before him.
‘I have a hunch.’
Without hesitation, Radel took out a detoxification potion from his pocket.
“What are you doing in the middle of a meal?”
Inette, sitting across from him, asked when Radel suddenly took out the detoxification potion.
“There's something I need to check.”
Radel answered calmly and sprinkled the detoxification potion on the fork he was holding.
Chiiik!
Smoke rose from the fork as the potion touched it.
It meant it was coated with poison.
Gusto's expression hardened as he rose from his seat.
“I must inform the cafeteria staff.”
“There’s no need. Someone just swapped mine.”
Inette's mouth fell open as if that was absurd.
“No way. Is that even possible?”
“Of course. Gusto, you can do this much, can't you?”
“……Yes, it's possible.”
Radel looked at the affirming Gusto and thought.
The assassin was someone with skills similar to Gusto, who possessed the ‘Unseen Hand’.
It was also noteworthy that while they had attempted assassination from hiding until now, this time they had come very close.
‘Their methods are getting bolder.’
The ones targeting him were not just some ragtag group. They were undoubtedly highly trained assassins.
“Then what do we do? It’s clearly an assassination attempt. Don't tell me you're just going to let it slide?”
Inette asked with a serious expression.
No matter how accustomed royals were to assassination attempts due to the fight for the throne, this case was different. For this to happen even inside the academy was absurd.
Inette had also experienced assassination attempts occasionally in the Imperial Capital. But there were guards protecting the 7th Princess's Palace, and the 3rd Imperial Consort's personal escort, so she wasn't so defenselessly targeted.
However, Radel took something out from his pocket as if it was nothing.
“It's fine. I prepared for something like this.”
Inette was left speechless seeing him nonchalantly take out a fork and knife wrapped in cloth and prepare to eat.
“I won't go down that easily either. Don't worry and let's eat.”
Radel reassured Gusto and Inette by showing them he was drinking the rest of the detoxification potion.
At that, Inette also nodded obediently.
“Right, who would've thought you'd carry something like that around. I feel sorry for the assassin who has to target you.”
“A truly pitiful person. If they knew the Prince's profound intention in letting this slide, they would surely repent on their own.”
Hearing Gusto's words, Inette frowned as if she found it ridiculous.
“How does that look like he's letting it slide?”
“Princess, you don't know the Prince. His Highness is intentionally letting them off. He is giving the sinner a chance.”
“Him? To my eyes, he looks like he's enjoying this situation.”
Radel was flustered by the two suddenly starting a fight over him.
He had been hiding the fact that he had overcome several life-threatening situations over the past few days, thinking that Inette and Gusto wouldn't stay still if they knew.
If the two of them stepped in, Radel's plan to catch the main body, not just the tail, could go awry.
‘I was being careful because things would get too complicated if they found out.’
However, contrary to Radel's expectations, Inette and Gusto fought in a completely different direction.
“You have no idea how clever he is, do you? He has like ten cunning snakes inside him!”
Radel was inwardly surprised at Inette's words.
To think she thought of him that way.
The term 'cunning snake' was a bit much, but he hadn't known she considered him clever.
“You're being too harsh. You may not admit it, Princess, but the Prince has a more generous heart than anyone.”
He was also surprised by Gusto’s words. It reminded him of the past when he had worked with Gusto to threaten several people.
To think that even after going through all that together, he still believed in his goodness.
Radel learned that one could feel quite good listening to someone else's fight.
“What? Are you saying I have a bad heart then?!”
Inette finally exploded at Gusto’s words, and Radel urgently tried to stop her.
And so, he failed to notice that the assassin was close by.
* * *
‘I’m confident this time.’
The successor of the Black Fang, Tunia Fiore, who had succeeded in applying poison to Radel’s fork, was sitting behind Radel with a cold face.
A true assassin confirms the success of an assassination until the very end. Even after flawlessly applying the poison, she remained near Radel, observing the situation.
When the unsuspecting Radel finally picked up the fork, Tunia was sure of her success.
‘Yes, put it in your mouth just like that!’
But as if he had noticed something, he immediately took out a detoxification potion from his pocket and poured it on the fork!
‘How did he know?’
Although she maintained an icy expression, Tunia's mind had long lost its composure. On top of that, the 7th Princess and the apprentice holy knight of the Supreme Deity Order had also noticed the assassination attempt.
Everything was gradually turning against Tunia.
The moment the assassination failed, she should have left immediately, but Tunia couldn't bring herself to do so. She desperately wanted to find out the reason for her failure.
“I feel sorry for the assassin who has to target you.”
Then, she was shocked by Inette's words.
“The Prince is intentionally letting them off.”
When she heard Gusto's words, she couldn't help but bite her lip.
‘So my guess was right after all…….’
Tunia even felt confused by Radel's calm demeanor.
She had never imagined that someone who had almost been poisoned to death would so casually start eating again.
The words of the instructor who taught her in her childhood came to mind.
