Chapter 299
Let me die.

Prince Noah clenched his cursed ears tightly, thinking this. They were both a symbol of the royal family and a curse. He recalled his parents, who looked at him with a mix of pride and worry.

Let me die.

His tail curled up on its own. And of all opponents, it was the great empire Bariel. Through the alliance of the three kingdoms, they had hoped to usher in a new era, but that chance had slipped away mercilessly—because of his own incompetence.

Let me die.

He knew all too well how negatively beastmen were viewed by society. Even his own father, the king of their country, had hidden his true nature all his life, convinced no one would understand. Because of that, there had never been a political marriage to strengthen the nation in Cliford’s history.

Let me die…

Yes. Perhaps that is the best path for now. By erasing his existence through death, he could wipe away the shameful truth that the royal family harbored a beastman.

Tears welled up in Prince Noah’s eyes at the thought of his own end—a thought he had never entertained before. At the very least, he wanted to be sent off by his people.

“…We won’t know the full details until the results come back, but from my initial assessment, there doesn’t seem to be anything seriously wrong.”

But then Ian’s calm voice came through.

Noah rolled his eyes beneath the blanket. Tears trickled down again. What exactly was the author trying to say?

“I was quite worried since you postponed your audience with His Majesty, but thankfully, it’s nothing like a dragon-related reaction. We’re still investigating, but the main symptoms are fever with chills and coughing up blood.”

At Ian’s words, Noah sniffled.

Had he missed something?

No, that can’t be.

He perked up his ears even more.

“Ha ha ha! I knew I was amazing!”

“Ah, are you a beastman too? Sorry, it’s rude to be so surprised.”

“No, I’m not! Actually, I’m definitely not! You must be mistaken. It’s the festival season, isn’t it? In Cliford, people dress up to enjoy the festivities. Doesn’t Bariel do the same?”

The Minister of Magic’s entourage was still noisy, and Mei was sweating as she tried to keep them in check.

Noah felt Ian sitting silently beyond the blanket, waiting for him to come out first.

Gripping his trembling hands, Noah slowly pulled back the cloth.

Swish.

A strikingly handsome young man with golden hair and emerald eyes sat upright, looking down at him. Maybe because of the height difference, for a moment Noah felt like a small animal.

Ian smiled gently and nodded. His hair flowed elegantly as he moved.

“Pleasure to meet you, Prince Noah. It’s an honor to see you like this. Once again, I formally introduce myself: Ian Hielo, Minister of Magic.”

“Your Highness! Why are you out? Please go back inside!”

“Wow, amazing. Those ears!”

“Ah, hello. I’m Romandro, assistant to the Minister of Magic.”

Noah’s ears drooped. Mei hurried over and hugged him protectively, while the prince sighed and patted her back.

It was already too late. His secret was out. This was Bariel’s imperial palace, and his opponent was Ian Hielo, the true power behind the throne. There was no way to fight with force, nor could he plead for mercy.

“Your Highness.”

Mei squeezed Noah’s cheeks tightly and whispered softly. Her eyes glistened, and Noah could guess what she was thinking.

The fracture inside him was deeper than the secret being exposed.

This was the real crisis.

“Please pull yourself together.”

The beast ears and tail weren’t just a change in appearance. They made him think and feel like an animal.

Even now, he looked defeated, as if he had given up on everything. Mei pinched his cheek hard, frowning despite the risk.

‘He’ll come back in a little while. Until then, just hold them off. The ears and tail are gone—how could they claim he’s a beastman? It’s slander, it’s offensive, it’s madness. We’ll deny it fiercely, as if our lives depended on it. Then we’ll return home.’

They could consult the royal elders once back. The relationship with Bariel wouldn’t be the same, but wasn’t Cliford the farthest of the three kingdoms? For the dignity of the kingdom and the survival of the royal family, they wouldn’t hesitate to sever ties.

Everything felt like the worst now, but it would be okay.

The royal family loved Noah, and the people loved him too.

“Well then, shall we get you up first?”

Ian stepped back and gestured to a table. This wasn’t the place to discuss such matters while lying in bed.

Noah nodded and followed Ian to sit in a chair. His fluffy tail dragged along the floor.

“There isn’t much information about beastmen, so please forgive any rudeness.”

Rudeness? If it only stopped at rudeness, that would be a relief. Beastmen lived in constant fear of having their skins torn off.

Ian motioned for Mei to sit as well. Given Noah’s condition, he clearly needed a spokesperson.

“…”

Let’s hear what you have to say.

Noah and Mei bit their lips, waiting for Ian’s words. What would he demand? A tribute far greater than before? Or a vassal relationship? If he learned the royal secret, could he even aim to overthrow the kingdom?

As despair crept in, Noah’s eyes reddened again. It all seemed to stem from his own fault. But Mei held his hand under the table, helping him hold back tears.

“First, I ask you to speak honestly. This conversation will lay the foundation for mutual trust.”

“…You’re premature.”

“Between Bariel and Cliford’s border, the magical anomaly detector recorded higher than usual readings. Since you’ve been hiding such a great secret, Prince, we can’t help but consider other possibilities.”

Consider other possibilities?

Beric, who had been quietly listening, twitched his ear in confusion. Ian was implying that a beastman might be involved in the anomaly.

Of course, Ian knew beastmen were just humans with different appearances, but he said it deliberately to provoke Noah.

“If all the people of Cliford were beastmen, causing the device’s abnormal readings, that would be unacceptable.”

“What are you saying? Beastmen have no magic.”

“Some claim that, but if your appearance changes, don’t your physical senses change too? That alone puts you beyond the human category.”

“There are physical differences even among races. It’s nothing more than that.”

