This Bastard is Too Competent

Chapter 23: Ready

Karan doubted his ears at Ian's words. But it didn't seem like he heard it wrong. The eyes of the Second Prince and the Duke were also changed.

But Ian continued speaking innocently.

“Why? Didn't you purposely lock me in the basement to prevent my brother and me from seeing each other? In a dangerous place where the air was scarce, at that?”

The attendants in the drawing room murmured quietly.

"Oh my God, what the hell is this talking about? Did Young Master Karan do such a cruel thing?”

"Goodness. Isn't that blasphemy against the royal family?"

"Are you kidding me? It's not just a crime of blasphemy. If he really did something wrong…"

It counted as an attempted murder of the royal family. 

However, Karan had no choice but to feel ridiculous.

Not only did Ian push him for attempted murder, but what, he was willingly going to meet his brother?

‘Didn’t you try to run away to the basement of the annex when you heard that the Second Prince was coming?’

It wasn't only that.

“I wanted to see him when I heard that a brother I had never seen before was coming, but I was so afraid when he locked me up.”

‘What are you talking about, as soon as you heard the prince's name, I clearly saw your face turn ugly!'

The dumbfounded Karan complained to Ian.

"It's unfair. Why are you framing people with such ridiculous lies?"

"But it's true that you locked me in the basement."

“!?”

"You clearly knew that my brother was going to come."

“…!”

Ian pretended to cry in great sorrow. Thanks to this, Karan was pushed to a dead end and could only glare at Ian.

‘This damn little kid did this on purpose…!'

And it was then.

"Tsk."

The sound of a tongue clicking echoed in the drawing room.

Karan's head turned on its own at the familiar sound. His father, the Duke, clicked his tongue. He was also looking at Karan with a blatantly displeased gaze.

Of course, he did not look displeased from locking up Ian. 

His eyes were as if condemning Karan for doing something that could be picked up as a weakness because he couldn't handle his job properly.

Karan was furious at the Duke's gaze.

‘How can you look at me with those eyes!’

He was a duke who favored only his good-for-nothing older brother, while he looked at him like a monster no matter how genius he was.

And Karan was ashamed to receive such a gaze in such a situation.

Yes, he locked him up as a joke at first.

But thanks to that, Ian was able to gain the power in the basement.

‘I don't know exactly what kind of power it is, but at least it wouldn't have been a loss.’

In a way, it was as if Ian had gained something thanks to him.

But that wasn't what was important now.

"Oh really? Did that happen?"

“!”

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As if taking the bait, the Second Prince was glaring with frightening eyes. 

Of course, the Second Prince didn’t side with Ian as he was the opponent in the succession war, but it was a natural thing to do under the current circumstances.

‘If the opponent is the Garcia family, the story is different.’

As a prince supported by Lavaltor, Garcia was like a thorn in his eyes.

Furthermore, the opponent was the Duke's third son. The Duke was troublesome to deal with, but Karan's talents were already famous among the aristocrats.

It was said that he would be the youngest prime minister after passing the national examination if only he was allowed to enter the royal palace.

‘I'd rather take him in and make him my entourage.'

Even if it didn't work out, it was an opportunity to grab the Duke's weakness. 

Just by taking him, he would be supported by both sides, Lavaltor and Garcia.

So, he asked with a murderous voice.

"Third Young Master, have you really locked up my brother in the basement of the annex? The kid who said he was going to meet me too?”

"…that."

Karan's stomach churned. Meanwhile, Ian chimed in.

“That’s right, Brother. I remember clearly the face of the Third Young Master who suddenly closed the basement door. I'm sure he even called me a fool as well."

"Huh. Even if you are the son of the Duke, you dare say that to a member of the royal family.”

While the two began to put on a two-man show, Karan was rooted on the spot, and the other attendants were sweating bullets.

And excited by Ian's words, the Second Prince took one step further while he was at it.

He wasn't going to miss out on this great opportunity.

"Even though you come from the ducal family that has graced the kingdom with their loyalty, it is considered to be a disgrace to the royal family if you do this much. So, what do you think, Duke?”

At the Second Prince's smile, the Duke slightly raised an eyebrow.

It was obvious what the prince was trying to say, but he replied nonetheless.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Shouldn’t we adhere to the law?"

The Duke's eyes flashed at those words. 

"So, you want to cut my child's tongue in my own castle?"

An ominous silence dawned on the room as if a bloodbath would break out at any second.

The tone sounded respectful, but there was animosity in his slightly-raised mouth. The Duke didn't like the Second Prince anyway, who had stormed into other people's territory and did all kinds of rudeness.

The Second Prince, feeling a momentary sense of crisis, smiled and took a step back.

“Exactly what it means. Still, how can I cut off the tongue of the Duke's son?"

"What do you want?"

“Nothing much. A sincere apology from Duke Garcia is enough.”

He asked for an apology, but the Duke frowned, unsure about the hidden profit the prince might gain.

‘Of all things, apologize to him.’

In a word, the Duke would give his support to this damned prince and at the same time give up his talented third son. In other words, he aimed to kill two birds with one stone.

Of course, if it was the second case, he would have thrown him to the prince without hesitation. If he so wished, cut his limbs.

However, Karan was one of the most outstanding children even if his antics were unpredictable. Not to mention, Karan was also a special candidate who might get <Oath> soon.

The Duke weighed the Second Prince’s proposal with a cold look.

‘Politics is all about give and take. However, losing to the Second Prince means…’

It was no different from giving an extra wing to the Second Prince who had gained Lavaltor's support.

As the Duke was struggling so much.

For some reason, Ian, who had been quiet so far, came forward.

"What are you two talking about?"

At Ian’s sudden words, the Second Prince smiled in vain.

