Shiiik!

Dozens of sharp sword lights flew towards Eurius, threatening to turn him into a beehive in an instant!

Chachachang!

But they were all barely blocked just before they touched his body.

“Lize! That was unlike you to be so hasty. No matter how confident you are in your speed, it is better to mix appropriate feints than to stab multiple times in a fight with a master.”

“…Thank you for your advice.”

Eurius’s daily life was unchanged.

He handled the affairs of the northern region through the Azure Dragon Hall and helped the training of the squad leader-level knights during the day.

Today was his turn to guide Beatrice.

“You have worked hard today.”

“So have you.”

“…….”

Lately, Beatrice sometimes looked at him with a curious expression after the training.

“It seems like you have something to ask me. Is there any problem?”

“It’s nothing. I just feel like the gap has widened lately.”

She blushed slightly.

Her expression didn’t change much, but how did Eurius know that?

She was bothered by it.

[Beatrice Dios]

Current state: Embarrassment, Anxiety, Curiosity

‘Embarrassment? That’s a bit surprising. Was she that kind of person?’

But anxiety is a hindrance to growth for a warrior.

Eurius began to give her serious advice.

“Lize, I was lucky and you are still growing steadily. Impatience is the biggest enemy for a warrior.”

“I’m sorry to have worried you. My apologies.”

“No, well, I’m not scolding you or anything…….”

She bowed her head slightly as Eurius scratched his head. But she also had a reason for being anxious.

She felt that his momentum had changed somehow after he locked himself in the training ground for almost a month, claiming that he was training.

‘He blocked it too easily just now, didn’t he?’

It was an attack that she was proud of and she expected it to be blocked, but the important thing was that Eurius seemed to barely block it, but in her judgment, he had already seen where the sword would fly before the attack approached.

She had felt this sense before.

‘That’s right! It’s like when I sparred with my father.’

Then did Eurius already reach a similar level to Duke Dios, one of the three strongest people on the continent, at that age?

[Beatrice Dios]

Current state: Admiration

‘I think I’ve caused another unnecessary misunderstanding.’

But Eurius, who noticed that, was very embarrassed.

It was true that his level had improved significantly after creating the Sword Fusion, but he still had a lot of shortcomings compared to those who competed for the first finger on the continent.

Eurius had been planning to strengthen the knight order along with recruiting Segal clan as his subordinate. H

e just couldn’t do it because he was busy with personal training.

“Your highness, it’s time to leave.”

“Is it already?”

His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of an attendant from the palace.

Today was a very important day.

It was the day when the 3rd Army Corps returned after finishing the western front and received their commendation.

‘Today is the start of the real plan!’

***“We will now begin the commendation ceremony for the 3rd Army Corps!”

The loud voice of the announcer echoed throughout the hall.

On both sides of the hall were nobles and bureaucrats lined up, and in the center were the members of the 3rd Army Corps who were receiving their commendation.

The first person in line was none other than Count Perez and Devan.

The second line consisted of other staff members and key figures of the 3rd Army Corps.

And at the very end of the line was…

Whisper whisper.

“I didn’t know Count Perez was such an outstanding person. He surpassed Prince Leonhardt and achieved great merit.”

“I heard it was thanks to that commoner next to him. Finding talent is also a skill. He caught the eye of His highness, so he might do better than expected.”

“By the way, sending Prince Leonhardt was Grand Duke decision, but he completely misjudged it. Maybe it’s time to change sides.”

“Shh! Be quiet. Do you know how sharp Grand Duke ears are?”

Leonhardt cursed inwardly without showing it.

‘Damn it!’

He didn’t hear it clearly, but he knew what kind of talk was going on among the nobles.

His stomach was boiling with anger.

He had always been praised as a genius since he was born, and when had he ever received such treatment?

‘Those bastards who said they would assassinate my brother are nowhere to be seen, and the merit goes to some random commoner. This is the worst.’

[Leonhardt von Scharnos]

Current state: Anger, Inferiority

‘Tsk! It’s not even worth it. That cold-faced bastard also has such emotions.’

Eurius clicked his tongue as he watched Leonhardt.

In fact, it was the opposite in his previous life.

He was the incompetent brother who envied his younger brother who always achieved merit.

‘Sorry as your brother, but you’ll have to suffer a little more. I still have a lot to get from you.’

With Eurius’s thoughts behind him, the commendation ceremony finally began.

“First, we will start with the first-class merit award. Count Perez, the commander of the 3rd Army Corps, come forward.”

The emperor looked at Perez with a stern expression.

