This Bastard is Too Competent

Chapter 37: The End of The Legitimation Ceremony

"Therefore, I implore you, Your Majesty, to judge which of us here has the best!"

Everyone was surprised at the First Princess's cry.

Probably because they never expected the First Princess to come out like that at this time.

However, the First Princess slowly and formally approached and bowed down.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I'll take any punishment for this, but for now, I have something to tell you as the first princess of Kaistein."

The king looked at the First Princess with interest. Her act was disgraceful, but his daughter could not have done this simply for the sake of rebelling.

So, he was willing to listen.

"All right, tell me. Instead, you will have to take serious responsibility for breaking the sacred legitimation ceremony atmosphere."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Also, for being rude to your youngest brother. That will also be severely punished."

“…!”

The First Princess flinched for a moment at those words. She peered at Ian, biting her lips so slightly that no one would notice. 

Her father must have liked Ian.

The king smiled as if he had sensed her killing intent.

"Then, tell me now."

The First Princess said without wavering at all.

"I'm sorry, but as far as I am aware, the <Trial> of the royal family who entered the treasury will be completed only when the value of the brought items is evaluated.”

“Is that so?”

“The Seventh Prince has performed his <Trial> through the legitimation ceremony of the royal family, then, shouldn't the legitimation ceremony also end according to the tradition of <Trial>?”

"Oh."

"Of course, there is no denying the fact that the Seventh Prince is the descendant of the great Your Majesty, and we are also ready to welcome our brother as a member of the royal family. However, why not proceed with an evaluation apart from it?"

"I believe there was no reason to do it."

The First Princess said as if she had been waiting.

"Not only did he get the once-in-the-lifetime opportunity to receive the grace of Your Majesty earlier than anyone else, but you also made an exception in the legitimation ceremony that all the other brothers could not avoid. From the perspective of fellow successors, we, who have always looked up to Your Majesty, are disappointed that such a privilege was given only to the youngest. Please reconsider it for the sake of Your Majesty’s other loyal subjects, not just Garcia."

At her words, the Second Princess and the Fourth Prince smiled.

The First Princess brought up that the situation should not end as it was while deliberately mentioning the factions supporting her.

The king's attention to Ian now was favoritism. 

In an instant, the pure admiration of Ian turned to hatred. 

Sure enough, the First Princess continued.

“However, apart from that reason, there are some injustices for us as well.”

"Injustice?"

"Yes. Since the nobles are misinterpreting your actions regardless of your intentions, some might say that you have recognized the Seventh Prince, who received Your Majesty's rare smile, as your successor."

The nobles fell in an uproar. 

It was a harsh expression, but it wasn't wrong.

Some nobles began to see the bastard Ian in a new light, but others were displeased with the attention that was directed too much at him.

"We can fight monsters as much as you want. But the fact that he only brought things without fighting, I think this trial is no different than an observation test."

King Eloin had a subtle smile at the First Princess’s words. 

His face seemed as if he had grasped her intentions.

Of course, he didn't show it.

"Well, you have a point."

At the king's words, the faces of the First Princess as well as the royal family brightened.

"But."

“!”

"Isn't it too much? It would be too harsh and disadvantageous for the youngest to prove his worth. As a sister, don't you have that much generosity as a strong candidate for the throne?"

The royal family almost unwittingly shouted at the king's words.

Indeed, they thought Ian had brought the ‘correct answer’ that satisfied the king.

They thought the king smiled because he brought out the best of them.

But.

‘If he proves his worth, the youngest will be at a disadvantage?’

‘Then it could be that the object itself is not that great.’

The king surely only smiled, but he didn't say it was the right answer.

He could have been pleased with the unusual choice of a cloak. 

‘Yes. It's a cloak I've never seen before. Plus, it’s for small children.’

As members of the royal family, they had studied all kinds of history of trials, but they had never seen such a form, shape, and color.

By that time, the royal family, whose eyes had changed, prostrated themselves next to the First Princess.

This was an opportunity.

"Yes. We want to be properly evaluated.”

“To end the legitimation ceremony like this will certainly create a problem in the future. I want to be clear about the ranks and move on.”

The nobles who supported the other royal families also nodded their heads with a slightly dissatisfied expression.

If it went like this, Ian, who came out with nothing special, would appear to be acknowledged by the king.

"Your Majesty, although the Seventh Prince does not seem to be in good condition, all the royals have proved their items in similar situations."

