Chapter 296

The palace gatekeepers were each chewing on a piece of jerky as they idly played cards. Even if they were just waiting for their shift change, such a lax attitude would have been unthinkable on any other day.

But what did it matter? It was the Bariel Festival, and cheers echoed even from atop the castle walls. In a world where people were drunk on laughter and wine, weren’t these gatekeepers, first and foremost, just ordinary citizens of the empire?

“Did you see Cliford earlier?”

“Yeah. He was amazing. How can a person move so lightly? It wasn’t dancing—it was acrobatics.”

“I thought it was just a showy parade, but he didn’t stop even when entering the palace. Man, he was full of energy.”

More importantly, except for foreign guests, no one else was allowed inside. They said it was to keep palace operations smooth. In other words, it was a slow day.

“Hey! Who shuffled the cards?”

“I’m done for. I can’t even wipe my ass with these cards.”

One gatekeeper gave up on the game and leaned against the wall outside, licking his lips. Among the crowd moving like an ant swarm, soap bubbles and flower petals floated down.

It was such a peaceful, warm scene that a cold beer would have been the perfect complement.

“Huh?”

If only there wasn’t a horse cutting through the crowd. Who the hell brings a horse out on a day like this? The already chaotic streets became even more of a mess.

Just as the gatekeeper was about to pass a message to the soldier on the ground, he noticed the horse’s head was fixed toward the palace gate.

“Open the gate!”

“Beric?”

His hair was a mess from being jostled around, and he looked tense, worried the horse might cause trouble. Beric looked up and shouted again.

“Open it now!”

“Wait a moment!”

The gatekeeper hurried down to check if there was any message from the Mage Department. No matter how trustworthy the person, no one could enter without permission.

Fortunately—or unfortunately—at the bottom of the record sheet was a note: “Beric’s return passage authorized” from the Mage Department.

“Oh, he left that when he passed Cliford earlier. Beric, hold on. I’ll open the side gate for you.”

Click.

If it were a large carriage, maybe not, but for one person and a horse, the side gate was enough.

Beric slipped inside the palace like he was running away, brushing dust off his clothes. Up close, he looked even scruffier.

“Why did you come separately from Ian? And through the crowded sidewalk, no less?”

“Errand. They said only royal family members can walk the main road.”

“…The festival is an exception.”

“Ah, damn.”

Realizing he’d made things harder for himself, Beric rolled his eyes. Following Ian’s orders, he had tracked Cliford’s carriage around the outskirts but found nothing unusual.

And on top of that, his return had been rough. Suddenly, hunger gnawed at him.

“What about Ian?”

“Not sure. Looks like Cliford’s carriage didn’t head to the main palace. Something must be wrong. They went to a temporary residence, so Ian probably went there too. The mages were escorting them.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

“Beric!”

The gatekeeper grabbed Beric as he tried to mount his horse and whispered.

“Hey, can you get some of the wine they’re offering as tribute from Cliford?”

“Wine? What wine?”

“They say the wine from that country is really sweet. His Highness probably won’t drink it himself… but maybe he’ll accept it as a gift? If you get some, share a little with me. I’ll pay well.”

Beric felt his hungry stomach respond.

Meat and wine!

The road to heaven was simple—just those two things. Beric waved his hand and urged his horse forward. The destination was Cliford’s villa, where the wine, meat, and Ian awaited.

Clatter, clatter!

The carriages in front of the villa were scattered without order. Unlike the neatly lined-up carriages in Luswena, this was a mess, but Beric didn’t care. He just walked through the unloading crowd, glancing around.

“Please step aside for a moment.”

“Don’t unpack the silk boxes; just move them directly.”

“Check the floor carefully so the dye containers don’t leak! If they do, it’ll be a real headache. This way, this way!”

Palace officials in charge of the tribute bustled about, but Beric didn’t know any of them. No mages were in sight. Just as he was about to turn back, thinking he’d taken a wrong path—

“Don’t go that way. Lady Mei said the prince is resting and no one should approach.”

“Oh, so that’s where it is. Then what about these?”

“Bring them in. That warehouse over there is empty.”

The prince? The one who smelled so bad?

Beric rolled his eyes and peeked down the hallway. Several guards stood firmly outside the prince’s quarters. They turned their heads at Beric’s approach.

“Are you palace officials? What’s going on?”

“W-welcome! Yes, yes. This is Bariel, right?”

“…Thank you.”

What the hell? Was this guy an idiot? Judging by his presence in the palace, he seemed to have some status.

When the guards grew wary, Beric gave an awkward smile and passed by.

“That smell… If I could just catch it once properly, I’d know what it is. It’s driving me crazy.”

Beric glanced sideways at the villa’s wall. He didn’t know if it was like other places, but usually, every building had a garden, big or small. If he could sneak in that way, maybe he could get a whiff of whatever was bothering him.

They just arrived here too, so they wouldn’t know the layout. If he took a wrong turn or climbed the wall, how would they know?

“Alright. I’ll sneak in and just smell around.”

Seeing no one nearby, Beric jumped up onto the wall. His movements were light and silent—perfect. Curling his body as much as possible, he crept along the wall.

