Extra 15.1 The Battle of the Third Prince
“Good morning, Your Highness Sevan. I’d like to express my sincere congratulations on your being the most promising candidate for the next king.”
“This is the first I’m hearing of that~”
“That’s why, class time shall be doubled starting today. Let’s do our best.”
“W, wait, Sophia, I haven’t heard anything about this! No one has mentioned anything this important before, right!?”
At a villa on the royal palace ground of Elgacia, a small distance away from the main residence, Sevan, the third prince of Elgacia, raised his hand just as his usual lessons with his trusted educator were about to begin.
“Your study will be doubled at once. The suddenness might prove to be difficult to you. However, I shall do my best, as well.”
“It’s not about that! I’m alright with that! But, before me, shouldn’t there be another successor to the throne?”
“Oh? You’re a wise prince for knowing that. It seems that the second prince has collapsed…”
“H, hold on! That’s too fast! It hasn’t been long since the first prince was toppled!”
Sevan Casey Elaine Elgacia, 14-years-old that year, was the eldest son of Elaine, the concubine of the current king, and was also the third prince of Elgacia.
Until recently, he had almost nothing to do with the throne thanks to the presences of the first and the second princes—the queen’s sons.
“N, not yet…! It’s too early to give up…! Keep at it, second prince…!”
“Are your textbooks ready? Please open page 52.”
“Wait—! My heart isn’t ready—!”
Indeed, until recently, he was barely mentioned.
The daughter of a marquis, Sophia Brightwell, 21-years-old, was teaching Sevan. The reason he had such a young educator was because it was unnecessary for him, the third prince, to receive an outstanding education.
“I, I can’t be the king…”
However, if he was too stupid, he could end up as a puppet king. As such, some education had to be provided.
Sevan was also aware of the circumstances of the adults in that area. That was why he tried to lay as low as possible. He was someone who could be said to be moderately excellent, but not as mighty as the top two.
Sevan was rarely pressured. He also found his position very welcome because such was Sevan’s nature.
“It’s okay, Your Highness Sevan. I know that within you the capability exists.”
“Sophia…”
Dark blonde with grayish, blue, eyes. In a broad sense, he was the stereotypical blond, blue-eyed, noble. However, the brooding impression he exuded couldn’t be extinguished. For a member of a royal family, Sevan’s magic was average.
Sevan might not have been as flashy and gorgeous as the two other princes, but he was not in any other way inferior to them.
Occasionally, when he was called to the main residence and met with an influential aristocrat, or when he was in class with another educator, he could do it. As long as he possessed the will to not be looked down upon, he could do it.
“There are those who can do it! There are also those who can’t do it because they aren’t supposed to do it in the first place! I am of the latter!”
As of the present, he didn’t want to do anything. It was too much of a hassle.
I can’t do it…
“You can evaluate yourself objectively without being overly confident. That alone is already wonderful.”
“Wow, you even evaluate things that are taken for granted as a person! I’m not happy at all!”
It wasn’t like Sevan was unfit to be the king. It was just that his laziness far exceeded his desire for power.
More than wealth, fame, and pride, living comfortably was more important to Sevan. No matter how much he was ridiculed and compared to the other princes, Sevan wanted to the throne to stay at least a million years away from him.
“There are many things you can do as a king. For example, you can choose any girl you want… no woman isn’t interested in the throne, or in becoming the queen.”
Sophia had no choice but to close the textbook and talk to Sevan. Towards Sevan, who despised the idea of becoming the king, Sophia spoke of the merits.
“The other princes also thought the same and got ruined!?”
“You noticed that, too. You’re truly amazing.”
“I’m not happy to be praised for that!”
Sevan wasn’t particularly charmed. After all, he cared not about the throne. He could also easily tell that one or two ladies not being interested in the throne, or the title of queen, wasn’t strange.
The fact that the other two princes couldn’t understand that was a mystery to Sevan.
“…Regardless, I’m sure many women long for it. I, for example, have dreamed of it since I was a child.”
“Huh?”
“Of course, as of present, my dream is for His Highness to grow up brilliantly.”
