I Accept

Ch 4

POV Krauss

They really didn't know much. Even after torturing them, they didn't spit out anything useful. What wastes. I thought I would at least get to know some of Helen's most trusted subordinates' names. But it seems like all orders were given anonymously. They didn't even know anything about Helen's other plans. Well, it wasn't like I was really expecting a big secret to be known by these pawns. I was only trying my luck.

"My lord we have entered the Institute's autonomous territory." A voice came from the outside.

Five days had passed on the road. Every night we stopped at an inn in some village or town on the way. Only now, I had finally left the Carnel Empire borders. From here on out my title of the Third Prince will not be as useful. My mind once again went over the information I had on the Greenwich Institute of Magic and Combat.

Greenwich academy. Founded even before the Carnel Empire itself. One of the most prestigious academies all over the continent. The territory it is on is not part of any empire or kingdom. This is because many students that graduated have become powerhouses with considerable influences. If any empire dares to covet this resource filled lands it will have to directly face the wrath of all those powerhouses. This was also why the academy didn't really care whether the student was a commoner or a noble. All that mattered was talent. That said, many past emperors, including the current one, had been graduates of the institute.

I was honestly quite happy that I was going to the Institute. Although the imperial library has lots of spell tomes of all sorts, it still cannot compare to the wealth and vastness of the institute's library which has an even richer history.

After travelling for the greater part of the day we finally arrived at the city of Cordon. Beyond this point only students were allowed to go. That meant, no servants and no private forces would be permitted to enter. I planned to buy a mansion in the city and let them all rest there, before leaving for the institute.

The gatekeeper didn't ask much questions once we told him I was an aspiring student and directly let us enter for a fee. As I passed through the city walls I felt I was being scanned. I looked around before noticing an inscription embedded in the city walls.

A Force Detection spell inscription?

Force detection was a non-elemental appraisal spell that revealed the other party's strength level. Any magician would be able to learn it if they tried, but observing the aura of the inscription it was likely done by a mage.

It was probably someone from the academy who installed it.

A spell caster can not only cast spells, but also inscribe it in any objects like scrolls or weapons. The drawback is that the inscribed spell is weaker than the original spell and it loses more strength over time. Due to this, all spell inscriptions need to keep being renewed every fifty years or so.

Once I entered the city the familiar sounds of people moving around came into my ears.

Fuelled by my curiosity, I cast a spell.

"Life Detection~"

I was surprised by the results of the spell. Most people used life detection only as a spell to find out the presence of people nearby, however, after reaching a certain proficiency you are also able to distinguish the strength of the life force. Unlike Force Detection~, this is a not so rude way to probe strengths of the people around you, as those who sense the spell can hide it if they want to. Right now, I was shocked, because according to the spell more than 75 percent of the population were either warriors or spell casters. This is an unimaginable proportion. Back home, just being an Adept Warrior is enough to gain a good position in the army. And reaching Weapon Specialist is good enough to become an imperial knight. Any normal army going against this city will be sure to be destroyed. And that is without counting the people that refused to reveal their strengths and the powerhouses in the academy.

After haggling with the real estate agents and selecting a manor from the city, I finally settled down all my servants and guards. I told them where to collect the money for their salary and finances and how to contact me in case of any emergencies, before leaving to roam the city on my own.

That night I went around the city, into various shops eating street food and collecting any new information about the academy, intermittently using the Life Detection spell.

After talking around with people I came across a surprising piece of information. These people already knew that the Third Prince of the Cartel Empire would be attending the academy. Although this news wasn't a secret, it wasn't really public information, and the speed at which it reached here was quite surprising. It was fortunate that these people never saw my face in person, otherwise I would be hounded by them.

Probably just a way of getting back at me. Helen should just focus on Derek right now, why is she making my life difficult?

I became lost in my thoughts while taking sips of the local beer while sitting in the corner of a bar.

** ** **

POV Charlotte

The first prince wants to kill his own brother? Even if they are half siblings, going so far as to kill him is too much right? I didn't really follow the court politics so although I knew that a fight for the throne was going on in the shadows, I didn't know to what extent it had reached, or who was in which faction. To understand the situation better, I went to my father.

"Knock knock" I knocked on the door to his office.

"…"

No reply? Is he not in there. I was going to knock again, but before that he replied,

"Come in."

To my surprise my mother was also in the room and her face was slightly red. Oh, so they were…

Before I could finish my line of thought I was interrupted,

"Did you decide?"

"Ah no."

"…"

"I mean, I need more details."

"3 days back a few close supporters of the First Prince were confirmed to be traitors. This was a ploy by the First Princess to flip the situation. A few years back all of them were on her side. She might have been hatching such a plan from a long time and sent over some of her supporters as spies. To prevent those nobles from defaming him even more the First Prince ordered their assassination as you know."

"Take this." Father said as he took a file from his desk and continued speaking. "The First Prince has already tried his best to not kill anyone. That is why he forcefully sent the Second Prince to the Greenwich institute. Now with the emperor bedridden, and the political situation suddenly worsening he doesn't have much choice. From his own investigations, it seems the one who is in contact with the Gretel empire is none other than the Second Prince."

Listening to all this new information cleared up some of my doubts, however,

"What if the First Prince is lying? What if he is the one actually in contact with the Gretel Empire like the First Princess says?"

With a wry smile my father explained, "Even if that is true we have already chosen to support the First Prince to become the Emperor. Right now, it is not safe to switch sides and defect to the First Empress. If we make the wrong choice, then it is obvious our family will be destroyed once the First Princess becomes the Empress."

"What about the other candidates? Even if we remove the Fourth Prince and the Third Princess because they are still children the Third Prince and the Second Princess are still there right?"

"The Second Princess is too incompetent. She can't even protect her own."

"What about the Third Prince? You said he was the most talented in all of them."

"Yes. The Third Prince would have been a very good competitor for the throne, but sadly he is not interested in the throne one bit and remains locked in his quarters for the majority of the time. In the last 4 years people who have seen him in person can be counted on one hand. He remains completely neutral no matter the situation. On top of that he is a spell caster, which adds another layer of risk." After a pause he continued. "That reminds me. Today news came that the Third Prince has also been sent to the Greenwich academy. If you decide to go there be careful of him. Although he isn't on the First Princess' faction, he isn't in the First Prince's faction either. That file contains all the information on the other nobles as well. Which faction they are in and their level of strength."

I digested all this information before opening the file and reading it.

The information was very useful. It even had the estimated number of secret forces by each noble.

"How was this information procured?" I asked. There was no way something like this would possible with just our family's resources while we were already understaffed due to the war."

"I asked the First Prince for it, but I don't think he was the one who got the information. If our spies could infiltrate the Imperial Palace we could have had a better idea. But every time we send someone we lose them whenever they manage to secure a good position."

"This mission is not urgent. You have as long as the Prince graduates. What you must make sure is he doesn't return to the imperial palace ever again."

"What about after I kill him? Do I return home?"

"No. you will complete studying until you graduate."

Now I understood why mother accepted me taking this mission. Rather than a task, this was more of a five-year break.

"So. Do you accept?" My father asked finally.