General Hobah desperately tried to help Prince Zew up as he collapsed to his knees.
I looked at them lukewarmly, as it was an amazing sight since both of them were over two meters tall.
"No, you can't kneel in public."
Apparently, it was more than just General Hobah's concern for Prince Zew that led him to support Prince Zew.
Royalty should not be on their knees on the ground in public.
General Hobah wanted to take Prince Zew to the sofa at least, so he lent his shoulder and let Prince Zew sit deep on the sofa.
"Ah, Allen. What are you going to do if Crown Prince Bek finds out about all this?"
"What? What does it matter if he finds out? Prince Zew, you are the best choice for the throne after all."
I said that there was no need to worry about Crown Prince Bek, who was not going to inherit the throne anyway.
"It's up to His Majesty the Beast King to decide, not you. It's over. This time, you conspired against His Majesty the Beast King and I have unknowingly become a part of it. Oh, it's over. I will not even be allowed to set foot in the Beast Kingdom anymore. "
Prince Zew's whole body oozed despair.
"What? What do you mean? Why would that happen?"
"Don't you see? His Majesty the Beast King will be so enraged that he will send a strike force to pursue me to the ends of the world."
He lamented his own demise with a distant look in his eyes.
"I'm sorry. I'm not seeing what you're talking about. Is the Beast King, the ruler of the Albahar Beast Kingdom, really that petty?"
"What? What the hell! I will not tolerate insults to His Majesty the Beast King!"
"Prince Zew. You are the one who is insulting His Majesty the Beast King. Do you not understand this situation?"
I admonished the furious Prince Zew to stop joking around.
General Hobah nodded his head, wondering what was going on.
Both Helmios and Admiral Galara looked on to see where Prince Zew and my conversation was headed to.
The incident was big enough that it could lead to the collapse of the Five Continents Alliance and a war between Rosenheim and the Albahar Beast Kingdom.
But I didn't care at all.
"Explain it to me in a way I can understand."
"Yes, I'll explain. This matter was plotted by Prince Zew to conquer the S-class dungeon, to complete the trial that His Majesty, the Beast King, had asked him to do."
"..."
Prince Zew listened silently as he glared at me.
''And through your friend Sophie, I got Rosenheim to move. And I also used the Crown Prince Bek to successfully call the Ten Heroic Beasts to attack the dungeon."
"So that's the excuse? You've thought of everything."
It was true that I had conspired against His Majesty the Beast King, but I had no intention to hide it as it was obvious that Rosenheim and I were involved.
"It doesn't matter what the facts are. What matters is what His Majesty the Beast King thinks. Rosenheim offered a large amount of expensive elixirs, and then conspired to summon the Ten Heroic Beasts. The Beast King definitely knew that it wasn't natural. He had probably connected all the dots before the Ten Heroic Beasts had even left for 'Rosengeim'."
"!?"
No one would think that it was my idea or that Rosenheim moved behind the scenes on its own.
Rosenheim gave up 3000 precious elixirs and sent Marshal Sigur to conspire to summon the Ten Heroic Beasts.
And Beast King would simply fulfill what Rosenheim asked for?
It was natural to think that the Beast King guessed that Prince Zew through Sophie, the future Queen of Rosenheim, asked Rosenheim for a favor, who happened to be in the S-class dungeon.
He definitely thought that Rosenheim wanted Prince Zew to inherit the throne and was supporting him to be able to interfere in the internal affairs of Albahar Kingdom in the future.
Beat King probably thought that Sophie and Prince Zew had made some kind of secret agreement.
"A King is someone who achieves his ends by any means necessary. Why don't we just tell him in a dignified manner that it's worse to be deceived? If His Majesty the Beast King is truly the vessel of a King, wouldn't he agree?"
"The Beast King's vessel?"
''Yes. Let's say we successfully conquer the dungeon this time around. What will be left then? A close relationship with the Great Kingdom of Rosenheim, 3,000 precious Elven Elixirs. And your achievement as being the first one to conquer the S-class dungeon."
He didn't have to choose the means to get the end result.
The Albahar Beast Kingdom also got a lot of resources because of him.
Doesn't that show qualities of a King, was what I argued.
"Oh, it's not going to work that well."
"Yes. I'm sure you've already earned the title of Beast King."
"No. Not me, but Shea will be the next Beast King."
Princess She, who had subjugated the Evil Sect a few months prior.
