"Still nothing!" I grunted while lying down on the grass in the middle of the campus.

"You have to be patient Alastor" said Ikarus sitting next to me.

"It has been one month already ever since we came here. Do you know how many of you two admirers did I have to beat?"

"That's why I decided that it would be better if I stick around you. They won't harass you as long as we are around." as Ikarus explained her reason for following me for the last three days, Stella nodded in agreement. It was true that ever since they decided to tag along, there have been no attacks. But I got a strange feeling of someone stalking me since I beat that trio on the school ground. So I did a little inspection.

Lucky for me, the guy was only a Sapius, weak enough to be possesses by . Taking control over the poor guy and making him spill everything. Apparently he was under the order of Charles to tail me and investigate if I was affiliated with the archduke.

How could I have overlooked this? Three powerful individuals enrolling at Helios at the same time, right during the conflict between the Prince and the Archduke. If I was Charles, I would definitely suspect that these three were sent by the other party either to spy or to assassinate me.

And since a few spies have already uncovered by the Prince, it would not be weird to find more of them. But that was not the problem right now. What I needed to do was to gain the prince's trust. Time for some direct approach!

* * *

It has been several days since I sent one of my men to observe the three new students. When I first heard of a first year Imperatus, I thought it was just a mistake from the examiners or the crystal was broken. But when I saw how he defeated those three Dominus with ease in the courtyard, I realized he was a genuine gem.

Voiceless incantation, the ability to cast magic without needing to speak out the spell. Just how many people in the world was able to do it? And that thing he did to the wind blade. How did he do it? The aim was accurate but it just disappeared when it reached his hand. Magic Cancel? I remembered something like that but only in tales from eons ago.

Nonetheless I wanted to recruit him to my side. With someone of his caliber by me, I would be able to ascertain my ascend to the throne.

Aside from Alastor, there were two other girls who were recently admitted to Dominus. But from their interaction, I could tell that they knew each other before entering Helios. Three powerful magic users entering Helios was too suspicious no matter how you looked at it. That was why I sent a few people I trusted to watch them, to know what their objectives were.

Anyway they were supposed to be back by now to give me their daily report. Why has none shown up so far?

"Lindzie, when was the last time you heard from Helmund and the others?" I asked the girl next to me. Lindzie was my childhood friend and the person I trusted most in the entire world.

"Since early this morning just before they left. Do you think something happened to them?" said Lindzie.

"It couldn't be. Attacking our people would be like admitting that they were the Archduke's men at this point. Anyway we should check it out." I said.

"You cannot!!!" the girl shouted as she hit the table "You know you are to remain here for two more weeks until the coronation in two weeks. The headmaster was kind enough for lending us this secret room. No one would be able to detect you here.

Please Charles! I am worried about the others too but if there is even a slight chance that you get attacked out there, I would not let you go!"

"And what am I supposed to do? Sitting around here, leaving my friends behind ? A king who abandons his people is no king! I won't become that kind of king. I don't want that." I yelled.

"It's not up to you anymore! Think about your sister! What would she do if you are gone? We have all pledged our loyalties to you. Helmund and the others, including me, understood the risk but we did it for you. If you die right now, our sacrifice would be for nothing. Think about it Charles!"

"God damn it!" I clenched my fist as hard as I could. I have already lost a few of my close friends because of this conflict. If Helmund too.... What kind of king was I?

Suddenly I heard some kind of commotion outside. Lindzie immediately took out her staff, preparing herself. Finally the door bursted open.

A young boy walked in with two young women beside him.

"So this is what lies behind the magic wall. Still need some few upgrades here and there though." the boy said, looking around the room. It was Alastor and the others Dominus.

"So you finally show your true face! What did you do to Helmund and the others?" I clamored.

"No need to be alarmed prince Charles! I come in peace!" the boy looked back at the door where the two bodyguards lay down on the ground. "Well at least that's my intention. For the record, they were the ones who attacked me first. And if you are talking about the beastman stalking me, I put him right outside the building. The guy ought to hide himself better. Rest assured! None of them are harmed!

But still your Majesty! Am I not the victim here? Sending guys following girls around...that's not very gentlemanly of you. In case you are wondering, no I am not associated anyway to the Archduke." the boy explained.

"How can we trust you after what you have done?" Lindzie shouted.

"Because if I am on the archduke' side, you would be dead the moment that door opened. That should be convincing enough don't you think?"

"YOU!!!"

"Stay down Lindzie!" I ordered Lindzie."He is right! If he wanted to kill us he would have done it by now."

"What are you talking about Charles? It's still just one Imperatus and two Dominus." asked Lindzie.

"No...he is a Deus. As for the girls...Imperatus at the very least but still more powerful than me." I muttered in disbelief. I was proud of myself for able to gauge people's abilities just by looking at them. It was not mana sense or something like that. More like a hunch. But what I sensed from the boy and the two girls right now was completely different from the other day. I did not want to admit it but his aura terrified me. Every inch of my body was screaming at me to run away. It took all of my willpower just to retain my calmness.

