Chapter 68 The Desert Prince and the Rival’s Arrogance
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I was currently in Prince Azim of the Zahara Kingdom’s private salon, invited here within the Academy grounds. Through the windows, the late-afternoon sun shone in brightly, lighting up the polished antique woodwork.
A strange space—where the faint smell in the air mixed with the distant noise of the Academy filtering in from outside. In this heavy atmosphere, the First Prince of Asgard, Liam, was also in attendance. What had formed was a three-way meeting of important players.
That said—this Prince Azim.
He was a character who never once appeared in the game’s story as I knew it.
The Kingdom of Zahara, in the game, was a clear enemy faction opposing Prince Liam. Their strategy: keep trade routes under their control by keeping war going between the two nations. To protect that valuable deal, they had always worked behind the scenes to support the pro-war faction.
And the de facto leader of Zahara at that time? Not some kindly royal—it was the corrupt minister, Karim Al-Hakim.
The corrupt minister was in his mid-fifties. His fat, heavy build was visible even beneath his heavy robes. A polite but somehow suspicious smile was fixed on his lips. And on his fingers, gold rings shone brightly, as if to show off his wealth.
Karim was the head of one of the most powerful tribes on the Zahara Council, a man who held the office of minister overseeing trade route management and the large tax income they generated. For Prince Liam (the player), he was nothing more than an enemy to be defeated.
But the Prince Azim sitting before me now—he was the total opposite of that Karim. High-minded, a member of the peace faction. His clear, cool eyes held no trace of shadow, and his sharply handsome face—typical of desert royalty—seemed to highlight his integrity.
A man like this had existed in Zahara all along?
And now he was stepping onto the stage.
…Probably, it was because I, as a reincarnate, had been running around this world doing as I pleased. As a result, new events—ones that never existed in the original game’s history—were being born one after another.
Though as for what exactly caused all this—there’s no point thinking about it now.
What I can say is this: I’ve gained more enemies.
A bit troublesome, I suppose.
But nothing to lose sleep over. After all, in Zahara, the one with the most power even now is still the corrupt minister Karim. For now, I could just leave Prince Azim’s existence alone.
I shifted gears in my mind, a thin smile forming at the corner of my mouth.
A rare opportunity—I’d have some fun. My romantic rival, Prince Liam, was right in front of me. Might as well use this chance to do some information gathering.
”By the way, Your Highness. Aren’t you even a little concerned?” I asked.
At my sudden question, Liam raised an eyebrow slightly, his emerald eyes blinking with curiosity.
”…Concerned about what, Xenos?” he replied.
”About your fiancée, of course—Princess Elisabeth. A beautiful betrothed woman of a certain age, visiting a man as shadowy as myself this frequently? Normally, wouldn’t that make you worried?” I said.
”Frequently” was a stretch—it was more like once every two weeks—but still, any ordinary fiancé would be on edge.
Liam, however, didn’t so much as flinch. His perfect smile stayed fixed, and he answered with complete calm. There was something almost challenging in that smile, as if he were trying to read my mind.
”Now, now—unlike you, I have no desire to confine my beloved fiancée with trivial jealousy,” he said. “Besides, worry is completely unnecessary. She wouldn’t feel even a shred of attraction to a man like you—a ‘Zero Mana.’ Not even a hint of it.”
He looked down on me and continued.
His tone was cold, as if he were regarding a worthless pebble.
”The only reason she visits you so often is to achieve ‘peace’ between our nations,” he continued. “Pure political activity for that purpose. And if, by some chance, you were to be carried away by base desires and assault her, she’d simply turn you back with ease. After all, as a skilled sorceress, could you possibly pose a threat to her?”
If a Zero Mana human attacked someone with Mana, that would indeed be the outcome.
If I were truly just a Zero Mana, anyway.
It seemed Liam not only didn’t suspect anything between Elisabeth and me—he wasn’t even concerned. More than that, he clearly underestimated me completely.
In that case, no need for restraint.
…Not that I’d been holding back from the start.
That proud princess? I’d go ahead and fully savor her without a single qualm.
My smile deepened.
As I was inwardly chuckling in satisfaction, Prince Azim, seated beside me, spoke up against Prince Liam in a clear voice.
His gentle gaze turned toward Liam.
”Prince Liam, it doesn’t become you to speak so mockingly of others,” Azim said. “…My apologies, Grimlock. To invite you here only to make you uncomfortable.”
At Azim’s words, Prince Liam looked somewhat chagrined, averting his gaze with an awkward expression.
Both of them, fundamentally, were well-bred, decent men.
The worst person in this room? Undoubtedly me.
After all—I was originally the game’s Final Boss.
Besides, insults about me? Old news.
I truly had just made his beautiful fiancée fall for me and stolen her away completely. An undeniable, thorough villain.
