The Strategy to Become Good at Magic Chapter 87

TL: TAS chapters coming up soon.

Chapter 87 – b.u.mbling all the way

Sue had defaced the palace’s walls, stole the authority pa.s.s from the guard captain, KOed the magician’s future son-in-law, and even conned away another authority pa.s.s.

But she thought she could not look at it in a pessimistic approach. At least it was not all bad. She helped out to make the palace looked better, got the guard captain a good wife, probably. She even saved the magician from getting a son-in-law who probably had a problem with his personality. Just look at the way the latter treated her, even if she was not the guard captain, the att.i.tude she faced from him……

Sue kept up her approach and entered the inner palace. After a few hours, someone finally realized something was amiss.

The main concern was just too many authority pa.s.ses went missing in a short time. When the people who lost their pa.s.ses went to apply for a new one, the old magician who was in charge of destroying the pa.s.ses naturally realized the problem. He rushed to track the missing magic signals, but after investigating he found that they were in the corners of walls, bushes or flower beds.

He immediately went into a rage. This meant someone had slipped into the palace and even realized that he had somehow lost his own without knowing it. The most frustrating thing about it was how he actually found it after upturning a rubbish bin……

The underwear of the Elven King’s underwear! Was this discrimination?!

This evil person must be someone arrogant and was issuing a direct challenge to him.

The palace immediately went into alert, and of course, it was done in secret—

“Mother, the commander of the knights said someone had infiltrated the palace, is that true?!” Fedrus wrapped the blanket around him tightly as his sparkling blue eyes had a sliver of curiosity in them.

“Yes, but this isn’t something for you to worry about.” The queen kissed him on the forehead gently: “Don’t worry my little prince, mother won’t let you have any accident again.”

“If trouble finds me again, will you come and find me?!”

“Yes.” The queen tried to console him. Her son must have terrified from that incident.

But the prince sighed with disappointment upon hearing it: “You’re lying to me again, mother.”

Sue said that a reply that came too fast meant that one did not think about it thoroughly…..

“……” The queen’s hand that stroked his soft golden hair froze. She paused for a while before she said in exasperation: “It’s Sue who told you again that I’m lying?!”

He blinked: “Is that question important?!”

The queen sighed: “Indeed, that question isn’t important.”

What was important was how she should separate him from that little girl and prevent her from approaching his son ever again…… She was willing to reward and thank her for saving her son, as long as she did not appear in front of her little Fedrus…..

She was lost in her thoughts when her son suddenly yelled in delight: “Sue!!!”

The next sound she heard was rushed footsteps. She did not even understand what had happened, and he had already jumped out of his bed and went straight to the window. He knocked down the little girl who suddenly appeared while rubbing her with his head: “Sue Sue Sue Sue! I miss you I miss you I miss you~.”

“……” The queen’s expression went rigid for a few moments before she cracked a forced smile after breathing deeply: “Fedrus, look at what you’re doing!”

“Yeah, have you forgotten what I taught you?! When you see someone you know appearing strangely, regardless of whether it’s your mom or dad you need to check their ident.i.ty first. The next time you try to do that, it might end up leading you to your death!” Sue was also angry. She had trained this brat to be slightly smarter and to be wary of his surroundings, but when he returned to the palace, he turned back into a blockhead.

“I’m sorry…..” Fedrus looked at Sue with wet eyes.

The queen gritted her teeth with black lines forming on her head: “Child, what exactly did you teach my son?!”

“To be on his guard.” Sue pushed the little boy away, patted her clothes with a smile and bowed: “You must be Her Highness, the queen. You are indeed beautiful and graceful……”

“Sue, you’re lying again.” His voice was small. He was familiar with her mannerisms after living with her for a few months. The cunning gleam in her eyes proved that she was lying.

“……” His words caused both ladies to be speechless.

[Boy, anyone who listens in would know that this is fake praise, but no one is going to tear the lies openly apart as you do. Sometimes you need to act stupid so that both of us can walk down from this stage, so that we retain dignity, retain our chance to be conciliatory……]

Sue patted his head after a sigh: “Brat, you should be happy you’re back at home.”

If she was still his guardian, he was definitely going to have no cooked meals for the next three days.

“*Ahem, ahem*!” The queen gave two dry coughs and gained the attention of the two children. She nodded her head slightly with elegance: “Child, may I ask how you entered the palace?!”

“You want to ask if the series of incidents have anything to do with me right?!” Sue’s intelligence was high enough and readily went straight to the heart of the topic: “Indeed, the authority pa.s.ses are stolen by me.”