"That can't be..." Lindzie said in disbelief.

"If you don't want to kill me, then what do you want? Surely someone like you has nothing to want from this Academy. Just who are you anyway? I have never heard of you before. And I have my own intelligence network." I asked the boy.

"You and I share the same enemy, prince Charles: overthrow the Archduke." he said.

"What do you have against the duke?"

"He once took something precious away from me. And I will make sure that he will pay for it! But I am not here to talk about me, dear Prince. It's about you and your crown. On my way here, I have spotted a few rats watching this area and they were definitely not your men. Which means that they belong to the other party. Consider this a token of our good will!"

The boy took out a knife which made Lindzie nervous all of the sudden but he held it by the blade and shown me the handle. On it was imprinted a crest: the archduke's crest. He also gave me a scroll which clearly indicated that it was the duke who was responsible for the attacks of those frontier villages. For the last year, the Archduke has been convincing people of the court that the monsters and demons were responsible and asked for a joint crusade against Ragna with the other nations. So it was all just a cover up for his maniac incursion. But why? There was nothing to gain from attacking those villages. It was too risky. For what reasons could push him to go this far?

Nonetheless now it was not the time for this. With these evidences, I could prove to the Council of the Archduke's crimes.

"Charles, I don't know if we can trust these people... " Lindzie hesitantly said.

"It's alright Lindzie! So what will be the terms?" I turned to the boy.

"In two weeks, you will be going to be crown at the royal palace. On that day the Archduke will be there for the ceremony. I want you to bring me with you on that day. In return I will make sure that you will live till that day. Do we have a deal your Majesty?" inquired Alastor. He extended his arm toward me.

"I feel like I am making a deal with the devil here. But it's not like I have another choice. You have a deal!"

We shook hands, sealing our partnership for now. I felt like I was being used but I would make sure that I would not be the only one.

* * *

"It seems our little demon lord has been busy these days!" a lady in a black attire said as she looked at the boy from afar. "Can you see it from here Scarlet?"

"Unfortunately not milady! I need to be right in front of him for my eyes to check if he has it." an disembodied voice spoke from behind the white haired woman.

"Too bad then! But it doesn't matter. We will continue as always. Or do you think it might hinder our plan?" asked the woman.

"I cannot say. We don't even know if he is the one responsible or just another victim. One thing for sure: every corpse I saw in the village where he was suffered the same affliction. And not just your normal kind of affliction you can find these days. But something rather ...primal. Someone or something powerful enough to do that, I would rather not face it." said the voice

"Hum...what a strange conundrum! Anyway you should worry about it later! Right now we just need to focus on Terrick. He is our main target. We move on the coronation day!"

"Why on that day exactly milady? Won't there be more guards on that day?"

"Only inside the palace. And I believe little Alastor will do more than just talk with the Archduke." the silver haired lady grinned, watching her demon lord accompanying the prince on the school ground. "It would certainly be a lively ceremony!"

* * *

"Be patient Veldor! Getting angry is not going to help us now!" a man in a white priest garb said as he sipped the glass of wine he was holding.

"How do you expect me to be patient in this kind of situation? We have lost contacts from all the men sent to Helios." an elderly man wearing a noble attire hit the ground with his cane.

"So the prince found someone capable for himself. It would not matter. Just use what I have given you! You are getting senile, Archduke!" said the priest.

"Don't you dare getting arrogant with me, Bishop Terrick! I may be old but I have been in this game of power long before you are even born! I know what's bad and what's not. And I can tell you that this is really bad for us!" shouted the old man.

"Us ? You are the one who even failed to destroy a few villages." scolded Terrick.

"Exactly what I am trying to tell you. The mercenaries are all dead for unknown reasons when they launched an attack last year. I recently learnt that the bandits I planted at that region also shared the same fate. These could not be a coincidence. Someone has been interfering with our plan. They... *COUGH* *COUGH*" the old man coughed heavily, trying to reach a potion on the table. After he drank it all in one sip, he took a deep breath and sit down on the chair on the opposite side of the table.

"Doesn't look like you have much time left to hesitate either Veldor! In a few days the prince will be crown as the next king. That's your chance to take back what is rightfully yours. Think about it! You have served for two generations of kings. You understand most how the court works. And yet they are now letting a brat in charge of the whole kingdom. Don't you think it's a bit unfair?"

"Yes...yes you are right!" the old man uttered with a short breath.

The priest stood up and prepared to leave. As he fixed his clothes, he said.

"Just tell your men to be ready! And don't screw up this time! In the next few days, you will be reborn as the new king of Ceadric." the priest laughed loudly.

The old man, sitting on his chair, holding his cane, could see himself sitting on the throne. He deserved it. After all what he has done for the kingdom, it would be natural for him to claim it for himself. He made a soft grin of his old, wrinkled visage. He did not even has the strength to laugh anymore. Anyway he must rest, to prepare for his coronation.

l thaDzs