“Wait! Did you just say we’re working with the Black Fangs? What kind of nonsense is that?!”

The Division Commander shouted in panic.

Of course, he knew.

He knew that the boy in front of him had close ties with the Second Prince, and that yelling at such a person was downright foolish.

But the Black Fangs?!

Not just anyone, but those Black Fangs!

The Empire’s archenemy.

A rare terror organization shaking the foundation of the nation.

They were still scratching their heads trying to capture even one member of that group.

And now, here, in this situation, the suspicion that they were involved reached the Prince’s ears?

It was certain that regardless of the truth, things were about to go horribly wrong.

Just the suspicion of being linked to the Black Fangs was enough to put someone’s head on the chopping block.

“I understand the feelings of Mr. Sian, who has suffered because of these ignorant fools, but that’s just ridiculous!”

You idiot!

I get that our kids are being annoying, but there’s a line somewhere!

Sure, he’s young and talented, so I understand his high self-esteem. But how far are they willing to take this?

While you might just be venting your frustrations, we could literally lose our heads here!

This was the sentiment I tried to express as delicately as possible.

Using my social skills to hide my growing anger and speaking in a tone of genuine grievance, I awaited a response.

What I got back was utterly absurd.

“You’re so confident, even after you just assaulted me so brutally.”

What was with this guy’s nonchalant voice?

I momentarily lost my bearings.

He was spouting total nonsense so seriously that my brain couldn’t keep up with the situation.

“Don’t you remember? You just had me chained up and were torturing me!”

How could he say that with such confidence?

For a second, I even questioned whether it really happened at all. But, no matter how I thought about it, that didn’t make sense.

Although I hadn’t been here to see what went down, I could tell the rough situation by just looking around.

Eight idiots still had their heads buried in the ground.

There’s no way those beaten-up guys tortured that boy!

“Torture? But I don’t see a single scratch on you…”

The boy’s body was entirely unscathed.

In fact, it was the men under my command that looked like they’d been through a blender; it seemed far closer to them being the ones doing the torturing.

And yet, even as I tried to hint at this reality, the boy maintained his composure. In an instant, the Division Commander’s face hardened as he realized what was happening.

He was beginning to understand.

‘…He’s not angry.’

Such youth.

Achievements that seemed out of place for someone his age.

The glamorous backing of the Second Prince.

Thanks to all these traits, I assumed this child was puffed up with pride like most child geniuses.

I figured mentioning the Black Fangs must’ve triggered some impulsive rage.

But I was wrong.

This wasn’t about saving face.

“I don’t see any wounds? That’s because I just regenerated any injuries from the torture.”

What a blatant lie.

It was so far-fetched that even he couldn’t possibly believe it. It was crystal clear what that statement implied.

The boy was essentially saying, “If you don’t meet my demands, this story will reach the Prince’s ears with all kinds of added flavors.”

I had no idea what his demands were, but that made this threat even more nefarious.

Clearly, I was the desperate one.

I’d have to give up anything to survive.

“That expression… You can’t possibly not believe me, right?”

That wicked grin.

Seeing that made me feel an overwhelming rush of anger. It was infuriating to think about why this guy got involved, creating such a headache for me.

“No! I do believe you! Of course, I believe you!”

But despite all of that, he was sweating bullets, hastily agreeing with me. No wonder.

Sure, the guy was talking nonsense.

But what could I possibly do about it?

What could I do against someone backed by a Prince? Other than play nice and grovel?

A wave of existential dread washed over me.

My mental state felt on the brink of collapse.

But still, the Division Commander held on desperately.

Fifty-two years of hard work and career would come crashing down in front of this brat with a few connections, and what a pity that would be.

But not yet.

There was still a glimmer of hope.

This kid could take out eight knights at his age.

Clearly, the Second Prince planned to take him in and train him as his right hand man.

But the kid’s roots were still commoner.

That fact wouldn’t change.

And folks like him were usually weak against material temptations.

Therefore, it was quite likely that this situation could be diffused more easily than expected.

“I can’t erase the humiliation you felt due to my subordinates’ terrible actions, but… I’ll do my best to offer you some compensation!”

As I said that, I subtly extended my finger.

Four.

That’s right, a whopping 400,000 gold.

An amount to live lavishly for a lifetime.

This should definitely make that kid feel better.

It should have.

But somehow, Sian’s face didn’t seem pleased at all.

Could it be that this amount didn’t satisfy him?

But this was my entire fortune right now. I had nothing left to offer.

Yet, I couldn’t back down.

Failing to negotiate now would mean certain doom.

So, after some deep deliberation, I finally spoke.

“The potion company supplying the 30th Division is supposed to pay me quite a hefty sum as compensation. Just wait a little, and I’ll….”

But something felt off.

The boy named Sian wasn’t even looking at me.

How bizarre.

And for some reason, I felt a piercing gaze from behind me.

I instinctively turned around and…

“That’s an interesting story. Care to go into further detail?”

I locked eyes with the Second Prince of the Empire.

At that moment, it was clear my life had just switched to hard mode.

*

Renyah was deep in thought.

It wasn’t because he was surprised at discovering the shameful behavior of his underlings.

This was all a part of the plan.

Making a nameless orphan boy into an officially recognized Swordmaster of the Empire in just a week was an unrealistic task.

He wouldn’t be bothered about formalities while executing such an endeavor.

The claim that Sian had to stay here for a day due to legal reasons was nothing but a blatant lie.

This was a little trick.

The 30th Division, which housed some capable individuals.

As soon as the organization became larger, corruption and scandals were inevitable; he’d let some things slide, but…

These guys had crossed the line.

Eventually, it would become necessary to deal with them properly.

Moreover, it was also to instill loyalty in Sian.

Helping him in a crisis was the best way to gain a person’s heart.

By extending help when he was troubled, they could gain his loyalty while also punishing the 30th Division under the pretext of touching his people.

It was a perfect two-for-one scheme.

But things went awry. The reason was quite simple.

‘I underestimated that boy.’

The secret agent cultivated by his older brother.

He’d assumed he was inexperienced in social matters, but according to what he’d observed, the kid seemed to possess quite some cunning.

He was solving problems on his own without needing anyone to step in.

Well, the competence of his subordinates was a welcome development.

‘Yet it’s regrettable that I missed the opportunity to gain his trust.’

That thought continued to linger on his mind.

This is why the Second Prince’s eyes fell on Sian.

A face that looked somewhat unsatisfied, a face of disappointment.

And it was clear what that disappointment was about.

His pride had been hurt.

He felt the punishment given to those who tried to humiliate him wasn’t sufficient. Renyah could tell since he’d had similar experiences before.

‘…This situation.’

Perhaps it was an opportunity.

The chance to regain Sian’s trust while simultaneously punishing the 30th Division.

He glanced at the quaking Division Commander, who was declaring he’d take any punishment and the pile of eight knights who were still groveling.

“Truly despicable behavior. Resorting to vile schemes to make a talented individual kneel at your feet out of jealousy.”

While the corruption was an issue, Renyah purposefully highlighted this point first.

He harbored more anger over the fact that they had dishonored Sian than the corruption itself.

Such a sentiment was meant to be instilled naturally.

“So I will deliver a fitting punishment for that.”

What kind of punishment would satisfy Sian, given the ones who attempted to defeat him with foul play?

That thought was surprisingly easy to come up with.

“Swear on your mana that you will serve that boy you tried to undermine for the rest of your life.”

A tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye.

Isn’t it just the simplest truth?

*

In an instant, my mind went blank.

So, if I heard correctly…

‘Did that Prince just gift a wannabe terrorist the entire Empire’s military?’