Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Ancestor's Revelation
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“Personally, I think it’s right to judge based on the royal law.”
Unlike what Sion thought, Yonas answered without a shred of hesitation.
“There could have been a misunderstanding leading to a mistake. Of course, it’s a grave error that can’t just be overlooked. So, he should go to the royal castle, appoint a renowned noble as his advocate, and have a fair trial under His Majesty the King’s supervision to determine his guilt.”
A resolute attitude.
‘Well, look at this guy?’
Sion felt momentarily confused.
Yonas served Gedel, who was connected to the poisoning of the previous Duke Brian, almost as his lord.
For Yonas, then, the best option was for Anserman—the accomplice and witness to the poisoning—to die. Dead men tell no tales.
So when he heard the suggestion to strip Anserman of his status and exile him, Sion had assumed it was a ploy to secretly dispose of the exiled Anserman.
But while the one who sent Yonas here might think that way, it seemed Yonas himself had different ideas.
“Ho. Is that so? Do you have any particular reason for thinking that?”
Sion decided to confirm once more.
“Does there need to be a special reason? I simply believe that’s the righteous path.”
Yonas slightly furrowed his brow, as if mildly offended.
At that moment, the old monster—who had lived over a hundred years including his past life in Korea—was certain.
‘It’s clear. This guy knows nothing about what happened to Brian.’
Even though they were several generations removed, Yonas was still of his bloodline.
That made it easier to discern truth from lies.
Sion had already extracted a confession from Anserman, who was confined in some room of August’s lord castle, about who had brought the poison that killed Brian.
And when Yonas and Sirban arrived flying the Duke family’s banner, it lent even more credibility to that confession.
The only remaining issue was uncertainty about the full extent of the accomplices.
That was why Sion had openly provoked Yonas and Sirban from the start, observing their reactions.
Yet until Sion had directly asked just moments ago, Yonas had paid little attention to Anserman, and his response was one that would be extremely disadvantageous if he himself were an accomplice.
In the end, everything—the flow and circumstances—pointed to one simple conclusion.
‘This guy’s being used too.’
He had come here for a different purpose, completely in the dark about the truly important matters.
And the one who sent Yonas here was probably hoping Sion would clash with him based on assumptions or at least gauge their reaction.
‘Or maybe they think I don’t know how Brian died. Fine, I’ve decided.’
After finishing his meal, Sion spoke to Yonas as he brought the wine glass to his lips.
“How about you and I share a drink alone?”
“You and I alone?”
“Yes. While those young folks get friendly over there, wouldn’t it be good for us to strengthen our bond too?”
The retort *You’re young too?* nearly slipped out again, but Yonas nodded.
Since their first meeting had gone poorly, resetting their relationship wasn’t a bad idea.
‘Besides, young ones let their guards down with alcohol. It’s a chance to probe his true feelings.’
“That’s a good idea.”
“Shall we go, then?”
Feeling he might even accomplish the purpose of his visit if things went well, Yonas glanced at the little kid quietly eating under the maid’s care, then stood up.
‘Hm. So that’s what it is.’
Sion, who hadn’t missed Yonas’s action, realized it.
What Yonas’s purpose was in coming here.
* * *
Sion arrived at the lord’s office, which Anserman had used until recently, and guided Yonas to a seat.
Fine wine and two silver goblets were placed on the table, and soon the office held only Sion and Yonas.
Then, silence fell.
‘What’s this?’
Yonas, seated on the sofa, narrowed one eye.
He should pour the wine or start some light conversation, but the other said nothing.
“Uh…….”
As Yonas, sensing something off and feeling a bit annoyed, tried to speak first—
“Yonas Sion.”
“……!?”
Calling his name outright made Yonas’s eyes fly wide. Even for a collateral branch of the royal family, this went beyond rudeness into outright insolence.
“……What did you just say?”
“I said your name, Yonas Sion.”
“What! Have you lost your mind?”
Yonas growled.
Whether by age or status, Yonas was not in a position to be treated so openly as a subordinate by a royal collateral.
“I don’t know what you’re playing at, but apologize right now.”
“…….”
Far from apologizing, the indifferent gaze from where he leaned against the window finally made Yonas explode.
“You’re mad! I won’t forget this. All our previous discussions are off. Just you wait.”
As Yonas shot to his feet and turned—
“The grandson of Theo, son of Byron’s concubine. Unlike your father, you’ve never actually seen me.”
When he had decided to meet Yonas alone, Sion had made up his mind.
To reveal the truth to this ignorant, pitiable descendant who had come here solely out of loyalty, unaware of what his family had done or how he was being used.
Sion had thus far hidden his identity, but perfect secrets didn’t exist anyway.
There were already a tiny few in the Obla Kingdom, including the royal castle, who knew about him.
