The Scoundrel Prince Sold Out the Empire - Chapter 31

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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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Episode 31: The Prince of Society (7)
Zion studied the silver-haired elf girl for a moment.
How old could she be? One couldn’t judge by appearance alone.
Elven growth wasn’t linear.
They were a race that shot up suddenly one day and then stopped aging until death.
‘Truly a chosen people,’ he thought.
No wonder elves looked down on humans, treating them as naturally inferior beneath their station.
And they actually were chosen.
They alone walked with the divine in this age.
The Divine Tree Yggdrasil.
In other words, the elves lived upon lands chosen by god, beneath the branches of divinity itself.
“Tell me—what’s your name?”
“You’re pretending to be carefree, I see.”
“……I haven’t the faintest idea what you mean. Soul Discord and all that nonsense.”
“If you insist on feigning ignorance, there’s nothing to be done. I’ll take my leave.”
“Wait.”
He caught her wrist as she turned to go.
“Just tell me. Speak.”
“Yes.”
That ‘yes’ of hers.
“You’re really not Bisk Dol?”
“No.”
“Then what’s your name? I suppose I don’t need to introduce myself—you already know who the prince is.”
“I’m Noxiruna, daughter of Smarag.”
An elven introduction. Elves foregrounded kinship rather than family name.
“Smarag? You mean that Smarag?”
No matter how he’d spent his years hidden in the wilderness, living half like a terrorist, he knew who headed the Eldrich Family.
‘One of the seven bloodlines, then?’
Which meant the elf before him was either the granddaughter or great-granddaughter of the one who’d founded Magical Engineering.
In a manner of speaking, she’d contributed indirectly to Deber’s collapse.
Not that he bore any resentment for it.
“Why would a councilor’s daughter from a great power wind up stumbling into a hidden chamber like this……unless you were following me?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s step outside and talk. The dust reeks in here.”
They left the Underground Sanctuary and emerged before the Temple.
The crimson sunset had long since faded, and night had fallen dark.
Beneath the moonlight, seeing the girl again, she hardly looked human.
The sort of beauty that compelled a second look.
Her silver-white hair caught the moon’s rays and threw them back, while her eyes—like gems cut and set into stone—held nothing at all.
Breathtakingly beautiful, and beautiful in a way that chilled.
It was as if the world’s greatest craftsman had sculpted a doll, and this was the result.
Which is to say:
‘Beautiful, yet oddly unmoved by it,’ he thought.
Like gazing at a pretty doll. That was all.
Her eyes were too vacant to bewitch.
The emotional warmth that usually flickered in human eyes—that tender presence—was absent from her entirely.
“You look even more like a doll out here.”
“Dolls and I are different.”
Though she must have known he hadn’t meant it kindly, she answered flatly yet earnestly.
A calm correction followed, as if stating a fact.
“Dolls cannot move or judge of their own will. I move and judge. Therefore, I am not a doll but a person.”
“The logic holds, but you still don’t seem human.”
“Everyone says that often.”
Not offended in the slightest—she answered as if reciting statistics. A flicker of interest stirred in him.
……Not that it mattered. He still had to keep talking, had to smooth things over.
“Should I discard the Covenant Candle?”
No. That wouldn’t do.
She looked like no small threat—a coldhearted one at that. He couldn’t let her walk back to the capital unchecked.
To borrow Winter’s phrasing: he had to reel her in.
For Zion’s own peace of mind, he had to.
“You asked about Soul Discord.”
“Yes.”
“It seems your senses have opened. An Eldrich heir with awakened senses—which way?”
“Scent.”
“Scent?”
“Yes. From Your Highness, I detect a different fragrance mixed in.”
Claiming the Eye of Stars, the sacred relic of the Deber royal house, grants one literal “eyes”—vision that pierces through the invisible.
The ability to see what cannot be seen, to perceive the imperceptible.
The girl, it seemed, could catch the scent of what others could not see.
‘She smelled my soul? Wait—does a soul have a scent?’
“I bathe regularly.”
The words tumbled out, touched with indignation.
The girl answered with utter sincerity.
