Despite the various happenings, Eugene and his knights were able to arrive at the capital in ten days. Unfortunately, it was impossible to avoid attention with nearly one hundred heavy cavalries moving together. However, no ordinary citizens dared to stand in their way even though Eugene’s knights carried no flag to identify themselves. The only problem was the nobles who had mistakenly picked a fight with Eugene and suffered the consequences. As soon as the nobles paid their ransoms and bought their freedom, a number of them immediately sent a message to the royal castle with news about Eugene.

The chaotic situation of the kingdom gave rise to an increase in the number of bandits, and monsters began to roam about in greater numbers due to the poor management of evil lands. As such, the messengers of the nobles had been significantly delayed in their journey to the royal castle. In the first place, it was difficult for a group of two or three messengers to safely reach the capital without encountering any problems. Meanwhile, nothing blocked Eugene’s way except for some crazy nobles, and they had finally reached the capital within ten days of departing from Maren.

“Sir, what are you planning to do now? Don’t you think it would be wise to rest for a while?” Vizak asked. The fake prince had rarely dismounted his horse except when he ate and slept. Both his body and mind were quite exhausted.

The march had been a difficult one, and Vizak would have long fainted with exhaustion if not for the refined mana stones he had been consuming every so often.

Eugene responded, “Let us rest after we finish occupying the castle. Besides, you haven’t even participated in any battles, have you? You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”

“…” Vizak would have immediately retorted not long ago, but he had already somewhat given up. It was indeed true that Eugene and the other knights had taken care of those who stood in their way until now. The imperial knights couldn’t even unsheath their blades even once during the journey, and the prince and Vizak had traveled most comfortably out of anyone in their group.

“His Highness only asked because he is curious about how you are planning to get into the capital and take over the royal castle. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?” Localope said.

“Ah… T-that’s right. It’s just as he says,” Vizak responded while feigning a cough.

“Ehem! Even if the duke and the other sirs are brave as dragons, it’s not an easy feat to take over the capital. Even if the majority of their troops are absent, there will still be hundreds of soldiers guarding the capital and the castle,” Vizak said.

“That’s not for you to worry about, Prince,” Eugene responded.

“…” Vizak felt annoyed, and the vessels on his forehead bulged. However, he suppressed his anger while stealing a glance at Prince Localope.

“Sir, you aren’t planning to employ a dishonorable method to deal with the nation’s king, are you?” Vizak asked.

“A dishonorable method?” Eugene asked.

“Using the power of the Dark Clan. It might be appropriate when dealing with monsters, but it would be very troublesome if you used it here. Even if you succeeded, there would be great criticism from other countries, and the other nobles of the Caylor Kingdom would find it hard to accept the outcome,” Vizak continued. Prince Localope nodded in agreement with Vizak’s words.

A country like Brantia, which was considered a barbaric country on the periphery by others, was more lenient toward such issues. However, the nobles of nations that proudly boasted themselves as being civilized would take issue with the smallest of things. In particular, the blade of criticism would immediately turn on those who employed any semblance of dishonorable or cowardly methods.

And the so-called ‘dishonorable or cowardly methods’ included the unique abilities and mysteries of other races. Such was the reason why vampires were marginalized in many of the continent’s countries.

Eugene spoke with a cold smile, “That’s none of my business.”

“W-what…?” Vizak said.

Eugene continued, “I am not a nobleman of the Caylor Kingdom. So, I don’t have to care what happens to the kingdom, nor about what the nobles here think of me.”

“But…”

“In addition,” Eugene interrupted Vizak’s words with indifference, then looked around his surroundings. It was as if he were about to address his following words to those who were secretly paying attention to the conversation between him and the prince.

Eugene continued, “The honor that you mentioned. Isn’t that from the perspective of the victor?”

“…?!”

“I’m saying that those who had already obtained everything could impose those various restrictions for their own good. They had to have done so to prevent challengers from rising up against them, so they always rant about chivalry this, honor that.” Eugene said.

