Children of the Holy Emperor - Chapter 371



Only Noblemtl

371. The Return of the Prodigal Son (6)

The zodiac was excited by the successive reforms.

The triumphal procession of Prince Logan and Prince Mores, who distinguished themselves in Sigismund’s domain, took place just recently.

The fact that such great slopes occur in succession is proof that the Lord is looking after Delcross!

“There you go!”

“Wow!”

“The undefeated hero guarding the southern front!”

When Prince Owen finally appeared with cheers, the people of the Imperial City felt a slight shock for a moment.

Unlike the people I had seen in Seonghwangga before, he gave off a very unfamiliar and exotic vibe.

“That person… Your Excellency Owen?”

He had the appearance of a mature warrior, belying his age of 17.

A shabby and comfortable light armored suit, with long hair flowing freely.

Even the untidy hair was covered here and there with feather decorations that only barbarians would wear!

To the people of Delcross, who considered it a virtue to keep their hair short like the priests, the attire must have seemed very unfamiliar.

This was due to the absence of the escort knight Alicia. If she had followed Owen, she would have constantly scolded him for getting rid of all his crazy feathers and for making him look more presentable.

“Wow… you’re doing great!”

But perhaps because of Owen’s dignified attitude and confident expression, the people of the Imperial City soon began to express their admiration for his appearance.

“Look at that magnificent and magnificent prayer of yours!”

“They say the pagans tremble in fear at the sight of Prince Owen on the battlefield, and it seems it wasn’t all just empty words!”

“You look so strong! You are truly the knight of the Lord who protects the Holy Empire!”

When I think about it that way, it seems like there’s a brilliant halo emanating from behind the First Prince.

“Phew… Priest?! Are you awake? But why are you suddenly generating divine power in the air?”

There was no way they would have known about the small commotion that occurred in the carriage following them.

The subjects, convinced that Prince Owen was in the light of the Lord, soon began to shout his name loudly.

“Long live Owen!”

“Long live Owen!”

As he passed through the cheering crowd and arrived at the palace, a girl who had grown much more mature than Owen remembered greeted him.

Owen, who noticed her soft, rosy hair blowing in the wind, called out to her without realizing it.

“Amelia!”

It’s been a long time since I called your name out loud.

Owen felt his voice crack a little, and realized anew how much he had missed his brothers from Seonghwangga.

Then, the girl opened her eyes wide and smiled as affectionately as before.

“You’re finally back! Welcome back, Owen Oraboni.”

“How have you been? You’ve really changed a lot. So, something… … .”

Owen, who spoke happily, soon trailed off, not knowing how to express his feelings.

“… Really, you’ve become more mature.”

The kind girl who always smiled bashfully at Owen had changed more than he had imagined.

Not only has she grown taller, but her face, already praised as the most beautiful woman in the Imperial City, has become even more beautiful. Recently, she has begun practicing Aura training, and her aura has also changed significantly.

But perhaps it was just his mood. Owen sensed a more fundamental change in her.

The past that only Amelia knows now. The pain and sadness that she had to endure alone for so long left a faint trace on her as she grew older.

“You, did something really happen to you?”

At Owen’s worried question, Amelia just laughed.

“What happened? You really have changed a lot, Brother. You have grown so much that I almost didn’t recognize you.”

Amelia was also feeling a similar shock as Owen.

In the past, she had already left for Rohan with Leonard before Owen returned from the front line. So it had been a long time since she had actually met him face to face.

The clumsy country boy who remained in her memories had now become a stalwart warrior supporting the empire’s front lines.

“Let’s go, brother.”

Amelia felt her heart swell with joy and affectionately grabbed Owen’s sleeve.

“His Majesty the Father is waiting for you.”

* * *

“How on earth did you convince that belligerent chieftain of Karazhan? Ever since the news of the ceasefire was announced, all the ministers, great and small, have been praising your political skills.”

In particular, in the case of Cardinal Cesare of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he is said to be getting heated, saying that all southern diplomacy should be completely handed over to the First Prince?

Owen nodded his head sheepishly at Amelia’s continued explanation.

