Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Audience with the Fifth Prince
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A week had passed since the incident at the social party.
Since the event now dubbed the ‘Celleron Social Party Terror Incident’.
Celleron hadn’t had a single quiet day.
“What’s happening with the Celleron family?”
“For now, the Empire has dispatched an investigation team to scrutinize the entire Celleron household. Viscount Celleron himself has been hauled off to the capital.”
“That’s brutal.”
Especially the Celleron family, the lords of this territory—they had been utterly crushed.
Not only had a terrorist attack occurred at the party they hosted, but it was also revealed that Ivy, the family’s second daughter, had participated in the terrorism. Naturally, they were pegged as the masterminds behind it all.
“Even targeting just the regular nobles would’ve caused an uproar, but they went after the Fifth Prince too, so it’s being treated as high treason.”
Dozens of nobles had died or been injured in the incident.
But the real kicker was the prince’s presence at the scene—and evidence that he’d been the primary target.
That sealed it: high treason charges for the whole family, dooming them to ruin.
“So, does that mean the city’s lord will change?”
“Yeah. The Empire will probably govern it directly for a while, then grant it to some noble who’s earned merits or something.”
“The city’s name might change too.”
“They won’t keep a traitor family’s name around... so yeah, probably.”
Not only would the family vanish, but even the name they’d left behind would be erased.
Touching the imperial family? That was par for the course...
“No word on the real culprits behind it all?”
“Nope. It’s clear Ivy Celleron colluded with some outside force, but they haven’t pinned down who.”
The true masterminds had struck at the imperial family without exposing themselves.
‘What the hell kind of people are they...?’
The Empire had sent in an official investigation team.
Yet they still hadn’t uncovered the puppet masters.
‘These guys are more dangerous than I thought.’
Since the incident, Jeon, Lena, and Risar had been dragged around for questioning left and right.
But Jeon had no desire to reveal what he’d done.
‘Good call keeping my identity hidden.’
Not just the existence of rune magic like Compression or Guardian.
Letting his Korean Patch ability slip would be disastrous.
Plus, if word got out that he was behind it, he’d attract endless hassle—good attention or bad, he didn’t want any of it.
In hindsight, hiding his role had kept him off the radar from both the Empire and whatever shadowy group was pulling strings.
Instead, most of Jeon’s feats had been credited to Lena and Risar.
Boosting their reputations sky-high.
“Ughhh... investigations, investigations, investigations... I’m dying here.”
“You were questioned all morning, so you should get a break today.”
Thanks to that, Lena and Risar hadn’t caught a wink of rest lately.
Jeon tagged along as their interpreter, of course.
But there was a world of difference between being grilled under a microscope and just standing by translating.
“Ugh... so, Jeon. You’re really not gonna tell me what that magic was?”
“I told you. Secret family magic.”
“I’m going through all this hell, and that’s all you’ve got!?”
Lena had been nagging him daily about the spell he’d cast.
“How am I supposed to share secret family magic? If I told just anyone, it wouldn’t be secret.”
“You jerk!”
She was just grumbling, not pressing for real.
Brushing it off as “secret family magic” was enough to placate her.
‘If they knew it was me... it wouldn’t end like this.’
Even without Ivy’s backers in the mix.
If his involvement leaked, “secret family magic” wouldn’t cut it.
Thinking back, he was grateful to Lena and Risar for going along with his request without a fuss, even if they’d gained fame from it.
“By the way, when are you heading back to Langley?”
“In a month. I’d love to go now, but they want me to cooperate with investigations until then.”
Lena answered Jeon’s casual question curtly.
After the incident, the Silvermont family had summoned her back from the capital early.
Partly because the Empire deemed it too risky for her to stay after the attack.
“The Duke was bummed about it too. He said he misses you both and wants to see you soon.”
The Duke of Silvermont wanting to meet Jeon was part of it too.
‘...Kinda overwhelming.’
When Lena mentioned returning to Langley, Jeon hadn’t planned to follow.
But the promise of the Silvermonts’ top mage teaching him a mana circulation method changed his mind—he’d visit.
Behind that was the Duke’s interest.
He’d even insisted Jeon come, saying he had a special gift beyond the mana method.
‘He’s obsessed with swordsmanship and doesn’t care much for magic, right?’
According to Lena.
The Duke was a sword maniac, chasing the pinnacle of knighthood, so Jeon’s magic wouldn’t faze him.
Even when Lena became a 3rd Circle Mage young, he’d barely congratulated her—just muttered, “Would’ve been better if you’d picked up a sword.”
‘Her face soured when she told me that.’
It explained her past rebellions and runaways—her expression had been pretty grim.
Anyway, what kind of gift could a guy like that have for him? Hard to guess.
‘...Please don’t let it be some marriage proposal crap.’
