NOVPUBIan had a clear reason for seeking out the fortune teller.
‘Strangely enough, their predictions come true.’
The fortune teller whom Crown Prince Leonic had met had delivered an intriguing prophecy:
[You will meet your benefactor not through a planned meeting, but in a place your steps lead you, Crown Prince. And this benefactor will make you an emperor remembered in history.]
The fortune teller had spoken with unwavering confidence, as if they truly foresaw the future. At first glance, their words resembled the vague and cunning tactics street fortune tellers often employed to appear insightful. But Ian was no fool.
‘Leonic was originally headed somewhere else, yet he came to Labadom because of what that fortune teller said.’
The fortune teller seemed to know about Ian’s past life. Their ability to alter the future with mere words was uncanny—reminiscent of a saint’s prophecy. This only deepened Ian’s suspicions.
‘A mere street fortune teller offering a prophecy as impactful as the Saintess, the Holy Empire’s brightest star? Suspicious.’
The more he thought about it, the more he doubted this was mere coincidence.
‘Could it be my imagination that their words were meant for me to come looking for them?’
No, it wasn’t just imagination. Ian was convinced he needed to meet the fortune teller. Something about it felt pivotal, as if the encounter would unveil a hidden truth. But before he could find Leonic, he faced an obstacle.
Clang!
Swords and spears barred Ian’s path, their sharp points gleaming as they blocked him.
“No entry beyond this point.”
“Turn back.”
The guards radiated an intimidating presence. If he took even a single step closer, they looked ready to thrust their weapons at him. These weren’t ordinary soldiers; they were the knights assigned to protect the former Crown Prince Leonic’s tent. If it had been regular soldiers, Ian might have found a way to slip past, but—
“What are you staring at?”
“Nothing, sirs. I must have mistaken the tents. I’ll leave immediately.” 𝑛𝘰𝘷𝑝𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝘮
“Get lost before you regret it.”
The knights were handpicked by the First Princess herself and were impenetrable in their vigilance. Any attempt to breach their defenses would be futile. Moreover, the surrounding tents had their entrances oriented toward Leonic’s tent. Any commotion would immediately draw soldiers to assist.
At this sight, Ian smiled.
‘Well done.’
It seemed that the First Princess had heard him after all—someone needed to keep watch to ensure nobody approached Leonic. In fact, the ones keeping watch were the most capable and trustworthy knights of the First Princess. Naturally, no one could approach this tent.
‘Anyone who manages to get past these guards would immediately raise suspicion.’
With no way to slip past the guards unnoticed, Ian knew his only option was to follow the plan he had previously arranged with the First Princess. After assessing the area, he set out to find Nathan at the princess’s tent.
“Oh dear, why am I so hungry? I wish someone would bring me some grilled pork,” Nathan said dramatically.
Nathan, standing next to the First Princess, was still smirking at Ian. He was hiding behind the princess’s back, his eyes sparkling with mischief as if he was enjoying the situation immensely. It was as if he was determined to get some payback for everything Ian had put him through.
Ian sighed, shaking his head.
‘I suppose Sir Nathan has been waiting for a chance like this for years.’
It wasn’t the first time Ian had made life difficult for Nathan, particularly during the chaos of arranging the sudden engagement. It was remarkable that the free-spirited knight hadn’t bolted by now. But the teasing had to stop here.
“Sir Nathan.”
“Hmm?”
Ian leaned in, keeping his voice low so as not to attract attention.
“Could you tone it down a bit… Sir Nathan?”
His words carried a faint growl, a subtle warning only Nathan could detect. Ian even let slip a trace of killing intent, just enough for Nathan to sense. Startled, Nathan flinched.
“Ahem. Hmm… Now that I think about it, I’m feeling quite sleepy. Maybe I should go rest…”
Nathan began to retreat, but Ian wasn’t about to let him off so easily.
“While I’m asking politely… why don’t you come outside?”
“No… I’m quite comfortable here.”
“If you’re truly serious about becoming my sister’s husband, feel free to stay.”
“Ahem. I was hoping to get some fresh air anyway, so this works out well.”
With that, Ian successfully coaxed Nathan outside. Just before they left, Ian exchanged a glance with the First Princess.
‘It’s time.’
Nod.
The princess gave him a subtle nod of agreement.
***
Ian led Nathan back to Leonic’s tent. As expected, the knights once again blocked their path.
“Stop!”
“It’s been a while, Sir Helken.”
“Even if it’s you, Sir Nathan, no one may pass without authorization.”
The knights’ expressions were unyielding, but Nathan leaned in, a playful grin on his face, and whispered conspiratorially.
