The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 144: All according to the Calculation

After the restaurant, we went to two more shops and arrested two barons.

There is only one place left to visit today. As long as they follow my schedule, there should also be a noble waiting for us at that place.

Well, I guess it wont go as smoothly at the last place though. After all, that place is-.

The final place we are going today is in the outermost layer right

Yeah, that being the case, you can consider that this is over already.

Eh?

Finne tilts her head in confusion.

She probably thought that we would be continuing what we did so far as her expression looked really confused.

With a bitter smile on my face, I started talking to Finne.

I know the person they would make contact with if they plan to do something at the place we are visiting. I can say it here, those nobles wont be able to do anything.

Then..it is over..?

Yeah, but I cant let my guard down yet. There shouldnt be anything there that would make you feel bad though. Im sorry.

Seeing I lowered my head to apologize to her, Finne began to panic.

P, Please raise your head! It..it was originally my fault.Al-sama hasnt done anything bad at allthey were just suffering the consequence of their actions..

It was not your fault. I knew that this would happen someday. Dont worry about it.

But.Al-samaI know that I have no right to say this.but!

Finne looked straight at me with tears in her eyes.

I can feel her strong will to tell me something from those eyes.

Thats why I took the initiative and spoke first.

I intentionally escalated the problem this time.

..Eh?

Right about now, the Minister of Justice is probably holding his head while consulting this matter with Father. I already sent him the name of the arrested nobles and their cooperators to him. 2 Earls and 2 Barons. Plus, a large number of people who were involved in the act. The arrest number today should have gone through the roof.

Intentionally?.you did that on purpose.?

Obviously right? I wouldnt just go around arresting commoners meaninglessly after all. Rest assured, they wont be accused of any heavy crimes. They should be held in the prison for a few days but.Well, that is probably it.

When I lightly answered her that, Finne covered her face and started crying.

My heart aches when I see her like that.

I couldnt afford to let the cat out of the bag. Thats why I didnt tell her anything beforehand. However, I think that it was a great burden on Finne.

Im sorry. I couldnt ask you to play along.

Ugh.HicI.I thought that.Al-sama was very angry at them.

I was angry. I dont like their way of doing things after all. However, it is not like I want to condemn the people who were just following their orders. Even soto end this mess as soon as possible, I have to make them think that I was on a rampage.

A rampage?

Yeah. if I went for their throat with enough power to take them down, those idiots at the white seagull alliance would start to panic, right. But the one that will be the most panicked is their parents. The guys that joined the white seagull alliance are still young. The ones who hold real power are their parents, of course, even after they inherited their title as well. And with the uproar this time, they will think that I went on a rampage so they cant just treat this like someone elses problem anymore. My rampage could potentially destroy their entire house after all.

But..if that happens

Finne says with a worried voice despite her face still looking like she is about to cry.

They might hold a grudge and there will be more people who will be hostile toward me. She is probably afraid of that huh.

Its fine. Their parents wont try to take on someone who possesses more power than them. Im sure they will try to find some way to reconcile with me. Still, how do you think they would try to reconcile with a person who just went on a rampage? They probably couldnt ask that from my father, and the Brave house is too close to me as well.

Then the question is who will they depend on is it?

Yeah, I have already sent letters to the people they could rely on for that. A person who knows me and has high enough status to mediate a reconciliation with me. One of them is the person you know very well, you know.

I do?

Finne finally stopped crying and thought about it a little.

I used my right hand to wipe away the last teardrop from Finnes eye and smile at her to ease her worry.

Its your father. Sorry but I already invited him here.

Otou-sama!?

Even so, your father might be too close to the center of the problem and may lack the neutrality for it. Thats why I called Duke Reinfeld here as well. With those two, they should be able to mediate the matter without any problem. To make it easier for them to attack the two, I have already let go of some harmless nobles in their alliance. Those guys should be able to contact them. I have already instructed them to do so when I let them go after all.

You cant negotiate with the white seagull alliance which is filled with young nobles.

I have to pull their parents into this so that I can negotiate with them but some of them have already retired. For those people, they would only take it as their sons were doing something stupid after all.

In order to change that recognition of theirs, I had to go on a rampage.

Aside from the nobles who got arrested for causing problems, the people who were involved in the act should be released after we reached our agreement. That should be how it goes, after all the Minister of Justice is not that free and we also have a limited number of prison cells.

Well, I wont allow any nobles to be released though. Those guys are no good. One thing is their attitude toward Finne, another thing was how they involved the citizens in harassing me.

