Chapter 432 – Suggestion

Hearing the sudden voice, Prince Dick nearly jumped in fright. After all, his carriage strictly forbade entry to others, and the simple runes attached to the carriage walls provided effective soundproofing. Under such circumstances, how could he not be shocked to suddenly hear an aged voice? Moreover, he had just spoken a great deal of what could be considered “treasonous” remarks.

Since the carriage compartment was quite small, the previously weeping Prince Dick only needed to lift his head slightly to see a gaunt, kindly smiling old man silently watching him.

“What’s going on? How did you get in here? Guards! Where are the guards?”

Startled, Dick immediately called out loudly for the guards. Even though the old man sitting opposite him appeared very amiable, the sensation of someone suddenly appearing before him in the blink of an eye still made cold sweat break out on Dick’s forehead.

However, despite Prince Dick shouting several times, the guards he expected did not appear.

“Alright, young man, once you’ve shouted enough, quiet down a bit. Old folks don’t care for all this noise. We can perfectly well have this conversation undisturbed, don’t you think?”

The chuckling old man let Dick shout for a good while before dryly uttering these strange words. In his gnarled, branch-like hand, an unremarkable flicker of faint white flame had somehow begun to slowly spin and burn.

At this moment, Dick had not yet let down his guard. Although he felt the old man illuminated by that faint white flame appeared very kind and benevolent, Dick still cautiously tightened his grip on the ornate dagger at his waist and demanded sharply:

“Who exactly are you, and what is your purpose in appearing in my carriage?”

“Ah, young people these days are so impatient. At the slightest disagreement, they’re ready to fight and kill. Wouldn’t it be better if we all sat down and talked things out properly?”

Paying no mind to Prince Dick having half-drawn his dagger, the old man remained composed as he sat before the young prince. Only the flickering flame in his palm seemed to have suddenly grown slightly more vigorous…

“You ask who I am? Hehehe, who I am matters not at all. I am merely a well-meaning passerby with good intentions. Passing through, I noticed something quite touching and decided to linger a moment. As for my purpose, let’s not use such a serious word as ‘purpose.’ I’ve only come to offer you a small suggestion, young man—just a little suggestion hardly counts as a purpose.”

As time passed, in Dick’s eyes, the old man’s smile grew increasingly warm and kind. Moreover, he gradually began to feel that he had overreacted. An inner voice kept telling Prince Dick: The one before you is just a harmless old man; there’s no need to fear anything. You should seize this opportunity to seek counsel from a wise sage.

“Very well, then speak your suggestion. As you can see, I am already at my wit’s end regarding my Kingdom.”Feeling his head grow somewhat dizzy, Dick vigorously rubbed the space between his eyebrows. His mind now felt like a complete muddle, and the sharp wit he usually prided himself on had utterly vanished.

Observing every emotion clearly written on Prince Dick’s face, a faint glimmer of magical light flashed in the Old Man’s eyes. Unnoticed by Dick, the flame in the Old Man’s hand had imperceptibly transformed into a small fireball, and dozens of shimmering white sparks were now dancing around Dick’s head.

“I must say, your King truly lacks any aptitude for governance. Look at what he has done? A brainless warrior stubbornly clinging to the throne, bringing the kingdom to this state without even realizing it—how pitiful. Oh, heavens, how wretched this nation is! After a foolish king passes, the mess he leaves behind will fall into the hands of an even more foolish little girl. And now, the rare Master-Level powerhouse we’ve encountered is about to depart. If a promising young man like you were to become king, everything would surely turn out differently.”

The Old Man’s tone was slow yet brimming with emotion. Hearing these aged words, Dick felt for the first time that someone understood his suffering. For the first time, he found solace in another’s speech. As the silvery-white sparks around his head wove into delicate threads, Dick felt he had met the one true confidant of his life.

“Yes, exactly! This kingdom is on the brink of collapse. Only by my becoming king can it be saved. Only by retaining that Master-Level powerhouse can we resist the Nightmare Cult. Only by removing that obstinate old man can we eliminate the kingdom’s obstacles! But… I am incapable of all this. Perhaps my great-grandfather was right—I am just an ordinary person without any strength. I… can do nothing!”

As he spoke, Dick buried his face in his palms. The jostling of the carriage caused tears to trickle through his fingers. Deep down, Dick had always understood the importance of power, but alas, he lacked the talent to become a professional and could never obtain strength.

Seeing the young man’s inner barriers completely shattered, a sinister, cold smile slowly curled at the corners of the Old Man’s mouth. Yet his tone remained kindly and compassionate, though this benevolent demeanor starkly contrasted with the “advice” he proceeded to offer.

“Heh heh heh, worry not, young man. There is no problem in this world without a solution. All you lack is the right method. Now listen carefully: You must return and counsel your great-grandfather. Have him issue a nationwide proclamation directly, marrying Aisha off to that foreign Master-Level powerhouse. Furthermore, vigorously promote that powerhouse’s identity and status as the nation’s savior. Ensure every last citizen of the Huaibien Kingdom knows that the newly arrived Kingdom Protector is this country’s only hope.”

The shimmering white flames illuminated the Old Man’s withered face, casting an unprecedentedly eerie atmosphere inside the carriage:“To keep this Master-Level powerhouse here, your great-grandfather would agree to this demand, but that alone isn’t enough—it still won’t make you King… However, your luck is quite remarkable. This old man has discovered that an army of goat-men will launch a full-scale assault on the Huaibien Kingdom three days from now. When the time comes, you must seize the opportunity to throw this at your great-grandfather.”

Producing a palm-sized, miniature scroll, the Old Man practically forced it into Dick’s hand.

“When the evil goat-men attack and King Tandak suddenly passes away, according to the rules of the Nobles, Princess Aisha, being married, will be ineligible to inherit the throne. You can then rightfully ascend to the throne. Meanwhile, that Master-Level powerhouse certainly won’t stand by and watch the goat-men slaughter innocent commoners. Amid the expectations and cheers of the entire populace, he’ll have no choice but to stay and become the new Kingdom Protector. Thus, the goat-men’s assault will be repelled by you, and you alone will be the hero of this nation.”

At some point, the Old Man’s tone had grown icy and sinister, the flame in his hand transforming into a shimmering thread connected to Dick’s head. Inside the cramped carriage, sunlight was completely blocked by the ornate curtains, and the reflections from the gemstone ornaments had long since been annihilated within an eerie white radiance.

Yet Dick, listening intently to the Old Man, seemed utterly unaware of these changes. He was now wholly absorbed, staring down at the Black Scroll in his hand, his eyes burning with unprecedented fanaticism and ferocity:

“Yes, Great-Grandfather is nothing but a cancer upon this Kingdom! Aisha would only lead this nation to ruin! And that Master-Level powerhouse must remain to serve me… I alone am the true hero—I… will be this country’s savior!”

(End of Chapter)