"You ask that? Your brain isn't working that well? Were you planning on being acknowledged with just that kind of brain?”

The Second Prince, who finally showed his true colors, laughed at Ian. He pretended to be gentle, but it was an obvious ridicule.

"I’m not sure about you, but it is to make those who insulted the royal family apologize and give some compensation. You have yet to be recognized, but he dared to lock up someone who is said to be a member of the royal family underground. There is every reason to punish him as a member of the royal family. Do you understand?"

"I get it. But the victim is me, so why is my brother the one receiving the apology and compensation?”

“…!!”

The Second Prince’s face distorted uncontrollably at Ian's words.

Ian smiled, raising the corners of his mouth. 

"Don't you think so? All I have to do is apologize to you for being late. But a mere apology for locking me up is not enough, so I think I should get some compensation for it."

The Second Prince was rendered speechless.

No, wasn’t he the one who talked to him like he wanted to scold Karan just now? Who was it that snitched on him?

However, Ian continued without hesitation.

“So, I have to accept the apology for the part I was trapped in the basement, Duke Garcia.”

The Duke burst into laughter. 

There was nothing wrong with that logic either. In principle, laws related to the contempt of the royal family should be resolved by the parties concerned. It was right that the Second Prince had nothing to do with it.

He could get an apology for Ian's lateness, but that's all. 

The Second Prince, who belatedly realized Ian's true intentions, widened his eyes in disbelief.

‘Is this… lowly kid taking advantage of me?’

Now he was certain.

Feigning being hurt, Ian pretended to be innocent as if he was on his side from the beginning.

‘This cunning bastard.'

It must have been for this reason that he pretended to be in tune with him.

It was for none other than to bring up the word apology and compensation from the Duke’s own mouth!

Looking at the Duke's personality, he would never say such a thing to Ian.

The Duke also watched Ian as if it was amusing. 

‘Which hand should I take?’

The Second Prince with great power, or the Seventh Prince who had no power yet?

Of course, the answer was set.

Rather than the Second Prince who straddled on the back of a running tiger (Lavaltor), the tiger cub (Ian), who was still in his hand, was much better.

The Duke nodded his head toward Ian.

"All right. Then, in line with the Seventh Prince's wish, I will discipline my son harshly. Now, what do you want for the compensation? Gold? Jewel?"

Losing Galon was already painful enough. He was talking about Garcia’s immense wealth.

However, Ian raised the corners of his mouth as if he didn't want anything like that.

"Give me the right for Karan’s punishment and education."

"What?"

"It's an insult I've suffered, so his punishment, education—I'll do it all, not the Duke. I can ask that much, right?”

The one most astonished from hearing those words was none other than Karan.

No, he was not even a servant, so who's punishing whom? Besides, what education? Moreover, if that guy was the one doing it…

When the speechless Karan was about to argue with the Duke.

Nod.

"Do so."

Shockingly, his father's approval fell.

***

"Then I'll go in first, Brother."

“…”

Karan, who had become sort of Ian's servant, gritted his teeth, and Ian got up with a bright face. However, the expression of the Second Prince looking at him was anything but good.

He looked as if he had been badly stabbed in the back.

He had no choice but to do so.

‘How can I lose Karan in this way? That bastard.’

His plan to use Karan as a weakness to consolidate his position as heir to the throne had gone down the drain.

Actually, he was feeling angrier that he was being used by that kid.

‘I was too shortsighted.’

For that reason, the Second Prince said in a harsh but low voice.

“Come to think of it, there will be a legitimation ceremony at the royal castle soon.”

The Second Prince flashed a friendly smile.

"It's already late, so take a rest. Tomorrow, as an older brother, I'll tell you what you will need for the legitimation ceremony."

Ian snorted at his words.

His handsome face with a mad smile was no different from what he remembered in his memory.

‘He's playing the good guy with that shitty personality.'

He had roughly predicted what the Second Prince would do tomorrow.

‘It's obvious. He'll ask for a match using the legitimation ceremony as an excuse.’

With a high probability of it, he would teach him swordsmanship, which was his specialty. And it would not end with a simple confrontation.

‘He is going to cut off my arm, pretending to make a mistake.’

That would eliminate one competitor.

Ian was already well aware of what the Second Prince had done to the other brothers in his previous life. 

As if his prediction was spot-on, the Second Prince gave an eerie look.

"By the way, don't take the knights with you. Knights are hardheaded and will say no to a lot of things. I just want to spend some good time with my brother."

Ian smiled brightly as if he was clueless.

"Okay, I'll let all the knights rest as you wish, Brother."

The Second Prince nodded and left as if he had finished his business.

Then, he whispered to the knights around him.

“Tell the other brothers. The youngest will not be able to attend the legitimation ceremony, so there is no need to prepare a robe.”

Ian hurriedly bid the Duke goodbye and returned to his room.

Because he had some work to do.

‘The Duke had permitted me to take care of Karan. It doesn't matter now. It would be fun to educate him thoroughly.’

The important thing was tomorrow morning.

He didn't mean to just let it go as long as he knew the Second Prince’s tricks. Rather, he intended to remove the Second Prince who wanted to eliminate his competitor.

Of course, it wouldn't be easy.

‘The Second Prince has swordsmanship skills worthy of his ferocious character. On the other hand, I'm still a beginner who couldn’t do proper swordsmanship yet.'

Moreover, he was only a skinny kid with a slim body.

However, Ian had a glimmer of hope.

It was none other than the one thing that the Duke had been interested in all this time.

Ever since he dropped his blood in the underground passage and came out of the room, a suspicious wisp of smoke kept whispering to him.

[Are you ready now?]

The power Ian found in the basement. It was <Faith>.