Black Killer Whale Baby - Chapter 262
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 262
I didn’t have to ponder long before the situation became clear.
Crown Prince Kail, the original male protagonist, appeared to be an ideal Crown Prince on the surface.
But upon closer inspection, he possessed a certain arrogance and perfectionist tendencies.
He tolerated no mistakes, and applied the same strict standards to others as he did to himself.
In the original story, he appeared as someone thorough in protecting the protagonist Lili.
But judging from what I’ve directly witnessed, that wasn’t protection—it was excessive control and surveillance.
Lili seemed to have her life suppressed under the guise of love.
Well, that was ancient history. I learned this fact during my first playthrough when I tried to seduce him.
So judging from the current situation.
‘He must absolutely despise this situation I’ve created.’
A man born a lion, revered his entire life.
He was a typical discriminationist who pretended to be merciful but harbored mainland beast supremacy.
Already viewing me as inferior, and having suffered defeat at my hands once before.
To suffer such a massive blow now?
He wouldn’t just be displeased—he’d be consumed with rage.
I could see it clearly without even witnessing it.
‘They say love and hate are separated by only a sheet of paper.’
It wasn’t wrong. I likely understood him better than his own family.
Recalling an unfunny joke, I lifted my head.
Dana, the leader of the elephant beastkin, and Amphila, the hippopotamus beastkin, had personally shown me the letter containing the Crown Prince’s summons.
Afterward, our entire group, along with Loreille, the leader of the remaining monkeys and the new city’s communal lord, gathered for a meeting.
That evening, I sat in my office, gazing at the documents spread across my desk.
“Remarkable, no matter how many times I look at it. How did you manage to extract only the essentials…”
What I was examining were the original research materials that Levai had brought from the Madrum laboratory.
I’d already reviewed them once, but I was checking again to be thorough.
“You see what you know, as they say.”
“Your way of subtly highlighting your intelligence is always admirable.”
“Thank you for the praise. Since you’re giving it anyway, I’d be grateful if you offered some reward along with it.”
I briefly looked away from the documents toward Levai.
“It seems you have something you want?”
“Yes. If I ask, will you listen? At least, I’ll try to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Please go for a walk with me. A picnic would be nice too.”
I paused in admiration.
“…You’re quite bold, saying such things in front of all these people.”
With those words alone, the temperature in the office seemed to drop by about ten degrees.
And for good reason—sitting right beside me was Ekion.
Hauser stood over there, and Whale leaned against the wall with a single smile.
That wasn’t all. There was Atlant watching with keen interest, and surprisingly, Bellus with a cold expression.
Finally, across from me sat my Father in quiet repose.
“I’ve decided to stop deceiving others with cunning schemes like certain individuals. A person must possess genuine charm, after all.”
It was quite a skill to speak such words with an expressionless face while everyone stared or glared at me.
“Matriarch, if I can perfectly take on the Dolphin’s role, would it matter if that creature disappears?”
Hauser spoke with an impassive face. Whale lifted one hand with an affectionate smile—his gesture of agreement.
Your blood may not be mixed, but weren’t you brothers?
“From now on, if my older brother gets hurt, I’ll just keep him alive. Hahaha.”
Listening to Whale’s words—whether jest or earnest—I shook my head slowly.
Then I quietly patted the hand of Ekion sitting beside me.
“Father, I’m sorry, but could you perhaps calm down the water’s power a bit?”
“I haven’t used it.”
“…Holding it to someone’s throat isn’t a threat, then what is it?”
At that, Father quietly dispersed the rippling streams of water that had been surrounding Levai.
In truth, I had gathered only those who possessed memories of my past life, or who knew that I carried such memories.
This was because there were matters concerning the Crown Prince to discuss.
Though the past life and this life must remain distinct, when I reexamined the Crown Prince’s past actions from multiple angles, his schemes in this life, or perhaps
aspects I alone could not have conceived of, might emerge.
Thus, naturally, beyond our usual group, one additional person had taken a seat here.
It was Camula, whom Hauser had helped recover her memories.
“My, how fascinating. Truly a sight unseen in the past… I’m uncertain whether to be moved or alarmed.”
