RPSE 05

Chapter 5

Acquiring the Void Attribute (1)

The 3rd Prince was notorious for being one of the most ruthless and unforgiving figures among the Imperial princes.

A hawk, a hardliner, and a militaristic imperialist who advocated for creating a cycle of national enrichment through conquest.

That was precisely why the current situation was all the more unexpected.

He had caused trouble, yet he was being praised?

‘I was even prepared to blow myself up along with the 3rd Prince if things went sideways.’

Having avenged the former king, he had no regrets. He had calculated that snapping the spearhead of the radicals would be a net gain for Deveer—a desperate final move… that turned out to be completely unnecessary.

‘Well, all the better. He says I did good, right? Then he should naturally be offering a reward.’

Just as he was subtly gauging the 3rd Prince’s reaction, scheming to wring something out of him, the Prince spoke.

“Gebel will be treated as having contracted a fatal illness after suffering from unmanaged overwork, and will be sent away to recuperate. While the stress from your reckless actions served as the trigger, the root cause remains overwork. Since your wild antics ruined the 1st Prince’s hand, I will handle this much for you.”

“Brother. I am overwhelmed by your praise. I am simply delighted to have been of service, hahaha.”

“Of service? Service, you say.”

, The 3rd Prince merely shifted his gaze, casting a sideways glance.

An absurd younger brother, a disgrace to the bloodline, an idiot not worth speaking to—he looked at him as though he were little more than that.

‘Forget being brothers, it feels like I’m not even being treated as a fellow human being.’

“Have you forgotten?”

“Pardon?”

“Every time I look at you, I am reminded that nothing is as meaningless as the mere wagging of a tongue.”

It seemed that whenever Zeon Leobelt apologized, there was a specific action that accompanied it…

Could it be?

“Now that it’s done, I got scared… I lost my head, 3rd Prince.”

He dropped to his knees. Only then did the 3rd Prince avert his gaze.

As expected, this was it. Forcing the old butler to drop to his knees and bang his head every time he apologized had been entirely influenced by the 3rd Prince.

‘Perhaps Zeon Leobelt was this guy’s creation all along.’

3rd Prince Garoon Leobelt. He seemed like a far more dangerous specimen than expected.

“Speaking of which, since I’ve called you here, there is something I wished to ask. Why did you go to the prison?”

He was asking about the reason he went to see his original self—Zeon Bleize.

‘To kill me. Then he almost got killed by me, and in the end, his body got taken over by me.’

The reason for asking this was obvious: Zeon Bleize had vanished.

There was no way he could guess that Zeon had been swept up in a miracle-level grand magic, so he undoubtedly assumed it was a prison break.

“I went to kill him… I heard the bastard who tried to assassinate me was still alive…”

“Aside from that, was there anything else? Hmph. Never mind. There’s no way someone of your caliber could have accomplished anything.”

It seemed he had intended to ask if Zeon knew anything about Zeon Bleize’s escape, but gave up, thinking it useless to ask a piece of trash.

He had felt it since beating up the Marquis, but living as trash really did offer supreme comfort. It certainly had its perks.

“Get lost. Consider yourself lucky this time and reflect on your actions. If you cause another incident like today’s without permission, I will personally mete out ‘punishment.’ Your sentence of house arrest will be handed down in three days, so be prepared.”

It seemed the business was finished. But the last words he tacked on were thoroughly grating.

“Brother? House arrest… you say?”

You just said I did well. If there’s no reward, at least don’t give me a punishment, you jerk.

“Didn’t you say I did well?”

“You did do well.”

“Then why…?”

“House arrest is imposed in accordance with Imperial law.”

Ah, I’m ruined.

Just when he had realized the advantages of this body and was planning to live freely and wildly, house arrest?

It wasn’t a prison, but being trapped and unable to move a muscle anyway?

“May I ask… how long the duration is?”

“Roughly three years.”

Mm. Decision made.

