Chapter 64
Chapter: 64
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 64
>Chapter Title: What He's Hiding (2)
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>“Wow... This is truly unexpected.”
After testing him randomly with languages from nine different countries,
Chloe was now gazing at Sungjin as if he were a hidden dragon concealing his true nature.
“I was just memorizing foreign phrases to cool my head while playing around, so I figured that was it. But when on earth did you learn all those languages, Your Highness? If it weren’t for that fever...”
She was clearly under a massive misunderstanding.
The original nine-language prodigy Mores had lost most of his abilities due to a fever.
Sungjin shook his head.
“No way... It’s probably just basic greetings, like with you. He can barely speak them in practice, right?”
Exactly as he said. While he could understand them, Sungjin couldn’t actually speak all the languages he comprehended.
The languages Sungjin could freely speak numbered only three.
The imperial common tongue, Brittany, and the language of the Volanta, one of the major pagan tribes.
‘And somehow, most of it doesn’t feel like truly knowing the [languages]...’
He understood the meaning, but not the actual sounds themselves.
Sungjin was gradually realizing the difference the Demon King had explained.
‘Probably, the only languages I really know are those three.’
He couldn’t test it here, but he felt certain. If someone spoke to him over the phone or radio without being physically present, he wouldn’t understand most languages properly except for those three.
In other words, the mechanism by which Sungjin understood those other three-plus languages operated on the same principle as the Demon King comprehending thoughts.
‘This just makes it more confusing, doesn’t it?’
[Hmm...]
The Demon King seemed lost in thought too, holding back his words.
Right. If he could listen and speak all languages fluently, he might have chalked it up to something happening on a spiritual level with his soul.
But with only three he could actually speak, it got ambiguous.
Was this truly a phenomenon caused by Sungjin’s soul somehow utilizing thought-reading? Or were they languages Mores had actually learned?
He could have secretly studied three languages if he’d wanted. But then why would Mores have bothered learning something like the southern pagans’ tongue?
On the other hand, if it was purely spiritual, fixating on just those three for speaking was downright bizarre.
“If you can understand languages, relearning to speak them fluently shouldn’t be too hard, Your Highness.”
Misinterpreting Sungjin’s stiff expression, Chloe offered words of comfort.
She must have thought he was deeply saddened at having lost most of his hard-earned foreign language skills.
“The languages of the continent share many commonalities. Spellings are similar based on etymology too. With the right help, you could regain your original proficiency in no time.”
According to her, the continent’s languages fell into three main language families. Excluding the Barsha tongues of the southern pagans, the other two had similar word orders, making them easier to learn.
With sufficient ‘will’ and ‘effort,’ mastering several in a short time wasn’t impossible, apparently?
Of course, this was just the opinion of Chloe, the foreign language prodigy even among the brainiacs of Valua.
“Um, so... Your Highness...”
“Yeah?”
Chloe hesitated for a moment, her face flushing slightly as her voice dropped to a whisper.
“If it’s all right with you, I was thinking... maybe I could help a bit with your Brittany studies...”
“Brittany?”
“Yes. You already speak it so fluently— just a little work on reading and writing, and it’d be perfect!”
“Huh? No, that’s fine.”
He had no real desire to study. Especially not some obscure language from Boryeonji.
“And next in priority would be Ortona. They have so many literary masterpieces. I think I could help with that too...”
...Well, it couldn’t hurt to know.
Still, most of the continent used the imperial common tongue, didn’t they? Was it really necessary?
Seeing Sungjin’s lukewarm reaction, Chloe’s voice rose a tone.
“Um, I could even help with Cypriot!”
“Hmm...”
“Of course, I’m still lacking in a lot. But I’ll study harder to help with the others soon!”
Chloe was completely off-base.
She thought Sungjin desperately wanted to regain his nine-language prowess as quickly as possible.
So, no thanks, he didn’t need any of that.
More importantly, you’re planning to study even more languages right now?
“Seeing you today has been such a huge inspiration.”
The little girl touched her flushed cheeks shyly.
