Chapter 6
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Demonkin Mercy
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As soon as I returned to the Imperial Palace, I sprang into action.
I didn't head to the Main Palace where I lived. Instead, I went straight to the building where the medical staff was stationed.
I had them tend to the injured child.
In an emergency like this, summoning the healers from the Main Palace would just waste manpower and time.
She looked relatively fine on the outside, but what if there was internal bleeding?
Or maybe a brain hemorrhage?
I sat in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting news, when a middle-aged man entered.
He was a mage who possessed a Unique Magic similar to the frequent healing spells from the game.
"Your Highness. The treatment went well."
The man got straight to the point the moment our eyes met.
Much better than dragging out the conversation with unnecessary flourishes.
"Good. That's a relief."
I let out a deep sigh and smiled.
Now that I'd heard she was okay, I could finally relax.
"Yes. At Your Highness's command, I treated her with utmost care. But... do you know what she is?"
A faint hostility flickered in the man's eyes.
It was the look of someone who despised whatever he was referring to.
Because the child was dirty?
Or because she seemed lowborn?
He's not the type to discriminate against people that way. If anything, he's a good man.
Yet here he was, showing disgust toward an injured child.
There had to be a reason for it.
'That makes sense.'
I hadn't heard his words, but I could easily guess the cause.
It had to be because of Antiope's race.
"A Demonkin, right?"
The term Demonkin and its associated lore appeared briefly in Antiope's storyline.
They were a race that had waged war against humans in the past and lost.
As a result, they faced intense scorn and discrimination in every country.
The Empire was no exception, and quite a few Demonkin lived here.
They were treated as the lowest slaves, unworthy of any respect.
"You knew?"
The man's eyes widened in surprise.
It was understandable—he'd recognized a Demonkin he'd never even seen before.
"I could tell just by looking."
Demonkin looked almost identical to humans, but they were easy to distinguish.
They had black markings somewhere on their bodies symbolizing their race.
"In that case, I have nothing more to say. It would be overstepping for me to tell you what to do anyway."
"I understand how you feel. Still, thank you for treating her so diligently. You did well."
I took the man's hand and smiled, conveying my appreciation for his feelings and efforts.
"...Thank you. I'll take my leave."
For a moment, the man's eyes trembled fiercely.
He seemed so pure, getting emotional over a single phrase.
"Lord Niu. What do you plan to do with that child?"
As the man left, the Wet Nurse sitting beside me asked.
Unlike him, she showed no hint of disgust toward Demonkin.
"I can't just abandon her, so I'll put her in some empty room for now and talk it over with Mother."
"As you know, many people dislike Demonkin. You're aware of that, right?"
"That's part of what I want to discuss."
The game was all about shutting up and fucking, with no deep storylines.
But from the text, it seemed like Demonkin discrimination got resolved somehow.
And the Emperor's tyranny was overcome, turning the nation prosperous.
In other words, the Imperial Family could lead reconciliation with the Demonkin.
"Wet Nurse. Have her placed in a suitable room and make sure no one harasses her."
"Yes. Don't worry."
"Mother must have heard the news by now, right?"
"She rushed over in such a frenzy; there's no way she hasn't. Considering Your Majesty's temperament, she might even come here..."
Bang! While the Wet Nurse was speaking, someone flung the door open.
It was the Emperor, her indigo hair fluttering as she smiled.
"My son, did you have fun?"
Emperor Orpheus stood before me, beaming.
It was the kind of situation that brought to mind the old saying about even good people having their flaws.
"Yes. I had a great time."
"Good. I'm glad."
Orpheus nodded and shifted her gaze.
The Wet Nurse, who had been silently bowing her head in greeting, looked up just then.
"Any injuries?"
"Not a single scratch, Your Majesty. No internal issues either, and no motion sickness."
"Good. That's a relief. You seem fine too, Wet Nurse."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I am deeply grateful."
A bitter smile tugged at Orpheus's lips.
She worried only about me—the injured child didn't even register.
At least she showed some humanity by checking on the Wet Nurse...
Every time I saw this side of her, I was reminded that she was the Emperor.
In this rigid class society, with the gulf between Emperor and slave...
From such lofty heights, slaves must look like insects.
"Wet Nurse, you may return and rest. My son seems to have something he wants to say. Isn't that right?"
"Yes. That's correct."
How did she know?
Maybe it was the Emperor's intuition—her perceptiveness was beyond ordinary.
"Shall we go to my room together?"
"Yes, Mother."
I took Orpheus's hand and left the room.
The Wet Nurse followed behind us.
We all lived, ate, and slept in the same Main Palace, just in different rooms.
It was natural that we headed in the same direction—like tenants in a shared apartment building.
The Wet Nurse went straight to her own room upon entering the Main Palace.
Mother and I entered the Emperor's bedroom, strictly controlled for access.
The Emperor's bedroom was grand and spacious, but surprisingly simple.
That put my mind at ease.
"Come, sit here."
Orpheus sat on the sofa chair and spread her arms.
She meant for me to sit on her lap.
Her short skirt revealed her pale, thick thighs invitingly.
"Yes, Mother."
I immediately nestled into Orpheus's embrace.
Facing the same direction, I couldn't see her expression.
"I got a rough report. You said some Demonkin slave got hit by a carriage?"
Orpheus whispered into my ear, her lips brushing it.
Her soft voice melted my eardrums and heart.
