Second Life, I’m Dying Soon Chapter 20

Chapter 20


Alexis stormed out of the reception hall.

The meeting, which had lasted for nearly two hours, had maintained a fairly pleasant atmosphere, yet the Crown Prince’s expression was anything but bright as he emerged.

His quick strides forced the attendants to hurry after him.

“Your Highness, where are you headed?”

“……”

Alexis didn’t respond and simply moved his long legs forward. His destination was the training grounds.

“Your Highness!”

Claude, seeing the Crown Prince personally stepping into the training grounds, immediately abandoned his task to rush over.

“Do you have time?”

“…Pardon?”

“Draw your sword.”

Without any preamble, Alexis challenged him to a duel. His stark expression made it clear—if he didn’t vent his frustration immediately, he would explode.

Clang! Clang! The sound of colliding steel rang out relentlessly.

Though this wasn’t a battle to the death, Alexis’s longsword carried a sharp aura. A single misstep, and Claude could easily lose a limb. He had no choice but to take it seriously.

Their skills were evenly matched, but in the end, Claude’s sword was the first to go flying. Swallowing his disappointment, he raised both hands in surrender.

Only then did the tension on the Crown Prince’s face ease, replaced by a faint smile. He extended his hand first, prompting Claude to let out an incredulous chuckle before gripping it firmly, tightening his hold in retaliation.

“Did you really have to trample my pride in front of the knights?”

“So, should I have lost to you on purpose?”

“No need. How could I ever hope to defeat Your Highness?”

With the duel settled, the two began walking side by side, as if they had never exchanged fierce blows just moments ago. Alexis remained silent until they reached the secluded paths behind the Saint’s Palace. Then, at last, he spoke.

“There’s a serious lack of capable people. Not a single one meets my standards.”

“I take it that today’s meeting was disappointing as well?”

“The older nobles are unbearably rigid.”

The young nobles lacked experience, and the experienced nobles had different aims than Alexis. 

A chief aide isn’t a position that can be appointed simply because someone is good at their job. It had to be someone Alexis could trust and entrust with tasks, and above all, their temperaments had to match. 

The Crown Prince had a clear goal for the empire he wanted to achieve: a place where everyone could equally demonstrate their abilities.

For the empire to prosper, the old bad practices had to be shattered first. The greedy nobles would never agree. 

Claude, who had been listening to the Crown Prince’s difficulties, added his opinion with some effort.

“Why not seek out fresh talent entirely?”

“Do you know anyone suitable?”

Claude scratched his forehead. Both he and Alexis had spent years away from the empire, leaving them out of touch with current affairs. At the moment, no promising candidate came to mind.

“I’ve heard that young aristocrats have been gathering at social clubs these days. They use them not only for networking but also to discuss political ideas. Would you like me to take a look around?”

“You? At a social club?”

Claude, whose social skills were practically nonexistent, attending a club? The combination was almost laughable. Alexis smirked.

“I wouldn’t mind, but can you really make connections there? A social club isn’t a place you can dominate with sheer force.”

“I’m not entirely confident, but… since Your Highness can’t go in person, someone has to.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

Alexis agreed without hesitation. If it were Claude, he would surely return with a candidate that suited his preferences.

“By the way, you haven’t asked about Yuria lately.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Caught up in his duties, Alexis had completely forgotten about her. Only now did he belatedly inquire about her well-being.

“How is she?”

“Not doing too well. I’ve assigned a tutor to teach her court etiquette, but she’s struggling with it. She practically recoils at the mere mention of the word ‘etiquette’.”

“She has no choice but to endure it. If she doesn’t want to be looked down upon, there’s no other way.”

“Are you planning to bring her to the palace someday?”

“When the time is right, yes. But not yet.”

Life in the palace was a battlefield. Without a strong mind, survival was impossible.

Alexis cherished Yuria deeply and didn’t want to see her hurt. At least until he had solidified his own position, he had no intention of placing her within the palace walls.

“Until then, I’m counting on you.”

Alexis said, draping an arm over his longtime friend’s shoulder. Claude could only nod and force a smile.

 

***

 

A week later, Claude barged into the Saint’s Palace once again. Skipping any formalities, he flung open the doors to the Crown Prince’s chambers and slammed his hand down on the table. The sudden impact made the teacups tremble.

“Do you know who I saw at the club?”

“I don’t see why you’re making such a fuss.”

As always, Alexis kept his eyes fixed on the documents before him, responding with an air of indifference.

“You won’t believe who I saw…!”

Claude’s voice had unconsciously risen, but he quickly caught himself and glanced around. Once he confirmed they were alone, he leaned in and whispered as if sharing a state secret.

“I saw Cecil Adrian.”

At last, those blue eyes lifted.

“You saw Cecil at a social club?”

“Yes! With my own eyes!”

“And what was he doing there?”

“What else? He was surrounded by men, laughing and chatting away. The rumors about his debauchery ^[1] Extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures : behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral. … aren’t exaggerated in the slightest!”

“Cecil, frequenting a social club….”

Alexis set the documents aside for a moment and lifted his teacup, wetting his dry lips. His gaze darkened slightly as he traced his thoughts.

“Who was he with?”

