Chapter 278
Chapter 278
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 278
Chapter Title: The King's Proposal
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“Shirone, even a beautiful butterfly is a monstrosity up close. In this world, no one is beautiful but you, and expressing your emotions is never a good thing. Especially if you wish to protect those you love.”
Shirone took a deep breath to calm his agitation. This was a time for devising a plan, not for getting angry.
“What should I do now?”
“Show them your power. If they want a basis for judging whose side to take, providing them with a direct source could be one way to do it.”
Orkamp finally spoke his mind.
“I will arrange it. Give them a demonstration of Ataraxia. If you show them your power there, at the very least, we can clearly distinguish friend from foe. Then, they will not touch your family.”
Shirone’s gaze fell. As his mind calmed, a hot energy rose up his esophagus and caught in his throat.
“So that… is the real reason you called me here.”
Orkamp let out a small sigh. As he expected, lies didn't work on Shirone.
“Have you heard of the Valkyrie? It is an army organized by Theraze in preparation for the final war. The Kingdom of Kazra was able to recover economically thanks to contracts to supply them with weapons of war. But the situation is not optimistic. Theraze has planted their children here to one day oust me and swallow Kazra whole. We must strengthen our influence within the Valkyrie. With your Ataraxia, it is more than possible.”
Shirone felt the strength drain from his body. He had vaguely suspected it, but hearing such words from the man who was supposedly his biological father brought tears to his eyes.
In the end, blood ties didn't matter. What they wanted was Ataraxia, the power of an archangel.
“I'm asking you. Give the demonstration. Just showcasing it before the nobles will have a powerful ripple effect. It's a chance to pull the neutral faction to our side.”
Shirone fought to swallow his tears. Since Orkamp was not crying, he must not cry either.
“Did you think I would simply obey if you put it that way?”
“Quite the opposite. That's why I'm going to make you an offer. You once said you wanted to go back home. Is that still what you want?”
“No, it isn’t. I want to go back even more than I did then.”
Orkamp did not take offense at Shirone’s sarcastic remark.
“If you give the demonstration, I will send you home as soon as the parentage test is complete. You can attend the magic academy, do whatever you want. If you don't want to come to the royal palace, you don't have to. What do you say?”
Even Shirone couldn't dismiss this offer lightly.
Now that he had experienced the royal palace, he realized that returning home was not as simple as he had initially thought. Under these circumstances, Orkamp's proposal was certainly tempting.
“But then you wouldn't be able to use Ataraxia. You'll eventually need me, so how do you plan to persuade the ministers?”
Orkamp felt a pang of anxiety, as if his true intentions had been exposed. His reason for proposing the demonstration was for a purpose far greater than just winning over the neutral faction.
Arius had said that if he saw Ataraxia in person, he could find a way to replicate it.
Once the replication succeeded, Shirone would no longer be needed. No, it would actually be better for him to leave the palace. For the sake of Shirone’s life…
“That is why a secret deal is necessary. I will announce to the ministers that you are returning after graduating from the magic academy. A year, was it? During that time, I will purge the Theraze faction. After that, we can each go our own way.”
In other words, if he failed to purge the Theraze faction, the deal was off.
But Shirone nodded as if he accepted such a risk as a matter of course. As long as he was guaranteed one year, it didn't matter whether Orkamp kept his promise or not.
He had planned on moving after graduating from the magic academy anyway. He could just think of it as the moving distance having gotten a little longer.
Until he could build enough power to not be swayed by royal authority, couldn't he live like that?
“Who will be observing the demonstration?”
“I have already sent word. All the high-ranking nobles will gather. They are expecting a spectacular show.”
Shirone looked at Orkamp with sad eyes.
“You knew from the beginning that I couldn't refuse.”
“Shirone, this is the proposal you made three days ago. I have merely provided a justification for granting it.”
Orkamp remained cold to the very end.
But thanks to that, Shirone also regained his composure. He would do it not for Kazra, but for his family.
“Alright. Please call me when you’re ready. I should go see my ‘parents’ now.”
If he had his way, he would have just stormed out. He also knew that Orkamp wouldn't reprimand him for doing so.
But Shirone was courteous as he left through the door.
Orkamp was the king of a neighboring country.
@
Arriving at their quarters, Shirone first checked on his parents.
They looked as if they hadn't slept all night, with dark circles under their eyes. She was forcing a smile so as not to worry her son, but Olina's face was as pale as a sheet of paper.
Even for him, a student of magic, his heart was pounding; it must have been an unbearable burden for a woman who had lived her entire life without ever harming another.
‘I’m sorry, Mother.’
Amy, who greeted Shirone, didn't pretend to be cheerful, nor did she look tense. She simply raised a hand in greeting with a bittersweet smile.
In her expression, Shirone felt a strong sense of camaraderie.
Reina, who had been in a meeting with her attendants in the next room, greeted him with a bright face.
“You’re here, Shirone. I was waiting for you.”
While everyone else was haggard, Reina alone was full of vitality. As expected of a court musician, she seemed to be hardened to the atmosphere of the royal palace.
It was refreshing to see a new side of her, but at this moment, he didn't feel particularly good about it.
It wasn't that he disliked her. But no one could understand how he felt, having been made a fool for a day while his family's lives were in the hands of others.
