Chapter 252

In a comedic anime style, Arthur’s tale flowed forth like an everyday yarn spun of power struggles. The next-in-line prince destined to wear the crown was set amidst a frail emperor who lacked vitality but possessed the makings of a noble ruler. And then there was the emperor’s younger sibling, quietly harboring ambitions for the throne.

This familiar setup of power clashes seemed slightly stale, triggered by the frail emperor succumbing to illness. Yet if the emperor of Romania bore the Immortal Crown that prolonged life, how could he still fall ill? Perhaps his original lifespan had been dreadfully short?

Ah, but the crown might’ve only been donned after ascending to the throne. If born sickly and crowned late, it wasn’t so strange. Thus, when the empire rose under the previous emperor—Arthur’s father—the title of “emperor” would suffice.

Anyway, despite wearing the Immortal Crown, Arthur’s father, the emperor, remained feeble and ruled Romania splendidly for a few years before passing due to chronic ailments. Supposedly, the strain of transforming Romania into an empire took its toll on his health. Though, maybe it was simply fate.

As the Goddess of Life, this felt quite irresponsible—but what did I care? The dead emperor’s lifespan was none of my concern.

So, following the emperor’s death and subsequent funeral, chaos brewed as Arthur’s uncle contested the young heir’s claim to the throne. Too young, too inexperienced, too much responsibility for one not yet an adult. Many ministers agreed, appointing the uncle as regent to rule in Arthur’s stead.

From there, the predictable unraveling began. With the regent in charge, Arthur and his sister fled for their lives.

“Though I know not what means were employed by that man, many lords sided with him. After dodging several assassination attempts, we barely escaped. Unexpectedly, it was my sister Vivian.”

“Sister…?”

“Yes. I tried slipping out alone, but she insisted on coming along, even preparing our horses!”

“Horses?”

“Yes. Despite warning her of the hardships ahead, her stubbornness proved insurmountable.”

Hmm, so they fled together. But how did Vivian end up poisoned and ill?

“What about the poison in her system?”

“That…”

Arthur hesitated briefly, and another voice answered instead: “I noticed the cook sneaking something into my brother’s dish. Not knowing what it was, I swapped our plates secretly.”

“The plates?”

“Yes. Only my brother’s plate was tampered with.”

Ashamed, Arthur admitted, “I never noticed. Neither the tampering nor the switch.”

“Well, our plates were nearly identical. Hard to detect unless caught in the act.”

Indeed. Either Arthur was oblivious or Vivian’s sleight-of-hand was exceptional.

“And since you were busy studying until mealtime, I just swapped them quickly beforehand. Detecting it would’ve been odd.”

“I see. So you switched them before dinner started. Makes sense.”

“And afterward, I made sure we ate alone, away from prying eyes, ensuring no one saw the swap.”

Thus, Vivian consumed the poison meant for Arthur—a reckless move.

“Reckless indeed. If it had been fast-acting, you’d be dead. You should’ve reported the cook.”

“But then we wouldn’t have uncovered who was behind it. Like cutting off a lizard’s tail, the source remains hidden. Later, I overheard the cook and my uncle conspiring, revealing the culprit.”

“And you only ate a small portion of the food, minimizing suspicion.”

Hmm. This wasn’t typical childish thinking. Witnessing suspicious behavior and responding accordingly suggested innate talent—not just the Dragon Priestess gift, but sharp intellect too.

“After discovering my uncle’s involvement, I prepared horses and some money, fleeing the castle with my brother.”

“Without your sister, I wouldn’t have made it far.”

Vivian handled most of the escape, it seemed.

“Still, running together was dangerous. Perhaps one person escaping would’ve been safer…”

“If you’d gone alone, you’d already be riddled with arrows. They refrained because I was with you.”

Hmm. So sparing Vivian meant sparing Arthur. Why?

“My uncle always favored me, even proposing an engagement to his son.”

Ah, a cousin marriage to solidify bloodlines. Very Habsburg-esque.

To bolster legitimacy lost upon ascending unexpectedly, marrying his daughter to the former emperor’s son aimed to strengthen royal lineage.

“Alright, I grasp the situation. How may I assist you?”

Pausing slightly, Arthur replied, “I wish to reclaim my rightful throne. Please aid me.”

Bowling down, Arthur pleaded, followed by Vivian.

Hmm. Revenge against the uncle who stole his place. Helping wouldn’t hurt, but destabilizing the newly peaceful Romania Empire troubled me.

Decisions, decisions. Should I help Arthur? Or let karma handle the uncle? Perhaps dissuading revenge and guiding Arthur elsewhere?

Eh, probably doesn’t matter either way. Offering sage advice from the Deep Forest seemed sufficient. I’m no Goddess of Life here—I’m merely the Deep Forest Sage.

And considering the legendary king’s revered descendant, dismissing them felt wrong.

Alright, decided. I’ll assist—not directly, but through wisdom. As neither Dragon Priestess nor Goddess of Life, but as the Deep Forest Sage, I’ll mentor them. Their future is their own business.

“Very well. Given my ties to the Knight King, aiding his descendants seems fitting.”

Looking at Arthur and Vivian, their youthful faces, dirtied by travel, lit up with smiles.

“However, direct assistance isn’t possible. Only wisdom can I offer.”

“That’s enough. Wisdom on what steps to take next is all I need.”

Perfect. They sought guidance from the start.

“First, choose: the easy path or the perilous one. Which will you walk?”

“The difference between these paths?”

“The perilous path offers no guarantees, filled with trials and tribulations. Yet, it might grant your heart’s desire.”

“And the easy path?”

“Truly effortless, free from hardship. But it won’t yield your desires.”

Without hesitation, Arthur chose, “The perilous path.”

“Even knowing the difficulties?”

“Yes. If my goal lies at its end, no other choice exists.”

Hmm. Resolve firm. Observing Arthur’s face, reminiscent of the Knight King, strengthened my decision.