novelraw Chapter 296
Chapter 296
Chapter 296The palace gatekeepers were playing cards with strips of dried meat hanging from their mouths. Even during shift changes, such conduct would normally be unthinkable.
But who cared? Bariel was celebrating, and cheers could be heard even from atop the walls. In a world drunk on wine and laughter, weren’t they citizens of the empire before being gatekeepers?
“Did you see Clifford earlier?”
“Yeah. They were killer. How can human bodies move so lightly? It wasn’t even dancing – more like acrobatics.”
“I thought it’d be just a show parade, but they didn’t stop even when entering the palace. Damn, they’re overflowing with energy.”
Above all, entry was restricted except for foreign guests. Something about ensuring smooth palace operations. In other words, they were bored.
“Dammit! Who shuffled these cards?”
“I fold. Can’t even wipe my ass with this hand.”
A gatekeeper who’d given up on the game leaned against the outer wall, clicking his tongue. Soap bubbles and flower petals rained down among the crowds moving like ant colonies.
It was such a peaceful, warm scene that a cold beer would make it perfect.“Hm?”
If not for that single horse cutting through the crowd. What madman would bring out a horse on a day like this? The already crowded streets became even more chaotic.
Just as the gatekeeper was about to signal the soldiers below, he noticed the horse’s head was fixed toward the castle gate.
“Open the gaaaate!”
“Beric?”
His hair was a mess from being jostled around, and he looked extremely tense, probably worried the horse might cause an accident. Beric looked up and shouted again.
“I said open iiiit!”
“Wait a moment!”
The gatekeeper immediately went down to check if there were any notices from the Ministry of Magic. No matter how well-known someone was, entry was impossible without authorization.
Fortunately or unfortunately, at the bottom of the record sheet was the Ministry of Magic’s note: “Beric Return Transit Authorization.”
“Ah, Clifford left this when they passed earlier. Beric, wait. I’ll open the side gate.”
Click
While a carriage might need more, the side gate was enough for one person and a horse.
Beric entered the palace like he was fleeing something, frantically dusting off his clothes. Up close, he looked even more disheveled.
“Why aren’t you with Lord Ian? And why come through the civilian road?”
“Errand. They said only royal people can walk on the main road, right?”
“…That rule’s suspended during festivals.”
“Ah. Shit.”
Beric rolled his eyes as he realized he’d made things harder for himself. Following Ian’s orders, he’d traced Clifford’s carriage tracks around the outskirts but found nothing special.
And now the return journey had been difficult too. Suddenly he felt starving.
“Where’s Ian?”
“Well, the Clifford carriages didn’t seem to be heading to the main palace. Must be some issue. They went to their temporary residence palace, so Lord Ian probably went there too. The mages were escorting them.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Beric!”
The gatekeeper grabbed Beric as he was about to mount his horse and whispered:
“Hey, any chance you could get some of that tribute wine from Clifford?”
“Wine? What wine?”
“I heard their country’s wine is super sweet, and His Highness probably won’t drink it… Surely they’ll give some out as rewards? If you get any, share a bit with me. I’ll pay you well.”
Beric felt his hungry stomach respond.
Meat and wine!
The path to heaven wasn’t complicated. That’s all he needed. Beric waved his hand casually and urged his horse on. His destination was Clifford’s detached palace, where wine, meat, and Ian awaited.
Clip-clop!
Neigh!
Carriages were gathered haphazardly in front of the detached palace. It was quite different from how Ruswena’s carriages had been neatly lined up, but Beric wouldn’t know that. He just walked among the people unloading and moving cargo, looking around.
“Please make way for a moment.”
“Just move the silk boxes directly without unpacking.”
“Make sure to check the dye barrels’ bottoms aren’t leaking! That stuff’s a real headache if it spills. This way, unload this way!”
Palace officials in charge of tribute gifts were moving about, but none were familiar faces. Not a single mage in sight. Just as Beric was about to turn back, thinking he’d taken a wrong turn:
“Don’t go that way. Lady May said not to approach while the prince is resting.”
“Ah. So that’s where it is. What about these?”
“Bring them along. That storehouse over there is empty.”
The prince they mentioned – was it that stinky prince?
Beric rolled his eyes and poked his head into the corridor. Several guards were firmly stationed in front of the quarters. They turned their heads at Beric’s presence.
“Are you a palace official? What business do you have?”
“We-welcome! Yes, yes. This is Bariel, right?”