‘No matter how skilled an assassin is, there are opponents from whom you must flee without looking back.’
‘Who would that be?’
To her younger self, the training instructor had seemed truly amazing.
Tunia had been curious about the opponent that even such an instructor said one must flee from.
‘That would be a madman.’
Perhaps, this time, she had finally encountered such an opponent.
Her face turned pale as she realized the chilling fact.
Radel held out the fork to Armandy.
Armandy looked at it with a reluctant expression.
“What is this?”
“What do you think? A gift.”
It was the poisoned fork that Radel had saved from lunchtime.
He had brought it, thinking that Armandy, who belonged to the Ability Management Bureau, might be able to find something out.
Hearing Radel's explanation, Armandy felt a strange sensation.
It was a feeling that he was being trusted quite a bit.
He also thought it was quite impressive that the 8th Prince, who was still severely lacking in skill, was managing to fend off assassination threats somehow.
“It's your mission to watch me, Armandy. Isn't it?”
“I'm not only monitoring you, Your Highness, but yes, that's correct.”
“Then it would be helpful if you took this to the Ability Management Bureau.”
Wondering if Radel was even considering his performance record, Armandy 괜히 wiped under his nose with his index finger.
He thought he was just a psycho, but maybe he had some decent sides to him……?
“Now that I've done this much, you can handle the rest, right?”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that…….”
Radel patted Armandy's shoulder and smiled.
“The name of the poison on this, a list of assassin's guilds in the Empire, the types of organizations that have infiltrated the academy, and if possible, information on their members—I think you can bring all of that, Armandy.”
Armandy's mouth fell open in shock.
Of course, he had occasionally given information to the 8th Prince, but that was only up to a point where it wouldn't cause problems.
Especially the last one, wasn't that asking for information about the Ability Management Bureau that had infiltrated the academy?
It was a given that such information should not be carelessly disclosed to an outsider.
“You don't want to? Then I'll take it back.”
When Armandy didn't answer easily, Radel shrugged and pulled the fork back.
It was obvious that being able to take a tool used in an assassination attempt on the 8th Prince to the Ability Management Bureau would be a huge achievement.
It was too sweet a temptation.
‘You devil.’
Armandy said, gritting his teeth tightly.
“I'wll bwing it.”
“Hm? I can't hear you well.”
“……I will bring the information.”
“That's Armandy for you. Reliable.”
It had been a close call; it would have been troublesome if Armandy had refused, but things worked out well.
‘Now, with Armandy's information, I should be able to narrow it down.’
Over the past few days of experiencing assassination attempts, Radel had been identifying the characteristics of the assassin trying to kill him.
They always targeted only Radel, and attempted attacks that could somehow be disguised as accidents.
Above all, the assassin was careful not to involve anyone other than Radel.
They seemed very cautious, as they didn't reveal themselves or attack aggressively even when he was deliberately alone.
It was not an easy task to draw out an opponent who was this careful.
But what about a place where there were no prying eyes?
For example, like the Imperial Capital’s hunting competition.
‘If they won't come out, I just have to make them come out.’
Radel had no intention of missing this opportunity.
* * *
The day before the Founding Festival.
Radel, along with Gusto, rode in Inette's carriage and passed through the gate stone.
‘Connecting space to space in an instant, how convenient.’
It was a means of transportation befitting an empire where magic had developed dazzlingly.
The carriage that passed through the gate stone arrived in the capital of the Cretian Empire, Levarsen, in the blink of an eye.
Seeing the Imperial Capital in the distance, Inette shouted in an excited voice.
“Home!”
Seeing the Imperial Capital, Radel also felt a sense of welcome.
And at the same time, a question arose.
“Why did you suggest we take a carriage when it's so quick?”
When Radel asked, Inette scoffed.
“Isn't it obvious? I have so much luggage to bring back! This is why I can't talk to people without carriages. A carriage is a bag, you see. A big bag!”
It was a new perspective.
While Radel was marveling, Inette grumbled.
“You don't have a carriage, so you don't know this convenience. When on earth are you going to buy one? It's not like you don't have money.”
“True.”
It seemed like it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy one this time.
The carriage continued on and stopped in front of the Grand Temple.
It was where Gusto was to get off.
“Thank you for the ride, Princess.”
After politely thanking Inette, Gusto also spoke to Radel.
“The Holy Knights will not be able to attend this year's Founding Festival. I heard that His Majesty did not invite the Archbishop. So it will be difficult for me to see you in the Imperial Capital as well.”
“I see. I guess we can see each other after the hunting competition.”
“……Yes. You must take care of yourself.”
Radel nodded to reassure Gusto.
Then Gusto looked at Inette and pleaded.
“Please, Your Highness, take good care of the Prince.”
“Do you think I'm his guardian? Well, it's true I'm his older sister, but.”
“It might be a good idea to act like a real older sister this time.”
“Are you saying I'm usually a fake one?!”
The two bickered even in that short moment.