Including those who suspected, it was probably two digits.
Hiding his identity at all costs in such a reality would be foolish.
Moreover, Sion had cleverly used it to his advantage up until now.
A mystery unknown to anyone has no value.
It gains value only when someone knows.
And the fewer who know, the greater the value.
He had tolerated and exploited those who knew—mostly strangers he’d met once— so there was no reason not to tell his own blood descendant.
Especially if that descendant was someone worth giving a ‘chance’ to.
“What nonsense… Hm!?”
Yonas instinctively reached for his waist. Sion held a dagger in his hand.
Staring at the dagger glinting in the candlelight, Yonas gripped his sword hilt.
“You think that little dagger can do anything to me? I may not be called a master, but I can handle myself… Huh?”
Once again, he couldn’t finish his words as his eyes widened.
Sion was bringing the dagger toward his own face.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Ignoring Yonas’s words, Sion pressed the dagger to his cheek and moved it.
Rip! Sizzle……
Following the dagger’s motion, his sideburns slowly peeled away.
Soon, the beard covering from below both ears to his jaw and mouth was completely removed.
To Yonas, whose tightly clenched mouth slowly gaped open, Sion set the beard down and said,
“Look at me, Yonas.”
“What in the…….”
Sion stepped forward. His facial contours sharpened clearly in the firelight.
“……!?”
Yonas’s eyes, fixed on Sion’s face, began to tremble.
The expression flushed red with anger mixed with doubt shifted to shock and disbelief.
“Do you know what I did first after the Double-Headed Eagle Corridor was built? I hung my wife Stella’s portrait in the best spot. Funny thing, she had the exact same idea.”
“No, she went even further. So our portraits ended up side by side in the deepest, prime spot, with my bust placed in front.”
The Double-Headed Eagle Corridor was a long hallway in the deepest part of the ducal castle, displaying rare treasures and portraits of successive figures from Duke Sion’s family.
Naturally, only direct descendants of the ducal family could enter, and one of the direct line managed the items there.
Even outsiders who knew of the corridor couldn’t know what was inside or its layout.
“Th… uh…….”
Yonas’s breathing grew ragged, his words stumbling.
From childhood, dreaming of becoming a knight, Yonas had begged his father to visit the corridor whenever he could, and what he loved most was the bust of the family founder, Duke Jang Sion.
The great knight founder was Yonas’s hero. And now that hero’s face was right before him.
“Your father Byron grew up seeing me until he was three. He was precocious even as a child, so he might remember me until his dying day.”
“Hah… ha…….”
Legs weakening, Yonas stumbled back, breathing heavily, as Sion’s voice continued.
“The scar on your late brother Brian’s shoulder? Your grandmother scalded him by accident with a bowl of hot water while bathing him, then blamed it on a maid. She got caught by your great-grandmother and chewed out big time. Oh, you wouldn’t know that?”
Yonas, mouth agape and just breathing, shuddered violently.
It was a story his father Byron had told him after he’d grown up.
A shameful past known only to a few direct descendants of Duke Sion’s family, never leaked outside.
That memory naturally brought another ‘story’ to Yonas’s mind.
As a child, when direct descendants of Duke Sion’s family around his age gathered to play, someone had whispered it like a huge secret.
*Did you hear? Founder Duke Jang Sion hasn’t died yet. He travels various countries like a flying eagle and appears in his old form whenever something happens in the dukedom.*
He didn’t remember who started it.
But the kids who heard it claimed they’d heard it from their parents too, excitedly chattering about the family founder and eternal hero.
As time passed and they all became adults, no one mentioned it anymore.
They dismissed it as childish imagination, a ridiculous rumor.
But it wasn’t ridiculous or a rumor.
The children had spoken the truth back then.
“I… truly… are you really…….”
“Yes. It’s me. I am your great-grandfather and the founder of all Sions, Duke Jang Sion.”
“……!!!’
Yonas, the only one of his generation to learn the ‘truth,’ shuddered once greatly, then slowly knelt.
“D-Duke Highness…….”
“Enough with Duke. Call me Grandfather.”
Sion chuckled and patted Yonas’s shoulder.
The middle-aged great-grandson flinched at his touch.
The sensation of a legend he’d idolized existing in the flesh was ecstatic, yet paradoxically felt like a dream or illusion.
But this was no dream or illusion.
“Isn’t this missing from the corridor?”
A sword thrust suddenly toward the kneeling Yonas.
The sword with a double-headed eagle engraved on the pommel slowly revealed its sleek silver blade to Yonas’s wildly shaking eyes.
*The eagle’s wings shall set you free.*
The moment he saw the sword said to have been buried with the founder in his eternal tomb, Yonas shed tears streaming down in surging elation.
(To be continued)