But on that matter, Prince Liam himself had once personally said that “to be drawn to one another is the natural order.” Since he’d given his own official seal of approval, I suppose that settles that.
And so, with the complex swirl of our separate agendas—
The strange three-way meeting between myself, Azim, and Liam came to a quiet close.
—
Summary:
The protagonist, Xenos, attends a tense three-way meeting with Prince Liam and Prince Azim in Azim’s private salon, observing the political dynamics at play. He learns that Azim is a peace faction prince who never appeared in the original game, likely due to Xenos’s own reincarnation causing new events. Xenos then taunts Liam about his fiancée Elisabeth’s frequent visits, secretly enjoying Liam’s complete ignorance of their affair, while Azim apologizes for Liam’s rudeness, and Xenos reflects on his role as the true villain.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist is a reincarnate who knows the original game’s script and is actively manipulating events.
Prince Azim is a newly introduced character who never existed in the original game’s story.
Karim Al-Hakim is the corrupt minister who originally led Zahara as an enemy faction against Prince Liam.
Xenos has already successfully seduced Prince Liam’s fiancée, Elisabeth, without Liam’s knowledge.
The protagonist was originally the game’s Final Boss but is now acting as a Zero Mana student.
Prince Liam previously stated that “to be drawn to one another is the natural order,” which Xenos uses as justification for stealing Elisabeth.
The “peace faction” and “pro-war faction” represent the political divide in Zahara regarding relations with Asgard.
Xenos refers to Elisabeth’s visits as “once every two weeks,” downplaying their frequency to himself.
The salon belongs exclusively to Prince Azim within the Academy grounds, indicating his special status.
Prince Azim uses Xenos’s family name “Grimlock” when apologizing, signaling formal respect despite the tension.
Notes:
• Azim – Prince of the southern desert kingdom of Zahara and a transfer student at the Royal Magic Academy. He has a lean, well-built frame, brown skin, long black hair, and sharp, cool amber eyes. A high-minded diplomat, peace advocate, and rational strategist, his movements are impossible to read. However, as an extreme, doting “siscon” to Fatima and Layla, he becomes a reckless, impulsive idealist.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Asgard – Elenor Asgard, the esteemed Saint of Light, and Prince Liam share a prestigious royal lineage. While both belong to the noble Asgard family and maintain a high social standing, they navigate distinct public roles and responsibilities within the realm. Their shared identity defines their status, balancing the expectations placed upon them as they fulfill their unique duties to the kingdom.
• Liam – Asgard’s golden-haired, emerald-eyed First Prince Liam is an arrogant “born winner” with a flawless smile, though pressure cracks his composure. Betrothed to Princess Elisabeth and allied with Elliot and Aldrick, his obsessive pursuit of Cecilia jeopardizes his standing. During meetings with Prince Azim, he subtly scrutinized and underestimated Xenos due to his Zero Mana status.
• Karim – A corrupt minister who holds real power in the Kingdom of Zahara. The corrupt minister of Zahara in his mid-fifties with a well-fed, portly build and gold rings on his fingers. He is the de facto leader of Zahara and the original enemy faction leader. The corrupt minister who currently holds real power in the Kingdom of Zahara. His control makes it unsafe for the princesses to return home. The evil minister of Zahara who dispatched the bandit group ‘Sand Fang’ to abduct the princesses.
• Al-Hakim – Karim’s last name. The corrupt minister in the Kingdom of Zahara
• Xenos – Xenos Grimlock, a reincarnated otome game villain, noble heir, and former Final Boss, is a sharp-featured young man with dark hair and Zero Mana. Known as the jet-clad Black Magic Swordsman, he hides his genius to manipulate events using mind control and game script knowledge. He leads the Rebellion, runs the theater-restaurant Star of the Desert, and commands a loyal household. Pragmatic yet emotionally conflicted, he orchestrates faction wars while growing attached to his followers, including Cecilia, Kuuko, and the sisters Pharma, Leela, Fatima, and Layla.
• Elisabeth – Princess Elisabeth, the Adrastea Empire’s elegant, amber-eyed royal with lustrous blue hair, embodies authority. Officially Prince Liam’s fiancée, she maintains an icy public facade while frequently visiting Xenos for secret, intimate “peace talks.” Under the pretense of diplomacy, these high-stakes encounters serve as leverage against Liam, masking a fragile political reality.
• Grimlock – Xenos, the mana-less heir of House Grimlock—an Asgardian war-faction margrave family—masks his cunning as “Zero the Loser.” Alongside his father Gaius, this “Royal Phantom” uses spatial magic and a Collar of Submission to manipulate others. He asserts family authority to bypass Prince Liam’s cold interference, while Azim uses his Grimlock family name when apologizing to him.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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