“…” The prince and his men seemed to be in disbelief. However, Eugene’s knights were frowning in contemplation. If someone else had said the same thing, they would have scoffed. However, Eugene was the strongest, most honorable, and most successful knight they knew. At least for them, Eugene stood at the pinnacle of knighthood and was a symbol of what it meant to be a knight. 

“The king and the cardinal attacked my territory first, and they were the ones who pointed their blades at those whom I share friendship with. Why do I have to take into consideration their circumstances and honor? If they had any intention of treating me with honor, they would have found me first and formally declared war,” Eugene said. Vizak’s eyes quivered even greater when he heard Eugene openly criticizing the king and the cardinal.

However, the knights nodded with affirming gazes and clenched fists.

“But sir, think of those who are cooperating with you. Don’t you know that your actions might land them in trouble later?” Vizak said.

“Others? Oh, like the leaders of Maren and the Count of Winslon?” Eugene asked.

“That’s right…”

“If the king had consideration for their honor, he wouldn’t have tried to send a group of trash like the Ashen Knights to Maren to try and trick them. Am I wrong?” Eugene said.

“T-that’s…”

“Those bastards who call themselves the king and the cardinal were the ones who committed despicable shit. Honor? Generosity? Hospitality? Oi, Your Highness, could you show such sweet sentiments to bastards who are trying to crush and kill you? Is that how you do things in the empire?” Eugene asked back.

“…!” Vizak became wide-eyed with shock. However, he couldn’t respond to Eugene’s words. Even Localope, the true recipient of Eugene’s acrimonious criticism, remained silent and simply gazed at Eugene with a stiff expression. The two couldn’t help but be reminded of the one responsible for their current predicament.

‘Could I fight them fairly and win? No, before that, had they ever treated me with honor and justice?’

There was no need to even think about it. It had only been half a year since the two were forced to leave the empire while shedding tears of blood after being subjected to all kinds of schemes and intimidation. They could never hope to escape their current situation with an honorable method. In the first place, wasn’t that why they were asking for help from Eugene, a Marecasio?

“Even so—” Vizak muttered.

“Your Highness, Duke Batla is absolutely right,” Localope interrupted.

“Huh? What…?” Vizak took on a flustered expression.

Localope turned his gaze away from the fake prince and continued, “You have opened my eyes and enlightened me, Your Excellency. The honor of a person who points their blade toward me is not worthy of consideration. The dishonorable methods of the opponent? Such is the excuse of the loser. No one will show you any consideration even if you cry honor after losing. Only the victor can speak of honor and justice.”

And such would be portrayed as the grace and generosity of a monarch…

Localope knew this, as the greatest emperor in Roman history, the conqueror, had done so as well. Behind the great victories of the conqueror were hidden tricks and threats. The inheritors of his blood, the members of the imperial family, were aware of this fact.

“Your servant is truly wise, Your Highness,” Eugene said.

“Ah, oh, well… Thank you,” Vizak stammered. Anyone could tell that Eugene was putting the servant over the prince, but Vizak couldn’t help but accept it. After all, the servant was actually the prince.

“Ehem! Anyway, how are you planning to get into the capital?” Vizak asked.

“Your Highness. I don’t think we should intervene in that matter. The chief commander of the troops is Duke Batla. Our actions could be seen as a challenge to his authority,” Localope intervened.

“Ah… I see. Sure,” Vizak muttered.

“No, that’s not true. This time around, Your Highness will need to intervene,” Eugene suddenly said.

“Hmm?”

Eugene continued with a grin, “There is a way to get into the royal castle without facing any obstruction whatsoever. Would you like to hear about it?”

***

“Huaah…!”

Viscount Horie of the capital’s guards yawned with a bored face. Count Hatres, the queen’s brother and the captain of the guards, had departed with the soldiers as the commander of the army. As such, he had been placed in charge of the capital’s security.

However, there wasn’t much work to be done. Quite a few territories were embroiled in conflict no different from civil wars, but the royalists mostly dominated the areas near the capital. As such, it was very quiet.