Three days from now?

There was no way he was going to sit quietly and wait for the sentence to be handed down.

Three years of house arrest.

In truth, it was not a heavy punishment. Rather, it should be considered excessively light.

To reduce a person—and a duke-level grandee at that—to a vegetative state, and receive a mere three years of house arrest?

‘I already knew the Empire sanctified and idolized the Imperial bloodline as a divine race. But I didn’t realize even the worst trash of the Empire would live in such an inviolable sanctuary.’

The people of the Marquis Gebel family were probably weeping tears of blood and beating the ground right about now.

Well, not his problem.

‘I can’t be locked up for three years. Absolutely not.’

Lying on an elegant, luxurious bed, he tossed a mana stone toward the ceiling and caught it.

For the record, he had secretly pinched one from the security magic tool installed in his quarters.

“Alright, I’ve decided. Let’s get myself exiled.”

Banishment from the Imperial Capital. If possible, exile to Deveer.

He had suddenly grown fond of the idea of becoming the only prince residing in a colony after causing a disturbance large enough to get exiled despite being of the divine race.

‘I need a sure-fire trick to aggravate the sentence. It’s a bit ridiculous to look for a method to do the exact opposite of getting a commuted sentence, though.’

Since he usually had plenty of quick wits, he’d have to roll his brain around and think of a few things.

“Since I’m getting house arrest anyway, screw it, should I actually go enter a vault?” (Note: “House arrest” (금고형) and “Vault/Safe” (금고) use the same Korean word).

…It was just a joke he made to amuse himself, but it sounded surprisingly plausible?

Coincidentally, there was a item he wanted to steal as well.

No, rather, should he call it a legacy he wanted to reclaim?

“Hehehe. The Imperial Treasury is a vault too, isn’t it? Absolutely.”

Just thinking about it made him happy. It was just pure fun.

How should he put it? It felt like life was worth living.

Was it because wearing this body made everything he did feel like absolute freedom?

A laugh bubbled up naturally. Following the habit left in the body, the corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk.

‘Zeon Leobelt. The indulgence you enjoyed—I’ll enjoy it in your place!’

Thanks a ton, you bastard.

Thanks to you, I get to tour the Imperial Treasury, reclaim the stolen legacy of my kingdom, eat the chicken, and eat the eggs too!

“Wait, in that case, does committing treason against Litania count as patriotism toward Deveer? Hehe.”

Now then, shall we go?

To tour the Emperor’s treasure house.

The next day, Zeon moved immediately for his objective.

“Butler. Prepare the carriage, we’re going to the Imperial Palace.”

It was about a thirty-minute distance from his residence to the Imperial Palace. Thanks to the automobile bearing the Imperial crest speeding down the main avenue, they arrived in no time.

By the way, he didn’t know where the destination was.

“Hey. You.”

He called over a Royal Guard standing nearby.

“A subject of the Empire greets a member of the Divine Race. What brings you here, 9th Prince?”

A polite attitude, yet a expression tinged with unconcealed disgust.

Thanks to that, he acutely felt the terrible reputation this body had accumulated.

They probably already knew about yesterday’s assault incident as well.

‘But so what if he harbors disgust?’

I happen to be a prince.

“I am going to the Imperial Treasury. Guide me.”

“The Imperial Treasury, my Lord? Have you received permission?”

“A direct descendant of the Imperial Family enters the Imperial Treasury, and you speak of permission? Do you dare attempt to obstruct the will of this Prince?”

When he glared fiercely, the Royal Guard asked cautiously.

“If so, may I ask your business there?”

“Denied. Lead the way at once, or I shall punish you.”

Instead of engaging in a scuffle over whether to report to his superiors, the Royal Guard silently set his feet in motion.

Instead, another guard who had overheard the conversation nearby headed off somewhere.

He was likely going to report to a higher-up.

‘Can’t just leave him be.’

“Hey, you.”

