โCould you stop there? I feel sorry for my little sister.โ
Ohโฆ?
Uh, if I remember correctly, this isโฆ the second prince?
โUhโฆ Sir G-something?โ
โItโs Gilbert.โ
Ah, right, right. That was it.
I didnโt bother remembering because I thought Iโd never meet him again.
โHowโs your brother doing, kid?โ
โOh, he was all fired up, saying, โNext time, I wonโt lose.โโ
โOh? I see. Then tell him this: โIf he pulls another stupid stunt, Iโll kill him.โโ
โโฆYou really have no fear of the royal family, do you?โ
โDo you get scared of buzzing insects?โ
I said this without even glancing at him and started coding a new game in the M language.
โIโm a coward, you see. Just thinking those insects might be poisonous terrifies me, so I canโt make a move.โ
With that, Prince Gilbert took a piece of fried chicken from the tower in front of me and popped it into his mouth.
โHmm, this is deliciousโฆโ
I ignored his muttering.
โHmm, true, poisonous insects would be frightening. I agree with that. But you can tell whether theyโre poisonous just by looking at them.โ
โCan a mere mortal, not a god, really โtellโ just by looking?โ
โYou people are seriously lacking in imagination, arenโt you?โ
โโฆWhat do you mean?โ
โโAnalyze Magic,โ also known as โAppraisal Magic.โโ
The moment I said that, everyone around us turned to stare at me.
Why are they so surprised?
โโSkilled mages can sense the amount of magic a person holds just by looking at them,โ right? So why not turn that into a formal spell? I canโt understand the lack of logic here.โ
โโฆOnly you or those atheist scholars from the Adon Magic Nation would think like that.โ
Ha, thatโs amusing.
โYou lot blame your incompetence, your lack of thought, your lack of creativity on the gods and give up on thinking. Thatโs why I said, there are no gods.โ
โYou mentioned Appraisal Magic. What exactly can you tell?โ
โIโm not some comic book villain whoโs going to reveal everything about myself. But, since Iโm in a good mood today, Iโll indulge you.โ
โMuch appreciated.โ
โWith Appraisal Magic, I can tell things like weight, size, the amount of magic contained, its properties, and even bone density and muscle fiber density, allowing me to estimate physical abilities. I can also gauge intelligence from synapse activity, read pheromones and electrical signals to detect goodwill or malice, and check for injuries or illnesses. Thereโs more, but do you want to hear it?โ
โSo, in other wordsโฆ in front of you, everything about what someone can do and plans to do is laid bare?โ
โI didnโt say that. But I can tell how much magic someone can use and whether they have hostile intent toward me. Well, with future updates, the functionality might expand.โ
โSo, are you saying you fear no one because of this?โ
โNo, in addition, I have layered defense and detection magic in place 24/7. Even if a meteor capable of wiping out a city fell on me while I slept in my roomโฆ I wouldnโt get a scratch.โ
Also, Iโve fortified my familyโs territory and left it under my brotherโs management, ensuring it remains a sustainable asset even if I lose my magic.
That territory is my safety net in case of a downfall.
Thatโs why Iโm connecting him with nobles who might prove beneficial.
With all that, thereโs nothing to fear.
โItโs not a lie, is it? You truly believe you have the power to take on an entire nation.โ
Prince Gilbertโs soft, handsome face twisted slightly, a drop of cold sweat running down his temple. He looked quite different from his more hot-headed brother.
Whatโs wrong? You donโt look so good.
โTake on a nation, huh? You lot donโt have that kind of power. Proof of that is how, despite your royal status, the nobles look down on you.โ
โโฆI see.โ
Ah, so heโs aware.
Judging by Princess Drill-Hairโs shocked expression, it seems only the second prince is in on this.
Interesting. I thought the whole royal family was a bunch of muscle-brained fools, but it looks like this prince has a bit of intellect.
โThe royal family is certainly impressive. You control the Miclef River and its fertile lands, youโre at the heart of trade, and with your wealth and authority, you maintain a large army and many mages.โ
Howeverโฆ
โBut thatโs all. The church holds more authority. The Klein Marquisate matches your military numbers. The Carenheit Margraviateโs troops are more skilled. And in terms of economic power, with the right governance, houses like the Byteman and Spencer earldoms or the Carpenter viscounty could catch up in two or three decades.โ
In shortโฆ
โA coalition of nobles could topple you. No wonder youโre underestimated.โ
The second prince didnโt flinch.
โYes, thatโs true. But Iโm confident the nobles wonโt betray the royal family. Do you know why?โ
Oh, so he gets it.
The answer, of course, isโฆ
โโBecause itโs not worth it,โโ we both said simultaneously.
Yeah, that makes sense.
The royal family is just the biggest noble house. They donโt have absolute authority.
So why do the nobles follow them? Because itโs more convenient.
Thereโs no compelling reason to actively betray the royal family.
โBut how long can that last? Wars upon warsโฆ these chaotic timesโฆ a corrupt church and the nobles steeped in wrongdoingโฆ The footsteps of ruin are already echoing.โ
No.
โYouโve already heard them, havenโt you? Every night, shaking in your bed. You know the footsteps of death, named ruin, are already at your bedside.โ
Yes, I had seen it.
With my Appraisal Magic.
Prince Gilbert, the second prince, suffers from severe insomnia.
His royal healers had managed to keep up his appearance, so I hadnโt noticed until nowโฆ but his brain and organs were suffering from extreme fatigue, abnormal nerve sensitivity, and respiratory problems from the stress.
โฆItโs almost tragic that the king and the first prince are in perfect health. Just kidding, itโs hilarious.
The prince probably senses the countryโs impending downfall with his keen intellect, and it haunts his dreams, keeping him awake at night.
Poor guyโฆ
He looked at me, his eyes trembling.
Ah, yes.
He realized it.
Iโd uncovered his greatest secret.
In a nation that values military strength, the prince, of all people, cries himself to sleep. And I had figured it out.
This must be his greatest weakness.
His face was as expressionless as a mask.
โExus-kun, would you care to talk for a bit?โ