Chapter 48
Dwabo, unable to stand the stench, pinched his nose. Meanwhile, Kadan was calm and composed as if accustomed to such sights and stared at the steward with cold, merciless black eyes, showing no hint of compassion.
“Th-the secret royal residence is located on the western hill of the Renumar region!”
The steward began to rattle off the location of the royal residence with trembling lips. At the same time, he made sure to describe the area in as much detail as possible, so as not to provoke Kadan’s ire.
If he angered the prince here, he would experience a death so agonizing that he would not even lose consciousness before his body was torn apart, feeling every moment of it.
＊ ＊ ＊
Night quickly fell. The Inut soldiers stationed at the banquet hall found themselves in deep thought.
『What should we do with those women?』
『The prince must have a reason for gathering them.』
『Was he planning to create a harem?』
The Inut soldiers tilted their heads in confusion. The Inut people were known for choosing a single partner for life, focusing solely on them once they had chosen their mate. But before that, they were free to meet different people and select their future partner. A harem was where a ruler gathered potential partners.
『What kind of harem is this with these women? All the kingdom’s women are so tiny, they won’t fit at all.』
『Right? Especially the prince’s thing; even among us, his is something else.』
『Hmm, maybe we should pick about five of them and put them in the bedroom?』
『Sounds good.』
The Inut soldiers began sorting through the women. Their steps stopped in front of Ruth, who was huddled in a corner.
『What’s this one?』
『I’m not sure, but the prince spared him earlier. I don’t know why.』
『He’s got a face that’s half like a woman’s. Maybe he’s one of those?』
『Could be. The prince is so manly…he could probably handle both.』
『Let’s just take him too.』
The Inut soldiers grabbed Ruth by his armpits and began to drag him out of the banquet hall.
“Hey! Where are you taking me, you bastards!”
Ruth’s shout echoed down the hallway. He was dragged into a lavish bathroom, where he was scrubbed clean like a piece of meat to be placed on a grill, and oil was smeared all over his body.
“Why don’t you sprinkle some spices on me too? Huh?”
Ruth, who had been mocking them, quickly shut his mouth. The Inut soldier had somehow found a flimsy lingerie and a translucent dancer’s outfit, and was about to make him wear it.
No, I won’t wear it! I can’t wear this!
“What are you planning to do with me, you filthy barbarians?!”
『What’s he been saying since earlier?』
『How should I know? We’ve prepared both women and men, so let’s escort them to the prince’s bedroom.』
『Where is he now?』
『He went with that woman, the saint, to the audience chamber earlier.』
『Alright. I’ll go check.』
One of the Inut soldiers turned and walked toward the audience chamber.
Compared to the Inut Empire, the structure of the Brillan royal palace was incredibly simple. The soldier easily found the way to the audience chamber.
‘The largest room on the second floor… here!’
The soldier, looking up at the gilded door with elaborate carvings, was about to push it open.
At that moment, a faint moan came from beyond the heavy door.
─Ha, Kadan!
‘Kadan?’
It was another name for the Second Prince. Even someone as oblivious as the soldier could easily guess what was happening inside.
An hour earlier.
After Kadan left, the banquet hall was buzzing with whispers.
“Why is the Inut Prince protecting Luna Dheim?”
“Could that woman have been involved in some kind of treachery?”
“That’s right. She must’ve been working with the barbarians, selling out the kingdom under the guise of being a saint!”
“That explains why she already knew the prince. It’s because she caused our defeat in the war!”
The accusations kept coming. One noblewoman began wailing, blaming Luna for the deaths of her father and brothers.
Luna, sitting quietly in the corner, stared at the woman for a moment before turning her head. She was used to being the target of hatred, but the pain and suffering that came with it was not something one could ever grow accustomed to.
“Did you hear? There was a cursed child hidden in the Dheim family.”
“A curse?”
“Yes. The late commander told me in secret. That noblewoman had a strange tattoo on her body.”
“A tattoo? How horrifying!”
“They say it disappeared and she was treated like a saint. Who knows? She might have covered it up with makeup and lied about it!”
“We need to tell the Inut Prince about this!”
The atmosphere began to shift. The idea that only Luna had caught the prince’s eye was becoming intolerable. The other women who had been taken as hostages nodded in agreement.
At first, they hadn’t thought like this. After hearing the news of the kingdom’s defeat, they had only prayed to survive.
But human desires are fickle. After seeing the prince, who seemed like something out of a legend, greed began to grow.
It could be the perfect opportunity. If they could just win the prince’s favor now, they could stand by the victor’s side, even without the fame or connections they had once relied on.
Of course, not everyone thought this way. Those who were wise and cautious kept their heads down, avoiding any involvement in the commotion.
As time passed, the negative atmosphere continued to rise.
Perhaps it was because they didn’t speak the common tongue of the continent, but the Inut soldiers simply stood by, watching, without intervening.
While some of the women raised their voices, determined to expose Luna Dheim’s supposed wrongdoing…
“That’s enough.”
Kadan’s voice rang out from behind the banquet hall.
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