Camula stood behind the sofa where my Father sat, holding a plate of pastries in one hand.
The way she eagerly consumed the white confections resembled an audience engrossed in an exciting film while munching popcorn—surely that wasn’t a misperception?
“A love triangle involving our Matriarch, no less.”
“Camula, why do you always choose such expressions?”
“Ah, I misspoke. Now that I think about it, Orcas can indeed have multiple mates, can’t they?”
Camula widened her eyes as if she’d forgotten, speaking innocently.
“In the past life, the Matriarch was so disinterested in romance that I’d completely forgotten. Everyone assumed the Matriarch would grow old and die alone, or perhaps one day suddenly marri—… Ahem. Ahem.”
Sensing the atmosphere growing ominous, Camula quickly closed her mouth.
I shook my head briefly and picked up the documents again.
“The Crown Prince’s movements are certainly quite different from the past life. But it’s not difficult to deduce his intentions.”
As I moved to the main topic, everyone seemed to set aside their emotional expressions from moments before and listen intently.
“He suffered defeat at our hands in the past life. Even when he mobilized all his forces and exerted his full power, he still lost.”
Of course, as a result, we ended up driving the Dragon Duke berserk, leading us all to a destruction ending.
But I deliberately didn’t mention that.
“Unfortunately, the fool isn’t stupid—he possesses outstanding learning ability. Moreover, unexpectedly, it seems he remembers the past life.”
Camula flinched.
Seeing how one of her legs trembled more intensely, it seemed memories of when her leg was crippled had surfaced.
I tapped the documents in my hand.
“What he focused on in this life is the ‘Dragon.'”
It was already a fact I’d known since meeting the young Ekion.
The Imperial Palace sought to control the Dragon and manipulate him in the palm of their hand. Back then, I thought of it simply in those terms.
“Of course, they intended to imprison and brainwash the young Dragon Duke of this generation.”
Like the battle before the Dragon’s tomb that I witnessed in the Snake Beastkin’s jungle.
“Long ago, a Dragon who had abandoned the Dragon Duke’s title wandered, searching for Dragon tombs. And as a result, they collected Dragon corpses, or so it’s said.”
Or the energy mass named ‘Terra’ installed in the Madrum research facility, which resembled the power of a Dragon.
When I examined the documents brought from Madrum at the end, I could tell this was not something to be viewed simply.
“The power of the land has already been defeated once by the water power we possess. He must want to draw in the power of Dragons this time to achieve complete victory, no matter what.”
It was obvious without even looking.
I fidgeted with the paper.
In truth, the reason I ended up going to Madrum was because the incident in the Snake territory served as a catalyst.
Had it not been for that, I would have proceeded more cautiously.
And if I had, the Beastkin who became experimental subjects here would have suffered for much longer. Or they would have died.
The corner of the paper crumpled with a soft crunch.
“At Madrum, besides the ‘Terra’ they were using, there were no more Dragon corpses or Dragon power.”
This was a fact that Ekion, a fellow Dragon Duke, had told me.
“I’m certain. The remaining Dragon corpses he gathered must be in the Imperial Palace.”
After all, he’s someone who doesn’t know how to entrust important matters to others.
Having experienced failure once, his perfectionist tendencies had undoubtedly become even more obsessive.
You could see it from how he came to the Aquasiade territory, which he constantly called dirty and lowly, and tried to obstruct us by aiding the Shark rebellion.
He’s in such a compulsive state that he does things he doesn’t even need to do.
“And if we go to the Imperial Capital, he’ll definitely prepare traps of some kind and try to lure us in.”
Ironically, a letter bearing the Imperial Palace’s summons arrived at our side one step too late.
“We will respond to this and go to the Imperial Palace. However, with all personnel.”
Father arrived here with a large force, prepared to wage war without issue if circumstances demanded it.
“As you mentioned, if the Crown Prince’s traps are lurking ahead, do you have a countermeasure for this?”
At Levai’s question, I nodded slowly.
“It’s not a perfect answer, but it’s written here, isn’t it? The solution.”
I held up the document with crumpled edges from my hands.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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