My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 86

“Praus, what on earth are you saying?”

“I’m grateful that you saved our daughter, but I really don’t like this man.”

Well, same here. I don’t get it either.

I’ve emphasized this multiple times, but it was never something I intended to say.

Although I may look like this, I was someone who always maintained decorum in that other world. I never spoke down to those above me.

However, here, due to the skill known as Expression Management, I was getting hit with all kinds of insults. Damn it.

Ella was fidgeting. I inwardly apologized to her as she glanced back and forth between me and her father.

Thanks to my tearing the Transmission Magic Scroll to send her a text, she was able to enter comfortably, and now I felt sorry for making her anxious for no reason.

“Do you really think our family looks like some barbarian from the frontier?”

Glair Todiah stood up.

What an overwhelming presence.

Honestly, I can’t say for sure, but I felt he was definitely strong.

“There’s no way. The Todiah Family is a powerful house representing the Empire. I thought it’d be easier to talk if I won in sparring.”

Though I said that, the truth is I intended to put the Todiah Family in their place, separate from my engagement.

I wanted to instill in them the thought that they could never win against us.

While the fact that I killed the Black Dragon indicated my strength, it wasn’t absolute; he knew that as well.

Surely, no one would easily accept defeat without fighting. So, I planned to make them kneel right from the start.

The fight began the moment I entered Crown Prince Chris’s faction.

First, I planned to break the left and right arms of Chris—the Grand Duke Rexton and Duke Todiah.

I had already laid some groundwork with Grand Duke Rexton, so he would make his own judgments.

I hoped he would choose neutrality, but the reality was that there was little I could do about him.

He was a man who governed the economy, one of the pillars of the Empire.

Whichever side he took in the Succession War, he was a person I would need in the next generation.

The other families were the same.

So, what I could do to the Todiah Family was to sow doubt in their minds that they could not win against us.

“Hah, you’re so full of yourself just because you killed the Black Dragon. I’ve thought you were rude for a long time, but this is truly the worst.”

“I’ll ask you this, Duke Todiah. Can you kill the Black Dragon alone?”

“…”

He wouldn’t be able to answer.

That was only to be expected since his magic level was only at the 6th tier for now.

If he had been closer to the 8th tier, he might have been able to subdue the Black Dragon with help from those around him.

“Why are you even here? Did you come to give me an inferiority complex?”

“If you took it that way, I’m sorry. I came because I have something to ask of the Todiah Family.”

“Something to ask?”

“The engagement to Princess Seri; I’d like you to nullify it.”

There was no need for euphemisms.

After all, since Duke Tori visited the Imperial Palace to teach Princess Seri, my side would inevitably be revealed.

“…What?”

His expression darkens. Glair’s silvery hair trembles slightly as he stands before me.

Even with the window closed, hair swaying means the mana in the air is shifting.

In other words, he was preparing to use magic.

“How dare an outsider, especially a commoner, meddle in the engagement between nobility and royalty?”

“Dad… calm down…”

“Ella, stay out of this!”

Ella tried to intervene, thinking she could somehow smooth things over, but she only received a harsh reprimand.

I felt sorry.

Even if I were to speak politely about such matters, I would be scolded; the situation was already the worst, so doing so would only provoke further anger.

But what could I do?

I had no intention of backing down.

In two months, I would definitely have her at the noble meeting. I would ensure she caught the Emperor’s attention.

The Succession War arises from the Emperor’s death.

At the very least, until then, I intended to get noticed and increase my rank in the line of succession.

Currently, the first place in the line of succession belonged to Crown Prince Chris, but if the Emperor were to find out I was allied with Princess Seri, he would think,

“This is an opportunity to utilize the Empire’s greatest asset.”

This was a merit superior to anything else.

It would be no different from solving the Demon Tribe problem all at once.

So, if the princess were knowledgeable, alongside her wisdom and our existence, we might just be able to contend for the rights of succession.

Of course, the biggest problem is that she is a ‘woman.’

Anyway, I had resolved to make her the Emperor myself, so I had no intention of stepping back even a little.

“Then I’ll ask one thing. Was the engagement genuinely agreed to by Princess Seri, or was Crown Prince Chris forcing her to agree? Which is it?”

“You… what exactly do you know?! That matter is only known between the Crown Prince and me! Where did you get this information?!”

“In a game. Hehe.”

“You know only the two of us are aware of it, so it hardly means they reached an agreement.”

While Acker Todiah, the second son of the Todiah family, might not agree,

despite being deemed incompetent, the position of a princess should not be underestimated. She is, after all, royalty.

Moreover, she was extremely beautiful and dignified.

In modern times, one’s spouse is also expected to be competent, but in the medieval era, as long as a woman had beauty, that was more than enough to be a perfect spouse.