The other guard who was walking away flinched and turned around, and Zeon smiled maliciously.

“Follow me. Ah, both of you turn off your communication devices.”

“…We obey the Prince’s command.”

After moving for about ten minutes, the guard came to a halt.

“Your Highness. This entire palace is the Imperial Treasury.”

It was massive. They said the Empire squeezed treasures from all over the place under the guise of being a great power, and they sure seemed to have piled up a ridiculous amount.

‘Including the relics of our Deveer.’

“Go tell them to open the gate. I’m going in right away. No, wait, you’ll definitely try something shady, so I should go myself.”

As he strode forward, he saw three or four guards on sentry duty. The guard who had guided him this far ran over and began running his mouth.

“Captain, the 9th Prince wishes to enter the Treasury.”

One of them seemed to hold the rank of team captain.

The Treasury Guard Captain’s face hardened instantly.

“Your Highness. I apologize, but without the permission of His Majesty, the Great and Sovereign Emperor, no one may enter the Treasury, regardless of their status.”

Common-sense-wise, it was correct. There was no way anyone could just waltz into the Emperor’s treasure house.

No matter if he was a son, rummaging through his father’s pockets was bound to be impudent.

Of course, a trash prince didn’t care about such things.

Especially when he had come specifically to cause trouble.

“Have you forgotten that Zeon Bleize, the worst criminal in the Empire, tried to kill this Prince? I’m just going to grab a few self-defense magic tools and come out. Step aside.”

“I believe a thorough security system is established at Your Highness’s residence.”

Since nice words didn’t make him step aside, it was time for bad words.

“Are you a traitor who wishes for this Prince to be assassinated?”

The chilling edge in his tone made the Guard Captain’s face harden rapidly.

“T-That is not so, Your Highness.”

“Not so, my foot. To think I would discover a traitor inside the palace.”

He snatched the spear held by a guard.

“If you do not step aside, I will kill you and go in anyway.”

A warning from human trash. Looking at the Guard Captain’s expression, he seemed to feel a genuine threat to his life.

‘Why are you so tense over just this? You’re the elite of the elite if you work in the palace, yet you’re such a coward.’

There was a reason. Though Zeon didn’t know it, the 9th Prince actually had a history of killing a Royal Guard.

“…Have it your way. However… I beg your forgiveness, but removing items from the Treasury is strictly forbidden. Furthermore, I must inevitably report Your Highness’s visit to the higher-ups, so please understand generously.”

He meant he would go get an order from a high-ranking noble who could stop the rascal’s rampage.

They probably thought whatever he grabbed, they could just confiscate later.

“Sure. Do as you please.”

The moment he stepped inside, his goal was achieved anyway.

Krrrrrrrk!

With a heavy mechanical sound, the massive iron door opened.

Looking from the side, its thickness reached a full meter, and various mana circuits were engraved upon it.

‘Whew, heavy security. Look at how dense those circuits are. No one in the world could ever have broken through this.’

However, right now…

Hop! He stepped inside.

Just that alone was enough.

Krrrrrk, BOOM.

“Phew, to think the day would come when I see Litania’s Imperial Treasury with my own eyes.”

With Zeon Bleize’s body, he could never have entered even if he died and was reborn.

No matter if he was a Archmage or whatever.

This was an era evaluated as undergoing a magic-engineering revolution.

Unlike the past, abilities an individual obtained through training could never surpass developed technological systems.

‘In the first place, the moment I manifested magic to try and break through, I would’ve been caught by the detection sensors. Because it’s that kind of era.’

In a short while, someone capable of stopping the prince’s tyranny would come rushing over.

Even so, he had enough time to take a look around.

“Wow, how much would this cost? Looks like an artifact from Gizkan’s side.”

Gold over here, treasure over there.

Artifacts that could only be crafted with top-tier mana stones—worth dozens of times more than their weight in gold—were scattered everywhere.

If he stole just one and sent it to the liberation army, it would cover at least several years of operational expenses.

