Sage 33

“Is someone talking bad about me?”

My ears were itching. It seemed like someone was happily gossiping about me.

But I had too many enemies to pinpoint exactly who was badmouthing me.

Were those dwarves I ripped off for gemstones 50 years ago because I needed to make magic tools still cursing me? Or was it the tree spirits of the Southern Forest, after all? It could have also been Teriz or Adelaide.

“I thought you’d be busy as soon as you entered the palace, but you’re awfully carefree, Great Sage.”

“I need something to do to be busy. With this little power, what can I even do? Looking around, every single one of those bastards is on Ra-whatever’s side.”

“That may be so, but it’s really bothersome that even the servants treat us like traitors.”

“That’s because Irkus is bad at politics.”

There was a mountain of things to do, but I had no idea where to even start.

Unlike me and Tristan, who could slack off even if there was a lot to do, Irkus had become genuinely busy since entering the Imperial Palace.

I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep Irkus by my side after we entered the palace, but it was even harder to see his face than when he was running around as a mercenary.

The imperial instructors, who would drag Irkus away early in the morning, saying he needed to learn imperial etiquette, were a thorn in my side.

What the… I’ve taught him all the basics, so why are they saying he’s still lacking? Why are they discouraging our child? To my eyes, Irkus exudes nobility, but it seems others don’t see it.

Not only did they keep nagging at the child about his lack of grace, but they even had the audacity to complain to me, who had lived in the Imperial Palace for hundreds of years before them, that I hadn’t properly taught Irkus imperial etiquette.

Since they were showing such blatant hostility, I didn’t even feel like responding. Couldn’t they be a little more obvious and scheming? It would make it easier for me to cause a ruckus.

But I had no choice but to put on a smile and hand over Irkus, who looked like he was about to kill someone, to the imperial instructor. I was afraid Irkus would cause trouble if I retorted, “Who are you? Have you lived longer than me?”

“The First Prince is more popular and clever than I thought. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone with such a good reputation, both inside and outside the palace.”

“Ha… Villains in fantasy novels should be just plain evil so I can hit them without hesitation.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You don’t need to know.”

That Ra-whatever… that’s right, Radanta whatever, was smarter than I thought.

In other words, he was smart in a good way and a snake who had swallowed twenty other snakes in a bad way. He was so skillful that the entire Imperial Palace was practically his puppet.

Although there’s an age gap between him and Irkus, he’s still a greenhorn compared to me, but seeing what he’s done so far, I would believe him if he said, “Actually, this is my second life.”

So far, Radanta had killed two of his siblings without a trace. And he hadn’t even been caught. There was only suspicion, no evidence or confession.

The cause of their deaths was not poisoning or assassination. He had one killed by illness, and the other by an accident.

Being able to bury people without leaving a single trace meant he was extremely skilled in scheming. It also meant that he had several subordinates who could clean up and keep their mouths shut when he caused trouble.

It bothered me that he killed a princess and a prince, not just ordinary nobles, within the Imperial Palace, and got away with it without a single accusation. It was proof that most nobles were siding with the First Prince. I looked into Radanta’s background just in case, and it seemed that Duke Bechel’s family, the empress’s family, had served well as his external support.

“Well, even if they’re half-siblings, he’s still trying to kill his own brothers without any blood or tears, so maybe he’s just a bad bastard after all.”

“That’s how the Imperial Palace is. But he didn’t kill his own sister. The youngest princess.”

“Was her name Maria?”

“Yes. Seeing that he didn’t kill his own sister, maybe he has some sense of humanity.”

He probably didn’t kill her not because he had a sense of humanity, but because that princess wasn’t an obstacle in the succession struggle.

There was little chance that he spared her because they had a good relationship. He probably kept his young, full-blooded younger sister alive to marry her off to another kingdom for diplomatic purposes, or to give her to his close aides as a hostage.

I’ve seen too much corruption to think purely. I was also convinced that Tristan, who was babbling about humanity, would be of no help in this regard.

“By the way, it’s a bit strange that the other side is so quiet, even though it’s been over a week since we entered.”

So he isn’t a complete idiot.

The emperor reluctantly allowed us into the Imperial Palace, but he didn’t arrange a formal introduction.

