Chapter 193
Chapter 193
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: The Grand Duke Comes Calling
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As expected, the man who had transformed into a child stepped out into the corridor. His long, trailing hair was bundled up in one hand.
'...I don't sense that blood lump's presence anymore.'
It wasn't the time for him to be sleeping soundly yet. If his father hadn't woken up, the search might have been easier, but since he had, he must have followed the blood lump.
'Do I really have to check every single place one by one?'
If he'd gone out following the blood lump, it would just be a waste of time.
"...What brings you here?"
Dios halted his steps at the voice coming from behind. It was an elderly man who appeared to be the butler.
He wasn't thrilled about mingling with humans, but the man figured he had no choice and opened his mouth.
"I've come to fetch the Rest."
"......"
"Where is he?"
The old man didn't respond. When he slightly released his pressure, the man's hands trembled, but he quickly hid them behind his back and acted as if nothing was wrong, standing firm.
He stared intently at him with a resolute expression for a long while before slowly kneeling and bowing his head.
"Please... don't take him away. His Highness the Prince needs him."
"That's not for the likes of you to decide."
"......"
But even at the cold rebuff, the old man only bowed his head lower, still refusing to speak.
The child-formed man furrowed his brow slightly at the stubborn old man's behavior.
"Should I grab little Rex and threaten you to make you talk?"
"...Rex...?"
Paul, with his head pressed to the floor, widened his eyes at the unfamiliar yet somehow not entirely new name.
'No way...'
After a brief moment of thought, realizing the child's identity, Paul hurriedly spoke up.
"Ah, no... that's not it. He..."
"Ha."
Now back to his original form, the man looked down at the knights' training grounds and let out a hollow laugh.
'He went to class following the blood lump, huh...'
The old man had said his father followed the blood lump to attend lessons together, and since it was swordsmanship class time now, they were probably at the knights' training grounds.
But...
"...Why do I only see the blood lump and not Father?"
Did he sense his presence and flee already? Was returning to his original form, with its longer limbs, the problem?
"Your Highness, when you twist your waist like that, make sure to relax your strength, or it's dangerous."
"Yes!"
But for someone whose father had vanished, the blood lump seemed far too cheerful. Compared to the earlier tearful, snotty pleas not to take his dear friend away, this carefree attitude was striking.
Watching the blood lump here would eventually lead to a encounter, but his patience had already been depleted since 500 years ago.
The man took out a communication orb.
"......"
King Sedes stared blankly at the ring disintegrating into powder.
What in the world had happened? Had he touched something wrong, or had his son's friend given him a defective item?
He wanted to ask his son's friend right away, but directing his gaze at him here would draw suspicion from everyone, so Sedes tried hard not to look up.
The onlookers were just as flustered, whispering among themselves. Some stifled laughs, while an old snake openly smirked.
At that moment, the Mage Association Chairman cautiously spoke up, trying to salvage the awkward atmosphere.
"W-Well, it seems it wasn't a magic tool after all."
"Y-Yes, exactly. Now that we know that Meister can handle elfwood, that's a gain, isn't it?"
"Ahem, well, since it's such tricky wood to work with, failure might be expected..."
At that instant, light flashed once more from the finger that had worn the ring.
"......?!"
"Your Majesty!"
Clatter crash!
The nobles jumped up in panic, toppling their chairs. But nothing major happened afterward. Only faint strange characters were etched onto his finger.
"What in the world is this..."
Knock knock knock.
"......?"
As Sedes unwittingly turned to ask his son's friend, a somewhat urgent knock echoed. No one would knock on the council chamber door during a state meeting unless it was critical, so Sedes tensed up.
'...Did word come from the Empire?'
"Enter."
No sooner had permission been given than an administrative officer burst in, pale-faced and panting.
"What is it?"
"Th-The Gr-Grand D-Duke..."
"...Grand Duke...?"
"H-He... said he's v-visiting... and sent word..."
"...Calm down."
Sedes felt slight relief that it wasn't the Empire, but he couldn't help glancing toward his son's friend.
In fact, the day after the incident, the Grand Duke had contacted him wanting to meet his son's friend. But the child hadn't woken yet, and fearing trouble, he'd politely declined—yet here he was, barging in unannounced.
The administrative officer took several deep breaths and spoke again.
"I was going to say we'd contact him back since we're in a state meeting, but..."
His face twisted as if he might cry. Sedes grew uneasy. And the next words were right on target.
"...He's here."
"......"
Not a notice of impending visit, but a notification of unauthorized entry? His son's friend already wandered freely into his bedroom and office, but was the royal palace's security this lax?
"Dear friend, dear friend! You need to hide first."
Marchioness Francesca jumped up in a fuss, searching for a hiding spot. Probably because his son's friend had nearly died by the Grand Duke's hand before, she was trying to prevent a meeting.
It seemed unlikely hiding would work now, but amused by the situation, his son's friend pretended to diligently search for cover alongside her.
For all the commotion, they ended up settling under the table.
'...Why does he look so excited?'
As Sedes thought his son's friend seemed oddly thrilled, a small commotion stirred outside the chamber.
The head maid led some maids in to hurriedly set out refreshments, while the nobles in the room feigned composure to appear relaxed.
