Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 298

‘Let me die.’

Prince Noah thought, clutching his cursed ears tightly. They were both a symbol of the royal family and a curse. He remembered his parents, who had looked at him with both pride and worry.

‘Let me die.’

His tail curled up involuntarily. The opponent was none other than the great Bariel Empire. They had sought to usher in a new era through the Three-Nation Alliance, but the opportunity had been mercilessly snatched away. All because of his incompetence.

‘Let me die.’

He knew well how negatively beastkins [humans with animal features] were perceived in the world. Even his father, the king of a nation, had lived his entire life in hiding, saying that no one would understand. Thus, there had never been a political marriage to strengthen national power in Clifford’s history.

‘Let me die…’

Yes. That was the best path for now. Let his existence be erased by his death, and let the shameful fact that there was a beastkin in the royal family disappear.

At the thought of his end, something he had never considered, Prince Noah’s eyes welled up with tears. At least he wanted to be seen off by his people.

‘…The details will be clearer once the results are out, but as a preliminary opinion, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual.’

But then, Ian’s calm voice reached him.

Prince Noah rolled his eyes inside the blanket. As he did, the tears that had gathered trickled down. What was he saying?

‘I was quite worried since you postponed your audience with His Highness due to illness, but it’s a relief. It’s far from a dragon abnormal reaction. We’re still investigating, but the main symptoms are fever with chills and coughing up blood.’

As Ian said this, Prince Noah sniffled.

Could he not have seen it?

No? There’s no way.

He perked up his ears even more.

‘Mwahahaha! I knew I was amazing!’

‘H-hey, are you perhaps a beastkin too? I’m sorry if I was too surprised, it’s not polite.’

‘I’m not! No, I mean, it’s right to say I’m not! I think you’ve misunderstood. Isn’t it the festival period? In Clifford, we often dress up to enjoy the festivities. Isn’t it the same in Bariel?’

The Magic Department officials were still boisterous, and May was struggling to restrain them.

Noah could feel Ian still sitting there beyond the blanket. Without saying a word, just waiting for him to come out first.

Noah, clutching his trembling hands, slowly pulled back the cloth.

Swoosh.

With golden hair and green eyes, a handsome young man sat upright, looking down at him. Perhaps it was because of the difference in eye level. For a moment, Noah felt like he had become a truly small animal.

Ian smiled gently and nodded. His hair flowed gracefully as he did so.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Noah. It’s an honor to meet you like this. I’d like to formally introduce myself once again. I am Ian Hielo, the Minister of Magic.’

‘Your Highness! Why are you coming out?! Please go back in!’

‘Wow, amazing. Ear fluff!’

‘H-hello, I am Romandro, the aide to the Minister of Magic.’

Noah’s ears drooped. May rushed over and hugged him protectively, and the prince sighed, patting her back.

It was already too late. His identity was exposed, this was the Bariel Imperial Palace, and the opponent was Ian Hielo, a man of power. There was no way to overpower him, nor could he beg for mercy with the expectation of goodwill.

‘Your Highness.’

May squeezed the prince’s cheeks and whispered softly. Her eyes were moist, and it was clear what he was thinking.

The crack in Noah’s inner self was worse than the secret being exposed.

This was the real crisis.

‘Please, get a hold of yourself.’

The ears and tail of a beastkin didn’t just change their appearance. They made the positive, quick-witted, and vibrant prince think and feel like a beast.

Even now. He looked so defeated, as if he had given up on everything. She pinched his cheeks hard, risking disrespect, and frowned.

‘It will pass in a little while. We just need to hold them off until then. Once the ears and tail disappear, how can they insist you’re a beastkin? We’ll say it’s slander, that it’s unpleasant, that they’re crazy. And then we can return to our country.’

It was something to consult with the elders of the royal family back home. The relationship with Bariel might not be the same as before, but wasn’t Clifford the furthest country from the center of the three nations? For the sake of the kingdom’s dignity and the royal family’s existence, they would even sever ties.

Everything felt like the worst right now, but it was okay.

The royal family loved Noah, and the people loved Noah.

‘Then, would you like to get up first?’

Ian stepped back and pointed to the table. The things they needed to discuss were not suitable for the bed.

Noah nodded and followed Ian to a chair. His fluffy tail dragged on the floor.

‘There isn’t much information about beastkins, so please be understanding if I am rude.’

Rudeness? It would be a blessing if it ended with rudeness. Beastkins always lived in fear of having their skin peeled off.

Ian gestured for May to sit as well. Judging by the situation, it seemed that Prince Noah needed a spokesperson right now.

‘…’

Go ahead and speak.

Noah and May bit their lips, waiting for Ian’s words. What would he demand using this as leverage? An unprecedented amount of tribute? Or a vassal relationship? If they found out it was a royal secret, they might even aim to overthrow the nation.

As the assumptions reached despair, Noah’s eyes reddened again. It felt like everything was his fault. But May held his hand under the table, and he was able to hold back his tears.

‘First, let me ask you this. The conversation we’re about to have is the foundation for mutual trust, so please answer truthfully.’

‘…Speak.’

‘Between the borders of Bariel and Clifford, the magic abnormal reaction device recorded higher than normal readings. Since Your Highness was hiding such a great secret, we cannot help but consider other possibilities.’

Cannot help but consider?

Beric, who had been listening quietly, wondered what that meant and just scratched his ear. Ian was suspecting whether a beastkin was involved in the magic abnormal reaction device.

Of course, Ian knew that beastkins were just humans with different appearances, but he was saying this on purpose to provoke Noah.

‘If all the people of Clifford are beastkins and that’s why the device recorded abnormal readings, it’s something we cannot overlook.’

‘What are you talking about? Beastkins have no magic.’

