This Bastard is Too Competent

A tense silence hung over the tent. Especially Leonic’s trembling gaze revealed just how much he was struggling to make a decision. Yet, Ian was confident he knew the outcome.

‘In the end, you’ll have no choice but to accept my offer.’

It was inevitable. The First Prince and the other factions in Cantum were only interested in using Leonic as a pawn. If he allied with them, he’d become nothing more than a puppet emperor. The same applied to his sister, the First Princess.

‘The Queen who topples Kaistein’s power will surely control you as well.’

She was already an outstanding princess. If she chose to exploit her position as Queen to dominate Cantum, Leonic—stripped of his title and influence—would stand no chance. In fact, it was almost guaranteed that he’d be overpowered.

The Black Lion Knights and Blood Lion Knights accompanying her were precisely the kind of forces prepared for such a task. Once in Cantum, they wouldn’t hesitate to systematically eliminate not only Leonic’s enemies but also his remaining supporters.

‘Even Sir Nathan’s role as her fiancé is absurd.’

Currently, the First Princess was supposed to dispatch reinforcements in exchange for her engagement with Leonic. But to have a fiancé when she was going to become a queen was simply ludicrous.

‘It’s unprecedented in Cantum’s short history. An absolute scandal.’

‘This is a transaction. You give me what I need, and in return, I will give you what you need.’

Leonic understood that perfectly.

‘He doesn’t even see me as a competitor.’

Ian’s gaze made it obvious. It wasn’t just confidence—it was complete dismissal. To Ian, Cantum and its former Crown Prince were obstacles he could crush at will. Strangely, that dismissal made Ian seem trustworthy.

‘It’s humiliating… but I have no other choice.’

At least Ian’s intentions felt clearer than those of others who sought to make Leonic their puppet emperor. But Leonic wasn’t entirely giving in. He saw an opportunity in Ian’s proposal and intended to turn the situation to his advantage.

‘Once I ascend to the throne, I’ll do everything in my power to defeat you.’

As long as no one interfered, he believed he could fully unleash his own talents. Leonic was confident he could eventually challenge Kaistein. Extending his hand, he made his decision.

“I will trust your promise.”

“That’s a wise choice, Leonic, former Crown Prince. No, future Emperor.”

Clasp.

With a firm grip, Ian also took his hand. However, Leonic was unaware of Ian’s hidden intent. While Ian’s offer was fair, should Leonic ever turn against him—

‘The terms will change.’

Having been betrayed once, Ian wasn’t naive enough to trust blindly. And at that moment…

Woong!

A subtle energy flowed from Ian into Leonic through their clasped hands. It was the essence of Jealousy, one of the Seven Sins. Ian smiled inwardly.

‘When jealousy takes hold, people often make mistakes they can’t avoid.’

Leonic wouldn’t just make simple errors. Unbeknownst to him, the influence of Jealousy would allow Ian to glean valuable information. Though they both smiled at each other, their thoughts couldn’t have been more different.

***

On the quiet plain, a man stood, facing the breeze—none other than the First Prince, Leon. Behind him, one of his closest aides approached cautiously.

“My lord, we’ve received a report from the spies,” the aide said.

“What’s the situation?” Leon asked without turning.

The man lowered his head. “We’ve successfully contacted Leonic, the former Crown Prince.”

“And?”

“We’ve secured his agreement to lure Kaistein’s forces to the Imperial Palace.”

Leon didn’t react, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. “As expected. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Everything was proceeding as Leon had planned. Who could have predicted that a puppet like Leonic would fall so easily into their hands? Even if someone had anticipated it, they likely thought it would be limited to within Cantum or through internal contacts. But he had outwitted them all.

‘How boring.’

Leon’s indifferent expression shifted slightly as the aide hesitated before speaking again.

“However… there is something strange.”

“What is it?”

“We lost contact with the spies after their meeting with Leonic. It seems they were discovered.”

“Was it the First Princess?” Leon’s lips curled into a faint smile. “Impressive.”

For a brief moment, amusement flickered in his eyes. His younger sister’s antics never failed to intrigue him. But the smile quickly faded as his mind turned to another matter.

“And him?”

