Surviving As the 5th Prince of the Ruined Kingdom

011

Adol Smith.

A royal knight of the Lionel Kingdom, a reserve member of the 3rd Knight Order, valedictorian of the Royal Knight Academy, the eldest son of the Smith family, a blockhead.

It was only natural for him, born into a family of blacksmiths for generations, to have been exposed to swords from a young age.

The moment the blockhead boy first held a sword, he instinctively realized that his talent lay not in forging swords, but in wielding them.

Adol thought he was a genius.

At least, until he was admitted into the Royal Knight Academy.

There, where those who believed or had believed themselves to be geniuses gathered, he was utterly dumbfounded. His fellow students appeared more talented, had mastered better mana cultivation methods, and dedicated themselves to training while consuming all sorts of noble family-sponsored vitalizing potions like snacks.

When he first witnessed someone hailed as a “monster” among his peers, he felt a sense of despair, thinking he could never surpass them no matter how much he trained in his lifetime. He couldn’t bring himself to touch a sword for a while because of that.

But he couldn’t stay dejected forever. Like most commoner cadets, he had a family draining their assets to support him.

Adol picked up his sword again.

After grueling effort, he graduated from the Royal Knight Academy’s knight course as the valedictorian and joined the 3rd Knight Order. With his self-confidence regained, he cautiously thought that while he might not be a genius, he could at least be considered a prodigy.

Little did he know, there was yet another sky beyond the sky. The nobles he had encountered at the academy were just the tip of the iceberg. The real deal was elsewhere.

The heirs apparent, inheriting their clan’s legacy.

Only those deemed the dregs among them were admitted into the 3rd Knight Order. Yet in the reserve member evaluations, his scores barely escaped the bottom tier.

“…The 5th Prince…”

“…Not bad…for a commoner…”

“…Why…a peasant?”

Whispers reached Adol’s ears.

Slowly, he opened his eyes.

The glaring sunlight stung. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he began to make sense of the situation.

Amid the 3rd Knight Order being away on a mission, a conflict had arisen among the reserve members left at the garrison. It was sparked by the nobly-born brats’ outrageous nitpicking. The smelly fellows should train in a corner? That’s how the duel began.

‘……Defeat.’

Adol brought his hand to his bruised jaw.

There was barely any pain, but the lingering numbness was extremely irritating. No doubt they had poured some cheap healing potion over it.

“Hey, Adol. You’re back to your senses?”

His old friend from the military academy, nicknamed Jumeok-ko (Punch Nose) because of his large round nose, called out to him.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. The result would have been the same with anyone else. It’s chilly outside, what’s the point of staying in the shade? hahahahaha. It’s warmer here, which is better.”

“Is this your portion? Why does it feel so watered down?”

“You’re welcome? I diluted it a bit to make it last longer. I’ll pay you back with the real stuff.”

“You thief.”

“hehehehe.”

“But why is it so noisy here?”

“Get up and see for yourself.”

Frowning deeply, Adol raised his body halfway and turned his head towards the direction Jumeok-ko’s finger was pointing.

He saw a young boy.

‘Black hair? Royalty?’

It was a face Adol had never seen before.

As a royal guard, he should know all the royals, even if they were princes… Ah! There was one he didn’t know.

The Emerald Palace’s Ghost Prince, Evan Lionel.

Although he couldn’t recognize the face, Adol was familiar with Evan’s swordsmanship techniques.

“Lionel’s sword style?”

Adol observed Evan with the scrutinizing eye of a military academy instructor who had persistently nitpicked his students.

‘There’s nothing to critique…’

He couldn’t find a single flaw in Evan’s fluid transition between the six sequences that comprised the Lionel sword style.

If there was one thing to nitpick, it would be his stamina.

His trembling arms were a giveaway. Yet even in that state, Evan was impressively tracing the proper sword paths.

“Isn’t he quite skilled? He could probably work as an assistant instructor at the training camp for new recruits.”

“Yeah. But his stamina is like someone who only picked up the sword a week ago. Did he just start practicing again?”

“He… probably learned it from his seniors five years ago. They must have taught him properly.”

“But why did he suddenly start practicing again?”

“There were rumors that he was injured here because of the Fourth Prince. Maybe he’s driven by a desire for revenge?”