The emperor’s eye for talent was quite accurate. But the Perez he saw was not a brilliant commander who could achieve such a great merit.

‘Indeed, Eurius that bastard is a troublemaker. I didn’t expect this result.’

“Count Perez, you are the commander who led this war to victory. I raise your rank to Duke and grant you the southern region of Brussels as your territory!”

“Long live Your Majesty.”

Perez smiled so hard that his mouth almost tore.

It was a dream that he could hardly dream of to raise his rank.

And he was given a fairly large territory when he had no decent territory.

“Next, the one who will receive the first-class merit award is Devin, the intermediate staff of the 3rd Army Corps. Come forward.”

Devan walked forward cautiously, his legs trembling slightly.

When had he ever entered such a grand hall as a commoner?

And the emperor, who had a dignified appearance even as a slave, looked at him with a stern gaze, making him nervous.

On the other hand, the emperor was interested in him.

‘Is he really such an outstanding talent as Eurius said?’

He heard that his strategy was decisive in winning the western front quickly.

The emperor softened his expression.

“Are you DevAn?”

“Yes! That’s right.”

He answered hastily to the emperor, who smiled and continued.

“I have heard of your achievements. The empire has always upheld the legacy of the great king and favored talent regardless of status since its founding. I am grateful that you chose the empire as such an excellent talent.”

“It’s not worth it. Long live Your Majesty.”Devan replied with a trembling voice to the emperor, who gave him an unprecedented reward.

“Devan, the staff officer of the Third Army, is granted the title of Viscount and appointed as the deputy commander of the Third Army!”

“…!?”

“A title for a commoner? And a deputy commander of an army at that?”

The nobles in the hall were all shocked.

It was an unprecedented meteoric rise, even if his merit was great.

Devan was also too surprised to close his mouth.

He quickly bowed his head.

“Your Majesty.”

After that, the awarding of the second-class merit was held, but it was overshadowed by the first-class merit and ended quickly.

But the problem was the third-class merit.

“The third-class merit goes to His Highness Leonhardt von Scharnos, the Second Prince. Please come forward.”

The Emperor looked at Leonhardt with a slightly sympathetic gaze.

He was his son after all, wasn’t he?

‘To be honest, this brat Leon has a great talent, but the problem is his brother. He’s too outstanding.’

The third-class merit was just a consolation prize for Leonhardt, who was a prince.

He had barely achieved any merit in a situation where the enemy’s main force was already crushed.

“Hm! Hm! I heard you didn’t have much chance to show your merit because you rushed from the southern front. But it’s commendable that you achieved this much merit before you even became an adult.”

The Emperor consoled Leonhardt.

It wasn’t a lie either.

“No, Your Majesty. I received more praise than I deserved for my merit.”

Leonhardt answered with a smile, but his heart was burning with anger and inferiority.

‘Yeah! If it wasn’t for the next order, maybe it would be.’

He had another reason to be furious and frustrated besides losing the first-class merit.

It was the next non-military award.

“That concludes the non-military award for the western front.”

And then the announcer took a breath and brought up the next agenda.

“Now we will begin the non-military award for the southern delegation.”

That’s right!

This time Eurius went as a delegate to the south and succeeded in forming an alliance while being injured.

He should have been rewarded right away, but he asked to postpone it.

“The Third Army from the western front will return soon. Wouldn’t it be better to do it together then?”

Leonhardt knew very well why he deliberately chose this order.

Leonhardt, who barely got the third-class merit after running from the south to the west!

And right after him, Eurius, who came back with a great merit as a delegate!

They were bound to be compared, and it would only make Eurius’s position more solid. In fact, there were already rumors among the nobles.

“Isn’t it almost decided who will be the crown prince? Even if he’s His Highness brother, how can he change this situation?”

“He’s merciless to do this order on purpose. Well, I guess he wants to crush any potential seeds of discord just in case…”

The Emperor looked at Eurius with a stern expression.

He didn’t really want to step on his second son Leonhardt, but he had no choice.

Eurius wasn’t someone who would kill his brother for no reason.

‘But I can’t help it. Eurius has to execute the plan we made together.’

***

About a week before the non-military award, the Emperor and Eurius had a secret meeting.

“What’s this about? Why do you want to meet me alone?”

The Emperor asked with curiosity. He was also interested.

Eurius’s unexpected actions usually brought good results for the Emperor’s faction, didn’t they?

He wondered where Eurius was going next.

‘What kind of trouble(?) is he going to cause this time?’

Eurius answered quietly but confidently.

“I think it’s time to completely get rid of Grand Duke Faction.”

“…!?”