Rustle.

After a short distance, he spotted some bushes. It was a garden attached to the villa. More like a private backyard than a garden. The bedroom had floor-to-ceiling windows, but the yard was enclosed for privacy.

“Let’s see where the grape prince is… huh?”

Beric froze, hiding behind a branch. Someone was crouched in the middle of the lawn.

Setting aside the fine fabric, the bright orange hair was unmistakable—the same as in Romandro’s portrait. The exposed nape was sun-kissed.

That had to be the prince of the grape country. He was cradling a thick, glossy orange tail.

“Damn, what the hell? That’s a weird taste. Wearing an animal tail? Even the kids around here wouldn’t dress like that. Tsk tsk.”

Festival-goers wore all sorts of costumes, but Beric hadn’t expected the noble grape prince to do the same. Maybe people really are the same everywhere.

Beric sniffed and stared at the prince. But strangely, he didn’t move. As Beric watched absentmindedly, he suddenly remembered a conversation between Ian and the delegation leader.

“Wait! That’s right! He said he was sick… did he die? Ian, come get him—”

Rustle.

Then, slowly, fox ears appeared.

Perking up naturally, as if reading the wind. At the same time, the tail swished softly in a half-circle, tapping the ground.

Beric’s heart dropped as he realized something was very wrong.

“Whoa, shit…”

Under the sunlight, the prince’s eyes shone—and they were definitely animal eyes.

Without a sound, Beric slipped back along the wall the way he came.

---

“So that’s what happened! Do you get it now?!”

Bang!

Beric slammed his fist against the wall, releasing everything he’d experienced. His clenched fist looked determined.

But facing him were Romandro with his eyes narrowed, expressionless Xiaoshi, Jin with an awkward smile, and Ian quietly sipping tea.

Xiaoshi stepped closer and sniffed again.

“…No sign of medicine.”

“That’s a relief. If he’d caused trouble during the ceremony, he’d be expelled from the palace guard without warning. If it’s not alcohol or medicine, maybe he just overheated? But it’s not that hot yet.”

Romandro muttered, watching Beric carefully. Beric grabbed his head and shook it back and forth.

“Ahhh! No, I’m totally fine! Completely sane! The grape prince had fox ears and a tail! Like, wagging his tail all cute!”

Beric reenacted how he’d bowed deeply before. Romandro shut his eyes, as if he’d seen something terrible, and Xiaoshi crouched down to examine Beric’s pupils, just in case.

“…His pupils are normal.”

“Xia, are you trying to say I’m crazy?”

Beric bared his teeth and growled, and Ian set down his teacup with a clatter.

“‘Beastkin,’ you mean?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t know that term. I’m just saying he had fox ears and a tail.”

“That’s what ‘beastkin’ means.”

Beastkin.

A race with animal-like features, but not commonly seen. Because of their strange appearance, they were often shunned by society. If they had magic, they were treated as monsters and usually met a miserable end.

“Ian, don’t listen to this overheated fool.”

Romandro waved his hand firmly, denying it without hesitation. After all, the person in question wasn’t just some passerby—it was Prince Noah, the first in line to the throne of the Kingdom of Cliford.

“I’m perfectly fine!”

“I’ve never seen it myself, but there are records of Prince Noah visiting Bariel when he was a child. Actually, it wasn’t just Bariel. Since he’s the heir apparent, diplomatic affairs with neighboring regions fall under his responsibility. If there were beastmen involved, word would’ve definitely gotten around!”

“Have you ever seen any beastmen yourself, Romandro?”

“Me? Hmm… no, I haven’t.”

As a reconstruction specialist, he had traveled extensively along the borderlands but had never encountered any firsthand. He only knew of their existence through rumors and hearsay.

Still, Ian didn’t dismiss Beric’s story as pure nonsense.

‘So, it just hasn’t been uncovered yet.’

A persecuted and fading race—everyone thought that was the case. But future research and social analyses would prove that belief wrong.

They hadn’t faded away. They had simply hidden their existence, blending quietly into society.

‘It’s a form of evolutionary survival. They’re no different from humans, but their appearance might have posed a threat to life. So some beastmen evolved to only reveal their true nature under specific circumstances. If what Beric saw is true…’

It would mean these beastmen are still in the process of evolving.

Could the royal family of Cliford itself be beastmen? Since revealing such a fact in diplomatic circles could be a serious disadvantage, it would make sense if they deliberately kept it a secret.

“Beric didn’t even drink—”

“Yeah, I really didn’t have a single sip.”

“And no drugs either—”

“Ugh, what are you talking about? I’m as clean as a whistle!”

“It’s worth checking into.”

Beric responded eagerly to every word Ian said, clenching his fist in excitement that someone believed him.

Then, sticking out his tongue at Romandro and Xiaoshi, he wiggled his hips playfully. Romandro scolded him sharply and smacked his backside.

“But how? We can’t just drag out a prince who’s supposedly ill, and barging in unannounced would be rude. It’s a bit much to act on Beric’s word alone… I don’t see any good options.”

At Romandro’s worried words, Ian set down his teacup.

“Why wouldn’t there be a way? This is the royal palace, after all.”