The Seventh Prince Wants to Bail — Chapter 16

THIS CONCLUDES THE NOBLES' MEETING.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.

UM... ACTING HEAD, WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE MEETING...?

WE'RE RETURNING TO THE DUCAL HOUSE. AT ONCE.

...YES. UNDERSTOOD.

TOLLIN, ARE YOU LEAVING ALREADY?

BROTHER IGO, SINCE WHEN WERE YOU HERE...?

I'VE HEARD ROUGHLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THE MEETING.

SO THE FIRST PRINCE HAS PROMISED TO SUPPORT YOU?

YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE PRINCE'S FAVOR.

THANKS TO THAT, I HEAR COUNT CRYSA WILL BE RELEASED SOON AS WELL.

THE REASON I REQUESTED SUPPORT FROM HIS HIGHNESS

...WAS SOLELY FOR THE FEEDUS FAMILY.

I'LL BE LEAVING NOW.

WHY DON'T YOU STOP BY THE COUNT'S ESTATE AND GREET FATHER WHILE YOU'RE AT IT?

SINCE WHEN...

...HAVE WE BEEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO SIT TOGETHER FOR NO REASON?

HAHAHA!

DID YOU SEE THAT ACTING HEAD'S FACE?

THE LOOK ON HIS FACE WHEN HE BEGGED WAS QUITE A SIGHT!

IT'S LIKE THE PROJECT HE TRADED AGONY FEEDUS FOR HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM ALL OVER AGAIN.

NOW WE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE CENTRAL LAND PROJECT AS MUCH AS WE PLEASE UNDER THE PRETEXT OF SUPPORTING THEM.

HEHEHE. HOW SHOULD WE RUIN HIM?

SHOULD WE DESTROY THE HOSPITAL RIGHT BEFORE IT'S COMPLETED?

EITHER WAY, IT'LL BE FUN.

EVEN IF THINGS GO WRONG, IT'LL ALL BE HIS RESPONSIBILITY.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S TIME TO CONSIDER THE NEXT STEP.

SHALL WE DISCUSS SOMEWHERE PRIVATE?

AH, THAT...

AHEM...

LET'S... LEAVE THAT DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER TIME.

I'M RATHER TIRED TODAY,

SO I'D LIKE TO REST IN MY ROOM.

BROTHER...?

HMM... HIS ROOM...

HE'S BEEN SPENDING AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME IN HIS ROOM LATELY...

I WONDER WHY THAT IS?

DAMN IT. JUST WHEN I WAS IN SUCH A GOOD MOOD...

AND NOW I HAVE TO SEE THAT BASTARD'S FACE AGAIN—

YOU'RE FINALLY HERE?

AAARGH!!!!

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?! AND HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY OFFICE AGAIN?!

THERE ARE WAYS.

JUDGING BY THAT SMILE, I'D SAY YOU'RE PLEASED WITH HOW THE MEETING WENT, HM?

H-HOW DID YOU...? DAMN IT, FORGET IT.

LET'S JUST GET TODAY'S TREATMENT OVER WITH.

BEFORE THAT, I HAVE A SMALL FAVOR TO ASK.

...A FAVOR?

YOU CAN INVOLVE YOURSELF IN THE FEEDUS FAMILY'S CENTRAL LAND PROJECT NOW, CORRECT?

YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THAT...?!

I ONLY INTENT TO ENSURE THE CONSTRUCTION PROCEEDS SMOOTHLY.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, DOES IT?

IT'S THAT "SMOOTHLY" PART THAT CONCERNS ME.

I'D LIKE THE CONSTRUCTION DELAYED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

LONG ENOUGH FOR WORD TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE THAT THE IMPERIAL FAMILY IS SUPPORTING THE FEEDUS DUCAL HOUSE.

WH-WHAT DID YOU SAY...?

I WAS EXPECTING TOLLIN TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT...

...BUT A HOSPITAL? I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT.

THE ORIGINAL STORY HAD HIM RAISING AN ARMY INSTEAD. IF THINGS HAVE CHANGED THIS MUCH...

...THEN TOLLIN HIMSELF MUST HAVE CHANGED TOO.

HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK I'LL KEEP OBEYING YOU?!

YOU DAMN BLACK-HAIRED BASTARD...!!!

THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT... BEING OBEDIENT.

YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN THE SECOND PRINCE'S PUPPET.

I'M GETTING TIRED OF THIS. SO ANSWER QUICKLY AND LET'S MOVE ON.