“Ha! It’s a request from Her Highness, the First Princess.”
“What? A request from Her Highness?”
“It’s for fostering camaraderie among future husbands…”
Though it sounded absurd, Nathan’s words carried weight. He had been publicly announced as the fiancé of the First Princess and was slated to become her consort once Leonic ascended to the throne.
‘Of course, Sir Nathan has no idea.’
For now, it was better that Nathan remained unaware. Yet his perceptive nature wasn’t entirely fooled, as his expression soured at the mention of ‘future husbands.’ The knights, however, nodded in approval.
“Well, building relationships before heading to Cantum does make sense.”
“Indeed. Unity among Her Highness’s consorts would only strengthen her position.”
They went as far as giving Nathan guidance, recommending that he put in more effort to capture the affection of the First Princess. In addition, one of the knights presented Nathan with a bottle of exquisite wine.
“Take this. Share it with His Highness, the Crown Prince.”
“I’ll accept it, but… sigh…”
Nathan accepted the wine the knights handed him. Despite his clear annoyance, Ian managed to lead him into the tent. Inside, Leonic lay casually on the bed, waiting for them.
“Oh? Has the second one arrived?”
“…”
Nathan’s face twisted in disgust at Leonic’s greeting. No matter how smoothly the plan was progressing, he seemed utterly repelled. His gaze shifted to the maids standing attentively behind the former Crown Prince.
“Even on the battlefield, isn’t it a bit much to have maids serving you?”
Leonic chuckled. “Surely, you’re not implying something improper?”
“Don’t worry. My lady’s kindness isn’t limited to matters of romance.”
Nathan groaned in frustration. “No, what I mean is—”
Before he could finish, Leonic gestured to the maids. “Everyone, leave us.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
It was clear they had something quiet to discuss. Just then, as the maids were quietly leaving, the moment arrived.
Thud!
Ian suddenly knocked one of the maids to the ground. The remaining maid screamed in shock.
“What… What’s happening?!”
Before anyone could react, Nathan, startled by the commotion, accidentally toppled the other maid as well.
“Y-Your Highness?” Nathan stammered, looking at Ian in confusion.
He had followed Ian’s lead without thinking and now stood frozen, unsure whether to draw his sword. Leonic, too, had partially unsheathed his blade, ready for anything. But Ian remained calm, stepping in front of Nathan to stop him.
“Stay still.”
“But—”
“It was intentional. Wasn’t it?” Ian asked, turning his gaze to Leonic.
Leonic’s eyes widened in surprise. “How did you know?”
Ian’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Your eyes give everything away.”
“Ha…”
Ian’s power of Jealousy was still potent. No matter how well people concealed their intentions, they could never escape his scrutiny.
‘They must have been sent by the First Prince.’
Ian smirked, satisfied that his plan was unfolding as expected.
‘With the knights keeping watch, they had no choice but to use the maids. Clever… but predictable.’
It was an unexpected turn of events—he hadn’t anticipated that confining Leonic would prompt the enemy to initiate contact.
Without hesitation, Ian asked bluntly, “What offer did they make?”
“Um…” Leonic hesitated for a moment.
He hadn’t expected Ian to find him so quickly or discover that he was meeting with spies. But it seemed Ian already knew everything. Resigned, he raised his hands.
“They promised to make me Emperor again.”
“And the price?” Ian pressed.
“As soon as we arrive in Cantum, they’ll deploy the Imperial army. The plan is to lure Kaistein’s forces into the Imperial Palace, where we’ll collaborate to trap them.”
“So that’s their game…”
The enemy planned to stir up rebel forces on the outside while using Leonic on the inside. It was a strategy that could easily topple Kaistein’s army. If Ian hadn’t intervened, the spies’ plan would have already taken root.
He smiled knowingly. “Go along with their plan for now.”
“What?”
“Draw my sister and the soldiers toward the capital and stall for time. That’s all you need to do.”
After all, only a few knights and soldiers would be heading to the palace. As long as Leonic could buy some time, Ian and the First Princess could execute their original plan.
‘As soon as we arrive in Cantum, the knight forces will scatter and infiltrate different factions. They will strengthen their power within each faction.’
The goal was to become the backbone of those factions. By fracturing Cantum’s unity and absorbing key players, they could incite conflict among the enemy forces. Meanwhile, the First Princess and Leonic would reassert their legitimacy within the Imperial Palace.
‘To scatter their forces effectively, we need to keep them distracted—completely off balance.’
