Chapter 78

Mr. Benito, who was in charge of the physical education class, looked out over the field, trying to suppress a grin. Every year, when he started teaching the territory capture game, he had to be careful and it was quite troublesome. He had to choose the leaders.

He announced that the leaders would be chosen based on academic performance, but in reality, he made some adjustments. For example, if he made a timid student from a viscount's family a leader, it would be pitiful for the student. On the other hand, choosing leaders based on student recommendations would also cause problems. In the royal academy, where many students from noble families attended, there were often students with bad personalities who still needed to be praised due to their connections. It was safer to choose based on academic performance.

In practice, he selected students from families of marquises and above who seemed to have a bit of a strong personality. Students from good families were generally well-educated and excellent, so everyone was satisfied.

This time, with the first prince being the top student, Prince Euseus was chosen without any complaints. For the first group, Glen Donato was the obvious choice. The second group also had a suitable excellent student, so there was no need to worry. The other three, besides Euseus, seemed a bit too strong-willed, but they would likely lead their teams well.

Thus, in the first class of the territory capture game, the leaders were announced and the team members were chosen. To ensure fairness, the four leaders drew lots to determine the order in which they would choose their desired team members. The teacher's role was just to observe, which was quite relaxing.

The crown prince drew the fourth lot, revealing his bad luck, but Euseus himself remained calm. The leader of the second group, Sadess, who drew the first lot, chose a physically strong student from the second group, not his usual friend. The friend who was ignored glared at him. Benito hoped their friendship wouldn't be damaged.

At such times, it was important to consult with friends thoroughly. To navigate the rough waters of the noble world, it was necessary to win people's hearts, Benito thought with a serious expression, though he didn't show it on his face.

The second and third leaders chose their usual friends, who seemed to have good athletic skills, so there was no need to hesitate. When it was Euseus's turn, he quickly chose Lucian Vione. Lucian came over, and the prince smiled happily. Benito thought it was a rare, innocent smile.

The students around them probably thought that Lucian, being Euseus's cousin and close friend, was chosen before Patrice, who was usually closer to the prince. Did anyone notice that Patrice looked relieved and happy?

Benito, however, was thinking something different. Patrice was happy that his master had secured Lucian. The teachers in charge of Euseus and Lucian knew Lucian's true identity. He was a scholarship student, a special case.

Benito knew from his network of information that Lucian's aunt, the queen, was an expert in body enhancement magic, and that Lucian's biological mother had performed at a superhuman level in prison. He also noticed that Euseus often dragged Lucian to the library during lunch breaks to hide him.

This was going to be interesting, Benito thought, trying to suppress a grin.

There were 18 boys in the first group and 22 in the second, making a total of 40. This was the perfect number for a simplified version of the territory capture game.

The simplified rules were straightforward. The rectangular field was divided into four sections: "enemy stealth area," "territory," "enemy territory," and "ally stealth area." The stealth areas were narrow and thin, meaning the territory was surrounded by the enemy.

Only one or two "scouts" could enter the stealth areas. Scouts wouldn't die if hit by the enemy, but they wouldn't score points even if they survived until the end.

The game used different colored armbands to indicate roles, and the points for surviving varied. The "king" was worth 50 points, "advisors" and "officers" were worth 20 points, and the rest of the infantry were worth 3 points, making it a harsh system for the common soldiers.

Euseus chose Patrice after Lucian and then selected students who seemed to have good athletic skills, regardless of whether they were nobles or merchants. It seemed he based his choices on individual ability. From his interactions with Patrice, it was clear that Patrice served as an information source, a role befitting a close advisor. If Euseus hadn't used Patrice's information network until now, he was quite impressive. Or perhaps he thought the other leaders were unlikely to choose Patrice.

If Euseus understood the value of information at this age, the royal family's education was indeed excellent.

Once the teams were decided, the leaders distributed the armbands. Euseus made Patrice wear an infantry armband first, and Patrice smiled wryly. Lucian got an advisor armband. Some of the other members looked at this choice critically, but Euseus remained in a good mood.

