Young Master, Please Put Some Pants On! - Chapter 91

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 91

“What are you talking about? It’s Duke Severus we’re dealing with, not just anyone. He would sense the human scent just from me being nearby.”

“….”

“Honestly, I found it strange too, but he probably wants to keep me close because he finds me suspicious. Well, maybe he’s also being lenient because you’re his acquaintance.”

Mellis bit her lips deeply, her face flushed with shame. Vivian’s words were completely accurate.

Kermanomon disliked humans, but that was all there was to it. He wasn’t someone who despised half-bloods that everyone else neglected or those of lower rank than himself.

Yet she had been so absorbed in Arsian’s story that she completely forgot this fact and instead vilified him.

“Why? Did something happen with the Grand Duke?”

“…No. It’s nothing.”

At Vivian’s concerned question, Mellis slowly shook her head. She thought she should apologize for her mistake when he returned to the carriage.

However, Kermanomon did not return that night.

* * *

In the Grand Council Chamber of the Aizen Empire’s Imperial Palace, a heavy atmosphere lingered. The ministers, summoned to a meeting from early morning, sensed the gravity of the situation and fell into contemplative silence.

Soon the doors of the Grand Council Chamber opened and Emperor Persiana entered. With an attitude heavier than ever before, Persiana skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the main point.

“I just received word from the Aizen Magic Tower Master. The same magical power as the potions sold by the merchant caravan was detected in the magical beasts found in the Duchy. As we feared, it’s certain that the surge in magical beast problems is connected to Revolity.”

“Good heavens….”

“Is that really true?”

Unlike the chamber that had become noisy, Kermanomon, who already knew this fact, quietly glanced around.

After compiling all the investigation results so far, it was revealed that some organization was illegally distributing potions they manufactured throughout the continent.

The potions had effects that induced abnormal pleasures such as hallucinations and stimulation, gradually spreading from blind spots where legal oversight was lax.

“Abnormal amplification of magical power is said to be one of the potion’s representative side effects. And most importantly, the same reaction appeared in the corpses of victims known to have been attacked by Revolity.”

“Does that mean Revolity’s victims weren’t simply killed for being nobles?”

“There were reports of people showing strange symptoms appearing throughout the Pria Kingdom before it became chaotic due to magical beasts. It seems Revolity has been preparing for this much longer than we expected.”

After the potions began circulating in the Pria Kingdom, the number of magical beasts within the kingdom increased exponentially.

“The fact that those who had been operating beneath the surface have revealed themselves must have some other intention. It doesn’t seem like simply expressing hatred like Zen did a hundred years ago, but rather actions closer to a kind of warning.”

“….”

At those words, the Grand Council Chamber fell silent for a moment.

Although a very long time had passed since the first victim occurred, the investigation had made no significant progress. This was because there were no clues whatsoever except that the methods were identical to Revolity’s.

As if someone had erased the remaining traces.

“We’ve currently requested drug component analysis from the Aizen Magic Tower. Once the main components are identified, we plan to track down the production site.”

Then one man who had been silent throughout the meeting spoke in a serious tone. It was Duke Dajes Willik, a purebred white tiger.

“Your Majesty, it seems there’s no point in continuing the investigation in secret any longer.”

“Why is that?”

“Now that the investigation has made no progress, this isn’t the time to worry about copycat crimes or the situation of half-bloods. Shouldn’t we announce the situation extensively through the media and instill vigilance in the continent’s people?”

“I share the same opinion. Other kingdoms have already expressed dissatisfaction multiple times regarding the Imperial Family’s passive attitude.”

“That’s right. If we continue to turn a blind eye to this, it would be tantamount to betraying the trust of other kings!”

Starting with Dajes Willik’s statement, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly heated up.

Persiana bit his lips tightly as if he had anticipated this situation. However, there were also those with opposing opinions.

“This cannot be allowed. Conducting a public investigation in this situation is tantamount to igniting racial conflicts. Please reconsider once more!”

“I share the same opinion. Already, among some humans, an atmosphere of rejecting mixed-bloods and being wary of beastmen is spreading. We must not rashly make the case public.”

“What do you mean by that? Neighboring countries have already criticized us, saying the Imperial Family is showing a passive attitude because all the victims so far have been humans!”

“Is public opinion the only thing that matters? This isn’t such a simple problem!”

The ministers’ words were flawless. Human nobles harmed by mixed-blood organizations, and the beastman Imperial Family that had to resolve the situation. The complex web of interests, tangled like a ball of yarn, gnawed at Persiana’s mind.

“….”

Kermanomon, who had been silently observing the situation, brought his clasped hands to his mouth. Even amid this chaos, only one thought filled his mind.

“…Half of Arsian is human, which the Grand Duke hates so much.”

Just recalling those words made his heart clench with pain again. He had pondered her words for a very long time. Did he appear that way in other people’s eyes?

Adam Ferzen was a vicious human, no different from the countless humans who had been eating away at his life until now. Therefore, he had only thought it justified for him to despise humans, having been harmed by them.

The biggest reason he had avoided Arsian was because of Adam Ferzen’s appearance that blatantly showed through him. That’s why he couldn’t easily answer Mellis’s question about whether he regarded Arsian as a half-human.

‘But that’s because I hate the Former Empress herself, not because I hate her for being human….’

Kermanomon, who had been pondering in his head, suddenly stopped.

…When did he start hating the Former Empress in the first place? Was it from when she threatened his life? Or was it from when she ascended to the position of Imperial Consort? Would something have been different if she had been a beastman?

No, that wasn’t it. Whatever kind of being Adam Ferzen was, he would have eventually stood in opposition to her. The two were in positions where they were bound to clash by nature.

Conversely, this meant that Adam Ferzen being human wasn’t particularly important to him.

“….”

His gaze, darkened by fatigue, slowly swept across the conference room. Numerous nobles were still stubbornly maintaining their positions and passionately arguing.

Perhaps his narrow-minded attitude had created this current situation.

Before he knew it, Kermanomon found himself opening his mouth.

“…Since stories about Revolity have already spread among the civilians, I also believe that further secret investigations are meaningless.”

When Kermanomon, who had maintained consistent silence throughout the meeting, spoke up, everyone’s attention immediately focused on him.

“However, what’s important is that this incident has no connection whatsoever to the previous Revolity. It’s clearly different from when mixed-bloods committed indiscriminate crimes to vent their resentment about their treatment.”

“….”

“I believe that conducting the investigation publicly while announcing this fact to ease the people’s anxiety is the best method for the current situation.”

A moment of silence fell over the conference room at Kermanomon’s statement. Soon, the ministers began to stir slightly and started agreeing with his words one by one.

The meeting continued for quite a while longer before finally concluding. Persiana, having finished the meeting, spoke with a weighty voice.

“From today, we will publicly convert the investigation of the recent murder cases and temporarily name the organization involved in this matter ‘Revolity.’ However, we clearly state that this Revolity is merely an organization impersonating the one from a hundred years ago and has no connection to mixed-bloods’ hatred of nobility.”

The authority flowing through his deep gaze imprinted his power on everyone present.

“Furthermore, we will implement temporary measures strictly prohibiting unfair dismissal or violence against mixed-bloods and order the strengthening of related laws prohibiting discrimination between races.”

This concludes today’s meeting. Rising from his seat with the calm closing declaration, Persiana glanced at Kermanomon’s figure. At the sight of his younger sibling who had become so reliable, he quietly formed a faint smile on his lips.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————