Chapter 297

No sooner had they left the reception room than Mei sighed, running a hand through her hair. The royal family’s secret history, carefully hushed even in their homeland, was now surfacing in a foreign land—Bariel Empire, no less.

Prince Jin was still young and mild-mannered, and thankfully they had come as guests for the festival. Otherwise, this situation would have been a real headache.

Which kingdom’s envoy would enter the palace and not even show their face? Even if they claimed illness, it was enough to raise suspicions.

“Stay alert. Keep your wits about you.”

Mei pressed her palm to her forehead, steadying herself, while her subordinates exchanged worried glances. They had just arrived in Bariel, and both Prince Noah and Mei herself didn’t look well. If all the leaders collapsed, it would be a disaster beyond measure.

“Lady Mei, are you alright? You don’t look well.”

“There’s no need to worry. Prince Jin has been understanding, so I think we’ve cleared the first hurdle.”

“That’s right. Let’s hurry back and get some rest. By now, everyone should have finished unpacking.”

The history of the Clipford Kingdom was like a symbol—a reminder that their ancient founding began with foxes.

In the royal family, when a baby’s ears perked up and their tail drooped, it was an unmistakable sign of their bloodline, and they celebrated it deeply. A divine gift passed down through countless generations. Surely, in the early days of the kingdom, they saw it that way.

“Little did they know it would one day be called a curse.”

No one knew exactly when the perception changed. Back then, there had been no stigma against beastkin, which was why the Clipford Kingdom was established. But now, it was unimaginable.

“Let’s hurry. The prince is waiting.”

“Yes, understood.”

“The carriage driver is provided by the palace, right?”

“They said once we’re familiar with the area, we can send him back anytime. Oh, here he comes now. Hey! Hurry up and get in!”

Though called a driver, he was actually a palace attendant under the administrative office, assigned to assist guests with their comfort and navigation. He donned gloves and bowed politely to the Clipford party.

“Please take good care of them. If anything is lacking, let me know immediately. Also, if you’re at the secondary palace, Minister Ian Hielo will send a letter. He requests Prince Noah’s signature without fail.”

This was a sort of agreement confirming that the palace’s medical support for the prince had been declined by their side.

From their perspective, it must have seemed strange. The prince was reportedly too ill to pay his respects at court, yet the doctors were refused. It could easily be misunderstood as some hidden agenda.

“Don’t worry about that. Please convey my assurance.”

“Yes. Please get in. We’ll depart immediately.”

Diplomacy had already started on shaky ground. Any unnecessary friction would only complicate matters.

Mei climbed into the carriage and began counting the days on her fingertips. One to two days. That was probably the minimum time needed for the curse to fade. How could they manage it well?

“Setting aside the tight overlap with the appointment ceremony, if we can’t meet the kings of Luswena and Burgos, coming all this way would be meaningless. Starting with tonight’s banquet…”

Unlike Luswena, which was a bit farther beyond the great desert, Burgos shared a border with them.

Like all border nations, their history was built on countless wars and conflicts. Burgos was an inscrutable people, especially since King Damon’s ascension.

“If Clipford doesn’t attend the meeting of the three kingdoms, who knows how the other two might conspire. They could even sacrifice us as bait against Bariel. We have to secure our place somehow…”

Screech!

Clatter!

While Mei was lost in thought, the carriage sped smoothly to the secondary palace.

As her subordinates had said, all the luggage was already unpacked. Here and there, people leaned against railings, singing, gathering to dance, sipping drinks. This was how the Clipford people spent their afternoons.

“Lady Mei, you’re here.”

“And the prince?”

“I gave him his meal, but the dishes haven’t been cleared. Other than that, no issues.”

“Is he alright? This place is different from Clipford—food and drink are different. Recovery might be slower.”

The guard reported with a hint of concern. The royal curse was known only to a few families; no one else was aware. When the symptoms were hidden, they assumed it was just a seizure or something similar.

“Stand down. Call him again.”

Mei dismissed the concern with a firm tone.

Once the guard left, she slowly opened the door. A rush of floral scent greeted her—likely something the palace had prepared for them.

“Prince? It’s Mei.”

Noah’s sensitive nose wouldn’t tolerate that. Mei spotted him sprawled in the courtyard outside the window. He wagged his tail happily when he saw her.

“Mei, you’re here?”

“Why are you lying on the bare ground like that?”

“The smell inside is too strong.”

He sniffed the grass scent as he spoke.

Mei sighed and stepped down into the courtyard. When the curse manifested, the prince’s senses sharpened like an animal’s, and his reason dulled. Sometimes it was quite troublesome.

But there was no denying that when he felt at ease like this, his recovery sped up.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes. It feels like being abroad. The soil smells different from Clipford, the trees are different, even the sunlight feels different.”

Noah approached and rubbed his forehead against her shoulder. The saying about foxes being enchanting wasn’t without reason. Thanks to him, she was nearly at her wit’s end.

But what could she do? She stroked his fox ears and relayed the news from the audience.

