"Okay, everyone."
I gathered the students in the training hall and smiled brightly as I looked at the students standing there with bewildered expressions.
-...?
A look of bewilderment filled the students' faces. Physical training wasn't common in economics classes.
I know that too.
Of course I know.
In economics class.
I also knew very well that there was no reason to exert myself physically in a class that delved deeply into economics.
-The strong become the king of the economy.
It was just a made-up story to motivate the students…
-what...?
-Why a playground all of a sudden?
Seeing the lack of response, let alone motivation, I should have just told him to come out. That would have been easier to understand.
anyway.
-match.
I had to make the most of the time I had, so I clapped loudly and began to address the students. The lesson we were about to begin was completely unrelated to economics.
"From now on, you will learn simple self-defense techniques. Please pair up in pairs."
As my words echoed through the classroom, one of the boys raised his hand and, with a look of discontent on his face, began to speak of the absurdity of the class.
"professor."
"yes."
"Do you think it makes sense to learn self-defense in an economics class?"
It would have been nice if only the words had been spoken nicely.
I smiled at the student's obvious question, came down from the podium, and stood looking at the student.
"student."
"...yes."
"Look carefully."
It was a fleeting moment.
"Ta-da."
He took the wallet out of the student's pocket.
"uh...?"
The student looked at me with blank eyes, then quickly began to search through his pockets, realizing that the wallet I was holding was his, and reached out.
"Well... this is why."
I returned the wallet to the student, leisurely returned to the podium, and continued speaking, knowing, of course, that this was all far-fetched.
But what can I do?
In a situation where the empire is unstable and even heretics are rampant, I think it would be better to teach them something that can protect themselves rather than learning something useless.
"I just took a classmate's wallet."
"...oh."
"Your wallet is precious, right?"
"yes."
"We can call this wallet 'the economy' and call me, who stole the wallet, an 'economic criminal.'"
"...oh."
"So what should you do to protect this wallet?"
"It must not be taken away!"
I continued my explanation, feeling burdened by the students' bright eyes.
-How did you do it...?
-If I just learn from the professor, I can become rich too...
-Then, Professor, your wallet too...!
‘I didn’t expect it to be this bad…’
After a moment of contemplation that perhaps being a teacher was my calling, I smiled brightly and spoke to the students.
"Shall we pair up in pairs?"
"..."
"Today, I'm not going to teach you how to steal your wallet, but rather how to get out of a difficult situation... the 'economic power law.'"
I had no intention of teaching them how to loot. I just needed to know how to do it legally.
therefore.
"After all, it's a way to protect your own assets, you understand?"
"yes...!"
I started classes for their future.
At that moment, Truller was striding towards Yuria.
‘What the hell are you talking about? I’m not crazy…’
I didn't understand why self-defense was being taught in an economics class, but I thought maybe this class was an opportunity for Truler.
If you look at each other's posture naturally and have skinship, feelings that weren't there before will definitely bloom.
The moment when Truler, who is confident in his face, approaches Yuria, who is hesitating.
"what."
Green algae smiled at Truller.
"hey."
"Hey...? How dare you dare to speak to the prince of the empire without fear..."
"Yeah, you."
And after a while.
-Bam!!!
The trucker started rolling on the floor.
"How dare you!"
Ruin looked at the fallen Truller on the floor and smiled broadly. It was with this taste that he realized that the bastard had been tormenting him.
"wake up!!!"
"Shut up... before I kill you, you arrogant mouth..."
"Get up...!
Even without that, the kid who looked like a troll or a trull was giving Yuria a strange look, which was annoying, but Ruin, who had finally seized the opportunity, was sweating profusely, pouring out all the stress he had accumulated so far.
"Hahaha!!! Haha! Get up!!!"
The mirror-treated Ruin smiled as he knocked over the Truller.
"Cough...!"
The truller was covered in dust and burning with murderous intent.
"I'll kill you."
The time when Truller forgets Yuria and fights Ruin.
"excuse me..."
I smiled at the guest who came to visit.
"Don't you have a partner?"
Yuria answered with a smile.
"yes."
Yuria clenched her fists and took a stance, as if she had no intention of doing anything half-assed.
I put my hands in my pockets, chuckled, and took a stance.
"Please take it easy."
"Yes, Professor."
Yuria kicked the floor and ran.
-Tsk...!!!
Yuria's fist was strong.
So much so that I wouldn't think of him as a healer.
but.
"leg."
"yes...?!"
"The bridge is empty."
Yuria had to get stronger.
Because at this point, Yuria was the king of the economy whose value would rise the most.
