This Bastard is Too Competent - Chapter 142: Shall I Send You Back?

While Ian was contacting the former Crown Prince of Cantum, Cardinal Cesare clandestinely arrived at the mansion of Marquis Adelas. Waiting for the cardinal were not only the marquis himself but also members of various noble factions.

“Thank you for coming. I hope the journey wasn’t too tiring for you.”

“Not at all; God has blessed me, and I have traveled in great comfort,” replied Cesare with a saintly smile, capable of warming hearts with a single glance.

The sight moved everyone inwardly.

It was inevitable.

Because the Marquis of Adelas’ faction was not simply eastern nobles.

‘Indeed, Cardinal Cesare… His presence is different.’ 

‘He is certainly different from the inexperienced fledglings like Haverion.’ 

‘He served as the Pope’s left arm for a very long time, didn’t he?’

Most present were devout followers of the Holy Empire’s God, and naturally, they held Cesare in high esteem.

But that wasn’t all.

“I am determined to make Cardinal Cesare the husband of the first princess.”

“Cardinal Cesare will undoubtedly become the future king of Kaistein…”

Their determination to make Cesare not only the consort but also the future king of Kaistein was palpable.

“As you know, the princes and princesses of Kaistein have many shortcomings. The young ones are too busy with their own interests. Sometimes, when you look at them, they seem like unruly children.”

“I had hoped the First Princess would be of some assistance, but she is not much different…”

Cesare smiled at that sight.

‘As expected, it was a good idea to start with Baptism.’

Baptism is the introductory ritual of the Sun Religion.

As soon as Cesare arrived at the mansion, he sprinkled water on the nobles and conducted a simple baptism.

It was a way for Cesare, as a cardinal, to bestow his blessings upon them.

Typically, such a blessing came at a significant cost from the cardinal, making it a favor that couldn’t be obtained with mere money.

Naturally, the nobles felt obliged to show favor in return for this valuable blessing.

‘That’s why it’s easy to deal with believers.’

Even Cesare’s baptism had the power to amplify the faith that the believers already possessed. However, it was far from a form of brainwashing, and Cesare found himself truly disappointed.

‘If only I could use it together with Haverion’s Sacrament, then I could effectively manipulate these people…’

Baptism, which heightened faith, and the Sacrament, which turned believers into ‘berserkers’ or living bombs, were essentially two sides of the same coin

Administering the Sacrament to someone who had undergone baptism would exponentially increase its effect.

It was only natural.

When individuals with heightened faith were willing to sacrifice their lives…

‘They have no choice but to desperately seek the gods.’

The power was too immense for one person to possess alone, so it had to be divided.

However, Haverion remained imprisoned in an underground dungeon.

Because of that, with narrowed eyes, Cesare asked the nobles, “By the way, what will happen to Cardinal Haverion now?”

“His Majesty seems to have made up his mind to execute him.”

“Well… first of all, I would like to apologize to His Majesty and ask for forgiveness.”

He spoke as if he would save Haverion, but his true intentions were different.

‘It’s an opportunity. Once he dies, the Sacrament will be mine.’ 

Although the Pope seemed inclined to save Haverion, Cesare had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip through his fingers.

‘I was planning to deal with the Pope anyway.’

But it had to be done in a grand manner, with everything handed over to him before he died.

And securing the throne of Kaistein was a great advantage and goal for himself.

To confront the Kingdom of Magicians, the unification of the Kingdom of Swordsmen was essential.

‘So the First Princess is said to be beautiful? That’s good.’

The fact that the First Princess was rumored to be beautiful pleased Cesare, as it added to his vision of ruling over both the Holy Empire and Kaistein.

However, it was not yet time to raise a toast.

Cesare’s attention turned to another matter.

“So, what about the Seventh Prince? What happened to him now?”

“Ah, you mean Prince Ian?”

“Yes. I heard he was unwell. I’m not sure if he’s doing well.”

“That’s right…”

The nobles were well-versed in responding to Cesare’s question.

They didn’t hesitate to reveal even classified information.

And Cesare’s eyes were sharp as he asked the question.

‘I have to be cautious of the one who messed up the plan.’