“Is that so? Then you’re saying the magical anomaly detector and beastmen have no connection?”

“Yes. The people of Cliford have nothing to do with magic or beastmen. There might be someone we haven’t identified, but officially, the last mage in your country died ten years ago.”

Noah didn’t notice, but Ian caught a critical slip of the tongue.

‘The people of Cliford have nothing to do with beastmen.’

That meant only Noah carried that bloodline—and if he did, so did the entire royal family.

Ian smiled slyly, narrowing his eyes. Noah’s tail stiffened without him realizing it, tension reaching its limit.

“Understood. For now, it would be best to discuss this with His Majesty. Your condition seems better than expected. May we proceed with the audience?”

Mei shook her head reflexively.

There was a big difference between the Minister of Magic witnessing this and the next emperor of Bariel seeing it. It would be irreversible. Denial wouldn’t solve anything.

“The prince is still in poor condition. It’s unfortunate, but he cannot meet the crown prince. If you intend to insist, please stop. The carriage is lighter now that the gifts are unpacked, so the return trip won’t be so burdensome.”

Declaring they would return rather than meet the crown prince. They had come all this way, showing enough goodwill. The alliance of the three kingdoms or not, the nation came first. The royal foundation was at stake—what was there to fear?

Ian motioned for calm.

“Should a guest’s steps be heavy when leaving? Of course not. Remember, this is a time when Bariel is opening a new chapter in history, a time when the blessings of the world converge. If Prince Noah’s hands aren’t heavy when he leaves, I’ll be scolded by His Majesty.”

What was his real intention? Noah and Mei narrowed their eyes simultaneously. Their similar hair color made them look like twins.

“However, since this is not something to keep from His Majesty, I will report it. When would you like to have the audience?”

“…Tomorrow, or the day after.”

“Hmm.”

Ian tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, and Noah’s ears twitched in response. He was trying to gauge his thoughts. It was unlikely the man who controlled Bariel’s palace would let this go without demands.

“Then—”

Yes! I knew it!

Noah’s eyes flashed as he tensed up. Mei did the same, gathering her resolve silently. Come on! Whatever it is, it won’t go as planned.

“What about tonight’s banquet?”

“…Excuse me?”

A surprisingly lackluster question. Mei answered, bewildered, and Ian elaborated.

“The banquet. It’s the first gathering of all three kingdoms with His Majesty present. The Burgos envoy will arrive soon as well. The event will be held around sunset.”

“We’ll have to decline…”

“Let’s not have any more problems with the inauguration schedule.”

Haven’t you already used that excuse once, pretending to avoid a face-to-face meeting between Jin and Noah? It was basically pressure to show up at the banquet.

Noah just touched his ears nervously and stayed silent, clearly uncomfortable.

“But—”

“If you wish, the Ministry of Magic can assist you.”

They were people who could split the sky and keep flames burning forever. Hiding a pair of ears and a tail was hardly a big deal. The sudden offer made Noah and Mei exchange glances. What on earth was going on?

“Please do attend and join us in celebrating His Highness’s appointment ceremony.”

The three kingdoms and Bariel.

Bound by alliance, and the empire’s ten-year-old child.

Having experienced Eriphony’s temperament firsthand, Mei could already predict how the banquet atmosphere would unfold.

“…Attend His Highness Jin’s appointment ceremony ‘together’?”

Mei cautiously asked, sensing Ian’s intentions. She had suspected the three kingdoms might doubt Bariel’s alliance, but she hadn’t expected Ian to be so certain.

“I will be there as well, but I won’t be able to join the meal. Shall I start preparing now?”

Ian carefully examined Noah’s ears and tail.

From Clifford’s perspective, this was a golden opportunity. They had even considered skipping the event because of Prince Noah’s appearance.

Since they held the upper hand, refusing wasn’t really an option. And with the help of a mage, Noah could at least make a proper appearance at the first gathering of the three kingdoms’ alliance.

Mei gave Noah a subtle nod.

“Please prepare him.”

“Very well. I can’t entrust this to anyone else, so I’ll be back shortly. Oh, and Prince Noah, I’m sorry, but could you trim some of your tail fur?”

It was a kind of token. Over time, the fox form would fade, so they wanted something to leave behind as proof. Seeing his chance, Beric stepped forward, offering a dagger.

“I’ll lend you mine! Or do you want me to do it? I’ve never just trimmed fur before, though.”

“……”

Noah reluctantly cut a bit of his tail fur. Romandro unfolded a handkerchief and carefully caught it, giving a small, awkward smile.

“Then, please rest. Beric, you stay here.”

“Me? Why?”

“I’ll be back soon.”

Beric was assigned to watch over and prevent any outside contact. He flopped onto the sofa, shrugging, while Noah quietly slipped back under the covers.

Ah, it felt like the world had flipped upside down in an instant. Dizzying.

“Prince, are you alright?”

“Prince, can you handle your drink?”

“Hey, you—”

Squeak.

Thud!

Ignoring Mei and Beric’s bickering, the door closed behind them. Romandro wiped the cold sweat from his brow and asked Ian.

“Ian, is it okay to send Prince Noah? Maybe it’s better if he doesn’t attend at all. Ah, my heart’s pounding. This is… something else.”

Romandro was right; excluding Noah entirely was an option. But for now, it was better if he attended.

Because—

Tap tap tap!

“Ian, the delegation from the Kingdom of Burgos has just arrived at the center.”

Some people get to live life twice.

When faced with variables and unexpected events, you have to see how they react. Whether it’s Prince Noah’s unpredictability, or perhaps…

‘Regarding the unfamiliar presence called Ian Hielo.’

Ian nodded and gave his order.

“Prepare quickly to welcome the guests.”