The queen felt a headache: “You….. If you wished to enter the palace, you could have asked the guards for an audience with me……”

“First, I doubt the guards would take a little girl seriously, especially when the news of the price missing is kept under wraps. Not everyone knows the truth, and you can’t explain my presence. A normal little girl who seeks an audience with royalty is unlikely to pa.s.s either…… No matter how close you are to the commoners, the guards would merely see me as an utter idiot who idolizes the royalty.”

Sue sighed and took a moment to catch her breath: “Even if the guards really do announce my presence and you agree to see me, I doubt there’s even the chance for me to see the little brat….. If I’m not wrong, you probably don’t want me to ever appear in front of your son right?!”

The queen gave a fake smile after agreeing with her completely: “You’re overthinking things child, why would I do that?”

“Alright, even if that’s not the case, there’s a final reason.” Sue shrugged: “Actually I don’t want to appear publicly in the royal court.”

“Why’s that?!”

“….. Your royal highness, I feel that you really should not treat others like idiots. Have you truly no suspicions about the truth of the real culprits?!”

“……” The queen glanced at her innocent son, before looking back at the little devil before her: “My good child, that should not be something you should be concerned with.”

“I have heard of your son mention this before. The n.o.bles can legally have lovers on the side, including the king?” Sue snapped her fingers and got the attention of the pure prince: “Brat, take a guess at who caused you to be in this position?!”

“Wait……” The queen tried to stop this as she did not wish her child to be involved with this sordid affairs. But she was much too slow to prevent it. His innocent son had started to talk rapidly:

“Father King has mother, Lady Wendy, and Lady Lilly. Lady Wendy has the rank equivalent to a d.u.c.h.ess, while Lady Lilly is equivalent to a Marquis….. However, the First Prince is born to Lady Lilly. Before I am of age, the First Prince is the first in line to inherit the throne. However, if I come of age, then I am the first in line to inherit the throne…… Considering the interests involved, I feel that Lady Lilly is more suspicious.”

“……” The queen nearly coughed out blood as she glared at Sue in fury; no, surely this cannot be her innocent Fedrus: “What have you done with my son?!”

“Your a.n.a.lysis is not wrong.” Sue ignored the queen and nodded to him to agree with his statement before she continued to fill the missing pieces: “But no one can be sure that Lady Lilly is the last person to benefit from this situation. You are the first obstacle to the throne, and the First Prince is the first to gain, but what if this is all Lady Wendy’s arrangement?! She could arrange an accident for him, or create rumors that points him as your murderer…… If someone comes out during the First Prince’s coronation and speaks of the ‘truth,’ then who in the kingdom would accept a murderer who harmed his own brother to be king?!”

“This……” He bit his thumb: “Then Lady Wendy is also a possibility?!”

“From the crown’s point of view, the two ladies and princes have the most suspicion. However, another possibility is an enemy kingdom trying to destabilize your kingdom too!” Sue patted him: “Your a.n.a.lysis is good. But again I have to tell you that you cannot let your guard down, no matter what situation you are in.”

The queen did not want to listen any longer. Sue’s a.n.a.lysis was certainly very right, but she did not want to let her son know about it: “You have not stated why you refused to reveal yourself publicly?!”

“It’s simple. I don’t want trouble coming back to me.” Sue said: “Outsiders might not get the truth, but those who know about the prince’s real circ.u.mstances would easily guess the truth about me. Just look at your son……. who’s so innocent?! Look at the way how he pounced on me! I think my chance to keep my ident.i.ty secret is less than ten percent. Although I think the possibility of allowing him to meet me is actually less than that…….”

That reason was too good…… The queen’s face darkened. The prince suddenly felt he was being abandoned: “Sue you don’t want me anymore?!”

“Well, let’s wait till you’re out of trouble.” Sue changed the topic as she took out the sweets sponsored by Lawrence: “I’m here to visit you and celebrate my birthday.”

“Today’s your birthday?!” The little prince was so shocked that he swung his arms and spun his body around at a loss: “What am I to do? I didn’t know, and I didn’t prepare anything…… Should I get the kitchen to make a feast?! I should get flowers, and cakes, and blessing stones…… Right! Presents, presents!”

Sue grabbed him by the cuff as he tried to rush out: “That’s unnecessary. I don’t know when my birthday is, so I just randomly picked a day to celebrate.”

The calendar in this world was different from Earth. Even if she wanted to stick to her birthday date, she would not know how to convert it. Even when she came here, she did not know exactly when she arrived…… She recalled it was somewhere at the end of autumn, but it did not really mean too much if was off by a day or two, or even a few months…….

“You’re an orphan?!” The queen looked at her with mixed feelings of sympathy and disdain, before the former trumped and she sighed: “That is right, a normal child would not understand this much if they are under the protection of a parent.”

