This Bastard is Too Competent-Chapter 165: The Will of Council of Elders

“I must claim the throne here and now.”

Ian’s words were quite provocative.

But it wasn’t just mere words.

Buzz!

At Ian’s aura, the royal sword trembled, as if at any moment he could strike down the man before him at his command.

The twelfth seat—no, King Eloin seemed lost in thought for a moment, but quickly realized that he couldn’t deceive Ian. He quickly spoke.

“How did you know?”

His disguise had been flawless.

Ian smiled openly.

“Isn’t blood thicker than water?”

“What?”

“They say a parent always knows their child. But it’s equally true that a child can recognize their parents.”

Ian had seen through it from the very beginning.

However, King Eloin did not believe him.

‘No one has ever seen through it before. And he saw through it at a glance?’

Neither did the cold-hearted First Princess.

Even the Third Prince, who had a great sense of perception, failed to notice him as he stood in front of him.

It was inevitable.

Because what King Eloin was using was.

[Shadow’s Reflection]

It was one of his abilities.

This ability allowed him to distort his presence, appearing different to others by altering his aura, mana flow, and even his very essence.

Moreover, he could leave behind a doppelganger that acts and thinks just like him.

It was an ability finely tuned for the king’s stealth.

Thus, Ian’s realization was, indeed, astonishing.

‘Even the empress, who shares blood with him, or Lila, Ian’s mother, had not sensed it.’

Up to this point, the only one to have picked up on even a faint trace of it was the First Prince. Even he had not been entirely certain.

Yet, Ian had discerned it effortlessly.

‘Could it be mere luck?’

No, that was unlikely.

He had the power of the Seven Virtues, so with that power, he could certainly notice.

But Ian smiled for a different reason.

‘There were many factors that allowed me to notice.’

The way he’d taken an interest in Elaira behind him from the moment he’d walked in rather than in himself.

But the thing that recognized him most were those eyes.

‘That gaze.’

At first glance, it seemed like there was no emotion at all.

But in reality, those eyes held a burning ambition, as if ready to set the world on fire at any moment.

But the important thing now was not the king’s identity.

“I must caution you against revealing your true self to my mother or sister.”

“Why?”

“Your Majesty… No, Father, you lack the right to do so.”

“!”

The king’s unexpected appearance after sending a messenger indicating otherwise was quite emotional.

But Ian pointed to the king’s appearance now.

“If you couldn’t come here with a clear conscience, why did you come at all?”

It was clear this meeting would hurt both his mother and sister. At those words, the king’s expression hardened.

“Even so, I have come to see you.”

As a king, he had no choice.

While one reason was to evade scrutiny from the empress and other nobles, the looming fear of losing them once more, as he had in the past, also weighed heavily on him.

It would be better for everyone if he pretended not to be interested and met them in secret.

But Ian didn’t think so.

“Whose benefit is this truly for? Is it solely for Your Majesty’s sake?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you really think they’d be happy meeting in such a way, hiding from others? Without even being acknowledged properly, treated as if unworthy?”

“…”

Ian knew.

He understood how much a person could be made miserable by humble origins and a king’s indifference.

He had already endured it all in his previous life. Yet, if in this life his mother or sister were subjected to such treatment…

‘I cannot allow it.’

But King Eloin still had something to say.

“I am the father.”

“And until now, you were a father she didn’t even know existed.”

“That child wants to see me.”

“She is already disappointed and has cried. Do you intend to bring her more disappointment?”

“…”

Of course, Elaira might be happy just by seeing King Eloin.

But not Ian.

“If you’re only going to hurt them from the beginning, then don’t bother meeting at all. No, I won’t even allow that meeting.”

“…”

That was what was best for those two.

Ian’s words left the king unable to refute.

But he can’t seem to break his will.

As a father, he couldn’t do anything about it.

Ian nodded as if to say he understood it.

‘You cannot completely cut off human relations.’

But if he tried to completely exclude the king, he would surely be met with great resistance.

So Ian slowly lowered his sword.

“If not as the king, I will allow you to observe them from afar as the twelfth seat.”

The king made a bewildered expression at those words.

No one had ever addressed him in such a manner before.

His gaze seemed to convey a silent message:

‘How dare you impose conditions on me?’

‘Even as the king of Bahara, do you not realize you cannot command me?’

Nonetheless, Ian raised his eyebrows resolutely.

“As Lila’s son and Elaira’s brother, I make this request of you for the first and last time, Father.”

“!”

“If you refuse my offer…”

Losing one son in this moment was already too much.

Swoosh!

He was challenging the king, almost as if he was a contender for succession.

A gaze that said he couldn’t forgive any more, even if it was his own father.

“What is your decision?”

King Eloin let out a soft sigh.

“Very well. Do as you wish.”

It wasn’t fear of fighting with Ian.

It was because the Black Lion Knights were hiding around, out of sight.

He knew that if he fought and got hurt, he might never see his wife and daughter again.

Even being able to see them from a distance was better than nothing.

And right at that moment…

“Then let’s go.”

“To where?”

“Weren’t you here to see them? I’ll introduce you as one of the Twelfth Seats of the Black Lion Knights.”

“!”

At Ian’s words, King Eloin’s eyes widened.

Ian had acted as if he intended to cut all ties until now, and suddenly he was being invited back in.

Ian smiled with a hint of amusement.

‘Throughout my past and present, I’ve never felt unjust.’

In his previous life, he had lost his mother early on, leaving no room to feel maternal affection. But Elaira, his younger sister, was different.

‘I want her to experience the family affection I never had.’

He didn’t know why.

It wasn’t simply because she was his younger sister.

There was an uncomfortable feeling in a corner of his heart, as if he owed her something.

It was definitely connected to something from his past life.

So…

“Very well, let’s proceed.”

Accompanied by the Twelfth Seat and not King Eloin, Ian made his way towards Du