The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for the Throne

Leo came by last month, and Krista comes by quite often.

But it's been three months since you've dropped by, right?

SIXTH WIFE OF EMPEROR JOHANNES, MITSUBA

I heard you were quite the hero in Keel.

FURTIVE ACTIVITIES AND ENGAGEMENTS

Elna was a hero. I didn't do anything.

Oh? I heard you were appointed Lieutenant Ambassador Extraordinary.

I came to talk about that today, actually.

I'll be leaving the country soon.

Well, when you bring back presents, bring me something edible!

Brother, I'd like something sweet, too!

Mother... um... aren't you worried?

You want your mother to worry about you?

You're still such a child, Arnold.

His Majesty gave you the job because he thought you could do it, right?

If he thought so, I believe him.

I see.

Then I can start my new job with confidence.

I was more or less appointed as an afterthought.

So I won't work too hard.

Do what you want.

That's your choice.

Oh, right.

Which of you is going to marry the Blau Mowe?

My relationship with Finne isn't like that, Mother.

Mother, Finne is Brother Arn's friend.

I see.

She's really pretty! She'd be a great match for Brother Arn!

Oh my! Oh my!

No, no, no.

I just spend a lot of time with her

because of my relationship with Duke Kleinert.

Maybe, but she's the most beautiful woman in the country.

Don't you agree, Krista?

I think you're prettier, Mother!

Thank you, Krista!

I think you're the prettiest of them all!

Leo, I'm going to head out.

All right. I'll stay here a while longer.

See you soon, Brother Arn!

Yeah, see you soon.

You too, Mother.

Yes. Take care of yourself.

You always work too hard.

I've never worked too hard in my life.

If you say so.

Good luck!

If Erik, Gordon, or Zandra take the throne,

Mother and Krista are done for.

Sebas.

Sir.

Find something we can use to blackmail the neutral nobility.

I want to do what I can before I leave.

Understood.

Now, time to do something furtive.

Count Baelz, I've heard a certain rumor.

VICE-MINISTER OF INDUSTRY, COUNT BAELZ

A rumor?

About your wife.

She's having a lot of fun every night, and not trying to hide it.

Well...

I'm told she's in debt to a number of nobles and merchants.

It's going to damage your reputation at this rate, Count.

What will you do about this?

I'd like to break off the relationship if I could, but...

There's a reason you can't?

You see, when I told His Majesty about the marriage, he was elated.

That does make it hard to say you're divorcing.

Yes...

All right. I'll ask Leo to explain your situation to Father.

If he feels a divorce is in your best interest, go ahead and do it.

Divorce...

Is that not acceptable?

No, I definitely appreciate it.

But it would be a major scandal...

Excuse me, honey! I need more money for my allowance this month!

Bettina, I'm having an important conversation with the prince...

The prince? Who are you?

Arnold Reks Adler.

Good afternoon, Countess Baelz.

Arnold? Oh, the insipid prince!

The son of Duke Holzwirt was talking about you!

The useless, pathetic, insipid prince,

who lost all his good traits to his little brother!

Hey, you can't speak that way to a prince!

What?

Leave.

What? Are you telling me what to do?

Begone!

We could be stripped of our title for that remark!

Ridiculous!

I'm so sorry, Prince.

She's quite the lady, isn't she?

Listen, I'm used to it. It's fine.

I really do apologize...

What just happened helped me make up my mind.

Can I ask you to intervene with the Emperor on my behalf?

Leave it to me.

Could you put your reasons for a divorce in writing?

Yes, immediately!

I won't forget this favor!

Are you sure about this?

About what?

About making an ally out of Count Baelz.

You look upset.

I do feel a degree of sympathy.

But you can't deny that it's his own fault.

Even if Zandra was the one who sent him Bettina?

Bettina's family are connected to relatives of Zandra's, the Krugers.

Zandra gave Bettina two orders.

The first was to marry into Count Baelz's family and waste his money.

WASTE MONEY

WASTE MONEY AFFAIR

The second was to have an affair with the current Minister of Industry.

When the time was right, she would win him to her side by helping with the divorce.

HELP WITH DIVORCE TO WIN HIM OVER GIVE ORDERS IN SECRET

REPORT THE AFFAIR

Then she could report the affair to His Majesty

and have the Minister of Industry removed.

REPORT THE AFFAIR REMOVE THE MINISTER

Then someone on her side would take his place.

I see...

But instead, I'll be the one to tell Father about the affair.

Wait a second!

Then...

She'll have spent years of planning for nothing.

I've taken her plan and turned it to my own ends.

Is it safe to do that?

She'll probably get angry and make some kind of counterattack.

But still... I needed to do it now.

What do you mean?

While Leo and I are gone,

if three different factions—Erik, Gordon, and Zandra—attack me,

I'm done for.

So I attacked Zandra first.

If Zandra is weakened, Gordon and Erik will turn their attention from me to her.

I see. You've thought this through that carefully...

After hearing all that, do you still oppose my helping Count Baelz?

No... I feel very bad for him now.

Zandra's been manipulating him for years, right down to who he married.

Though in terms of using him for our own purposes, we're no different.

The Minister of Industry is sleeping with his subordinate's wife?

What will you do?

I want him removed immediately.

Count Baelz can take his place.

Count Baelz...?

Is there some problem?

I smell a plot here.

One that involves the battle for the throne.

If that's the case, then fine.

Someone who can't even set up a proper plot has no business being Emperor.

What an odd thing to say.

I believe that when you were a prince, I was the one who devised the plots.

I was the one who saw the talent in you

when you were just an innkeeper's son, and hired you.

Part of an emperor's job is to leave things in the hands of capable men.

I remember those days...

You were called the spendthrift prince.

You pretended to be a fool.

Yes, in that sense, Arnold is like me.

I feel like he's far more competent than he pretends.

Yes. The sudden increase in the number of Leonard's supporters

could only be explained by someone else's furtive activities.

Prince Leonard walks in the path of the light,

and Prince Arnold supports him in the shadows.

For now, we should watch what these raven-haired twin princes

with black eyes, these Twin Ravens, can do.

The Twin Ravens... I like that name.

Perhaps one of them will take the throne.

That, I'm not so sure about.

Your other children are all extraordinarily talented.

In another era, any of them could easily have become emperor.

I believe, for the moment, the two of them have no chance.

A struggle between talented individuals will give birth to a great ruler.

The Empire's future is secure.

You don't seem happy.

They're all my own children.

I know I don't have the right to wish for this, but I do.

That this battle end with little bloodshed...

I'm glad Count Baelz's divorce went well.

Yeah. It's thanks to you for persuading Father.

Well, after seeing this letter...

Why did he get married in the first place?

I can feel his grudge against his wife radiating from the words he wrote...

Who knows?

Especially since he's a successful member of the elite.

Leonard, be careful with how you choose your wife.

Don't worry about me.

What about you, Brother? Mother had the same question.

Marriage, huh?

I swear to spend eternity with you.

I love you, Master Arn.

I'll be with you forever, my Arn.

It sounds like a lot of stress.

I'd rather be single and free for the foreseeable future.

That's just like you, Brother.

Anyway, watch out for Zandra.

After what we did for Count Baelz, she's likely to want revenge.

I'd be worried about Finne, then.

While we're out of the country as ambassadors, she's our flag-bearer.