Who taught him to restore the country like this

Chapter 242 [Balance]

Since the person did not use any distinctive martial arts techniques, Bai Dou could not determine which faction he came from.

However, during the battle, he discovered that his opponent also had enslavement shackles around his neck.

"Could it be someone sent by one of the other princes?"

The Hewitt family spent the entire night discussing and analyzing this matter.

Only two wars of divine kingdoms have been fought, and most royal families choose to end their own lives after being defeated, so there are not many shackles of enslavement currently in place.

The Star Empire has fewer than thirty slave royals in total, and a small portion of them are from the Hewitt family.

Aside from the Star Empire, the only other empires with the shackles of enslavement are the Bruveman Empire and the Emerald Kingdom, which has won three battles.

Oh, and there's that uncrowned king who only recently emerged.

However, we can basically rule out the Uncrowned King, as the Uncrowned King is only at the seventh level, while the thief who infiltrated the secret passage last night was at least at the eighth level.

As for the Emerald Kingdom, of the three countries he defeated, the Kingdom of Lach was the only remaining one, and it had escaped the shackles of slavery.

In the Kingdom of Layton, the entire royal family committed suicide.

Only some members of the royal family of the Kingdom of Doma were captured, but in such a short time, it was impossible for these enslaved members of the royal family to grow to the eighth rank.

Therefore, the scope can be narrowed down to the Star Empire and the Bruwerman Empire.

If it were the Bruwerman Empire, the situation would be better. With external enemies eyeing them covetously, even if the secret passage were exposed, there would always be a reason to cover it up.

The worst-case scenario is that it was someone sent by one of the other princes. Who knows when they discovered this secret passage, or how long they had been secretly observing them?

Once their clandestine activities are exposed, they won't even have a chance to take sides.

That night, the Hewitt family was destined to have a sleepless night.

Not just that one night, but as long as they couldn't confirm the other person's identity, they would be on tenterhooks.

After all, this matter is of utmost importance. If it is not handled properly, the survival that the Hewitt family has sacrificed their dignity for will all vanish into thin air.

And what you fear most is what happens.

The next morning, the Third Prince's attendant came to visit.

"His Highness the Third Prince wishes to see me?"

Inside the room, Ron looked at Rumba, who had come to report, and asked in surprise, "What does he want with me?"

"I don't know."

The usually carefree dwarf Rumba now had a worried look on his face.

Anyway, be careful.

He believed that the Third Prince was likely there because of what happened last night.

"Can I not go?"

Ron asked thoughtfully.

Although he knew that the people who infiltrated the secret passage last night were from the Bruwerman Empire, he felt that the Third Prince coming to his door at this time could not be anything good.

The Third Prince's personality is easy to deal with, but getting close to him will only make him a target for more people.

He doesn't want too much attention on him right now.

"Of course not. To refuse an invitation from the royal family would be to disrespect the imperial authority. Moreover, you are a hero; a cowardly act would only make people suspicious of you."

Rumba Road.

Even knowing it was a trap, Ron had to go.

"Ok."

Ron sighed helplessly.

It seems that taking away power will require going through several more roundabout steps.

Ron tidied himself up, changed into a proper outfit, and followed Rumba to the entrance of the Forging Crafts Park hall.

At this moment, a beautifully crafted and luxurious carriage was parked in front of the outer courtyard gate.

Seeing that Rumba had no intention of going along, Ron walked over.

"Young man, you won't betray us, will you?"

Lumba suddenly spoke up, his voice serious.

"Don't worry, old man, I still need your inspection authority."

Ron waved to him with his back turned.

"You must be the fifth generation hero, Lord Beretta?"

Ron walked to the gate, and a guard dressed as a butler immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"it's me."

Ron nodded and asked, "What business does His Highness the Third Prince have with me?"

"I don't know."

The guard did not overstep his bounds and reveal the Third Prince's intentions. He reached out and lifted the carriage curtain, respectfully inviting Ron to get in.