“The Seventh Prince?” the aide asked, sensing Leon’s intent.

Leon nodded. The mention of Ian’s name erased all traces of amusement from his expression. His gaze grew sharp, as though eager to uncover Ian’s next move. Yet, as the report continued, his expression darkened, irritation clearly etched on his face.

“It seems he’s heading to the Duke of Garcia’s territory. This time, he’s traveling discreetly in a royal carriage.”

“To Garcia, not Cantum?” Leon’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Yes, according to our spies.”

Leon felt a pang of disappointment. He had expected more from Ian, someone who had previously piqued his interest.

‘Is that all he’s capable of?’

If the Seven Sins in Cantum were fully assembled, Kaistein would crumble in an instant. Conversely, Leon, who had already gathered six of the Seven Sins, could easily overpower Ian to claim the final piece. Amused by the foolish mistakes of his enemies, Leon let out a wry chuckle.

At that moment, the aide hesitated before asking, “But, my lord, why didn’t he use the black dragon this time?”

“That was expected. Such power cannot be wielded at will.”

Leon was well aware of the black dragon. He had to be—his knowledge of the Seven Sins was unmatched. In fact, all the information Ceres had about them originated from him.

‘A black dragon is nothing more than a beast, rampaging without a true master.’

The power of Fury, one of the Seven Sins, had not yet shown its true form. Like Jealousy, wielding Fury required immense strength, born of deeply negative emotions. Unless one accumulated it through constant battles and wars like Leon had, one could fully utilize its power. Even so, the cost of using it was steep—the more one relied on the Seven Sins, the more they risked losing themselves.

‘If you push your power beyond its limits, you might transform into a dragon yourself.’

This wasn’t mere hyperbole. One could shed their frail human body and transform into an actual dragon—not a divine and revered creature spoken of in the Kingdom of Magicians, but mindless beasts devoid of intellect and reasoning.

Leon’s gaze turned cold at the thought.

“Not that it matters,” he said, brushing off his musings.

Still, Ian’s absence was disappointing. His long-serving aide, perceptive as always, asked cautiously, “Could it be… you’re disappointed, my lord?”

“A little,” Leon admitted with a smirk. “That boy had a knack for keeping things interesting.”

“But isn’t he the one constantly jeopardizing your grand plans…?”

“That’s precisely what made it fun. He’s the only one who’s ever seen through my schemes and tried to thwart them.”

“!”

The aide blinked in confusion, unable to understand Leon’s reasoning. But Leon’s smirk widened as memories surfaced.

‘From the Duchy of Garcia to the territories of Labadom and Helgaia, even my once allies Cesare and Haverion…’

Ian had ruined them all. Even the power of Fury, which should have belonged to Leon, now rested in Ian’s hands. And yet, rather than anger, Leon felt an unusual curiosity toward his youngest sibling.

‘This is quite interesting. No one else has ever intrigued me this much.’

Still, Ian wouldn’t interfere this time. The interruptions were finally over. Leon was about to turn and leave when a faint sound reached his ears.

“Cough…”

At his feet, someone stirred, coughing up blood. Leon turned his head at the sight.

“Well, well… Still alive, are you? You’re quite persistent for a general.”

“You… you bastard…!”

The one who cried out wore the uniform of a general from Cantum. He was incredibly battered, half his body was mangled, and he had even lost one eye, shedding tears of blood as he screamed.

“I will never forgive you…”

Despite having lost his legs, the general gritted his teeth and used his sword as a crutch, struggling to rise. Determined to deliver one final blow, he glared at Leon with unyielding fury. But Leon’s expression remained one of boredom.

“You’re still clinging on? Just give up and join your comrades in death.”

“Don’t mock me!” the general roared. “For the sake of my fallen men, I refuse to die like this!”

Glancing around, Leon observed not just the wounded general by his feet, but also numerous others—dozens, hundreds, even thousands—lying lifeless and cold. Most were soldiers of Cantum, those who had been loyal to Leonic and the kingdom. These were the men who had truly cared for Cantum and had fought bravely. Yet they had all met their end at Leon’s hands.

He let out a cold laugh.

