This Bastard is Too Competent - Chapter 144: Building Credibility

Inside Kaistein’s hall, Leonic, who had accompanied Ian, found it hard to believe what he was hearing.

‘A civil war broke out in Cantum?’

Of course, it wasn’t the civil war that surprised him.

It was an event that had seemed inevitable, and he had thought it would happen sooner.

‘As long as I don’t exist, it’s as if the leash has been released.’

Leonic’s forces were divided into three factions, each in charge of their own forces.

The military officials controlled the military.

The civil officials managed the administrative affairs.

The court officials served the royal family.

In the past, Leonic had held complete control over them.

However, in his absence, there was no one to restrain them.

‘Moreover, the Second Prince has his sights set on eliminating them, and it would be even worse if he remains idle.’

No matter how blind they were to their own gains, their lives were more precious.

Especially those who had aligned themselves with Leonic held significant power and influence, effectively dividing Cantum into various factions.

It was only natural for them to pursue their own ambitions.

‘That’s why I only accept them in the first place, because those with ambitions are easier to manipulate.’ 

At that moment, news continued to reach Leonic’s ears.

“The civil war is escalating beyond expectations! Large-scale battles have already begun.”

“There’s a massive influx of refugees! They are seeking shelter in Bahara and Kaistein.”

“The court officials have taken the emperor hostage and barricaded the palace gates.”

“The Second Prince surrounds the imperial capital…”

The situation was unfolding even more intriguing than Leonic had anticipated.

In an attempt to eliminate Leonic’s influence, the Second Prince had targeted and attacked his forces.

As a result, the court officials, in order to ensure their survival, took the emperor hostage.

The Second Prince besieged the imperial capital with the intention of rescuing the emperor, while his controlled military faction relentlessly attacked them.

However, Leonic couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss.

‘I haven’t received much information.’ 

Considering the scale of the civil war that was unfolding in Cantum, even if the conflict had initially been covert, there should have been signs and predictions available.

Yet, he sensed nothing.

‘There must have been some kind of omen.’

It was when Leonic felt a chilling sensation.

A messenger who had gone to check the situation in Cantum urgently arrived.

“The court officials have requested our help, claiming it’s the emperor’s decree.”

“They claim that with the Second Prince targeting the emperor, they need our troops to rescue him.”

“Similar requests have been made to Bahara as well.”

It was a demand to fight against the treacherous second prince.

King Eloin and the ministers of Kaistein found themselves in a dilemma.

“Goodness… Sending troops to Cantum? If by any chance the second prince manages to save the emperor…”

“We would be crossing a point of no return, entangling Kaistein in Cantum’s affairs.”

“But if we refuse to send troops and the court officials emerge victorious…”

“They will likely turn their aggression towards us once the civil war concludes.”

Leonic observed Ian beside him with curiosity.

He noticed that Ian had been silently observing the conversations all along.

Something seemed off.

‘Why isn’t he saying anything?’

At least there must be a reason why he was brought here.

But Ian just silently observed the discussions between the king and the ministers without intervening.

It almost seemed as if Ian believed it wasn’t his moment to step forward yet.

Leonic shook his head.

‘That’s not the point right now. What matters is when the information starts to go wrong.’

The only person Leonic trusted to keep him accurately informed was his loyal follower, the one who had been by his side since birth.

He recalled the note he had secretly sent through a servant who typically handled his meals.

‘It was written using a code known only to us.’

There was no one who could decipher it unless they, Adria of Intellect, were alive.

Because the note was crafted in a language understood solely by him and his loyal follower.

But it was that moment.

Flinch.

Leonic felt a chill run down his spine as Ian stared at him.

‘This bastard…’

That’s Ian Kaistein.

The way he looked at him, as if he knew exactly what he was thinking.

No, it was because of the face that seemed to see through his inner thoughts.

Leonic instantly came up with the worst assumption.

‘Could it be… what if this guy manipulated the information reaching me?’

It was a plausible scenario.

Ian could have tampered with the information sent by his follower, adding unnecessary details or altering the narrative.

If he had sensed the impending civil war in advance, he would have taken every possible measure to prevent it.

‘Of course it doesn’t make sense… but considering the abilities this guy has shown so far, the possibility is high.’

That’s why he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

Since when exactly?

How did he decipher the code?

However, there was something even more unsettling.

‘If he managed to crack my code… it also means he could have used it against me as well.’

