The Seventh Prince Wants to Bail — Chapter 14

ACTING HEAD, THIS IS YOUR AIDE, PALE.

ALL PREPARATIONS FOR THE HOSPITAL'S CONSTRUCTION HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.

ADDITIONALLY, APPLICATIONS FROM NOBLES WISHING TO STUDY AND TEACH MEDICINE HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED CAPACITY.

GOOD.

THE PROBLEM IS THE VAGRANTS WHO STILL HAVEN'T LEFT THE CENTRAL DISTRICT...

THE TWO-MONTH DEADLINE IS ALMOST UP.

...SHALL I INSTRUCT THE KNIGHT COMMANDER TO PREPARE THE TROOPS?

NO, THERE'S NO NEED TO INVOLVE JACK.

I HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND.

UNDERSTOOD.

ALSO... A LETTER HAS ARRIVED FROM HOUSE CRYSA.

MY BIRTH FAMILY CONTACTED ME FIRST?

WHAT ARE THEY SCHEMING THIS LATE IN THE GAME?

IGO CRYSA OF HOUSE CRYSA...

PLANS TO VISIT THE FEEDUS DUCAL HOUSE...

BROTHER?!

TWO WEEKS LATER...

LAST NIGHT, COUNT CRYSA WAS PLACED UNDER HOUSE ARREST.

ELDEST SON OF HOUSE CRYSA IGO CRYSA

FOLLOWING A TAX AUDIT CONDUCTED DIRECTLY BY THE IMPERIAL FAMILY,

THEY CLAIM TO HAVE UNCOVERED SEVERAL IRREGULARITIES.

AND IF THE CHARGES ARE CONFIRMED, HE MAY EVEN BE IMPRISONED IN AN IMPERIAL PRISON.

...BROTHER, DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE FATHER WOULD HAVE DONE SUCH A THING?

WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT OUR HOUSE IS IN CRISIS.

FATHER WAS NEVER ONE TO CHASE PLEASURE,

NOR WAS HE DRIVEN BY AMBITION.

HASN'T HE ALWAYS LIVED A DILIGENT AND QUIET LIFE?

TOLLIN...

ARE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU TRULY HAVE NO IDEA

DO YOU WANT TO HEAR ME SAY

THAT I'M THE REASON OUR FAMILY ENDED UP LIKE THIS?

...WELL, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I RECENTLY HEARD AN INTERESTING STORY.

I HEAR YOU'RE PUTTING VAGRANTS FROM THE CENTRAL LAND TO WORK ON THE CONSTRUCTION?

PROVIDING THEM WITH FOOD AND SHELTER IN RETURN FOR THEIR LABOR AS WELL?

THE CONSTRUCTION SITE HAPPENED TO HAVE A NEED FOR WORKERS...

AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF VAGRANTS WILL NATURALLY IMPROVE PUBLIC ORDER IN THE CENTRAL LAND.

I ALSO HEARD THAT YOU WERE GIVING OUT FOOD TO THE CHILDREN FOR FREE.

WHETHER THE FEEDUS DUCAL HOUSE WANTS TO BECOME A RELIEF CENTER...

OR A SAINT TO THE POOR... ISN'T MY CONCERN.

WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT THE FIRST PRINCE WANTED EVERY VAGRANT IN THE CENTRAL LAND...

TO BE WIPED OUT.

IF YOU CAME HERE TO WASTE MY TIME WITH POINTLESS TALK, PLEASE LEAVE.

I AM A MEMBER OF THE FEEDUS FAMILY NOW.

TOLLIN, I HOPE YOU'LL THINK IT OVER CAREFULLY ONE MORE TIME.

HE'S STILL YOUR FATHER.

HE ALREADY...

CAST ME ASIDE THIRTEEN YEARS AGO, DIDN'T HE?

PREPARATIONS, PREPARATIONS, PREPARATIONS!!

WHEN WILL THESE DAMNED TIRESOME RITUAL PREPARATIONS FINALLY END?!

I KNOW THE TINAS RITUAL IS IMPORTANT,

BUT HOW LONG AM I SUPPOSED TO STAY LOCKED AWAY IN THIS UNDERGROUND SANCTUARY?!

BEING COOPED UP ALL DAY WITH NOTHING BUT SERVANTS...

IS DRIVING ME INSAN—

AH...!

...YOUR MAJESTY?

LADY MENTIL?

YOUR MAJESTY, IT HAS BEEN A WHILE.

DID YOU PERHAPS COME ALL THE WAY HERE TO SEE ME?

...FIRST PRINCESS, DO YOU INTEND TO LEAVE AT THIS MOMENT?

PREPARATIONS FOR THE RITUAL SHOULD STILL BE UNDERWAY IN THE PRAYER ROOM.

OH MY, YOU'RE WORRYING ABOUT ME NOW?

HOW COULD I NOT? YOU'RE THE DAUGHTER I CARRIED IN MY WOMB.

EVERY DAY I WORRY THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN OR THAT YOU'LL MAKE A MISTAKE...

NOT A SINGLE DAY PASSES IN PEACE FOR ME.

...YOU'RE UNUSUALLY AFFECTIONATE TODAY.

PERHAPS WE COULD ENJOY TEA BENEATH THE OPEN SKY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG WHI—

I'VE SEEN YOUR FACE, SO I'LL BE LEAVING NOW.

I HAVE AN IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT WITH HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR.

FIRST PRINCESS, I'D SUGGEST YOU RETURN TO YOUR POST AT ONCE.

WITH THE TINAS RITUAL SO CLOSE, HIS MAJESTY SHOULD BE STAYING INSIDE THE CASTLE...

WAS THAT AN INSINCERE LIE...

OR DID SOMETHING TRULY URGENT COME UP...?

MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER IF MY ABILITY DID WORK ON HER.

I-I'M ALIVE...

THE MORE I DIG INTO IT, THE STRANGER THIS ABILITY APPEARS TO BE.

NOT ONLY CAN I TRANSFORM INTO ANIMALS, I CAN EVEN COMBINE DIFFERENT SPECIES HOWEVER I WANT...

THIS ABILITY'S POTENTIAL IS FAR GREATER THAN I IMAGINED, HUH?

THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF DRAWBACK!

LIKE USING IT TOO MUCH SHORTENS MY LIFESPAN OR SOMETHING...

SOMETHING...

...BUT WHY DOES MY BODY SUDDENLY FEEL LIKE THIS?

IT FEELS EVEN HOTTER... TODAY...

...SQUEAK?

HEY, DID YOU REALLY LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS?

GOOD GRIEF. WHAT A WEAK FELLOW YOU ARE.

BE QUIET!

CAN'T YOU SEE HE'S SLEEPING RIGHT NOW?!

WHINE...

IS THIS BECAUSE I BIT YOU EARLIER?

I WAS JUST PLAYING AROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AGES. HOW PETTY!

WHIMPER, WHIMPER...

YOU MEAN HIM?

PFFT!

PUHAHAHA!

YOU SAW IT WITH YOUR OWN TWO EYES EARLIER, SO YOU SHOULD KNOW.

THAT CHILD IS THE VERY HUMAN WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR ALL THIS TIME.

WHEN THE TIME COMES, SPREAD THE WORD TO EVERY ANIMAL IN THE FOREST.

TELL THEM THAT THE ONE WE'VE ALL WAITED FOR...

HAS FINALLY APPEARED.

HE IS STILL WEAK, SO HE SLEEPS FOR NOW,

BUT NOT FOR LONG...