The Crown Prince and the Bastard Prince

It's fortunate that firearms don't exist in this world, because if I had to shake one more hand, I would definitely shoot myself.

Excluding people who believe stupid rumors, there are many people with true common sense and see the value of the inventions that my father left and those that I could produce myself, so many people came to my "submission".

This is where Aisha takes more value, if it wasn't for her, each noble of the party in addition to their promises of support and future business, would be eager to introduce me to their daughters, so having a fiancee with whom I have a good relationship it's a very good shield against marriage offers, or at least it should be, since although Aisha was by my side at the beginning, the parade of lies, double face, and hypocrisy, must have given her a headache, so a couple of hours ago she disappeared and I know there is no human power capable of making her return to the party.

So now just when I thought I had finished, since my fiancée is not able to remain with her future husband, the nobles once again meet in front of me, to offer me their daughters in marriage.

Worst of all, is the rare marriage system that exists in Karris, although technically it's monogamy, the husband can have concubines, but their children don't have the right to demand anything from the father's inheritance other than what he wants to give them, the problem is in the fact that the concubines are chosen by the wife, and the husband doesn't have the right to have an opinion on her choice, so any relationship with anyone his wife hasn't selected, is considered adultery, so before disappear, poor Aisha was bombarded with a ton of proposals from nobles, so that her daughters would be my concubines, that's why I don't blame her for leaving, I would like to do exactly the same, but I didn't had the opportunity.

That's why now, the window looks so tempting, this is just a second floor. I know I can survive a fall like that.

As the window became more and more tempting, Eris came over to speak to me.

(Eris) honey, if you're thinking of jumping out the window, I'm sorry to inform you that these aren't made to open, and that's reinforced glass, you'd need a battering ram to break them.

I don't care, I have Irma she's worth a whole demolition crew, but on second thought, maybe it's not such a good idea, maybe it is, it all depends on how many more people I have to say hello.

(Leonora) today my patience is at the limit Eris, leave me alone.

(Eris) okay sweetie, I just wanted to tell you that the person who wanted to introduce you unfortunately couldn't make it to the party.

Well, that's one problem less.

(Leonora) Anyway, I had no intention of meeting her.

Eris had intended to turn around, but she turned back to me, and smiled.

(Eris) you know darling, if they see you talking to me, it's unlikely that lower-ranking nobles will get close, so it could serve as a shield, but sadly, you're not in the mood to talk to me.

Shit, that's a good proposition.

(Leonora) this is because of you, it was never my intention to have an official title.

(Eris) yeah, I think you're right, then honey I'm leaving.

(Leonora) ohh, and now you're running away, you have to explain to me what the hell you were thinking about when you decided to give me a title.

(Eris) in nothing special honey, now if you'll excuse me.

(Leonora) I know that's not true, I deserve an explanation.

(Eris) honey, aren't you trying to lengthen our conversation?

Shit shit shit, she realized, I can't let him go, I see there are at least 4 people who are waiting to present themselves.

(Leonora) those are just your ideas.

(Eris) I wouldn't mind staying, and having a long conversation, but this is a party, and I prefer to talk to my friends, and I think I remember that you don't consider me your friend.

Shit shit shit, what do I do now? I don't want to give up, but I'm done,please let something happen, anything, anything would be fine!

(Young man) Excuse me, Marquis Johansen, may I speak to the honoree?

Behind Eris, was the crown prince Maxwell Zalasar, it was not exactly what I wanted, but I'm satisfied, the prince can also be a good repellent of the lesser nobility.

Eris finally pulls out, I'm not sure if she thinks she does me any harm, but right now, I don't care.

(Maxwell) Count Leon Lazaruz, I'm Maxwell Zalasar, Crown Prince of Karris.

Maxwell extends his hand for me to shake, I streched it trying to hide my fatigue.

(Leonora) hmm, just Maxwell Zalasar? I thought that in Karris, the nobility used to have like 50 names.

(Maxwell) yes and no, only the firstborn has 5 names, which he can lose if he's disinherited, but in the case of the successor to the throne, he can only have more names or titles when he is crowned, so I would only have more names if I am crowned.

When he said that last, Maxwell lowered his gaze slightly.

Damn it Maxwell, are you going to start with your insecurities?

Unlike the king, and his rpg final boss appearance, Maxwell had inherited his mother's appearance, which is why he had long brown hair, which he made into a mane to give him his cowardly lion look, honey-colored eyes, and a Fairly white skin from someone who doesn't go out in the sun very often.

(Leonora) So, what does the crown prince want with my humble self?

(Maxwell) is for this.

Maxwell puts his hand in his jacket pocket, and takes out a couple of sheets of paper that he hands me, I analyzed what he gave me, actually both sheets said the same thing, it was an invitation to a tea party from a noblewoman, but the content wasn't relevant, if not the invitations themselves, one had slight marks on the paper and the other was completely smooth, it was obvious that one was made by means of a printing press and the other with magic.

(Leonora) Yes, this was definitely made by a Lazaruz company printing machine, but what's the problem?

(Maxwell) the problem is that the quality is practically the same and the price is less than a third, his invention is leaving image magicians out of work, I kindly ask you to remove it from the market.

Hmm, so we have those.

(Leonora) tell me prince, how many magicians work in a printing shop?

(Maxwell) depends on the size, but on average between 4 or 7.