Jumeok-ko tapped his head thoughtfully.

It was only then that Adol recalled the rumors about the Fifth Prince losing consciousness due to the Fourth Prince.

“But why did you come all the way here to train?”

“Hmm…… Do any of us wish for someone to observe our training?”

“I decline.”

“Heh heh, me too.”

Adol, who had just joined the 3rd Knight Squad, was aware of the rumor that the senior knights who had been Prince Evan’s bodyguards were executed after being falsely accused.

‘I must never get involved.’

With that firm resolve, he turned his gaze away from Evan and stood up completely.

“Training?”

“I must.”

After a simple stretch, Adol, who had just rubbed his numb jaw, glared at the nobles lounging in the shade and snickering.

Knucklenose tapped Adol’s shoulder, who was gripping his sword tightly, and then stepped aside.

Adol slowly raised his sword above his head.

As always, he began with [Lionel’s Swordsmanship].

After lightly executing the 1st to 6th forms, he gripped the sword’s hilt tightly enough to crush it.

‘Today, I must definitely…….’

The four stars residing in Adol’s heart resonated. Along with his heartbeat, mana began to spread throughout his body via his bloodstream.

[Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship], consisting of the first 6 forms as the former half and the latter 6 forms, totaling 12 forms. The former half shares the same forms and names as Lionel’s Swordsmanship.

‘Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship, 1st form: Cleaving the Mountain!’

But its power was worlds apart.

Shhhhhaa-Bang!

A deafening sound of air being torn apart erupted, centered on Adol.

2nd form: Slashing the Shadow.

3rd form: Piercing Flash.

4th form: Shatter.

5th form: Roar of the Lion.

6th form: Iron Wall.

The former half of the masterfully executed [Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship] unfolded from his hands.

‘Now the 7th form. The destructive…… Storm!’

The first form of the latter half, which shatters the opponent’s defense with a storm-like barrage – [Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship]’s 7th form: Destructive Storm! One must be able to deliver at least 12 consecutive strikes to achieve the minimum level of mastery.

Currently, that was the extent of Adol’s capability.

Today, he clenched his heart’s mana to take one step further there.

But.

‘Damn! Another failure.’

If it were a real battle, a barrage of 13 consecutive strikes perfect for a counterattack unfolded. After losing momentum, Adol somehow completed the latter part of the initial strikes before lowering his sword.

‘What’s the problem?’

It wasn’t an issue of mana.

His peers from the academy, once called monsters, could unleash 24 consecutive strikes even when they were 4-star knights like him.

As Adol slowly went through the 7-second strike routine again, he suddenly felt someone’s piercing gaze and turned his head slightly.

‘The 5th Prince!’

Evan, sitting on a makeshift chair in the shade created by an attendant holding a parasol, was staring intently at him.

‘What is it?’

Their eyes met.

As a royal guard of the kingdom, shouldn’t he at least give a light nod? But as Adol grappled with this dilemma, fortunately, Evan averted his gaze first.

Adol let out an inward sigh of relief.

Though he had resolved never to get entangled, he couldn’t help but be unsettled by Evan’s piercing gaze. Glancing sidelong at Evan, he saw him rising from the chair. It seemed he was about to resume training.

Adol watched as Evan raised his sword.

And then.

‘It’s not the official sword technique!!’

He opened his eyes wide in shock.

Lionel’s Guardian Sword Technique 1st Form: Cleaving the Mountain!

Shuaaak— Bang!

The small explosive sound from Evan’s practice sword echoed loudly in the 3rd Knight Squad’s training grounds.

Compared to what Adol had demonstrated, it was like a firefly before the sun, but it was undoubtedly the Guardian Sword Technique’s Cleaving the Mountain.

The entire 3rd Knight Squad fell into silence.

“Was he an awakened one?”

“That, that was······.”

“Unbelievable······.”

To skillfully perform the [Lionel Official Sword Technique]?

‘It could be.’

Perhaps the royal guards had taught him diligently 5 years ago.

Handling mana?

If the royal guards had taught [Lionel’s Mana Cultivation Method] in the past······.

‘No, this doesn’t make sense.’