"That's right. Please don’t disregard the other successors' efforts…"

But the king just smiled.

“It is for you to stay still.”

"Pardon?"

At the same time, the king beckoned the scholar who was waiting at the side. 

And then. 

Flutter!

When the scholar was about to receive the precious cloak from Ian, the cloak stretched out as it was restored to its original size.

It wasn't just that.

Something began to be engraved on the cloak as it changed shape…

“H-hold up. That crest is the crest of the First King…!”

"It must be the cloak that always appears in the paintings of the First King!"

The ceremony hall naturally fell into commotion.

In the history of Kaistein, the relics of the First King were considered to have the best value in the trial.

The scholar who saw the real thing was startled and almost threw the cloak away, and some nobles even shouted in bewilderment.

“It’s the thing of the First King…! This is nothing to compare.”

“The Seventh Prince who brought that cloak is, of course, number one!”

Except for the First Princess and Third Prince, the royals were frozen stiff.

Unbelievably, it belonged to the First King!

‘Why did you say that the youngest is at a disadvantage!’

The other royals looked at the king as if they had been betrayed. And they asked for help with their eyes from the First Princess, who should also be feeling betrayed.

However, unexpectedly the First Princess was smiling brightly.

As if she knew from the beginning that it belonged to the First King.

Just as expected.

“It is true that the relics of the First King are superior from the historical value alone. There is no disagreement even if Ian is declared as the number one candidate right now. But for a child who has no maternal family and lacks a foundation, such a dangerous throne, without a doubt, will put him at a disadvantage. An object that cannot be protected by the owner themselves is just a burden. Your Majesty also understands well that the Seventh Prince will be at a disadvantage.”

Other royals, who were in accord with the First Princess out of her bright smile, gritted their teeth.

‘Damn it… Did that mean—!’

Only then did they realize that their father had tested them.

Whether they had the eye to recognize relics and the ability to discern the intention of one's words. 

And only the smiling First Princess and the Third Prince passed the test on this spot.

By that point, the other royal family members that sided with the First Princess gritted their teeth. 

‘You deliberately acted like you didn’t know.’

Obviously, she intentionally pretended not to know the relics of the First King and tricked the nobles and the royals into intervening. 

All to fish them out in such a public place to show their true colors.

Sure enough.

“As a successor, if you can’t even recognize the relics of the First King, you don’t even have the right to discuss succession.”

The royals who were pointed out by the smile that seemed to have ridiculed them gnashed their teeth.

"Sister!"

"It's pathetic. Don't you even know that some ancient relics alter their forms to fit their owners' bodies?"

“…!!”

The royals could only grit their teeth, and the nobles, who were sensitive to the atmosphere, whispered among themselves.

"Isn't this over, then? If it's a relic of the First King…"

“If this happens, I will have to hold the hand of the Seventh Prince, not them…”

"That's silly."

“!”

Everyone flinched at the smile of the First Princess.

“It is obviously a relic of the great First King, but it is only a cloak. It may hold a historical value, but that’s it.”

“!”

"The Seventh Prince may have a good eye, but it's just a historical object, whereas we've brought items that help the country."

The scholar tried to say something, but the king smiled. 

Ian also looked at the First Princess with interest.

"Only strong power can protect the country, that’s why we never lose our eye for the sword. No matter how good it is, it's hard to beat a single sword with a mere white cloak."

"So, what do you want me to do?"

“Please allow us to compete fairly. But even then, cloak and sword are not a good match.”

The king snorted.

“Now state your true intentions. What do you want?”

"Originally, Your Majesty said you were going to compare your successors directly and choose without much competition. But, I implore you to reopen the <Battle of Ranking>, which was banned long ago, right here and now."

At the words of the First Princess, the ceremony hall froze.

How could it not?

“The Battle of Ranking had obviously been stopped by His Majesty the previous king…”

In a nutshell, it was a battle for the throne. In the old days, it was an event held for the official battle for the succession to the throne.

However, it was eventually abolished as too many royals had died.

They were too focused on killing the opponent rather than the rank.

The nobles’ faces hardened.

‘If you kill an opponent, you can get what he owns. Let's open the Battle of Ranking that can take even the power of the defeated.'

A chance to risk everything and take everything.

Those who attained the highest rank even had the authority to act as a proxy in the absence of the king. 

But.

"Your Majesty, you should reconsider that…"

"Very well. I allow the <Battle of Ranking>."

