socalfunplaces Page 258
Page 258
"Your Highness Hearst."
"Once Prince Ota chooses his queen, the last remaining doubts in the kingdom will disappear, and it will only be a matter of time before Prince Ota ascends the throne."
"At that time, we will have no chance of winning at all."
“What are you really thinking, Your Highness Hearst? If it weren’t for managing these useless clay figures and scraps of paper, we would have had plenty of opportunities over the years to persuade the border generals and the garrisoned knights, and perhaps even to reclaim power in the kingdom.”
The tables and chairs trembled. Perhaps it was because Sear's excited words had finally provoked Prince Hearst, the lion lurking in the depths of darkness. He raised his head, and the majesty unique to those in high positions shone forth.
"Do not……"
Syl's body trembled instinctively as he heard his prince staring intently at him, reprimanding him with utmost seriousness:
"Don't say that... the Border Library is useless!"
"Wait! Is this the point of the conversation?!" Sil exclaimed in shock.
"Do I really have to be blunt? You're the one who's useless—!"
"Look at other people's princes! If Mino hadn't been ambushed by the demons, he might have unified the continent by now!"
"Can't wait any longer!"
Drawing a longsword that gleamed with cold light, Sir said urgently, "It's time for us to return to the kingdom and reclaim the throne that rightfully belongs to you, Your Highness Hearst!"
"As long as you can find a way to drag the border demons and the Lotte Merchant Guild into this mess, you still have a chance..."
“Sier”.
Hearst's flat tone faded away.
Slightly calming the slight anxiety in Sil's heart, he tapped the table lightly with his long fingers, drawing Sil's gaze to the poster in the center of the scattered scraps of paper:
“Sier, do you still not understand? Three years ago, what was the purpose of the character I designed with my own hands?”
Sylvie narrowed her eyes, naturally recognizing the singer project that had lasted for nearly four years.
"It's just a girl character you designed, what's the point?"
"This is not the image of an ordinary young girl."
Hearst glanced at Syl again with displeasure before slowly saying, "This is a girl that I designed myself based on my stupid brother, Otto, who yearns for beauty that doesn't even exist in the world... a girl who only exists in his imagination."
"He probably doesn't even understand why he was attracted to this virtual songstress at first glance."
Hearst pushed up his large, round, black-rimmed glasses, a subtle smile playing on his lips:
"Because this is the most perfect virtual girl, designed by me, the one who knows him best, who fits all his fantasies. It is precisely because she is too perfect that I cannot use any substitute or real person to play this songstress. Instead, I use the talents and spells of the Light Demon Clan to create a machine for projection, so that this girl, who should only exist on paper, can be brought from fantasy into reality."
"No one can refuse such a miracle, not even my foolish brother..."
"Not to mention, this was a trap tailor-made for him."
“Prince Ota?” Sir scratched his head. “What harm could a projection possibly do to him?”
"So you're still stuck in your old, violent way of thinking."
Hearst looked up, casting a few words of concern over what he might be looking at someone mentally challenged: "Why do you think we failed in the rebellion in the capital three years ago?"
"As long as that monstrous hero is there, we will never be able to wrest the throne from Ota."
"Speaking of that hero, it's such a pity... The inspiration for these clay figures and virtual idols came from a few casual conversations I had with him. With that kind of talent, there were so many other things he could have done, why did he have to become a hero? What a waste..."
Beside him, Syl rolled his eyes.
Our prince has indeed been bewitched by fictional characters.
The strongest hero in human history, the sword of light that terrified the demon race, was described by Hearst as a waste of talent: What, if the hero Mino had used his talents, could he have spread the Border Library to the whole world?
"Although I never imagined he would be captured by the demons half a year ago, reality is what it is."
Standing at his desk, Hearst touched his cheek and sighed with emotion:
“What Ota possesses is the support of the old king, the assistance of the most elite knights and ministers, and the aptitude to activate the Holy Round Table; it is the most legitimate royal family—”
"The most orthodox... not necessarily, Your Highness, you are in no way inferior to Naota."
Syl instinctively wanted to retort: "If you hadn't apparently damaged your brain during the rebellion three years ago, it would have been a piece of cake for you to scheme against the kingdom and prevent Ota from sitting on the throne for the past three years."
“I wasn’t talking about that, Seall,” Hearst explained, as if he had just remembered something.
"The important thing is the royal bloodline, the sacred Round Table—the founding artifacts of the nation—that's the key to everything. Unfortunately… I just can't bring myself to like that so-called strongest hero." Hearst shook his head, somewhat regretfully.
"He is really lacking in aesthetics and contrast."
Syl was bewildered; what did this have to do with that hero?
However, His Highness ignored him and continued speaking to himself:
“The throne of the kingdom is not something that can be stolen, Sir… Only those who are fit to be king can ascend the throne.”
