I Was Reincarnated as a Villain Prince’s Follower, but I Refuse to Be Ruined—Turns Out the Prince Is Surprisingly Competent - Chapter 9

When Jeremy returned to the manor and told his father about the inspection trip, he was encouraged with a beaming, joyful smile. “Make sure you aren’t rude to His Highness. Support him well!”

(This man is something else,) Jeremy thought.

He could tell just by talking to him that Rufus’s reputation had skyrocketed in his father’s eyes ever since the birthday party. His father was likely aiming to improve the family’s social standing by association with the royalty. His motives were impure, but it was much better than before, when he was constantly nagging Jeremy to cut ties with the Prince.

By the way, Jeremy kept the fact that he had met the King a secret. If he mentioned that, his father would probably bury him in etiquette lessons to prepare for the future.

Finally, it was time to leave for the inspection. They would be taking a leave of absence from school, but since it was official royal business, their credits wouldn’t be an issue.

(I’m so excited!)

It was a long journey in a carriage bearing the royal crest, protected by the Imperial Knights. Their destination was Teuton, a region bustling with mining developments. It was about a half-month journey from the royal capital.

“I want to get Chris a birthday present to thank him. What is Teuton famous for?”

“Since it sits on gold veins, the gold and silver craftsmanship is very active. If we go into town, you should be able to find high-quality jewelry.”

“Gold and silver… that sounds expensive.”

“This is official business, so you’ll receive a proper salary. If that isn’t enough, I’ll cover the rest.”

“I can’t let you do that!”

“Don’t be modest. It’s a thanks for coming with me.”

Even though the royal carriage was well-made, the trip was more tiring than expected. Teuton was a vibrant city built at the foot of a majestic mountain range. The main street was packed with merchants and craftsmen buying gold and silver, as well as laborers working in the mines.

Information about Rufus’s inspection must have been sent ahead of time. Thanks to the soldiers sent by the local Governor—who managed the royal lands—they were able to move smoothly through the crowded streets.

“The Governor’s manor is magnificent.”

While not quite a castle, it was a size larger than Jeremy’s house in the capital. The gardens were vast, and strangely colorful birds sang beautiful melodies from their cages.

“He is a direct vassal of the Crown. A shabby house would reflect poorly on the Royal Family’s prestige.”

As they stepped off the carriage, a stout middle-aged man greeted them with a fawning smile and rubbing his hands together. Behind him were a lady of a certain age—likely the Governor’s wife—and two daughters a few years older than Jeremy.

“Your Highness, welcome after your long journey. I am Count Curel Battins, the Governor. These are my wife, Nerou, and my daughters, Alim and Salun.”

“Thank you. This is my right-hand man, Jeremy.”

Rufus said it so naturally, but because of the setting, Jeremy couldn’t correct him. He decided to just smile and play along.

“Welcome. You must be tired. Please, relax in your rooms first.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’d like to begin the inspection.”

“Understood. Then, let us set out immediately.”

They switched to the Count’s carriage. The royal carriage was too large for the mountain paths leading to the mines. The carriage climbed the mountain road. The presence of the Imperial Knights and the Governor’s private soldiers added a sense of gravity to the procession. Rufus kept a sharp eye on the scenery, determined not to miss anything, while listening to the Governor’s explanations and occasionally taking notes.

On the other hand, Jeremy couldn’t keep up with the difficult technical talk, so he spent his time observing the Governor. With his well-tailored clothes, plump belly, and shiny, oily face, the man looked quite energetic. A thick gold ring sat on his finger, sparkling in the sunlight.

Once they reached the mines, they interviewed the site supervisors, peered into the gold excavation sites, and actually went inside the mines for a tour.

“So, the reserves haven’t changed. However, they will run out eventually. Is the trial digging for new mines progressing?”

“We are looking into it, but they aren’t easy to find. We are very grateful to His Majesty for approving the new budget, however.”

“Naturally. Gold mining revenue is a major pillar of our country.”

“I will do my utmost to meet His Majesty’s expectations.”

“I will inform the King.”

“I am deeply honored.”

Just then, Jeremy lost his footing and almost fell, but a hand quickly caught his arm.

“Are you alright?”