"Shall we start the game?" Benito asked cheerfully.

Within a few minutes of the game starting, the students understood why Euseus had chosen Lucian. Lucian ran so fast that only afterimages were visible, leaving everyone on the field stunned. Euseus just smiled happily.

Everyone now understood why Euseus had taken Lucian to the library during lunch breaks. Lucian was an expert in body enhancement magic.

Euseus's team won all the games, and when Lucian asked if he could be a scout, Euseus immediately rejected the request. It was probably because a scout couldn't protect the king.

Euseus seemed to be a surprisingly ruthless king.

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"Euseus said the territory capture game was fun," Noel said brightly to Sirius.

"Lucian must have been secured," Sirius replied, also sounding pleased. He knew that when Lucian used body enhancement magic, his physical abilities were on par with dragons and wind wolves.

Zeraphi had been the same. Bloodline couldn't be denied. Noel had been able to use body enhancement magic at around six years old. Lucian had stronger muscles than Noel and was more skilled in magic than Zeraphi, making him a coveted user of enhancement magic even among the knights.

"Having Lucian as an advisor will definitely keep Euseus safe. But for official games, he said he would make Lucian an officer. In the first half, he would have Lucian crush all enemy infantry and officers, and then, when the surrounding troops were reduced, he would have him guard the king. The problem is that the games end too quickly because they're too easy," Noel added.

"…I see," Sirius said, understanding that Euseus was aiming for a decisive victory without mercy. "That's just like the perfectionist Euseus," he chuckled.

"Euseus said he wants you to come to the next ball game tournament," Noel mentioned.

"Ah, I'll clear my schedule," Sirius replied with a smile. The ball game tournament would involve both the magic and knight departments. He had a feeling it might be a major upset if the magic department won for the first time.

As an uncle and a king, Sirius felt relieved to see Zeraphi's child excel. It was good that the strange incident had been resolved.

Sirius had never intended to forgive Zeraphi, and his feelings hadn't changed. However, his anger towards Zeraphi's parents was even greater. From the moment he met Noel and heard about the abuse, he understood the background. The parents had created or allowed the situation, which was clear.

Zeraphi's reports from prison were regular. She was Lucian's mother. After learning that Zeraphi was pregnant with Sariel's child, Sirius decided to prioritize protecting the baby, as it was a royal child. Sariel, unlike the previous queen, had an excellent personality. She was favored by Duke Luca Michelle, the royal palace mage, who recognized her magical skills. While magical ability required effort and training, talent was also crucial. Sariel had inherited the royal bloodline fully.

Zeraphi, who had committed a crime that would normally warrant execution, was sent to a harsh prison. Her treatment was determined by the law, and within that framework, he had to protect her child. He did everything he could. It was fortunate that Zeraphi was exceptionally healthy. Her rapid mastery of body enhancement was unexpected but a result of her innate talent. Lucian was born safely, and Zeraphi lived a relatively happy life in prison until she died in an accident.

Through Zeraphi, Sirius realized something. The prisoners in the prison, who were atoning for their crimes, were also citizens. It was a basic fact, but he hadn't truly thought about it much. He had always prioritized the general public, which was why the handling of the Janine prison incident had been neglected for years. The results clearly showed his true feelings, and there was no way to hide it.

However, Zeraphi made him think. In the game, her teammates called her "our king" with pure affection and respect. She had protected her teammates without any hesitation and died for them. Thinking about this, he felt a complex mix of emotions. He was in a position as a king, a role thrust upon him by the national deity. Comparing himself to her, who had been pure, was inevitable.

This feeling was on a different level from his personal resentment towards her crimes. For the sake of those she had protected, he wanted to protect Lucian. He wanted Lucian to be happy and to have a life worthy of him, to be a strong support for him. He couldn't help but feel this way.

Thank you for reading. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

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