“It’s not a smell, but an aura. A pleasant one—so you must bathe well.”
Not quite the answer he’d been fishing for.
“So, shall we discard the candle?”
“……Ugh.”
A sigh escaped unbidden. There was no way out of this trap.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know.”
“…Shouldn’t you at least feign surprise here? Say something like ‘Really?’ and act flustered?”
“I’m incapable of that.”
Incapable? Was it a matter of temperament?
It seemed that way.
“I genuinely don’t know. One day it just happened. I never wanted it, and I don’t know why the discord emerged. But regardless, I’m still Zion.”
That was the moment.
Hummmmm…!
The Covenant Candle flared with light, brilliant and swift, then returned to its ordinary state.
The covenant was sealed—a sign that the price had been paid in full.
“It works after all? Hehehehe.”
Zion laughed softly, and Noxiruna regarded him with an unwavering gaze.
Her face remained doll-like, utterly devoid of emotion.
Yet something like displeasure flickered beneath.
“What. It’s your people’s specialty, isn’t it. The Elf’s Lie.”
Yes. The reason such absurd Magical Engineering devices were openly sold.
Though not widely known, they all had loopholes.
“I spoke no falsehood and revealed nothing but the truth—I simply shared only what I chose to share.”
The elves, as a species, shared a cultural abhorrence of deception.
But how could anyone live without ever lying once?
Thus emerged their peculiar manner of speech—the Elf’s Lie.
Not speaking falsehoods, but concealing truths to deceive the listener.
Which was why some claimed no race was more cunning than the elves.
‘There’s truth in that.’
Having spent his childhood in exile within the Elpia Federation, he knew well.
They earned trust through their image of honesty, then proved to be no different from anyone else.
“I came to meet Zion Blizhe.”
“What……?”
The elf girl fell silent and simply observed Zion.
Studying his reaction.
“You can’t possibly think I’m Zion Bliz—”
“Then you must hate Zion Blizhe.”
“…….”
He went rigid for a moment, then spoke quickly.
‘Damn, that was close. Another second and I’d have said it myself.’
“Of course I do! He tried to kill me.”
“In that case, I apologize. Zion Blizhe will be released from the Empire’s prison and sent to the Elpia Federation.”
Zion’s eyes widened slightly.
“……What? How?”
“My father wishes it.”
“Zion Blizhe? Why?”
“Because he’s the only Archmage of this era. He’ll receive compensation clinging to outdated methods. Unfortunate for Your Highness.”
Zion bristled.
“Are you finished?”
Magic is outdated? That’s just—
“Yes.”
Just that single yes drains all the fight out of him.
There is one advantage, though.
‘This one’s got a loose tongue.’
Whatever you ask, she answers. That much is convenient.
“Why are you trying to meet Zion Blizhe?”
“Because he’s an Archmage.”
“…Why are you trying to meet an Archmage?”
“To talk?”
“Is your intelligence perhaps lacking?”
“No. It’s more than twice the average. I’m simply trying to anger Your Highness into making a slip of the tongue.”
“You have quite the talent for rendering a person speechless.”
“You just said so yourself.”
…….
Truly, he had nothing left to say.
Whoooosh.
The wind rustled through the leaves with unusual clarity.
“I think we’ve concluded our business here, haven’t we?”
Getting further entangled with her seems unwise. There’s something odd about this elf…. Ah.
He didn’t let it show. As he turned to walk away, his mind raced.
‘I need to bring her to my reception.’
It had been an opportunity to invite her to Ainzen. And he was squandering it as he walked away.
He couldn’t think of a natural pretext to turn back.
‘Scheming like this makes my head hurt. Should I just be direct?’
Then it came.
“Help me.”
He stopped. This was the moment.
“Help you with what?”
“Zion Blizhe. The Empire’s most heinous criminal. A bounty of one hundred billion Ruon on his head alone. I don’t imagine acquiring such a figure would be simple. Add to that his symbolic value—the sole Archmage of the era, the only member of Deber’s royal line. He’s irreplaceable talent, and his brand value would easily exceed one hundred billion Ruon.”
“Huh.”
Zion looked at Noxiruna as if questioning her laughter.