“…? Thank you.”
What’s with him? Is he slow? Though his status seemed legitimate since he was in the palace…
As the guards grew wary, Beric walked past with an awkward smile.
That smell. If I could just get one good whiff, I’m sure I’d figure it out. It’s driving me crazy.
Beric glanced furtively at the detached palace’s wall. While he wasn’t sure if this place was like others, buildings usually had at least one garden, big or small. If he went that way, couldn’t he somehow make it look accidental?
They’d just arrived here too, so they wouldn’t know the layout. How would they know if he’d taken a wrong turn or climbed over the wall?
Hmm. Good. I’ll sneak in super secretly, just take a sniff, and leave.
After confirming no one was around, Beric jumped onto the wall. Light movements and quiet footsteps. Everything was perfect. He curled his body as much as possible and crept along the wall.
Rustle
After moving a bit, bushes came into view. It was the garden attached to the annex. Though it was more like a private backyard than a garden. It seemed designed to be enclosed for privacy, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the bedroom.
Let’s see, where might the wine prince be? Huh?
Beric stopped, hiding his face behind tree branches. Someone was curled up and lying face-down in the middle of the lawn.
Never mind the luxurious fabric – above all, that orange hair he’d seen in Romandro’s portrait. The exposed nape was tanned.
That must be the wine country prince. He was holding a lush, glossy orange tail to his chest.
Holy shit, what the fuck? Weird taste. Wearing an animal tail. Even the neighborhood kids wouldn’t dress up like that. Tsk tsk.
While festival-goers wore all sorts of costumes, he hadn’t expected the high-and-mighty wine country prince to do the same. Is this what they mean when they say people are all the same?
Beric watched the prince intently while sniffing. But somehow he wasn’t moving at all. As Beric watched mindlessly, he suddenly recalled the conversation between Ian and the delegation chief.
Crap! Right! They said he was sick – did he die? I should get Ian-
Rustle
Just then, fox ears slowly rose up.
Twitch twitch, moving naturally as if reading the wind. At the same time, the tail drew a gentle arc as it tapped against the ground.
Beric realized something was off and was shocked.
What the fuck…
The prince’s eyes gleaming in the sunlight were definitely those of a beast.
Beric crept back along the wall as silently as he’d come.
***
“And then this and that happened! Now do you understand?!”
BANG!
Beric pounded the wall satisfyingly as he spilled everything he’d experienced. His tightly clenched fist looked quite determined.
But he was met with Romandro’s slanted eyes, Xiaoshi’s blank expression, Jin’s awkward smile, and Ian just sipping his tea.
Xiaoshi approached again to sniff him.
“…No smell of drugs either.”
“That’s fortunate. If he’d caused trouble during the appointment ceremony, he’d be dismissed from the Imperial Guard without warning. If it’s not alcohol or drugs, did he get heatstroke? Though it’s not that hot yet.”
As Romandro muttered while examining Beric carefully, Beric clutched his head and shook it back and forth.
“Aaaagh! No, I’m totally fine! Completely sane! The wine country prince’s ears went boing, tail went whoosh! His tail was swishing like this!”
Beric recreated the prone position he’d witnessed. Romandro closed his eyes, saying he couldn’t bear to watch, while Xiaoshi crouched down to carefully examine Beric’s pupils, just in case.
“…His pupils are normal too.”
“Xiao, you gonna keep treating me like I’m crazy?”
When Beric bared his teeth and growled, Ian set down his teacup with a sound.
Tak
“You mean he’s one of the beast-folk?”
“What’re you talking about? I don’t know about that, I’m just saying he had fox ears and a tail!”
“That’s what we call beast-folk.”
Beast-folk.
It referred to races with bestial physical characteristics, not something commonly seen in daily life. This was mainly because their different appearance led to social ostracism. If they had magical power too, they were often treated as monsters and met miserable ends.
“Ian, no need to listen to this heat-addled fool.”
Romandro firmly denied it with a wave of his hand. And for good reason – they weren’t talking about some random passerby, but Prince Noah himself. First in line to succeed Clifford’s throne.
“I’m totally sane!”
“While I’ve never seen him myself, there are records of Prince Noah visiting Bariel when he was young. No, not just Bariel – being first in succession, Prince Noah handles regional diplomacy. If he had beast-folk traits, of course there would be rumors!”
“Have you ever seen beast-folk yourself, Lord Romandro?”