There were many methods to accomplish this. They could strike from completely unexpected angles or have unlikely allies band together. But for those tactics to work, time was absolutely necessary.
‘Of course, the enemy won’t grant us that time. Therefore, we have to forcefully stretch it on our end.’
This was the point where Nathan’s role became crucial. Ian directed his attention towards Nathan, a smile playing on his lips.
“Well, Sir Nathan, it’s time for you to draw your sword.”
“Here? Now?” Nathan asked, bewildered.
“And stab Leonic.”
“What?” Nathan’s face froze in shock, utterly unable to process what Ian was saying.
Leonic, however, quickly caught on to Ian’s intent.
“Are you suggesting a rivalry between ‘future husbands’ to buy time?”
“Exactly. Two men vying for my sister’s affection, clashing in a heated dispute. Naturally, you’ll be the victim, Leonic.”
“And my injury will delay our march to the palace?”
“Precisely. We just need enough time. The rest will be handled on our side.”
Nathan, though hesitant, finally began to piece it together. He nodded reluctantly, though his expression remained uneasy.
“Wait… So I’m supposed to fight the former Crown Prince of Cantum for the First Princess’s favor?”
“Correct. And to make it convincing, you’ll need to be imprisoned for a while.”
“!”
Nathan’s face twitched as he processed this. So that’s why Ian had humored him so much all this time. But stabbing Leonic, the former crown prince of Cantum, of all people?
‘If this goes wrong, I could be executed.’
Though as the First Princess’s fiancé, he wouldn’t face immediate execution, it was still a serious offense that couldn’t be easily forgiven. Nathan turned to Ian with a pleading look.
“Your Highness, this is a bit much…”
“Don’t worry. You won’t actually be imprisoned. Someone else will take your place. You have other responsibilities to fulfill.”
“Ah…”
The plan was already coordinated with the First Princess. While someone with a physique similar to Nathan’s is imprisoned, he would need to work with Ian to become the center of various factions.
Leonic, however, wasn’t as easily convinced.
“I refuse. I don’t like the idea of being stabbed by a man.”
After all, he was the Crown Prince of Cantum, but his refusal didn’t last long.
However Ian didn’t miss a beat. “What if getting stabbed ensures you ascend the throne?”
Leonic’s ears perked up at Ian’s tone.
“They offered me the same deal.”
“Oh, I’m sure they did. But their promise is hollow. They’ll make you a puppet. My offer is different.”
“They’re planning to make me Emperor with or without you.”
“That’s what you think. In reality, they have other plans. We don’t particularly care whether you become Emperor or not.”
“…”
Ian wasn’t bluffing. If their goal was simply to weaken Cantum’s military power and later absorb the nation, that would suffice. With Bahara subdued and the Holy Empire’s vulnerabilities exposed, Cantum was already within reach. Ian was certain of this.
‘If we claim Cantum, we’ll control half the continent, including Bahara and the Holy Empire.’
But Ian wasn’t aiming to conquer Cantum just yet. His focus was on the First Prince and the Seven Sins he possessed. With those secured, uniting the continent would be a trivial matter.
‘For now, what matters isn’t Cantum itself but the enemies hiding within it.’
Leonic clearly understood this as well. Ian’s lips curled into a smirk.
“That’s why you waited for me, isn’t it?”
“So, you figured it out, huh?”
“Of course. I’m not that naive.”
Leonic had once bested dozens of princes to rise as the Crown Prince of Cantum. Although Ian had outmaneuvered him, leading to his current predicament, Leonic’s skills and intellect were far from lacking. Leaning closer, Ian whispered, his tone laced with intent.
“So, tell me.”
He sought information only Leonic could provide: the seer’s whereabouts, details about Cantum’s princes, and the weaknesses in Cantum’s current state. As the former Crown Prince, Leonic would have access to insights that no one else could offer.
“You’ve surely gathered plenty of internal intel about Cantum through your followers, haven’t you?” Ian’s voice carried a sharp edge, a subtle reminder that he was fully aware of Leonic’s lingering influence.
Leonic’s eyes gleamed, sensing an opportunity. “Then give me a written promise—a guarantee of the emperor’s throne and exclusive rule over Cantum…”
It was a calculated attempt to leverage the moment for his own ambitions. But Ian’s response was swift and firm.
“I refuse.”
“What?”
“I’ll promise only this: to return the emperor’s throne to you. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“B-but…”
“Make your choice, Leonic. Accept my offer, or align yourself with those who intend to tear Cantum apart and leave you as a powerless puppet.”
“!”
Ian’s gaze bore into him, cold and unwavering. His tone left no room for negotiation.