“No—I’m amused that you know the term ‘brand.'”
“How could I not? The term originated in the Elpia Federation. More precisely, after the academic study of Business Studies first emerged at a gathering of prestigious universities throughout the Elpia Federation, approximately fifteen years have passed since then…….”
“Shall we discuss Zion Blizhe first?”
“Yes.”
“No, wait. We’ll talk about it later.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to. Do you have time tomorrow?”
Tomorrow, as it happened, Zion would be at the seaside of Ainzen.
“What time?”
“Naturally, from afternoon into evening.”
“Let’s meet in the morning.”
“No. I’m sleeping in.”
“You live rather unwisely, I see.”
“A prince can afford to. Anyway, tomorrow afternoon. The location is Ainzen.”
“Where is Ainzen?”
“Where you have to take a train to reach from here.”
“That’s far. It’s impossible. There’s a reception held in my honor tomorrow.”
“I know.”
That’s exactly why he was saying it.
To keep her from going.
“The Seielia Social Club’s party will be tedious anyway.”
“How would you know?”
He recalled the newspaper Winter had been reading before he arrived—the front-page article.
Something about the direct bloodline of the Eldrich Family, a grand society debut at the palace like the princess had had.
Hmm, he couldn’t quite remember. Should’ve read it more carefully if he’d known it would come to this.
‘What. Decorating it like a forest is enough on its own.’
“I’ve seen it for myself. They cut down trees and arranged them for decoration. The whole forest concept.”
People commonly believe elves love forests.
Indeed, if you visit the Elpia Federation, you’ll find plants everywhere—wallpaper, furniture, all adorned with leaf patterns. The misconception is understandable.
But.
‘What elves actually love are living trees. Not cut wood decorations, but potted plants.’
In fact, the Elpia Federation doesn’t use wooden furniture.
They burn charcoal for fuel instead.
It’s rather absurd, really—inviting someone who’s mastered the art of cultivating plants, only to decorate a party hall with dead plants.
Teaching swordsmanship to a master swordsman?
If I’m going to compete, I should’ve chosen something that doesn’t exist in the Elpia Federation at all.
‘Like I did.’
“We’ll throw the party at the seaside. Waves crashing, brilliant sun on the sand, ice piled high everywhere, and a cool beer to drink. Perfect.”
“Oh.”
“What about a glass of Redweiser? I heard the dwarves’ nation released a new craft beer recently—supposed to be delicious.”
“It’s quite good.”
“Ah, you’ve tried it then. Lucky. So, will you come?”
“Yes.”
Hmm? I’d planned to do more persuading.
The way she agreed so readily, so cleanly—it feels suspicious somehow.
“What are you scheming?”
“I’ve simply accepted an invitation.”
“What about your father’s permission? You’re not the final decision-maker either.”
“A daughter can be. My father will go if I say we should go.”
Elven culture tends to be relatively formal about such things.
Yet she said “Dad,” not “Father.”
There’s certainty in that.
“Councilor Smarag didn’t strike me as an easy man.”
“He’s the type who doesn’t lose out on anything. Thorough and decisive. Everyone except me.”
Ah, so that’s how it is.
The biggest hurdle clears so easily?
“Good. Then we’ll finish our conversation about Zion Blizhe tomorrow at the party.”
A laugh slipped out unbidden, and I found myself grinning.
“You’re not asking, are you.”
There was no subject, but I’d already understood.
“You can’t seem to make expressions—it makes you look mentally unstable. So it’s strange that you don’t show curiosity?”
“Yes. Everyone finds it strange that I have no emotions. My father dislikes such people, but Your Highness must enjoy them.”
I shrugged.
“I’m missing a few things myself. Well then.”
The elf girl remained expressionless.
Only her head tilted very slightly to the side.
“Since this is my first time seeing the sea, I ask for your guidance.”
That much I was confident about.
“This was your society debut, wasn’t it? Mine too.”
Strictly speaking, it’s Zion Blizhe’s debut.
I’ve never been to a party in all my years living outside.
“I’ll give you a day you won’t forget. I swear it on the name of this prince, on the name Zion.”

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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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