‘There are those who claim that, but if your appearance changes, doesn’t your physical sensation change as well? That alone is already beyond the realm of humans.’

‘There are physical differences even between races. It’s just that level.’

‘Is that so? Then you’re saying that the magic abnormal reaction device and beastkins have nothing to do with each other?’

‘Yes. The people of Clifford have nothing to do with magic or beastkins. There might be someone we haven’t identified. But officially, the last magician in our country died ten years ago.’

The prince might not have noticed, but Ian had caught the child’s crucial slip of the tongue.

‘The people of Clifford have nothing to do with beastkins.’

That meant only Noah had that blood, and having that blood meant the entire royal family did.

As Ian smiled and his eyes curved, Noah’s tail involuntarily stood up straight. It was as if his tension had reached its limit.

‘I understand. First, it would be good to discuss this with His Highness Jin. Your Highness seems to be in better condition than I thought, so would it be alright to proceed with a meeting?’

May reflexively shook her head.

There was a big difference between the Minister of Magic witnessing it and the next emperor of Bariel witnessing it. It would be irreversible. This was not something that could be resolved by denying it.

‘Your Highness is still not in good condition. It’s a great pity, but we cannot meet His Highness the Crown Prince. If you’re thinking of pressing us, please stop. The carriage is lighter now that the tribute is gone, so the journey back won’t be heavy.’

It was a declaration that they would rather return than meet the Crown Prince. They had come all that way, so they had shown enough sincerity. The Three-Nation Alliance or whatever, the nation came first. This was a matter that could shake the foundation of the royal family, so what was there to fear?

Ian gestured as if to calm them down.

‘Should a guest’s journey back be heavy? Of course not. Please remember. This is a time when a new history is being written in Bariel, and it’s a time when the blessings of the whole world are focused. If Prince Noah’s hands aren’t heavy when he returns, I’ll be scolded by His Highness.’

What was his scheme? Noah and May’s eyes narrowed at the same time. Because their hair color was similar, they looked very alike.

‘However, I will report it since it’s not something that should be kept from His Highness. When would you like to have an audience?’

‘…Tomorrow, or the day after.’

‘Hmm.’

As Ian tapped the table with his fingertips, Noah’s ears twitched in response. He was trying to gauge what he was thinking. For the one who controlled the Bariel Imperial Palace to let it go without any demands….

‘Then-‘

That’s right! I knew it!

Noah’s eyes flashed, and he shrank back. May did the same. She gathered her wits and braced herself. Come on! Whatever it was, it wouldn’t go as he planned.

‘What about today’s banquet?’

‘…Excuse me?’

It was a surprisingly anticlimactic question. May, without realizing it, replied in a bewildered tone, and Ian elaborated.

‘The banquet. Isn’t it the first gathering of all three nations with His Highness? The envoys from Vergos will also be arriving soon. The event will be prepared around sunset.’

‘We will most likely be absent…’

‘It’s enough to have one problem with the inauguration schedule.’

That one time, didn’t you already use it by postponing the meeting between Jin and Noah? It was pressure to attend the banquet if possible.

Noah just stroked his ears and remained silent, as if he was in trouble.

‘But-‘

‘If you wish, the Magic Department will assist you.’

They were the ones who split the sky and burned flames forever, so how difficult could it be to hide a mere pair of ears and a tail? At the sudden offer, Noah and May exchanged glances. Why was he doing this?

‘Please do attend and celebrate the start of His Highness’s inauguration together.’

The three nations and Bariel.

Those who were bound by alliance and the ten-year-old child of the empire.

Especially since they had experienced Eriphony’s personality once, they could guess how the banquet atmosphere would unfold.

‘…’Together’ for His Highness Jin’s inauguration?’

May carefully asked back, realizing Ian’s intention. She had guessed that Bariel would be suspicious of the Three-Nation Alliance, but she didn’t know they were so certain.

‘I will be present as well, but I cannot attend the meal. Shall we start preparing now?’

As he said that, Ian carefully examined Noah’s ears and tail.

It would be a very good opportunity for Clifford. They had even considered not attending because of Prince Noah’s appearance.

Leaving aside the fact that they couldn’t refuse since they were the ones holding the knife, with the help of a magician, they would be able to attend the first gathering of the Three-Nation Alliance.

May nodded to Noah and nodded.

‘Please, prepare it.’

‘Very well. I can’t leave it to others, so I’ll be back soon. Oh, and Prince Noah. I’m sorry, but could you cut off a little bit of your tail fur?’

It was a kind of token. The fox form would disappear over time, so he was asking for something to leave as a trace before that happened. Beric, thinking this was the time, approached and offered a dagger.

‘I’ll lend you this! Or, should I cut it for you? I’ve never cut just fur before, though.’

‘…’

Noah reluctantly cut off some of his tail fur. Romandro unfolded a handkerchief and received it carefully, smiling awkwardly.

‘Then, please rest. Beric. You stay here.’

‘Me? Why?’

‘I’ll be back soon.’

It was to act as a guard and to prevent contact with outsiders. Beric shrugged and sprawled on the sofa, and Noah slowly burrowed back into the blanket.

Ah, it felt like the world had turned upside down in an instant, and he was dizzy.

‘Your Highness. Are you alright?’

‘Your Highness. Can you drink well?’

‘Hey, you-‘

Squeak.

Thud!

Leaving behind May and Beric’s bickering, the door closed. Romandro wiped away his cold sweat and asked Ian.

‘Ian. Should we let Prince Noah go? I think it would be okay to have him not attend at all. Ah, by the way, my heart is pounding. This is…’

As Romandro said, there was a way to exclude him completely, but it was better for Noah to attend for now.

Because-

Tap tap!

‘Sir Ian. The envoys from the Kingdom of Vergos have just entered the center.’