“I’ve been too complacent. There’s someone who speaks nine languages, and here I was, acting all high and mighty with just four. It’s so embarrassing.”
“......”
She looked ready to dash off and master nine languages on the spot.
Sungjin was a little impressed.
A mere twelve-year-old with ambition like that.
Better her leading the foreign ministry someday than the bishops who smugly tossed out a few oddly pronounced Brittany phrases.
“Chloe, you’re an impressive talent the more I see you.”
“Hehe. Is that for you to say, Your Highness? But even empty flattery feels nice.”
Thanks to Chloe’s enthusiasm that day, Sungjin unwittingly promised to join her for weekly language study sessions.
* * *
“A strange affair. Truly strange...”
Head steward Louis stroked his chin, lost in thought after the report from his subordinate.
“How could Prince Mores speak languages from foreign lands he’s never even encountered?”
He’d already been skeptical upon hearing about the recent commotion with the Ravijuri marquess’s family.
The Third Prince spoke Brittany like a native? How was that possible?
“A few years ago, Valua’s young lord Albert briefly taught the prince Brittany.”
The young steward added.
Indeed, due to Empress Consort Elizabeth’s relentless nagging, Mores had a Brittany tutor for a while.
But Louis soon shook his head.
“The second to be chased out after the theology tutor was none other than Albert de Valua.”
The lessons devolved into such outrageous antics that even that diligent, upright young teacher couldn’t last a few weeks and fled.
Factoring in the times the prince skipped class entirely without showing his face, the actual instruction days could be counted on one hand.
“And how does he know the southern pagans’ tongue? The Volanta tribe, no less?”
Louis had been involved in every major and minor palace affair since the young Holy Emperor took power.
To his knowledge, no one fluent in Barsha had ever approached Third Prince Mores even once.
‘What in the world is happening to the prince...’
He’d been pleased, thinking the sudden change after the fever meant the boy had finally come of age.
But now there was the swordsmanship hailed as genius among the palace knights, and fluency in languages he’d never properly encountered.
‘Prince Mores is...’
Suddenly, a voice from long ago echoed in his mind.
The voice of Cardinal Benitus, pleading desperately at the audience chamber doors.
—How can His Majesty stand idly by? Listen well, steward! What possesses Mores is clearly...
‘...No!’
Louis startled, shaking his head vigorously.
‘No, no! Everything is within His Majesty’s will—what impious thoughts are these!’
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, forcing down his unease.
‘...Yes. Nothing in the world escapes His Majesty’s eyes.’
So, he’d report to His Majesty posthaste. Surely, an answer would come.
With that resolve, Louis straightened his attire and hurried to the Holy Emperor’s office.
And shortly after.
The Holy Emperor, upon hearing the report, responded nonchalantly.
“I see.”
“......”
The steward was speechless.
He’d reported gravely, yet the Emperor hadn’t even looked up from his documents. Feeling stifled by the indifference, Louis silently darted his eyes about.
Then, a few peculiar documents caught his eye.
Yellowed parchments mixed among the reviewed papers, covered in intricate, irregular patterns—clearly transcriptions of the hieroglyphs from the southern wilds.
The exorcists must have gone deep into the continent again and brought back something suspicious.
‘...Come to think of it!’
A sudden realization pierced his mind, leaving the steward gaping.
‘It’s not just Prince Mores.’
Had His Majesty ever commissioned separate translations?
He’d seen officials handling foreign documents prepare translations for convenience, but had those ever reached the Emperor?
And when receiving envoys from remote areas unfluent in the common tongue?
Interpreters translated the Emperor’s words to the envoys, but never the envoys’ words back to the Emperor.
From the Pomeranian of the northern continent to the Barsha of the south.
From the deep wilds’ hieroglyphs to long-lost ancient scripts.
The one who understood all the unlearned was right here!
Which meant...
“That’s it! Prince Mores has the oracle too...”
The words slipped from the steward’s mouth unbidden.
The Holy Emperor paused, finally lifting his eyes from the papers to gaze silently at Louis.