Placing the book on the podium, Sophia approached Sevna.
“If Your Highness becomes the king, that’ll be the happiest day of my life. Would you please make this unfortunate educator’s dream come true?”
Willing to get her skirt dirty, Sophia bowed down while looking up at Sevan.
“Please give me the role of supporting the future of this kingdom and His Highness by letting me stay at your side.”
“Wha—!?”
Thunder struck.
Such was the kind of impact Sevan experienced.
“Well, that’s, uh…”
“Please open to page 52 of the textbook.”
“Wait?! Your change in demeanor is too quick! Okay, I will do it?! I will do it!”
He could do it if he tried, but couldn’t because he wasn’t supposed to. It was at that moment when a certain other desire overcame Sevan’s laziness.
***T/N: Ah, a shota and an onee-san pairing…
Please also consider donating to my ko-fi! It’ll greatly support me in action, no matter the amount!
https://ko-fi.com/antoinettevanessa
21 to 14… I’m gonna take that as a sly trick to motivate him and move on.
But yeah, this is the first normal person in the royal family (I mean even the King was at fault for enabling his wife and letting her cuddle their sons to their detriment). He’s the third prince who never in a million years thought he’d be in line for the throne, but still kept up with the studies of royalty. Most people who understand the position of King don’t want to be it (it’s like being president, we’ve seen the before and after pictures). At most they want the benefits of being royalty without the fear of succession (which he had). Basic common sense and oh my lord he has a personal educator. I didn’t think they existed in this setting. Even his motivation at the end is normal. He’s a 14 year old straight male, advances from his hot older teacher is all he needs.
That exchange was just so refreshing and unexpectedly hilarious. It’s like I’ve been in cuckoo land this whole time and the first sane person (not in the main crew) has reaffirmed that I’m the sane one in crazy land (not the other way around).
I actually feel kind of bad for him. What I feel amazed and ashamed by is the fact that I thought he would want to be the crown prince before this chapter, despite how we just went through a whole 2 arcs of everyone thinking “well of course every girl wants to be the crown princess”. Although mine was more because he was already participating in government affairs, the fact still remains that I had the assumption that he actually wanted to be the crown prince. Immediately seeing that he doesn’t upon his first introduction is another wonderful trope subversion by the author.
I never got why in medieval fantasy stories everyone in the line of succession wants the throne. To the point of severing family bonds and attempted assassinations. Like do they actually understand how much work being a king is? Especially in an absolute monarchy. That’s like saying every American over 35 wants to be president. HAVE YOU SEEN THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES?!
That said, it DOES make sense for the factions to be entangled in it and heavily want the prince they support to win. That way they can rise to power, gain accolades, and prestige (for themselves and their families), but they themselves suffer none of the consequences. The successors in question should realistically want nothing to do with the throne though. As long as they aren’t king, they get the most benefit from being royalty with the least negatives.
But this refers to concubine and educators. The Queen was already the queen (and apparently at one point even controlled the king’s decisions). She gets nothing from her children being king. Leonardo acted more like a third prince than the third prince. He seemed to only care about the prestige and power that came with being royalty, but wanted to deal with none of the responsibilities of a King. You can’t just be a tyrant or an idiot or otherwise do whatever you want (or nothing at all). The only outcomes to those are an internal rebellion (and beheading) or an outside invasion (and beheading).
This is just basic sense and why I never understood the whole “every girl wants to be queen”. Everyone at the academy is a high class noble lady. Unless their family is particularly in danger, they’re already living comfortable and lavish lifestyles (without needing additional education or having to manage a kingdom) with far more freedom than even a basic member of royalty has. Maybe it’s something to do with the mindset? Those girls at first did seem delusion. I blame the misleading literature Ange burned. It is those “fairy tale” stories that make it sound better than it is (and probably purposefully serve as propaganda in an actual monarchy).
Yeah, sevan. I can feel your motivation.
i also would chose laziness over power.
Good luck Sevan. I’m rooting for you, if for no other reason than the fact that you seem to have some common sense. (Please, please actually get along w. the leads)