“Really? That’s an unexpected reaction?”

Cardinals and high priests.

Those old-fashioned people had always refused to acknowledge Owen as a member of the royal family.

Didn’t you always glare at him with white eyes, trying to find even the smallest flaw in him?

“That’s understandable. Brother has truly accomplished a great feat! A truce with the pagans. Brother has accomplished something that no one has been able to achieve in the millennia of the empire.”

Owen took a deep breath of the air he had been missing, listening to Amelia’s voice chirping like a small bird.

The ground of the palace that I stepped on after a long time felt truly warm.

I used to think it was just a fancy, wide place that didn’t suit me at all.

But now Owen was feeling the comfort of home here, as if it were a lie.

and-

‘…Father!’

Owen, who finally stood in the conference hall, was overcome with a strange emotion when he saw that the appearance of Seonghwang was the same as when he left.

“Come closer, Owen.”

Everyone’s eyes are focused on the First Prince, who is walking briskly as ordered.

His slovenly and free-spirited manner of dress was hardly befitting of a prince of the Holy Empire.

However, no one could easily spit out a bad word against him. Just like when facing the continent’s greatest knight, Balthazar, everyone was overwhelmed by the strong aura radiating from the prince.

“I’m back, father.”

When Owen arrived in front of the throne and bowed, the Holy Emperor looked down at him blankly for a moment before opening his mouth.

“Do you remember the precarious situation on the southern front a few years ago? Who stopped the infidels from advancing rapidly northward?”

The emperor’s calm voice echoes throughout the conference hall.

A voice he had missed so much. Strangely, he felt like he had heard it often recently, but perhaps he was mistaken because he was so happy to hear it.

“You will also remember the incident when the 3rd missionary group, isolated in the south, was on the verge of annihilation. Who rescued them from the hands of the cruel pagans? Wasn’t it the 1st Prince Owen?”

Owen tried hard to hide his excitement and listened to his voice.

‘My father was happy to call me his son, even though I was once an orphan with nothing.’

He wanted to be someone who lived up to that title. That’s why, when the status window appeared before his eyes one day, Owen was able to abandon all comfort and head to the Southern Front without hesitation.

Not only that, but he has also continued to work hard and complete quests up until now.

Well, what about now? Has the son become somewhat more like Seonghwang’s expectations?

“It was because my brave son was there at that time that I was able to protect the empire and its people from all these threats. Not only that, but in the end, I succeeded in putting the vicious nature of the pagans to rest, and I returned having achieved a feat that will forever be remembered in the history of the Holy Empire. How could I not be proud of this?”

Owen slowly raised his head at the calm, congratulatory voice.

Looking down at him was the same cold face as always, but what was faintly there was clearly something that could be called a smile.

“You’ve worked really hard, son.”

* * *

As a banquet to celebrate the improvement was scheduled for the palace, Owen decided to temporarily stay in the main palace instead of the Blue Rose Palace for that day.

And the one who welcomed him at the main palace was, for some reason, Masain Kyung, who looked much more mature.

“Brother Masain!”

As I approached him and called out to him cheerfully, the knight smiled broadly and placed his hand on his chest.

“Meet Prince Owen.”

“Haha, please stop with such stiff greetings.”

There was another figure in the castle who was just as thorny to Owen as Mores: Sir Marsain, a knight of the guard.

Although Owen is now being treated as the first prince of the empire, he is not actually of royal blood.

On the other hand, what about Sir Marsain, who treats himself respectfully as a palace knight? If he had not become Clanos, he would be the closest to the throne after the Holy Emperor, and a true member of the royal family.

If we are to speak of a twist of fate, it was indeed a cruel twist of fate.

But it’s really strange. When I meet Sir Masain after a long time, all the awkwardness disappears and I’m filled with a sense of joy.

“What’s been going on lately? Amelia, as well as you, seem to have changed a lot.”

Perhaps it was because, after serving Prince Mores, I suffered from mental anguish that felt like ten years each day.

Martha laughed and slyly changed the subject.