“Me? Hmm. No, I haven’t.”
Though he’d traveled all around the border regions as a reconstruction specialist, he’d never met one directly. He’d only confirmed their existence through hearsay.
But Ian didn’t dismiss Beric’s words as completely preposterous.
So it hasn’t been revealed yet.
A race that had faded due to persecution – that’s what everyone thought. But through future research results and social phenomenon analysis, this would be proven a false belief.
They hadn’t faded away. They had simply blended into society while hiding their existence.
You could call it racial evolution for survival. Though they were no different from humans, their appearance alone brought threats to their lives. Some beast-folk evolved to manifest their traits only in specific situations. If what Beric saw is true…
He must be a beast-folk in the process of evolution.
Could the Clifford royal family itself be beast-folk? It would be understandable if they deliberately hid it, as being beast-folk could bring quite disadvantageous positions in international diplomacy.
“If Beric didn’t drink-“
“Yeah yeah. I seriously didn’t drink a drop.”
“And didn’t take drugs-“
“Ugh, what’s that? I’m totally clean and proper!”
“Then it seems worth investigating.”
Beric eagerly responded to each of Ian’s statements. He clenched his fist in celebration at having his words believed.
Then he stuck his tongue out at Romandro and Xiaoshi, wiggling his bottom too. Romandro smacked his behind hard, telling him to stay still.
“But how? We can’t drag out a sick prince, and barging in wouldn’t be proper either. Just going by this guy’s word seems a bit… I don’t see any way.”
In response to Romandro’s concern, Ian set down his teacup.
“Why wouldn’t there be a way? This is the imperial palace, after all.”
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Extra!MBSE Chapter 197 - Opening the City GatesMBSE Chapter 198 - Amidst the CommotionsMBSE Chapter 199 - The Atan, Tribe of BloodMBSE Chapter 200 - Wound Me TooMBSE Chapter 201 - The Emperor MageMBSE Chapter 202 - For the Sake of PositionMBSE Chapter 203 - D-7MBSE Chapter 204 - Rainy DaysMBSE Chapter 205 - D-6MBSE Chapter 206 - Imperial GuardMBSE Chapter 207 - Breaking the Black ArmorMBSE Chapter 208 - Chatur Zone 3MBSE Chapter 209 - Premium Grade A+++MBSE Chapter 210 - D-5MBSE Chapter 211 - The Trial BeginsMBSE Chapter 212 - The DefenseMBSE Chapter 213 - The VerdictMBSE Chapter 214 - The One Who Was the First PrinceMBSE Chapter 215 - In the GreenhouseMBSE Chapter 216 - I ObjectMBSE Chapter 217 - A New ProphecyMBSE Chapter 218 - D-4MBSE Chapter 219 - One Step BackMBSE Chapter 220 - One Body, One MindMBSE Chapter 221 - A Trap ScriptMBSE Chapter 222 - PushMBSE Chapter 223 - Stamp ThudMBSE Chapter 224 - D-3MBSE Chapter 225 - The Voice of GodMBSE Chapter 226 - Little DevilMBSE Chapter 227 - A Silent ResponseMBSE Chapter 228 - D-2MBSE Chapter 229 - The Demon's WhispererMBSE Chapter 230 - D-1MBSE Chapter 231 - What are You?MBSE Chapter 232 - Of Royal BloodMBSE Chapter 233 - D-DayMBSE Chapter 234 - The Owner of the VoiceMBSE Chapter 235 - The LastMBSE Chapter 236 - Consider it an HonorMBSE Chapter 237 - Leaving BehindMBSE Chapter 238 - Without IanMBSE Chapter 239 - Three Hours AgoMBSE Chapter 240 - WhisperingMBSE Chapter 241 - Calling NamesMBSE Chapter 242 - Ruswena DelegationMBSE Chapter 243 - Purge While on BedMBSE Chapter 244 - This is the BloodwindMBSE Chapter 245 - Central NobilityMBSE Chapter 246 - A Secret for RuswenaMBSE Chapter 247 - Melania's PleaMBSE Chapter 248 - Jin's RequestMBSE Chapter 249 - Pat-pat and Bicker-backerMBSE Chapter 250 - Opposition Noble's SignaturesMBSE Chapter 251 - Leaving the PalaceMBSE Chapter 252 - Mud PitMBSE Chapter 253 - RumorsMBSE Chapter 254 - PillarsMBSE Chapter 255 - Caught in a TrapMBSE Chapter 256 - The Trial of the Seven Families BeginMBSE Chapter 257 - Jin's BarielMBSE Chapter 258 - The VerdictMBSE Chapter 259 - Side Effects of the Mana Amplification StoneMBSE Chapter 260 - Before Preparing the Appointment CeremonyMBSE Chapter 261 - Introduction of Three Countries' FiguresMBSE Chapter 262 - The Reason for Remembering TimothyMBSE Chapter 263 - Each Person's ThoughtsMBSE Chapter 264 - A Side BranchMBSE Chapter 265 - EmancipationMBSE Chapter 266 - The First Secret InspectionMBSE Chapter 267 - Secret EaterMBSE Chapter 268 - Pretending to KnowMBSE Chapter 269 - Each Other's Well-beingMBSE Chapter 270 - Underground BrawlMBSE Chapter 271 - The Best BanquetMBSE Chapter 272 - The King's CircumstancesMBSE Chapter 273 - What Only Ian KnowsMBSE Chapter 274 - Selection ExamMBSE Chapter 275 - Who Rigged the Tournament Bracket?MBSE Chapter 276 - Each Other's PurposeMBSE Chapter 277 - CriticismMBSE Chapter 278 - Their Own ReasonsMBSE Chapter 279 - A Different WorldMBSE Chapter 280 - Head-onMBSE Chapter 281 - Beric Goes ForthMBSE Chapter 282 - After VictoryMBSE Chapter 283 - The Award CeremonyMBSE Chapter 284 - The Half Moon RisesMBSE Chapter 285 - Time to Trade SecretsMBSE Chapter 286 - Damon RunkvisMBSE Chapter 287 - Forgotten PageMBSE Chapter 288 - The Guests are ComingMBSE Chapter 289 - Young Lion CubMBSE Chapter 290 - A Queen's ProvocationMBSE Chapter 291 - A Peculiar TasteMBSE Chapter 292 - Things to EndureMBSE Chapter 293 - A Private Talk with JeiruttMBSE Chapter 294 - The Carriages StopMBSE Chapter 295 - Pointy EarsMBSE Chapter 296 - And Then, This and That HappenedMBSE Chapter 297 - ExaminationMBSE Chapter 298 - The Fox Prince🔒85MBSE Chapter 299 - The Variable🔒85MBSE Chapter 300 - Inner Thoughts🔒85MBSE Chapter 301 - Time to Change the Meaning🔒85MBSE Chapter 302 - The Taste of Magic🔒85MBSE Chapter 303 - Banquet of Kings🔒85MBSE Chapter 304 - The Whereabouts of the Jewels🔒85MBSE Chapter 305 - According to Plan🔒85MBSE Chapter 306 - This is an Opportunity🔒85MBSE Chapter 307 - Noah Gets Drunk🔒85MBSE Chapter 308 - The Appointment Ceremony🔒85MBSE Chapter 309 - Don't Look Down🔒85MBSE Chapter 310 - Just Ten Steps Please🔒85MBSE Chapter 311 - There are No Eternal Secrets🔒85MBSE Chapter 312 - Who Knows?🔒85MBSE Chapter 313 - Three Passes🔒85MBSE Chapter 314 - A Bond Woven by Secrets🔒85MBSE Chapter 315 - The Dilemma🔒85MBSE Chapter 316 - Through Alenara🔒85MBSE Chapter 317 - I Want to Go🔒85MBSE Chapter 318 - A Small Engagement Ceremony🔒85MBSE Chapter 319 - The Child with a Mask🔒85MBSE Chapter 320 - Time to Return🔒85MBSE Chapter 321 - Break of Dawn🔒85MBSE Chapter 322 - Formation of the Investigation Team🔒85MBSE Chapter 323 - Harboring Thorns🔒85MBSE Chapter 324 - Before Crossing the Border🔒85MBSE Chapter 325 - Stop🔒85MBSE Chapter 326 - Before the Border🔒85MBSE Chapter 327 - Secret Contract🔒85MBSE Chapter 328 - Discovering Ian🔒85MBSE Chapter 329 - To Meet the King🔒85MBSE Chapter 330 - Entering Clifford🔒85MBSE Chapter 331 - Those Who Hold Idgal🔒85MBSE Chapter 332 - On the Brink of Explosion🔒85MBSE Chapter 333 - The Mages' Grand Council🔒85MBSE Chapter 334 - Magic Amplification Drug