Though his expression remained unreadable as always, Louis sensed a hint of rebuke in that gaze and bowed hastily.
“...I spoke out of turn. Forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“......”
The Holy Emperor sighed softly and set down his documents.
“Louis.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“That child merely knows what he needs to. Leave him be.”
Louis bowed even lower, overwhelmed with reverence.
‘I worried needlessly. Prince Mores is His Majesty’s son. That is all.’
The old steward’s heart was now utterly at peace.
* * *
“You’re studying together? That’s wonderful, Mores.”
That evening,
Amelia, who’d come curious about Chloe’s visit, laughed delightedly at the unexpected outcome.
“Is it? Feels like a waste of time on useless stuff.”
As Sungjin grumbled sullenly, Amelia spoke earnestly.
“No, Mores. Properly studying the languages of subjugated nations is extremely important.”
While the common tongue was encouraged for official occasions, preserving and understanding each nation’s culture required their native languages—this was the current Holy Emperor’s firm belief.
Even Second Prince Logan was highly proficient in Ortona as a result.
Amelia herself could manage some Brittany and Rohan.
“Owen’s case, I’m not sure... He left for the southern front not long after arriving at the palace...”
But he’d likely picked up a fair bit of the pagans’ Barsha tongues, at least.
But wait—what? The imperial family studied like this, so why were the foreign ministry hacks all so useless?
“In the early days of his reign, Father strove hard to educate priests and officials in foreign languages. They were quite radical plans for the time, clashing often with the Orthodox Church.”
Realize God’s kingdom on earth through His proxy!
To the deeply rooted Orthodox clergy, the Holy Emperor’s policies seemed to defy divine will.
Sadly, most of those radical plans never came to fruition, thwarted by various practical barriers, Amelia explained.
“Imperial citizens rarely learn local tongues unless they make a real effort. With everyone using the common tongue officially, there’s hardly any chance to even hear them.”
Amelia had been the same.
Despite marrying into Rohan, she’d only picked up halting Rohan after years of hardship.
“And that’s why Delcros bishops often take losses in diplomacy.”
Sungjin tilted his head.
“Huh? Why?”
At his question, Amelia gave a faintly bitter smile.
Official negotiations naturally used the common tongue.
But beneath the surface, in sensitive backchannel talks,
While participants whispered in native tongues to rig the game, Delcros bishops were the only ones left out.
“When people hide something just below the surface, it’s usually assuming the other side will notice. You’re expected to catch it—or pay the price if you don’t.”
Amelia’s eyes sank deep into distant memories.
—Look at her standing there like an idiot, oblivious to her place. All that flashy plumage like a puffed-up peacock—ridiculous.
—Defied her father to force the marriage, didn’t she? Rumors her mother was a whore... Guess that base blood tells.
Nobles approaching with sweet smiles, hurling incomprehensible insults.
And amid the barrage, Rohan’s young queen smiling like a fool.
How naive she’d been then.
“But you’re different.”
Amelia met her brother’s eyes—mirrors of her own—and spoke slowly, with fervent hope.
Yes, Mores was unlike her.
Somehow, she felt she was glimpsing the threads of countless possibilities slumbering within him.
Unlike her, this child would pierce the lies around him with ease, overcoming any obstacle through his own strength.
“You’ll surely become a crown prince of great renown, Mores.”
“Uh...”
Sungjin blinked in confusion at her sudden words.
What? Crown prince?
He’d never even considered it a possibility.
But rather than retort or question, he pondered briefly and shut his mouth. Her smile as she said it seemed somehow wistful.
That night, the two lingered late in the Pearl Palace’s drawing room, chatting idly.
And Amelia taught Sungjin a simple Brittany sentence she’d composed herself for practice.
“In the deep, deep forest, a humble cottage built with care shelters a little angel—that shall be my church.”
“What’s this? Scripture or poetry?”
The meaning didn’t quite land.
As Sungjin murmured it and cocked his head, Amelia burst into clear laughter.
“Isn’t it fun? It has four ‘Arrhc’ sounds in one sentence!”