Therefore, Viscount Horie and the guards, numbering close to two hundred, calmly carried out their tedious work of identifying and inspecting passersby at the gate.

“Next,” a guard called out in a monotonous voice after skimming over the contents of a cart.

“Huh?” His gaze changed slightly. The following six visitors were knights on horseback. Other soldiers quickly crept up around the guard. He had conducted rather sloppy inspections until now, but he couldn’t do the same for these six heavily armed knights.

“Where are you coming from, sirs?” the guard politely asked.

A knight wearing a black cape raised his hood. It was quite clear at first glance that even the cape was expensive and top-quality. The knight answered, “Nice to meet you, sir. I am coming from the imperial city of the Roman Empire…”

Vizak continued while holding out a golden identification token embossed with the seal of the Roman imperial family. For the first time in a while, he was acting in his original position as a servant.

“…And as such, the Third Prince of the golden blood, His Highness Localope wishes to greet the King of the Caylor Kingdom.”

“…Hick!” The guard was brought back to his senses with a hiccup.

“P-please wait a minute! Captain! Sir Horie!”

The news of a visit from the Roman Empire’s royalty was immediately conveyed to Viscount Horie. Viscount Horie rushed to greet the distinguished guests after laying his eyes on the golden token, which was clearly authentic. Then, he turned his horse to relay the shocking news to the royal castle.

Naturally, the group entered the capital without any further confirmations or cumbersome processes.

“There’s no need for me to use my abilities when there’s such an easy way, wouldn’t you agree?” Eugene asked.

“That’s—what a great plan,” Vizak responded with an awkward smile. In truth, he wanted to shout his discontent. He couldn’t believe that a member of the empire’s imperial family and a great noble like a duke was using such a cowardly, dishonorable trick. However, the prince had already given his permission, and it had already happened.

Now, he had no choice but to do as the insidious vampire duke had said. Eugene’s crafty thinking went beyond common sense, and Vizak couldn’t fathom when this would end. But for now, once he met with the king…

“What? Sir! What are you doing!?” Vizak exclaimed. The same was true for Prince Localope and his knights. Currently, they were waiting inside the guards’ building until someone suitable from the royal castle welcomed them.

Eugene disregarded their startled gazes and took off his plate armor, organized it, then gave it to Princess Lilisain.

“You are the only one I can entrust my armor and spirit with. Don’t lose them,” Eugene said.

“I-I’m infinitely honored! I will protect them with my life!” Princes Lilisain exclaimed with flushed cheeks while looking all over Eugene’s half-naked body with a rather perverted gaze.

“K-kieh?! I-I feel a chill all of a sudden…”

Princess Lilisain’s gaze was already fixated on Mirian, and the spirit trembled with fear. It appeared all the abilities she had gained from her evolution were useless in this situation.

“G-good girl, right? Gently, softly… I’ll treat you nice. You trust me, right? Haaa… Hoah…” Princess Lilisain huffed.

“Kiek!” Mirian squealed before quickly hiding in Eugene’s armor. Princess Lilisain created a ruckus while trying to find the spirit.

Vizak and the prince still couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Someone’s going to come from the royal castle soon! What are you planning to—”

Paaaa…

Fear suddenly emerged from Eugene’s figure like a haze.

Crack! Craaack!

Eugene’s body twisted strangely, and he soon began to transform into a savage creature.

“What?!”

“Y-Your Excellency!?”

The surrounding figures quickly retreated with fear. A husky voice came out of Eugene’s lips—he had transformed into a monster.

“The remaining troops in the capital won't be enough to deal with a high-ranking monster, so what do you think is going to happen, then?

“…!!!”

Vizak stood silent with shocked eyes, and Localope, the wise prince, answered in his stead, “The knights waiting nearby will have a reason to enter!”

“That’s right,” Eugene answered before quickly jumping out the window. His appearance looked very much like a dragon.

A moment later, the roar of a drake resounded along with the terrified screams of people. Drakes were known as the strongest monsters on land, along with the ogres.