Ron glanced at the short sword at the guard's waist and stepped into the carriage.

The old emperor of the Star Empire loved his children dearly and treated them all equally. He ordered Hewitt to forge a unique sword for each of his heirs, a symbol of their status.

The short sword hanging at the guard's waist was none other than the sword of the young princess, Kana.

This was clearly done to impress the Hewitt family.

No wonder Rumba seemed so nervous.

Of the four heirs to the empire, the most intelligent is undoubtedly the third prince.

The Third Prince's actions likely indicate that he has discovered something.

It's not very likely; Ron can tell them definitively that the Third Prince knows everything they've done.

Bringing Princess Sikhana's sword to their door was a way of sending a message of warning.

The purpose of inviting him over is most likely to give him a warning.

Ron sat in the carriage, already anticipating what the Third Prince was about to say to him.

In early April, the morning mist hung heavy as the carriage slowly made its way down the main road.

Compared to the other heirs who were constantly causing trouble, the Third Prince was the most composed. He lived a Buddhist-like life in a palace outside the capital. He participated in every matter, but never got too involved.

His palace wasn't far from the forging industrial park, so the carriage didn't need to go too fast.

When the carriage arrived at the palace, it was just the time for the Third Prince's lunch.

Ron was invited directly to lunch.

The carriage stopped in the courtyard, and Ron followed the guards into the hall, through the central courtyard, and to the place where the Third Prince was dining.

As he passed through the courtyard, he saw a little girl dressed in white on one side of the courtyard.

She knelt on the ground, covered in dirt, holding a wooden sword in her hand, her weary eyes looking at Ron as he passed by.

"continue!"

A sharp shout made the distracted little girl tremble, and she quickly stood up, gripping her wooden sword.

Ron glanced at it once and then looked away.

"Your Highness Edith, Lord Beretta has arrived."

In the restaurant, a guard pushed open the door, entered the restaurant, bowed, and reported.

"Please come in quickly."

The Third Prince Edith, seated in the main seat, rose with a hospitable smile and spoke.

"Lord Byleth."

The guard turned to look at Ron, who was standing at the door, and called out.

"Bereta greets His Highness the Third Prince."

Ron entered the restaurant and bowed slightly in greeting.

"No need for formalities, please have a seat."

Edith, with a friendly smile, gestured for Ron to sit down next to her.

"I am delighted to receive the invitation from His Highness the Third Prince."

Ron walked to Edith's left and sat down in the seat closest to the head of the table.

Soon a maid pushed a food cart in and placed ten warm dishes in front of Ron.

"I hope it suits your taste."

The Third Prince said with a smile.

As he spoke, all the servants in the room tacitly withdrew.

Ron looked at the closed door, then his gaze returned to Edith.

The third prince remained silent and gracefully began to enjoy his lunch.

Ron looked at him for two seconds, and seeing that the other party didn't seem to be getting straight to the point, he looked away.

He picked up his knife and fork and began to eat the meal in front of him with relatively elegant movements.

After eating a little of each dish, he put down his cutlery.

"What? Not to your liking?"

Edith looked over when she heard the sound.

"I am full."

Ron replied.

"Then I'll arrange for you to rest first, and we'll talk later..."

"Can't I say it here?"

Ron interrupted Edith.

He doesn't have much time to play games with Edith here.

The longer you stay in the Third Prince's residence, the greater the risk of being targeted.

Seeing Ron's look that suggested he didn't want to linger, Edith couldn't help but laugh, finding it amusing.

"You could say that here, but it doesn't quite fit the way we treat guests."

He put down his cutlery and said with a smile.

"Your Highness, there is no need to worry. I am just a commoner and do not care too much about etiquette. If Your Highness has anything you want to say to me, please feel free to say it."

Ron said.

"Actually, I invited you here not because I wanted to say anything in particular, but just to admire the legendary hero."

Edith chuckled.

"I am no longer a hero."

"This is only temporary."

