I'm the third son of a viscount's family, but I have a claim to the throne. - Episode 16

“Filius, scatter these at the training site where Herbert and Calverburg are heading! If the monsters gather and grow stronger, those two will be forced to beg the instructors for help. Their grades will plummet!”

Zalbalta, the second son of the Kesbart Dukedom, shoved a pouch of magic stones into my hands and issued an outrageous order.

As the second son of House Perwick, a landed count family, my life at the academy should have been much more enjoyable—if not for the misfortune of being the same age as this fool of a duke’s son.

Had I been born just a year earlier or later, my interactions with this idiot might have been limited to occasional meals together. Instead, I’ve spent every day since enrollment enduring his whims, groveling like a servant.

House Perwick isn’t a branch family of House Kesbart but a completely independent noble house. Unlike vassal barons or knightly houses reliant on ducal patronage, we don’t depend on the Kesbart Dukedom for our title or income.

So why did I tolerate this? Because back when I entered the academy, the Kesbart Dukedom still controlled royal court appointments. Any defiance could have jeopardized my father and brother’s positions. I swallowed my pride and endured, acting like a low-ranking vassal’s son running errands.

But things changed.

Roughly six months into my first year, the involvement of Kesbart loyalists in Prince Giles’s death came to light. The king declared that the Kesbart Dukedom had failed in its responsibilities, stripping them of their court appointment powers. Those responsibilities were handed over to House Rihlaras, a ducal house known for staying neutral during the royal succession disputes.

House Rihlaras wasted no time. They reviewed past appointments, reversing promotions based on bribes and pursuing accountability for ignored violations. Gradually, Kesbart loyalists began disappearing from the royal court.

The effects rippled into the academy. Students, once afraid to outperform Zalbalta, stopped holding back. His grades plummeted, landing him near the bottom of the class.

Now, his frustration and resentment toward Herbert, the marquess’s son, and Calverburg, the viscount’s son—who had never humored his antics—had festered into outright hatred. But even I hadn’t expected him to go so far as to command me to scatter magic stones.

“Scattering magic stones in a monster-infested forest is reckless! What if it triggers a stampede?” I protested.

This wasn’t some roadside forest patrolled by merchants and guards. It was a training site for students, monitored by instructors. Even with patrols, a mistimed stampede could cause severe injuries—or worse, deaths.

Did this idiot even understand what he was asking?

“It’s fine. Herbert’s son is supposedly a monster-slaying expert. Let him prove his bragging. It’ll be a practical demonstration of his so-called skills.” Zalbalta spat the words before storming out of the room.

I clenched my fists. I’d already discussed Zalbalta’s antics with my family. My father and brother advised me to cut ties the moment his actions endangered me or my classmates.

The time had come.

The next day, I approached Instructor Kaylight with the pouch of magic stones.

“Instructor, Zalbalta Kesbart ordered me to scatter these at the training site.”

Kaylight’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Magic stones? At a training site?”

Magic stones, harvested from monsters, are valuable resources but extremely dangerous when fed to monsters. They can enhance a monster’s strength, trigger madness, or even cause a stampede, depending on the quantity and type.

This wasn’t just negligence—it was malicious.

“He specifically told me to scatter them at the location assigned to Herbert and Calverburg,” I explained. “He’s hoping the monsters overwhelm them and force them to seek help, lowering their evaluation.”

While audio-recording magical tools existed, they were expensive and cumbersome, requiring prior preparation. I hadn’t been able to record Zalbalta’s words. All I had was my testimony and the pouch of magic stones as evidence.

Kaylight grimaced, inspecting the stones. “These are low-grade stones from goblins and wolves. Tracing the purchaser won’t be possible. For now, replace these with regular stones and scatter those instead. I’ll keep these as evidence.”

Kaylight handed down his verdict. “We’ll monitor Zalbalta. If he admits this to anyone, I’ll have grounds to petition the headmaster for his expulsion. In the meantime, act as if you’re following his orders.”

The following day, during the training session, each team was evaluated based on their journey to the assigned goal, the monsters defeated, and their teamwork.

Herbert’s team ranked first.

When the rankings were posted, Zalbalta’s face turned beet red. He stormed over and punched me in front of the entire class and instructors.

“You didn’t scatter the magic stones as I told you, did you?! Useless fool!”

He didn’t need much coaxing to spill his own plans. By the time I wiped the bl00d from my mouth, Zalbalta’s fate was sealed.

Cutting ties with that idiot before he dragged me down with him? The best decision I’d ever made.