Chapter 180: The Movements of the Lower-Ranked Princes
Not only the maids and servants, but even the guards and bodyguards disliked their employer.
They all stood far away, feigning ignorance of the current situation with downcast eyes.
In the brutal environment of the Succession Contest, failing to achieve unity among subordinates placed one in an extremely dangerous position.
Among Kacho's many guards, only Melody's expression was completely different from the others—not disgust, nor resignation, but distress.
Melody had once suffered a terrible affliction after attempting to play the legendary "Sonata of Darkness," a piece said to be created by Satan. She lost her original appearance, becoming what now resembled a mole, and also lost her dear friend who had played alongside her. However, she gained a Nen Ability related to sound.
Melody's ability allowed her to hear each person's heartbeat, enabling her to discern their inner thoughts.
From the heartbeats, she could detect the dissatisfaction, resentment, and anger of the maids and guards present.
Given the Eleventh Prince Kacho's behavior since boarding the ship, it was only natural for them to feel this way.
But the reality wasn't so simple.
Because only Melody knew at this moment that this seemingly unpleasant prince was actually disguising herself.
From the heartbeats, she could hear it all.
"If this is the result she hopes to achieve by disguising herself, then this is definitely wrong!" Melody stared intently at Kacho, thinking to herself.
Observing further.
On the side of the Ninth Prince Halkenburg, the prince had previously seen all his subordinates lying unconscious in his hall and fainted in terror himself.
Now, he had just opened his sleepy eyes, but the next moment, he remembered what had happened earlier. He hurriedly ran to the hall, only to find his subordinates all safe and sound.
Seeing the Ninth Prince, his subordinates greeted him one after another: "Ah, Prince, are you awake?"
"Did you sleep well just now?"
The sudden change frightened the Ninth Prince greatly, and his subordinates looked at him with some confusion, clearly unaware of why the prince would make such an expression.
Seeing this, the Ninth Prince fell into deep bewilderment, scratching his head.
"Was that earlier a dream? But I really..."
At that moment, the Ninth Prince suddenly noticed a feather engraved on the back of his hand, and his pupils slowly dilated.
Something had indeed happened!
Next was the Eighth Prince Luzurus.
The Eighth Prince could be said to be the most carefree among all the princes. While other princes were either desperately seizing power or struggling to survive, he was indulging in pleasure.
The room was filled with beauties who had accompanied him on the ship, spreading his joy anytime, anywhere.
As his mother, the Fifth Queen Seiko, could no longer stand it and was now scolding her son.
"Little Luzurus! When will you ever stop! You are the only prince of the Fifth Queen's line. I hope you have some awareness of this!"
Luzurus withdrew from the woman beneath him, scratched his head somewhat perfunctorily, and said, "Ah... I understand, Mother."
The Fifth Queen looked at her absurd son and continued her reprimand: "I don't think you understand at all. This Succession Contest is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Of course, Mother will support you with all her strength! But unless you completely reform yourself, you'll be the first to be eliminated in this competition!"
Facing his mother's interrogation, Luzurus responded with inexplicable confidence: "You should have more faith in me. After all, I am your son, aren't I?"
The Fifth Queen knew her son all too well—she could predict exactly what he was going to do before he even made a move.
"So you already have your own plans?"
"Of course."
Luzurus raised a finger toward the sky and declared with imposing manner: "By the time of the next banquet, the world will be changed."
Beside the Eighth Prince stood the Seventh Prince, Luzurus.
At this moment, he was in his room blowing clouds of smoke, enjoying some new product.
The Seventh Prince glanced at the "cigarette" in his hand and asked his guard Basho: "Is this thing completely legal?"
Basho replied: "Of course. This is clean leaf with a complete formula that can be checked on the official website. They applied for a patent as a countermeasure against the vultures, but there's no problem with personal private use. I experimented with adding various ingredients, and this is the final product."
"This thing is quite remarkable. It seems the heavier the smoking addiction, the more effective it becomes. All my friends have become healthier because of it."
"I see," the Seventh Prince nodded.
"What's wrong, Your Highness?"
"Nothing. I feel this thing might actually help addicts reform themselves."
Hearing the Seventh Prince's words, Basho maintained a calm expression but was profoundly shocked internally.
He never expected the Seventh Prince, whom he had always seen as pampered and privileged, to have such public welfare considerations.
The Seventh Prince lifted his head and exhaled a cloud of smoke. Through the swirling haze, his voice emerged:
"The main obstacle we'll encounter is undoubtedly the First Prince, since the military oversees drug control in the Kakin Kingdom."
The Seventh Prince seemed to fall into recollection. After a moment, he continued: "Not long ago, one of my friends was completely destroyed. The scene remains vivid in my memory—that inhuman, ghost-like appearance as he begged me for more."
This was precisely why the Seventh Prince had developed such strong interest in the miraculous "cigarette" Basho recommended.
"Even if we conduct clinical trials with health surveys, can those related results be made public?" the Seventh Prince pressed further.
"Of course," Basho nodded, then joked: "If you become king, that would be the shortest path."
As a member of the royal family, the prince naturally understood what kind of path this was.
Hearing Basho's words, the Seventh Prince sighed lightly: "It's not as simple as you think."
Finally, the scene shifts to the last of the lower-ranked princes, the Sixth Prince.
At this moment, the Sixth Prince Tyson was personally handing a thick book to her two new guards.
This book was none other than the religious canon authored by Tyson herself.
Tyson said cheerfully, "When all of humanity becomes followers of Book of Tyson, the world will usher in true peace. You should all read it too—you'll understand once you've read it."
Then she began dancing with her handsome guards.
These two new guards were both from the Hunter Association, and one of them was Kurapika's Nen teacher, Izunavi.
Izunavi looked at the thick Book of Tyson in his hand, thought for a moment, and decided to open it and take a look.
After all, only by doing so could he better and more quickly understand the prince before him.