Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 295

The gatekeepers of the Imperial Palace were playing cards, each with a piece of jerky in their mouths. Even if they were waiting for their shift change, this was a work attitude that would normally be unthinkable.

But what did it matter? It was the Bariel Festival, and their cheers could be heard even from the top of the walls. In a world where those drunk on wine and laughter were frolicking, weren’t they, too, citizens of the Empire before they were gatekeepers?

‘Did you see Clifford earlier?’

‘Yeah. He was amazing. How can a person’s movements be so light? It wasn’t dancing, it was more like acrobatics.’

‘I thought it would be a showy march, but he didn’t stop even when entering the Imperial Palace. Wow, he’s full of energy.’

Above all, except for the guests from other countries, the entry of others was restricted. It was said to be for the smooth operation of the Imperial Palace. In short, it meant they were idle.

‘Ugh! Who shuffled the cards?’

‘I’m done. I can’t even wipe my butt with this hand.’

The gatekeeper who gave up on the game leaned against the outer wall and smacked his lips. Among the crowds moving like ants, soap bubbles and flower petals were falling.

It was a peaceful and warm scene, so much so that a cold glass of beer would make it perfect.

‘Hmm?’

If it weren’t for a horse cutting through the crowd. What madman would bring a horse out on a day like this? The already chaotic road became even more of a mess.

Just as the gatekeeper was about to signal to a soldier on the ground, he realized that the horse’s head was fixed towards the gate.

‘Open the gate!’

‘Beric?’

His hair was a mess from being jostled around, and he looked tense, worried that the horse might cause an accident. Beric looked up and shouted again.

‘Open it!’

‘Just a moment!’

The gatekeeper immediately went down to check if there were any instructions from the Magic Department. No matter how trustworthy someone was, they couldn’t enter without permission.

Fortunately or unfortunately, at the bottom of the record sheet, there was a note from the Magic Department: ‘Beric’s return passage authorized.’

‘Ah, he must have left it while Clifford was passing by. Beric, wait. I’ll open the side gate for you.’

Clack.

They wouldn’t open the main gate for a horse and a person, but the side gate was enough.

Beric rushed into the palace as if fleeing, and then shook off his clothes. Up close, he looked even dirtier.

‘Why did you come separately from Lord Ian? And so chaotically through the pedestrian path.’

‘Errand. They said only the Imperial family can walk on the central road, right?’

‘…It’s an exception during the festival.’

‘Ah. Crap.’

Beric, realizing he had suffered needlessly, rolled his eyes. Following Ian’s instructions, he had traced Clifford’s carriage tracks along the outskirts, but had found nothing special.

And to top it off, his return had been rough. He suddenly felt hungry.

‘Where’s Ian?’

‘Well, it didn’t look like Clifford’s carriage was going to the main palace. There must be a problem. He went to the temporary palace, so Lord Ian must have gone there too. The mages were escorting him.’

‘Okay. Thanks.’

‘Beric!’

The gatekeeper grabbed Beric, who was about to mount his horse, and whispered.

‘Hey, by any chance, can you get some of the wine that Clifford is offering as tribute?’

‘Wine? What wine?’

‘They say the wine from that country is so sweet, but His Highness wouldn’t drink it… I guess they’ll give it as a reward or something? If you get some, share a little. I’ll pay you well.’

Beric felt his hungry stomach react.

Meat and wine!

The road to heaven, nothing special. That’s all he needed. Beric waved his hand roughly and urged his horse on. His destination was the Clifford’s annex, where wine, meat, and Ian were.

Clatter, clatter!

Neigh!

Carriages were gathered haphazardly in front of the annex. It was quite different from the orderly arrangement of the Ruswena’s carriages, but Beric didn’t know that. He just walked among those unloading and moving luggage, looking around.

‘Please move aside for a moment.’

‘Don’t unpack the silk boxes, just move them directly.’

‘Make sure the dye barrels aren’t leaking! It’ll be a real headache if they do. This way, unload them this way!’

The Imperial Palace officials in charge of the tribute were coming and going, but he didn’t know any of them. There were no mages in sight. Just as Beric was about to turn back, thinking he had taken the wrong path.

‘Don’t go that way. Lady May said not to approach because the prince is resting.’

‘Ah, so this is the place. Then what about these?’

‘Bring them here. The warehouse over there was empty.’

Prince, you mean that smelly prince?

Beric rolled his eyes left and right and peeked into the hallway. Several guards were firmly guarding the front of the residence. They turned their heads at Beric’s presence.

‘Are you an Imperial Palace official? What brings you here?’

‘W-welcome. Yes, yes. This is Bariel!’

‘…Thank you?’

What was that? Was he a bit slow? He seemed to be an official of the Imperial Palace, but he was acting strange.

As the guards became wary, Beric awkwardly smiled and passed by.

‘That smell. If I could just smell it properly once, I’d know what it is, but it’s driving me crazy.’

Beric glanced at the wall of the annex. He didn’t know if it was similar to other places, but usually, every building, big or small, had a garden. If he went that way, maybe he could pretend it was an accident and get in somehow?

They had just arrived, so they wouldn’t know the layout. How would they know if he got lost or climbed over the wall?

‘Okay. Good. I’ll sneak in and just smell it.’

