The Founding Monarch Became the Mastermind

Chapter 112

Si-on didn’t know much about Duke Gio-Lloyd.

In fact, the only member of the royal family he was close to was Marco, the current king, who was like a nephew to him.

He had only taken care of the descendants of his own duchy up to his grandsons’ generation.

There was no reason for him to extend his concern to the royal family.

Thus, Si-on knew only what was commonly known about Duke Lloyd, who was second in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Obla.

“If you wish, I can prepare a detailed report on Duke Lloyd,” Jenna had cautiously suggested once.

“That won’t be necessary,” Si-on had immediately declined.

Why?

Because he had no interest in Duke Lloyd. He genuinely didn’t want to know anything about him.

Being curious about someone or wanting to learn more about them usually meant that sooner or later, you’d get entangled with them.

Moreover, once entangled, the chances of getting involved with those around them were incredibly high.

It’s like when someone you’ve only occasionally seen suddenly catches your interest, and before you know it, you’re half-forced into becoming friends or even lovers with them after a confession.

And whether you end up as friends or lovers, you inevitably end up knowing and sharing details about their family, friends, or acquaintances, whether you want to or not.

What? You think there are cases where confessions end in complete disasters, like in the infamous ‘KakaoTalk Confession Fail.JPG’*

Well, the process itself means that you’re already tangled with that person, and it often causes extreme stress for one or both people involved.

That process becomes known to those around you, and eventually, the situation can escalate to the point where it’s immortalized online for over a decade, leaving the whole nation caught up in the drama.

Isn’t that a horrifying thought, just thinking about it?

This was precisely why Si-on had no desire to get involved with Duke Lloyd, let alone with the royal or noble factions holding power in the Kingdom of Obla’s royal court.

He wanted to avoid a situation that could make ‘KakaoTalk Confession Fail.JPG’ seem trivial.

Besides, Si-on had already experienced firsthand how exhausting it was to be entangled with royalty, thanks to someone far higher-ranking than Duke Lloyd.

“One Marco is already enough to deal with. Why would I want to deal with his descendants too?”

He was 1000% serious.

The only reason Si-on maintained a close relationship with the current king was because of a bond of affection.

He couldn’t say there wasn’t a bit of calculation involved, but Si-on saw Marco as both a close nephew and a beloved friend, and they shared a deep loyalty that went beyond the bond of an uncle and nephew.

The king, in return, had the utmost respect for Si-on, who was like an elder to him.

Because of this bond, Si-on had helped Marco with various requests, and the king had also offered support and consideration to Si-on and his duchy in return.

However, in such relationships, it’s usually the elder who gives more.

Even as a child, Marco, the current king, had clung to Si-on, shouting, “Three seconds, Si-on! Three seconds!” as a nickname.

As he grew older, he would plead in the same tone, “Ah, Si-on, three seconds! Please, just this once, yes?” And Si-on, sighing every time, would reluctantly grant his nephew’s requests.

Of course, he never did anything for free, and Marco wasn’t shameless enough to just take without giving something in return.

The problem was that most of the time, Marco sought Si-on’s help for matters that only Si-on could handle, things that were absolutely crucial to the king, but the rewards for Si-on were rarely equally significant.

Over time, Si-on came to realize that his relationship with the king was quite one-sided, and it did irritate him a little.

But it was something he could tolerate for the sake of affection.

And Si-on had absolutely no desire to create another “annoying but still beloved nephew” like Marco.

Especially not if that person was royalty.

But it seemed that the other side didn’t share the same sentiment.

* * *

“It’s an honor to meet you. I am Duke Gio Lloyd.”

The duke, who resembled the previous king known as the Hero King or Warrior King more than the current king, greeted Si-on with dignified but not arrogant courtesy befitting the highest-ranking royal.

“…….”

Si-on was momentarily speechless.

He hadn’t expected the man second in line to the throne to come here in person, hiding his identity.

He then turned his gaze to the person who could explain the situation better than anyone else (and really should).

“Surely, you don’t believe that I, a mere secretary at the royal palace, have the power to force the duke, who is second in line to the throne, to come here, do you?” Joan, the palace secretary, shrugged nonchalantly.

Si-on briefly considered smacking him for his cheeky response, but he couldn’t bring himself to crack the skull of someone the king treasured, so he sighed and returned his attention to Duke Lloyd.

“Since you came here personally, I assume you’ve done your homework on me?”

“Yes, His Majesty mentioned you. He didn’t provide much detail, but he told me to treat you as I would treat an elder of the royal family.”

Judging by his reaction, it didn’t seem like the duke fully understood or accepted that.

Well, for someone like Duke Lloyd, who likely knew his way around the royal genealogy, it would be strange to consider a stranger around his own age or perhaps slightly older as a family elder.

