Chapter 542: I, Shengzai, Am Now Rebelling!

“Lahqis Elbein Dru Aindora, do you understand your identity?”

“As a noble of this kingdom, are you now planning to stand with these commoner adventurers?”

Facing the female adventurer who was about to be punished—and possibly sent to a corrupt noble’s bed tonight—Lahqis stepped forward as well, meeting Prince Pablo of the kingdom without an ounce of fear.

“Prince Pablo, the facts are clear: Count Charis was the first to act disrespectfully.”

“Therefore, even if this female adventurer struck him by accident, it was entirely justified.”

“Justified? Count Charis is a noble of this kingdom, and his family has made many contributions to it.”

“Moreover, according to royal law, commoners who strike nobles must be punished.”

“Lahqis, you are Shengzai’s fiancée—you’re practically one of us in the royal family. Know your place, and don’t bring shame upon us.”

Facing the aggressive Prince Pablo, Lahqis could only turn helplessly toward King Lambosa III, seated at the head of the hall.

The old king, who had just been basking in pride over his own achievements, now wore a look of distress as he faced the two sides of the dispute.

Logically, Lahqis was right—Count Charis had acted disrespectfully first, so the female adventurer should be innocent.

But many things in this world are never that simple.

The kingdom’s nobles, bound by shared interests and intermarriage, were all on the same boat.

If Count Charis were punished here, it would inevitably anger the other nobles.

As ruler of the realm, King Lambosa III had to consider far more than just right and wrong.

Just as Lambosa III cast an apologetic glance at Lahqis and opened his mouth to speak, Shengzai’s voice cut in from the side.

“Prince Pablo, I cannot agree with what you just said.”

“I have seen no contribution Count Charis has made to the kingdom, but this female adventurer—who was harassed by him—is the hero who defended our capital.”

“She came to this banquet at our royal family’s invitation, yet now she is being harassed by some no-name riffraff at a royal-hosted event—I believe that is the true insult to our royal house.”

“Therefore, I demand that Count Charis apologize to this lady immediately. Otherwise, our kingdom will not tolerate any noble who acts with impunity.”

Hearing Shengzai’s firm words, the adventurers in the hall instantly looked at him with gratitude and admiration.

As for Lahqis and the female adventurer, their gazes toward Shengzai were practically glowing.

“Shengzai, you’ve gone too far! You’re making Count Charis apologize to a commoner!”

Facing the bastard son he so often sneered at, Pablo actually lacked confidence when confronting Shengzai.

But he knew that if he didn’t stand by Count Charis now, his noble supporters would lose even more faith in him.

So for the throne, even if he feared Shengzai, he had no choice but to stand his ground.

“Prince Pablo, you need to remember: when demons attacked the capital, it was these commoner adventurers you despise who stepped forward—not the nobles beside you.”

“I give Count Charis two choices: either apologize to this lady, or I’ll do it for him.”

As Shengzai spoke, he slowly drew his knightly longsword, and the killing intent radiating from him made it clear—he was not joking.

In the royal banquet hall, neither adventurers nor nobles were permitted to carry weapons.

But Shengzai, as a prince, clearly fell outside that rule.

Seeing Shengzai truly meant to kill, everyone around panicked—even Gajeef, Lambosa III’s bodyguard, rushed forward anxiously, signaling Shengzai not to act rashly.

“Father, do you agree with what Prince Pablo just said?”

Facing Shengzai’s question, Lambosa III clearly wanted to avoid escalating the matter, so he said to Shengzai: “Shengzai, let this matter end here.”

Upon hearing Lambosa III’s reply, Shengzai shook his head in disappointment.

“It seems my earlier decision was right—you truly lack the resolve to lead the kingdom to greatness.”

“If so, you might as well abdicate the throne to Prince Zanak right away.”

As Shengzai finished speaking, the entire hall fell into absolute silence—his words were far more serious than any dispute between adventurer and noble.

They could even be called treasonous.

“Shengzai, you bastard, do you even know what you’re saying?”

The most furious person upon hearing Shengzai’s words was not Lambosa III, but Prince Pablo, whose face had turned purple with rage.

For Shengzai had just bypassed Prince Pablo entirely, declaring that Prince Zanak was more fit to be king.

Whether or not Shengzai was treasonous was secondary—simply by saying this today, the entire kingdom would now know that the kingdom’s famed Third Prince favored Prince Zanak.

“Guards! Guards! What are you standing there for? Arrest this traitor immediately!”

“And Gajeef, you won’t let this traitor go free just because Shengzai once helped you, will you?”

Facing the furious Prince Pablo, Gajeef turned to King Lambosa III and pleaded: “Your Majesty, Prince Shengzai only spoke these words out of anger—they were not his true intent. Please consider his service to the kingdom...”

“Gajeef, don’t plead for me. These are my true thoughts.”

“Now that the opportunity has come, and there are many witnesses here, I will say it again.”

“Father, for the future of the kingdom, please abdicate the throne to Prince Zanak.”

Shengzai’s voice echoed throughout the great hall, leaving everyone stunned.

Not only the adventurers and nobles, but even Lahqis and Zanak—who had already conspired together—were now speechless.

The nobles and adventurers were shocked because they never imagined the famed Third Prince would openly force the king to abdicate.

Zanak and Lei Buen were stunned because they never expected Shengzai to flip the table right here, right now.

I mean, even if they planned to pressure Lambosa III into stepping down, they at least needed time to gather their troops!

Now, with no preparation, they were exposing everything—what if the Royal Guard surrounded them next? It would be over.

(End of Chapter)