So I'm a Snake, Who Cares?

The king is a middle-aged man with a protruding belly.

The Court Count is a skinny old man.

"Uhahahahaha."

"Uhohohohoh."

Though completely different in appearance, the two figures seemed to communicate well.

Even without a banquet, just with some simple snacks and wine they could be this happy.

But as far as Dean Balanyar knew, the king wasn't such an amusing person.

There was no reason for a king to cultivate conversational skills in the first place.

Nevertheless, this warm atmosphere was solely due to the Court Count.

That snake-like man.

Balanyar disliked that serpentine Court Count.

But the Court Count wasn't the only one harboring a snake inside.

"Oh my, how long has it been, Court Count! I was just thinking I should pay you a visit."

"Just exchanging letters with the Dean is already something to boast about for an ignorant person like me. Did you receive the gift I sent last time?"

The golden cabinet - he was asking if that bribe was well received.

To openly discuss favors in front of the king.

Experience new tales on empire

"Ah, that. It was such a splendid item. It was too nice for me to use, so I just put it on display at the school."

"Hohoho, that makes me even happier."

Balanyar deflected it excellently.

It was similar to the principles of Taiji that those Eastern sages supposedly practiced.

"What's that, what are you two talking about?"

Only the king rolled his eyes between them.

The Dean quickly changed the subject.

"Your Majesty, look at this."

"Ooh!"

"Fifty-year-old single malt. It was difficult to obtain."

"Ah, what a shame."

Unusually, the king who loved alcohol merely smacked his lips at the whiskey.

"Today the Court Count brought an exceptional wine..."

"Hohoho, I prepared a Garney from the Santal region of the Empire."

The large magnum wine bottle the Court Count was holding.

It was wine from a prestigious domain that even Empire nobles coveted.

Certainly more precious than the gnomish whiskey Balanyar brought.

But Balanyar laughed as he sat down beside the king.

"We can finish the wine and have another drink after, can't we?"

"Th-that's true. Uhahaha."

Balanyar continued the conversation with smooth wit.

A round of drinks was passed.

Even the king who could hold his liquor seemed tipsy as his face grew redder.

Balanyar, being a gnome who was naturally good at drinking, remained fine but.

The elderly human Court Count seemed suspiciously sober.

Balanyar clicked his tongue.

He had many things he wanted to sound out from the king today.

Especially about the princes.

But with the Court Count here, it was awkward to ask.

...He decided not to be tactful.

"Your Majesty, why did you suddenly enroll Prince Phili?"

"Huh?"

While asking, he glanced at the Court Count.

It was probably the Court Count who encouraged this. But that old fox showed no reaction and just kept smiling.

"Ah, that? That kid needs to get his act together soon. Can't have him just lounging around the palace all day."

A lie.

The relationship between king and prince is clearly different from that of normal father and son.

All princes potentially carry the possibility of becoming future kings.

Unless foolish, a king must thin out children who could become king in advance.

Succession rights must either be firmly established, or maintain balance through thorough political calculations.

The current King Benjamin is no fool.

He chose the latter.

He's maintaining his royal authority by having the First and Second Princes as candidates checking each other.

But now he suddenly enrolled the Third Prince in Emerald School directly.

The First Prince graduated from Emerald School, and the Second Prince is currently attending.

If it was to create tension in the relaxed royal atmosphere, the thrown stone was too large.

The Third Prince's backing is no less than the First and Second Princes.

"There are too many people who won't like this."

"That's such a mood killer. Do I have to watch out for not just the Empire but this country's nobles too?"

The king grumbled.

"The Empire's sending another envoy soon. Just thinking about having to smile in front of them makes my face cramp up already."

"Hahaha..."

Oh dear, this might get a bit irritating.

The Dean spoke more directly.

"Then, should I 'diligently' teach His Highness the Third Prince too? I'm someone who only knows how to teach and research."

'Diligently.'

It was a question asking if the Third Prince should be considered a candidate for royal succession.

The king didn't answer immediately.

As he was about to wait patiently for the answer, that detestable Court Count interrupted again.

"Why does the Dean need to worry about individual students? You're so busy with public and private matters."

"We can't treat His Highness the Prince like just any student."

"With the spirit of Emerald School and all, hohoho."

To mention school spirit in front of the Dean.

The Court Count added meaningful words.

"And it seems a good professor is already attached to the Third Prince."

"A good professor?"

The king showed interest.

"Obern Grimoire, a prodigy renowned for his genius even in the Empire."

"You're saying we had such a talent!"

"The Dean recognized his abilities and hired him as professor right away. He's an acquaintance of mine, and I hear he's serving as the prince's dedicated professor."

"That's good, very good hohoho."

The Court Count openly mentioned Professor Obern.

Was he trying to flaunt his influence?

An ordinary person would have thought so.

But in that moment, the shrewd gnome found a hair-thin crack in the Court Count.

'Ah, perhaps.'

The Obern that the Dean knew was by no means a pushover.

That much was certain just from the fact that he still hadn't grasped all of him.

If he hadn't heard about what just happened at the school, the Dean might have also considered Obern just the Court Count's pawn but...

'Obern Grimoire can't be seen as just the Court Count's hunting dog.'

He's definitely not just a chess piece to use and discard.

If he was, the Court Count wouldn't have brought up Obern in front of the king like this.

Because that's the kind of person the Court Count is.

But now the Dean had caught onto that.

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