8-4 Part 2
The Consumed Emperor and the Monstrous
Cursed Child
- Gideon -
Translator : PolterGlast
"Please calm down, Ashley-sama. His Majesty has his reasons. His Majesty is—well, he is the
Emperor before being a parent. For that Emperor to cast everything aside and only—you..."
"Stop... Gideon... I... do not wish to... gloss
over my sins... Everything... was my fault... Though I was a parent, I... ran
away from my child... That is the reality..."
To think I would harbor such immature emotions. I can't show
this to Zirant. I don't want Zirant to see such a disgraceful
display. Then calm down. Shinza.
"Gideon...? Who is that?"
"Yes?! I-It is me, of course! Don't tell me you forgot,
Ashley-sama?!"
"It's a joke. G (Gideon), no, Jii (gramps)."
"Please do not tease people in such a situation, Ashley-sama!"
I put the rails back on the scenario Zirant would
enjoy. I play Shinza for Zirant. As long as Zirant is
watching me, I am Shinza. Not the Emperor's pitiful child anymore.
"Ku, ha, ha... Ha, haha... Gideon... It seems...
leaving him to you... was the correct choice... You, who were always
cheerful... would raise Ashley... not as a child who curses the world...
but as a splendid... man... Ugh..."
"Y-Your Majesty, thank you for your kind words... But I
merely fulfilled the mission entrusted to me..."
Even though he was entrusted with me, in his heart, Jii maintained his loyalty to the
Emperor. Running to the bedside, Jii
dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
"Certainly, that part seems to have gone according to
your plan. Jii raised me not as a
cursed child, but like his own child. In place of you, who are
unreliable."
"N-No, Your Majesty, th-this is... Ashley-sama! You're not usually showing affection, so please
stop speaking like that in front of His Majesty! I will have you graduate from
being mean to old people already!"
Unfortunately, I haven't even enrolled anywhere. Therefore,
there is no graduation.
"Gideon, take care of... Ashley. And...
that thing..."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
When Father commanded, the Emperor's former page Gideon
immediately stood up and took a letter that seemed to have been prepared on the
table. Then standing in front of me, he showed me the document first.
"Before I die... first, correct... the mistake... Ashley...
You are... rightly... my... child... Ugh, uuu..."
The Emperor's words stopped there, apparently exhausted.
Only weak breaths to regain respiration continued. We had no choice but to wait
in silence.
I have seen this letter and seal before. It is for issuing
an Imperial Command from the Emperor. I don't know the contents, but it's
certain that it concerns me.
"It is far... too late, but... I recognize you as...
the Seventh Prince... I shall... raise your... succession rank... from 53rd...
to 7th..."
This is also a scenario Zirant would likely rejoice
at. However, this is—
"I don't need it."
"Ashley-sama!!
'I don't need it' will not pass with this flow!!"
"I don't need what I don't need. I won't become
Emperor. When Father dies, I'll flee to the border.
My nature is that of a commoner; I don't want to get involved in conspiracy
dramas willingly."
I worry about the future of the Empire. But is that
something I should protect even at the sacrifice of my own life and happiness?
No. Those who want to fight should fight.
"Ha... Haha... Fu, ha, haha... You are... clever...
That is... the truth... That becoming Emperor... leads to happiness... it was
all... an illusion..."
I don't understand the human heart. Even though I just chose
the reply I liked, Father agreed with my words from the bottom of his heart.
"From the day... I became Emperor... my life was
targeted... Confined... in the Red Dragon Palace (here)...
Eventually... even my own child... targets... my life..."
His words cut off there, and Father fell silent again to
regain his disordered breathing. Turning his eyes to his page Gideon,
they seemed to communicate their will just through eye contact, befitting their
long association.
"Ashley-sama,
even so, you are a child of the Emperor. Now, allow me to explain this
letter."
"You're going to do it even if I say I don't want to
hear it, right? Make it brief."
"Yes. This document states the elevation of Ashley-sama's succession rank to the council, and the recognition of Ashley-sama as the Seventh Prince."
"What a nuisance..."
What does he intend to do by putting me on stage now? Zirant
will be happy. But the one who becomes Emperor is confined in this lonely Red
Dragon Palace. I won't be able to stay Shinza.
"And one more thing. It grants the territory in the
eastern part of the Maritime City Naglfar to my child Ashley.
This is unprecedented, permitting self-governance of land so close to the
Imperial Capital."
"Yeah, if I felt like it, I could lead an army and
launch a surprise attack on the Imperial Capital. But that would only make my
position worse. All the more reason to refuse."
I can't go along with this anymore. Father is tired too; I
turned my back on the bed and started walking away.
"Wha-What are you doing, Jii..."
"Are you intending to run away again?! Just this once,
I will not let you go!"
However, Jii
clung to my back. Even though this is His Majesty the Emperor's bedchamber, Jii does bold things.
Since I couldn't escape like this, I reluctantly returned to
the bedside, and after thinking a little, I followed my emotions. Earlier,
blood had rushed to my head, but now I can think logically. Staring at Father,
I decided to show him my rational true feelings.
"Father. I understand your circumstances. You couldn't
afford to love me. I understand it logically. But my feelings... that is something
I simply cannot control. If I said that the feelings I’ve harbored toward you
all these years vanished with a single apology, that would be a lie. I merely
took pity on you and pretended to forgive you. I was raised by that old man (Gideon) over there, after all—I am clumsy and honest to a fault."
"Uguh... Saying such things again, Ashley-sama..."
"Father. I am Father's child. I shall call myself the
Seventh Prince from today on. But I refuse the succession rank promotion and
the territory. If I were to take on a role supporting the Imperial Family, it
would be a way of life supporting Brother Georg from the shadows.
Therefore, I will only accept the freedom to call myself your son!"
Was Father satisfied with that? Father's moist eyes finally
overflowed, and about to see the Emperor's tears, I turned my eyes away as if
fleeing from it.
The Father I know does not cry. He is cold as ice,
rationally fulfilling his role as the ruler of this country. Somewhere in my
heart, I still didn't want to admit that he possessed human emotions.
After the audience ended and I finally calmed down, I opened
the Book of the Evil Dragon, and there were Zirant's words.
- Table of Contents –
[Name] Ashley
[Lv] 21
[Exp] 2520 →
2535
[STR] 44
[VIT] 123
[DEX] 110
[AGI] 90
[Skill] Shovel
LV 4 Scoop LV 1
I told you so many times to reclaim the Emperor's throne,
you fool. With a high succession rank and territory, your position would be
safer than now. Cool your head a little!
I refuse only that, Zirant. I will not repeat Father's mistake. Territory and high succession rank will become chains, binding me not as Shinza, but as the Emperor's seventh son, Ashley.
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