You can’t accumulate mana in your heart before your body is fully formed. If done carelessly, the immature heart could get damaged.

The proper way is to start learning basic swordsmanship around age 8, build the vessel, and begin mana cultivation training around puberty. It’s impossible for Evan to have learned the Mana Cultivation Method from the royal guards, timing-wise.

‘Could it be self-taught?’

That’s the only possibility I can think of. It’s insane. Cultivating mana without supervision is like a ticking time bomb that could explode anytime.

Adol wanted to rush over, drag Evan to the temple, and check his physical condition right away.

Up to this point, Adol somehow understood how Evan could skillfully wield the ceremonial sword and handle mana.

But.

‘The Guardian Sword Art doesn’t make sense!’ ****

How could Evan, who had been confined in the Emerald Palace for nearly 5 years, suddenly appear and perform the First Stance of the Guardian Sword Art?

Adol recalled Evan staring intently at him when he performed [Lionel’s Guardian Sword Art] moments ago.

Soon, he arrived at a preposterous conclusion.

‘Did he learn by watching me?’ ****

Adol felt sorry for thinking his fellow academy alumni, the top graduate, was a monster.

The real monster.

Was right there.

***

“Kkulleok!” ****

Foul blood trickled down his lips.

This was the price for recklessly using the First Stance of the Guardian Sword Art before his body was even formed, right after creating the core.

Both forearms were black and blue with bruises. The capillaries not yet adapted to mana seemed to have burst. In the end, he dropped the wooden sword with a thud.

“Prince Evan! Oh no! Look at all this blood.”

Only after hearing that did Alfonso come rushing over in a fluster. He used a towel to wipe the blood dripping from my lips.

Isn’t this the same towel he used to wipe my sweat earlier?

“The towel, ugh-“

With no strength in my hands, I couldn’t resist as he wiped me with the towel. He was definitely doing it on purpose.

“Look at those bruises on your arms. Let’s go back quickly. I’ll swiftly bring a healer. Shall I carry you?”

“It’s fine. Pack up and follow me.”

My arm throbbed painfully where the mana had swept through, but it wasn’t bad enough to be carried away. Leaving Alfonso hurriedly packing his belongings, I headed towards the Emerald Palace.

‘I overdid it for no reason.’

I had intended to simply demonstrate the basic form of [Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship] without using mana, then leave.

But…

Although I had learned the skill, I had thoroughly understood the theory behind [Lionel’s Guardian Swordsmanship]. Watching the blockheaded knight practice made me feel suffocated.

It was similar to the feeling of my chest tightening while watching the national soccer team play on TV in my previous life.

‘Especially when transitioning from the 6th form to the 7th.’

No, why couldn’t I do that?

That thought naturally occurred to me.

Frustrated, I tried performing the guardian swordsmanship myself by manipulating mana.

The result was… my arm getting mangled at the 1st form.

Honestly, I expected the mana to disperse midway, clumsily mimicking just the outward form. Isn’t actually doing something different from imagining it, like soccer?

But I really succeeded.

‘Perhaps I have a talent for swordsmanship after all.’

Looking back, when I sparred with the 4th Prince’s son, I could somehow discern where his wooden sword would strike me.

Though unable to dodge, I took the hits in the least painful way possible.

…Still, it didn’t seem quite right to attribute it solely to talent. Learning a skill didn’t appear to simply etch the theory into one’s mind.

I couldn’t draw a conclusion immediately. More information was needed. I decided to continue pondering this with keen interest.

‘By the way, will he be okay?’

I recalled the tense atmosphere that enveloped the practice grounds after I recreated the 1st form of the guardian swordsmanship. It seemed the situation had escalated far beyond expectations, causing some concern.

My gaze fell upon my tattered arms.

‘Perhaps it’s fortunate it turned out this bad.’

Most would assume I ended up like this from clumsily mimicking the 1st form with improper mana control.

“Your Highness, but when did you start mana cultivation? I’ve never seen it… I heard it’s extremely dangerous to get bitten by a mosquito during mana cultivation! Next time, please tell me so I can guard you without letting a single fly in!”

“You seem more dangerous than mosquitoes.”

After snorting derisively at the obnoxiously feigned offense from Alfonso, I trudged away.