Chapter 239
Chapter 239
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 239
Chapter Title: Three Hours Ago
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When Ian declared the extermination of the demonic beast, most eyes were fixed on him, but no small number were watching Duke Haiman's complexion.
The duke's troubled expression, one he'd never shown in his life. It was the rock bottom of what a human could display when things reached their worst. Haiman, who stood between the imperial family and the nobility, let out a faint groan, unable to hide his distress.
"Damn it."
"D-Duke."
He had already colluded with Gail to turn the imperial palace upside down once. He had pushed Arsen as the successor to overcome that, but who would have expected such a bolt from the blue!
A demonic beast? The product of a curse passed down since the founding of the empire, no less? It was maddening enough, but what was even more grim was that Ian, their enemy, had figured it out and slain it.
'Even better if the beast had come back to life.'
Better if everyone died, killed, and everything collapsed. Then their sins would mix into the chaos, unrecognizable.
Even now, even now, somehow take down that bastard...!
"...The Second Prince of Bariel, Gail Berosion, has passed away."
Haiman, who had been gnawing at his lips, jerked his head up in shock. Those around him simultaneously gasped in surprise.
After all the fuss to kill him before the trial, Gail was dead. And he had walked right into it himself.
"Did you hear that? My god!"
"Prince Gail has passed away?"
"He seemed off when he was climbing the stairs earlier. Could he have sacrificed himself for Bariel?"
"Sacrifice? He was probably waiting for a chance and failed. He was bound by treason charges. Dealing with the beast would at least restore some of his fallen prestige, making it easier to negotiate exile with Ruswena."
"Still, he clearly looked prepared for death."
Voices drifted aimlessly without order. They were chaotic and frivolous. But only for a moment—the forces of Haiman, who had been eyeing a chance to survive, exchanged glances in silence.
As the mages, imperial guards, and escorts rushed into the building for cleanup, they naturally fell back and clustered together.
"Duke. We need to devise a plan."
"F-First, let's leave the palace. We should gather the private soldiers and discuss. Have each mansion contact and assemble. Lady Dillaina—no, it's too complicated to worry about that now."
"Will that be okay?"
"If we go on like this, we're all dead, problems or not!"
They had supported the beast that tried to bring down Bariel. The game was essentially over. The Magic Department had saved the imperial palace from crisis twice already, and the prince they backed was now the empire's sole heir.
And that was not all? With the emperor unable to fulfill his role, it was obvious that Ian would become the de facto master of the palace.
No path to survival. Not only blocked front and back, but defeat rising to his chin.
"Leave the palace."
No matter what, it was better to go to the mansion than stay in the palace. Ian looked in poor shape, so now was the chance. If there truly was no countermeasure, attempting exile to Ruswena like Gail was the only option.
It was the moment they tried to prepare the carriage.
"Wait."
The prime minister, who had been conferring with the mages, urgently raised his hand. Haiman vaguely guessed the measure he would take. The mages began sprinting toward the palace's main gate. The prime minister cleared his throat loudly and deeply, as if demanding attention.
"Ahem! From now until the situation is resolved, all palace entrances and exits will be sealed."
A demonic beast had sneaked into the palace pretending to be a prince. And another prince had died because of it. Was there a greater humiliation in Bariel's history?
It was an incident that could not be recorded in history, so the cleanup had to be perfect. Control, erasure, and fabrication for posterity. Everything needed to be pinned on the Bariel before Arsen was born.
To do that, prohibiting departures and binding witnesses was the priority.
"Everyone, follow the guides to the main building of the First Imperial Palace."
He did not mention the schedule for countermeasures meeting, suggesting some investigation would precede it.
Arsen had used brainwashing, after all. It was proper procedure to check if anyone else was affected by the beast. With mages and priests so busy, who knew when they would get checked.
"Ugh, really. We were locked up like this last time too."
"Every time we enter the palace, we can't leave."
"No choice. It's that kind of incident. Whether we like it or not, we weren't getting out today anyway. We're grateful they dealt with the beast."
"This way! We'll guide you!"
The nobles whispered among themselves as they boarded carriages. One by one, they disappeared toward the main building of the First Imperial Palace following the imperial guards' gestures—it was the opposite direction from the entrances. Haiman and his followers, unable to do this or that, had no choice but to board the carriages.
Neigh!
'The palace gates must be sealed with magic. Physically impossible to break through.'
Haiman twisted his beard as if to rip it out. Think, observe. How to survive, how to overcome the crisis.
Earlier, in panic, he had only thought of fleeing—that was the lowest of the low! Upon arriving at the First Imperial Palace, the duke silently gauged the situation until his followers gathered.
"Duke."
Two or so hours passed like that. Against the darkening sky, someone approached him.
