Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Back to Francia (2)
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“Who’s alive?”
I asked again, even though I’d heard it clearly.
It was just too absurd.
Lake spoke calmly.
“Lately, there have been rumors that the Crown Prince is alive.”
I was so flabbergasted that a hollow laugh nearly escaped me.
The Crown Prince is alive?
The Crown Prince Lake was referring to was my previous life’s self.
He had been executed at Tenasta Square, witnessed by countless citizens.
And yet he was alive?
It was nonsense not worth a second thought. Especially for me, the subject of the rumor.
I said,
“You don’t actually believe that, do you?”
“We’re not certain.”
He didn’t believe the rumor, but he didn’t dismiss it as false either.
I reined in my fleeting emotions for a moment. Being tied to my past life made me more emotional than usual.
I took a breath and asked,
“Why?”
Before I’d cut down Palcherato, I’d heard the full story from those three after my death, and they knew the Crown Prince had been publicly executed at Tenasta Square.
Lake couldn’t possibly be unaware of that.
Yet he wasn’t sure about the rumor’s truth, which meant there was another reason.
“Honestly, we dismissed it as idle gossip too. There was no reason for them to let Your Highness live. We thought it was a Halent trap.”
Lake met my gaze directly.
“Until the national seal surfaced.”
“You mean the national seal made you doubt the Crown Prince’s survival?”
Lake nodded and continued.
“It’s been ten years since the kingdom fell. Despite the empire’s forces, the traitors, and the independence army scouring the entire country for it, the seal’s location remained unknown. So how did they suddenly figure it out now?”
“They’ve been searching all this time, so they must’ve stumbled upon it. Someone recognized Aidheal, perhaps.”
“We don’t know the exact details, but that’s probably the case. But what if it wasn’t?”
What if it wasn’t?
“You’re saying they only just found the Crown Prince who was still alive?”
Lake’s eyes gleamed as he replied.
“Yes. Ten years ago, they couldn’t catch Your Highness after you escaped the palace, so they installed a substitute and staged the execution to seize Francia. They might have been secretly searching for you ever since. That would make the rumors of the Crown Prince being alive plausible.”
It made sense, but the hypothesis was full of holes.
If it were true, why hadn’t the Crown Prince revealed himself all this time?
Lake readily acknowledged that point.
“Of course, it’s just a leap in logic. At this point, I have one question for you, Genes. How did you know the national seal was there?”
I closed my mouth for a moment.
I’d brushed it off vaguely at our first meeting, but I knew this question would come eventually.
With no answer from me, Lake pressed on.
“I got more details from Freddy and Ches about what happened. Circumstantially, you didn’t go there looking for the seal. So how did you know he had it—and that the one Palcherato took was fake?”
“This isn’t why I sent you to the Clay branch, so don’t misunderstand.”
As the conversation turned interrogative, Lucian interjected to ease the tension.
I fell into thought for a moment.
The situation had changed since then. Back then, I could dodge because I had the seal, but now I couldn’t hide it forever.
I couldn’t say I was the Crown Prince who handed it to Aidheal, so I needed a plausible lie.
I told the one I’d prepared in advance.
“I was at Whalen Palace in the past. So I know about the Crown Prince and Aidheal. And that you’re from the Serious Duke House.”
Lucian and Iriel flinched.
They never imagined I knew their family.
From Lake’s reaction, he already knew they were from the Serious Duke House too.
I continued the lie.
“Meeting those three in the forest was a coincidence. In the village we reached following them, I saw Aidheal’s body. Naturally, I thought about the tragedy that befell the village and why he died in the borderlands. That’s when I remembered the national seal. Given Aidheal’s cunning nature, he wouldn’t have hidden it under a pillow. Then I noticed the Nureti Tree at the entrance. The Crown Prince liked Nureti Trees. So I dug beneath it, and sure enough, there was the seal.”
“Then why didn’t you say so from the start?”
“Because I didn’t want to. Then or now.”
I looked at Lake.
It meant I wouldn’t say more.
He nodded, understanding.
“Thank you for sharing even a little. Returning to the main topic, there’s no proof the rumors of His Highness being alive are true. But the seal’s discovery creates the slimmest possibility. We need to verify it. His survival could greatly impact our future plans, so we can’t overlook even a tiny chance.”
I understood Lake’s point.
At this stage, the Crown Prince’s survival might not seem crucial, but it would inevitably affect the independence army.
Depending on which side he took, it could shake their legitimacy and foundation.
Moreover, he could be the strongest unifying force for the independence army.
That’s why we had to confirm the rumor’s truth.
Only then could we decide our next moves.
But this rumor was clearly Halent Barrein’s scheme, exploiting the independence army’s situation.
To think he’d scheme using my dead self.
My surging blood cooled like the glaciers of the North Sea.
It was utterly outrageous.
“In this situation, we don’t need anything special from you, Genes—just take Iriel to the capital. Halent likely holds the truth behind the rumors. If someone claims to be His Highness, Iriel can confirm if it’s really him.”
To Lake, the Crown Prince’s survival didn’t seem that important.
To him, Francia’s new king was already Lucian.
He was approaching this by considering the aftermath of me killing Halent.
But if that was the only reason, there was no need to bring Iriel.
“If it’s just to verify the Crown Prince’s identity, I can do it. Like I said, I was at Whalen Palace.”
“I’m sorry, but Iriel is the most reliable.”
Lake said without changing expression.
He didn’t trust my word.
Outrageous, but since I held secrets, he couldn’t fully trust me either.