“That is how it is. So when are you going to pay up?” Sue played around with her dagger into a dance as she sliced a dessert apart, sending a piece into his mouth without even looking back at him, before chomping one herself.

“Pay up?!” The topic changed so suddenly and quickly that the queen could not adjust herself.

“Yup. The fees for rescuing your son and taking care of him…… As you well know, the capital’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) is too high and living here isn’t easy.” Sue grumbled unhappily.

The queen was so agitated that she nearly lost herself and sent a slap over to Sue’s face. She did not understand what CPI was, but Sue was here to demand money. This little wench…..

“Even though we are royalty, that doesn’t mean we can easily use the kingdom’s resources…… How about this, I have 100000 gold coins with me now……”

“Your son is only worth 100000 gold coins?!” Sue was smiling: “I’m not cheating you out of your money, but just the antidotes alone cost way more than 100000 gold coins.”

“Mother……” The little prince was chewing his food before he quickly swallowed and begged the queen.

She sighed. It seems the time spent raising her son was wasted when he was lost in the Lost Forest: “Then what do you want?!”

“How about this, 100000 gold coins is your deposit to me, then the rest of the money can be paid as installments…… Let me see. Before I come of age, it’s enough if you throw me three or four thousand coins every month.”

“……. Child. Perhaps you don’t understand the worth of the gold coins. A normal family’s expense is only a few hundred gold coins a month.”

“I have come to understand the prices of the goods along the way here, but in truth I want the money to set up a shop…..” Sue sighed: “Although I have to remind you, how well the citizens of the capital live are unimportant to me, however, paying up the money merely depends on how much you value your son in your heart.”

“Mother~” The little prince begged.

The queen sighed: “Very well, I’ll send the money over. Enjoy your sweets, but don’t take too long to stay up. Children should go to bed early…… My appet.i.te isn’t well, so I’m leaving first.”

The queen was bleeding in her heart to learn the fact she had lost her son to a girl he only met for a few months…….

Amidst the food, the little prince first expressed how much he missed Sue. After that, he blamed her deeply for not contacting him for nearly two months, before rolling around shamelessly with a tantrum as he begged her to attend the Academy of Light in the capital…..

He was at the age to attend a school. He had previously enjoyed his freedom in the forest, but when he returned to the palace, he was locked up in there in order to let the Merfolks cure his curse. His playful heart was already at its limit and desired to breathe the fresh air outside.

Sue subtly pointed out that she had no wish to continue being a nanny for him. It was also true that she suspected the quality of the education in this world, and would rather set up a shop. Even though it was inconvenient for her to do a lot of things since she had a child’s body, it was far better than doing something like going to the school and learn 1+1 = 2.

When the queen finally sent someone to the room with the money, the maid saw the little prince in a corner with a full stomach and drawing an @ on the ground with his finger, while the little girl on the bed was smiling politely and waving at her: “You’re here to give me the money?!”

“Erm, yes.” The maid answered before she regained her senses and bowed quickly, politely pa.s.sing over the Inventory Bag: “Her Highness asked if you’re going to stay here in the palace or…..”

“I originally planned to stay here, but it seems like the owner here isn’t welcoming me.” Sue threw the bag into her Dimension Bracelet and was satisfied to see the money increase by 100,000 gold. She put her hands up: “So there’s no need to trouble you, I’m leaving now.”

“I see, so…..” The maid nodded and wanted to continue, but the little prince rapidly got up and leaped onto the bed, grabbing onto Sue’s neck and refused to let go.

“Uhh……” The corners of the maid’s lips jerked. Did His Highness attack a girl?!

“Urgh…..” Sue was also in an awkward position as she found the prince sticking to her like a koala bear: “It seems like he’s willing to let me stay again. Do you mind sending a set of blanket over?!”

“…… Understood. I will take my leave and bring it over.” The maid finally bowed after freezing there for a long time.

The queen originally wanted to arrange a guest room for Sue, but after listening to the maid’s report, she could only accept it grudgingly. The blanket was soon delivered to Sue, and it seemed like breaking Fedrus and the little girl apart would take a considerable time, and not something that could be achieved in a day or two…..

After the two children had their baths and brushed their teeth, they each laid under their own set of blanket in the darkness. When Sue was about to fall asleep, the little prince’s gloomy voice wormed into her ears: “Sue, am I someone who drags people down?!”

“You can be considered one.”

“…… Is it because of that reason that you are not willing to go to school together with me?!”

“Yeah.” There were a few other reasons, but this particular reason stuck in her mind: If she already learned everything in school from before, why would she waste money to pay the school fees again!

