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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Please Stop Our Young Master (3)
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5.
The rumor that Karron had defeated Ryuk in the training grounds spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace in less than half a day.
Late afternoon, half a day after the duel.
This was the residence of the 6th Prince, Rebellio.
After the duel, Karron and his companions had accepted Rebellio's invitation and arrived here.
"That medicine really works wonders, huh? You crushed Sir Ryuk? Wow, that stuff was worth every penny."
"It wasn't the medicine, I'm just that strong. Get your facts straight, Your Highness."
"Ahem. You should show some respect to the benefactor who graciously gave you a medicine that can't be bought even for a fortune."
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
"Just eat your meat."
Karron and Leo were having dinner with Rebellio.
Karron sliced a piece of perfectly cooked lamb, put it in his mouth, and then set his knife down on the table. He asked Rebellio in a low voice.
"Your Highness. One more favor."
"Name it."
"Some alcohol."
"What am I, a wine cellar? Sir Mason took it all, saying a patient shouldn't be drinking. Didn't you get your side pierced during the duel earlier?"
Currently, Rebellio was under house arrest in his residence.
Although he had been cleared of the demon summoning charges with Halo's help, an imperial decree had been issued for him to remain in his quarters until the case was closed.
Still, for Rebellio, this was the safest place in the Imperial Palace.
The Sea Wolf Knights were guarding the perimeter.
"I'm fine. It's all healed. Wounds heal fast when you're young, right? Plus, I downed a delicious bottle of potion."
"Who's the crazy bastard who wants to pour alcohol into his body after getting a hole pierced through it?"
"Right here. But you really didn't stash away a single bottle? That's disappointing..."
Clink.
Rebellio pulled a bottle from his coat.
It was a bottle with no label.
"What's that?"
"This? Apple wine, brewed by the elves themselves. How about this instead of whiskey? Today is a very meaningful day for me, so I'll treat you to something special."
"What, you've been hiding something this precious all this time?"
Elven apple wine was not something one could easily taste.
While it wasn't as precious as the dew of the World Tree, it was a delicacy that couldn't be easily found anywhere on the continent.
Rebellio smiled as he poured the apple wine into their glasses. He then handed them to Karron and Leo.
"I swiped a bottle when I visited my sister's office."
"Sticky fingers, unbecoming of a prince. I like it very much, Your Highness."
Hearing this, Leo shook his head from side to side.
"...The two of you are strangely alike."
Considering how Karron was always stealing Jeras's alcohol, it was perhaps natural that the two of them got along so well.
Once their glasses were filled, Rebellio raised his glass with a cheerful voice.
"It's a good day, so let's drink and be merry!"
Clink.
The sound of glasses clinking rang out, and Karron immediately downed his drink.
A carbonated sweetness, followed by a moderate alcohol content.
It wasn't completely unfermented, but it didn't have the distinct fermented smell typical of apple wine.
The refreshing scent of apples filled his mouth.
Everything blended together pleasantly.
"Fine liquor."
Setting down his glass, Karron licked his lips and looked at the bottle.
He had heard that elven apple wine was delicious, and it seemed the rumors were true.
"By the way, Your Highness. What makes today such a good day? Are you that happy about being under house arrest?"
Karron asked as he put a piece of asparagus from his plate into his mouth.
Rebellio answered with a bright expression.
"It's the first day in my life that a shadow has fallen over the Imperial Palace, isn't it?"
"...A shadow?"
"I can finally escape the painful sunlight. At least now, I won't have to worry about dying in the palace. It's all thanks to you, Karron. Haha, so of course it's a good day!"
Though his words were spoken in a bright voice, their meaning was anything but.
Karron quietly looked at Rebellio's face.
A face that was slowly losing its boyishness.
He must have fought a lonely battle here, all by himself, without anyone's help.
An existence welcomed by no one.
Was that why?
He felt a slight sense of kinship.
Glug, glug, glug.
Karron picked up the bottle and poured more apple wine into Rebellio's empty glass. Then he spoke in a low voice.
"When I go back to Azure Castle, I'll be grounded for four years."
"Should have listened to your elders."
"That's not something the prince who hangs out with back-alley gangs should be saying, is it? At least I don't hang out with friends from the back alleys."
"You just bribe the mayor instead?"
"Ahem. A bribe? I was just showing respect to my maternal grandfather's friend. And Leo pitched in too."
"Hey, why are you dragging me into this?"
The three of them exchanged lighthearted jokes before downing their glasses once more.
Karron let out a long breath and smiled at Rebellio.
"The next time we meet will be in four years. You can stay alive until then, right?"
At those words, Rebellio slowly nodded.
"You know my dream."
"Dream?"
"I'm still a long way from becoming a scumbag. I can't die until I become the perfect scumbag. A true scumbag has to turn his family upside down, wouldn't you say?"
"Your Highness."
"Go on."
"I guarantee it, Your Highness. You will become the number one scumbag in the Imperial Palace."
At first glance, it sounded like an insult.
But Rebellio laughed and retorted.
"I don't think you'll be any different."
"But I love my father and mother."
"Hmm, then you're not a scumbag. Let's just go with mad dog."
"Sounds good."
"And Leo can be the less-mad dog."
"That sounds good too."
"Hey, stop including me, will you? I'm not mad!"
Rebellio patted Leo on the back and laughed, then looked back at Karron.
"When we meet again in four years, you'll be even more of a monster, won't you? Meeting you guys in Thebes was truly the greatest luck of my life."
"Isn't that something you usually say when you're confessing your love?"
"Hmm, maybe I should change my gender while I'm at it? If I learn Polymorph magic..."
"I'll kill you. I will definitely kill you."
