Chapter 244
Chapter 244
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 243. Shamans (1)
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The Northern Grand Duke couldn't bring himself to approach the Empire's Greatest Swordsman, visible in the distance.
Even though this was the man who had defied his wishes and refused to educate his son.
He couldn't question him or demand answers.
The reason was simple.
"Have you been taking good care of Veil's children?"
Standing beside his one and only consort was a figure like a silver wolf.
Irina, the self-made icon with her beautiful, icy gaze.
"Step back a bit. You're losing your imperial dignity."
The highest authority from the East, the red leopard who had rejected every marriage proposal.
Lydia, the wielder of unchecked power.
"Right, you haven't even 'married' him yet. Veil isn't your property."
And now, with the Crown Prince demoted from the capital to the South.
Lea, the promising heir to the throne with her radiant golden hair, joined them.
"What in the world is going on...?"
His mind went blank at the sight of three noble figures surrounding one man.
He had chased power his entire life to reach this position.
Yet facing a mere twenty-year-old who overshadowed him filled him with awe.
"It's not just that he's close to the Second Imperial Princess...!!"
Realizing the identity of the man he had misjudged, he staggered for a moment.
His attendants rushed to support Coldman.
"Y-Your Grace...!"
"I'm fine.... But this isn't the time to be like this...."
Coldman slowly approached me as I conversed in front of the carriage.
The moment he drew close enough to eavesdrop.
"So, what is it we need to 'discuss'?"
Lea, with her sharp eyes, uttered a loaded question.
"Ah, that?"
I smirked, sensing the intense mana of the approaching man from afar.
With a sly glint in my eyes, I replied leisurely.
"Nothing major—. Just as I arrived to give my lecture today—. I had this bizarre experience out of nowhere—."
The Northern Grand Duke, who had witnessed it all firsthand.
His eyes twitched beneath at the sight of the seductive fox whispering and chuckling amid beasts.
"By any chance, have the princesses heard about the Sacred Imperial Academy...?"
I glanced sideways.
Then, looking at the wrinkles around his eyes that seemed to have deepened by ten years in an instant, I spoke.
With elongated eyes.
"What do you think would happen if educational opportunities weren't provided equally?"
Just moments ago, the club parents had tried to sneak private lessons for their five children alone.
If Miya hadn't called them out, I would have taught only them without knowing.
At the mention of that situation, the Northern tiger's eyes turned as awkward as a giant cat's.
However, his awkward gaze soon shifted to despair.
"Well. If such a thing happened at the heart of the Empire...."
Lydia, the most resolute of the three princesses and infamous for tolerating no mistakes.
She replied calmly with her dull red eyes.
"We'd have to round up the ringleaders, the bystanders, and even their children for interrogation, right?"
Unlike her petite frame and twintails, she was firm on public and private matters.
"Exactly. It can't happen in an academy where everyone pays the same tuition."
Irina agreed.
She brushed off her full, long thighs honed by horseback riding and archery as she spoke.
"What, did something like that happen?"
Lea, arms crossed alone in her white uniform, delivered the finishing blow.
She held the capital's strongest power and could act on it immediately.
"Well.... I thought I'd hear the story first and then 'judge'."
With my hands behind my back, I stared straight at Coldman.
Then, with a tilt of my chin, I signaled him to come closer.
"Ahem."
Coldman cleared his throat and approached in response.
"Grand Duke Coldman greets the Imperial Princesses."
The noble women standing beside me nodded.
They warmly welcomed the grand duke, who was nearly their equal.
"So, you're Grand Duke Coldman. What brings you here?"
"Ah, well...."
The empire's Northern overlord glanced at me, rolling his eyes.
But I had no intention of going easy on the grand duke.
I merely fixed him with a cold stare from my resolute black eyes.
"Actually, I came to apologize to Sir Veil today...."
"You should apologize to the academy students, not me."
The black fox clawing and poking at his back.
At that sight, Coldman squeezed his eyes shut.