However, despite his uncertainty, Duke Lloyd’s demeanor remained extremely respectful and cautious.

Si-on could tell that Duke Lloyd hadn’t fully grasped who he was but recognized him as an elder, though from a collateral branch of the royal family.

*Tok, tok, tok…*

Si-on leaned back on the sofa, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest.

Duke Lloyd simply observed.

Although as second in line to the throne, he had every reason to be offended, he showed no such reaction.

He didn’t seem overly deferential but remained polite, occasionally giving Si-on a faint smile whenever their eyes met.

Si-on was struck by a new feeling.

‘This guy. At least he knows decency.’

No matter how high Duke Lloyd’s position was in the line of succession, that didn’t mean he could treat all lower-ranking royals with disdain.

Especially in a situation where the next king had yet to be decided, one needed to be cautious.

But even though that’s common sense, do people always follow it?

In particular, those born into wealth and power often either don’t know or simply disregard such common sense.

They can afford to.

That’s why heirs of wealthy conglomerates act shamelessly as witnesses or references during national audits, displaying the pinnacle of poor manners.

But when people exhibit basic manners, we tend to say, “At least they have some decency.”

That’s exactly how Si-on felt about Duke Lloyd—he had decency.

And Si-on liked people with decency.

‘Marco, you…’

Si-on felt a twinge of irritation toward the king for not fully informing the duke about him, but as always, he decided to let it slide with affection.

“Well, it’s true that I’m an elder of the Obla royal family. I’m definitely older than a duke.”

“……!?”

Duke Lloyd, who had been hiding his tension behind a naturally relaxed demeanor, flinched.

‘Did his tone change?’

The duke was surprised.

It was a refreshing shock.

In the royal palace, there were only two people who spoke to him this casually.

His great-grandfather, the king, and his uncle, Crown Prince Philon.

The former, of course, had every right to do so.

Being king for over 60 years, there wasn’t a single servant he needed to address formally.

The latter, though his uncle, had a different reason.

Philon always made it clear, even in his tone, that he considered everyone except the king beneath him.

But this man…

‘He feels similar to both the king and Philon, yet different?’

Like his great-grandfather, he spoke casually, as though it was only natural. But it didn’t carry the warmth of a king affectionately addressing a young grandson.

Nor did it have the haughty condescension Philon displayed toward his nephew.

This was something else.

‘Just natural superiority?’

It was like the duke wasn’t even being seen as part of the equation—just someone lower.

As if it wasn’t about position, power, or status; simply person to person—‘You’re beneath me.’

This was something the duke had never experienced before, and he was thrown off by it.

“Why? You don’t believe me when I say I’m your elder?”

“Ah, that’s not…”

“Well, whether you believe it or not doesn’t matter to me. That’s not the point. The important thing is…”

Si-on looked directly into Duke Lloyd’s eyes, which showed clear signs of confusion.

“…why you came here in person. Not only did you disregard the king’s warning, but you even inquired about me before coming here. The reason you felt compelled to meet me—that’s what’s important. More to you than to me, Gio Lloyd.”

“……!!!”

Duke Lloyd’s carefully maintained composure cracked.

In that moment, despite the confusion, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Call it the special ability of someone who carried the blood of the Hero King, or simply the instincts of a born ruler. Maybe it was just an excellent sense.

Whatever it was, that ability warned Duke Lloyd.

Now, of all times, is the moment to be the most honest.

Everyone knew that Duke Lloyd appreciated straightforward people.

He often said so, jokingly or otherwise.

But does that mean people can be perfectly honest whenever they meet someone who claims to like honesty?

To expect honesty from others means you must first show your own sincerity.

That’s why Duke Lloyd, when dealing with people whose honesty he wanted to see, would deliberately present himself as open and sincere.

Yes, Duke Lloyd had been putting on a performance all along.

As someone so close to the throne, portraying himself as approachable and sincere made people feel as though they were special.

Duke Lloyd had understood this from a young age and used it to his advantage.

Of course, his intentions weren’t malicious.

He simply wanted to be king, and to achieve that, he needed to win the hearts of the nobles in the palace.

And although the exchange appeared mutual, in reality, the ‘honesty’ people offered him was his most powerful weapon to reach the throne.

But now, in this moment, that weapon was speaking to him.

You’ve never been genuinely honest with anyone, not even once. But now, you’ve been given that chance!

Duke Lloyd made his decision.

“I can be a great king, no matter what anyone says. At the very least, I am better than my uncle, Philon, who is utterly incompetent and incapable of even managing a small village.”

For the first time in his life, he chose to be genuinely honest with someone he had never met before.