“I just met with Orkamp.”
Reina’s expression stiffened.
It wasn't just Shirone's cold voice; calling the king by his name showed just how furious he was about the incident.
“I’m sorry for not telling you beforehand. But I was worried about you…”
“I know why. But everyone was in danger.”
Reina swallowed hard. It was an expression she had seen once at the main family estate, one that only appeared when Shirone was truly angry.
Now that it was directed at her, she felt her heart freeze. Is this how her father felt back then?
“It’s alright now. I’ve strengthened the security procedures. I requested the guards to tighten security even more…”
“You should have told me.”
Reina’s mouth snapped shut like a clam. At that, Amy, who had been watching from the sidelines, let out a sigh.
‘See? I told you we should have told him.’
This whole mess happened because they overlooked how much Shirone loves his family.
But honestly, Amy was in no position to talk. She had gone along with Reina's decision despite knowing full well how Shirone would react, ultimately because she knew Reina was right.
He was this angry now; if he had known at the time, the situation could have spiraled out of control. Shirone couldn't have been unaware of that fact. That was why, in the end, it was Reina's victory.
Vincent, unable to hide his awkwardness, tried to placate Shirone.
“Shirone, Reina had no choice. Besides, she fully explained the situation to us and we agreed. If you’re going to be angry, be angry with me.”
Shirone lowered his head. He had known that from the start.
He was just angry.
His family was facing assassination threats, the people who were supposedly his biological parents were obsessed with Ataraxia, and now, the thought that even Reina had excluded him made him so miserable it made him shudder.
“I’m sorry. I know you saved all of us, Reina. I just… I was so frustrated, I didn’t mean it.”
Reina detected a faint sob in Shirone’s voice. What on earth had Orkamp said to him to make the usually resilient boy return in such tatters?
“No, I’m sorry. You had every right to be upset. It’s part of my duty to inform you, after all. From now on, I’ll report everything without fail.”
When Shirone forced a smile, Reina also felt a sense of relief.
This boy was indeed most beautiful when he smiled. That was all the more reason she didn't want to see him with a sad face.
To leave the royal palace safely, one had to be level-headed. If the same situation arose again, Reina would make the same decision.
Once the two had settled their emotions, Amy asked.
“So, what did you talk about in the audience chamber?”
“Ah, well…”
Shirone explained Orkamp’s proposal. Amy sank into careful thought, then nodded.
“Hmm, that’s a decent offer. Assuming he keeps his promise, of course.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have to move after graduation anyway, right? I can think about what comes next when the time comes. So I accepted the offer for now.”
“True. Same for me.”
The reason nobles had the concept of a main family estate was that they moved residences depending on their jobs.
Amy’s older brother, Dain, was the captain of the archer corps at the royal palace, and her second brother, Ares, an explorer, was wandering the backlands, his current whereabouts unknown.
Globally, the employment rate for mages was around 80 percent, while the employability rate was nearly 99 percent. The reason the employment rate was lower than the employability rate was that quite a few mages refused to take jobs.
But competition was fierce, so most students moved to the capital, Bashuka, after graduation to look for jobs or prepare for certification exams. If neither worked out, it was common for them to study abroad.
While Creas had magical institutions, Shirone had no intention of ending his magical career in a provincial city.
In the future, if he reached around the 5th Grade of certification, he might be able to take a position like deputy chief of the Creas branch of the Magic Society, but for now, there were many things he wanted to do.
Alpheas Magic Academy was a state-designated institution, and graduates received a non-certified 10th-grade mage license. Once they had the license, they could live as mercenaries, as the guild would provide them with work. That would mean he wouldn't need to buy a house, making it easier to move around.
He thought he could live like that, and if he met someone special, he could settle down somewhere.
Amy clapped her hands as if to support Shirone’s decision and offered words of encouragement.
“Alright! If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right!”
@
The Colosseum was built in a basin two kilometers north of the Kazra royal palace. It was once a giant gambling den where gladiators fought bloody battles with wild beasts while nobles placed bets, but it was now indefinitely closed for financial reasons related to the royal palace.
Traces of blood remained on the unkempt sand floor. No matter how much the workers swept with their brooms, the red stains would not disappear.
Nobles entered with their escorts, and Amy and Reina also took their seats in the third-floor gallery.
Orkamp, considerate of Shirone’s feelings, had permitted his parents to attend, but due to Olina’s weakened state, they had decided to remain in their quarters with Vincent.
Shirone was waiting for the time in a waiting room beneath the Colosseum.
Around him lay scattered training equipment and punching bags used by champions, and various weapons were displayed on shelves.
The iron door of the waiting room opened, and Zion and Uorin entered. Uorin looked around, seemingly new to the underground waiting area.
Shirone no longer welcomed anyone. After learning of last night's events, he saw everyone as an enemy.
Zion approached with a swagger and said.
“What a desolate place. What do you suppose the warriors who waited here were thinking? ‘Please don't let me get eaten by a lion?’ Or maybe they were plotting to break down that door and escape.”
“No, they would have resolved to kill their enemy. For a warrior, that is the only path left.”
Zion's smile twisted. As expected, he was no match for a mage in a battle of words.