บท 3: The heir

"My Prince, it is time to wake up. The sun has risen over the horizon and your royal duties await" said Maria, while entering the room.

"Please Maria, can't I sleep a bit more today? Yesterday's lessons really got me tired."

"My Prince, you know that if it were possible, I would, by all means, let you rest a bit more but Professor Ostrov is expecting your arrival."

"Rah, no!! Not that old goat. He is gonna blabber over the empire's borders again. As if I didn't know the whole story by now"

"Please my Prince, do not make it more difficult than it should be. Here, I brought you your breakfast" said Maria while placing a platter of fruit and vegetables over the laying Prince.

"Could you please, bring me some meat next time? Thank you, my dear Maria"

"Haha, you know I cannot my Prince, meat parasites the system. Now, let me go prepare your bath and get your clothes ready. You don't want to make your tutor wait for too long, would you?"

"Thank you, my dear Maria"

After an invigorating lunch and bath, the Prince put on his clothes, a long robe made of silk and of a silver color with some shades of red on the sleeves. Just as he finished clothing himself, the Prince heard a loud knock on his bedroom's door.

"Come in"

"Prince Gustav, I salute you"

"Thank you, my dear Edhgar. But please, don't be so formal with me. You've known me since I was an infant."

"You are the Prince, my Prince, and I must show you the respect that your rank deserves"

"Fine, fine. What do you have for me today Edhgar".

"Well my Prince, as I am sure Maria told you, Professor Ostrov will give you a geopolitical class today from now till lunch. After lunch, you have an appointment with the stable master, whom will further your equestrian knowledge."

"Is that it?"

"Until further notice, this is the whole program, my Prince".

"Ok, thank you Edhgar, you can go now. As I am sure you have more pressing matters waiting for you than looking at your Prince getting ready for another long and uneventful day".

"Farewell my Prince".

After the departure of Edhgar, Gustav went to the balcony located outside of his room. Looking at the city beneath his feet, Balt, the capital city of the Alst Empire, Gustav started thinking:

"Soon, soon I will be of age. After the awakening, I will finally be on my path. I will fulfill the destiny that I have chosen for myself. No more never-ending lessons, no more belittling. No more! I swear upon myself and upon my name Gustav van Enid, the fourth prince of the Alst Empire and if the gods allow, future emperor!"

"My Prince! Hurry, you will be late for class!" exclaimed Maria, noticing that Gustav hadn't moved for a while and that the time was flying away.

"Fuck! I forgot the old goat again" said Gustav while exiting his room running.

Running through the hallways and corridors, Gustav went from his room, located on the fifth floor of the palace's eastern tower to the ground floor. He exited the magnificent palace through the back and reached the court where the emperor's advisers' offices were located. Before reaching Ostrov's office, Gustav took some time to catch his breath. He then knocked, once, on the door. Some time elapsed before Gustav heard an answer.

"Come in"

"Ha! My Prince, late as always aren't we."

"Sorry about that Professor Ostrov."

"What was it this time? Didn't Maria come to wake you up on time?"

"No, no Professor, she did. I just had trouble hearing her."

With a look of both knowing and disdain Professor Ostrov acknowledged his student and with a hand gesture asked Gustav to sit on the chair in front of him.

"So, Prince Gustav, are you ready for today's class?"

"Yes I am"

"Well, what can you tell me about our empire and its borders?" questioned Ostrov.

"The Alst Empire is located within the Lor continent and is surrounded by two other empires. The Lor continent is located to the south of the Bain continent. And is thus the southernmost continent of Elham. The Alst Empire is surrounded, as I said by two other empires, the Vent Empire and the Pod Empire.

At the north and the south of our Empire, we can find two seas. The sea, located at the northernmost point of the Empire, allows us to navigate, communicate and exercise economic activities with the Bain continent. Especially with the Colt Empire of the Bain continent." Answered Gustav.

"Good, good. And what can you tell me about the two neighboring empires?"

Gustav took some time to reflect on his knowledge and order his knowledge in a way that wouldn't fluster his professor. "Well, I will start with the Vent Empire, if you don't mind."

"Sure, sure, go ahead".

"While the Vent Empire cannot be said to be our friend, the friend of our Alst Empire, it is at least an economic partner, unlike the Pod Empire. One of the most likely reasons for this is its proximity to the Western Archipelago. As you know, the pirates from the Archipelago sail regularly on the Western sea looking to raid either the Vent Empire or the westernmost kingdom of the Bain continent. Because of the pirates' raid, the Vent Empire is forced to mobilize its armies to the western confines of its territory as such, and unlike the Lor Empire, it cannot allow itself to be belligerent towards us."

"Right, right. Any other things you may add regarding the Vent Empire?"

"Well… another likely reason for its economic partnership with us is, while not directly related to the pirates, still a consequence of their actions, the poor state of the Vent Empire's agriculture. Indeed, as many men are enrolled in the army, few can take care of the fields and the crops. And if you add to this fact that mountainous environment of that empire, it is obvious that the Vent Empire needs our cooperation at least as much, if not more, than we need theirs."

"What about the Pod Empire?"

"Well, I don't really know much about the Pod Empire, except for its name and its impressive cavalry's armies. I know that they want nothing to do with our Empire, except conquer it, if they could, probably for our arable land. But, hum, yeah I don't know much more than that."

"Well, well. Didn't you pay attention during my last class? Or were you too tired to listen to what I was saying?" Questioned Professor Ostrov.

"It is just that I have a hard time remembering such thing Professor. If I don't experience it or see it, I cannot remember it."

"Good grace, thanks the lord you are not the crown prince, the future emperor of our land, or the empire would be doomed."

"Haha, well Professor, nothing is set in stones and the previously looked down upon can always turn the tide can't he?" said Gustav with a calm voice but with a hidden darkness in his eyes. "Wait for it old goat, I'll make you pay belittling me" he thought.

"Haha, my young Prince, you are right, in some odd cases, the toad can be turned into a swan. But will you, hahaha, I doubt it" answered Professor Ostrov full of contempt and disdain.

"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK"

"What is it?" reacted right away Professor Ostrov. "I'm giving a class to the fourth Prince Gustav".

"I apologize, your lordship, adviser Ostrov, but the Emperor has asked for the Prince," said a shy and low voice behind the door.

"Well, what are you waiting for, my Prince, go, go meet the Emperor his Majesty, for the Gods know why, has requested you. Go!" said Ostrov to the Prince.

"Farewell Professor," said in a dignified manner Gustav as he stood up and opened the door in one move.

Once he crossed the door, Gustav saw a young boy, around the age of twelve, trembling.

"Don't fear my boy" said Gustav. "You just helped me out there. Now go, go to your daily obligations. I know the way to the courtroom" added Gustav with a smile.

"Thank you, my Prince" replied the young boy while bowing to Gustav.

The boy barely had enough time to stand up straight that he saw Gustav disappear at the end of the hallway.