It was a mage in a robe. One connected by a golden vein thicker than blood. The one who had sent Haiman a letter via the Magic Department's pen. He cautiously reported what had happened at the cleanup site.
"...Arsen's essence remains. It will surely prove he was the beast. Ian exterminated the demon with a sacred spell circle and collapsed from the aftermath; he's in treatment. Same with Romandro. Dillaina is wandering on the brink of death, no hope there."
"Hmm."
Ian's collapse was fortunate, but Dillaina's hopelessness was regrettable. The kid seemed to miss his mother deeply.
The ploy of blaming it on the demon's scheme was gone, with the mother gone as a pretext for forgiveness.
"And a survivor said something strange. Arsen claimed Ian was imperial blood. As proof, he cited the imperial blessing that resists brainwashing."
"What?"
Haiman's retort was loud at the absurd nonsense. His anxious followers focused even more. The mage, looking burdened, pulled his robe tight and vanished.
"Duke. What did he say?"
Haiman stared blankly ahead. Unlike his calm face, his fingertips scratched and tore at the sofa armrest nonstop. A way out, a chance to survive, was emerging.
"...Listen carefully from now on. This moment will decide life or death. First, we were also brainwashed by Arsen's beastly power. Otherwise, how could we push a mere beast as Bariel's successor? Right?"
"Q-Quite right."
"Of course! The beast manipulated us!"
Truth or not did not matter. The Magic Department had truth serum anyway. Truth and lies would be sorted by Ian's will. The key was to establish and claim an outward justification. Even if it seemed like a sandcastle, justification held meaning in its mere existence.
"And—"
The biggest current problem was the bond between Ian and Jin. Ian had given Jin real power through the Magic Department, and Jin had bolstered it with imperial legitimacy. Could not take on both at once.
"Arsen called Ian imperial blood. Prince Jin heard it too."
"What? What does that..."
Truth or not did not matter here either. Rather, if Ian was imperial blood, it would truly disconcert them. The honor of the first imperial mage would go to Ian, signaling a new emperor's birth.
"What do you plan to do?"
"...What else."
Ian was too solid, no cracks to exploit. So shake the relatively frail Jin. Shake that young body until he could not recognize who was beside him.
"Ian being imperial blood—haha, absurd even to say—but... anyway, it will be an unknowable bombshell. Compared to the young and insignificant Jin, wouldn't the Magic Department minister, on the cusp of his coming-of-age, fit the throne better?"
There was always only one seat. The throne especially, and the successor position too. Once he realized his helpful ally was the greatest threat, their relationship could not stay the same. Shake him like that, and a chance to survive would arise.
Someone puffing a mana cigarette thickly added awkwardly.
"Um, Ian's mother is alive and well. We can't drag this out too long."
"The palace is spitting out princes left and right—what's some lowly commoner!"
Bang!
"Get your head straight. If we don't devour, we get devoured. Our necks are already half in their jaws."
Haiman barked as if to shut up the foolish talk. The ashtray flew to the wall, shattering into pieces.
When limbs were about to be torn apart, was that even a problem? Haiman ground his teeth amid the thick smoke.
* * *
Jin entered the grand council hall pretending to be unperturbed. The nobles and officials in the corridor spotted him and bowed their heads.
But from below, was that how it looked? Their courtesy somehow did not seem fully sincere.
"Prince Jin has arrived."
"Oh my god. His Highness..."
"And Sir Ian..."
Whispers that scattered without reaching Jin. He sensed faint fear in their eyes. Faces just like those when they faced the beast that looked exactly like him.
Seeing Jin naturally brought Arsen to mind, and the terror of the first demonic beast they encountered naturally followed. Naturally, but—
'It's not natural to show it like this.'
What was it? Something was off with the nobles' atmosphere. Not just resemblance—did they doubt his own blood from the same womb?
"Prince Jin enters."
Creak.
As attendants swung open the council hall doors, the leaking murmurs hushed in an instant. Hundreds of eyes poured in simultaneously.
Unknowingly, Jin slipped his left hand into his sleeve and clenched it tight. Ian always held it, and now it felt empty.
'Hold back the tears. You are precious, Your Highness.'
'Endure and pass it, and it won't come again. If it does, Your Highness will win.'
But his comforts remained vividly etched in his heart.
Jin noticed the seat near the prime minister was empty and walked toward it. Hundreds of eyes slowly followed his movement.
Tap.
Jin sat straight-backed in the chair pushed by his attendant. He kept a calm expression despite seeing Duke Haiman directly across.
"Your Highness. Are you alright?"
The prime minister's question and Quintana's worried gaze. Jin replied without even glancing their way. He was the only one left to hold the palace.
As a prince, as a prince...
"Of course. Start the meeting."
It was his first step without Ian.