I’m Going to Destroy this Country

“What? Kaya?”

The Crown Prince tilted his head.

“Ah, you mean Lady Kaya Eshua? Why are you looking for her here?”

“Why? I heard she went to the Crown Prince’s palace, so I came.”

“She hasn’t come.”

Isaac was at the Crown Prince’s palace.

And at the question about Kaya, Shablis tilted his head with his characteristic expressionless face.

“More than that, why the Crown Prince’s palace?”

“Why? I heard she comes to the Crown Prince’s palace often?”

“Well, yes. She does come. Lady Kaya is a candidate for Crown Princess.”

No sooner had the words fallen than Isaac spat out the tea he was drinking.

“Cough cough…! What, it was something like that?!”

Leia patted Isaac’s back as he choked.

Isaac wiped his mouth at the unexpected fact. He was already intrigued by the mention of the ‘Dark’ God of Awakening. And when he came here hearing Kaya would know more about that God of Awakening, what’s this??

‘I thought she was coming and going from the Crown Prince’s palace as a play friend.’

Noble children are attached to the Crown Prince and Princess as play friends. It’s to make friends of the same age, but usually noble families attach male children for future power, and female children for the position of companion.

Families that succeed in sending a play friend consider it a great celebration like passing the highest state examination.

At Isaac’s reaction, the Crown Prince let out a light laugh.

“Play friends are usually until about 14 years old, so the age doesn’t fit anymore. After that, they become vassals or princess candidates. I didn’t have servants to begin with.”

Then Isaac nodded as if understanding.

Well… that makes sense.

“With that kind of hobby, would you have friends…”

“Your inner thoughts are coming out now?”

“Ahem…! Not at all!!!”

Isaac coughed and rolled his eyes.

‘Haah, you otaku bastard. It’s a miracle you have friends…’

“You think it’s a miracle I have friends?”

“?!”

Isaac looked at the Crown Prince in surprise. The Crown Prince clicked his tongue as if disappointed.

“Young master Isaac. I forgot to mention, but I can hear people’s inner thoughts to some extent.”

What, man?

“Didn’t I say I can understand any words? People’s inner words are no exception.”

Damn it, what did you say??!

“It’s a joke. I can’t hear unless it’s full of malice. Your eyes were saying that now.”

Damn bastard, scaring me like that!

Isaac stroked his chest, but on the other hand, he rolled his eyes.

‘Still, being able to read inner words full of malice would be quite useful?’

“Anyway, it’s true that Kaya comes and goes to the palace as a Crown Princess candidate, right?”

“Yes. She’s made to have tea time as a formality. Well, Lady Leia refused though.”

At those words, Leia smiled brightly.

“Because I like the Skeleton King more.”

The Crown Prince nodded as if understanding.

“In that sense, I thought it was strange that a Saintess candidate was coming in as a Crown Princess candidate… but hearing that Kaya is your blood relative, I understand.”

“Huh?”

As a member of the royal family, he immediately realized Noel’s political purpose.

“Lady Kaya was raised not for Blue’s mission of subjugating the Skeleton King, but as a thorough assassination tool. He intended to kill Eshua’s eldest son and Isaac, then make her Empress to seize power.”

Isaac immediately agreed.

‘Noel, that power-crazed bastard would do that and more.’

After taking the family head position in Eshua, becoming the Emperor’s father-in-law would give him tremendous power.

“Well, Priest Noel probably hoped in his heart to become Louis’ father-in-law, not mine. Louis is head over heels for Lady Kaya.”

“Huh? Who’s Louis… Ah! That idiot 3rd Prince bastard, what’s he up to these days? Is he not causing trouble anymore?”

“He’s still hovering between life and death after being beaten by the black dragon. One of his legs will be crippled anyway. He won’t get up again.”

Isaac laughed puhehe as if relieved. He just came to meet Kaya, but it turns out Kaya is a Crown Princess candidate?

Then puhehe, Shablis becomes his brother-in-law, and he becomes in-laws with the Imperial family, so he’s rich… no, damn it!!!

‘This means I can’t match up Shablis and Sapien!’

Then he’ll inevitably have to marry Sapien!

Isaac struck the desk in shock.

“Your Highness! I won’t give up my sister!!! Anyway, it can’t happen!”

At that sight, Shablis looked at Isaac as if surprised.

He had heard that Kaya was Isaac’s real sister when lending the Imperial archive. But given the circumstances, both Sapien and he were quite surprised…

The Crown Prince liked it as if seeing an unexpected side of the Skeleton King.

“I thought you naturally wouldn’t have brotherly love. Yes. But family love…”

“How about Sapien?!”

…What?

“The Imperial family needs a Sacred Dragon, not a Saintess! Right?!”

The Crown Prince looked at Isaac as if dumbfounded.

No, putting aside family love, why does this guy keep pushing that dragon?

Even sacrificing himself…?

The Crown Prince made a face like he had bitten into moldy bread, but Isaac clung to him annoyingly.