“I don’t need to prove my abilities, I don’t need to compare myself to the royal bloodline. I just need to prove that Ota is less suited for the throne than I am, and that’s enough.”
"Unsuitable? How can you prove he's unsuitable?" Sear felt that Hearst was talking nonsense.
That was a wise king who led the kingdom to a glorious state never before seen by mankind, and established a solid reputation among the people and noble ministers. Even with the assistance of the Warrior of Light, Prince Ota's actions over the years have deeply won the hearts of the people.
Under such circumstances, how could he allow the people to lose faith in him as king?
“That’s not a problem.” Hearst spoke languidly at the long table, looking up as if he could already see the future:
“A prince without a queen is naturally unworthy of the throne. As long as Ota loses all interest in establishing a queen, he will naturally lose his right to be king.”
"The virtual singer will make all of this happen: the plan to banish the queen from Ota's side forever."
"I call it—Project Permanently Eliminate the Tower Consort!"
Chapter 373 Fim's Little Thoughts, Why Not Eat Fim
"You mean... that wise and powerful Prince Ota would fall in love with a virtual singer who isn't even human? And even give up his plans to make a queen for her?"
With his eyes wide open, Syl said in disbelief:
"How is this possible?!"
This time, he finally understood what his prince was thinking.
Admittedly, if Prince Ota doesn't marry and instead becomes obsessed with virtual singers, it will not only cause a sensation throughout the kingdom but also become a laughing stock!
The founding of the kingdom is the biggest joke in history!!!
No one would allow a king who cannot have children to sit on the throne, much less allow such an absurd thing, which would be ridiculed by all the races of the continent, to happen to Kur II. It would make the entire human kingdom lose face!
How could the flawless Prince Ota have made such a mistake?!
"It is precisely because Ota is a royal who is perfect in every way that he will not notice the weakest point in his heart."
Hearst calmly said:
"And as long as that gap can be enlarged little by little, he will completely lose his kingly glory."
"I have always prevented the border songstresses from being active within the kingdom because, to this day, the songstresses still have various technical flaws. If Ota were to come into contact with the still imperfect virtual songstresses too early, the gap in his mind would completely shatter his illusions."
"But conversely, once we make a virtual singer more lifelike and perfect than any girl in the world... then she will be the most deadly—Ota trap."
"Is this really possible...?" Grasping the scabbard instinctively, Syl still felt uncertain.
If everything goes as smoothly as their prince said, then Otta, who has tarnished his reputation, will completely lose his eligibility to ascend the throne, and their Prince Hearst will be able to easily return to the country and take the throne.
But the key question is: how can a virtual girl so easily make Ota fall for her?
"If I could do it, why do you think I would build this dimensional city?"
Hearst's gaze fell on the poster of the virtual singer Tsuri, a hint of confidence and satisfaction in his eyes:
"After so many years of technological breakthroughs, we finally caught up with the last piece of the puzzle before Ota chose his queen: giving the virtual singer a soul."
Stepping through the dimly lit tent, Hearst looked up and gazed towards the distant capital:
“I told you long ago, she would cut off Ota’s chance of ascending the throne, the border songstress—”
"Emerald Sound Love (AI)"
……
……
……
The first rays of sunlight shone on the soft bed.
"Mino".
A soft, limp touch came from my cheek, accompanied by a familiar, emotionless voice.
"Mino, wake up."
A soft, sweet voice tickled her ear. When Mino opened her eyes first thing in the morning, she saw a well-behaved maid who had taken off her little leather shoes and was sitting upright on the bed, waiting for her to wake up.
Her fluffy skirt cascaded down like flowers, and the cool, jade-like touch still lingered on her cheek.
Upon seeing Mino awaken, Fim quickly withdrew his hand, carefully closing it on his knees, pretending nothing had happened.
"It's Fim? You're up early today. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Mino slowly sat up and casually began to rub the little blue head beside her.
The light blue ahoge (cowlick) wiggled contentedly.
"not yet."
An unusual response rang out, but it didn't catch Mino's attention.
Seeing that Mino was about to get out of bed, Fim lifted her skirt and stepped off the bed before him, stepping onto the little leather shoes by the bedside. Her white ankles moved even faster than usual, and she pulled the small food cart to the door with a clattering sound.
As soon as you lift the lid, an enticing aroma wafts out.
Mino instantly woke up, her eyes brightening slightly:
"Is it freshly baked bread? That's great! But... isn't the portion a bit too much?"
Mino blinked slightly, looking at the portion that was several times larger than usual, and wondered a little, knowing that Fim wouldn't make a mistake on such a small matter.
He glanced at the maid beside him, who seemed unusually flustered.
Her slender hands, unsure where to grip the hem of her skirt, kept shifting positions until they became somewhat pale and began to move, gesturing in sign language that Mino couldn't understand, stammering: