My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 91

“Bring the princess to the Duke’s Residence?”

“That’s right.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Because the Crown Prince is going to be really pissed off soon.”

Not only did Duke Tori shift his power towards Princess Seri, but he also broke off the engagement between the Todiah Family.

Previously, he had provoked Chris and effectively neutralized Princess Seri’s usefulness, which made it strange that he wasn’t already angry.

When the Crown Prince eventually found out everything, his rage might lead him to poison the food meant for Princess Seri, so it was better to move her beforehand.

“Besides, I can’t go to the Imperial Palace to teach the princess every single time. It would be much more convenient to bring her to the Duke’s Residence for her lessons.”

“…I’ll go along with your suggestions, but I really can’t tell if this is a good idea. No matter how much we struggle, it won’t mean a thing if the Emperor doesn’t approve of the candidate.”

“You don’t need to worry about that part.”

To put it bluntly, the person was going to die anyway.

As long as the Emperor didn’t make a declaration before his death to crown Chris, there wouldn’t be an issue. Even if he did, there was the chance of the Resistance, so there were ample countermeasures.

“Are you sure it’s really okay to not worry…?”

“Don’t worry. There’s always a way. You just focus on preparing the princess’s room and clothes.”

“Now you’re commanding me as if it’s the most natural thing. So when do you plan to bring her?”

“Right now.”

“…What?”

I couldn’t help but smile smugly to myself.

*

“Is it really okay to do this?”

Seri looked around with a worried expression.

“It’s fine.”

They say you should strike while the iron is hot. I used Maria’s Teleport to whisk the princess away from the Imperial Palace.

By now, the palace likely realized that Seri was gone, and chaos had probably erupted, but at least the Emperor wouldn’t take any action.

When Duke Tori met with Emperor Lupin and said he would educate Seri, he was granted permission more easily than expected.

This meant, in other words, that Seri would be stepping up as a potential crown candidate, which meant he recognized that I had entered the princess’s faction.

I didn’t know how he’d figured it out, but it was clear he was trying to abandon Princess Seri to seize the opportunity of using me.

“If any problems arise, I’ll take care of them. So don’t worry about it and just study hard for the next two months. If you’re hungry, I’ll make sure you eat something delicious, and if you’re cold, I’ll make it warm for you.”

“You do realize that it’s coming out of my own pocket, right?”

Duke Tori responded as if he couldn’t believe the audacity. I gently placed my hand on Seri’s head and spoke.

“Duke Tori, are you really hesitant to invest money in the princess? Everything is for the sake of the Empire, after all!”

“No, that’s not it…”

Duke Tori desperately tried to come up with excuses while nervously glancing at Seri.

“I know. You’re not the type to hold back. Of course, you would open your wallet.”

Before he could speak, I interjected.

“This guy….”

He realized I was teasing him and clenched his fists in frustration.

“If this kid becomes Emperor, it’ll just be pocket change in the end.”

“…If a war breaks out among the nobles, you’ll be responsible for it all.”

“No, that’s never going to happen.”

I had already secured a deal with two Grand Dukes, and as for Duke Kalus in the east, he had no interest in politics at all.

People might ask how the remaining nobles could unite and rebel, but no matter how much the riff-raff tried, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Duke Tori.

No matter how rotten, a Duke is still a Duke.

He had the attitude of accommodating and embracing other races, so while he might be talked about behind his back by nobles, the power he wielded couldn’t be underestimated.

Plus, the nobles under his banner were quite formidable, so even if they joined forces, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Ah… um… Praus.”

“What is it?”

Her eyes were looking up at my hand resting above her head.

“Oh, I see. My apologies.”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just… um, is it too sudden? It’s nice, but…”

I was bewildered by her mumbling, and I lowered my hand.

“Ah… more than that, Praus.”

“What?”

“This… I’ve memorized everything.”

She held out the political knowledge I had given her.

“I heard you answered everything when Duke Tori asked?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Good job.”

“Ehhehe… Thank you.”

This is why gaslighting is scary.

Thinking about how I made a strong-willed girl with potential feel incompetent just makes me mad even now.

“So, um… am I able to eat your cooking?”

“Of course. I’ll prepare a meal for you tonight.”

“Awesome…!”

Princess Seri clenched her fist, revealing her excitement. So that’s how much she had been looking forward to my cooking. I’d better make it a good one.

“I hope you’ll keep up that kind of effort. I know you can do it.”

I gave her shoulder a light pat.

*

“Just… what did you say?”

Chris glared at the urgently entered knights, rising from his seat. He strode over to them, radiating hostility.

“What did you say, you bastards?!”

“S-S-S-Seri Princess has disappeared.”

Smack!

Chris slapped the knights across their faces.

“You damn idiots! Why didn’t you notice that Seri was missing?! Get out there and find her right now! Otherwise, I swear I’ll chop off your heads myself!”

“We will definitely find her!”

The knights quickly bowed and hurriedly dashed out of the office.

Watching their retreating figures, Chris pressed his temples.

He was the Crown Prince, already stressed out from the matters regarding Praus and Duke Tori.

Chris was already aware that those two were joining forces to bolster Princess Seri’s influence.

Even so, he hadn’t interfered with her at all.

After all, Princess Seri was supposed to be removed from the crown candidate position due to the engagement, and no matter how hard Seri struggled, he held absolute confidence that she couldn’t overcome his power.

But now that the princess had vanished as if to rebel against him, he couldn’t help but feel an ominous sense of foreboding rising inside him.

‘Where the hell have those bastards taken Seri?!’

The Crown Prince could not hide his displeasure at the emergence of a new obstacle in his way.

With his fists tightly clenched, he sighed and sat back down.

“Those damned bastards… Black Light Corps!”

“Did you call, Your Highness?”

The man in black attire, appearing like a shadow, knelt and bowed his head.

“Has anyone infiltrated the Imperial Palace?”

“At least, no one has crossed the outer walls or entered through the gates with the princess. However, a strange magical aura was felt in Princess Seri’s room.”

“Magical aura?”

“I suspect they might have used Teleportation magic to kidnap the princess and flee.”

“Teleport? There are seventh-tier barrier spells installed in the Imperial Palace; teleporting should be impossible.”

“Yes, that is correct, but it seems that Praus has a magician above the seventh tier on his side.”

The leader of the Black Light Corps bowed his head deeply as he spoke.

Unaware of what had transpired in Todiah, they couldn’t comprehend the situation at hand. Chris let out an exasperated sigh.

“Regardless, it’s clear that Duke Tori has taken her. There’s a high possibility she’s in Aus Territory. Go and bring her back, no matter what it takes.”

“…I will do so.”

The leader vanished.

Chris, trying to control his excitement, got up to inform his father, Emperor Lupin, that Princess Seri had gone missing.

Striding down the corridor, his attendants naturally followed.

“Where is His Majesty?”

“He is currently in his office.”

“…Is he still working?”

Chris’s brows furrowed in dissatisfaction, thinking that his father still didn’t trust him enough to take a break from his duties.

Noticing his expression, the attendants hurriedly bowed their heads.

In no time, Chris reached the Emperor’s office and knocked on the door.

“Your Majesty, may I come in?”

He desperately tried to calm his agitated emotions. Just as he heard a quiet invitation from inside, he pushed open the door.

After entering and closing the door behind him, he strode to Emperor Lupin’s desk.

“Your Majesty, or rather, His Majesty, it’s been reported that Seri has gone missing. We need to summon people immediately—”

“Don’t act rashly,” interrupted Emperor Lupin coldly, cutting off Chris’s words. Chris felt overwhelmed by his father’s imposing presence and accidentally shut his mouth.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And… what did you say?”

The Emperor stood from his seat, placing his quill in the inkwell as he questioned.

“It appears that Seri has been— kidnapped by some unknown assailants. We need to send a tracking party before anything happens to her.”

“To me, it seems they are trying to keep her alive.”

The Emperor muttered meaningfully while gazing out the window.

“Pardon?”

“…Still, you are the next Emperor.”

“What do you mean…?”

Chris, struggling to comprehend, kept racing through countless possibilities in his mind.

‘Is it possible that my Majesty sees Seri as a candidate for the next Emperor as well?’

Having arrived at the most likely scenario, he couldn’t help but stare anxiously at the back of the Emperor’s head.

“Leave Seri alone. Just like you have been until now. Whatever happens, she will have chosen it herself, so she wouldn’t regret it.”

Emperor Lupin had known from the beginning that Praus and Maria had teleported to Princess Seri’s room.

Since it was a barrier set up by the Magic Guild Leader, there was no way news of someone infiltrating the palace wouldn’t reach the Emperor’s ears.

Despite knowing this, he chose to turn a blind eye on purpose.

He thought that it would be easier to use Praus this way.

Having joined Princess Seri’s faction, he understood he could utilize Praus to his advantage in elevating his own claim to the throne, all while pretending to support him.

And later, when it was time to choose the next Emperor, he intended to select Chris instead of Seri, essentially sucking the life out of him.

From the very beginning, he hadn’t contemplated giving the throne to anyone other than Chris.

‘If I can win over Praus, I could easily spare a daughter or two.’

“But…”

In Chris’s position, unaware of these circumstances, he couldn’t just let the matter of their engagement go unaddressed.

“Your Majesty, are you truly okay with this?”

“Yes, it’s alright, so don’t poke your nose in.”

“I can’t decipher your intentions. How can you be so calm when Seri has been abducted—”

“Stop talking about that. Is that all you need to convey?”

“Yes…”

“Then be gone.”

Emperor Lupin gazed at the sky that seemed ready to rain. Chris felt an overwhelming sense of frustration welling up inside him as he bowed his head.

Now that the denial was in effect, he knew further conversation would be futile.

As Chris turned to leave, Lupin mumbled to himself.

“This is all for you. You must become Emperor, after all.”

However, what Emperor Lupin had overlooked was that his lifespan was running out.