'It'd be easier to catch the Grand Duke's eye by panicking like the young marchioness.'
The Grand Duke ignored anyone not direct royalty—even the Tesaurus Duke, the sole duke and Swordmaster.
The anecdote of the young duke being ignored after greeting the Grand Duke was still whispered among nobles.
Due to this blatant favoritism, there was a joke that conversing with the Grand Duke earned royal treatment. Thus, sycophants constantly tried their luck. The most "successful" case was Marchioness Francesca, who barged in with a world map demanding translation of some mysterious language, nearly losing her wrist.
Thinking back now, perhaps the marchioness got off lightly because she was so young then. He seemed lenient with young ones.
In the midst of it, Marchioness Francesca picked up a sweet and passed it under the table to the crouched son's friend.
"Dear friend, dear friend, you can't come out from there, okay? Here, at least eat this."
Nod nod.
...They're having fun.
Sedes leaned back in his chair, resigned to whatever happened. Soon, the Grand Duke entered, his long hair sweeping the floor.
"...Grand Duke, you must have a lot of free time these days."
A slightly curt remark drew a snort from the Grand Duke.
"Rex, you've grown quite a bit."
"And you haven't grown at all, Grand Duke."
Nor aged. At the light jest, the Grand Duke's face subtly hardened. Sedes instinctively tensed up again.
"...It was a joke."
Sedes quickly shifted his stance. The previous king had nearly lost his head after pointedly addressing the Grand Duke informally post-ascension.
"That's a new ring."
"......?"
Unlike feared, the Grand Duke was looking down at his finger—the strange characters etched there. No other rings adorned his fingers, so it was clearly that.
"A gift. What do you make of it, Grand Duke?"
"What."
"This magic tool."
"...Don't call what he made a mere magic tool."
He? Suspecting, Sedes cautiously asked.
"......Do you perhaps know who made it?"
"Where's the child?"
"......"
The Grand Duke changed the subject abruptly. Or was it? Indirectly implying the child made this magic tool?
Uncertain, Sedes played dumb.
"...Why seek the child here?"
"Wasn't in little Rex's palace."
"......"
The prince's palace had already been ransacked.
"Where is he."
Sedes sighed deeply at the Grand Duke's blunt demand for the child upon arrival. The unauthorized entry was rude, but at least he'd notified late—this consideration was almost tear-jerking now.
His goal was clearly his son's friend. As he pondered handing him over, a blunt question cut through.
"Is he alright?"
"...? Ah, if you're asking about the child, yes. He's... better than expected."
"I said I wanted to meet him."
"He just woke up today... or so I was informed."
Actually under the table after breaking into the chamber, but Sedes strained not to look down.
"...Grand Duke, why are you so intent on finding that child?"
"Something to settle."
"......"
Not planning a clean "disposal," surely.
"...Promise not to harm the child."
"Do you think I'm some brute..."
Then, something white burst from under the table and lunged at the Grand Duke. Simultaneously, a pitch-black shadow rose from the floor.
"......!"
In that split second, all sorts of thoughts flashed through Sedes's mind.
Was the banquet hall tragedy repeating? No elixir left now. Why couldn't his son's friend stay put? How to explain to his son who trusted him with this if the friend got hurt here...
But miraculously, the black shadow halted just before piercing his son's friend.
"......"
"......"
A heavy silence fell. No one could move, as if seized by something. Their throats were clear, but shock made even breathing forgotten. Not even the Swordmaster duke budged.
No, everyone except one.
Sedes looked down at his son's friend, who had twice ambushed the Grand Duke successfully. He was now hugging the Grand Duke's waist, grinning broadly. He looked thrilled.
But apparently only the son's friend was pleased—the grinding of teeth echoed from the Grand Duke, accompanied by a murderous pressure.
"Eek, ouch, dear friend, why would you do this? Haha, Grand Duke, sorry."
Marchioness Francesca rushed in to pry his son's friend away, but the Grand Duke's furrowed brows refused to relax.
Worried this might spell real trouble, as he opened his mouth, the Grand Duke—who had been glaring at the child—spoke first.
"Requies, $@#%$%#^?"
Unintelligible words spilled from his lips. The only term Sedes recognized was "Requies," which he'd recently learned meant not just "rest" but also "eternal sleep." It felt like a threat: "Want to sleep forever?"
Not far off—the son's friend, seeming to understand, froze solid.
"#$%@#$^@#%&@$#&"
As the Grand Duke said more, the visibly flustered child mumbled a few times before sheepishly climbing down from Marchioness Francesca's arms.
"@#$%^#@$%."
Adding one more unintelligible remark, the Grand Duke grabbed his son's friend by the scruff like a kitten. The child dangled limply from his hand, unresisting.
"See you later, Rex."
With that, the Grand Duke opened the passage and vanished.
"......"
"......"
A silence laced with bewilderment lingered. Sedes sat dazed for a moment before sorting the documents before him. A form of escapism.
Right, they were in a state meeting now. What just happened was a collective dream from exhaustion. No horrific disaster—just everyone safe...
"Your Majesty."
As he steadfastly escaped reality, Abel approached closely and whispered.
"What do we do now?"
"About what...?"
"The entrusted item got kidnapped."
Ah.