Chapter 431 – Rejection

King Tandak possessed the straightforward temperament of a warrior. Normally, even his criticisms of others should have been quite brief. However, this time, perhaps driven by sheer frustration with Dick or harboring some other purpose, Tandak’s reprimand became unusually long-winded.

But… as Tandak continued speaking, everyone in the Royal Hall found themselves caught between laughter and tears as they realized… Tandak’s “criticism” had clearly taken a different turn:

“Dick, you say Aisha idles away her time every day? But do you know that this kind Master-Level powerhouse, Ovakain, was introduced by Aisha? As a great powerhouse dedicated to saving the innocent, Mr. Ovakain might even help our Kingdom evade the harassment of the evil Nightmare Cult. This old bones of mine might not have many days left, and Mr. Ovakain could become the new pillar of this pitiful country. You can’t possibly be unaware of the importance of having a Master-Level powerhouse stationed in a Kingdom, Dick!”

Alright, by now, both Dick, who was still bowing his head to receive the scolding, and the stunned Aisha had figured it out. King Tandak was clearly using the opportunity to criticize Dick to sound out Ovakain’s intentions. His underlying message… was his hope that Ovakain would become the new Kingdom Protector for the Huaibien Kingdom after his death.

Of course, the clumsiness of Tandak’s “underlying message” went without saying. Getting a muscle-brained warrior to understand even a hint of subtlety was no easy feat…

At this moment, Tandak’s gaze was no longer fixed on Dick. The look he directed at Ovakain carried a burning hope.

As he had said, no one could be ignorant of the importance of a Master-Level powerhouse to a Kingdom. Even Tandak understood what fate would befall the Huaibien Kingdom if he fell and the Kingdom lost its Protector. Tandak was now extending an invitation to Ovakain in a very clumsy manner—inviting this Master-Level Mage, whose background was unknown but who was better than nothing, to become the Kingdom Protector of Huaibien Kingdom.

The Royal Hall fell into silence once more. Whether it was the fervently gazing King Tandak, Aisha standing dumbfounded in place, or even Dick, who hadn’t yet processed the situation—all eyes were on Ovakain. Everyone was waiting for the black dragon’s answer.

Turning his head to glance at Aisha’s flustered expression, then looking back at Tandak’s expectant gaze, Ovakain finally let out a bitter sigh and said:

“Alas, though I deeply sympathize with this Kingdom’s current plight and hold great apprehension toward that Nightmare Cult… I am sorry, Your Majesty King Tandak, but I’m afraid I cannot become this Kingdom’s Protector… For one, I actually carry severe injuries, and for another… my enemies are on their way. My stay would only bring disaster to this country…”

Shaking his head silently, Ovakain took a step back and said no more. In his view, he had made his stance perfectly clear, and Tandak should abandon this immature attempt at recruitment.After listening to Ovakain’s explanation, the hopeful Tandak could only silently close his eyes. Now he gave the impression of a truly ordinary old man—weak, frail, and lifeless…

“Enough, I am tired. All of you may withdraw. Aisha, please entertain Mr. Ovakain properly. Dick… never mind, do as you wish. It no longer matters…”

Having said this, Tandak, as if suddenly drained of his last bit of vitality, sat on the throne without uttering another word. Just as he had said, he was utterly exhausted. The flame of life could leave his battered body at any moment, and he no longer had the strength to achieve any of his desired goals.

———————— Dividing Line ————————

The ornate carriage moved unhurriedly through the bustling marketplace. Guards walking ahead of the carriage loudly cleared the crowds, forcibly creating a path wide enough for the carriage to pass on Rock Sand City’s originally congested streets.

No one questioned the carriage’s “traffic-disrupting” behavior, for the emblem on it represented the Breeze Royal Family, and the identity of the person inside was far too exalted for commoners to approach.

Indeed, the person sitting in the carriage at this moment was the troubled Prince Dick. He was taking small bites of crisp fruit from a plate. In this desert, where fruit was extremely scarce, even Nobles rarely had the chance to enjoy such sweet produce. Only someone like Prince Dick could treat fruit as a casual snack.

Yet, despite savoring the fruit’s sweetness, Dick’s face remained clouded with worry.

It must be said that the current situation in the Huaibien Kingdom was particularly unfavorable for His Highness the Prince, who was not a professional combatant. If his great-grandfather, King Tandak, could hold on, then with Tandak’s power-centric ideology, the Prince would forever be overshadowed by Aisha, whom he looked down upon.

And if Tandak could not hold on… well, that was even more unthinkable. The Huaibien Kingdom would likely face immediate destruction, as both internal and external conflicts had reached a boiling point, and Ovakain refused to become the Kingdom’s new Protector.

“Ahhh, damn it all! It’s all because of my great-grandfather’s foolish governance. If I were the King ruling this Kingdom, with my political control and economic management, even if there were a temporary gap in the Kingdom Protector, I could ensure the Kingdom’s survival for another thirty to fifty years—at the very least, it wouldn’t be on the verge of collapse like now.”

Clutching his hair in frustration, Dick’s eyes were filled with angry bloodshot veins and tears:

“Damn it, damn it, damn it! I’m the one upholding the Breeze Royal Family’s credibility! I’m the one making those selfish Lords abandon their rebellions! I’m the one keeping this crumbling nation from descending into war! But… why? Why won’t my great-grandfather let me become the King? Why must that fool, who has no intelligence to speak of, cling to the throne and ruin the country I’ve worked so hard to preserve? And now, even as he’s dying, he still plans to pass the throne to that little girl who only knows how to eat, drink, and have fun! It’s unfair, so unfair!”Clenching his fist, he slammed it hard against the table. Amid the sound of shattering fruit plates, droplets of blood dripped from the wound torn open by the porcelain shards.

Dick’s heart was filled with too much pain and too much rage—the sting of a minor wound meant nothing to him.

But just as Dick was sinking into grief and fury, just as the carriage passed through a patch of shadow… before he could regain his senses from the overwhelming surge of anger and sorrow, a muffled thud of falling fruit was followed by another voice—hoarse, sinister, and abrupt—slowly rising within the cramped carriage:

“Yes, it’s so unfair. Only a genius like you, the King of the city in politics and economics, can save this country, isn’t that right?”

(End of Chapter)