Princess Shea had completed her trial successfully before Prince Zew.
"If it was based on who completed their trial first, wouldn't she have already been announced as the next Beast King?"
It had been months since I had heard that Princess Shea had subjugated the Evil Sect.
Curiously, even months after complting her trial, Princess Shea had not been announced as the new heir.
So there was probably something the Beast King was waiting for, and that was Prince Zew, in the Bakius Empire.
"Well, that's... But."
"The test His Majesty the Beast King has set forth this time is not to decide who will be a General. It's to decide who the King will be. So you will have to show Kingly qualities."
"Who will be the King? What do you mean?"
''Yes. It's true that Princess Shea was the first one to complete her trial. But I have heard that she also had the cooperation of the Elmea Church.''
"Mm-hmm. That's right."
"Her level of achievement can earn her the title of General, not of a King. She hasn't shown any Kingly qualities."
'What do you mean by that level of achievement!? Who are you to talk about Shea like that!?"
(This sis-con.)
"Listen to me calmly. Princess Shea is indeed a very admirable person for leading the army and achieving her goal. In comparison, what Prince Zew did is more important."
"How?"
"Yes. Prince Zew is a schemer who will choose any means to achieve his goal, proven by the fact that he didn't hesitate to deceive both the Beast King and Crown Prince Bek. And for a short period of time, he was a leader of a group which consisted of figures like Admiral Galara, the pride of the Bakius Empire, the Central Continent's Hero, and the future Queen of Rosenheim."
I said that their scale of achievement was totally different.
I explained how it was obvious to everyone who compared the siblings and decided who was worthy of becoming the next Beast King.
"Well, indeed. The one who leads the Five Continents Alliance is worthy of being the new Beast King. I see! I see!"
General Hobah was so moved that he began to weep.
Beyond his tears, he seemed to see Beast King Zew sitting on his throne and running the world.
"Hey! Oh, hey, General Hobah. Calm down."
General Hobah looked at Helmios' party and then to Admiral Galara's party and put his hand to his chin in approval.
Conquering the S-class dungeon didn't bring with it just honor.
It would also bring the Beast Kingdom a lot of national interest.
"But you're the one who did everything. I'm just going to join the dungeon but won't have any meaningful impact."
Prince Zew said he hadn't done anything.
''Oh, I didn't mention it, but since upto four parties could challenge the Dungeon Boss at the same time, the cube forces us to select a leader beforehand to coordinate them. I would like Prince Zew to be the leader of all the parties.``
I bowed deeply and asked for a favor.
Prince Zew would be the leader of the entire four parties.
It would definitely be seen by everyone as an achievement of Prince Zew.
Prince Zew's vision went black for a moment, and he almost lost consciousness again.
And it was because of the dark-haired boy in front of him.
"A perfect ruse. But what's the point? Why are you going to this length? Do you know what will happen if you fail?"
I had involved major players of the world in my trick.
If I failed, I couldn't just get away with it.
Prince Zew wouldn't be the Beast King, of course.
But that wouldn't be the end of it.
Albahar Beast Kingdom will form a grudge against Rosenheim.
And it would be fair to say that the Five Continent Alliance would be dissolved.
And when the Demon King's army would attack, the world could get destroyed.
Indeed, the consequences of failure were immense.
But what was my purpose?
What more purpose could there be?
But Prince Zew couldn't figure it out.
''I will not fail. If the Ten Heroic Beasts led by Prince Zew also participate, I can guarantee that we will succeed. Also, I've already stated my objective many times before.``
"Huh?"
Prince Zew wondered if he had missed something in our conversation.
"The special reward for conquering the dungeon for the first time, that only one party can get, will belong to my party, Abandoned Gamers. I can't compromise on this one. This time, please just endure with the throne of the Beast King."
I made sure to remind everyone what reward my friends and I would take.
I was willing to give all the honors that came with the victory to others, but I was never going to give up that one thing.
"Only the throne of the Beast King? You're willing to risk the entire world just for a special reward? You are mad."
Prince Zew's vision was already getting hazy from the fact that the payoff for the success was completely out of proportion to the loss from the failure.
''Now then, the party leader of the Ten Heroic Beasts, Prince Zew, please join us in attacking the Dungeon Boss of the S-class dungeon."
I bowed deeply once more.
"What? You want an answer now?"
''Yes, the Ten Heroic Beasts are on a time limit and will have to return to Albahar Beast Kingdom."