Well, the moment he walked out of the Treasury, it would all be confiscated.

“Dangling apples. The relics of our royal family are… Ah, over there?”

A section where only the relics of Deveer were gathered and displayed.

The first thing that caught his eye was a resplendent staff.

An invaluable divine item that only the successive kings of Deveer could use.

“The Stem of the North Star… It would be nice if I could take it with me.”

If he manifested magic through that staff, the power would be at least doubled… but similarly, it was a dangling apple.

Because the moment he walked out, it was obvious it would be taken away.

Therefore, there was only one item he needed to secure here.

“Ah, found it.”

A worn-out ring unfitting for the location was placed in a corner.

‘The Ring of the Guide… As expected, they crammed it in a corner. I’m finally reclaiming you.’

The King of Deveer was granted royal authority by wearing the Ring of the Guide.

Along with the Stem of the North Star, the Ring of the Guide was one of the two great divine items forming a pair.

‘It’s not an item that should be left abandoned like this. Well, to the Empire, it’s probably nothing more than an old ring.’

The Ring of the Guide was also an artifact that bestowed immense magical advantages to those born of Deveer bloodline.

So from the Imperial Family’s perspective, wasn’t it frustrating that even after plundering this precious artifact, they couldn’t use it?

“…The problem is that I’m in the same boat right now.”

Since this wasn’t a body of the Bleize bloodline, the ring would likely not bestow its abilities.

His mouth tasted bitter.

‘From the beginning, the objective was to commit the crime of breaking into the Treasury and plundering the Emperor’s possessions. Still, it is a bit disappointing.’

No, in truth, it was extremely disappointing.

What if the finger wearing the ring belonged to Zeon Bleize instead of Zeon Leobelt?

He would have been able to enjoy every single ability of the ring.

‘I’ll probably experience similar things often in the future.’

For instance, from now on, all Deveerians would look at Zeon himself with eyes of hatred.

Forever.

“…Quere Stellam Orbita.”

Muttering the incantation word for magic manifestation, he slipped the ring onto his middle finger. This alone he might keep from being taken even if he went outside.

“Come, destiny. To the rightful…”

An incantation passed down only to the legitimate line of the royal family. As mana vibrated, the ring began to shine.

When the incantation ended, the ring would fix itself to his middle finger and wouldn’t come off until he died.

“To lead… one must duly follow…”

If they severed the finger, they could undo it, but it was unlikely they would sever a divine race’s finger over a piece of junk thrown in a corner.

“To the one who steps forward as a guide…”

Lost in thought, he continued the incantation.

Suddenly, he realized:

The ring was shining unusually brightly.

“Hm?”

Right at that moment.

「 I activate the third clause of the covenant: Walk upon the void. 」

A solemn declaration heard from the heavens.

It was the very same voice that had resounded when his body was swapped.

‘This voice is…?!’

“Ugh…!”

An involuntary groan escaped his lips.

It was because a magical upheaval was surging from within his body.

It was a violent, yet silent transformation.

‘The flow of mana… the trace of magic manifestation…’

A tidal wave of shock engulfed his body and mind.

His hands trembled violently from the dawning realization.

“Quere Stellam Orbita. Reveal.”

Without any warning, a tiny spark flickered.

…It was quiet.

Even after waiting a long while, there was only silence.

Even though it was obvious there were at least 1,000 magic detection sensors installed inside the Treasury.

The back of his eyes burned hot.

He closed his eyes.

‘I can’t feel it.’

The mana had vanished.

No, it would be more accurate to say it was erased.

‘The sensors aren’t detecting my mana either.’

A hundred-odd years since the magic-engineering revolution.

An era where magic was regarded as a symbol of the old ways.

An era where the title of mage had degraded into a vulgar joke.

‘Without being noticed by anyone, by anything… I’ve become able to use magic.’

A miracle he had never once imagined had fallen into Zeon’s hands.