Leonic recalled the messages he had been sending in secret, containing orders regarding his subordinates and Cantum’s affairs.

If Ian had indeed deciphered the code, he wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to exploit it.

The thought made Leonic tremble.

‘Why is the military siding with the Second Prince while the civil officials remain quiet?’

The general who typically led the military had been fiercely loyal to Leonic above all others. Even if Leonic, as the prince, were captured, the general wouldn’t easily align himself with the Second Prince.

If he had chosen to side with the Second Prince…

‘It is to balance the situation and prolong the civil war.’

Only then would there be an opening for Kaistein and Bahara to intervene in Cantum. Desperation filled Leonic’s gaze as he looked at Ian, seeking answers.

In response, Ian smiled back, as if he knew everything.

‘Do you understand now?’

It was as if Ian’s eyes were saying he knew exactly where Leonic’s thoughts had reached.

It had to be that way.

‘You utilized your network of contacts effectively. Thanks to you, I was able to manipulate the court officials.’

Ian had an exceptional agent.

Aria Reese.

Aria was the direct descendant of the Adria Duchy and was destined to become its next head. Ian had forwarded the secret messages Leonic received to her for decryption.

‘The reason your follower was able to contact you in the first place is because I paved the way.’

Otherwise, there was no way the meticulous Kaistein royal family could be bypassed.

If one could infiltrate the royal family like the Duke of Garcia, then maybe.

But Leonic’s follower didn’t possess that kind of power.

Ian whispered quietly to him as he looked defeated.

“I guess you’ve figured it out now?”

“You…”

Leonic struggled to contain his boiling anger, but he had no choice.

He had to play along.

“Don’t worry, though. As promised, you will be the Crown Prince of Cantum again. No, you will be Emperor.”

“So you’re telling me to stay quiet until then?”

“Of course. That’s the agreement we made, isn’t it?” Ian replied calmly.

A few days ago, they had reached a certain agreement.

“What do I have to do in return?”

“You just have to continue to remain silent, being a spectator to everything I do.”

“A spectator?”

“Soon, you’ll understand the meaning.”

Back then, Leonic didn’t know the true meaning of being a spectator.

But now he finally understood.

Right at this moment.

“Your majesty. I have something to tell you.” Ian spoke up, stepping forward without hesitation.

It was as if the moment he had been waiting for had arrived.

“If you’re talking about the marriage of the First Princess, I understand, but that can wait. I have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“That’s precisely why I’m telling you,” Ian asserted, moving to the front of King Eloin, leaving the ministers behind as he addressed him directly.

“What?”

“King Ian Kaistein of Bahara wishes to convey. Currently, Bahara is mobilizing reinforcements towards Cantum. Warriors are crossing the borders of Cantum.”

“What… do you mean, Prince Ian?”

“Exactly as I said. Bahara has raised troops in response to an imperial decree.”

“!”

The ministers’ eyes widened.

No, some of the ministers were so perplexed, they even shouted despite the king being present.

“What are you saying? Moving troops without His Majesty’s permission! Do you intend to commit treason?”

“Treason, you say? Making a fuss over nothing.”

“Then why…”

“Why, you ask? Do I require permission to move troops towards Kaistein or to respond to Cantum’s plea for help?”

While in his previous life during the Northern Expedition, becoming a vassal’s commander or governor would have been impossible, Ian had now officially ascended to the position of King of Bahara, granting him the authority to take such actions.

“As the King of Bahara, I have the discretion to do that, don’t I?”

“Ho… However, if you had discussed such an important matter in advance…”

But it was that moment.

King Eloin asked him with a cold gaze.

“I have one question.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Did you say that Bahara’s warriors have crossed the borders of Cantum?”

“Yes.”

The king’s gaze sharpened as he continued, “When did you become aware of this fact? The troops are already crossing the border. It’s hard to comprehend, no matter how much I think about it.”

The king’s question was clear—it pertained to whether Ian had foreseen the civil war in Cantum. Yet, Ian simply smiled in response.

“Of course, I knew all along. It was evident from the moment the Crown Prince was captured.”

“!”

King Eloin and all the ministers’ eyes widened in disbelief.

Ian continued speaking before anyone could respond.

“Isn’t it obvious? The Emperor has aged, and the Crown Prince has fallen into our hands. It was only natural to anticipate that a civil war would break out,” Ian explained confidently.