(Why are they looking at them like a damsel in distress?)
Prince Zew looked at the Ten Heroic Beasts.
The world's fate could be decided by his choice.
He swallowed his spit and thought desperately.
"Do not hesitate, Your Highness Prince Zew! Isn't this a good opportunity to show the world the power of the Albahar Beast Kingdom!?"
Roaring, General Hobah advised, every muscle in his body spasming.
He wanted to fight.
Lepe, the Musician yawned and looked on, uninterested in what was going on.
Then the squirrel beastman beside him opened his mouth.
"Mmm-hmm. You don't have to worry about me. I'm just a fortune teller."
"Lord Temi."
Then the Astrologer Temi came to me.
"I see. You are Allen? I didn't see anything about you in the stars. It's strange. It's really strange. But this is the destiny that the stars have decided for you."
Then he took both of my cheeks in his hands and made a difficult face.
"What? Stars? Did you see the current situation in your fortune-telling?"
"No, no way. My powers can't do something that insane. But I see. My prediction wasn't wrong."
So said Astrologer Temi, and he began to speak.
According to him, the Beast King had told him to predict who the next Beast King would be.
Temi used her skills and replied that Prince Zew would be the next Beast King.
"I, the Beast King!?"
"Hear me out. Because this story is very important to the Beast Kingdom."
"..."
Astrologer Temi admonished Prince Zew as he spoke between his story.
Prince Zew shut up, so Astrologer Temi continued talking.
The Beast King said that Prince Zew was not suitable because his temper was too kind.
He was asked to predict the future again and again.
However, no matter how many times he did it, the next Beast King was always Prince Zew.
He didn't know why, but his skill only showed results and not the process.
Temi found her own prediction hard to believe because of the unclear process.
However, after foresight, he advised the Beast King that if Prince Zew was worthy of being the Beast King, then he should be given a trial.
Then, anticipating that Crown Prince Bek would interfere, the Beast King ordered Prince Zew to conquer the S-class dungeon, an absolutely unattainable task.
Both the Beast King and Astrologer Temi thought that it would change the outcome of the next Beast King's fortune telling.
But still, the result of the fortune telling remained the same.
One year or two years later, the result of the fortune-telling remained the same.
''I thought that I had greatly damaged the future of the Albahar Beast Kingdom. This incomprehensible fortune-telling has halted the progress of the Beast Kingdom."
Temi deeply regretted that his fortune-telling had brought about a result that could have taken the Beast Kingdom on the wrong path.
Marshal Sigur arrived at the Beast Kingdom while Temi was thinking of telling the Beast King that he was stepping down from his position as his Advisor in order to take the blame for disrupting the Beast Kingdom.
And it seemed that he was having some sort of secret talk with Crown Prince Bek.
And then it was decided to dispatch the Ten Heroic Beasts to Rosenheim.
"That's..."
Prince Zew heard a startling truth.
(Is that why the Beast King hasn't announced Princess Shea as the next Beast King?)
"Prince Zew, isn't this the only time you will get to make up for all these years of being called naive by His Majesty the Beast King?"
Now is the time to strike what Astrologer Temi was trying to say.
Crown Prince Bek was willing to spill the blood of the Talented for the sake of the nation's prosperity.
Princess Shea had subjugated an Evil Cult by hunting them down in the Confederacy.
Prince Zew was between such a caustic brother and sister, and the Beast King had always been uneasy with him.
(Right. We first met after I rescued Mr. Ur.)
If I hadn't helped Ur and Sara, I doubted if I would have met Prince Zew.
I had a strange feeling after hearing Astrologer Temi's story that the moment I saved Ur was the moment the future changed.
"You know what to do. The Beast King doesn't hold back in such situations. Look around you."
Astrologer Temi replied with a smirk.
Prince Zew's eyes flashed as he stared at the Ten Heroic Beasts one by one and said.
"As you've heard, I've tricked you into coming here, but you're going to fight with me."
The Ten Heroic Beasts nodded deeply at Prince Zew's words filled with determination.
"Then I guess we have an answer."
''Mm, I and the Ten Heroic Beasts will join the Dungeon Boss attack party."
"I'm glad to hear that. Well then, I've prepared some drinks, so let's have a celebration today."
That was how the parties Abandoned Gamers, Sacred, Stinger and Prince Zew and the Ten Heroic Beasts decided to attack the Dungeon Boss together.
