10-4 Part 2
The Mansion of Flame: The Lowest
Method to Make the Prince Obey
- Vanity and Self-Preservation -
Translator : PolterGlast
「The moment you attacked royalty,
it's high treason. You will be executed by me right here. Even if you run,
you'll be hunted down. But if I stay silent, it's a different story. Let go of Aneue;
that's your way out.」
「...Kuh, u-understood, I'll release her.
So promise me, let me escape. If possible, with a full pardon...」
The sword dropped loosely from the cavalryman's hand. The
fact that he didn't sheathe it means he still has hesitation.
「Yeah, at first I wanted to fucking
kill you, but it can't replace Aneue's life. I promise. If you retract
those words calling me an Abyss monster, that is...」
「Ashley-sama, you were holding a grudge over that...」
「Naturally. I am Father's son and Aneue's
younger brother. That itself is my pride. I am not an Abyss monster. I am a
Prince of this country. I have no intention of bending on this point anymore.」
「I see, I'm sorry, it was a slip of
the tongue... Ashley-sama, please, deal with me leniently...」
The longsword returned to its scabbard, and he handed
Princess Atomina over to me. It was a chance for a sneak attack, but it
seems he had lost even the will for that.
Protecting Aneue, I held and supported the sleeping
Princess together with Dulin, who came running.
「I am grateful... As promised, I will
keep quiet about you; now go.」
「Prince Ashley, I will not
forget you. To spare a villain like me—」
However, at a strange timing, a carriage happened to pass by
and stopped right in front of us. It was an excessively expensive-looking black
carriage drawn by blue roan horses. I knew that carriage.
「Oh my, isn't that Princess Atomina
and the filthy abomination there.」
「M-Morak-sama...?! Why are you
here...?!」
This is a surprise. I completely thought that guy from
earlier—Hacchan—was the direct employer, but it seems they were acquainted.
「Who are you... Oh, what a tragedy.
This filthy scum, to kidnap our Princess Atomina, what an audacious
piece of trash there was...」
「Eh... Ah... wasn't it your order...!
You said if I succeeded in this, you would return me to the military!!」
「As if this Morak could
remember the face of a filthy commoner like you. ...Oi, do it.」
「Don't screw with me, you bastard!!」
Morak stepped
back, and his private guard drew his sword. It seems this man—since the plan
failed, he's moving to cut off the perpetrator.
Ah, I really don't like this...
「Morak-sama, but um, what should we do about him...」
「—?! A-Are you... What, why are
you...」
Uncle Morak
didn't even look at me. Well, that's how it's always been. He hated even
keeping an abomination like me in his sights. To him, I am an ominous existence.
「Abomination of my older brother,
what are you doing?」
「I don't want to see an ending with a
bad aftertaste. I captured this man. He's my prey.」
「A... Ashley, sama...」
He was about to return to the carriage, but he turned back
and finally looked at me with distaste.
After pulling the strings from behind to cause this
incident, he says he's going to kill the perpetrator to silence him and run
away. There's no way I can overlook this.
「That's why I said to kill him... I told him,
you would definitely come to hate the
Imperial Family... And yet he... raised a monster until it became like
this...!」
「Are you talking about Father? Then
you are far more of a monster.」
「Th-That's right! Ashley-sama
is a kind and good person! D-Different from a bad old man like you!」
Dulin's words
gave me courage. The fact that I was born deformed is something that can't be helped.
That's exactly why being backed up made me feel deep relief.
「Hmph... Cursed abomination, let me
revise my evaluation of you... You seem to be a man worth acknowledging. The
rumor that you beat Georg doesn't seem to be a fluke either.」
「So what. I won't let you kill this
man.」
「...Then do as you like. Do as you
please with him and Erin.」
Surprisingly, that was a concession. Having blundered, Uncle
declared he would withdraw his hands from this land of Erin.
But you know, isn't that a bit too convenient a story?
「You intended to kidnap Aneue
and force us into submission. You sure can spout such blatant lies.」
Leaving Aneue to Dulin, I approached Uncle.
Though my path was blocked by his private guards.
「Hmph... Say whatever you want. I
need power. To survive the coming era, I need power. If you can't ride the
winning horse, you lose your standing, and at worst, meet the bitter fate of
assassination.」
「Right. That's why I intend to
abandon the Empire the moment Father passes away. You should do the same.」
「Don't say stupid things, don't lump
me in with an abomination like you!! Do you think I could live a modest life on
the frontier, trembling in fear of assassins?! I am a man who might have become
Emperor!! I... next time for sure, I will...!!」
「I think it's much better than dying
in a power struggle, though...」
This sounded like Uncle's true feelings. While terrified of
the fierce power struggle that will begin from now on, he dreams of the
Emperor's seat he couldn't reach in the past.
Even though there are no dreams in that life of living in
isolation at the Red Dragon Palace. Many people harbor illusions about the
position of Emperor.
「There is no profit in fighting
further with the likes of you. Let's call a truce. As I said earlier, I will
withdraw my hands from Erin. So this matter ends here, got it?」
「You sure can say that after doing
whatever you pleased...」
「Then will you fight me? How will you
win? I am the Vice-Chairman of the Senate, possess the greatest wealth in the
Imperial Family, and have mountains of friends in the parliament. What are you
in contrast, Ashley...」
「Just the Lord of Erin. I
don't possess any other particular power. Not that I want it either...」
Uncle smirked. Then he stepped up into the carriage and sat
on the seat.
「That's what it means. No matter how
high your succession right rises, small fry are small fry; stay out of the way.」
「That depends on you.」
The carriage door closed, and the private guards climbed
onto the driver's seat or mounted their own horses. Following the neighing of
the black horses, the worst kind of villain departed from the town of Erin.
「A... Ash, ley...?」
「Ah, Oneesama!」
「Aah... Thank goodness, Dulin-chan...
thank goodness...」
「Those are Dulin's words! Oneesama,
thank goodness! Thank goodness!!」
Since Aneue regained consciousness, I also rushed
over next to them. The disgraced soldier I saved didn't even know what to do,
just standing there dumbfounded.
「I'm sorry, I could hear from the
middle... Aah... what is going to happen to us, to the Empire from now on...」
After relief, Aneue was overcome with anxiety.
Indeed, this incident was shocking. I hope they managed the firefighting at the
Manor too, but...
「To think they would target me
directly, I never even imagined... Between relatives, this is, a nightmare...」
「Then Aneue, when Father
passes away, with me—」
「That is... no good. I cannot go. I
am a Princess. Since
I lived a more blessed life than everyone else, I have a responsibility to
watch over the country. I can't just run away only when it's convenient.」
I knew I would be rejected, but it's a shock... Zirant's
words were correct. Princess Atomina and Georg-aniue will
dedicate their lives to the country.
Knowing that they, who desire a completely different way of
life from me, won't be moved by my words no matter what I do, I just felt
frustrated.
「Let's keep this a secret from Georg-aniue.
Aniue is—」
「Right... if Georg knew,
there's no telling what that child would do...」
Georg values Atomina
above anything else. If handled poorly, it could invite his own ruin.
Therefore, I thought we should do that for now.
However, such an outrage against Aneue. It is still
unforgivable. Uncle Morak covered up this conspiracy and ran away, but I
won't let him do that.
In place of Aniue, I will make him properly pay the price.
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