“So… were you preparing in advance?”

“If the Emperor had requested aid, I intended to help. However, I couldn’t share my plans with you.”

“I… see.”

“I still lack a lot of experience. I didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry.”

King Eloin made a bewildered expression.

‘Did he look like he didn’t want to cause any concern?’

Ian’s smile appeared unnaturally bright, as if he had foreseen this entire situation from the beginning.

The king couldn’t help but ponder over Ian’s intentions.

‘If Bahara has made a move, we have to make a decision quickly. If we wait any longer, it will become a problem.’

However, he couldn’t punish Ian.

Kaistein was still under Cantum’s influence.

It would be awkward to punish the King of Bahara, who had offered assistance to Cantum without any apparent reason.

It was at that moment.

“So, here is what I have to say, Your Majesty.”

“What is it that you want to say?”

“Please officially accept the betrothal between the First Princess and the former Crown Prince of Cantum, Leonic.”

“!”

The look in King Eloin’s eyes changed at Ian’s words.

His eyebrows shot up as he appeared to grasp Ian’s true intentions.

Then the ministers stepped forward.

“A marriage proposal with a country in the midst of civil war and the First Princess? Have you considered the implications?” one minister questioned.

Another minister added, “And a betrothal with a captive who is no longer the Crown Prince? It’s an absurd proposition!”

Everyone was in an uproar, lamenting the fate of the First Princess.

However, Ian made eye contact with her, silently conveying his thoughts.

‘What do you think, Sister?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘All you have to do is pretend to be a fake couple for a little while. Then you will have Cantum.’

The First Princess looked at Ian as if she couldn’t understand his thoughts.

But she had no intention of pretending to be a fake couple.

‘I am someone aiming for the throne. Even if it’s fake, I don’t want to be someone’s shadow.’

Despite the First Princess’s opposition, Ian quickly interjected.

“Think about it, Your Majesty. If the First Princess becomes the wife of the former Crown Prince Leonic, she will become the Crown Princess.”

“So? Is it crucial to become the wife of a dethroned Crown Prince?”

“No, it’s about gaining legitimacy,” Ian explained.

“Legitimacy?”

“We will acquire the legitimacy to directly intervene in the succession war of Cantum, not merely as reinforcements,” Ian clarified.

“The Emperor may not be saved, but we can eliminate the court officials and the Second Prince, making Leonic Kahn the Emperor. That is the proposal I am presenting.”

“!”

The expressions of King Eloin, the First Princess, and all the ministers underwent a significant change at that moment.

They realized that instead of merely receiving reinforcements to save the Emperor, they had the opportunity to seize control of Cantum itself.

“The First Princess, once betrothed to the Crown Prince, becomes the Crown Princess. So, we shall gather an army for the First Princess and her future husband, Leonic, who will ascend to the position of Crown Prince. And then, we can make Leonic Kahn the Emperor. In doing so, we will—”

“Secure the Empress position of the Empire.”

“Yes.”

The atmosphere in the hall turned frigid, as the audacity of the proposal sank in.

It was not entirely implausible, considering the potential remaining influence of Leonic, who was rumored to be an exceptional Crown Prince.

‘If we combine the forces of Kaistein and Bahara there, we can handle at least the Second Prince.’

Furthermore, there was also the possibility of becoming a benefactor to Leonic Kahn, who would become the Emperor.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad idea.

But at that moment, the First Princess stepped forward.

“The reverse is also possible.”

“What do you mean…”

“I have heard that the former Crown Prince Leonic has a younger sister. You can arrange a marriage between her and Ian, making the youngest the Emperor of the empire,” the First Princess proposed.

At that instant, a loud bang echoed through the hall, interrupting the discussion.

“That is absolutely not acceptable, Your Majesty!”

The Marquis of Adelas hurriedly entered, his expression urgent.

But he was not alone.

“Cardinal Cesare sends his greetings to Your Majesty,” he announced, as Cardinal Cesare and the faction of Marquis Adelas entered the room.

But at that moment.

Grin.

Ian was smiling.

‘Finally, all the actors have gathered in one place.’

From this point forward, every move would be crucial.

The seemingly nonsensical words of the First Princess held little significance to him now.

What truly mattered was how he could utilize Cardinal Cesare.

If everything went according to his plan…

‘I can see the end approaching.’ 

It was time to bring an end to the tiresome succession war and unveil the true face of their hidden enemy.