Her response was so forthright that he felt like he was smacked by a wrecking ball. He flipped his body over and over again in the bed before he went beside Sue like a leech, and hugged her till he was satisfied: “Sue, when the Merfolks were done with the breaking of my curses, why were they unwilling to stay behind?”

“They have their own homes and they want to go back to their family……” Sue was so sleepy that he wanted to knock him out: “Go to sleep you d.a.m.ned brat.”

If he pushed her anymore she was going to get angry; she was just inches away from falling off the bed.

“The Demon race have also left. That bad leader laughed at me with a rotten smile, and said I was too naive and not fun to play with.” He continued to complain.

“…… You will become older in the future.”

But the little prince was after a response, and when he got the feedback, he started to intensify his talking: “Sue, I feel like I’m not having fun ever since I came back. I was really happy living in the forest and got to know many people. Blah Blah Blah, but if I don’t come back here I will miss my parents and the puppy that I raised together with my uncle, Blah Blah Blah…… But the king’s chef is really too lousy, his cooking can’t be compared to you. I also heard he has a really bad-tempered wife…… Blah—”

An hour later, Sue got up with dazed eyes. The little prince who was still energetic stopped for a moment and turned off the river of words momentarily: “Sue, are you going to the toilet?!”

“…… I’m heading out to find some random street and sleep in the open.”

But her first step was immediately cut short when she was knocked off her feet and was comically tackled onto the bed like a cartoon.

“You can’t go, you promised to accompany me~” His complaints came out.

“Xiao Bai!” Sue could no longer tolerate it and summoned her pet tiger. Xiao Bai came out in the form of a cat and meowed once before it transformed to its full size and grabbed the little prince away.

Sue climbed up and ma.s.saged her limbs. She then glared at the struggling boy: “If you want me to stay tonight, you are not to talk anymore, rub your head on me—”

Sue finally understood that children must not be spoiled. Apparently, children are the most shameless creatures around. Giving in to him ended up having him taking advantage of the situation. Did he really believe just because he was in his territory she had to listen to his every whim?!

“When are you going to the Academy of Light with me?!” He went silent after hearing the litany of conditions from Sue. After thinking for a while, he looked at her with puppy eyes and exchanged conditions.

“Pffft!” Sue clearly denied the request.

He thought for a moment before he issued a threat: “Then I’ll tell mother not to give the remaining gold to you.”

Sue looked down on him: “The credibility from the royal family is slighted because of a brat’s word?!”

It was not impossible for her to go to school, but the sum of money was just too low for that. There should at least be more rewards for her to get motivated……

“Sue……”

“Suing me is pointless. Go. To. Sleep.” Sue buried herself in the blanket and ignored him. If he kept up the tantrum, Xiao Bai will bring him out for a flying trip outside……

The next day, she abandoned the tearful prince and went back to the a.s.sa.s.sin’s Guild to find her newly gotten brother. Once she entered the doors, she found him buzzing around the place like a fly.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she walked over. She recalled telling him that she was not going back for the night, so it should not be because of her? Perhaps there was some important mission, or people were trying to invade the place?!

Lawrence rushed up to her in agitation when he saw her: “You’re finally back!”

“…… Looking for me?!”

“I contacted you through the mirror many times yesterday, why didn’t you respond?!”

“Erm…… I think it’s broken.” She said. The prince tried going up against the tiger and caused many things to break in the room, and she had forgotten to put the mirror back into the Dimension Bracelet.

“Alright, come with me.” Lawrence grabbed her hand and rushed to the third floor, leaving behind curious gazes in the hall.

“What’s wrong?!” Sue was a little confused: “Take it easy, I haven’t even eaten yet.”

Lawrence pushed a bread into her lips as he explained hurriedly: “Didn’t you steal a few sets of authority pa.s.ses to infiltrate the palace?!”

“Yes.” Sue bit on the bread, nodding as she ran up as well.

“That’s it!” Lawrence was in exasperation: “Our client came again. She thought the person who infiltrated the palace was the a.s.sa.s.sin that we sent out……”

“Hmm?!”

“This client seemed to have contacted other a.s.sa.s.sin’s Guilds. They have all been captured, and ours are the only ones not. Because the mission has not been canceled, they thought we tried to make a move yesterday. Even though news of the prince’s a.s.sa.s.sinations did not circulate, they seemed to think our skill are above the other guilds…… The proof is how we were able to at least infiltrate the palace.” He sighed again: “He’s back again today, with the intention of adding as much money as possible and hope our ‘next time’ would be a successful a.s.sa.s.sination.”

“Err……” She somehow managed to become a promoter of the guild?!