“That’s…”

“I know. If Princess Seri marries Acker Todiah, the Todiah Family will gain even more power, and the Crown Prince will be completely secure in his ambition to become Emperor. It’s a win-win deal for both.”

In this age, marriage can be likened to the conglomerates marrying for money. In fact, they are conglomerates.

“So, you know everything. In the end, are you going to disrupt our deal?”

Even if I didn’t interfere, disruptions would come, regardless.

Would other princes just sit around? They would certainly kill him.

“Yes.”

“By what right do you?”

“By the right of being a faction of Princess Seri.”

“…What?”

I took a step closer and looked directly at his face.

His eyes were wandering. It seemed he was unable to grasp the unexpected statement.

“I believe Princess Seri is a person worthy of becoming Emperor. That’s why I’m trying to stop the engagement.”

“Haha… haha. Of all the princes, you choose to defend the incompetent princess?”

This direct disregard stung, even though it wasn’t directed at me.

“Shall we make a bet?”

“A bet?”

“On who will be the next Emperor.”

Glair stared at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Where does that confidence and trust come from? What connection do you even have to the princess…?”

“Connections don’t matter. I’ve decided to support her, and that’s what’s important. So, are you up for the bet?”

“I’m not taking part in some pointless bet. And I won’t call off the engagement based on your words.”

“Do you really think that? If you can’t see beyond such simple tactics, I’d be disappointed.”

At his words, I intentionally scoffed. Glair frowned, lines forming on his forehead.

“That smirk…!”

“Now that I’m involved, that engagement will never take place, regardless of what you do.”

Crack.

His reason seemed to have completely shattered at my provocation, and he was breathing heavily.

Oh no, did I go too far…?

“What you’re trying to do right now! Even if I were to sentence you to death, you wouldn’t escape it! Guards!”

The knights waiting outside rushed into the reception room.

“You called for me, Grand Duke?”

“Seize these people immediately! They are traitors!”

“Dad! Wait—”

I stretched my arm to stop Ella. I didn’t want to see her get hurt by intervening unnecessarily.

I expected this level of conflict. Just looking at how I spoke, it was clear I was inviting trouble.

Still, I couldn’t yield here.

“Seize me? You? How presumptuous.”

I glared at the knights that had appeared from behind.

[Activating skill “Killing Intent.”]

The knights began to swallow hard, their bodies shaking.

“Gkh!”

“What kind of killing intent…!”

“Glair Todiah, are you really challenging me?”

Since I was the one who initiated the conflict, if we dissected the situation, I was entirely in the wrong.

I felt sorry, but this was a matter of life and death for me, so I couldn’t back down.

“Gkh!”

“It won’t do you any good to come out like this.”

“You’re trying to turn the Grand Duke of the Empire into your enemy. You understand that, right?”

I relaxed my killing intent. I had to find a way to stabilize the situation.

“I don’t want this either. However, I have no choice but to annul the engagement.”

“I told you that wouldn’t happen.”

“Oh really? In that case, the deal isn’t going to form. Then I’ll make one proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“The Todiah Family is a family of martial prowess. Let’s have a spar. The winner gets to have their wish granted.”

“Hah, why would I accept a proposal that favors the opponent?”

“I don’t think the Crown Prince would see it that way, though?”

“What did you say?”

At the mention of the Crown Prince, he flinched.

“To grant a wish. If I were to propose this to the Crown Prince, what do you think he would say? Without a doubt, he’d tell you to align with him and serve the Empire.”

Of course, the moment I entered under him, the situation would spiral into the worst possible outcome.

I had to throw out this proposal, knowing fully well.

To snatch something from my opponent, I had to put something of equal value on the table.

“Even so, how many people do you think can handle your strength alone? Avoiding unfavorable battles is common sense.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t be participating in this spar.”

“What?”

“The participants will be my disciples.”

I pointed at the heroes just standing around behind me.

“You’re sending those kids into a spar?”

“Don’t underestimate them just because they’re young. They’re stronger than I am.”

I said it like it was a casual matter.

“Master is a liar.”

“There’s no need for you to be humble in front of us.”

“Teacher, is this some kind of deception?”

“…No.”

It’s true, but no one believes me.

“What’s it going to be? If you don’t accept this proposal, I’ll have no choice but to visit the Crown Prince. When I go to him, I’ll certainly let him know how Todiah quaked in fear and rejected my proposal.”

“Quaked…? Do you really think the Todiah Family would tremble before a commoner?!”

He couldn’t hide his agitation at the thought of us trembling.

“Then I’ll take it that your proposal has been accepted.”

I silently celebrated a victory in my heart.

I’d annul the engagement one way or another, and I’d settle things later.

I intended to take strong measures to place Princess Seri as Empress, but I couldn’t continue to cut ties with the Todiah Family.

Once she ascended to the throne, whether they liked it or not, I would have to rely on the Todiah Family.

I felt a bit guilty towards Ella.