Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 216

216.

Elites from the White family arrived at the fortress.

Duke James personally led them.

“Your Highness!”

Duke James bowed deeply upon seeing me.

Duke James was originally a courteous person, but perhaps it was because of the battlefield?

Seeing Duke James acting much more formally than usual, I also didn’t treat him too casually.

“Welcome.”

I looked around at the knights of the White family.

I felt reassured seeing the knights, each exuding an extraordinary aura.

“The loyalty of the White family will be a great strength to the Empire.”

Duke James and I went inside the headquarters.

After offering Duke James a seat, I also sat down on a chair.

“Isn’t it the first time in a long while that the White family’s elites have been deployed to the battlefield?”

Duke James nodded.

“That’s right. I’m worried because they lack practical experience.”

I smiled at Duke James’s feigned modesty.

“Aren’t they all knights? Moreover, they are knights from a prestigious family. I believe they will do well enough even if it’s their first time on the battlefield in a while.”

“Thank you.”

I asked calmly.

“What’s the atmosphere like in the capital?”

“The capital is more concerned about the Southern Alliance and the rumors coming from the West than the Kingdom Alliance.”

The war in the Crown Prince’s direct territory doesn’t seem to be a major concern within the Empire.

“If the Kingdom Alliance is preparing for an all-out war, but they are more interested in other matters, it means things are already proceeding urgently on their end, right?”

“Prince Ted has gone missing.”

At Duke James’s words, my body stiffened.

Duke Beregon didn’t mention Ted’s situation at all, nor did he show any sign of it.

Even though his grandson was missing, Duke Beregon only talked to me about the future.

“Are you saying Ted has gone missing?”

I asked back as if I couldn’t believe it.

Duke James’s expression was also serious.

“Yes. There are various opinions, but the prevailing view seems to be that he is missing.”

“What exactly happened?”

Duke James began to explain.

“Prince Ted was engaged in a local skirmish with the Southern Alliance outside the border, and he was defeated in that battle. The surviving soldiers testified that the Southern Alliance took him away.”

“Then isn’t it kidnapping, not missing?”

“His Majesty sent people to the Southern Alliance to warn them directly, demanding Ted’s return. The problem was the Southern Alliance’s response. They readily admitted to kidnapping him…”

Duke James seemed incredulous as he explained, as if he couldn’t believe the series of events.

“They consistently claim that Prince Ted escaped.”

“It seems things are getting complicated?”

“Yes. The Imperial Palace is very busy because of that issue. There’s also a lot of talk about Duke Beregon leaving for his direct territory.”

I explained to Duke James about the proposal Duke Beregon had made.

After listening to my story, Duke James was lost in thought for a moment.

I also didn’t rush Duke James’s response and thought about Ted.

‘Was there a reason to go out of the border to fight? And if he was kidnapped, would it have been easy to escape?’

It was hard to trust the Southern Alliance’s words.

They would have known Ted’s value as a hostage and would have thoroughly monitored him.

‘Unless the Kingdom Alliance brings a million troops, the central topic will be Ted’s whereabouts.’

There was no need to attract attention, but it seemed difficult to expect the Empire to support many soldiers.

“Since Ted has gone missing, it seems difficult to receive support for many soldiers from the Empire. It seems they will be diverting resources to the Southern Alliance.”

Duke James nodded.

“Yes. His Majesty is actually deploying troops to the southern border. Perhaps there won’t be much troop support here.”

“From the beginning, I was thinking of facing the Kingdom Alliance with the conscripted soldiers of the direct territory. His Majesty also entrusted me with facing the Kingdom Alliance when he recognized the direct territory.”

Duke James’s eyes widened.

“Yes?”

“I received a separate message from His Majesty. The official announcement will probably be after the war. I’m currently only authorized.”

“His Majesty… certainly trusts Your Highness.”

I smiled.

“I’m glad I have my father’s trust. Anyway, troop replenishment can be done in the direct territory… With the Duke here, there’s nothing more to wish for from the Empire.”

I quickly erased my smile and added.

“Since Ted’s incident has occurred, the Imperial Palace will inevitably focus on that.”

“Various things are intertwined. It’s no exaggeration to say that the Empire is in its greatest crisis since its founding.”

“What are the rumors coming from the West?”

“The rumors are that the fairies are emerging from the western forest and preparing for war with humans.”

I leaned back deeply.

It was highly likely that the rumors were true.

The fairy leading the fairies is no ordinary fairy.

Because she is a priestess of the Purifying Flame Order.

“It’s probably true.”

“Fairies haven’t come out of the western forest for hundreds of years. But suddenly, a war with humans?”

“I need to see my father. I tried to solve it alone, but I need to consult with my father.”

“Do you believe the rumors are true?”

I briefly explained the story from the West to Duke James.

“Your Highness has really experienced a lot.”

“The war with the Kingdom Alliance may be just one piece. It’s as if all the forces of the continent are moving simultaneously, wanting the Empire’s destruction.”

Fairies in the West, the Southern Alliance in the South.