“Come on, why are you like this. The Sacred Dragon is the best for the Imperial family, right? I know everything. You’re just shy, right? A dragon is the best companion after all? I’ll build a bridge for you, so how about doing something hot and steamy together…”

Perhaps because his purpose was so obvious it was annoyingly strange, the Crown Prince said:

“The Imperial family likes Saints too.”

“No, it can’t be!!”

As the Crown Prince started reading a book as if sulking, Isaac despaired.

“…At this rate… I need to tempt with something else… Right, where’s Sapien? I need to see her face.”

“It’s useless to look. She said she was going to meet her grandfather earlier.”

“Aaargh!!”

Why is she meeting grandfather!

“Anyway, Lady Kaya does come to the Crown Prince’s palace often, but her purpose seems to be somewhere else, not me.”

Somewhere else…?

“Well, I can roughly guess the purpose now.”

The Crown Prince glanced at Isaac.

What is it? Why are you looking at me?

Isaac glanced at Leia.

“Leia, do you know anything about Kaya?”

In fact, even when Isaac noticed Kaya was his real sister, he only thought about how he could use her.

‘Well, such small-minded thoughts are also part of the curse.’

The Skeleton King’s curse hasn’t been lifted yet after all.

But what’s important now isn’t that.

Leia spoke as if pondering:

“Hmm, Kaya grew up as a Saintess candidate like me… but I don’t know well since I didn’t have much contact. She’s absolutely loyal to Uncle Noel but… she’s not a bad child. Just a bit extreme, I should say…”

“Extreme…?”

Leia looked at Isaac, going ‘Ung’.

Honestly, Leia was worried about letting Isaac meet Kaya. Because she had seen Kaya glaring at Isaac frighteningly.

Well, it’s natural if she grew up as Noel’s daughter…

It was then that the Crown Prince spoke:

“If you insist, why don’t we check now?”

Just as Isaac was about to ask what he meant by now, it was then.

“!”

Isaac felt a gaze.

Startled, he turned around to see a familiar shadow walking out from behind a pillar.

Blue eyes, silver short hair.

About twenty years old? As expected of someone with Saintess’s blood, she was a peerless beauty. Unlike Leia, she had no trace of a smile and felt very cold.

Her sharp eyes resembled Isaac’s if they resembled anyone’s.

But Leia immediately became wary seeing the navy-colored martial outfit she was wearing.

“That’s a mission outfit.”

“Mission outfit?”

“Uncle Noel gave Kaya assassination missions too.”

“…!!”

Though not a typical assassin’s outfit, even the fabric felt chilly.

Soon as Kaya approached, Isaac also became wary.

‘That bastard Noel. He went back after getting soaked like that. Did he give an assassination order to kill me?’

Did he lure me to the Crown Prince’s palace and step on my background? And did she come out as if she had no choice since the Crown Prince discovered her?

Finally, Kaya approached right in front of Isaac.

Cold eyes stared at Isaac. Though he didn’t know what she was thinking, one thing was certain – this girl still didn’t know Isaac Eshua was her real brother.

‘Rather, they said she terribly follows her father.’

Then she can’t help but hate Isaac. It’s Isaac who’s sending Noel to hell after all.

Sure enough, Kaya’s white hand approached Isaac’s neck. As Leia flinched in surprise trying to stop her at the eerie sight of Kaya seemingly about to strangle Isaac’s neck.

Squish.

“?????”

Isaac had question marks on his face.

Because Kaya was squishing Isaac’s cheek.

Squish, squiiish.

“…????”

At the sight of Kaya touching Isaac’s cheeks as if he was cute and lovable, Leia also made an expression of incomprehension.

“Um…?”

…This isn’t trying to kill, right?

This… is liking, right?

Kaya had a strangely proud face, as if she was finally touching Isaac.

“Sh-She seems to have goodwill.”

…Right? You see it that way too, Leia?

“Um, Your Highness?”

The Crown Prince feigned ignorance. He already had a face as if he had guessed.

Isaac was dumbfounded, but true to being a demon who’s good at scheming, his eyes immediately flashed.

‘Wait, if it feels like this, it would be good to use?’

At that thought, the corners of Isaac’s mouth rose.

‘Good, let’s use this!’

And it was then.

Kaya, who had gotten close to Isaac for the first time, sniffed Isaac’s scent. The feeling was a bit strange, but no hostility was felt.

So Isaac deliberately stayed still.

If she can be made an ally, this much is nothing. Puhehe.

Yes, smell all you want. I even put on perfume so it smells really good…

“You smell like the Skeleton King.”

“?!”

Isaac’s pupils shook in confusion at Kaya’s words.

Wh-What did you say?

He looked around and said:

“No, I’ve said this many times, but this is because I ate the Skeleton King’s bones…”

“That’s not it. It’s not from your stomach, but from your soul…”

What’s going on?!!

Soon Kaya asked Isaac:

“You, are you the Skeleton King?”

“Puhwahwahwahwa!!!”

“Puhub!”

This time even the Crown Prince who was drinking tea seemed flustered and coughed together.

Isaac’s mind went blank.

Damn… This kid is scary in many ways…?