Risar had let slip.
The Duke was more interested in Jeon protecting Lena than whatever magic he used.
So Jeon was sweating: please no, god forbid, it better not be “Here’s my daughter!”
‘I’m not into kids!’
Not because she was Foxkin or anything.
Ears aside, she looked mostly human.
Jeon just didn’t see her that way.
A girl in her early teens? In his past life, that’d land him behind bars, no question.
Sure, he might be overthinking.
But the village chief’s “I was gonna marry you off to four women!” spiel in Brea had him paranoid.
As Jeon stewed in his worries alone—
Knock knock knock.
“Lady Lena, it’s Angela. May I come in?”
“Hm? Yes, come in.”
Angela entered with the knock.
“What’s up?”
“The Empire’s sent another request for cooperation with their investigation.”
“...We were questioned non-stop until yesterday, and now more?”
Lena had been hauled for interrogations all week.
She’d hoped for a breather today—fat chance.
“Yes, but this one’s from a slightly different source.”
Angela handed over an envelope amid Lena’s irritated tone.
Less an official summons, more like an invitation.
Especially the cover: the Empire’s emblem embroidered in lavish gold.
Only imperial family could use gold for that.
“It’s directly from His Highness the Fifth Prince, Lucian.”
And sure enough.
A message from actual royalty.
From the Fifth Prince, no less—the main target of the terror attack.
“Wha... why us...?”
Even Lena hadn’t seen this coming.
Despite Angela’s presence, her poised demeanor cracked with shock.
“His Highness participated in the investigation himself. He wants to meet you and Sir Risar for your major contributions to the incident.”
“What about the time...?”
“He’s at Celleron Central Castle until 7 p.m. today and requests a meeting there.”
Lena’s eyes flicked to the clock at Angela’s words.
It was 2 p.m.
“...We’d better get ready now.”
Tight schedule for prepping to meet a prince.
“...It’s ridiculously flashy.”
Celleron Central Castle.
The grandest, most opulent castle in the city—once home to the Celleron family—was now housing the Empire’s investigation team and Fifth Prince Lucian.
“We’ve been expecting you.”
Upon arrival, Empire knights who’d been waiting escorted them.
“Lady Lena, Sir Risar, and interpreter Jeon. Three confirmed.”
After a quick check, the trio was cleared to enter.
They followed the knights inside.
‘Each of these guys is on Risar’s level?’
Before coming, Jeon had asked Risar out of curiosity about Empire knights’ skill.
Risar said imperial guards were mostly his equal or better.
And there were over twenty of them.
The imperial name carried weight.
While Jeon marveled briefly at the guards’ caliber—
The three were led to the office where Fifth Prince Lucian was staying.
Once Viscount Celleron’s domain.
Now under new management.
“Ah, you’re here.”
“We greet Prince Lucian.”
They bowed deeply the moment they entered and heard his welcoming voice.
Jeon, as a commoner, prostrated flat on the floor.
‘...But can I interpret like this?’
He’d been told commoners must do this before royalty.
Still, Jeon wondered if he could translate from down here.
“Hahaha, enough, enough. The investigation was just an excuse—I called you because I wanted to meet you all. No need for such formalities. You there on the floor, get up.”
Luckily, Lucian wasn’t the nitpicky type.
Jeon managed to rise.
‘Whoa... even his eyes are golden.’
Lucian’s appearance was striking and lavish.
His thick golden hair shimmered like forged gold, paired with pale skin.
And golden eyes to match.
‘Golden hair and eyes—the mark of imperial blood.’
Perfectly embodying the imperial traits, he looked mid-teens, a bit older than Jeon or Lena.
“Glad we could meet like this.”
Jeon snapped out of staring and began interpreting Lucian’s greeting.
“It’s truly an honor to meet you.”
“Haha, the pleasure’s mine—meeting the famed Silvermont lady from Langley.”
“You flatter me. How could I compare to Your Highness?”
“No need to be so humble. Didn’t you save my life?”
“Pardon? No, we merely...”
“I know full well that without that silver fox back then, the explosion would’ve engulfed me too.”
As he spoke, Lucian’s golden eyes lingered on Jeon for a moment.
‘...Huh?’
Jeon caught it while interpreting.
Something felt off.
And it didn’t stop there.
“Your interpreter’s quite eloquent. Handles Imperial and Foxkin languages so fluidly.”
“There was an interpreter there, right? Braver than most for the role.”
“Guess I’ll have to reward you all—something for the interpreter too.”
Throughout the chat, Lucian kept glancing at Jeon.
Even tossing direct compliments.
And finally—
“That said, I’d like a private word with your interpreter. Mind stepping out?”
The Fifth Prince of the Empire wanted to speak with Jeon alone.