“Father, please be sure to take care of your health and not overwork yourself.”
The Third Prince of the Empire, Kaiso, placed a cup of coffee in front of his father.
Emperor Gustav of the Saint Luo Empire put down the documents in his hand and looked up at his son, smiling.
“Mm, Kaiso, you’ve put in the effort.”
“Father, has a lot been happening in the country recently?”
“Quite a few things have happened. For example, there have been some disturbances at the Yamar Border. Also, there are demonized people roaming around the country.”
Gustav said this, paused, and picked up the coffee.
“However, these aren’t major issues. I have my own arrangements.”
“Father!”
Kaiso suddenly raised his voice, interrupting Gustav’s action.
“If you’re facing some troubles, you can let me share your burdens. I’ll lead people to eliminate them!”
“No need. Those demonized people you mentioned can be left entirely to me to deal with. Kaiso, you’re still in the learning stage. There’s no need for you to face those villains.”
“Father, you really can hand these matters to me. I… need to show what I can do now.”
“These matters can be given to your second brother.”
“Father!”
Kaiso clenched his fists, his expression suddenly changing.
“Why can Second Brother do it but I can’t? My strength has already surpassed his now, yet you keep arranging for him to lead troops out and build prestige—”
“Insolence! Kaiso, you dare talk back to me now?”
Upon hearing this, Gustav became angry.
He stood up and slapped Kaiso across the face, almost knocking his son to the ground.
“I’ve said it many times. Your temperament needs tempering. You’re too eager for quick success and only care about superficial things. In comparison, your second brother is much better. He knows what to say and what to do!”
“…I’m sorry, Father.” Kaiso lowered his head.
“Get out!”
“Yes.”
Kaiso covered his reddened face and left Gustav’s office.
“Father hit you again?”
At this moment, Kaiso was leaning on the sofa.
Soren, the First Prince of the Saint Luo Empire, faced the angry Kaiso and asked with concern.
Two beautiful women were comforting him.
Kaiso saw his elder brother arrive and felt a bit embarrassed, so he immediately drove the beautiful women away.
“Get out, get out!”
“As you command, Third Prince.”
The women quickly stood up, stopped bowing, and hurriedly left the room.
“Big Brother!” Kaiso felt very aggrieved upon seeing Soren. “I clearly didn’t say anything, but Father still hit me!”
“What happened?”
“I just wanted him to assign me some troops to eliminate those demonized people, but… Father actually refused!” Kaiso bit his lip.
“As expected.”
Soren wasn’t surprised.
He stood by the window, looking at the garden outside, with an expression that said he had expected this.
“Big Brother, I really don’t understand! Father lets Second Brother lead troops but won’t let me eliminate the demonized people! For so many years, whenever I want to do something, he doesn’t allow it! I just don’t get it. Every time he finds some excuse to brush me off and only keeps me in the palace!”
“Kaiso, do you know what kind of people those rebels your second brother went to suppress are?” Soren asked.
“Father secretly sent some people to the border to incite those small countries into deliberately starting rebellions, then let Second Brother lead troops to suppress them. This way, Second Brother can gain merits for quelling the chaos and gradually build up his prestige.”
“Father really favors Second Brother too much!”
Soren turned back, stared at his younger brother, and narrowed his eyes.
“Yes. Because Father favors Second Brother’s mother too much. Loving the house and its crow, he naturally places this favor on Second Brother as well. I’ve heard more than once that Father plans to let Second Brother inherit the throne in the future.”
“This…” Kaiso became somewhat panicked.
He and Soren were full brothers, born to the same mother.
But the Second Prince was not.
His mother and Gustav were probably a political marriage with little affection, whereas the Second Prince’s mother and Gustav had a very good relationship.
“Third Brother, you clearly have a lot of talent too, but Father won’t let you do great things. Isn’t it because he’s worried you’ll affect Second Brother? The things that happened to you today, I’ve encountered them many times as well. Every time I want to do something, Second Brother gets priority. Only after he finishes does it come to me. If this continues… in the future, the ministers will only recognize Second Brother and not us two brothers.”
“This…” Soren’s voice grew increasingly cold. “If one day Second Brother really becomes emperor, do you think he’ll let us off? If we really let the Second Prince ascend, his relationship with us two brothers is already bad. It’s a rivalry full of gunpowder. The outcome for the two of us would definitely be very miserable.”
“Second Brother, what should we do then?”
“We certainly can’t sit and wait for death. We have to take action.”
“Go secretly deal with Second…?” Kaiso asked tentatively.
Soren was silent for a moment.
Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and a clap of thunder sounded, illuminating the dim room.
At that moment, he made a statement that shocked Kaiso immensely.
“Kill him?! Big Brother, you… are you serious? This is treason!”
“Of course, Third Brother.”
Soren smiled, his smile like that of an ambitious tiger.
“Don’t you want to experience what it feels like to hold military power?”
Upon hearing these words, Kaiso’s heart pounded wildly.
He fantasized for a moment about standing before thousands of troops, commanding soldiers to attack cities and seize territory, achieving great deeds.
It was impossible not to be tempted.
Given his current situation, his father would absolutely never give him the opportunity to lead troops into battle.
But if it was his elder brother…
Thinking of this, the Third Prince of the Empire swallowed hard.
He slowly raised his head and looked at Soren with a gaze full of desire.
“Big Brother, can I also have military power…?!”
“My dear younger brother, I have very high hopes for you.”
Soren walked up to his younger brother and gently patted his shoulder, his tone becoming earnest.
“You won’t let me down, will you?”
“Good!”
Kaiso’s hands clenched into fists.
He had already made his decision to risk his life and follow his elder brother.
“Father, I hope you won’t blame me in the future. If you must blame someone, blame yourself for being too biased!!”
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