“I have always heard about your exploits on the Southern Front. It is truly admirable that you have achieved such feats all by yourself in a faraway land!”

And Owen was able to hear more details about Mores’ recent situation from him.

“… Lose your memory?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Martha nodded and explained Mores’ recent activities with a worried look on her face.

He played a major role in the Sigismund Territory, and the demon species that recently appeared were also successfully defeated thanks to his efforts.

“Unfortunately, His Majesty has not fully recovered yet, and is currently staying in a temporary treatment room. Would you like to stop by for a moment?”

“… … .”

Mores.

He was a very annoying and annoying scoundrel, but I still felt bad about seeing him in so much pain.

And on top of that, he doesn’t even have any memories of his past, so how on earth should I deal with him?

“hmm…….”

After a moment of hesitation, Owen made up his mind.

Well, let’s just be frank and treat him however we want! If I start to act awkward in front of him, wouldn’t Mores, who doesn’t remember anything, feel even more awkward?

So Owen opened the door to the makeshift treatment room without thinking and shouted at Mores.

“Mores, you little punk! You bastard! No matter how sick you are, you didn’t even say hello to my brother… …!”

But the exaggerated cheerfulness ended there. Owen was momentarily startled by the unexpected sight before his eyes and froze in place.

There lay a small boy, shrunken to half his former size.

‘What is this! Why did he become like that?’

In Owen’s memory, Mores was a round piglet who seemed to roll faster than he did.

But what about now?

The larger and more luxurious the bed was, the smaller the Parisian boy buried in it had to look.

“…Mores?”

When Owen asks hesitantly, the boy gives a curt answer.

“Yeah. Shut up, idiot.”

“… … !?”

That cheeky way of speaking, is that really Mores?

A trembling voice came out of Owen’s mouth without him knowing.

“You… you, Inma… are you okay?”

What happened? How sick must a person have been that the handsome fellow was so shrunken that he could fit in your palm!

‘And why is the activity coming like that? It looks like he’s going to die at any moment!’

Owen hurried towards the bed with a sense of urgency.

“What’s wrong with you? Where does it hurt? Didn’t your father treat you?”

At that moment, it seemed as if Mores’ eyes had suddenly fallen on the scarlet necklace hanging around Owen’s neck.

But Owen, who was shocked by the guy’s condition, didn’t even notice that. He was frowning and unconsciously fiddling with the pocket on his collar.

‘What if something doesn’t work out with this?’

Inside was the ‘ultimate elixir’ that Owen had painstakingly obtained by playing games every night.

‘It’s definitely possible. This is the ultimate cure for all the abnormalities in the body, isn’t it?’

Still, there was only one reason he was worried: this was a mainstream essential item that he had just managed to obtain by luck.

‘We need to break the mainstream as soon as possible… … .’

Sisley, and further, the Seonghwang family and the empire may be in danger.

Besides, if I used it this time, there was no guarantee that I would be able to get it again next time. When would I be able to get the Ice Heart, which was in short supply on all servers, and summon the Goddess Justitia again?

‘but…….’

Owen clenched his fists.

However, he couldn’t just leave this dangerous looking guy alone. In the end, he tightly closed his eyes and held out the golden elixir.

With the solemn determination to devote myself to the Pangea Chronicle without resting even for a moment starting tonight.

“Mores, you eat this!”

“… … .”

But an unexpected response came back.

Mores, who had been looking at the object he had handed over with a sullen face, quickly turned his head and responded like this!

“No need.”

“…what?”

Owen opened his mouth dumbly at the unexpected backlash.

I’ve been agonizing over using the elixir for some time, but I never thought he’d reject it!

“You, Inma! Do you know how good this is? Come on, take a good look at it.”

But even so, Mr. Mores remained steadfast.

“No, it looks suspicious and unappetizing.”

“Hey! When someone gives you a gift, at least pretend to accept it with some sincerity!”

“Oh, I won’t accept it. I won’t eat it.”

Owen, whose blood pressure rose to the tips of his head, had no choice but to grab the back of his neck and shout:

“… This son of a bitch is for real!”