“Mostly young aristocrats. The problem is, a few of them happen to be the very people I’ve been keeping an eye on.”

Claude let out a long breath, trying to steady his excitement.

“There’s a man named Tristan with a stellar reputation. I went to that club to get introduced to him, only to find Cecil right there beside him! Because of that, I couldn’t even get close, let alone exchange introductions.”

Growing more frustrated the more he thought about it, Claude raked a hand roughly over his face. Lately, Cecil had been skipping sword training under flimsy excuses, and Claude had assumed the brat had finally decided to slack off. But no—he was out there networking in the most unexpected places.

“That club… Can I visit it as well?”

“Wait, Your Highness wants to go there?”

The sudden request left Claude momentarily speechless. His brows furrowed deeply.

“It’s not exactly a place suited for someone of your status. There are security concerns… and more than anything, people will talk.”

“If a member of the royal family were to attend, wouldn’t that club only gain prestige? As for security, that’s your job to handle. And as you well know, I don’t particularly care what others say.”

What Alexis truly wanted to know was Cecil’s intent.

Was he really there just for reckless amusement, or did he have an ulterior motive for moving within those circles?

“I need to see it with my own eyes.”

The Crown Prince’s lips curled slightly behind the rim of his teacup.

***

On a night when the moon shone particularly bright, a black carriage pulled up in front of the estate.

The vehicle’s sleek, imposing exterior exuded an undeniable presence. Most striking of all was the crest of House Vandell, etched into the door like a gleaming jewel.

With a decisive motion, the door swung open. Claude was the first to step out, extending his hand with a formal escort’s grace.

The man who followed barely spared the offered hand a glance, brushing it aside with the back of his own before stepping onto the ground.

Alexis’s hair was now the same shade of brown as Claude’s. The golden locks that symbolized the imperial family were too distinctive—easily recognizable even from afar. For security reasons, a wig was a necessity.

The disguise, however, did not sit well with him. His expression had been twisted in displeasure for the entire carriage ride.

“At least try to look pleasant. We’re here to socialize, not to behead anyone.”

“You have the audacity to say that after forcing this ridiculous disguise on me?”

“I think brown suits you quite well.”

Claude smirked. Even with his golden hair concealed, the regal air about Alexis was impossible to suppress.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince’s official portrait had yet to be completed, meaning very few people would recognize his face. Claude could only hope the night would pass without incident as he took the lead, stepping toward the entrance.

He walked up to the entrance of the mansion and handed the invitation to the head butler. The moment the carriage had stopped, the man had already recognized the arrival of the heir to House Vandell and bowed deeply in deference.

“Welcome, Lord Vandell. May I ask who your companion is?”

“A distant relative. He’s spent his entire life cooped up in some remote countryside and only recently came to the capital. He knows little of the world, so I thought I’d introduce him to society.”

Beside him, a sharp glare flashed. Ignoring it entirely, Claude merely lifted his chin with unshakable confidence.

“Any guest of Lord Vandell is always welcome. Please, come inside. The night air is chilly. Allow me to escort you further in.”

The vast interior of the mansion was nothing short of opulent. Led by the butler through a long corridor, they soon arrived at a grand hall—the heart of the social club.

The night was already in full swing, with the nobles who had arrived earlier indulging in their pleasures without restraint. Some were engrossed in billiards, while others clustered around gambling tables, their voices rising in excitement. Servants moved about swiftly, refilling empty glasses with liquor.

Positioning himself in a dimly lit corner, Alexis leaned against the wall, his gaze slowly scanning the room. Just then, Claude approached and handed him a glass of champagne.

“What’s your plan?”

“You’re impatient. We just got here. It’s only natural to observe first in an unfamiliar place.”

“I’m more worried someone might recognize you.”

Alexis smiled soundlessly, taking a sip of champagne as his keen eyes continued their search. Even in the dim lighting, his blue irises gleamed like a hawk’s, scanning for its prey.

“I don’t see the person we’re looking for tonight.”

“That can’t be. I heard he was on the guest list.”

“Oh! If it isn’t Lord Vandell! I never expected to see you here. What a pleasant surprise!”

Several nobles who recognized Claude approached him enthusiastically. Finding himself unintentionally drawing attention, Claude made a show of engaging with them and deliberately moved away.

Now left alone, Alexis completed his assessment of the hall and casually began to stroll through it.

Scarlet silk drapes hung in various corners, softening the grandeur of the space. Though the gathering was primarily for men, women were not absent. Lavishly adorned courtesans moved gracefully through the hall, their presence adding an air of decadent indulgence.

While wrapped in the arms of their patrons, they stole glances at Alexis. With his commanding height and striking features—like a figure stepped out of a masterful painting—he stood out even among the aristocracy.

He responded to their silent invitations with nothing more than a polite, false smile, continuing his slow, measured pace.

Despite his unhurried steps, his eyes missed nothing. Then, abruptly, he halted. His narrowed gaze honed in on a particular sight.

Deep in the hall, a group of six or seven nobles sat in casual conversation. Among them, a single pale face stood out unmistakably.

Concealing himself behind a red curtain, Alexis murmured under his breath.

“Debauchery, is it?”

That hardly looked the part.

 

• 1. Extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures : behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral. …