Ian, the Seventh Prince, was the one who had captured even the young but clever Haverion.

Soon, news regarding Ian’s condition reached Cesare.

“They say he has collapsed again due to the lingering effects of the Seven Virtues, particularly Patience.”

“Well… How can he even make it to his own palace…?”

“And then they say he collapsed again.”

The nobles looked disappointed that they could not elaborate further.

“It’s difficult to infiltrate the Crystal Palace with servants.”

“Strangely, the spies are quickly caught. They’re more defensive than I thought.”

They couldn’t even send spies or assassins.

It was because Galon’ Oath of Invisibility guarded it thoroughly.

Still, one thing was certain.

“I surreptitiously checked under the guise of joining their faction. The Seventh Prince had definitely collapsed in his room.”

“Even the attending physician shook his head.”

“This is why I wonder if the execution ceremony can be done properly…”

The nobles clicked their tongues, saying that if things went well, the prince might have to return the Spear of Execution that the king had given him. Some even chuckled, saying he didn’t know how to take care of himself.

Cardinal Cesare smiled, too.

‘I thought he was impressive. It turns out he’s just a kid after all.’

Regardless, it wasn’t bad news for Cesare. But he was a person who would test even a stone bridge before crossing it.

‘Just in case. I should see if there are any believers among the attendants of the Seventh Prince.’

Even if they were loyal servants, there were likely to be believers among them. Loyalty and faith were separate matters.

‘Indeed, if he is truly the owner of the Patience, I need to be careful.’

Unfortunately for Bahara and the Western Empire, Cantum was scheduled to fall soon.

Cesare planned to take advantage of that opportunity to annex Kaistein, followed by the annexation of the Eastern Empire, the dominant power in the east.

After the exchange of information, the nobles withdrew.

And when the Marquis went out to see the nobles off, the room became quiet, but Cesare glanced at someone.

‘Now that I think about it, it’s already been 10 years.’

It was none other than a saintess.

The saintess remained silent, as usual, with emotionless eyes.

She held a glass in her hand but did not drink a single drop of its contents.

Cesare chuckled at that sight.

‘The little girl has grown up a lot.’

However, his gaze did not reflect the sentiment of someone observing a child they had nurtured for a long time.

Instead, it held the gaze of someone viewing an object for their own success.

In fact, it was true that Cesare had gained power as a cardinal thanks to finding the saintess.

Yet, it was unexpected to see her take an interest in Kaistein this time.

‘And staring so intently at the Seventh Prince.’

Originally, she had never shown interest in anyone.

It was right at that moment.

“Allow me to exchange it for a glass of chilled wine.”

The butler reached out towards the saintess.

It seemed like he wanted to exchange her lukewarm cup for a chilled one.

But at that very moment…

Clank!

Cesare’s hand slapped the butler away.

The saintess’s glass flew out of her hand.

The glass shattered, and the surprised butler quickly stepped back.

“Saintess. Are you okay?”

Fortunately, the saintess remained motionless and expressionless.

Cesare then spoke in a cold voice, addressing the situation.

“The Saintess is in prayer. Do not disturb her.”

“I… I apologize. I will clean it up right away.”

The butler quickly retreated.

However, Cesare’s gaze was not kind.

It seemed like he was contemplating whether to spare or kill the butler.

Right at that moment.

“Cardinal Cesare.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

Cesare bowed his head as if it were natural.

Adopting a low-key attitude that contrasted with his usual arrogance.

However, this change lasted only for a moment.

As soon as his eyes met the saintess, he trembled slightly.

And it was for no other reason.

“Surely… You saw it?”

There was no doubt.

In that short moment, it was clear that she had seen a certain future.

Instead of answering the question, the saintess spoke briefly.

“The Seventh Prince will make a move. If you do not stop him, your long-standing wish will remain just a dream.”

Cesare’s face changed with those words.

It was no longer the gentle demeanor of a priest, but rather like the appearance of a vicious murderer.

But it was at that very moment.

Rattle!

Someone gasped at the sight of his sinister face.

It was the butler who had just gone to pick up something to clean up.

“Ah..”

At that sound, Cesare’s face lit up with a wicked smile.

