Chapter 266
Chapter 266
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 266
Chapter Title: The Kazura Kingdom (3)
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“Are you really going? I’m fine, really.”
Shirone didn’t like Amy getting distracted by other things with the graduation exam just around the corner.
No matter if she was the top candidate for graduation, one could never know what might happen in a competition. If she were to fail, he would feel partly responsible.
Of course, Amy would never think that way, but as someone who wished for her success, he desperately wanted to talk her out of it.
“This is important for you. Reina will be busy with the royal procedures, so you’ll need someone to escort you and stay by your side. What, you don’t want me to go?”
For Shirone, having Amy accompany him was the most reassuring thing possible.
Just like on Galliante Island, she was an absolute asset when it came to her abilities.
“No, of course I’d like that, but…”
“Then it’s settled. End of discussion. I owe you a few things, so I should pay you back when I can.”
Shirone couldn’t recall what Amy owed him, but countless moments flashed through her mind.
It was Shirone who had saved her from the cliff during Arcane’s attack, and if it weren’t for him when she was captured by Kariel in Heaven, she would never have returned safely.
As Amy stubbornly held her ground, Reina, letting out a sigh of resignation, gave an order to the coachman.
“Let’s depart.”
Of course, setting emotions aside, Amy’s inclusion was by no means a loss. It was far better for Shirone to have a friend by his side to help him. However, Reina couldn’t help but feel like she was already at a disadvantage from the start.
Reina rested her chin on her hand, gazing out the window with a pout.
She could almost see Amy’s smile.
@
The carriage was headed for the Thorn Mine, located on the mountainside of the Origin Mountains where Shirone’s home was. Along the way, Reina gave them a rough overview of the political situation.
Tormia, Kazura, and Yakma were once a single, unified nation. But as the power of the nobles grew, factional strife erupted, eventually leading to their separation. They now maintained a three-kingdom alliance.
“In a way, you could call them new nations. Kazura has been independent for less than a hundred years. The Yakma Republic, in particular, didn’t recognize Kazura’s separation until recently. War never broke out, but it came very close. That was eighteen years ago. In short, when Kazura’s internal affairs became unstable, they sent the first prince, Shirone, away to another place.”
Shirone found some comfort in the fact that he hadn’t been abandoned out of hatred. With the kingdom’s fate hanging in the balance, some things must have been unavoidable.
Of course, that didn’t make the feeling of hurt disappear. It was just that, with nothing yet certain, he was trying his best to ignore the budding emotions.
“I’ve heard about it too. I heard they were on the brink of a civil war. Yakma had also finished preparing for an expedition. But…”
Amy trailed off. It wasn’t something she could bring herself to say in front of Shirone.
Reina felt the same, but as the one in charge of the escort, she couldn’t avoid the topic.
“That’s right. All the internal strife ended when King Orcamp IV of Kazura married Empress Theraze of the Kashan Empire.”
Shirone had read enough history books to know about the event. He just never imagined it would be his own story.
The Kashan Empire was the absolute powerhouse of the continent, occupying a third of the human realm’s territory.
Furthermore, the emperors of the empire had always been women.
Theraze, the Empress of Kashan, was said to be so beautiful that any man would fall for her.
On the other hand, she was also a cold-blooded ruler who would not hesitate to make any sacrifice to achieve victory.
And it was this woman who had proposed marriage to King Orcamp of Kazura.
“King Orcamp IV didn’t have much of a choice. His country was on the verge of ruin. Besides, accepting Theraze meant securing a powerful connection. In fact, after his marriage to Theraze, Kazura’s politics rapidly stabilized, and its finances grew strong.”
It was an event so unprecedented that it was detailed even in history books.
Above all, Orcamp already had a wife, and Theraze also had a husband.
“Political marriages among royalty and nobility aren’t a big deal, but a case like this is quite unusual. Theraze, or rather, the rulers of Kashan, have always been women, and the strategy they’ve most often used to expand their power is marriage. Besides Orcamp IV, Theraze has three other husbands. All of them are kings of their respective nations, of course. After marrying Orcamp, Theraze would occasionally visit Kazura, and each time she did, she bore a child. She currently has a son and a daughter.”
“Did Kazura’s original queen, Orcamp Eliza, have any other children besides Shirone?”
“Sadly, no. Right after she sent her newborn child to another country for safety, Theraze stepped in. There was probably an agreement that she was not to have any more children. Theraze wants her own child to inherit the kingdom.”
Amy let out a sigh.
Even for royalty, it was a chilling thought to use the uniquely human ability of conception for political gain.
As a result, Shirone was the only one in the Kazura queen’s bloodline. And below him were his half-siblings, born to Theraze.
As her thoughts reached that point, Amy had a sudden realization—the source of the unease she had felt since before they departed.
“Wait a minute. Then if Shirone becomes the first prince of Kazura…”
Reina nodded with a grave expression, as if to say that was the crux of the matter.
“Yes, Theraze’s children would be pushed down the line of succession. In turn, Queen Eliza’s influence would grow stronger. The fact that an envoy from another country came to the magic academy to make a grand public announcement is likely not unrelated to that.”
Amy frowned.
Come to think of it, Kazura’s internal affairs had been stable for ten years now. With a little effort, the kingdom could have easily found Shirone much sooner.
Ultimately, their decision to seek him out now was clearly entangled with political issues.
Even if they were his biological parents… the fact that they hadn’t invited him purely out of a desire to see him weighed heavily on her mind.
