The Adrasia empire, the empire that rules over the central part of the Vogel continent.
(TLN: The raw used Fogel as there's no V in Japanese so tell me which one you prefer, Fogel or Vogel)

Bearing the symbol of the Golden Eagle, it is one of the three most powerful countries of the continent. Its imperial capital, Wirth is still prospering to this day.

At the Adventurer Guild of that imperial capital, a big-shot appeared.

"Whoa–……it's really him……"

"Hey, look at that horn. Isn't that the horn of King Minotaur……..?"

"Seriously……They are AAA class rare monsters you know…..did he took one down..….?"

Each and every one of the onlookers are speaking wonder about him.

The person that has been gathering everyone's attention is a wizard that is carrying a large horn. He is covered in black from his hair to his long robe. However, only his face is hidden behind a conspicuous silver mask.

The receptionist greets him normally as she already used to his appearance.

"Thank you for your work. Silver-san, this is the reward for this time."

The SS rank adventurer, Silver. Calling my temporary name, the receptionist gave me the reward with a smile like usual.

Gold coins were present to me with the amount that the other adventurers here never seen before.

It's a matter of course. The King Minotaur hunt was a special assignment from the guild. A high amount of bounty was placed on its head.

It originally wasn't present in the imperial territory but a while ago the large-scale party formed by the A rank adventurers that went to subjugate it failed, as a result, the King Minotaur relocated itself into the imperial territory.

That's why " I " subjugated it.

"Thank you, I've always been in your care."

"No no, You are a great help for us. To have one of the only five SS rank adventurers like Silver-san with us at our imperial capital branch is something for us to be proud of!"

The brown-haired receptionist said so and smile.

Seeing her like that, I let out a bitter smile and head toward the guild entrance while leaving behind some gold coins.

"Umm……? Silver-san. This is?"

"It's a treat for everyone here. Can you order alcohol or something for them? In exchange, if there's a high difficulty quest coming in I want you to give me the priority."

"Ah, Yes! I understand!"

The receptionist happily picks up the gold coins while the adventurers inside are happily making a ruckus.

I can only accept high-level quests, that's why when it comes to such quests the guild also gives me a priority. However, there are also adventurers that don't think well of such a method. That's why letting them vent like this is also important.

I'm not in a position that can move freely as well.

With that in mind, I left the guild and head to my inn.

There, I take off my mask and black robe then changed into a high-class outfit while being careful of my surroundings.

"Even incompetent, if it was found out that a prince has been acting as an adventurer it would turn into a serious matter after all."

"If you are aware of that then please do restraint yourselves, Prince Arnold."

The one who appears without a sound and called out to me was the butler that has been serving us since my mother's generation, Sebastian (TLN: Of course). He is an old man with golden hair despite being over fifty years old, his back is straight while wearing a fine butler outfit.

As you can see from the fact that he can appear without any sound, not just his ability as a butler, his real abilities didn't decline despite his age, He's an outrageous old man.

And as this butler said, My name is Arnold Lakes Adler. The seventh prince of this empire.

"I told you that you shouldn't show up silently like that right? Sebas."

"Please forgive me as it is a habit of mine."

"And I don't want to hear your lecture either. A dull prince like me can do whatever I want, right?"

I have a little twin brother.

Excellent in martial arts, bright mind, and good personality. He is a genius that can immediately become first-class no matter what he does.

Even though we have the same face, he is praised for his elegance and grace. On the other hand, I was told by many that I have no ambition and lack courage. There's an endless amount of marriage proposal for my brother that it made him irritated.

On the contrary, I am an incompetent, lethargic prince. As a child, I have always played around, seeing me wasting my talent away, many talented individuals were hired as my tutor but they all gave up. My reputation quickly spread throughout the imperial capital and later, the entire empire. The name that stuck was the prince that got all his good parts sucked out by his little brother, [The Dull Prince]. Even now, the people inside the castle always look down on me and gossip behind my back.

A guy with a poor reputation despite being a part of the imperial family with no expectations whatsoever placed on him. That is the prince me.

"Please don't mind about those petty comments. There's no one who aware of your real power after all."

"It's not that I mind. I am used to that kind of treatment already. It's no use bringing up the duty of prince with me you know."

Even though I say that, a shabby excuse is still a shabby excuse. However, thanks to that excuse, I can live freely like this.

However.

"I understand your point but the situation has progressed to the point that such an excuse is not going to work anymore. Please return to the castle right away."

"……..What happened?"

"General Dominique has passed away."

"That old general?"

He was an honorary general of the imperial capital city guard. He finally retired with nothing to note on his battle record but he did survive the front-line for more than fifty years.

As a result of his achievement, he was appointed as an honorary general of the imperial capital city guard, the position that was close to an advisor.

He was old and had a heart condition but it's still unlikely that he suddenly passed away naturally.

This smells like an assassination.

"It's one of [Those Three] huh……"

"We still don't know the details but I think there will be no one conducting an investigation on this."

He was a person that says everything frankly and easily makes enemies so if it was an assassination then that should be one of the factors.

Recently, general Dominique was involved with the battle for the throne. He always said that the princes and princesses are no good but there's one prince that he began to take a liking to.

Then he was assassinated by those who saw him as a dangerous individual, in other words, the leaders in this battle for the throne. I think.

Since he was just an honorary general, his death wouldn't do much damage to the empire and his death would be treated as the result of his illness.

The one who took damage would be only his ally.

And that ally was the eighth prince, Leonard Lakes Adler. My little twin brother.

"Leo is a person that would naturally attract allies after all…….It doesn't like he is gathering power to aim for the throne though……"

"The problem is that he was perceived that he was gathering power. With this, Prince Leonard is recognized by the people that are aiming for the throne as an [enemy]."