*
The moment when Yuria and Ricardo spar.
-Clang.
The sound of chains being released was heard in the tightly locked room.
-Squeak...
The man frowned, his expression weary, as he stared at the open door. It had been so long since he'd seen sunlight.
"..."
All the curtains were drawn.
Because I, who ruined everything, don't know how I can face the collapsed Desmund.
-Be careful.
-father...!
-I'll try to figure something out, so stay in your room until I finish talking to Desmund.
I felt like the world was falling apart.
Anger towards Wolfgang.
The audacity of the nobles who said they would trust and follow me.
It was a moment of anger that kept me from sleeping.
What made me the most angry was my father's desperate expression.
When I first entered this room, I denied everything. I couldn't believe the situation I was in. I couldn't believe the malicious rumors directed at me.
It's not over yet.
You can start preparing now.
I tried to prepare for the future with rising anger, but I realized that too many things were out of place to fit the crooked puzzle together, and I let go of the tight rope I was holding.
Because I realized that the rope I was holding was a rotten rope.
It's the worst.
-Squeak.
The Imperial Knights opened the door and came in, holding a change of clothes in their hands and approaching me.
"Your Majesty."
"..."
"I have come to deliver Your Majesty's message."
Looking at his plain clothes, it seemed like he had long since fallen from the position of crown prince.
okay.
"Am I going to jail now?"
I thought this was a better option. I'd rather end this dream than live in a fantasy.
But, contrary to his expectations, the knight began to speak differently. Instead of endless despair, he offered a seed of hope.
"Your Majesty has bought us time."
"Buying time?"
"yes."
The knight began to relay my father's words. He began to cruelly utter words that, to me, were nothing short of a death sentence, coming from someone else's mouth.
"I will now convey His Majesty the Emperor's message."
"..."
"Leogard Theo."
"..."
"From now on, I will strip the First Prince of the Empire, Leogard Theo, of his title as Crown Prince and ban him from entering the Imperial Palace for three months."
The guillotine's blade falls.
The knight's expression was so pitiful that he would have preferred to be told to go to jail.
"Furthermore, I will confiscate the maintenance fee and all luxury items, and dismiss the servants."
"..."
"I will retain my royal title, but I will live with a heart of atonement, with restrictions that will prevent me from living as a member of the royal family any longer..."
"..."
"I declare from this hour."
It's funny.
"..."
It was really funny.
"Kha..."
"..."
"Hahahaha!!!"
"..."
"Is that all...?"
"Yes."
It was so funny I almost cried.
I thought there would be something big.
I thought there would be the worst punishment...
Just...
"Is this all...?"
I felt like I was going crazy because it ended with just this level of punishment.
“Just….”
Because it was unpredictable what they gave Desmund instead of downplaying the incident and leaving him in the royal family.
Was it the opening of a national treasure that only the emperor could open? Or was it the transfer of influence beyond the East to Desmund? It was impossible to predict.
Tae-oh swallowed a bitter breath and slowly got up from his seat.
"What did your father say next?"
"..."
"Don't hide it, tell me. It's okay."
The knight spoke to the crown prince with a bitter smile.
"This is a letter personally delivered by His Majesty."
"Father...?"
The letter read:
[My beloved son Tae-oh.]
I'm saying that it started with love and ended with disappointment.
and.
[Live quietly. Whether it's the academy or the outskirts... Live quietly and don't cause any more trouble.]
I held in my hand a letter from my father, filled with his concerns about me losing my will to live.
[As time goes by, your lacking father will make a place for you, so stay away for a while.]
-Kwaaaak.
Why does that child's face come to mind in all this?
Tae-oh clenched his fist and sighed.
"Can you prepare a carriage for me?"
"All right."
The place to return to was decided.
Now there is no reason to hide your feelings.
I plan to throw myself into this.
For love.
Thinking about the encouragement she had given herself.
-Don't run too hard and take some breaks. It'll hurt if you fall.
-...What do you know?
-I know someone, and he really doesn't seem human. Even if he collapses... No, I've never seen him collapse... Anyway, Tae-oh is different from him, so take it easy.
-I won't fall.
-Puhaha... Is that so?
-...You're a good listener. Speaking without being hasty.
-Me? Hmm... I guess I learned it too.
-Learn?
-Yes. He is a truly amazing person.
I'll tell you how I feel when I get back.
As a man named Tae-oh, not as a crown prince.
-Kwaaaak.
And that carriage.
"What is your name...?"
"Yuria."
"Yes, my name is Truler."
He stood before his own hell.
"He is the one who will become the crown prince of this empire."
By the betrayal of someone you never expected.