"I will issue a public apology later and ensure the sponsorship funds are used for the entire academy, not individuals. I will oversee it personally."
In the end, Coldman bowed his head to me in apology.
His attendants couldn't hide their shock at seeing their sky-high lord humble himself before a young whippersnapper.
"I was so busy with club management that I didn't know such irregularities were occurring."
Coldman hadn't even known I was the academy's inaugural instructor.
He pleaded for forgiveness, insisting he had no malice.
"I will properly warn the other members from now on."
The academy's main gate fell silent at Coldman's sincere apology.
The princesses watched quietly beside me, respecting my response.
"...."
Normally, an apology from a grand duke like this would suffice.
Especially since he was close enough to attend concerts with the Emperor.
Of course, he knew that well, which was why his apology was so thorough.
"Raise your head, Grand Duke."
I spoke to Coldman in a kind voice.
But the empire's black tiger still showed me the crown of his head.
He maintained an extremely low posture, unwilling to let this blemish his career.
"There are many eyes watching. I've accepted your apology, so stand up now."
Only then did the Northern Grand Duke slowly lift his head.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with him, I continued our quiet conversation.
"Shall we step into the carriage to talk?"
"Very well, Marquis."
Coldman seemed relieved at my bright smile.
He boarded the largest carriage among those the princesses had arrived in—Lydia's.
―――――.
Then, like curious beasts at a zoo, the princesses peeked in.
Eager to know what we would discuss.
"Uh.... Do you have to peek in from outside like that?"
At my question, the princesses chuckled in unison.
With eyes as if they knew me inside out.
"We don't know what tricks the grand duke might pull to convince you."
"Right, and Northern watermelons are so delicious."
'Who are you calling a watermelon ghost...?'
"No, it's not that. Just...."
I stared intently at the Northern Grand Duke sitting across from me.
My mouth was already watering at how to handle this cornered top powerbroker.
"I have a ton of questions for you, Grand Duke."
I tapped the sofa cushion.
Then, to the princesses still standing outside, I said.
"If you'd like, you can come in and listen."
Normally, they'd turn away saying it's fine.
So, as I refocused on the Northern Grand Duke....
"Sure."
"I'm curious, so I'll listen too."
"This is why I ride around in such a big carriage."
Unexpectedly, the princesses piled into the carriage.
As if they'd been waiting for this.
The carriage had two seats perfect for three people each.
But the daughters of the Conqueror King avoided Coldman's side, insisting on mine.
"Kek...."
The princesses forcing themselves onto one seat.
Thanks to them, I ended up squeezed between Irina and Lea on either side.
Lydia brazenly plopped onto my lap since there was no room.
"Breath...!!"
My arms were pressed by my two sisters' ample flesh.
My lap was claimed by the petite youngest, arms crossed.
"S-Sir Veil. Are you alright...?"
Coldman, occupying the wide seat alone, asked.
With Lydia's twintails blocking my view completely, I bowed my head to barely reply.
"Y-Yes...."
"Continue. We'll be perfect witnesses as imperial royals."
Lydia declared boldly from my lap.
Despite her small stature, her wide hips pressed firmly into my crotch.
"Hehe...."
Lydia seemed to be growing bolder by the minute.
I forced a smile and pretended not to notice the sensation.
"Understood.... Then let's begin."
I could finally continue only after resting my chin on the youngest princess's slender shoulder.
My voice was solemn even in the cramped seat.
"Grand Duke Coldman. Weren't you originally Crown Prince Leon's greatest backer?"
The man who had followed Rozanna with Crown Prince Leon, aiming to tear the empire apart.
As a figure of suspicion, I sought to uncover his true intentions and nip the last threat in the bud.
"Yes.... You knew that well."
He averted his gaze, uncomfortable admitting it before the princesses, rivals to his prince.
"We planned to build my own kingdom in the North following Princess Rozanna."
The grand duke was spilling freely.
But the cold glares from the princesses pressing me with their ample flesh on either side chilled his nape.