Edith shook her head and said, "The three major churches will not allow that Ron to exist. He will disappear soon, and then you will still be the hero."

Anyone with eyes can see this principle.

Therefore, even if the Hero's Sword is not on the Hero Beretta, no one would dare to openly mock him.

"That's not necessarily true. He has far greater talent than I do. Your Highness, instead of meeting an ordinary person like me, you should go to Tianhai North Island and witness the brilliance of the fourth generation hero."

Ron suggested.

"Haha, to be praised like this by such an outstanding Lady Beretta, it seems this fourth-generation hero truly possesses extraordinary charm. I would like to meet him if I have the chance."

"Your Highness flatters me. I am merely a coward who deserts in the face of battle and have no outstanding talents whatsoever."

"You're being modest. Faced with the title of 'Hero,' which symbolizes immense wealth and status, to be able to easily choose and willingly play a supporting role—how can you say that you're not an outstanding person?"

Edith said with a smile, her eyes filled with admiration and appreciation as she looked at Ron.

And subtle scrutiny.

"Wow, I'm that good? I guess I'll have to go back and fight for the title of Hero."

Ron resigned in a half-joking tone.

"You really don't want to stay here with me?"

There was a hint of helplessness in Edith's voice.

"I'm very sorry, I have other tasks to complete."

Ron stood up.

"Your mission... is to inspect the powers held by the Hewitt family?"

Edith's smile faded slightly.

It's no secret that Ron wants to examine the powers, given Gogu's antics in front of the palace.

However, Edith's words emphasized "powers held by the Hewitt family," implying that Ron wanted to seek the Hewitt family's help to examine the powers.

Ron did not answer the trap question.

"I heard that you came to the capital this time on behalf of your brother Johnny's?"

Edith continued to ask.

"His Highness the Second Prince did provide me with assistance, but it was my idea to have him return and examine my powers."

Ron replied.

"That's it..."

Edith stood up and walked over to Ron.

"I thought you had sided with your brother Johnny's."

He said with a smile, his tone carrying a deeper meaning.

“I will not participate in your power struggle; I only want to find someone who can use their powers to influence the Mermaid Heart.”

Ron said calmly.

"I have a general understanding of what happened on Tianhai North Island. Based on the current information, I can't analyze anything. Why do you think the Mermaid Heart was affected by the power?"

Edith asked.

The only information they currently possess is that the Mermaid Heart can manipulate the remains of the deceased.

This is merely speculation without concrete evidence. Yet the young hero before them has deduced that the Mermaid's Heart has been affected by Omnipotence.

Is this just a cheap trick to attract attention?

Do not!
After a brief encounter, his intuition told him that the young hero's deduction was correct.

“You seem to…” Edith picked up the knife Ron was using and examined it closely: “You seem to know a great deal about the Mermaid Heart.”

Ron calmly watched Edith's threatening gesture without answering the question.

There is no obligation to answer.

The atmosphere gradually became tense.

"But this is normal."

Just then, Edith changed her tone and resumed her previous amiable smile.

"Heroes throughout history have all come into contact with the Mermaid's Heart. As a hero, you must know more than we do."

He returned to his seat and sat down.

The tense atmosphere relaxed.

"Could you tell me the basis of your inference?"

Edith asked curiously.

"The Mermaid's Heart was split into two, one with great goodwill toward the hero and the other with great malice toward the hero."

Ron replied.

"I see."

After hearing this, Edith stroked her chin and nodded thoughtfully, saying, "Looking at it this way, the Mermaid Heart may indeed have been affected by that power."

The power wielded by the Star Empire is called "Balance," which grants its owner the power to balance everything.

Its main purpose is to restrain.

Even if an ordinary person inherits it, they can still exert combat power comparable to that of a ninth-tier enemy.

It's even possible for one person to control an entire country.

Based on this alone, its practicality ranks among the top two of all its functions.

Another use of it is for segmentation.

It can divide any living organism into two opposing extreme forms.

Simply put, it's about good and evil.