OR MUST I REPEAT MYSELF FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND?

SUPPORT FROM THE FIRST PRINCE?

DOESN'T THAT MEAN THE ABANDONED DUCAL HOUSE HAS CAUGHT THE IMPERIAL FAMILY'S ATTENTION AGAIN?

NOT A CHANCE.

THE VERY FACT THAT THE FIRST PRINCE HAS STEPPED IN MEANS THE END FOR THE FEEDUS FAMILY.

HE INTENDS TO PERSONALLY CRUSH THE DUCAL HOUSE AS IT TRIES TO RISE AGAIN.

STILL... WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO SIDE WITH THE DUCAL HOUSE BEFOREHAND?

NO... IT'S STILL TOO EARLY. WE SHOULD OBSERVE HOW THINGS DEVELOP...

WHAT FAVOR? I'M THE ONE WHO'S GRATEFUL, TOLLIN CRYSA.

THANKS TO YOUR REQUEST, I NOW HAVE A REASON TO TAKE PART IN SUCH A NOBLE PROJECT.

AND I MEAN EVERY WORD.

I'LL SHOW YOU...

...WHAT IMPERIAL SUPPORT TRULY LOOKS LIKE.

UGH...

...THIS IS AGONIZING.

IS IT GUILT FOR FAILING TO PROTECT THE DUKE?

OR... IS IT THE FEAR THAT I MAY FAIL TO PROTECT THE YOUNG DUKE AS WELL...?

DUKE... I STILL DON'T KNOW.

HOW I COULD POSSIBLY FACE A GOD...?

HOW SHOULD I ACT...?

BUT...

AT THE VERY LEAST, I MUST PROTECT THE YOUNG DUKE...!

TOLLIN? ARE YOU IN THERE?

Y-YOUNG DUKE? WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE...?

IT'S BEEN HARD TO SEE YOU LATELY...

...WOULD IT BE ALRIGHT IF I CAME IN?

YOUNG DUKE, WAIT, NOW ISN'T...!

...I'M SORRY, YOUNG DUKE,

BUT I'M DEALING WITH SOMETHING URGENT AT THE MOMENT...

ONCE THINGS ARE SOMEWHAT SETTLED...

...I'LL COME SEE YOU MYSELF.

PLEASE!

PLEASE, LET ME GO!

I'M JUST AN ORDINARY OLD MAN!

HASN'T IT ALREADY BEEN WELL OVER TWO MONTHS?

HOW MUCH LONGER DO YOU INTEND TO KEEP ME LOCKED UP HERE?!

WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW THIS MAN ENTERED THE CAVE, CORRECT?

CORRECT.

WHEN WE FOUND HIM, HE WAS ALREADY UNCONSCIOUS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAVE.

AND HE STILL HASN'T SPOKEN ABOUT HOW HE GOT IN.

NO, HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU?!

I DON'T KNOW HOW I ENTERED THAT CAVE EITHER!

I LOST MY FOOTING AND FELL OFF A CLIFF, AND WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, I WAS INSIDE THAT CAVE!

THAT CAVE IS A PLACE BLESSED BY GOD AMICA.

WE CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU SIMPLY ENTERED BY COINCIDENCE.

IF HE IS LYING, IT MEANS A DESCENDANT OF ABIRAN HAS FOUND THIS PLACE.

ABIRAN'S FORCES MAY INVADE THIS PLACE.

HMM...

THOUGH HE IS OLD, HE IS QUITE WELL-TRAINED.

HOW ABOUT BLINDING HIM OR CUTTING OFF HIS ANKLES?

HMM...

I'M BEGGING YOU! PLEASE SEND ME HOME!

I HAVE A YOUNG CHILD AT HOME...!!

HMMM...

I'M SORRY, OUTSIDER, BUT LET ME MAKE ONE THING CLEAR.

YOU WILL NOT LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE.

BY THE MERCY OF GOD AMICA, I WILL GIVE YOU TWO CHOICES.

THE FIRST IS TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE HERE.

THE SECOND IS TO DIE HERE AND NOW.

WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?

PAHAHAHA!!

LISTEN CAREFULLY, ELDER WHO WORSHIPS AMICA...

...LET'S STOP WASTING EACH OTHER'S TIME.

AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M FAR TOO OLD TO BE THAT NAIVE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WHAT DO I MEAN...?

I MEAN I KNOW YOU CANNOT KILL ME.