"Of course, not anymore. With Princess Rozanna canceling all plans, we're back to square one...."
"Still, that means you were one of the subversive factions."
Irina nailed it coldly, and Lydia chimed in from my lap, her words menacing despite her position.
"You might betray us again if you see an opening someday—."
"No. That won't happen again...."
The man once called the empire's black tiger shook his head urgently.
His image had indeed softened considerably.
"I haven't heard from Crown Prince Leon in ages. No news since he left for the South...."
However, I found that suspicious.
Would the Crown Prince crumble so easily?
No, the man I met was never that simple.
Fueled by ambition for his father's approval and hatred from his mother.
He surely had some other scheme even in the South.
"I know what you're thinking."
Coldman met my serious gaze and spoke calmly as a grand duke once more.
"But Crown Prince Leon isn't the type to plot rebellion just because he was cast out."
He quietly straightened his disheveled hair.
Then, hand on his sharp jawline, he continued like a cool-headed conductor.
"He's not one to gamble on impossible odds."
True enough.
The purge alone had taken a full ten years.
Even after the Emperor's death, he only began internal purges after pulling numerous ministers to his side.
"He's probably plotting something in the South, for sure. But whether it's rebellion or a plan for redemption, I can't say."
"Any specific guesses?"
Lea, Leon's own sister, asked calmly.
She pressed against me with her ample flesh but showed no change in expression.
"Hmm...."
Coldman pondered, as if he had some intel.
Then he stared at me, who seemed close to the princesses.
As if checking if I could handle the Crown Prince.
"You can tell me, Grand Duke."
I gave him a faint smile.
Lifting my chin from Lydia's shoulder, I looked alternately at Irina and Lea squeezing me from the sides.
"I promise to protect you and ensure the empire's peace continues."
The princesses chuckled in agreement.
At that, Coldman blinked, a strange satisfaction in his eyes.
"Understood."
The grand duke took a deep breath, resolved.
With a relaxed expression, he shared info only he knew.
"Recently, I heard he met with shamans from the Southern Alliance."
Southern shamans.
Powerful figures from the origin of shamanism.
"Whether it's a peace marriage alliance or a plot to topple the empire, I don't know."
Alliance or plot.
Coldman continued gravely.
"After that secret meeting, numerous Southern shamans have infiltrated the empire."
"Destination?"
At my question, the grand duke pointed northwest.
From the empire's heart.
"Cornell."
Cornell.
Where my father, Mago, and the children resided.
A haven for empire shamans evading crackdowns.
The empire's most developed place lately.
Coldman's face was deadly serious mentioning it.
"Something is definitely going to happen there."
Scheming something in my hometown.
Hearing that, I erased my smile completely.
I replied to the honest Coldman with a cold gaze.
"Got it. I'll go check it out."
I shifted, barely escaping the princesses' thick thighs.
Lightly lifting Lydia, I stood and said.
"I'll investigate alone, so carry on as usual, Grand Duke."
"Are you sure, Marquis...? Even for you, going alone is...."
Coldman's lips parted at my declaration of solo investigation.
No matter the grandmaster, shamanism was bizarre magic beyond imagination.
It seemed reckless for a twenty-year-old; he looked anxious.
But he soon changed his mind.
"Come with us, Veil. Shamans are wicked."
"It's my father-in-law's hometown; I can't miss out."
"I know a thing or two about shamans, so I guess I have no choice but to go."
The princesses grabbed my wrists in unison.
I was the type to firmly refuse even friendly royals when needed.
"No. You princesses have your duties. I'll go alone."
A subtle trust bloomed from refusing the close imperial family's hands and handling it myself.
"Ho.... Indeed...."
He gaped at the dejected beasts before my firm refusal.
Nodding approvingly at my independence from the Conqueror King's daughters and clear judgment.
But my true inner thoughts were entirely different.
'If I take these people, they'll scheme something weird again...!!'
Recalling Cornell episodes, I wanted to cry inside.