I wouldnt call for capital punishment but I will at least take away their titles.

In other wordseverything went according to Al-sama calculation wasnt it..?

For now that is. I am still not sure what Marquis Weitling who still hasnt shown up yet would do. Well, I am already prepared no matter what kind of plan he is concocting though. There are some plans that I dont want to use but.one thing I can say is that you will not have to cry because of it. So rest assured. Its already over. Just smile like you usually do.

That was quite a convenient request from me.

I was the one who made her cry with all the burden I pushed on her. It is just ridiculous for me to ask her to smile afterward.

However, Finne responded to such a ridiculous request with a soft smile.

Yes!

Im saved. As I thought, it is for the best if you remain smiling.

Al-sama is good as long as you remain as gentle as you are too!

Is that so. I will keep that in mind then.

I answered Finnes wish with a bitter smile.

The outermost layer of the imperial capital.

There is a dojo there.

That is my final destination today.

You sure took your sweet time huh.

My bad.

A small dojo.

Upon entering the place, Gai was standing in the middle of such a dojo looking angry. In front of Gai is a man in glasses whose nose is bleeding.

Guh, Ghyou! You just struck a baron you know! I wont let you off with just an apology!

Why dont you just give it to me straight here huh? Cant you at least school this commoner eh? Baron-sama.

Damn you! Your Highness Arnold! I was assaulted by your friend! This is a big problem! Theres no way you can protect him! If you are going to apologize then this is the time!

Saying so, the glasses baron looks at me. He probably knows that it wont make any difference saying anything to Gai huh. Still, it is his mistake for speaking to me.

If Gai hit you then he surely has his reasons.

I got beaten without even doing anything, Your Highness.

Yeah, he really didnt do anything yet. He told me to cooperate with him to harass you, Al. I hate the idea so I punched him in the face.

Th, thats nonsense!

Saying so, the glasses baron started to get upset.

Why are the nobles of the white seagull alliance so dumb? Well, maybe it was because they were that stupid that they were stopped from participating in the succession war and joined in on their stupid alliance.

Say whatever you like. But remember this, people of the outermost layer wont sell out their friend for money! We are certainly poor and we really do need some money but it is exactly because of that that we cant be bought. The connection between people that are so cheap to you nobles is precious to us here alright!

What are you saying so self-importantly! That still wont erase the fact that you assaulted me!

If you want to take me to court then just do it! I will say the same thing in front of His Majesty the Emperor! If I sell out my friend because of money then I wont have the right to stand in front of those kids! This is my pride as their teacher alright!

Gai said so as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the glasses baron.

Gai is a B-rank adventurer. He is average in terms of strength but he is still an adventurer who fought against many monsters and dived into many conflicts.

With only just a glare from him, the glasses baron was already scared witless.

Oi! Al! How do you want to handle this guy?!

Put him to prison I guess.

Pr, Prison!? Why!?

Haa.do you know the meaning of this ring?

I have shown this ring so many times today already.

Seeing it, the barons face turned blue in a blink of an eye.

Th, that is

I have been inspecting the capital with direct approval from His Majesty the Emperor. This is my final destination. The problem here, Baron, is what are you doing here? Ah, you can give up on lying alright. I have already arrested a lot of nobles on my way here.

N, no way..I, I was..Uhh.

Just tell me the truth. You were out here to harass me right?

When I asked, the glasses baron nodded, thinking that any more resistance is already futile.

When I confirmed that he had admitted to his crime, I commanded the knights to restrain him.

So? What is this commotion all about?

To put it shortly, they are nobles who dont like me being near Finne I guess.

Hah! The time finally came huh. I thought that this would happen someday.

Gai cheerfully said so.

Seriously, this guy is..

You look happy about it though?

Well, of course. You are allowed to remain beside Finne-sama right. If you dont suffer that much then I would be troubled.

Hey

Well, dont worry about it. I dont think about doing anything forcefully. The person she is happiest to be with, it would be clear just by looking at her smiling face.

Saying so, Gai turns his gaze to Finne outside the dojo.

The children in the neighborhood who noticed that Finne is here gathered around her and Finne responded to those children with a smile.

Her smile is the most beautiful when she is near you. Thats the answer.

Is that so.

How-e-ver, just try laying a finger on her alright? I will send you straight to hell. Dont think that you are safe just because Elna is around okay? A grudge of an unpopular guy can even take down the hero you know?

Thats scary..well, there is nothing that you have to worry about though.

Saying so, I appeased Gai.

Thus, this long day of me and Finne finally come to an end.