CHAPTER 56………………
Two hours later.
I returned to the Audience Hall with Leonhart.
The guild representatives had also gathered there right on time.
Leonhart stood before those bowing to him.
“I will now announce the results.”
Without preamble, he went straight to the point. Every gaze filled with anticipation and tension fixed on him.
“After careful review of the proposals, the final selection is ‘Wall and Vine’.”
The Audience Hall erupted in commotion at the unexpected announcement.
“Did he just say Wall and Vine?”
“Wall and Vine? Was there even such a guild?”
A woman, apparently the guild master of Wall and Vine, covered her mouth in surprise and let out a delighted cry.
“Oh my! It’s us! We were chosen!”
Those around her quickly surrounded her, offering congratulations.
“Congratulations!”
“Hard work always pays off.”
“I knew you’d make it! Well done!”
Naturally, not everyone shared the celebratory mood.
“I cannot accept this!”
It was none other than Marquis Molton, his face contorted with fury.
“Wall and Vine over Fabius? This is absurd!”
“……Well, that’s true.”
“Yes, the result is… unexpected.”
His open protest drew some murmurs of agreement.
It wasn’t surprising that Marquis Molton refused to accept the outcome.
Compared to Wall and Vine, Fabius was much larger and, more importantly, had unmatched experience in greenhouse construction.
But from the beginning, greenhouses had been the preserve of nobles.
So comparing a guild that catered only to nobles (Fabius) with one that worked with commoners (Wall and Vine) was unreasonable.
“Make the selection process public! We have the right to know if the evaluation was fair!”
Molton glared at me, snorting like an enraged bull.
Why me? Leonhart made the decision. Why is he looking at me like that?
Maybe he thought it was my fault his side lost. Fine, whatever.
Honestly, he wasn’t wrong.
But if he wanted to argue, he should be arguing with the one who had the authority.
So he thinks I’m an easier target than Leonhart, does he…? How amusing.
He had no idea he was stepping into the tiger’s den while trying to avoid the lion.
“Marquis, perhaps we should—”
“Your Highness.”
I caught Leonhart’s arm as he was about to step forward.
He glanced down at my hand, raising an eyebrow.
“……What is it?”
“I’ll handle this.”
“I made the decision.”
“I know. But most of them are nobles. If you antagonize them, it won’t benefit you.”
To become Crown Prince, having the nobles’ support was crucial.
I’ll take the arrows, so you just stay safe.
In the past, Leonhart would never have trusted me—he’d have suspected me of plotting something. But now, he hesitated.
“……Is this also part of your role as my adviser?”
“Think of it however you like.”
“……”
He simply looked at me with a conflicted expression, as if he didn’t know what to say.
“Then I’ll take that as permission to proceed.”
Shrugging, I walked toward Marquis Molton.
I had already expected someone would raise objections—and that it would most likely be him.
“Marquis Molton, you wanted to know about the selection process?”
Molton flinched and stammered nervously.
“Y-yes…! I-I mean, is there anything wrong with asking that?”
He had probably only intended to cast suspicion on the process, not to face me head-on.
“Your claim isn’t unreasonable. Transparency and fairness are vital in public projects.”
“I-I am not doubting His Highness’s judgment! B-but perhaps he made the wrong decision because of someone’s misguided advice?”
“Oh, so you’re saying His Highness is weak-willed enough to be swayed by others’ opinions?”
“N-no! That’s not what I meant…! P-please don’t twist my words, Duke! A-all we want is assurance that the process was fair!”
“Very well.”
“…What?”
“I’ll give you what you asked for. But I hope you won’t regret it.”
“R-regret…?”
I ignored him and gestured to Eshir.
Eshir distributed documents to the people present—copies of Wall and Vine’s proposal, which I had prepared in advance.
The crowd gasped. None of them had expected me to make the winning guild’s proposal public.
“As you can see, Wall and Vine didn’t submit the lowest bid.”