“You brought this upon yourselves. If you had just stayed down, you could have died peacefully…”

“You bastard!” The general yelled, his eyes bloodshot with rage, and swung his sword with all his remaining strength.

But…

“KUHUHHH!”

He didn’t manage to even take a single step. His body erupted with blood, spilling from every wound as he stood frozen in place.

Thud.

And just like that, the general died before he could even land a single strike. Leon shook his head in disbelief at the scene.

“I told you to stay down. You really are persistent.”

His aide stepped forward, bowing deeply. “Thank you for your hard work, my lord.”

“Well, this marks the end.”

“Yes, my lord. The last of those loyal to Prince Leonic has fallen.”

Leon glanced over the surroundings. All that remained now was to use the corpses as bait for the final internal conflict. Soon, the Seven Sins would reveal their true forms. Just as he was about to leave, a sharp gasp broke the silence.

“Gasp…”

His aide, trembling, called out hesitantly, “My… my lord…”

Leon turned to face the aide, tilting his head in mild curiosity. “What’s wrong?”

The aide’s shaking hand pointed toward Leon’s attire. Looking down, Leon noticed droplets of blood on his pristine white clothes. It was the blood that the general had shed as he was dying. His expression darkened instantly.

“This… damn rat…” he muttered coldly.

Until now, Leon’s clothes had been immaculate—a stark contrast to the carnage around him. One could almost believe he was merely strolling through a garden rather than standing amidst a blood-soaked battlefield. But now, the bloodstains marred the purity of his white garments.

With his anger rising, the aide urgently tried to calm him, “My… my lord, please calm down. It’s just a single drop of…”

“How dare this filthy scum stain my clothes! How dare they… these worthless trash…”

The aide froze. He had served Leon long enough to recognize the storm brewing behind his master’s cold exterior. Leon was truly enraged, and when Leon’s anger reached this point, even loyal followers were not safe.

‘If I stay here, I’ll end up dead too.’

Without another word, the aide turned and bolted, desperate to save himself.

“…”

Leon didn’t spare him a glance. Instead, with an expression full of anger, he drew his sword and drove it into the ground.

Thud!

In a tone colder than before, he uttered, “Consume everything. Greed.”

This was a power that rivaled the upper tier among the Seven Sins. Unlike Ian’s Jealousy or Fury, Leon’s Greed began to manifest its true strength.

And at that very moment…

Woong! Woong!

A tidal wave of black energy surged forth from Leon’s sword, consuming everything in its path. Soldiers, generals, weapons, and armor—all were swallowed by the wave, reduced to nothingness. When the wave finally subsided, only the sword of the fallen general remained.

“…”

The vast plain was left barren, devoid of all life and form.

***

Ian finished his contract with Leonic and came out.

‘Now everything that needs to be done is finished.’

He would soon enter the land of Cantum. He had to hurry and prepare to move with his knights. Of course, there was still something to do first.

Wriggle.

A strange movement stirred within his arms. Unlike the fragment of Jealousy, which was visible only to Ian, this creature could be seen by all. Carefully, Ian brought it out.

“Come out.”

Gyu~

The creature slowly revealed itself, a deep red hue. It was small, no larger than the size of his palm, but its appearance was far from benign.

It was a black dragon—or more accurately, a serpent with the head of a dragon, its scaled body gleaming darkly. And the helmet revealed its true identity.

[Is this Fury, one of the Seven Sins?]

It wasn’t a joke. As if it had taken physical form, the creature, now a manifestation of Fury, writhed.

Gyu~

It looked almost adorably cute. Yet Ian’s gaze was not one of curiosity or affection; his eyes gleamed with greed.

“There must be a reason you’ve revealed yourself now.”

Gyaouu~

The serpent lifted its head, as though acknowledging Ian’s words and expressing gratitude for being called forth.

Gyu!

Its gaze turned toward a certain direction. The very place that had been tugging at Ian’s mind all along. Unbeknownst to him, it pointed towards the vast plain where the First Prince was unleashing Greed.

“Is that where it is?” Ian’s lips curled into a smirk.

Yet, he knew he couldn’t move carelessly. There were preparations to be made first.

Raising the serpent-shaped Fury in his palm, Ian locked eyes with it.

“Then I’ll prepare to confront it.”