He’s so timid. His own son has returned after so many years, yet instead of holding a banquet, he’s keeping us tucked away deep in the palace and not introducing us to anyone.

The emperor must also be anxious. He’s probably afraid that I might walk into the audience chamber and say, “Hey, step down and go into exile.”

I was genuinely planning to participate in the dirty political game for the throne, but it was a little unfair. Even if I said this, no one would believe me anyway. This is why being a good person is a disadvantage.

“They must be making their moves. The lack of assassination attempts on me is actually praiseworthy. If they had sent assassins, knowing full well that I’m immortal, I would have lamented their idiocy.”

“Even if you are immortal, Irkus isn’t, so it would make sense for assassins to come.”

“They already came for Irkus once.”

“Really? Why didn’t I know?”

“Because you’re incompetent.”

“What?”

“I brought you here as guards, and you’re just wasting food.”

An assassin did come on the day we entered the Imperial Palace. They probably couldn’t help but send one as a formality, to test the waters.

The problem, if it was a problem, was that they targeted Irkus, not me. Irkus didn’t kill the assassin who had come to welcome him to the palace. To be precise, he didn’t ‘just’ kill him.

“They didn’t send anyone after the first day. They probably thought it was a waste of resources.”

There was no need for an interrogation since it was obvious who sent the assassin, and even if the assassin confessed, there wouldn’t be enough evidence for torture.

So Irkus just let the assassin go. The problem, if it was a problem, was that he sent them back with all their limbs intact. He had sent them back to those who had sent them as imbeciles.

I was horrified to see that. He told me to not to kill, yet does something worse? I know I told this bastard to throw away his humanity, but wasn’t he too thorough about it?

Shocked by what Irkus had done, I hurriedly modified the gun I had stolen from the auction house. I had to disable his magic. Seriously, someone should confiscate this guy’s magic.

It didn’t seem like a gun was perfectly safe either, but at least it would be better to inflict an injury with a gun than make someone an imbecile.

I carefully loaded the gun with magic bullets and then handed it to him.

‘From now on, when assassins come, don’t make them an imbecile, just shoot them with this.’

‘…Where did you get this gun again?’

‘It’s a secret, you bastard.’

Irkus looked at the gun I gave him with dissatisfaction, but in the end, he took it, swayed by my nagging, telling him not to take it if he didn’t want to.

It was smaller than a sword and easy to hide, so it was suitable for self-defense. It was also a highly developed magic tool, so even when using magic bullets, it wouldn’t be immediately noticeable like ordinary magic.

Anyway, I needed to install various brakes on Irkus before he acted even more inhumanely.

The emperor was utterly irritating, but I felt a bit sorry for messing up his child’s personality while I was taking care of him. I’m sorry. I didn’t know he’d grow up like this either. I thought I was growing bean sprouts, but they turned out to be marijuana.

“So, how are you going to gather your forces?”

“It’s only been a week; what’s the rush?”

“No, it’s because it looks so hopeless.”

“Hopeless? It means you lack vision.”

The power balance in the Imperial Palace has already shifted with my arrival alone.

The Third Prince, who is backed by the immortal Great Sage. Even though the fact that he’s an illegitimate child is a problem, he was formally recognized as a legitimate prince by the emperor. Rumor has it that both his magic and swordsmanship have reached a certain level at a young age.

And the appearance of such a figure is always a seed of hope for those with rebellious tendencies.

“We’ll get some bites soon. They’ll come to us if we wait.”

It would be too undignified to directly approach them, so it was better to wait until they couldn’t stand it anymore and came to us. Like casting a line and waiting for the big fish to bite.

Rushing out and hastily asking, “Will you be on my side?” like a tout would make you look desperate, and would be a disadvantage. You have to act like you have something up your sleeve and stay still, so the anxious turncoats will roll over to you, saying, “I’m this kind of person; please accept me.”

“What’s this, fishing? Waiting for a bite?”

“What would an idiot like you know?”

I pushed the back of Tristan’s head, whose lips were stuck out. A clear sound resonated, suggesting that his head was more empty than I had thought.

It’s amazing that this guy has been working as a mercenary captain without ever being scammed. What did that Dragon Slayer teach this guy?

What am I going to gain from leading these idiots?

It’s ridiculously difficult to die. Others seem to die so easily.