They will work together to address the obsession with this life form.

For example, if a person hates another person very much, the two individuals that split off will be one that will try their best to protect that person, and the other that will try their best to kill that person.

That's right, that's the current situation of Mermaid Heart.

On several occasions when Ron encountered danger on the North Island of the Sky Sea, the Mermaid Heart always came to his rescue and protected the hero.

And that being that targets the hero at every turn is, without a doubt, the "evil" mermaid heart.

Ron guessed that the mermaid was evil and could probably use the abilities of anyone who harbored malice towards the hero.

And since the demons happen to be full of malice towards heroes, those few strange attacks can be explained.

"If I may ask, is it a bad thing that the mermaid's heart has become two?"

Edith asked.

Why does he feel this is a good thing?

Wouldn't that allow the Star Empire and the Holy See to each get one?
"If the Mermaid Heart could originally be considered a divine artifact, then now it's just two pseudo-divine artifacts. They're fine for dealing with ordinary people, but they're completely useless against the Demon King."

Ron said.

"Alright, it seems it really is necessary to eliminate the influence of the [Balance] power on the Mermaid's Heart. What are your plans?"

"Just by checking the powers, you can tell who used them?"

"Even if you know who is using the power, what can you do? The only way to eliminate the influence of the power is to inherit it."

Edith said.

How to inherit the power has always been a difficult problem for these successors.

"There's no need. In the non-inherited state, the power can only affect one object. As long as the [Balance] power affects another object, its influence on the Mermaid Heart will disappear."

Ron said.

Is there such a thing?

This was the first time Edith had known that the [Balance] power had such a drawback.

Not to mention him, even the previous user, the old emperor, didn't know about this.

After all, the previous [Balance] powers were all inherited, and no one has ever used the powers in a non-inherited state.

Edith looked at Ron, her curiosity growing stronger.

This boy knows an extraordinary amount of things.

What do you think the conditions for the inheritance of power would be?

He suddenly spoke up and asked.

"I do not know."

"When our father was still alive, he always warned us not to kill each other. He loved us very much and everything was distributed fairly."

Edith's face showed a hint of nostalgia as she spoke to herself.

"However, due to differences in individual abilities, a gap quickly emerged between us after Father's death. Among them, Brother Kaden received the most support, followed by Brother Johnny."

"I don't know when it started, but these differences have forced us brothers to fight each other. If Father could see this, he would be very sad."

"Father would certainly not want to see such a thing happen, so I'm wondering if the conditions for the succession of the [Balance] power could be a balance reached among us heirs?"

Edith said this, casting a look at Ron that seemed to be seeking his approval.

"I have said that I will not interfere in your country's power struggles, so please do not talk to me about such things, Your Highness."

Ron has not commented on this matter.

Because it was a look seeking approval, not an inquiry, his attitude didn't matter.

Even if he answers that this is not correct, Edith will still do it.

Well, the conditions for inheriting the power of [Balance] are indeed as he thought. As long as the brothers put aside their disputes and achieve a balance of power, they can inherit the power.

But it's obvious that this is impossible.

They agree, but those behind them will not.

Therefore, the original work reached a different kind of "balance".

When there's only one person left, with no competitors, it's a kind of balance.

Children, don't panic. Once I take away the power, you won't have this problem anymore.

"Sorry, I lost my temper."

Edith withdrew her gaze seeking approval.

Although he was somewhat disappointed by the lack of recognition, he was satisfied with Ron's neutral attitude.

"Your Highness, you must be tired. If there's nothing else, I won't bother you any longer."

Ron resigned and was about to leave.

"and many more."

Edith called to Ron.

"You want to examine the powers, don't you? I can help you obtain the consent of all the heirs."

He said it "friendly".

"Then thank you, Your Highness."

Ron looked into Edith's eyes and thanked her.

Although he didn't want too much attention to be drawn to this area, but...

This is a request for help that I cannot refuse!