*Sigh, why does everything have to be so complicated? I’ll never understand the way people in high places think.*
Theraze became Orcamp’s concubine, and Orcamp became one of Theraze’s consorts.
It was a ridiculous situation, impossible to map out on a family tree.
While each was lost in thought, the carriage sped on, and before long, it entered the Thorn Mine area.
The area was once used for mining coal, but it came to be called the Thorn Mine because of the sharp stalactites in the caves, and the name had stuck.
The mine was now closed off and abandoned, but the air had a subtle sting to it. To Shirone, however, it was the most nostalgic scent of home.
Seeing Shirone’s tense face relax a little, Amy also took a deep breath of the acrid air.
Upon arriving at Shirone’s house, Amy straightened her posture before getting out of the carriage.
It was her first time visiting Shirone’s home. Moreover, she was about to meet his parents, so she naturally grew cautious.
Of course, she wouldn’t make a mistake, but the situation was a bit peculiar.
Since Shirone’s parents were commoners, she was actually more worried about how to treat them.
If she was too formal, they might feel uncomfortable, but if she acted as she usually did, she might come across as arrogant.
Unlike Amy, who was lost in such thoughts, Reina opened the door and stepped out as soon as they arrived.
Vincent and Olina were waiting, having finished their preparations to leave.
While Deputy Butler Temuran inspected the carriage, Reina led Shirone to his parents.
“Hello. Have you been well?”
“Yes, we have. Thanks to your care, we’ve been living comfortably.”
Vincent and Olina greeted her with the utmost courtesy.
Reina paid it no mind and smoothly transitioned to the schedule.
“We’ll take the carriage north and cross the border. We should arrive around midnight, so please bear with us until then. From there, you’ll be under the escort of the Kazura Kingdom, so you won’t have any inconveniences.”
“Please don’t worry about us. We’re just sorry to have caused you trouble because of our son.”
Reina offered a sympathetic smile. Looking at Vincent and Olina’s faces, it was clear they hadn’t slept a wink all night.
Temuran must have explained it to them several times, but it couldn’t have been an easy reality to accept.
How could they possibly comprehend a situation where the biological parents of a child they found abandoned in a stable and raised as their own for eighteen years suddenly appeared?
And they were the king and queen of another country.
It was a good thing for Shirone, but they were human too. How could they not feel a sense of loss?
Moreover, they couldn’t file a custody lawsuit against a king, so they were in a position where their son was being taken away without recourse.
“Don’t worry too much. Nothing is certain yet, and even if they are his biological parents, Shirone won’t be swayed. It was the same with the Ogent family, wasn’t it?”
Startled that his inner thoughts had been read, Vincent waved his hands in denial.
“Worried! Not at all. This is a truly wonderful thing for Shirone. Still, thank you for your concern.”
At that moment, Amy’s bright voice came from the carriage.
“Hello!”
All eyes turned to her, and Amy’s face turned red. Seeing Reina and his parents talking, she had rushed to join in and ended up interjecting at an odd moment.
“And this young lady is…?”
Olina’s eyes sparkled with interest. It was the first time Shirone had brought a girl his age home.
She was pretty, and her eyes held no deceit; a truly gentle-looking girl.
“Ah, yes. I’m Shirone’s friend, Carmis Amy. I’ll be accompanying him to Kazura. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Amy found herself bowing awkwardly. Her confidence in being able to remain composed in any situation had shattered into pieces.
Of course, that was only in her mind. Vincent and Olina were smiling warmly, whispering to each other what a fine young lady she was.
Shirone remained silent. Honestly, he didn’t know what kind of expression to wear in front of his parents.
He had been able to firmly refuse being adopted by someone from the Ogent family, but this time, it was his biological parents.
Furthermore, they were royalty, so he had no choice in the matter, which made him feel as if he were committing a sin against them.
Vincent, sensing his son’s feelings, approached him.
“Are you alright, Shirone? You must have been very surprised.”
“I’m fine. Father… I’m sorry.”
“Ha ha! What is there to be sorry for? It’ll be a relief if you don’t make any mistakes at the royal palace. I tried to learn a lot from Sir Temuran, but this stuff is just so difficult.”
Shirone forced a smile.
“Me too. But don’t worry. Amy is with me, so it should be fine.”
Seizing the opportunity, Amy pointed to herself with her thumb.
“That’s right! I’ll be there to serve him, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.”
Olina said with a smile.
“Thank you. I remember your name now. I heard you’ve been a great help to Shirone.”
Amy felt a little proud. As her tension eased, her stiff lips began to move as she intended.
“Shirone has helped me a lot too. Please feel free to be comfortable around me.”
Reina clapped her hands to draw their attention.
While it was nice to continue the pleasant atmosphere, they truly had no more time to waste.
To reach the border before midnight, they had to ride hard from now on.
“Alright, alright. Let’s get going. Deputy Butler, please remain on standby at the mansion. And be ready to move the moment you hear from Louis.”
“Understood. Please have a safe trip.”
The carriage carrying Shirone and his party departed for Kazura.
@
It was a forced march.
Spending over six hours in a rattling carriage was bound to make one’s whole body ache. With a schedule of traveling for an hour and resting for five minutes, there was no time to soothe their aching backs.
But no one complained.
As they neared the border, the pain gradually faded, replaced by a palpable tension.
From Shirone’s perspective, this was a grand adventure.
Having heard the complicated affairs of the Kazura royal family, he couldn’t feel at ease even with an escort waiting for them. If Theraze’s side were to make a rash decision, they could even send an assassination squad.