Nor did they present the most visually stunning design.
“But they were the most honest.”
Their proposal contained no trickery.
And they were the only guild to clearly disclose their expected profits.
“Most importantly, they understood the true purpose of this project.”
The Grand Plaza construction was not primarily to commemorate the Emperor’s birthday, but for public benefit.
The real purpose was to use the new magical device to improve the lives of the Empire’s citizens.
“They were the only ones who grasped why His Majesty chose my plan and appointed me as adviser. That is why Wall and Vine was selected.”
I swept my gaze across the room, finally stopping on Marquis Molton.
“Now, shall we compare that with Fabius’s proposal?”
Eshir distributed Fabius’s proposal.
“Turn to page twelve, the detailed budget. Look at the labor costs.”
They flipped the pages. Soon murmurs arose.
“The number of workers is similar to Wall and Vine’s. Yet their labor costs are over fifteen times higher. Why would that be? Especially when Fabius uses its own members, while Wall and Vine must hire externally.”
I flipped ahead.
“Now, the final section. Look—magical expenses are listed separately.”
The construction’s chief mage was Ruspel.
Thus, the guild had no reason to budget magical fees—unless they planned to hire someone superior to the Empire’s greatest mage.
“So Fabius must have been planning to replace Master Ruspel. But His Highness had no intention of changing mages. That was one of many disqualifying factors—though a decisive one.”
People began edging away from Marquis Molton.
Even they could see how unreasonable his guild’s proposal was.
“Marquis Molton, any further questions?”
His face flushed scarlet.
He couldn’t even lift his eyes from the proposal, his hand trembling violently as veins bulged on his forehead.
Wait… did he not even know the contents of his guild’s proposal?
If so, that was pitiful—but not my concern.
“His Highness sought the guild most aligned with the project’s purpose. I agreed with him. That is why Wall and Vine was chosen.”
Straightening my posture, I looked at each person in turn.
“Does anyone still doubt the result? If so, step forward now.”
No one spoke. Everyone wore pale, weary expressions.
Why? Are they afraid I’ll retaliate?
Well… fair enough.
Adrian never let those who crossed him go unpunished.
So I softened my expression and smiled warmly.
“I assure you—there will be no grudges, no punishment, no retribution over this matter. You have my word.”
Still, nobody met my eyes.
They only stared at the floor, faces stricken as if disaster loomed.
Huh? Why is the atmosphere even worse now?
I smiled even more kindly.
“Really, it’s fine. Speak freely.”
“N-no, not at all!”
“We—we fully support His Highness’s decision!”
“I had no complaints from the start! I thought it was a wise choice all along, yes!”
“Of course Wall and Vine deserves the selection! Don’t you agree?”
“Y-yes!”
“Long live the Third Prince!”
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”
…Why are they cheering?
Suddenly, as if possessed, everyone began loudly praising Leonhart.
“…So truly, there are no objections? Don’t come back later and claim otherwise—I’m giving you the chance now.”
“N-none at all!”
“Long live!”
I had even prepared the other guilds’ proposals for comparison, but this ended far too tamely.
“…Very well.”
“D-duke, may we… may we take our leave now?”
“Why ask me?”
I genuinely wanted to know, but they all only flinched, refusing to answer.
“I said, why ask me?”
Suddenly, everyone rushed behind Leonhart.
“Your Highness, please grant us leave!”
“A sudden urgent matter occurred to me, you see!”
“It’s getting late already, please understand!”
Didn’t these people used to fear Leonhart?
Yet now they clung to him as though he were their shield.
While sneaking terrified glances at me—
As though I were some dreadful, monstrous thing to be avoided.
Wait. Are they… afraid of me?
But why? What did I even do? My expression slipped in disbelief.
Leonhart watched me quietly for a long while, lips pressed together.
…Was he suppressing laughter? Just my imagination, surely.
At length, his lips finally parted.
“You may leave.”