And the Kingdom Alliance in the Northeast.

No matter how large and strong the Empire is, it is nearly impossible to fight wars on three fronts simultaneously.

But the situation was flowing in a direction where that impossibility had to be achieved.

* * *

“Crazy bastards, do you think you’ll be safe after this?”

“Do you think they would? They kidnapped the Emperor’s son.”

Ted swallowed the bitter blood and said.

“You will die so miserably that not even your bodies will be found. Is it just you? Your wives and children will also die the most miserable deaths in the world.”

The men dragging Ted didn’t answer.

“You’re not Southern Alliance guys. Even though those guys are reckless barbarians, they have a line. But you crossed that line.”

Ted screamed at the still silent men.

“To dare kidnap the Second Prince of the Empire. Absolutely, absolutely, you won’t be safe.”

The man who seemed to be the leader among the men approached Ted.

“Yes. We are not the Southern Alliance. We are the people who control those barbarians.”

Just as Ted was about to open his mouth, the man continued.

“The barbarians of the South, the fairies of the West, and even the Kingdom Alliance of the North. These are the groups we control.”

Ted’s eyes shook.

“You don’t believe it? But it’s a clear fact. We and our families will die miserably and tragically? Well, that might be the case.”

Ted shuddered at the strange heat flickering in the man’s deep eyes.

“But we don’t regret it because we die to purify everything on this dirty land.”

The man grabbed Ted’s shoulder tightly.

“Now, follow quietly. I think you’re struggling because you know you’re valuable as a hostage… But let me be clear, even if you’re not here, no big problems will arise.”

The man finished speaking.

“That’s enough testing my patience.”

Ted couldn’t say anything.

‘Who the hell are these guys?’

He was fighting the Southern Alliance as usual.

Going outside the border wasn’t common, but it wasn’t entirely non-existent either.

Occasionally, while fighting, there were times when he chased the Southern Alliance guys outside the border.

That day, he had gone quite far outside the border.

Just as he was about to stop chasing and return, the Southern Alliance, who had been running away, suddenly turned their horses around.

‘It was strange from the moment those guys ran away and fought again. They were planning to kidnap me from the start.’

The guys who were running away were hiding their skills.

And he was caught and dragged somewhere until now.

Ted bit his lip.

He wanted to make a big contribution by coming down to the South.

It had become nearly impossible to take the position of Crown Prince from his brother Arun, but he still didn’t want to lose his influence as a prince.

It was a preparation in case Arun became Emperor and eliminated his brothers.

He had to build up his power and lay the foundation from now on so that Arun couldn’t easily ignore him even if he became Emperor.

He had long given up on his expectations for his maternal grandfather.

As soon as he met Mitchell, Ted realized.

What the Atran family really wanted was not for him to become Emperor, but for their family to become the Imperial family.

Mitchell openly rejected Ted and hindered him from establishing himself in the South.

Ted grew up in adversity.

He captured the hearts of the soldiers and the hearts of the knights with his skills.

But all of that was turning into bubbles.

Now, he couldn’t even guarantee his life.

Ted felt bitter at his situation where he couldn’t do anything in the hands of his enemies.

‘Damn it.’

It was also physically difficult to be dragged while tied up.

How much time had passed?

The hope of escape disappeared, and Ted sensed his death.

“We’ve arrived.”

At the man’s words, Ted looked around.

It was a place he had never seen before.

‘Where the hell is this?’

It looked like a shabby building, but he had no idea what kind of place it was.

“Priest.”

An old man who came out of the building greeted the man.

The man bowed to the old man.

“The mission was successful.”

“We needed Leod’s blood, and you really did well.”

The old man turned his gaze to Ted.

Ted’s legs gave way without him realizing it, feeling as if snakes were crawling all over his body.

The old man smiled deeply as he looked at Ted.

“It’s a pity he’s not the son of Iriel [Empress’s name], but since he inherited Ron’s [Emperor’s name] blood anyway, the research will be over soon.”

“The day the world is purified is not far off.”

At the man’s words, the old man nodded.

“The Empire will perish, and when the research is over, God will descend on this land, so now the contaminated continent will be purified. The only reason I’ve lived to this age was for that work… The result is near, so now I have the face to see the High Priest.”

Ted couldn’t understand the conversation between the man and the old man at all.

But he clearly understood one thing.

‘If Iriel is… the Empress. Ron is obviously my father.’

What the hell are these guys?

“Take him away.”

At the man’s words, others dragged Ted into the shabby building.

“Damn it.”

The inside of the building was neat, unlike the exterior.

And there were many strange things.

‘Chimera?’

Not only were there corpses of monsters, but also bizarre creatures combined with corpses.

“Wait inside for a while. Still, since you’re a prince, I’ll give you time to rest for a day. From tomorrow, it will be quite difficult days.”

The door closed as the old man disappeared.

As the old man’s footsteps faded away, Ted crawled and leaned his back against the wall.

‘I’m going to die.’

The old man seemed to be a black magician.

Ted gave up the possibility of returning alive and laughed in vain.

“Fucking.”