“S-sorry, Your Highness.”

“Watch your step.”

At this rate, he was a burden rather than a “right-hand man.” Jeremy nodded, blushing with embarrassment. By the time they finished touring several mines, the sun was setting in the west.

“Let’s head back quickly. The mountain roads are dangerous after dark.”

Urged by the Governor, they returned to the manor. Jeremy’s assigned room was filled with furniture and decorations that looked incredible even to an amateur; he wondered if someone like him should even be using such a grand room.

After taking a bath and changing clothes, he waited for Rufus outside his door. When the Prince emerged, they went to the dining hall together.

The Governor’s family was already waiting and took their seats. The table was overflowing with magnificent dishes. Despite being in the mountains, there was even fish. They had supposedly ordered it from a coastal region specifically to welcome Rufus.

At dinner, the daughters were beautifully dressed, adorned with impressive rings, necklaces, and earrings. It looked as if they had tipped over a jewelry box and put on whatever they could find.

(Are they aiming for the Prince…?)

The thought crossed Jeremy’s mind as he noticed the daughters’ sidelong glances. He was the Second Prince, after all—handsome and recently gaining a good reputation. Marrying Rufus would be a massive social climb. Watching them, it was clear they didn’t want to miss a single move he made. Their blatant lack of interest in Jeremy was a little sad.

However, even faced with the daughters’ obvious advances and the parents’ “assists,” Rufus didn’t waver. He handled the dinner with perfect social skill—staying polite but not letting them lead the conversation. Jeremy was thoroughly impressed by his ability to maintain his pace without offending anyone. Even though their “attack” was smoothly deflected, the daughters looked dreamy and somehow satisfied.

As they were returning to their rooms after dinner:

“Your Highness. I have something important to discuss. May I come to your room?”

“What is it?”

“I’ll tell you once we get to the room.”

There were servants and private soldiers in the hallway.

“Understood.”

Rufus’s quarters consisted of a suite rather than a single room. The windows were large and airy. There was a sitting room right at the entrance, with the bedroom in the back.

“Sit anywhere.”

At Rufus’s invitation, Jeremy sat on the sofa.

“So, what is this important talk?”

“Did you notice that everyone working in the mines was young?”

“Is that a problem? It’s physical labor. They likely prioritize hiring young people.”

“A place like this needs a lot of workers. I imagine they recruit laborers from all over. If you think about it, there should be veterans who have worked the mines for years, not just young men. Mining isn’t just brute force; using explosives requires special skill. From what I saw, there wasn’t a single veteran. It’s unnatural.”

“…Now that you mention it, that might be true. Also, the jewelry the Governor and his family were wearing was very luxurious.”

“Isn’t that normal?” Rufus answered nonchalantly.

(Is this the difference in our upbringing…!?) Jeremy thought.

From a royal’s perspective, that level of luxury might not seem odd. It wasn’t surprising he didn’t question it.

“I don’t think it’s normal. There might be a hidden mine, and he could be pocketing the gold from it. He might be sending the veteran workers there.”

“That’s unlikely.”

“Wh-why is that?” Jeremy frowned at the immediate dismissal.

“Aside from inspections, there are surprise audits several times a year. If he were up to something that devious, he would have been caught long ago.”

“…What if he knew the audit schedule in advance?”

“How?”

“That ring the Governor was wearing… I felt like I’d seen it somewhere, and then I remembered. That man with the light-blue hair who follows the Crown Prince…”

“You mean Thor?”

“It was the same ring Thor was wearing.”

“Are you sure you didn’t misses it?”

“I didn’t exactly compare them side-by-side, but they looked very similar. Just if, okay? If the Governor is connected to the Crown Prince’s followers and gets tips about central government movements in exchange for bribes, it would be possible to hide things even during an audit.”

Rufus fell silent for a while, deep in thought.

“…If what you say is true, it’s a problem. I’ll look into it. I don’t want this to end as just a formal inspection.”

“You believe me?”

“If there’s something bothering me, I can’t ignore it. For now, your suspicions are just guesses. But I’m glad you told me.”

Jeremy just wanted to be of help. He breathed a sigh of relief that Rufus hadn’t brushed him off.