After all, this is the only legitimate channel to access authority. If he refuses, it would be tantamount to telling the other party, "I am going to access authority through improper means."

Ron knew that the other party coming to his door at this time couldn't be anything good.

"In addition, I can provide you with two leads regarding the person who might use their powers."

"What clue?"

Ron asked the question without much hope.

"Not long ago, someone came to visit..."

"Waaaaah, Edith brother."

Suddenly the restaurant door opened, and a dirty little girl ran in, grabbed Edith's arm, and started crying.

"I don't want to learn swordsmanship anymore."

"Didn't you say yesterday that you wanted to learn swordsmanship?"

Edith reached out and stroked the little girl's head, asking gently.

"Doron is too fierce, and his sword always hits my butt. I don't want to learn swordsmanship from him anymore."

“Your Highness, the break time is over. Please come with me to the courtyard to continue your practice.”

As soon as Sikhana finished speaking, a knight dressed in light clothing and carrying a wooden sword appeared at the door, giving a serious reminder.

"I do not want!"

Sikhana clung tightly to Edith's arm and even made a face at the knight.

"Sikana, how can you give up halfway through something you've decided on?"

The next second, she heard Edith's criticism.

"But...but..."

As she spoke, Sikhana began to cry again.

"You go wait in the courtyard first. After I've finished greeting the guests, I'll come and practice swordsmanship with you, okay?"

Edith reluctantly conceded.

"Ok!"

Sikhana's face lit up with joy. She nodded emphatically, released her grip on Edith, and walked toward the knight at the door.

As she passed Ron, she looked up at him curiously.

Ron met her gaze out of the corner of his eye.

Sikhana immediately shivered and quickened her pace towards the knight at the door.

This man is terrifying!
As Sikhana left, the guard at the door closed the door apologetically, and Edith's gaze returned to Ron.

"Sorry for making you laugh."

He said with a hint of apology.

Ron shook his head.

Let's continue our previous topic.

Edith composed herself and said, "Not long before you arrived in the Star Empire, Master Horn of the Titan Kingdom visited us."

Ron didn't speak, but listened quietly.

"He said he wanted to help us find out the conditions for the succession of power. He took blood from several of us and performed a strange ritual in front of the Emperor's tomb, saying that he wanted to summon the Emperor's soul and ask about the conditions for the succession."

"But the ritual was ultimately unsuccessful, and Master Horn did not continue to try."

He hadn't thought much of it before, but now that he thought about it carefully, Master Horn's behavior at the time was very suspicious.

Who would give up after failing once?
Regardless of whether they succeed or not, a normal person would at least try a few more times.

Master Horn...

Ron stared into deep thought.

That does sound very suspicious.

But Horn has no reason to do that, right?

Even if he wanted to protect Philian's remains, he didn't need to attack the hero.

Ron couldn't figure out why Horn would want to harm him.

However, there must be something wrong with making this trip before dying.

He couldn't help but think of the black spot on Gangji's back. Could it be related to his behavior?
Unfortunately, the person is now dead, and he can't get the answers from the dead.

"What's the other clue?"

"Let's put this lead aside for now," Ron asked.

"Actually, there are more than just the four of us who will inherit the empire."

Edith paused for a moment, then revealed a secret unknown to the outside world.

Ron immediately understood.

He was born out of wedlock.

Tell me quickly.

“A year ago, Father brought someone back from outside. Father has never revealed this person’s identity. He is a human mercenary, so none of us have thought about it that way.”

"I only thought that this person was a mercenary with good talent that my father found from outside and trained him."

"But after observing him for a long time, I found that this person's talent is not very good, in fact, it can be said to be very poor. He is only at the third level in his twenties."

"I never understood why my father brought him back until I decided to challenge him to a duel on a whim."

"He only has the strength of the third rank. At first, I was thinking of suppressing my strength and letting him have his way."

At this point, Edith gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"But in the end, I used up all my cards, and I still couldn't beat him!"

At that time, his strength was already close to the seventh level.

(End of this chapter)