***

Prince Leonic of Cantum was imprisoned in a secluded palace of the royal family.

Unlike Garcia trapped on the rooftop or Haverion in the underground dungeon, he was still receiving proper treatment as a prisoner due to national customs.

However, upon hearing that Ian had something to tell him, he was granted brief permission to go out.

And so, the former Crown Prince Leonic of Cantum opened the door to Ian’s visit at an incredible speed.

“You bastard!”

Leonic’s harsh voice expressed his disbelief at being called by Ian.

However, despite the intense expression on Leonic’s face, Ian lying down remained nonchalant.

“Long time, no see?”

“You… you bastard! Because of you!”

“Oh, calling me a bastard to your older brother?”

Leonic trembled. Not only was he captured by Kaistein, but Ian’s attitude of making fun of him was so natural.

“Because of you, I lost my position as the crown prince. What more business could you possibly have with me?”

To come without even seeking him out and calling him through a servant.

Leonic shouted, asking how far he had to lower himself to feel satisfied.

But Ian just laughed as if it were nothing.

“If you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to come, right?”

“…”

“But you came anyway because you needed something from me, didn’t you?”

Ian’s words were not wrong.

Leonic was receiving decent treatment as the former Crown Prince of the Cantum Empire.

But the reality was that he was imprisoned and unable to do anything.

Leonic needed Ian’s help to return to Cantum. And that wasn’t the only thing.

“And by the way, brother, watch your words. It was your own brother, not me, who usurped the crown prince’s position.”

“…”

Leonic was speechless at Ian’s words.

He had lost his position as the crown prince due to the unexpected actions of his own brother, whom he had never considered an enemy.

His younger brother had seized everything from him as though he had been waiting for the opportunity.

Leonic’s anger flared up once again.

“My younger brother may have taken my place, but it was you who paved the way for it,” Leonic retorted.

“Is that so? Who would do such a thing in the first place? We are the victims here.”

“You…!”

Ian laughed in spite of Leonic’s anger.

“I simply sent a letter. I didn’t say anything about having you captured. The current crown prince didn’t miss that opportunity.”

“You bastard…”

“And.”

Bang!

Ian slammed the table with his foot.

And he glared as if warning not to step out of line.

“Watch your tone. How dare you call your brother a bastard?”

“…!”

“I won’t warn you twice. Otherwise, I won’t be able to treat you as my younger brother anymore.”

Leonic was on the verge of saying something but quickly sealed his lips, sensing the change in Ian’s demeanor. It had been several months since their last encounter, and Ian’s grown-up appearance was noticeably different from before.

‘That brat… he must be fourteen by now.’

However, it was clear that Ian’s growth was far from ordinary.

While their interaction had been somewhat playful until now, Leonic realized that pushing Ian further could put his own life in danger.

However, Ian’s expression quickly softened into a smile.

“Oh. Don’t be too uptight. I called you today for a different reason.”

“A reason?”

Leonic looked at Ian anxiously.

He had no choice.

‘There’s never been a time when I’ve been happy to work with him…’

But Ian reassured him not to worry and smiled.

“You’re probably aware of the situation.”

“What?”

“While you were confined, you must have managed to establish some kind of communication network. I’m sure you’ve heard the news from Cantum.”

“…!”

Ian’s smile grew wider, as if he held all the answers.

Leonic’s placement in the secluded palace was no coincidence but a deliberate move, enabling him to be used at the opportune moment.

‘And now, that moment has arrived.’

Ian’s eyes lit up.

He saw an opportunity to deal with the Cardinal and the Holy Empire once and for all, should they dare to stand in his way.

And with that look, finally, Leonic couldn’t help but speak.

“Yes. Thanks to you, I’m well informed. Every day, my supporters are being cut off.”

Leonic was devastated.

Even now, the Second Prince, who used to be his brother, is removing his loyal followers.

The situation left no room for further delay.

Leonic had to find a way to return to Cantum by any means necessary.

That was the moment.

“Do you wish to return to Cantum?”

“?”

“Should I help you return?”

Ian’s words sounded like a whisper from the devil, making Leonic grit his teeth.