"It's a joke. No need to get so angry. Anyway."
Rebellio ran a hand down the side of his glass. He spoke in a languid voice.
"You can still hear news from the outside world in Azure Castle, right? So watch closely from there and see how I become a scumbag."
He was still an enigma, impossible to read.
Karron chuckled and casually raised his glass.
"Let's have a toast."
"A toast sounds good. Oh, right. I just thought of one. To the scumbag and the mad dogs, how's that?"
"Not bad."
"...If you could just leave me out of it..."
Casually ignoring the grumbling Leo, Rebellio shouted vigorously.
"To the scumbag and the mad dogs!"
The scumbag shouted with vigor, and the mad dogs laughed as they clinked their glasses.
At that very moment, the Imperial Palace was in an uproar, but that fact didn't seem to matter much to them.
And so, their time in the Imperial Palace was slowly drawing to a close.
6.
Late at night.
The main palace of the imperial grounds.
"According to the Magic Tower's investigation, the mask worn by the succubus had a function that concealed dark mana. This seems to be the reason why the detection magic for dark mana didn't work."
Halo said, holding the half-shattered mask.
Two men stood before Halo.
One was the Crown Prince.
The other was Marquis Kieren Diaz, the head of the Marquisate of Diaz.
"Why is the Salmon Ducal Family not in attendance?"
The Crown Prince replied to Halo's question with a troubled expression.
"Currently, the Salmon Ducal Family is suppressing the riots occurring in the southern region of the Empire. The problem has become quite severe due to the influx of refugees from the wars in the southern kingdoms."
"The deserters who illegally occupied the Barony of Bellus were also soldiers from the southern kingdoms. The situation is rather delicate, wouldn't you agree, Your Highness?"
"The Imperial Guard is investigating that matter. So, if you would just give us a little more time..."
Halo raised his hand, cutting the Crown Prince off.
The disrespect of interrupting a member of the imperial family.
But Halo had more than enough right to commit such an act of disrespect. And the Crown Prince was keenly aware of this fact.
Before attending this meeting in his father's stead, he had received a stern imperial command from his father.
-Never get on Grand Duke Halo's bad side. Son. You must not antagonize him. Do not forget my words.
Until now, the Crown Prince had never been able to understand why his father feared Grand Duke Halo.
To him, the incident from fifty years ago was nothing more than a story from a distant past.
But now, the Crown Prince felt he could understand the reason, if only a little.
He was afraid.
Just facing the old man before him was enough to make him feel suffocated and dizzy.
It felt as if he couldn't think straight.
He was simply overwhelmed, forced to avert his gaze.
Halo looked at the thoroughly intimidated Crown Prince, let out a small sigh, and then turned his gaze to Kieren.
"No matter how well the dark mana was hidden, one must have a guaranteed identity to enter the Imperial Palace. Isn't that right, young Kieren?"
"...Your Grace. This is still the Imperial Palace, and I am the head of the Marquisate of Diaz. Could you please use my proper title?"
"Does it bother you?"
"Not particularly, but..."
"It's just that I'm pleased to see you after so long. Very well, Marquis Kieren Diaz. According to our investigation, the identity the succubus stole was that of a daughter from the Viscountcy of Tillesman. A report just came in that the young lady's body was discovered on the outskirts of the capital two hours ago."
At those words, Kieren's expression darkened.
The Viscountcy of Tillesman.
One of the capital's noble families, belonging to his faction.
Could there be a connection?
"...A tragic affair. However, Your Grace, please understand that this incident has absolutely no connection to my family, the Marquisate of Diaz."
"Of course. I don't believe you would be foolish enough to do something like this. I merely wish to ask for your cooperation. A demon appeared in the Imperial Palace, and more importantly..."
Crack.
Halo clenched his fist tightly.
An immense, unconcealable rage showed on his face.
"My grandsons nearly died twice during this trip to the capital. This means I will not stand idly by. Have you heard the rumor that the Imperial Guard named Ryuk was defeated by Karron?"
Kieren nodded at the question.
"I have."
"Karron is the child who will secure the future of our ducal family. And Leo is the child who will look after Karron better than anyone. Do you know what that means?"
Mana began to flow from Halo's body.
In an instant, the mana began to press down on Kieren's entire body.
"It means we almost lost our future here. Because of some wicked little rat hiding in the Imperial Palace!"
"G-Grand Duke. Please..."
Unlike Kieren, who silently endured Halo's pressure, the Crown Prince's face had turned deathly pale.
The Imperial Guards who always protected him were not here.
An indescribable sense of helplessness swept over him.
The Crown Prince was struggling to breathe.
Halo spoke to the Crown Prince in a low, heavy voice.
"I have already finished discussing everything with His Majesty, Your Highness."
"What..."
"Starting today, four squads of the Sea Wolf Knights will be stationed in the Imperial Palace. One squad will monitor Prince Rebellio's residence for breaking the agreement, and the other three will establish an investigation headquarters to continue the inquiry into this incident."
The Crown Prince understood what Halo's words meant.
The Sea Wolf Knights would be stationed in the Imperial Palace, once again revealing their power.
This was tantamount to a declaration that the giant who had been sleeping for fifty years was now awakening.
Yet, no one here could object to Halo's words.
"Furthermore, I plan to periodically send my sons to the Imperial Palace to confirm that the investigation is proceeding smoothly. Your Highness. This investigation will be carried out over a very long time, and with no stone left unturned."
Halo looked down at the Crown Prince and Kieren, his eyes gleaming.
Fifty years of peace came to an end in this very room.
From now on, everything would change.
"No one will be exempt from this investigation. Not even those who carry the blood of the imperial family."
Everything.
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