Chapter 107
* * *
A short while later, the imperial guards arrived at the crown prince’s room.
“Your Highness, as you ordered, we have brought the magic-blocking handcuffs!”
“……Well done.”
Reinhardt, who had been smiling with his back turned to them, nodded toward the sofa.
The unconscious magician was lying there obliquely.
Showing his bleeding arm, Reinhardt said to the imperial guards.
“This man is the culprit who broke the oath. Not only did he wound my body, but when he tried to do something foolish, I used a magical tool to temporarily knock him out.”
“……!”
“Take him to the underground prison. To clear the false accusation placed on me, I will investigate thoroughly.”
“We receive Your Highness’s command.”
The imperial guards, who saluted crisply, fastened the magic-blocking handcuffs on the magician’s wrists.
At that, the magician who regained consciousness drowsily opened his eyes.
Seeing the imperial guards filling his vision, he felt relieved at first, but then was horrified at the sight of the handcuffs on his wrists and the guards trying to drag him out.
“Why, why are you taking me? Why!”
“His resistance is fierce. It seems he hasn’t given up on his foolish actions yet.”
Only then did the magician, seeing Reinhardt, gasp in shock.
“No, it’s not me! Take that bastard, that bastard is —!”
As if noise was interfering, his voice came out strangely in certain parts.
The flustered magician grabbed his own throat.
Annoying beeping sounds like “beep-” came out in the middle of his speech, but the imperial guards did not seem to find it particularly strange.
Reinhardt nodded leisurely.
“My ears hurt. Quickly take him out.”
“No, it’s not me! I’m the real —!!!”
It was a cry that seemed to spit blood, but the imperial guards paid no heed.
They dragged the magician out into the corridor as per the order.
The magician struggled desperately the whole time he was being dragged.
“Let go of this! I said let go, do you want to die by daring to touch —my body! I said let go of this!”
“……”
“Call Ailpesia, that child will know who I am! At the very least, call Eocaste! Since we uniquely share blood, she will know who I am! Aaaah! Aaaaaah!”
The voice full of screams gradually faded away and soon became inaudible.
Finally, in the quieted room of the crown prince, Reinhardt erased his expression.
At last……
He had succeeded in occupying the body of the imperial family, the rulers of humans.
How many things had happened to reach this point?
It was time to accomplish the task that he had failed to complete 500 years ago.
He planned to capture all the beastmen existing in this world and make them kneel.
Of course, if there were outstanding individuals among them, he would place an oath on them and make them into divine beasts of humans.
Just as his ancestor had done 500 years ago.
* * *
After Asil left for the forest of divine beasts.
Rumors spread in the Monlepe ducal house that Asil had died while blocking the rampaging Fier.
The knight order, upon hearing the news, wailed in grief.
The vassals and servants wore black clothes for a while and prayed for Asil’s repose.
Several months passed like that.
The departed have no words, and the remaining must do what they have to do.
Fortunately, thanks to Ikart returning to the ducal house with Rain, Monlepe did not become a family without a divine beast like before.
However, because of the imperial law that the owner of the divine beast and the family head must be the same person, it was a bit noisy.
“I’ve never heard of recovering a title that was once transferred. Anyway, since the oath is broken, isn’t Lord Ikart also not the owner of the divine beast?”
“But the bond with Lord Rain is higher for Lord Ikart. If we unnecessarily attach him to the duke and Lord Rain leaves……”
“Ahem, even without an oath, it’s a full 500 years. For 500 years, Lord Rain has been with Monlepe.”
“Even Lord Fier, who has a fierier temper than Lord Rain, stays quietly in the Starafit ducal house even after the oath is broken, so would Lord Rain try to leave?”
“There’s always a ‘what if’ that catches people. If you’re worried about Lord Rain leaving, then place an oath between the duke and Lord Rain-”
“No.”
Edenber, who had been quietly listening, opened his mouth.
“I have no intention of accepting any divine beast other than Asil.”
“……”
“If Ikart wants the title, I will give it to him anytime. So never discuss this again.”
Then he stormed out of the meeting room.
Anyone could see he was barely holding onto his reason that was on the verge of snapping, and the vassals exchanged worried glances.
Whether unfortunate or fortunate, Ikart did not want to take back the ducal title.
The grand temple and the imperial family also acknowledged the special situation of the Monlepe ducal house and did not apply the imperial law this time.
* * *
Edenber came to his senses only about a year after Asil left.
During that time, when he opened his eyes, he saw hallucinations of Asil wandering around the ducal house here and there.
If he closed his eyes, in the darkness, he heard auditory hallucinations of Asil giggling “pihyahyahya.”
He swallowed all these phenomena inside without telling anyone.
While doing so, he silently carried out the duties as the head of the Monlepe ducal house.
Only after spending a year like hell did Edenber barely acknowledge that Asil was not by his side.
And only then did he open the drawer containing the seven-colored gem he had intended to give to Asil but ultimately could not.
After parting with Asil without even a proper goodbye, he couldn’t bear to look at it with a sane mind, so he hadn’t opened it at all……
Now it was time to face reality.
Creak.
The drawer that had been closed for a long time opened with a sound that stabbed his heart.
However, unable to bring himself to see the rainbow-colored gem, he closed his eyes tightly and reached out his hand.
But what touched his fingertips was not the cold and hard texture of the gem, but the soft and fluffy texture of yarn.
Along with the rustling feel of paper.
“……?”
He had no memory of putting anything else besides the gem, so what is this.
Edenber, puzzled, slowly opened his eyes.
And upon seeing what was in the drawer, he made a blank expression.
Wound around his fingertips were two small yarn dolls and one neatly folded letter.
One doll made of golden yarn, seemingly shaped like Edenber himself.
One small dragon doll made of black yarn.
“……”
The emotions he had barely suppressed burst like a dam. His face quickly became wet with tears.
Lest tears get on the dolls, he wiped his tears with his arm and then took out the yarn dolls and the letter.
As if handling a newborn baby, he very carefully unfolded the folded letter, and a crooked, truly atrocious handwriting, like that of someone writing for the first time in their life, greeted him.
「Hello Husband!
Asil is going home now.
Thank you so much for making Asil the boss of Monlepe, giving pretty scarf, giving lots of delicious strawberries, and playing fun with Asil.
Asil likes Husband very very much!
But, Asil has a secret to tell.
Actually, Asil is Lady Erzebet.
Also a ferocious black dragon beastman.
Lady Erzebet doesn’t hate black dragon. Likes strawberries, and has small white rabbit friend.
Didn’t know at all, right? Hehehe.
You know.
Daddy said if i become potato, i can come back to human world.
Asil will eat lots of strawberries and grow big big, quickly become potato and return.
So Husband also eat lots of strawberries and grow big big, become potato together and meet would be good.
Got it?
Promise!
Stamp bang!
Then bye!
Asil who likes Husband the most among all humans.」
“Hueu……”
Edenber, who quickly put down the letter so it wouldn’t be damaged by tears, wiped his eyes.
Saying she’ll return if she becomes a potato, what does that mean……
He couldn’t tell if he should laugh or cry.
He had tried to bury the memories with Asil in darkness, but because of this letter with an unknown promise, he could no longer do so.
Asil, who lit a spark of hope that they could meet again, was resentful yet missed.
He cried like that for a long while.
And from then on, for several more years until the spring when he turned 16, he lived by slowly nibbling on the memories with Asil bit by bit.
<The Baby Dragon Saves the Duke Family> Part 1 Complete.