"She was in danger from the accident."
"My kind-hearted son would do that. But there's no need to worry about the life of some lowly Demonkin. You can use them up and discard them."
Her comforting words, harmful to any moral upbringing, sent shivers down my spine.
It was so chilling that I felt cold all over.
In the past, Demonkin had waged war on humans and lost.
Since their defeat, they'd lived in misery worse than dogs for ages.
To humans, Demonkin were enemies, symbols of hatred.
They were like trash bins for every filthy emotion and act.
If humans had lost, we'd be in the same boat.
Besides, the Demonkin had struck first.
From humanity's perspective, gleefully whipping them was only natural.
"Then, aren't Demonkin also your subjects?"
Even so, they were living beings under the same roof now.
Not enemies anymore.
"Huh?"
For an instant, the Emperor's eyes widened.
The idea of Demonkin as subjects must have been utterly foreign to her.
"Why do you think that?"
"I've heard Demonkin are dangerous. But now, they're citizens of the Empire, living here with us."
It was a tough issue, but the Emperor had to tackle it.
Even if she lacked the power, she needed to broaden her mindset at least.
Of course, that would unleash a flood of complaints.
Out of sheer unease.
And because opportunistic people would exploit that anxiety.
Still, Demonkin discrimination had to be resolved.
Suppressing it would only lead to a bigger explosion later.
"You're right, my son. I'll think seriously about that child. In a positive way."
The Emperor fell silent with a grave expression before slowly speaking.
She seemed to have pondered and reached a conclusion.
"Really?"
I was so startled my eyes widened.
Not just "I'll think about it," but a firm affirmative?
"Of course. Whose words do you think I'd take lightly? You must be tired. Time for bed."
"Yes, Mother. Good night."
I smiled innocently like a child and bid her farewell.
I didn't forget to kiss her cheek before leaving.
Orpheus was cold to others but endlessly indulgent with me.
She wouldn't lie about something like this.
'She's safe for now.'
It would be heartbreaking to save her only for her to be discarded, but even in the original story, it was tough to watch.
She'd been a collared slave until liberation.
Bark on command, take the beatings.
It was a grim setup unfit for a light game.
"Yawn..."
After leaving the room, I walked down the corridor with a servant girl, yawning.
With my mind at ease, drowsiness came crashing in.
Left alone in her bedroom, Orpheus tapped the table thoughtfully.
Her eyes were deep in contemplation.
Demonkin as imperial citizens.
It was naive and idealistic, but it pierced right to the heart of future issues—a profound statement.
'Who does he take after to be so kind?'
A gentle smile curved Orpheus's lips.
Being too kind was a weakness in the Imperial Palace.
Just prey for the vulture nobles.
Yet it strangely filled her with warmth.
"Is anyone outside? Fetch the Chief Healer."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A waiting maid responded curtly and departed.
After a few minutes, she returned.
"Your Majesty, I've brought him. He's waiting in the drawing room. Is that alright?"
"Understood. I'll be there shortly."
It was a hassle, but she couldn't let just any man into her bedroom.
The only male allowed in the Emperor's bedroom was Niu.
Orpheus rose and headed to the drawing room.
Fortunately, it wasn't far from her chambers.
"Your Majesty. You summoned me."
As she opened the drawing room door, the man inside shot to his feet and bowed deeply.
It was the same man who'd spoken to Niu earlier.
"This will be brief, so listen standing. I'll let you go soon."
Orpheus closed the door and leaned against it.
Her usual cold gaze fixed on the man.
Gulp. His Adam's apple bobbed dramatically.
"Speak."
"I'm curious about the condition of the Demonkin slave you treated. You didn't slack off or treat her poorly just because she's a Demonkin, did you?"
"I wouldn't dare take His Highness the Crown Prince's command lightly."
Loyalty trumped his disgust for Demonkin.
His response was textbook perfect—and sincere.
"So you treated her with full effort."
"Yes. Her internals were shaken and showing signs of damage, but thanks to His Highness's prompt action, we treated her in time."
"You don't know where she was taken?"
"I believe His Highness's Wet Nurse placed her in an empty room in the Main Palace."
Of course. I gave the order myself.
Orpheus nodded, arms crossed.
"Anything noteworthy? Like her body being emaciated, or perhaps untapped potential?"
"She was quite frail, as most Demonkin are. Nothing else particularly stood out."
"I see."
Orpheus fell silent for a moment, then subtly stepped aside.
A sign he could leave.
"Dismissed."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The man bowed politely and departed swiftly.
Tension was etched on his face.
Even living in the palace, a private audience with the Emperor was terrifying.
It felt like it shaved years off his life.
'Survived another day.'
As he left the room, his rigid shoulders slumped.
Proof the tension had released.
"Hm..."
Alone now, Orpheus leaned against the wall and groaned softly.
Thoughts bubbled up and popped like foam.
'For now, it has to be done.'
Because her son wanted it, she planned to liberate the Demonkin.
Indulging him was the main reason, but there were justifications and benefits too.
First off, loyalists made up 60%.
Detractors 20%, neutrals 20%.
Given the issue's weight, 10-20% might swing to the detractors.
Short-sighted people would hate the labor vacuum from freeing slaves.
Other nations might face chaos too.
Demonkin fleeing for freedom or struggling to secure it.
'Not bad at all.'
Orpheus's eyes gleamed sharply.