“All the tribute has been presented. Prince Jin was considerate, but his demeanor was sharper than expected. Maybe because it’s their first diplomatic event and the appointment ceremony is imminent, their reactions were immediate. I think there’s some misunderstanding.”

It felt like Clipford’s absence was seen as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the prince.

The more Mei insisted otherwise, bowing politely and denying it, the less certain it was that Prince Jin understood.

“So when you meet him later, be careful not to give them any reason to criticize.”

“Right. Just lay flat and take it.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Noah grinned, showing his unusually sharp canines. That was always the sign he was slowly coming back to himself.

“…Looks like the curse is passing.”

“Yes. Even his eyes have completely changed. Look.”

Just as Mei turned her head to check, a noise came from outside. Several voices, raised in agitation—it seemed there was trouble.

Sure enough, a guard knocked urgently on the door.

Bang! Bang!

“Lady Mei! Prince Noah!”

“This commotion—what’s going on?”

Mei hurried over, calling out. Noah, curious, poked his head inside the window. The thick scent made him gag immediately.

Creak.

“Lady Mei, m-mages from the Magic Department have arrived. They want to see you briefly.”

“Mages?”

Was this about the letter mentioned earlier? If so, there was no reason for such a fuss.

Mei glanced at Noah and gave a signal. He wrapped himself tightly in a blanket, leaving only his eyes visible, blinking. His tail poked out, twitching as he adjusted it.

“I’ll be back shortly, Your Highness.”

With that, Mei followed the guards outside.

At the corridor entrance, near the passage to the chambers, the guards were confronting the mages. Mei rushed forward and blocked their path.

“What’s the matter? You’re from the Magic Department?”

“Are you Lady Mei, the head of the envoy?”

“Yes, but we were supposed to receive a letter separately.”

If it was the Magic Department, it must have been sent by Ian. The mages looked puzzled, shaking their heads.

“We haven’t received any notice. What do you mean?”

“The letter declining palace medical support.”

“Oh, that’s different. No, recently, Bariel reported abnormal hypersensitivity reactions to dragon antigens and antibodies. The investigation suggests it came from Luswena. We intend to conduct our own tests on the foreign guests who have entered the palace. It’s nothing complicated. If the mages could have a moment, the results will be quick.”

As the mages glanced outside, Mei’s gaze followed.

The Clipford people, gathered in small groups, were shaking hands with the mages. Some, pleasantly tipsy, were chatting excitedly—completely unaware.

“This isn’t just for Clipford. It was also applied to Luswena, who arrived earlier. We request your cooperation, but the guards aren’t letting us through.”

The mage smiled awkwardly and shrugged. Even the prince was not exempt.

Mei bit her lip in surprise.

“Could you tell me the symptoms of this hypersensitivity reaction?”

“Chills, fever, seizures, coughing up blood, vomiting, dizziness, and more. It’s complex, so we can’t be specific. You said the prince isn’t feeling well?”

Damn it. How did things come to this?

With the report of abnormal reactions, there was no way to avoid testing the prince. In fact, the more they tried to avoid it, the worse it would look for Clipford.

No doctor, no tests, yet claiming illness and avoiding the audience? If they were unlucky, they could be accused of bringing an external infection into the palace.

“Is it true that it started in Luswena?”

“Yes, of course. How could we possibly lie about something like that? Even King Eriphoni has undergone the examination.”

Ruthwena—what kind of country was this, to create and spread a plague like this?

No, it’s possible. It’s not their own will.

But then, why now of all times?

‘Mentioning King Eriphoni like that… it must be true. Sigh.’

As Mei hesitated, the mage took a step forward.

The guards braced themselves firmly, standing their ground. Their prince clearly wanted to keep this hidden. How could they let him be diverted now?

The mage, clearly annoyed, addressed Mei.

“Would you please have the guards stand down? We have important matters to attend to as well.”

“The prince’s condition is quite poor right now. Couldn’t we wait until he recovers a bit before the examination? The day after tomorrow, or even tomorrow?”

“…”

“It’s definitely not a dragon-related abnormal reaction. It’s just—”

It wasn’t even a simple fever. Trying to avoid the palace’s examination for such a reason was absurd. Mei was stuck, unable to do anything.

The mage frowned and asked again.

“It won’t even take a few minutes, and we’re the ones using magic, so it’s more taxing on us. Or is it because it’s us?”

Despite their high status, the mages were commoners without noble titles. The royal family probably refused to let commoners touch their bodies.

It was a huge misunderstanding, but to Mei, it felt like a blessing—a crack in the wall.

“I-I apologize.”

“There’s no need to apologize.”

But then, a voice came from behind.

“That’s understandable.”

It was Ian.

Head of the Mage Department and a count of the empire.

Behind Ian, Beric and Romandro trailed along.

“In that case, I will conduct the examination myself. That’s acceptable, isn’t it, Envoy Mei?”

Ian smiled brightly as he put on his gloves.

It was a clear signal to clear the way.