Beric checked that no one was around and jumped onto the wall. Light movements and soft footsteps. Everything was perfect. He curled up as much as possible and slowly crawled along the wall.

Rustle.

After going a little further, he began to see bushes. It was a garden attached to the annex. It was more like a private backyard than a garden. The bedroom had a large window, but the yard seemed to be closed off for privacy.

‘Let’s see, where is the Podo prince? Huh?’

Beric stopped, hiding his face with a branch. Someone was crouching and lying down in the middle of the lawn.

Aside from the luxurious fabric of his clothes, it was the orange hair he had seen in Romandro’s portrait. The exposed nape of his neck was tanned.

That was definitely the prince of Podo. He was holding a lush, glossy orange tail in his arms.

‘Damn, what is this? He has weird taste. He’s wearing an animal tail. Even the kids in the neighborhood wouldn’t do that. Tsk, tsk.’

Those enjoying the festival were wearing all sorts of costumes, but he didn’t expect the high-ranking prince of Podo to be like this. Is this why they say everyone lives the same way?

Beric sniffed and watched the prince. But he didn’t seem to be moving. Beric watched without much thought, then suddenly remembered a conversation between Ian and the head of the delegation.

‘Gasp! That’s right! He said he was sick, did he die? Call Ian-‘

Rustle.

At that moment, fox ears slowly rose.

They were moving naturally, as if trying to read the sound of the wind. At the same time, the tail drew a soft semicircle and tapped the ground.

Beric realized something was wrong and was shocked.

‘Woah, damn…’

The prince’s eyes, shining in the sunlight, were clearly those of an animal.

Beric crept back over the wall as silently as he had come.

* * *

‘So that’s what happened! Do you understand now?!’

Bang!

Beric slammed the wall, venting everything he had experienced. His clenched fist looked determined.

But facing him were Romandro with his eyes narrowed, Siao Shi with a blank expression, Jin with an awkward smile, and Ian, who was just sipping his tea.

Siao Shi approached again and sniffed.

‘…I don’t smell any medicine.’

‘That’s a relief. If you had caused an accident during the inauguration ceremony, you would have been dismissed from the Imperial Guard without warning. If it’s not alcohol or medicine, did he get heatstroke? It’s not that hot yet.’

Romandro muttered, carefully examining Beric, who was shaking his head back and forth, clutching his head.

‘Aaaah! No, I’m really fine! Completely sane! The Podo prince had fluffy ears, a fluffy tail! He was wagging his tail like this!’

Beric was re-enacting the scene he had seen, kneeling down. Romandro closed his eyes, saying he had seen something he shouldn’t have, and Siao Shi lowered his body and stared into Beric’s pupils. Just in case.

‘…His pupils are fine.’

‘Siao, are you going to keep treating me like a madman?’

Beric bared his teeth and growled, and Ian loudly placed his teacup down.

Clack.

‘You mean he’s a beastkin, is that what you’re saying?’

‘What are you talking about? I don’t know about that, but he had fox ears and a tail, okay?’

‘That’s called a beastkin.’

Beastkin. A race with the external characteristics of animals, they were not often seen in life. This was because they were often ostracized socially due to their different appearance. If they also had magical powers, they were often treated as monsters and met a miserable end.

‘Ian, there’s no need to listen to that heat-stroked guy.’

Romandro waved his hand dismissively and firmly denied it. After all, the other party was not just a passerby, but Prince Noah. The first in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Clifford.

‘I’m fine!’

‘I haven’t seen it myself, but there’s a record of Prince Noah visiting Bariel when he was young. No, not just Bariel. As the first in line to the throne, Prince Noah is in charge of diplomacy in the surrounding areas. If he had beastkin characteristics, it would have been known!’

‘Have you ever seen a beastkin? Lord Romandro?’

‘Me? Hmm. No, I haven’t.’

He had traveled to various border areas as a reconstruction expert, but he had never met one directly. He had only heard rumors of their existence.

But Ian did not dismiss Beric’s words as nonsense.

‘They haven’t been revealed yet.’

A race that had faded due to persecution. That’s what everyone thought. But through future research results and analysis of social phenomena, it was revealed that this was a false belief.

They had not faded away. They had simply hidden their existence and blended into society.

‘It can be said to be a racial evolution for survival. They are no different from humans, but their appearance alone threatened their lives. There are beastkin who have evolved to manifest only in certain situations. If what Beric saw is true…’

It could be seen as a beastkin in the process of evolution.

Could the Clifford royal family itself be a beastkin race? Since being a beastkin could put them at a disadvantage in external diplomacy, it was understandable if they had deliberately hidden it.

‘Beric didn’t drink any alcohol-‘

‘Yeah, yeah. I really didn’t drink a single drop.’

‘And he didn’t take any drugs-‘

‘Oh, what’s that? I’m completely healthy, you know?’

‘It seems worth investigating.’

Beric answered Ian’s words, cheering that his words were believed and clenching his fist. And then he stuck his tongue out at Romandro and Siao Shi. His hips were wiggling. Romandro smacked his butt hard, telling him to stay still.

‘But how? We can’t drag out a prince who is sick, and it’s not polite to barge in. It’s a bit much to do that just based on what Beric said… I don’t think there’s a way.’

Ian put down his teacup at Romandro’s concern.

‘Why wouldn’t there be a way? This is the Imperial Palace, after all.’