Listening to Sebas, I let out a sigh.

Among the throne successors, there are three influential people in the currently on-going battle for the throne. The second prince, the second princess, and the third prince.

Each of the three has their own power base so there's a high probability that the next emperor will be among those three.
There are two paths for the other successors. First is to choose a side or at least staying neutral. The other is to be hostile toward them and aim for the throne.

If you choose the latter and lost then considering those three's personalities you will get exile at best and the death penalty at worst. The punishment will apply to those who are involved with them as well. In the case of Leo then that would be our mother and me.

So without consulting with Leo, I choose the latter.

There's no meaning to ally ourselves with them or stay neutral now. If the situation has progressed this much then there's no other choice.

"The only way left is to make Leo the emperor huh……"

"Is there no way for you to become the emperor yourselves………?"

"Me being the emperor? I am a man that throws every troublesome thing at my little brother you know? It is the same this time."

I want to keep living as an adventurer like this but I will be killed at this rate.

It's troublesome but there's no other way.

Let's move behind the scene for my brother.

At the center of the imperial capital is a sword-like castle. I immediately head to Leonard's room as I got back to the castle.

However, I met several ministers and aristocrats along the way.

"Oh if it isn't Prince Arnold. You look fine today as well.

"Thanks to you."

"Yes, I am really jealous that you can look so happy every day. On the other hand, Prince Leonard has always been working so hard on his training."

"He was made differently from me after all."

"It is seriously as you said! To think that he would join the battle for the throne like three of your esteemed siblings. Prince Arnold mustn't lose too."

"Hey, his highness looks pitiful when you compare him to Prince Leonard right!? Even if Prince Arnold and Prince Leonard are twins, there's a difference in their talent you know!"

"OOH! That's right That's right. Forgive my rudeness."

"Don't sweat it. It's all true after all."

I said that and walk passed them.

They all respectfully bow to me but every single one of them is making fun of me. I won't rat them out to the emperor though, even if I do that he won't listen to me after all.

Among the imperial family, only me hasn't been treated as its member. Leaving the territory Lords aside, the aristocrats and the ministers in the imperial capital are all looking down on me.

Well, it's because I have been acting like this though.

I don't want to change my behavior because I think it is ok for me to behave like this. Since no one cares about me, I can move around doing what I like as Silver.

If I do what I like as a prince then I would have to always consider my standing.

I arrived at Leo's room while thinking about that.

"I'm coming in—"

"Nii-san……"

I entered the room without knocking and found Leo sitting inside. He is eighteen years old, of course, he is the same age as me but because of his calm personality, people often mistake Leo as the older one.

Our appearance is exactly the same but Leo's hair was trimmed while mine is always unkempt. On the clothes side, Leo's is always neat while mine is always loose. His back is always straight up but mine is bent. As we grew up, there's no one who mistakes us for the other anymore.

On my little twin brother's face is a trace of haggardness

When you see your own face looking so depressed, it would me your tension drop too.

"I heard the story. That old man passed away right?"

"Un….."

"It's probably an assassination right?"

"…..Probably."

I wasn't so immature as to say that it is probably our elder brothers or sisters' doing.

Considering the situation, the possibility of this being an assassination is the highest.

"What are you going to do?"

"….I don't want to fight my own siblings."

"I thought you would say that."

Leo doesn't want the throne.

People just naturally attracted to his personality and become his ally. That ally is General Dominique.

As he said just now, Leo doesn't want to compete for the throne.

However, as Leo is blessed with talent and excellent personality, he has become the fourth contender along with the second prince, second princess, and third prince regardless of his intention.

That is why they put out the ember by assassination.

However, it doesn't mean that Leo is safe with this. No matter who among the three become the emperor, only dark fate awaits him.

"You are already recognized as an enemy. If you are not going to compete for the throne then the only thing waiting for you is death. The same goes for me and mother."

"Yeah….I know…..sorry."

"Don't apologize. I want to hear what you are going to do."

"….I have to compete for the throne."

Leo said with a difficult expression.

If Leo is alone in this then he would withdraw from it even if it takes his life. However, if there's a possibility that it would bring harm to those around him, he is ready to aim for the throne.

After all, since he has that kind of personality, he is going to ask for everyone's cooperation to become the emperor.

I think that he is too kind to become an emperor……but even if I told him that, he wouldn't change.

Since it has already turned out like this, I had no choice but to make him into one.

"It might not be much but I am going to help you. For now, you just focus on finding allies and build up your power. If you build a big faction then it would be hard for them to lay their hand on you as well."

"Yeah…What about Nii-san?"

"I will look for an ally as well. But don't expect much, all of the influential ministers and aristocrats are already belong to the top three factions after all."

"I know…Thank you. Nii-san. Rather than me, I think that Nii-san is more fitting to become the emperor you know……"

"Don't even joke about it. I can't play around if I become the emperor right? I already have a life plan to find a beautiful wife and play around all forever. For that sake, I will have you become the emperor for me."

I hit Leo's shoulder while saying something selfish.

His body is slightly trembling.

Well, it can't be helped. From the perspective of the excellent Leo, those three are monsters.

In terms of ability, the empire is safe no matter who becomes the emperor. Naturally, the power that comes with it is also great.

However, no matter how good they are it doesn't mean that they are invincible. Since they are fighting among themselves, it serves as a chance for Leo as well.

"Let's start with increasing your allies and get father to recognize you first."

"Right. In the end, the person who decides the outcome will be our father after all."

"Now, how do we get an approval of his majesty the emperor."

Thus, start the twin's journey to take the throne.