He continued.
“And above all, Iriel is the one who can persuade His Highness to join our side if he’s alive.”
Only then did I fully understand why Lucian was sending Iriel to the capital.
Assuming the Crown Prince was alive, his actions would change everything.
Iriel had the credibility to bring the Crown Prince—the ‘White Lion of the North’—to their side.
Since Lucian couldn’t go himself, sending her was the most logical choice.
I had no choice but to agree.
I couldn’t claim to be that Crown Prince.
“Fine, then. But I’m not sure if the duke’s daughter can keep up without whining. As you see, I don’t cater to anyone.”
I glanced at Iriel. Her hair was cut short like a man’s, and she dressed like one too—but—
“Hey! Don’t underestimate me! I’m an advanced mana user, and I’ve survived all sorts of ordeals. You think I’m some pampered noble lady who’s never gotten her hands dirty?”
Iriel glared with fiery eyes.
Her family, the Serious Duke House, was Francia’s premier martial house.
Her skills had reached a certain level too.
Though lacking due to not training diligently.
Of course, I already knew all that.
You could tell just from how she walked.
What I worried about wasn’t her stamina, but the journey’s discomforts.
I was picky myself, and it wouldn’t be a smooth trip.
But on this point, I had to cleanly admit my mistake.
Just as I was no longer the Crown Prince, she was no longer the naive duke’s daughter ignorant of the world.
From her perspective, it was insulting.
I said,
“If you whine about it being hard, I’ll leave you behind. Keep that in mind.”
Iriel rolled her eyes.
* * *
After finishing the discussion on the schedule, I stepped out to find the world shrouded in darkness.
The cool night air brushed my lungs.
I headed straight to the tavern. I craved a drink.
Ding-a-ling.
The bell rang as I opened the door. I ordered a bottle of whiskey from the approaching server and scanned the room.
In one corner, familiar faces were gleefully downing drinks.
As I approached, the glassy-eyed bunch greeted me.
“Why are you so late?”
Allen slurred, reeking of booze. I plopped down into a seat.
“Have you caught up on old times?”
“Yeah, sure have. This guy was so excited telling stories. Good thing he didn’t follow you, Genes, or he’d be in big trouble.”
Freddy pointed at Allen. I poured whiskey from the bottle the server brought and took a sip. The sharp alcohol stung my nose and burned my throat.
Ches stared at me blankly.
“Did something happen?”
“What would’ve happened.”
I set down my glass, glanced over them, and said,
“We’re heading back to Francia now.”
The booze-soaked trio jolted as if doused with cold water, shivering.
They furrowed brows to focus their hazy gazes.
They knew what my words implied.
Me returning to Francia meant turning it upside down.
It was both perilously dangerous and what they’d longed for.
“I’m only taking one of you. Who’s it gonna be?”
No sooner had I spoken than one shot up his hand.
“I’ll go.”
Freddy and Ches stared at him in surprise. They were frozen mid-reach, awkward poses.
Allen had raised his hand before I even finished, the fastest. He’d already made up his mind.
“I really want to go!”
Allen thrust his hand up again, acting spoiled.
Half-lidded eyes, slurred speech.
Stumbling unsteadily, oh so reliable.
“Please take me—”
“Got it, so drink some water and sober up first.”
I cut him off and handed him water. He gulped it down, then tensed his brow.
Still half-out of it, but I knew it wasn’t a drunken decision.
He’d already shown the basis for this choice.
In ‘Midclay,’ he’d told me he felt like a character from a story.
I’d ignored it then, but I understood the meaning.
In the hell I’d created, he’d glimpsed the ending he’d so desperately wanted.
The end of this tale he’d dreamed of.
“It’s a journey to the capital. And Iriel’s coming too.”
“Iriel?”
His head tilted.
“The woman from the branch.”
“Oh, the branch leader.”
“Discuss the details with her. I’ll let her know you’re coming along.”
“Yes, sir!”
I left Allen—who was even saluting over-the-top—behind and turned to Freddy and Ches.
“You two will head back to Ias soon soon.”
At my words, Ches downed the half-full beer in one go and said,
“Can’t we come too?”
“I want to go as well.”
Freddy chimed in.
Their eyes burned with resolve.
It wasn’t lip service; they genuinely wanted to join.
Even knowing how dangerous my path was.
I shook my head firmly at their determination.
“I’m only taking one because I need someone to handle chores. The rest would just be baggage.”
“…….”
Allen included, the three stared at me silently.
“It’s so spot-on it hurts like a punch to the bones, huh?”
Freddy rubbed his arm, grumbling. Ches massaged his own arm in agreement.
“Yours hurt there too? Mine’s hurting right there.”
I chuckled and raised my glass.
Allen looked at them wistfully and said,
“We’ll see each other again soon, right?”
“Definitely. As long as you don’t go rushing to your death like an idiot.”
Ches grinned as he spoke, and Freddy raised his glass with a bitter smile.
“Next time we meet, Francia will probably be independent.”
No telling how long until then, but with our separate missions, meeting before would be tough.
They knew that better than anyone, so their shoulders slumped in unison.
I raised my glass and tossed out a line.
“It won’t take that long.”
At that, the trio—who’d been clucking like sick chickens—straightened up and reignited the mood.
“Alright! Let’s go all out tonight then!”
Allen, leading an energetic toast, brought his glass to his lips but suddenly turned to me as something struck him.
“Oh, when do we leave?”
I, sipping my whiskey alone, set down the glass and said,
“Tomorrow.”