(Leonora) more than 20 work in a printing workshop of the Lazaruz company, and that's not all, there is another workshop whose sole function is to manufacture and repair the printing presses, as well as another workshop that is responsible for making the ink, which it's main ingredient is canola oil, which is also grown by a subsidiary of my company, in addition to having my own transport company that handles the materials of all levels of the process, in the end if we put all of them together the people of all the active workshops, not to mention that two more printing and one ink shops will open soon, I'm employing more than a thousand people, are you really asking me to fire a thousand so that 4 or 7 can keep their work?

(Maxwell) I ... I didn't know the big picture.

(Leonora) if you intend to become King, you should learn to see all points of view before giving an opinion, and that the needs of many are above the needs of the few.

(Maxwell) I... think you're right, I still have a long way to go to become King.

Maxwell lowered his head, he looked depressed.

Motherfucker, do I have to kill your father every time, so you grow a couple of balls? Stop getting depressed about any shit, you're 13 and in any case the Johansens are the ones with the real power here.

(Maxwell) I apologize for my lack of perspective, if you escuse me, I'll go.

What ? eee? no, wait, I prefer to talk to you than to those people!

(Leonora) you don't have to apologize, I am of the idea that nobody is born being good, and that hard work is the only key to success, if you want to put the kingdom in order, you can count on my support.

This time I offer him my hand, to which he tekes it.

(Maxwell) it would be an honor to have such an excellent ally, I think your board will help me to see things in perspective.

Who would have thought I've just become Maxwell's ally? I wasn't planning on getting involved with him in this life, well, I don't mind it at all.

(Maxwell) then Count Lazaruz, for now I'm retiring, there are more people who wish to speak with you, and I don't intend to take up more of your time.

NO! son of a bitch stay here! I don't want to talk to anyone anymore!

As soon as Maxwell left, the people around me who were pretending to talk to each other, looked at me like a predator at a defenseless prey, and little by little they approached me.

Shit shit shit, now what? Please, once again, let anything else happen!

(Camille) Mr.Leon, please come with me, there is someone I would like to introduce to you.

My beautiful, adorable, smart, and sweet little sister, took me by the arm and made me follow her, for my good luck people didn't dare to go against the wishes of a little girl, and they left me alone, but they continued lurking closely.

(Leonora) what's up Camille?

(Camille) I've been observing people and I think I've found someone who can be helpful to us.

I don't know how to explain to Camille that I don't have a master plan, well, I do, but it's not the one she's thinking about.

Camille led me to the snack table, which is fortunate since I'm starving, I wanted to stop for a moment to get something from the table, but Camille didn't stop and led me to a dimly lit corner of the room where a young man was sitting.

Shit, it had to be you.

It was the bastard prince, Bruno Zalasar. Unlike his brother, Bruno had inherited the appearance of his father, and at 13 he looks about 16, his hair and black eyes give him the appearance of a bad person, he's about 5 foot tall , and he already has thick muscles giving him a more threatening aspect, it is at least curious that Camille has noticed that indeed, he can be extremely useful to my plans.

(Bruno) then you are Count Lazaruz... Camille told me about you, she tells me that you have plans for the kingdom, right?

It's funny that you refer to Camille with such confidence, have you known each other before? Or is that Camille has the incredible charisma to make friends wherever she goes?

(Leonora) There are a lot of stupid rumors going around, and I'm not sure what you think I'm doing.

(Bruno) it's true, I've heard a lot of stupid things about you, that's why I wanted to meet you, since I think we could have the same mentality.

Hmm, Bruno continues as usual, his mentality seems the same as in the game.

(Leonora) and what could that mentality be?

(Bruno) end the nobility...

Yes, as usual, your change has not yet occurred.

Bruno, being abandoned by his father, the King, developed a great hatred of all the nobility, he hated that he was exploited and used by the Leonora of the game, to make him commit the murders in his name.

What differentiates him from Aisha, who has a similar motivation, is that she worries about leaving a better future after the chaos, although she doesn't really know how, but Bruno doesn't care about that, he just wants revenge.

That's why Bruno is someone a bit difficult to control, when he is full of anger he is explosive, irrational, and dangerous, that is why I do not usually take him into account in my plans, the best thing to do with him is to achieve that his relationship with his brother improves, and in so his temperament calms down becoming the lovable person who is a fan of gardening and nut bread.

For now I look around, people who want to talk to me follow me from a distance, but the bastard prince is so intimidating and has such a bad reputation that they don't dare to come near.

(Leonora) what makes you think that's my goal?

Bruno looked a bit puzzled.

(Bruno) so far what you and your father have done has left that impression on me, since they are constantly bothering their business, even a few days ago they came begging to make a law that prohibits your inventions.

Hmm, Bruno laughed a little when saying that last, it seems that he is rather halfway, I think he only has resent, stil no hatred, if that's the case, maybe he could help me.

(Leonora) that really is a secondary objective, my goal is way higher, but if along the way I can piss off a couple of nobles, that would be the cherry of the cake.

(Bruno) heh, I like that way of thinking, so Mr. Lazarus, are you looking for help with your plans?

Bruno doesn't seem as upset as ever. Normally his condition as a bastard son would be discovered at the age of 9, but this time through my intervention, it was discovered at 6, I think those years are the definitive ones to make his hatred grow.

So, I think maybe I'll put it to the test for a while.

(Leonora) is possible, it all depends on how capable the person is.

I looked around me again, people were still waiting for me to be alone.

(Leonora) and my father said that the best way to meet someone is to share a meal.

I accompanied Bruno to the snack table, and from there, we continued talking the rest of the night.