"Your Majesty!"

The king cast a look at Ian and raised the corner of his lips.

He was curious. Would that brat be able to survive at the hands of his other brothers?

And was it true that he knew about that cloak, the relic of the First King?

"I was going to exclude the Seventh Prince from the battle because he was still young, but I changed my mind."

“!” 

“From this moment on, I will recognize the youngest as the Seventh Prince and at the same time allow him to raise his name as the official heir to the throne. Announce the existence of the Seventh Prince to the people and other countries and prepare for the Battle of Ranking and the competition.”

"I will obey your orders."

Everyone was looking at Ian's back as if they felt sorry for him. 

He was about to throw his own life out of nowhere because of this.

But.

Smirk.

Only one person was smiling.

***

"Sister, are you sure you're doing this?"

The Fourth Prince caught up to the First Princess as she was about to walk out of the ceremony hall. The Fourth Princess followed him urgently.

The competition was already so tight, and now they had this.

“It’s the Battle of Ranking. The goddamn Battle of Ranking! Did you bring things this far on purpose!”

"What are you talking about? I know what I’m doing."

“Do you know that they will try to kill us during this time?”

The Battle of Ranking was far more brutal than the main battle, and it was acceptable to do anything.

In other words, Ian was just an excuse, and it was obvious that the First Princess was going to take this opportunity to deal with the other royals. 

Of course, they were capable enough not to lose easily, and it wasn't like they didn't have a trump card.

Still, she wasn't stupid enough to risk it.

The First Princess just smiled at them.

"How can I not?"

"But, Sis, everyone will think so. It’s not a fight that can be won in the first place.”

The Third Prince was the only one who could deal with her.

But the Third Prince was not particularly interested in killing other people. The only problem lay in the First Princess.

The First Princess shrugged her shoulders.

“If you can’t believe it, there’s nothing I can do about it. But I really have no intention of killing you guys.”

However, Ian, the youngest who was recognized by their father, was different.

‘I'll kill him for sure.’

In any case, now that the Second Prince had lost his arm, she and the Third Prince were the most likely candidates for the throne. No, frankly speaking, the Third Prince, supported by royal knights, was a little ahead. Aside from the problem with his temperament, his ability was as outstanding as the dead First Prince.

‘If only I could kill the Third Prince here or at least sever his arm…’

She would be able to become the undisputed successor to the throne. Furthermore, when the Second Prince, the most likely successor, had his arm cut off by the youngest, the king was not even angry. It meant that it didn't matter if things got a little rougher.

At that time, the First Princess felt the eyes of the Second Princess. 

She asked in a whisper, “Sister, you're going to start with the youngest. What are your plans?”

Her action implied that she was willing to help if the First Princess spared her life. The First Princess perhaps did this to nip the youngest in the bud and rightfully get the cloak.

At the question of her younger sister probing with such eyes, the First Princess smiled.

“You don't have to worry. I will take care of everything.”

The First Princess recalled a family that recently joined her family as her vassal.

Marquis Adeles.

It was Nathan's family.

And Nathan was Ian's swordsmanship teacher.

She could use it as a card to kill him.

‘I’m looking forward to that day.’

The First Princess’s bloodthirsty eyes turned to Ian's back.

***

“You’ve worked really hard.”

"They will officially assign your room tomorrow, so please be patient in this guest room just for today."

“Thank you, Galon, Nathan.”

Upon returning to his quarters, Ian closed the door and plopped down in bed.

He felt so exhausted and in pain.

Although he had been treated, fighting with the three-headed hound almost brought him closer to death, and now he was unable to stand up any longer from the aftermath of <Faith>.

However, there was one thing he couldn’t shake off of his mind.

‘The Battle of Ranking.'

Ian could easily read the thoughts of the First Princess.

She aimed to gain the upper hand in the succession war while at the same time winning the support of the majority of nobles and the populace. Furthermore, she would have made such a move to kill him. 

Woong!

Ian stared at the cloak wrapped around him. Ian felt better as if there was a small recovery effect if he wore it.

Besides, others were unaware of something.

Woong! Woong!

[My steps never stop.]

The line of <Faith> engraved on his heart. A new space was created next to it.

As if it was a reward for achieving the feat of subduing the gatekeeper of the trial…

A new line of <Faith> was established.

That wasn't the only thing.

“The king gave me special permission for this thing.”

Ian slowly took out the [Small Subspace Ring].